| 12/14/2007; oblation run |
[Dec. 16th, 2007 | 04:25 am] |
there's nothing grander
than the big surprise
note to any concerned luscious, hopefully legal-age viewers:
the last few pictures have a spot or two of full-frontal nudity. Of course, since I'm proactive and everything, choice sections of anatomy have been blurred out, but seriously, when has that ever stopped your imaginations.
The Oblation Run is a huge, inevitably iconic tradition here in UP. It involves Alpha Phi Omega fraternity members. Running. Naked. Naturally, this event has a storied history, but somehow, nudity obliterates everything I've just said and instead everyone goes WOO BOYS.
You do know I'm right.
december 14
was a few hours ago, really, but I don't remember a time of my life when I wasn't nocturnal, so here you go.
The run was scheduled to start at 12 noon in AS (Palma Hall), so I headed over after my last class at MassComm to find out that CSA was slowly filling up with... boys. I didn't ask.
It was really interesting, seeing the lobby so full. See what it takes to mobilize students to come to anything early? I saw Clar and wanted to drag her to the steps to see what was going on, but she had a class to go to, so she couldn't watch.
Leanne was bumped into, and she looked a little happier than usual.
But Seanners would totally restrain her, so I'm sure she was in safe hands.
The walkway beside CSA was crowding because it was apparently where the runners would enter. I don't know. Note that photographer in the foreground. He becomes annoying later on.
This is Kirby, who looks nothing like a boofy pink ball that flies by farting.
Chris. No comment.
Being a photographer, it's really important to know where the light will be good, so Kyle and I headed out to the AS steps because it was brighter, which meant better light, and less blur. ;)
We ended up walking through the cordoned-off path the runners would take. It was very terrifying, with all the eyes, especially when my mind decided it would be fun if I imagined myself naked, walking down the path.
Zel had positioned herself right at the AS lobby entrance. You don't see the camera she's holding.
Awesomely, Sasha and Joma from MassComm were at the steps too, so we all discussed the light conditions and zoom lenses.
Sasha also had a camcorder, because heaven knows what you can put up on YouTube, or store in an innocuous flash drive stowed in your sock drawer.
Whatever, Sasha. I totally know what you're up to.
Okay, the press were everywhere. They got the middle part of the steps, right where a set of strategic-looking bleachers were arranged. Hmm.
Various recording devices were being readied.
Sasha tested her zoom-in capabilities.
Then, out of nowhere, this guy in yellow came out and carved a new path towards the suspiciously strategically-arranged bleachers, and that's when Sasha, Joma, Kyle, and I knew exactly where to stand.
Everyone was everywhere. I suppose UP isn't actually the sex-fueled liberal activist university everyone whispers about (proven by myself, when I was the one shocking all the freshmen in my first year by just oddly being myself), a Whole Lot Of Repressed Freshmen And People In General turned out to see the frat boys.
Suddenly, we heard screaming in the lobby, and then everyone was screaming and moving forward and a million cameras swung towards the entrance...
...and it was a false alarm. This lady was so disappointed.
Meanwhile everyone got even more excited. I don't know. I mean, in the end it's just streaking, which isn't exactly exotic, but I guess the hype started and grew every year, and everyone's a closet conservative in this country (paradoxical, slightly) so finally it became what it is now: streaking with national media coverage and a general standstill on campus.
The whole of AS seems to morph into this metaphorical temporary closet where it isn't weird to watch something like this, which is- well- now you know why probably over half of the spectators are guys.
And then we heard screaming again, and it was like the Red Sea in reverse, and everyone started yelling...
...and it was another false alarm.
Remember that guy in the AS walkway? WELL. He's actually kind of a huge noisy prick and the only kind no one wants at the Oblation Run. He kept on yelling and yelling and I have NO IDEA what he was saying, but I hope he feels better now.
All these exchange students from Korea were so there. Does streaking happen in Korea?
And another false alarm.
It was getting ridiculous, really. How many times can you psychologically blue-ball two thousand hormonal spectators. Answer: a whole lot, apparently.
If all the camphones on the steps could focus onto one spot, energy crises around the world would be solved in seconds.
Him again.
AND THEN THE SCREAMING WAS DIFFERENT. You just know these things. It was the "OH MY GOeasldjfahsjl;slf;lfaas AAAAAH" type, from literally everyone in the lobby. One guy from the security team (what? I know, right?) ran out to clear the way, which made everyone scream even louder and mass forward. I was in the middle of a sea of... estrogen. Lots of estrogen.
Then the runners came out and all hell broke loose.
It's like in church, when a worship song reaches its peak, and everyone throws their hands up in praise? Except, well. Very slight differences, really.
Of course, to stay anonymous (because really, when you run dressed like- oh wait- in front of a hysterical mob, it may be a little disconcerting for some to be approached for the rest of their school lives by people who remember them as "the one with the unicorn tattoo on his left buttcheek" or whatever it is they could be theoretically remembered by) the guys wore Venetian masks over ski masks. Some just wore them... differently.
The next few minutes were the perfect definition of chaos, and then it was over.
Note the completely blocked-off road.
The survivors.
While Joma and Sasha headed back to MassComm, Kyle and I returned to CSA to see how everyone else had fared, just in time to catch the runners again. And five minutes later, again. Propriety kind of recommends that I don't post those pictures up.
This is Innah. Any ideas you can possibly infer from this photo are probably not true, but what are odds anyway.
Well that was interesting. |
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