I am a Husky, We are Washington

Being a Husky football fan is a community. The roar of the crowd, the sound of "Louie, Louie", sirens blaring after a touchdown - these are the sounds that Husky fans crave to hear on Saturday afternoons in the fall. To be a Husky fan means that one loves football and the traditions that go along with it, including tailgating, purple and gold, and being a season ticket holder. Members of this group proudly display UW and Husky stickers and license plate frames on their car, wear Husky apparel on a weekly basis, and most likely have a beer bottle opener that plays "Tequila" when it cracks open a cold one. These die-hard fans literally bleed purple and gold!

Some of the members of this community are current students, some are alum, and some, like me, have been fans for life because it's how we were raised. No matter how one comes to be a Husky fan, to be a part of this group one must have at least basic knowledge about the game of football, especially Husky players past and present. This specifically includes the ability to recall historical moments from Husky games as well as the ability to list Rose Bowl appearances and National Championships for the team. The most important part of being a Husky fan is to have a common, outward hatred of all of Pac-10 rivals teams, specifically Oregon, WSU, USC, and UCLA.

This group is united and are Husky fans through the good seasons and the bad. During a very poor season, such as the last one in 2008, the morale of the team as well as the community of fans can feel strained. Some members leave the community at this time claiming that they will not watch a game played that poorly or a game by the worst team in college football. Real fans are not fair weather though. They stick by the team through all their bad seasons, hopefully to see another year like we always had in the 90's.

I am a part of this community because I was raised a Husky fan. I used to watch the games on television with my father and I was able to attend a game or two per seaon as a young child. I am currently a Husky season ticket holder. Even though the team did not do well last year and the cost of tickets is expensive in this poor economy, this is something I make a priority. This is a community that I want to continue to be a part of because I have a love for football, I always have hope that the Huskies will have a winning season, and I love the feeling of community and togetherness between all Husky fans as we gather before the game at the Duchess for bloody marys, during the game to cheer on the team, and after each game to celebrate!
The t-shirt I wear to most games says it all "I am a Husky, We are Washington."

Dude, where's my wallet?

My wallet goes with me everyday. It finds its place in my right back pocket each morning and is always there when I need it. On the rare occasion I forget my wallet, I feel almost naked without it, reaching for it throughout the day even when I have no use for it. Is it because my wallet contains valuable items like my debit and credit card? I guess my subconscious could feel that if my wallet were missing then maybe someone had stolen it and they would have access to my bank information and funds. Those cards could easily be cancelled and replaced though. Also, someone who stole my wallet would probably notice that I carry no cash and might figure out that they wouldn't get much from my debit card either!

It seems like an item this essential to my everyday routine would also include something important to me, but it really doesn't. If my wallet were found by a stranger, they could probably contact me to give it back because my wallet does contain my driver's license. My driver's license actually has my current address on it, which was only updated a few months ago, almost a year after moving to my current home! From this item a stranger might also learn my height, weight, hair color, eye color, and that I am an organ donor.

My wallet also contains my insurance cards for medical, vision, dental, which are issued with the name of my employer. A stranger who found my wallet might learn from this that I have a job at a nursing assistance facility and the company helps me to obtain my coverage. They would also find an auto insurance policy card, but might be confused to find a different name on this document. That is because the policy is in my girlfriend's name. A stranger wouldn't know this though. Would someone then assume I was married? Would they think at age 31 that I am still on my parents' insurance policy? Or would they really be off base and think that I stole this card?

Tucked away in the smallest space in my wallet is a frequent customer card from a coffee stand that I often visit. This is the only item in my wallet that might give a stranger some insight into my more than just my stats, but my likes and interests. From this card a stranger might not know of the extent of my caffeine addiction, but they could probably imagine me using this as I pull through the coffee stand drive thru on the way to work in the morning.

Why does something that is such an insignificant part of our life play such a major role? When I have my wallet tucked safely into my back pocket I feel in control, but without it I am vulnerable.

From the above items I described in my wallet, someone might assume that I was a simple person carrying only the essentials. They might also realize that by the Columbia label on my wallet I enjoy the outdoors, but they would not know that I am going to school to become a nurse. Nor would they know the pathway I have taken in life to get there. A person looking in my wallet would not know the people who are the most important to me, including my girlfriend and my family, especially my nieces and nephews. Even though this person would know my identification, they would not know me as a caring friend, a giving person, a caregiver at work, a loyal brother, a fun uncle, or even the fact that I drink Bloody Marys any time of the day! My wallet is a little window into my life, but in no way paints of a full picture of Kevin Slater.