RETREAT!

This past week has been a nice port of call in the maelstrom and storm of college existence. I was given one of the best birthdays of my years -not only did I spend it at home with close friends, I was treated to dinner at a wonderful Russian Restaurant (and I got a first class seat both legs of the journey.) Added to the trip home, three of my classes were cancelled, so I got to spend a little more time away from college. People more or less popped out of the woodwork to wish me a happy day. For once, I didn't feel bad about having a birthday and interacting with people on it. I received a fair share of presents too... Odd for someone over 18, but still appreciated! So, to everyone that made my day happy ~Thank You!!! :)

Friday I made it back and went to one class - the one I had ditched on Wednesday- and then packed for the C2 retreat. Though different from the Catholic School Retreats of my past experience, this one still left me with a sort of "spiritual" or "metaphysical" high. Like the rest of the C2 program, the retreat was hard to describe and the rewards of it cannot be described in words that do it justice. "It was sort of like a retreat. It was kind of like going to camp. It builds community in a way that you've never built community before. And overall, there’s this sense of having more freedom and more responsibility over your life and actions without feeling scared or that something is bound to be screwed up. No matter what you did or did not do, you should have gotten something out of this retreat." I did. I'm already missing the people, the place, the activities.

After that whole break from school, coming back is hard. When busywork and mundane distractions reenter the standard plane of existence, when interruptions, broken dreams, and distorted visions are given room to grown and play, when the plain and ordinary exhibit their drab faces once again, once misses the exotic past. Now I know why people are stoners -though I don't see the point in inhaling smoke to create emotion.

I can't say I was 100% happy on the retreat. I spent time wondering why I was there, and if my friends were really more than associates, and if I wasn't looking in the right place for diversion, amusement, and companionship -but given the chance, I would go back again. And again. And again. Until I lost all sense of what the real world did to make this so much better. Thanks world, for giving my rollercoaster a few hills to climb over.

Home Sweet Home

I'm home, for about 27 hours. I think I'll take a nap. (This morning was 648 frequent flier miles away, among other things.

Minneapolis really needs to do something about thier parking situation. I tried 2 cheap lots off site, and then had to park in a space thats not really a space on the 9th level of the airport parking garage. If only I could figure out where that airport keeps their long-term parking lots! Stupid Stupid Mineapolis. I really despise flying out of that airport. I think it was designed by some stoner with a penchant for straight lines and right angles. So anyways, it was a long walk, a ride on a train that goes from nowhere to nowhere, and a very hungry person who's tea curdled on the flight but drank it anyways. Huzzah~ first class, once again. 1D is the way to describe me!

I'm tired. I'm hungry. I've decided that I get no more free time at home than at the dorms. T T F N. Also, thanks everyone for the birthday wishes! -Esp. Jon's Mom.

Going Home!

I’m leaving today, and taking a quick jaunt back home. It’s my birthday tomorrow, and I don’t relish the idea of spending it in the dorms. Too much drama, and besides –they might decorate my room or something. Thankfully, my Essays class has been cancelled for the day. I’m just assuming that in Spanish we will be rather unproductive just like yesterday, and last week, and the week before and the week before that. I’d listen to the guy talk, in his baby-Spanish toned down for us children. I’d mingle with kids who’s Spanish is mingled with “I don’t know what’s going on” and “I hate this” while ‘practicing my conversational skills.’ Right. I’ll learn more Spanish just going home for the day!

So I’ve worn my dress clothes today. Going to class prepared, but not for class –I’m waiting in readiness for my not-so-grand exit. All I’ve got to do is get the car started –UGH! Get my bag ready, and actually find the park and ride up in the cities. Oh, and get to the airport in time –that’s always important too! Then home I’d be! homE! hoME! hOME! HOME!

I have an 8 am class Friday morning. Then I’ll have a retreat on the weekend. And another 8 am class Monday morning. Busy busy busy! But somewhere in there, I’ll be in that special place. A vacation. At home.

It’s nice being a pilot’s kid!

Technolgia

I bought a flat screen monitor, and it arrived today. Well, my bestest friend in the whole wide world bought it for me, since I am afraid of E-bay. A check and a pat on the back are on the way. So, what am I going to do with a 17 inch flat screen monitor?

Play games on it.

I have an already malfunctiong laptop and I need no second screen for it. Poor Daniel is good enough for me for now, if he doesn't die during the fan-replacectomy operation he will undergo on an undisclosed date in the future.

I bought a box from Startech that can convert the signal from my PS2 into something recognisable by a computer monitor. Then, I hooked it all up, and not I have an over sized monitor sitting in my comfy chair and lording over a MASS of cords on the floor. And, with all that effort and all this mess, I can finally play video games in my room *and drive my roommate nuts.*

This goes to show you how anti-TV I am. I think they should all be smashed. If you really want to hear a funny anecdote about getting rid of a TV, look up Bill Holm. He has a good piece on getting rid of his, and I would quote it but its too long, and I don't have the source in front of me either. Yes, the magic talking box is evil. So are computers and video games, but lets not talk about that right now. I have avoiding purchasing an evil talking box, and now can hook up lots of things to my video display -having fun and NOT doing homework. Well, getting my priorities straight will have to come at a later date.

Good Grief!

Its after midnight and I haven't started my homework. I take that back, I have worked on a project but thats cuz there's other people involved. ~Motivating factor~ There's some allure to AIM and programs of the sort, they offer friendship that dull books and silly notecards can't give you. Life is depressing. Atleast, it is this semester. I thought I was all done with that depression crap. Guess not. Situational depression is a killer when the situation is school! So, now on to homework. Enlighten me. Why do i need to learn about Rene Descartes from a third party lecturer and writer? I pay lots of money yearly for my own dear prof's expert opinion. Tomorrow too, the day of all days when I need a nap, I will have to stay awake during my breaks and study or read something for class. Time management -bah. I lack the motivation to manage my time. An infinite ammount of screw ups cannot make me enjoy my current situation. Back to Western History Volume 2! Oh how I long for Playstation right now!

A Vindictive Blog

Coming soon to a bookstore near you:

Chicken Soup for the Dorm-Inhabitors Soul: Stories about dorm smells, dorm noises, dorm furniture, dorm roommates, and other dorm miseries.

Chicken Soup for the Incarcerated Soul: Stories about breakouts, prison riots, and instructions for the storage of weapons in feather mattresses.

Chicken Soup for the Virgin's Soul - Stories to encourage the chaste, commiserate with the single, and console those who haven't given to their flower to anyone.

Chicken Soup for the Promiscuous Soul - Tales to encourage the immoral, console those whose significant other is only in it for the sex and detailed advice on treating STD's without a trip to the doctor.

Chicken Soup for the Married Soul - Stories about other people's kids, other people's houses, other people's cars, and the leaky sink downstairs.

Chichen Soop for the Children's Soul: Funny pictures of Mom doing Carpool duty, Dad cooking, the dog taking a bath, and the time the teenage siblings stole the car.

Chicken Soup for the Custodial Soul- Stories about lazy people who never clean up after themselves.

Chicken Soup for the Soul in Foodservice -Stories about people who can't serve themselves.

Chicken Soup for the Bedridden Soul - Millions of Remedies for getting over a cold, the flu, infectious diseases and broken hearts.

***THIS is a satire. These books don't exist and I have no intention of writing them. ***

It stopped snowing and then started again. Hooray!

Cravings

I'm dreaming of some nice -Raisin Bran.
Just like they had in the caf a while ago.
I'm craving some real Raisin Bran.
And all they'll have today is sweet cereals.

I've also been craving soft-serve ice cream. But I gave that up for Lent. Even though today I Sunday I'm gonna stick to my guns and have some other desert.

SNOW!

It's snowing. The flurries from yesterday turned into something real! For the past week it’s been flurry flurry flurry flurry nothing. I've said, "If it’s going to be cold, it might as well be snowing." And it snowed. I don't know how much we've gotten. I haven't gone outside yet, but it’s enough that the grass is no longer visible -except in that place where they accidentally plowed the grass and not the sidewalk... Tonight or tomorrow would be a perfect time to go to Mt. Kato. Real snow! Real Nice! Anyone wanna go? If we get enough people together, it would be 16 bucks a ticket, rentals included!

If you get up late enough, they will have plowed by the time you are ready to go outside. If you get up early enough, the only thing plowed will be the sidewalk in front of chapel. If you can trudge that far, it’s easy going. Chapel better be your first stop for the day, and you'll need to spend a lot of time there before anything else gets done. Physical Plant is about as lazy as the tennis coach, who stole our riding vacuum cleaner.

I still don't think we've gotten 20 inches of snow this year. Somehow, that still makes us under quota. We need more snow! The soft fluffy kind, preferable that emanates warmth and happiness and stays around for a while. The kind that comes without bitterly cold wind. It’s not March yet, so I don't think my dreams will come true.

Daniel is Dead

Daniel isn't really dead. Well, not yet. But, if he doesn't get fixed before I use him much more, I think he'll be something close to fried, like his battery is now. The computer has been overheating and the battery life has been reduced by about 2/3rds.

The problem is: the fan is busted. A 13 dollar part, so you'd think its not so bad. But NO! Dell laptops aren't created to be taken apart easily. Its gonna cost me 80 dollars an hour for a dude to take my laptop apart and replace the fan -A procedure that usually takes about three hours.

There goes my J-Term Paycheck. Much more of this and buying an alienware laptop would have been worth the initial cost!

I would have blogged earlier, but...

It just didn't happen. Its been a downer of a week, augmented by horrible classes, social conflicts and the invasion of the space that is mine. *Well, its not really mine, but I would like to have somewhere to go to store and recharge my sanity.*

So anyways, I was going to write in class today, but my laptop died. See note on fan for explanation. I was nowhere near an outlet. Besides, I couldn't get stable wireless internet either.

Then the network was down. After figuring out how to empty my "trash" folder on a Mac and bring my official school disk usage down to size, I was paranoid that I had murdered my internet connectivity. I hadn't, the network was down. But it still ruined an already not so good day. Happy Happy Joy Joy.

The network is back up. I went to class, went to work, went to walleyball practice, went to dinner, went and got my car and parked it in the close lot, went upstairs to grab my playstation, and then played and played and played. Amplitude is a really addictive and relaxing game. I got Tony hooked. Our next conquest will be the Katmari Damacy. Atleast I think thats the game where you are a little ball that rolls around and collects stuff and grows and grows and grows. The amazing discovery of the week is that the Playstation 2 can be hooked up to the downstairs/public TV and we have a 40 inch or something screen with couches nearby to play on and have fun watching. The only problem is the SEVERE discoloration of the TV. Oh well, it doesn't stop my addiction. I'm going back for more!

HappY Friday!

The Best Gift Ever

I got a package from my mom today. Well, it came in last Friday, and I forgot to pick it up. The Post Office isn't open on weekends, and I finally got it today. It was a Valentines day package, and it had some socks, a card with a letter, and one of those red heart boxes with chocolates in it, made specially for Valentines day. Usually those things don't mean much. Bought at the grocery store, meant to be given out, but somehow its different since Mom gave it to me. I am really indebted to her for thinking of me, and sending me a holiday package all the way from Colorado. It made my day more than a nap, or a cancelled class, or anything else that I derive occasional pleasure from. Thanks Mom!

-One Week-

One week down, lots more to go. It’s not even worth counting right now; just flipping that many pages in my planner is depressing. How can anyone take pride, or solace, in having lived through 5 days of classes and one long day of work? It doesn't even feel like the start of the semester -this past week has gone on for so long that only the dates on the syllabus show us it was handed out not even 7 days ago. Plenty of time has been given for trouble making as well. I've already informed the class that I have taken the MMPI, I've run my car out of gas, started hating my room and roommate, and done laundry at midnight. What a week! 15 more to go. (Yes, I buckled down and counted, but on a different calendar.) But my homework is done, and I enjoyed doing it. As long as the class isn't a core and required class, the homework is almost inspirational and worth doing. History of Modern Russia? Of course I want to learn! Teach me more; I only have 4 pages of notes so far. Teacher, help me fix that! Hold class over every day. Don't talk about the upcoming Student Senate elections; I don't know any of them anyways. Talk about Modern Russia! Why didn't I take Russian as my foreign language last semester? Curse you, O Supreme Schedule of the College! And Essays? Essays are just good to read. I'll tear through them, just you wait, book by book; I'll ravish and enjoy them like none other. But the Bhagavad-Gita? Spielvogel's brief history of the world since 1500? Come on! I know there's better out there. Better teachers, maybe... But better ways to approach the topic of "Western Civ" or "Morality" than those, definitely!

And now its time to go to church. First Sunday, good place to start going to church. Next 15 Sundays, good place to keep going to Church.

Oh, and any Machebeuf people, please pray for Mrs. Ferguson. She has Pancreatic Cancer, which is usually pretty thoroughly and immediately fatal and could use any prayers!

Its a Monday Wednesday Friday Thing...

All this wouldn't be happening if Sarah hadn't gotten a new and fancy haircut over J-Term which emphasises the windblown and tossable style often found in adds for Great Clips or Super Cuts. I mean, to begin with, when she came back, it was all I could do to not say "oh my god, what did you DO to your hair?!" Now she stands in the bathroom every morning I have an 8:00 class and flips her hair around, gets it in the sink, doesn't clean it up, takes up enough space for two people and makes lots of noise. After deciding that it is impossible to flip the circuit breaker for the outlets in the bathroom without effecting the lights as well, I think I'll move to a new bathroom in the mornings. As long as there are no klaxon's or foghorns, or stampedeing herds of cattle, freshmen girls, or lemmings, I think the new arrangements will work out. Check back Monday for the latest updates on this perturbing situacion.

The God Damn Hairdryer Again!

This time, it was in the same room as me. The same gal that took an early morning shower on Monday and dried her hair in the bathroom repeated the process today. I do hope that she won't make a habit out of this. As I was brushing my teeth in front of the mirror earlier than should be humanly acceptable, the dumb blonde rushed into the bathroom completely dressed, makeup on, her arms filled with brushes, hairdryer, and all manner of other feminine supplies, dumped them on the sink not yet vacated by its current user, and plugged the infernal screaming machine into a nearby outlet. Absolutely inconsiderate! The noise was so loud, it could have woken the dead -or my sick and slumbering roommate. I felt horrible walking back into my room and getting ready as it was, not to mention letting the noise of the hairdryer screech into our room as the door opened. I know for a fact that this evil wet-haired bitch who dries her hair in the bathroom has not this problem. Her roommate was brushing her teeth on my other side. Heaven forbid you should bother your plant with the noise of a hairdryer. (Oh wait, you overwatered the plant, killed it, and gave it to us!) If your roommate is up at the same time as you, for God's sake people, have a hair-drying party in your OWN room!

The bad mood I'm in is mostly my fault. I can't seem to get out of it, and it would be tragic if the one side of the bed I can get up on is the wrong side. But really, whether its a good day or a bad, one should rationally expect to be given space and respect by your dorm-mates early in the morning.

A Personal Vendetta Against Hairdryers!

The paper thin walls of a dorm are no place for hairdryers. There's no place for hairdryers really, but people use them and it can't be avoided. I maintain, however, that there is no place for hairdryers in a dorm, much less a girls dorm, where people are trying to sleep at 7 a.m.

First damn day of class and I wake up to hear a hairdryer blowing away in the bathroom down the hall. First damn day back! What the heck are these girls thinking. Half the people on this floor don't have to be up for an 8 a.m. class. Just because I do doesn't mean that I am motivated enough to get up at 6 to take a shower and blow dry my hair!!!! Have some respect people! Go dry your hair in your room! If it wakes your roommate up, maybe you should shower before you go to bed, and blow dry your hair when everyone is up and no one is around! Gee! What an idea.

Tomorrow, I think I shall go flip the circuit breaker for the outlets in the bathroom. I'll leave the lights on, but no one will be able to plug in their noisemaking hot air guns. Then, everyone else will be able to sleep peacefully AND I'll be able to lie in bed, hit snooze, and eventually get dressed without the irritating whine of some poor girl who just can't shower every other night instead of each and every blessed morning!

Oh, and they took the 2-ply toilet paper out of the bathroom too! We were spoiled, man! It wasn't Charmin, and it wasn't fluffy, but it was twice as good as the stuff we've got now!

Last Night

I am very ashamed of myself.

Yesterday, I accomplished nothing. NOTHING! I flew back to school, replaced the burnt-out headlight in my car, replaced the other headlight so that I'd have 2 beams of the same color and intensity (while it was snowing), checked my mailbox (I am going to MURDER the post office for folding yet ANOTHER book in half to fit it into my box instead of telling me to pick up the package at the window), and sat in my room killing time. And killing more time. And killing even more time.

That's not what I'm ashamed of though. In the evening, people began to make their social rounds. "Oh my gosh, I haven't seen you in forever!" was the noise of the day. Its only been a week, people. Get over it. These friendships don't mean that much to you anyways. So, some people came by, and then their friends came by, and then I went with them to someone else's room... And we watched a movie.

I curse myself, and grind my teeth and foam at the mouth, and shoot myself in the foot for not finding a way out of it. The plan was to get out of it a half hour in... But I couldn't think of anything to say, and I was trapped on a little purple beanbag. At first it seemed too early, then it seemed too late, and I spent about 2 hours watching "White Oleander," a film that tracks a girls moral degradation in the foster care system after her mother is convicted of murder. I think it could have been a decent chick-flick, but as the girl's character deteriorated, so did the movie. By the end, I was rather sick of it and very very ashamed of myself. I am not one of those people for whom dorm life consists of watching movies. Indeed, that was the first movie I've watched socially, from start to finish, all year, but it still is a shameful and pitiful aspect of dorm existence, even in comparison to the meaningless activities of my day.

Thank goodness for homework as it keeps the socialites away?

A Long Hot Shower and Its All Better

The snow conditions at Copper Mountain yesterday left something to be desired. With no new snow in the past 4 days, the slopes were sprinkled with man-made snow and ice -lots and lots of ice. Though the day was not a waste, it sure was tiring. Snowboards, only having 2 edges, require more effort to control than a pair of skis (4 edges). After a whole day of controlling my board, trying to keep up with my brother ( a speed demon) and my friend (who has been skiing since she was 3), and driving through Saturday mountain traffic I was exhausted and felt really frazzled. I drove home safely, however, and ate another one of those filling and regular meals my mom provides when I am home. Then I headed for the shower. Ahhh. A nice, long, hot shower. That fixed everything! My hair was wet (and cold) but I was ready for bed. I packed my bag (ugh) polished my shoes, and pretended not to see the really full laundry basket. Now I'm back at school, sore and tired and discovering exactly how college contributes to the definition of "empty and meaningless lifestyle." Oh yes, and tomorrow, I get to pay a visit to the post office to retrieve 11 packages and chew them out for folding a book in half to squeeze it into my post office box. Grr!

Touring Week: Its Mao-velous!

I wish I knew who came up with the whole idea of J-Term and Touring week; they deserve a lollipop! Not for thier brilliance, nor for their stupidity, but for the depth of their knowledge in regards to the life and moods of a "college student." Especially during a Minnesota January, when the wind is cold and the sky is gray, does this essential knowledge of the species "studentis collegeis" become quintessentially rewardable. After having been granted the entertainment of a real class with a real teacher and some real reading material discussed by some real students who really want to be there, and then having been endowed with the parole and permission to see the sun, reside near the mountains, and sleep in a real bed, I think the guy that lets me do that should get a lollipop or a tootsie roll or something.

Being home for a week has been fantastic! Though its had its downs -the snow has already melted, I don't get to work, everyone else is in class all the time, my mom keeps shoving vitamin pills into me like I am some biological mistake, and the high-speed internet isn't ALL mine- life is cruzin' good. I guarantee that will all come grinding to a halt soon, very soon. Yet, the next time I come home, I will be more prepared to kick butt at Cranium (Blue and Green cards, be prepared) and will have created my own crazy and indecipherable rule for Mao (A card game which everyone will love, hate, and should learn to play). So Beware!

There are 17 books waiting in 17 packages in the school post office for me. There is one roommate, one messy room, and one mattress that gives backaches awaiting my return. Oh, and a credit card bill of a most unpleasant character. Its time to party up before I knuckle down and grow up. Or it’s simply the last of the days when I can get up late before it once again becomes mandatory to wake up early.

For the lack of a better ending: "Eeeepp!"