« July 2006 | Main | September 2006 »
I just received a phone call from Bill Caine, the Section Adviser for Section C-5C. He informed me that Greg Wilke, last year's Section Vice Chief had been appointed as Associate Section Adviser of Administration for the Section and that I had been appointed Associate Section Adviser of Communications and Conclave. It's a pretty big opportunity and responsibility for the both of us. I'm just glad to be back working with Greg, Bill, Pat, and the youth (most importantly) again.
Let me first say that I can't even believe how incredibly awesome my website looks on the 15" MacBook Pro glossy screen. Words cannot describe it. Too bad I want to change the CSS.
The apartment that Mark and I have moved into, along with Stuart (a kid from my International Relations class last fall) and Jon (a guy in my fraternity) is pretty nice, save the fact that the Illinois basketball players that lived here all last year did a number on all the desks and floor lamps. It's party central, but more on that later.
Classes are going to be tough this year, that much is certain. In one class we are reading three different texts simultaneously, while reading at least one book per other class, meaning that at any time I could be reading and trying to retain upwards of seven books. I'm not complaining, just observing.
So, as the year starts, I'm already getting tired of the partying. Mark, Jon, and Stuart aren't; not that there's anything wrong with that. Yet as the year starts and I find things out about people that I thought I knew, I'm glad that I'm here in Champaign and not back in Alton comiserating on the past. Special thanks to Sarah for the good conversation today; way to keep me on my toes.
"In October, I'm going to be in Philadelphia with 7,000 of my peers at the American Politcal Science Convention. That also happens to be the weekend where all of the prostitutes in Philadelphia take their vacations."
Professor Jeff Mondak
"Our persuasive speaking class requires overheads, yet does not allow powerpoint. The reason: too much goes wrong with technology. Ugh."
Me to Shaun, Greg, Mike, and Scott via text message
"Pour alcohol over the transparency and proclaim, 'Science!'"
Scott in response
I found this online today and thought I'd give it a shot. It's a little disappointing to find that their sophisiticated searching technology came back with Helen Hunt and Andie McDowell.
Thanks to Jim Letournau for finding this site.
"That's a good idea. The only thing I could hold in my lap right now is sober."
-Me to Mike Halbrook at Fast Eddie's
When I decided to take a trip to U of I today, I didn't realize it would be such an event. Sure, I knew that Greg and I would look at his recent work on In Memory, and I knew that we would be moving some stuff of mine into the apartment, but I could have never guessed what would happen on the way home.
After I got on to Highway 72, the temperature alarm in my car started going off. I pulled over, popped the hood, and emptied the last of a gallon water jug into the coolant tank, talked to a very nice police officer that had stopped, and was on my way again.
But not for long. About two or three miles down the road, it was evident that all the water had boiled out. I had no water left, yet managed to force the car to limp off an exit ramp and into a neighborhood. A nice older guy gladly filled my gallon jug up, and I cautiously moved back to the highway.
A couple miles later, I was already overheating, so I pulled into the next gas station I could find. I bought three ice-cold gallons of water, filled my tank, and waited for about 15 minutes. Time to hit the road again.
Once again, another two or three miles down the road, I had to stop and fill up the tanks. By this time, Charma Charmeleon (the name of my car, just to spite Carl) was making a god-awful thumping sound. I decided to call it quits. If the engine hadn't been damaged yet, I sure as hell wasn't going to push it.
Eric had started his two and a half hour trip up to save me, but there was plenty of time to kill. I read a bit of the course material for a class of mine and chatted with another friendly cop, not to mention a little support from Christine. After a stop at Wendy's in Springfield (where we heard the discussion of the night; Worker: "Where's Lawrence?" Manager: "Lawrence quit." Worker: "Why?" Manager: "I don't know; he was never the same after he got out of prison."), Eric and I pulled into O'Fallon at 11:00- a full 7 hours after I had started my trip home, mile by mile.
This post also marks my first as a 21 year old. As of right now, I'm 21 years and 10 minutes old. And not one second wiser.
In case you were wondering what to get me for my 21st birthday (which occurs on August 17th), I have compiled a list available here. Happy hunting.
As always, the order is:
Artist::Song::Album
Maritime::Tearing Up The Oxygen::We, The Vehicles
Soul Coughing::Super Bon Bon::Irresistible Bliss
Madonna::Hung Up::Confessions On A Dance Floor
Trashcan Sinatras::Country Air::Weightlifting
The Frames::Keepsake::Burn The Maps
To kick off the newest category on my blog, I have selected this quote from Thomas Paine:
"I would gladly agree with all the world to lay aside the use of arms, and settle matters by negotiation; but unless the whole world will, the matter ends, and I take up my musket."