My Christmas Break started the Friday of finals week. I took a day trip home and took with me everything that I needed to survive break. I brought home only the necessities — both my computers, my router, software, clothing (in the form of dirty laundry just like any good college student ), shoes and my trumpet. I had the chance to play with my alma mater’s pep band that night. That was a good experience. I got to spend time with my great friend Jessi and also got to see my high school sweetheart, Michelle (who did a wonderful job singing the Star Spangled Banner before the game, she’s studying voice at Ball State). Afterward we took a foray to a party being thrown by one of the “new” girls in the Show Choir. I say “new” because she’s a junior…. past my time. The party was an interesting experience because I knew only three people there, Jessi and two others. The highlight of my evening was after we left because we ended up going to Denny’s to get some dessert. I got to do a lot of catching up with Jessi since she and I don’t talk as much as we used to because of distance. All and all, Friday was a good day.

Saturday sucked. I went to Kentucky with the basketball team to watch what was shaping up to be a good game. Until the end. Mike Davis… probably one of the best young coaches in the NCAA and still has a lot to learn about coaching. I’m writing this entry after the IU loss to Temple (after a four day break). I’m bitter. This season was going to be an undefeated season. Of course, that was before a pair of coaching mistakes gave us our two losses. Anyway, off the basketball team, back to break…

My break was really uneventful until our trip up north to Hartford City. The days after Saturday until Christmas Eve were dull. We made cookies, I made dinner a couple times, that’s about it. Here’s a pic of my sister and I enjoying some nuts — the kind you eat, not people in a psych ward.

Anyway, Hartford City was great – definitely the highlight of my break so far. I got to see my grandparents from my mom’s side, my aunt Tracy and uncle Geoff and their kids. We did the usual Christmas thing – had dinner, visited, caught up, opened gifts and harassed each other. My little cousin, Jack, became like glue to my side. Everything that I did that afternoon, Jack had to do too. I have pictures that I’ll post under this paragraph. They’re cute. He wanted to take a nap with me, so he crawled up into the other end of the couch. I was playing Quake III Arena a lot (capture the flag style) and he started watching me (he calls it “Flag”). That’s what these two pics are. Enjoy!

My family stayed there that night with the intentions to head to Alexandria to my grandpa on my dad’s side for Christmas day. We woke up in the morning to a blanketing of snow. We had a good 8” fall overnight. It was great. So much fun. Anyway, we made our trek to Alexandria and had Christmas lunch with my grandpa, aunt Melanie and uncle Gary (he’s a grumpy old man). My aunt and dad were watching Trading Spaces all day and my uncle was giving the Grumpy Old Men commentary to each design and decision in the design process. After lunch, my dad climbs up into my grandpa’s attic and begins to throw boxes down at me. We completely unloaded his attic because he was afraid that he would leave things up there. He is in no shape to lift things, let alone take things out of his ladderless attic.

All things said, my Christmas Eve/Christmas experience was most enjoyable. I got to see a majority of my family (the ones that matter anyway) and have some time to relax. Now that it’s all over, I’m ready to go back to Bloomington and be with my friends again. Home has lost it’s attraction, especially living with my parents and siblings.

Today – College Basketball all day

Tomorrow – Heading back to Hartford City. This will be another day of highlightability in my break. My aunt Cindy and uncle Glenn from Texas are going to be here for a few days. I haven’t seen them in more than a year. Seeing my cousins is always a good time.

Anyway as for that entry, sorry it’s so long. Hopefully it was interesting. I’m out for now.

Quote of the day “So far in my life I have learned one thing – Friends and family are what make living worthwhile. Seeing family and spending time with friends are some of the best activities we can engage in.” – Me That was me being philosophical.

word to your mothers

tm

Merry Christmas

Ah, here I sit again at work….bored out of my mind for the last hour and a half of my shift.

It's tuesday, during finals week….yay for finals. All of mine have gone ok and I have one left…The Music of the Beatles (bum bum bum…..). My exams were kinda surprising, except for I202….that one was exactly what I expected. Impossible…. There is a rumor going around that the class will be credited just because the professor didn't know what he was doing. He was teaching us wrong information and requiring that we know the wrong stuff for exams and quizzes. I don't know how a professor can do that. What a retard….Whinnie the Pooh should die! (sounds like a bad song title….) I think I've complained about this class in each of my blog posts that meant anything. I'm sure people are tired of hearing about it, but I don't care, I'm still going to rant….Afterall, isn't that what Blogs are for?

I went to buy some Lord of the Rings tickets for Erin and me this afternoon after my math exam. Wow, was the line long… It stretched across the entire front of the theater. I know it's a popular movie and all, but honeslty, how retarded is that? The Star Wars Episode II line wasn't that long and Star Wars is a much more established movie. Whatever, I don't understand. Erin and I are going to go see it at 10:00 Thursday night, after my Beatles class.

I'm not looking forward to tomorrow, it's going to be a long day. I have to be back here (Lindley Hall) at 8:00 tomorrow morning (after leaving at 2:00) to work till 10:00. I took this shift thinking it would be alright since I would only have to work it three times, well, out of the two weeks it's been mine, I've missed one and made one. I'm 1 and 1… .500. Go me! Hopefully I can finish the season at .667 . At 11:00 (I think) I'm meeting Matt at Read for lunch. Sometime tomorrow I need to write a book report for I101. This report has the potential to raise my grade one letter. It's a large incentive to actually do well on it and get it turned in on time. I also need to take a nap sometime in the afternoon so I can stay awake for the movie AFTER the Beatles exam. I'm really sad that that class is ending. I wish it were a year long class. I could totally sit in that class with Dr. Gass all day. Notice how this is the first time I've mentioned him in my entire blog? I don't talk about the instructors I like a lot. I just enjoy them and then move on.

That's about all I've got for now. Hopefully I'll be able to write some more friday, if not, see you all sunday.

Quote of the day "It's not magic, afterall. It's only math." – Andre Chapuis a.k.a. Dr. Dre, My I201 professor.

tm

It's still Monday…

I have a final at 7:15 tonight…..yay Social Informatics (also known as 202, I202, Pooh's class)…..Whinnie the Pooh meets the end of his class tonight. I hope the course gets curved quite a bit. Most of the students in the class aren't doing too well. They, like I, are averaging a D in the course. Naturally, there are about 15 – 25 people who are getting As and Bs, but the vast majority of the class is getting a C or D. I really dislike taking classes that are poorly taught.

I spent most of this afternoon studying for this exam, but I'm sure that I'm still not going to do well. I have not learned a single thing in this course besides the fact that multiple people have many varying opinions of how information technology is going to impact our world.

On that note, I was reading a very interesting article on Slashdot yesterday about Bioinformatics (my career choice). If you're wondering what Bioinformatics is, you should read the article. The Slashdot commentary can be found here Bioinformatics in the Economist and the actual article can be found here The Race to Computerize Biotechnology. Enjoy

In other random news — my Abbey Road LP came in the mail today. I recently won it on e-bay for $2; however, like most e-bay purchases I make, I paid more for shipping ($5) so I got the album for $7 total. Not a bad deal. It's in great shape and the cover is lightly worn. All I need now is a record player.

In even more random news – Drumline the movie mentions Kappa Kappa Psi. Yay, Psi ok, I'm a dork…. I'm hopefully going to go see that movie tomorrow with some Bros. Tau Beta Sigma has a very little silent mention…their crest appears in the background during part of the movie. Of coruse, this is all speculation, only what I've heard. We'll see how it actually is tomorrow.

Tonight after my exam, I'm heading to Stephen's after a review session for I201. That's my evening plans. Then sleep….working at 8am tomorrow morning. So….yea. Time for me to get off of here and get ready for my exam.

Second Quote of the Day "damn it feels good to be a gangsta" — Office Space

tm

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word

tm