One expedient only is left to me – travel.

I could start this post the same way I did two weeks ago: That was a damn good burger I just had. Friday is burger day here. I usually grab, in addition to the buns and the patty, all of the following: tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, mustard, BBQ sauce, thousand island, relish, and, most importantly, baked beans. Mmmmm. And then I go back and make a second one.

Garf the Frog King

Every Tuesday we have pledge-ed which is where we check up on all of our pledges (25! Much more than the average number of about 10-11, go us!) to make sure they are learning everything they need to know about the fraternity and to educate them about what we view are worthwhile ideals. Last Tuesday we had a fun little exercise in which we all (all being the pledges + the pledge-ed committee which I am a part of) wrote down the top ten characteristics we value in a person. Then we narrowed it down to seven. Then five. And finally three. The three most important characteristics I value in a person.


My three were: Respect, Self-Worth, and Flexibility.  I was going to go into further detail about why I chose these, but judging by the fact that I'm already a day late in posting and I have a lot of work to do I'll cut it short this week.  Maybe you can ponder them or do the activity yourself.  I found it quite rewarding to have some inner reflection time.  Hopefully I'll be refreshed and ready to write a long blog post next week.  Until then, c'est la vie.

Jason

Riddle Me This!

What has three legs going up a hill, but four going down it?

Eugenides! (If it didn't have 4 syllables in your head, you're saying it wrong)

Hey kiddos!

So I don't have time to blog a full post tonight.  I will write a complete week's summary tomorrow.  But the best thing ever happened to me.

My nose is super stuffy

I feel so bad after missing my last few Saturday posts. There are just too many things going on over the weekend to find the time and peace of mind to sit down and write. Maybe I'll try writing on Thursday and posting on Saturday.

My readers will excuse me from the unnecessary duty of describing the denouement.

If she thought she didn't have a life before...

Since I have three jobs, am a double major, am an active member of debate and the Bates Authors Guild, and also have Chinese quizzes every day, you might anticipate that I'm a pretty busy girl. My response to such a claim?

No shit Sherlock.  Tertiary, my dear Watson.

Titles are overrated.

Writing before breaks is overrated as well.

Jesus Fountain For the Win.

Well, Monday rolled around again, like it always does.  You can almost hear the collective sign.  But that’s enough ragging on Mondays.  They’re coming back in style.

If I was going somewhere, I was running.

That was a damn good burger I just had. I want all of you to know that. But on to less important things.

We'll Start With An Awkward Conversation

I'm going to start out this post with a fun little exchange I had with my Chinese professor on the first day of class that I may or may not have forgotten to tell you about last week. Ready? I bet you are, you rascals: I walk up to my professor to ask her if she still has my workbook I never picked up last year in her office (Spoilers: she did. Best professor ever.) and she gives me a sort of conspiratorial smile and leans in and whispers something at me."What? I didn't hear you," I reply, a bit confused by her general change in demeanor. She repeats herself. This time I hear her. "Did you lose weight?" she whispers again, an excited gleam in her eyes. "What?! No. I don't think I did at all..." I stutter. If anything, I've gained weight from not moving around this summer. My professor continues on, nodding her head as if certain "Yes. You did."

What do you call a pun that isn't a pun?

I'll begin by saying this isn't another nebulous post about my opinions on things.  Rather, it's a more concrete post about my opinions.  Opinions that are much more easily expressed in words.  Opinions that you will probably understand.  Regardless of whether you understand them or not, you will undoubtedly read them, giving me great freedom on what I consider worthwhile for including in this post.

Managing to be in love with Monday

I’ve done some intense lyric analysis as preparation for today’s post, using The Cure’s “Friday I’m in Love” song.  And I’ve determined based on this piece of scholarly wisdom that I have traded to a very crappy day.  Whereas on Friday, the speaker “is in love,” Monday is described as being “black,” “blue,” and a day in which you must make the decision to either “fall apart” or “hold your head.”  Derek must have done some high-level research about early 90’s British hits before “consenting to” (or so I thought at the time, more like manipulating me into) a trade.

And Sunday comes afterwards~

Whoops, it's Sunday. I started writing last night but stuff happened and I didn't get back until 4 am. Sorry guys, I'll try writing earlier next time. 

This past week felt like just one big festival. It doesn't feel like I'm starting school, and I can't believe that I already have homework. When it's not raining or humid, the weather is just like it is in June, and seems to scream "SUMMER BREAK!"

So if it's just us . . . seems like an awful waste of space.

I have now been on campus for eight days and attended exactly zero classes. 'Tis the nature of pre-season cross country. My days have mostly consisted of the following:

WELL HOT DAMN

Hello everyone.

I know, I know, you're all thinking, "Why Rich, you made those great couple videos at the end of last year, I bet this first post will be full of a new intro and some great music and your face flapping on and on about all shorts of shit!".  But you're wrong.  It won't.  I right now have 1 hour until my history class, and have only read two of three BOOKS that were assigned since TUESDAY.  Then, after class, (which is 7:30, for those keeping score at home) I have to do a physics problem set (~20 minutes), a multi problem set (~2 hours) and then Insanity (~1 hour).  In short, no time today for a video, unless there is, in which case I will make a video.  I'll try for next week.

Love you all, glad we're all together again.  Everyone's my favorite.

-Rich

In Memoriam N.D.M.

As my physics GSI related nearly an hour ago, "Yes, we know that the universe favors entropy, but why does it favor it? Why does the puddle remain water and not simply change into ice?" The conclusion reached was that we didn't know the answer. Or rather we didn't know how to explain it, which is, in itself, more important than the prior.  Thinking about why the universe favors disorder led me to evaluate my own life and the disorder within it.  Why does my life lean towards disorder, or more importantly why do I try to find structure when nature tells me to do the opposite?

Hopefully not a Sophomoric Year

Today was officially the first day of classes for Bates College. My day has been quite the hectic one, and it isn't even done yet. I still have to shower (I know, struggle city over here at Hayes House. Having to shower? How will I ever get over the stress of such a task?) and study for my Chinese quiz tomorrow (20 new characters to learn in one busy day, hoorah!). But I suppose for you all I will sacrifice some time to tell the story about my life and pursuits of knowledge and happiness. Onwards? ONWARDS!

The First Monday of the Rest of Your Life

A picture I took of the SIS building, which I love.

So, you used to look forward to Mondays.  The pro and con list tipped in the former’s favor because Derek Satterfield (no tag intended) posted on Monday, that good ol’ chap.  And it cheered you up, and you thought “Maybe this week won’t be so bad.”

By that logic, welcome to hell, ladies and gentlemen.  Because Mondays are mine now.  Muah ha ha.

West Five Story?

Hi again! Unfortunately, there will be no pictures this week because I've been bad about taking them and it really isn't a good idea to take pictures at some East Campus events. Actually, it usually isn't a good idea to post anything about EC events online. Something about safety issues…