Weathering Storms

I could not believe the weather today. It started out rainy and drizzly but relatively warm. And that’s what I based the strength of my garb on. I spent most of the day in the STH building, and boy, was I in for a shock when I emerged. Chilly breezes!! And I had to walk down the hill in the rainy chill. Needless to say, I was chilled to the bone by the time I got to the car, and I vowed that this shall not happen to me again this year. I would rather tote an unneeded coat around all day than to have to walk in such a cold state.

It’s like the cashier at the Citgo where I stopped to get a cappuccino said, “They said it’s holding steady at 41. And I said, ‘Tell me where. I wanna go there.’”

Speaking of stormy weather… we had a mild storm in my Quality class this week—only it was the human kind. The majority of the class took offense at a comment one of the guys made during on of our classmates’ presentations. And when he didn’t show up in class the following day, there were some who were quite vocal in their displeasure with him. I had heard the same comment, I guess, but I didn’t find it particularly offensive because that’s just him. Well, he somehow heard how he had been roasted publicly, so today he got up and apologized for his comment, but he also told them that he would appreciate being talked to one-on-one before he becomes the topic of a class discussion, which I think is fair. There were some exchanges, but in the end, it was worked out to the satisfaction of everyone, I think.

We are going to Michigan tomorrow. I’m excited to be seeing my cousin Spencer whom Sharon and I were with in Germany this summer. We’re going to “chew the fat,” as they say. Spencer actually went to a language school in Berlin after we were with him, so it will be interesting to see if his German has improved. Sharon and I are VERY interested in doing the same thing. This thing of taking it for a semester here and a semester there is just not very effective. I’ve been perusing the language school websites wistfully. If it weren’t for the price of the ticket over, it’d be a pretty cheap investment.

I do just have to comment on language school websites that are only available to be viewed in German: They’re absolutely worthless!

Trees and Exams

I love fall and have been enjoying every orange tree I see. I'm thinking we are getting our "streets of gold" a little early. Fall makes you see trees you never noticed before. I had to think that maybe it's that way with people sometimes too. They just blend in, and you never really take the time to notice them, until all at once something happens, and it's their time to shine. And then you see them. And appreciate them.

I have had a quiz and four exams all in the span of a week and a day. And I’m tired of studying diligently every night. That might be a stretch, actually. Usually I come up with a fabulous study guide the night before my exam, and then I’m too tired to study it. So I get up extra early in the morning and go to either DUC or the library and study. Thank goodness, they have a Java City in both places. Since it’s gotten cold, I have felt the need to have a caffeine jolt. It seems to help my memorization capacity.

On my trek up to the library the other morning, I got onto the elevator in Grise on the first floor. As usual, it quickly filled up with other students who weren’t wanting to make the four-story trek up to the fourth floor, including two burly football players. We were all collectively dismayed when it stopped at the second floor. The two football players decided that they would “fill” the doorway with their presence by edging close enough for their noses to touch the door. Then whoever was standing there would be persuaded to seek an alternate method of ascent. Well, it worked. One of them said, “Sorry, man,” as the door opened. Never mind that there was room behind the two—to have the door open with a bunch of eyes staring at you behind two very large in-your-face guys—well, it was more than the poor little guy had bargained for. I’m sure I heard a small expletive before the doors closed again, and he headed off in the direction of the stairs. One of the football players said to the other one, “Whoops. That was xxx.” Apparently, it was one of their classmates, and “he’s going to be mad.” I stayed huddled in my corner, cradling my backpack, but I just couldn’t help a small grin.

Thank goodness for professors who are actively engaged in research. I love it when their presentations and conferences and papers interfere with class time. My epidemiology professor had to attend a conference on Tuesday and then he had to go to a meeting today. So we didn’t have class either day. We were supposed to pick up a take-home quiz, however, but when we got to there, the secretary said the copier was broken, and we would not be able to get it. As Telesa said, “It’s divine intervention!”

One of the WKU Freshmen guys killed himself early this morning (around midnight) by jumping out of a twentieth story window. Rumor has it that he was high on “mushrooms” and was running around the dorms naked saying he was going to jump. I guess no one took him seriously. And then he jumped. And then they did. They said there were about 900 students who came down to observe the whole sordid mess—so many, in fact, that they had to get extra police officers in for crowd control.

I had never heard of getting high on “mushrooms” before. What a tragedy!

Well, I have a test coming up in the morning, so it’s back to studying I go.

 

Fun with Selena