| I can drive a stick. |
[May. 13th, 2007|01:56 am] |
Weekend activities have been completed. Rob and I successfully traveled to Chicago to play in the PTQ. When I say successfully I mean, "we didn't die despite my best efforts." I have limited experience shifting, and clutching. These skills have now been tested by fire. I have experienced stop and go while waiting for tool booths, and I have rapidly shifted gears while trying to make decent time between stop lights and residential districts.
I may have ran on stop sign and almost rear ended a guy on seperate occasions, the later not being my fault. The light was difficult to see since it was dim and the sun was at an awkward angle. The guy I almost rearended stopped behind a guy who stopped as apposed to merging onto a major freeway. It was scary.
My clutch, transmission, and tires have received decent wear for this trip.
We showed up late to the PTQ, but managed to sneak in since they had started late anyways. We registered a deck pool in 5 mins to later realized that we had another 15 mins. We then built our decks while coming off our adreniline high from the drive. The biggest mistake was probably putting in Restore Balance thinking that with clockspinning it would be a wrath of god. But in reality it read something like pay one white wait two turns and lose 12 life to wrath and even out lands and hands. This isn't good... it wasn't good... we played 3-3-0 and then dropped since we couldn't top 8 into the prize anymore and it was a long drive home. We might have been able to do better if we had put in cards that had text which didn't imply that we were going to lose so much life.
Yep Yep... I expect nobody who reads this to understand since I don't think anyone that even pretends to follow my blog plays Magic. That's all for now. |
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| Camp Physical, poker, dork cards. |
[May. 8th, 2007|01:39 am] |
Is it bad that I'm looking forward to a camp physical? This seems sketchy to me. I think it comes from the fact that camp this summer is the bit of future I can see coming, and that is reasuring. As far as other jobs are concerned I am still waiting. There are a few applications out and I am hopeful.
I've been having a string of bad luck at poker the last couple weeks. Bad luck mostly, and a few less expensive bad plays (into people who have good luck). But I'm still at least 100 up for the semester. I guess I can't complain.
It looks like I might be traveling to Chicago this weekend to play in a Dork Card tourny. I'd be more hesitant to do it, but I looks like Rob is really looking forward to it. Who am I to disappoint Rob? Maybe my bad poker luck will inspire some good dork card luck. *crosses fingers*
jVx |
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 28th, 2007|10:16 am] |
I didn't sleep last night and I'm updating this journal 'ith out the use of a stickly key. Interagative terms are quite difficult for me to 'rite. Despite this typing restriction I am forcing myself to stay a'ake for a bit longer to see if there 'ill be something in my SPO.
John |
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| Poker? Why poker? |
[Apr. 24th, 2007|01:28 am] |
I placed the turmoil of life aside for part of the evening for monday night poker. Despite all that is going contrary to the way I would like it to in my life I still have been doing well at poker. Four on Saturday; fifteen tonight. I'm still not ready to go back to the casino... even the cheap table is expensive. It's on thing to call an expensive two dollar bet, and it's another when you're pay that much for a blind.
Project presentation Wed
Senior Paper Friday
Play dork cards with Rob on Friday at the Lan Party.
Yep. Perhaps the second derivative of my life is positive... here's hoping. |
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| Long time no see |
[Apr. 20th, 2007|09:41 am] |
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Over the last semester I've become less stress. It's been nice. I'm looking for a job. I have most of a senior project done. I'm working at camp this summer. Yep. |
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| (no subject) |
[Dec. 10th, 2006|01:36 pm] |
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I don't want to take finals. I want my projects to be done. I want to go play games with Rob. Tuesday can't come soon enough. |
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| Turning of the tides. |
[Nov. 11th, 2006|10:20 pm] |
Tuesday I slept through my 8am Quantum Lecture. I never miss class, but my alarm did not sound loudly enough to awaken me. I woke up at 9:55. It was frustrating; I jumped up and down like a sim mumbling nonsense syllables of frustration. The day prior I had spoken with my adviser, who also teaches the class, about how tired I am. I thought it was ironic that I then missed his class.
The odd thing is that I feel a lot better having slept through it. Maybe it's just a change of focus, or maybe it's that I'm not doing homework right now. I still want to semester to be over, but I might now have the constitution to make it to the end.
Things of brighter note. I'm playing guitar in 'Christmas at Luther'. If you don't know, it's a big deal down here. I also passed the first step of the application for the Teach for America program. The next phase is a phone interview on Tuesday. I'm excited. I think I'm feeling calling in this, and it's been a while since I've felt that. |
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| Tired, broken down, and hangin' in. |
[Oct. 31st, 2006|12:14 am] |
Well, I'm hanging in. I'm rediculusly tired. I've been picking up every extra hour of sleep I can, but they are few and far between. I turned in an awful lab report for my advanced lab class. I'm going to turn in a poorly done Quantum Mechanics assignmnet tomorrow...
What really sucks is that I don't have anything to complain about. It's like the Arlo Guthrie song "the paws of mr claus" where he says, "when you've got a bad time of it you always have a freind that says to you 'hey look at that guy' and sure enough he's got it worse than you... and it makes you feel better to know there someone who's got it worse than you..." BUT it doesn't make me feel better. I want to wallow in self pity just a bit. I AM TIRED. I'm tire of being one of the thousand tired college kids here. I'm tired of working myself to the bone to try to fulfill the expectations that are placed on me (or I place on myself).
But as I said before I'm hangin' in there. I'll coast through this semester if I have too. My GPA can take a bit of a hit. Unfortuanately, it's more than that. I have used my ability to do well in class as part of my self definition for a long time. Who am I? Well, thanks to Luther college I'm not an above average student, nor a choir member. Stupid Luther. Why am I giving them money? |
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| Tired, Beat up, Worn out. |
[Oct. 11th, 2006|12:46 am] |
I don't care about school anymore. I'm not doing terribly well in my classes. It's unfortunate since this is the semester if any I should. Quantum Mechanics isn't easy. I dislike group work. I rather work by myself then with people who procrastinate and say they are going to do things which they don't do.
I'm not going to grad school next year. Maybe another time, but not yet. So peace corp or time off. I kinda want time off, but I might be called into the peace corp. If that doesn't happen I think I just want to get a roommate and an apartment, a job and just simmer for a year.
I want time to read and play guitar. Maybe record some guitar. Cook my own food, and bake bread. Become the member of a church and maybe teach some sunday school. Not sure I'm ready to face more school even if it's just to get a teaching certification. |
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| 1.5 months. Canoeing. Depression and Antidepression. |
[Sep. 18th, 2006|01:13 am] |
Yes it's been a month and a half since I last wrote anything. I've been busy... well in august I really wasn't. In fact, I was so not busy that I didn't have anything to write about.
The one thing of real note in august was canoeing the upper Mississippi with Kate Elise. It was a good time. Sunburn, 75 miles of canoeing (in three days... ouch) and a bear. It was a blast and yes I drove around the Twin Cites with a canoe on top of my car.
School is hard. I've been overwhelmed and frustrated and unsure about my future. I have also been overcome by apathy and it has taken it's toll in some of my classwork. I am grading for two classes (two too many as far as I'm concerned... it's just too much extra work). I am burnt out. From this I have been slightly depressed. Tonight however I feel better. I studied for my E&M test tomorrow and I think I might understand some things. I feel like I'm half prepared for my guitar lesson. I got hugs from good friends after Focus tonight. And I played 500 with Luke's Grandma this afternoon. In reality I still have the same number of things on my plate. Each thing I got done with this weekend has been replaced: more homework to grade, I still need to deal with graduation, a flock of GRE(ese), and homework. But a street light turned off when I walked by it on my way to focus and it turned back on when I passed beneath it upon my return. I say it was divine intervention. God has shown his love for me through street lights. |
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| Concert and nothing. |
[Jul. 26th, 2006|09:09 pm] |
I'm home for the rest of the summer now. I've been doing a lot of nothing. Reading a bit, watching some movies and TV shows on DVD. I've played some guitar.
Tonight I went to a concert over at the Church. The MacDonald Family Singers. They were enjoyable, and I realized once again that I enjoy music and people and drinking coffee with people after listing to people sing and such things as that. Right. |
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| Kayaking and a farewell to physics |
[Jul. 21st, 2006|09:19 am] |
| [ | music |
| | simon and garfunkel | ] |
Today is the last day of physics research for the summer. Worry not; I will continue this noble pursuit this coming year for my senior project. This week I've been pretty lazy... I fell pretty bad about it. I think that in part it has to do with loosing most of our adviser's attention (he is now teaching).
Yesterday, we (people doing research on campus this summer) went kayaking for the afternoon. It was delightful. We had a amazing day for it. Dan decided to race me through a place where the water moves more quickly through a narrower path (it's not really a rapids, but I suppose if you only had ever seen the Upper Iowa you might think that). He had also made some comments about flipping my boat. I got going, but our boats were up against each other so I gave him a little push so I could get paddle room on both side, and paddle way. I headchecked and saw him in the water. He claims that I flipped him over. But I suppose I could take responsiblity if it would protect his ego.
He chased after me a few times, and being that I don't enjoy being wet a lot I ran away and managed to with whoever was on the opposite side of our trail of Kayaks. Running away from people in a kayak is a good arm workout, and I'm definitely feeling it today. I can also feel my sunburn... oh yes. I was not thorough with the application of sunscreen, though I am thankful for the places I did apply it. |
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| The power of buffets |
[Jul. 5th, 2006|03:08 pm] |
This week I ate at buffets. Last Weds we went to chinese for Kris' birthday. This weekend I went home and chilled with my family. Saterday I had the privalage of seeing my friend Jenny with whom I had some pizza and watched some TV (on DVD) with her sisters (one a bit older and one much younger) and Mike Kilo. We also watch Lauren (the younger sister throw around stuffed animals and make attmepts to gain a monopoly on our attention. Cute kid.
Sunday there was church. We then departed for my grandpa's house in Lacrosse (I had coffee on the way). My parents cleaned up his house a bit, but it isn't at all unreasonable since he is a few days shy of 90 years old.
Monday we had Old country Buffet for lunch, and then I went and spent some time with Rob. Then for supper we went to a steak buffet. What was I thinking two buffets in one day. But it was good. After that we watched a movie and some futurama.
Tuesday we got up and chilled a bit, and then started playing games and MTG and other such dorky activities. I enjoyed it no small amount. Rob gave me a ride back to luther, but I stranded my suitcase by accident in Lacross. I'll have to get it back some how for this next weekend...
Tonight it's back to the Chinese Buffet |
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| Rain & Tea |
[Jun. 26th, 2006|02:41 pm] |
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It rained a lot this weekend. Yesterday, I decided to have tea... half way through heating up the water I decided that I should use rain water. So Pam and I went out side with the hotpot and filled it with rainwater and made tea. It was enjoyable. |
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| Like last summer. |
[Jun. 22nd, 2006|11:14 am] |
Today has been a lot like last summer. I didn't realize until now how nice it has been to have things to do at work this summer... When Pedlar is around we can just ask him what he thinks we should be doing next.
However much to our dismay, today he is registering next year's first year students for classes. Doesn't he know that we don't know what is going on? I did give a practice talk yesterday that seemed to go fairly well... I'm not sure that I'm a particle physicist yet. |
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| Food, climbing, and night swimming. |
[Jun. 18th, 2006|01:15 pm] |
Friday night: Had pot roast I made in my crock pot. It was good... and it will turn into sandwiches for the week. I opened a bottle of Shiraz with it, which I'm enjoying a lot... it's quite mellow.
Saturday: I had lunch with Tess. She is going to be counseling on campus here for the next month and a half, and this was the calm before the storm. We went to Ruby's where I had "Real" Lasagna. It was quite good. Tess had a ruben without the kraut (is that still a ruben?).
I napped most of the afternoon. When I woke up I wandered into my neighbors' room, and Misha invited me to join them on their little trip to La Crosse. After waking for a few mins I decided to join them. In Lacrosse we met up with some more people I didn't know, watched a movie, went up the bluff to observe the city, and swam in the Black River. Afterwards we hit up perkins, and crashed at his Misha's house. |
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| 21, 3.14, 1. |
[Jun. 12th, 2006|10:35 am] |
I am now twenty-one years old. I am sure that you are all very proud of me. I went home to celebrate with the family. Friday night, we went to Famous Dave's. It was good... I had a rack of ribs... but wasn't able to finish it... until later in the evening.
Saterday evening I was indecisive with Jenny. We eventually rented "Brothers Grimm" which was very odd, but enjoyable. I turned 21, and she was the first to wish me a happy birthday.
Sunday I got up for Church. My father took a week of vacation so we went to Grace Lutheran in Albert Lea (which is his home congregation). Afterwards we went to perkins. Our waitress was a girl I knew from HS though I didn't know her well (she is a few years younger than I). I had an omelet, and PIE of the Strawberry verity. Yum.
On the way back to Luther, I purchased a new thumb flash drive at Staples. It's a 1gig, and after the rebate it is only 30 dollars. I thought it was a good price. It's one of the retractable ones, so I play with it all the time. |
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| Subway Sandwich Artist? |
[Jun. 2nd, 2006|07:49 am] |
I stopped at subway with Dan and Rachel after we got done with work. Dan asked for an application and I reminised about how I had pondered becoming a subway enployee in HS. I do lust for their sandwiches.
So on impulse I filled out an application, too. I don't think I did a very good job; hardly as well as I could have. My hand writing was pretty poor. But the entire time I was thinking... they hire HS kids, how hard can it be to get a job at a fast food place?
I am trapped in Decorah, with only a few people know. I might have found something to preocupy some of my time. |
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| Research and Summer. |
[May. 31st, 2006|08:10 pm] |
I'm back at luther for the June and July. After two days my desire to research is still strong. I hope that it will be at least a few weeks before it starts to wane. Doc Pedlar is instructing right now, since the CLEO 101 teleconfrecning course that I took last year wasn't a big success. We even forced him to find more work for us unexpectedly today.
The downside of the summer is there are fewer people to interact with, and I find myself with fewer people that I have common ground with. They are good people, but I don't nessisarily want to spend a lot of time with them. |
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| It's over. |
[May. 12th, 2006|12:38 am] |
Classes have ended. Now it's just finals. My greek take home is nearly completed. Three to go. Tomarrow morning I'm getting up and spending with various people until early afternoon, and sometime I'll have to go and work on the Ministry's webpage. The rest of the day will likely be filled with studying mechanics and playing guitar.
Monday I have two finals in the morning and then it's homeward. |
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