Another week at Ferdinand's

Grossest thing someone ordered last week: a mint pineapple milkshake (I checked three times to make sure I heard the customer correctly.)

Best mistake of the week: a co-worker accidentally poured the raspberries in the blackberries. The mixture created a delicious milkshake.

My new favorite flavor: huckleberry (we also added watermelon to our milkshake flavors this week and it was quite popular)

In other news of the week, FFA arrived in town Wednesday night and took over the campus. Beginning Thursday at 11 a.m.ish, we had a line out the door until closing. On Friday, we had a line out the door from open to close. Some of the kiddies returned multiple times each day. That's how much there is to do in Pullman.

Bookstore Woes

There is a lovely used bookstore in downtown Pullman, perfect walking distance from my summer apartment, or so I discovered yesterday. I decided to head back this morning to do some purchasing instead of just browsing. I thought the store opened at 11 and arrived promptly at said time. The store actually opens at noon.

What to do in downtown Pullman on a Sunday morning during summer? I couldn't come up with anything, but I didn't want to walk back to my apartment and then back downtown again. I spent a good 20 minutes trying to write a post for the blog from my phone while sitting on a bench, but I failed. It would not work. I spent the rest of the time circling around the block with the bookstore over and over again. That's right, a half hour walking in circles.

And this is only week one of my summer in Pullman. O what joys future weeks must hold.

I'm glad to be returning to work tomorrow because I'll have something to do.

Summer work begins

I have just finished my third full day of work at Ferdinand's. I'm not sure this summer's work stories will be as quirky as those from last summer, but there is the occasional incident worth sharing.

Training Day
- I get to experiment making all the different drinks and ice cream dishes. When it comes time to practice banana splits, my supervisor told me banana, one scoop of ice cream, one topping, whipped cream, nuts and a cherry. I get to pick the flavors. I put raspberries on peppermint because then the topping and ice cream matched. It was gross. It sat in the break room all day and no one would eat it.

Days 1-3
- I put my apron on backward.
- I made an old man very sad when I told him I can only use shake base, not ice cream in his milkshake.
- I watched a child lick the glass front of the cheese cabinet. I had to clean the slobber off later.
- I couldn't watch as an old lady walked up to the doors after we had closed. Ferdinand's has a very strict closed at 4:30 rule. I imagine it looked very sad.
- An grumpy looking woman came in and ordered a banana split. She had a dark cloud overhead but I figured the split would cheer her up. I was wrong. Split in hand she was still grumpy. I wondered what kind of grumpy person wants a banana split. She came in the next day, but I hid in the back and let someone else serve her.

Day 4 begins tomorrow.

I leave work each day smelling of a strange mixture of Windex and ice cream. I do not have internet (or T.V.) in my summer apartment so blog posting will be occurring on days I stop by the newsroom.

Finally some summer plans

I'm staying in Pullman over the summer. After a month of not knowing what I was doing this summer, the decision was essentially made for me in two days. I called Ferdinand's to see if they had any job openings, they called me for an interview the following day, and yesterday they called and offered me the job.

It was either serving ice cream or going back to the plywood plant. While I think last summer's job was a valuable life experience, the idea of experiencing it again isn't entirely appealing.

So I'm staying here. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this turn of events, but it's how it's going to be. I've already found housing via subleasing from a fellow co-worker, thankfully. It will be hard not to see my family this summer. That's the biggest down side. I haven't seen them since spring break and with my youngest sister entering high school in the fall, I wish I could be there for her.

Things at home have been a little rough and I feel guilty for not being there to help. My father has accepted the new arrangement and is supportive as always.

I sign paperwork on Tuesday. My finals should be finished by then so I may start right away.

More to come soon

Where have I been? Same old place, except for this weekend when I was in Portland, but I haven't felt like blogging lately. It's too bad because interesting things have occurred, like this and this.

I wrote a few blog posts out by hand during my classes, but then I never feel compelled to actually put them on my blog. I'd be better at keeping a diary than a blog, as Lisa pointed out, but that means little now.

Posts about Portland will be up shortly. I was going to put them up now, but just realized I forgot the notebook in my room. Photos from my phone will also be delayed because I hate technology and Bluetooth confuses me.

Snow in March

That's right. It's snowing.

I will post updates from spring break and my first week back after I get the bluetooth set up on my phone. The posts won't be complete without the photos I have stored there.

However, I had to share that it is snowing outside. It was nice enough this morning that Victor didn't wear a coat when he came to campus, but then, coming back with dinner from the newly opened dining center, we got snowflakes in our sandwiches.

Mother Nature has issues.

Superior Footing

Campus pathways are icy. Slipping and falling is common. I have fallen once. Today, as I was walking from class to the newsroom, I was behind a guy wearing tennis shoes. He started slipping as he tried to walk up the hill and couldn't catch his footing. He slipped down and had to choose a different path. I walked up where he couldn't in my hiking boots and it made me happy to know my footwear was superior. I felt like I had triumphed.

I've decided this story illustrates a not so pleasant aspect of my character.

Snow Day

We have yet to determine when was the last time the university cancelled classes, but it was at least a decade ago. All week was spent trudging through snow but today it finally became too much. Campus was closed at 10 a.m. The newsroom is currently staffed by five, those of us who could make it in. The rest of the staff is covering their respective locations however so it's like we have mini bureaus. I don't know if I'll have any time to play in the snow, but at least I don't have to go to class.

Old Man Winter

There is too much snow, and it is only increasing as time goes on. I have short legs. It is not easy stepping over three foot snow drifts and the snow being blown in my face, is just not nice. Review of my classes this semester to follow later in the day if I do not slip and fall to my death.*


*You may think I'm being overly dramatic, but you haven't seen this build up of snow and ice.

A week well done

While Pullman is by no means a bustling metropolis, I'm a firm believer in making the best of things and moving forward. So while the Communication School has thus far been a disappointment, I console myself and am made happy through working at the newspaper.

Similarly, while I sometimes miss Olympia's downtown, it is possible to spend an afternoon just as pleasantly in Pullman. After our noon class where we watched an episode of Law & Order (it's a Criminal Law class) the editor and I walked to a nice little thrift shop, hidden among a throng of fraternity and sorority houses. I couldn't resist picking up what at the time I thought to be a rather tacky tie (now I think it's just more ugly) for a collection, and two old books.

After our adventures at the thrift shop, we returned to the newsroom and picked up the managing editor for another trip to Ferdinand's for ice cream. As today was surprising warm, the walk was pleasant. Tomorrow we plan to visit the Farmer's Market in Moscow, ID.

The relaxing and laid back day was all too welcome after a week full of breaking news due to the sexual assault incident on campus. I also had two tests this week. I'm proud of the way we covered the incident but am looking forward to things dying down a bit. I skipped a class on Thursday and spent the afternoon at the courthouse with the copy chief to get an update on the Russell case also.

The week has been a busy one and though I'm a bit tired, it's nice to have busy week once in a while. It makes you feel like you accomplished something. It also makes me appreciate a day like today that much more.

A few words and random quotes

Being news editor is different than I thought it would be. It also keeps me busier than I expected. Still, though I practically live in the newsroom, I am enjoying myself. As I enter the third week of the job, my staff is finally beginning to come together so I have a moment to type these few words. Ariel will return to school soon also and with a better internet connection, I expect the frequency of her posts to increase as well.

As I have not posted in a while, I wish this post to be at least a little entertaining. I've decided the easiest and most efficient way to accomplish this is to share quotations from the newsroom quote board, my profs, and the paper's "Overheard in Pullman" feature.

Newsrooms are special places.

"If I ever get married, I want my wife to give birth to a puppy." - He dislikes children

"This is like eating rainbows." - In reference to a Scooby Doo push pop

"Stop copy editing the people."

Professors

"How do we know Angelina Jolie is a liberal?"
"Because she cares about poor people." - Student response

"Their grooves are hellaciously deep." - referring to the schemas of bigots

Overheard

"My poli sci class is such a joke. My professor kept talking about the Cuban Missile Crisis. What the hell is that?" (This was my poli sci class. Thanks to I.B./my H2O class and my literacy, I knew what the CMC was.)

"You can't have a memorial service without Hawaiian Punch." - mourning the death of Weekly World News

"I will not carry two half-gallons!"
"You WILL carry two half-gallons!" - arguing over vodka transport

A summer and day of things learned

I arrived in Pullman yesterday, but my newspaper training has kept me exceedingly busy, and as much as I would have liked to, I can't blog and drive at the same time. I'm about to be late for the ice cream social (fun stuff, I know, but the ice cream is from Ferdinand's), but I shall still attempt to give a quick update.

Things I gained from making plywood all summer:

1) Some money in savings to pay for anything my scholarship doesn't cover.
2) I was able to purchase several new skirts and a few pairs of shoes to add to my closet.
3) A gigantic callous on my right thumb. (I like showing it off to people.)
4) More tolerance for long boring stretches of time. The drive over didn't seem as bad as I remember being in the past. (Although the first half of the drive is a story all in itself which should come at a later date.)
5) The knowledge that money won't be enough to make up for doing a job you hate. I can't imagine working at the plant for more than a few months at a time.

Things I learned in my first day on campus as a sophomore:

1) Single rooms are much better than double rooms.
2) Trying to put your bed on bed-risers all by yourself, is a bad idea.
3) It's not any easier leaving home for your second year, but the first couple days back at school are a lot easier.
4) Pullman/Eastern Washington is hot! (And not in the ridiculous Paris Hilton sense.)
5) In a newsroom, when one says "that line seems too bold," it is important to ask if they are talking about font.

Moms Invade Pullman!

Yes, it is indeed the time of year when mothers from across the country travel to the remote location that is Pullman, Washington. Mom's Weekend is a huge deal at WSU. Only Friday, and mothers are crawling everywhere, like ants on a dropped french fry. I cannot even count how many times someone has asked, "Is your mom coming?" I then get to launch into the unusualness that is my upbringing.

"No," I respond. "I don't have a mother."

People then get an awkward and confused look on their face. I'm not sure, but I think they wonder if they misheard or something was misunderstood. I only allow this distress for a few seconds, however.

"I suppose someone gave birth to me," I explain, "but I was raised without a mother. I have a single father."

Everything now makes sense, but the person is still slightly taken aback. I think today's society likes to think of itself as quite progressive. People hear about stay at home fathers and think good for them, way to break the stereotypical role. At the same time, little attention is given to single fathers, but single mothers, oh single mothers. Yes, single fathers are uncommon, but they exist. I would simply like there to be some awareness of their being. And I would like Dad's Weekend to be put together with the same amount of effort devoted to Mom's Weekend. I think my requests are perfectly reasonable.

Joys of Pullman

When one is pushed off a sidewalk by the force of wind alone, one knows he/she is in Pullman.


Later

The day began with strong winds, but was bright and sunny. By mid-afternoon the wind had not subsided and the sky was clouded over by ominous grey clouds. Then it rained. Then it hailed. There was thunder. Weather in Pullman changes quickly and is unpredictable.