Best Presidents' Day by far

Over 800 miles in four days
In a wet and moldy car
With a friend I see every day
To visit a friend we haven't seen in a while

The CD player was annoying
Lisa read aloud from Unreasonable Behaviour
I tried to turn up her volume
It did not work

I had Irish cream
But not in coffee
To celebrate St. Paddy's Day
He is better than St. Valentine

After grilled cheese, we visited the ocean
Played in the waves and on the rocks
Then looked at Tom Cruise while eating burritos
Before learning where the blood will be

We ate ice cream at Billy's
And felt like small children
But we beat Oregon
And later mocked a stupid truck

I visited home
To de-mold my car
So my friends could visit my farm
Where a goat skull greeted us

Later there were guns and a goose
Thumbless emus and a green egg
We visited the bone yard
My father offered Jacob a cow pelvis

We began our return early
Got giant pancakes at The Rusty Tractor
Lisa took someone's drink (by accident)
Adventure over, we made it back in time for work

They're a little late

Winter Break Post 2 - about a week before Christmas

I have issues with my mother. I recently sent her a letter gently but firmly and explicitly explaining that I did not wish for her suddenly to become a part of my life. I know, this sounds a little harsh, but I really was as kind as I could be about it. It didn’t matter, because she disregarded my wishes and sent me a Christmas card anyhow. She said she hoped I changed my mind and then, in the same card, was kind enough to let me know that my sister and I are susceptible to Gardner’s syndrome. Just the kind of present everyone wants for Christmas.

Winter Break Post 3 - December 25, 2007

I got many Christmas gifts this year. As long as I keep coming home for Christmas, I think my father will keep getting me presents. I got several new CDs and movies, pajamas, a Jane Austen collection, and a pair of tennis shoes. My favorite gift, however, was my new iron and mini ironing board. I thought I would be sad to receive practical gifts, but no, I’m quite pleased with them. I really needed an ironing board and it’s a gift I know I’ll use.
I also got a lovely bit of coffee and Ariel gave me a couple books. It was a very satisfying Christmas.

Winter Break Post 4 - January 2, 2008

For New Year’s, it was the traditional celebration at Ariel’s house minus one. We had sparkling cider, Funfetti, games (Cranium, Pictionary, and Apples to Apples), and a new addition this year to help us stay awake, a special blend of coffee which we made full use of. It was not a bad way to start off the new year even if the fireworks at the Space Needle malfunctioned and the anchors acted like fools. It did seem more difficult than usual to stay awake though. If I can’t stay up till midnight when I’m not even 20, I bet I’ll sure be a blast on New Year’s when I’m 30.

Power to the People

I was channel flipping Friday night when I happened upon a channel where Laura Ingraham was being interviewed about her new book. I did not know who Laura Ingraham was, but her book title caught my eye, Power to the People.

The title was the same as my campaign slogan when I ran for ASB senior Senate. It made me think I should have trademarked the slogan. My use of the phrase at the time was much more creative.

I suppose the slogan has probably been used many a time before me, but it's entertaining when I notice others using it, because I shall always associate it with light bulbs and little pipe cleaner people. My posters were impressive.

Flushed Away

I never thought Jacques would come to mean much to me. I never really had a desire for a fish; I bought him on a whim. He wasn't the prettiest beta, more of a dull pink than a vibrant blue or red. He almost never became mine. I was interested in a small sapphire blue female when the swish of his tail caught my eye. I grabbed his plastic cup and he immediately proceeded to throw himself against the edge of his container like he was having a seizure. He was a psychotic fish. I knew he belonged with me.

I bought him a few plastic plants and an octopus holding a sign reading, "No Fishing." The first few days were a bit strenuous. I learned betas can puff out their necks much like a frilled lizard or cobra snake. He didn't like light, fingers, or pencils. He puffed up at them all. After a while, we got used to each other. Last year, while I sat at my computer working on homework, I could look out of the corner of my eye and see Jacques watching me. It was as much comfort as a fish can offer.

As I was preparing for bed this evening, I went to tell Jacques goodnight. I tapped on his bowl as I often do. He was sitting on the pebbles at the bottom as he often does. Tap. Tap. Tap. Slowly, his body floated to the top of the water. His fins were still, eyes glazed over.

He had already survived two nearly fatal accidents. Our cat at home tipped over his travel cup, then pounced on him, and as I was preparing him for his journey back to school, I poured him down the sink. Luckily, he got caught in the drain. I was so shocked tonight to see his spunk had finally run out.

Jacques is gone now. I can only hope, gone to a better place where the bowls are bigger and there are no pencils or sinks or cats. I feel guilty about his passing. I don't think he knows I did become fond of him. Lately I've been spending much more time with the newsroom fish. The newsroom is where I do my homework now. Jacques had no one to connect with. I left him with only Ollie his octopus for company. I was busy, but I didn't forget.

I never thought Jacques would come to mean much to me. He was just a fish after all, something I could never envision myself becoming attached to. But over time he wasn't just a fish to me. He was my first fish, my big-lipped study buddy. He was a comfort. I'll miss seeing him perk up when I tap his bowl. I'll miss him watching me work.

Jacques was a good fish. Slightly neurotic perhaps, but that made him all the more endearing. All future aquatic pets shall be judged against him.

Continuing my observations ...

As I've said before, all I really do at work is think about things and/or make observations. Some of today's observations:

I work with a Rick, Roy, Richard, Ray, and Ryan. That's a lot of R-names working together in a small vicinity.

I like wearing nail polish to work because it's about the only dressing up I can do. I fell in love with a color Ariel has and bought a bottle of my own. I ate grapes today with my lunch. The nail polish was exactly the same color as the red grapes. I thought it was weird.

I've seen a lot of 3s this summer: Spider-man 3, Pirates 3, Shrek the Third, Ocean's 13, and though technically it was a 5th and not a 3rd, Harry Potter. What's with the 3s?

Today I also reinforced in my mind that I am a nerd. I replay bad/embarrassing/regretful memories a lot more often in my mind than I replay happy/fond ones. I realized this in the middle of a bad memory. I became determined to think about some happy ones instead. What came immediately to my mind, but of course, different moments from debate tournaments. Can't get much happier than debate.

The mind is a strange place.

I think about many things during my time on the plugger. My mind travels all over the place. Here are some of the places it visited today.

I think it's funny when a man who makes plywood struggles opening a yogurt cup.

"Necklace" and "Neck less" sound exactly the same. I found this odd since someone who is neck less would be unable to wear a necklace.

Something I like about working in a loud environment is that I can pop and snap my bubble gum as loud as I want to and no one notices. How come no one else chews bubble gum at the plywood plant?

One of the graders always throws me a piece of candy when I work across from him. I wonder if he gives candy to the boys too.

Some of my thoughts from past days I'm sure have been more interesting, but those days are gone and I can't remember what the thoughts were so I shared these instead.

Oops ... my poor eyes.

For the first time that I can ever remember, I forgot to take out my contacts last night before bed. I don't know why or how it happened. I wasn't particularly tired and I hadn't stayed up particularly late. I've never forgotten before. Still, when I woke up this morning and looked in the mirror I knew something was wrong. My reflection was so clear. I looked down at my contacts case and sure enough, it was still open from when I had put them in the morning before. I gingerly put my hand up to my eye and there was my contact. I took them out and wore my glasses all day. I now understand a little bit better how Ariel must feel. My eyes have been red, itchy, and watering all day long. They won't stop. It's quite uncomfortable. I've been using lots of eye drops in hopes that perhaps they will be recovered by tomorrow. I'm going to need them for another week at work. I hope I go another five years without forgetting.

Smells Like Money

Have I ever mentioned that Corvallis is surrounded by farms, so not matter how you look at it OSU is downwind. Usually the smell isn't that strong, but today because it was so warm and there was a little breeze it smelled like manure for the entire day. I actually don't mind the smell, it actually brings back memories. ¡Fun Fact!: Olfaction sensory nerves are processed in the same part of the brain as memories, thus when you smell something it can trigger a memory. Also when you think of a memory or a place you might remember a smell more than other senses like sound and touch.

When I was younger my family owned a worm casting business, basically we sold potting soil (very good dirt) and worms for composting. We would go to local farms and get cow manure for the worms. On the way there we would drive past other farms and dairies, usually down the Moxie or Highway 12. When my sister and I smelled the manure we would say the usual "ew," or "gross," or "who farted," and then laugh like little kids do, but my dad would always say "smells like money."