Okay, look, seriously, if you're a Star Wars fan, and you haven't listened to A Different Point of View, you need to. It's little vignettes about the SW universe... from the perspective of a Stormtrooper. Funny, smart, and thought-provoking!

childofsnow

It's Friday Morning, and that means I should be in the shower and getting myself ready to go out to Islamic History. Of course, I'm procrastinating. I read the chapters I needed to, and wrote the page I needed to write, and I've got notes in my notebook to study from before I go take the make-up exam (I missed the regular exam day for being in Clinical)... but I'm just feeling very unmotivated to do anything but sit in front of my computer.

Actually interacting with actual people seems like a very difficult concept for me, today. Bleah.

I also have to go over to Student Life, and start the paperwork so we can have a site for the Tri-Collegiate Tourney.

It's snowing here in the Great White North(ern Arizona). It has been since yesterday.

Two nights ago, (Saturday) it was reasonably warm, and the officers of the College of Sankt Vladimir gathered at my place to work on our banner for Estrella War. (It was this even that caused me to realize that I didn't know where my camera was). By the end of the evening, it was down to just the A&S Minister and I, and we painted the banner. She left, and left the banner stretched on my kitchen floor to dry for twenty-four hours.

When I woke up on Sunday morning, it was already snowing, and had been for a while. I stayed in, and one of the guys from the College came over to get my help making garb. When that was done, I called the A&S minister to see if she wanted a ride after work -- she doesn't have a car, it was snowing, and she had to walk over to my place to get the banner. She said she would, so at the shop's closing time, I was in my car, out in front of her shop. After they finished closing up inside, I gave her a ride back to my place.

I parked in the "NAU Service Vehicles Only" spot, thinking we'd just be inside for five minutes, which was true. However, when we came back out, I was initially unable to get my car out of the parking spot, because of how much snow had accumulated there. If I hadn't been parked illegally, I probably would have just said, "Heck with it, let's walk to your dorm," but.... With the help of three people on foot and pushing, I was able to get the car out of the parking space and into the street.

Going up the big hill between my dorm and hers would have been fine... except that the people in front of me got stuck, and stopped. We got out and helped push them up the hill, and then got back in the car, and were just barely able to get to the top of the hill ourselves. I dropped the A&S Minister off at her dorm, and drove back to my dorm the other way, which involves more subtle slopes. Even so, there were a couple of places that had me concerned.

I knew that NAU doesn't give snow days. In the five years I've been here, there have been two snow days. Sure enough, I woke up this morning, and found an email in my inbox saying that NAU would be operating on a normal schedule today. So I sighed, and dressed like Han Solo on Hoth, and trudged outside into the blowing snow.

I went to class, came home from class. While I was on the bus coming home, it slid sideways a few feet during a turn. Fortunately, that was as far as things progressed, but for a moment, I foresaw the stupid bus flipping right over, and all of us inside it rattling around like peas in a pod.

And now I am home. Where I must do much homework. Rah.

Well, I'm back from Colorado. nytemiste showed me a good time, was a gracious hostess, and was very tolerant of my tying her to the sofa for endless hours of Addams Family viewing.

I got back to Flagstaff at about half-past one this morning, and came up to my room, collapsed into bed, and didn't get up until about nine this morning, when I had to get up and go to class. Today's class was HIS231, History of the Islamic World from 1500, the second half of the Islamic History class I took last semester. The class is only about half the size of last semester's class, and interestingly, only about half the people in the class took the first half last semester.

On the way home from the class, I ran into one of the ROTC guys who'd been in the class last semester, and we talked a little about Storm of Steel, which I'm reading, and On Combat, which he is. Our ways parted, and I wandered over to the SoN, where I discovered that I have orientation for NUR350 starting first thing Wednesday morning, and turned in my TB test results to the very nice lady in Student Services. Popped my head in and talked a minute with Advisor Lady, and that was very nice. Also talked for a minute with the new Teacher Lady for the course, and that was very nice, as well.

Came home, fired up the G5, took care of paying a couple of institutions money which I owed them, and sat down to play some World of Warcraft. Started a new human Paladin on the site where hamner set up his podcast's guild, and ended up talking on Ventrillo with hamner and lysander_cat for a bit. satharn was on and then off, which was too bad... I would have liked her help with a quest in the starter area.

And now... I'm feeling very tired. I suspect that if I go to bed now, I'll be wide awake in three hours, but....

I spent most of Thorsday asleep. As previously mentioned, my cold prevented me from sleeping very well on Wednesday night, so I slept most of the day, and the worst of the cold seemed to have passed, so it was much more restful. I'd go so far as to say it was very nice.

In the evening, I dragged myself through the shower, and went out to meet the other SCAtians from the College. It ended up being mostly the new kids, plus the Seneschal and Exchequer. We sat around the lobby at Tinsley for a while, waiting to see who would show up, then adjourned to my place. Chivalrous Boy brought his big TV, and we watched Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Park Ranger Girl showed up during the last half hour of the movie.

Most people bailed, and Park Ranger Girl, Chivalrous Boy, and I sat around the kitchen table for another hour, talking about nothing in particular. Park Ranger Girl revealed that her roommates had all moved out, and she was left with just her landlady, who she described as creepy. I believe I showed great restraint in not inviting her to stay over with me.

This morning, I got up reasonably early, and sat down at the computer to work on writing. My writing portfolio was / is due at five o'clock this evening, and I got it in before noon. Which is good.

Still, I'm left with the fact of the semester being over, everything turned in. I'm just waiting for grades, now. Oh, and I have to remember to go over and get my TB test read at the campus health center this afternoon, so I can go to clinical next semester.

My room desperately needs cleaning, and I don't want to head out until I'm sure the cold is completely gone. I anticipate heading back to Tucson next Monday or Tuesday.

Ugh. I have a full-on major, nasty cold. And I know just where it came from... thanks, Patrick.

And, of course, the day that I'd really like to stay in bed and do nothing but sleep is the day that I really, really can't. Thanks, NAU!

I've gotten into the bad habit, this semester, of riding the campus bus to and from my north campus classes, instead of walking the 3/4 of a mile or so to get to them. I'm hardly alone in this bad habit... with the busses running every five minutes or so, they're very convenient, and a great many students ride them. When I got on the bus this morning, I noticed that the driver looked like Santa Claus. I didn't realize times had gotten so tough at the North Pole... it must really be a depression.
 

I have occasionally joked to fellow fans of Liberty Meadows that I want to live in Frank Cho's world, which seems to be peopled largely by geeky guys and boobly babes (who also tend to be rather geeky). Of course, I'm at college, which can be much like living in the World of Cho.

As an example, yesterday I was on the campus bus, and a group of three young women got on at one of the stops, and proceeded to take seats directly across the isle from me. They were in mid-conversation when they sat down, and making no effort to be quiet about it. The primary participant in the conversation was cute, blonde, and quite boobly, wearing a knit top that clung to her figure, and didn't quite cover the undergarment beneath. The topic of conversation? Her adventures in bra shopping at Victoria's Secret.

We re so apt, in our engrossing egotism, to consider all those accessories which are drawn around us by prosperity, as pertaining and belonging to our own persons, that the discovery of our unimportance, when left to our own proper resources, becomes inexpressibly mortifying.

--Rob Roy Chapter III, Sir Walter Scott

I've been asleep tonight... twice. Each time I slept for about two hours. It is to be hoped that I'll soon be able to make a third assay at sleep, and find some greater duration of rest in it.

Monday passed. I went to classes, I was amiable to classmates and teachers, I pondered mysteries historical and linguistic. I went shopping, and purchased a turkey and sundry other groceries. I helped Xavier School Girl with sourcing a paper she had to write.

I got up this morning and went to Shakespeare class. Got my paper back, and received a B on it. Considering that I spent about 45 minutes writing it, the night before it was due, and considering that my grade for the first two tests is 97, I'm content with that.

Something strange is happening, though. You know that look you get, the embarassed sort of grin you show someone attractive who has caught you looking at them? There's a young woman who has been giving me that grin the last couple of days, in the halls of the Liberal Arts building, where all my classes are this semester. I have no idea who she is, and I have to confess, it's not an expression I'm accustomed to seeing directed at me. Ever. But this afternoon, as I was walking up the stairs to class (Shakespeare class is on the third of three floors at the LA building) there she was, giving me that grin.

I came home, got the mail. The new Kingdom newsletter was here, and it includes changes to the Kingdom laws. One of the more interesting is that the Crown Tourney is now going to be open to people who have served as an officer for at least six months... which means that I could fight in the next one. I most likely won't, because there's about a -12% chance I could win, and I don't want to waste anyone's time (plus? No consort). But the idea that I could amuses me.

Went to the Baronial Populace meeting. The Baron opened the meeting (which was unusually well-attended, including the presence of Xavier School Girl) with some comments on the current financial crisis affecting the nation, and how it impacted us in the SCA. He wants a focus on regional events, which will cost less for people of the Northlands to attend than having to travel to Maricopa County all the time. It's pretty cool to have someone in charge who actually thinks about things like that, and comes up with solutions.

Came home, and now have to write a paper for my Islamic History class, which is due in the morning. Nothing like getting work done on time!

I got up early this morning, took a shower, and headed out. I knew that I needed to be someplace away from my computer, and the distractions it offers, so I went over to the building where my classes are this semester, up on North Campus, and sat in the hall outside my history class, studying.

After a while, Xavier School Girl showed up, and we talked about movies, which ones we like, which ones we don't. We talked about classic actors, and what a splendid guy Jimmy Stewart was. We talked about the foibles of younger siblings, and parenting strategies.

Islamic History was interesting, and then came Linguistics. I took the test, and I feel better about it this time than last time... at least I'm reasonably sure I passed this one, whereas I came out of the last one knowing I'd bombed it. Still, I'm not completely sanguine about the test, and am feeling kind of... nervous. I guess I'll find out sometime around Wednesday.

On my way back from the test, I stopped in at the School of Nursing, and talked to my advisor for a while. I've been trying to catch up with her for a while, so it was nice to sit and chat. She's still thinking about leaving the SoN, for which I sympathize, but I dearly hope she doesn't leave until after I graduate.

Two more semesters... two more semesters... two more....

It's very early, but I have a test today, and I know that my current level of knowlege is insufficient. So I'm out of bed, and preparing final studying for it. Ugh. I barely slept last night. I tried to, but it just didn't work out well, and now I feel worse than when I went to bed.

I've been making an effort to be better about tagging entries, lately. It amuses me that my "SCA" tag, which I've only been using for a couple of months, now, is already one of the larger ones. Not as large as "college," or "women," mind you, but still rather sizable.

And now, to write out charts on the tests for nounness....

I woke up about 8, did some reading for homework, and waited for people to start waking up, so I could find out where fighter practice was, today. It was a pell practice, not an armored practice, which means that it was all about refining sword work. As I know a little something about handling a sword, I was rather confident about this....( it's all SCA from here in )

Ran Park Ranger Girl home, while Xavier School Girl and I had a rather intense conversation about theology, in which I heard her thoughts on the current Pope, and she got a better understanding about the roots of Mormon polygyny and large families. Dropped her off at her car, came home, ate lunch, and lay down to read more... but ended up napping for a couple of hours, instead.

Will now read, work on a paper for linguistics, and generally study for that class. We have a test tomorrow, and at the moment, I'm not feeling particularly confident about it. Le Bleah.

I've been looking at vehicles which would haul more gear than my Pontiac Grand Am. Kind of the mini-SUV category, or maybe a pick-up truck with a camper shell. As much as anything else, it's a distraction exercise, as I'm not actually going to buy a new vehicle any time in the next, oh, three years or so. But I discovered something interesting today... the stock, base model of the Mini Cooper claims 37 miles per gallon on the highway... which is the highest I've seen for any car in a while.

Anyway... I went to Shakespeare class today, tried my best to say nothing and be invisible. Came home, took a nap, and woke up in time to print out the warrant forms for officers at the College of Sankt Vladimir. I headed out to the meeting, and got there only a couple of minutes before six -- and was still one of the first to arrive.

There was only one candidate for Seneschal (president), Exchequer (treasurer), and Herald (Secretary). Arts and Sciences Minister, however, was contested. We talked about some of the stuff that happened at the War -- apparently, an underage member of the College was caught... twice... trying to swap some liquor he had for something else, and was invited not to be part of the College anymore.

After the meeting, we adjourned to Bun Huggers, and all but one of the new officers was there. I heard further gossip about behavior of some of the College's members towards members of the wider populace which left me shaking my head, and wondering what happened to the idea of basic politeness.

Anyway... it looks like the young lady I brought into the group does in fact plan to fight heavy armor, which I find fantastic. And now I'm in bed, watching The Colbert Report and planning to go to sleep in a bit. Tomorrow? Linguistics. And Islamic History. Yay.

Today was my long day in classes, and I felt it. There're only a few weeks of class left in the semester, and I feel the gathering, land-slide momentum. Everyone's busy doing a thousand things, and not feeling like there's enough time left... including me.

We didn't talk about my story in writing class; only half the class had read it, and everyone was feeling lethargic, so we bailed early.

I feel like there are things I should write about, but for the life of me, I can't think what any of them are.

I got up early this morning, read my web comics, and looked out the window. No record snowfall; no snow day. Alas. Took a shower early enough that I didn't have to go out with wet hair, and sat down to work on homework.

Went to class, Islamic History, and still didn't get test back. Did have an interesting lecture about the Seljuk turks, and how their system of government added to the success of the second campaign of the First Crusade. (The first campaign was an unmitigated disaster; the second pushed on to capture Jerusalem).

Went to linguistics, and listened to a lecture on creating sentence trees. Not looking forward to either the homework or the test on that.

Came home, and discovered that the Screen Actor's Guild had sent me a little bit of money. So I went out to the bank, deposited the check, and then wandered over to Burritos Fiesta, where I had a couple of tacos, and came home. More homework, and laid myself down for a nap... only to be awakened half an hour later by the NAU senior class calling to ask about my contribution to the Senior Class Gift. I asked if they wanted my turds in Tupperware, or a ziplock, and they hung up on me.

Now wide awake, I flipped on the TV, and watched the Modern Marvels show on knives, axes, and swords. I'll try sleeping again in a little bit.

I got up early this morning, and went over to the south campus student center, the Dubious Center. (Okay; it's actually the Dubois Center). There was no one in line, though a few moments before I stepped up, a young woman was being sent to the restroom to turn her shirt inside out before she voted. I didn't see it, but I presume it had some sort of political slogan or candidate endorsement on it. I presented my identification, proving that I was me. I spoke with the kilted poll worker who was taking ID about our kilts, and where I'd purchased my cargo sporran (Stillwater's cargo sporran), signed my name, and got a ballot. The room was about half full while I was voting. Afterwards, I got sent out the back door to alleviate congestion at the front... which amused me, because there was no one coming in as I was going out.

Went over to Einstein Brothers Bagelry, where I purchased a plain bagel with a schmear, and then caught the bus to North Campus. I sat and read the first two acts of King Lear while waiting for class, and the other person in class with a Shakespeare name came by, and we talked about voting. A random History student jumped into our conversation, and we talked to her, as well. In class, I discovered that I'd received 97/100 on the test. This was good news for a reason beyond the obvious... he had made the offer that if people did better on the second test than on the first, he'd make the first test grade match the second. So I went from a 90% to a 97% on both tests. Yay.

Came home, and finished the paperwork to apply for a supplemental student loan. Now I have to wait for my cosigner to fill out some paperwork, and then the bank to make a decision, and actually cough up some money, should the decision be favorable. In the mean time, I need to go over to Hastings and check out Kurasawa's Ran, and maybe a more traditional staging of King Lear, the which I shall watch this evening while waiting for the Vox Populli to make itself felt.

It's 6:30 on the East Coast, and there don't seem to be any exit poll results showing up, yet. I shall not leave the TV on hoping for results. I shall not leave the TV on hoping....

I woke up this morning and discovered that the rest of the world (or at least, the United States) had changed time on me. Yes, yes, I know that it's a regularly scheduled event, but I live in the state of denial... I mean, Arizona... and we don't play daylight savings time. At all. Ever. And we like it that way. But it does mean that cable channels from stations in California don't broadcast things at their assigned time.

I called Lawyer Lady and talked with her about the memo her assistant tried to talk to me about on Friday. It turns out that the memo was about the arrangements the SoN has made as to which teacher I'm going to take the class from, and that was acceptable.

I went to Islamic History, and talked about a couple of the identifications I'd not been able to pin down, with some of the girls from class. Then we went in, and took the test. I was, somewhat unusually for me, not the first one done, but I feel I did reasonably well, so that was okay.

Went downstairs, and one of the girls in my Linguistics class was complaining that she'd been having trouble registering for classes. So we talked about morphemes, and then she came back to my house with me, and I walked her through the process of getting registered for classes online. So she offered to buy me lunch, and took me to a rather expensive place... which happens to be where her boyfriend works, so it was cheap.

Took her home, and came back myself, only to discover that World of Warcraft is doing the locking up my computer thing again. I'm pretty sure it's not the same thing as last time, because I uninstalled the program that was causing the conflict. Urgh. So I'm running through the trouble shooting process, and hoping something works.

Now I'm watching Finding Nemo on Disney Channel, and thinking about bed. Act One of King Lear tomorrow. Plus? Voting. Which reminds me that I need to find my documentation so I can vote.

It's Moanday Mourning, and I've been up since seven. I have a test in Islamic History today, and I didn't do any studying over the weekend. I've written out the identifications a couple of times each, and think I'm ready for that. I've thought about what I might say in response to the sample essay questions. So I guess I'm as ready as I'm going to be.

I've discovered that Wells Fargo is still giving student loans, and as much as I dislike them, I guess they're where I'm goin', after class. I'd really rather not, but I have $500 worth of bills, at a very minimum, before my next student aid disbursement, and I just don't have it to pay them. So....

Plus, I'm now considering not going to Southern Crusades next weekend. It's going to depend on how long it takes WF to make a decision on a loan for me, and disburse it if they're going to. It's spendy to drive right now. I thought I had some car poolers set up for the trip, but now they're backing out, so I'd be alone. Plus? No money to pay A&S class fees, or buy shiny things from vendors. So....

Anyway. I'm off to the shower, followed by dressing, and heading for north campus. Yay.

Thanks, gang, for the well-wishes yesterday, and to my uncle for the scatological humor, which did in fact make me laugh. And yes, I'm feeling better today. There were just some life issues yesterday that had me feeling angry at the whole world, but with time, the anger has subsided.

I stayed up late last night, playing WoW. Got my Alliance Paladin to level 28... soon, the shiny warhorse will be mine.

My only class today was Shakespeare, in which I had a test, but I was prepared for it, so it's all good. One of the advantages of test day in Shakespeare class is that I can sit there, with my headphones on, tuning out the rest of the class, and let my brilliant thoughts on drama come forth without any need to self-edit for idiots.

There's a meeting tonight of the College of Sankt Vladimir, to hammer out last minute details before Southern Crusades. It seems that the only thing I'm on the hook for, at this war, is vocal heraldry at the torchlight tournament. I tried to volunteer to teach a class on heraldry to kids, but got roundly ignored, so... eh. I wasn't deeply committed to it, anyway.

Tomorrow, I'm going to Tucson to visit family and friends, so that's good.

Unfortunately, I recently discovered that My Rich Uncle is not currently making any new loans, so things may be very tight the next couple of months.

... and that's all I have to say about that.