31.5.07

The waiting is the hardest part.

The Sentra is all patched up and ready to go. My possessions are piled up in the corner of the basement. My apartment is waiting for me in Blacksburg. I just need to get through one more week living at home, which is far tougher than I originally anticipated. The boredom takes a little piece of my soul every minute I am here . . .

I went to the Dr.'s this afternoon, and my blood pressure was 116/76 - much better than before. He doesn't seem concerned, so neither am I. Could have been all that beer drinking at camp that elevated it. In other medical news, I am now weening myself off of my anxiety medicine, which I am pretty pumped about. I'll take the lowest dose for about a month, and then go without and see how I do.

Mike is still a bum.


The Sentra.

30.5.07

Ch-ch-ch-ch changes

Changed up the blog template. Thoughts?

29.5.07

The poor get poorer.

I took the Sentra in for it's annual inspection and to get the exhaust system replaced, which is going to set me back $304. What really pisses me off though is the fact that they didn't have the parts in to do the repair, even though I called them a week ago and told them it would need done. Not happy . . .

I had lunch with Chris today at China Jade, and ended up running into Mr. Sarver. He was with his chemistry class, reviewing for their final exam, though I fail to remember a time he took us to a restaurant to review. He hasn't changed a bit over the last four years, though he said I had (referring to my thinning hair, which he described as "cool").

I'll be back in North East this Thursday for my doctor's appointment and to have work done on my car. After that, it will certainly be a while before I am back again.

28.5.07

Getting my rocks off . . .

This past Saturday I said goodbye to dear old State for the last time. After four wonderful years in Happy Valley (and $28,000 in debt), I am officially a college graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Geosciences. While some of my peers are off to reap the benefits of their new college degrees via high-paying jobs, I am joining the ranks of the poor and the sleepless - I will be a graduate student.

I will be heading down to Virginia Tech (insert gasp) June 14th to begin research on my thesis. As of right now, I know that it will a) be in Alaska, b) have something to do tectonics, and c) will include fluvial geomorphology (the study of surface processes). I am currently planning on going straight into a Ph.D program, which means I will be in the Blacksburg area for the next 5 years. Here's hoping I can pass the comprehensive exams!

I spent this past Memorial Day weekend at Rouse's Roost with my grandma, Cherie, Kathy, and Sean. Sean and I transported the fire pit from the front to the backyard, and it now sits happily where the original Roost fire pit once stood. Kathy ran a blood pressure clinic Sunday, and I found out my blood pressure was 140/90 - not good! I'll be calling the Dr.'s office later in the week to check on this. Markus and Hannah came to visit Monday for a quick hike at Chapman's Dam. We were blessed on our Memorial Day hike by the presence of both a bald eagle and a real live US soldier, which I consider to be equivalent to seeing Jesus on Christmas (or at least a passing satellite that looks like Rudolph).