Week 8

Why hello there. I'm sorry I've been neglecting this little guy for a while, but I've been lazy busy. Yeah, I mean I really have had quite the amount of free time to get sun burned, eat, and just sit at my desk, but yet I didn't have the time to write in here. I guess it felt more like a chore than something that should be fun, and we do not want this to be a chore.

MOVING ON!

It's week 8 and it blows. Everyone is finishing up their last midterms, and everyone is starting to get sick and tired of their classes. Finals don't seem close at all, but once next week hits everyone will be freaking out that they need to start studying. All my friends from home are done with school and I won't be back until the 20th of June (I get done the 8th but I'm going to Hilton Head after I get done with finals). To top off this excruciatingly long week, the weather went from awesome back to crappy and it seems like everyone's attitude is affected by this. Everyone is either sick, grumpy, or both (like me!). Once week 9 gets here, the end will seems more reasonable.

On Monday Alex stopped by OSU to take a bin of stuff from my dorm to store at her house over the summer. I filled up a 20 gallon storage container, and I feel like I haven't really dented anything! The only obvious place where things are gone is my wall. Where posters, a white board, and rally rags once hung is now just bare wall. Kind of sad. Also I got rid of all the mugs on my desk; they honestly just took up space. Once the end of the quarter gets closer, the more stuff I will move (thank you so much Blair family!!!!). I hope to only take home clothes home with me.

Oh, I scheduled today. Another solid quarter - 20 credit hours. Art 300.02 (digital photography), CSE 200, Econ 201 (macro), and German 201. When I was trying to make my schedule Disha said I really needed to cater it to her lunch schedule. That seems wise...

That doesn't seem TOO bad

I went whitewater rafting last weekend. I would elaborate more but I think that deserves it's own blog entry. Maybe I'll write that by the end of the quarter!

I could also write about meeting Jesse, Ty, and Eric of Modern Family as well, but a, I'm tired and b, I also think that might get it's own post.

Rant time: The use of hash tags on Facebook.
No, simply no. I understand that if you have a twitter that it might be tempting to end a status with a good ol' #hashtag, but there really is no point. I've been in that position before: either sending a picture to Facebook or writing a status and I want to add one last thought in the form of a has tag, but I stop myself because I realize there IS NO POINT TO A HASH TAG ON FACEBOOK. For those non-twitter users, a # is used to make anything attached to that a link so people can see what others are saying who have the same exact hash tag. Examples: #itshardwhen, #myfavoriteartist, #bookofmormon. You get the point. But on Facebook the # sign does not have the same effect. And if you are guilty of this, I am, by no means, trying to single you out. So, please, people of Facebook or any other form of social media, leave the hash tags where they belong: twitter. I will admit, it is fun to make up superfluous hash tags and I can see why people would want to do so anywhere.

Soccer plug: Have you donated to Rise and Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story yet? No, well then I suggest you watch the trailer and simply donate a single dollar.

I'll also update my top five songs tomorrow... or on Friday. Which ever day I don't feel like death! But first: Foster The People remix.

Healthy Eating?

Living the healthy lifestyle is tough. Eating healthy, exercising, getting enough sleep while being a full time college student taking 21 credit hours is no easy task. I need to have a beach body by the time school gets out and it shall be no easy task. 7 weeks to go!

This all started yesterday. I was sitting at my desk, eating some Kit Kats and Chex Mix, which watching Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. This particular episode was the Iceland episode, and Anthony went there in the middle of the winter, when there is only 4 hours of sunlight. Supposedly Icelanders (is that what they are called?) just work out a lot and live one of the healthiest lifestyles instead of complaining about how much it sucks to live in a place with relatively no sun. So as I sit there stuffing my face with copious amount of junk food, I think to myself, this HAS to change.

Enter Mackenzi.

She, too, was complaining how she wanted a beach body by summer, and how she actually wanted to do something about it. There we were, sitting in our tiny, cramped dorm room, talking about how we should be healthy but doing nothing about it. That all changed within five minutes and we hit up the RPAC. We then decided we would eat only healthy food for the rest of the quarter and work out almost every day. We were so motivated, but how long would this last?

The next day:
Wake up, only a little sore from the gym, and eat a healthy breakfast (a hard boiled egg, an apple, and a granola bar) and head out to class. I'm feeling pretty good about myself, and it was time for lunch, so I opt for a salad and peanut butter crackers. And within a half hour of my lunch I am starving. I can ear my stomach growling and I'm starting to feel weak. All I wanted was some mashed potatoes with gravy from Fresh and maybe some pudding. Something heavy that would fill my up. All this damn healthy food does not fill you up, and I was not loving it at all. So I took a nap hoping my hunger would subside (I don't know why I thought that... maybe all the healthy food is altering my thought process), but I woke up with a stomach screaming for food. Then I caved: I had a pudding cup. The best pudding cup ever, though. But after that little slip up earlier I've been pretty good; I went to the gym, had a healthy dinner, and now I'm sitting in the Thompson doing homework/writing a blog entry.

So as day 2 comes to a close, I'm hoping the next 7 weeks or so will not be as bad as this, and my stomach will adjust to just eating a lowly salad for lunch. No promises, though.

I should really work on my Lollapalooza entry. Or maybe I will wait until the schedule is released tomorrow. Yeah, that sounds good.

Everyone should check out Justin Townes Earle. Now.

Oh, this is Ohio State's Campus?

Yes, my friends, you about to get two posts in one day. And what makes you even luckier? The fact that you will now be graced with my wonderful photography. I kid on the wonderful part, but you will be getting a shit ton of pictures. (If you want to look at some of my better pictures, look at my Europe albums on facebook). So without further ado, here is the lovely Ohio State campus:

Oh just the light poles...

Scott Lab

The bike racks are empty on the weekend

University Hall

Pretty flowers along the Oval

The Oval and the Thompson

I... don't remember the name of this building

Hayes Hall... duh

Detail on Hayes

More Oval in the direction of the union

Information please

Some flowers on a tree by the Wex

The side of the Wexner Center

More Wexner Center

Mershon Auditorium

Hagerty and Mendenhall in the distance

The Thompson at the other end of the Oval

The old sign on the new union

Orton Hall

Browning Amphitheater

Mirror Lake

Detail on Pomerene Hall

The other end of Mirror Lake I guess

One final shot of Mirror Lake

 

 

 

If you looked at all the pictures, then kudos to you!

I can't leave you without a song!

There's Always Money in the Banana Stand

I apologize. For two things really. One, this post will have nothing to do with Arrested Development. Sorry, but I really just like that quote. And two, my lack of blogging lately has been, well, sad. I would say disappointing, but I don't think I really have that many (or any at all) faithful readers. I will direct some of the blame on the fact that I have to do so much reading this quarter that I am just sick of writing in general. And then I also blame my lack of blogging on just pure laziness. Meh, doesn't it always lead to that?

Wow, week four already! I have friends who are going to be done with the next few weeks and I still have 6 or so to go. But I'm sure that it will be summer already. The only thing I as for right now is no more rain. I get it, "April showers bring May flowers" and yes, it snowed in Chicago yesterday, but enough already! I would like maybe, three sunny days in a row, but CLEARLY that is too much to ask for since I live in Ohio. Although I think the warm weather is here to stay. Knock on wood, but the coldest day within the next week is supposed to be 55 (yeah, not that warm, but it's not 45!).

Yesterday Mackenzi and I walked around campus taking pictures for one of her art classes. I simply went along just to take picture and enjoy the nice day. I'll probably put some pictures on here when I get them on my computer. They probably wont be my best pictures ever taken, but I feel that if you don't go to Ohio State, you have no idea how the campus looks like. Just doing my part to show the rest of the world what OSU looks like!

So in week two I tried out for the OSU Women's Soccer Club, and while I did not make it, I was able to play in a tournament with the team one weekend. Wow, those girls are really talented! For me, someone who did not really start all that much the two year on varsity, I felt really lucky to be able to play with them. I even had a goal and 3 assists! It was definitely, I would say fun, but I was so out of shape I don't think I could enjoy it, experience. I will most likely try out in the fall again, and if not in the fall, the winter.


In soccer news, the Portland Timbers had their first home game in MLS this past Thursday. For those of you who aren't too familiar with the Timbers, they recently joined the MLS this year from the USL, and they have been quite the talk of the town. Having a longstanding rivalry with Seattle, the Timbers solidified soccer in the Pacific NW. Alongside the team, the Timbers are known for having some of the best fans, which can be on display here. That's the Timbers Army singing the national anthem and it's kind of awesome. I mean, everyone is saying so, unless you're Bob Ryan. I think I've found my team outside of Columbus, because let's face it, Columbus is falling apart in front of our eyes. Oh, and the Timbers mascot? Timber Joey. 

 He cuts logs with ONE hand. Just awesome.

A funny conversation between me and Mackenzi at North Commons today:

M: "Aren't there underground tunnels around here somewhere?"

A: "Yes they exist."

M: "Where are they?"

A: "Underground."

Okay, so it might not be THAT funny, but we enjoyed it. Don't ruin our fun.

I have been really addicted to this Wilco song today for no reason whatsoever.

Back to the 'Bus

Spring break is slowly coming to an end, and tomorrow I head back to the good old 614. It's been a nice, relaxing break, but I'm ready to head back to school and just crank this last quarter out. I'm looking forward to my classes, and I'm really hoping it's a nice change of pace from engineering. So I head back on the Megabus tomorrow morning for a 6 hour journey back to Ohio State.

Oh, Ohio State basketball. How you break our hearts so. So close. So. Close. You just had to let UK win, didn't you? Yesterday's game was ugly. I think we ended up shooting 30% or so. How can you win with that shooting percentage?! You can't! It's sad to think that Diebler, Lighty, and Lauderdale are not going to play at OSU anymore, but next year we should have a solid team. Buford and Sullinger look to be coming back (Thomas said he too was coming back, but why would he go to the draft?), and I guess we have 4 top 100 recriuts? Can't complain about that! We had a terrific season, and it just sucks to end like that. So my new team is VCU. Go Rams! Underdogs, yeah!

And by this point my bracket is busted. I think we've all just declared Rick the winner. I don't even want to know how few points I have.

It's backwards. I know. Deal with it.

Let's analyze the bracket: I have one team still alive. One. I'm usually pretty good at this whole bracketology deal. I started off not too bad; there was time to still catch up, but my second/third round was pretty ugly. My Sweet 16 was even worse. But I guess I can still get Kansas right. This is just depressing too look at.

No more basketball; it's just too upsetting.

On Thursday, Nan, Rick, Andreas, and I went to Second City to see a show, and man, was it hilarious. I've never been Second City, so I was pretty excited. We got front row seats. Okay, it was second row, but I could basically touch the stage with my hand; we were right there. The show was so good! There was only one scene that felt awkward, but other than that, funny the whole way through. Each member was equally hilarious, and played each other their characters perfectly. At one point one of the members grabbed Nan to be "Prom Queen" and she had to go on stage for a whole sketch. It was priceless. So I urge you, if you have not been to Second City, to go! You will not regret it one bit.

Other than Second City, it's been just a chill week. Shopped, ate, but that's nothing new. Yesterday I opened up my new Top Chef cookbook to cook this masterpiece. And it really did look (and taste) that good, too! I am also pretty excited for my new cleats, though.  I really should have gotten new cleats in the middle of last year's high school season, but I just stuck with the "electrical take around the toe where there is a popped seam" method. Hey, it worked, but I mean half of the boot was falling off. See, I usually buy youth sized shoes because they are cheaper. (I wear a women's size 8, which is a youth size 6). But the thing is, youth shoes are not made for hard, aggressive, varsity style play. So usually within one year of buying my cleats the seams begin to pop. Does it really save me money having to buy cheap cleats every year? Maybe, but who know. (But I first stopped at Menards to get some electrical tape for my shin guards. I literally walked into Menards, grabbed $1.50 worth of electrical tape, paid, and left. That's really my only reason for going there and it's kind of awkward for those of you who know what Menards is.) This time though I decided I'm going to get women's size shoes, not youth size. Hopefully these can last me a while, but I'm really excited to wear them. They're very pretty (if soccer shoes can be pretty):

Pretty, no?

Oh, and I finally got my Chicago style hot dog for those who are. It was delicious.

GO WATCH SOME US SOCCER TONIGHT! We play Argentina. Do it. We're even wearing a red kit for the match. Even if we're playing against Messi at least we'll look awesome.

Time for some new Cage The Elephant.