The Boys Next Door...

I couldn't ask for friendlier neighbors, I really couldn't, but the ensuing pranks make me wonder where our RA is all the time.

Well, the friendly battle of pranks began with stealing and hiding a rugby ball. Then our kitchen scissors. Then a water battle in the hallway. Not long after, a moccasin lost to the recycling bin. Then I stole the remote and hid it. This is where things became serious. After much yelling and negotiation, Julia got her coat back and the remote was returned. I thought it was over.

It wasn't.

After coming home one weekend, I left the door open to talk to someone down the hall. I came back, grabbed my keys and left. When I returned again with Sara, she opened the bathroom door, and Andy D-berg was chillin' in the bathroom. We were shocked and confused, but invited him to sit and have a chat anyway. About an hour later, Sara went to prove how squeaky the loft bed is in her room, and much to her suprise, Jared was nearly asleep in the bed. Again, we were confused, but were friendly. They informed us that they had stolen one of our keys and made a duplicate. I was irate. Later on, Jared asked to feed my fish, Fish, and I (being the nice person that I am) said, "Go ahead." He was about to overfeed him, when I ran in to intervene. At this point ABC [the other Andy next door] jumped out from behind the door, which I had never closed. After I recovered from freaking out a little bit more, Ben (who does not live next door) apparated from under the covers of the upper bunk.

Moral of the story: Don't leave your door unattended, or creepers will get in.

I'm out.

 VU vs. William Penn University

Well folks, we didn't win the Conference championship, but we're on our way to the next game in the conference tournament. We won on Saturday, and now we'll play on November 8th for the honor of playing the championship game on November 12th. It's going to be a tough one,  we play our heated rivals, Grandview College. After losing to them on a blustery day in Iowa, we're going to face them with new determination and focus in what could be the first flurries of this winter.

Last weekend, a the NSU women's team that was on their way to Iowa stopped by to cheer us on, and it was the rowdiest support we've seen all year. I say its a challenge to the Viterbo community to get down to Highway 16 and see us battle Grandview.

Here's to hoping.

 Eire! Here I Come!

Well, I finally did it. I bought my tickets to Dublin. My dearest friend from middle school and high school, Chelsea, is studying abroad in Maynooth, just outside, and I'm going to visit her!!! It should be a fabulous time!

I'm so proud, I've saved and saved for this trip, and I am able to pay for it all myself. This will be my first trip ever without going with a group or to work, or being in charge of a group. It's exhilarating. I have to find out what to do for day trips while Chels is in school, but I think I'll be A-Ok, there are castles and shops and pubs everywhere. I hope I can find some family history somewhere, too. I have a lot of research to do, but also a lot of anticipation and excitement to contain also. I'm SO PUMPED!

Monday is Black

I feel a bit cliche, but Monday is my least favorite day. It starts at 9, goes til 5 with classes, and most Mondays, we have a soccer run also. Today, though, wasn't that bad. I made it through classes okay, but I was slightly disappointed when my morning caffeine was slightly less butterscotchy and more apple-ly than expected. I gave it to Julia, and I think it made Organic Chemistry more bearable for her. She smiled a bit more at least. Then we ate dirt cake for lunch. YUM. I accidentally called Sara 'the Crypt-Keeper' because she is deathly ill. I got reamed for that one.

Anyway, my hellish schedule on Mondays is typically as follows:

9-12 Class

12-1 Physics tutoring

1-2:30 Piano practice and lesson

3-5 Physics Lab

5-6:30 (usually) Soccer or 6:30-7ish Soccer run

A bit later: Chemistry or Physics group work

It's really not more than a real job, but I would much rather be lazier in my college years. Such is the life of a Science major.

 MCC Conference Tourney... :[

The weekend was a little bit disappointing soccer-wise. We had a shot at first in conference, but things just did not click for us during the game at Grandview. It didn't start ideally, and the end result was less than what we all wanted, but thankfully, we have another run at glory on November 1st.  To begin, our game was cancelled on Saturday due to flooding, and moved to Sunday, which really threw us for a loop in practice. We had 2 extra walk throughs and defensive-minded practices, and we were feelin' pretty good. We hopped on the bus, and drove to Des Moines. We got there, ate and had our meeting like always. Then, we got to the field at Grandview. The wind chill must have been at 30 degrees, and it literally blew people over, including me. It was so cold, you couldn't feel your hands, feet, or face after 10 minutes of warming ups. If you were running the wrong way into the wind, sometimes you couldn't breath very well. Then the game happened. We wanted it, we played our hearts out, but things just didn't click. It's disappointing, but it's also chalking one up to listening and applying "the game plan." It's tough to admit, but coach was right, and he does know his stuff, no matter how much we may hate to say it.

All in all, we still have a shot at going to the national tournament in Florida, if we can make a good tournament run. Hopefully we can pull ourselves together for one last run at glory.  Come out to the game on November 1st.

 Chillin' With the Little

My Little's name is Rylee, and we go way back. Last year we did the site based program at his elementary school, and now we do the community-based program. Now we can do whatever we want to, but its kind of interesting finding activities we're both into. Last weekend we got lost driving up to Grandad Bluff, then hung out there for a bit, then worked on his model drag racer. It's a bit like babysitting, but it's actually more fun because we hang out and do really fun stuff we both like. Once we played soccer and went to the Children's Museum, which I had a super fun time at, you can build bridges and get lost in a maze and all kinds of sweet stuff. We hung out by the Fire truck the most, and I think we temporarily broke one of the really little kids' exhibits. I think it'll be ok, though

Til next post...

Thursday is a BIO DAY!

Are you feelin' good today?

You bet your a** we are!

-modified Rugby Song

Thursday is a lab day. Today we finished up a Southern blot, which essentially means we put DNA on special paper, washed it with chemicals so that it would glow, then took a picture with it, and stood in a darkroom while it developed. It took about 3 days and 2 lab notebook pages. We're just trying to prove we have glowing GFP in our E. coli plasmids... but we pretty much already knew that.

I had an art presentation today, and I presented on the Kofun and Asuka periods. Turns out there is a Pokemon named after haniwa sculptures. It's a really lame one. I'm pretty sure it's only ability is Dig.

My roommate Juila has been going out to dinner a lot lately. Mostly to talk to friends, but sometimes it's a date. I've been reaping the benefits, so far I've gotten Buffalo Wild Wings, Mexican Fajitas, Fayze's French Fries and a La Crosse Parks and Rec T-shirt. I hope she keeps it up.

There's my thoughts for today, welcome to the life of a mooch.