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| New Xanga for a new semester!
xanganame: tazique
Hoping for great things on the horizion for you and me.
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| Well Xanga, the last time we spoke I was still in
Nashville, about to depart for Clinton, Mississippi (see previous
post). It's been almost three summer months since then, and I
suppose that I should fill you in on what has gone on this
summer.
Thrice I ventured out of town this summer, which
were "bookends" (and one "bookmiddle") for weeks of pretty intense
work. I did end up getting in touch with my "boss" Rush, but
quickly decided that one job was just not enough for me. So in
addition to scooting around golf carts, I also served drinks,
appetizers, entrees and deserts to hundreds of hungry guests at the
Applebees in Clinton. Working in a restraunt is a
life experience that I truly believe everyone should have at some point
in their life. The perspective gained in being cursed over a
piece of fried chicken, or spilling an iced tea in a woman's lap on her
birthday, or singing the "birthday song" to the wrong little boy is
darn near invaluable in my opinon.
But now on to my trips:
1. June 15-19; Indianapolis, Indiana
I had the distinct pleasure of visiting my then
girlfriend, Brittany Booram, in her hometown. Included in the
deal was the opportunity to see her parents, meet her two sisters,
brother and grandparents, and to meet the CEO of my fraternity, Alpla
Tau Omega. Indianapolis is a wonderful city, the Booram's are
wonderful people, and if you are looking for the "highlight" of my
summer, this was it.
2. July 15-19; Minneapolis, Minnesota
Two words: Family Reunion. Fortunately this
wasn't the type of family reunion where you are introduced to your
great aunt's cousin's husband, who remembers you from your First
Communion, or the type where you spend the whole time trying not to be
attracted to that foxy 2nd cousin you didn't know you had (what? No,
I've never done that. Seriously...stop asking). This was a much
more controlled reunion, with only my father's side in attendance, and
ended up being only about 12 or 13 in number.
I suppose up until this point in my life, I just
assumed that my small family had escaped the big "drama" problems that
plagued so many families I had seen on TV and in the movies.
Talking to me before this trip, you would have actually thought my
family was pretty boring. Well, 5 days and 4 night in the North
Star State served to prove us both dead wrong. Ask about all that
on personal time, though, cause it's probably better that way.
Oh yeah, and we also played cards and I read alot.
3. July 26-30; Quitman, Mississippi
What's that? You've never heard of Quitman,
Mississippi? And you want to know why I would take a vaction to a
place such as this? Oh no my friend, you are confused. This
was no vacation. These were the dates of the QHS Marching Cougars
Band Camp, and I was invited to be the official Drumline instructor for
the week, accompanied by Cory Sabbatini, instructor of the Pit (Front
Ensemble - the mallet instruments, bass drums, cymbals, etc in the
front of the field).
A week in the Mississippi sun patiently trying to
explain to 12 persistant high schoolers the many reaons why a drumline
interpretation of the theme from Shaft shouldn't be their official
cadence. On a better note, it is always flattering to have girls
from the colorguard and sisters of drummers drive by your motel room at
all hours to honk and wave, and then speed off.
So here I am, home from the drum camp, preparing to
return to Nashville in a little over a week. Until then I'm
reading (mostly political), listening to music (mostly depressing), and
shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond for the sheets to my new bed and
silverware for my new kitchen (both located in my new
appartment).
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Well...the dust is settling on a whirlwind of a
week/month/semester, and I am headed home. If you read this
between the hours of (approx) noon and 6pm, then you can know that I am
in my green Honda Civic (which has recently been named Peppermint by my
two little cousins Meredith and Mary Grace), packed to the brim,
cruising down 65 South and/or 20 West with the destination of Clinton,
Mississippi. I suppose that I start my job at Live Oaks Golf Club
on Monday, though I haven't talked to my "boss" Rush in about 3
weeks.
I am excited to be home, and I have high hopes for
this summer. However, it is all going to start with a little
prayer and meditation on the last 6 or so weeks of my life, because I
haven't reflected on any of that, and that's no good. That's no
good at all.
Well, my journey begins shortly, and I still haven't
packed my computer. It's going to be a long day, but at least I
have some kicking music to keep me together. I'll see you soon,
Exit #36 on Mississippi I-20 West...I'll see you soon.
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| I try not to complain much. Dale Carnegie
warns against it, God warns against...it's just not a good idea.
But there are rare times, when it seems as though everytime you look up
you get hit in the face with a piece of falling sky...or perhaps
falling rock. Either way, today is one of those dayse.
Therefore, if you are not found in want of some really pathetic
lamentations, I would advise you read no further than the forthcoming
colon. But, for any who are interested, let me tell you a story:
I must start by saying this: A week ago today, Dr.
Lindsey (head of the Communications Dept) stopped me on the road with
some great news. I have been elected the "Best New Student" of
the Comm Dept and was invited to an Awards Ceremony to celebrate my
achievement (to be held "next" Wednesday).
Hooray! What an honor. This news really
validated my choice of major, and I was very much glad for that.
Well, soon "next" Wednesday became "this" Wednescay,
and finally became "today" today. So, around 6:30 I hustled into
my room to change into my Sunday getup for the big event. I also
gave a call to a friend, who agreed to accompany me. We saddled
up in my Honda Civic and scooted across campus to the Massey Board
Room. I myself was teeming with excitement. I heavily
anticipated my name being called, being recognized for my hard work and
success in my new coarse of study.
I'm quite sure that would have come to pass had the
Awards Ceremony started at 7:00 as I had anticipated. Instead,
all we found was a room empty, spare some food scraps and a few folded
prgrams labeled "College of Arts and Sciences Student Recognition
Ceremony," which inside contaned a scedule of procedure that set the
event as beginning at 5:00 pm and going until 6:30 pm.
Hmmm...
I suppose it is no big deal. I suppose I will survive. But it still really sucks.
What's more, is when I returned home, I realized
that I had a phone call to make. To shorten a long story, I
needed to call a guy signed up to live in the same apartment as me and
two of my ATO brothers and ask him to switch places with a third
brother, who is signed up to live only a floor above us. No big
deal, right? It's only a floor away, in the same buliding.
He doesn't even know any of us who will be living with him
anyways. We would even help him carry his stuff. He should
have no problem moving...
Wrong.
Unfortunately, not a word I could say would subvert
his plan to remain in the room. Not a word. Now, I admit
that it is selfish of me to ask him to movie. I even told him
that. I just want to live with my brothers, with my
friends. So, now I have to got and tell the odd man out that I
have failed him, and that he will have to live all by his lonesome with
3 guys he has never met. Unfortunate to say the least.
Well, that's all I have. I needed a forum to
voice my lamentations and frustrations, and I have chosen this
one. I hope all is well all around, and I hope you all know that
I am doing just fine, and that I am loving it here in Nashville,
despite some less-that-story-book days.
Love all around.
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| - This Place is a Prison
Uprisings of Biblical proportions have been occuring
here at Belmont over the whole Housing Selection process. I
really don't know how it could have taken this long to realize it, but
there is just not going to be enough housing for everyone next year,
which is absolute insanity. I'm confident that mob-rule is going
to take over, and soon small nation-states will form in the various
complexes which will figh a series of bloody battles until only one
stands victorious. Then, there will be enough houseing for
everyone, because everyone else will be dead. It will be sad, but
we will press on.
I took another test for my Listening class today,
and I am officialy convinced that the Communications Department has
decided to put some utterly ridiculous classes in the curriculum, just
to see how students would react. I mean, how can there be a 30
point essay question on a 100 point test that says "Discuss the vairous
forms and functions of nonverbal communication." What?!? Like,
didn't you just tell me that nonverbal communication was 65% of
communication? And you want me to "discuss it." And
furthermore, on the first test, I lost 8 points on one of my answers
because I "missed the essence" of the question. First off, I
answered the question right, for goodness sakes, but secondly, I didn't
know a question like that could have an "essence." Apparently I
was mistaken - sorely mistaken. Like, one whole letter grade
mistaken. Phooey. Let's cut to the chase here and make it
one 100 point essay that says, "Discuss Listening." We can just
read the book, take that test, and call it a day.
But seriously, though, I'm not really that
mad. I love my major, and things are going well for me. I
had my employee evaluation today at the Rock Climbing wall, and I have
been deemed a "Sufficiently Trustworthy Employee." How
flattering.
I'm very excited to be going home for Easter.
My birthday falls on Easter Sunday this year, which is neat, and I
think I'm getting a Digital Camera. And, in an unrelated story, I
might be replacing my painted cell phone with a real, respectable
phone. No more antagnozation, ridicule and jokes at my expense -
At least not about my phone, anyways.
Have a good day guys, keep it real.
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