grade triumph

I got an email from my bio professor from last semester. I'd been pestering him for the entire break that he'd missed some points in my grade and consequently given me the wrong letter grade. Well, he finally fixed it. Why am I blogging about it? Because the grade change for that class gives me a 3.5 for the semester, which puts me on the dean's honor list! I haven't been on this list before and I'm really excited about it. Every person on the list gets 100,000 dollars, a new BMW, and automatic entry into medical school! Ok not really, but I can wish... really hard.

In other news I had my second day of classes (cause I missed last week for the inauguration). I'm overwhelmed but I sense that it will calm down after this weekend.

quick inauguration story:

So we're standing in parade formation, talking and relaxing while we wait to take off to play for the president... There's a double chain linked fence all around us and snipers on every roof. I see out of the corner of my eye some kids in between the fence walking. They decided it would be wise to try to cut across the parade route by going through the Longhorn Band. They open the fence and start trotting through the street. We all get quiet and watch. They start to go around a suburban with tinted windows... All of a sudden I see security guards and police running toward them. The snipers turn their heads on the roof, and then the doors to the suv open. Out bounds 4 FBI agents in full fatigues with bullet proof vests and ear pieces raising their m4a1 fully automatic modified assault rifles. At this point I think those kids about pooped their pants. They were led out of the area.

another quick one:

The section leaders were at the hotel for the black tie and boots ball for the pres. The aggie Ross Volunteer Guard were there as well. The ones inside the hotel didn't have their sabers, but the ones on the other side of the metal detector did. From what I understand, the ones with sabers had a red laser dot on their heart at all times. For those of you who may not know what that means... A red laser is sometimes attached to weapons (such as sniper rifles) to improve accuracy of shot (a one shot kill). So in other words, the guys with swords had a gun at their heart the whole time. Here's the cool part: the entire day they were there, and not one said that they could find out where the lasers were coming from... hidden snipers... sweet!!

So ends my first day of classes. I should say class because I only had one. I would usually have two but my theory lab didn't meet this week. The one class I did have was Organic Chem. I like my professor. He seems nice and has set the class up so that there is a large network of support for those of us in the belly of the organic beast. I would usually refrain from saying that a class has swallowed me whole until later in the semester, but even the professor said it was gonna be hard. The good news is that I'm in the class with some friends so I already have a study group.

Tonight I leave for D.C. for the inauguration. I'll be gone for the rest of the week, so no blogs for a while. It's funny- they tell us to pack twice as much thick clothing for the cold weather but then tell us to pack less than for the Rose Bowl...? They're just gonna have to deal with my luggage.

Looking at my last post I realize that its a little thing on details. Cameron, Em, and I had a great time chatting for the better part of the evening. I got to meet Piper, Cameron's new kitty. He's a really great color (check out Cameron's blog for pictures). The next day (or was it the day after?) my brother and Cameron brokered a deal to sell her his World of Warcraft hint book since he was going to take the game back. I was the delivery boy and so I got to see Piper again. Also, I got to see Amanda which was nice. We chatted for a while and then I completed my delivery and left.

On a fourth note, I cannot decided weather to stay in Austin and take some science, major-related classes, or go back to Dallas, keep my job, sub-let my apartment room, and take some non-major related classes. The benefit to staying in Austin is that by having those classes out of the way, I think that I might be better prepared for the MCAT prep course.

Thoughts?

brisket

Last night Cameron, Emily, and I went to Peggy Sue's for dinner. We started sharing some onion rings and I had a chopped brisket sandwich topped with spicy barbecue sauce and new potato salad...mmmm. We chatted for a while still a the restaurant over soft drinks that were always topped off and attended to... every several minutes... always (really great service). We went back to the house where I gave them their Christmas presents- Transyberian Orchestra CDs. After that we went our separate ways as we all had dates with our respective significant others.

Today's my last day at the hospital, for the Christmas break at least. It is only the third day I've been back here, but I have a really great job.

iFable

So the holidays are over... I think. They were pretty great overall. I got to spend a lot of quality time with my friends and family, and of course, Alice. It started off on a good note when I got to walk! For about two weeks after exams were over I got to walk in a boot. Once I had gotten the swing of things, I didn't need he boot any more. I use an ankle brace for anything athletic now and probably forever.

Christmas was swell. I got books from my favorite Food Network chefs. Rachel Ray's 30 Min. Meals and Alton Brown's I'm just here for the food. I have to say that my favorite TV show right now is alone Brown's Good Eats. It's a show on Food Network where he explains cooking foods and techniques through a more scientific and objective approach. I am really enjoying reading his book. I also got John Stewart's America. So far as I've read (if got borrowed), it is hilarious. Amongst my stocking stuffers I received a UT scrub hat that is quite comfortable and tools for my ever expanding tool box. I got an iPod as well. It took me a whole day just to put all of my cds on it, but they barely filled 3 of the 20 gigs!

The Rosebowl was awesome. I had to wear my ankle brace virtually the entire time I was there but it was worth it. We did a parade at Universal Studios that allowed is into the park for free on New Years Eve and another parade in Disneyland for free admission as well. The Rosebowl parade was tiring- 5.5 miles! We did get In and Out Burgers three times (two burgers each time). Of course everyone knows the game was incredible. Overall it was a great trip to Pasadena...

Upon my return Alice was going full throttle in rush, trying to get every SMU rushee to go Gamma Phi Beta. This gave me time to spend with my brother and other things. Other things= Fable. So far I like Fable but I am holding my final opinion. Compared to other RPG I've played, Fable is better and worse. It's better in that it has an element of realism- aging, getting drunk, not being able to trespass into someone's home, etc. But the combat is a little lacking, and the story (so far as I have played) is a little thin. Who knows how it will turn out, but I'm enjoying it so far.

I started work this week and Alice started school. I'm only working yesterday, today, and tomorrow- 12 hour shifts though. Alice said she likes her classes so far but doesn't know what to expect from everything. I really am not looking forward to this semester. I'm ready for it though. 17 or 18 hours sounds like a lot, but only 12 will be academic so it's not that bad...?