Angie and I went to see Fred Eaglesmith and the flying squirrels. it wasn't bad. Note the excitement.

thats right. We were there!

There is a strange bit of excitement in the air every time a new semester is about to begin. Up until the beginning of the semester the campus is basically dead. Then something amazing happens. The campus begins to blossom, no not that kind, the kind where people and cars and bicycles and skateboards all crowd the sidewalks to get their piece of the action. Woah! Students break the binding on their $200 communications 1010 textbook and stare in awe at the plethora of words and dearth of pictures.
Students eagerly download the course syllabus and calculate just how long they can put off the midterm and final papers to accommodate their xBox 360 schedule. (which by the way, you can now stream Netflix movies on)

I too, get excited. Especially now that I can see the light at the end of the masters degree tunnel. Yes, it really is Matrix green, and yes I took the red pill.

Coming up this semester I learn how to design research and how to policy health. Whee!

Angie and I went to a burrito joint* the other night. As we entered the establishment the electric heaters above the patio tables gently warmed us. I thought in awe about a business that would consider the feelings of someone wishing to procure a thin round of unleavened wheat flour bread filled with charred beef and pico de gallo, and taking time to consider that they may wish to enhance the experience with 5 degree weather. Long story longer, we waited in line, admiring the simple menu. Burrito, Burrito Bol, Taco's, Salad. Simple menu notwithstanding, we began to wonder why someone a mere 3 people in front of us was having such a hard time deciding. We quickly determined that it was the "new employee effect" at work. We could have opened up our own tasty burrito establishment with a catchy slogan in the time it took them to make our order. Clearly they assumed that, being Monday night, business would be slow and why not put the FNG on the front line, even though he clearly was not up to par, or up to sub-par at the time. Before you get mad at me, I am sure that he is a wonderful man with a sweet spirit who pays his rent on time and helps his elderly neighbor across the street take out the trash. (Keep in mind that's what they always say about serial killers...) However, he was clearly not ready to be "on the front line." He at least needed a helper to prompt him on what he needed to do next. Not being a regular customer of the fine establishment, I couldn't prompt him myself.
Alas, we managed to gather our foil wrapped manifestations of spicy goodness and eat. We sated our hunger and we left, once again warmed by the electric heat lamps on the patio, fearful of the warming to follow the next day.


*If I were to establish my own burrito joint it would be self serve. The slogan would be "At this joint, you roll your own." You'll come hungry, but you'll leave starving. With cottonmouth.

It seems as though when someone gets sick, they are either sick of being tired or tired of being sick. I am sick of being sick. I have had a cold three* times in the past month. I don't have a nearby camera or I would take a picture of my nose-in-need. And it has been a while since I have used the personal groomer. I like to keep it at a number 2, not too short because it gets cold in the winter, but not so long I look like Walter Matthau. Y'know, simple.

Anyway, I was glad to find that Wal-Mart's Equate brand cold medicine works just as well as Day-Quil because it is one third as expensive. Luckily gas doesn't cost nearly as much, so getting to the store is cheaper too.

Though being sick has its advantages. You can get out of work meetings or presentations because you "don't want to get people sick." Don't get me wrong, I'm terrified of avian flu (H5N1) but I don't pal around with shady birds all too often. Though I did get my start in the living room of an extremist bird many years ago....

In the event of a pandemic there are certain things to remember:

-Avoid large gatherings (finally, an excuse to not go to church)

-Wash your hands (with soap and water. I know, who knew?)

-Make me the primary beneficiary in your will (I will explain this after you die)

-Tin foil hat (Everyone knows tin foil hats are the best protector against this "flu")

-Liberal use of hand sanitizer (yes, spread the wealth of sanitizer and socialize!)

-Most importantly, don't "know" any birds as Adam "knew" Eve. Simple to follow, yet incredibly helpful.

By following these basic rules, along with the ones that are actually effective, you can be assured that your chances of developing the flu are decreased. In fact, just by staying indoors and reading this post have decreased your chances by 0.0000001%! I know, crazy.


*This is week two of what I think is the same cold making a comeback, thus it counts as two.

So this band is quite good, I saw them on Conan O'Brien a while back, and I quite fancy their music. I am not sure who to compare them to, but its not rock, but its not pop. I guess some may call it indie. Pretty good nonetheless. They are called The Airborne Toxic Event. Not too sure why.




I'll admit it's no Japanese Pizza commercial, but still good.