It is the end of September and its 90 degrees outside.

The title of this post says it all.

It's September. This week it has been 90 degrees. I am still sweating in my sleep. My air conditioning bill is still high. I still like Ohio better.

This post may be a little bit of a vent but I'm okay with that since I have been on the campus of Wake Forest University since 7AM this morning and its currently 6PM and I'm still here with no signs of leaving. If you are thinking, well stop blogging right now and get your work done and leave, I will say to you, thanks for that. However, that won't work. My work is done. My bags are packed. I'm still here.

Part of my role here at WFU is to run the Undergraduate Biomechanics Lab. Not a bad gig, I get to hang out with undergrads and try and show them I am still cool with hopes that maybe I'll get invited to a raging frat party where I can drink jungle juice* out of a big tub in the middle of the room and just be so college again. However, they are still undergrads. I am supposed to run them each through a workshop that teaches them how to FILM their senior final project. So they get a camera from me and then take it ELSEWHERE (emphasis on the ELSEWHERE) and do their filming and then return the camera to me a good 2 hours later. Group number one comes in today at 5PM when they checked out their camera. My plan is to give them the camera, then as they walk out of the Biomechanics Lab to go film ELSEWHERE, I will walk out of the Biomechanics Lab as well(since it is 5PM and I had been here since 7AM). But no, they open up the camera start setting up and oh yes, they are going to film in our lab. Where my office is. The same lab where next to the "sign up to check out a camera" sheet is a LARGE BOLD ALL CAPS PAPER SAYING PLEASE EMAIL ME BEFORE FILMING IN THE BIOMECHANICS LAB.

So, here I am. Sitting. "Monitoring". Waiting for them to leave. Hungry. I haven't run today. I ate 3 chocolate chip subway cookies. They keep asking me questions (another reason they are supposed to go ELSEWHERE, I am not supposed to do this FOR them). Needless to say, I am not happy. And I am sure they are just antsy to get out of here so they can go to the nearest pub, order a 2 dollar Natty Light and get a little Wednesday night buzz. Well, I am antsy to go back to my apartment, on the way stop and buy a bottle of 5 dollar Chardonnay, sit on my brown couch and soak in the expensive cold air my apartment has been blowing for the last FIVE months, and give myself a big Wednesday night buzz.

Direction Ignore-ers really get me riled up. While we are on it, this also goes for those driving and who ignore directions..."I know GoogleMaps says turn right here, but I think if I keep driving, it will be faster"....we all know that person, and before you know it, you are in the middle of Indiana going who knows where**

Vent over. But, I am still sitting here. "Monitoring". It's 6:02.




*Jungle Juice. also known as Hairy Buff, Liquid Cocaine, or an assortment of other interesting names. It contains I am pretty sure everclear and everclear soaked fruits. You let it sit for like 4 or 5 days and then drink it and you can't taste a thing. You also can't remember a thing after about half a glass. Oh college.

**All of Indiana is "who knows where"

Biomechanics Presentations

So tomorrow lies the biggest day of graduate school thus far.

It is my Biomechanics Presentation.

I have been rehearsing it over and over and over, so much that I do it in my sleep, and yet, I have no idea what Im talking about. Allow me to give a run through of what this presentation is all about....

Imagine you have this professor who is "the shit" and when I say this, I don't mean he is super cool - I mean he is the head in his field and could almost be considered a celebrity research. He is all that and more. He does this annual "Biomechanics Symposium" where all us 8 grad students choose a topic, and topic, and then have 10 minutes to talk it - and 5 minutes to answer questions. Questions that will come from and one of these 200 people we will be standing in front of presenting data we don't even fully understand. Needless to say, I'm a little nervous. Let me also stress that this presentation is worth 30% of our final grade in the class - so it is kind of a big deal.

The grade is divided into content and style. So, obviously, Ill be pulling out that Banana Republic Suit and pray he doesn't know it is last years line. That should get me my style points. As far as content.....well lets just hope that he doesn't know anything about "Soldier Load Carriage" - the genius topic I have picked based on my internship where I worked for the army and thought it would be easy based on my first hand experience. Stress on the the word thought.

I videotaped my self an hour ago giving the speech.

I said "um" 46 times. In 10 minutes. That's close to 5 um's a minute. Is it because I don't know what I'm talking about. Yup. That is pretty much why.

Oh but wait - it gets better.

The symposium goes for 2.5 hours (there is a small refreshment break in the middle - unfortunately I will be so near vomiting that refreshments will not be looking appealing). There are 8 of us presenting. And, oh, lucky me....spot number 8. The grand finale. The Last Hurrah. The end of all ends. Im going to have pit stains as large as basketballs in my BR suit by the time I'm up there. The only thing that will get me through this will be the cold beer I know that is waiting in my fridge as soon as I get home. And maybe the Wendy's conveniently placed on my ride home (after all, nothing says "you've had a hard day" quite like a spicy chicken sandwich and a frosty - especially if it is complimentary).

So, I have probably put off reviewing this presentation again too long. I've reached the end of stalling and I probably should now look into ironing my suit. And looking for some extra strength antiperspirant.

Graduate School.

As of 2 weeks ago I was beginning to think Graduate School was a little bit of a joke.

I have succeeded in getting A's and one B on all my quizzes and exams (not to brag) and have not in any means suffered in the weekend excursions to bars, clubs, and house parties. I have gotten my daily sweat in and have succeeded in keeping my own apartment somewhat respectable. Just as I was beginning to feel a little cocky and thinking Wake Forest didn't have shit on me, this terrible thing happened.

I now find myself contemplating not driving down to Charlotte for the Halloween weekend activities, in which I have been planning my costume only since last November 1st. I'm considering skipping it so I can sit at home and work on the 50% of my grade Biomechanics project talking about how the load a soldier wears increases his/her potential for injury. Awesome. Just when I was thinking Wake Forest was just a less cool University of Dayton it has taken the plunge from less cool to "no fun".

Sure, I am getting an awesome education - and I'm sure I'll be able to fulfill all my dreams and go on to getting an awesome job...when I'm 30 and finally done with all this schooling. However, I still find myself in that "I'm a college student and Saturdays and Sundays are days of recovery, not days of catching up" mentality. How to rid myself of that one...hmm, I'm still not too sure I'm ready to let go of it. Don't get me wrong...I would be lying if I said I didn't love school, and I didn't look forward to coming every day and learning new things about health and fitness. I love health and fitness. I would even go so far to say its my passion. But, I also have this other passion for fun. I just love fun. I look forward to my weekends away from work and from thinking. Conclusion: I am willing to stick with my "work hard, play hard" attitude and I'll just hope my looks, these wonderful brains I have genetically gained from my mother, my passion, and my oh-so charming personality get me through.

With that being said, Charlotte, I would like you to know, you will see me this weekend in full penguin outfit. As far as you, Biomechanics Presentation, I'll see you on Monday.