Take Me Out To The Relays..

Take me out to the crowds, buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks, I don't care if we ever get back.
For it's root, root, root for the Bulldogs. If they're not fast it's a shame...

Ok, my creativity ran dry and I can't rework the last two lines of the song to apply (or rhyme with) Relays.

But here are some pictures I took. I got to be RIGHT DOWN ON THE TRACK! Wooo! I'm with the press, baby!

Duty Log 4/19: 4.5 Hours Remain

So, it's been... seven hours since my last post. I think. It's 2:30 in the morning so I could be wrong. I'm lucky if I can make coherent sentences - math is a whole different story.

It's really quite interesting sitting out in the lobby for extended periods of time. I'm a big people watcher, so I'm kind of entertained. In the past sevenish hours, I saw a boy come downstairs and cook some moose meat (and just to show how tired I am, I just realized that I used the wrong "meat" and had to fix it... remember what I said about coherent sentences) for some other boys. I'm not joking. This kid cooked moose. The bad part is that the moose is dead and eaten, but the stench of the untraditional meat has lingered. Sick. I don't think you could get me to eat moose knowingly. Maybe if you told me it was beef, that would be ok... only if you can't really taste the difference. But seriously, moose? That makes me sick and sad. I like moose. They're cute in a dumb way.

There was also this one kid who was watching movie after movie on television while talking to his friend via the internet, and playing some sort of internet war game, wearing MASSIVE headphones. He didn't move not once to even go to the bathroom - unless you count the several occasions he moved his arm a whole two inches to change the channel... which he did every time commercials came on and thus ended up watching two movies at once. It drove me INSANE. My brother does that (or at least he used to do it) all the time with cartoons or whatever and I don't know how he stands it. Plus he was flipping between Remember the Titans and Without a Paddle. Only mildly different movies. He wouldn't even get up to get some moose - he had someone bring him a plate.

He was there for quite a while until someone asked him kindly if we could use the TV to play Wii - which was the original plan. So around midnight I got my Wii all set up and some of my residents and a few other people floating around the building came out to play. This was my Wii's big residence hall debut and it was great. Funny how these things are more fun when they're shared. After a while I just let them go at it amongst themselves because I didn't want to use up all my energy playing virtual tennis. The guy who was hogging the TV stuck around and wanted to play, but said he'd play sitting down... Are you kidding me!? Sitting down!? I don't think so. That's the purpose of the Wii - so you CAN'T sit down and play.

Anyway, the Wii-ers and the moose-eaters are gone for the night and it's only me, Ryan, and all the crazies stumbling back into the hall who are left. He's on rounds now, and I go again at 4 and that's it for the night. We just have to stick around until 7am. I have a muffin and a Coke here to make sure I get there. I guess it's true what they say - "I get by with a little help from my friends." In this case, calories and caffeine.

Duty Log 4/19: 11.5 Hours Remain

Tonight is my duty all-nighter. I have another one next weekend, but let's take it one day at a time. So far things are going well.

Thirty minutes and one round done! 11.5 hours and 3 rounds left. Yay!

The thing about these big party weekends is that the REALLY heavy drinkers start drinking early. And when I say early, I mean EARLY. I know a few residents who were passed out before noon. So they were sleeping it off and in the meantime the hall was peaceful and quiet.

They're starting to come to now, though and they're cleaning themselves up and getting ready for round two. But I've never had a problem with a super belligerent student. Not really. I've heard horror stories from other RAs, but no personal experiences.

Sitting in the lobby on duty isn't even THAT bad. It's probably because I live in the basement and can quickly get to my room if I need something else to do or read or watch or whatever. Plus, it's actually kind of nice to have a change of scenery. Not that I couldn't sit out here any day if I wanted to, but the fact that I have to helps keep me from just wandering back to my room. And I feel social since there are people around - even if those people are watching graphic Jet Li movies on the TV. *Shudder*

During Street Painting and Relay weekends, RAs have to do outside rounds. We walk around the building just to make sure nobody is causing trouble outside and, more importantly, sneaking a person or alcohol (or a person WITH alcohol) through the windows. It sounds crazy, but it happens - I promise. But I love that! It's nice to be able to leave the building for a few minutes and be on duty at the same time. Usually being on duty is like being chained to the building - you can't leave for 12 hours.

Sweet! This took me 15 minutes to write so that means I have 11.25 hours left! Yay!

Duty Log: 4/18 5 hours remain

So, this weekend and next are probably the highlight of the Drake year. Relays are an exciting time with all the out of town people (who take our parking spaces! grrrr! I don't even have a car and I'm upset about that..), the media madness (they also take our parking), and all the general "school spirit" or something.

Yeah, people pretty much love this time of year.

I can name one group of people who don't, though.

The RAs.

I am, as I have mentioned before, a first-year RA for first-year students and I am not at all enjoying/looking forward to these two weekends. Because of all the, erm, madness I suppose you can call it, the residence halls (and the residence hall staff) have to take extra safety precautions.

First, there have to be two RAs in the building on duty at all times. We're talkin' 24/7. This weekend is Street Painting, so that's officially in effect. I'm on duty from 7am-7pm today (5 hours until I get to leave the building!), and then from 7pm-7am Saturday night. And, yes, I *do* have to stay up all night. And I get to sit in the lobby and watch all the, erm, incapacitated residents come stumbling into the building. It should be fun, I'm excited.

I talked to my RA from last year and she said that Relays isn't as bad as you think it would be as far as policy violations. Mostly because people would be STUPID to try to drink/sneak alcohol in the building with security stationed at the doors and the RAs making rounds constantly. She said the worst part was staying up all night.

I thought about it and maybe that won't be so hard. I mean, I'll be with another RA who will pinch me when I doze off, and I expect the building to be insanely loud anyway, and not even I can sleep through all that racket.

Relays: The Sole Of Drake

The 99th Relays Celebration kicked off this week at the Blitz Day Picnic.  This year's theme is "Relays: The Sole of Drake."  Haha, get it?  "Sole"?  Yeah... it's a bad pun, I know.  I'm not super crazy over the theme, but I am excited for Relays and all the Relay-related fun. 

The Relays Carnival is coming up this week, there was a sand volleyball tournament earlier today, Street Painting is next weekend, and then, of course there are the Relays themselves.  

Some of us, being RAs and all, don't get to participate as much as we'd like to because of duty and whatnot, but there are still opportunities to do something.  It's no biggie.  I get to work concessions with APO and I'm actually really looking forward to that.  I like concessions - except for washing super greasy parts of the nacho cheese and popcorn machines.  

Relays isn't all fun and games, though.  Despite having pretty cool activities planned everyday, there's still school to worry about.  And now isn't a good time to slack off.  Around here it seems that finals comes immediately after Relays, so you don't want to stress about catching up with work and studying.  It's just important to stay on top of it. . 

Here are some pictures from the Blitz Day Picnic/Theme Release Party.  Stay tuned for more Relays info and pictures.  

Facebook Bumper Stickers

Everybody loves bumper stickers.  Admit it.  They’re fun, cute, and where else can you find such sexually explicit and spiritual content all in one place?  See?  There’s a little something for everybody.  What I’ve recently come to realize is that bumper sticker has, in fact, had a very deep and profound affect on my life.  

1. It’s made facebook even more addicting.  Raise your hand if you’ve spent hours moving from one profile to the next, scrolling through what’s likely pages and pages of bumper stickers.  I know I’m not alone on this.  Eventually I won’t even know whose profile I’m looking at.  More often than not I don’t even know the person; they just happen to be in my network, thus allowing me access the splendor that is procrastination.

2. I’ve become frustrated more easily.  You would think since bumper sticker is clearly the most popular application on facebook, they would be a bit quicker to “iron out the kinks” as they like to say on their “Sorry, try again” page.  I usually set a refresh limit.  If I have to reload my internet more than 10 times, screw it, I’m done with bumper sticker.  It’s annoying when I’m trying to look at all the bumper stickers at once and it won’t let me go to the next page.  But when I’m trying to load a bumper sticker that was actually sent to me, I get genuinely pissed off.  What I really love is the fact that there’s a bumper sticker that says “I was going to send you a funny bumper sticker, but I got tired of  ‘trying again.’” 

3. It’s opened up another channel for drunken communication.  That’s right kids.  Not only can you get drunk dials and tipsy texts, you can get bumper stickers from hammered friends.   If you can come up with a term for the drunken exchange of bumper stickers, feel free to let me know.  It should be something catchy, preferably with an alliteration in it. But there’s nothing like waking up in the morning to a whole slew of bumper stickers from people telling me how much they love me and how much they hate me since drunk people are inclined to express both emotions. 

4. I’ve become ashamed of my peers’ addiction to Miley Cyrus.  Hannah Montana?  Seriously?  Don’t tell me college girls in their early twentysomethings are worshiping a fourteen-year-old in a wig.  Granted, the “peace, love, Hannah Montana” stickers aren’t the most popular (thank goodness – then we’d really have a problem), but the fact that they’re out there makes me hang my head in shame for those who seem incapable of moving past the Disney Channel. 

5. I have an overwhelming urge to deface a stop sign.  Seriously, “Don’t” on the top of the sign, and “believing” on the bottom is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.  It’s just a cute little reminder that life’s not about the destination, it’s about the Journey. 

6. It’s made me think that cats are the least photogenic animal on the planet.  What’s up with those freaky-lookin’ felines?  Some are cute, sure.  I like the “I farted” one.  Who doesn’t?  But there sure are some frightening ones.  For example, the demented cat that looks like it’s shouting at the speaker box in the drive thru is enough to keep anyone up at night.  Or how about the cat that looks like its hopped up on something?  “I found pills and ate them!!!”  That’s one kitty you don’t want to turn your back to. 

7. It makes me miss old school TV from the 90s.  All in favor of bringing back Sabrina, Sister Sister, Boy Meets World, and any and all of those amazing NickToons we grew up with?  I just get so nostalgic for the days when cartoons were actually drawn well, the Olson twins didn’t have eating disorders, and every girl wanted Harvey Kinkle to be her boyfriend.  For now I’ll just have to settle for my Hey Arnold bumper sticker. 

8. It’s allowed me to set higher personal goals for myself.  By the end of the year I’m going to make it through all 3,242 pages of bumper stickers… in one sitting.  I’ve been practicing.  You can’t do it right away; you have to train first or you might pull something.  Although, I’ve come to the conclusion that this might be an unobtainable goal like trying to eat the never-ending stack of pancakes at IHOP.  The more you eat, the more they bring you.  Just like with the bumper stickers.  They’re created faster than I can look at them. 

9. It’s made me consider lasik eye surgery.  Am I getting old or is the text on those bumper stickers TINY?  Am I the only one who has this problem?  I blame the creators of the bumper stickers.  They’re the ones using those really skinny, little, light-colored fonts.  How do they expect us to be able to read those?  What’s stupid is that I’ll always click on the ones that are hard to read, hoping that the next page will bring up a bigger, more legible version, but it never does.  I’ve actually resorted to taking screen shots of the ones I can’t read and using my picture preview application to zoom in. 

10. I’ve become unnaturally good at giving advice.  Don’t tell, but usually when my friends hit a rough patch, I blurt out something I read off a bumper sticker.  Some of them are less cliché than others, which allows me to get away with it most of the time.  If I say something like “life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain,” that just has “BUMPER STICKER” written all over it.  But if I say “it may be stormy now, but it can’t rain forever,” it sounds deep and profound – more like a fortune cookie than a bumper sticker.   Hey, I should make a bumper sticker that says “all my words of wisdom come from bumper stickers.”