Saturday, September 22, 2007
80's Party for the Win!
I'll explain later. Right now, it's 2:43 AM and I am ready to go to sleep. Suffice it to say that my first official college party as a success and I had a great time, even though I am now temporarily partially deaf in my right ear.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Work and Play
Not exactly a ton to report, but I want to make sure y'all know I'm still here.
Workload is still heavy, and we're now really beginning to enter into the meat of the various subjects that I'm studying this semester. All of my classes are holding my attention, but the ones that I think I'm enjoying the most are Japanese Media and Archaeology. The content is fascinating and I'm learning a lot.
Now that the Dynamo's away for almost the rest of the season, my Saturday nights are now open to whatever I feel like. Last night, I met up with a group of friends and we went out for sushi in downtown Houston. Good stuff! Afterwards, we came back to Martel for a game of Z-Ball and watching the movie "Airplane." Aside from that, things are beginning to settle into a 'business as usual' type routine. It may be a routine, but I'm still having a great time!
Workload is still heavy, and we're now really beginning to enter into the meat of the various subjects that I'm studying this semester. All of my classes are holding my attention, but the ones that I think I'm enjoying the most are Japanese Media and Archaeology. The content is fascinating and I'm learning a lot.
Now that the Dynamo's away for almost the rest of the season, my Saturday nights are now open to whatever I feel like. Last night, I met up with a group of friends and we went out for sushi in downtown Houston. Good stuff! Afterwards, we came back to Martel for a game of Z-Ball and watching the movie "Airplane." Aside from that, things are beginning to settle into a 'business as usual' type routine. It may be a routine, but I'm still having a great time!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Going to Church, Learning Martial Arts, Playing Games, and Watching Cartoons
Just another day in academic paradise.
Over the last week, I've been working on assignments from my classes, and they are going well, but the real story this time lies outside the classroom. I've been getting involved with several different campus organizations, and I've found some that I think I'll really enjoy over this and future years.
First off - Jo Mai Anime - the Japanese Anime (cartoon) club. We meet on Tuesday nights for several hours and just watch some different selections of Japanese cartoon programs. Also, we get involved with large anime conventions in the area, like Oni-Con, which is coming up in October, right before my birthday. Having come from two years as president of the anime club at my high school, this one was a natural fit.
Next - Fast Warp - the gaming club. Another group that meets simply to enjoy themselves playing any and all types of games - board games, video games, role playing games, the works. They also work closely with the planning committee for OwlCon, Rice's yearly gaming convention. Amazingly, although I've only been to one meeting (there's only been one so far this year), I was elected secretary of the club. I ran for the office because I have some experience with administering websites and clerical work, and I had no opposition in the race. Funnily enough, neither did any of the other elected positions - oh well. Should be an exciting time.
Third - Aikido club - a club that teaches the theory and practice of the Japanese martial art, Aikido. Aikido is not about using strength to best an attacker, but rather to redirect momentum and energy exerted by the opponent and redirect it back at them. It is a complicated skill, and it will take a long time to learn correctly, but I believe (hope?) that I'm up for the challenge.
Last, but certainly not least, I've become a member of South Main Baptist Church, the church that I've been attending for the last few weeks since my arrival in Houston. Each week, at the end of the sermon, the pastor invites any people who would like to become a member of the church or would like to accept Jesus as their savior to come up to the front of the sanctuary. This is not to embarrass them, but just to introduce them to the congregation and welcome them into the church family. Afterwards, I would guess a good 90% of the congregation came up and shook hands with me. It was an amazing experience and really made me feel welcome. God's looking out for me, and He's really helped to make this an amazing experience.
I'm finally caught up on my reading for the day, and now I actually have a few hours to kill (nap) before I'm off to Jo Mai Anime tonight. Yay!
Over the last week, I've been working on assignments from my classes, and they are going well, but the real story this time lies outside the classroom. I've been getting involved with several different campus organizations, and I've found some that I think I'll really enjoy over this and future years.
First off - Jo Mai Anime - the Japanese Anime (cartoon) club. We meet on Tuesday nights for several hours and just watch some different selections of Japanese cartoon programs. Also, we get involved with large anime conventions in the area, like Oni-Con, which is coming up in October, right before my birthday. Having come from two years as president of the anime club at my high school, this one was a natural fit.
Next - Fast Warp - the gaming club. Another group that meets simply to enjoy themselves playing any and all types of games - board games, video games, role playing games, the works. They also work closely with the planning committee for OwlCon, Rice's yearly gaming convention. Amazingly, although I've only been to one meeting (there's only been one so far this year), I was elected secretary of the club. I ran for the office because I have some experience with administering websites and clerical work, and I had no opposition in the race. Funnily enough, neither did any of the other elected positions - oh well. Should be an exciting time.
Third - Aikido club - a club that teaches the theory and practice of the Japanese martial art, Aikido. Aikido is not about using strength to best an attacker, but rather to redirect momentum and energy exerted by the opponent and redirect it back at them. It is a complicated skill, and it will take a long time to learn correctly, but I believe (hope?) that I'm up for the challenge.
Last, but certainly not least, I've become a member of South Main Baptist Church, the church that I've been attending for the last few weeks since my arrival in Houston. Each week, at the end of the sermon, the pastor invites any people who would like to become a member of the church or would like to accept Jesus as their savior to come up to the front of the sanctuary. This is not to embarrass them, but just to introduce them to the congregation and welcome them into the church family. Afterwards, I would guess a good 90% of the congregation came up and shook hands with me. It was an amazing experience and really made me feel welcome. God's looking out for me, and He's really helped to make this an amazing experience.
I'm finally caught up on my reading for the day, and now I actually have a few hours to kill (nap) before I'm off to Jo Mai Anime tonight. Yay!
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Samba!
An extremely busy, but very fun and rewarding day, I dare say.
The workload is picking up momentum, and pages and pages of reading are being assigned to me more and more by the day. So far I'm holding up, and I dearly hope that it stays that way.
On to the exciting stuff...
Two big events happened today for me on campus. First was my audition for Spontaneous Combustion, Rice's improv comedy troupe. We played a variety of different games to show off our skills and abilities to create something from nothing, and now it's just a matter of waiting. I don't know whether I'll get it or not, there were many very funny people auditioning. I just figure that if it's meant to be, it'll happen.
The other big thing was my debut as a Latin Fusion dance instructor. I arrived at the room about fifteen minutes early, to find that nobody had arrived yet. I hung out in the room for a little while, waiting, then I went to look for a schedule to make sure I was in the right place at the right time. However, within the last five minutes, a total of no less than fifteen people walked through the door for the class. It was a smash! People were getting into it, freestyling, making it their own, getting a great workout, and, above all, having a good time. Several people came up to me afterwards and told me that they really enjoyed it, and I knew that this is definitely something that is meant for me.
Only one class for me tomorrow, plus the reading that I've got to finish, then we're into the weekend again.
My, my, my...time really does fly when you're having fun - or when you're cramming massive amounts of new knowledge into your head.
The workload is picking up momentum, and pages and pages of reading are being assigned to me more and more by the day. So far I'm holding up, and I dearly hope that it stays that way.
On to the exciting stuff...
Two big events happened today for me on campus. First was my audition for Spontaneous Combustion, Rice's improv comedy troupe. We played a variety of different games to show off our skills and abilities to create something from nothing, and now it's just a matter of waiting. I don't know whether I'll get it or not, there were many very funny people auditioning. I just figure that if it's meant to be, it'll happen.
The other big thing was my debut as a Latin Fusion dance instructor. I arrived at the room about fifteen minutes early, to find that nobody had arrived yet. I hung out in the room for a little while, waiting, then I went to look for a schedule to make sure I was in the right place at the right time. However, within the last five minutes, a total of no less than fifteen people walked through the door for the class. It was a smash! People were getting into it, freestyling, making it their own, getting a great workout, and, above all, having a good time. Several people came up to me afterwards and told me that they really enjoyed it, and I knew that this is definitely something that is meant for me.
Only one class for me tomorrow, plus the reading that I've got to finish, then we're into the weekend again.
My, my, my...time really does fly when you're having fun - or when you're cramming massive amounts of new knowledge into your head.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Labor's Likelihood Lost
I find it funny that Labor Day is the one day when I have accomplished little to no labor whatsoever.
As I sit here, listening to a cricket orchestra outside my window, the night is still young. This has been a great weekend for recharging and taking things slow, culminating in today's (lack of) activity.
I suppose I should start on Saturday. My roommate Steve and I went out into the Rice Village area to do some exploring and investigating. Our first stop was Borders Books. Thank heaven there's one in this area, and an impressive one, too. Right as I stepped in the door, my mood lifted several points from 'pleasant' to 'WOOOOO!' On the first display table inside the store, my favorite authoring team, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, had a sparkling new hardcover on display and 30% off. Naturally, I snatched a copy of it right up. While in the store, I also picked up season 3 of House, which has mysteriously increased my popularity around Martel by several points ^_^, and the newest DVD in an anime series I've been following. Steve picked up an anthology of famous speeches from different times throughout history. I may have to borrow it off of him sometime, it looks like a great read.
After Borders, the two of us started walking to our lunch stop, Chipotle. I know that they exist in Oregon, and I believe in Minnesota, too. As such, you should already know of Chipotle's supreme goodness. If not, go and find one and have a burrito or two for me. We followed Chipotle up with a light (?) dessert over at Ben & Jerry's. Since Steve is an exchange student from Hong Kong, he had never partaken of the sweet fruits of Vermont's chosen sons. He had Chunky Monkey, and I had Creme Brulee.
Continuing our tour, we made our way to Anime Avalon, a shop in Rice Village that specialized in all things Anime. To my dismay, we arrived to discover that they would be closing for business on the eighth of this month. Fortunately, that also meant 50% or more off everything in the store. Does the word 'JACKPOT' mean anything to anyone? All of their rental DVDs were only $5 apiece, and I was able to walk away with three complete Anime series, three plastic model building kits which I'll be sending on to my beloved brother, some other memorabilia, and a translated version of 'Brave Story,' a Japanese novel that was made into a movie that was playing in Japan during the time I was there.
Saturday night was full of interesting events. The first football game of the season for Rice against Nicholls Stage (we, ahem, didn't exactly win); Wiess College was hosting the first party of the year, aptly named, "The First Party of the Year"; the Houston Dynamo was playing against Kansas City; and I got on the wrong bus to go to said Dynamo game and ended up riding in a two-hour circle. Luckily, I had my new Preston & Child book to keep me company. Anyway, a torrential downpour began after I was on the (wrong) bus for about forty minutes, and I decided that my presence at the game this weekend wasn't meant to be. I just came back home. I'm still, however, trying to figure out why two separate bus routes would be labeled as 'Route 68,' and were only distinguished by which side of the platform they left from. Oh well, we learn by doing.
Sunday was rather uneventful. I went to church at South Main Baptist in the morning, then spent the rest of the day pretty much watching House, Tsubasa, and reading my new novel. I did get in an hour of practice, though, for my group fitness teaching, which starts this week - so I'm still staying active, even when I'm primarily spending my time sitting on my duff.
Today was, really, just an enhanced version of Sunday afternoon. I finished the book, watched several episodes of House, worked in the Martel weight room (staying active), and ate my three squares.
Back to work tomorrow, and hopefully the rest of my freakin' textbooks will arrive in the mail so I can keep up with my reading. I will not fall behind if it can be at all avoided.
Wish me luck, for tomorrow I return to the land of people who do things.
As I sit here, listening to a cricket orchestra outside my window, the night is still young. This has been a great weekend for recharging and taking things slow, culminating in today's (lack of) activity.
I suppose I should start on Saturday. My roommate Steve and I went out into the Rice Village area to do some exploring and investigating. Our first stop was Borders Books. Thank heaven there's one in this area, and an impressive one, too. Right as I stepped in the door, my mood lifted several points from 'pleasant' to 'WOOOOO!' On the first display table inside the store, my favorite authoring team, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, had a sparkling new hardcover on display and 30% off. Naturally, I snatched a copy of it right up. While in the store, I also picked up season 3 of House, which has mysteriously increased my popularity around Martel by several points ^_^, and the newest DVD in an anime series I've been following. Steve picked up an anthology of famous speeches from different times throughout history. I may have to borrow it off of him sometime, it looks like a great read.
After Borders, the two of us started walking to our lunch stop, Chipotle. I know that they exist in Oregon, and I believe in Minnesota, too. As such, you should already know of Chipotle's supreme goodness. If not, go and find one and have a burrito or two for me. We followed Chipotle up with a light (?) dessert over at Ben & Jerry's. Since Steve is an exchange student from Hong Kong, he had never partaken of the sweet fruits of Vermont's chosen sons. He had Chunky Monkey, and I had Creme Brulee.
Continuing our tour, we made our way to Anime Avalon, a shop in Rice Village that specialized in all things Anime. To my dismay, we arrived to discover that they would be closing for business on the eighth of this month. Fortunately, that also meant 50% or more off everything in the store. Does the word 'JACKPOT' mean anything to anyone? All of their rental DVDs were only $5 apiece, and I was able to walk away with three complete Anime series, three plastic model building kits which I'll be sending on to my beloved brother, some other memorabilia, and a translated version of 'Brave Story,' a Japanese novel that was made into a movie that was playing in Japan during the time I was there.
Saturday night was full of interesting events. The first football game of the season for Rice against Nicholls Stage (we, ahem, didn't exactly win); Wiess College was hosting the first party of the year, aptly named, "The First Party of the Year"; the Houston Dynamo was playing against Kansas City; and I got on the wrong bus to go to said Dynamo game and ended up riding in a two-hour circle. Luckily, I had my new Preston & Child book to keep me company. Anyway, a torrential downpour began after I was on the (wrong) bus for about forty minutes, and I decided that my presence at the game this weekend wasn't meant to be. I just came back home. I'm still, however, trying to figure out why two separate bus routes would be labeled as 'Route 68,' and were only distinguished by which side of the platform they left from. Oh well, we learn by doing.
Sunday was rather uneventful. I went to church at South Main Baptist in the morning, then spent the rest of the day pretty much watching House, Tsubasa, and reading my new novel. I did get in an hour of practice, though, for my group fitness teaching, which starts this week - so I'm still staying active, even when I'm primarily spending my time sitting on my duff.
Today was, really, just an enhanced version of Sunday afternoon. I finished the book, watched several episodes of House, worked in the Martel weight room (staying active), and ate my three squares.
Back to work tomorrow, and hopefully the rest of my freakin' textbooks will arrive in the mail so I can keep up with my reading. I will not fall behind if it can be at all avoided.
Wish me luck, for tomorrow I return to the land of people who do things.
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