Rank

Date: 2002-01-08 11:53:41

I returned to campus Sunday night and my room stank. It smelled something like dead cheese, or maybe long-dead yogurt. I attempted to let my room air out with some success. I consulted Tristan and learned that my frozen orange juice concentrate containers in the freezer decided to explode, spewing not-quite frozen orange juice concentrate all over the fridge. This sat there for several weeks until Tristan returned several days before I did. He cleaned it out, but he has no sense of smell, so it still stank horribly. Taking out the trash and airing out the room helped significantly, but whenever the fridge was opened I got a lungfull of the horrible stench. This morning I lugged the fridge outside and let it air out for an hour while I went to seminar, then scrubbed it within a few millimeters of its life. I think I'll scrub it at least once or twice more before I let it back into my room. My fingers picked up the stench. Unthrilling.

We returned to the Boulder Compound around 1800 MST Friday, conveniently just before it started snowing. Saturday night I hurried to make granola and duct-tape the mirror back onto Bethany's friend's car, which was parked when Dad ran into it while backing out of the driveway. I got a Circuit City giftcard for Christmas, and I didn't think that I would be likely to find one near College Place, so I dropped by Boulder's instance of said store and picked up a cd labeling kit, extra labels, and beautifulgarbage. Mom wanted to get a wedding planning book for Gem, so I headed to Crossroads in search of one. I failed, but picked up a warplane monthly wall calendar and a Star Trek off-the-wall calendar, each half-price. I picked up twelve triple-aye batteries at Target and drove around Barnes and Nobel's parking lot for fifteen minutes trying to find a space. (Given the time I spent, it might have been faster to go to the Boulder Bookstore. Even though I was on the other side of town.) I finally found two people slowly loading groceries into a bimbo box and waited for them to finish. I took their space and successfully located a suitable wedding planning book inside B&N.

I headed to Bitscape's Castle Lair and found Bitscape and Zan Lynx watching Total Recall. They were fifty minutes in but started again so I could see the beginning. It was an entertaining movie; rather bloody, but fun. (It seems to be tradition to watch movies inspired by Philip K. Dick stories at the Castle Lair.) The micro-phest continued with a documentary, various consultations of the Movie Oracle, and finally the GameCube. I flew the training mission of Star Wars: Rogue Squadron and lost the Death Star mission. We switched to Super Smash Bros., which was amusing, although mostly incomprehensible. Then came Super Monkey Balls, which was also amusing and mostly incomprehensible. I departed shortly after 0000 so I could catch my flight.

Bethany and I made it to DIA with seventy-five minutes instead of the suggested one-hundred and twenty before our flight left. We enqueued ourselves and waited. Half an hour later our checked baggage disappeared into the conveyer belt. The first security checkpoint had a huge line. We headed to A concourse, to walk across the bridge and then take the train to B (because the security line would likely be shorter), but noticed that the other main security checkpoint had a much shorter line. Through we went, without incident, and hopped on the train to B. Our flight was boarding back rows when we arrived at the gate. Fifteen minutes later they boarded our row. The flight was fairly bumpy at first but then smoothed out. The captain recalled the flight attendants right after they finished handing us drinks. I listened to beautifulgarbage and watched Friends on the monitors dropping from the ceiling. (It was a 757.)

Landing in Portland was great: I got to see all kinds of cool stuff outside the window. (As usual, I was just about right over the wing, but I could see back.) Bethany and I met Heather and Matthew right outside security and headed to baggage claim. Our bags took a while to get there. When they arrived, we journeyed to Heather and Matthew's cars. I drove Heather's car, since she wanted it in College Place but wanted to ride with Matthew. (We wouldn't have had enough space for our stuff anyway.) Heather had a brown 1991 Honda Accord. I entertained myself by noticing the Honda styling similar to the Hondas we have at home.

Arrived in College Place four hours later, around 1900 PST. My room stank. See first paragraph. Monday classes started. I don't like my classes this quarter: writing for engineers, romantic American literature, thermodynamics (another fun-filled Dr. Sih class), and engineering electronics. Wandered around telling people I was engaged, which was greatly exciting.

I have an epic list of Action Items. Perhaps I should attack it. Or maybe eat breakfast.