Welcome Back

I got the iiiiiiiinterneeeet in my apartment!

This means:

• Regular blog updates (I swear)
• I get to be more productive at work since I won't be trying to get in my facebook time
• I can email my papers to myself to print out at school instead of running around campus with a flash drive that doesn't go into the ancient computers at work (long story)
• The ordeal of getting my new computer here was TOTALLY worth it
• Shopping on craigslist
• Bill pay online

I also got cable! So I can have more control over my social life and keep school stuff organized instead of dropping everything to watch Desperate Housewives. (OMG last night's show was CRAZY! And in 2 weeks is the tornado episode that may or may not kill a few people!)

Oh, I also got my new computer, finally. So far, I'm a fan of Windows Vista.

Um, anyway, things are still pretty great. This weekend I was totally social. Friday we went to Happy Hour at Ruby's, where Meghan and I did nothing to deter our reputation as the department snobs. lol. We sat at the the bar away from the other people from our department. We just didn't know any of the others, and were deep in convo about class. I was feeling really down on myself and what I'm doing here, and she made me feel better, like she always does. So Amy showed up and was snobby with us for a while, then we went to College Inn ("where all the cute guys are" - Amy) but ended up sitting in a booth by ourselves talking about, what else...religion. Ha ha it wasn't that bad -- we talked about other stuff too. It was great to have girl talk time with smart girls.

Anyway I got home and was ready for bed, but Lindsay told me to come up and hang out. Her baby's daddy was in town and she wanted me to meet him. I told him I was against Homeland Security (mostly the stripping down at airports) and he was no longer impressed with me. I also told him that PETA was stupid and I don't think he liked that either (for the record, I think PETA has some great ideas about protecting animals, and I am not a fan of animal testing either, but the VP of PETA --the one who organizes the violent anti-testing protests-- is diabetic and uses pig insulin to stay alive. She says she needs her life to fight against animal cruelty. I think that's hypocritical, and not very pro-active). I think I just forgot that he was from Utah and very conservative. You know I don't pick fights with people.

So anyway other than that, we had fun. There was wine and, yes, hoola-hooping, and I think maybe at one point, vodka shots? Lindsay also extensively planned a wine and hors d'ourves party for all the tenants on Sunday, which she cancelled the next day.

Saturday I planned to do all kinds of homework, but just watched football all day. Meghan and I got thai food at Thaiger Room on the Ave, then went to Amy's. We met some guys from the chemical engineering department who were also department snobs, and we watched the UW game. Then we drove to a party that was thrown by someone I don't know. It was pretty okay -- we all just hung out with each other....while is also pretty snobby, now that I think about it. But here's the thing. At the social events that the Jackson School throws, like the 2 Happy Hours I've been to, and the pitiful Halloween Party, I really really don't have any fun. The people are really nice but they only want to talk about religion. And theory. And classes. And PhD's. And honestly, I like that stuff, but not outside of school, and if then, then not all the time. ALL THE TIME. I want to learn about people outside school, and just want normal conversations about movies and god forbid, celebrities.

So with the chemical engineer guys, we finally talked about normal things, like TV, and traveling. Amy invited them because she says they're the only "normal guys" she knows in grad school (i.e. they watch football). This is the first time I haven't felt defensive and uncomfortable talking to new people. Probably because they didn't ask me about my religious beliefs or my opinions about religious theory, of which I have none, outside of school :\

Today is Veteran's Day, so I get a day off of school. I choose to make the most of this by getting cable and internet installed in my apartment, and by catching up on 3 days of homework.

I bought plane tickets to come home for xmas, which is exciting in itself, but made even more so by the fact that they were dirt cheap. $74 each way, anyone? Hell yes.