So I'm pirating a wireless internet signal, since our router has been on the fritz. I guess, that means I'm stealing my e-mail.
I skipped my classes today. Instead I did LSAT work. I ran through an online workshop and took a full test. I scored a 165 today -- much better than I had been doing previously. The best news is that I haven't even improved on LR yet, meaning I can only go up from here (provided I work on my assumption questions).
Otherwise, the week from Hell continues (seems like I get a lot of weeks from Hell). I am now going to start reading for paper No. 1. Then I'll write part of it, go to bed, get up and write the rest.
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Friday, September 26, 2003
Interruptions revisited
So I realized I never posted that really "cool" event from a few weekends ago.
It went like this...
Owen had to go pick up Rob so he could shoot the cross country match. We were excited beucase Rob has an amazing eye for photography, and we didn't have any pics of the current cross country team. I decided to tag along, because I had nothing better to do until 7, which is when we were going to interview football players.
It was the best thing I ever did.
Upon our arrival at the course, we instantly spotted the team. Things were awkward, though. I know a lot of the guys, like Greg, Emory, Mike, and Zeb -- so it was cool to watch them -- but it was also awkward just kind of standing around with them.
Then Rob got ready to do his thing.
Our plan was to shoot the beginning and then the end of the course, but that soon changed. A few minutes after we figured out what we'd do, Rob spotted the University's photog with a golf cart.
"He's got a golf cart, how come I can't get one?" Rob joked.
The good thing was that Owen and I took him seriously. In our minds, Rob is one of the allstar photogs, and what Rob wants, Rob gets. We walked in and asked the woman at the desk what we had to do to get a golf cart. She was nice, joked around with us, and then asked us who we were. I pulled out my card.
I could tell she was confused, so I explained things again. Eventually she caught on and handed us the keys to golf cart No. 12. The only problem was that No. 12 didn't exist. We scoured the lot, but couldn't find it to save our lives. In the end, we exchanged it for a different golf cart and took off.
We lined right up on the course, behind one of the markers.
"If they're running into that, they've got bigger issues than hitting you guys," said one of the coaches. I took it to mean that the runners were off course.
They ran right at us, and then around us, and after Rob grabbed his initial photos, we sped off. We followed Zeb, and the photographer from Army. They seemed to know their ways to the mile markers. All I knew was that I should duck when Owen drove through the trees.
The experience was amazing, and I liken it to chasing game in Africa. Not that I have ever done that, but I imagine this is of a similar appeal. Another, more reasonable, comparison may be made to the movie twister. One minute you're driving through the back woods linining the course, next you've swung a hard right and hit a pack of runners.
It was very cool, and something I look forward to doing again.
----
Since my last few postings, I've seen Antigone (amazing both visually and for it's deeper message), hit up some parties with Christian and Matt, and taken some more LSAT tests.
I'm stalling on the LSAT. I'm stuck at 161. I have one week to go up five points. I hope I can do it.
---
This weekend is Yale. I'll be hitting the road in a few hours, and we'll actually be staying with Peter (and Alex, although Alex is away this weekend). I'm excited to see Peter, and Una. It should be good times.
When I get back, however, I need to do work. Most importantly, write my game story. Next I need to read for marketing. Then I need to work on my papers for Comm 420 and 450.
So sweet, yet so bitter...
It went like this...
Owen had to go pick up Rob so he could shoot the cross country match. We were excited beucase Rob has an amazing eye for photography, and we didn't have any pics of the current cross country team. I decided to tag along, because I had nothing better to do until 7, which is when we were going to interview football players.
It was the best thing I ever did.
Upon our arrival at the course, we instantly spotted the team. Things were awkward, though. I know a lot of the guys, like Greg, Emory, Mike, and Zeb -- so it was cool to watch them -- but it was also awkward just kind of standing around with them.
Then Rob got ready to do his thing.
Our plan was to shoot the beginning and then the end of the course, but that soon changed. A few minutes after we figured out what we'd do, Rob spotted the University's photog with a golf cart.
"He's got a golf cart, how come I can't get one?" Rob joked.
The good thing was that Owen and I took him seriously. In our minds, Rob is one of the allstar photogs, and what Rob wants, Rob gets. We walked in and asked the woman at the desk what we had to do to get a golf cart. She was nice, joked around with us, and then asked us who we were. I pulled out my card.
I could tell she was confused, so I explained things again. Eventually she caught on and handed us the keys to golf cart No. 12. The only problem was that No. 12 didn't exist. We scoured the lot, but couldn't find it to save our lives. In the end, we exchanged it for a different golf cart and took off.
We lined right up on the course, behind one of the markers.
"If they're running into that, they've got bigger issues than hitting you guys," said one of the coaches. I took it to mean that the runners were off course.
They ran right at us, and then around us, and after Rob grabbed his initial photos, we sped off. We followed Zeb, and the photographer from Army. They seemed to know their ways to the mile markers. All I knew was that I should duck when Owen drove through the trees.
The experience was amazing, and I liken it to chasing game in Africa. Not that I have ever done that, but I imagine this is of a similar appeal. Another, more reasonable, comparison may be made to the movie twister. One minute you're driving through the back woods linining the course, next you've swung a hard right and hit a pack of runners.
It was very cool, and something I look forward to doing again.
----
Since my last few postings, I've seen Antigone (amazing both visually and for it's deeper message), hit up some parties with Christian and Matt, and taken some more LSAT tests.
I'm stalling on the LSAT. I'm stuck at 161. I have one week to go up five points. I hope I can do it.
---
This weekend is Yale. I'll be hitting the road in a few hours, and we'll actually be staying with Peter (and Alex, although Alex is away this weekend). I'm excited to see Peter, and Una. It should be good times.
When I get back, however, I need to do work. Most importantly, write my game story. Next I need to read for marketing. Then I need to work on my papers for Comm 420 and 450.
So sweet, yet so bitter...
Monday, September 22, 2003
Flash Mobbing
There will be a flash mobbing evet later today --
http://people.cornell.edu/pages/mpn8/flash.html
http://people.cornell.edu/pages/mpn8/flash.html
Friday, September 19, 2003
Are we monsters?
Last night, another sports editor and I broke a story about a student death, and now I feel sick. We were all ravenous to break the news, but in doing so, did we cross limits? I think so.
It was so surreal to see the body bag being wheeled out on the street. A student -- it could have been someone I lived with -- died. At the same time, we heard a rumor about it being a student on the wrestling team. I knew who to call, and sure enough I did, and we recieved a vague and brief statement. It was something I shouldn't have done.
It didn't seem to corroborate anything. It wasn't pertinent to the story. Someone had died -- we confirmed that -- they were a student -- we confirmed that. That's it. From a news standpoint, we have a who, when, where, and how. Why will come in time. A definitive who is not necessary.
But apparently it is to some. After a heated debate, sports left. We left the newsroom. Without us, we would have woken up tomorrow to a university alert. We broke the story, and now the news department has very possibly broken our trust. Our section has a great relationship with C.U. athletes. Well, atleast we did...
Tomorrow may bring a different story.
It was so surreal to see the body bag being wheeled out on the street. A student -- it could have been someone I lived with -- died. At the same time, we heard a rumor about it being a student on the wrestling team. I knew who to call, and sure enough I did, and we recieved a vague and brief statement. It was something I shouldn't have done.
It didn't seem to corroborate anything. It wasn't pertinent to the story. Someone had died -- we confirmed that -- they were a student -- we confirmed that. That's it. From a news standpoint, we have a who, when, where, and how. Why will come in time. A definitive who is not necessary.
But apparently it is to some. After a heated debate, sports left. We left the newsroom. Without us, we would have woken up tomorrow to a university alert. We broke the story, and now the news department has very possibly broken our trust. Our section has a great relationship with C.U. athletes. Well, atleast we did...
Tomorrow may bring a different story.
Saturday, September 13, 2003
Eureka
This man has diagnosed Cornell's problem perfectly. Now if only we could figure out the cure...
http://www.cornelldailysun.com/articles/8989/
http://www.cornelldailysun.com/articles/8989/
The Best Sports Day Ever
More to come on this during Sunday afternoon. It involves chasing the cross country team in a golf cart, and not having to wait for hockey tickets.
Monday, September 08, 2003
Don't look back
So there's this story in the bible where these people are fleeing Soddom, the wife turns around to look and then poof! She turns into a pillar of salt.
I didn't do that, but I did go back to read some of my articles tonight. My field hockey ones are all cut and dry, starting out the same, so I used them as an example for our Compets. A bit of "don't do what Johnny Don't does..."
Then I went to my lax articles to make sure I still didn't do that. I don't, but I noticed something else.
In my last article from last year, there's this qoute from Ryan McClay. He says that when he walks off the field, and looks back, he wants to be smiling beucase of the good memories.
And that's where I lose it.
If Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt, my eyes turned into the sea. On the same page was Kristen Haunss's last column. Below it was the story about the senior laxers. It made me get misty.
Sure I've got 1.9 years left here, but how people like that could ever walk away from the memories, the games, and the stories -- I'll never know. How I'll do it, is even more of a mystery.
---
Song of the moment -- fall playlist. It's been going for an hour now with songs that remind me of orange leaves, fields of dreams, and dance floors littered with broken hearts. Fall has been magical, and here's to hoping the magic never ceases...
I didn't do that, but I did go back to read some of my articles tonight. My field hockey ones are all cut and dry, starting out the same, so I used them as an example for our Compets. A bit of "don't do what Johnny Don't does..."
Then I went to my lax articles to make sure I still didn't do that. I don't, but I noticed something else.
In my last article from last year, there's this qoute from Ryan McClay. He says that when he walks off the field, and looks back, he wants to be smiling beucase of the good memories.
And that's where I lose it.
If Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt, my eyes turned into the sea. On the same page was Kristen Haunss's last column. Below it was the story about the senior laxers. It made me get misty.
Sure I've got 1.9 years left here, but how people like that could ever walk away from the memories, the games, and the stories -- I'll never know. How I'll do it, is even more of a mystery.
---
Song of the moment -- fall playlist. It's been going for an hour now with songs that remind me of orange leaves, fields of dreams, and dance floors littered with broken hearts. Fall has been magical, and here's to hoping the magic never ceases...
Saturday, September 06, 2003
Biking to the Mall
What a bitch!
I had to bike out to the mall today to get my new frames. I think I was gone about 2 1/2 hours total, but it feels like I've wasted an entire day. I did manage to do a lot, however.
Of course the first place I went was Sterling optical. I got there and found that my glasses had not yet been made beucase the new frames were a different color. I don't care about color (well, not to this extent), so I told them to put my new frames in and get me going.
The service was quick, but my adjustment to the lenses was not. I could tell that a week of wearing my old prescriptions was not what the doctor had ordered, so I wandered around the mall for a bit. I wanted to check out the portable DVD players anway.
I looked in Target first -- no good. Then I went to Best Buy. They had the standard 5.6 inch screen for $176, but not much else in my price range. The next best thing was from polaroid, only after examining the quality I found that it wasn't that great. The screen was grainy, and seemed to dull the movie clips. I was not impressed.
I think I'm going to wait on the portable purchase, unless I find something better. I'm sure if I watch the deals long enough one will pop up.
Anyway. My next stop was Tops. I picked up some brocoli and catfish, which I am now going to make for dinner. I'll probably follow it up with a quiet night of laundry and work. I have to get two papers finished tonight, so I can take my diagnostic test tomorrow.
I had to bike out to the mall today to get my new frames. I think I was gone about 2 1/2 hours total, but it feels like I've wasted an entire day. I did manage to do a lot, however.
Of course the first place I went was Sterling optical. I got there and found that my glasses had not yet been made beucase the new frames were a different color. I don't care about color (well, not to this extent), so I told them to put my new frames in and get me going.
The service was quick, but my adjustment to the lenses was not. I could tell that a week of wearing my old prescriptions was not what the doctor had ordered, so I wandered around the mall for a bit. I wanted to check out the portable DVD players anway.
I looked in Target first -- no good. Then I went to Best Buy. They had the standard 5.6 inch screen for $176, but not much else in my price range. The next best thing was from polaroid, only after examining the quality I found that it wasn't that great. The screen was grainy, and seemed to dull the movie clips. I was not impressed.
I think I'm going to wait on the portable purchase, unless I find something better. I'm sure if I watch the deals long enough one will pop up.
Anyway. My next stop was Tops. I picked up some brocoli and catfish, which I am now going to make for dinner. I'll probably follow it up with a quiet night of laundry and work. I have to get two papers finished tonight, so I can take my diagnostic test tomorrow.
It's going to be a good year
So The past 36 hours have been interesting...
I got into the two courses I was trying to add, and now need to drop one. I think the AEM course will go, but I need to sit down and figure out the pre-reqs for the other classes I'm going to need to take. The other is expository writing, a very cool class and fairly straight forward. There is, as the name implies, a good deal of writing, but that's about it. Classtime is discussion focused, and mostly on the area of current events.
I got approval from the instructor the other day, and had the course secretary sign my slip yesterday. Then I turned in my ipod and rushed to get to the Statler. I had work to do.
The work was fun work. I have recently been hired as a head reunion clerk for Cornell's 2004 reunions' weekend. I will have to do some pretty intensive things, but this weekend was chill. So were the people.
I'm working with five other undergraduate head clerks. There is also a new woman working on Reunion, and she is almost like a 7th clerk. Then there's another guy who was a head clerk the past two years, so he's like our big brother 8th clerk.
I just spent 36 hours joking around with them, and while there is only one other guy -- he's all that's needed.
Mike is clearly the joker of the group, making jokes about the minimal labor, but maximum pay. Mike sums himself up best when he says things like, "I like to get things I don't deserve." We're going to get along fine.
The girls are also cool. Three of them play(ed) rugby, and the fourth runs track. Once again, all nice people to have conversations with, so I'm looking forward to working with them this year.
---
I had to leave lunch today early beucase IP told me I needed to give the speech about why to join sports. I got excited at first because I like speaking in public -- it's a great chance to tell stories and get instant feedback. Unlike the column, where I write, and maybe get an e-mail here or there.
Then I thought I didn't want to do it. I spent last night working on the speech, just talking outloud in our common room for an hour. Eventually I hit gold.
The timing was great, too. I told Owen and Ip to call me after Nate finished introducing the first person. They did, and I just made it out in time.
I arrived at the organizational meeting just as Marc was wraping up. People applauded for him (polietely), and then I walked across the front of the room and squatted next to Alex and Owen. We got up together, Ip introduced us, and then he gave me the floor.
I had a great time with it. I told the story about how the LA Times wanted to send two sports writers to cover the war in Iraq, then I talked abotu all the things sports could give people, and finally about how I joined the sports section. I called it the best mistake of my life, and urged everyone else to make the best mistake of their lives as well.
I said before that Alex gave me the floor. I'd like to think that my speech alone gave us 18 new writers (wow!). Of course, I can't take the credit. If Amanda hadn't pushed us to be the best, we probably wouldn't have won the Ben Mintz media award. If Alex and Owen and all of our current writers didn't work so hard, we'd probably not have the section we do today. I did not get us 18 new writers, we got us 18 new writers. We produce the section as the team, all I did was tell the story.
But now I have to go get my glasses (no doubt another story in progress).
I got into the two courses I was trying to add, and now need to drop one. I think the AEM course will go, but I need to sit down and figure out the pre-reqs for the other classes I'm going to need to take. The other is expository writing, a very cool class and fairly straight forward. There is, as the name implies, a good deal of writing, but that's about it. Classtime is discussion focused, and mostly on the area of current events.
I got approval from the instructor the other day, and had the course secretary sign my slip yesterday. Then I turned in my ipod and rushed to get to the Statler. I had work to do.
The work was fun work. I have recently been hired as a head reunion clerk for Cornell's 2004 reunions' weekend. I will have to do some pretty intensive things, but this weekend was chill. So were the people.
I'm working with five other undergraduate head clerks. There is also a new woman working on Reunion, and she is almost like a 7th clerk. Then there's another guy who was a head clerk the past two years, so he's like our big brother 8th clerk.
I just spent 36 hours joking around with them, and while there is only one other guy -- he's all that's needed.
Mike is clearly the joker of the group, making jokes about the minimal labor, but maximum pay. Mike sums himself up best when he says things like, "I like to get things I don't deserve." We're going to get along fine.
The girls are also cool. Three of them play(ed) rugby, and the fourth runs track. Once again, all nice people to have conversations with, so I'm looking forward to working with them this year.
---
I had to leave lunch today early beucase IP told me I needed to give the speech about why to join sports. I got excited at first because I like speaking in public -- it's a great chance to tell stories and get instant feedback. Unlike the column, where I write, and maybe get an e-mail here or there.
Then I thought I didn't want to do it. I spent last night working on the speech, just talking outloud in our common room for an hour. Eventually I hit gold.
The timing was great, too. I told Owen and Ip to call me after Nate finished introducing the first person. They did, and I just made it out in time.
I arrived at the organizational meeting just as Marc was wraping up. People applauded for him (polietely), and then I walked across the front of the room and squatted next to Alex and Owen. We got up together, Ip introduced us, and then he gave me the floor.
I had a great time with it. I told the story about how the LA Times wanted to send two sports writers to cover the war in Iraq, then I talked abotu all the things sports could give people, and finally about how I joined the sports section. I called it the best mistake of my life, and urged everyone else to make the best mistake of their lives as well.
I said before that Alex gave me the floor. I'd like to think that my speech alone gave us 18 new writers (wow!). Of course, I can't take the credit. If Amanda hadn't pushed us to be the best, we probably wouldn't have won the Ben Mintz media award. If Alex and Owen and all of our current writers didn't work so hard, we'd probably not have the section we do today. I did not get us 18 new writers, we got us 18 new writers. We produce the section as the team, all I did was tell the story.
But now I have to go get my glasses (no doubt another story in progress).