January 24, 2008
-
I am so sorry I have been away! I have a million excuses, but not one good reason for having been gone so long!
First, I have been navigating a new college campus since two weeks ago. Notable here is that I have started taking Italian and am loving every second of it! My teacher is a T.A. who is unfailably happy everyday, which is a relieving contrast to the cast of 50,000 zombies who seem to be attending the university. Or as I have just learned to say last week, Lei è bennisimo! (She is extremely happy!)
Another reason I have been gone is because of a road trip I took over last weekend. I went to the Green Bay Packers game and had the time of my life. Although the game did not have the outcome I desired, it was still amazing to actually be at Lambeau Field and cheering (quite loudly and emphatically) for the Packers. The temperature at kickoff was -23 degrees with the wind chill, but my friend Roy, who makes waffles every Friday morning for anyone who walks through his door, took up the task of preserving my life by supplying me with cold weather gear. In fact, I was so warm I took my coat off for the game. But my toes did go numb about halfway through the contest.
My trip took me through Chicago, which has so many toll booths on the surrounding highways that it makes you think you’re stuck in a space-time warp where you keep driving up to the same exact toll booth. I would use the idiom that toll booths around the area are a dime a dozen, but that might confuse someone into thinking they’re inexpensive. Toll booths are like bullies from the playground, only they’re in uniforms and on the highway, but the “Give me your lunch money!” requirement is just about the same.
But really, toll booths are the ultimate slap in the face. You have to pay for driving classes, a car, insurance, a license
—and let’s not forget everyone’s favorite happy thought, gas—and as the final sardonic encore to our financially bludgeoned lives, is a buck for the road.Someone asked me for my opinion on the (raging) presidential race going on right now. I’ve been having trouble forming a definite opinion on this because it is very hard to pick up any legitimate reasons to vote for someone when they are never really saying anything at all. A candidate should have a good reason, and a reason they can show is better than the other candidates’ reasons, for any position they hold on any issue. But if you listen to them in a way that’s looking intently for reasons for holding their positions that demonstrate that their position is better than their opponents, you will be thoroughly disappointed. Basically, politicians really are just very bad philosophers.
Anyways, I will try to post more frequently. My apologies once again, comrades!
Comments (2)
I agree about the toll booths in Chicago. I was comining from Wisconsin heading toward South-Eastern Indiana and my friend and I decided to stop in Chicago for an hour just to see the city. It was beautiful, my favorite was the sunny breeze off the lake. But when deciding which way to leave it was difficut. I suggested anti-booth roads, and he said the booth roads. We started out the drivers suggestion going down the money hogging toll roads and then after about an hour or so of this decided to go the less money hogging way even though it was less direct. (my suggestion) lol
Ah, Chicago toll booths. So much frustration in that remembrance… Make it stop!!!
And I’m glad you survived the Packer’s game. Favre looked like a walking popsicle. At least that’s what I thought from the warmth of my living room, with the fireplace raging.