Early-morning fire alarms

At 4:22am, some idiot pulled the fire alarm on my floor of the dorm. I was jarred from my sleep by something that sounded more like the theme from Mario Bros. than a fire alarm. I woke up thinking: "Who's playing vidoe games at that volume level at this hour of the morning?" That's when the automatic voice warning cut in over the PA and told me to vacate the premises. I was just going to sleep through it like I did in Douglas last year, but then the lady on the PA said the fire department was going to make sure eveyone was out of the building.

So I jumped out of bed. I wearing only my shorts, and at first was just going to walk out in that. But I decided that it might be a little cold outside, so I threw on my jacket, a pair of jeans, and a pair of shoes (forgot the socks and shirt), and headed for the stairs.

Noramlly, almost ten flights of stairs is no problem, but with almost 800 really groggy people trying to evacuate down two stairwells, it was kinda difficult. It sorta sounded like:

[step on person's foot in front of you]

"Sorry."

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Uhhhh...I don't remember."

Imagine a couple hundred people saying this, and you have what the evacutaion sounded like (insert some snoring too). It didn't stay that way for long though.

As soon as we hit the 30 degree air, everyone woke up. That, along with the sirens from the responding emergancy services. So we have a couple hundred people standing in the parking lot, almost all in pajamas and no shoes. I was freezing (remember, no shirt-only a jacket). As we got outside is about the time the university police showed up, an then Cola FD a couple minutes later.

The things we said from our sleep-deprived state was just amazing: "Look, the tiny fire engine's here. Oh no, alien abduction!""Why are don't they let us inside? Oh, the cops and firefighters must be hungry.""We're gonna put a strike party together and...[laughter]...what was I saying?" This was interspersed with tons of laughter. Looking back, what was said was completely rediculous, but for some reason, it made sense at the time, and was really very funny.

We finally started heading back in around 5:00am. Then some people actually wanted to take the elevator. The rest of us hit the stair, still making absurd statements and laughing for no reason.

When I finally got back up the almost 10 flights of stairs, I sorta tripped over the footboard in my bed and went back to sleep, jacket, jeans, and all.

I woke up about 5 hours later for class, but this event is, at the same time, both the high point and low point of my day.It was really fun looking at the time and looking back on it, but I'm tired now. And my chest looked funny when I got up at 10am from the pattern on the inside of my jacket.

Alarm

The good news: The fire alarm system in my building works.

The bad news: the fire alarm doesn't have a snooze button.

15 hrs.

I got more sleep last night (this morning and afternoon, too) than I have in the past 3 or for days.

Bedtime last night was somewhat early: around 11:45PM; I didn't get up today until 2:50PM. I was intending on getting some food around 11AM, but when my alarm went off, it was somehow quickly deactivated and I went right back to bed.

I finally got up when I realized that I needed to be at the Shack for 3PM to set up for church tonight.

I now feel more rested than I have at any point in the past two weeks.

Laundry

I have a bit of laundry to do. I made a discovery last week. No one does laundry after 2AM. So, if you're one of the "special" dew who do your laundry that early, then all of the washers and dryers will be free.

Laundry sort of inundates my world. I walked into my room this evening, and it was piled high on my bed. My books occupied the space on the floor. Seeing how I can't really do anything else, I have decided to wash my clothes. Though I think I could have saved a couple bucks and left them outside last night.

I went running with Ben today. And it was really a good day to go running, too. Sixty degree tempatures, with a five knot wind from the northwest. It kept you cool enough while you were running, but it didn't chill you after you finished.

And, I'm learning JavaScript in class. This makes me happy. I've even applied it to my blog. You can see it in the comment areas. It's now grammatically correct (even if I'm not), and sounds better than "0 comments" or "1 comments."

"The intelligent man is one who has successfully fulfilled many accomplishments, and is yet willing to learn more." -Ed Parker

Mr. Coffee

My Mr. Coffee (c) coffee maker's clock doesn't work right. It always, always runs at least 20 minutes ahead of what the real time it. It doesn't matter if I just set the time, it somehow always "re-sets" itself to what it thinks the time should be. This isn't kosher with me. If I set the timer for 8:00AM, I don't want it making coffee at 7:40. Checking on the web, I can't find my model anywhere, so the pic is not mine (no clock, duh!); maybe there was a general production fault with the clock or something with the model I have.

Running in the rain

I got up on time for class this morning (i.e. ten minutes before it starts), and as normal, did not shower before going to class. I did shower, however, when I got back. I thought I was fairly clean after taking one shower. Obviously, I needed another shower.

Coming back from the Strom tonight, rain was pouring down. I deceided that since I'd done it before, I'd go for a run in the rain. And it was really enjoyable. People looked at me like I was nuts (which, I'll admit, I probably am). BUt it was funny to see 10 or 15 people standing under a ledge, trying not to get wet, and then they see me walk by, and realize how foolish they look.

I'm also on a quest to see how long I can continue to wear clean clothes without washing my stockpile. One week? A week and half? Two weeks? I'm at two weeks and a day right now (though I think I'm going to do wash tomorrow).

Oh! Oh! I got promoted at work! I'm now a Senior Loss Prevention Specialist.

Change is good

I like gray, so maybe this will stay this way for a while.

Currently, I'm debating on whether or not to go to bed.

And I found this website the other night (or morning, rather): everything you ever wanted to know about every variety the Lockheed Martin F-16. Though I know most people won't care, but it really made my day (night, morning, whathaveya).

I've decided. I'm going to bed.

Quote by T Roosevelt

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated onan exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American andnothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any manwho says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American atall. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room forbut one language here, and that is the English language... and we haveroom for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the Americanpeople."

Theodore Roosevelt (1907)

2 Emails

I just got an email from two friends that I haven't heard from in a almost a year! Noah was a cabinmate of mine on the LOGOS II (he since went back to serve on the sister ship, DOULOS, and just returned from that last week), while my shift leader, Fernanda (far right in the photo), just finished her stretch of time on board the LOGOS II and just got back to Ecuador.

It was so great to hear from them.

To make this wierd, I just had a dream about the ship's company last night.

To get the emails today was wierd.

Is this still February?

Today was an exceptionally nice day. So nice, in fact, that I went running in a shorts and a t-shirt.

I've heard some people tell me that they always wake up with a smile on their face. Not me. I normally wake up with some wierd expression on my face and muttering: "Oh, must have slept on something wrong. Need. To. Strech." Then after my morning strech, I'll smile. Because then I feel really good. Rested (most nights) and, now, limber. All set to go sit in an uncomfortable chair for several hours listening to something that I probably don't want to hear. But I'm limber! And speaking of mornings, I was taking some sort of online quiz (see the bottom of the this) and it asked me this question:

When you get up in the morning, you're most likely to say "Time to make the ..."

1. Coffee
2. Bacon
3. Alarm clock stop ringing
4. Pancakes
5. Cappuccino
6. Donuts

My answer was to make the alarm clock stop ringing, which should be any sane person's response. Though numbers one and six tempted me.

To continue the topic of being limber, I went running today. I've been going on and off for the past month or so (on the good days) for a few miles, but today was beautiful! I went the full 4-5 mile loop, and it was so exhilerating. My running season lasts from spring break to Christmas break, and it's getting to the warm time of year again. I can't wait to get back home to the tropical-type climate! But, almost as good as going home, my family is coming up here on Monday!

One odd thing I discovered about me while writing a paper last night: high numbers after the colon on a clock are worse than lower numbers in the same spot. Example: 2:47AM looks a lot worse to me than 3:01AM. While writing the paper, I was mentally kicking myself for the time being 10 minutes to three. But at 3:01AM, my thought was: "Oh goodl, I've still got 55 minutes or so before 4." And I felt better. A little strange (but hey, that's me!)

Anyway, here is the quiz: "What kind of coffee are you?" The answer isn't surprising (predictable?); I drink black coffee normally. Oh well, here's what the little survey said about me. Take it for what it's worth (though I did like the "You drink coffee when:" portion)

You are a Black Coffee

At your best, you are: low maintenance, friendly, and adaptable. At your worst, you are: cheap and angsty. You drink coffee when: you can get your hands on it. Your caffeine addiction level: high.

My day

Today didn't begin so well.

I woke up at 11:15AM with a throbbing headache and the realiztion that I had just slept through both of my classes for the day. And while missing two classes is not a good thing, after the fact, I loved my response: "Oh well, no reason to get." And I went directly to bed after muttering the comment. I re-awoke at 1:20PM to start my day.

The day didn't get any better then. I walked over to the back to get a check made out for my February payment of the unversity's fees. Several hundred dollars and about an hour later, I got some lunch. About here is when the day started it's upward climb. I ate lunch, then walked over to a computer lab and began my homework. After a productive two hours or so, I left the lab and drove to Target to finish some paperwork that needed to be done. I then came back and took an hour long nap. And then, I was able to head downtown and get a cup of coffee, which had really topped off my day (though I still have a headache).

Obeseity

One thing that bothers me is when I see a law enforcement officer (or anyone, for that matter), who is grossly overweight.

As I walked by a police officer the other night (who was, literaly, taller laying down than standing up), I overheard him telling a student that the uniform simply make him "look stouter" than he really is. I really wanted to walk up to him and ask him how fast he can run a 220. I think the only thing he had going for him is that he could fall on someone and cause massive injury from the force of the fall.

But this is something you only see in America (home of the buffet, I might add). In any other country in the world, you might find a slightly overweight peace officer, but never one who's grossly obese.

My theory for overweight American police officers is the firearm. Think about it. In most other countries, the standard patrol officer is not allowed to carry a sidearm (simply because firearms are outlawed, and only the most desparate criminals have guns). A baton, yes. Pepper spray, yes. A taser, yes. But not a gun. This leads me to believe that American police become lazy, knowing that if they need it, they have authority to use deadly force. I'm not saying that American police are corrupt. Only lazy. And only a select few. It just gets on my nerves because these are the people we entrust to protect the public, yet are far more likely to have a heart attack than anyone else.

Cruisin'

Do you get a little irritated when you're driving the speed limit down the interstate and a police car flies by you, driving at least 15mph over the speed limit? Then don't read this.

British police officer Mark Milton is on trial for reckless driving; cruising along at 159mph in his unmarked Vauxhall Vectra police car on the M54 motorway (which has a speed limit of 70mph). Before driving on the motorway, he was also caught driving 91mph in a 30mph zone. His defense at his first trial is that he was testing out his new car in the Telford, Shopshire area where he was based; the judge at his first trial accepted his defense. Now Milton, a qualifed advanced driver, is being retried in a higher court because the prosecutors argued that the first judge misinterpreted the law in Milton's first trial.