3MF

Crunchy cafe

I don't have very many culinary talents so sometime i rely on help from the kind folks at Hamburger Helper. Actually, there is only one flavor i really like: Crunchy Taco. The package comes with corn chips that you sprinkle on top of the meat slurry. That crunch makes all the difference. Without a doubt, crunch is my favorite food texture.

I only enjoy salads when they have crunchy croutons. The lettuce alone doesn't provide enough kick to make chewing enjoyable, but those seasoned, toasted nuggets are just want i crave. In fact, if i ever own my own restaurant i won't put a salad on the menu. Instead, i'll serve "croutons on a bed of greens" to showcase what's really important.

Another item on my fictional menu would be sandwiches topped with "crispy cheese" -- at least that's what i'll call the Doritos i put above the meat and below the bread. There's few things that will enhance the taste of a sandwich quite like some Nacho Cheese Doritios. I know lots of people that like chips on their sandwiches so why can't you just order it that way. I think my crunchy cafe would do just fine.

One month

It's been one month since my father passed away. It's interesting how life hasn't changed in one big way, but rather in thousands of little ways. I'll share a few of my experiences. I've noticed how many more characters on TV or in movies seem to have fathers with cancer. I'm bothered by junk mail that still gets sent to my dad. Instead of telling people i'm going to "my parents' house," i tell them i'm going to "my parent's house." It sounds the same but i know that the apostrophe has moved. I see these silly myspace surveys with a question like "parents: single, married, or divorced" and i'm not sure what the correct answer is. It's odd that now a picture isn't just supposed to remind me of what he looks like; but it's supposed to remind me who he was.

Tenth grade epitaph

I was going though my desk today and found an old english assignment. In tenth grade, my teacher had each student in the class prepare an epitaph for themselves. He then combined them and gave us each a copy. What follows is some really bad poetry that, at the time, must have summed up what i thought my life would be like. You may read it if you promise not to make fun of me later.

Once upon a time
there lived this guy named Flick
who lived a great life
which ended much to quick

Having completed college
he formed his own conglomerate
called it "Flick Enterprises"
and put himself in charge of it

Running the business for nearly four years
and making a 9.4 trillion profit
he decided to leave the company
and become a spermatological prophet

He opened his own university
to share his trivia and fun facts too
but left after only five years
knowing what he was meant to do

He flew off to Malta
Oreo's in hand
went off by himself
and began to write the greatest reference book known to man

To be titled the "Book of Flick"
this 323 volume set
would have everything you'd what to know
and some you want to forget

But this story has a tragic ending
for while working on volume 311
he choked on an Oreo cookie
while writing about Yemen

He worked so hard for so very long
that i am sorry it turned out this way
because he wrote the book by hand
no one can read it anyway

Improv team birth announcement

I would like to announce the first performance dates for the new improv team I am on. We will be performing at 8:00 pm on Feb 2 and 3 in Kalamazoo at the Whole Art Studio (246 N. Kalamazoo Mall). I am performing with two experienced Kalamazoo-based improvisors: Dann Sytsma and Scot Piebenga. They are both currently members of Crawlspace Eviction and we will post updates about our show on that web site. We're calling the first show ONE STICK BUBBLEGUM. We plan to announce a more permanent name at the first show. We're trying to do something experimental and unique. Expect an immersive, highly-interactive improv experience unlike anything you've seen before. Note that the theatre isn't all that big, so if you plan to drive from Grand Rapids, be sure to make reservations first so the show isn't sold out when you get there. To save a seat, you can call Dann @ 269-599-7390 that weekend.

Semester schedule blues

Even before the end of the first week of school, i already regret some of the scheduling decisions i made.

First off, i should not have signed up for an 8am class. Apparently I have become one of those stereotypical college students who have a diminished capacity for learning before noon. I suppose i'll just have to give up some Conan to make it work.

My other gripe is that one of my classes is at the fancy new Center for Health Services building. Unfortunately for me, there's no student parking by the building. We're supposed to park in the DeVos Center ramp and take a shuttle to the building. Thus i need to get to the ramp early enough to make sure i can get to the shuttle with enough time to get to class. It's hard to plan the time just right because the ramp is the worst designed parking structure in automobile history so i never know how early i need to get there for sure. Then, when class gets out at 5:15, i have to jump back on the shuttle only to be dropped off back downtown where i must fight rush hour traffic to get home. I spend more time driving to and from class than i spend actually learning in class.

I've already got the ain't-this-semester-over-yet blues.

Tips for funerals

I thought i would share a few things i learned about funerals last week.

• If you send a card, it's really nice if you put how you knew the deceased on the card.
• Don't go up to people and ask "do you remember me?" It's just awkward. Instead say "i don't know if you remember me, but i'm so-and-so from such-and-such" so we can reply "of course! i remember you!"
• It really is helpful to put your address in the guest book.
• If you want to send flowers, send small pretty ones rather than large ones because they all have to be shoved into a car after the service.
• Don't wait for a funeral to get in touch with someone you haven't spoken with in a while. Do it NOW!

Back to life as usual

The last week or so has been draining. Luckily, the services for my father went smoothly and there were so many kind people who helped my family though this difficult time. My sister, mother and I have had the chance to spend a lot of time together which has been nice.

I finally submitted my grad school application today. It's later than i originally planned but at least it is done. Now i can spend to next few weeks stressing over whether or not i will get in.

School starts tomorrow. That should be a nice distraction. I finally will have a semester free from classes that i have to take (gen eds), and full of math and stat classes. I will enjoying complex variables, differential equations, computational biology, intermediate applied stats, and mathematical stats. Let the learning begin.