295 Dots On a Map

(So yay. I'm moving the blog here. I'll think about putting in all the old archives, but for now, it's just a clean start.)

I have two weeks to plot the exact locations of all the hail storms that have occurred in the last thirty years in three of our parishes and with that hopefully get the chance to get a scholarship to work as a Regent Scholar Research worker to do more of that and look for trends in the Northwest regions of Louisiana. Oh thank you school, I’m now entirely immersed. It has definitely begun.

My first impressions of my classes are hard to put down. And probably somewhat boring, but if I may, here are a few thoughts and events that have occurred in this last week.

First off, my roommate, Caroline, is really great. We get along well, pick up our stuff, don’t have schedules that would cause conflict to arise in getting ready in the mornings, and enjoy hanging out together. She drove me around town to show me the close main streets I’d need to know and things like where the bookstore and Wal-mart are located. I’m entirely happy that I got paired with her.

As I walked into my first class, I admit I was a bit nervous. My pulse was quick and I don’t think it was due entirely to the fact that I had halfway jogged up the staircases. (All of the staircases have an odd number of steps, which really bothers me. Eh, yeah, I know.) However, everything went smoothly and I have found that it is super pleasant around here. My tire blew out the night I moved in and when I went out to look at the damage the next morning I was overcome with people helping me out. Some girl’s father just came up and put the spare on for me. He even went and got the air compressor he keeps in his car so that the spare could be aired up. Several other people approached, bringing water and all sorts of moral support I guess you’d say. Everyone holds doors and smiles at you and changes tires around here. It really is wonderful.

…

I always find myself feeling incredibly awkward when I run into people I know and I have food with me. I don’t know why, but I get embarrassed. It could be lunch time and I’ve got a sandwich with me I and someone walks up to say hi to me, and they look at my food, I feel like I have to explain myself. Isn’t that ridiculous! I mean, everybody has to eat, but unless I’m in the cafeteria or a restaurant or something, I feel like I have to spout out some explanation for carrying food with me. I am usually able to hold it back, but the desire is still there. Hah.

Sitting here looking at all the tiny crevices in the skin of my hands while I type reminds me of when I was a young kid, playing in the mud in the back yard. Heather and I would mix up the dirt we dug up with water, squishing it with our feet. Then we’d stand in the sun until the mud dried and became cracked and flakey on our feet. Like how they depict dinosaur skin to be like. Running around made chunks of it fall off, but if felt cool. The hard mud cracked in a pattern like a close up of the back of our hands.

Ah, I’m getting sidetracked. I have more to tell later. For now, I’m off to record more hail storm coordinates. Peace and have a wonderful time. ^_^