JoshuasTravels

The Chapelle Show, minus Dave Chapelle, visited our sleepy little campus Tuesday. For a bunch of co-hosts, it wasn’t a bad way to kill 90 minutes.

Far more importantly, Nader visited Wednesday. The Ralph Nader. The Ultimate Consumer Advocate. He who put seat belts in cars. I’ve never seen Baldwin Auditorium packed so tightly. They crammed them into the cracks between the walls. How was he? I can’t judged that; I love the man too much. The man has only two faults, IMHO, and they’re both honest and entirely forgivable. He tends to get a little too Upton Sinclair (which showed through Wednesday). He also doesn’t know the secret to a long life (knowing when it’s time to go). But heck, everyone from Mellencamp to McCarthy is guilty of that second one. And there are far worse vices than the first one. Besides, he’s motherloving Ralph Nader.

Less importantly, Sara Logan has recently informed me of an incident I feel compelled to pass on. If you are adverse to tales of senseless violence, skip this the rest of this paragraph. Sometime last month, two Decatur (smack dab in the middle of Illinois) teens hopped the fence at the local zoo and used a machete on two flamingos and a pelican. There is no suspected drug use. I wouldn’t bring it up in this family newsletter except that it’s honestly the most bizarre story of criminal activity I’ve ever ever heard of.
http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20041102-113711-8657r.htm

Finally, the Battalion fall award ceremony was Thursday. I don’t want to pontificate; most of these awards are participation-based. The Bottom badge is for scoring above 270 on the APFT and the Gold Wreath is for being in the top 10% of the Military Science classes. The Ribbons, from top to bottom are: Gold Athlete award (290-299 APFT), Cadet Honors (3.2-2.5 GPA), ROTC Honors (4.0 GPA in Military Science), and for the Highest Jump in Semester GPA. I’m proud of them all, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m getting award for my excellence in spelling.

Embarrassingly, five of my awards were the first five awards to be awarded. It was slightly awkward to shake the colonel’s hand for the fifth consecutive time. Not that I’m complaining, mind you.

until next time,
jfento

PS – I did get my Visa, so I am going to Australia. For five straight months. To enjoy the sand and surf. And maybe study.

PPS- If you want off this crazy e-mail list, you’ll have to defeat me in a Thai Kickboxing match or send any sort of e-mail to this e-ddress. Whichever comes first.