Running Behind, Looking Ahead

                Well, it hasn’t been a very eventful week, but there are definitely some important things to say. Due to Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day and Yom Kippur, the weekend was long and relaxing, but the rest of the week has made up for it. I contributed some to the problem by procrastinating, which means I still have plenty of time in which to do things, I just have to go at them a little harder now. (But at the moment, I'm procrastinating again by writing this blog instead.)

                I did get a good bit done on my thesis over the holiday, and I’m starting to find a clearer sense of what I need and where I’m going. I have a busy weekend between Saturday lab for ROTC and midterm reviews (I have two midterms next week). Extra-curriculars have also been a flurry of confusion and correspondence, for no particular reason. It comes in rather sporadic waves. I suppose I prefer the occasional firehose to a steady influx, though; it gives you time to relax in between.

                Health-wise, I’m doing pretty well. You (and the Navy) will be happy to know that, as of this morning, at least, I do not have tuberculosis, and I have the paperwork to prove it. I also got my flu shot yesterday; I happened to go to dinner with Helen when our health services were providing them in the dining hall.

                The dining hall situation as a whole, of course, is still kind of a mess. Our dining hall is closed, so we have to go to another dorm to eat. We’re having the same few dishes in slightly different combinations between meals, and I guess they don’t make very many of them, because between your getting firsts and seconds on food, the main dishes may have changed. As one would expect, we’re chronically short of bread and peanut butter, but we’re making do.

                Okay, a few exciting announcements, one mild rant, and I’ll finish up:

                I’m still exercising almost every day, but between the strike and reaching my goals, I’ve eased up a good bit on my diet. Between getting back from cruise this summer and now, I’ve lost about 5 inches from my waist and dropped my body fat percentage about 12%, to the point where if I lose any more fat, I’ll be too lean. However, I haven’t lost any weight; I’ve gained it all back in muscle. So this is my official announcement of having reached my goals in that area; on to phase two!

                Secondly, yesterday was a very nerve-wracking day for all the NROTC seniors in our unit. First they sent out the billets for next semester. As hoped, those of us with large billets this semester will have greatly reduced responsibilities in the spring, which we’re all celebrating. In high school, people cried when they didn’t get large ROTC billets senior year. In college, they ask who wants to be battalion commander, and people avoid making eye contact.*

                Then, right after we received our billets, they sent out service assignment – that is, the Navy told us what we’ll be doing for the next five to ten years. I’ve been selected for SWO(N), pending my interview, so I’ll talk more about it when and if I’m accepted. For now, know that it was my first choice, and I’m pretty happy about it. You can tell we’re at the MIT unit; almost everyone is doing something very science-y, although it would take too long to explain what.**

                And now, an unrelated rant: I probably watch too much superhero-themed TV, but I’m getting frustrated with the continual use of the phrase ‘godlike powers.’ As generally/philosophically defined, godhead consists in being the “maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible,” the “maximally great being,” omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, omnibenevolent, existing eternally “by necessity of his own nature,” embodying and exemplifying all eternal ideals.

I mean, sure, Thor’s hammer is pretty cool, and Supergirl has laser vision, but… I fail to see the comparison. And please, Star Trek, don’t get me started on the incoherence of a so-called omnipotent being who can have his power taken away; you’ve kind of missed the entire concept. And I’m going to just stop there before I get carried away.

Best of luck with your weekend activities, and talk to you soon!

*To clarify, this is, as usual, a tongue-in-cheek generalization, to be taken with a grain of salt.

**We have EDO, SWO(N), and multiple NR, if you know what any of those are.

Goals=met.

It rained all weekend; it wasn't so nice when walking to church, but it was lovely for staying in and studying with classical music and hot tea.

The fruits of my labor on Monday. This is not all the books. Not even close.

Back from my morning workout:

The strike in Harvard Square:

This squirrel was nice enough to stay still for my picture.

It was National Coming Out Day, so the dining hall made a cake.

A calm moment before class:

A not-so-calm moment before class. This is some sort of rally for the strike in front of University Hall. The protesters were chanting 'no justice, no peace.' You can see why they've locked the doors.