These last couple entries have been more along the lines of random things of minimal interest rather than anything real, but you’re going to have to deal with that.

– The cleaning woman finally showed up on Friday and cleaned our hallway, bathrooms and kitchen. It was about time; things were getting kind of nasty. And yes, she cleaned up the stairwell as well, thank god.

– There is a pattern that I’ve noticed over the last two semesters. In every course in the university here, and I’m thinking particularly of seminars but I think it applies to all, there is at least one “older” (meaning 50+) person who is required to be disruptive in class. It seems that most of these people are retired, thus significantly older than the 50 year requirement, and have a problem keeping their mouths shut. They’ll always ask questions of the professor that are off topic, or provocative, and get the discussion or lecture way off course. Occasionally the can manage to refrain from this behavior for the duration of a class, only to make up for it the next week by being especially disruptive.

– You may recall that I took a course last semester on the Vietnam War with a woman by the name of Petra Feld. She was irresponsible and humorous at times, and those of us who took that class still maintain that she is an alcoholic. After much debate I have decided to take, or at least attend until I decide it’s no longer necessary, her class on the Civil War that’s being offered this semester. I didn’t attend the first meeting of the class because I hadn’t decided to take it yet, but that class lasted less than 10 minutes because there were far too many people to fit in the assigned room and no way to get anything productive done. No attendence was taken the first week, so it will be no problem for me to jump in this week. She told the class that a reader (why did it take her so long to catch on to such a useful concept?) would be available at a particular copy shop but when we went by right before class on Friday the people working there had never heard of her or her reader. We ate lunch at the mensa and then went off to find the new meeting room for the class. The room was completely empty when we got there and there was a sign on the door saying that due to sickness class was cancelled for the week. The exact same thing happened last semester, with the exception of anyone taking the time to put a sign on the door informing the class of the cancellation. I’ve decided that taking the class won’t be such a bad thing. It’s relatively easy and if she continues this trend of not showing up I will have no complaints.

Now, the best and only legitimate part of the entry: We have an apartment for next year! Kate went yesterday to look at a couple apartments we had talked about and somehow ended up deciding on, and signing a lease for a completely different one. But I’m really excited. It looks like it’s going to be super nice, it’s well located, has a pool (or several), we even have a balcony. I’m really looking forward to living with Kate; I can’t imagine going back to Lovett, having to share a room again, having to put up with the insanity of living on campus. She moves in in a few days, but Dave Blackstock will live there over the summer until I get back and we’ll switch in August. So that works out perfectly. Exciting!!!