First contact from the outside world...

I suppose the best way to do this is chronogically.

Friday Morning
This is where I'm starting to get sick. Tired and worn out, I sleep past my 8:30 am Calculus lecture till 11. Also missed my breakfast doughnut with Sarah. What a wonnnderful way to start the day.

Friday evening
I've decided that instead of spending Friday nights drinking or going to parties...or complaining that I'm not, I'll go to Improv (unless something comes up). So I went, and I laughed my ass off. Unfortunately, I'm not nearly as funny on stage as I am in my natural environment. Perhaps this Improv group will cure me of my rampant stage fright, if I keep at it enough.

Saturday Morning
Got up late (sick, again) and managed to make it to Ross-Ade once again for the football game, Purdue vs. Ball State. We mercilessly stomped on them, winning 59-7, with the seven points being scored only in the last six minutes. The win came on "Family Weekend," so all the Purdue parents were watching, too. The weather was pleasant for a nice, patriotic Red, White, Blue, and Purdue/September 11th game. I've decided, however, with the relatively tame crowd at the past two games that the Purdue/OSU game will be the one where I paint my face, and wear the helmet, and get the flag, and paint my chest with five other guys to spell out P-U-R-D-U-E. Can't wait.

Sunday afternoon/evening
It's Family Weekend. My parents are definitely not the 50 year old grey haired geezers swarming all over campus. However, they are divorcing and fighting (my dad is in Philly currently), so my Sister and her new boyfriend Jacob come and visit me. She brings me an entire bucket full of essential things like food, money, drinks, toys, etc. etc. Way cool. Sis = awesome. Jacob seems like a really cool guy. We joked the whole night, and I toured them around campus, talking about all sorts of random Purdue things including the clapping circles and told them the story of the Gold Bike. Felt really weird being in a car and having A/C, but a trip to Steak n' Shake cured me of that. I never knew I missed non-dining hall food so much. In fact, I want some Gold Star and home cookin' so bad, I think I'm gonna gain my "Freshman 15" when I come home for break. Felt a *smidgen* jealous because Sis and Jacob were all "cutesy couple" and I'm totally single, but hell, they're taking time to visit me. Deal with it. We even managed to get a parking violation (becoming a tradition in our family when visiting college students...something like 8 violations at Miami alone). They stayed at a shady Motel 8 in Lafayette (are you READING THIS, BRAD?).

Also managed to get Jason hooked on Bullshit. I highly, highly suggest this show.

Sunday Morning
One more day of sickness (I hope this is the last). I had to meet with my Engineering 106 group, and I can already tell exactly what they're like and how I'm going to have to deal with them. 1 hour of "diplomatic teamwork" instead of FIVE freaking minutes of me doing it myself.

Sunday Afternoon
Met with Sis and Jacob again. Sis actually found a Gold Bike, just like she wanted. We even did a Purdue fountain run. Went uptown for some Purdue shopping (found a super rare Asimov book at Von's Bookstore!) and sis took me to Boiler Market. Took me to Boiler Market because Harry's was not at all what I thought it was.

*Side story*
Many many students around campus wear shirts proudly displaying the logo of "Harry's Chocolate Shop," a store a few minutes from the Union. Enough shirts that it's like some sort of club, like "anybody who's anybody at Purdue knows of Harry's." I've never been there, but I thought I could take Sis there this weekend and satisfy her sweet tooth. Not quite so. We get there, and it's definitely a bar. Definitely a 21 and over bar. All sorts of pictures on the walls depicting 21 and over activities. Definitely not a confectionary store of ANY kind. Damn misleading names. I think my new plan is to go there on my 21st birthday and celebrate with a Boilermaker drink.

...Speaking of being under 21, I definitely got invited to a wine tasting party. I really have no reason to go, and somebody would have to buy the wine I'm supposed to bring, and it would definitely be illegal for me to partake in the activities, but the fact that I was considered "cool" enough to be invited makes me really happy.

Sunday Evening
I went and watched "The Prince and Me" with Jen, Jasmine, Jason, Alisha, and Ricky. One of the WORST "fairytales" I've ever seen. Period. After three days of skipping my workouts, I'm back on track (OW). Now I'm blogging, and in an hour or so I'll try to sleep. This upcoming week isn't looking too pretty, especially because the SEDS callout is the same night as my first Purdue exam (Calculus exam, Wednesday night). Oh, and I have to do laundry tomorrow.