Another Game and Still More Homework

Yet again, we lost our game last night. Bummer but now more than ever I just want to get better- starting practice this afternoon. I seem to have more homework than ever, well maybe not ever but almost. French is quite a bit different this quarter considering that it is independent and my teacher seems to be very busy so I have to make sure I get in 15-20 hours of work a week on it. Not a problem considering that I have 4 books to read (one of which is 425 pages), phonetics to practice, grammar exercises and grammar to study, and movies to watch and write reports on.

Let's see, I have been able to get some good c.s. study in everyday pretty much which makes a huge difference. I turned in my Prague application yesterday and I am turning in my China application today before practice. I am going in to practice early today because apparently I like self-immolation...and getting better at volleyball. There is only one thing harder than practice after a loss, going in early and working one-on-one with Mary Ann after a loss. I make her sound mean, not the case! We're just down to business now.

If you want to hear about a mean coach listen to this. So last year when we played the team we played tonight, they had heat lamps on in their gym until we got them to turn them off. Keep in mind it is between 80 and 90 degrees right now and about 120% humidity. So yesterday, Mary Ann tells us that when that coach gets upset with his players, he turns the heat lamps on which line the ceiling of the gym and make them practice. Isn't that illegal!? It sounds like absolute torture, I think I would quit. No I would pass out and then quit.

Well, off to do some more homework. Hopefully I can talk to my family a little more this weekend. I finally got to talk to Baba last night but I was so busy it was only for about 2 minutes. I even have a day off this Sunday, a whole day off!

Indiana Take Two

Finally got back from our second tournament in Indiana, I sound ungrateful when in reality I got to hang out with my best friends and play volleyball all weekend, not paying for a single thing I might add. In truth, the trip was fun, just a little stressful with all the homework from week 1. We won one game after a terrible first game the first day so we were able to refocus and play our game.

I played back row most of the weekend, hitting in the last game of the last match of the last day.

We have no practice today, turns out NCAA rules don't allow teams to practice more than 7 days in a row without a day of rest so, thank the Lord, we get a day off. I'll end up going to the gym anyways to bike, it's relaxing and I can do it while I read my homework. I think a few of us are going to play doubles for a bit afterwards too.

Week 2 already of my last fall quarter. I am getting done writing the essays to apply to the Prague and China abroad. Very exciting. My heart is set on Prague now; art, creative writing, architecture, it sounds great. I just hope I get in!

If not I will hopefully get into China and then even more hopefully get to see Baba and Katie but I am not banking on that. That's what you get with a country the size of Jupiter.

Kurtis is doing well, work work work. It is good to hear things are going well although sometimes it seems lie he is in a little too high of demand with never a second to breathe!

Papa's birthday is tomorrow, (don't forget!) so I am starting the card process... thought creating a new card idea is apparently difficult. I think I'll go for happy instead of mushy or funny this time.

Well, without practice today, I will have time to get ahead on my homework load, if I use my time wisely that is. Classes are great and I am staying busy enough but not so overwhelmed that my head is going to explode (always a good thing).

Volleyball, School, Eat, Sleep, Repeat...

This past week has been a blur, I feel like I say that every week. Let's see...Last weekend we traveled to Indiana to play four matches, one of which we won. Then school started on Monday but I actually had no classes, thank you Lord for being a senior. I think this quarter is actually busier than usual though because I have taken on the Language Dept. Secretary job yet again as well as volleyball. Turns out an independent in French may actually be more work than an actual class led by a teacher. I think they are worried I may not have enough to do so they over compensate by giving me grammar, phonetics, research, reading, and workbooks.

My other classes are Wildlife Conservation taught by a professor who works with sea turtles around the world, especially in Trinidad. Tough life.

Finally I have Spanish Film. Maybe the toughest class to stay awake in so far. From 2-3:50 a couple after noons a week, we sit in uncomfortable chairs and watch disturbing Spanish movies and are then expected to write a 2 page paper about the cinematographic elements employed by the director. I don't even know what cinematographic elements are! Let alone in Spanish!

But the first paper is down so at least I have on e under my belt- although I haven't gotten it graded yet.

Practice is after classes everyday from 4:15-6:30, the best part of the day except for maybe after dinner when you take a shower and get in comfy clothes to do homework.

We played against Webster last night and lost unfortunately. I personally had a good game, hitting and passing back row but the team didn't come together well and we lost in 3. Lame.

I can't believe I've already been here for 4 weeks, time sure flies when you are so busy you can't find time to look at a calendar. Well, I am off to practice!

Chicago

So after 6 or 7 hours of driving we finally got to our hotel last Thursday for a relaxing night before our tournament started. We played at 3 and 5 the next day, losing both matches but learning a lot. Mary Ann was skeptical about signing us up for the tournament in the first place so we weren't expecting to come out champions. With all the new players, we just need some time to compete and figure each other out. I played back row the whole weekend, being libero for two games which was pretty fun. The first time I went in as libero I forgot that the they can just run straight onto the court without waiting for the refs to signal an okay. Forgetting, I stood waiting at the 10 foot line, wondering why the refs were being so slow and clueless. Teammates were trying to help me out but all I heard was loud noises accompanied by waving arms and anxious faces. I eventually got the point, only after everyone was well aware that I was in fact the clueless one.

The second day of playing we had matches at 11 and 1. We took the first team to 5 games, winning the first and third games but losing in the end. After our final game we went back to the hotel where we got ready to go into downtown, shopping and eating dinner on Michigan Ave. We have become famous for getting lost no matter where we go so of course, we ended up driving in circles for 20 minutes on our way to the train station where we took the subway into the city. Of all the trains I have ridden, this one was definitely the closest to falling off the tracks. Every few seconds it sounded like it was about to fall into pieces around us but it got us there somehow.

We all ran straight to the forever21 shop, a three story extravaganza for teens and young women. Turns out, the new style is baggy, burlap sack fitting clothing, not exactly my style and I walked out empty handed.

We went to dinner half a mile away at Dick's Last Resort. How can I put it into words. Their gimmick is being rude I think, crude, sex and poop jokes swarmed us once we stepped through the front door. Our table was right next to the house band, a collection of overweight mid-western musicians, lead by a woman adorned with jeweled rings and hairspray who over sang off-key. The table next to us started throwing napkins at us, apparently this was expected as the entire floor was covered in wadded up napkins. To top it off, our waiter made us each a hat, yet another gimmick of theirs, made of butcher paper decorated with a witty and rude statement. For example my hat said, "eats like a bird, poops like a man". Some others were "no gag reflex", "slept with the equipment manager", "fake blond, real stripper", "my mom does porn", "I pee in the shower...so what?" and "my farts kill horses". Of course our coach got the most inappropriate and offensive hat reading, "I've had more balls in my face than a circus seal" made complete with a drawing of a seal. Yes, we had a great time and by the time we were done eating it was 10:30 at night.

Unfortunately, on our walk back to the train station, we realized that our hats not only resembled condoms but kkk hats as well. This was made evident when some drunken guys yelled in encouragement of the kkk. Needless to say, the hats quickly came off.

Sunday was almost as eventful when we tried to get to church. Apparently, it was only 15 minutes away but 30 minutes later after getting lost and then having the road closed due to construction we decided to read the lesson on our own in a park. As if it was going too well, we sat next to a noisy fountain that blew mist onto us the whole time.

Once we finished a mom and four kids came to play at the fountain. A half-eaten donut had been sitting on the edge of the fountain and pretty soon I heard the mom's voice question, "Where did you get that?!" The little girl, about 2 years old in a little pink dress had cheeks stuffed with donut, and powdered sugar covering her mouth. She looked pretty content.

We're all back home safe and sound now in Elsah once again, only to leave again Friday morning for another weekend tournament 4.5 hours away. FUN FUN!