Gallamine.com

Ahh … um … my brain is slowly beginning to shut down. One more week, then exams. I will make it, but I’m not sure in what condition. It seems like I’ve been sitting at my piano for a very long time (actually, it’s true) composing my Music Theory 2 final project. I’ve definately decided that if I ever chose to do this on a bit grander scale I’ll have to get a piano bench with a back on it. I even think my family is beginning to tire of my ceaseless pounding and wandering. But, the keys beckon me like no other. Is it possible for folks that don’t play an instrument to understand? I constantly maintain that I could never marry a woman that doesn’t play – lets hope my mind wins out over my heart in that matter. But really, sometimes the keys (or strings … I love my mandolin too) call to me with a voice like the Sirens. Thankfully they won’t kill me … or whatever the Sirens did to folks.

Eesh … enough ‘waxing eloquent.’

Well, the Atrium, the food place under the library, had a fire. The paper said the coffe place burned down. “Hot Coffee” takes on a new meaning. But, I honestly can’t say that I’ve ever seen a coffee place in there. But, not being a coffee drinker I guess that isn’t too shocking. Anyways, as that was a very popular place to get food between classes, there is now a lot of hungry students around the brickyard around lunch. Today “The University” decided to set up little … trucks? … with lots … I mean lots of Chick-Fil-A sandwiches and little … carts? … with Pepsi in them. Free. I’m personally thinking it was devious marketing ploy by Evil Capitalists at Pepsi and Chick-Fil-A. Well, even if it was, I don’t care. I got a free lunch. Though, I’m also of the opinion that a Chick-Fil-A sandwich without a fare-share of mustard and mayonaise isn’t really a Chick-Fil-A sandwich. But, I didn’t refuse one.

The woman in a buisness suit … or whatever you call them on women – skirt, jacket … anyways, she made my day. I was waiting for the bus and she comes by, on a scooter. One of those things that were all the rage a year or so back. It was a strange sight, but a funny one.

Oh, and in case you haven’t figured it out, the title is referring to the shiny aluminum lining to the Chick-Fil-A sandwich bags.

A cute story. Tonight I was rather hankering for something sweet. I decided I must apease my newfound obsession with the McDonalds triple-thick milkshakes. I still haven’t decided what triple-thick means, but we can forget that for a bit. So, I tell Stephen who also agrees that such a dairy-delight would be wonderful. We go about our Saturday evening activities, which includes the weekly episode of “Andy Griffith”, and then head on out. Of course Sam then jumps in on the deal and decides he wants something, and flags us down as we were pulling out of the drive-way. So, he and William Jordan then come along for the ride. Stephen had given me some money, which I thought to be a $20 bill, after supper. I figured I’d pay for the goods using that. We pull up and order. Three triple-thick shakes and one chocolate Sunday, with nuts. The very friendly and strangly clear McDonalds voice told me to go to window one and pay. I pull up and hand the guy some money. He says, “ok, out of fifty” and goes to make change. Of course, I did a double take at the “fifty” part. And for a brief moment thought he was just jokeing. I then glanced at the money in his hand to find out, it really was a fifty. I turn to Stephen and said “you gave me a fifty! You said it was a twenty. Where’d you get a fifty dollar bill from?!” He replys, “How am I supposed to know if it’s a 20 or a fifty! I probably got it from Christmas or something.” The man didn’t act like it was the least bit strange. But, one has to wonder, how many times do McDonalds patrons use a fifty dollar bill to pay for a few milkshakes? I’m glad it was a $100 or $500 dollar bill … do they even make $500 bills?

Ok guys, have you ever had that experience of feeling really stupid in the presence of a female? It happened to me yesterday. You see, I was coming out of Harrelson Hall, the math building on campus, and going down the stairs when I stopped to tie my shoe. As I was tying I noticed someone coming up the stairs. As they got close I glanced up. When I did, I was greated not only by a very disarming smile, but also a view of someone I knew! Not only that but this certain person, of the fairer gender, possessed a singularly attractive appearance …. singularly. Now, I’m not sure what happened next, but apparently my brain just didn’t work, and I kinda gave a shocked look as she passed. I think it was the combination of coming across someone I knew, who I didn’t know went to NCSU, among a student body of around thirty-tousand, along with that smile and the face giving the smile. Of course, it didn’t take long for my brain to whip back into action and say “William you are stupid.” I’m still berating myself. Tying my shoe for crying-out-loud … How manly is that?! Some may question why exactly I feel so stupid, and honestly, I don’t have a good answer. I would have liked to have said something … but then again, I wasn’t completely certain it was who I thought it was. I don’t know them that well (actually it might be more honest to say that I know of them), and it had been a long time since I’d seen them. But, it does give me another good reason to say “blasted females!” You have such power. It really isn’t fair at all.

Wow … I’m exhausted. I was over at the Walker’s last night till about 11:30. Mrs. Walker was very persistant on me coming over so I finally did. Man, can she cook a mean lemon chicken pasta! Me and Jon worked out our forthcoming screen play, Red Side Down, about a psychotic killer who turns his victims into scrambled eggs. We got about half way through it. Perhaps come summer we shall record it. We also messed around and wrote a theme song for it.

A few short hours after getting home (12:30AM – 8AM) I arrived on NCSU campus to go with a group of folks to build a Habitat for Humanity house. There were 7 or so folks from the honors program. Me, Sarah, and Will rode over there and got to work. Me and two other folks (Brittany, math and math ed. major and her bf, Kyle) layed down plastic in the crawl space. I then moved to putting tar paper on a roof and finished up by constructing a crawl-space door. I guess considering the folks that will be moving into these house have it pretty good, they shouldn’t complain about the hoards of clueless college kids working on their house. But, one has to wonder, what would have happened if I had fallen off that roof? “Hey, some drunk guy fell off the roof, we don’t know him. He can’t sue us.” Makes you wonder … didn’t have to sign anything or nothin’.

I came home to work on my buggy prototype for the International Aerial Robotics Competition team we’ve got going. Been meaning to do that for months … it’s coming slowly. I also got side-tracked by the BMW Films. Rather beautiful works of cenematography (quite cool too).

My April Fools joke is online here. I also took a number of great black and white photos with Jocelyn at the abandoned youth prison on Blue Ridge Road. Check them out and tell me what you think.

Trying to get everything back to normal here …