Dr. Urgo's Birthday

I hopped on facebook last night and noticed that it was Jurgo's birthday!  Except now when I try to find his birthday I am unable.  It's possible that I imagined that I saw that it was his birthday, but I'm pretty sure yesterday was his birthday.  We should make him cards/cakes.

OH MY GOD OR POND HIM

World Carnival Bands

I have heard of none of them!!

Chester French: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLIWLEJzqYc
Gang Gang Dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2oGWzOaIJs
Hit the Lights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_38m-w4v2VM
Lights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU9-TRVbhkE
Virginia Coalition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCP6RNNz_zI 


Ugh.  Will listen later, hopefully some are cool.


Wait actually I think I may have heard of the band Lights.  And I think maybe I've heard of Hit The Lights.  not sure

Senior Events

Here are the upcoming senior events!  I will also comment on them (IN BOLD)!

January 31- February 3rd-  Class of 2011 Pint Glasses sold at the Campus Center Lunch (11-1) and Dinner (5-7) for $5  Woo pint glasses!  We already have too many but I will probably get one!

February 3rd- 100 days at the door. Come with your 2011 Pint Glass! Glasses will be sold at the door as well  Excellent!  Don't forget that this Thursday is 107 Days at the door.

February 18th- Cocktail Party at Brome Howard 7-9. This is a special event with 7 types of martinis and appetizers for $20/ person. This will get you 2 drinks plus food. Tickets will be sold through the Student Activities Office Feb 7th- TBD  Seems interesting, but 20$ could also buy two handles of Rikaloff.  Also no transportation.

March 24th- Graduation Fair in the ARC  DO NOT WANT

March 26th- This is the tentative date for 50 days at the state house. Time TBD  Should be cool, not sure what occurs at this event

April 25th- April 28th- This is the tentative week for a President's Reception at Urgo's home. Details are still be worked out. It is on several evenings since we cannot accommodate all of the Senior class at once. You and your friends should pick one day to attend.  Glad that we get to pick which day we go w/friends, but it's unfortunate we can't all go at one.  Should be real cool!

May 11th- Beach Day during Senior Week  woooo!

May 12- Gala at Brome Howard  Yesssss

May 13- Convocation and 8 wonders  ...what is the 8th wonder????

May 14- Graduation!!!!!!!  UGHHHHHH/WOOOOO!

Very informative email from Colleen O'Neil!

Out of Office Reply

Do you ever email administrators and get 'out of office auto replies'?  I got this response the other day from an email I sent January 20thish.

JULY 6TH

When two great powers combine...

Tomorrow, two great powers, Math Club and Board Gaming Club, will combine their powers by hosting a game night in DPC.  Who will survive this tsunami of nerdy/awesome pursuits?  There will be food/blood (via that movie about Upton Sinclair's book Oil).  


Actually I've always wanted to play Settles of Catan, it looks real cool.  I think you control a society and have to farm or something.  I don't know really.

Speaking of board games, last Monday we played Risk in my house (in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) and I almost won.  Apparently everyone else had set up secret alliances.  I successfully conquered Australia and Asia, but then Catherine steamrolled me.  le sigh.

Resident Assistant Applications

Applications to become an RA are due February 4th!  Many people don't realize, but I was once an RA, long ago (via sophomore year).  It was an interesting experience, and although I was not rehired (note that this is different from being fired) I think it was overall cool.  And Kelly and Derek are both pretty great and supportive.

But if you really like to go out every weekend it might not be the best career choice.

New Carpets in the Library

Library got new carpet!  I generally avoid the library (via avoiding work) so I only knew about this since I had to go to the faculty senate meeting this week (which is held in the library in a fancy room on the 2nd floor).  Library has a weird smell now, but the carpet is pretty.

Hope no one spills coffee/liquor on it.

LQ Bathrooms

If you intend to blow a guy in one of the LQ bathrooms on the top floor which have windows that face the main area, and there are dozens of people and PS officers outside, please put down the shades first so that everyone is not able to see.

REALTALK

Seahawk Basketball!

Went to the game on Wednesday and we won!  Basketball is a fun sport to watch.  I am glad we have a large cheering student section.  I sat behind the so that I was able to pretend to be an active cheerer, but not actually do anything.  I did bring my yellow foam finger though!

Game today at 4, good luck!

PANIC! Cook's Liquors Robbery

Apparently Cook's was burglarized a few nights ago.  According to Alexa Milroy, two packs of Newport Lights, some scratch-offs and a bottle of Jack Daniels was stolen.

Apparently, they were the dumbest criminals.  Why would you steal that!  Why not steal every bottle of patron and live like a king???

Anyway, please don't rob Cook's.

Artificial Ice Rink

This Saturday from 12 to 6 there will be an artificial ice rink!  The SGA and Programs Board is sponsoring the event, and it will be awesome.  You'll be able to find the ice rink outside the Michael P. O'Brien Athletics and Recreation Center building, on top of the Michael P. O'Brien Athletics and Recreation Center outdoor basketball court.

I assume it will look like this!  There will only be 40 people on it at a time, so plan accordingly or something.  Also they will have hot chocolate.  Woo.

I don't know how to ice skate.  It looks very difficult, even though Ovechkin makes it look easy.  There will also be music!

I wonder what will happen to all the ice afterwards.  I guess it will melt or something.  I wonder if we can take the ice afterwards and make giant ice luges.  I don't actually like ice luges, but I do like the concept of them.

One last thing!  Did anyone take Colonial American History and has the textbooks?  I want to borrow/buy it from you.

UPDATE:  Here is the company's website with more image of what it will really look like.

Preconceived Notions about College

Before I started college I always hoped that there would be days that I had leftover pizza for breakfast.  Today is that day.

Slow Cooker

I got a slow cooker for Christmas (well really my mom got me a fryer, but I'm not really sure why.  Either way I didn't really want a device whose sole purpose was to make foods deliciously fat so I exchanged it for a slowcooker!) and I am currently cooking some rice.  I hope it goes well.  It takes a lot longer to cook it via this method as opposed to on the stove, so I'm not really sure why I'm doing it, but it should be interesting to see how it turns out!

In case you were wondering when classes start...

Thanks Portal!

Back at school

Now what...someone visit me oof

Snow Removal Job

Kevin Mercer, the guy in charge of the Grounds is hiring students at a rate of 10$/hr to shovel snow!  Interesting.  I wonder if any other schools do this.  I really enjoy shoveling snow, but I can't imagine wanting to do it for more than an hour.  I feel like I would get really lazy after awhile.

Also, when this was sent out all emails sent to Kevin were met with an 'out of office auto-reply'.  Why was it sent when he wasn't around!  Oh well, it doesn't really matter.

I wonder if there are fewer Grounds workers now so they are hiring students to do boring stuff.

SMCM Video Application

Okay so you know how starting a year ago or so St. Mary's became one of like 5 colleges to accept video applications as opposed to regular ones?  A friend sent me this youtube video of some kid who just applied.

Here's a link to the original video.  This guy is great!!  He raps about his achievements while a violin (which he played earlier in the video) lays the beat.  Seems to be a real solid student, it really takes a lot of balls to send in a video application I feel.  Also he loves Lost!

Anyway watch the video...maybe we will see him next year?  (I mean he's definitely getting accepted I feel, it's just his decision now).

CFL Bulb Exchange!

Readers, do you prefer light bulbs that are boring orbs or futuristic swirly things?  If you prefer the latter, you can exchange your lame bulbs for new ones!  CFL bulbs are a lot more energy efficient and way prettier.  

On January 16th and 17th, volunteers will be outside the entrances of all the traditional dorms from 12-2, and in LQ and Calvert from 3-5.  So show up with an incandescent bulb to exchange for a cool one!

Water: Photos and memories

I searched around the photo archive some more and found some sweet photos of the waterfront and St. John's Pond.  The waterfront at SMCM is great and will always be one of the most memorable parts of college.  I remember once I jumped off the docks and swam over to The Point, which was a lot harder than I thought it would be.

This photo is from 1999 and shows the Cardboard Boat Race!  This Family Weekend event was replaced with the Bamboo Boat Race last year, which is kinda lame.  Anyway, this is an alumni council team, which is pretty cool.  I wish they still had an alumni council team for the boat race, I think it would be interesting.

Oh man, check out this kid getting ponded way back in 1971.  Didn't realize the tradition went back that far.  I have never been ponded during my tenure at SMCM, which I am thankful for.

It looks like they tied him up before throwing him in.  I think we should do this more often.

Another kid getting thrown in!  This is an odd place to pond someone from, as I've only seen it happen from this location once in my life.

Lastly we have this gem from 1970.  Really digging the style these guys have.  Also their facial hair decisions.  The path looks a lot less beat up here than it does today, which is kinda cool.

70s Outdoor Parties

Went through the archives some more and found some cool pictures of outdoor parties during the 1970s.  Lots of fucking hipsters.

"I only smoke the best, AKA Black and Milds"

I would seriously pay 20$ for that shirt.

I like that guy's shirt, but I love hers.  I think it says something like 'With Biologists allele loves goes a long way!'  Oh man what a pun!  They should make these shirts again.

We need more beer trucks :[

Dining, Past and Present!

People hav been eating food for decades, both at St. Mary's and in the real world!  Food is an essential part of the college experience, from food fights to the freshman 15 to what you puke up after drinking too much (bonus points if the food is still recognizable!)

Anyways, thanks to the sweet photo archive that the school hosts, we have a glimpse into past dining experiences at SMCM.  Let's take a look!

Above we have a dinner from 1950.  While this may look fancy (via tables are not in long rows) I am guessing this is how these biddies from the Seminary Junior College always ate (note:  dudes started attending by 1949/50, but I'm guessing not many went in the fist year).  Those are some sweet chairs.  Kinda cool how everyone is in a group of exactly eight friends, since every table is filled up.  I guess times were different in the 50s.  Also, they were eating on the ground floor of Calvert Hall, how absurd! I think this might have been before the Calvert Hall fire, but I'm not really sure (via I can't remember).

Moving on, we have this photo from the year 1970!  That kid on the right with the stache looks like Joe Clemens!!!  Woah that is really creepy.  But he also kinda looks like Kyle Prinkey.  And the kid that is closest to the camera kinda looks like Paul Sauchelli.  Regardless, as you can see these dudes like orange juice, even though it isn't breakfast!  They also have trays (which we got rid of a year or two ago) and fancy looking plates and silverware.  It looks very much like a high school sort of lunch.  Note that they were eating in Charles Hall, the precursor to the Campus Center.  You can see a model of it in the Library if you are curious, it's kinda weird looking.

Lastly we have this cool photo from 1973.  It looks like the have stuff set out on plates for people to grab, instead of self-serve like we have today.  Not much else to say I guess, looks pretty standard.

Gonna miss u Great Room.  I didn't get a meal plan this semester, so if you see me starving please swipe me in, and I shall regale you with stories of my past.

PANIC: Hypothermia

Hypothermia can strike at any time, even on a college campus.  Polly Miller sent out an email the other day regarding this very chilling condition.  She even included warning signs for infants, since so many of us have children.  One of the warning signs was very low energy, but in my experience babies often just lay around all day.  They barely even walk they are so lazy!

Anyways, it's very easy to get hypothermia when drinking because alcohol makes you feel warm even when it is cold outside.  So be aware!

Also don't go swimming, that is how most get hypothermia.

PANIC: Shoe Tree Chopped Down

According to a very reliable news source (Yahoo news lol) a shoe tree in Nevada, the largest shoe tree ever, was destroyed by VANDALS.  Here on campus we have had some issues with vandals (via Joe Ireland) and we also have our own beloved shoe tree.

BUT WHAT IF SOMEONE WERE TO CHOP DOWN OUR SHOE TREE?  PANIC!

I think it is probably safe though because no one on campus is allowed to have a knife greater than three inches, and generally people chop down trees with axes or chainsaws, which are illegal.  So I think it is safe.

Readers, have yall thrown shoes in the tree?  I feel like it's something that a lot of people may neglect to do because once you throw your shoes up there you don't have them anymore.  I had to get a pair of shoes for the dance show a few semester ago, so I threw those up when I was done with the dance show (they were used shoes and I spraypainted them black).

PANIC: Fire Alarm Sprinkler Testing

It appears that the Sprinkler fire alarms are tested every 5 years.  Sucks for the class of 2015 who will never get to experience this event.

They say that there could be some bells ringing and strobe lights going off, but I think that they will be testing the sprinklers to see if they work and therefore get everyone wet.  This probably isn't an accurate assumption, but it's possible, and therefore you should probably PANIC if you are in Campus Center, Calvert, Caroline, PG or WC.

Kinda enjoy that we get emails like this, letting us know what is 'up' and such.

That email about the vegetarians for the newspaper article was kinda dumb though...

Bender Look-Alike

Julia Strauss figured this out/made this

Dinner with the Urgos

Back in November my house hosted a dinner party and we invited Joe and Lesley Urgo!  I don't think I blogginged (for some reason I think it's amusing to write stuff like bloggering and bloggered instead of using real words) about this event though!

My house had been hanging out together one night when we decided that inviting the President over for dinner was a good idea.  Some months later we finally did it!

It was pretty wonderful.  I made mashed potatoes from a box (superior to real mashed potatoes) and Mike Tornabene made fried chicken, because he is from the South.  They even signed our wall!

His signature is on the left, the 'sunday party' is unrelated.  Kinda wish he has written 'wuz hurr' via I enjoy improper English spelling/grammar.

The smiley face was, I believe, a quick self portrait.  Quite the artist!  She also made a salad which was very fancy and delicious.

It was a grand event!  A lot of people asked us to invite them to the dinner but we didn't because we enjoy crushing souls/dreams there wasn't enough room.  But you should consider hosting a simliar event if you so choose!