Carrie, be careful over there in the Czech Republic, don't trust anyone. No, I am not saying that because I am a Republican. I am saying that as a friend who would say that to anyone going on a trip anywhere. There are some real nuts out there, Carrie. Please come back safe to your friends and family. However, I won't make may statement in total gloom. Have fun while being careful and bring us back tales of how life goes on in that bussling part of the world. I wish you the best of luck.

I wish you only the best Amy B. :) May you find happiness throughout all of your life because that is what you deserve.

Greetings all, Your Knox ex-patriot here, writing from the Walker inferno. Actually, it hasn't been too hot today. It really sucks starting three and half weeks earlier than Knox (and a week earlier than most other semester schools) and living in one of the two dorms on campus without air conditioning. C'est la vie. Dorm life here is a bitch, the only people on my floor that I know are the girls in the two rooms across from me and my RA who lives next door (she's awesome, btw and younger than me too *grins*). And my roommate, of course. We're a cordial quad of rooms, it just that I think most of the girls here have brought their established clics from high school with them.
Here's something I didn't check into before I came here: University Housing's totalitarian reign. All students must check in with night operations by presenting a key and id at the front desk to get into their room. All building doors are locked from midnight to six am. This is going to take some getting used too. Oh there's more, all overnight guests must be checked in too, this includes having two forms of identification, one that you give to night operations and the other to present upon request. In addition, because this is an all girls dorm, guys must be escorted everywhere. It's ridiculous, not to mention degrading to have a girl escort you in the halls and to the bathroom. Needless to say, I am presently looking into getting an apartment off campus next semester.
Besides, the unbearable heat (which isn't the schools fault anyway), I am loving ISU, and being able to walk around and see things (as Ari would say) is an added bonus. My classes are demanding, yet I am content as there is not a constant frenzy to stay on top of things, like Knox.

Here is not better than there, it is only different. Quite different and quite possibly the place for me (we'll see how I feel about it in a couple of months, though ; )

Not sure why I'm happy to be here, maybe it's my classes, maybe it's the clean slate, maybe it's that Knox will be starting up soon and I'll be able to see you, or maybe it's that I will barrel through these next two years with a more optomistic perspective. Perspective is a lot as we often don't have control over what happens to us, only how we react to it. Perhaps, it's just heat exhaustion disguised as happiness. In any case, i'll visit soon and here's my phone number, if you ever want to talk: 309-436-1859 .

i am not about to wet myself. Monkeys are good. Swimming Pool is a cool movie. Short sentences are easy to write. My room is almost finished being redecorated by me. hopefully it will all be cleaned up by the time adam gets here. less than 24 hours from now!!! Tomorrow is going to be a LOOOONG day. later peeps.

yes indeed I am goin to Seattle, and apparently Christina and her friends are about to wet themselves because of it... so at the least I'll have enthusiastic company. and yes, Wilco playing at Bumbershoot was definitely a tiny incentive for going.... because i am OBSESSED WITH THEM... but that's besides the point. I have two songs nearly complete, and they are fairly elaborate. I recorded another, simpler, acoustic song this morning that needs a verse or two of lyrics. I feel kinda panicked because I have a score of other ideas for probably 5 or more songs that need a ton of work and there's no way I'll get them all done before I go to school.... oh well... I am reeeeally dying for the quality of intellectual company that Knox offers.... damn.... I'm gonna go record more... basically that's what I've been doing for the past week or so whenever I have free time... besides sweating because there's been plenty of that pouring out of me lately

monkeys Emily has arrived. monkeys i will speak for her because she is knocked out upstairs in my bed after over 24 hours of train-ride in which she could not sleep at all. Her train was delayed for an hour and a half for no reason at all (except that Amtrak is an inefficient government entity [redundancy]). Then, our train from NYC to Newark ran a bit late and we missed our connecting train to Plainfield by about 10 seconds. So we had to wait another hour and monkeys did not get to my house until about 1AM (we thought we'd be home by 10 at the latest). If Emily ever wakes up we are going to the waterfall today. Monkeys dancing disco. My dad's computer now has "1.2 Days" of jazz on it. I'm gonna go paint now.

I am no blind optimist. I am simply a man who deals with nervousness about the unknown year by going KEEEYAAAAAAAHHHH! And running straight at something with a big ol' grin on my face despite the fact that I may be running through a brick wall. Either way what fun! I'll see you guys in a few weeks.

i'm glad you are enjoying your new home drew. does anyone else get the feeling that whenever drew says something it is like freshman roomate e-mails all over again. i mean the "it's going to be such a great year!" stuff just seems like blind optimism. who knows what's going to happen. anyway despite the cynicism i am also looking forward to getting back to school. also scared but that is a given. i am finally home. i was gone for over three weeks. i was in michigan and then illinois and then for two weeks i trained across canada with my family seeing all the sights. i have pictures and i will bring them, don't worry. i did convince adam to come, but i think that the fact that wilco is playing at Bumbershoot was the clincher. later guys.

The Repulican has landed. I am moving in as I write, and the place is just great! It's going to be a great year! WOOHOO!