Oh what to do at 2AM on a Sunday night (Monday morning?)...

What to do except blog that is?

Answer: nothing. blog now. work later.

Man, let me tell you, it's been a rough couple of weeks. Going 52 hours awake was the worst, by far, but its just been the start. But to keep my spirits up I'm going to tell you a few random stories that highlight why I love Mudd. Maybe it'll stave off cabin fever for a little while longer...

Currently sitting on my desk is a line-up of what look to be the tastiest, most exotic beers a guy like me could ask for. A 21st Anniversary Black Butte porter, an organic stout, a strawberry blonde, and two other exotic porters (with names like Zywiec and Baltika you can't go wrong) round out this all star cast. My roommate, Rob, easily the greatest roommate in the world, and his girlfriend, Jackie, gave them to me for my birthday a week or so ago. I figured that if I drink one a weekend from now on (skipping Thanksgiving weekend) then I'll finish the last one on the last day of classes for this semester. I can't wait.

Clinic is finally as crazy and as exciting as I would hope it to be. Just to keep our team steaming along I need to learn about aethelometers, nephalometers, how light transmits or scatters through a substance, laser diodes, photodiodes, and multi-angle absorption photometers. Its so cool! I'm getting all into analog circuits, photoelectric devices, elemental physics, and device design. It's one of those moments when I think, "Wow I have so much work to do for this ... and I can't wait to get started on it all!"

I just found out recently that when I commission this May I will commission as a Military Intelligence officer in the US Army. And in spite of being in a tough spot right now it suddenly brought home how much I want to be the best MI officer there is or was. When I get there I will have men and women to take care of and superiors who will require only the best work that I can provide. So every time I want to cut corners now I think about that and what kind of leader I want to be. I think about my personal development and doing everything I can to be the best I can be. It's scary at times because it's all too often that I stop and look and think, "I'm so far from the person, from the leader, that I want to be" and it makes me wonder if I'll ever get to be where I want to be, if I'll ever measure up as a leader. It's humbling.

Last Friday night Mudd celebrated its annual Halloween party, Trick or Drink, at West Dorm. Even though I was really, really tired and had so much work to do, my friends persuaded me to dress up and come out with them. I may have stayed out later than I intended, slept in later than I intended the next day, and fallen tremendously behind on my work, but on some level I have to thank them for doing that. I had a lot of fun. It's a great side of this school when people can have fun and forget their stress for a few hours. It reminds us why we all came here: the people. When we get creative we get CREATIVE! And when we have fun we have FUN! I hope that there are more moments like that for me next semester; I want to soak it all up so I never forget how many good people go here.

And that's why I love Mudd. At least, that's what you're getting at 2:30 in the freaking morning when I've still got a massive load of work to finish. :)