I’m not good at doing the little things… The ones that build up to the big things. I can put off organizing a paper pile until the pile is so large and complex, it may have some sort of consciousness on its own. Errands have a 50/50 chance of ever getting done, which explains my too-long hair. I have finals this week! Evidently my gut instinct believes Q-Bert is the best way to prepare. I hope it’s right.

I thought I was doing ok this quarter. I thought “Hey, none of my grades look in danger of being bad…” Today I realized that having 10 units really does make a difference. I should be having no problems getting work done, but the ease of 10 units has caused me to revert to high school habits (doing work the day its due, messing around 95% of waking hours) without the benefits (no stress, and friends who do even less). I now have the worst work ethic of anyone I know. Which wouldn’t be that bad if I weren’t at a college that happens to kind of attract hard workers.

My graded interview with Julio, my crazy (no, really) spanish teacher was a fiasco, at least on my side of the conversation. To set the scene: because I have marginal Spanish skills (but not the worst!), I was a bit nervous. Ok, I was sweating, my face was flushed, I shook, and my voice wavered and cracked. I don’t know why this all happened, but it meant the stories of my childhood related to Julio came out like a recovering heroin addict’s tales of bad trips. After a short interview, he wrote B+, giving me a reassuring, “Don’t die on me” look. So maybe my break down gave me a small sympathy help. “Now go to the bathroom, wash your face, and relax the rest of the day, k Brad?”

How did Java go? I keep a daily (well, sporadic) journal as well for more private thoughts.. Here is the entry from after Thursday, (it was due at midnight)

Friday, December 4, 1998 5:26:24 am
I have been in Praj’s “dentist” chair, turned to face the monitor, for about the last 40 hours… But java is done, only my negative 4th late day….
5:27:37 am

Score: Java - 1, Brad - 0.

I think my ears are finally recovered from the Goo Goo dolls concert I went to. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they were bleeding as I left the conert hall though.

Friday I went to Harvest’s Christmas party. (I’m going to make an about stuff page, so I don’t have to identify all the names of people and organizations I use - just give me a couple years). Well, it was formal, and we were supposed to bring white elephant gifts. Of course I left late, realizing on the way to being picked up I forgot a white elephant. I cruise in front of the bookstore on my mountain bike, in my suit, and jump off, returning a minute later with some white chocolate truffles (I only had 2 dollars). White truffles are the closest thing I can think of to white elephants. We end up waiting a bit for others, so I proceed to do a stellar wrapping job: I found a newspaper within the free dispensers, and some tape on a discarded UPS package nearby. The party was fun, and the “elephant” event hooked me up - there was a cool 4 foot Reptar inflatable toy as one of the gifts. I had #17, a gift could only be stolen 3 times, and boom! Catherine stole it for the 2nd time as #16. I had it quickly in my loving arms, and proceeded to blow it up during the rest of the exchange. Everyone was jealous of my Reptar. What was more interesting was realizing as we were driving back to Stanford that I had my bike… So, a few scattered Stanford inhabitants saw an unusual picture that night: guy, bleached hair, three-piece suit, riding along on a mountain bike gripping a forward facing 4 foot Reptar. Too bad no cameras were present…

On a serious note, I believe I want to fly into space and therefore am considering joining the Air Force (after college of course). Discipline and space travel would do wonders for me, I think.

And now, for the quote of the week:

Me: “Roly-poly’s don’t have secret stingers!”

I got to use that one twice, only once with a roly-poly on my hand! (The other time was at a Chinese restaurant… self-explanatory I think.)

This is Bradley, signing out. (next week! Chronicles, from CO, modem style.)