Next week I've got a test on Monday, a test on Tuesday, and a test on Wednesday. So, if anyone has plans to socialize over the weekend- be assured that I will not be attending.

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Yesterday I drove back to Big Flats for the weekend, to pick up more furniture. When I emailed asking if this would be a good weekend to come by, Dad responded asking if I'd bring my laundry along, as that's the traditional college student thing to do.

Laundry! Of course! One forgets these things. It was a good idea, because while my apartment does have a washer and dryer, the washer is very small; a single laundry basket must be split into two loads. Also, the spin cycle is not aggressive enough, so the clothing comes out more damp than I'd like.

So I packed my car with dirty clothes and headed to Big Flats. The weather was not good; while there was only light snow, it was blowing so much as to obscure vision in a number of areas. Buffalonians know how to drive in winter, so it was safe enough, as everyone slowed down.

Dad called just as I was leaving, to update plans. He was going to a Chuck Mangione concert last night, but it was sold out. No worries, I figured I'd do my laundry and read that evening.

But also, he'd been invited to a pre-concert dinner party, and now I was invited too! I felt terrible- I was wearing jeans, boots, and a beat-up flannel shirt, which is not what I consider appropriate for social gatherings. Dad talked me into going, and I had a lovely time. We had baked salmon, broccoli, rice pilaf, salads, and cut strawberries for desert. I ate the strawberries and didn't get sick, so perhaps I'm getting over that allergy. Which would be a good thing, since I love strawberries.

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Seems the Google Street View car hit a deer in upstate NY. Whoops!

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I was up late last night working on homework for my 400-level advertising class. Unfortunatly, I overslept a bit this morning. I missed the bus and had to walk to my first class of the day. I was ten minutes late.

But today we had a quiz, and it was an easy one. Easy is good, yes? Except that means that some smart guy finished and left before I even got there. So although I'm confident I did well on the quiz, I may not get credit, depending on the professor's policies. Problem being that perhaps the person who had already left tipped me off to all the questions.

It's only 2% of my grade, so if I get no credit it won't destroy me, but it's still irritating because (a) I'm embarassed I overslept, (b) I'm offended at the mere vague suggestion that I might be so dishonorable as to commit academic dishonesty, (c) I'm still tired, and (d) I'm hungry because I skipped breakfast to rush to class.

Perhaps I should go get something to eat, as that's the only thing bothering me that is actually fixable.

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I finally broke down and joined the facebooking hordes. Facebook uses real names, and I appear to have no Facebook doppelgangers. So feel free to friend me or whatever it is that you kids do these days.

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I had a rough day, and I'll got lots to do this evening. I had to drive off-campus to get some office supplies, so I decided I'd get me some hot fresh Krispy Kremes. A dozen of them. I havn't had a Krispy Kreme donut since Hong Kong. And that was 7865 miles from here.

So I drove over to the KK… and did a double-take. They closed, and their building is now the home of a Vitamin Shoppe. Yes, Shoppe, as if Merry Olde England had Vitamin Shoppes right next to the Shire Gaol.

So, no donuts for me tonight.

Also, as noted, I needed a mug. I had a $5 off coupon from the offcampus bookstore, on account of my buying books for a price that's several year's income for the Cambodians I've met. Anyway, they were out of just plain "UB" mugs, leaving me to choose from "UB Alumni", "UB Mom", and "UB Dad". A Mom mug would have been good to confuse people with. A Dad mug would have been depressing, as in a few short years I'll be as old as some freshmen's parents. So I picked the Alumni one, as an investment for the future.

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I'll be doing a mid-term on Woodie Guthrie's Dust Bowl Ballads. Amazon.com brought me my copy, so I just finished listening to the whole album.

Damn, that stuff's depressing!

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I decided I wanted some hot chocolate today. Long story short, I failed to bring any mugs to this apartment. I think I'll get one from the campus spirit store. Sure, it'll say "UB", but as long as it contains hot liquids successfully, I'll be happy.

Incidentally, I did have my hot chocolate. In a delicate little teacup. Which caused some cognitive dissonance.

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The theater in the Student Union opened up to broadcast the CNN feed of the Inauguration. I'm between classes, so I went in to watch.

The room was packed, beyond capacity. Every seat was full, the aisles were full, the back was full, there were groundlings at the foot of the stage. The atmosphere was electric.

The crowd applauded the opening performances, to my amusment. Clapping is, on the face, a reward for a fine performance; but Yo Yo Ma and Yitzak Pearlman could certainly not hear Buffalonians clapping! Such is human nature.

Aretha Franklin was not very good. It's cold out, and she's not exactly a spring chicken anymore. It didn't seem like she was shorting notes for style, it seemed like she didn't have the lungs to sustain a note anymore. The classical quartet was very good. It sounded like the arrangement was new for the event. Although John Williams? I was halfway expecting a triumphant march.

At noon, the announcers broke in to point out that Obama was now president, even without the oath, per the Twentieth Amendment. The Student Union crowd cheered, but quickly quieted to hear the music. Then came the oaths of office- everyone stood up, as requested. When the new president finished his oath, pandemonium.

I stayed for the president's speech, which was magesterial. Throughout the campaign, there was talk of his oratorical skills, but this is the first time I've seen him speak. His delivery was excellent, and especially the second half was very well written.

The official poem was not exciting, but then I hate almost all poetry. I was wondering about the benediction, because I'd heard the preacher interviewed last night on NPR, and he seemed funny. He didn't disappoint me!

Good stuff. Hail to the Chief, and a think regardless of our political views, we can wish him success for the coming years.

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