Back in Baltimore.

8 weeks left. Maybe I should start counting days of class. Let's see...38 days of class. Yeah, baby.

While Jason and I were talking last night, he reminded me about a funny story about Sam Lau. So, instead of your ode, Sam, you get to hear this story.

One balmy California summer evening about 2 (or maybe 3) years ago, a group of 20 some young adults gathered in Castro Valley to play mini-golf (which some refer to as pee-wee golf and others call put-put). Since our group was too large, we broke up into smaller groups to play through the holes. We formed the fantastic team of Darrell, Noch, Sam, and myself. Why I was the only girl in this group is beyond me, but it is totally irrelevant to this story.

So what happened? Around hole 3, I think it was, we lined up for the first put. This hole is the one that has a vertical circular ramp. The golf ball must be hit so it travels around the inner face of the loop and comes out on the other side. Sam places his golf ball down, and takes a swing. The ball flies toward the metal ramp. The clunk of a golf bar against metal, followed by an "Ogh!" Darrell, Noch, and I turn, to see Sam rubbing his head. Next thing I know, Darrell is laughing so hard, he's curled up on the ground. So, Sam swung WAY too hard, the ball hit the ramp and bounced straight back hitting Sam on the head.

Poor Sam. Not only did he hit himself in the head with his own golf ball, but around hole 10 he lost his golf ball. No, he did not hit it into the water, but we were at the hole that looks like a big ski ball game. Sam takes a big swing, and his ball disappeared into la-la land.

So, as wonderful as you may be at laser tag, you suck at mini-golf.

Hahaha. I'm asking for it now.

I have been in the Bay Area on Bay Area soil for 3.75 hours, and I've accomplished a lot already!

I saw O who was should be called SuperShuttle O.
I saw ALo for all of 3 seconds.
I went to Target, one of my favorite places in the whole wide world.
I ate Chinese food with my dad.
I wrote my paper (ok, that's not done yet..that's why I'm blogging).
I'm eating an orange that didn't cost me 75 cents a piece.

California is green!! And so full of life! The trees are budding and blooming!! Unlike Baltimore where the trees still look like sticks.

More fun is yet to come on this wonderful spring break of mine!

5 minute coming-up-for-air from my papers break:

I have to say, I'm so impressed by my roommate's wedding planning composure. There is no Bride-zilla here. None at all. Even when her boss is working her like a dog and the details are crazy, she's pretty darned composed! And she stayed up and ate chocolate cake at 1:30 am.

what else am I impressed by? The fact that Eva and I essentially finished an entire chocolate cake together in less than 48 hours. Mind you, this cake does not have much flour, but has enough butter, chocolate, and sugar to feed a small village for a week. But, yes, the chocolate queens polished it off.

Ok, end study break.

Happy Birthday, SuperKaren!

On commercials that make me cry. Weather. More work than I did at Cal!? Happy Birthday, Karen!

I just watched this Applebee's commercial where the local football team lost the big game. The staff at Applebee's is getting ready to close up for the night, when the team's bus pulls up. A player gets out, and disappointedly says, "Aww, they're closed." The staff all volunteer to stay. Roll the voice over about Applebee's being part of the neighborhood.

And it made me teary. How do they do that!?

It's like Extreme Makeover:Home Edition. I've decided dthat the very purpose of the show is to make you cry. During the first 10 minutes and the last 20. It's not just crying. It's weep inducing.

----
So, my toes are so happy! Why? Because they got to play in the sun today. Yes, folks, it was 72 degrees in Baltimore today. Which was wonderful. Drove around, sunroof open, windows open, t-shirt, flip flops, bumpin' some music. Good life.

But, alas, there is reality. The reality is that tomorrow morning, it's going to SNOW. What?! SNOW!? Yes, it's going to snow. The high on Wednesday is going to be 30+ degress. That's a 40 degree change in weather in 48 hours. AMAZING. Yahoo weather. My best friend. Or I would ALWAYS be dressed wrong.
----
Why am I blogging right now? Because I have so much work to do. SO MUCH. I have a final exam, paper, or presentation everyday starting today for 2 weeks. By the end of the two weeks, I will have written 50 pages worth of papers.

My paper topics for those that are interested:
- The use of rape as a weapon of genocide in Rwanda and the impact that rape has had on HIV in Rwanda.
- The role of advocacy groups in setting policy agenda
- Something about health and homelessness (haven't decided exactly what yet..maybe something about immigration, etc.)
- Paying physicians in Thailand by capitation contains costs, but does not ensure quality. Paying physicians by fee for service in Korea promotes quality but does not contain costs. A solution?

I have NEVER done this much work in my life. How is this possible? More than at Cal. Craziness.

10 weeks left, baby! we're into single digits.
----
Happy Birthday, Karen!