This last Saturday was a busy one, but it was also one of the best days I’ve had in a while.  I started the day off with a visit to the IHSAA State cross country meet in Terre Haute.  Franklin Community was well-represented at the meet this year having sent the guys’ team as a whole, as well as an individual from the girls’ team.  They all did really well: The guys placed fifth overall, one of them taking the 11^th spot individually, and our representative from the girls’ team placed 31^st.  Nice job, everyone.

The weather was kind of lousy, though, since it was cold and wet.  Also, due to the sodden state of the course, and because I wore sandals rather than shoes, I had to run barefoot all over the place to watch the race.  That was a lot of fun.  It was worth it, though, to see everyone run there.  Hopefully I can go watch some of them race there again next year. 

 I managed to make it back to the Kappa Sigma house just in time to leave to volunteer at a haunted house.  This was also a lot of fun.  We all got dressed up in whatever ghastly disguise we could find, and then we dispersed to find a place to hide.  I was pretty well hidden behind some curtains, so if I didn’t want to scare someone I didn’t really have to—I just kind of relaxed back there in my little hole. 

 I don’t understand why parents take their young children to these things, especially when it’s evident the kid doesn’t want to go through with it.  There were kids who were crying and screaming throughout, genuinely upset, but all mom or dad would say was, “It’s alright.”   It most definitely was not alright, though.  I felt really bad when these groups would walk by, and I was tempted to remove my mask and confront the kids, apologizing to them for my involvement in such a horrible charade.  It was a lot of fun scaring the older kids, though.  They think they’re so cool. 

When we were done scaring people, we went to Taco Bell for a quick dinner, and then back to the house for a pledge activity.  It was a long night, but the activity was surprisingly fun.  We only have one more week of pledgeship left, and I’m hopeful that the rest of our activities are just as entertaining.

Posted by Michael Richmond at 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Hey.   

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? 

Guess what.  I’m in what’s supposedly my last session of study tables right now.  Exciting, I know.  Hopefully it does turn out to be my last, because I don’t really like them all that much.  They’re a good idea, I guess, but they don’t really work for me.  I save up all of my work for the four-hour period we spend in Baxter Hall every day, and when we get there, I never get anything done.  I usually end up staying up way past my bedtime finishing my work.  That’s no fun. 

And guess what else is cool.  It’s getting cold outside.  I love cold weather.  I love waking up and throwing my blankets off me, and getting blasted by a gust of the brisk air that’s rushing through the window right next to my bed.  Yeah, that’s nice.  I also enjoy stepping off my bed onto the freezing tile floor every morning.  Then I have to go searching for clothes that will keep me comfortable and warm during my commute from the house to class, something like a couple pairs of pajama pants, a few shirts, and a sweatshirt.  I dress like a bum when it’s cold.  No offense to bums, though…or to people who wear pajama pants outside of their homes.  

I think I’m going to have to go to Goodwill to get some winter clothing.  I might try doing that tomorrow.  I also need some more blankets.  It’s pretty chilly now, but winter will be even worse.  I should probably start to get ready for it.  I should probably start doing some homework now, too.  Maybe.

Posted by Michael Richmond at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Thursday was the opening night for a play called “Never the Sinner.”  The cool thing about this play is that a pledge brother of mine, Seth Einterz, had the lead role.  Actually, one of the upperclassmen from Kappa Sigma was also in the play, and there were several more of them involved in things such as sound, lighting, cleanup, and whatever else goes on in a theatrical production.  Kappa Sigma was well represented.

            Since one of our pledge brothers was in the play, the rest of us decided it would be really cool if we all went over there to watch him opening night.  It was a really neat experience seeing him up there doing his thing, acting like a completely different person. 

            And he was a completely different person.  The story of “Never the Sinner” involves murder, skewed philosophies, and an odd relationship between two best friends.  I think it’s really interesting seeing a person, especially someone you know, taking up this entirely new personality and exercising it like it’s his own.  I wish I could do that.  

            When the play was over, we all waited for the other Kappa Sigma guys involved and congratulated them when they came out.  We even gave Seth a big group hug, just because that’s the kind of thing we do.  We’re cool like that. 

            Watching that play kind of made me want to be in one, even though I know there’s no way I could ever get up on stage and feel comfortable about performing in front of a bunch of people.  I envy people who can do that.  It’s an impressive quality in a person, I think.  Either way, I’m going to start going to a lot of the theatre productions here at Wabash.  I may even go see some in Indianapolis, or wherever there are some going on.  I almost like plays more than movies.  That’s saying a lot.  Bye. 

Posted by Michael Richmond at 11:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

It’s been about a week since Homecoming ended, so I’ve had plenty of time to reflect on my experiences before telling you about them. 

            I’d just like to start by saying it’s definitely as bad as everyone told me it was going to be.  Honestly, that week was the worst seven days of my life.  I’m dead serious.  Sure, there were some other factors adding to my despondency, but Homecoming didn’t help to rectify the situation.  I didn’t even really start to get involved until the Wednesday of that week, but those few days of involvement wore me out.  I think I averaged about three hours of sleep a night last week, and that’s actually more than a couple of my pledge brothers managed to get.  Insanity.  

            There was a core group of guys who would stay up all night working on the float, waiting until after class in the morning to get some sleep.  That’s ridiculous.  I only had two all-nighters, but that’s all I needed.  I can’t deal with sleep deprivation.  It amazes me that people all over campus were sacrificing their health to finish constructing a giant Wally that was just going to get destroyed after the game.

            Well, ours was destroyed.  Our Wally fell down, and everyone thought it would be a great idea to tear the hell out of it right after the fact.  They didn’t even try to fix it.  They didn’t even give me any time to take a picture of it. 

            I don’t know.  Everyone says Homecoming is something you look back on and think, “Gee, that was horrible, but now that it’s over I’m glad I did it.”  That’s definitely not how I feel.  I look back and say, “That was the worst week of my life.”  That’s not hyperbole, either.  I’m serious when I say that, and you couldn’t pay me to do it over.  After I post this, I’m just going to pretend the whole thing never happened—I’ll erase it from my memory.  It’s probably for the best.  

            Still, I’m sure some people enjoyed it, and I’m happy they did.  I’m sure there are people who are proud of all the hard work they put into it, and are glad they got to share the experience with their pledge brothers.  I mean, I guess it’s a good thing; it’s just not something I enjoyed.  Hopefully I’m the only one who feels that way.

Posted by Michael Richmond at 11:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Alright, before I make two consecutive entries about some important things that have happened in the last couple of weeks, I’m going to write a little blurb about my blogging buddy, Adrian Perez, who’s currently sitting right next to me, writing a similar blog.      

            Adrian’s a pretty cool kid.  He’s always around when I need to indulge myself in a cynical conversation with someone, and he usually has something equally negative to say.  It’s nice to have someone else around who doesn’t take life too seriously.  Whenever I want to poke fun at something everyone else cares about, Adrian’s always there, willing to lend me a helping hand in my castigation of conformity.

            Surprisingly, the kid also has some interesting opinions on things.  He’s telling me right now—no joke—that disco’s coming back. “The signs are everywhere,” he says.  Whatever, Adrian.  He also just told me he thinks all literature should burn.  His only justification of such an atrocious act is this: “It’s combustible.”  Yeah, our conversations are stupid, but they get us through the day. 

            Suffice it to say, Adrian and I pretty much rule in the wry remark department, and we are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to downplaying the more “important” aspects of life. 

            Alright, my mind just went blank.  I don’t know what I’m talking about anymore.  Sorry to end so abruptly.  Have a good one.

Posted by Michael Richmond at 11:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)