Chaos

Chaos is the theme to my life.  My birthday, this weekend, everything - a whirlwind of activity.  Just now I was finally able to settle down, turn on some Gilmore Girls season 5 as my background noise/viewing pleasure.  I am a Gilmore Girls addict - leave me alone.

Friday - my birthday - it was a glorious day.  Lab in the morning to observe pill bugs - oh the joy - and then home.  I have ALWAYS wondered what it would be like to have a summer birthday.  Guess its just something you ponder when you're a February kid like me.  Well, I got to find out!  It was in the upper 60s here on Friday.  GLORIOUS.  After lab I came home, threw on my Chacos and headed out the door with Kenai to hike around White Park and get him some exercise.  I then came home and cleaned - yes on my birthday - and then took a glorious nap.  I have a huge window in my room so I had it open and the sun and warm breeze helped my nap along.  At 6:30p I had a reservation at Hibachi with some close friends.  It was a really good time.  Even if Harold and Matt forced about 8 of these sake cups my way.  On top of a mixed drink I ordered for myself...oi vey.

Food was amazing.  Company was awesome.  Good times all around - and no, I didn't get wasted.  I remember everything, thank you.  After Hibachi three of us went back to my apartment to nurse our food babies and sip a beer while we awaited my friend from Philly to arrive.  Once he arrived we headed down town to the Brew Pub for some micro-brewed awesomeness.  Met up with a few more people.  Despite my invitations to lots of people to come few showed up.  It ended up being me and all guys.  Go figure?  Two almost-doctors, an almost-dentist, a PhD candidate at UPenn, and a couple undergrads - apparently I roll with really smart people, I didn't realize the genius of this little motley crew until just now.  Interesting.  And we were all wearing black shirts...odd.  After a couple beers and great conversation we decided to walk up the street to play pool at the Metropolitan Billiards room.  Its this place below the Met Theatre that is rarely busy, has a jukebox to pick songs from, a bunch of pool tables, really old theater seats, silly rules about respecting your mom and the pool table, good beer, cool snacks - like Bugles!! - and this little old man that runs it all who still thinks the drinking age is 18.  Glorious.  Good times all around.  It was a great birthday.

Saturday - Chris was creeking - a whitewater kayaking term for doing crazy shit in tiny creeks that are basically at flood stage, and exhibiting precise manuevers that if not performed lead to one's certain death - all day.  My friend from Philly and I rolled over to the rec center for the WVU climbing competition.  No one from WVU ended up placing in the top three for men or women.  But I did get to watch some pretty strong climbers for a little while.  I missed the bulk of the comp because I headed across campus to the coliseum for our men's basketball game against Notre Dame.  It was one of THE sweetest games I've been to in awhile.  Tim Higgins was reffing.  Miserable old shrew.  As my dad put it, he sucks both ways.  He needs to admit he is blind and just retire already, jeebus.  Two technicals, two fouled out ND players, and some phenomenal ball handling on our team's part earned us the victory.  72 - 58 final.  ND was ranked 7th.  Go us.

Matt, my UPenn friend, ripping it up

Ben Davis on a high-ball problem

Daryl "Truck" Bryant taking his foul shots for one of the technical calls

Tim Higgins - worst ref ever

Today - I went to Elkins for the day with Carly to ride.  We managed a 3 hour ride with lots of running.  Very good times.  I snagged a halter, lead rope, lunge line, and a couple more saddle pads from her and borrowed a couple brushes for Gideon.  As well, we stopped in Tractor Supply to get wormer, sweet feed, and I gave in and bought a 20lb. bag of treats too.  We get his Coggins test results back on Wednesday and will hopefully move him to the barn up here on Friday - though I won't be around for that since I'm going home again.  I am going to talk with people from home that have trailers about trailering him home around March 19th when my spring break starts.  The lady that runs the barn up here is sounding more and more neurotic and crazy the more I hear about her and I'm not sure it is going to be the greatest situation.  Three weeks will be enough I'm thinking.  We shall see.  Either way, I'm SUPER exciting to start working with Gideon and see what he's like.  Its bound to be a great learning experience and a challenge to look forward to.