At my house, we mark special days & holidays with movies (or the appropriate TV series on DVD, like Stargate SG-1.) Christmas means “Elf”, New Years is a Football Marathon, Valentines Day is “You’ve Got Mail” or another miscellaneous chick flick, Groundhog Day is… “Groundhog Day”. And so on.

Today, being July 4th, America’s celebration of Independence from the oppressive King George & the Tories (great band name by the way,) is marked by the watching of Will Smith/Jeff Goldblum et al… in 1996’s “Independence Day”, known also as “ID4” by someone, somewhere.

I think my favorite part of the whole shabang is the week or so lead-in to the watching of the movie. Everyone in the family (esp. #3,4,&5) rehearse just what we’re going to be doing, & the past times that we’ve watched the flick. Good times.

Regular readers may be wondering what holiday is appropriately marked by watching Stargate SG-1? I’ll leave that to you to decide… Now, on to coffee & popcorn!

We’re up to 4 sleepers. One poor guy has his head tilted back, Adam’s apple pointing to the sky, mouth gaping open in perfect, fly-catching technique.

Another guy is flat out on the desk, using the book as a pillow. Good times.

Interesting day today for Geology – the Laxalt Mineral Building is shut down – no lights, no a/c, all the support staff are off. Nobody here except dr. brimley & 14 (out of 32) students that somehow found their way to class. There are two students with their heads on the desks, sleeping. No drool. Yet.

But, we’re pressing on. We’re rockhounds, & we are not easily swayed from attending class by something as simple as a university recognized holiday weekend. Even the coffee cart girl from Poland, (Asha is her name) isn’t around today. I spent one of my breaks a couple weeks ago watching World Cup between Poland/Germany with her, a couple of students from Korea, 1 from Japan, 1 Croatian, & a double espresso w/room for coffee. We had some interesting discussions.

I would like extra credit please.

6 more classes. 3 more labs. 1 more test.

Got to see something today that I’ve never seen before – while watching the Germany/Argentina quarterfinal game (won by the Germans on PK’s. Very nice.) Thousands of Germans waving their flag in celebration & pride. Not a big deal here in the USA, as we’re flag-wavers to the extreme. Germans have been taught (esp. post-WW2) to NEVER be nationalistic, let alone become flag-wavers. The result that I’ve observed 1st hand is that many Germans have a very pronounced national shame, where they almost apologize for being German.

Not today. Brought tears to my eyes. I love that country.

Pain does not exist in this dojo, does it?
NO SENSEI!

What is the way of the Cobra Kai?
STRIKE FIRST, STRIKE HARD, NO MERCY SIR!

AN ENEMY DESERVES NO MERCY!

Sorry. Daniel Larusso flashback. I’m sitting in Geology learning about STRIKES, DIPS, & ATTITUDES, all of which somehow apply to the subject at hand. I started to have my own little episode… Today’s visit to “the Happy Place” is brought to you by The Karate Kid & the Miyagi-do brand of self-defense, sponsored by the JC Penney black belt and the Crane Technique, which if do right, no can defend. Back to you, Marv.

7 more classes. 4 labs. And I just. Might. Bail. Early.

dr. brimley had an episode today – threw a hissy fit because one of the questions on our test review (which he created) was shown to be inaccurate according to how he’d asked the question by the information used in our $80 textbook. When this was pointed out by a student, he proceeded to berate the student, argued for about 10 minutes, then stomped out & said that he’d make up another question & not give any hints on it.

9 more classes left. 2 tests.

Today, just when I thought that my Geology class couldn’t possibly get more ‘fun’, I am confronted anew with my need for a more vivid imagination so that I can envision the horrors that I will endure. (Ope – I need some coaching on the imagining of potentially horrific school situations. Could you help me out with that?)

#1 – the Geology lecture classroom is 88 degrees Fahrenheit. And increasing. The classroom itself has been uncomfortably hot for the last week, but today takes the cake. Our room is laid out so that there is truly no front of the room. dr. brimley lectures from a side of the room, & all of the people in the class have to move their chairs &/or crick the neck in order to face the lecturer. In doing so, each class member has to take their notepad & put it in their lap (instead of on the desk in front of them) in order to take notes. These 3 factors (heat, crick o’the neck, & note-taking) beg the question:

HOW COME we do not just have the lecture section in the lab room.?

The lab room is empty all morning. The lab room is a cool 72 degrees. The lab room has a front of the room. The lab room has desks that face the front of the room. The lab room is ideal, not only for labs (which consist of listening to a 1 hour lecture, & then playing with errr… examining rocks or other geologic stuff,) but also for an endurable lecture experience.

The answer to my question: Because this is the lecture room. And the lab room is for the labs. Thank you, dr. brimley.

#2 – Today, we’re supposed to learn about maps. This is a challenge to my man-ness. Why? Silly question – because men don’t use maps. Just about any wife could tell you that it is against every man-code that exists. Men know this as well – we are required to to attempt navigation using any iron deposits that we have in our heads that, of course, reacts with the magnetic pole of the Earth.

Still, in order to pass the lab (which is a requirement for my grad-you-may-shun,) I will be forced to violate the man-code & gasp! attempt to read the maps.

I’m at the halfway point of the class – Only 10 more classes & 5 more labs.

Finally, something that I can wrap my brain around! The mid-term that was moved from Monday, 6/26 to a day occurring after Monday, 6/26 has been determined to be Wednesday, 6/28 (which, if you’ll notice is both after Monday & after the 26th.)

Mid-term will be 100 points – with 24 points of possible extra credit – all I have to do is offer up the “Geologic Time Scale” as put forth in the text book. This is good news, fellow wannabe rock hounds… I can do rote memorization. I am working on the memorization as I type. Good times!

Only 11 more classes. & 6 more labs.

Expectations: everybody has them. When these expectations meet each other, something has to give. Ouch.

12 more classes – 7 more labs.

My descent into increasing shoulder pain has led to a search for a book bag/computer pak that will allow for the even distribution of weight across my entire back/shoulder area. I’ve looked high & low throughout the house, following the “use what you have” principle. My search was fruitless until I talked to the Bean – w/in 3.4 seconds, I had a cool red back-pak that has thus far accomplished the task I needed it for. I will be able to navigate the next 13 school days with relative ease thanks to my own version of “backpack, backpack.”

Note: for those of you that are Dora fans, I did look for a talking backpack, & a purple one at that. No luck, though I did get a couple of interesting looks from those who heard me singing the Dora-backpack song…

Here is a picture of what my backpak looks like:
My backpak is full. The picture at right doesn’t quite show the majesty & power that is displayed in the FULL backpak, but it does give you an idea about my backpak. I was hoping for something other than red, as I’m more of a blue guy, (winter, anyone?) But, red it is.

By the way, I have made an appointment to get the shoulder looked at by my orthopedist… I say “my orthopedist” because he’s cut on my 3 different times, (2 shoulders & 1 knee.) He’s always done a bang-up job w/his cutting, pasting, drilling, & fixing. The best part is that he has always explored alternative treatments to cutting (physical therapy, joint fluid injections, dietary supplements, rest, among others.) Most surgeons seem to think “cut first, ask questions later,” but not mine.

dr. brimley just informed us that he is able to identify many sedimentary rocks by smell alone. He’s bragging about it; I say bragging, because he prefaced the statement with “not many people can do what I can when it comes to soft rocks…”

Only 13 more days.