Gearin' Up

Trevor and I took a day trip to Jackson on Saturday to get some gear for our ski trip over spring break. We first met out parents for lunch at Amerigos, an excellent Italian restaurant. After grub, it was time to get shopping. Mrs. Joyce knew of this ski store right beside Indian Cycle, and it did not disappoint. I eyed a red ski jacket right as we came in, and I was sure that was what I wanted. Unfortunately, it was a size too small, and I had to find another one. At the end of our stay at the store, I procured a nice ski jacket, another pair of ski pants, several pairs of thermal socks, and ski gloves. From Trevor's past ski expeditions he had an extra pair of Smith goggles, so I lucked out with those. Plain and simple, Trevor and I are ready to get skiing.

stylin for the slopes...

In not so good news, my team had to forfeit our hockey game today; we did not have enough players show up. Above all else, I hate losing, but forfeiting a game could actually be a worse feeling. These guys made a commitment when they paid their dues before the season. You can't just "not show up." It really bummed me out today that so many of my teammates didn't show. It's just very disappointing. I did find solace in the fact that my game's forfeit made it possible for me to attend our group's Mexican night(we eat at El Sombrero every Sunday). I rarely get to join the guys on Mexican night due to my hockey schedule, so it was fun to go today.

This week should be pretty easy going. A co-worker of Trevor's has approached him in regards to recruiting teammates for a softball team. I am not sure if this is intramural or not, but I think it would be fun as hell to get a softball team going for intramurals(or any other league). Trevor and I were actually talking about it a few days prior to his coworker's inquiry. I am a baseball nut, and I absolutely love playing the game and thinking the game. Most people don't realize that I played baseball my entire life and even one year into high school. I had to give up baseball to play soccer in Paris, as their seasons coincided, and I was upset with making the decision. I have been longing for a return to the diamond. Granted, intramural softball is kinda limiting(no stealing), but I still think it will be a blast. Even if we don't join Trevor's coworker's team, we are definitely joining the softball forray in the fall, just in time for the Fall Classic :)

-H

BULLSH*@!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2341248

Yeh. Ok. Riiiiight.

Craziness

Whew. I have just now recovered from that crazy week of stuff I told you about last week. All kinds of thing went on, but I'll try to give you the concise version...

Sunday I had 2 hockey games. One was at 3pm, and the other was at 7pm. Somehow, someway, despite our fatigue, we managed to get 2 wins that day.

Monday was spent studying, studying, studying for all my exams and quizzes happening that week.

Tuesday I had my first Dynamics test. I love how my professor pulled these problems WAY out of her ass. I swear, coming into the test, I felt I knew this stuff cold. Then, she gives us those 5 hellacious problems. After yelling expletives in my head upon receiving the exam, I slowed down, took a look at everything, and went to work. I actually felt pretty good about the test after I turned it in. My proff said she'd have them graded and posted online by Saturday afternoon, but no...they weren't. At this moment, she has YET to give us our grades...grrr. I have heard that she is sometimes scatter-brained, so maybe that's the problem

Tuesday night I had yet another hockey game. It was a personal best for me for the season that night, and my team played well offensively too. All-around a great game for the Predators. We are now in first place, baby :)

Wednesday I had physics class and my lab. The rest of the time was spent studying some more and packing for Chattanooga. Wednesday night was our first soccer game for our co-ed team. We lost 5-0. Not cool.

Thursday was my 3rd Mechanics of Materials quiz. I didn't have time to finish it because the last part was solving 3 equations with 3 unknowns, which is a bitch on paper. Dr. Sullivan saw what I was working towards, however, and I still got a sweet grade on the quiz anyway. Later that afternoon was my Early U.S. History test; I'm rather confident I smoked it. I'll see the grade tomorrow.

Thursday night was our first soccer game(mens), and we played this team called DeVille. See, all these guys have been playing soccer together in Starkville since conception, and they all(for some reason) decided not to leave Starkville after high school. They all opted to attend Mississippi State and never leave their hometown; the only reason for this I can think of is that they just wanted to own in intramural soccer. And they do...or did...or something like that. We lost by way too much, and we didn't score any either. That's pretty much all you need to know. Thursday night I was up until the wee hours studying for Physics and packing for Chattanooga.

Friday rolled around(thank God!), and I woke up extra early to finish packing and get some last problems worked. I took the Physics III exam at 11:00 am, and I was outta there by 11:30. I smoked it. The only things I missed were teeny tiny errors. I have the concepts down pat.

Around noon I headed to Chattanooga. I rolled in to Chatt-town around 5:30 local time, and Mal and I headed to dinner shortly thereafter. We at the Acropolis, a nice Greek restaurant near the mall. Afterwards, we tried to get some shopping in. I needed a new dress shirt for the weekend, and I was able to find one(and it was on sale!).

Saturday, Mal took the practice GRE, and when she returned around noon, we went to eat at Sticky Fingers with Alicia. While there, I got to meet Graf, a guy that will be going with us skiing on Spring Break. He seemed to be pretty cool, and I think we'll get along well.

Saturday night Mal and I had planned to go eat somewhere nice. I tried to find the poshest restaurant in Chattanooga, and I think we got pretty close. We tried our Porter's Steakhouse. It was fabulous. Mal had the pepperloin, and I tried the filet mignon. We also dabbled into this apple cobbler-like dessert too. If I had been 21, we would have also tried to their wine selection, haha. We like to go all-out sometimes at nice restaurants, so OF COURSE we had to look our best:

we could have hosted Fashion File or something

After dinner, we rented what we thought would be a good movie: The Legend of Zorro. BZZZ! WRONG. Terrible terrible movie. We had fun making fun of it anyways.

Sunday night Mal and I flexed our intellectual muscles in a game of Turbo Cranium against her friends and roomates. Needless to say, we owned the playing field. I swear, Mal is probably the best person in the world at drawing accurate pictures with her eyes close. Seriously. She does better than I do when my eyes are open!

After the huge win, we went to get another movie to watch. This time it was The Cave. We were hoping to get at least a little scare, but again, we chose poorly. I know I know. We should have known. Oh well. We did have fun making fun of this movie too, so it wasn't all bad.

Monday morning, Mal had class, so I slept in until shortly before noon. I got showered and met Mal and her friends in the UC for lunch. I headed back to Starkville right after lunch. I had a blast in Chattanooga(as I usually do); I just with the weekends had about 4 days in them instead of 2. It just flies by too quickly. I really can't wait for spring break :)

Yesterday I had my first Mechanics of Materials quiz. I felt pretty decent about it, but we'll have to see tomorrow how I did. No whammies no whammies.

Whew. And that's it. I told you it was a crazy week.

I'm out.

-H

A Dog's Love

I think it is safe to say that many times we forget that animals are living, breathing creatures, and that they, especially dogs, grow attached and more than likely develop a sincere bond of love with their masters or caretakers. That attachment is no more readily apparent than with my own two dogs, Greta and Grace, or should I say, my Mom's two dogs. My brother-in-law had G&G for several years since their birth, and when they first met my mom in summer of 2003, they had no clue who she was; they still followed Richard on a whim and were with him every day all day. Slowly, as my mom began to care for them and be their "Nana," as my mom calls herself in relation to the dogs, G&G started to develop that bond that they had created between them and Richard. Now, whenever you visit my house, you will notice that my(or mom's) dogs follow my mom's every footstep. They react to her voice. They react to her movement. When she's upset, they are quiet and somber; when she is lively, they are verbose(with yelps and barks). When mom sits down in the living room chair, they are usually within mere inches of her feet. If mom is walking to the kitchen, they look at each other, decide that she isn't coming back, and begin to follow her right on her heels.

The point of this isn't to show how obedient and cute my dogs are(although they are every bit of those two adjectives). Rather, it was to show that that love bond between master(Nana) and dog is as real as the computer on which you are reading this post.

That bond exists between my family and our dogs, and it definitely existed between Trevor and his dog Holmes, who unfortunately had to be put to sleep this past weekend due to increasing eye problems and renal failure that occured over just the past few days. Jay-Jay, Trevor's other dog, experienced the same problems before he eventually had to be put to sleep months later(last year). Trevor and his family agreed that they didn't want to put Holmes through that much pain if she didn't have to experience it. The decision was hard for the Acy's, and I am sure it was especially hard for Trevor.

I was friends with Trevor in Grenada when he found Holmes. She was evidently beaten her whole life(at that point, about 2 or 3 years), her body was emaciated, and she was very thirsty and hungry. Trevor took in the dog, who looked to have some pitbull in her, and within a year, Holmes was jumping in Trevor's backyard and loving her new life with him. I can say that I too grew very attached to the dog, and every time I visited Trevor's house, be it in Grenada or Madison, I always made a point to play with Holmes or sit beside her on the floor while we watched tv. She could easily bring a smile to the face of anyone at anytime on any day.

Trevor and his family drove up to Greenwood this weekend to bury Holmes right beside Jay-Jay.

Sometimes we forget that our animals will eventually die, and chances are good that we will outlive the pets we have. It pains me just writing this post. Holmes was a central part of the Acy household, and the Acys are almost an extension of my family, so it is as if one of my own dogs has passed away. Holmes will be greatly missed.

You could not help but love this dog.

Yet, somehow, someway, be it by coincidence, or what I believe to be the Big Man up there hard at work, there is a silver lining to this somber set of circumstances. I warn you beforehand, though, that it is very graphic to begin with...

Trevor's step-grandfather's son(stay with me) was driving along a backroad highway last week, and he ended up behind a moderately moving truck. Before too long, Trevor's step-grandfather's son(we'll just call him Ben, as I have forgotten his true name) sees something thrown out of the cabin of the truck as the truck is going along the road. Upon quick inspection, Ben realizes that a SMALL DOG was just THROWN FROM THE TRUCK. Now, Ben(as well as I, or any other human person) would have followed the trucker until he stopped, gotten out of his vehicle, walked over to the man, and beat the SHIT out of him. Fortunately for us, though, Ben knew that the rescue of the dog was more important in the immediate timeframe. He stopped his vehicle near where the dog was thrown, found him, picked him up, and got his wounds taken care of at the vet. Thankfully, a broken leg was all that the dog suffered. It could have been much worse.

The dog, named Jill by Trevor's relatives, is now doing the normal things puppies should be doing. Trevor's mom was able to snap some shots of the dog...

Isn't she CUTE?!! Notice the cast on her back foot due to her broken leg.

I do believe she has some Bernese Mountain Dog in her.

Come on!! She just begs to be held!!

There is a good chance that Trevor and the Acys may end up taking this dog into their own care. It's not a guaranteed thing, but it is a definite possibility. It turns out that the end of one dog's life may very well have been balanced the rescue and subsequent survival of another.

Keeping this dog theme going(again, it is interesting that these events all took place now), the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is starting tomorrow! Yes, that's right; it is two days of some beautiful dogs strutting their stuff in Madison Square Gardens. I can't wait. Mom and I will again be cheering for the Bernese Mountain Dog. Unfortunately, I have a game on Tuesday night, so I will miss the 2nd night of the show, but I will be able to see my favorite breeds on Monday.

and with that, I bid you all a good night.

-H

You hear that? It's a busy week getting closer...

This weekend pretty much kicked ass, but the fun was only temporary, as this upcoming week is sure to be one of the craziest.

Thursday night got things of to a pretty entertaining start. Around 10pm that evening, the whole gang headed over to Polliwogs, and we stayed there until closing time, which is around 12:30 on weeknights. We pretty much just sat around, but there were some random points of dart-throwing, although I mainly just watched; the dartboard was the plastic kind, so it wasn't that impressive. I will have to say that Polliwogs is about twice as smokey as Dave's, and that's really saying something. My eyes were burning like hell as we walked out...

Friday night Aaron, Reggie, Adam Wandler, and I headed to Tuscaloosa at around 7pm. The weather was terrible, and add that to the fact that Wandler can't drive on the road in the rain without a car in front of him, it took us almost 2 hours to get to Tuscaloosa. After navigating through the high waters in T-town, we finally arrive at Adam's good friend Andy's house, who also became good friends with my group of guys over the past year. I barely knew Andy, and I didn't know anyone else at all beyond him, so I didn't know what to expect that night. Thankfully, Andy was cool as hell, and so were his friends. I mean, how could you not have fun at a house where there are multiple Houndstooth hats floating around all night?(that's a UA reference for those of you not in tune with college football history). I met several people that have the same major as I do(they attend UA), and they all turned out to be some really cool people to know. At its peak, the party had about 45 people in the house at one time...yeh, it was THAT nuts. I am definitely going back to T-town with the guys the next chance I get.

Aaron had to work at 2pm today, so we left around noon from Tuscaloosa. I vegged the rest of the day, and we went to Peppers for dinner tonight. After that, we retreated back to Aaron's crib to watch the final 4 episodes of the Arrested Devlopment series, which aired last night(while we were at the party). Reggie recorded the shows on a vcr tape(we need a damn DVR), so the shows were ready for viewing tonight. It goes without saying that those last episodes were HILARIOUS. Please, if you haven't already, go pick up the first 2 seasons on dvd. Better yet, if you would like to pick those up for ME, that would be swell as well :). Oh, and word has it that SHOWTIME is going to pick up the series. That's great on one hand, but on the other it's not because we dont have SHOWTIME :(....I'll try to figure that problem out...

This week coming up is gonna be wild. Tomorrrow, I have TWO hockey games; one is at 3pm, and the other is at 7pm. Why we have a double header I don't know. I also have a game on Tuesday night. It's going to be tough on the body. School-wise, I have a Dynamics exam on Tuesday, a U.S. History exam on Thursday, a Mechanics of Materials quiz that day as well, and a Physics III exam on Friday. As you would expect of an engineer, I feel pretty confident with everything except U.S. History; I have ALL these terms to know and discuss. Bleh. Thankfully it's not Tunisian History or something(no offense to readers from Tunisia!).......continuing the craziness, intramural soccer starts this week; we have a game on Wednesday and Thursday. We haven't practiced once yet this semester, so we'll try to squeeze that in somewhere this week too.........oh, and the craziness doesn't stop. The upcoming weekend will give me something to look forward to(thank God!!); I am leaving for Chattanooga right after my Physics exam on Friday. I would like to actually wear something NEW for my stay up there, but I simply don't have time this week to get anything in Columbus. Maybe I'll get something while I am up there? I am in dire need of additions to my wardrobe, and I am sure the Chattanooga crew is wondering if I ever wear any other clothes, haha. My car also needs an oil change, so that will need to be done at SOME free point in my week.

There you have it. Crazy-fun week #1 is nigh...

Random thought...I have no clue, but I have been addicted to R.E.M. the past few days. I am trying to assemble a TVBO(the very best of...) cd right now. Again, no idea why they are in my head, just are. Go figure...

I am going to get some things arranged in my apartment, then I'm headed to bed. I need all the rest I can get for tomorrow...

-Henry

7-6

Arrrrrrgh...I hate losing close games because it usually means that I am the one that could have changed the outcome. True, I could have definitely have played better, but oh well. We play those foes several more times this season. It was a great game, and for the unusually large crowd that was there tonight, it was an especially good game to watch. It's all about the fans, after all(at least that's what the NHL "says")...

I would be a terrible person if I didn't say HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY REGGIE!!! Yup, that's right. The friend I have known the longest finally passed that magical barrier today. I was swamped with my schedule and early hockey game, so I was unable to celebrate at Applebee's with him and Trevor this afternoon. He had 2 Sam Adams with his lunch; I'm so proud*tear*. Aaron turned 21 a month ago, Reggie turned today, and Adam Brown turns the two-one next week. It definitely feels like eternity until June 11....

I was doing some deep thinking during my Early U.S. History class today, and this is what I came up with: be it either by coincidence or on purpose, but ALL of the Horne children's names are prominent names of kings and queens in world history. Just do a Wikipedia search or a Google search. You'll see what I mean. William, Caroline, John, Henry, Richard....all of them. I wonder if the Horne parents knew what they were doing....hmmmmmm....

Wandler has persuaded me to go with them(he, Aaron, Reggie) to Tuscaloosa to their friends' party this Friday night. I don't have to drive, and I don't have to pay for any of the gas. Why WOULDN'T I go?! Besides, the Tuscaloosa gang is cool as hell, so it'll be good to see them again(they were here for my Welcome-Back party). We're returning on Saturday, so I'll still have time to do the things I was originally planning on doing this weekend...

well, I have to get up relatively early tomorrow. Richard Wright(SIHL president) and I have a weekly breakfast at The City Bagel, a tradition started by Richard, Richard Sewell, and I many moons ago. Each week this year we have had a progressively larger group of hockey players show up, so hopefully it will keep up. Plus, I get to play with Brennan, Richard's 1.3 year old baby. This kid is awesome, and he's definitely going to be a hockey player. He'll be amost 4 when I leave Starkville, so maybe if he sees me on a constant basis, he'll remember me at some point when he gets into the NHL. That's the plan anyway, haha...

-Henry

yes, I am a nerd.....sometimes

Well, this weekend was fun.

Friday was a marvelous occasion. The Onkyo HT-S780 7.1 surround sound system is installed!!! Ladies and gentlemen, you have GOT to visit my apartment at least once in your lifetime. This thing is unbelievable. I will not go into all the details, because that would be boring. Just know that since about 3am Friday night, we've been playing video games(well, just one) and watching movies on it like crazy. It's so so so so awesome. Come check it out.

time for a nerd moment:
Friday was also a big deal because we(Dan, Adam, Adam, Grant, Robert, Reggie, 2 other guys, and I) finally beat what many considered to be one of the hardest video games of all time: Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts for the Super Nintendo. We've been trying since this summer(when I acquired the game); Dan and I were up until 5am one night trying to beat it. We can get to the end easily; that isn't the hard part. What IS difficult is the final boss, and well, it just annoys the hell out of ya. When Reggie and I arrived at Dan's on Friday night(around 7), Dan had already gotten to the end(the easy party) but having hard times with the boss(the hard part). After several grueling hours, I came away victorious. We took pictures of the credits because this is a VERY rare occurence...once I have those pictures I will post them to prove to you that we beat the game(and that I'm a geek sometimes...)

Saturday rocked as well. After a day of(again) more fun with the Onkyo, the whole gang headed to dan's for a pre-Dave's warmup. After about two hours, we all headed to Dave's to see Young Agent Jones play. Man, these guys ROCKED. I'm working on burning their cds as we speak. I love these guys. Plus, we were at Dave's, so that automatically makes things fun. Reggie and I owned at foosball, I waxed Regg in Golden Tee, and all of our clothes smell like smoke. I also saw about half a dozen people I had not seen since my last semester here, so that was fun. There are some great pics from the evening, but I'll have to steal them from Trevor before I put them on here. There was an after-party after Dave's, but I was worn out. I headed home to crash for our early hockey game..........

.....we won 12-5. My team played GREAT. Their score would have been lower, but a few pucks dropped out my glove off hard shots, and that left juicy rebounds. So it SHOULD have been 12-3, haha, but as long as we get the W I don't mind. I've added links over on the right column of my blog(you know, somewhere under my picture, with the rest of the links) for direct access to SIHL scores and score sheets. Now all of you can keep up with what should be a Sewell Cup Championship run. Enjoy!

Watched the Super Bowl tonight. Nothing super exciting, but some good football all-around. Always good to just eat burgers and hang out with the gang in front of a big tv. I hope my bro had a great Super Bowl party at his place with his new Panasonic EDTV. I think Caro and Rich went up there to the party as well. Guess I wasn't invited, haha...

I know I keep saying this, but pictures are on the way, I promise...we got pics of the living room(with the system set up), my room all organized, and other things. Bear with me!

now I am off to the wonderful world of Physics III....

-Henry