Best field I've seen

So I went to Northwestern this weekend with the team and that is by far the best soccer field I've ever seen in person as far as location goes. The field is turf so that it can be used by lacrosse as well. The left side of the field is about 20 yards from Lake Michigan. There is basically a row of trees, a sidewalk, some rocks and then water. How sweet is that. Then on the far end of the field, you can see the Chicago skyline lit up jutting out into the water. Now I'm not a huge fan of Chicago but the city does have a very large, elegant skyline. It was pretty cool I must admit.

I would have enjoyed the trip more if we had won. We controlled the ball for 80% of the game but gave up a goal on a deflection by our own player and lost 1-0. Now we are 5-2-1 on the season, 1-1 in Big 10 conference play, but we are still ranked in the top 25 so its all good right now. As long as we win the Big 10 tourney and get to NCAA's, it will be awesome. Next up is Bowling Green on Wednesday and Eastern Illinois on Sunday. I get a few weeks off from traveling so that will allow me to get some things done. Even still, I don't mind going to places I've never been and seeing fields like this one. It's been a great senior year so far and today is only the start of the first full week of class.

first day

Classes start tomorrow so of course I'm working until 4am the night before thereby not getting more than 5 hours of sleep. I don't know why I do this to myself. It is not fun and tomorrow will suck. I'm heading back to Illinois this weekend when the Buckeyes play at Northwestern. Should be a fun trip.

Move in day....Oh the memories

So today was the campus move in here at OSU when approximately 5000 students participate in the organized chaos that is Move-In Day...it's like its own holiday or something. It is quite possibility one of the craziest things you have ever seen but somehow has been perfected to be about as smooth as possible. Lucky for me, I didn't have to work the desk during any of the check-in because I was at soccer all day (we won 1-0 and are now 5-1-1 on the season). However, I am now working the desk in an all freshman dorm until 11p and in my dorm for the past 3 years from 11-1. It is crazy looking at all the young freshmen and how raw they are to the college experience. None of them have been down this road before. I see birthdates in the 1990's and it scares me. My little sister who I still consider little, was born in 91. This means I'm getting older. Just seeing all the kids makes me feel older. I can tell they are still physically and mentally immature. It's amazing how much change takes place in just 3 years when you are out on your own. I'm a senior now going into my last year. I've started looking for graduate schools. I'm thinking about marriage. I am going to be out on my own with my own expenses in a very short time. A part of me is ready for it. I've gotten over the "college" part of things. I mean, it's been great but I'm done with it. I'm ready to move on. But the other part of me looks at my parents or even people just a couple years older than me and I don't feel ready at all. I'm scared for the future. I'm scared to be in charge of all my expenses and other things. I'm going to enjoy this year for what it is though and live it to the fullest. That's all I can do. There is no sense in looking to the future and forgetting about the present. You miss too much of life when you do that. All I can say is that I hope this is the best year of my life to date and I can't wait to see what's in store.

Finally moved in

This past week has been spent running around with my head cut off trying to get everything moved into the new apartment. This task in itself would not be too difficult or take that much time however, I'm going to clinicals on a daily basis for 5 hours and I've worked 30+ hours to this point in the week. Add in helping Sarah move into her place on Wednesday all afternoon and evening and there isn't a whole lot of time left over to fix up my place.

Last night though, I finally had a night off work and was able to take Sarah out to dinner for her birthday. We hit up the Japanese Steakhouse which was an absolute blast and the food was amazing. We had such a good time hanging out and watching the cooks in the element.

Today is Buckeye football day so hopefully we can get back in the win column with a dominating performance. That hasnt really happened to much in the past couple weeks. Now its time for lunch. Mmmm Canes chicken.

Charleston, SC...and then some

So this past weekend, I traveled with the soccer team on very brief notice to play a 2 game tourney in the sunny Charleston, South Carolina. It was hot, very humid, and the mosquitos were absolutely ridiculous down there. The team finished 1-1 on the weekend for an ok finish. I got to visit the historic downtown as well as hit the beach for an afternoon. Needless to say, I was busy down there and it didnt stop when I got home.

Tonight I have to pack everything up b/c I'm moving into my new apartment tomorrow. I'm pretty excited to start this new page in my life. School is also getting dangerously close. I think I'm ready for my senior year but we shall see. There is just always so much to do.

I'm just thankful everyone close to me is ok and I have power at the moment.

Down the crapper

So my fantasy baseball season went down the toilet in one bad week. Entering the last week of the regular season, I was sitting comfortably in 3rd place...9.5 games away from losing my playoff spot. As luck would have it, I had one of the worst weeks anyone has ever had in our baseball league and my worst week of all time. I finished the week losing 24-2 and getting knocked out of the playoffs. This is the first time I've not made the playoffs in the 5 years of our league. I'm disappointed and very frustrated especially since I don't have the Cardinals or Indians to watch in the playoffs. I guess I'll just move on to football.

On the road

So I'm on my hotel bed right now. I'm traveling with the soccer team for the first time this weekend. We have two games on Penn State's campus so I'm out of commission for a while.

In the meantime, here is a poem my friend Mike wrote that I think embodies how most of us feel on a daily basis.

It watches me while I'm asleep,
Silent, never makes a peep;
Its electronic brain devised
A sinister design, disguised
By innocent and quiet slumber
Before the auditory thunder.
It finally launches the attack!
I curse it, lying on my back.
My perfect dreams have now been broken --
The six AM alarm has spoken!

I am not a morning person.

GRE = longest 4 hours of my life

I'm finally done with it. After working vigorously from 9-1245, I completed the GRE with very satisfying results. I finished with a 630 quantitative and 470 verbal for an overall score of 1100. Most colleges only want a 1000 with a 450 in both categories. No more studying for this stupid thing ever again.