Assassins, Broomball, and the Week Ahead
Between classes, training, and games, this has been a packed stretch. Most notably, my run in the campus assassins game came to an end after a fifth kill in Burton. I skipped a potential confrontation at an Aikido Broomball game, but Henry Keiter had other plans: he waited in the trees outside the Libe for the entire game, took the long route around the Olin-Hulings-Mudd complex to tail me home, and caught up with me at the Nourse entrance. I managed to block his ten shots but was too worn out from the game to move fast enough. Henry later tried his luck against Bendikson in a re-creation of the Princess Bride iocaine powder scene, complete with two goblets of juice, one spiked with tabasco sauce. Those two are clearly masters of the game.
Course Load and Brain Strain
Class has been a mixed bag. Quantum is thoroughly dismantling my ability to think clearly. Metaphysics swings between genuinely interesting and deeply frustrating. Psychology of prejudice, though, has been absolutely fascinating—there is a lot of solid material on stereotype formation and metacontrast bias. I may write up something longer on that later, but for now it stays on the back burner.
Broomball, Aikido, and Gear
This year Reid and I each signed up for four broomball teams, which works out to one to three games a night on top of 11 to 14 hours of weekly Aikido training. I have not been this sore in a long time, and it feels great. The new liner gloves from Dad are holding up well and keeping my hands warm. I also splurged on an Underarmour base layer. After the first game, I am convinced it was worth the money: the fabric kept me comfortable with just a fleece over it at -17 degrees on the ice, breathes well, and repels snow and ice. The only downside is that the fit seems designed for someone with considerably more chest muscle than I currently have—another reason to stay consistent with pushups.
A Full Weekend
Justin is visiting this weekend, so the schedule is tight. The plan: rush through the philosophy reading tonight, finish the REU application paper tomorrow morning, and then grind through quantum homework until dinner. Saturday includes open mat, some shopping (a second pair of shoes would be nice, since the hiking boots are heavy), and Ebony—which, apparently, half my floor is also attending. It should be a full few days.
