Busy Weeks and Setbacks
The last few weeks have been intense. Between Classical Mechanics, Ordinary Differential Equations, and Japanese 205, the term is keeping me on my toes. Unfortunately, Aikido has suffered. I caught a cold during the first week, and then this Monday I injured my shoulder practicing a 4th kyu sacrifice throw. It's healing, but slowly—I can't roll or do much with that arm yet. Missing that many classes likely means I won't be testing this mid-term.
Visitors and a Car Ordeal
This week brought out-of-town friends: Des and Bitsy visited for the weekend, and we filled the days with Aikido, reading, and photography. Bitsy also helped me prepare for my alumni interview for Physics, which turned out to be far more insightful than I expected.
Getting them back to the airport was its own adventure. Max, Des, and I borrowed Pechous' car—or rather, his keys. The car sat across campus under snow, low on gas, and dead on arrival. We were moments from giving up when Chase arrived with jumper cables. After some maneuvering, the cables reached, but the car still wouldn't start. Chase kindly offered his own vehicle instead, but that too refused to turn over—until we realized the CRV only starts if you will it to life with complete focus. After a committee decision on gas, I got the car running and we made it to the airport with time to spare.
A Night Out
Later that evening, Rachel's friend Justin arrived as a welcome surprise. The full group went to see Ebony on Thursday, and it was spectacular. Grace was outstanding in On Pointe, and a choreographed rendition of Evanescence's "Bring Me to Life" stood out—impressive for just three weeks of preparation.
