A lot of bad news has come about to many people this weekend. Here's my share. There was a massive cyclone in my parent's homestate in India. My brother was the one to bear the news, however, that my father's home (where my brother spent his first 6 years) was partially destroyed. Only my uncle and aunt lived there, but they were in the city during the cyclone. It's more of a sentimental loss than anything, especially for my brother and parents.

Talking on the phone now. It's not as bad as it sounds for us. However, the rest of the area seems really in bad shape. :(

I decided I'd meet my brother in Chicago. Thanks to Hiro who knows how to get anywhere, I was able to take the Greyhound to Chicago and back.

It was a good 3 hour bus ride, but I wasn't wasting too much time since it was early in the morning and I was studying for my math exam. Also it kept me from bidding on ebay.

One girl on the bus (fairly cute) looked like she fell asleep with her hand in a bag of chips... nasty oilyness. Even the pretty have their weaknesses.

I got to Chicago a little after noon and met my brother, Raj, and my other friend Raj at the bus station (he had flown in for a convention). We went to look for a place to eat, but the Cheesecake Factory was packed. Every place was packed since it was the day of Payton's memorial service. We ended up eating at this really good Chinese restaurant. We went shopping for a bit at the Virgin MegaStore. Didn't get any virgins though. My brother bought me some new shoes and other stuff too at Filene's basement.

We headed back to the Sheraton: Chicago and Towers. It's not that great of a hotel actually. It's nicely furnished though and the lobby is really nice too. We hung out and ate food there, although only Raj (the friend) was hungry. Raj (the friend) went back to his campus (U Chicago). My brother and I hung out at the hotel. Went for a walk around Chicago. Then we ate at Giordano's Pizzaria (very good pizza).

This morning I had a slice of that pizza for breakfast. Then I went back home. All was fun, even though it was for a short time.

Erin was upset at my absense. Partially because she didn't know where I was. I wish Erin would have come with me.

I signed up for my classes for next semester. My schedule will be a little strange, but I'll deal. If you would like to see it, it'll be posted outside my room (AL 455) or you can ask me to see it.

I'm liking the results with this for the most part.

State   15-19 year olds    15-17 year olds
        1991 1997 Pct chg  1991 1997 Pct chg
U.S.    62.1 52.3  -15.8   38.7 32.1 -17.2
Ala.    73.9 66.6   -9.9   47.7 43.4  -9.1
Alaska  65.4 44.6  -31.8   35.3 25.1 -29.0
Ariz.   80.7 69.7  -13.6   51.4 44.0 -14.4
Ark.    79.8 72.9   -8.6   49.4 42.9 -13.1
Calif.  74.7 57.3  -23.3   46.9 36.2 -22.9
Colo.   58.2 48.2  -17.2   35.3 29.9 -15.5
Conn.   40.4 36.1  -10.6   26.3 22.5 -14.5
Del.    61.1 55.8   -8.7   40.3 36.8  -8.6
D.C.   114.4 91.0  -20.5  102.8 65.9 -35.9
Fla.    68.8 57.7  -16.1   44.0 35.1 -20.2
Ga.     76.3 67.2  -11.9   50.6 44.0 -13.0
Hawaii  58.7 43.8  -25.4   34.7 25.3 -27.1
Idaho   53.9 43.3  -19.7   29.3 23.3 -20.6
Ill.    64.8 54.7  -15.6   40.6 34.4 -15.2
Ind.    60.5 54.2  -10.4   35.2 32.1  -6.7
Iowa    42.6 35.7  -16.2   22.8 20.1 -12.1
Kan.    55.4 48.5  -12.5   29.4 27.5  -6.4
Ky.     68.9 59.6  -13.5   42.6 35.4 -17.0
La.     76.1 66.3  -12.9   51.1 42.1 -17.6
Maine   43.5 32.0  -26.4   23.8 15.4 -35.0
Md.     54.3 43.9  -19.2   35.2 28.2 -19.9
Mass.   37.8 31.7  -16.1   25.2 19.1 -24.3
Mich.   59.0 43.9  -25.6   35.5 25.4 -28.4
Minn.   37.3 32.0  -14.2   20.7 17.8 -14.1
Miss.   85.6 73.7  -13.9   60.1 50.2 -16.4
Mo.     64.5 51.5  -20.2   38.7 29.6 -23.7
Mont.   46.7 37.6  -19.5   23.6 20.1 -14.8
Neb.    42.4 37.2  -12.3   23.6 21.3  -9.8
Nev.    75.3 67.7  -10.1   43.9 42.2  -3.8
N.H.    33.3 28.6  -14.1   17.1 14.0 -18.2
N.J.    41.6 35.0  -15.9   26.3 21.3 -19.0
N.M.    79.8 68.4  -14.3   50.0 44.4 -11.2
N.Y.    46.0 38.8  -15.7   29.1 23.4 -19.4
N.C.    70.5 61.3  -13.0   46.2 37.7 -18.5
N.D.    35.6 30.1  -15.4   18.1 14.3 -20.9
Ohio    60.5 49.8  -17.7   36.2 28.6 -21.1
Okla.   72.1 64.3  -10.8   41.7 37.3 -10.7
Ore.    54.9 46.9  -14.6   31.3 27.0 -13.7
Pa.     46.9 37.3  -20.5   29.2 21.9 -25.0
R.I.    45.4 42.7   -5.9   30.1 27.6  -8.2
S.C.    72.9 61.4  -15.8   46.0 40.0 -16.6
S.D.    47.5 39.7  -16.4   26.3 21.8 -17.2
Tenn.   75.2 64.5  -14.2   47.8 38.5 -19.4
Texas   78.9 71.7   -9.1   50.4 47.1  -6.6
Utah    48.2 42.6  -11.6   27.0 23.7 -12.3
Vt.     39.2 26.9  -31.4   21.3 12.1 -43.3
Va.     53.5 44.2  -17.4   31.8 26.1 -17.8
Wash.   53.7 42.5  -20.9   31.0 24.5 -20.8
W.Va.   57.8 49.1  -15.1   32.4 27.5 -15.1
Wisc.   43.7 35.9  -17.8   24.8 21.4 -13.7
Wy.     54.2 43.3  -20.1   26.4 23.3 -12.1
P.R.    72.4 77.8    7.5   50.8 57.6  13.4
V.Isl.  77.9 66.0  -15.3   48.6 45.6  -6.2
Guam    95.7106.3   11.1   55.0 61.4  11.6
AmerSo  N/A  43.9   N/A     N/A 20.7   N/A

So Angie finally finished this huge hideous project that she had for some class. So yesterday after dinner and before hall council we were chillin' in her room. I was talking to her about halloween stuff and then she came up with this idea. Basically we took one of the pumpkins in her room and stuck a can opener (which looks more or less like a knife) with a note attatched that said "you." We used barbecue sauce as blood and put it around the can opener. So we had this bloody pumpkin. We went around from room to room and knocked on peoples' doors and freaked them out. Other people just didn't get it.

On that same note, I also turned in my application today for being an RA... funny that.

Saturday we were misinformed that trick-or-treating was on that day. Unlike the rest of the world, Illinois seems to have designated days for trick-or-treating that are not necessarily Halloween. After some embarassment we came home and then went to IHOP where we waited forever for some mediocre food.

In case you have this desperate need to spend give me a gift, you can get me a pair of the Motorola TalkAbout 280 SLKs or the Motorola TalkAbout Distance. Scott has a pair of the TalkAbout+ and they are awesome. We've been playing with them all weekend, even at IHOP.

After IHOP I went to a party at my friends' apartment. I didn't enjoy it too much. Initially nobody was dancing, and then when the dancing started it was too small of an area and not enough girls. I decided to hang out at Matt Wright's apartment, two doors down, for most of the night. I spent most of the night talking with Kristine's friend, Dan. At about 2:30/1:30 (1:30 if you set your clock back), problems with one person drinking too much occurred. He was brought into Matt's apartment and I decided that between a dozen people trying to help while at the same time yelling at each other that I should leave.

Sadly, what could have been a decent Halloween party wasn't. Halloween Day itself didn't seem much like Halloween. I could have gone trick or treating, but I was too busy. I stopped by Matt's again that night for some really good dinner and then we watched the Simpsons. All was good.

I really don't mind people drinking. I don't like it when they get drunk, especially to the point when others are at risk and the person's life is at risk. Then I worry.

Well crap-o... it turns out I didn't do so hot on my CS 273 exam. Below average in fact. I squeezed some points from a TA so that brought me to average which makes me feel better, but still... not great. More points to come. My problem was 1. I went through it without double checking. 2. I wasn't as efficient as I could have been (always the case).

Here's something cool about mashed potatoes. They help your memory.

Brendon's birthday was yesterday. He got soaked and I locked him out of the room until 11AM or so this morning. Now that he's 18, he can get cigarettes for me.

Dave: Brendon! Here's five dollar, now be a good boy and fetch me some smokes.
Brendon: But... you don't smoke.
D: No 'but's, boy. Now git! While you're at it get me one of 'em booby magazines.
B: Yes, sir...

This quote comes from Jennifer Love Hewitt, but it sounds like something that one of my friends would do or say:

"I love to iron," she says. "I iron my jeans. I'm obsessed with it. Like, why would you iron your jeans? But I iron them just to like feel the wonderfulness of ironing."