October 15, 1999
A Whirlwind of Activity

I’m back! I know it has been a week since I last wrote an entry and that is a tragedy. However, I do have quite a few topics to discuss here so you won’t be bored reading today. Here is an overview of the past week of activities (now you will understand the title of this entry):

MONDAY – Space Systems Design project and presentation 4th period, Chi Connections sorority activity after dinner
TUESDAY – Society of Women Engineers meeting 6:10 PM, Pratt-Whitney information session 7 PM, dynamics group meeting immediately afterward
WEDNESDAY – Pratt-Whitney interview screening between 9 AM and 3 PM, Women’s Chorale dress rehearsal 3-4:45 PM, Alpha Chi midterm party 7:30 PM
THURSDAY – Alpha Chi composite picture 11:50 AM, Pratt-Whitney interview 1 PM, meeting with my dynamics professor 5:10 PM, Women’s Chorale performance 6:30 PM (actual concert started at 8 PM)
FRIDAY – Space System Design exam 4th period, GA pillowcase due by 3 PM, 1st Alpha Chi initiation roll call 4:30 PM

I put everything on that list that I was supposed to participate in, but due to extenuating circumstances I wasn’t able to make it to all of those events. I was studying during the midterm party on Wednesday night. Oh, the sorrows of having to study for a test! I missed the SWE meeting on Tuesday because I didn’t know about it until that day. Also I didn’t meet with my dynamics professor yesterday because I had forgotten my music for the chorus concert at home and I needed to go and get it. What a week and it’s not over yet. I still have to be ready for the beginning of initiation tonight. I have the privilege of working in the kitchen tonight during dinner instead of being a part of that phase of initiation because we can’t have visitors in the house at this time. This means that I don’t have to wear a dress, but I do have to wash the dirty dishes. The price you pay for missing bits and pieces of initiation.

Let me tell you about the rest of my week. The space systems project that I did with Stuart and Danny was a hit. Besides doing a report that I think was rather good considering we don’t really know much about satellite technology, we also made t-shirts with our mission logo on them. Other students said it made them look bad because we did something distinctive with our project, but that means it made us look good! My interviews with Pratt-Whitney went great and I am looking forward to hearing from them. I have to email a revised version of my resume to the interviewer (who happens to be a good friend of Emmy’s) as soon as possible. I guess that means I should get his email address first! He told me that Pratt-Whitney will probably not hire for summer internships this early, but getting my foot in the door might pay off next semester when they are looking for interns. Also, Fall Choir’s Concert went really well. Stuart came to listen to me sing and said it sounded very good. I was pleased with how it wounded from my perspective and that’s what really matters. Too bad we have to wear hideous turquoise shimmering dresses! I didn’t stay for the entire concert because I had to study for the space systems test, but I did get to hear Chamber Singers and they were quite good. Speaking of the space systems test, it was harder than I expected. I knew that it would be mostly theoretical material on the closed-book section (the one I took today), but I didn’t know it was going to be so in-depth. On Monday we will get the open-book and take-home section of the exam. I am glad we still have another half for this test because I don’t think I did very well on the first half. And, believe it or not, my composite picture is going to be good this year!

Now here’s a quick look at my weekend prospects. Hurricane Irene, moving NNE from the Gulf of Mexico, is dumping a lot of water on Miami right now. Of course, I didn’t hear about this little storm until it was going to possibly ruin my weekend. As of last night I am still planning to go to Miami with Stu tomorrow. Too bad the speed of Irene is only 8 mph and it might not be through Miami in time for us to make it there for a visit. I hope we can still go. I was planning to miss the actual initiation ceremony tomorrow morning because of this trip, but Stu won’t hear of me paying any sort of fine on his behalf. I need to talk with the Warden and see if my pitiful excuse holds any water. I doubt I will get a break from the fine because I planned a trip. What a pain in the rump. (That’s a Danny phrase for those you who don’t recognize it.) Everything will work itself out somehow and I’ll give you the verdict in my next entry – whenever that is going to be!

Here’s a great story. I just called Meghan on her cell phone to ask about Danny being home the weekend of Halloween (the weekend I am planning to be in Tallahassee) and she was with him when I called. I haven’t heard anything from him (much) for a long time and it was nice to hear his voice over the phone. Danny has been on different ships for the past several months because he is a cadet at the Merchant Marine Academy. I know Meghan was glad to see him and I will be too when I am home. I wish Stu could come with me that weekend, but he has a prior commitment and that's understandable. Speaking of weekend plans (as I have been for a couple of paragraphs now), next weekend is the Alpha Chi Destination Unknown. That’s a date function where we don’t know where we are going until we are already on the bus and on our way there. Emmy is the date function chair, but she won’t give Stu or me too many clues as to our destination. I hope we aren’t going to Islands of Adventure since Stu and I went there at the beginning of August, but from what Emmy has said it doesn’t see that way. If I get any more clues I’ll be sure to jot them down here.

Now that I have caught everyone up on my life it is time for me to go get ready for initiation roll call. I have to wear black casual clothes, but of course I left my black jeans at home. I will have to wear some nice black pants and hope they don’t get dirty in the kitchen. I need those pants for Stu’s Homecoming party in a few weeks! I hope everyone has been busy like me, but not quite as stressed out. Be on the lookout for new diary entries, but don’t hold your breath. Ciao.