Words &c.

Leapt on a bus at too:early AM yesterday and got into Ashland for registration at SOU. My initial unease ("I'm coming here in a few months to spend the next four years here and I don't know anyone") was offset by the fact that everyone is just plain likable (not just the admissions staff, but all the incoming freshmen I was with).

The first evening was an introduction (during which, thanks to the Tom-donated OPB shirt, am now remembered as The Guy In The OPB Shirt), dinner, going down to one of the Green Shows (a very good band from Mexico - I've heard more good Mexican music in two days of Ashland than I did in seven days of Mexico), coming back to our dorms and being greeted by a doe and her fawns strutting boldly through campus.

Surprisingly, excepting my own packing difficulties* and a massive blister on my right foot, everything with registration went smoothly.

Having 31 credits from Advanced Placement makes picking the first term of classes a whole lot less intimidating. AP Psychology, U.S. History, and Government together took care of all my basic Social Sciences requirements, and Chemistry took care of 8 of 12 of my Actual Science requirements (though by rights Psychology should be in the latter section).

Classes for first term:

HST 111 - World Civilization - It's a prerequisite for a lot of other history courses, and I like the subject matter anyhow. Though I'm pretty sure I know everything after playing Sid Meier's Civilization.

CH334 - Introduction to Organic Chemistry - I am rightfully terrified of this class, but it must be done. I would have taken the introductory Forensic Science class, but it doesn't actually fulfill any prerequisites towards anything.

USEM 101H - Why Art? - One of the honors University Seminar courses. There were a lot of tempting ones, but I decided to choose one of the three Honors courses and this was the most interesting. Essentially, it looks like Art History.

FLM 295 - Masterpieces of Film - O, the silver screen! This was actually a last-minute choice, since my adviser wasn't aware that the basic art classes are restricted to actual art majors until the very last moment (I wanted to take Introductory Drawings - ah well, next year). I took this on a whim instead, because I've been wanting to take a film class since junior year of high school and they always fill up before I get in.

SOU also boasts a very nice and usable internet system. I can now also be contacted at loftusm@students.sou.edu, if you feel a pressing need to email me somewhere that does not have nigh-limitless storage.

Right now I'm at the Ashland Hostel, which has (unlike the dorms - you need an ethernet cable) wireless. It's very nice, and is perfect for housing a whole group of friends on a trip. Alas, I am but one man amongst Appalachian mountain climbers.

I think my stomach is telling me to go find a meal, but my right foot is threatening to kill me if I put weight on it.

* When I leave the house on some errand, I always forget one thing. If I leave the house on a journey outside Portland without a month to fastidiously plan, I forget a dozen things. Thus was the case this time, yet my bag still weighs as though I'm carrying nuclear warhead materials.**

**I'm not.