First note: Rick Ankiel has fallen way off his hot streak. Mebbe the hoopla spread by me and everyone else killed him, but since that 7 RBI game, he’s played another 14 games, with 7 hits in 49 at bats (hope I counted right), which counts for a .143 avg over that time. He’s had 1 RBI, no HR, and 3 runs. But such is baseball. Players have hot and cold streaks, players come and fade, and things can change instantly. Maybe Rick just had some Custer in him. Or maybe his ‘roids wore off.
I was sitting in the dining hall with the kids in my dorm and my RAs when the topic of the food came up. Apparently, our dining hall’s minor theme is East Asian food. Here’s kind of how it went, through my bad paraphrasing:
“It’s Asian food, but it’s not the real Asian food. It’s the Americanized Asian food.”
“Yeah, but I still like it.”
“It’s kind of a guilty pleasure. It’s like…” *quiet for a moment*
“It’s kind of like liking Kelly Clarkson.”
Wow.
There’s something really amazing that happens between students here. I guess all colleges have it: that mix of brilliant minds who come together with their curiosity as their binding quality. It creates a strong social tie, yet people are so diverse, breaking all stereotypes and past “understanding.”
The campus is, of course, beautiful. The weather is less than Stanford’s best, being a little chilly, but to me, it’s more than fine. I often tell people that I’ve lived close to both extremes, being in the Canadian winter, and the Texas heat. And anywhere in-between is just fine.
I’ve been on campus for 3-4 days now, and it feels great. I’m not settled at all. Heck, I still don’t know what classes I’m taking, but I’m going to like this, if the groove continues. The university is very understanding, and it’s a nice change to have a reasonable administration. Policies are generous, and common sense really is the best guide for what to do.
Earlier this evening, we had dorm group discussions about policy, about what happens with alcohol and relationships and sex. We expounded on our opinions of rape, social interaction, understanding. An hour or two later, we ran across the campus, from fountain to fountain, frolicking in the darkness. And sub-par Stanford weather. While screaming our dorm’s pride. This place is the whole package.