Grad student.

So, I guess I'm officially some kind of grad student now. Crazy! So here's what I've learned so far:

The gym is amazing. And everyone who wants one gets his/her OWN locker - I can leave my shoes, flip-flops, and shower stuff in the locker ALL OF THE TIME. And there's a pool (!), and some of the cardio machines have their own mini cable TVs. I can watch the Food Network while working out - heaven!

Not so heavenly: book prices. I spent $120 on one book that I probably won't even use that much. Grr.

Epidemiology seems cool! And the professor made a number of anti-Bush jokes today, including one about epidemiologists in Louisiana doing "a heck of a job."

The library is pretty impressive. Look at all of the journals I can get for free!

And the UPASS is the most awesome thing ever. Free bus rides, whenever I want!

But, um, there's going to be a lot of work. If this infringes on my Laguna Beach watching, I'm going to be pissed.

Compliment?

Tonight, some dude in a bar said to me, "You have a natural beauty. ... Like Europe."

I look like a continent? WTF?!?!

Pork chops and...fennel sauce.

I say that I love all vegetables, but there are some I love more than others. Fennel has always been on the not-love-so-much side of the continuum. We got some fennel in last week's CSA box and I figured I'd let it go slowly soft in the fridge (of course, I'd mean to cook it, but never get around to it) until I saw an episode of Everyday Italian last week.

Yup, Everyday Italian, with that perpendicular girl Giada De Laurentiis. She may be skinny, but she cooks some good food. Like her pork chops with fennel sauce. (I omitted the capers, because I'm not a huge fan, and I only cooked 2 pork chops so it was extra saucy - delicious with polenta.)

Really, really good.

Attention!

To whomever got to my blog by googling "Lloyd Dobler" and "halloween costume," DO IT. What a fantastic idea.

Rhymes with...tune?

So apparently someone flipped some switch over at the old Microsoft today, and I am finally able to tell people what Nate works on: Zune! (Seriously, watch the video - with sound. I am completely obsessed with the Apple switch ads [Warren P. Cheswick!], not to mention the whole iPod aesthetic, but even I love this. And keep watching after the song ends. There's more! [The guy with the rabbit...!])

And I guess he can show it to people. So come on over and see the Zune!

No, I am NOT giving up my Nano.

Looong weekend.

This was definitely a long (and good!) weekend. On Friday, I went to see the "People Talking and Singing" event - a benefit for 826 Seattle. On the not-so-benefit side, I got my tickets for free. But still, it would have been worth spending $30 for children's literacy programs while watching John Hodgman and Daniel Handler and Sarah Vowell and Colin Meloy and Ben Gibbard. And Smoosh! Plus, afterwards, I had "cajunized" tater tots. Mmm.

Saturday, we went on a run, on which I stopped halfway through because of leg pain. I half-hobbled back home, while worrying that my leg was semi-permanently damaged from my recent running event (I hope not). Then we went to Eastside dim sum (tasty, but the carts weren't varied or frequent enough) and on the search for a pumpkin. Who knew that it would be so hard to find a pumpkin before Labor Day? (The pumpkin was for pumpkin beer. Margaret is having an October Pumpkin Party and I coerced Nate into contributing a pumpkin beer.) Saturday night, we went to dinner with Phil (I haven't linked to you yet! I apologize!) and Laura. I wanted to go to Dinette, but apparently I am an idiot and couldn't read the website. (That's "reservations accepted for parties up to eight," not "reservations for parties of eight or more." Doh.) So we went to Cafe Lago, and I had a delicious goat cheese/caramelized onion pizza, followed by a slice of a super-rich chocolate birthday cake (generously donated from Margaret's family, who happened to be celebrating Margaret's mom's birthday at Cafe Lago that very night).

Sunday, I went on a bike ride with my favorite bike ride companions, Mark and Kelly (okay, fine, Nate and Margaret aren't half bad, either). We rode out to the Maltby Cafe and shared a HUGE cinnamon bun. I also ate one of the best BLTs I have ever had. (To tell the truth, the whole ride out there, I was thinking about the BLT I was planning on ordering. And the whole ride back, I was thinking about the BLT I had just eaten.) Sunday night Margaret hosted a party to celebrate our Hood to Coast completion. Linsey made one of the best things I've had the pleasure of drinking - blended lemon sorbet, champagne, and vodka, with a mint garnish. This paired very well with the peanut butter pretzels.

Monday was Bumbershoot! But honestly, it wasn't that great. The crowds overwhelmed me, and you couldn't get into any of the comedy shows I wanted to see (Upright Citizens Brigade, David Cross' Tinkle, a Trapped in the Closet comedy "roundtable") without waiting at least 2 hours in a line. Plus, there weren't any bands I was dying to see. (Tribe was great, but I haven't loved them for years like most people. And, while I love Feist, she alone was not enough to justify the price of admission.)

Tonight, I went to Brasa's happy hour. Two words: fried avocado.