I think the first two episodes of the second season of The West Wing may just be my favorite episodes ever.

In other news, watching MBA students attempting to hit on April and I tonight was too funny. April is really just a variation of me - totally idealistic, somewhat pollyanna, naturally happy, out to make the world a better place, etc. And these business students kept blathering on about money and how they had gone back to school to make more money and everything they learned in their classes was about money. The total antithesis of anything April and I might find admirable. And they had no idea.

ok, so the bug I hate more than all other bugs is the sand cricket. Even though I know it's harmless, something about it just repulses me on every level. So what should be in my apartment right now, but a FUCKING SAND CRICKET!!!!!!!!

In other news, I couldn't be happier. (not about the above-mentioned sand cricket, rather because I got to see Chris tonight. sheesh, I'm a goober.)

In totally random news - I was sitting in the lobby of the school of public health this afternoon, when who should I see but Zenobia Wadia! (Only people who went to high school with me will have a clue who this is). Apparently she and Jill McJunkin are both still at Emory, along with Seth Crislip, Brooks's little brother. Too weird. We played catch-up briefly, but it felt a little odd, mostly because we were never really friends back at GW, nor did we hang out with many overlapping people. So it wasn't like we could catch up on old times or anything. Nevertheless, it was pleasant.

Today is a great day. I answered a question correctly in class this morning. It's so exhilarating to feel like I have a clue what's going on in my classes and how to do my homework. I was in over my head for so long at Case, and I got so used to it, that I lost track of the fact that I was drowning. I'm still working here, and I know I just posted a lament about homework, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I feared. And I talked to Sara and Rajan today and they were having the exact same confusion about this week's homework as I was, and we were able to figure it out. Perhaps I am a statistician after all. :-)

Get your dorky statistics humor here.

So I guess I underestimate how well people know me...or the sort of first impression I make, or something. Now, this particular entry is at the risk of sounding like a list of reasons why megan is great, and I swear I don't mean it that way...it's just that lately some friends (old, new, close, and acquaintances whom I thought didn't know me much at all) have been saying some particularly nice and insightful things about me....and I'm pleasantly surprised. I mean, obviously I know my friends care about me...I guess I just don't stop to think very often about the particular reasons why they care about me or what sort of person they consider me to be...so what I'm trying to say is thanks. Particularly lately, when I've been feeling somewhat confused and self-conscious...I really appreciate hearing that I'm a good person whom people like to be around. And that some of my qualities that I'm proud of, but assume go mostly unnoticed, are not so unnoticed. I think I needed that. So, Thanks Guys.

Blarg. Basically completely made up solution to homework problem. Just basic p-value and rejection region stuff. I really should know how to do this. Hate feeling like bad statistician. At least my other classes make sense. Three classes that I understand and one that I'm struggling in is still way better odds than I had at Case, so I guess I can't complain too much. And I'll probably just ask Sara tomorrow after class and realize that I am an idiot and just missed some basic concept in lecture last week. Ah well, it's just one problem, right? One problem shouldn't be enough to make the prof. think I'm totally dumb.

Ok, so I just have to get this out of my system or I'll never get any work done today. The fact that Chris called and asked me out for lunch tomorrow is just another reason for me to like him. I hate those stupid games people play when they're just starting to date, the days people feel are appropriate to wait before calling, etc. But I'm susceptible to them too. Like most of the time today, when I was totally failing at attempts to concentrate on hw, I was wondering any number of things along the lines of, will I seem lame if I call him today? Do I really have to wait until tomorrow? Did I talk too much last night? Did I do something wrong? Does he really like me? I really want to call him today, and I really want to see him again as soon as possible, but does that make me seem desperate? And then in one little phone call he just answered all those questions for me, and now I can just relax and enjoy the notion that I like him and he likes me.

I have a date! (good lord, I'm not even going to say how long it's been since I had a legitimate date) Part of me feels a little foolish for my current adolescent girlish feelings, but part of me is thinking that I'd be better off if I tried to play it cool less often and just enjoyed this nice, giddy little part of life. So I'm trying to do the latter. And I'm practically bouncing off the walls so much, I have no idea how I'm ever going to finish this one home work problem that's due tomorrow. Life is great.

So Happy. Another particularly fun day/evening. So last night we partied at Andy's, because the chem. department threw a little party on the lawn outside their building, featuring pizza and kegs, and the leftovers ended up at Andy's house. Good times had by all, Megan falls asleep on the couch. I was a slug most of this morning, and this afternoon a bunch of us went to Upstart Fest, an all day concert sponsored by a local radio station, featuring bands that are believed to be on the cusp of breaking it big. Most of them were all right to mediocre, but Less Than Jake was superfun. Today was a totally beautiful day, and aside from getting a little more baked in the sun than was probably good for us, it was great to spend all day hanging out in the grass, listening to music. So last night I spent some time talking to Chris (the 32 year old) and got to know him better. At the end of the night he gave me this unexpected, quick peck on the lips. Today, we spent practically the entire afternoon together, and later went to another chemistry party together. He's being cute all night, and when he drives me home I actually manage to ask if he wants to come in for a bit (very proud of myself for pulling this off with minimal awkwardness). He does, and we hang out some more, and nothing really noteworthy happens, but it's generally lovely and I am a very happy girl. I'm also a girl with plenty to do tomorrow, so I should probably stop at this point and get some sleep.