And strangely, my life is as lame as before the game.

This is going to sound nuts, but sometimes all I want is those desolate stretches of SC 28 where there is no radio or cell phone reception. I know where I am and where I’m going, and everything is familiar.

Is that weird?

When I was overwhelmed in high school, I would skip class and drive home, stopping at New Moon for a chocolate chip muffin and root beer. I would go home, eat half the muffin, drink the root beer, and take a nap. When I woke up, I’d finish my homework and the muffin. It was such a simple, effective routine. I wish I had a chocolate chip muffin and root beer right now.

I’m sure you’re going to love real life.

Watch your stapler!

(PS to everyone who is not Matthew: Matthew got a job offer in Surrey. He is rule!)

House Expands Federal Aid to College Students

“Today’s vote was about expanding the size and scope of the federal government through tens of billions of dollars in new entitlement spending and the elimination of choice, competition, and the innovation of the private sector,” [Representative John Kline of Minnesota] said. “This job-killing legislation is rife with hidden costs that will be passed on to future generations.”

(NY Times)

As a student with loans, I would like to offer my opinion on elimination of choice, competition, and the innovation of the private sector.

The art of economics works only with perfect information on both sides. When I was approved for my loans, I was given a long list of possible sources for my loans, and one credit union even sent me a postcard to vie for my business. The list didn’t come with any kind of information about terms and conditions each bank has. Was I supposed to exhaustively research every one of those banks? Branch locations, loan terms, repayment options? Since I didn’t know anyone in Austin, how was I supposed to know which bank had a good reputation? My dad was talking to me earlier about how a large array of choices makes decisions harder, not easier, and in this case I agree with him. I could have done with fewer choices.

As for competition, the only thing I can say is that banks should not be in the business of competing for students.

And why is the private sector trying to be innovative with something that’s pretty cut-and-dry? You give a student money to pay for education, they hope to pay you back in full plus interest within a certain time period. What is there to get fancy about? I thought fancy loans were what helped cause the economy’s meltdown to begin with.

I’d be happy to get money from the federal government at a lower interest rate with more leniency.

My back hurts.

August seems to have disappeared from this blog.

I have impressions of Texas and Austin. Here are some of them:

Texas: US 79 S. While driving here, mom and I got tired of the interstate, so we got off of it just after crossing the border into TX from LA. We figured it would also be more direct, since we then wouldn’t have to go all the way to Dallas and turn south. While on US 79 south, we encountered all kinds of delays: roads not-quite-paved with loose gravel that made a nasty racket underneath my car, road work making the road one-lane for a mile, traffic lights etc. And the speed limits! I’ve never known a non-interstate road to have a speed limit of more than 55, but these limits were 70 in the day and 65 at night. Also, driving behavior I’ve never encountered: on a two-lane road, if a car decided to overtake the car in front of it, the slower car would move into the shoulder, which is the size of a full lane, in order to let the faster car pass. There are also driveways connecting to the highway, so the shoulder allows cars to back out and accelerate to driving speed while not blocking up traffic.

Distances. They are big. There are no towns in rural Texas, just crossroads with maybe a light, a few buildings, and maybe a gas station that certainly does not have a public bathroom. If you take the insane-o heat into account, the lack of towns with gas stations makes it difficult for a couple of thru-driving gals who have been drinking cold water like camels since Louisiana.

In the same way, Austin is big. Austin is huge. They say it’s a big city with a small-town feel, but so far I really haven’t gotten the small-town vibe. Apparently if you frequent the same places, you’ll run into the same people repeatedly. It could simply be that I haven’t been here long enough to have frequented any places.

I-35 runs north/south through the eastern part of the city. That means there is a buttload of traffic and large roads around it, and since I live east of it and the university is west of it, guess who gets to pass over or under it every time she rides to UT? Cycling in highly dangerous areas is going to take some getting used to. Which brings me to my next observation: when it comes to being bike-unfriendly, Clemson and Aiken have got nothing on Austin. I have had 4 bike rides so far, commuting to and from the university, and I have seen few bike racks and have been yelled at at least twice and buzzed at least once. But I already wrote about that.

Last night was the first time I’ve ever been afeared for my life while on a bicycle. There was a scavenger hunt in the afternoon that culminated in a beer at Scholz’s Beer Garten in downtown Austin, and by the time I saddled up for the ride home it was 9 or so. It was full-on dark, and I had my lights, trying to be safe. But 1) the recently finished soccer game caused lots of traffic just where I was, and 2) I have to cross under I-35 on my way home. I stayed on sidewalks the entire way home and did lots of pedestrian things that I’ve berated others for doing in the past. It was terrifying. Also I was wearing the state flag of Texas on my head, which did nearly come off once, which I had to rectify by pulling it down over my face.

me: Compose a sentence using the word brogue.
Matthew: I find an Irish brogue to be a most pleasing accent.
me: Check your definition.
Matthew: I should don a stout brogue and deliver a swift kick up your backside for being so picky with your definitions!

My leg is twice its normal size.

Alan uploaded all my pictures to his picasa, so feel free to browse them.

A few gems:

Brooke the wagon-puller, with brother, friend, mother.

A happy camper.

Brooke found someone else to pull.

I love how you can see all the way down her throat.

Glowstick fun

A work of fire

And that’s all, you can find all these and the rest on his picasa, also a few short videos.