Mary, your sister is crazy

Honestly, who titles an email "Breaking News: Attempted Murder..."? I almost has a heart-attack because I thought someone had tried to kill her! Bahh...

So yesterday was the official KKPsi/TBS Southern Precinct, held by our chapters at Maryland. And wow. It was completely awesome. Meeting brothers from up and down the east coast was incredible, and having the chance to talk to 1/16th of them was a treat. What was even better was seeing that many letters just milling about campus.

After the Precinct and the following Precinct Party (Dutchman!), I had the chance to finally get a full night's sleep and just relax. Today I've considered doing homework for about, ehh...5 minutes? That's what happens when teachers make things due on wednesday and not monday. Which is fiiinnnne by me. Just makes the weekend that much better.

I had a thought earlier today as I enjoyed the lack of work (what, no way! Quick, take a picture or something!!!). When we come to college and finally find our perfect major, we usually become obsessed with getting the top GPA and joining groups that will look great on our resume as they apply to our area of study. And while all of these things are swell and dandy, I feel that many of us are losing the opportunity to do something that we really love. Okay, so the reason we got into our respective studies is to learn about something we love, and we actually enjoy joining some of these groups. But what about the other parts of our life?

We end up sacrificing a huge portion of our interests in order get the ultimate job and make that big bag-o-money. Then we'll leave college and work hard for a while before we realize that there's something missing. That's when we try to pick up those interests again, and probably come to the conclusion that picking up anything when working hard for over 40 hours a week isn't that easy. Bummer.

So here's a call to everyone out there (I know there are so many of you that read this blog). Go join a group that has absolutely nothing to do with your major. Follow some interest you've been harboring over the years, yet have been afraid it "won't look good on your resume." Hell, it may take up some time, but it'll be worth it to have that extra something you love when your quiz grade doesn't come back with an A+ on it. Don't go giving up your studies completely either, because staying involved in a campus group is hard to do when you cant be around to enjoy it (sad but true :/).

My home away from aerospace engineering, if any of you were wondering, is Kappa Kappa Psi. Someone once tried to tell me that KKPsi looks good on a resume, but I know better. Most people who read "Kappa Kappa Psi, National Honorary Band Fraternity" don't really get the amount of passion and work that goes into such a name without seeing it first-hand. Yet I couldn't care less. The work I do and the people I work with are completely worth the blank stares and little head scratches.

If any of you actually made it this far in my post, congrats. I know it was a long one. Hopefully I've gotten you to think a little, although half of you are probably now thinking about food because getting through this post caused you to miss a meal or two.

btw, Mary? Tell your sister she's insane. Crazy Meier family.....just kidding, I love you guys.

*Slowly nods off..*

I just spent the last 14 hours of my life (from 7:30 pm on thursday to 9:30 am on friday) working on my aerospace controls homework. Granted, there were 2 hours of napping in there on a living chair and table, so the real total is about 12 hours. But seriously, this is ridiculous.

AND SCHOOL WASN'T CANCELED. WTF????

So now I'm about to get a quick shower before I head off to my two hour aerospace structures class, which I will inevitably sleep through. I actually plan on bringing a comfy hoody to use as a pillow. My middle name might as well be "resourceful". Christopher Resourceful Payne. CRP.



I'm pretty sure this is what it feels like to be on crack, minus the bloody nose.

Say no to thermo

It's funny how these posts always seem to come between me and thermo homework. And because thermo is not a person, I'm not going to give it the privilege of "thermo homework and I." Suck it up, thermo.

Well, I was going to post a humorous little cartoon I drew in structures last week, but blogspot doesn't seem to agree with large pictures. I may just post it on facebook along with some other cartoons I've done in the past, so everyone will just have to go there and look at it. On that note, I hate the Diamondback. Accept some material other than what you or some of your friends wrote, you damn editors. If I have to read another Mike O'Brien comic, I'll probably mail him a box with "nut" and "butter"'s heads in it. Granted, paper heads won't quite have the same effect as real animal heads, but I'm not a murderer people. Come on. Plus, I'll probably save on postage.

So today I went to the south campus diner today after a soccer game to pick up some late night, and I (quite excitedly, I might add) got an egg nog milkshake. I know, I know; it sounds delicious, right? After procuring said milkshake, I headed over to the condiment stand to pick up some ketchup for my crispy chicken tenders and beer-battered fries (if your mouth isn't watering right now, you could have a salivary gland problem...and should probably get that checked out). This all happened as I juggled a take-out box, the milkshake, my trumpet case and music folder (from ujazz), and my soccer bag. Throw in the property of inertia and the end result was milkshake all over my trumpet case, jacket, leg, and shoes. Of course, being the civilized, helpful people that Maryland students are, everyone just went "ooooo" and continued on their merry way towards the sandwich bar or grill. Does my milkshake bring all the boys to the yard? Not when I'm walking around covered in it while looking for napkins.

There's my fun rant-of-the-day. I'll work on getting the comic up somewhere. And I'm sure, upon reading it, you will all comment that my artistic genius and clever dialogues make for an extraordinary comic adventure.

You're all too kind, I tell you.

Guhhhh

Last night, around 1am, I came down with a phenomenal cold.

I say phenomenal because I went from perfectly fine to faucet-nose and massive sneezing attacks in about 5 minutes. Kudos to whatever bug is inside of me; that takes quick action and an amazing ability to reproduce in mass proportions on-the-go.

So as I blow my nose for the 125th time today (my original box of 250 tissues is now halfway depleted), I groggily consider whether my nose will stay attached to my face. I guess if another hole forms on the side of a nostril, I'll have the opportunity to get a piercing without the needle...

Staying home rather than going to class has given me the chance to reflect on my past illnesses. And to put off my thermo homework. Inevitably, I expect this happens to everyone, as they compare their current state to "the flu of '99" or "the ear infection from Disney World" (true story). My mind now goes back to winter break, when I had the opportunity to visit Hong Kong and China. After a great week in Hong Kong, we took the train to Guangzho, China to visit my friend's parents and sample the local culture. The first night there, I came down with a ridiculous (love them adjectives) fever, then within the next couple of days a weird stomache cramp, and when we finally left China, I threw up. Let's just say I wont be flying back to that part of China anytime soon.

And now, as I pop another couple of Tylenol Cold pills and blow my nose for the fifth time this post, I decide that I'll take the runny nose and half-lidded eyes over "the China virus." But that still wont stop me from ignoring my thermo homework.

Just a little introduction...

One of the first things you've probably done since reaching this page is taken a look at the site address. If you haven't, you've now let your eyes wonder north shortly after reading that first sentence. And, most likely, some form of "what? Christ?" has sprung into your mind. So you keep reading....

...and discover that I am, in fact, Christ.

Chris T. to be more specific (and now a less likely target for excommunication). My name is Christopher T. Payne, Chris for short. When fully thrown together, I am christpayne.

I am not Jesus Christ. Nor am I the anti-Christ, although I'm sure at one point in time someone mingled with that idea. More realistically, I'm just a - sometimes quiet, sometimes a bit too loud, sometimes a few grains short of a castle, and sometimes the only one who knew how to build it - kind of guy.

And now I'm the kind of guy who has a blog. So read on...or up. However this works.