Iowa in October

Is pretty.

We went to Iowa this weekend. The drive down there was beautiful – fall colors and whatnot. I slept for most of the drive back, so I can’t tell you much about that, except for the part about the rain and the rest area with the signs saying “don’t drink the water cuz it has bacteria in it” and then I had to decide whether it was worse to wash my hands in bacteria filled water or not wash my hands, understanding that I had flushed a toilet with those hands in a PUBLIC restroom. I choose to wash my hands in the bacteria filled water and not lick the bacteria off my hands.

But now that I’m back home, I just can’t get into the swing of things. My dad had some internet connection questions he asked me (umm…note to dad: me? I don’t even know where the blue cord goes in the back of my computer) and I spent a good hour and a half doing research for him and emailing him. That felt good and useful, but, um, I don’t really have an hour and a half to do that. Likewise, I don’t really have a half hour to write this blog entry, but that’s what I mean. I can’t get into the swing of writing anything else.

I spent some time this weekend thinking about a dissertation topic (I was in IOWA – okay, just kidding, we were quite busy most of the time, but there was the drive and the entire Saturday afternoon to think). And I know what I’m interested in, but I don’t think it’s going to be a burning question that any of the faculty care about. So, I’m going to spend tonight writing a page or two on it and then I’m going to march down the hall and talk to all the American politics professors until one of them gives me even the smallest bit of encouragement that it is interesting.

FYI – it was sad to be in Iowa during the loss to Michigan. As a matter of fact, since I was driving Monster, who has Michigan plates, I got lots of glares and nasty honks. Biker Boy was kind of upset. I thought about making him a big sign he could hold up to the window: “I WENT TO IOWA, JACKASS.” But he wasn’t a fan of that particular idea.

So, this weekend I met some of BB’s friends FROM HIGH SCHOOL. That’s right, my friends. My little Biker Boy had a life before college. And one of these friends went to college with him and told this great story about Biker Boy. This was a story I had actually heard from BB already, but this was hearing the story from an entirely different perspective. And I got some dirt on BB that will involve lots of begging on his part if he doesn’t want me to blab it to the ENTIRE world.

So, there you have it. There’s actually no point to this rant. No point at all. I’m should go to school now. And go to class. I have to lead a study session today, too. For my TA class. Because I actually get paid to do this job, so I should actually do it.