(no subject)
12/10/06
It has been around ten days since my last journal update. To say nothing happened between those days would be entirely untrue. However, as I sit here in the early hours of Sunday I find it hard to recap in a coherent order. We will start with a summery and perhaps as I go through it will jog my memory.
It is now fifteen days till Christmas, but it hasn't really hit me. Funny how for the longest time I had a hard time realizing that I am actually here in AZ, where I learn to become a professional engineer. However now, I am finding it hard to believe that I will be returning home very soon. By now I have fully settled with my living space. Alas, I am still without a microwave promised to me many weeks ago, but I have grown to not need to use it at all. I do of course cook and by my standards I am doing quite fine. Perhaps, not the most healthy of diets: although I am eating three carrot sticks in the morning to try and finish off the vegetables in my fridge. School is smashing as ever, by now I have conversed and feel comfortable with almost everyone in my class. As a class we maybe one of the most diverse and most active bunch of people in the school. However, after meeting (and continue to meet) more fellow CRAS students, it makes me think twice about my previous statement. Everyone here are just so nice and friendly, especially when it comes to sharing music and sessions and such. Amazing. I know I have praised them before.
It has now been three weeks since my start at the conservatory and I have finally graduated to the "Second Cycle." Almost everyone I talked to said that the worst is over and the Second Cycle is a breeze. I do hope so, but at the same time it would be a shame to have my recently revived study skills to rot away. Oh, speaking of which, I am pleased to announce that I am acing my tests in every class. Although, not a perfect 4.0, but I am not complaining. I can actually say that I worked hard to get those scores too, it's not a slacker school, despite the initial judgement of the characters that attend here (I will elaborate on that later.) It's not uncommon for me to stay up until 3 in the morning studying with my friends. There was one night, Tim, Raymond and I were at the Tempe Conservatory campus studying till 4 in the morning. The facility is open 24 hours, so that wasn't an issue. Getting proper sleep before the test was. The next morning I got 100% on the test. Sweetness. I can feel the surge of motivational force I have experienced back in the Jr. High days. School is good.
Now, about these school students. They are hip, they are fun, and they smoke. 90% smoke cigarettes, but most of all they smoke pot as well. Yes, the Mar-J-Wana. I can't tell you how many parties and smaller private parties I have been to in which they would just block off a room to smoke. Unfortunately that is usually where the computers are and where everyone is. It's good to know that I don't get asthma attack on these occasion. So, why am I hanging out with such crowd? Why can't I be a good boy and stay away from drugs? HAha, well it's time for a wake up call to reality. In this business connections is everything, the more friends you have, the more connections you have. I can't afford to lose potential client or opportunity just because some of them do pot on occasion. Besides, they amuse me. Not to say at all that I have begun to smoke, no I don't need drugs to feel high. The contact high does enough for me. It s also nice to know that my friends at the conservatory respect that. I may also be the only one in the conservatory that doesn't drink, or at least drink on a regular basis. Thus it's natural that I am the designated driver for these parties quite often. It's fine for them (since they want to drink) and it's fine for me, because I get invited to these parties. Usually it doesn't get too bad, although tonight is another exception.
Here is the story:
We had class today (that would be on a Saturday) to make up for the one we didn't have due to Thanksgiving day. It the last test for our Troubleshooting class and thus we graduated for Second Cycle. As being crazy young adults who thought nothing, but an excuse to party, we decided to all group at Boston's house. Since I was a designated driver for Tim and Bobbie before I drove them over there. Morgan came with too, since she did not have to go to work till three in the afternoon. It took about twenty minutes to get to Boston's house and the party started. Some Second Cycle guys (my neighbors) showed up and we all chatted and laughed. I never had a laughing session so long and hard before, it was getting hard to believe. We were playing soccer in his house and also played hacky-sack for a good hour. Unfortunately it went down hill from there. I was under an arch entrance into the kitchen it I had about half a foot of clearance. That wasn't very relevant until my attempt at head but the hacky-sack coming my way. I missed the sack and smashed into the arch roof and cracked the wall paper on it. I couldn't stop laughing for a good half an hour. By then the rest of the people were in the room getting high, or something. Really, that was the last thing on my mind at that point. I was laughing so hard, it would seem like I was drunk, or high, or both. I crashed on the couch tried to recoup my mind. I was still laughing at this point. Struggling for breath I sat. Morgan comes strolling from the right side and sits next to me, and it would seem that she is smashed with fermented drinks (or so I thought anyways.) We exchanged the kind of conversations that you would have between two drunk persons:
"Hey"
"HEY!"
"Dude, you looked smashed."
*Excessive goofy laughter*
"Yeah, well *more laughter*"
"Dude, you are gone man."
"Shut up *more laughter*"
She then gets up and walks about. My head started to ache thinking about what my friends are going to say, but then thought nothing of it after a good look around the place. The place is a not in top shape, they would probably not notice when sober, let alone high. So, I sat there trying not to laugh. Then Morgan walks by with a sickly look about her, "I don't feel too well, I am going out for a bit." At that point, throat became filled with mucus, so I headed out as well and hacked about. I sat on Sheila and gazed at the starts a bit. Morgan was squatting and then called someone; she didn't look very well at all. Then as I headed back into the house she coughed out, "Max, take me home." No arguments here, it was time to go for her. So, I left Bobbie and Tim there and decided to come after I dropped her off. Since I wasn't sure my directions, I got Phoenix to come with (his real name is Matt, but how dull is that?) me, and we headed back. As it turns out she did a little more than just drink alcohol. She, for the first time smoked pot. And my, what a first impression she got. She ranted on the way back, how entirely horrible pot is and warned me against it. She then preceded to be really goofy, as expected with people that are high, started saying how much she loved 48th street and all sorts of other things. I suppose we learned a bit more about her that drive back, but no sense in dribbling about it now, besides it is really none of my business. I must of been of been suffering from her fumes too, because I noticed I sounded pretty similar to her on the way back to our apartment. In any case we walked her back to her room and bid her farewell and headed back. Got, gas and returned to Boston's house, but no one was left. Everyone left during the duration of the drive home. So, I drove home and here I am. I am just glad it wasn't me who felt ill and were going to throw up as soon as they came home. Gross. Lesson learned: don't do drugs kids. Well, at least she wont go back to it. Lol.
I must say this isn't the most exciting thing that happened this week, there seem to be something going on everyday, I really do feel like I am living in a sit-com. It will be interesting to go back to WA and see the difference is. I won't say that things will be dull back there, but perhaps it's not a bad idea to take a break from all of this craziness for two weeks. You see, at the Conservatory, it's like sex, drugs and rock and roll, but without the sex. Don't be surprised at me if I say at these parties there are hardly any female types, which can be a good thing I suppose.
Well, that will be all for now, I am going to head back to sleep and wait in anticipation on what tomorrow (or later today, as it often is) will bring. All I know is I am heading over to Phoenix's studio to record some guitar and vocals with Tim and finally touch an acoustic piano. It shall be a good day.
Max
It has been around ten days since my last journal update. To say nothing happened between those days would be entirely untrue. However, as I sit here in the early hours of Sunday I find it hard to recap in a coherent order. We will start with a summery and perhaps as I go through it will jog my memory.
It is now fifteen days till Christmas, but it hasn't really hit me. Funny how for the longest time I had a hard time realizing that I am actually here in AZ, where I learn to become a professional engineer. However now, I am finding it hard to believe that I will be returning home very soon. By now I have fully settled with my living space. Alas, I am still without a microwave promised to me many weeks ago, but I have grown to not need to use it at all. I do of course cook and by my standards I am doing quite fine. Perhaps, not the most healthy of diets: although I am eating three carrot sticks in the morning to try and finish off the vegetables in my fridge. School is smashing as ever, by now I have conversed and feel comfortable with almost everyone in my class. As a class we maybe one of the most diverse and most active bunch of people in the school. However, after meeting (and continue to meet) more fellow CRAS students, it makes me think twice about my previous statement. Everyone here are just so nice and friendly, especially when it comes to sharing music and sessions and such. Amazing. I know I have praised them before.
It has now been three weeks since my start at the conservatory and I have finally graduated to the "Second Cycle." Almost everyone I talked to said that the worst is over and the Second Cycle is a breeze. I do hope so, but at the same time it would be a shame to have my recently revived study skills to rot away. Oh, speaking of which, I am pleased to announce that I am acing my tests in every class. Although, not a perfect 4.0, but I am not complaining. I can actually say that I worked hard to get those scores too, it's not a slacker school, despite the initial judgement of the characters that attend here (I will elaborate on that later.) It's not uncommon for me to stay up until 3 in the morning studying with my friends. There was one night, Tim, Raymond and I were at the Tempe Conservatory campus studying till 4 in the morning. The facility is open 24 hours, so that wasn't an issue. Getting proper sleep before the test was. The next morning I got 100% on the test. Sweetness. I can feel the surge of motivational force I have experienced back in the Jr. High days. School is good.
Now, about these school students. They are hip, they are fun, and they smoke. 90% smoke cigarettes, but most of all they smoke pot as well. Yes, the Mar-J-Wana. I can't tell you how many parties and smaller private parties I have been to in which they would just block off a room to smoke. Unfortunately that is usually where the computers are and where everyone is. It's good to know that I don't get asthma attack on these occasion. So, why am I hanging out with such crowd? Why can't I be a good boy and stay away from drugs? HAha, well it's time for a wake up call to reality. In this business connections is everything, the more friends you have, the more connections you have. I can't afford to lose potential client or opportunity just because some of them do pot on occasion. Besides, they amuse me. Not to say at all that I have begun to smoke, no I don't need drugs to feel high. The contact high does enough for me. It s also nice to know that my friends at the conservatory respect that. I may also be the only one in the conservatory that doesn't drink, or at least drink on a regular basis. Thus it's natural that I am the designated driver for these parties quite often. It's fine for them (since they want to drink) and it's fine for me, because I get invited to these parties. Usually it doesn't get too bad, although tonight is another exception.
Here is the story:
We had class today (that would be on a Saturday) to make up for the one we didn't have due to Thanksgiving day. It the last test for our Troubleshooting class and thus we graduated for Second Cycle. As being crazy young adults who thought nothing, but an excuse to party, we decided to all group at Boston's house. Since I was a designated driver for Tim and Bobbie before I drove them over there. Morgan came with too, since she did not have to go to work till three in the afternoon. It took about twenty minutes to get to Boston's house and the party started. Some Second Cycle guys (my neighbors) showed up and we all chatted and laughed. I never had a laughing session so long and hard before, it was getting hard to believe. We were playing soccer in his house and also played hacky-sack for a good hour. Unfortunately it went down hill from there. I was under an arch entrance into the kitchen it I had about half a foot of clearance. That wasn't very relevant until my attempt at head but the hacky-sack coming my way. I missed the sack and smashed into the arch roof and cracked the wall paper on it. I couldn't stop laughing for a good half an hour. By then the rest of the people were in the room getting high, or something. Really, that was the last thing on my mind at that point. I was laughing so hard, it would seem like I was drunk, or high, or both. I crashed on the couch tried to recoup my mind. I was still laughing at this point. Struggling for breath I sat. Morgan comes strolling from the right side and sits next to me, and it would seem that she is smashed with fermented drinks (or so I thought anyways.) We exchanged the kind of conversations that you would have between two drunk persons:
"Hey"
"HEY!"
"Dude, you looked smashed."
*Excessive goofy laughter*
"Yeah, well *more laughter*"
"Dude, you are gone man."
"Shut up *more laughter*"
She then gets up and walks about. My head started to ache thinking about what my friends are going to say, but then thought nothing of it after a good look around the place. The place is a not in top shape, they would probably not notice when sober, let alone high. So, I sat there trying not to laugh. Then Morgan walks by with a sickly look about her, "I don't feel too well, I am going out for a bit." At that point, throat became filled with mucus, so I headed out as well and hacked about. I sat on Sheila and gazed at the starts a bit. Morgan was squatting and then called someone; she didn't look very well at all. Then as I headed back into the house she coughed out, "Max, take me home." No arguments here, it was time to go for her. So, I left Bobbie and Tim there and decided to come after I dropped her off. Since I wasn't sure my directions, I got Phoenix to come with (his real name is Matt, but how dull is that?) me, and we headed back. As it turns out she did a little more than just drink alcohol. She, for the first time smoked pot. And my, what a first impression she got. She ranted on the way back, how entirely horrible pot is and warned me against it. She then preceded to be really goofy, as expected with people that are high, started saying how much she loved 48th street and all sorts of other things. I suppose we learned a bit more about her that drive back, but no sense in dribbling about it now, besides it is really none of my business. I must of been of been suffering from her fumes too, because I noticed I sounded pretty similar to her on the way back to our apartment. In any case we walked her back to her room and bid her farewell and headed back. Got, gas and returned to Boston's house, but no one was left. Everyone left during the duration of the drive home. So, I drove home and here I am. I am just glad it wasn't me who felt ill and were going to throw up as soon as they came home. Gross. Lesson learned: don't do drugs kids. Well, at least she wont go back to it. Lol.
I must say this isn't the most exciting thing that happened this week, there seem to be something going on everyday, I really do feel like I am living in a sit-com. It will be interesting to go back to WA and see the difference is. I won't say that things will be dull back there, but perhaps it's not a bad idea to take a break from all of this craziness for two weeks. You see, at the Conservatory, it's like sex, drugs and rock and roll, but without the sex. Don't be surprised at me if I say at these parties there are hardly any female types, which can be a good thing I suppose.
Well, that will be all for now, I am going to head back to sleep and wait in anticipation on what tomorrow (or later today, as it often is) will bring. All I know is I am heading over to Phoenix's studio to record some guitar and vocals with Tim and finally touch an acoustic piano. It shall be a good day.
Max