RyanHarne.com

I quickly settled into a Summer Session One 2006! academic routine. After my class, I head to Squires to get the homework done and also to email and spend a few frivolous minutes on the internet. Squires during the semester is a rush - when classes end, every hour or so, people flood out of the lecture halls on the second level, travel down the main stairway and head to Au Bon Pain or just leave. Squires is definitely not the pristine place for studying during a typical semester. But right now, apart from the occasional people heading to lunch and the chatter of the bank employees reaching my ears, my only significant studying deterrent is Bob Barker’s, somewhat diffused through the medium of space, ubiquitous auctioneer-esque voice coming from the television posted at the far end of this lobby. Part of me knows that I will be sad to lose this peace once the regular students return. Part of me will miss actually hearing Bob Barker at this time of day.

Yesterday, I received the superawesomemegaPromotion at Bollo’s. I spoke to Ranae about my upcoming change in academic schedule (the ever-looming Summer Session Two 2006!) and she told me that I am welcome to take afternoon shifts if I’d like. YES! Not closing is a great step up the barista ladder. And I will also be introduced to many different regulars (i.e. the afternoon crowd). But the people who drink coffee late into the evening are my type of people and it would be a foul move to leave them entirely. Trust me, I will still represent (and work a few closers).

But now I must return and nap.

There are few things that repulse me more than an off-temperature drink. For example: warm juice, room temperature water, cold hot chocolate. It is so frustrating to return to your liquid refreshment and discover, of course, after a deep swig, that it has significantly changed temperature since you last left it.

But. But, I found out that I love cold coffee. Not iced coffee. Cold coffee. For instance, right now my coffee has been sitting for three hours and I am still sipping on it without hesitance. Imagine that - a drink that morphs its attractive capacity as it loses its freshness. Brilliant. Why do soft drinks not taste as crisp after having been left out for hours (or ever)? Alas.

And, yeah. I am drinking coffee at 1am. Again.

With the opportunity to shop for groceries entirely on my own (rather than allow on-campus dining to do most of the work), I have been going nuts with the inherent freedoms. Getting food on campus usually implies lots of frying or greasy grilling when it comes to the vegetarian sides; the only healthy alternative to the veggie sides are uncooked vegetables or fruits. That gets old. So, with my regular grocery shopping, I have been offsetting the grease with an assortment of foods.

First: bread. I can leave the gucci Kroger with a shopping basket full of bread. And I eat it. All. Since I walk 4 or 5 miles per day to and from campus/work, I need the carbs for energy. Plus, my workouts are now fewer, but more intense to make up for the paucity. In addition, I am branching out into the wonderful world of breads - Tuscany, Country French, Rye - which is exciting. No joke. (Oh, and I also work at a place that doubles as a bakery…)

Second: soup. Well, I have always had affixations with soup, but I am realizing it is difficult to locate low-sodium soups. This is strange to me, but maybe soups minus salt are actually disgusting. Maybe I’ll make a stew some night and see how it tastes without excess salt.

Finally: bread. I like to keep it simple.

Unfortunately, my apartment internet service provider has deemed it time for me to stop receiving regular services. Perhaps they’ve changed their service structure to provide internet access only while I pay them, and since I have to pay the bill once per month, my access has been severely limited. What a shame. A little bread sandwich with soothe my ailments.