Smoke

At a University you would expect those who inhabit the campus to be people who use their brains. Aka - rational and intelligent. Yet, there are cigarette receptacles at nearly every entry to a building (though I vaguely remember the music building steps being devoid of such containers. hint?). Men and women alike walk around with their fiery lollipops. The smell is atrocious. The thought that they can't possibly be aware of the damage they are inflicting upon their bodies, other wise they wouldn't get 10 feet near a light of a cigarette. I have heard people say that smoking is a stress reliever. That need I can understand. Perhaps we should sponsor a daily concert by those from the music building. Music that is fun, yet relaxing. Get people's minds off their immense load of schoolwork. Maybe these kids missed the day in health class that discussed the effects of smoking to ones body. Maybe they don't ever watch TV or listen to the radio to hear the advertisements against the bad habit of smoking. Maybe these are the people who have poor peripheral vision and can't see the WARNING signs at the bottom of magazine ads for cigarettes. Maybe these people have short term memory loss....

A Table for Choir

On a more personal note, there once was something called the "Choir Lunch Table." Those who were involved in the Concert Choir at the Institute of Religion are familiar with this term. This phenomenon was created before my time, so here I give only a personal account, not a complete history. (Those who are more familiar with the pre-2006 events are welcome to add) Rehearsals were held each day at 10:45am. Those who were able then flocked to the Deli to grab cheap, yet delicious lunch items. A round table was chosen, and chairs were smashed together to fit each and every soul. You would quickly get to know those who were unfamiliar simply by being nearly smashed legs and arms together as you ate. Many times a greater number than room allowed would come, and then formed what we dubbed "orbiters." There was always room for one more at the Choir Lunch Table.

Sometimes, one choirman would find a table before the rest arrived. Other students at the Institute would ask to sit at the table with the choirman, and of course be welcome. Within five minutes, the poor student's eyes would widen when 8 or more people would join them at the table, all chatting and laughing. One was never lonely with a choir group!

Sadly, during the past year the lunch table diminished in popularity. The size of the choir shrank, some graduate and moved on, or were simply occupied elsewhere. On occasion the table was resurrected to it's full glory.

This year, the rehearsal time has moved to the late afternoon, and the tables now sit bare and lonely during lunch. The mixes of uneaten food, the explosion of laughter, the tall stacks of garbage that would sit in the middle of the table, and the instant, yet increasing and deep bonds of friendship around the choir table will be greatly missed. The memory lives on in the hearts of those who were once members of the infamous Choir Lunch Table.

Art Building

The art building. A place that supposedly harbors the creative students of campus. You'd think the creative minds would require a place more suited to enhancing the vibes of creation. Or maybe this is a foreshadowing of the type of life an artist will live. Dark, dank and forlorn...





















Grammar isn't their best subject. Or maybe it's a style to be "different"....










This is on an elevator down button. Seems to be the typical mindset of artists...

Bathrooms - Unexpected

Just in case you're up on the roof and can't make it down the stairs to reach one...

Sign

If anything gets in your way, you are forbidden to ride it. You got it? None of this.

Dust

It's everywhere. It's not something you can simply pick up and throw in the trash. A task that seems mundane but it most effective when dealing with dust, is vacuuming. Warning in advance though, if you haven't vacuumed for an extended period of time...the office in the Film Studies department is one such room that should come with a warning sign. The office looks fairly clean, with it's industrial blue carpet. As I began to vacuum the office, small puffs of dust came from the floor, proving that the room was not as clean as it looked. So much dust had accumulated, that each puff of dust was enough to reach my nose from the floor. Note to all those with carpet: Vacuum often, even when it doesn't look dirty. Unless you like sneezing, then you'll want to collect all the dust you can get! Don't worry, it's not hard to find and it doesn't take long. Where does dust come from anyway? It's not just dirt...what is it?

"We're Saving Money"

Two offices in the Film Studies are connected to the same circuit. Between the two rooms are the following units requiring electricity: Three computers, a printer, a copier, a fax machine, lights on the ceiling, a refrigerator and a microwave. So many appliances to one circuit equals: Run the microwave and the copier at the same time, you lose all power.