Frankenstorm, Massachusetts Voting, and Banner Week

Frankenstorm is coming! I'm so glad that the media doesn't blow things out of proportion to drum up fear, boost ratings, and get people to spend a little extra cash buying canned goods, generators, and handguns (or is that just me?). Also, if I was Al Franken, I would totally use the title, Frankenstorm. For instance, when you put someone in their place during a senate hearing, you can say, "Hope you survived the Frankenstorm!" And then, he does this:



 Also, I picture this:

So, this past week I learned that when I go to the polls in Massachusetts, I won't only be deciding between Obama vs. Romney or Elizabeth Warren vs. Scott Brown, there are two (main) questions on the ballot in Massachusetts: medical marijuana and physician-assisted suicide. Physician-assisted suicide is the one that I'm going to have to take to my Christian ethicist friends and get some opinions. Also, it's my new poll question! Give your answer on the left, and I will do whatever the majority tells me to (not really, but wouldn't that be something!).

I think the worst part about having a GPS is the stupid "estimated time of arrival" feature. It just mocks me the whole time I'm driving because it is so easy to lose time and so very difficult to gain it back. Seriously, you can slow down to let a child pass in a crosswalk, and BAM! Two minutes are gone, just like that. After losing about ten minutes this way, you attempt to gain the time back on an open street and you can drag race at 120 mph down the street for twenty minutes and maybe gain a minute only to be lost again when you tap your brake before changing lanes. It's maddening.

I recognized a friend on campus the other day. It was a good milestone for me to see someone I knew and engage in conversation. Baby steps.

Oh, and I got in my first car accident in Boston this week! For those of you keeping track, that makes this week: 1) moving; 2) locking myself out of the house and having to attend classes in running clothes (thankfully realizing I was locked out before I ran, so at least I didn't lack usual classroom resources and stink); 3) parking ticket; and 4) accident! It's been a banner week. Both of the drivers involved were trying to do something illegal, so we figured not reporting it was the way to go. My door just got dented, so it shouldn't be too big of a fix. But at least we got to see the Vikings play so well (sarcasm laid on pretty thick in that last sentence).

Yet, tomorrow I leave for my maiden voyage to Pilgrim Pines for the annual East Coast Conference pastors' retreat known as Ashram. I have heard such wonderful things about both Pilgrim Pines and Ashram that I can't help but be excited. In honor of this three day retreat, I'm spending my weekend evenings studying so I don't feel as guilty when I blow off some school work. We'll see how this actually works out.

Okay, I'm going to try and finish some homework. Here's to finishing a book and doing a bunch of German. Das ist gut! Later.