My Birthday

First birthday at Grinnell = the weirdest birthday of my life. I mean, it was good. I didn't get to sleep nearly enough, I really only had three pieces of cake, I couldn’t spend time with any of my friends from Bellingham, and the people that wished me happy birthday did so because of the new and especially invasive Facebook feature BUT my parents sent me a delicious cake baked by the Episcopalians. Apparently, a really senior member of the congregation dropped it off when I wasn't around. Kathleen put it in the fridge for me and took pictures of the small gathering we had on Loose Second. Thanks, Roomie! Naturally, I blew out all 19 candles on the cake on the first try. Since Will’s a boy scout, he thinks he’s flame retardant. Everyone knows you light from the inside out. No accidents to report, but we had several close calls. Will's a far humbler man.

After cake with the floor, a few of us headed to the pit to watch Pee Wee's Playhouse on Adult Swim. It was really trippy. Kathleen, who has never seen the show, was especially troubled. The Long's used to love Pee Wee. I remember they had a beach towel with his face on it that I would use after bathing with Con Man and Maggs. When I had chickedn pox, they let me borrow a film from their extensive collection of Pee Wee movies.

I went to bed at 2 AM. I haven't been to bed before 2 AM for a week.

My mom also packed and sent this incredible party suitcase. I hoarded most of it. This weekend, we'll find a use for the tiki straws, I’m sure. I picked up another sweet care package from Uncle Jack, Starbucks Baristo this AM. I will probably grind the fair trade blend in the grinder he sent very late at night. Janet also packed a really amazing box of little things, all individually wrapped. The MacSlarrows also out did themselves with the vintage Linda Allen shirt they sent. I put it on over my shirt right in the post office and walked to Spanish singing "Without All the Women" and "Spirit Dreamer" under my breath. It was very weird and meaningful. Spiritually. Rachel HATES the song "Spirit Dreamer" because it's about a girl that is perpetually molested by her father until adulthood. I think it has a nice melody.

Ariel led the dining hall in a happy birthday sing-a-long for me too not once but twice. Rachel called me four times and sent a link to the Beatles "They Say It's Your Birthday" over AIM. I was away from the phone every time and now I think she's at the Paul Simon concert with Lisa Dell so I can't get a hold of her. Today I got a really awesome card made out of notebook paper from Lina. Bobbi Gas is coming to Grinnell this weekend for the Intramural Water Polo Tourney- I’m really hoping we can hit Choung Gardens to celebrate. I maintain it's the first quality Chinese restaurant west of the Mississippi.

Ryan and I are trying to get Carter to take us to Wal-Mart today after the farmer's market. I really need some lotion- winter is moving in and my hands and feet are getting pretty nasty. A few stands sell homemade moisturizing products. I’d actually like to buy some home-ground flour from the Mennonite family with the burgundy van. Danny from across the hall in Norris has agreed to drive us to Des Moines tomorrow in preparation for Loose and Ready- an infamous dance bash held in the lounge of my residence hall. It should be really obscene. I'll be there all night.

Monday night, when Ryan and I were in the library obsessing over Mother Iowa for a paper, a security guard walked through with a picture in one hand and a radio in the other. The next morning, we found out that campus security was looking for a missing student (a person must be missing 24 hours before a missing persons report may be filed.) Paul left a note on his roommate's desk asking him to give his guitar to a certain friend. He walked out late Sunday night and never came back. Helicopters, dogs, horses, dive teams, and 400 students and faculty have been searching the area for any trace of him but at this point they expect only to find his body. It's been very hard on campus because the community is so small. I can't imagine being the volunteer that finds their classmate in a "wooded area" off campus the teams continue to comb. CNN has covered the story and news teams are camped out at the volunteer check-in station outside of campus security. No one is releasing any additional information. It's all very surreal.

I hope things turn out better then they are expected to. Someone somewhere is thinking of a next step. I can't imagine what it will be.