That's IT!

So basically every night since Sunday I have been sitting down at my computer, starting this post and never finishing. I had ideas....so many ideas! But for some reason the words just wouldn't come.

BUT I'm being proactive and I won't let this blog own me...(pat on back).

Anyway! Since it's been a while since my last blog, let's recap what's going on:

I've run out of hours in the day. I mean, what with Stayin' Alive and all (I'm sorta in a weird, 70s disco music phase at the moment, just a disclaimer) I haven't been able to dedicate as much time to the gym as I would have liked, or as I was able to last year. SO! In order to make the most use of my time, I've bought a rubber balance ball and I'm using that as my desk chair . Now, whenever I'm siting I'm working on my core and if I need a 2 second break, I'm working out and doing crunches! So what if my roommates think I've gone off the deep end...I'm having a blast with my multitasking :)

In other Hopkins news: Two teams of Hopkins OP (Outdoor Pursuits) leaders are out somewhere in the countryside of Maryland on a Search and Rescue operation. I don't know if the news has gotten out, but there is an 18 year old boy who's been missing since Sunday. Here's a link to the article if anyone's interested.

I'd just like to say that the outcropping of support from JHU has been amazing. I know I for one always feel so helpless when I watch the news, but they're out there actively making a difference. That's the kind of awareness that you find here, our OP leaders are amazing: they're trained in handling disasters and if anyone can find Jacob, it's them. Good luck out there guys!

Well, now that I'm talking about OP, I guess I'll go with it. Outdoor Pursuits is an organization on campus that organizes outdoor programs for students. I'm an instructor in the sailing division but they also do weekly trips that include (but certainly aren't limited to) rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, canoeing, hiking, and in the winter they do cross country skiing and snowshoeing (<-- I think but I'm not a northerner so please correct me if I'm wrong!).

And, especially interesting for prospective students, OP organizes Pre-O, the "Pre-Orientation" outdoors trip that you can read about in Laura's blog. If I'm not mistaken I believe one of our new bloggers, Rob went on an OP trip (and one of my really good friends was his leader!) so he'd be an excellent source of info too. From what I gather, it's the best way to ease into freshman year, and everyone who goes on it has an excellent time!

Moving right along! OH drat it's time for me to go! Thursday afternoons are great: usually I'll be at an elementary school a couple blocks away teaching flute, but today I've got, brace yourselves!, free time. Sure, I'll probably use it to study biochem, BUT I can do it at my leisure until Greys comes on. Yes, yes! I know I voted for House on the message boards (Check out and vote on our SAAB message board thread!) But that doesn't mean I still don't enjoy both shows!

Great then I'm off for now, by the way all the pictures I'm putting up on this post have been taken this year. Can you believe we're only 6 weeks in? I feel like it's been so much longer, but I guess this is maybe the worst part of the year. It's straight school and class for 2 1/2 months with Thanksgiving as the first break, but Freshman (and pre-frosh) take heart: If you make it to Christmas you're good to go. Just stick with it, that's what I'm doing!, and once Thanksgiving gets here the rest of the year will fly by

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Last, but certainly not least! I"m going to start a new initiative in my blog. Last year I did the "Random Facts" about Hopkins, this year the theme is "Random Friends". As I've said a million times before, it's the people here that make Hopkins amazing, so at the end of each post I'm going to pay tribute to the people that make Hopkins special (and not like that! You know what I mean)...

Since I can't rank anyone as more important than someone else, I'm just going to go in order.

1) Camilla - yea, I know she gets in here a lot but she was the first person I met on campus. I was wandering outside my dorm and she was talking to Greg out in the hall. I was SO nervous! I couldn't even eat lunch - and lets not kid ourselves, I LIVE for food! - but I found the courage to strike up a conversation with her and Greg and basically we've been inseperable ever since. I don't think I could say enough about her, she's basically incredible. She's an International Studies major, which is perfect because she's lived in more countries than you can shake a stick at, speaks even more! She's the perfect person to have around if you ever need a story, about anything she's got the best anecdotes ever! She's an amazing listener and she's doing a fantastic job of being my Mom away from home, keeping me in line and such! We have the best adventures and, well, she's my other half, and everyone knows it!

2) Greg - happened to be talking to Camilla in the hall, I met both of them at the same time, but it wasn't until Sailing that I got to know him better. Greg is, well good at everything! Not only is he an incredible sailor, he's an Environmental Engineering major (go figure he's going to save the world too!) and he can do/fix anything. He's actually out, right now, on the Search and Rescue mission, because that's the kind of guy he is: you can count on him for anything and he'd drop anything to help someone in need!

3) Sunny - Was the first boy in my room!!! Well, he might not remember it. He was helping with orientation and just came in to check to see if everything was all right. I didn't get to really meet him until way later in the year, but it turns out the first person to infiltrate my dorm is super chill ( which I guess would have been a good omen had I known it at the time!) Sunny is absolutely amazing, he's one of those people that just gives off an air of confidence, without being cocky. He's fantastically intelligent (we studied for our Biochem midterm together a couple weeks ago) and he's fun to have a conversation with, any conversation really :)

OK now I've really got to go! This has been great but I have a date with Biochem and I just can't say no! Tata!

Comments

[Admissions_Daniel]

I love the shot of you and Camilla with the lobsters.

[Roxi Radi]

Thanks!!! Trust me, the real fun came afterwards eating them :)

[Stefanie]

Wow, those lobsters are impressive. As are you and your ability to write smashing entries. Oh, and the Varsity Crew coach also uses an exercise ball as a computer chair. It's funny because we (the team) were just discussing it this week. You're one of a kind, Roxie!

[JHU_Kate]

Oh wow, I remember hearing about that boy. Yeah, on the night of the 18th, I was at a Catholic Community event at which people were saying intentions they wanted to pray for, and someone mentioned the missing boy. I'm glad to know that he's fine now. Yay! :D BTW, I think it's hilarious that you're sitting on an exercise ball at your desk.

[Laura]

You and your balance ball have inspired me, I'm seriously thinking about getting one!!!