Employment & 40s

It turns out that I am now gainfully employed, complete with full benefits, a 401k, and a salary. Most of you know about this recent positive development in my life, but I've yet to really explain to anyone what exactly I actually do. I wrote this post at the end of my first week, but was hesitant to post for reasons explained to all of you in person.

So, let me tell you a bit about my new employer before I start. The company I'm working for is a privately owned advertising agency with its offices in Minneapolis (Advertising, you say? In Minneapolis? Go to New York!). The private ownership is a positive thing - we aren't accountable to some giant multinational holding company, so we have less bureaucracy, more creativity, and a much more comfortable work environment. One of the things that the agency prides itself on is community - everybody in the office gets to know everyone else, there's all sorts of parties, sports teams, happy hours, etc. They make it a really fun place to work. We're also on the rise.

So what exactly do I do? Well let me start by explaining what media does. In a nutshell, media takes the creative produced by, well, "the creatives" and figures out what exactly we should do with it based on the target audience demographics suggested by the account strategists. Media figures out what types of media to buy, where to buy it, how much to buy, etc so that we can place ads for our clients. It's sort of like creating the battle plan, where the creative material serves as your soldiers and the strategy info is your intelligence. At a non-traditional agency like mine, this requires a lot of creativity and brainstorming. Nothing is off limits. I was in a few brainstorms this week and it's really a pretty cool process. We also hear plenty of pitches from sales reps from different media companies.
From a hierarchical standpoint, I am at the bottom. There's a lot of more "administrative" stuff that I have to learn to do, along with just the general art/science of the whole discipline before I can even begin to think about moving up. This stuff includes media plan flow charts, media buy authorizations, learning the billing software, etc. It's a lot of "support", but that's how you learn. I'm enjoying it.

So, that's pretty much my job.

In other news, some of us experienced an epic weekend. Watching you guys swim at conference was pretty sweet - I enjoyed all the races, seeing everyone, etc. 40s last night was ridiculous. I still have a headache despite taking a two hour nap earlier. All I can say is that the cobra struck and I still feel the venom. I need the antidote. I'll let someone else give a more comprehensive post on the weekend's festivities.

Let the Countdown Begin!

I like Countdowns (but hate counting - how tragic). So I thought I'd do a countdown post. I got the idea because Joe Sjo last friday night whispered in my ear and goes "8 Days... 8 Days..."

We got a bunch of good times coming up in the next chunk of days.

In almost exactly 3 days from now, the team will be heading up to the U of M for this season's Conference Meet. Everyone is pretty fuckin stoked. Heading up on the bus, moving into our hotel rooms, and having team meetings... I get chills just thinkin about it.

Then 3 action packed days later, we finish up Conference (btw: I'm thinking of blogging about the meet during it, thoughts?), hop around happily in the Radisson lobby, eat some sub sandwiches and then get jittery because we want to make it back for...

Men's team 40s!! 40 (or 80... or more) ounces of good times, memories, and bro-ing out with the men's team including special guests Elliot Bartis, David Nonberg, Tim Foran and maybe Jared Plotz? Drankin in Hill and then if it gets shut down after its gets to crazy when the women come over we'll head to either Dow or Davis.

Then the next weekend is the Conference Party, which I'm pretty stoked about. Following tradition, nothing will be revealed prior to the event.

AND THEN the following weekend is Schlaefer and K. Sloan's Goodbye Bash, since they are both graduating early and won't be around much spring term. In Schlaef's email to the rest of Dow asking us if we are willing to host he said:

I would like to have a mega rager - stay up til sunrise, drink obscene amounts, people passed out on floors, etc. - on March 6th, a Saturday, as a farewell to Carleton for Kelsey and I. Sound alright? hope so

Should be a good time.

And then it gets towards the end of the term, but looking to one big event comin up:
SPRING TERM! and my 21st as well! Pretty Pumped about this.

So RECAP:

73 Hours until Bus Leaves for U of M
152 Hours till men's team 40oz's
162 Hours until Tavern Breakfast?
13 Days until Conference Party
12 Days until the new tradition of drunk dining hall the night before the Conference Party
20 Days until Schlaef's Mega Rager

Good times ahead to be sure.*

Oh and BTW: Hey Ted, What day is it in the International Year of Stadium 110?



*Hours and days may not be entirely accurate. I hate counting.

My Life

So, I'm still alive, and still blogging. This term is driving my a little crazy, but it's halfway over so I think I'll make it. MIACs are also in 9 days, which will also help out a lot as this term concludes.

I'm actually really enjoying my classes this term, which is great because I plan on compsing out of one of them (my Foreign Policy Analysis class). I've learned more in my Politics of Global Economic Relations class than I have in any other class at Carleton, except my beginning Russian courses. I can watch CNBC and have a pretty good idea about what they're talking about, which is pretty cool. It's also made me realize just how fucked the American economy is. My third class, Pushkin, is the class that I complain the most about because its the class that takes up the most time. The first week of class my professor decided that we would write a 2-3 page essay in Russian for every class. That added up to about 30 essays in Russian for the term. After everyone in the class spent 12 hours writing the first essay, we all went to the prof and convinced her to make it one page. The sad thing is that the poetry and novels that we've read have been excellent, but I hate my life so much because of this class that I don't appreciate it at all.

Swimming has been going a lot better in the last few weeks than it did at the beginning of the season. After a few meets that were pretty typical of my midseason (I think I went 2:13 in the 200 fly once...) Andy decided that I could try out the 200 back again, which was my best event in high school. I went within a second of my lifetime best, then swam it the next weekend and went a lifetime best, and then I swam it again this weekend and cut another second. So it looks like I'll get out of doing the 500 this season, which will be excellent. I always feel that I'm a lot slower for the last 2 days of MIACs after swimming the 500, especially after I sprinted the first 300 yards of it last year. The last two years I've thought that doubling the 200 fly and 200 back would be too much for day 3, but Andy had me try it out at the Minnesota Challenge this weekend and it worked out quite well, I even went a lifetime best in the 100 free on the 400 free relay after doing the 2 200s.

MIACs is going to be really exciting this year, we got a very strong freshman class and I'm really excited to see what they pull out. Mamoru and Klontz have been getting all the attention, but make sure you watch Ethan in the 100 and 200 fly, I think he's gonna have a ridiculous taper. We might have the best fly squad in the MIAC, we could easily have 3 guys under 53, and maybe under 52 in the 100. And 2 guys under 2 in the 200 fly. Also, I'm predicting that Sjoberg breaks 5 in the 500, you heard it from me first. Somehow, I think we're a much deeper team than we were last year, especially in the sprint free events. I think our 200 free relay is going to get 2nd or 3rd at MIACs, and we'll have a strong 400 free relay too, we had 5 guys under :50 on relays at the Challenge, which I think is a first for a meet I've swam at Carleton (the B relay went a 3:21, which is a great example of our depth this year). I think we're definitely the dark horse at MIACs this year, but I think we have a good chance at shocking St. Johns. Especially with our new cheer that Andy keeps having us do...

As co-captain of Karleton Men's Entry team I figured I would show this years Conference T-shirt design (courtesy of the Hill House members). I am sure most of you will not understand the reference to the shirt so you should watch this video. I have already heard comments about how this years shirt will not compare to last years shirt. To all that criticism and any that may follow afterward, I think I speak for the team by giving them all a real big CHILD PLEASE!!

MN Challenge

Hey you all, so I know I haven't really posted anything on the blog in a while but I figured I would write a little bit about how my last meet went. It was my last time tapering and I remember last year I decided I wouldn't get a LAZR because I would wait until this year to get it. Well, the suits ended up getting banned and our team is broke so they didn't help us out as much to pay for the suits. Because of this I decided not to spend 40-90 dollars on a new suit and just used my aquablade from last year. I used the analogy that the color of a car is not what makes it go fast but the engine and most importantly the driver that makes rip down the racetrack when I made my decision on the suit.

This years taper also felt a little different since I swam one new event and also because I'm starting to become an old man and everything seems to always be sore, but I was able to get through it. I also had to prepare for this taper meet a little differently since it was a championship style meet as opposed to the Olaf dual meet that I've tapered for in the past. This would be the toughest meet I've swam at since I was in seven events. I knew I would have to focus on flushing out and warming up before and after every event, which are my two least favorite things about swimming. Even with this strategy I was still nervous for the meet. I was worried I would end up dying out in my last few events. I decided to focus on one race at a time and if died out, I would just go as strong as I could and hold on for the ride. I also got some inspiration from a Brian Dawkins video Pete sent out to the team a few weeks back. This helped me get pumped although I only usually did some of his rituals in my head to save myself some embarrassment. My meet ended up like this:

200 Free Relay: .25mid
50 Free .25.8 (season best, even after I slipped off the blocks)
400 Med Relay: 100 fly, 1.03 (previous season best 1.13, previous lifetime best 1.08)
200 Med Relay: 50 Breast, .31 (previous best was .33, but I'm not sure if I should count this especially since both me and Schlaef jumped early on our relay exchanges. The ref said we got DQ too but our results got posted as a normal relay)
100 Breast: 1.09 (previous season and lifetime best 1.13.5)
100 Free: 55.3 (previous season best 59.09, and lifetime best was 55.8)
400 Free relay: 54.9 (I just wanted to go sub .55 and I just got it)

I was very surprised with all my times. I knew I would swim fast, but I wasn't sure if I would still be able to go as fast as I've gone in the past especially since it didn't feel like I was going very fast when I swam them at the meet.

When I finished my last 100 Free I got out of the pool and realized I was done forever, so I said screw it and didn't cool down. It was definitely bittersweet though I will miss competing as I'm sure most of you do now. I have also accepted the fact that I will probably get fat by the end of this year since I will have no motivation to stay in shape now. If anything I'll try to keep lifting and maybe I'll be able to bench as much as Elliot and Jared did last year. The last time I benched I think I did 185 for 6 reps so look out Elliot. Well I should get back to work since I didn't do any work yesterday because I didn't get out of bed until 5:30pm only because Mark came and woke me up too. I will try to post more often on the blog.

I Accept Your Challenge, Minnesota!

This my perspective on the Minnesota Challenge. Alfredo's will be comin shortly.

So a few weeks ago, after the Northfield Mini-Invite against Grinnel, Andy sent out the taper groups via email. He said he would sent it mid afternoon. It was a very unproductive day - I just sat by my computer and pressed refresh every five minutes from 3pm till 9pm, when the email finally came. As usual, I skipped the paragraph that says "now more than ever we need to act as a team" (by the way, upon further checking, its the exact same wording he used in previous years - can you say copy and paste?) and checked the lists. Alas, I didn't make the conference squad.

I was extremely bummed at first. I remember being bummed my freshman year, not only because I partially thought I should've been on there instead of someone else, but also because I worked so hard. But this year, the squad was fastest 17 people who would score, so my sadness was mostly because I really had worked my ass off this season.

So I was bummed for a while, and then finally got over it and recognized (with some help) that my attitude was extremely selfish and not helping the team at all. I turned my frown upside down and started to truly enjoy the taper. Well Andy got a little crazy, telling some new taper-tales and also making up a new Carleton Cheer that he is obsessed with (we humor him and do it at meets - he goes crazy).

The two-week taper went by fast and then BAM! It was game time. The MN Challenge. I agree with Alfredo that it was one of the hardest meets I've swum, because I had 8 swims total (all relays and then 3 indiv events) but it was all finals, so it wasn't as much rest as conference. My meet went like this:

Session 1 / Friday Night
50 free in the 200 freelay - 23.5
50 free (indiv) - 24.26
100 free in the 400 medley relay - 51.94

Session 2 / Saturday Morning
50 fly in the 200 Medley relay - 26.32
100 fly - 58.71
200 free leading of the 800 freelay - 1:55.64

Session 3 / Saturday Night
200 fly - 2:18.08
100 free in the 400 freelay - 52.74

(Full Results)

Overall, I'm delighted. Lifetime bests in my 50, 100, 200 frees and my 100 fly. My 200 fly time is a second off my best from last year at conference, but my 200 fly wasn't as strong this season in general as it was last year. I kinda choked in my indiv 50 free and my 100 free in the 400 freelay, but I'm really happy with my swims overall. After I didn't make conference team, my goal times were readjusted to just beat my times from conference last year, which I was hesitant if I could do because of the dramatic and short taper. But the non real events/warm up day on Friday really got me pumped.

It was dual pool format, which made cheering kinda difficult because there was sometimes a lot going on at the same time and wasn't as straight forward as conference. But being at the U really got everyone excited, to be tapering or to be so close to Conference. I'm so pumped for Conference. It's going to be great, but tough for us as a team. But I think it helped for A) our strong freshman class to see how good the Carleton Taper can be and B) what its like to swim at the U.

The bus ride home was ridiculous. After such a long day, we were all delirious. Almost rocked the mini-sugar loaf bus over when the pizza guy arrived straight to our bus door. It was a crazy ride home. Then a bunch of the team met up and the taper group drank while the conference people danced more crazily than the drunks and then many people went to mid winter ball. You really couldn't tell who was drinking and who wasn't. It was a blast.

And so my focus changes a bit. I'm gonna catch up on work this week, and then turn my attention towards Conference. Afterwards, I'm really gonna work on staying in shape. As I said to Ian Holman when he got back from Spain after the fall. "I feel like I haven't seen you since last WINTER because last spring you were always training for the triathlon and I was always... drinking." So I'm gonna try to still do the same amount of drinking. Maybe more? My (2nd) 21st birthday is coming up! But just lift and run more.

Now on to midterms and sleep. Now Tim, let's hear about that first day on the job soon!

The Naked Black Man Story

I joined the YMCA at 34th and Blaisdell about two weeks ago. After reviewing the various pricing options for the YWCA, Snap Fitness, Lifetime, etc., I determined that joining the YMCA was the best choice - it's the closest, it has the best facilities (I can watch TV while I run on a treadmill), the lady that gave me and Liz a tour was awesome, and the people there are, well, interesting.

A few days after I joined, I walked into the men's locker room (18 years old and over only!), and opened up an unlocked locker to put all my clothing in. As I did, I noticed two things: 1) there was clothing in the locker, and 2) the room now reeked of marijuana.

Having put my stuff in a locker close-by, I began to change. Soon, a very tall, naked African-American male entered the "nook" I was occupying, and immediately started talking to me. His eyes were ridiculously bloodshot. The conversation went something like this:

Black Man (naked, standing): How you doin', my brotha?

Me (clothed, sitting): Uhh I'm good. Just getting ready to run.

Black Man (still naked, standing): Yo man, I've still got half a blunt left! And let me tell you, all a brotha needs when he comes here is to get in the pool. Get some cold water, get some hot water in that hot tub. That's all a brotha needs. Just chill in that water and you're good.

Me (clothed, sitting tying shoes): *chuckles* That's great, sir. Sounds pretty nice, but you gotta run too. Get your exercise.

Black Man (still naked, sitting): Nah man, I'm telling you - just chill in that water. The cold and hot. It's all you need. And I still got half a blunt left!

Me (clothed, standing ready to leave): *awkward laugh* Sounds good, sir.

Black Man (still naked, sitting): And you know what I'ma do now?

Me (clothed, still standing ready to leave): What's that, sir?

Black Man (still naked, sitting): I'ma go cruise in my Cadillac, just cruise the city. That's what I can do now. When you're my age, you can do that. I'ma just chill, cruisin' with my half a blunt.

Me (clothed, still standing ready to leave): Sounds like quite the time.

Black Man (still naked, sitting): And you know what I love to do? Cruise to little league games in my Cadillac. I just get there, talk to all the mothers, and just act a fool. I act a god damn fool. Love that shit!

Me (clothed, still standing ready to leave): *laugh* Alright I gotta go run.

Black Man (still naked, sitting): You have a good day young man. You have a good day and a good workout. Keep working hard. I wish you incredible success in any and everything that you do.

I can't make this stuff up.

last night I got drunk and didn't put a title on this

okay so finally I got a drunk poist in.

FIrstly, I'd like to let Ted adn TOTO know that when they come visit aka bisit DC for their spring break that I will be waiting for them. I folund the perffect club for them. The place is callled DC9 and its at 9th street and E street but itrs mostly named for the 9th street part which is why its called dc9 and not DCe. ANYway, this is ht reason that the music is 9indie rock and not anythign I've ever heard of. When I went there, they played approx. 5 songs I know.
1) bonafied lovin
2) sabotage
3) no you girls
4) the reelin5
5) mgmt the reeling (maybe, oi diont know, but s0mething by the reeling, aka passion poiit
6) fuck the pain away. seriouslyt, youtube this song, but when you serach for it, serach "fuck the pain away by muppets aka ms. ipigggy. JUST MAKW SURE THAT WHEN YOU SEE IT THAT MS. PIGGY IS SINGING THE LYRICS BEAAUWEE IT IS THE MOST MESSED UP MJUSIC VIDOE THAT I HAVE IEVER SAEEN.
7nother song called "FUCK YOU" by lilly allen.
8) a song called "combination pizza hut and taco bell"
9) seriously, if you have read this far, you should really look up the song called "combination pizza hut and taco bell"

anyway, the bar/club called DC9 is the place I am takimng ted and toto to when they are visiting me for their spring break. I know Ted wil love it buecause it is all the music that he finds before anyone whos in the know knows about.

But for real, the DJ is so hipster, he doesn't even know whats good for him. I reque3sted YADA YADA YADA and he had no idea.

Acutalyl I didn't request YADA YADA YADA at all, but I hoped he would play it. INstaed he played a song called "combineation pizza hut and taco bell" that I recommend to all of ya'll.

I also recommend a s0ng called "fuck the pain away" by Ms. Piggy. There are plenty of other songs that I would recomment if you visit hte website "LIBERATION DANCE PARTY.COM" and look at their playlist. ITS ALL INDY STUFF THAT TED WOUDL LIKE. But it doesn't really have anyhting to do with ted becasue I lik eit too. Andthe grad students that I was with liked it too. ANd all the other people at the bar/club like dit too, so its definatley not just me.

Anyway. MOLSON is app[arently a beer tha tblows. Which is in high contrast to the guy called MARK OLSOn which tries to make converation with a chick in his apartment building who coincidentally does laundry at the same time as MARK OLSON. THANKFULLY for Marx's penis, the girl is really interested in the mcdonaldd's $ menu. but hte elevator music will never be their theme.

BUt seriosuyl, molson is actually a beer. My roommate was once complainging about the shitty beer that he used to drink when he wa san undergrad and he mentioned molson. Which reminds me of the time that I was a sophomore in college living in DAVIS 304 and SJOBERG aka joe sjoberg puked all over my room because he couldn't handle a power hour.

In case you couldn't tell by now, my ramble has been following Ted's example of stream of conciousoness writing. NOW that i have satisfied my blog critieesara, I figured I shoudl tell the rest of the ocho peeps that read this that I play Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 all the time on the PS3 and that my username is Strombolios.

LOVE,
yours truly

Bathroom Blogging

So here I am sitting in the room where I do the most of thinking and realizing that none of us has ever blogged while on the can. So here it is.

My day was relatively uneventful; I went to school, went to work, did some homework, and am now sitting on the toilet. Now I know this is not the most exciting post ever, but it is a first for someone actually writing while taking a poop.

I just wanted to share.

The Bi-Annual Undie Run

All colleges have their traditions. Some traditions don't involve drinking, most of them do. Chapman University's Bi-Annual Undie run is no exception to this rule of thumb. As a newly enrolled student, as well as the recent boy friend of an undergrad, I felt it was important to participate in this event, and more importantly, to blog about my experience.

First, a little background about the event. The bi annual skivey extravaganza happens during finals week of both the fall and spring semester. The event is very similar to the "scream" at Carleton in that it is meant to reduce stress and anxiety about one's approaching finals.

So, at midnight, thousands of students gather in center of campus dressed in their finest pair of underwear. (Yes the girls too). At 12:01 one begins to hear the chant of "undie run, undie run, undie run" get louder and louder. At roughly 12:05 the massive hoard runs down the streets of downtown orange (blocked off to traffic by police for the event". ) The streets themselves are lined with residents cheering on the half nude masses.

After the event they have a giant dance in the gym. This isn't just your average sayles dance. This is a human-pyramid, giant video screen playing, underwear clad dance palooza. The dance is as if "Like a Prayer" came on and was left on repeat until 3am. Here are some pictures to give you all an idea.