Thousands of Miles from Home
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9/17/2005

Let's Go To The Hop

So I’ve been a bit quiet recently.  It’s been hectic, I’ll admit.  I do have lots of news, however, of varying degrees of excitement.

I saw Seu Jorge in concert which was riveting. 150 people dancing inside an auditorium, perhaps he would have been better suited to a club scene.  Some good clean fun for the evening.

I also joined the school newspaper, The Tech.  I’ve written two articles for the past few publications, about Freshman Rush and sounds from the ionosphere, which you can read here and here.

In a surprise move, I pledged Theta Chi.  I was rather vehemently opposed to the fraternity system before entering college so I guess it took a lot to change my mind.  I think it was a good move but we’ll see how everything plays itself out.

I’m busy moving from one task to the next, but trying to avoid the feeling that I’m not accomplishing much of anything.  I am getting paid for some of this hustle and bustle, in reward for my time spent inside an MRI machine looking at moving dots.  Paul Aparicio, a graduate student in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences recruited me as a test subject studying the area of the brain called the “MT” region, which processes motion.  I sit in a machine, it makes loud noises, and they pay me money.  I get to learn a little about the brain and how to use the Boston subway system.

The view from my dorm room is encouraging, with the sun reflecting off the Charles by morning, the Boston skyline at night, and a fleet of sailboats on the weekends.  The weather remains warm but I can tell that autumn is approaching.

I have a three day weekend, thanks to the obscure Constitution Day.  The Weiss family is coming from Florida, with tidings of good cheer and some Red Sox tickets.  In the meantime, I’ll be cleaning my room.

5 Comments:

  • Hey ben.
    MRI, hm... this exposes you to unnecessary radiation. Just from my perspective, taking unnecessary MRIs or x-rays is just adding another risk assessment factor to your lifespan..... I would personally stop. I wonder what your mom thinks of this.
    Also, I am surprised you joined a frat. Why pay extra money to live in a house which has parties every Friday night that completely destroy and ruin the house into making it a semi-living hell is something which I never quite figured out. Why sign up to join a frat when you can come and go as you please anyways... I doubt the allure of a frat-boy at MIT for the women is very great anyways, besides is this really how one wants to attract members of the opposite sex. I am confused. Perhaps you must tell us more about why Theta Chi attracts and got you to pledge.

    By pallaver, at 4:38 AM  

  • As a quick rundown, the house is not only cooler than the dorm but is also cheaper by a couple hundred dollars. I don't have to live there either, which could be cool if I decide to keep the dorm room anyway. I could care less about the parties and chicks even though that is sort of an incentive. The guys are cool, and I also get free food whenever I want.
    I'll have to wait and see what else this house has to offer, besides a bunch of geeky stuff like an Athena cluster and a 1.4 Terabyte server

    By Benjamin, at 7:29 PM  

  • also free laundry, big screen tvs, a roofdeck, all that useless rich kid stuff...

    By Benjamin, at 7:34 PM  

  • don't you pay dues though for being a member in the fraternity? I thought this is what usually makes it a really expensive way to go....

    By pallaver, at 9:08 PM  

  • everything is included in the house bill. i was surprised that is was so cheap, not to mention easy. Guess that's why I pledged

    By Benjamin, at 5:15 PM  

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