Chez Geek

It's official: I won the MSNBC Geek Gift contest, put on by Cosmic Log blogger and MSNBC Science Editor Alan Boyle. About an hour ago, Mr. Boyle called to congratulate me and let me know I'd won. I chose to claim the "When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions" DVD box set and "13 Things That Don't Make Sense" book as my prizes. All told, I garnered approximately 25% of the 630 votes cast (158), beating the next closest person (who submitted a suggestion for a Zydeco Musical Tie which even I find geeky..., but would probably find SOME occasion to wear it anyway) by 32 votes, assuming my math is correct. Thanks to all my friends who checked my notes on Facebook and cast a vote in my favor. There are too many of you to name here, but you know who you are! I'll be thanking you again when I start watching the NASA box set! Also thanks to Mr. Boyle for the contest.... it was fun to participate, and hopefully you will have many new readers for the Cosmic Log now that I sent invitations to 300-some-odd people for the contest! For those of you wondering what the heck I'm talking about, please refer to the following sources: 1. My original blog post pleading for votes 2. Cosmic Log's original article announcing the finalists

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year, while we have turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry and pumpkin bread, green bean casserole, jello, yams, and assorted other foods, I would like to thank some of the special people in my life for being there when I needed them and for being my friends: Scott: Of course, #1 on my list, you've always been my best friend. I am thankful for the time we get to spend together playing video games or watching bad anime! Ryan: I always enjoy our discussions. It's not often I can find someone who won't put up with my crap and will call me out on it! I look forward to many more intellectual conversations at midnight at Tempe Marketplace! Kaylynn: Always fun, never dull when we hang out getting coffee or whatever. You're absolutely, unequivocally CRAZY, but then again, so am I so it works! Max: Ah, Max, you're the bomb - coming to put up with me and my sign-posting madness during the election, and now going to Europe! You still need to email me your stuff, by the way.... My family: Well, I could have been screwed for a place to live after college, so it's nice to be home for that, and even though it's a pain having me home putting a strain on resources in a tough time, I love you all! All my other friends: If you didn't get mentioned by name here right now, FEAR NOT! It's mostly because of the triptophan and my strong desire to fall asleep right now. Zzzzzzzz! But really, you know who you are, and I thank you for all you do! People like Chris, Chelsea, Blake, other Chris, Jenn, Tim, the View Crew, Ryan and Summer, and more! "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God." - Thessalonians 5:18 (I know I'm not the most religious person, but this verse seems especially appropriate!)

Going to Florida

So, less than 24 hours after I was involved in a car accident which just took my week off to a soaring (sarcasm) start, I won a trip to Florida - airfare, two nights in the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay in a room overlooking the bay, and tickets to Sunday's Carolina Panthers-Tampa Bay Buccaneers football game from AM 620 KTAR radio. For those of you (Max) who want more details, I was sitting at home getting ready for work when the phone rang. It was my dad, telling me I had about 2 minutes to call the radio station to claim a prize. I didn't know what prize, or even when I had signed up for a contest, but I called in anyway, verified who I was, and was put on the air with Gambo and Ash from the morning sports radio talk show. They told me I was the winner of the 2-Minute Drill contest, where they would call a name from those people who had signed up as AM 620 All-Stars, and if and when that person called within a few minutes of that announcement, they'd win a trip to any NFL stadium of their choice in the country playing this Sunday to go fly out and see the game! However, if the person couldn't make up their mind within 2 minutes (hence the Drill part), then the radio hosts would pick the game (probably a pretty crappy matchup in some cold, drizzly city) that the person would win. Fortunately, I was of enough sound mind to pick probably the best game going on this Sunday between the Panthers and Buccaneers in Tampa, Florida! So this weekend (fly out Saturday morning, fly back Monday afternoon) I will be lounging by the beach, catching the game (end zone near the Buccaneers' famed pirate ship, 8th row), and seeing Florida since I've never been there - all paid for except the rental car! And because there were 2 tickets, I'm taking my dad, since he was kind enough to let me know I needed to call the station, otherwise I'd have never known about it! I'll be certain to post pics when I get back for all my blog fans!

8,174 Days Down....

.... 19 days to go until I graduate college with a Bachelor's degree in American Political Studies focusing on Public Administration, with a background in communications. In the next 19 days, I have a lot of work to complete, for school and as an RA, but I am looking forward to it! I have: 2 papers, 4 final exams/quizzes, and one CLEP test to finish school-wise. I also have to help close down Mountain View as an RA, which entails getting all my residents ready to check out of their rooms and then checking all of them out during finals week. Then I have to finally say goodbye to four years worth of friendships, memories, and events. I will miss the poker nights from AfterHours, the late nights doing puzzles at the front desk with Doug and Ryan, the coffee trips to The Place and Denny's, days playing Bocce with David and Kristen, chess with Marcos, going out to the bars with Amber, the political conversations with everyone, and of course, the three years of work with the College Republicans. Thanks to everyone who helped me make this possible, including my parents, my friends Isaac Camargo (who got me the internship with Rick Renzi), Blake Rebling, Chelsea Lett, Michelle Marini, Max Lidster, Cody Newport, and Tim Krueger for being great friends and help within the CRs, Troy Hyde for allowing me to be a part of his successful AZCR campaign and team, Summer Burke, Ryan McFadden, Marcos Nattress, William Blackmore, Amber Sharp, Douglas Riggins and the rest of the Mountain View Hall staff for being amazing friends and co-workers this year, Greg Derr for putting me in touch with some people for job hunting and for writing me a letter of recommendation, the Arizona Republican Party for helping me to be successful as the Northern Arizona field rep during the 2006 elections, my professors Dr. Buckley, Joe Gardner, and Dr. Gretchen Gee for being great teachers, Chris Anderson, Greg Grahlmann, Desiree Bloom, Kaylynn Hanson, Jon Shoop, Jose Porter and Scott Sampson for always just being great friends, and my friend Christopher Esseltine for believing in me in high school as I planned to become active in politics and a successful person in life. I look forward to a storied future, and I hope to be able to be as successful as all of you have become during the time I've been privileged to know you. Thanks for everything!!!