From Detroit to Lansing, I took 94 West rather than 96 West, and didn't realize it until I I should have been in Lansing, and saw there was no Exit 106. I should have looked at a map or Mapquested it to be sure, but the official directions sounded right to me. I've been in Michigan (Detroit, Anne Arbor, and Lansing) three or four times in the last two years, but I don't really know the roads. But at least I demonstrated that I can follow instructions, eh? Sure, thanks. I'd love some Kool-Aid.

Wanted to throw my six-weeks-worth of stuff in my dorm room quickly, so I gathered it all in my arms for one trip. This, too, was a mistake. Seems they either thought Alex was a woman's name or Felice was a man's, so we're suitemates. First they changed rooms for me, sticking me in the basement. When I lugged my things there and couldn't find the basement, I thought I'd call the front desk rather than carry my stuff all the way back. But no cell phone reception. This would be a problem, as I wasn't going to be able to call jen with the dorm phone. I returned to the front desk, but there was another mistake. They couldn't move me, so they gave me my original key back.

And here's where I demonstrated that I can't always follow directions. Apparently there's an East and West dorm, and the numbering is the same. So my key doesn't work in my room number and a non-Clarion student finally opens the door and asks if she can help me. I go back down, figure out I was in the East side of the dorm, and carry my stuff one last time to my room, sweating like I'm back in North Carolina. Phew.

Orientation was fun, if long. Or maybe my brain was already fried by that point. I've never been good at memorizing names, so I hope I catch up with everyone soon in that regard. Liz had said she had a surprise for us, I was hoping it would be PKD's robot.

We got four application stories to critique that first night. 18,500 words total. It took me 3.5 hours to read them and write up comments. I might be in trouble. Tried writing around 2AM. That's not going to work. Over the past year I've really turned myself into a morning writer.

Woke around 7:30, got a little more done on my first story. It looks like it's a short one, thank goodness. I'm going to guess 1,200 words and we'll see if my estimating ability has gotten any better over the last year. I'm going to have to get up earlier than this, though, if I want to get any real work done. Critiquing/class starts at 9.

Internet appears to be down this morning (Monday). I set it up fine last night, but I don't know whether the problem's on my end. I'll post this next time it's working again.

Filed under Clarion, Journal
Comments: Discuss this entry at LiveJournal

Posted by: Dr. Phil at June 26, 2006 4:43 PM

Posted by: Loquacious Lad at June 26, 2006 5:02 PM

Posted by: Mallory at June 26, 2006 5:49 PM

Posted by: Alex at June 27, 2006 8:05 AM

by Alex Wilson. This is from an online journal/blog I kept from 1998-2009. Back to alexwilson.com.