Brad DeRousse’s blog

Ah.  Each semester brings new challenges with it.  Last semester was a nice "Getting Back Into The Groove" semester.  No major projects.  Just sit in class, take notes, ask a question or two, be visible to your professors, study, do your homework, etc.  Do that and get A's.  Not a bad semester.  This semester will be a bit more involved.  With higher numbers in the class classification comes higher standards.....just as I remember it. 

I had both of my classes this morning.  The first one is Geography 315: Geomorphology.  This class is taught by the head of the Geography department.  First thing we're given is a quiz (for our own purposes) about stuff we should know.  Ouch!  I have all the prerequisites for this class, but I definitely have my work cut out for me.  This is an advanced Physical Geography/Geology class and some of the background stuff is material I covered about 10 years ago at SWIC.  I'll definitely have to work at reviewing a lot of that material.  Otherwise, I really like the course subject and think this will be a cool class.  The professor really knows his stuff and is incredibly passionate about the course material which should make for a fun and interesting learning experience.

My other class is Geography 205: Human Geography.  This is a rather large overview class. Whereas Geo 315 is all Geography majors there are a lot of different majors represented by the students.  My interests definitely lie more in the Physical Geography area, but this could be a pretty interesting class.  It looks like there may be a bit of work for the course but nothing too major.

I just got to keep my head on straight and aim for another straight A semester.  I would literally freak out if that happened!  Here's to me freaking out!

So I've been attending The Journey's Metro East since I've moved back to Edwardsville.  About a month ago in the bulletin they started announcing the start up of a concert venue at their Arts building in Tower Grove Park in St. Louis  called The Luminary (http://theluminaryarts.com/) which is a place where artists can come and create their art.  They happened to turn the basement into an art gallery/music soundstage venue area.  They are now in the process of bringing in live acts (local and national) on a monthly basis.  The ad for it in the bulletin is calling for help in getting it started and helping run it...so I, of course, jumped at it.  They were asking for help in all aspects (booking, promoting, hospitality, operations, etc.).  This is definitely up my alley.  Last Saturday we had our first meeting and it is sounding like it can be something really cool.  I got my first glimpse of the room, which they say has a capacity of about 300, and it is really cool.  I think I'm going to be helping out with booking and/or promoting.  I had already brought up some ideas about some bands it would be cool to bring in.  

I love this song.  We've done this at church the last few weeks and yeah I really like it! 

And as a random thought....after a couple listens to GnR's "Chinese Democracy" I think I'll have much love for it!  I wasn't sure at first, but it is really growing on me.

No.   It really is.  October that is.  It's later than September, but not quite November.  It's October.

Two words for you : Death Magnetic.  I'm pumped for the newest Metallica release.  The 30 second samples on the Border's computer makes me giddy for this new release!

So I'll be moving to SIUE next Thursday.  Last Tuesday was my last day of work.  I've been chilling since then.  I probably won't do much packing until the beginning of next week.  I don't really have all that much.  I just really need to work hard at getting it all in my little Civic, though.  It's looking like I'll only be able to make one trip since I'm supposed to be out of the apartment by 10 am and can't move into the campus apartments until 11 am.  Should be an interesting task! 

As much as I liked the area I have lived in, there is one conclusion that I have come to is that it is really lonely living in the suburbs when you don't know anyone.  I have met some really cool people....mainly at the church I attend (we tend to only hang out before or after services, if at all), but most of the people that live in my apartment complex keep to themselves.  It's quiet that way but can be incredibly lonely at other times.  I am anxious to get back to the Edwardsville area where there are several people that I already know and will be able to hang out with. 

I have recently discovered a side project from the lead singer of As I Lay Dying called Austrian Death Machine.  All the song titles from the cd Total Brutal are great Schwarzeneger movie one-liners and are used to create great face melting hardcore songs.  Song titles include "Come With Me If You Want To Live", "If It Bleeds We Can Kill It", "Who Is Your Daddy And What Does He Do?", "It's Not A Tumor", and "Get To The Choppa".  Great stuff I tell ya!

Looks like the Wolverine trailer played at Comic Con has officially leaked.  Sweet!

High Flying Entertainment?  I think so!

Well, apparently the reason I was charged so much for tuition is because being a Missouri resident the max amount of hours I can take and still get in-state tuition at SIUE is 6.  So all I had to do is cut down to 2 classes.  I will take 2 classes in the Spring, also, and from then on I will be an Illinois resident again and can take as many as I want.  It may take a little bit longer, but it will save me a lot of $$ and when you're pretty much financing the next 3 years of your life every little bit counts.  :)