Monday, July 7, 2008

Mostly Happy Valley

Yeah, so I went up to Penn State for the long holiday weekend. I'm really not one of those people that constantly wants to go visit old schools and such. But once in a while is nice because I didn't just graduate from Penn State, I was there when I was little going to kindergarten while my dad was getting his degree there.

Plus, the other thing that is so annoying is you see how good college kids have it today, those annoying young whippersnappers...computers and wireless everywhere, lounge seating like you're in barnes and noble in the library, new classroom buildings that look amazingly like office buildings, all the way down to conference rooms with those really expensive chairs - you know which one's I'm talking about, they are so bouncy and comfortable, you almost think you could make it through the all day meeting without freaking out on the person next to you who has this irritating little dry cough but they never get any water.

And speaking of coughs, I got one while up there. Normally I love staying in a hotel room where the vent blows on me, I like the feeling of fresh air...but the Nittany Inn had this vent that had the strength of a thousand suns. I went to sleep thursday night feeling fine, and woke up friday with this "cough". Plus my chest was tight, which is not something I ever felt except when I had the whooping cough several years back (no, I'm not kidding, I managed to get whooping cough as an adult and let me tell you - NOT FUN NOT FUN NOT FUN). But anyway, not to drag out the story, I ended up getting a cough, fever, the mess. Or maybe it's legionnaire's disease. I'll have to look it up.

But on a fun note, we discovered by accident, that State College has the number 2 fireworks in the country, right behind New York City. Who knew???? So apparently like 70,000 people poured into happy valley on friday to watch this fireworks show. Naturally we were skeptical, having been at disney world over july 4th, and really, who could top that....Well, it was 45 minutes long, which I have to admit was probably the longest fireworks ever, and the finale really was a "Finale". Very impressive. My honest opinion? It could have been a bit shorter... Not to be a grinch or anything, but too much of a good thing is still too much. But very impressive.

Other than that....library was in good shape, although it still has that annoying entrance they put on the back of it that they try to say is the main entrance. I'll fight that til my dying day. Stacks are still the same. Willard building - still annoying. but always weird not to see the willard preacher standing out front. Strange new computer science building still strange and new, and incongruous right behind the old frat houses that look so stately (at least from the outside).

Other than the slight case of bubonic plague, it was a nice visit.

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