It’s been one week since I first arrived at Cal for the rest of summer. A lot has happened then, and I want to cover the more interesting things in this post. Oh, and getting a bed and mattress is not one of them.
That’s right. I’m still sleeping on the floor, in a sleeping bag. But it’s actually pretty nice. As opposed to a hardwood floor or thin carpet, the carpet in our apartment isn’t too bad. Plus, the sleeping bag provides a lot of cushion, so I’m in no rush to get a bed.
I’ve still been checking out Craigslist for two main necessities: bed set and road bike. I just spotted a good deal for a bed, located in Berkeley, so hopefully this one works out. Still looking for a nice used road bike.
Summer school officially started for me on Tuesday. Media Studies 10. So far, I’ve been enjoying the class.
"I want you to watch TV."
Sarah, as she tells us to call her, actually encourages us to watch TV. This is the first time I’ve encountered this expectation from a teacher. I might have been interested in Media Studies, but now I’m sold.
Some of the stuff we’re going through is a bit dry, but the teacher promised that the class will get better, we were just covering the fundamentals.
And it seems like she’s telling the truth. Today, we watched a 40-minute documentary titled “Game Over.” The documentary talks about video games in pop culture, and poses questions about violence, gender roles, and race. The video was made about ten years ago, so the content was old. But it still illustrated the concepts we were learning, particularly that of the transmission view of communication versus the cultural/ritual view of communication.
As for work, I checked into the office at The Daily Californian the day I got back. I’ve been doing the typical things, but I’ve also met the new sales representatives, and we’ve done tabling promotions where we hand out coupons for free cappuccinos at Caffe Strada.
The beautiful pool at Berkeley City Club.
Tonight, I went to a mixer for the Berkeley City Council with the sales team. It was held at the Berkeley City Club, a beautiful building and historic landmark. We mingled with some of the people from neighboring businesses, and enjoyed a good three-course dinner.
During the event, I bought $10 worth of raffle tickets. The lady at the counter was really nice to me and gave me about three times as many tickets as I should have received. So I put in about 30 tickets for a $120 gift certificate for City CarShare (a car rental program) and hoped for the best. To my relief, my number was chosen, so for $10, I now have a six-month membership and credit to rent any car I want, anytime. This should come in handy.
I’m enjoying my new apartment immensely. Even though the place is still pretty bare, it now has a TV, floor lamps, and tables. We’re getting there. The manager, Pam, is very nice and is usually around. I just did the laundry with my suitcase as the hamper. The elevator is scary, though. It’s one of those old-school elevators that requires you to open a door first. I always expect someone or something to jump out at me when the door opens.
My schedule is pretty nice, too. I have work Monday to Thursday, three hours a day. I have class Tuesday and Thursday for three hours, and on Wednesday for two hours. The rest of the time, I’m chilling, hanging out with friends, on the Internet, or playing basketball at the RSF (gym).
I’ve played so much basketball the past week, usually two hours per session. Even though I don’t have the right shoes, I’m getting exercise and having a lot of fun. I guess I forgot I much I enjoyed basketball. That and the hectic school year. Hopefully, this trend continues throughout the summer.
Alright, I’ve blabbered enough. My point? I’m enjoying my summer here at Cal, and I hope you guys are also having a wonderful summer.
Follow Glen’s summer adventures at randomtidbitsofthought.wordpress.com.
dudeee jealous about the mixer and 6 month membership! xD aha sounded like a lot of fun 🙂