Man, so new semester, new classes. I was talking with some people, and I think the general consensus was that by the second half of your third year in college, the sheen of “new classes” has kinda worn off. This time around, the lineup is as follows:

Physics:
Advanced Lab (3)
Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (3)
Junior Seminar (1)

Political Science:
Public Policy (3)
International Relations (3)
Comparative Politics (3)

All of which are challenging in their own… special ways. When you factor in Senate, SPS, ODK, applying for internships, the radio show, technology committee, and general house-duties, man. I’ve never had a busier first-week-of-school, EVER.

There was also the additional tragedy that struck my room the other day…

Today we morn the passing of one Steve T. Bonsai-Tree. Steve passed from this world sometime between January 8th and January 17th at his current home at 804 E. Line Street in Kirksville, Missouri. Steve was a simple tree. He never needed much more than a little sun and water. He first came to live with me as a result of Christmas, 2003. He lived a relatively peaceful life, though occasionally marred by leaf-purging-illness, he always fought back to good health with a zest for life. In 2006, he made the journey with me to Kirksville for the first time. It is a path we would trace many times together. These trips were always hard on Steve, but he knew it had to be done, and Steve T. Bonsai-Tree is a Tree who does his duty. This past trip, a lethal combination of the cold as well as dry air of his hardest Kirksville winter to date finally caused his circulatory system to shut down, preventing water-delivery to his leaves. Steve leaves behind in his immediate family Frog and Snake, who took up residence with Steve in his pot sometime in 2004. His remaining extended family consists of the last living member of the Bamboo Triplets, as well as Chaki, C. Cactus. Flowers, grief-cards, and other related items can be sent to Steve’s home at 804 E. Line Street. Steve’s will called for a Viking Funeral, to be held at a date to be determined in coming weeks. -Tom Hogan, Caretaker Jan. 17, 2009

So yeah. At the time it was just kind of a thing, but after writing that little clip above, I got really sad. Steve and me have seen some times together. I never did any fancy bonsai trimming for him, which maybe now I should have… but he never really grew that much. He was just a tree; I was just a dude who watered him… but we had a bond, and he will be missed.

Will I get another tree? Someday… but I really am going to miss Steve.
In a very Lion-King-esque, circle of life kindof thing, there was a second development yesterday. A stray cat was living under our porch for the past day or so, and we didn’t know what to do with him. He was obviously a kitten, and really hungry (Ian claims he saw him eat a rock!). About an hour and a single house-vote later, we have a cat.

We went out and bought pet stuff, discussed potential monetary commitments that having a cat might entail, and decided that we would help the little guy and adopt him! At least… we think it’s a him. Below are pictures.

Jesus Christ.
Now I’m a guys that posts cat pictures to his blog.

…I guess everyone saw it coming but me:

His name is Cal. More on him later, I suppose. I’m still bracing for the moment when I recall, in quick succession due to an onslaught of problems arising, all the reasons we had NOT gotten a cat up until this point. But he’s a good little dude, so we’ll see!