You didn't ask, but I'm going to tell you anyway.

Starting Friday, Aug 30, the week went like this: I went over to Kim's
apartment (from Lake Ave.) and made the frappiccinos as promised for the
group there gathered. I
compromised actually and made due without a "frappiccino mix." I used iced
mocha mix along with milk, some real coffee, and a pinch of Ovaltine for
that malt flavor so many teens love these days. One takes these
ingredients and mixes them in a blender and the result is indescribable.
I also made a batch of
fraps with Spicy Chocolate Chai from Trader Joe's in place of coffee.
Then we played a charades-like game that involved me doing gesticulations
to get ideas like "hailstorm" and "clockwork fuschia" across to my team.

Afterwards I stayed up until 5am and left for Oakhurst the next morning at
10am. There was car on fire on I-5. Nobody looked hurt and authorities
were hosing it down. I'd made plans to meet
Colin up at my grandparent's place in Okahurst, a small town on Rte. 41 heading towards Yosemite.
I visit my grandparents (Charles and Doris Hinckley) every month or so.
It's pretty relaxing. Colin made it up and that night my aunt Joan and
Uncle Brad came over and we all had dinner. Afterwards, Colin and I
discussed the future of our nation and things like the U.S. Navy's href="http://www.spawar.navy.mil/sandiego/technology/mammals/">Marine
Mammal Program which I woulnd't have believed had I not read it on the
Navy's website.

The next day, Colin and I talked about going to a bull fight in the central
valley, but alas, it was not meant to be. We decided that was just too
much trouble, so we hung out in Oakhurst and I showed Colin around some.
Then he bailed and spent the next day or two in relative peace, chillin'
wit da folks.

That brings us to what, Tuesday, Sep 3? That's the day Stephen had planned
to take his driver's test. We went over to the Pasadena DMV where he took
it and passed it. As he took his test, I went over to price CD players
that play MP3's. I found one at Circuit City for about $50. I don't know
if they're horrible quality or what. If anyone has advice on this, let me
know. Then I went over to Cingular and priced cell phones (!). However,
if you know me, you know that I've been reluctant to buy one and have even
suggested that I'm against the whole idea of getting one even if I could
afford it. The guy there recommended I use Cingular's $39 per month plan.
I said I'd think about it. But I don't think a cell phone is in my stars.

Tuesday night I met with the regular group of href="http://airportmatt.blogspot.com/">Matt, Truong, Travis, Ryan, and
John. We prayed and
whatnot. Then John, Ryan, and I talked about how the world could be made
more fair. Among other suggestions, I remember Ryan said the U.S. Senate
should be replaced with people chosen from academia and other
non-business sectors of society.
Note that they must not be elected, but
must be chosen, presumably by executive fiat.
The real motivation is not to get professors to pass legislation, but
simply to bring the Senate up to date and do away with the regionalism;
should Rhode Island really get as many votes as New York or California?
Everyone should write a letter proposing a new form for the Senate and
send it to your Senator.

We also discussed affirmative action, and we (or at least I) came to the
conclusion that the real goal of affirmative action should be to give every
child in America an equal opportunity to get a good education. So the
question is, how do we go about that goal? Is it even a worthy goal?
Is it legal?
There is no mention of this kind of equality in the Constitution.

On Wednesday, I went out with href="http://www.cds.caltech.edu/~shane/images/pic3/kurt1.jpg">Kurt,
Jenn, Nate, href="http://www.cds.caltech.edu/~shane/images/pic3/seth.jpg">Seth,
and Ryan to celebrate href="http://www.cds.caltech.edu/~shane/images/2002/jennys.jpg">Jenny's
birthday. We went to an Ethiopian restaurant on Fairfax. You know, the
kinda place where you eat with that bread that feels like a cross between
an Ace bandage and human flesh. Then we went to W. David Faulknet's house
in Glendale, drank his liquor, brought him more, ate his cupcakes,
and played cards. That place is a 24-hour-party, or at least it should be.
Oh, and Jenny gave all her friends a CD with a bowling theme. She's
decided to follow the tradition of the hobbits and give other people
presents on her birthday, and she's chosen to give her own specially chosen
compilation CDs. This year's theme was "bowling."

The next day was a Thursday and I worked Thursday.

Friday I went bowling after buying some buys. The occasion was now
href="http://www.cds.caltech.edu/~shane/images/2002/stephanies.jpg">Stephanie's birthday.
I scored a 23 or so. I'm not very good, but my bowling throw has
style some say. Festivities continued at BJ's in Monrovia, where there
were party hats and fun toys for all the kids.

Saturday I went to Magic Mountain and rode the Nut Buster, among other
rides (i.e., Riddler's Revenge). I think my favorite was either Superman
or Goliath. I went with Alisa, Christy, Katie, Julia, and href="http://airportmatt.blogspot.com/">Matt. The evening ended with a
look at some of Alisa's dad's href="http://members.tripod.com/~otlichnik/help.html">KGB paraphernalia
and discussions of Oxana Baiul, Janet Reno, and other Libras.

On Sunday, I slept until 1:30pm and realized that my personality is
changing, just as it should. I won't go far as to say that I'm a million
defferent people from one day to the next, because that's just plain not
true. I simply realized that the way I handle and think about things is
quite different this year than last year. And I'd be hard pressed to tell
you exactly what I mean. I could say that I'm more sure of myself, but
then I am also more aware of my faults-- thanks to my helpful friends and
family who have a knack for revealing my faults. If only I can return the
favor and be gentle about it.

So on Sunday I talked to relatives on the
phone, went to Warehouse, signed up to lead a small group,
and met a missionary named David, who's currently on furlough, which is
one of the coolest words ever. Along with lugubrious and pulchritudinous,
of course.