Hey folks....well, my last column of the term has been published. I get one more for May Term, but not very many people read that one. My time as a columnist is pretty much over. Check out my latest here. I've already heard several positive comments on it.

I realized I didn't post the link to last weeks column. Check it out here.

I don't know about you guys, but the weather here today was great. I was able to play 4 games of sand volleyball with my friends...and that was fun, even though I managed to land on my roommate's stomach and then kick him in the jaw when I tried to quickly get off. His jaw is sore and my ankle is bruised and bloodied. Oh well, it's good to have some athletic-related soreness again.

Ok, that's my latest writing. I have a test in ummm...6 hours, so I'm going to bed.

My oldest brother has been visiting Minnesota ever since Thursday night. Of course, he had to come to the midwest when not only am I still in Iowa, but I also have my last band concert of college on Saturday evening. But I couldn't NOT go see him...so the 2YG and drove up to Lakeville after band rehearsal got done at 5 p.m. on Friday. We made it in time for our 8 p.m. dinner reservations with my oldest brother and his wife, my other brother and his wife, my parents, and my grandparents. It was quite a group.

Dinner was amazing. For you Minnesota folk, we went to that new Copper Blue restaurant in Lakeville....WOW! I wish we would've had that when I was in High School! That place is scrumptiddlyumptious! I had a hugely expensive steak, but it was the best steak I've ever had...even better than my favorite restaurant in Sioux Falls, SD. And it was the first time since the three brothers were together since two Christmases ago. We had been planning to go out after dinner, but we didn't leave the place until about 11:30 p.m. Yikes! Needless to say, the older guys were tired. The 2YG and I were tired, but we stayed up for a while too.

Saturday we were having an open house for the Rockford friends, but it was at 3:00 p.m. I had to be back at Wartburg, meeting with the trombones at 6:25 p.m. It's about a 2.5 to 3 hour drive. Yeah. So I got to introduce the 2YG to some of the close friends from Rockford, and then we got out of there. We weren't even in Minnesota for 24 hours, but it definitely was worth it. Especially because that was the first time the 2YG met my brother. And that was really important to me. For both sides to meet each other.

Saturday night was the last concert of my college career....and my parents couldn't be there. Nobody from my family was there. The 2YG was there, of course, but I really, really wanted my parents to come hear the last concert. A lot of seniors were sad and crying and stuff, but I didn't. Band was never that huge part of my life. I'll miss playing more than the people. I have a few good band friends, but other than that I went because I like being in a group....not for any of that other stuff. Afterwards the 2YG cooked me supper....and that's just another reason why I love her.

Now today, I had to get up at 7:30 to play with my brass quintet in Charles City at a Babtist church. We played really well, considering our 2nd trumpet was basically sight-reading the music. Oh yeah, did I mention the service went for TWO HOURS!!!! ARGH!!! It was so bad! I can't believe it! Oh well, they loved us. Whatever. Then tonight we had band banquet, which is the end of the year thingy for band. They always do stuff for the seniors and part of it this year was bringing in a baby picture and everybody tries to guess who is who. Even though I was home yesterday, I still forgot to get a baby picture. So I had to improvise. I drew a picture on paint....which, for some reason, isn't loading right now...so I'll have to show you that some other day.

Alrighty, I'm gonna study some Business Communication. Woohoo!!!