What a busy month it’s been.

Ever since I got back from Minnesota on January 6, I’ve been running myself ragged with projects, homework, and other endeavors. The past few weeks have been trying, and the next few promise to be no less busy, but I continue to have a good time.

Much of my time has been occupied by Pike in preparation for initiating our new class, Alpha Lambda. All of the practice and education culminated last Friday night when we welcomed 29 new Brothers into our inner circle. The freshmen are a great group with ample potential to continue our chapter’s eminence. To celebrate the new class, as well as our chapter’s 15^th anniversary, we rented the Adler planetarium in Chicago for a banquet.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Adler, it is located just north of Meigs Field on Lake Michigan next to Chicago. I was able to see the Adler from the air when I flew into Meigs last Fall.

I drove up to Chicago on Saturday afternoon, caravanning with my new Brothers from Speed 3. It took about four hours to reach the Windy City, at which point it was almost time for the banquet to start. The festivities started soon after dusk, which gave me a good opportunity to enjoy the Chicago skyline. It was cloudy out (the top third of the Sears tower [second tall skyscraper from the left] is not visible in the photo), but the clouds did not detract from the ambiance; rather, the gentle glow of the city lights reflecting off of the clouds added to the Adler’s proud state.

Being an anniversary banquet, many alumni were present. It was good to see the Brothers that had graduated in years past, to inquire about the real world and reminisce about days gone by. There were many photo displays and albums present for perusal. I had a good time looking through the pictures, aware that though I did not know most of the people in the images, I would not be were I am today without their toils and triumphs.

The banquet itself was first-rate, by far the nicest one I have attended in my tenure. We started with a nicely presented citrus and toasted walnut salad, proceeded to a delicious foccacia-stuffed chicken breast, and finished with a pleasant warm fallen chocolate soufflé. The food was of the class one would expect at a fine restaurant. After dinner and the requisite speeches, all of the Pikes present got together for a professionally-shot panoramic group photo. I ordered a copy – it should be a nice keepsake. We took several small-group photos, such as of the Kyle Allen lineage (to which I am a member).

As I mentioned before, part of the reason for the banquet was to celebrate the initiation of Alpha Lambda class. I’m happy to say that my newest little brother, Vince, was one of those happy few to join our ranks.

…

At the end of the night, I said my goodbyes and proceeded on my way back to Terre Haute. Yes, for reasons even I am not certain of, I chose not to spend the night in Chicago. The drive was, well, something I never want to do again. I regret doing it, and am lucky to have made it safely home. My better judgment was certainly not with me when I decided to press on. Why was the trek so treacherous? Sleep, or more aptly, the lack thereof.

In the previous three days, I had received a total of fifteen hours of shut-eye. By the time I left Chicago, around 11:00 p.m. EST, I had been up for fourteen hours, with five of those dedicated to driving. The hectic happenings of the previous week had drained my stamina, and I was exhausted. I only vaguely remember the trip from Chicago to Terre Haute. I had the stereo cranked up, the windows open to the 32-degree cold outside, and my seatback in a full upright position. Despite these measures, I know that I nearly nodded off several times. By the time I was within 100 miles of the Haute, I had started to hallucinate, seeing cars and bits of road that I soon realized were not there. Though the hallucinations startled me, I nevertheless pressed on. I finally pulled into the House parking lot at 3:00 a.m. I got my things went inside, and fell fast asleep.

Why did I drive home? It was a stupid decision. It was dangerous for me, and it could have been dangerous for someone else on the road. Hopefully, I will exercise better wisdom in the future.

…

At the end of February, I will be going on a trip to Steamboat in Colorado with ten of my Brothers to enjoy of week of skiing and snowboarding. I’m looking forward to the trip: great friends and a splendid location. Just 25 more days until I leave the stress of Rose and embrace the bliss of fresh powder, 10,000 feet in the air.

We will be flying out, staying in a condo, and packing in all of the snowboarding, skiing, and nightlife that we can manage. I’m planning on starting the week by snowboarding. After a few days, depending on how I feel (novice snowboarder == potential for pain), I might give skiing a go. Either way, it will be fun!