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BOOLAR GOES BOOK SHOPPING, PART I

Monday was a day of exploration for this Ape. After helping M with food preparation (well, she prepared, I kept eating it… eventually I was “asked” to go sit on the couch and wait until the food was done. So much for appreciating the taste-tester) we headed out to see about getting books. M is obsessed with getting our books just as soon as possible; she envisions showing up to buy books and seeing nothing but empty shelves for all of the classes I’m enrolled in. I’d just as soon wait until the last possible minute, but M said no.

Anyway, we went to the Valparaiso University Book Center and were pleasantly surprised by the friendly and accomodating demeanor of the woman at the information desk. Now remember, I did my undergrad studies at IU Bloomington (where I majored in Jungle Management, with a minor in Bananaology), so I’m used to the staff of any bookstore having the attitude of “Good lord, another clueless student?! What did I do to deserve THIS?!”

Not the case here. I swung myself onto the counter and asked about when books went on sale, as I’d noticed bright yellow signs that said “SECTION CLOSED” hung all over the Textbook Section of the store. The woman at the information desk informed me that law school students can buy books beginning Wednesday, August 6 (undergrads don’t get to buy books until the week after–haha!). She asked if I was a first-year Ape, and I said I was, so she then took me on a mini-tour of the study guides and dictionaries available to law students. There are several brands available, and the bookstore stocks the two most popular study guides, which the Book Center Lady stated are purchased right down the middle–50% of students prefer one, and 50% prefer the other. She advised just buying a couple of each for the first semester and seeing which I like better.

The Book Center Lady also gave directions to where I could go obtain my Book Voucher. This voucher works like a “credit card”, sort of. I will take this voucher to the Book Center and when I gather up all my books, dictionaries, and any other academic supplies (no t-shirts, sweatshirts, or bananas, I was informed) I pay for them by just handing over the voucher. The total cost is then automatically subtracted from my scholarship money on my student account. How handy. (Of course, M pointed out that I had not included the cost of my books when I made my monthly budget recently… which means that I will have less money to spend this semester than I thought. This means that I will be calling Momma Ape and Dad Ape about 1/2 month sooner than planned to request more money.)

I aped my way over to the student accounts counter at the Kretzmann Hall building and got my book voucher. M says she’s going to make me get up early on Wednesday so that we can go line up at the door of the Book Center and be the first ones in there to buy books. I laughed, and then I realized she was serious.

BOOLAR VISITS THE CHAPEL OF THE RESURRECTION

Campus is still very quiet, since most folks haven’t moved back in yet from their summer vacations. (Not everyone is a BUM, after all. M’s grandma will understand this.) I decided it might be a good time to go check out the renowned Chapel of the Resurrection, the largest chapel in the world. (Note that it’s the largest CHAPEL, not the largest church or “house of worship”. It’s all semantics.)

Other than me, I think there was someone in the Chapel Office, but that was it–the whole chapel was empty except for this Ape. It really is impressive; the huge stained glass windows are such a jolt of color, and they look very modern in their design. The mere size of the stained glass windows is enough to make you look twice; the Chapel provides information explaining what each frame and picture represents, so I took my time there. Beautiful and fascinating. The baptistery is amazing and serene; it is built in a circular formation, with the walls and stairs being concentric circles as well. The baptismal font itself weighs in at 5.5 tons and had to be lowered into the building through the baptistery’s skylight. (I know all this because I also walked through the lower-level hallway, which is lined with historical photos and details.)

It was peaceful in the Chapel, but it was also very warm–I don’t think they had the air conditioning running. Being, well, covered in fur, I got warm pretty quickly, so I headed back out…

BOOLAR LOGS ON AT THE LAW SHOOL

As he promised, John-the-Valpo-Computer-Guy set up a temporary account for me at the law building computer lab so that I could check my email there. (That was before M’s Dad hooked us up with internetability at the apartment). So I checked out the computer lab, and logged onto my account, which worked fine. I tried to log on to Lexis Nexis and Westlaw (two of the most popular law reference websites that are free to law students but cost everyone else in the world exorbitant amounts of money), but I can’t do that yet.

BOOLAR FINDS A GROCERY STORE

Prior to venturing out today, I had done some websearching for grocery stores in the near vicinity. I found one, Town & Country Market, which Mapquest said was only 3 minutes away. I drove out there (you wouldn’t believe the number of people who point and stare when I drive… what, they’ve never seen a driving Ape? Come on.) and sure enough, there’s a very large grocery store just down the road from the apartment! Score! Now I won’t have to “monkey” around with the insanely busy WalMart every single time I need groceries. And..they have a beautiful produce section. Bananas galore! Hurrah! (And many products at very reasonable prices, better than most other stores. Interesting.) I can even browse their weekly specials via the internet, and they’re open 6 a.m. to midnight everyday, so I can swing myself over there whenever it’s convenient for me.

BOOLAR LOOKS AT CELLULAR PHONES

There is a Verizon store right next to the grocery store, so I stopped in to see what sort of plans they’re offering. For America’s Choice (nationwide service), I would pay $39.99 per month for 400 anytime minutes, 1000 mobile-to-mobile minutes, unlimited night and weekend minutes, and nationwide long distance. For Local DigitalChoice (“local” service), I would pay the same monthly rate, and the only difference would be that I’d get 500 anytime minutes instead of 400. (Note that, in this plan, Fort Wayne is part of the “local” area.) I’m leaning toward getting the nationwide service, just in case (to avoid roaming charges as much as possible no matter where I may be, even though I don’t plan on traveling anywhere soon). But I’m going to check with the fam first.

Also… phones. Now I’m an Ape with a penchant for the latest-n-greatest, so I’d like to get the new super-cool camera phone. That’s $199 and I’d get a $50 rebate, so it’d register at $149. I know, I know, that could buy a lotta bananas. The simplest phone (which is still current; it isn’t being discontinued–I got burned on that trick with Centennial!) is $10.00. Basic phone, nothing fancy. There’s a color-screen phone with some bells and whistles that’s $169 with a $50 rebate, but that’s still a lotta money. There really isn’t much of an “in between”… there’s the basic one, and there’s the fancy schmancy ones. I’ll see what the folks have to say about this before making any decisions.

WOO-HOO, WHATTA DAY

M and I are both back at the apartment now. I’m going to lay down in the big purple chair-in-the-corner and nap while M pulls some dinner out of the fridge.

Apefully yours,
Boolar The Ape

Labels: law school, the boolar posts