Expanding the mind: Today I was lucky enough to get a free audio book from Audible.com because I bought a new MP3 player. I decided that I should download a book I’ve never had time to read, Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner. I figured getting it on audio book would give me an opportunity to slowly finish the book over a couple weeks—that was this morning. Here I am, fifteen hours later and I have spent the past three solid hours listening to it. The book doesn’t seem like an economics book—despite the title—and feels more like a sociology lesson. I highly recommend this book for just about anyone who wants to learn a tad more about anything. Cheating teachers, drug dealers, money, realtors, sumo wrestlers, and baby names are all in this book. The authors are witty and fun and everyone should read this.

Mourning the loss: Today is the one year anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre. While to me it feels as if this has come too quickly, for many students of Virginia Tech, this has been the longest year of their lives. The shockwaves that Virginia Tech’s tragedy sent through university campuses was palpable, and now it seems only fitting that we turn to look back at them. A memorial today began at midnight with the Corps of Cadets beginning a 24 hour guard of a memorial candle. Throughout the day, students, faculty, parents and others have come on and off campus in an attempt to keep life going and remember the past. To all those who were there and who felt the pain of Virginia Tech, our hearts are with you.