"Writers and Politicians are natural rivals...

Both groups try to make the world in their own images; they fight for the same territory."
~Salman Rushdie

It's Monday, and the Seton Hill campus has exploded with people unlike the sedate environment that surrounded the place over the weekend.  Much of the day, for me, was spent getting my financial aid in order, checking in to various student offices, getting my keys and student I.D, and figuring out how to print some of my assignments for the next few days.

I toured the campus, and took a few pictures.  The zoom on my Blackberry isn't working, but will suffice for taking/receiving and sending photos for this blog.

Before I knew that the cemetery near my dorm was a final resting place for the Sisters of Charity, I had visions that this was where they buried all of the failed writers...

The grounds of the Seton Hill have undergone, and are still undergoing, a large number upgrades/renovations, and it is visible the amount of work that has been done to give the place a facelift.  As I write this, workers are laying down fresh sod, caulking windows and painting walls.  This is summer break, and I believe (except for a few of us in Residency programs) most of the dorms and classrooms are vacant, allowing for maintenance and other personnel to focus on their work unencumbered by students tramping back and forth from classes.  Below is a photo of one of the beautiful buildings here...

One of my roommates moved in today.  Her name is Kris, and she is has a very large personality that (I believe) will spill over onto the rest of us in this part of the dorm, and demand that we be happy.  Not in a really terrible way.  She's from LA, and brought with her a large sundry of items to decorate her room and the common space.  A veteran of Seton Hill, and graduating this term, she knew what to expect from the sparse surroundings.  In no time her bed was completely 'pinkified', complete with rose colored accent pillows, and wall sticker flowers.  (Did I say it was going to be an interesting week?)  The common space now sports a door sized $1.99 wall sticker with a print of three palm trees in front of a beach scene and an array of flowers in the foreground.  Now, if she could only provide an ocean breeze and the scent of flowers to cover the musty staleness in this space.  (Heidi, where are the scent-bots when I need them?)

The evening draws near, and I've discovered one of the most important places on campus, which is where to find food.  The dining hall has early evening hours (4:30PM to 6:00PM), so I'm off for some early evening chow, and then back to the computer to do some critique/editing!  I don't know if this will ever get old, but I thoroughly relish being able to write, read and absorb the written words at my own leisure.  Currently, I'm reading Heidi Ruby Miller's book, "Ambasadora."  It's an interesting blend of Sci-Fi, Romance and Sexuality.  The story didn't really pull me in until Chapter 12 because the previous chapters didn't connect well for me until then, but afterwards the story hooked me and I'm really enjoying the read.

Well, off to dinner and another round of reading and critiquing!

~Cin