Exams, Downtown, Shopping and Beer

Sorry I didn't update last night, I was too tired after I got home.

Yesterday started out pretty dull. I got up late (around 10am) and goofed off until I had to go in for the second part of the qualifying exam. I talked to the secretary, we have some more paperwork that needs to get done (yay taxes), and then went and took the test.

It was ok, pretty much what I was expecting. I think I did the quantum stuff ok (there was one that I remember from Dr. C's class that I totally forgot how to do, so now I feel like an idiot. The stat mech (statistical mechanics) stuff I had no idea on, except that when you stretch a rubber band it heats up. Wheee.

After that I was burned out, so I decided to look up brewpubs in downtown Albany. So I hopped on the bus and went down to Troy. It was then that I noticed that there was the "Communiversity" in downtown, where they welcome all the new students. I totally spaced this. So I walked around for a while, and looked for people I knew, and didn't find any. So after mingling with some people I didn't know for a while (they liked my "Roses are #FF0000..." shirt), I got on the bus to downtown Albany.

After looking around for a bit, I found a brewpub called the Albany Pump Station. I tried their blonde lager, which was alright. (*Sidenote: They called this a blonde lager brewed in the "pilsner style." Then they say that the hops used are Halletauer. NOT! Pilsners only use Saaz hops. I was very dissapointed by this.) Then I tried their Kick-Ass Brown (2000, 2002 GABF Amerian Brown Ale Champion). It was good, one of the better brown ales I've had.

After this it was raining in downtown, so I walked down to the bus stop. Then I see the bus pull out of an intersection farther down the road, and turn towards Troy. CRAP. I missed that bus by a block. So I walked a block, in the rain, to the other bus stop, and caught the next one that came 30 minutes later. I got dropped off at 4th and Congress, and instead of waiting for the bus to come again (which would have taken ~40 minutes), I just walked home.

Today I was lazy again, and got up ~10am. I goofed off for a while, did some dishes, and then hopped on the bus to go down to the Hannaford. This was my first "independent shopping" experience. I picked up some ground beef, soups, cottage cheese, and some miscellaneous medical supplies. I also got a six pack of Saranca beers (brewed in Utica, NY). I shall review those soon.

And so now I'm sitting on my ass. I haven't decided what I want to do tonight. It's been kinda rainy all day. But the one thing this gloomy weather has reminded me: ITS ALMOST HALLOWEEN SEASON! And I'm in the Northeast for Halloween for the first time in my life. haw haw haw