This is where your favorite writer, who has just found an iced americano, spends a few minutes on the behind the scenes happenings at the trials…..
Dorm Life has changed for the better
I have spent several years of my young adult life in dormitories. I was in the Jesuits for a while in Santa Barbara, which was a bit of a country club. Then, I was a dorm daddy, or prefect for high school freshman through seniors for five years in the late seventies and early eighties at Bellarmine Prep in San Jose, CA.
The dorm at Bellarmine was nice, we had barbeques on the roof and wonderful experiences with the 140 or so young men who we were entrusted with helping live until adulthood. Thankfully, most of them did not listen to us 19-22 year olds ( we were given room and board for corrupting the country’s youth), and have stayed out of prison, professional sports, some have gone, though, into politics and the legal profession.
My room at the Learning Living Center is clean, and large. I have two desks to use and the room overlooks Hayward Field. For $60 a night, one can not beat it. I come and go as I please with a regular key and electric beeper that opens main doors. One incident, I did head to the shower, coming out in t shirt and blue boxers, but no key. I was lockedout, so I ran to one of our photographers, Jiro, who ran to our buddy Victah, and said, ” Quick, big guy is locked out.” Matt McGowan of RunOhio came to save the day and I was back in my room, and no one was arrested.
Food
Going to bed at 3 am does not suggest that one could get up early, but I am going by 9 am most mornings. A contemplative walk, some breakfast and writing and checking in with the office starts. Food is much better than in the seventies dorm life. I remember seeing what I thought was fried chicken only to be told it was ” Fried Chicken of the sea”-wasn’t there a band named that-Fried Tuna?
Salads, really good espresso, what else could one want in the morning.
Wireless is set up for media and works everytime, well, if you have an Apple! I am builing a large statue to Steve Jobs, as I have never had a PC and sure hope I do not have to procure one.
Security is obvious, but not blatant. The Eugene Swat team, K-9 corps, private secutiry are where they should be and are professional and also courteous. This is a fact of life, and in world sports arenas, and this is one, we must come to expect it.
I always go to events early in order not to spend two hours in line.
And in the 1,500 heats, where they want to pick 12 to sixteen to move on, they are putting ten in a heat? What about the younger kids here?
Off to an interview and a short walk, write to you soon!
