I could be a big hitter

That's what my golf scramble teammate told me this morning as I shanked and whiffed my way through 18 holes. All I need to do is get a better backswing, keep my left arm straight, not break my wrists, keep my head down, feet planted, follow through and also die and come back as someone good at golf. It was fun though, and we won. Know what's completely useless? A $25 gift certificate to the Pro Shop. Do I want a glove? Golf balls? maybe a visor. If I were to buy a polo shirt, it'd be at goodwill by week's end. I considered investing another $174.99 in a nice driver just to trick myself into picking up the sport, but in the end I walked away with a floppy Gore-Tex rain hat that might be nice for hiking.

Co-Gen Magic

It doesn't seem to me that there's all that much point in air-conditioning the buildings at MIT if you're just going to shut it off on the hottest day of the year.

Tanned, Rested, and Ready

Just like Nixon, I'm back, baby. July was attitude adjustment month, but it's time turn over a new leaf now.

Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee O'Conner

We don't focus too much on politics here at the chef, but I view our nation's leaders as one step below major league baseball in terms of great spectator sports. Fans of hysterical rhetoric everywhere are salivating today over what promise to be some very hot summer nights. I predict our president will nominate someone more right than center, and the good folks in the minority party will become completely unhinged. I mean totally batshit crazy. and I'll be here lapping it up.

Vivaldi

I've always felt an aversion to "climbers". In high school, these were the kids for whom life began when they got their acceptance letter from Yale or Stanford or wherever, and high school was just a series of application padding activities. A formidable number must not have been very good at the game in high school, because they ended up at Purdue with me and the rest of the 89% who get accepted there. There, they grade-grubbed and vied for leadership positions in student organizations. And studied to classical music. To this day listening to "The Four Seasons" feels affected and false, as if I'm still hoping to get into Harvad med.

Did I mention that I was on the MIT Chemical Engineering Department's Graduate Student Council during the 2003-2004 academic year? I was in the National Honor Society in High School. I ran track in 6th grade. I can juggle.