Redneck Escort Service

I'm not making this up.

As I was making the drive back to Tullahoma last night, I saw a truck with this company name and logo written on the passenger door. I saw it as I was getting ready to merge onto I-440 outside of Nashville. When I saw it, I almost drove off the road. You're probably asking yourself, "What on earth?" Well, before you start calling the Nashville-Davidson County Better Business Bureau I should let you know that they "escort" wide loads on the interstate. I have to admit, I was thrown by it. Also, don't try googling it. That won't end well, I promise.

I should also take time to mention that I spent 4 hours at Red Lobster on Saturday. Two of those hours were spent standing at the bar trying to dry off with those crappy little beverage napkins. Jennifer's friend and classmate Bianca wanted to go there for her birthday (she shares a birthday with Jennifer). OK, sounds good. We get there at 5:00 only to find out that the current wait is an hour and forty-five minutes. Holy. Crap. The current theory is that there was a mass exodus from Mid-Town in order to avoid the Soul Bowl. I can't blame them - Jennifer and I essentially did the same thing. After we finally get seated almost two hours later, Bianca orders a 6-oz steak. STEAK. At Red Lobster. Urge to kill...rising...rising...

The garlic cheddar biscuits are really quite good though. If not for those, there might be a missing law student or two.

Today was back to the normal grind at UTSI. Characterizing carbon fibers, auditing Dr. Yue's Fiber Science class, and working towards my thesis (I'm working up a good title, like "Looming Thermo Project of Doom." Suggestions are welcome). I heated up some Campbell's Chicken Tortilla soup for dinner. Not great, but low calorie.

Finally, we're having our first seminar of the semester on Wednesday. Here's the email:

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Never Told Tales of Blackbirds, U2s and Roadrunners,
the Golden Age of Aerospace

Wednesday, September 12, 2007
12:30 pm – Room H-111

Dr. Bob Abernethy
Manager of Reliability and Safety (retired)
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, Inc.

Dr. Abernethy is the inventor of the dual cycle engines that power the Blackbirds. He will tell us stories about engineering in the fifties and sixties including the development of the aircraft engines that powered the reconnaissance aircraft of the cold war. The aircraft will include the U2, the YF12, A12, CL400 and the SR-71. The Lockheed Blackbird, SR-71, still holds all seventeen world speed and altitude records even though it was designed forty eight years ago.

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They'd have to TRY to keep me away from that.