HOT!

June 9, 2008 -- Kingston Rhode Island.

Class started today for the tenth Summer Institute on the Bay Campus of URI, in Narragansett, RI. The classes are at the Graduate School of Oceanography. Unfortunately they decided to replace the air conditioning in the building with the conference room this week. Heat index was 104F. Even just standing in the room I was dripping with sweat. We got started with some overview stuff and an exercise with "hopes and fears" for the next few weeks. So far so good (except for the heat.) After class, I headed back to the frat house to catch up on email, blog, and get news. But, the wireless was down ("due to technical difficulties. . . until further notice . . ." Argh. So plug into the wall with the Ethernet cable. . . no go. Got some message about "evaluating the computer for compliance with policy . . ." dead end. Argh. Try every way to get around the problem I can think of. Nothing works. I can only browse the URI website. Help desk is just a recording 'after hours' Argh.

So, I give it a break and walk down to the field house to sign up for a pass to use the weight room and cardio machines. The young lady behind the desk wanted to charge me $51 rather than the $26 we were told. Oh, that $26 rate is for just one summer session (which happens to end in two weeks.) Then it's another $26 for the last week of our stay here. Argh. By the way, it was still hot outside. I couldn't see paying $51 for a pass to a gym that is closed early in the morning, closed late in the evening, and closed on weekends. So I walked up the hill to find dinner. The Mexican place I saw yesterday was out of business. Most of the others were either not air conditioned or 'closed due to the extreme heat' Argh! Not a great evening. The Chinese place was open and had AC and the food was okay. There was a bit of a scare when the power flickered off and on a few times but then it stayed on and they were able to feed me. After vegetable lo mein, chicken wings with oyster sauce and most of a pitcher of water I started to feel a bit better.

The restaurants within walking distance here are certainly geared toward collage age kids. You can get subs, pizza, fast food Mexican, run-of-the-mill Chinese, and not a lot else. I did meet one other foodie today. She and I are going to have to figure out how to find some real food before long. Did I mention that this is a 'dry campus'? Yeah, I found that out after I got here. Argh again.

Now I'm blogging on the computer set up in the common computer room so I can login at all. At least the frat house AC is still working. Sigh.