Midterm Post-Mortem

     Thursday, as I was sitting in my final midterm of last week (midterm 3 of 3), a gentlemen gave a loud audible sigh of relief after he left the room, causing riotous laughter for the folks remaining in the classroom; this is MIT after all. As the time slowly slipped away, and I was furiously finishing my OP exam trying to remember the Political, Strategic, and Cultural Lenses, I remember thinking that everything was going to be fine; just remember to write your MIT ID on the test. Immediately after I finished my test, my professor offered me turkish delight and I noticed that I felt much better. If fact, I was now incredibly relieved because one of the most trying weeks in the Core was now behind me. Now it was time for the festivities...

     One of the LGOs' favorite Thursday hangouts is the Thirsty Ear, and after our exams, this was the perfect place to blow off some steam. After a fun game night at another LGO's place, we all headed to the Thirsty to sing some karaoke and imbibe some low cost beverages. The cool thing about the Thirsty is that it is on campus and is in a dorm. The bad thing about the Thirsty is that it is on campus and in a dorm so we have to shut down at 12:30. Here is a picture of some regulars:

     This past weekend, one of the LGOs graciously invited us all to participate in what I consider to be a great form of fellowship and cultural learning: a pig roast. Being from Texas, we typically put our meat in a smoker or on the BBQ pit, but this time, something was getting roasted on a spit Lord of the Flies style. I volunteered to drive up early and help prepare the feast. Below is a picture of the me manning the fire. Great memories. ...

If you are an LGO with a family, you have extra duties in making sure that you are nurturing and providing support. This weekend at the pig roast was another time for the LGOs with families to bring them out and enjoy a picturesque outing in New Hampshire. There were horses, carriages, food, laughter, and joy. Truly having a family and being an LGO is probably one of the best situations to be in.