I hope you can watch this video and appreciate the intricacies of all of the arguments it creates — especially those involving copyright/fair use etc. Or just watch(listen) in awe as every single song you hear after this radiates and vibrates in your skull and you realize it was probably influenced by (or directly samples) the amen break!

First of all, for those that might be unaware, I started working at the Urban Outfitters here in Baton Rouge this October. It's almost been two months and I cannot give enough praise to this place. My coworkers are absolutely brilliant and a blast to work with. The people I work with ate so unique and so...authentic...that I feel completely at home working there. It doesn't hurt that the Urban "style" isn't too far off from my preferences, so there's that too.

Of course, I can't forget to update you on my school situation. I finished finals a week ago and I couldn't be happier. I know I did poorly on two of my finals -- I thought I was prepared but apparently I was not. And you know what? I'm okay with that. I realize I can do better and next semester is another chance at improvement.

Now, there are a few other wonderful updates that I'm sure non of you are dying to hear. I'm definitely hoping to head back to California this break. I don't think I'll make it back for my birthday but I absolutely must celebrate my birthday in California. I will feel incomplete until I do so.

Oh, yeah, there's a girl that I've fallen for. Yep.

I say y'all quite a bit now, so feel free to make fun of me for that all you want.

I'm fairly certain I'm smarter, healthier and happier where I am right now. Maybe it was just the transition to fully living on my own, or the actual college experience, or the "fresh" start.

Who knows the real answer, but I'm ecstatic.

You?

I am so doing something like this on LSU’s campus.

Why do I need a punch in the face? Things have just been way too good for me lately. Somewhere out there someone is getting all of my bad luck and I think it’s going to come back and bite me in the ass eventually, but I’ll put that out of my head until it actually happens.

Of course I bet you’re just dying to know what makes me thing I’m having such a good time out here, right?

Here’s the rundown…

SCHOOL IS AWESOME, GO TO COLLEGE CAUSE ITS RAD

Being able to take the courses I wanted, I was happy just knowing that I wasn’t going to be bored this entire semester. However, now that the semester is almost over and I can actually see that I’m doing better than I could have expected in 4/5 of my classes, I’m ecstatic. Class scheduling for next semester is opened for myself and I’m just giddy looking at my choices. Philosophy? Calc II? Argumentative Debate? Macroeconomics?! SIGN ME UP. ALL OF THEM. NAAAAOOOOWWWWW.

Plus I have met a staggering amont of intelligent, articulate, kind-hearted people who have welcomed me into Baton Rouge and LSU with open arms. Not that people back in California aren’t swell, but all of the favors and random acts of kidness I’ve been showered with has been delightful. Kevin, Chase, Autumn, Matt, Derek, David, Taylor, Jonny, Vishnu, Mike 

THEN I GOT A JOBBBBB

I really needed money so I applied at quite a few places but didn’t get any calls back. I had pretty much given up on everything until I realized there was an Urban Outfitters here in Baton Rouge…not 5 minutes down the street from where I live. I applied, went in for an interview and was hired all within the span of a few days, it was excellent.

I’ve only been working there for a week and a half now, but I can already tell it’s going to be an excellent place to work. The orientation leader for my training session, Josh, was an awesome dude to begin with. Turns out he’s actually a DJ at KLSU, which made him even more badass than I had originally anticipated. My managers and coworkers have all been so nice to me, putting up with all of my questions and nagging without any complaints (that I know of, anyways.)

Last night after work I went out with a few of them and we went to a roller-skating rink and went roller-skating/rollerblading, which was a blast. It sounds ridiculous but falling on your ass and watching others do the same will bring a smile to your face very quickly. After that we went to East Chimes (a resteraunt in Baton Rouge) and met up with some more managers/coworkers and had good two hours to eat/drink/talk…and I realized that it’s just one big dysfunctional family. Not only am I thankful to have a job, but to have a job with such a cast of people is just another plus in the long list of good things that came with working for Urban Outfitters.

THEN THERES MY HEALTH

So, ever since moving out to Baton Rouge, I’ve tried to start living a healthier lifestyle. Blah blah blah of course, you’ve heard that a million times I’m sure. But the fact that I can now run 6-7 miles in an hour, COMBINED with my asthma dissipating, has made me feel like a new person. Not feeling that burning cold in my lungs after two minutes of light jogging is amazing. I’ve been skating every day, to and from class, around my apartment complex…everywhere. I’ve never had more energy and actually find myself upset if I have to miss a day at the gym or can’t go out skating because it’s raining. 

IT RAINS. A LOT.

But it’s a beautiful city and I love the rain so I don’t really mind. Seriously though, not being able to skate for three or four days kind of sucks. Just give me every other day, BR, and I’ll be happy.

Do you want a video? Do you want more walls of text? A photo essay perhaps? Let me know what you want to know and how you’d like to find out…it’s all for you guys, so just even one comment will sway my decision!

Greg, if you EVER read this, I should have listened to Tokyo Police Club much earlier. I remember hearing this song on your MySpace, but never really having gotten into it. Why? WHY?! IT’S SO GOOD.

It’s also pretty cool to note that LSU has been doing quite a bit for cancer research this month. In our UREC, we’ve got a pink treadmill that for every mile run on it, $0.10 is being donated to cancer research. There are of course also all of the sororities collecting the pink Yoplait Yogurt lids for research as well, so there’s definitely some people who are trying their best to do things for it. Whenever that pink treadmill is free I run on it, but because I suck at running I think I’ve only done a total of 10 or 15 miles on it…but it’s better than nothing, right?

Anyways, I have no real personal connection to cancer — no one in my immediate family has been diagnosed with it or anything, but it’s such an easy cause to get involved in, why not? Feel free to holler if you’ve got any charities you’d like to give a shout out to, as I’d love to get more involved in anything.

Except for healthcare reform, that’s just volatile.

Once again I visit the Art & Design Building here at LSU and am astounded at what I found. Beautiful writings and drawings, some really annoyingly famous quotes, and a few that I’ve never heard before. A good bit of inspiration before heading off to class.

If you’re close enough to LSU to check it out yourself, I suggest you do. And if you do, write something on it, add your mark!

this little bit right here may or may not be my addition:

I really do love the Baton Rouge police, they’ve been nothing but nice!

Transplant Lagniappe: Humanities Edition from Zachary Diaz on Vimeo.

My second installment of my really badly named “Transplant Lagniappe.” A quick catch up of how I’ve been doing, I also discuss what I’ve been reading (http://bit.ly/OwBla) and what I’ve been listening to (http://bit.ly/LICtr).

If you watch the video, I’d love if you made some sort of response telling me what you’ve been reading and/or listening to. Can be something short, a quick quip if you enjoy that, or we can go into a lengthy discussion if you’d like. Can’t wait to hear from you all.

Death Valley from Zachary Diaz on Vimeo.

My experience of going to Death Valley @ LSU for the LSU vs. Florida game on October 10th, 2009.