I'm the Map!

I have more maps of the UMD campus than I can keep track of and yet I still keep getting lost! That place is BIG! I thought Bentley was a decent sized campus but compared to UMD, it's like an elementary school to a high school. Everything seems bigger and closer together. There are more streets than I can (currently) remember the names of, a farm, a football stadium, a basketball arena, a student union, eight libraries, and dozens of academic buildings. And that doesn't even include the dorms, other playing fields, office buildings, parking lots or garages.

Seriously! Look at the size of this place! So it's no surprise that I got lost while trying to register for a parking permit today. Not to mention that there were buses parking in front of the building I needed so while trying to watch where I was going and obey traffic laws, I missed it, twice. Finally I just parked and walked until I finally saw the door sign that told me I was in the right place. And I have to say, I really miss the days of free parking at Bentley. Although with a campus of this size, with as many students as it has, it's really no surprise. Parking must be a wonderful source of revenue. I paid $120 for a summer commuter pass. Good thing I start my new job on Monday. And I did manage to find my way to campus barely using my GPS. I think I'm finally learning the hang of that drive. I'm sure by the end of next week, it will be a breeze. Except for the traffic.

In other news, I tried to find the library on my own today. And failed spectacularly. Let me preface this by saying that the current library branch is at a temporary location while its new building is being constructed. This being said, I've only been to the library once, with my fairy godmother driving. So I knew the general location of where I needed to go. I even managed to find the cross street I needed to take, before somehow ending up in a suburban sprawl near the shopping complex. So I said screw the GPS for this one and Googled "Municipal Center" where I knew the library was located. I was only a few streets away and I managed to navigate my way over there just fine. I picked up the book that was waiting for me (Incarceron by Catherine Fisher) and headed on my merry way home. Slowly but surely, I'm learning my way around.

Plus I got to shoots some hoops with Amy today. I forgot how adorable short kids are when they play and it makes me wonder if I looked like that when I was her age....probably. I've really missed basketball. I'm glad I have a hoop again. There is something relaxing about tossing up the rock for an hour or so in the hot summer sun before collapsing with a bottle of Gatorade in the shade.

What I'm reading: Ripper by Stefan Petrucha
Progress: About halfway
Thoughts so far: Absolutely amazing. A mystery and a puzzle wrapped in historical context. I think I'm a little in love. Plus it's centered on one of the world's most infamous serial killers: Jack the Ripper. It's a completely gripping page-turner and I can't wait to see what happens next.