VEISHA

Beautiful weather, no homework, concerts, regurgitators, lumberjack shows. . . it was an awesome VEISHA. For those of you who don't know, VEISHA is a celebration of Iowa State University. From 1922 to today, it has become one of the biggest student-run events in the country with traditions and a events as diverse as the university itself. Unfortunately, a lot of these events and the food do cost money, but there was a lot of free stuff and my friends and I had fun just walking around campus- something that was a little difficult last year due to snow.

The concerts were pretty sweet. Friday night was battle of the bands and Saturday was Cartel, Jamey Johnson, Straylight Run, and Ludo. They were held out in the molecular biology parking lot, and despite a bunch of warnings about thunderstorms, it only rained for a little bit during the parade- and that was no biggy because my friends and I left after an hour and a half. Parades are nice, but the parade wasn't even half way done, and there are only so many trucks or cars with signs and waving people I don't know that I can take.

We also went to a talent show and saw a comedian, fire pixies, lumberjack show, and regurgiator. Ugh that was kind of gross! He swallowed goldfish, rings, a lightbulb. . . the weirdest thing was smoke which he then puffed into a soap bubble five minutes after he swallowed it. It was kind of cool, but gross at the same time. The lumberjacks had wood chopping contests, pole climbing contests, and all sorts of stuff crazy manly men like to do in plaid and suspenders. My friend Julia and I agreed they probably live in the mountains somewhere and come down during VEISHA each year in the spring to look for women folk to take back with them. very "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" without the ballet scene.

At midnight on Sat., some of us partook in a mad run from the steps of Beardshear to the Four Seasons Fountain. The first five people won t-shirts so the beginning was a little violent with people getting run into and knocked down. I was told there were some naked guys in the back of the pack, but I never saw them. My grandpa always asked if I was running after boys or I was running away from them in xc; I guess, this was one of those times I was running away from them- fast! The fire pixies were these four girls and this guy that kind of looked like a pirate that danced around with fire. It was entrancing for a while- probably because it was after 2:00 in the morning, and then I just got nervous because the crazy pirate guy kept running into the audience waving around his fire chain. Ahh. .. I just did not trust him.

So in conclusion, VEISHA was fun. I didn't get to do everything, but I'll know a little better what to expect for next year. The best part was just being able to hang out with friends and take a break from school. Oh, and I also learned that I do not want to be a traveling entertainer. But if my plans of becoming a biological illustrator don't turn out as expected, I always have the option to marry one of the lumberjack guys.