The sanctity of the media lounge has been disturbed. A group is doing a radio program on the Iraq war, and they're working in the media lounge and apparently recording and such in the pit. I knew it was happening, but I didn't think the impact would be this big. I saw the extra desks and the bookcase being moved in. But I didn't realize that so many people would be coming with them.

I went into the media lounge this afternoon, and of all the people there (10-15), 2 or 3 were normal SCCS-type folk. Gone from the white board was the poll inquiring what Fritz should do if he fails to make it into grad school (possibilities included Vulcan love slave, creepy man sitting by playground, and many other equally delightful options). Both the couch and the love seat, generally prime napping locations, were in use. Most of the computers were in use. And instead of the random gossip and talk and occasionally obscene humor, there were people deciding which story out of Iraq was the biggest one. Was it the latest car bombing or something Bush had said?

I would be cool with all of this -- I think the Iraq radio thing is an interesting idea and a worthwhile cause. The thing I'm less thrilled about is feeling like an outsider in a place that I used to be able to go to no matter what. Recently I've been spending more time in my little nook in the science center, but all of last semester the media lounge was my prime on-campus studying and napping locale. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the people, etc. Now I feel like I'm intruding. it would be like going home and discovering my parents had rented out my room to a stranger, and now I was being forced to sleep on the couch.

I stayed just long enough to eat the snack I had purchased at Tarble, and then I fled. The feeling of being horribly out of place in a place that used to be a sort of safe haven was too much to deal with.

Time to raid the study break for food, and then it's time to begin the actual writing of my paper -- I think I have all the information I need... Though I'm going to be kind of light on the quotes (I'll have to try and dig up more this weekend to use in the final draft...)