Map, map on the wall...

Steds: Every room is a great room

...tell me the fairest room of all! After the Room Picks' Lottery list in the lobby, the second most important place in the Hall is the 1st floor lounge since that is where the floor plans for Room Picks' Night are. Why are the maps so important? Well, these maps with various colored dots tell Stedsmen which rooms are open for selection at next Tuesday's Room Picks as well as which ones have been reserved for incoming freshmen. On the posting of maps, Chris Scott, Steds sophomore, said, "It's helpful. It's colorful. The room sections are great, and there's a room to fit everyone's rooming needs. There are so many options that I don't know which one to choose!"

After a short break...

Andrews taking advantage of a lull at Ed's

...Ed's reopened. After a short hiatus for Easter Break, Ed's has reopened, allowing every night to once again be an "Ed's Night." Yes, once again pizza sticks, mozzarella sticks, piannis, smoothies, milkshakes are being made with generous amounts of TLC and served with convincing smiles. Despite this, the TLC and smiles at Ed's, there are lulls from time to time. On it being a slow night at Ed's, Phineas Andrews, Steds junior and Ed's employee, said, "But I made all these pizza sticks!"

Let the games...

Sherman: Roommate wanted

...begin! With the posting of the lottery numbers for room picks last night, the machinations of the Stedsmen are in overdrive as everyone tries to secure the best room possible. Plans will give way to plans that in the end will only give way to yet more plans. Whatever the plan is, it will need to be devised before Room Pick Night on Tuesday, April 5th. On his lottery list number, Tim Sherman, above in green, said, ""Dang, I have such a bad room pick. Good thing I'm living with drew again!" while Drew Montemarano, above in blue, said, "It's a true win-win for me. I have a great lottery number, AND I don't have room with Sherman again."

Mark your calendars...

Remember Steds...

...because it's happening, again. Everyone's favorite day, Notre Dame Day, the day were Notre Dame students, staff, and faculty are feted all while donations are made, is happening April 24th and 25th. Again, mark your calendars and remember Steds! On Notre Dame Day, St. Edward said, "We need everyone to do their duty to King and Hall!" 

Happy Easter!

He is risen; He is truly risen!

Resurrexit sicut dixit... He has risen as he said! Here is a picture of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart resplendent in its Easter joy. Happy Easter to you and your families!

On the verge...

Fr. Terry to Fr. Ralph: can you swipe us in?

...of the Easter, the Hall's celebration of Palm Sunday seems like it was a month ago. Still, it was just a week ago. With Fr. Terry Ehrman, C.S.C., presiding, the Mass started with a procession with palms from St. Edward's Park and then moved, or should I say "processed," to the chapel. In addition to an excellent homily, mass goers were treated to yet another musical extravaganza thanks to Ned Vogel and members of the Notre Dame Liturgical Choir. On the music at Palm Sunday, Fr. Ralph, concelebrant that night, said, "As St. Augustine said, 'singing is twice the praising.' Thanks Ned et al for helping us to do twice the praising."

Game, Set...

Mathes and Scott: a duo not to be trifled with 

...Match! They said it wasn't possible. They said that there wasn't a chance. They said that the odds were against them. But who are "they," and what do "they" know? Apparently, "they" don't know much because the tennis duo of Parker Mathes and Chris Scott destroyed their competition on the tennis courts of Loftus. On the win, Mathes said, "Nobody saw it coming, but today marks history. On this very brisk afternoon of March 23, the Scott-Mathes doubles duo brought low and vanquished the inter-hall tennis powerhouse of Keough Hall. Cause for celebration? Yes, yes indeed!"

Art is...

Painfully sublime

...often said to be in the eye of the beholder. Indeed, it is. Now, some would say that this is simply someone throwing a bicycle into a tree outside SDH because it wasn't locked down. Yet, others, others with a more discerning eye, might say that this is NOT vandalism but rather an "installation" in the style of Warhol or even Christo. On this south quad scene, Chris Hecht, Steds senior, said, "Whatever it is, it's gonna be a real tiring experience for whoever has to take that bike down."

Knock... Knock...

Good hygiene starts with hand sanitizer! 

...health check. Looks like that after returning from Spring Break, Stedsmen brought back more than just their tans. It appears that a virus came back too.  With several Stedsmen falling ill, it was time for the Hall Staff to step in and conduct "health checks," visits to rooms dispensing hand sanitizer, Vitamin C, and cheer. On the dispensing of hand sanitizer, Ben Worth, Steds freshman, said, "I think it's innovative, and I hope it's effective." Indeed, it will be Ben... indeed it will be!

Joe Trzaska and Jack Cafferty taking charge of their health!

Even though they retreated...

It did the soul good...

...they advanced! Yes, while on the St. Ed's Hall Kairos Retreat, Stedsmen advanced in knowledge and love of God, self, and one another. Led by Peter Schelble and Tommy Davis, retreatants left school books behind, turned off phones, and tuned out other distractions so as to quiet themselves, to be more reflective, and attentive to the presence of God in their lives. On the retreat, Schelble said, "Although limited to a 24 hour retreat experience, the Gentlemen opened up and bonded together through small group meetings, prayer, and dutifully watching the Irish knock off those pesky Wolverines. Still yet, we were able to bring back the incredible sense of community on the retreat to the Hall. Preparing for this retreat with Jack Ryan Williams and Tommy Davis has been incredibly rewarding and humbling. All together, we feel that this is only the beginning and pray that the retreat will evolve and get better in the future!” Indeed, it will Peter... indeed it will!

The first flower of spring...

This picture doesn't do them justice

...has sprung. On the pathway to the entrance of Corby Hall, right by the Fr. Corby, C.S.C. statue, these bright yellow, spring flowers have bloomed heralding what every Notre Dame wants... spring! While all around campus spring flowers are springing up, the temperature has not followed suited. Though sunny, there is a noticeable cold nip in the air, reminding all that it could revert back to sleet and snow. On the arrival of spring, Fr. Ralph said, "It'll be a great day as long as we have sunshine."

Your Sunday picture...

The last snow?

... from Notre Dame. Today is the first day of spring, and without doubt, it has sprung. Still, it is hard to believe that this was the view of campus just 20 days ago! But today, it's in the 40's with some sunshine... and may it only get warmer and sunnier! Enjoy your Sunday wherever you may be!

Saturday's Squirrel.

In good company

With the mild weather, more and more of our furry friends are being spotted around campus. They're up to their old antics, and they're hungry. In their hunger, they search for what they buried in the fall, and on occasion, they sallow their pride as they take a hand out. Still, when they have something to chow down on, they, like any of us, enjoy a little peace and quiet. But that's not always the case. This squirrel non-verbaled, "The food was good but the company was even better!" Indeed!

More singing...

It was a stunning success

... at Steds. Accompanied by Sarah Noone, Ned Vogel, Steds junior, organized an in-hall concert at St. Edward’s of various American spirituals. While the concert happened in this past fall, it’s still memorable today as it was back then…really! On why American spirituals at St. Ed’s, Noone said, "Spirituals are a unique cultural art form deeply rooted in American history, and presenting them allowed us to explore and refine us interpretation of one of our favorite genres of music. The chapel in St. Ed's is a beautiful, intimate, and resonant space that offered the perfect setting for an audience to fully experience the music."

Still, on where things might go from here, Vogel said, "This concert was a great jumping-off point for future plans to make our chapel not only a place of worship, but also a beautiful, ideal venue for the performance of classical and sacred music. We are currently in the process of planning a Hall concert series that will feature the talents of music majors, students in the Master of Sacred Music program, and fantastic players and singers both inside and outside the Hall community. Our hope is that we will be able to widen the cultural horizons of residents here, so that the Gentlemen of St. Edward's can become even more well-rounded than they already are."

On this St. Patrick's Day...

You could hear a pin drop

... the Gentlemen hunkered down and watched the various NCAA tourney games for the day. One game that was of particular interest was the UALR, Purdue game. Without doubt, going to double overtime, the game was most entertaining. On why he was so quiet, Griffin Hilly said, "I am quiet because of right now, I have a perfect bracket." Well, a short time afterwards, as Purdue lost, the perfect bracket of Hilly was no longer perfect. How badly was the bracket broken? I didn't have the heart to ask.

It was a beautiful day but...

White caps on the lake but no kites!

...the wind was insane! Indeed, some of the wind gusts experienced on campus today were on the verge of being like that of hurricane. It was so windy that there were white caps on St. Mary's! On the windy weather, Jackson Herrfeldt said, "The strong winds made it difficult to walk, let alone stand up straight, but one thing that it can't do is to weaken our resolve!"

Field Trip: India

Lanier: An encounter with the saintly

Here is our next installment of "Field Trip: India," where we hear of the adventures had by Stedsmen who traveled over the Christmas Break with fellow Stedsman, Vaishnav Murthy, to India. Today, we hear from Brennan Lanier.

Lanier said…

India was absolutely incredible. There were many amazing parts, but my favorite was visiting Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata. In the work of the sisters there, God's presence was palpable. In there is no doubt that Mother Teresa lives on through the work of the organization she founded.

Lanier ALSO said...

On a lighter note, I wanted to share this photo of Vaishnav in front of his old school- it was just too good to not see the light of day of the blog!

V: Too cool for school

Notre Dame Day...

At least Cervantez is happy with the new Ed's

...funds at work! As funds continue to be dispersed, improvements are being seen around the Hall. Another improvement thanks to Notre Dame Day funds is Ed’s, the Hall’s late night eatery. Working with a local company, using a resident's, John Wetzel, design, and consulting various residents and Ed’s workers, Ed’s has received a much needed upgrade. What was done? The north wall has the insignia of Ed’s as well as the year of its establishment while on the west, south and east walls, in the area above the crown molding, are quotes about food from Hippocrates to Guy Fieri. On the redo of Ed’s, Kevin Cornwall, Steds Assistant Rector, said, “What do you do as soon as your expenses and revenues break even? Pay for a remodeling of course." Alex Cervantez, Steds sophomore, saw it differently and said, “With the generous donations of our benefactors from ND Day, providing for these renovations, Ed's will claim its rightful place as the “crown jewel” of North Quad eateries.” In case you are wondering, I agree with Cervantez.

Your Sunday picture...

Still waiting for Spring

...from Notre Dame. Here's the view of Washington Hall and the Basilica from the La Fortune Student Center. With the increasing amount of daylight and blue skies means that Spring is right around the corner. Its arrival will be most welcomed! Enjoy your Sunday wherever you may be!

Saturday's Fowl.

Their fifteen minutes of fame...

In the course of our day, we can often overlook the ordinary. Indeed, all too often we take it for granted. But if we didn’t have the ordinary we wouldn’t have the extraordinary! I think that Confucius said that. Anyway, here’s to you ordinary… ordinary ducks on St. Mary’s Lake! We wouldn't be the same without you.

On Location: Spring Break

Spring Break: simple as closing my eyes

Yes, there is one set of foot prints on this Floridian beach. And unlike the prayer, the one set of foot prints does not denote the moment "where I carried you" rather it says to you and everyone there's one set because you weren't here with me! If truth be told, I am in NOT in Florida for Spring Break, but I was there for Fall Break. So, I am living a past memory thanks to photos and this video. Enjoy your break and this video wherever you may be breaking or not breaking!

VIDEO: A MEMORY FROM BREAK. CLICK HERE.

Field Trip: India

Spesia: rides alone when in a rickshaw

Here is our next installment of "Field Trip: India," where we hear of the adventures had by Stedsmen who traveled over the Christmas Break with fellow Stedsman, Vaishnav Murthy, to India. Today, we hear from Frank Spesia and a moment of “self-realization.” 

Spesia wrote…

At first I felt like a typical tourist, but then I remembered that I was indeed a tourist. So, I stopped worrying about it. And that's how I learned how to make a mountain into a molehill while in India."

Super, Super Tuesday...

A party of one... Gayheart closing it down

…was really super thanks to Steds freshmen, Corey Gayheart, who organized a Super Tuesday election watch. Was it super because their was Chick-fil-A? Perhaps. Was it super because the ND political science department was on hand to break down the results? Maybe. Was it because there was a Steds primary/caucus at the end of the evening? Again, perhaps and maybe. I don’t know. We’re just going to have wait until the votes are counted… but in the meantime, like CBS reporting with 0% of precincts reporting in, I am going to say it was super because the Stedsmen got to be with one another! On the event, Gayheart said, “I am happy to see so many Stedsmen engaging in their civic duty. I predict that Steds will be the next major campaign stops for trump, Hillary, Kasich, and others as they look to sway the diverse yet United community that is St. Edwards hall, and use it as an advantage for not only Indiana but the national electorate!”

Oh, yes. Here are Steds Primary/Caucus results:

REPUBLICAN:
Kasich (5)
Rubio (4)
Trump (2)
Cruz: (1)
Carson: (1)

DEMOCRAT:
Clinton: (5)
Sanders: (5)
De La Fuente: (2)
Supreme: (1)

It's not too late...

Every weekend should be moms' weekend!

...to register for Moms' Weekend! Even though March 1st and has come and gone, it is NOT too late to resister for the weekend where Stedsmen show their love for moms. The fun filled weekend starts April 1st and ends on the 3rd, and no detail has been left to chance by Jackson Herrfeldt, the weekend's commissioner. On the weekend, Herrfeldt said, "Like Mark Twain said, 'My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.' And if that's really the case, then she'll love this weekend!"

The word in the hallway is...

How do you translate that into Italian?

... that it's going to be "yuuuuuuuuge." Well, that's what Steds freshman Johnny Ryan is saying. And it should be "yuuuuuuuuge" because it's Spring Break! With a break from the books, papers, and exams, Stedsmen and others are getting some much deserved down time. With Ryan having a "yuuuuuuuuge time" in Rome, where will I be going? Well, you're just going to have to wait and see. And in the words of Ryan, it's going to be "yuuuuuuuuge!" Enjoy your Spring Break!

Your Sunday picture...

Wish you were here, really.

...from Notre Dame. Here's a beautiful March view from the Hesburgh Memorial Library. The warming temps and blue skys only make this view all the more enjoyable! Enjoy your Sunday wherever you may be!

Saturday's Squirrel.

Who cares: I have my nut

What a difference a week makes! Last week, our furry friends were foraging and scrounging about in deep snow, but today, there's nothing impeding them from finding a meal or snack. On the improving weather conditions, this squirrel non-verbaled, "I saw my shadow... but what does that mean?"

Field Trip: India.

Meehan: So lonely

Here is our weekly installment of "Field Trip: India," where we hear of the adventures had by Stedsmen who traveled over the Christmas Break with fellow Stedsman, Vaishnav Murthy, to India. Today, we hear from Dan Meehan and a moment of quiet from a opulent hotel balcony... 

Meehan wrote...

After a wonderful lunch in this palatial hotel,  I saw a balcony up above. I said to Frank and Carl, "Wait, I'm gonna get up there." Frank probably grunted, but the group begrudgingly agreed to delay the drive back to Bangalore. I walked in, and gave the hotel staff the old smile and wave. Donning a bucket hat, sunglasses, cargo shorts, and a camo frocket, I had a wonderful disguise. They must've thought...."Just another ridiculously well dressed American tourist." Still, nobody gave a second thought as I rode the elevator up to the top floor. As I strode onto the balcony, I was taken aback at the view. The trouble of getting to the balcony was quite worth it. With no one, I took in the beautiful view. But I was lonely after a while, and so, I made my way back down to the others and the van. They made me sit in the middle back seat, but I didn't care. I was on top.

But what did Meehan see!!??  

More to come...

He has been called...

A successful and triumphant Vogel

... the next Michael Buble, Justin Bieber, and Enrique Iglesias. Indeed, he very well might be, but at Steds, we simply know him as "Ned." Ned Vogel, Steds junior, director of the Hall's choir, AND baritone, recently gave an hour long concert at the DeBartolo's Penote Performer's Hall where, accomplied by Paivi Ekroth on the piano, he sang pieces by J. S. Bach, Charles Stanford, and Antonin Dvorak. Without question, the performance was a triumphant for this young finance major with a minor in music. Still yet, on the performance, others in the crowd said...

“Magisterial!” - M. Kempf

"A mature, yet playful, masterpiece crafted by the Renaissance man of our generation." - B. Cote

"Simply Transcendent." M. Macke

"Ned's voice is like a combination of Fergie and a heavenly cherub. Oddly enough, but for a second, I believe he took on the shape of a unicorn." - B. Ruggles

"Painfully sublime." Fr. R. Haag, C.S.C.

VIDEO: VOGEL TAKING A MUCH DESERVED BOW. CLICK HERE. 

Democracy was in action...

Cote (with yellow hat) amazed: democracy in action before my very eyes!

...as St. Edward's conducted its elections for president, senator, and student union board representative. I am not sure what the last two do and perhaps that's why the candidates ran unopposed. Still, I am sure they do something important, and so, congratulations and thanks for whatever you will do, Senator Corey Gayheart and SUB rep Brian Ball!

As for the presidency of Steds, two tickets squared off against each other. Ticket One was composed of rising juniors with Brandon Ryan as president and Kurt Roemer and John Haley actings as vice presidents. Ticket two was also composed of rising juniors with Parker Mathes as president and Drew Montemarano and Tim Sherman as vice presidents. Following a lively and engaging town hall meeting where the candidates answered questions from the inquisitive electorate, ballots were cast the very next day, and when polls closed and votes counted, Phineas Andrews, Steds junior and election big wig, said, "In the words of Joseph Stalin, 'Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything.' And so, democracy lives on for another year in Steds. Your new hall representatives will be:

Brandon Ryan--Hall President

John Haley and Kurt Roemer--Vice Presidents

Corey Gayheart--Hall Senator

Brian Ball--SUB Representative

Thanks to all those who came out to vote today."

Indeed, thanks to all who ran for office as well as those who helped get the election off the ground! Democracy is alive and well at Steds! Good night and God bless Steds!

An unexpected...

Beautiful but cold

...snow storm raced through Notre Dame with blizzard like conditions. While temps were freezing and several inches of freshly fallen snow on the ground, classes were not cancelled. Still, the Stedsmen, with stiff upper lips, made the most of the unpleasant conditions for the "class commute" in the morning. On the the recent snow storm, the Stedsmen said... well I think the picture below says it all...

NDSP Snowman: Steds having winter fun