10 days until I'm finished... graduation doesn't count because that is, literally, a walk in the park.
N. and I visited the National Arboretum this weekend, and we plan on visiting again soon. It was absolutely gorgeous, the weather was fantastic and I took some great pictures. Such as:
In other news, I'll post again in a second.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Cat's Claws
I just finished reading Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It really caused me to put some serious thought into a lot of things brought up in the book, and with some related subjects.
Tolkien has a great quote (I believe at the beginning of the Silmarillion) about the relationship between father's and son's, and this story I really think touched on that subject quite a bit. I'll try to avoid giving anything away if you haven't read it, but I'd enjoy discussing it once you have (whoever you are).
The semester is approaching the end very quickly, and I have a lot to do. I'm both excited to be done, to start a new job, and stressed and a little sad/nostalgic/contemplative over where the time has gone. It took awhile but I really can think upon the entirety of my college experience and enjoy it. It happened right, it's not happening, and I can say I learned a lot. A professor said once how undergraduate education teaches you how to learn, but post graduate education teaches how much you haven't learned, and how much more there is out there (I've got to butchering that, it sounded so much better at the time).
I've definitely experienced that. There's a thousand directions I could go from here, and I'd love to go in every one.
Also I have to comment about something that happened. I made guacamole two days ago, and after getting chips, I turned around and the pyrex bowl of guacamole flew out of my hand, shattering on the floor. the glass exploded everywhere quite violently, but the delicious green mass stuck where it landed. This event now tops the Worst Things That Have Ever Happened To Me, List. This list has public and private entries on it, and, as of this consideration, that is now number 1.
1. Dropping bowl of Guacamole 4/22/08
2. Diagnosis of Osteochondritis dissecans (both knees) ~4th grade
3. Leaping onto the Tarzan Swing at Bethel Mill Park, only to find it was chained to the ground below the mulch ~Childhood
Those are the absolute top three, until someone reminds me of something else horrible that happened to me. Such as the time I got my dad's jeep stuck in the woods. ANYWAY.
Further comment of Number 2.
from MayoClinic:
That's what happened, all of it. In my right knee (initially the worse of the two) it stayed in place and other than occasional pain, there were no to few symptoms (excruciating pain). In my left a fragment loosened (separated) and again, excruciating pain. After waiting from the 4th grade and then into my freshman year of highschool, I didn't do anything other than avoid sports. But come freshman year I started to mature so my doctor was like, okay, time for surgery and then a couple weeks later I had my knee scoped and drilled. The new unnatural holes allowed blood to flow in (and out) of my knee*, to promote healing.
Then my junior year it was time for surgery again, and bone screws (they are absorbed by your bones) were used to secure the fragment in my knee. Tada! Now I'm okay and allowed to do whatever. The first time I was hopping within a week, and the second I was in a chair for a week, and then crutches for 8 weeks. PT both times, and both times I had to relearn how to walk. Relearning how to run was probably the worst experience. Suddenly realizing that I didn't know how to run was probably one of the strangest things that ever happened to me. I can't explain it.
And that's enough of that.
*Those holes, or channels in my knee, the blood still flows in and out. Sometimes after waking when I stand up I can feel the blood rush into my knee. And If I put my feet up for awhile, same thing. I also have the stereotypical old man knee, that causes pain when the weather changes suddenly.
Tolkien has a great quote (I believe at the beginning of the Silmarillion) about the relationship between father's and son's, and this story I really think touched on that subject quite a bit. I'll try to avoid giving anything away if you haven't read it, but I'd enjoy discussing it once you have (whoever you are).
The semester is approaching the end very quickly, and I have a lot to do. I'm both excited to be done, to start a new job, and stressed and a little sad/nostalgic/contemplative over where the time has gone. It took awhile but I really can think upon the entirety of my college experience and enjoy it. It happened right, it's not happening, and I can say I learned a lot. A professor said once how undergraduate education teaches you how to learn, but post graduate education teaches how much you haven't learned, and how much more there is out there (I've got to butchering that, it sounded so much better at the time).
I've definitely experienced that. There's a thousand directions I could go from here, and I'd love to go in every one.
Also I have to comment about something that happened. I made guacamole two days ago, and after getting chips, I turned around and the pyrex bowl of guacamole flew out of my hand, shattering on the floor. the glass exploded everywhere quite violently, but the delicious green mass stuck where it landed. This event now tops the Worst Things That Have Ever Happened To Me, List. This list has public and private entries on it, and, as of this consideration, that is now number 1.
1. Dropping bowl of Guacamole 4/22/08
2. Diagnosis of Osteochondritis dissecans (both knees) ~4th grade
3. Leaping onto the Tarzan Swing at Bethel Mill Park, only to find it was chained to the ground below the mulch ~Childhood
Those are the absolute top three, until someone reminds me of something else horrible that happened to me. Such as the time I got my dad's jeep stuck in the woods. ANYWAY.
Further comment of Number 2.
from MayoClinic:
When blood supply to the area at the end of your bone is cut off, a condition known as osteochondritis dissecans may develop. The affected bone and its covering of cartilage may stay in place and cause no symptoms. Or, a fragment may gradually loosen, separate and cause pain.
That's what happened, all of it. In my right knee (initially the worse of the two) it stayed in place and other than occasional pain, there were no to few symptoms (excruciating pain). In my left a fragment loosened (separated) and again, excruciating pain. After waiting from the 4th grade and then into my freshman year of highschool, I didn't do anything other than avoid sports. But come freshman year I started to mature so my doctor was like, okay, time for surgery and then a couple weeks later I had my knee scoped and drilled. The new unnatural holes allowed blood to flow in (and out) of my knee*, to promote healing.
Then my junior year it was time for surgery again, and bone screws (they are absorbed by your bones) were used to secure the fragment in my knee. Tada! Now I'm okay and allowed to do whatever. The first time I was hopping within a week, and the second I was in a chair for a week, and then crutches for 8 weeks. PT both times, and both times I had to relearn how to walk. Relearning how to run was probably the worst experience. Suddenly realizing that I didn't know how to run was probably one of the strangest things that ever happened to me. I can't explain it.
And that's enough of that.
*Those holes, or channels in my knee, the blood still flows in and out. Sometimes after waking when I stand up I can feel the blood rush into my knee. And If I put my feet up for awhile, same thing. I also have the stereotypical old man knee, that causes pain when the weather changes suddenly.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Inigo
I was finding it a pain to have to jump back and forth between gmail logins to post to my own blog, so I added myself as a contributor. Maybe I should come up with a classy new name to call myself? or actually pretend that I'm myself contributing to my own blog? What?
Anyway, I came across this while being addicted to google reader on the wired blog, GeekDad (it's what I aspire to be someday) and I thought it was hilarious. N. didn't think it was so funny, but, anyway, maybe you will
This guy makes his own action figures, but in a different style, for example this is the Star Wars figures, but as if they were Steam Punk.
anyway, here's his site,
and here's GeekDad
Anyway, I came across this while being addicted to google reader on the wired blog, GeekDad (it's what I aspire to be someday) and I thought it was hilarious. N. didn't think it was so funny, but, anyway, maybe you will
This guy makes his own action figures, but in a different style, for example this is the Star Wars figures, but as if they were Steam Punk.
anyway, here's his site,
and here's GeekDad
Sheldon
Due to the Pope visiting, I have the rest of the week off. Not a bad deal.
In other news, I want these shoes:
Which can be found at this link. They're 'green' shoes, go check them out, I don't want to have to explain everything. I also watched Charlie the Unicorn 2 today, over at Newgrounds. Something else I want is a LoveSac, which I'll probably actually buy in May, because the salesman told me they are having a Dad's n Grad's sale. They're kinda like bean bags, but with cut up pieces of memory foam instead. Also they're a little expensive, I almost bought one around Christmas last year when they had a really serious sale, but I chickened out, while it's as big as a couch, and meant to be one, I don't know, can you really be an adult with a giant foam bean bag in your place? Anyway, they're at lovesac.com if you're looking.
In other news, I want these shoes:
Which can be found at this link. They're 'green' shoes, go check them out, I don't want to have to explain everything. I also watched Charlie the Unicorn 2 today, over at Newgrounds. Something else I want is a LoveSac, which I'll probably actually buy in May, because the salesman told me they are having a Dad's n Grad's sale. They're kinda like bean bags, but with cut up pieces of memory foam instead. Also they're a little expensive, I almost bought one around Christmas last year when they had a really serious sale, but I chickened out, while it's as big as a couch, and meant to be one, I don't know, can you really be an adult with a giant foam bean bag in your place? Anyway, they're at lovesac.com if you're looking.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Nigel
I'm absolutely exhausted from this weekend, and working on homework. I need to finish my modern controls take home exam, as it's proving not difficult, but unexplained properly.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Justine
Also to note, my unplayed playlist has been reduced to 38 songs, or 2.7 hours. I might be able to finish that up tonight, it consists of some Rage against the machine, red hot chili peppers, and radiohead. Again, that's not to say I haven't heard the song, just that when I revamped my ipod, I hadn't listed to it again.
Kazamir
Power blogging!
N. and C.'s go to White Castle, or Birthday Bash '08
Haven't posted so I'll post a few. What else is new? Epic trip this weekend, N.'s birthday was this weekend, Saturday, and her friends usually throw a big birthday bash, because her, L. and P.'s birthdays are all around the same time, hence instead of a series of birthday parties, one big party.
Simple.
I agreed to go because she wanted me to (it's a really work centric weekend for me, two assignments and a take home exam. Also, really loud bars and lots of drinking, aren't really me anymore. After last New Year's Eve, and the New Year's Eve before, I've truly learned my lesson, and I'm not keen to make that mistake again.)
So, Friday I picked her up from West Fall's Church metro, which isn't far from her work stop, and we headed to Tyson's. She found a birthday shirt, went home, checked out BSG and crashed.
Saturday morning we got up early to leave (9ish to leave by 10ish) left by like 10:30am, immediately it starts pouring rain out. Nicki's battery is dead again, and she's parked in the "a$$cr@ck" parking spot, and someone is parked in the non-stop, so it's pretty tight, and I start pushing her car awkwardly in the rain so that we can get it in the middle of the parking lot, and I can jump it with my car.
randomly the people parked next to her come out, and offer to lend us a jump. Perfect.
We're rushing to get it done and the jumper cables are really short, so it's hard. In the rush either I, or the other guy mix our cables. Almost immediately the jumper cables start to smoke, and I realize what's going on, I rip the clamp off the battery (because I'm pretty sure more dangerous shit than melted plastic can happen) and the clamp comes clear of the cables all together in my hand. F%*^! So I tell the guy we'll figure it out because he doesn't have cables and there's nothing else we can do.
Drive to rite aid, get new cables, grab a bagel from the Einstein's (where we see the guy getting bagels) and head back, successful jump, time to go. Leave Md, stop in at home in NJ for a few hours (2hours 15 min approx travel time) I worked on my take home test, and then we left around 6:30pm for P.'s. Leave there to go to L.'s, then get a ride to the Path station, and ride into NYC. Head over to Proof.
Typical super loud, slightly gross bar, but the $30. open bar from 10:30pm to 1:30am isn't bad (until I order a rum and coke, and it's like rubbing alcohol) I wasn't have the best time ever, but I was fun. N. really enjoyed seeing her friends. 2am rolls around however and it's like time to go. That's around the time bars close in DC so that's like normal, except nobody wants to leave, except they tell us they are. So we wait, and wait, and deal with the drunks, and wait, and it's late, and wait, and we're tired, and wait. This is a three person bday party, and one of them wants to go, that means it's time. We're dependent on P. for a ride from L.'s house, so we can't really leave without her, much as we'd like to. Eventually we get them out of the bar, except P.'s drunk and doesn't want to leave, it's 3ish Am. We hail a cab, they don't get in. Cab leaves, I hail a cab (My first). I get N. and L. in the first. I hail a second (My second, ever) and I get in to babysit C. and P. because I know if I don't, they won't come back with us. We get to Path, and then wait until 4:45am for a train. It was ass cold, and I was the only one remotely dressed for it.
Finally get to L.'s house, sleep on a couch. Leave this morning, stop at white castle (i'll post pictures later) drive all the way back here.
Maybe I didn't capture the length of this journey, or it's crap factor. But it was intense. According to google maps, street to street it was 550 miles in two days, with sleep from 5am to 10am, and no showers.
And I still haven't even gotten to finish my take home test and homework for this week. Let's see if it's appreciated.
N. and C.'s go to White Castle, or Birthday Bash '08
Haven't posted so I'll post a few. What else is new? Epic trip this weekend, N.'s birthday was this weekend, Saturday, and her friends usually throw a big birthday bash, because her, L. and P.'s birthdays are all around the same time, hence instead of a series of birthday parties, one big party.
Simple.
I agreed to go because she wanted me to (it's a really work centric weekend for me, two assignments and a take home exam. Also, really loud bars and lots of drinking, aren't really me anymore. After last New Year's Eve, and the New Year's Eve before, I've truly learned my lesson, and I'm not keen to make that mistake again.)
So, Friday I picked her up from West Fall's Church metro, which isn't far from her work stop, and we headed to Tyson's. She found a birthday shirt, went home, checked out BSG and crashed.
Saturday morning we got up early to leave (9ish to leave by 10ish) left by like 10:30am, immediately it starts pouring rain out. Nicki's battery is dead again, and she's parked in the "a$$cr@ck" parking spot, and someone is parked in the non-stop, so it's pretty tight, and I start pushing her car awkwardly in the rain so that we can get it in the middle of the parking lot, and I can jump it with my car.
randomly the people parked next to her come out, and offer to lend us a jump. Perfect.
We're rushing to get it done and the jumper cables are really short, so it's hard. In the rush either I, or the other guy mix our cables. Almost immediately the jumper cables start to smoke, and I realize what's going on, I rip the clamp off the battery (because I'm pretty sure more dangerous shit than melted plastic can happen) and the clamp comes clear of the cables all together in my hand. F%*^! So I tell the guy we'll figure it out because he doesn't have cables and there's nothing else we can do.
Drive to rite aid, get new cables, grab a bagel from the Einstein's (where we see the guy getting bagels) and head back, successful jump, time to go. Leave Md, stop in at home in NJ for a few hours (2hours 15 min approx travel time) I worked on my take home test, and then we left around 6:30pm for P.'s. Leave there to go to L.'s, then get a ride to the Path station, and ride into NYC. Head over to Proof.
Typical super loud, slightly gross bar, but the $30. open bar from 10:30pm to 1:30am isn't bad (until I order a rum and coke, and it's like rubbing alcohol) I wasn't have the best time ever, but I was fun. N. really enjoyed seeing her friends. 2am rolls around however and it's like time to go. That's around the time bars close in DC so that's like normal, except nobody wants to leave, except they tell us they are. So we wait, and wait, and deal with the drunks, and wait, and it's late, and wait, and we're tired, and wait. This is a three person bday party, and one of them wants to go, that means it's time. We're dependent on P. for a ride from L.'s house, so we can't really leave without her, much as we'd like to. Eventually we get them out of the bar, except P.'s drunk and doesn't want to leave, it's 3ish Am. We hail a cab, they don't get in. Cab leaves, I hail a cab (My first). I get N. and L. in the first. I hail a second (My second, ever) and I get in to babysit C. and P. because I know if I don't, they won't come back with us. We get to Path, and then wait until 4:45am for a train. It was ass cold, and I was the only one remotely dressed for it.
Finally get to L.'s house, sleep on a couch. Leave this morning, stop at white castle (i'll post pictures later) drive all the way back here.
Maybe I didn't capture the length of this journey, or it's crap factor. But it was intense. According to google maps, street to street it was 550 miles in two days, with sleep from 5am to 10am, and no showers.
And I still haven't even gotten to finish my take home test and homework for this week. Let's see if it's appreciated.
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