I'm not sure if everyone saw this during my down time, but it's pretty good. This whole college sounds like a fraternity prank.
Pensacola College: If Bob Jones seems a little too permissive for you. Just don't try to transfer the credits or get a job with the degree you got there.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Friday, March 31, 2006
My Own Little World
Why is it that I am so unable to be social?
Even when it is in my best interests, it’s very difficult for me. I just had a long conversation with an advisor who repeated what many other folks had told me: It would be perfectly acceptable to email potential advisors from potential PhD programs who will be at the upcoming conference and ask to meet with them.
This would be very good for me because it would give me an opportunity to meet with them and gauge personalities and see what the programs would be like and maybe get a taste of the atmosphere and all that good stuff.
So why is it so hard for me to send the emails?
Am I afraid that they’ll think I’m pushy?
Am I afraid they’ll say no?
Am I afraid they’ll say yes?
Am I generally happy thinking that if I do nothing, people will naturally feel my brilliance and rain opportunities and funding down upon my head? Well, maybe so…
So I sent the emails.
Even when it is in my best interests, it’s very difficult for me. I just had a long conversation with an advisor who repeated what many other folks had told me: It would be perfectly acceptable to email potential advisors from potential PhD programs who will be at the upcoming conference and ask to meet with them.
This would be very good for me because it would give me an opportunity to meet with them and gauge personalities and see what the programs would be like and maybe get a taste of the atmosphere and all that good stuff.
So why is it so hard for me to send the emails?
Am I afraid that they’ll think I’m pushy?
Am I afraid they’ll say no?
Am I afraid they’ll say yes?
Am I generally happy thinking that if I do nothing, people will naturally feel my brilliance and rain opportunities and funding down upon my head? Well, maybe so…
So I sent the emails.
Inbox = 0
Woohoo! It can be done! For 90% of them, I could have just pasted "No." as a response and been done with it, but alas, I'm a verbose little twit.
Biking Blues
Now I'm a very pro-biking, anti driving-two-blocks-to-pick-up-a-gallon-of-milk kind of guy myself, but I'm quick to admit the troubles of biking. Number one is weather of course. I'm lucky enough to live in a land of perpetual spring and roses, but when it does get rainy, it goes all monsoon-style. It's been doing that a lot lately. I bought some nice rain gear, even a backpack rain cover, and that seems to be working well.
Yesterday however, sadness struck. I got a flat on the way home. Poop. Luckily, I wasn't in a hurry or anything and I was close to the grocery store that has a nice bike rack, so I walked my sad bike over there and locked him up. This also gave me an excuse to go in and get a 70% dark chocolate bar for the rest of the walk home. Num. Although I do wonder if the guy who saw me take all the stealable things off my bike thought I was being thiefy. And I've got the Audible.com audiobook thing going, so even though it was still about a mile or so from home, it didn't seem too bad. (I'm now listening to this book - very fun)
So today I got to hoof it back to the grocery store, get the bike, walk it over to the bike shop and get a new tube & tire put on it while I ate lunch. Yes, yes, I am able to do it myself, but I'm lazy. Like so many stores, the bike shop is dangerous. They had a very cool high candlepower headlight and a cool ergonomic seat that almost found their way into my purchase.
Anywhoo, story of little import, but just another excuse to say that I love biking instead of driving. I should also say that I don't even have a car, so it might be a case of making a virtue of necessity. The way things are panning out, I'm probably going to be going to a very different climatic world to read my PhD. I think I'll still be able to bike, but it's going to be much more challenging - fun!
Yesterday however, sadness struck. I got a flat on the way home. Poop. Luckily, I wasn't in a hurry or anything and I was close to the grocery store that has a nice bike rack, so I walked my sad bike over there and locked him up. This also gave me an excuse to go in and get a 70% dark chocolate bar for the rest of the walk home. Num. Although I do wonder if the guy who saw me take all the stealable things off my bike thought I was being thiefy. And I've got the Audible.com audiobook thing going, so even though it was still about a mile or so from home, it didn't seem too bad. (I'm now listening to this book - very fun)
So today I got to hoof it back to the grocery store, get the bike, walk it over to the bike shop and get a new tube & tire put on it while I ate lunch. Yes, yes, I am able to do it myself, but I'm lazy. Like so many stores, the bike shop is dangerous. They had a very cool high candlepower headlight and a cool ergonomic seat that almost found their way into my purchase.
Anywhoo, story of little import, but just another excuse to say that I love biking instead of driving. I should also say that I don't even have a car, so it might be a case of making a virtue of necessity. The way things are panning out, I'm probably going to be going to a very different climatic world to read my PhD. I think I'll still be able to bike, but it's going to be much more challenging - fun!
Thursday, March 30, 2006
The DTs
I’m not dead yet!
I’ve been on a several day bender. I’m a wild guy, ya know. I apologize for not at least posting a ‘gone fishing’ sign.
I’ve been doing all sorts of wild and crazy things like getting a full night’s sleep and eating and watching movies.
I got on the Netflix trial plan and so far it’s pretty fun. I finally watched Good Night and Good Luck, which was quite good, but I may have over-hyped it in my mind. I’ve also watched some good guilty-pleasure flicks like the Clone War cartoon series and Sahara. Tonight is Breakfast at Tiffany’s – I know, I know, I’ve never seen it, ok? The shame of it all!
Important lessons learned:
- Eating an obscene amount of black licorice while grading monster essay exams will lead to monster intestinal distress. I’m not sure if it was the quality of the exams or the quantity of licorice that did it though.
- Loss of water weight from intestinal distress is a great way to lose weight.
- I am still very subject to addiction to video games.
Digression:
My brother and I were very early adopters of computer game joy. It all started with pong. We actually had a pong console. How cool is that? The early real danger was from the Atari 2600. Ah, Adventure, what a wonderful game. I never did get good about catching the bombs in my water buckets though. Later we moved in the land of C64 games. I have wonderful memories of spending long long cold hours in the freezing room which had the computer. We would both be wrapped in piles of blankets with a space heater at our feet. One of us would be the designated map-maker while the other would direct the combat of our merry band of characters. He did the best maps – we went through pads of graph paper. Also required for our adventures were massive cups of heavily sugared tea and unending bags or tortilla chips with gallons of salsa. It’s a pity we didn’t have Costco back then.
In any case, my reward for hitting my weight loss goal was to buy a video game. It’s good. I’ve lost many hours of usefulness already. I better bore of it before class starts up again next week or else I’m in a lot of trouble.
I’ve been on a several day bender. I’m a wild guy, ya know. I apologize for not at least posting a ‘gone fishing’ sign.
I’ve been doing all sorts of wild and crazy things like getting a full night’s sleep and eating and watching movies.
I got on the Netflix trial plan and so far it’s pretty fun. I finally watched Good Night and Good Luck, which was quite good, but I may have over-hyped it in my mind. I’ve also watched some good guilty-pleasure flicks like the Clone War cartoon series and Sahara. Tonight is Breakfast at Tiffany’s – I know, I know, I’ve never seen it, ok? The shame of it all!
Important lessons learned:
- Eating an obscene amount of black licorice while grading monster essay exams will lead to monster intestinal distress. I’m not sure if it was the quality of the exams or the quantity of licorice that did it though.
- Loss of water weight from intestinal distress is a great way to lose weight.
- I am still very subject to addiction to video games.
Digression:
My brother and I were very early adopters of computer game joy. It all started with pong. We actually had a pong console. How cool is that? The early real danger was from the Atari 2600. Ah, Adventure, what a wonderful game. I never did get good about catching the bombs in my water buckets though. Later we moved in the land of C64 games. I have wonderful memories of spending long long cold hours in the freezing room which had the computer. We would both be wrapped in piles of blankets with a space heater at our feet. One of us would be the designated map-maker while the other would direct the combat of our merry band of characters. He did the best maps – we went through pads of graph paper. Also required for our adventures were massive cups of heavily sugared tea and unending bags or tortilla chips with gallons of salsa. It’s a pity we didn’t have Costco back then.
In any case, my reward for hitting my weight loss goal was to buy a video game. It’s good. I’ve lost many hours of usefulness already. I better bore of it before class starts up again next week or else I’m in a lot of trouble.
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