2 years...

So, I must be a super awesome blogger since I took almost 2 years off. Today has been nostalgia day. My mother going through old photos and me digging up this old blog. I had forgotten how much I was writing back then. Do I dare try and catch up on everything?

I dunno. It might be more fun to just pick up like I never left off. I could even set links to posts I never made referencing stuff I did over the last two years. That'd really mess you up, huh? I'm talking to you. Yes, you. The only one reading my blog. YES, YOU! Future me.

Damn it all!

Probably not.We'll see. Okay, no. I'll be as brief as I feel like.


First of all, I don't have a 4.0 GPA anymore. Calculus saw to that. After busting my behind in Pre-Calculus and getting an A (Professor Pre-Calc was terminated directly afterward by Math Dept. Chair Dr. McHatesStudents) The Math department had a little discussion and said "These kids are getting this math stuff pretty good. Let's find ways to discourage them without failing to teach the material." I'm completely serious. This is a talk they had.

Their answer: Draconic grading of tests in which a small addition error can cost you -15 points on a 10 point question. Despite doing all the Calculus steps correctly. That was my first test in Calc 2.

You did perfect, except in question #46 on
your 18th step you forgot to carry the 2.
That's -594,761 points out of a possible 100.
You fail all the classes ever!

The things they mark down on are errors that they make while explaining how to do the actual Calculus. Things like 1/3 - 1 = -1/3. I have a pretty good understanding of Calculus, and all that means is I know what my calculator is doing for me now in Physics, but now with 2 "D's" and a "C" on my record. (that's Calc 1, 2, and 3 in order).








I dropped out of that English 2 I signed up for that first year. Dropped it again last Spring not due to English Professor issues. In fact Professor English II was a great guy. I was in a motorcycle accident and had to drop the class to stay focused and catch up on my Major Prerequisite classes.

Last Spring Semester I failed Physics 2. I Aced the Lab, but got an "F" in the class. I'm
signed up for it again this Fall. With my Physics 1 prof, Dr. Awesome! I'm also signed up for Differential Equations (a class about managing Equations with Calculus in them) that I had already started (and was doing great) but had to drop for aforementioned reasons.

 

 

 

 

After cleaning themselves...

I had briefly taken on classes to get my GA High School teaching Certificate. So, you know, I might be able to get a job out of my BS in Physics. But one of the classes required me to teach at an elementary school for training. After going into the classroom I freaked out a lot. YOUNG CHILDREN in PUBLIC SCHOOL are disgusting. They're the human shaped snot monsters George Carlin warned me they were.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

I was the President of the Society of Physics Students for 2 years. I was able to make record breaking recruitments that rival the Fraternities. I was able to get us so much money, we bought a hovercraft. Essentially, it is thing depicted here, but without the chair. The club is still working on the rover they're building. should be really cool.

There are, now, more Engineering Majors in that physics club than Physics Majors. Physics kids are boring and lazy, and they don't like doing anything except play video games and watch Dragonball Z by themselves, then talk about how they play video games and watch Dragonball Z by themselves in an attempt to one up each other in lonely points.

Chemistry check... Government check...
English 2.... crap.

I took a Chemistry class. I did good. An astronomy class. I did Awesome! I finished up some of my degree blocks. I still need a global issues class (Which I'm signed up for this Fall with Prof Politician, Whose American Government class I enjoyed), World Lit (Which English 2 is a pre-requisite), English 2, and Physics 2. After which I'll have only Major specific requirements.





Oh yeah, I started that War-gaming/strategy club. I made the website (Not much , but
adequate) and was one of 6 people to paint our mini army. We even got into a local tournament and won "Best Painted Army".

 


I've hit one of those lulls in my interest in science. I'm just so distracted by the daily grind that I don't even know about what's going on in space currently. I'm out of the loop. It's affecting my schooling. I have been telling myself that, including my AS, I've been at school for 4 years now. Then I'm reminded I have 2.5 left to go.

Funding fail

Found out today that this semester isn't going to be funded by the Physics department at all. No money in the budget for a student aid, and no work-study funding left for the school.

When I started the blog I thought something would happen everyday. Other than random assignments nothing special happens after the first few weeks of classes. I should have known this.In other news I fixed my bike today. It wasn't completely broken. Just had to fix the Speedometer coupling. I know it's not Physics related, but that front is going so slow.

Well... only in a personal perspective. Things over at CERN just went from casual to awesome mode today... Yep FTL. tell your friends. Check it out here.

The team

I'm exhausted. Classes are going like normal. My English teacher thinks it's okay to lie to us and admits he'll continue cause he doesn't see any reason not to. This coupled with other things confirms my belief that almost all Lib-Artists are evil soulless beings sent to destroy all that is good in man-kind. I think he may also be an Eco-terrorist too. Yes he drives an SUV.

Got an 'A' on my first Pre-Calc exam. I'm really happy about that. Also, I had a history exam Thursday. I feel good about it. I'll find out Tuesday. I have some papers to write but I don't wanna. They're due later in the week.

Friday I went to a Student Government Meeting/Training. Since I'm President of the Society of Physics Students for my University's local chapter, I had to go to the meeting and learn all about how to request money and University space for events and meetings.

This is really good to know since Tuesday is our first meeting and now I feel like I know something of what I'm supposed to be doing. We'll see.

I'm waiting to hear back from the Physics Dept about being a student aid. Apparently the budget hasn't come back from the University yet.

I think there is more stuff but I can't remember.

Fiddle Faddle

I hear that I'm a real blogger since I have neglected my blog for so long. Where that is entirely unintentional, University life is so much more different than CC life. The goal of Prof English is to fill my totally empty life with busy work and fiddle faddle. Not the yummy treat Fiddle Faddle, the talking without saying anything of use kind. While critiquing my paper aloud to the class he stops to point out that it is okay to lie and that he lies to us and will continue to do so. One student pointed out "That's kind of ironic since his paper is about hypocrisy being bad."

So, I'm tempted to take this up with his boss. I don't know that I will, just tempted currently.

The training of Prof Pre-Calc is still going smoothly though. I have started a Math study conglomerate. We have a member that just doesn't get it. I have wrapped his head around the idea of Sine, Cosine and how to figure out the opposite of Theta. We're doing Trig right now.

This isn't him, but it is so close.

Prof History is fun. The class is fun. I'm the only student who participates with history discussion. There is a Chinese guy in class that is constantly asking about the motivations of people that have little information written about them, or is way outside the spectrum of the class.

I've been watching a James Burke show from the 80's called "The day the universe changed". It has been paralleling the classes content really well. The show gives me more information about deeper points of the content. Hopefully it won't screw up my testing on the subject.

Prof Bioethics online portion of her course hates me. She had a mandatory online quiz to open up the rest of the online content. Since I scored a 110% on the this test I have thrown the system for a loop and I have been permanently locked out her lectures presentations. Since I see them in class and she prints off handouts I'll be okay with out that access. everything else we could tweak.

Today, I went and discussed with the Physics chair about working as a student aid. He told me he had to look into the budget and to get back with him on Wednesday about it. I'm hoping I have a really happy Wednesday next week!

It's so weird that the classes seem to speed through the time then the assignments take so much time and not much gets done. Busy work. Kinda annoying.

Ketchup

Great Googa Mooga! I have so much to catch up on.

Great Googa Mooga!

Steven Hawking Audiobook Master!

Second day. The second day of class was Thursday. Thursdays are my busiest of all days. 3 of my 4 classes are held on Thursdays. I went to the Rec center and ran a mile on the treadmill. For the better part of an hour I was the only one there. it was awesome. Oh yeah. The treadmill has a fan in it that is tied to how fast you go. The faster you run the more air it moves at you. After a shower it was off to...

First class Prof History. Foreign, but has been in the states long enough for his accent to wear down. Fun guy, it seems. Pretty much said "If I read and participate in class I should get an A". We'll see. A midterm and Final are a bit more than participating. Although, Nook Study can read aloud my History book. Granted it sounds like I'm being read to by Steven Hawking. It leaves my hands and eyes free to paint while digesting the books content.  Normally, I would watch/listen a documentary while painting. Now I can get school work done too!

Then it was time for Prof Pre-Calc's class of...Pain? Yes. He had not changed the way he instructed at all. After the class I politely tell him his instruction sucks and how to fix it. He seems pleased by the feedback. Maybe there's hope that I don't drop the class and sign up for the online version? I hate online math...

An hour to kill, but I have an appointment to see Dr. Physics-Chair. The idea is to make sure I know when to sign up for what over the next few years. On my way to the appointment I had to schedule with his secretary, I find him walking to a different building for some other meeting. I chat him up and find out that he isn't the best help at advisment until I am ready for my major classes.

Tired and looking to fill in some time I meander. All of a sudden I run into a Brennen. I know him from my Community College. In my capstone class he was on my team and even though we butted heads occasionally he was respectful and our whole team kicked a lot of... Well anyway, it was Brennen and boy howdy was he happy to see anyone he knew. He had found out, like I had the day before, people at this University are not nearly as friendly as they were at our CC. We talked and hung out a bit. He had 2 hours to kill I had only the one.

Like a light

Prof Bioethics pauses her speech every so often that it's distracting. It seems like she's imploring the students to vocalize and interact, but if they do she talks right over them.the class is 2 hours long and I am exhausted afterwards.

When I got home I tried not to, but I passed out.



Third day!

The Rec-center was filled by the Basketball team training. the entire area I use was filled with athletes sitting around watch two guys run at a time on 2 of the 4 treadmills. To be sure they occupy the entire area and the Rec-center staff say they have to let them, due to some agreement with the team. Whatever, I'll go to class and come back after. I'll have 2 hours to kill after English anyway.

English Class went better. Mostly, just busy work though. Interviewing another student. presenting them to the class.

Back to the Rec-center. 2 people are in there. TADA! I get to run in the air conditioning. with that special fan. This time I run a mile and a half.

Finally it was time to see how Prof Pre-Calc thought of my ...uh... criticism. HOLY MOLY! He is doing just what I told him to do! Suddenly the class is going so much faster and I'm learning stuff. The rusty wheels of math start turning again. Hooray!!!

After class there is a meeting of the University newspaper. They're recruiting writers. and after some free pizza and sweet tea, I'm the new space science writer for the paper! Not only can I write about stuff I love and have it published for others to read, but I'll get paid for the articles. How sweet is that? ("Really sweet," in can you were unsure or had the wrong answer)

Forth day (that's today):

Who cares? Run away from the sweaty flying fish monsters!

Rec-center. Again the basketball team are there all over the equipment. This time I change and go running out side. OMG!!! Humidity sucks.Really, it's my lungs that suck in the humidity, but I think you can understand. I run a half mile then come back in. The two really cool treadmills are in use, the other two are even powered. I finally get power to the other treadmills and run another mile. I need to talk about something I've noticed about the running, but I'll do it on a different day.

Time to see Prof. English. More of Friday's busy work.We still don't get finished. This guy just doesn't watch the clock. As long as I don't get caught up doing all the work at once I don't care. It's his class anyhow.

I go to the cafeteria and socialize with strangers. Then I start probing for a couple of recruits to help get a student organization going. I'm looking to start a War-gaming/strategy club. Again, we'll see.

Prof. Pre-Calc is still on the same track as last class. In fact, it's the same material, just different numbers. I'd be more upset if I wasn't still trying to remember this stuff. Class let's out and I completely couldn't remember where I parked. It takes me almost 5 minutes to remember. I'm outta there.

Now I'm sleepy... must complete entry... must comple....... ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz

Short

As I said, I want to write everyday after class. Today, I do not have the energy or time to write a post of anything other than "I'll write tomorrow with today's adventure." To be sure today was an adventure. So, I'll write tomorrow with today's adventure.

First day!

Oh, how much I hurt...

There were good and bad points all day. First, I couldn't sleep last night.  Went to bed early, fell asleep, hour and a half later 100% wide awake. Went back to sleep sometime after 3am. Woke up and got out of bed about 6:30. 30 minutes later than I had intended to. I got out of the apartment and to school in good time. I purchased a locker for the semester at the rec center, but didn't really have time to get started. Checked on the bookstore. Closed. Realized I was very hungry and headed off to the meal hall.

All you can eat breakfast food. $7. So, I'm $7 poorer now, but the biscuits and sausage gravy was so good! After eating my fill I have 7 minutes to go about 200 yards to English class.I arrive at the class with 4 minutes to spare, but apparently he started a few minutes before that. Good to know now. Prof English goes on about the syllabus at length pausing sometimes to go into more depth of certain personal feeling of semi-related subject.

For instance, his absolute disdain for graduation ceremonies, stating vehemently he believes they are one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse and are the reason for all of the "sense of entitlement" that people have today. He goes on about this peeve of his for about 5 minutes. This instantly inspires me to write an essay that would surely put me at odds with my Professor. Whereas it'd be fun to tell him off on that topic, it would be more fun to get an 4.0 GPA at this school too.

After class I show a giant classmate where the IT Help-desk is. He says he just came from Chicago and that is what people call him. Why would people in Chicago call him that? Is he the epitome of Chicago? Are they all 6'6" basketball players? Is he the the Avatar of the city itself? If so, why is he in metro Atlanta? I may never know the answers to these questions. I don't think they're important questions, so it will be okay.

 I leave Chi-town and head over to the Physics office to see what's going on. I got 2 hours to kill be fore Pre-Calc. Two guys were hanging out there, both younger than me. I find out that one is a physics professor. LeJoné and I talk for a few minutes. He's hung over from a party last night.

I get over to the bookstore finally. I still had not received my email notification that my books were ready for pick-up and I wanted to know why. Found out that they were ready for pickup and I was on my way again.

This is where my lack of sleep punched me in the face. It was like being suddenly drowsy and drunk at the same time. I found a student organization handing out free coffee and had a cup. Good and bad move. The coffee got me going again, but it did so by letting me burn all of the energy at the bottom of the tank in one quick 25 minute burst.

Just in time for me to be 20 minutes early for Pre-Calc. I try to download the e-textbook. right at the critical point the network drops. The activation code used. Instantly I watch $80 fly right out the classroom window. Not a real $80, but the $80 I spent on that e-textbook.

People pile into the classroom. Oh yeah. The desks in the room are those desktop-attached-to-the-chair kind from when you were in middle school/Jr High. No really. The same exact ones. They were so tiny that my 15.6" laptop can just sit on the desktop and there is no room for anything else. Not even a pencil. It was this exact type of desk in the image.

Prof Pre-Calc arrives on time. introduces himself quietly and quickly. Goes over the syllabus in about 10 minutes and spends then next forty with his back to us in speaking writing on the chalkboard (yes there was a chalkboard) his body in the way of being able to see anything he wrote. Also, if there is a way to write in small type with chalk, Prof Pre-Calc has mastered it. He could probably teach a class on the subject. To bad you'd never be able to read his notes, as he doesn't lecture.

Back to the bookstore to find out what can be done about the lost e-textbook. I'm given the vendor's phone number and told to try and work it out with them and if nothing happens through that method the school will refund and then reissue the e-textbook. I go to the Help-desk to get a good WiFi connection and begin the journey.

Successful in my effort to get the e-textbook activated, I find that through this vendor (not a Nook Study book) I can only have access to the book when I am connected to the internet. Not to mention the atrocity that is their user interface. I make the decision to hang my head in shame and purchase a real copy of the text book. I might add that while at the Help-desk, I did a fair share of tech support. The line was constantly backing up out of the office all day.

Back to the bookstore. I get a copy of the Pre-Calc text book and the required graphing calculator and go home as fast as I can. Later this evening I decided to open the calculator and get to know it. Shortly after I get a call from a friend who in the course of conversation tells me that I shounld have used his calculator instead of buying one.

I'm hoping they'll take it back with an opened package.

I'm so exhausted.

It's good to be back in school!