It's about to get really crazy starting in about an hour after I start this post, so, in light of my negligence over the past few weeks, I'm posting early. Yay.
Nothing much really happened last week - I've just been busy with homework and school stuff.
But! In about an hour after this, I will have two back to back tests, one on basic linear differential equations, and one on basic circuit elements.
If that's not enough fun, Raytheon, a semi-local missile company, is hosting a series of lectures. The last one was on missile components, but this one is on aeronautics and I really want to go. The only problem is that it's all the way across campus and fifteen minutes after my second test.
Then, pretty soon after that, I have a Rube Goldberg meeting where some big announcements are going to be made. (That's going really well - we finally fixed our blender and our toaster).
Then homework.
That's Thursday.
Tomorrow, I'm going to wake up early and do yoga. Then I've got class most of the day. Later, I've got a meeting for volunteers at the College of Optical Sciences Laser Fun Day, where I volunteered to help at an exhibit on health applications of lasers, specifically, on astigmatism. I should do all my homework that day. I'm also going to try to go to the fish fry at the Newman Center.
On Saturday, I'm going to pop in early to Rube, take a coupla pictures, and bust my butt over to the Optical Sciences building to the Laser Fun Day. I'll try out the laser maze and do my thing for most of the day. Then I've got to chill, clean my room, and be productive. Later, I'm going to see "The Color Wheel," a production by the UA Dance program, which I will subsequently have to write an essay on.
Finally - Sunday - I'm going to get up earlierish to go to church. Then, I volunteered (I just can't say no) to helping out with Suite with SWE again for most of the day. So I get to lead high school girls around campus and letting one sleep in my dorm room for the night. The next morning, I'm taking a couple with me to my Thermodynamics lecture to see if it scares them off.
So yes, hectic weekend, thus the earliness. I'm doing okay, getting through it all, eating better than nightly ramen, exercising every once in a while. Thanks for all the birthday wished, I had a good one.
Song of the week - "Everything is Awesome" from the Lego Movie by Tegan Sarah and just cuz I missed the Oscars. You're welcome. Good luck getting it out of your head.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Monday, February 23, 2015
Catching my Breath
It's been a bittersweet sort of past two weeks.
Richard Ruiz, who was one of my professors my freshman year, just died. He taught my Honors colloquium on crosswords and was a really extremely nice guy. He was extremely passionate about linguistics and would always joke that we never really did any work in his class - and I'll admit that his class was a lot of fun. He would still say hi to me when I passed him in the hall. He will be missed.
The tests have started - but without their usual vengeance. I have a collection of extremely lazy/nice professors who have a tendency to assign problems straight from the book - and then declare the test open book. I'm not complaining at all. It's was a rather pleasant surprise. But unfortunately, not all of them think like that.
My birthday was pretty fun - I went to see Big Hero Six (finally) and we got a perfect run on the machine.
Reason for last week's post - I'm searching for a summer internship and I don't feel like I'm doing anything right, even though I've got my resume checked too many times, my elevator speech is polished (until it has to be used), and I've done my research, sometimes to the detriment of other things. Any tips, companies I should apply to, or anything else would be much appreciated.
Songs of the 2 weeks:
Richard Ruiz, who was one of my professors my freshman year, just died. He taught my Honors colloquium on crosswords and was a really extremely nice guy. He was extremely passionate about linguistics and would always joke that we never really did any work in his class - and I'll admit that his class was a lot of fun. He would still say hi to me when I passed him in the hall. He will be missed.
The tests have started - but without their usual vengeance. I have a collection of extremely lazy/nice professors who have a tendency to assign problems straight from the book - and then declare the test open book. I'm not complaining at all. It's was a rather pleasant surprise. But unfortunately, not all of them think like that.
My birthday was pretty fun - I went to see Big Hero Six (finally) and we got a perfect run on the machine.
Reason for last week's post - I'm searching for a summer internship and I don't feel like I'm doing anything right, even though I've got my resume checked too many times, my elevator speech is polished (until it has to be used), and I've done my research, sometimes to the detriment of other things. Any tips, companies I should apply to, or anything else would be much appreciated.
Songs of the 2 weeks:
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Unsendable Cover Letter
Dear Sir, Madame, or otherwise inclined,
I am somewhere between a sophomore and a senior at the University of Arizona studying a major with too many syllables, minoring in Spanish. I found out about this position through suggestions of slightly connected family members and/or judicious Googling, and I would like you to PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HIRE ME for this job.
Since I Googled your company, I have found that it aligns with my interests in making money and staying busy. I have experience in making money from previous jobs, and in staying busy from schoolwork and avoiding chores at home. I could fill this space with unrelenting butt-kissing, but I think you probably get enough of that already. However, I promise you I have researched your company thoroughly and that I would fit in absolutely perfectly - no doubt about it. Your company culture aligns exactly with my values. When hired, I will do whatever you want me to (within reason, of course) because I am always a team player.
I am analytical, detail-oriented, and action-forward. I am also damned smart, funny, and good-looking. Considering that you are probably an engineering company, I have one of the attributes you constantly fail to find in first time job candidates - namely, I am FEMALE. I know the glass ceiling is cracking, but I can give your company the appearance of its disappearance. That being said, I can handle a paddle bit better than most guys, so nobody better mess with me - at least not too much. However, my extensive pop culture knowledge and constant smart-assery will help me fit in with any team of shy nerdy males. I can handle working alone or working in groups, and I even won some really cool award for teamwork once. I can bring diversity to your (probably) pretty homogeneous group.
In conclusion, PLEASE HIRE ME! I'm a nice person. I'm really hoping you call or email me first, but I will call you as soon as I work up the guts. I am looking forward to talking to you soon. Thank you for your kind, benevolent, amazing, unbelievable amount of consideration.
Sincerely,
Regards, with all due respect,
Best,
P.S. I make killer chocolate chip cookies ☺. PLEASE HIRE ME!
I am somewhere between a sophomore and a senior at the University of Arizona studying a major with too many syllables, minoring in Spanish. I found out about this position through suggestions of slightly connected family members and/or judicious Googling, and I would like you to PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HIRE ME for this job.
Since I Googled your company, I have found that it aligns with my interests in making money and staying busy. I have experience in making money from previous jobs, and in staying busy from schoolwork and avoiding chores at home. I could fill this space with unrelenting butt-kissing, but I think you probably get enough of that already. However, I promise you I have researched your company thoroughly and that I would fit in absolutely perfectly - no doubt about it. Your company culture aligns exactly with my values. When hired, I will do whatever you want me to (within reason, of course) because I am always a team player.
I am analytical, detail-oriented, and action-forward. I am also damned smart, funny, and good-looking. Considering that you are probably an engineering company, I have one of the attributes you constantly fail to find in first time job candidates - namely, I am FEMALE. I know the glass ceiling is cracking, but I can give your company the appearance of its disappearance. That being said, I can handle a paddle bit better than most guys, so nobody better mess with me - at least not too much. However, my extensive pop culture knowledge and constant smart-assery will help me fit in with any team of shy nerdy males. I can handle working alone or working in groups, and I even won some really cool award for teamwork once. I can bring diversity to your (probably) pretty homogeneous group.
In conclusion, PLEASE HIRE ME! I'm a nice person. I'm really hoping you call or email me first, but I will call you as soon as I work up the guts. I am looking forward to talking to you soon. Thank you for your kind, benevolent, amazing, unbelievable amount of consideration.
Sincerely,
Regards, with all due respect,
Best,
P.S. I make killer chocolate chip cookies ☺. PLEASE HIRE ME!
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Automation
Just so you all can rest easy - the classic, sci-fi robot revolution will not happen until robots can autonomously build themselves - and know why they should build themselves. Why? Because without knowing how to replicate, they will break down after a usually known time, and, unless they are extraordinarily well built and maintained, that time is usually within a human lifetime. Even with advancing AIs such as Siri, Google's self-driving cars, or even Watson, the computers that drive today's machines still, for the most part, basically follow the (somewhat annoying) first rule of computer programming - the machine will only do what you tell it to. Without the ability to understand and synthesize why something happens, computers lack the ability to solve problems outside of their (often carefully curated) experience. Without that ability, a landlocked robot will not be able to function near an ocean; a cellphone can't deal with a fire; a machining tool can't do more than drill.
So sleep easy, all, knowing that the robot revolution will not happen yet - unless we create a learning, creating, self-aware AI, which, at that point, is basically human anyway.
Yes, we're talking about that in one of my classes. And damn, if it isn't right up my alley.
So I went speed dating for the first time this week. No, I'm not looking for anything serious, but it seemed like it would make for an entertaining evening. (What did they call it? Analog Tinder :P) I met some interesting guys, but none really caught my eye. The vast majority of the people there had never done anything like it before, and so the conversations tended to be a little awkward. In almost every case, there seemed to be this strange pause where both of us tried to decide who would take the lead in the conversation. Some of my friends were there, and it was almost a relief when they came to my table because I could breathe for a moment. I'm glad I went - it's not a bad story.
What else? The construction of the Rube Goldberg machine is D-O-N-E done and we are now working on troubleshooting and making it showable. The frame has been stained, the walls have been painted, and the toast has been loaded.
And finally, I survived round 1 of Resident Assistant interviews. Looking forward to round 2.
Last but not least - song of the week is Styx's "Mr. Roboto." See above.
So I went speed dating for the first time this week. No, I'm not looking for anything serious, but it seemed like it would make for an entertaining evening. (What did they call it? Analog Tinder :P) I met some interesting guys, but none really caught my eye. The vast majority of the people there had never done anything like it before, and so the conversations tended to be a little awkward. In almost every case, there seemed to be this strange pause where both of us tried to decide who would take the lead in the conversation. Some of my friends were there, and it was almost a relief when they came to my table because I could breathe for a moment. I'm glad I went - it's not a bad story.
What else? The construction of the Rube Goldberg machine is D-O-N-E done and we are now working on troubleshooting and making it showable. The frame has been stained, the walls have been painted, and the toast has been loaded.
And finally, I survived round 1 of Resident Assistant interviews. Looking forward to round 2.
Last but not least - song of the week is Styx's "Mr. Roboto." See above.
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