I admit that I have been negligent in posting for something like the past month, and for that, I don't apologize because sometimes life gets in the way. Anyway, I am now typing words into a computer, which will get sent between servers hundreds of miles away and back to be eventually be accessed by you all just to tell you that I am alive and well (more or less) and that I am still capable of writing a half decent blog post.
They say that going on the Internet with the intent to post stuff while angry or stressed is the equivalent to going to the grocery store hungry - you tend to overindulge and do things you didn't mean to do and immediately regret.
I have been inundated with stuff I've had to do, from homework, to unending midterms, to making sure that my hall council has enough money to last through the end of the year, all while trying to remember to getting a decent nights sleep and after suffering a surprisingly painful scooter accident that left me with huge purple bruises on my arms for the past few weeks. (They're gone now).
So what have I been up to?
Lots of homework - the two classes that I have that give the most homework seem to have conspired to align their due dates so that it's never ending - as soon as one assignment gets done, it's time to break my brain over the next one. On the other hand, I could tell you the difference between energy, entropy and exergy, so I got that going for me.
Lots of tests - pretty much very class is looking to get that last exam/quiz/test in before finals start, so I spend a lot of time that I am not doing homework locked in a closet with Elementary Electrical Engineering or Khan Academy.
Big final events for clubs -
For Rube Goldberg - We had a great time showing off the machine at the Arizona Science Center despite some mishaps along the way. This coming weekend we're going to Vegas to show off the machine at the Las Vegas Science and Technology festival. Oh, and the machine now actually makes coffee, so that's pretty cool.
For hall council, we had to put on a big end of the year program, so I got to deal blackjack at a casino/dance type event. By virtue of being treasurer, that also means I had to get on everyone about receipts.
And also - trying to maintain friendships and eventually sleep and run every once in a while.
In other news, I'm next year's treasurer for Rube Goldberg club.
In two and a half weeks, I will be halfway done with college (hopefully). Finals are coming up, and summer will come. The anticipation and the stress are palpable all across campus.
Wish me luck!
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Post Spring Break Post
Spring Break was this past week, and at this point, it's pretty much over.
So what did I do?
Pretty much nothing, and it was absolutely glorious. I got caught up on sleep, caught up on my shows, and caught up, at least a little bit, with regaining some sanity.
Okay, I did a little more than that. I got some internship and scholarship applications done, got a bit of a start on my homework, and, of course, went to the Tucson Festival of Books for the first weekend and had a lot of fun, so I wan't completely degenerate and wasteful with my spring break (only mostly so).
One thing that was fantastic about break was that there was almost nobody in the dorms or on campus. The stillness and the quietness were the antithesis of the normal hustle and bustle and were quite nice, for a change. It was also refreshing to have the room to myself for a little bit. I also got to know the people who stayed back fro break a bit better. We all hung out in the kitchen and shared food and stories, and I got to meet some of the hermits who rarely, if ever, leave their rooms.
Coming up - more tests, more insanity, more work, more craziness. I'm going to have to bust my butt this second half of the semester to get my Thermodynamics grade up.
Also, if anyone is in Phoenix area next weekend, on March 28th, from 9AM to 3:30PM, UA Rube is going to be at the Arizona Science Center showing off our amazingly beautiful Rube Goldberg machine. I'm super excited about that. Come check us out.
I've also started looking at classes for next year. I have officially declared for a double major in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. I get to start taking the fun stuff next semester, like Fundamentals of Materials, which includes a lab where I get to break stuff, and Dynamics of Machines, where I get to learn about why we make things like we do. Next semester I will probably also take the maximum number of units and will probably have early classes every day. So I have that to look forward to.
Song of the week - I'm still on the Irish (okay, Scottish) kick, and i'm feeling slightly vengeful so this week's song is the Proclaimer's "500 Miles (I'm Gonna Be)" which is guaranteed to get stuck in your head.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Yay Break!
It's been a while since I posted, I realize, but I'm not gonna apologize because in the past two weeks, I have had essays, projects, and tests in all six of my classes and some other unrelated stuff thrown on top. Academics comes first, always, and, although I love you guys, blogging is not a top priority.
So right now, it's Spring Beak and beautiful here. The rain clouds are staying nicely on the horizon and the temperature has stayed between 70 and 80 degrees in the past few weeks. I am still at school, jamming through applications of all sorts and trying to teach myself MATLAB, a program for matrix and statistical analysis.The dorm is a ghost town, but it's nice to have the room to myself for a little bit.
Going roughly backwards to catch up -
This past weekend was Super Pi Day (3-14-15, especially at 9:26:53) and the Tucson Festival of Books. Once again, the entire Mall was devoured by four-legged white tents, people over the age of 50, and under the age of 10. I did raid the used book tent and got me some new reading material. I also got to see Dave Barry (who is hilarious without even trying) and a few panels of sci-fi/fantasy authors. One of those panels included the current president of the Vatican Observatory, Br. Guy Consolmagno, who was a great speaker on separating fact from fiction. I also got more than my share of delicious fry bread, which I've only seen in Arizona.
Last Thursday, a guy from Raytheon came by and did a demo on how the technology from the quick-changing front ends of race cars could be applied to quickly changing the front end payload on MALDs, which was very cool.
Last Tuesday, the U of A held a "Last Comic Standing" style stand-up competition, which was worth going to. For the vast majority of comics. it was painfully clear that stand-up was not their forts (most were pulled from on campus improv teams), but it was funny nonetheless.
I hosted two girls two weekends ago for Suite with SWE. That was pretty fun, though I think I freaked them out a little when I took them to my Thermodynamics class.
Two Saturdays ago, I got to see the dance program perform their spring show. They were amazing, as usual, and did some very unusual exceptional things with their bodies and with the stage.
Other than that - eat, sleep, study, Rube. Pretty basic, kinda boring, and a little stressful.
For those of you who happen to be in the Phoenix area, we're bringing our Rube Goldberg machine to the Arizona Science Center on Saturday March 28th, and everyone is stoked to be there. We're also going to take it to Vegas near the end of the school
year for the Las Vegas Science and Technology Festival. So everyone is even more stoked for that.
I think that just about catches me up.
Song of the week - since it is St. Patrick's Day as I'm writing this, the song of the week is "Oscail an Doras" from Riverdance. (Open the doors)
So right now, it's Spring Beak and beautiful here. The rain clouds are staying nicely on the horizon and the temperature has stayed between 70 and 80 degrees in the past few weeks. I am still at school, jamming through applications of all sorts and trying to teach myself MATLAB, a program for matrix and statistical analysis.The dorm is a ghost town, but it's nice to have the room to myself for a little bit.
Going roughly backwards to catch up -
This past weekend was Super Pi Day (3-14-15, especially at 9:26:53) and the Tucson Festival of Books. Once again, the entire Mall was devoured by four-legged white tents, people over the age of 50, and under the age of 10. I did raid the used book tent and got me some new reading material. I also got to see Dave Barry (who is hilarious without even trying) and a few panels of sci-fi/fantasy authors. One of those panels included the current president of the Vatican Observatory, Br. Guy Consolmagno, who was a great speaker on separating fact from fiction. I also got more than my share of delicious fry bread, which I've only seen in Arizona.
Last Thursday, a guy from Raytheon came by and did a demo on how the technology from the quick-changing front ends of race cars could be applied to quickly changing the front end payload on MALDs, which was very cool.
Last Tuesday, the U of A held a "Last Comic Standing" style stand-up competition, which was worth going to. For the vast majority of comics. it was painfully clear that stand-up was not their forts (most were pulled from on campus improv teams), but it was funny nonetheless.
I hosted two girls two weekends ago for Suite with SWE. That was pretty fun, though I think I freaked them out a little when I took them to my Thermodynamics class.
Two Saturdays ago, I got to see the dance program perform their spring show. They were amazing, as usual, and did some very unusual exceptional things with their bodies and with the stage.
Other than that - eat, sleep, study, Rube. Pretty basic, kinda boring, and a little stressful.
For those of you who happen to be in the Phoenix area, we're bringing our Rube Goldberg machine to the Arizona Science Center on Saturday March 28th, and everyone is stoked to be there. We're also going to take it to Vegas near the end of the school
year for the Las Vegas Science and Technology Festival. So everyone is even more stoked for that.
I think that just about catches me up.
Song of the week - since it is St. Patrick's Day as I'm writing this, the song of the week is "Oscail an Doras" from Riverdance. (Open the doors)
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Crazy
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.
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.
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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