-24/11/03-
The term's almost over.
It's been a rough term, far more difficult than I was expecting from the odd comments given by recently graduated engineers. I can only assume they went to a school that doesn't require that you work in order to survive your courses.
Fortunately, I'm not even close to succumbing to despair. My task list of 15 items, which was growing by 2 or 3 items for every 1 I crossed off, is finally shrinking. My performance in a few courses is unprecedented. The graduation day clock continues its slow decline. I think I've trained myself to require only 3 hours of sleep a night. And I can't complain about the personal life.
Now if only I could be sure about post-grad plans.... one job application hardly constitutes a sound strategy for my life, nor does poking around grad school websites. But, while I'm here, I'll continue to adopt a friend's "under pressure" philosophy of not thinking more than 5 days in advance.
So anyway, I've updated Geeker's Corner with some Iron Ring stuff. I've also put up a short Discourse on guys. Wow, I just realized I've produced a mere 3 discourses this year, and one of those was a required class essay. I suck.
The MP3z I'm listening to are severely distorted.
-07/10/03-
I placed the "mech man" song in the expected place, Geeker's Corner. I also put my second work report there, which I wish I had done two weeks ago; when I was sitting in the lab late one night working on some project, I realized I could look at my past reports to double check my work. Too bad I was a lazy ass and forgot to upload the required file....
I chose my courses for next term (the last one!!). Rather than take on a whole crapload of courses like I had planned 5 years ago, I'm only taking 3 ME tech electives: Combustion 1, Aerodynamics, and Gas Dynamics. I'm also taking the second ME project course, '482', and PHIL267. Yes, I'm taking another shot at academic philosophy, after being totally turned off by PHIL100 a year or two ago. 267 is an Introduction to the Philosophy of Science, which sounds interesting enough. At least it'll give me a break from wholly technical courses, and, if it really sucks, it's on a Thursday so I can always find out if it's better or worse than PHIL100 while drunk.
Oh, did I mention my Energy Conversion term project is on cold fusion? :)
-22/9/03-
Mm, still no writing, not quite in the mood yet. Plus I'm too busy having fun.... 4th year's a blast so far! Actually, it might be too much fun; my throat's apparently still not healed from my operation last month. There will be some pictures forthcoming, as well as some relevant additions to the Geek section, just as soon as I can sit my ass down at this computer for an hour.
-14/8/03-
I had my tonsils taken out last Friday. Since that's barely 6 days ago, I'm still in a bit of pain. It took a few days for me just to be able to look at a computer screen for longer than 15 minutes.
For now, you can enjoy a new pictures in the Photo Album. This one's just a picture of my mechanical engineering class at UW, although I'm barely visible. I almost feel like writing again (after a 6 month hiatus, apparently), we'll see what comes out over the next couple of weeks.
I head back to school in 13 days. Joy!
-21/7/03-
If I'm not going to update the webpage, the least I could do is blog a little...
So it's been more than a month since the last udpate. In that time, I've begun to coach learn-to-row classes at the Vancouver Rowing Club, scheduled an appointment for a tonsilectomy, raced at a rowing regatta for the first time since 1998, volunteered at the BC Olympic Youth Leadership Academy, witnessed Vancouver winning the 2010 Olympic Bid at BC Place Stadium, finished reading my first Nietzsche book (for fun...), and registered for my first set of 4th year classes.
As an interesting tidbit, Nietzsche is in the Microsoft dictionary, as is Marx, Hitler, Napoleon, Ra, Thor, and Buddha. Gilgamesh, however, is not.
Anyway, for anyone wanting more information on the Vancouver Rowing Club, or the VRC learn-to-row classes, just look them up in your favourite search engine (I prefer google). Information on tonsilectomies may also be found on the internet.
The regatta I went to was the Kelowna Regatta, a little smaller than expected but still worth the attendance in terms of rekindling the desire to row competitively. I figure 6 months is plenty of time to bring my erg score to within a respectable range. In honour of this rowing renaissance, I've updated the Rowing section with some more erg times and a picture I've had lying around.
-13/6/03-
Time for another monthly update on Friday the 13th.
Today's updates include: another Engineers' Song, this time from Belgium. Look for it in Geeker's Corner; a removal of a link; two of my work reports are now available in Geeker's Corner; and, well, I guess that's it.
Just to blog a bit, I've signed up for scuba lessons with Rowand's Reef. My first set of lessons were postponed due to illness on my part (of course). We'll see how they go in July.
-14/5/03-
Happy Birthday, webpage!
It's been 4 years since I first started this webpage. In that time, it's grown from its humble beginnings as a bunch of poorly organized pages with pictures and a simple forum into a bunch of poorly organized pages with pictures and other stuff and a not-as-simple forum.
Anyway, just put a few "new" pictures up in the Photo Album, plus I redesigned that section of the page.
-12/5/03-
Another month in between updates, but I must say it's hard to update a webpage when you're having a nice vacation.
What's been happening? Not much. I'm taking the summer off (mostly) in order to regain my sanity. Currently, all I'm on an Ultimate team, "Random Fling", and, well, that's about it. A couple of side-projects, but nothing worth writing about yet. Hopefully I'll be able to impose some structure on my life this week, and find a way to earn enough money to live for the summer.
In other news, I've updated the Engineering Hymn section of Geeker's Corner, as a few people have sent in corrections and additions regarding their schools' traditions.
-12/4/03-
A short update in the midst of exams. I've finished 3 out of the 4 tech exams I have to write, with the last one being control systems (been there, done that, etc.). I also have an English exam (ENG208L) on the 21st, which will be my last day in Waterloo before I go home to.... what? Just as quickly as I announced my employment at QuestAir, they called me up to tell me I no longer had a job. That sucked, immensely.
So now I have to worry about exams as well as my job situation, which is totally ambiguous. More so than Paul's, I would imagine. Fortunately, UW has been applying to jobs for me (as they should), so I'm currently up to 5 open applications. They all seem fairly interesting, but it's impossible to say from a job title alone. Check out the Employment section for more info. I've also updated my Resume.
-16/3/03-
Three days, not too shabby. I spent the entire day in the computer lab working on a controls project, so I felt a little downtime in front of another computer was in order.
Today brings a new Discourse. It's the stunning conclusion to the two I wrote last term, which I felt I needed to get out of my system before I sat down for a more relevant topic concerning engineers and the rampant negativity running amongst them, at least out here in Waterloo.
Not much else to report. I added a new section, just for me, called My Favourites. It's just a small page that makes my personal web surfing a little more convenient. I have more digital photos, care of those with whom I live, but I'll have to hold off on posting them for another day.
-13/3/03-
So it's been 2 months since my last update, so sue me. And part 3 of that bit of writing I started in October will probably never be finished. I seem to be losing my interest in writing.
Personally, a fair bit has happened in that time, but nothing life-changing. Mostly another three months of school and the joys it constantly provides. I do seem to be excelling in my English 208L course (Race & English Lit.), which is a nice change of pace. You can see my first essay for that course in Discourses.
There's a new fun picture of myself in the Photo Album. Please note that that is not indicative of how we normally spend our time out here in Waterloo. At least, not more than a few times a month.
I nabbed a job in the first month of school this time, in order to avoid the mad rush for Employment that always happens. So, effective May 5th, I will be working for QuestAir Technologies in Burnaby, BC, once again. I expect it's going to be a good summer.
Other stuff that's occupied my time lately includes getting involved in the UW SEDS club, getting sick with the flu, cold, and bronchitis-like infection, and becoming one of the Grad Committee 2004 chairs.
Anything else? Not really, at least nothing that I'd put on a public webpage.
-13/1/03-
First update of the new year. With the new year comes new content:
The Employment section has been updated, and I'm phasing in a new format that looks a little nicer, imho. That doesn't mean I'm going away from the mustard yellow for all you haters, just a little application of my limited artistic talents.
Oh yeah, the colour scheme has obviously been returned to its regular non-festive style.
Continuing my penchant for changing page names, I've done so yet again.
More to come at a later date when I've done some homework.