Roller Coaster Week

April 01, 2006Well, there's bad news and good news.

Liz's grandmother fell and broke her hip.  Apparently the break is a relatively complicated one, and they are worried about the surgery.  Because of her age, health, and the nature of the break, there is an appreciable chance that she won't make it.  As you might imagine, Liz is really upset and we'd appreciate it if you could keep her in your thoughts and prayers.  Mom, Liz has requested that you add her to the FWC prayer list if that'd be okay.  We'd both really appreciate it.

Alright, done with the bad news.  There is much to be happy about, and I'll share it.  This week was crazy, and I realized yesterday that I had given up trying to make posts interesting.  Personally, I prefer some humor to a shopping list of happenings, so I'll try to make this post pleasantly listless (for those of you out there with lisps reading that word to a group of blind people, I apologize).

[Baby] - Faster than a Speeding Soccer Mom

I would have laughed if you told me that two weeks would be enough time for Daniel to learn to crawl, cut two teeth, and develop the ability to sit himself up and hold his own cup.  But no one's laughing now!  Well... I do find some humor in the yelp people let out when they attempt to explore his newly cloven lower gum.  And I swear I've never once told Daniel to shut his... "trap".  And it is somewhat funny that Daniel ate the two corners of my Speech quiz that were misgraded and I needed to show my prof to get back some points.  My baby ate my homework?

I have to say, though, that it is shocking to realize that I can prop Daniel up, hand him his new sippy cup, and do homework as he proceeds to feast.  He seems to like it better, too.  He also likes remote controls.  And being able to see where he's going.  Considering the parents, no one here is surprised that we're raising a control freak.

[Lawn and Garden] - Weedin' and Feedin'

You know, I used to think dandelion's were pretty and fun.  But no longer.  6-8 bloomed Thursday, so I pulled their tops off Fri morning to avoid reseeding.  That afternoon, there were 10 more.  I took care of those, but today there are another 12!  We used "Weed and Feed" last month, but it doesn't seem to have done much.  I haven't noticed any dying weeds.  Perhaps we have crazy mutant dandelions.  You know, the kind that drinks weed killer for breakfast.  They probably take root in solid rock, bloom in sub-zero temperatures, and tear worms apart just to watch them squirm.  It's a good thing that Zeus is an indoor cat.

So what's the plan of attack?  Weed-B-Gon Max with super foaming action!  No weed can stand before us.  They don't specifically mention 'crazy mutant dandelions', but they mention 'false' dandelions, so maybe that's secret gardener's code.  I will continue the reconaissance and report on any further enemy movement.
 
[Job] - Hope Springs Eternal

I have an interview!  TRW in Lebanon has asked me to come in Tuesday and interview with them.  They are looking for someone to come co-op for them, and Lebanon is the closest place to Cookeville seeking a Mechanical Engineering co-op student.  Since I'm going to be commuting, it would be really convenient.  I don't know exactly what type of position they are looking to fill, but I think it will be more like what I'm pursuing than some of the Oak Ridge stuff.  For now, both options are open.  I'll keep you all posted.  In the mean time, I have to figure out what I should say in an interview.  Maybe I can bring Daniel to shake in front of them.  You know, say things like "See Daniel, these nice men are going to give Daddy a job so you don't have to eat only potatoes and rice."  Or, "See, Daniel, they're going to give Daddy a job so they won't foreclose on the house."  Daniel.  Secret Weapon Extraordinaire.

Downward Spiral

March 30, 2006[School] - Down, Down in an Earlier Round...

So today I found out that I earned a 15/20 on my speech.  Again, a 75% on something I wanted significantly higher on.  Now I have two classes' grades to worry about.  So what am I doing?  Posting on phusebox.  I'm so stressed out right now.  I need to go clean the kitchen, start on some Matlab code, write another speech, and study for my economics exam.  My next speech has to be a ceremonial speech.  I need a really good grade on it, so I need to start soon.  I'll probably have it done by the end of this weekend.  Econ exam tomorrow, but I should be fine.  The class is painfully easy, and I seem to have a good conceptual grasp of what's going on.  And if I am told one more time that average price equals total price divided by quantity, I sware I'll walk out of that room.

Last semester, I worked hard and got really great grades.  This semester, I work hard and am looking at some pretty bad ones.  I'm not giving up, though.  This next speech will be gut-wrenching.  They'll laugh, they'll cry, I'll move them.  And I'm not joking.  I know what my next topic will be, and they won't sit through unfazed.  This next speech is out of 30 pts, and I expect to get all of them.  And this next thermal design report will be even better.  I've already written some.  Maybe I'll post it.  I asked Liz to proof it, but it's too technical.

Strange Things

March 29, 2006For you calculus/physics geeks out there:
There once was a young man named Cole
Who traveled too near a black hole
His dv by dt was quite wonderous to see
But now all that's left is his soul

I watched the Count of Monte Cristo tonight.  I will confirm what many of you said to me: yes, I do look like the son.  Strange.

[Work] - Wishing, Hoping, Praying, and Waiting

I received the following in an email today:
There is some additional paperwork we must do on our end and when your application is complete, then ORISE will extend you an offer.
Notice that it didn't say "we'll consider you extending you an offer" or "your application will be reviewed".  That's a good sign, yes?  Again, this is for working for the Engineering Science and Technology Division at ORNL in Oak Ridge, so I'm excited.  More updates to come.

Group Project

March 27, 2006[School] - The results are in!

Alas.  We were given back on interim report today in Thermal Design.  Our group was given a grade of 75, and I got a 78.  As hard as I worked on that thing, I'm really frustrated.  Since we turned in the report, the professor has been talking about what we was looking for.  As this was never done before we turned it in, I think it's a little late.  We got a sheet that said "Transfer model, including...."  and "Hydraulic model, including...".  But he never said how much detail he was looking for.  He also never bothered to mention that these were to be done about the final design and not about the general concepts considered.  Class after class I find myself wondering "why didn't he bother to mention this before we did it?!"  It wasn't the best report, but it was good work.  I understand that he had certain expectations, but the project was REALLY open-ended.  He can't expect everyone to solve it like he expected or report everything he wants in the way he wants.  How could we know that we were supposed to neglect heat transfer with the surroundings and losses due to condensate, but that we were going to lose points by neglecting viscous effects?  If he wants to leave us to our own creativity by not giving us much information, he can't expect us to conform to his standard.

For those of you not really understanding what I'm talking about, let's put it like this.  I hand you a sheet of paper and say "go into that bathroom and write about the decor, the functionality, and your overall impressions.  How would it feel to get back the paper and find out that you didn't need to tell me about the traction strips on the tub, but you lose points for not mentioning how nice the shower head worked?  Or if you don't get any credit for talking about the lighting, but lose points because you don't mention whether or not the cabinets are squeaky?  Or if you draw a picture of the bathroom, but I take off points for putting it in the appendix instead of the body?  Little by little, your score is whittled down, because you were unequipped to give me exactly what I was expecting.  Oh... and what if I misread or misunderstood a part, which made the entire paper confusing to me, and I was harsher because of it?

I'd be angrier if this put me out of 'A' range, but it hasn't yet.  As long as I can keep up the other grades, I'll be okay.  We'll see.  Baaaah!

Growing Up

March 27, 2006It's funny how people want to be treated like adults long before they are ready to act like them.  We are currently having trouble with people's behavior in the Honors Lounge up here at Tech.  It's not an issue of controversial discussions.  It's an issue of vulgarities and obscenties being yelled while people are in class 50 feet away.  We have set up an enforcement procedure for our Lounge Code of Conduct, and we are taking a lot of flak.  Apparently the 1st Amendment guarantees them the right to say whatever they want, however they want, whenever they want, and whatever volume they want.  I'm all for having adult discussions in the Lounge, but they need to be discussed in an adult fashion.  No topic can only be discussed using obscenities.  It's frustrating.  They think the students that are offended should grow up.  It's hard to make them understand that you can have and express any opinion you want, but there are appropriate and inappropriate ways of doing so.

I wonder how many times I considered myself an adult as I was growing up.  Did I consider myself an adult when I got my car?  Graduated High School?  Turned 18?  I can say now that those sorts of milestones do not an adult make.  I can't point to a revolutionary moment, but my life is radically different than it was a just a year ago.  I am no longer the only person for whom I have primary responsibility.  My schooling is not my most important activity.  Everything is different.  Everything is complicated.  Everything revolves around one little face.



You know... I wouldn't change that for anything.  I love him.  He can have the center of my life.  It was a good trade.