Bits and tids (&hearts to tam and missa!)
1. I've had a good few days. I'm relaxed, well-rested, and in a more solid state of mind than I was a week ago. I've concluded that all I really need in life, in terms of the little things that keep me sane, are good books, music constantly playing, and cooking. I've been dining out and futzing around on the internet in silence way too much lately.
2. I had a meeting with Mark Goldman, the computational neuroscience guy I'll be doing a reading course with next quarter, to discuss the material and a project my boss wants him to help me on. I was totally out of it when I went to the meeting, which didn't go at all well for me because he decided that since the material we'll be covering is very calculus-heavy, I should prove my calculus abilities by solving a differential equation. I did it, with some prodding, and with much apologizing for my finals-induced lack of brain. It looks like the course is going to be really intense, but very rewarding.
3. Went online to get the book I'll be using for Goldman's course, and found about $90 worth of goodies waiting for me in my Amazon shopping cart. I decided that since I have a bit of financial wiggle room, I should treat myself to the following things:
- Introduction to the theory of Neural Computation by Hertz, Krogh and Palmer
- The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan - the original hardcover edition, since I'm a sucker for stuff like that
- Neurophilosophy: Toward a unified science of the mind-brain by Patricia Churchland
- "Touch the Sound", a documentary about Evelyn Glennie, a deaf percussionist
- "Into great Silence", a documentary about an abbey in Switzerland that I adore
4. I sat around with candles lit, lights off, music on, for a few hours last night. I spent my time sifting through the past year or so of my life, trying to make sense of it in the bigger picture. One thing I decided: sometimes the best choices aren't the ones that are sitting obviously in front of you. There's no reason for me to try and organize my life around what's available to me now. I'd be better off being patient and waiting until the time that I'll be able to go out and make my own options.
2. I had a meeting with Mark Goldman, the computational neuroscience guy I'll be doing a reading course with next quarter, to discuss the material and a project my boss wants him to help me on. I was totally out of it when I went to the meeting, which didn't go at all well for me because he decided that since the material we'll be covering is very calculus-heavy, I should prove my calculus abilities by solving a differential equation. I did it, with some prodding, and with much apologizing for my finals-induced lack of brain. It looks like the course is going to be really intense, but very rewarding.
3. Went online to get the book I'll be using for Goldman's course, and found about $90 worth of goodies waiting for me in my Amazon shopping cart. I decided that since I have a bit of financial wiggle room, I should treat myself to the following things:
- Introduction to the theory of Neural Computation by Hertz, Krogh and Palmer
- The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan - the original hardcover edition, since I'm a sucker for stuff like that
- Neurophilosophy: Toward a unified science of the mind-brain by Patricia Churchland
- "Touch the Sound", a documentary about Evelyn Glennie, a deaf percussionist
- "Into great Silence", a documentary about an abbey in Switzerland that I adore
4. I sat around with candles lit, lights off, music on, for a few hours last night. I spent my time sifting through the past year or so of my life, trying to make sense of it in the bigger picture. One thing I decided: sometimes the best choices aren't the ones that are sitting obviously in front of you. There's no reason for me to try and organize my life around what's available to me now. I'd be better off being patient and waiting until the time that I'll be able to go out and make my own options.