It Has Begun
I just got home from class, and thought I'd do a post before getting back to doing my physics lab report.
First and foremost, the amount of schoolwork I've gotten in a small period of time is...well...vast. Lots of homework!
Comments about homework? Well, first of all, physics is a pain in the ass! I find verbal instructions can be a bit ambiguous at times, and these instructions have their slight ambiguities. I'm thinking that I'm just going to do what is logical to me. I spent hours working on it, it shouldn't take that long but I'm slow at physics, formula's can be so complex and rearranging them can really eat up time. Figuring out exactly what needs to be done can be tricky, and there are constant interruptions which make it hard to totally focus.
Computer-wise, I just proved my teacher wrong today. There were ambiguities in the specs for assignment 1. Contradictions and special cases that were not mentioned. After debate in class from myself and other confused students, we got the issue resolved. More or less, I was right and he was wrong *grins* I don't think he was treating this assignment as anything more than a warmup, so he wasn't too concerned with the technicalities, which I think is HORRIBLE for a programming assignment. I tend to follow specs to the highest degree possible. I tend to be a perfectionist.
Weirdest thing happened today. I didn't sleep much last night (2 hrs, couldn't fall asleep :|), so obviously today I've been very tired. While waiting for my coffee to cool during my break from classes (which I was taking at home) I closed my eyes for a few minutes and fell into a concious meditative trance. No kidding! It was weird, it was like I was dreaming, but I was still concious. Not so much day-dreaming because it wasn't even entirely lucid. And I have pretty much forgotten this 'dream', even though I was fully concious and aware of my surroundings while having it (ie I could hear the TV the whole time, it was almost like a mantra). It was nice, my whole body was relaxed and it was if I was sleeping, but while awake. I wonder, if I'd be able to practice and perhaps perfect this technique, I could totally bypass a normal sleeping pattern.
Scientists still aren't 100% certain what dreaming is for, or what sleeping is for other than for rest. There's a theory that it's the brain reorganizing itself, I guess sort of like a defrag for a computer. If one was able to do this conciously, and got enough physical rest, would one be able to bypass sleep? I felt quite rested afterward, though the effects are beginning to wear off as the sleep deprivation is kicking back in. Perhaps another coffee?
I work Friday and Saturday night this weekend. I've got 3 assignments out right now, plus more on the way by (what I hear) tomorrow. What ever am I going to do!?!?
I've been hearing rumors about skyrocketing gas prices due to the prediction of Rita hitting Texas, hard. That would be devestating to my already fragile budget - I can't work more due to school, but soon I might have to be taking the bus because if gas goes to $2, even $3 per litre, that's $80-$120 for ONE TANK. On a 1.9 litre engine!!! I'd HATE to be driving a larger vehicle right about now, and I'm mighty jealous of the hybrid owners. I should look into pricing of hybrids, I have a feeling for a future vehicle I purchase, that would be the smart way to go. Oil is slowly going to run out, within my lifetime. They are desperately seeking other sources of fuel. I mean, for electricity, I'm all for nuclear. It may not be safe and it may be dangerous to the environment, but that's only if people make mistakes. Which they will, but as research goes further I'm sure it will be more and more safe. I think the biggest issue is storage of nuclear waste. There isn't really anywhere 'safe' to put it without damaging something. I think what we need is a way to neutralize nuclear waste so it's no longer nuclear. Perhaps I'll do more research one day into future plans for energy.
Cars, though, can't really use nuclear power. Electric motors are horrible. It takes a LOT of electricity to accelerate, so if you want enough power to make your vehicle highway safe, you have to drain a LOT of electricity JUST to get on the highway. That's why hybrids are genius, because they use the gas-motor to accelerate, the electric motor to coast, and the kinetic energy from braking to charge the electric motor. But what about when oil runs out? I have a feeling in 20 years, we'll all have hybrids and still be spending the same net amount on gas, just we'll be getting (and needing) much less, so it will be more enviro-friendly.
I watched a TV show last night called Criss Angel Mindfreak. It was friggin sweet!!! This d00d can levitate, levitate other people (strangers), read minds and use telekenetics. I don't know if it's fake or not, I'd have to be there, but it looked pretty darn impressive. Which reminds me, my brother was watching a show when I went to his room to ask him to move his car a few days ago, this magician put his hand through a solid store window and put somebody's watch in the display case. He then asked the people he was showing the 'illusion(?)' to to try and retrieve the watch. They could not. He then proceeded to put his hand through the window again, and retrieved the watch. Shit, if I had that kinda technique at my disposal, I must admit, I'd probably steal one or two things through windows. Or hell, lock your keys in your car and just go through the windshield to get in!! Hehe, that would be coo.
What else is going on with my life? Things between me and Deanne are still good, which is good. Our 1 year anniversary is in a couple months, I haven't even really thought about what I want to do for her on the special day. My biggest concern is $$$. I'm working 1-3 shifts a week, 3 is extremely rare and even 2 is uncommon. I have credit card debt still, plus gas and insurance each month. This adds up to more than I make, which is fine because Deanne is helping me (agreement we've made w/ eachother) but I can't ask for money to buy her something! I'll probably be doing exams around that time of year, too. Ugh. I don't know, it's so far away but I have to think about it early otherwise, well, it won't work out to the best possible.
I guess that's teh trick to this sort of thing - you can't have it perfect, but make it the best possible. The best plausible outcome.
Anyway, I probably should get back to doing my physics lab...I'm almost done, and I'm not going to bother worrying about too many more discrepencies because they are REALLY slowing me down! I'll post again sometime soon. Until then, same Shai-time, same Shai-channel!!
First and foremost, the amount of schoolwork I've gotten in a small period of time is...well...vast. Lots of homework!
Comments about homework? Well, first of all, physics is a pain in the ass! I find verbal instructions can be a bit ambiguous at times, and these instructions have their slight ambiguities. I'm thinking that I'm just going to do what is logical to me. I spent hours working on it, it shouldn't take that long but I'm slow at physics, formula's can be so complex and rearranging them can really eat up time. Figuring out exactly what needs to be done can be tricky, and there are constant interruptions which make it hard to totally focus.
Computer-wise, I just proved my teacher wrong today. There were ambiguities in the specs for assignment 1. Contradictions and special cases that were not mentioned. After debate in class from myself and other confused students, we got the issue resolved. More or less, I was right and he was wrong *grins* I don't think he was treating this assignment as anything more than a warmup, so he wasn't too concerned with the technicalities, which I think is HORRIBLE for a programming assignment. I tend to follow specs to the highest degree possible. I tend to be a perfectionist.
Weirdest thing happened today. I didn't sleep much last night (2 hrs, couldn't fall asleep :|), so obviously today I've been very tired. While waiting for my coffee to cool during my break from classes (which I was taking at home) I closed my eyes for a few minutes and fell into a concious meditative trance. No kidding! It was weird, it was like I was dreaming, but I was still concious. Not so much day-dreaming because it wasn't even entirely lucid. And I have pretty much forgotten this 'dream', even though I was fully concious and aware of my surroundings while having it (ie I could hear the TV the whole time, it was almost like a mantra). It was nice, my whole body was relaxed and it was if I was sleeping, but while awake. I wonder, if I'd be able to practice and perhaps perfect this technique, I could totally bypass a normal sleeping pattern.
Scientists still aren't 100% certain what dreaming is for, or what sleeping is for other than for rest. There's a theory that it's the brain reorganizing itself, I guess sort of like a defrag for a computer. If one was able to do this conciously, and got enough physical rest, would one be able to bypass sleep? I felt quite rested afterward, though the effects are beginning to wear off as the sleep deprivation is kicking back in. Perhaps another coffee?
I work Friday and Saturday night this weekend. I've got 3 assignments out right now, plus more on the way by (what I hear) tomorrow. What ever am I going to do!?!?
I've been hearing rumors about skyrocketing gas prices due to the prediction of Rita hitting Texas, hard. That would be devestating to my already fragile budget - I can't work more due to school, but soon I might have to be taking the bus because if gas goes to $2, even $3 per litre, that's $80-$120 for ONE TANK. On a 1.9 litre engine!!! I'd HATE to be driving a larger vehicle right about now, and I'm mighty jealous of the hybrid owners. I should look into pricing of hybrids, I have a feeling for a future vehicle I purchase, that would be the smart way to go. Oil is slowly going to run out, within my lifetime. They are desperately seeking other sources of fuel. I mean, for electricity, I'm all for nuclear. It may not be safe and it may be dangerous to the environment, but that's only if people make mistakes. Which they will, but as research goes further I'm sure it will be more and more safe. I think the biggest issue is storage of nuclear waste. There isn't really anywhere 'safe' to put it without damaging something. I think what we need is a way to neutralize nuclear waste so it's no longer nuclear. Perhaps I'll do more research one day into future plans for energy.
Cars, though, can't really use nuclear power. Electric motors are horrible. It takes a LOT of electricity to accelerate, so if you want enough power to make your vehicle highway safe, you have to drain a LOT of electricity JUST to get on the highway. That's why hybrids are genius, because they use the gas-motor to accelerate, the electric motor to coast, and the kinetic energy from braking to charge the electric motor. But what about when oil runs out? I have a feeling in 20 years, we'll all have hybrids and still be spending the same net amount on gas, just we'll be getting (and needing) much less, so it will be more enviro-friendly.
I watched a TV show last night called Criss Angel Mindfreak. It was friggin sweet!!! This d00d can levitate, levitate other people (strangers), read minds and use telekenetics. I don't know if it's fake or not, I'd have to be there, but it looked pretty darn impressive. Which reminds me, my brother was watching a show when I went to his room to ask him to move his car a few days ago, this magician put his hand through a solid store window and put somebody's watch in the display case. He then asked the people he was showing the 'illusion(?)' to to try and retrieve the watch. They could not. He then proceeded to put his hand through the window again, and retrieved the watch. Shit, if I had that kinda technique at my disposal, I must admit, I'd probably steal one or two things through windows. Or hell, lock your keys in your car and just go through the windshield to get in!! Hehe, that would be coo.
What else is going on with my life? Things between me and Deanne are still good, which is good. Our 1 year anniversary is in a couple months, I haven't even really thought about what I want to do for her on the special day. My biggest concern is $$$. I'm working 1-3 shifts a week, 3 is extremely rare and even 2 is uncommon. I have credit card debt still, plus gas and insurance each month. This adds up to more than I make, which is fine because Deanne is helping me (agreement we've made w/ eachother) but I can't ask for money to buy her something! I'll probably be doing exams around that time of year, too. Ugh. I don't know, it's so far away but I have to think about it early otherwise, well, it won't work out to the best possible.
I guess that's teh trick to this sort of thing - you can't have it perfect, but make it the best possible. The best plausible outcome.
Anyway, I probably should get back to doing my physics lab...I'm almost done, and I'm not going to bother worrying about too many more discrepencies because they are REALLY slowing me down! I'll post again sometime soon. Until then, same Shai-time, same Shai-channel!!