(insert witty title here)

Look at me still talking, while there's science to do...

2008-04-20T06:27:13Z

Exams approaching, and I'm still grossly underprepared for both of them. Fan-freaking-tastic. The plan, though, is to lock myself in the Dude with one of my friends for the next two days, so here's hoping that'll pay off.

Half of the furniture is gone from my apartment - my couch is gone, my rug is, and my microwave is now taking up half of the space on my kitchen table. I didn't want to move all of that crap yet, but seeing as my family came up today I didn't have much say in the matter beyond locking the door and hiding in my bathroom. Something tells me that wouldn't have cut it.

I went out to dinner tonight with some of my friends; Steak and Shake's burgers could use thicker patties, but the shake was as godlike as always. We ended up playing Rock Band for a few hours, and I thoroughly humiliated myself by trying to sing. There are a few songs I think I did okay on (like "Wanted: Dead or Alive"), but that wasn't enough to counteract the bad. Lessons learned tonight:

1.) "Creep" was easy...up until the falsetto in the middle of the song. Once I got to that, I started tanking because I couldn't hit the pitch...but then my voice cracked and started to waver like mad, and my rating actually went up, from "weak" to "awesome." Apparently, emulating Thom Yoke to that level paid off, even though it was completely unintentional.

2.) ""Timmy and the Lords of the Underworld." That was a unique combination of pain and hilarity. Somehow, I made it through the song and kept a (mostly) straight face, even while yelling lyrics like "Pah Yup Pah Dub Dub" and "Dappit Gul Hod."

I also heard "Stay Alive" for the first time tonight; I'd been avoiding it because I haven't been able to play Portal yet (I need a better laptop, or an Xbox 360). Mike and Marc both played it, though, and I'm in love with the song. I was already a huge fan of Jonathan Coulton, but this is already one of my favorites from him - the lyrics are amazing, and the song is hilarious, and will probably be even more so once I can actually play the game.

Seriously, this song is nothing short of amazing. It's right up there with the genius of "Code Monkey" and "Mandelbrot Set."

Also, while searching YouTube for videos that use "Stay Alive," I found her. A girl who's nerdy enough to sing Portal's theme song and Rick Astley? I think I'm in love. 0_0

imdwalrus @ 2008-04-16T01:06:00

2008-04-16T05:40:02Z

Looking through my LiveJournal friends feed, through the one or two MySpace pages I actually look at from time to time, and at my Facebook news feed, I always seem to end up at the same conclusion:

Either we're all broken, or we're a lot more neurotic and insecure than I'd ever realized.

A page-long list of OCD rituals and quirks. Lengthy posts about college, and fears and insecurities about classes we'll probably pass but are close enough to the borderline where failure becomes an encompassing fear. Relationships coming and going, with the only marker of change being whether the little pink heart Facebook puts next to the bullet point is broken or not.

The status updates on Facebook are particularly bad - one line isn't a ton of room, but the amount of angst and fear that can be compressed into it is amazing, judging from what I've seen in the past few weeks.

I guess that's an inevitable part of all of these social networking sites, but I can't help but feel that, as we let bits and pieces of our private lives slide into view a few words at a time, the intimate knowledge we're all going to have of each other is going to change a lot of relationships and friendships. Not necessarily for the worse, but this is something that no other generation has had. This is a subtle but fundamental shift in the way we're going to know each other, and the repercussions of that are anyone's guess.

I'd like to say that everyone else has realized it and that I'm just late to the party, but given that I keep getting invited to join a Facebook group based off of a ten year old chain e-mail...well, let's just say that, right now, I'm feeling smarter than the average bear.

Okay. That's enough "let's pretend I'm an LSA student so I can write pseudo-philosophical papers" crap for the night.

Update on the past while or so coming soon, but here's the Cliffs Notes version:
-I haven't been able to feel my lower lip for two days now
-I need to finish an internship applications that's due...um, today. Crap.
-Exams are coming up next week. I've got two on Tuesday, half an hour apart, across North Campus from each other, and for my hardest classes. LIFE HATES ME.
-I still need a job for the summer.
-Even though they're almost identical to Altoids, the mints I got for Christmas in a tin shaped like an NES controller are surprisingly good.
-I need a haircut so I don't look like a hobo.

I think that covers most of the important points for now. I need to go to bed, because whether I like it or not I'm getting up at 9AM to finish this stupid application. I don't think I've got any chance at all of getting the internship, but that'll be self-fulfilling if I don't send anything to them.

imdwalrus @ 2008-04-08T07:17:00

2008-04-08T11:18:11Z

Urgh.

Exam in about an hour.

I don't know how much sleep I got last night, but I know it feels like I laid in bed for at least an hour (though it's hard to tell because I forced myself to stop clock-watching after a little while at the beginning). That usually means "not nearly enough."

Caffeine, save me!

imdwalrus @ 2008-03-24T15:07:00

2008-03-24T19:09:04Z

Top 5 Reasons It Sucks to Be an Engineering Student

Yes, they're generalizations, but this does a pretty good job of summing up college so far. I've experienced everything on this list at least once (and most of them multiple times) in the past three years.

imdwalrus @ 2008-03-18T23:02:00

2008-03-19T03:04:42Z

This song describes my life perfectly right now, if you replace "coal mine" with...um, apartment. Maybe "Duderstadt Center," but that doesn't flow with the rest of the lyrics.

The fact that it's easier to find a song as a YouTube video than it is to dig up an MP3 of it is a sign of how much things have changed in the past few years.

In the next week or so, I've got three papers, an internship fair, an exam, and all of my usual homework on top of that. JOY.

But on the other hand, I've got pie, there's a lot of albums coming out in the next few weeks I'm looking forward to (Panic at the Disco, the Counting Crows, the Raconteurs, and the new version of Tally Hall's album...fear my questionable taste in music), and I've still got the occasional Smash Brothers break to take my mind off of work. Things could be worse...but they'd be a heck of a lot better without all of this work.

imdwalrus @ 2008-03-18T01:41:00

2008-03-18T05:48:54Z

I spent all day Sunday on one homework assignment.

I had class all day, and then spent four hours scrubbing dishes alone in the back of Bursley's kitchen. It got so bad that my boss (Chuck, for the two or three of you that know him) spent an hour helping me because we were so busy that, even after three years of practice with the job, I couldn't handle the amount of dishes they sent back on my own.

I've spent the past hour trying to figure out why the Maple file I need for my lab tomorrow morning won't open, and cursing the fact that my lab partner's got appendicitis and has been incommunicado for the past few days because of it.

And on top of all of that, my glasses are currently locked in an office in Bursley, which means I've got a huge headache brewing, which will be made all the worse by the fact that I'm getting up at 6:30 tomorrow morning.

I love my life. >_<

Three things:

2008-03-10T07:58:42Z

1.) Super Smash Brothers Brawl rocks.

2.) I'm a bit disappointed that, after seven hours, I haven't unlocked Sonic yet.

3.) It's 4AM. I need to go to bed. >_

imdwalrus @ 2008-02-19T22:02:00

2008-02-20T03:04:01Z

So I've got a Thermo exam tomorrow.

The GSI pretty much flat out told us that one of the problems is going to be a chemical equilibrium problem.

We've done one of those in class.

The professor started talking about it with half an hour left on class on Monday, and didn't actually start the example until after class had ended (and then ran about ten minutes over schedule).

The one example we have is wrong.

This exam is going to be a freaking blast. Why did I think that engineering was a good idea, again?

I'm older than I've ever been, and now I'm even older. AND NOW I'M EVEN OLDER.

2007-11-05T05:20:22Z

I'm 21 now...but it sure doesn't feel like it.

I've got a quiz in Aero 325 in about nine hours. Good thing it's for extra credit only.

This is going to be the first year where I don't actually see my family on my birthday, which feels odd to think about. Unless plans fall through, though, I'll be going out for dinner with some of my friends so I don't have to spend the night eating frozen ravioli alone. That's a pretty good compromise, if you ask me.

I've got a lot on my mind right now, but since I've got that quiz and an essay to finish revising, I guess I should get back to work. I love you too, college.

imdwalrus @ 2007-10-12T00:43:00

2007-10-12T04:44:46Z

One more exam, and some quick editing of my Aero 385 paper (emphasis on the quick; apparently, I can still write well when I need to). After that...well, work. But after that, a few precious days of freedom before I come back up on Monday and jump back into homework.

Exams haven't gone nearly as well as I wanted, but I'm still thinking I might reward myself a bit for having not completely failed the four. The last time I was in Target, I noticed they had Abbey Road for ten bucks, and I don't have a copy of that album yet... >_>

imdwalrus @ 2007-07-26T21:41:00

2007-07-27T01:45:13Z

I was driving home from the library today when I noticed that my van wouldn't drive faster than 20MPH no matter how hard I pushed down on the gas pedal.

My parents think it's the transmission. If so...fuck.

I'm still holding out hope that it's a fluid issue; this happened once before back in January or February, and then the van was fine until recently. Mechanical problems can't just come and go like that, so it may not be dead in the water just yet.

Harry Potter and the Obligatory Blog Entry

2007-07-25T06:20:36Z

Now that Harry Potter is out and I've read it, the self-imposed internet ban can end. It turns out that that was a good idea - the leak of the book, the one that made international headlines was the real deal and originated from a site that I'm a member of. I managed to make it through without having anything spoiled. So now, because I can't sleep and I'm feeling incredibly bored, it's time to write about it.

There are spoilers ahead. You've been warned, but it looks like that's not an issue for most of you...

I enjoyed the book, which is something I wasn't expecting after the letdown of Half-Blood Prince. I was hoping for a book with an epic showdown at the end, and while that didn't quite happen, the three main setpieces (the attack on the Order as they left the Dursley home, the fight in the Malfoy mansion, and the massive battle at Hogwarts) were thrilling and drew me into the book more than anything I've read in the past few years.

The Snape chapter was spectacular. I was expecting redemption for the character, but not like that. Come to think of it, redemption is probably the book's most obvious theme - look at Kreacher, Dudley, and the Dumbledore arc.

I'm disappointed that there wasn't any Quidditch, but I guess that there wasn't any way to justify it.

Rowling seemed to get awfully trigger-happy this time around. Is it bad if Dobby's death got more of a reaction out of me than the death of any other character in the series?

My biggest complaint about the book is the ending. I had to reread it to figure out what exactly happened - at first glance, the Elder Wand passing to Draco didn't seem to make any sense, and it still seems like a bit of a cop-out from Rowling. I guess it makes sense, but that was definitely some of the clunkiest exposition in the series. I'm also disappointed that Voldemort and Harry didn't have a real duel or that they didn't make bizarre magic happen a la the Goblet of Fire conclusion, but having Harry intentionally kill for the first time (unless I'm forgetting something from the earlier books) is probably not the best way to end the series.

Ever since the first book, it was clear that this was going to be a traditional, "good conquers evil" story. The ending and a few sections of the book may have been predictable, but that doesn't matter. They fit into the story, and that's far more important to me.

The epilogue is...tricky. It definitely didn't cover the characters I would have preferred to appear; I'd much rather have seen what happened to Luna or George instead of Draco or Percy. It was also frustratingly brief and vague, though I'm sure that was intentional so that the reader could imagine whatever outcome they wanted. The chapter wasn't really called for and arguably weakened the end of the book, but it gave Rowling a chance to say that Harry's scar hadn't bothered him since Voldemort died, which was the quickest way for her to say "fuck you, don't touch my characters." Since Harry's scar reacted when Umbridge came near him, we can probably assume that she intended it to show there wasn't any overpowering evil in the world during that time period...which means that there isn't room for more books, at least not with those characters. Possibly with the children, but not with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

I'm thrilled with the series as a whole. It's clear that Rowling had a very firm idea of where she was going when she started the first book - time and time again, what seemed like a minor detail or a throwaway line comes back in a much more important form later in the series. The Potter world is (mostly) consistent and incredibly well-conceived, and I think that the series deserves the attention it's received for that alone. It's not as consistent as I'd like, maybe, and there are weaker moments and some inexplicable swings as the series goes on (the sudden appearance of Bitter Yelling Harry in Book 5 and his subsequent mellowing come to mind), but that's dwarfed by the sheer enjoyment that reading the books brings, even after I've read them all multiple times. Time will tell whether Potter has the staying power of, say, Lord of the Rings or the Oz books to become a fantasy staple, but I think it'd be a crying shame if it didn't.

While I was thinking about the book, I realized that it's got a LOT in common with Star Wars, both within the story and the real world (one example: control-freak, overly protective creators). That might be an entry for another day, thougn, because I've got a feeling it'd be about as much fun to read as watching a pot.

And before anyone asks, watching a pot should be boring because it'll never boil if you do. I guess that's a crappy metaphor, but I'm too tired to try and come up with something better.

It's not time for the panic button after all.

2007-06-16T04:27:57Z

Wow. Apparently, the last note worked wonders - between Facebook and LiveJournal, I got a lot of good advice, including ideas that never would have occurred to me. Using obscure government databases? MADNESS!

Thank you to everyone who offered suggestions. You're all brilliant and creative, because almost all of the suggestions are new ones...and trust me, I've tried my share of tactics this summer. Tomorrow, I cruise Warren again with Cheryl in hopes of finding some kind of employment, and if that fails, it's back to the internet. I'm going to find a job, mark my words...and it'll be here once it happens.

Somewhere in this bloody city, there's a job for me. I've just got to find it.

It really is sad that that line sums up my entire summer so far. Being a broke college student sucks.

Anyone want to buy one of my lungs?

2007-06-15T05:06:39Z

This is getting ridiculous.

I've written (or complained, if you prefer) about not being able to find a job. I didn't realize how tough the market was until today.

I found a dishwashing job not too far from where I live - nothing glamorous or that will look good on a resume, but it's money. I called, ready for an eager response to my eagerness to wash their dirty cookware, and...well, I didn't exactly get that.

For a part time job washing dishes at a small restaurant that doesn't pay particularly well - a PART TIME JOB WASHING DISHES - they've received "more than 50" applications.

"More than 50." He didn't give an exact number, but he didn't need to for the reality of my situation to sink in.

I knew that the auto companies laying off so many people had some repercussions, but damn. No wonder nobody's offered me a job yet - there literally aren't any, or at least none that I've been lucky enough to find.

I've still got a few options open. I've tried Tim Hortons and a few other fast food places in the last few days, so there's still hope they'll get back to me with good news. There was also talk of working in the stock room in the paper company that is (hopefully) about to hire my dad. If that doesn't work, though, it'll be time for my emergency plan: finding somewhere to crash in Ann Arbor so I can work in one of the cafeterias for the rest of the summer.

Anybody want a roommate? I'm too broke to afford (much) rent, but I'm great at cleaning and I promise to be quiet, unobtrusive, and non-smelly...

imdwalrus @ 2007-06-10T02:27:00

2007-06-10T06:30:57Z

Reading Facebook and LiveJournal at 2AM is normal (or at least acceptable) during the school year. Now? It's just a sign of insomnia.

Still jobless, still broke, and starting to feel trapped and desperate. Even if I don't find a job, I'll be able to feed myself and have the money I need in the fall somehow...I just don't have a clue how I'll pull it off.

My throat's been sore for the past three days. If I'm getting the same infection my sister had, I'm going to kill her for being contagious. >_

imdwalrus @ 2007-05-25T00:34:00

2007-05-25T04:35:04Z

This is starting to get ridiculous.

I need a job. If I don't have a job, I don't have money. If I don't have money, I won't have food next year.

So far, nobody's shown any interest in hiring me.

Apparently, the world has decided for me that I'm not going to be eating much next year...

Blame Digg and the HD-DVD encryption key incident for this...

2007-05-08T20:21:18Z

You Can Own an Integer Too — Get Yours Here

Here's mine:
7F 8C E2 55 20 D5 68 DD 12 97 79 34 73 80 D3 EC

And yes, I will invoke the DMCA to protect it if need be. >_>

imdwalrus @ 2007-05-01T14:37:00

2007-05-01T18:38:11Z

Jonathan Coulton's "First of May"

Listen. Enjoy. Just...don't do it if there are young children or easily offended people in earshot.

imdwalrus @ 2007-05-01T01:39:00

2007-05-01T05:46:21Z

I called Dell today. It turns out that the battery is under warranty for a year...from the date the system as a whole was purchased. That was in 2005. While the battery itself is roughly a year younger than that, the replacement parts are only covered for ninety days. It looks like the battery isn't covered anymore, despite the fact that they forced me to exchange my old battery for a crappy replacement that lasted for about eight months.

I wonder if they'd give me my old, explosion-prone battery back? Hmm...

As far as I can tell, I'm SOL. I'm going to need to buy another battery, which will cost $130 minimum from Dell or $80-$100 if I find a third party replacement battery I'm confident won't burn down North Campus.

Next time, I'm getting a damn desktop.

imdwalrus @ 2007-04-30T01:11:00

2007-04-30T05:13:33Z

Apparently, the battery on my laptop has up and died - it's not holding any charge anymore. I got it after the giant battery recall, so it's less than a year old. Dell's got some explaining to do.

So...that whole thing about using the computer more often? That's been pushed back for a while.

imdwalrus @ 2007-04-06T01:31:00

2007-04-06T05:32:24Z

There are four aerospace classes I need to take next year.

I was planning on taking two next semester.

Currently, there's only ONE that's not closed, and this is less than a week into registration.

My schedule next year is going to suck. A lot. Looks like I'll be spending the weekend ripping it apart and trying to figure out how I can pull this off...

imdwalrus @ 2007-03-28T00:03:00

2007-03-28T04:03:55Z

The Barenaked Ladies have been posting a series of videos to YouTube for the past few weeks. They're calling it "The Bathroom Sessions," and consist of the band's songs being performed in the bathroom of Ed Robertson (one of the two lead singers).

Tonight, they posted one of my favorite BNL songs: "The King of Bedside Manor," and the video is one of the best things I've ever seen on YouTube. FANTASTIC performance, and once they lose it towards the end of the song, it's clear they're enjoying making the videos as much as I am watching them.

If you've got three minutes to kill, the clip is here; for some reason, the embed code from YouTube isn't working anymore, so that's the best I can do.

Having your favorite band "get" the Internet and new technology is marvelous, and hearing one of your favorite songs performed in a new way when you've had a crappy day is a HUGE mood booster.

Time for bed, and here's hoping that my exam goes well tomorrow morning...

imdwalrus @ 2007-03-27T22:45:00

2007-03-28T02:45:54Z

I've got an exam tomorrow morning, at 10:30.

It's a bad sign if I've developed spontaneous shoulder pain from (theoretically) the stress alone, right?

imdwalrus @ 2007-03-09T03:51:00

2007-03-09T08:52:37Z

WhythefuckamIdoinghomeworkat4AMaweekafterbreakisoverIneedsomefuckingsleepIhatemylifefuckyoutooAE215IhateyouyoushittyclassandI hopetheprofessorchokestodeathonabagelbecausethisiscruelandunusualpunishmentandIthinkIamgoingtosleepforevertomorrowifthisbloodyassignmentdoesn'tkillmefirst.

imdwalrus @ 2007-03-06T23:05:00

2007-03-07T04:07:43Z

Because of the ridiculously high jackpot for the Mega Millions drawing ($370 million), I bought two tickets when I got gas last Saturday night.

One of my numbers matched the Mega Ball, so I apparently won $2. Since each ticket was a buck, this means I broke even on the lottery. Yay?