Monday, March 24, 2008

Oops.

We got our last physics test back today. I totally forgot to do the second half of one problem, didn't read one correctly, and really messed up another. 70% ... Outch!

I talked to my advisor about my schedule. She says I should CLEP the Biology course and go ahead with the English minor over the summer. Sweet. Now I just have to talk to the GI Bill office to make sure its okay with them, the base Education Office to see if I can take the CLEP for cheap as a military dependent, and chat with the English department. *sigh* So much work.

Oh, Mommy, if you're reading this: Sorry I didn't call you on Saturday. I'll call you back this weekend, promise. :D

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Spring Break

Ok, so I've started 2 posts with this title, and ended up babbling about whatever for half a page. Third time is a charm?

Woohooooooo! Spring Break!

I'm driving over to see Traci & Family and hang out with them for the week. They're getting ready to move back to KS, so this will be the last time I can drive *only* 3-4 hours to see them. Also, Friday is my Bbbbirthday, so there will be fun and booze. I'm starting out right after my dental appointment tomorrow.

I'm worried about leaving Rigel this week. He needs his nails trimmed, and Michael will take him for that. My worry is that he's really flying now, so he has a little control to make turns and stuff. Will he sneak a chance to fly out the door, never to be seen again? Will he freak out and get attacked by a dog at the vet? Will he get stuck behind the fridge, or land in the kitchen sink full of knives and dirty water? Will he fly into the ceiling fan or the oscillating fan with the missing cover? The possibilities are horrifying and endless. My little cuddly wuddly guy.

Well. There goes upbeat.

Schedule Planning

So I'm doing fairly well in both my classes, much better than last semester. The Summer/Fall schedule is supposed to be out tomorrow. Some of it was up yesterday, and I'm assuming that it isn't set yet, but I started planning my schedule by it anyway. So far, none of the geology, math, or physics I need is available in the summer. These, of course, are the only classes I need anymore. I could get a job, maybe.

Orrrrr.... I could pick up and finish an English minor over the summer. I would only need 3 classes, 2 which must be upper-level. Grammar, Technical Writing, Medieval Literature would be kinda fun I think. Yup, I'm that weird, those courses sound "fun" to me. Technical Writing would be useful for Physics work anyway, grammar maybe less so. I liked the British Literature course from last semester, and Medieval is taught by the same professor, the one who kept bugging me to be an English Major.

On to the Fall. The last math course I need (hopefully) isn't offered this fall, but will be in the Spring, so I'm not worried. Math Physics is on for the Fall, so its not like I'm going to miss out on the *joys* of math for the semester. I'm also looking at Mechanics, Electronic Instruments, and Modern Physics. With labs, that rounds out to 14 credits for the fall. But then. Well dammitall I still have to take Geology, which puts me at 18, and that looks like overload. So I could go with overload now, with 2 more semesters to makeup any dropped classes, or I could go easy now, overload later, and risk having to take an extra semester to finish.

Orrr....I could take biology instead of geology, since they would both do for the requirement. Biology is offered in the summer. I don't have to pick up the English minor. I know this sounds like the more sensible idea, but I took lots of biology in HS, and I have a college biology credits from U. of Maryland. I'm pretty sure I know as much as I care to about biology, and geology is new. I like new. I'm not even sure if the biology course from UMUC would count for one of the classes even though there was no lab. I'm essentially trying to talk myself out of the biology, if you get my drift.

And if you still care this far down, I don't know who you are.

Mood

I've been quite busy, for quite awhile I guess. Avoiding the internet, at least. It sucks up so much of my time. I'm trying to spend more time with the bird I guess. I also had a difficult test on Friday, and baked a couple cakes for Pi Day. Fun.

I was planning a big update post, but I don't know, I'm in a bit of a mood tonight. I haven't talked to my Mom since before I left St. Joe back in December. I'm not sure if her boyfriend didn't give her my message because he doesn't like my opinion on drinking and driving and pot, or if she decided she just didn't want to say goodbye that day. Its a bit depressing either way. I guess I'm thinking more about Mom now since my birthday is this week. My first quarter century is about to close. I feel old, but also as if I haven't lived much of what I want yet. I feel like I've done so much, but it isn't worth much. Contemplating the future, bemoaning the past, the usual for me.

Eh. I think I'll start a new post.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

There's a Bun in the Toaster...Bad Boomer...

If you are not currently up to date on the series so far, this is NOT for you. You know who you are *stern*.

However, if you would like a humorous refresher on the series so far, and to get a little pumped for the upcoming season, this is the best.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Joy of Flight

Rigel flew across the room this afternoon. Twice. I was so proud.

Ok, so I guess people thought Rigel could already fly, because I've gotten two comments along the lines of "Um, so?"

When I bought him at EvilPetCo, he was about 3 months hatched, and already clipped and could only walk around the cage. This means he was probably never "fledged," allowed to learn how to fly before first clipping. They can clip a varying number of feathers on each side, in order to adjust the distance they can go and whether or not they can get real lift. Rigel would stand on the door of his cage, 4 feet high, jump, and only get about 3 feet before he "landed" on the floor.

He has been molting for several months, but only the last few weeks has he lost any of his clipped flight feathers. Four or five have grown in fully, and maybe 2 partially by today when he took his maiden voyage across the living/dining rooms. The first time, I swear, he seemed so surprised in mid-flight that he was still going! He even landed perfectly at my feet on the chaise lounge. The second time he didn't get as far, but he also didn't start from as high up.

Now I have to bird-proof the house. It's all happening so fast! My big fear today was that he would fly into the kitchen and into the sink full of dirty dishes and knives. Yikes. Also, time to bolt the door when he's out of his cage, so Michael doesn't come home and open the door before I have Rigel secured. It's a whole new world. My baby is growing up! *tears*

Yes, I will probably have him clipped again, but not to the extent he was originally. Also, there is something called the "Show Clip" or something, where they cut fewer feathers, but closer to the base. It is apparently less irritating for him, and we get to see his pretty blue outer flight feathers. They're gorgeous!

In Which I Beg Forgiveness

Poor Tree. I misunderstood you. Texass is a fucked up place, and you have ever right to pick your own seasons.

So yeah, after several days of 65, 70, 80 degree weather, we had a feisty wind and thunderstorm. The next day it snowed, sleeted, and was all around nasty. Today it is 70 degrees.

I am so sorry, you poor poor tree.

Now I'm going to make a tinfoil hat and walk to my voting location.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

The Trees Are Confused

There is a very confused tree outside my window. There are, as far as I can tell, four different species of deciduous tree outside my window, which provide me with a nice view. These trees are one of the reasons I am still living in this apartment complex. Its very nice and well maintained, but not "manicured."

So each of these species of tree follow a different timetable for dropping leaves, each has a different idea of when spring has arrived. This I take to be normal. One shed its leaves early, and just this week came alive again. Its bright green leaves are catching the evening sun today. The tree next to it dropped blazing red leaves in three windy weeks in early January. Even so, you can see its buds starting to form this first day of March. To the other side, the tree that dropped leaves without notice in late December has bulbous spongy growth at the tip of each branch.

Then we come to the oddball. As spring springs into action all around, this stubborn plant has yet to drop leaves. Until today.

Then the lazy birdwatching. Its always fun to have a bird join you in birdwatching. He gets very excited about his wild counterparts. Right now there's a dusky pinkish lady cardinal in the crazy tree. She is undoubtedly confused by its behavior.

The weather is a joy right now. I would go running like I did last weekend, but my hot water has gone out for the second time this week. The office is closed, so I won't have a hot shower until Monday afternoon.

Now, I'm off to buy potatoes and pork chops, because I've denied this craving for long enough already.

Blame Leap Day

I've just spent a few hours reading up on The World Calendar and Decimal Time, which are both ideas I very much like.

The World Calendar is great because you'll never have to buy a new wall calendar again, the same one works every single year. Your birthday or anniversary will be on the same day of the week every year. The year ends on Saturday, there's a Holiday day, and then the new year begins on Sunday. Leap Year days are between Saturday and Sunday as well. It is simple. It is tidy. I'm in love with Calendar Reform.

I ran across decimal time because i get really annoyed at time conversions in my physics homework. There's a different conversion each step of the way to from days to hours to minutes to seconds. Yes, it is pretty common sense, but why have another thing to know when we are already learning x10 prefixes for every single other unit of measurement? Dumb. Annoying. Do away with it. In reality, if that happened I know we would be forced to learn how to convert from Wacky Time to Decimal Time, thus adding complexity rather than eliminating complexity. A Geek can dream, okay? I'm willing to bet (or remember) that it is already the case that some science uses decimal time. No, I won't look it up. Who do you think I am?

Then I ran across this selection of funny clocks at Dick and Jane's Fine Woodworking. On the 4th and 5th rows are: Who Cares?, Don't Do Mornings, No Drinking Before 5, Further I Go Behinder I Get. They also have one Decimal Clock.