heat wave

It's 33 degrees Fahrenheit outside. That's one degree above the temperature at which water turns to ice. ONE DEGREE. And yet, I was hot when walking from my house to memorial union. In fact, I was hot enough that I unzipped my jacket and left it open to cool off. As I walked back from the Union to my bus stop I noticed I could see my breath at certain times. Then I thought, maybe it's not warm after all. And yet I still had the urge to go running in shorts and a T-shirt. Funny how 3.5 months ago, I was complaining when it was 40 degrees for the marathon. Amazing how much 2 weeks of sub-zero temperatures can change your perspective on warmth.

the journey

my classes for the last 3 years have been hard for me to push through. Almost none of them had direct applications to what real engineers did. They were all "simple" models of systems. NOW, all of my classes are using all of my past knowledge on these classes. And my curriculum is speeding through the real-life applications of 3+ years of coursework.

Three weeks ago, I programmed my first PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). I didn't even know what one was until that lab. And in 3 hours, I learned what it was, how it worked and even how to program it. The lab wasn't completed until I had successfully run a model car through a car wash, premium and regular cycle, completely automated. The last two weeks we've been doing CNC (Computer Numeric Control) operations; first on a lathe, then on a mill. We learned how to manually write the programs and then used some sweet software that wrote the code automatically when we imported drawings from CAD. Good thing we learned it in this order, as when my lab partner and I tried making an experimental part (which we were told as a class we could try to do, but almost no one did), the software messed up the signs on the depth on some of the lines.

Then today we're starting a chapter on 2-D heat transfer problems. All numerical models which means huge arrays of differential equations. Then we're moving on to 3D and FEA. I wish they told us back in CS 310 that we'd actually have to apply what we were learning about Matlab. Back then it was so simple because you were given everything and just plugged and chugged. Now, I have to create all of the equations myself and these arrays are ridiculous. At Toyo, I did FEA, but thank heavens I didn't have to write the programs; I just interpreted/analyzed their results.

I'm amazed at what I'm supposed to be able to do after I graduate/wondering what the hell I'm going to do once I am graduated.

the mystery of the internets

to diverge from the cynical nature of my last post...

it has come to my attention that the internet and its origination is becoming more and more of a mystery. when the cable lines were cut recently and there was no signal coming from our host server, there were cries of "we have no internet." Unfortunately, the cries also were of "we have no network." To some, there are one in the same; to those who know, they are not. Short explanation: the network in controlled "internally" at your house/work. The internet and its bizillion servers are controlled "externally" or outside of your house/work (unless you're cool are your own service provider). To access the internet through a network, both must be working properly. Hence, if the network goes down, so does your internet. Which is probably where the confusion has come in as most network servers used to suck or were easily hacked.

Today, a person came into the office explaining that when they tried plugging in the cable to the internet in the conference room, it didn't go in. I walk to the room knowing in the back of my mind that there's no way they would have had to plug anything in, especially not a network cable. Get to the table and here lies a wireless keyboard. K E Y B O A R D. Now, obviously they didn't know it was wireless and proceeded to explain that when they picked up an unhooked S-video cable coming from the back of the CPU, there was no place to plug it into the keyboard. I said, "Oh" and tried my darndest to make the best poker face I possibly could. I turned on the projector, brought out the wireless mouse and explained that everything was hooked up and ready to go.

note: technology is confusing, especially for those who choose not to learn about it.

Where's the dreams that I've been after? Master! Master!

The semester is raging on. My first test is wednesday. The next follows on Monday. I have been gone the past two weekends and will make it three-in-a-row with ROKS this weekend. There is no time for catching up during the week; only the weekend.

Although I met and re-met some awesome people the past two weeks, I am now understanding the folly of my choices. School is my priority. And when I'm starting to lose a grip on the school workload, I keep second guessing my time spent doing AIESEC and trying to make the business banquet a reality. I don't function with second guessing.

I'm also getting criticized for not spending time with our newest trainee and roommate. Though this is very true, I'm also not spending time with anyone. The last two weekends are the only moments I've spent with my other roommates in the last month. I haven't spent time with my friends outside of AIESEC. My solution to balancing school and a social life is to not; i just take one out.

My list of goals I will accomplish before the end of the semester:
1. 3.2
2. Fully-functional and self-sufficient business banquet
3. Engineering internship setup for the summer
4. Visit UNC
5. Running base of 200 miles

Although I would love to get to know the roommates, trainees, newbies and others more, I can't make it a priority if I am to succeed in the above 5. I must be one with Helen and Kurt.

dreaming

I find myself constantly dreaming; mostly, when I'm supposed to be doing something more important.

Last post, day two was day two of my marathon training. I had the Madison Marathon as my goal for the spring. That dream ended less than a week in. Even with the extra time, I'm still not doing everything I'm supposed to for an entire week.

I went to an info session for a prominent consulting company yesterday. The lady presenter explained that the best candidates are those that understand their limitations and create realistic expectations of what their daily life will look like. Example: Don't expect to have a social life, to work out regularly, have free time at home and work the 12-14 hour days at the consulting company; something has to give.

I was really leaning towards consulting, until that statement finally sank in. The hunt for my job begins again.