Matthewzor

The Cycle of My Blog

2010-06-18T07:06:00.000-07:00

It happens every time I make a change in my life. I neglect my blog for weeks at a time. In this case, I graduated from Clarkson University with my bachelor's degree and am now a fully qualified electrical engineer and moved into a new apartment. The apartment is great and I'm living with my girlfriend and sister but I am still jobless. However, I'm sending out a volley of resumes and cover letters this Monday and will continue searching after that.

Wish me luck...

Here one day and gone the next

2010-04-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

Yesturday morning I got up at around 5a.m. to get ready to go to school. The only reason that I got up that early was because I was maximizing my study time for finals week and 6 hours of sleep is more than enough for me. Anyway, I walked outside without my jacket one and was meet with a cold and dark morning. I told myself that this unseasonable cold was just the morning thaw and that it would go away soon. Six hours later, I got up from studying in the library to get another coffee and looked out of the big bay windows in the library to see a veritible blizzard outside. I'm not joking around when I tell you that visibility was at about 50 feet.

It continued to snow into the night and before I went to bed there was a thick blanket on everything. Nothing had changed when I got up this morning. I went about my day and began studying. However, I've just taken a look out the window to see what it was like and discovered something. It is still chilly, but there is no snow to be had anywhere! Only in Potsdam could you be 70 degrees farenheit at the start of the week, down to the low 30's in the middle of the week with a blanket of snow and then back up into the 70's by tommorow(weather man's prediction). Seriously, has Potsdam done something to anger God? Or maybe this is just an omen? I wonder what it stands for? Probably, change.

And theres been quite a lot of that in my life lately...

Alternative Energy

2010-04-28T04:14:00.000-07:00

I have a test at 3:15pm today that covers my alternative energy course. Now, I love this course for one reason only. It is sooo easy! Tests and homeworks are done in groups! And the tests arn't cumulative which means that it only covers half of the year on the test!

This his great because not only does he totally ignore the book(so I won't study from it) but there are litterally less than 30 pages of notes I have to cover for the final. And not every page of notes has equations on it!

It's 7:30am now, which means I have over 7 hours to study 28 pages of notes. Seriously, that is the most incredible amount of study time ever! And, did I mention that I got a 92 on his midterm because it was so freaking easy?

This is a test I'm actually not stressing about...

The One Day I Don't Bring A Coat

2010-04-27T04:19:00.000-07:00

It has been blisteringly hot all week and I've still carried a jacket each day. So when I got up this morning and headed out the door I thought "Well I don't want to sweat so I might as well leave it at home." Then I brave what I thought was just the morning cold and head to school. A few hours later I looked out the window to see a veritable blizzard! It's been so nice out and it went and snowed on me! And right before senior week! All I have to say is that this snow better be gone and it better be warm outside by Sunday. Because if it isn't, someone is going to pay. I don't know who will but someone will.

I need it to be warm because I've been waiting pretty much all year for this. It has been a tradition of mine for the last five years to laze around outside in the awesome weather right after finals. And, it's been a tradition of mine for the last three years or so to eat a lot of bbq with my friends and get totally ripped. And, while it isn't the healthiest thing to do with my time, it certainly is the most fun. And, its going to be my last hoorah before graduating.

Oh yeah, I'm graduating in a week...

I've Entered Dead Week

2010-04-19T06:20:00.000-07:00

Testing is comming around again, and this time is the last time! Well, in actuality I'm probably going to be taking courses again at some point in my life. However, my undergraduate career is drawing to a close and I could'nt be happier. I've been here 9 semesters, and I've had quite enough. I've sweat, bleed, and stressed over this place and soon that will all be a thing of the past.

No more homework! No more school projects! No more finals!! It's all I can do to keep myself from salivating at the prospect. Soon, my life will consist of work time and personal time. It will no longer be the draining lifestyle I've become acustom to where school time could be any time, day or night, and where personal time takes a back seat to everything else.

Not only will I actually have time to pursue personal interests and my science, I will have time! Right now time is a commodity that is managed, traded and scheduled to the nth degree. Soon, time will be less restricted and I will be less stressed. Life is going to get easier soon.

And I wouldn't have it any other way...

Waiting for the scanner

2010-04-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting in the library right now waiting to use the scanner so I can digitize some notes. The reason I am waiting is because the Clarkson library only has one scanner, and it is usually in use. And, right now there is a guy using the computer it is attached to so that he can write a paper. He no doubt decided to use that specific spot because it has a nice chair. However, he is shafting everyone else that needs to use that computer by doing so.

So, I'm just sitting here and blogging waiting the ten supposed minutes that he said he was only going to take. Oh, and look at that here comes the ten minute mark. And, he still hasn't gotten up. O.k. maybe he just needs some time to get his things together and sign out. Nope, turns out hes just being rude. Anyway, I've got to change computers because a creepy girl is staring at me with a strange "I've gotta have it" look.

Hopefully I'll get the scanner some time today...

Time

2010-04-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

I do not have enough, I need to get sooo much work done.

I'm off to do work...

Half Hearing

2010-04-06T09:36:00.000-07:00

I have an ear infection and it sucks. It's in my left ear and my hearing is basically cut in half. Though, I should be used to this because I've had them on at least an annual basis for my entire life. In fact, my entire left ear drum and tubes are sunken below the right one. And, I still have tubes in it that allows for normal fluid transfer. The only problem is that the tube doesn't act perfectly and from time to time there may be water or fluid build up that promotes bacteria growth.

And, waaa-bam! I the hearing in my left ear gets turned off, I experience constant mild pain, and what would be screaming in one ear is a whisper in the other. It really throws off my center of balance to, not to mention the fact that it effects my driving skills. So, for now I'm just keeping it clean with cotton swabs and waiting for my doctor's appointment tommorow.

People are just going to have to make sure to speak into my right ear...

Dreams

2010-03-31T10:40:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed that when someone tells you about their dream it is always a very significant event? The person who is listening could probably care less what you hallucinated, but you are completely sure that they must hear what happend. Well in order to further this stereotype I am going to tell you about the amazing dream I had the other night.

I'll spare you all of the details and the entire dream sequence and just get to the good part. I dreamed that I was in a western european city at night. The wind was very strong and was almost shooting straight up. I realized that if I held my arms out to my sides that there would be enough lift to carry me up into the air even though I still weighed about 200 pounds. But anyway, I had to make the choice between having an exhilarating ride into the sky and flying around like a leaf and risk being impaled on something after the wind died down or staying on the ground and being safe.

Obviously I chose to fly up into the air. I swirled around in every direction. I looked down and realized I was hundreds of feet in the air. It was exiting but also terrifying. I continued to fly around for a while free from the ground before the wind eventually died out and I was forced to try to make it to the ground safely somehow. I hit a huge pine tree and tried to grab on to it's branches as I plumited to the ground. I was unsuccessful and hit the ground back first. I didn't die though. I wasn't even hurt. I stood up and continued onto the next part of the dream sequence.

Fun stuff...

My brain stopped working!

2010-03-25T08:51:00.000-07:00

I have two tests today. One in organizational behavior(which I just took and feel good about) and one in alternate energies. I studied last night until after 3am for the ob test and I studied for the AE test for like 3 hours yesturday. I'm going to get another four hours of studying in today before my AE test. The thing that sucked about it was that I had to get up at 5:20am to drive ashli to work were she opens. And, when I did the funniest thing happend. We were walking to the car tired and irritable and she said something to the efffect of "I can't believe I've done this three days in a row." And, I said "You will be happy when get your check because you have hours, like a lot."

My brain farted so bad I think you may still smell it. I remember thinking this isn't right, I can barely speak and I can't remember stuff well. I was having lots of trouble focusing and speaking. I was sleep deprived. So I went back to the apartment and slept for another hour and a half. I woke up at 8:30 and got ready for my 9:30am test. Now I'm finishing up my review for my 4pm test.

Agh! Me no like when brain no work...

The last 5 weeks of my life

2010-03-24T07:22:00.000-07:00

Well maybe there not the last five weeks of my whole life(I hope). But they certainly are the last five weeks of my undergraduate life at Clarkson. I'm just taking it day by day right now so I don't stresss out. I still have to find a job and finish my degree so I have to focus on the prize. I have two tests tommorow. One of which is easy and the other is farely difficult. But, If I study I know I will do at least o.k.

I've just got to sprint this last part out...

PSpice

2010-03-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

PSpice is a circuit modeling program that I hate. I'm in this course called instrumentation and they require us to be experts in using it when not only have we barely been exposed to it, but we have never been taught how to use it! We have to teach ourselves it's ins and outs in order to complete senior level projects. And that sucks because I'm a slow learner and even though its a graphical language, there are so many ways in which your program can return errors without telling you why it is unbelievable. For instance, I designed a simple noninverting op-amp circuit below to have a gain of -500(shown in the previous post). So I put it in the program and vary the input from 0 to 1 and the output simply varies from 0 to the maximum negative saturation value of the opamp before it hits 1mV! THE WORST PART IS THAT I PUT IT UP ON THE ENGINEERING SECTION OF YAHOO ANSWERS AND THEY SAID THAT I HAD DESIGNED IT CORRECTLY!!!!!!

GAH!!!!!! I'M GOING TO DROP THIS COURSE TODAY!

Untitled

2010-03-23T17:12:00.000-07:00

Spring Break, Part 2

2010-03-21T13:41:00.001-07:00

Oh man, there is nothing like a week of just lazing around to recharge the batteries. However, spring break is drawing closer to it's inevitable end. And, that is all right. I wish it could last longer, but I know that it can't. I'm going to have to get up tomorrow morning and trudge back to school and work. And you know what, I'm going to throw myself at that work like a fat man on cheesecake.

Speaking of cheesecake, I could go for some right now...

I actually don't mind working at kinney's

2010-03-21T13:37:00.000-07:00

I know! I used to blog the heck out of the fact that I couldn't stand that place. I would drone on about how menial tasks and low appreciation test my patience. However, these days it seems that the menial tasks that I hate are therapeutic.

No I'm not crazy. At this point in my hectic, crazy, difficult life; being able to spend a few hours doing something I know I'm overqualified for is amazing. I have 110% confidence in myself and the quality of my work. I'm almost an expert at that stuff. So, time doesn't seem to tick by so slowly at work these days.

And you'll hear no complaints from me... (at least about that)

Spring Break

2010-03-12T08:13:00.000-08:00

Spring break starts in just a few hours and I really need this vacation. But before it starts I have to finish DSP homework, go to class, pick up my regalia and go to work to cover a shift for someone else. But, its ok because it will open up the rest of the week for me.

Cheers!

A friend died

2010-03-04T08:02:00.000-08:00

A few days ago a friend of mine named Steve died. We weren't particularly close but I've hanged out with him on more than one occasion and we were more than acquaintances. From what I have heard he discovered that he had cancer recently and died approximately a week later. The really sad part of all of this is that he was only 24 when he passed away. He will certainly be missed by those he knew.

Summer Apartment Possibility

2010-03-02T07:48:00.000-08:00

So my summer may not be as tragically boring as I once thought it might be. Ashli came home yesturday and told me that there is an opportunity for a very inexpensive apartment that a woman named Casey is the landlady of. It's a two bedroom apartment, so ashli, myself and hopefully virginia will live in it this summer spliting the bill three ways!

On the upside this place includes everything in the rent. On the downside, there is no kitchen in the apartment and we would have to go downstairs to a common area to actually cook. However, if everything is included and three of us split the bill I'm all for it!

Another summer in potsdam here I come...

Fraternity Initiation

2010-03-02T07:40:00.000-08:00

For the past six weeks my fraternity and I have been pledging four new members who are hoping to gain entry into the Beta Chi chapter of Phi Kappa Sigma, at Clarkson University. They are all gentlemen and I respect them all. So, they don't have much to worry about as far as entry. However, they do have to complete the process and take the final exam. I hope they all pass, but I'm not too worried about that either. I'll be sure to post some pictures of all of us congratulating the new brothers as soon as they come out.

It's almost that time again...

There taking my email away from me!

2010-03-02T07:34:00.000-08:00

AH!

I'm graduating in may and as a result they are going to be taking my clarkson.edu email address away from me! I f@#@ing love my email address! I love microsoft outlook and I don't have it on my computer! You don't understand I'm addicted to email. I check it constantly and contact almost everyone through it. I've given the address out to organizations and all of my friends contact me though it to discuss fraternity matters.

On the bright side I have a year of access to it before they close my account. And, they will use a forwarding service once I get set up with a new account I like. For now I'm using yahoo mail as a secondary account . Until I've figured out if I can get back on outlook as a different user.

Speaking of email, I should go check it...

Tech Blog

2010-03-01T09:05:00.000-08:00

I've gotten a site on freewebs.com for a tech blog that I want to start up. It is bassically going to have resources and interesting projects I've done. For instance. I might put up a document on how to solve a difficult circuit, instructions on how to solve for common attributes of a circuit I've used and project pictures/videos of things I've made.

I don't want it to be so technical that no one can go on the site, so I will have to make a bunch of cool projects that will wow people, but it is also supposed to be a resource for students of electrical engineering that are having difficulties with a system I've already delt with. I think I will start by putting up pictures of my senior lab's golf swing analyzer to start with, and go from there.

If you are interested in seeing the fetal state of the site feel free to click on the link below and it will take you there. And if you are paranoid about links, I've copied the url below as well.

Electrically Inclined
http://electricallyinclined.webs.com/

Later Taters...

Fixed it!

2010-02-23T14:16:00.000-08:00

Kenny Vs. Spenny

2010-02-22T06:38:00.000-08:00

Below is an article I recently submitted to my university newspaper, "The Integrator."

------------------------------Kenny Vs. Spenny-------------------------------

There are many television shows that are completely under watched. “Kenny versus Spenny” is an example of said show. Shown on “showcase” and “Youtube”, “KVS” is a sophomoric performance that follows two best friends who enter competitions against each other for nothing more than victory and the inevitable humiliation of the vanquished. However, while the show may have sophomoric qualities, “KVS” is a brilliant, Shakespearean performance, showcasing the endless epic struggle of good versus evil.
The show is set up in a three act structure. Act one, the set up, begins with a shot of the house with Kenny and Spenny seated, as custom, on their red couch dictating the roles of the competition. They state what it will be, how an individual can win and what each competitor can and cannot do. As the two argue and debate the nuances of the rules, the audience begins to view the competition’s first emergence, as good tries to minimize evil’s options and evil attempts to find loop holes it can work its way into.
Act two brings the audience face to face with rising action and suspense as the protagonist Kenny “battles” the antagonist Kenny in anything from who can remind blind the longest to who makes the best woman. But, as in a real situation, our hero is actually an anti-hero and the antagonist is the anti-antagonist. Each operates, imperfectly, toward their goal according to their own ideologies. While Spenny attempts to win by “working harder and honestly”, Kenny battles by “working smarter”.
Act three shows which maxim rang true as the rising action is brought to climax with the realization of the victor. In some instances Spenny’s “work hard and honest” method achieves its goal and Kenny pays the price for bending rules. However, in many other competitions, brilliant evil locates the loophole in the regulations and takes advantage. The act is completed with the inevitable humiliation that that shows how strongly each character believes in his maxim as extreme enjoyment is taken from the act. While the war of good versus evil threatens to go on indefinitely, this war will end the sad day networks pull the plug on their support of the show.

Workin' For The Weekday

2010-02-22T05:48:00.000-08:00

Oh man, this weekend was brutal. I had to work on both Saturday and Sunday at Kinney's. I also had school work to do and a fraternity function to go to. On top of that I also had to support the new members by going to their fundraiser which was an Elvis impersonator down in old Snell theatre.

The events themselves were fun, but I am tired. I have a test at 2pm that I have to get some studying done for and I've never been so relieved it is a Monday. I don't have any work for the weeknights, at Kinney's, or any places I absolutely must be. I can actually just relax and do my work.

Good gracious what will I do with myself?

Global Warming Homework

2010-02-18T08:48:00.001-08:00

I recently had to write a paper for homework. Yes engineers write too! It's a bit long, but I thought it was interesting so I included it below. It's a bit on the long side so I won't be offended if you don't read it. But, feel free to read it anyway.

-----------------Global Warming Contributors and Validity----------------

There are many controversial topics within the overreaching dome of modern science. Among the most controversial lies the topic of global warming, and its validity. Global warming is defined, by Wikipedia, as the increase in the average temperature of near-surface air and oceans since the mid twentieth century. Global warming also states that the increase in average temperatures on earth is a result of man’s contribution to the green house effect via the large volume of green house gases that are artificially put into the atmosphere.

Green house gases are a necessary part of earth’s ecosystem. Without GHGs earth’s temperature would be approximately thirty degrees celsius lower than what it is at present. The major contributors to the green house effect are water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), Nitrous Oxide (NO2) and Methane. They have separate atmospheric lifetimes which are respectively, 9 days, 1004 years, 1144 years and 124 years.

The major greenhouse gases created by humans include CO2, Methane and NO2. Of the one hundred percent of total GHGs, CO2 has climbed to 72% of the total volume. NO2 has reached a level of 9% of the total volume of GHGs. And, methane has attained a level of 18% of the total volume.

Since the industrial revolution there has been a sharp rise in the total volume of the major green house gases present in our atmosphere. Over preindustrial 1750, there has been a 38% increase in the total amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Similarly, there has been a 67% increase in the total volume of methane present in the atmosphere. And, likewise there has been a 16% increase in the total volume of NO2 in the atmosphere. Major contributors to the increase are attributed to power production plants (such as coal plants), factories, and automobiles.

While debate on the topic of global warming threatens to continue indefinitely one detail remains evident. The green house effect is a part of our climate. And, when the effect is changed by human activity, the change must be evaluated by climate models. Climate models are defined, by Wikipedia, as models that use quantitative methods in order to simulate the interactions of atmosphere, oceans, land surface and ice.

Climate models take into account the total amount of energy that is either leaving or entering the system. Any surplus energy will inevitably lead to an increase in temperature, among other results. Conversely, a deficit of energy will eventually lead to a decrease in temperature of the system, along with other results. These complex analyses are multivariable having multiple inputs. For example a global climate change model would have many inputs. Some examples of these inputs would include cloud cover, total volume of atmospheric gases, total light energy from entering from the sun, gravitational energy from surrounding bodies, rate of increase of GHGs and many others.

The green house effect clearly exists and it is evident that humans have been increasing the amount of gases that are involved in the green house effect. However there is a widespread debate on wither global warming is a product of man’s misuse of natural resources or of pure imagination. On one side of the debate there are scientists and supporters who state that there measureable changes in the atmosphere that are a chemical result of the increased presence of certain GHGs. On the other side of the debate are scientists and supporters who state that the increase in global temperature is a direct result of cyclical trends. They state that these trends have occurred since the formation of earth’s atmosphere and will continue to heat and cool as time progresses indifferent to human intervention.

In order to determine wither or not there man is having significant impacts on the green house effect, evidence must be evaluated. One such piece of evidence states that global near-surface air temperature has increased by 1.33 ± 0.32 °F, in the last century. Climate models predict that within the 21st century temperatures will increase by 1.33 ± 0.32 °F. There is also evidence that proves that the polar ice caps are decreasing in size. Ice caps, located under low ozone zones, have shrunk by 57% in the last four years, decreasing thickness by 2.2 feet. As temperature increases so does the probability of more intense droughts, heat waves and hurricanes; as seen in 2004-2005.

The idea of global warming is such that an increase in temperature will cause irreparable, negative changes to our environment. It is evident that CO2, Methane and NO2 increase the green house effect. It is also clear that humans have dramatically increased the volume of these gases in the atmosphere, recently. This information coupled with negative effects, such as shrinking ice caps, climate sensitivity, more intense hurricanes and higher impact forest fires shows that global warming does exist and is having immediate consequences.

Even though global warming is manifesting itself with new vigor every year, this is not to say that both sides of the argument do not have valid points. There may well be a cyclical process by which the earth increases and decreases in temperature. However, this does not disprove the fact that if the habits of humans do not change dramatically, the point about which the temperature cycle oscillates may increase to a point that no longer supports normal life on earth.

Sources:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_controversy
2. http://cdiac.ornl.gov/pns/current_ghg.html
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_model
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas#Anthropogenic_greenhouse_gases

5/50

2010-02-17T17:51:00.000-08:00

Clarkson University has a semesterly career fair. This year was one of the worst for company participation in a long time. There were only 60ish employers there, and not all of them were looking to fill open slots. This may seem like a bunch of companies, but these 60 odd employers were there to cover every Clarkson major. There are more than three schools at Clarkson. The school of business, engineering, science and more. Within each are an almost incalculable amount of majors.

Long story short I did not have much luck. So I have to search for a job on my lonesome, unlike my classmates from a few years ago that were getting multiple offers. So, my plan is likened to carpet bombing. I am going to apply to 50 companies. And, I'm going to give it up to five months after graduation. If after five months, I do not have a job, I will enlist and attempt to become an engineer through military means. This is because after six months of post graduate life I have to start paying back my loans, and I will not be caught without a job. And so far, I've applied to five places other than the ones at the career fair.

Oh me oh my...

Avalanche Effect

2010-02-16T12:48:00.000-08:00

So there is this course that I've found my self a wee bit behind on. What actually happened was that I neglected to do one assignment a while ago and now it's comming back to bite me because it all builds on itself. But that isnt what I want to talk about. What I do want to talk about is how I have the class in 11 minutes and it is taking every ounce of self control and courage not to just run home wildly screaming "I hate Alternate Energies." Which is the name of the course by the way, but I digress.

I don't know why I do it, but I'm sure there has got to be oher students out there like me. Students who are almost out of control of anxiety. Now, I don't want to be dramatic or anything but I seriously don't want to go to the course right now. I just want to sit here and just keep on typing. Just type type typing away and pretending like it doesn't matter. I could even tell myself that I'm taking a "mental health hour." But I know that once I get in there, once I get over my fear of even being there in the first place it will be better.

Eight minutes and counting, wish me luck...

Relationships

2010-02-15T17:44:00.001-08:00

I've noticed an interesting relationship between the number of times I blog and my life. If I am busy, I will hardly blog. If I am stressed, I will blog a lot. If I am bored, I will constantly blog.

Now, I want this blog to be successful and interesting enough to capture and audience. However, I find that my blogging habits run against it's success. According to my prediction on the way I behave, based on past events, when I do blog; in all likelihood it is either going to be about my boring life or my stressed out life. Which is great if I'm trying to corner the market on stressed out boring people, but I'm not. My blog is counter intuitive. Oh well, I've got to study for a test tommorrow.

which is probably why I'm blogging now...

Frantic

2010-02-15T10:50:00.000-08:00

Frantic! I'm in a panic! The real world is approaching with increasing speed and I have to prepare! There are resume's to hand out. Schools to apply for! Bills to pay! Plans to make! There is soo much to do.

But if there is one thing I've learned from college it's to break work up into bite size peices. Making progress, or at least a sense of progress, is important to moral. However progress does not detract from the issue at hand. I have class in ten minutes and have to run!

I'll see you around!

Internet Resources

2010-01-26T08:09:00.000-08:00

Web 2.0 is great. And, there are plenty of great information sources on the internet for everything imaginable. However, you have to sift through tons of useless sources in order to find them. I'm talking about when you go into a search engine and type in something very specific, for say school, and you have to sift through all of the sites that could have every had anything to do with your query. You have to go through a myriad number of chat sites, board sites, personal blogs that mentioned it, actual sites professing to have pertinent information(but who are really liars) and the ever popular links that pretend to have exactly what you are looking for but in actuality are just search engines themselves. Google, Yahoo and the rest of that ilk would do well to have not just categories on movies and showtimes but also on formulai, research papers and text books.

Awesome...

School is back in session

2010-01-18T07:34:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,

Sorry about being away for so long, it happens from time to time. I guess I just needed to take a break from everything during winter recess and recoup. And, recoup I certainly did. Among other things I celebrated my 22nd birthday and had chilled with old friends.

Other than that, not too much is going on. I'm in the new apartment. I got Ashli from Poughkeepsie, so she is up with me. I'm working on school and regular life stuff too. I'm trying to get in shape again in case I really can't find a job and need to join the air force (oh what fun that would be). But all in all, not a whole lot is going down. However, I'm sure that life will soon pick up into the break neck speed to which I have become accustom. I have a few reports due soon and I better get working on them.

So until next time,
[insert cliche farwell here]

Good People

2009-12-10T07:35:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting in the library right now and it's about an hour until my final exam, when I turn on my calculator just to check. And, it happens. It gives me the screen that says it is low on battery strength. This puts me in a bit of a pickle, because I need it(absolutely need it) for my exam. And, I happen to find myself without my car nearby and near nowhere that sells batteries.

So I walk into the library and ask the clerk if they have any. She says that she doubts it and I said that I would even pay for batteries out of a calculator from the lost and found. She then asked me: " when is your test?" "Noon," I replied. "Well, you can borrow mine if you want, as long as you bring it back," She stated. "Really?" I stated in disbelief. "That would be great." "Sure, here you go," she said as she handed it to me. "Here, I'll give you my student ID as a sign of good faith." I said to her in thanks. "oh ok," she said as she took the ID, as if she really didn't need it.

I looked at the calculator and noticed a name was on the front. It read Kelly.
"Is your name Kelly?" I asked. "Yes," "Well thank you Kelly, my name is Matt." we exchanged pleasantries and I went on my way.

I guess good people still do exist...

Iron Man 2 Leak

2009-12-03T09:18:00.000-08:00

I don't know how it's still up and I don't really care. All I know is that I've been waiting for this movie to come out for a while and after looking at the preview I know it will not disappoint. There is so much going on here.

***SPOILER ALERT***

1. I don't know what is going on with Samuel L. Jackson's little "boy band"
2. Warmachine finally makes his appearance, but not with the person inside that I thought would be
3. I wonder if any other heros like hulk will play into this movie. Remember how Tony Stark was seen in another movie "putting together a team."
4. Whiplash makes an appearance, I'd love to know how he gets those energy whips to work.
5. Scarlett Johansson also makes her possibly sexiest appearance as Black Widow. Perhaps a love triangle is afoot?

Love it

2009-12-02T08:28:00.000-08:00

From xkcd

Blog Search Engine

2009-12-02T08:18:00.000-08:00

There should be a blogger search engine that allows you to search based on category and topic of interest. I do not know who would do it or how, but I do know that I would be on it like all the time. If one exists I have yet to find it, and blogger's "Next Blog" button up top usually leads me to blogs made by stay at home moms that think their children and families are the most interesting things in the world. Now I'm not bagging on families and children, but it's just not what I want to read about.

F&*#ing Parking Tickets

2009-12-02T07:58:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I went out for a few drinks with some friends. A few drinks turned into quite a few drinks, and I knew that it would be wrong to drive. So, I did the right thing and walked home. I thought that everything would be fine since I parked in the free overnight parking lot. So, when my friends asked me to go out with them again I just walked down and left it there for another night.

Little did I know that I parked virtually one space away from the free parking spots. As a result I got two twenty dollar tickets that I have to send in. I was thinking about going in and pleading not guilty, but I read the ticket to see when my court date was and it was litterally and hour and a half ago.

Now, I am stuck paying a $40 fine for something ridiculously stupid. The cops in this town love to stick students with useless tickets so that they meet their quota and the town gets a bit more money. Now I have to finish this blog and walk over to my university's student center and send out forty bucks, and I barely have any money.

It's Really Coming Down Now

2009-12-01T06:35:00.000-08:00

I love winter. I may be one of the few who does, but it remains my favorite season. Winter means relax and respite. It is still and quite. You can fall down without repercussion. I can stand outside and know that I am one of the few warm little centers of life in a bleak and unforgiving environment. I was born in the winter, my sister was born in the winter, my mother was born in the winter and my love was born in the winter.

Winter is the best time of year.

First Snow

2009-11-30T04:30:00.001-08:00

It happened finally! It is actually pretty rare in northern New York to have to wait until November 30th to get the first snow. Regardless of the fact that it was only a small sprinkling and I doubt it will last long, It puts me in the festive mood. It's not even a christmas mood. It's more like a "I'm three weeks away from almost a whole month off from school" mood. But I know that those three weeks will be frought with difficulties like finals.

In any case, It looks fantastic outside. When everything has just a light dusting of snow you can still see the true color underneath. I know that soon I will tire of nothing but whitness. However, for the mean time I welcome the snow and all of it's snowy goodness.

Betrayal!

2009-11-24T14:58:00.001-08:00

I'll never blog at your place again! Justice will be mine! more or less.

Hi Matthew.

2009-11-23T11:33:00.001-08:00

It's Ashli. I love you, but you should probably remember to sign out of your blog when you are done with it on my computer.
This is how things get messed with.

You can delete this later if you want. Or not, it's cool. I love you!

Most Interesting Image

2009-11-23T06:56:00.000-08:00

I wonder what the most interesting image on the internet is. It has to be really funny and not pornographic in any way. It may be racist, it may be cruel, it may be many things but it still must be in good taste. Below are some examples of really interesting images. I still wonder what the most interesting one out there is though.

**If they get cut off just click on them to view them**

I need this vacation

2009-11-21T18:09:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving vacation will be arriving soon and it really could not have come at a better time. I'm stressing these days for a lot of reasons. And, because I'm lame and don't feel like blogging about something interesting I list them. Maybe it will be therapeutic.

1. I am a commuter and a full time student and I work
2. A mechanic told me over the phone that my car may be completely shot
3. I barely have any money to fix my car if it is salvageable
4. I woke up this morning at 645ish am after going to bed at 2am for work
5. I have a test on Monday
6. I have to start applying to grad school and I want to punch my gpa in the face
7. I don't know if I can afford grad school
8. The market sucks so hard that I probably won't get a job
9. I am in the double digits for thousands of dollars in debt
10. My PC needs to be reformatted

Please believe me when I say that I am not a complainer. I hate complainers and how they tend to dominate every conversation they are in. I just need to vent.

Hypertext

2009-11-20T11:17:00.000-08:00

Almost every otherword in this blog post is hypertext. Some individuals who are not adept at Web2.0 might ask, what is hypertext? Well, gentle user, hypertext is text that appears underlined when in fact it can be clicked on to guide you to another website. Just like when you search for a site using a web browser, hypertext in blogs or other sites are wonderful little links that help the user understand more fully what the author of the post intended.

However, be warned. Hypertext can take you to bad or malicious sites that may harm your computer or innocent eyes. So only click on hypertext links for websites that you trust; like this blog. Many links expire with time, because the linked site may change addresses or delete the file it originally posted. In any case, I wonder how long it will take until only 50% of these links work.

Idea!

2009-11-20T05:56:00.000-08:00

I have an idea for an online business that will utilize my four years of being at university. Like many others have probably already thought, I should open up a website where students can go to get homework help. And, by homework help I mean that they can submit their homework to me and I will do it for them. Logistically speaking, there are a few problems and barriers to entry with this plan.

Problems:
1. I would have to figure out how to sell a .pdf file using paypal
2. I would open myself up to even greater viral attacks on the internet
3. There are probably a myriad number of other identical sites
4. I would have to create a money-back system or free credit system in case there were errors of any kind.
5. I would have to invest in advertising or no one would know my site exists
6. If I already had a job I would have to create a limiting system for the amount of assignments I could do.
7. There would have to be a limit on how many questions they could submit
8. There would have to be a fee scale for how difficult the work is/

Barriers to Entry:
1. My lack of website building skills
2. This is has questionable legality

If you can think of any other issues that I havent please comment on them.

Focus

2009-11-19T20:24:00.001-08:00

They installed this promotional setup at Kinney Drugs right across from me. They are playing Ice Age 3 and they still expect me to work! How can I focus when that is going on? It's too awesome to not focus on!

Turkey Day is almost here!

2009-11-19T09:36:00.000-08:00

I am so excited that thanksgiving is almost here! Of my all time favorite holidays thanksgiving comes in at an extremely close second to Christmas, and for good reason. What could be better than sitting around with almost a week off from school just eating really good food and feeling no guilt about it? Almost nothing, that's what.

Just thinking about that food is making me salivate. The mashed potatoes and gravy, the turkey cooked to buttery perfection, the candied yams, the delicious green beans, the cranberries, the pumpkin pie, the apple pie, the ice cream. It's almost enough to make me pass out in a diabetic comma.

Long story short, I'm exited about thanksgiving for three reasons. The first reason is the time off from school. The second reason is the food. The third reason is that my girlfriend will probably be with us for the holiday. This is great not only because I love spending time with her but also because my sister will be gone and Ashli will fill the empty spot at our table.

Digital Control Project

2009-11-18T14:33:00.000-08:00

Below is my digital controls design project. Like the title suggest we have to design a digital controller for the below system. Fun fun fun...

Holiday Spirit vs. Time

2009-11-16T06:25:00.000-08:00

=)

I was bored in class this morning so I decided to doodle. I found myself drawing random things and one of them was a set of axis. Then I decided to put time on the independent axis and mood on the dependent axis. I found myself making a plot of how excited I get about holidays with respect to time. I have an hour in between classes, So I thought I would be a huge nerd and plot it as a piecewise function, in MATLAB. The code is below if you are interested. It's very simple, I just needed to find the right eqautions.

Enjoy!

BORED!

2009-11-15T17:45:00.000-08:00

I'M BORED! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO! I HAVE FREE TIME AND WANT TO DO SOMETHING EXCITING! BUT, THERE ISN'T ANYTHING EXCITING TO DO! WHY ME? WHY NOW?

Whatever... here are some pictures of me being bored.

This is me bored on her bed:

This is me being bored on her couch:

This is me being bored in the hall:

This is me being bored in the stairwell:

This is her ignoring my terminal boredom:

Caught Unaware

2009-11-13T06:28:00.001-08:00

Last night at approxiametly ten p.m., I learned that not only do I have a digital controls test to do badly on today but I also have a Power systems utilization and distribution test to do badly on today. The only reason I know this is because I went to study with a friend and ask him questions. He then pulled out another notebook and began studying that... ipsofacto I learned that I actually have two tests today...

... and had a small heart attack.

God must really be looking out for me because I was contemplating skipping that class today to study for my other test. The ramifications could have been dire. You must be wondering, "how did you not know you were going to have a test today?" Well gentle stranger, it was my professor's great wisdom that told him to announce a test only one class before it was going to occur. And, I just so happend to miss that class because I was doing what? Yes, I was studying for another test.

Well let's see. It's 9:32a.m. so that means I will be testing roughly 20 mins after I finish this blog. And then again roughly 3 hours after I finish this blog.

It's not all bad though, the power test is open notebook and the digital test is open book. This usually means that they will be harder, but I have a somewhat good grasp on the material so fingers crossed for pulling C's on both tests. I got A's on the previous two tests, so my test average will be a B. If I get A's on the finals my test averages will hopefully be in the B+ range. However, my digital control professor is notorious for curving. A 50% on the last test curved to a C, so here's shooting for at least a C+!

Sippin' on Coffee

2009-11-12T05:36:00.000-08:00

Right now, for the first time in a long time, I'm just sitting down in front of a computer having a nice cup of coffee. I'm not stressing school. I'm not planning anything. I'm just having some quiet time. Also, I'm trying not to get freaked out about what Clarkson University calls art. I think it's staring at me.

Kinney's Fail

2009-11-11T17:55:00.000-08:00

Urine Gone!, The new product only Kinney Drugs that helps you get those annoying urine stains out of many of your household products. I don't know why Kinney's would feature this product or why anyone would want to keep something that was at one point soaked in urine. What I do know is that it sounds as similar and useful as Chipotlaway.

Up

2009-11-10T06:33:00.000-08:00

Ashli loves the movie Up. Apparently it's her new favorite. So, she wanted me to take her to Walmart today to get it since it's released on the tenth. However, I have no free time today to do it. So, we went to get it at midnight this morning. This would have been fine, I don't go to bed until like 1a.m. anyway. The only problem was that everyone was there to get the newely released video game modern warfare; which was released on the same day.

After talking to two associates we finally got someone to run back and just snag a copy for us. We had to wait a half an hour for it, and they were going to make us wait longer. The only reason we got it that soon was because one of the underlings took it upon himself to use logic and run back and grab it. Unlike the managers, it seems some people who work their actually understand how to help a customer. Who would have thought?

The end is near, I hope.

2009-11-09T06:13:00.000-08:00

I swear if armageddon does not come in the next month or two, I don't want to be around when it does. The economy is still in the crapper with the only sign of recovery being, wait for it, jobless!; swine flu has kicked into high gear and is ravaging school districts, universities, and work places; Senators can't agree on how to(or if they should) fix a health care system that not only overlooks those who need it most but will soon absorb the majority of the federal budget; Afghanistan is in worse shape than it ever has been in terms of violence; and America is not too much better off considering the recent events of Fort Hood.

I love when the crappiest parts of the economy and recent health scares affect me personally!

Swine Flu Cases Confirmed at SUNY Potsdam

2009-11-06T06:22:00.000-08:00

It has been confirmed that the deadly H1N1 virus has now spread to upstate New York and has begun infecting individuals at SUNY Potsdam. Reports have confirmed at least twenty cases of swine flu infecting students. In one case, the flu has progressed to a point where a student was required to leave the university. Health officials are doing everything in their power to contain and limit exposure to the general student population, acting in accordance with standard practices.

While local health officials are doing everything they can to combat the spread of H1N1, it appears that some students have taken it upon themselves to continue interacting with others even after they have contracted the virus. An unnamed source has told us that a female student was heard talking on her cell phone, in a dorm common room, telling the person on the other end of the line that she was "getting away with swine flu." She went on to state that she has been going to class and neglecting to wear a face mask, regardless of the fact that she has been coughing regularly.

It is for this reason that health officials warn the general population to guard themselves whenever possible. This includes frequently washing hands, avoiding those known to be ill, eating health foods, drinking plenty of fluids and above all else know that if you do contract any form of illness ,wither it be influenza or a common cold, you must seek medical attention. The Center for Disease Control has reported that H1N1 as well as other types of influenza cases are still on the rise, prompting the individual to become far more vigilant about his/her health than they have been in recent years.

Sometimes I'm Retarded

2009-11-03T04:33:00.000-08:00

Last night I discovered that today, this morning in fact, I have an exam. The exam is in a course I'm retaking called microeconomics. While this course is easy for some, I have found it more difficult than differential calculus. Why?, I have no idea and probaby never will. But in any case, I have become a more robust student since I entered here four years ago. And I pulled, what we in "the biz" like to call, an all nighter. Well, not a complete all nigher but it was after 2am when I went to bed and before 7am when I woke up. Do I feel prepared, yes. Do I think I am going to excel on this particular exam?, the answer is clearely no. I believe I'll do o.k. but not great. Which is more than a lot of Clarkson students hope for.

Lovely Power Homework

2009-11-02T06:30:00.000-08:00

Two Years

2009-11-02T06:08:00.001-08:00

So this November third Ashli and I will be celebrating our 2nd year together as a couple. And, how could I forget since I've been hearing about it's upcomming arrival for almost six months now. Girls have funny memories like that. Oh well, it just must mean she loves me. In any case, it will be a big day to behold I assure you. There will be flowers, a candle lit dinner, fine wine, and all that jazz.

I just hope my poketbook can handle it...

Toilet Mug

2009-10-28T05:58:00.000-07:00

It looks gross, but somehow I still finding my self wanting one...

Possible bday gift? Naw, just kidding.

Sanguivoriphilia

2009-10-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

So I decided to go to the Halloween parties I've been invited to as a vampire. I've decided to go as the modern vampire. By modern vampire I mean a mix of the vampire's shown in Twilight and Interview with a Vampire, both of which are very good movies. To be more specific, I'm going as the modern, ultra sheik, styled vampire with actual fangs.

My girlfriend will be doing my makeup. Now, I'm the type of guy who despises makeup even for purposes of costume. But it's needed this time because even though I am naturally pale, I'm just not vampire level pale. So, she will be making me look a little more pale in the face and will be making my eyes look greyish and tired; sort of like I woke up from a comma.

The most exciting part is that I bought actual fangs for the costume. They come from Vampfangs.com and they are custom molded to your incisors. The snap in and out at your will and they look great. The ones I bought are called the "Scarecrow Natural Fangs" and they look a little something like this.

I'm also going to need a small neck wound as well, to make it look like I was just turned a short while ago. Instructables has a good page about how to make the wound look realistic.

As far as my actual costume is concerned, I'm going very simple. I'm not going to look like the old fashioned Dracula, decked out with jewelry and a huge cape. I'm just going to have a long sleeve, light grey shirt and dark jeans. I'll probably put a link up to pictures of the party later next week. It should be fun.

I want to look less like the above and more like the below.

A tribute to Failblog.org

2009-10-26T13:03:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered Failblog.org and decided that it was so wonderful I would share it here, with you. All of the images below are from the site. And, if you think these are funny there are hundreds more images and videos where this came from.

Inovative Energy Ideas

2009-10-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

I saw this image while surfing the internet and thought it was an interesting way to harness draft wind on a building.

Here's an older picture that's been floating around. It's a great way to harness the energy we already put into moving our cars for another purpose.

Wonderful Statics Homework

2009-10-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

The Clarkson University Career Fair Returns

2009-09-17T09:19:00.001-07:00

For about two weeks I have known that the career fair would arrive today. And, for two weeks I have become prgressively more anxious. Last night before bed I did some short reasearch on each of the 45 companies that I will be carpet bombing today, in an effort to appear more attractive than some of my peers. It wasn't a very good night's sleep.

I'm a hard worker, no one could viably argue the opposite. But, I am not a stellar student. I forget things easily, I have to work hard to motivate myself, it takes me a while to learn new concepts and I don't do well on tests. There is one thing I have on my side though. If I've learned anything in my life so far it is that I am not going to give up. It is a big, dark and scary world out there right now. And, jobs are harder to come by. But, I will not give into anxiety and Fox News. I will try hard until the end and if that isn't good enough, well then, I will just have to come back to life and try even harder. What was that thing they used to say? Success is my only option? Well, for me it is. And, I'm working hard and praying that I get something in return.

I'll keep you posted...

Waiting For Tuesday

2009-09-14T08:36:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

So, I'm finally done with rush for my fraternity(phi kappa sigma) and we got four, maybe five, pledges. Being done with rush really frees up my time. However, even though I revieved my check from Clarkson today; I still have to wait until tommorow afternoon to get my car fixed. The wheel bearing will be replaced and perhaps an oil change aswell. After tommorow I will be happy. Even though the career fair is almost upon me and I have lots of work to do, I'm happy. I'm happy because I will be able to drive home with confidence that my car is in good shape and I can lie down on my own bed and do my homework in my room in peace. I am so over couch hoping, it is unbelievable. In the last three weeks of school I have been home maybe four times.

Now the idea of being in a different place everynight might seem exciting to some, however they have not fully understood what it implies. Never in my life before have I had to plan where I slept each night or worry about wither I will have a pillow and blanket. Mundane details like brushing your teeth and making sure you shower become paramount. If disregarded the small things will bring you down, and quickly.

Wish me luck at the career fair...

Life so far

2009-09-09T05:25:00.000-07:00

Life has been taking me in several directions lately. I finally got a loan and will be looking for an apartment for next semester. I am looking at graduate school and have already met with another school to get information. My fraternity's rush season is almost over which means life will start getting easier for me. Classes are going well and I am trying to keep a handle on them. The career fair will be here in less than a week and I'm trying to get prepared for that. My car has a bad wheel bearing and I have to wait to get it fixed because I havent recieved my check from Clarkson yet. And, finally I've been sleeping on couches and my girlfriend's bed way more than mine lately. That was my past twoish weeks in a nutshell. Hope you enjoyed it, becuase I have sorta been.

Peace,

Couch Surfing

2009-09-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

As many of you well know, I am commuting from Massena to Clarkson University this semester. This is suplimented by the fact that I have good friends and a girlfriend over at a nearby university. So, I sleep over at her dorm from time to time.

Recently I discovered that my wheel bearing was going bad, well I should say that I heard a nasty vibrating noise that scared me. So, I didn't want to drive on it until I got it looked at, at a garage. As a result I stayed at my girlriend's dorm and then some friend's couch and then my girlfriends again and then my friends couch again. It made me feel really *&^#ing disposesed. However, I brought it on myself.

But, I want to share with you what it's like to sleep on a friends couch in his dorm. First of all the dorm was cold at night. Secondly, the couch was small and uncomfortable; so I had to curl up like a fetus which was very uncomfortable. So, I tried sleeping on the floor I thought "maybe it will be more comfortable if I spread out my body, even though it's a carpet covered concrete floor. If you have never slept on a concrete floor there is somethign you should know: all of you body heat gets sucked into the cold floor. And, since the floor is so wide the heat just keeps diffusing, like a heat sink, and never warms up. So back onto the couch I went. Thirdly, college people stay up late and like to go grab snacks at 3a.m. and wake you up when you have to get up 4hours later. Fourthly and finally, I had no alarm clock so I had my girlfriend call me at 6:45a.m. However, you cannot hit the snooze button on a phone call to wake you up fifteen minutes later so you end up lucky to wake up 45mins later. All in all, I got some rest but I will be happy to sleep in my beautiful queen sized bed again.

There is actually a website called CouchSurfing.org where you can hook up with people who will let you sleep on their couch for free. It is very interesting but I'm not trusting so I probably wouldn't do it. But feel free to check it out.

Later,

School and time traveling messages

2009-08-31T08:19:00.000-07:00

School has begun and I am busy again. I feel pulled in several directions. I work, spend time with my girlfriend, am a full time student, am the recruitment chairperson for my fraternity and I am trying to find time for clubs. This is all made more difficult by my 40 minute commute, one way.

However, the object of this blog is not to rant; I do that enough already. The object is to convey my feelings of sadness, excitement, happiness, and worry. I am sadened by the thought that the lifestyle I have lived for the past four years is about to come to an end. I am happy to be back in school again. I am happy to learn new things, to be an integral part of my orgainizations, to be busy, and to have large social groups again. I am excited by the thought of having a good and steady income. I am worried that the possiblitiy of not getting a job might come true. I am sadened by the thought of never seeing the majority of my college friends again. And, I am sadened to think that I will have to start all over again.

Starting over has always been a daunting prospect for me. I've moved a couple of times in my life and started college so I have limited expierence with it. However, this does not belittle the fact that changing can be scary. Now, there will be some throwbacks to my old lifestyle. I will no doubt carry some friends forward from college, be with Ashli, and have my family; but they will completely underwealhm the udder change in location, scenery, people I interact with, schedules, and more things then I have space here to write.

Not knowing where I will be a year from now is probably the scariest thought, and also the most exciting. Now, if I had no loans to pay back I would care a significant amount less; but that is not what was in the cards for me. I just hope everything works out. But, more than that; I just want to be happy. And, I have to spend some time figuring out what would make me happy. I'm pretty sure that if I had Ashli, a few good friends, and a city-ish setting; I could be happy even with a crap job.

I have an after-thought. Now, I have blogs that date back to almost two years ago. I almost wish that I could look at future blogs. I mean, I wish that somehow I could see all the blogs I would ever write on the side bar and just scroll through them to now if everything would be alright for me. But, if given the option I would only want to see them if everything turned out well. And, if I said that and nothing showed up; I would know something terrible happend. Oh well, I guess I'm caught in a catch 22 here. I want to know, but only if it is good. But the act of not being told would tell me what I didn't want to know. I sincerely hope that I look back at this particular entry one or two years from now and I am sitting at my desk on my lunch break at, at least an ok engineering job, near/in a city.

To my future self: If you are reading this try and remember what you were going through when you were sitting down in the erc at 11:39 before computer networks writing this. I hope that you/I have at least met some of your/our goals. But take heart if you haven't acheieved it yet. I have faith in you/me.

Time is a funny thing...

Home Insecurity

2009-08-12T17:26:00.000-07:00

This morning I awoke at the bright and early hour of noon and walked downstairs into the dining room. I was met by my mother and father who were having a conversation. I sat down and enjoyed my coffee and Spanish rice and eavesdropped in on their conversation. Eventually the conversation found it's way to local current events. And, I was informed that there was a woman on our street who had her house broken into last night, and she was assaulted. To make matters worse it turns out that this is part of a string of events, and the front door was unlocked.

Seeing I had the day off, I began thinking about how our home was vulnerable to such an intrusion. I knew for a fact that the basement door was less than burglar proof. I knew that the deck door might be vulnerable. And, I knew that the front door is a thick and is nearly impossible to get through when locked. Therefore, I began planing and building.

Do you remember ever watching one of those old fashioned movies that had castles in them? Do you remember how they had those cross pieces that sat in hooks across the doors to keep them from opening during a siege? Well, that is exactly what I put on our basement door. Yes I know, it might be a little much seeing as we already have a locking mechanism on the door. But, this is my family were talking about. I also made sure the deck door could lock properly (I put in beefier screw so that it would take a small bull elephant to get through. And, I plan on buying those beeping things that you put on doors and windows. You turn them on and if the door is opened they basically scream at you. I had them in my apartment and they really work well. To top it all off I am going to set up a motion sensitive light fixture in the back yard. Overall, our home security is at or above average. A level I am happy with.

If all else fails I've still got my aluminum bat by the door.

Grunt Work

2009-08-08T05:33:00.001-07:00

I am very tired of doing an incredible amount of work and being paid the absolute minimum for it. In my entire life I have only ever had one job that paid above minimum wage, and it was great. I felt like I owed the company more and I worked harder. I was happy to be at work because I felt like the company respected the value of my time, on some level. Even on the days, like today, were I woke up tired and didn't want to move; I took comfort in the fact that I was being paid well.

But that day has passed, and today I find myself moving slowly because it is "truck" day at Kinney's Drugs and I am a minimum wage clerk. I get to break my back putting away stock so that I can receive seven dollars and twenty five cents for an hour of labor, before the government takes their piece. Don't get me wrong. I am very happy that I have a job that pays this well, because I can remember not to long ago getting paid $5.15 per hour before taxes. Those days really sucked.

If getting paid little for a lot of work isn't bad enough, I find myself critiquing my supervisors. I find that they make me adhere to a strict policy of one break and one lunch every 8 hours(which I find fair). But, what I don't find fair is that everytime they find someone they know in the store they talk for an hour with them, then they "escort" them out and smoke for fifteen minutes; on top of thier breaks and lunch. And, they make take two breaks already and do this with two to three customers. But, heaven forbid I stop sweeping for two seconds to catch a headline in a paper. Even more troubling than that is the fact that their are more shift supervisors than clerks. This means that I get decent hours, but do the overwhelming majority of the work while they sit in the office doing what ever it is they do. I don't know. Maybe they're making out or something. Who knows? Who cares? My rantings aren't going to change anything, that's for sure.

I guess I'll just have to keep on trucking until I'm a fabulous engineer...

Women in the workplace

2009-08-07T07:13:00.001-07:00

I am an educated young man who has very few sexist tendencies. However, I do have one grievance to air concerning women at work. Now, I believe that women can do the same job as men, if they are qualified. And, if women put in the same amount of time and effort they should be paid the same as men. Basically, I believe in workplace equality. And to that end, I believe that men and women should be held to the same standards for workplace attire. At a job where the dress is business formal, women should dress that way. Now I understand that women have a myriad number of more clothing options than men. However, when a man wheres a suit or a dress shirt and tie with slacks; it isn't right for a woman to wear the same ambiguous, semi-formal clothing she would wear any other day.

Seriously, I cannot count the amount of times I see women breaking the clear dress codes of work. Meanwhile, men are forced into stuffy suits, neck choking ties and pants meant for appearance and not comfort. While I will never have to walk in heels, and I have tried it, women will never have to wear crotch grabbing pants.

Anyway, my point is that if men are required to obey strict dress regulations then women should as well. In fact, I believe that if a man has to wear a tie to work then so should women. And, why not? Women were collared shirts. And, if women or HR refuses to enforce it; then men everywhere should cast off their ties and start dressing in what feels good and might be passable for work wear.

Come now men! Rise up against social tyranny! Burn your ties! The years of oppression will soon end!

I've got my baby back, baby back, baby back...

2009-08-07T07:09:00.000-07:00

I wonder how many people will recognize that Chillies reference. Anyway, yesterday my darling made her way back to Massena from Rochester were she had been staying for the last few days. She strolled into my work at about 5:30 and surprised the h3ll out of me. I was very happy to see her.

My Anticlimax

2009-08-05T18:55:00.000-07:00

So Last night I was watching the colony in between absurdly loud commercials and all of a sudden I heard a car alarm go off. Now Massena is a small enough place so that there isn't a lot of crime, but it is big enough to make you want to lock up all your doors at night. Point being that, at first I didn't realize that it was my car that was going off. However, the second I realized that it was mine I hit the ground running. I sprinted through my dark cluttered house like a Kenyan chasing a meal. I basically completed a difficult obstetrical course, including vaulting, in less that ten seconds.

But lets get back to the point. Try putting yourself in my shoes. You're a young student who's only means of transportation may be in jeopardy. You have very few resources and your already stressed out. It is night time, it is chilly and you are outside in the dark in just a tee-shirt and your boxers. O.k. now that you can identify with my situation, lets get on with the story.

My heart is pounding and I am beginning to sweat as I jump outside. My loud car alarm is going off and I suspect someone may still be in the area. I grab my baseball bat and do a circle around my car. No one is there. I continue my search with a flashlight and pants as my father calls the cops. The scoundrel must have run. I shout "Next time I'm bringing out my gun!," before the cops show up and wonder if it was a douche thing to bellow into the night.

We talk with the cops for a minute and they promise to check on the car throughout the night in case anyone returns. Relieved, my father and I walk back into the house. A few moments after the door shuts, we heard the alarm go off again. "What is going on?," I thought as I power walked to the door. The cops had yet to get into their vehicles, so they stood in amusement of my malfunctioning ride. Apparently the lighting storm was not agreeing with my car's personality. So, I turned the alarm off, apologized for wasting their time and went to bed only to be woken up again at 4a.m for the same reason. So I disconnected the negative terminal of the battery and tried to fall asleep.

Commericals

2009-08-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

Alright, just wanted to post a quick rant here. Why the h3ll do commercials have to be so much d4mn louder than the program you are watching? I barely notice it during the day, but during the evening it is almost unbearable. Last night I was laying in bed, happily watching The Colony on Discovery Channel with the volume at a solid medium volume. All of a sudden a commercial for Time Warner Cable comes on and I can barely hear myself think! It probably woke up my family members one room over. For heaven's sake, could they just make them the same volume as the programs? I know they need to sell air time and products, but come on. This isn't helping anyone. If anything it makes me not want to buy a product that comes on. So to that end, I am officially not purchasing, watching or redeeming:

Crest Toothpaste
OxyClean (yes I do like the late Billy Mayes)
"The General" online insurance
My free education connection Brochure
Any Pledge Products
Freecreditreport.com information
5 Hour energy

Failure is always an option

2009-08-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

While working at our local haberdashery I noticed a few things that were not quite right. So, I put down whatever stock I was stocking and snapped a few pictures with my phone for later viewing. In fact, I found them so amusing that I decided to both emulate failblog.com and share them with you. I hope you enjoy these pictures. If you can't see details, just click the image for a larger version

Why would superman need a car?

What? How is that a sale?

What kind of way is that to advertise pork?

The last photo was taken while walking home one day. I've been waiting for a while for a good reason to show it off.

Buffalo Bills Birthday Cake Milk

2009-07-31T18:15:00.000-07:00

Whilst working at Kinneys, my eyes caught sight of a new blue dairy concoction sitting in a cooler. I walked over and to my surprise discovered there was such a thing as "Buffalo Bill's Birthday Cake Milk." Determined to try it, I came back after work and purchased a bottle to sample.

It tasted like chalky, over sweetened, thin vanilla milkshake that someone accidentally dumped blue dye into. All in all, it was not a terrible drink. I suppose it would satisfy you if you desired neither milk or a milkshake, but rather some strange bastard child formed by the two. Ultimately, it was a bit hot out to be drinking milk so I happily spilled the rest on the ground as I exited my car before I entered our local laundromat. Here is a picture for your enjoyment.

Interested in what else the Bill's had to offer, I investigated their online store. However, I could find no trace of milk or other milk related products.

Rolling up my sleeves

2009-07-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

As you well know by now, I am a poor college student. And, as such I must pay for almost all of my current expenses with loans. As I have previously mentioned, loans are now nearly impossible to obtain without a cosigner or a credit history of any significant length. Without loans, expenses are left unpaid. This includes the apartment I signed a lease for.

In response to this, I talked with my landlord. He was very calm as he said "I can understand where you are coming from. I had another student leave on me during the first part of the summer, and we got the apartment filled. But, you are responsible for finding someone." My heart sank as I heard what I knew he was going to say. He thanked me for coming in and I left.

I drove back to Clarkson's library and sat down. I furiously made 80 copies of a poster I had drawn up that detailed how glorious the apartment was and got to work. For hours I walked around Potsdam. I went to both universities and every high traffic business I could find. Surprisingly only one business denied me the privilege of putting up a notice on their premises.

I then drove home, my feet and legs weary from wandering through the woe begotten streets littered with ragamuffins and aging hippies. I grew more disheartened with every "for rent" sign I passed. As I sat I planned my next move. I was going to reclaim my phone from it's charger and place classified ads in all the local newspapers.

After I arrived home I went out to eat with my girlfriend, as I was looking for any excuse to take a break from worrying. Eventually I returned home and began listening to my voice mail before calling the papers. I relieved an odd voice mail that only said "Matt your off the hook, call me back." Instinctively I called my landlord who told me that in the hour since I put up the posters he had received over a dozen calls. I had successfully gotten rid of my apartment that I could not pay for. Even though I will be getting back 250 dollars, and I will not have to pay the 4000 in rent not including utilities, I was still sad that I would have to commute. I guess there are worse things to endure.

My Kingdom for a Cosigner

2009-07-25T18:07:00.000-07:00

So, I have gotten most of my loans for this academic year through the government. However, I am six thousand dollars short of my housing needs. This means that I would have to commute from Massena every day if I don't get a loan. The reason I am having tremendous trouble getting this small loan is because I do not have a cosigner. Now, I know that a cosigner is a big deal. However, this is just a small six thousand dollar loan. I will have no problem paying it back.

I'm not asking for money or a handout. I cannot stress that enough. However, I just need a little help here. In my specific case, a cosigner's signature is little more than permission to get the funds I need. There is zero risk. I just need someone to sign and basically walk away. I would work four jobs before I allowed someone else to pay my way. This is so frustrating.

If you are about to go to college make sure you have a cosigner on your loans. Investigate new up front fees like origination fees. Some loans even force you to give them up to five percent of the principal back to them upon receiving the loan, as a payment. And, don't even get me started on companies requiring students to pay interest fees while still in school. I never thought I would see the day when it would be this difficult to get a measley six grand. Considering the fact that most private schools charge between 30 to 40 grand a year in tuition and other fees.

Sometimes you just gotta rant it out...

College Loans

2009-07-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

So I just got back from Clarkson University Student Administrative Services where I talked to a counselor about my aid and bills for college. It turns out that when they factor in all the government aid, I'm out of the hole by over two grand. However, I still have four grand in housing, a grand for books, and more for electricity and internet since I am off campus. While being out of the hole is nice it still leaves me with the problem of how to pay the extra six grand.

Now, in the past it has hardly been an issue to stress because they would just tell us which lender to talk to and that would be pretty much it. But thanks to this wonderful recession we find ourselves in, they are not even allowed to tell us who to go to. In fact, the are legally bound to withhold that information because some universities were getting kickbacks from lenders. Thank God my University wasn't one of them.

I'm not in hot water yet. We can still go back to the our previous lenders and talk to them. But, I feel bad for all of the incoming freshmen. They must be having a very difficult time trying to find lenders. I can only imagine what it would be like trying to get loans, having never done it, and also having counselors who can't even point you in the right direction. Good luck to them, I guess that is what Yahoo Answers is for.

I'll keep you guys up to speed on this mess,
Later

Regarding Bruno

2009-07-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

Bruno is a feature length film released on July tenth of this year. The film was directed by Larry Charles and written in part by the star of the movie Sacha Baron Cohen, who plays Bruno. Bruno is the story of a famous Austrian fashion reporter who falls from grace and travels to Los Angeles to regain world wide fame. Bruno is much like Cohen's previous movie Borat in that the movie contains two types of scenes. The first type is the traditional story telling scene where the characters interact and the plot moves forward. The second type consists of the character Bruno interacting with individuals in real life situations where he acts so flamboyantly in your face with his homosexuality that it brings out a plethora of different reactions from your everyday American. These reactions range from the benign to outrage. Overall, I would say that it was a good viewing experience but not a great one. The advertisements gave away too much. I will leave you with one warning concerning the movie. If you are not comfortable with full frontal male and female nudity, or scenes of that nature, then do not see Bruno.

Fifteen Minutes to Go

2009-07-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

So it is 3:30pm on Friday and I am going to write a quick five minute blog here. Now, I have been working at Kinney's Drugs all summer and there are a few things I have to say about this minimum wage job of mine.

First of all I'm glad to be employed. However, this job is difficult and not for the traditional reasons. You see I can complete all of the tasks they assign me in about a half an hour, with no interruptions from customers. And unless it is a busy day I will get it all done in up to an hour and a half. Now Kinney's requires that all employee's must be working when not conversating with customers or on a break. However, when there is no work left to do and you still have to work(and you really don't want to be there) it is really hard to look like you are doing something work related. So, it becomes a waiting game where I try to appear as if I am actually functioning.

Most of the time I just "zone" the shelves making sure that everything is straight and pulled forward. But, when that is over with I have the get tricky. If my feet are tired I "zone" a bottom shelf to take the pressure off. I also some other tricks up my sleeves that I use, but before I go into any detail I must state that each of them involve actual work. So if one of my managers were to come onto this blog and figure out it was me (the odds of which are very slim) I will have you all know I am not scamming the company at all. Besides it isn't my fault if they don't have enough work for me to do. If you have any tricks you pull or interesting minimum wage stories of you own, please send them to me.

Oh man look at the time, I have less than ten minutes to get to work! That means I still have a few minutes to write before taking off five minutes before my shift starts. Hmm... is there anything else I wanted to say? Not that I can think of. So I guess I'll see ya when I see ya and sorry about the spelling mistakes.

Peace

The Internet Ran Away!

2009-07-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

For the past few days I've been without internet connection. Our Time Warner Cable modem bit the dust and we had signal issues. That is why I have not been blogging. Not that anything happened between then and now to make me write. I pretty much just went to work and went to the casino. I told my sister that if my losing streak continued that I would never bet a single penny at that casino again. And guess what happened! I lost 8 dollars. Now the most I've ever bet and lost was twenty bucks, however I am a poor college student and need to save my pennies. In any case, the Akwasasnee Mohawk Casino has seen it's last penny from me, well except for the beer I will drink there while other people gamble... but that really doesn't count.

Well, I've got to be off now. The internet is writhing morphing changing beast that stands still for no one. I must go see what has changed.

I did it again...

2009-06-24T10:03:00.000-07:00

Sorry everyone,

I have a habit of making a lot of blogs throughout the school semester and then totally bailing on my blog during the summer or breaks from school. I don't know why I do it, however I am back to fill you in on all the juicy goodness that has been my life over the past weeks.

In a nutshell:

Moved home
Ashli is staying with us for the summer
Me, Virginia, and Ashli all have good summer jobs
Still have one year of school left
Got a sweet apartment that I will move into when the school semester begins

...That's pretty much it. I will go into much greater detail on all of these subjects and more when I have more time. But, seeing as today is my first day off in a while and I have a bunch of stuff to do, I'm just going to fill in the blanks a little later today or tommorow. In the mean time I will leave you with a photo I took from my car while waiting for Ashli to get done with her shift over at Stewart's shop were she works.

Peace out homey

Quick Update: Second Flickr Photostream

2009-04-29T07:51:00.000-07:00

Hey,
Since I have put up as many photos as they let you in one photostream, I have created a second account where I will be putting my old photos for back up purposes. I will no doubt have to create more accounts, or upgrade, as time progresses and I accumulate more photos. The link is below and is also in the side bar under Links as "My Second Flickr Photostream"

Remember, the original photostream is where I will be putting my new photos.

New Photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/37893241@N02/

Enjoy,

Hump Day Sucks!!

2009-04-29T06:45:00.000-07:00

Oh man, today is the worst hump day ever!!!.

For those of you who do not know, Wednesday is known in many circles as "hump day." It is called this because Wednesday is exactly(more or less) right in the center of the week(at least the work week). So, once you've gotten through Wednesday you hit Thursday(which is payday for many people) and then you hit friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Anyways, it is the worst hump day ever for me because I have two of my most difficult tests today. Tomorrow's tests I'm not worried about, and then I'm Scott-free on Friday. So, once I get through today everything is downhill. The only problem is that I actually have to get through it and in order to do that I have to wade my way through the filth we call Econ and Emag. Anyhoo, I will feel much better by the end of today and completely stress free by the end of tomorrow. Then it's senior week here I come.

Some, people wait their whole lives to hear news that good...

Hair Cuts, Apartments, and Job Searching

2009-04-28T06:07:00.000-07:00

It is tuesday morning, 9:08am, and I am entering my last day of studying. I will not bother you with tales of my stress and challenges. Instead I will tell you what has changed in my life since I last blogged.

To start things off, I got a hair cut, as depicted in the image below. If you look at my last post there is a picture of me looking stresed and you can see just how long my hair got. The problem wasn't just that it was long, it was the fact that it was long and it happens to be really thick. Like a little above average quick. Which I am perfectly happy to have. I regard my hair as one of my best features. However, you wouldn't know that I was my father's son by the mop top I was sporting as of yesturday evening(my father is bald). To make a long story short, I asked my roomate to cut it and he said "sure but I only have beared trimming length guards for my shears," to which I replied "Whatever, just cut it." And so that is the tale of my hair cut.

I also aquired a sweet living situation for next school year. I looked online at a bunch of advertisements for apartments and discovered that there were some apartments on market street above Norther Music and Video. When I called the guy said that the one bedrooms would more than likely be taken and that there would only be more expensive two bedroom apartments. I decided to inquire anyway, seeing as I don't want to be homeless. When I showed up he said that I was in luck and that there was a one bedroom apartment left. I saw it and fell in love with it. It is essentially a big studio with a bedroom, but that is fine with me. It is the perfect location for me and it is just the right size. So, now all I have to do is get the money to pay for this place which brings me to my next and final topic.

On this friday after finals I will be canvassing Potsdam and Massena for steady work. I will be printing out like 50 resumes in the ECE lab(were I can get it done for free) and then I will be hitting the streets. My plan is "spray and pray" which is a military term for shooting wildly after an enemy and hoping you hit him. So, I will be putting these out in the hopes that I will get at least one call back, no matter what the work. And, I am sure that you will hear wither or not I have aquired a job. Because by now you have no doubt probably learned that I enjoy venting, both the good and the bad.

Au Revoir, Mon Amis!

I am Lame

2009-04-24T11:22:00.000-07:00

Yes, I said it; I am lame. I am lame because it seems that all I blog about lately is school work or school related things. It is to be expected though. I blog about what I know. And, what I know right now is that I am about to take a bunch of finals in about six days so I must study. With studying comes stress, and with stress comes me unloading it in the form of a blog in the attempt to procrastinate.

Let me run down my test schedule for you:

Economics: Wendsday, 3hours, 11:45-2:45pm
Electromagnetic Fields and Waves: Wednesday, 3hours, 7-10pm
Statistics: Thursday, 3hours, 11:45-2:45pm
Power Systems: Thursday, 3hours, 7-10pm

I rather like the idea of getting them all out the way at once. It will be like ripping off a band aid, nice and quick. No, I take that back, it's more like violently tearing off a cast for two days. Now I am not worried about Economics(to be honest I've already signed up for it again for next semester). I am also not worried about Power Systems for two reasons. The first reason is that the material is not that difficult. The second reason is that it is an hour long group test given over a period of 3 hours. Yes, you read me correctly; I said a group test: As in five people take the test together.

I am not worried about Statitics either, because I know what is going to be on the final and it doesn't scare me. With hard work I know that I can get a good grade in the course. I am, however, anxious about the electromagnetic fields and waves test. It is a killer and I am going to have to study very hard for it. We will see how it goes.

Adios for now, muchachos

The Logic of Stress

2009-04-22T08:45:00.001-07:00

This week is dead week. Next week is hell week. The week after that is senior week.

Dead week = Lots of Studying
Hell Week = Lots of Tests
Senior Week = Crap Load of Fun

Dead Week + Hell Week = Lots of Stress

Dead Week + Hell Week + Senior Week = Lots of Stress + Lots of De-stressing

[Stress = -(De-stressing)]

(Lots of)(Stress + De-stressing) = Lots of No Stress

By my logic above, when you combine a week of studying, a week of testing, and a week of great awesome senior week fun; you get lots of no stress. And, I can hardly wait for the moment of no stress!

Sayōnara Kimosaby,

Clarkson University Springfest

2009-04-20T07:39:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

So this weekend was fun, which it should be because I will be studying all this week for finals. But, after the studying and after the tests comes senior week! So, It's all ups and downs right now.

But back to the point, I went to a great concert at Clarkson University this Saturday. Clarkson's annual Springfest Concert featured four bands including: Black Stone Cherry, The Veer Union, Theory of a Dead man, and Hinder. I only got photos of the first two bands(because my stupid phone's battery died) and they are really blurry, but I like the effect. I'm posting the link to my flickr photostream where you can see all of them(if you scroll to the right through the phototos) and a teaser below.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthew_fl/3458841279/in/photostream/

In general I would say that it was a very good concert. The Veer Union came out and was extremely "thankful to be there" as the lead singer Cripin said about one hundred times. But his thankfulness aside their new song "Seasons" was very pleasing, along with one of their older ones "Experimental." Black Stone Cherry came out on stage next and provided the crowd with a much harder version of rock. Charismatic and enthused the lead singer told the crowd "There are only three rules at a black stone cherry concert. One, Leave the bull sh*% of life outside. Two, Scream as loud as you want at any given time. And, Three, girls if you got some boody use what your mama gave ya; it's there for a reason." Next came Theory of a Dead man and Hinder who each showed us exactly why they are major record producing bands. Needless to say, they were amazing.

Peace out...

Flickr Update: Formal Pictures Are Up!!!

2009-04-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

So, the pictures from my fraternity formal are up. I've posted the link to my Flickr photostream page and some sample photos. Believe me they only get better and funnier.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthew_fl/sets/72157616736013521/

Stress Eating

2009-04-15T07:26:00.000-07:00

So, I am a stress eater. Which is funny because I have a really good friend whom I live with who is the exact opposite.

I don't know why, but when I get stressed I eat more, more often. I eat at odd times and become hungrier. Let me give you a for instance. Lately I have been stressing a couple of things(school, car, money) so business as usual. However, I came back to my apartment last night at around 5pm and made soup and had bread with it for dinner. So, I figure I will be good for the night.

Well, a few minutes later I'm up and eating some oranges; which is fine if you don't eat like six of them at once. Then I ate a banana. Then I went into the kitchen and rooted around looking for things. I had some Werthers candies, I ate some toast, I made Jello(which is sitting in my fridge. Anyway to make a boring story short I made a big three egg omelet with Parmesan cheese, mushrooms, onions, and green bell peppers. So I went to bed full.

I guess the reason I am telling anyone this is because I have been noticing a slight weight gain. Because I eat often and sometimes late. Anyways I guess I am going to have to hit the gym, eat less more often, and relax. But that is always easier

Gotta run,
Caio

Not so calm before the storm

2009-04-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

It is currently a few minutes before twelve noon on tuesday april seventh 2009. In approxiametly two and a half hours I will be taking my Power Systems Analysis and Design Test, but for now I am taking a half an hour break to eat.

I don't know if eating was such a good idea. I get the benefit of some nutrients and increased awareness during the test, however I am so nervous that it will more than likely just sit in my stomach for hours. Which, brings up a good point: No matter how hard the test is or how well I have studied for it I always stress out about it. No amount of cognitive analysis of my situation will help me find my calm. I realize that being stressed right before the test can be counter productive and doesn't even matter in the long run but you know the drill.

On the upside, I saw one of my classmates resume by mistake and felt good. I felt good because his was way worse than mine. I mean it was terrible. It wasn't written poorly or constructed incorrectly, but he has almost no real engineering expierence. And, when your trying to get a job; it is crutial. Which, makes me happy that I got my internship right before the market went bad in 2008 becuase every major engineering company is trying to cut costs by getting rid of useless jobs like interns.

But, back to the point. I have a little while left to study and I intend to do just that. The funny thing is, blogging really helps me get some of the stress off. By publishing it I get it off my chest and can move forward more easily. Now, I will never turn this into a rant blog; because no one likes those. But, it is nice to complain sometimes.

Is it supposed to snow in April?
Peace out...

The joys of owning a car

2009-04-06T19:02:00.001-07:00

So, my car is in the shop. And that sucks, because it started out as just one thing and now its five. Here's the low down:

A few weeks ago I heard my breaks squeaking. So, I decided I would wait to bring it in to the shop until I had the money. In the mean time I went to pick up my girlfriend in my friend's car and gave him my keys. When I got back I knew there was a definite problem. So I took it into the shop this morning and asked them to asses the breaks. I called them up later and found out that they needed to repair the left caliper, both front pads, give me an inspection sticker, and a belt tensioner. However, when they further inspected they found that my 'cv' joints are bad and that they would have to be replaced. Now, I am only a poor college student trying to make it on his own. I get receive no money from anyone(unlike many of my peers who receive monthly installments from their parents!) and at this point, I am particularly low on funds. Luckily my father said that he might be able to help me out if I really need it, and that took some stress away.

In any case, I have to study for a test tomorrow in Power Systems Analysis and Design so I will let you go for now.

Another successful rant complete,
Thanks for tuning in...

Highs and Lows

2009-04-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

Oh man!

This week has been rough, and you could probably tell that there is an negative relationship between how much work I have to do and how many blog entries I write. Anyway, I will tell you about last week before I rant about this week.

Last week I borrowed my friend Josh's car to go down to Rochester to pick up my girlfriend and bring her back to school. It was a fun trip since we went out to eat at this great mexican resturant, a fun dance club, spent time together around the city, and just relaxed. Even the 3.5 hour trip didn't seem long because I was with her on the way back.

So we got back and went to my friend Chris's 21st birthday party, and that was lots of fun too. Just to make sure everyone knows, I am 21 and my underage girlfriend doesn't drink(because it is illegal). But back to the topic at hand, he ordered some adult beverages in big shiny metal tank form for the get together and instead of the two half ones he ordered they made a mistake and gave him full size ones. Since there were only 30-40 of us there that night(and we are all pretty responsible) there was copius amounts of liquid nourishment left afterward. Point of that story: I had a lot of fun.

Now, lets get into the meat of this week. The fact is that I have two tests this week. One in Electromagnetic Fields and Waves and the other in Statistics. Now I got an 80% on the first Emag test(which is a feat considering the average was in the high 60's) and I got an A and a B on the last two tests in Statistics. However, I have had almost no time to study for them because of other things that are getting in the way. Namely, my car needing to be fixed and scheduling the rest of my life(by that I mean my last year at Clarkson University). It is very difficult because I am going to be taking an extra course on top of my already full acedemic schedule and club duties. I will be more than likely taking: Senior Electrical Laboratory, Statics(not statistics), C++(a programming language), Power Distribution, Dielectrics, and Organizational Behavior on top of being an officer of my fraternity(fingers crossed); working on campus(fingers crossed again); being in Robotics, and writing for the paper(at least it's fun). So I have to worry about doing all of this AND I have to worry about paying for all of this. Great situation I found myself in huh?

Anyways, I will put my nose to the grindstone again and prove that even a middle of the road student like me can survive Electrical Engineering at Clarkson University and still balance School work, relationship, clubs, and my social life.

Sayonara

It all adds up

2009-03-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

So I have an microeconomics test today. Some of you out there are no doubt saying "big deal, economics is easy." Well, I do not think like a business person does. I think like a scientist, which makes is very hard to study because I can't study economics the way I study math or electrical theory. Plus, this isn't regular micro it's engineering micro which means they take the regular micro they teach business freshmen and pump it up with derivations that are at the engineer's level.

The only problem is that an engineer doesn't teach the course, an economist does. So, instead of laying it out in a way that an engineering student would understand he fills his homework assignments and tests with trick questions and needless calculations. That doesn't make the test harder, it makes it trickier.

Wish me luck because I am going to need it.

Ciao

Clarkson Housing Sucks

2009-03-25T11:28:00.000-07:00

I was trying to get into my school account a few days ago to update my housing information so that I could try to get into a townhouse next semester but I couldn't; because I wasn't put in the houseing lottery. The way the lottery works is that everyone is given a number weighted by the year you are going to graduate. Depending on how close to zero you number is the better houseing you can request and possibly get. However, I wasn't given one and now I am pissed.

So, I called up residence life and asked the lady what was going on. And, she said that since I have been at Clarkson for 8 semesters, I was pushed out by the lottery system by the computer. "Well hold on a minute," I said "I was gone for a semester on an internship and wasn't given a number for my first semester back," to which she replied "Well, you were offically still a student and we have to let the seniors get their pick first," to which I replied "But, I am a senior and my senior roomate who is in the exact same situation as me (Josh) got a number," she was silent for a moment. "What is your roomate's name?" she asked with a skeptical tone "Joshua James Miller," I replied with stunning accuracy. There was about a minute of her searching her records which which ended with her saying "Well you see, he has only been here for 4 semesters, he must be a transfer student," I answered her in confusion "Yes he is, but he is still a senior." "Yes, but since he hasn't been here for 8 semesters our system allows him to get a number," she replied very smartly. By this point I was very angry. How could they deny me on campus housing when they encourage students to take internships? "So you are telling me that I have to live of-campus?" I asked "No, I didn't say that. You can either have some friends pull you up in to their housing, you can live off-campus, or you can wait until after the lottery is over to see what I have available." I knew what "see what I have available" meant. It means that she would stick me in some crappy freshman dorm with somebody to socially awkward to get a roommate, at best she could give me a single in the new dorms which is better than nothing.

"Can I have a few days to sort things out?" I asked, "Sure just get back to me before the lottery." "Alright," I said hanging up the phone. The sad part is that all of my good friends are my year and they will be graduating. Also, of all the underclassmen in my fraternity there are only a few that I would consider rooming with and they largely already have roommate situations set up. So, I guess I will have to move off-campus and find an apartment. It's not what I wanted to or planned to do, but it's a hell of a lot better than the alternative.

Adios muchachos

Quick Update: Flickr

2009-03-22T17:52:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

I have a quick update for you: I made a flickr photostream. The url is:http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthew_fl/ So, please enjoy it because the people who read this blog will more than likely find themselves in the pictures.

Later tatters,

The Chin Beard

2009-03-22T16:50:00.000-07:00

Also known as a "Goatee" the chin beard dates back to it's first popularization in the late nineteenth century. The "Goatee" is characterized by at least a small tuft of hair on the chin of a male. It's name is derived from the tuft of hair seen on the lower jaw of the the male goat. This is my new topic of discussion because of an age old desire I have secretly had. I have always wanted to have thick, dark facial hair. Unfortunately, I was not handed the genetic materials for it. I can't grow a mustache, and my chin hair is pathetically sparse. However, I can grow a thick neck beard. But, a neck beard is far from what I desire.

Every time I set out to grow one, I am frustrated by the slow rate of hair growth and the intense stiffness of the hairs. It is almost unbearable to endure. I get frustrated several days into the experiment and shave it all off. And, it isn't like I can go days without shaving either. It's too thin to grow out but to thick to leave unattended. It is such a thorn in my side to deal with.

On the bright side, my chin hair has been growing thicker as time passes. So, I guess my only option is to wait it out. And, that is what I will do. Below are two images. The first one is of my goatee and the second one is off my ideal goatee.

It's just too much for me. The stiffness and iriation are overcomming me. By the time you have read this I will have already gotten rid of the facial hair because I am now getting up out of my chair and headed to the bathroom with a facial razor and shaving cream in hand.

Ashli the Brave

2009-03-21T11:33:00.000-07:00

So, Ashli is going on spring break just as I am coming off of mine. It really sucks because I was hoping to get some alone time with her, and maybe take a small trip. Unfortunately, life is not so kind. As a result she decided to visit her friend in Rochester and stay for a week. And, lets just say that this was a big deal to her family.

Without being too rude, Ashli lives with her control freak/bipolar grandmother who is a major negative influence on all those around her. I dislike her so much that one time when she asked me for my phone number I replied, "Sorry, I don't give it out." If you met the woman you would understand. Now, I believe that Ashli has become a strong individual as a result. She has lived under the thumb of her grandmother and is making herself into an independent woman with great career potential(all on her own). However, it can be really stressful to make those natural leaps on independence when someone who says they love you is trying to hold you back.

I think Ashli deserves a pat on the back for finally showing her grandmother that she cannot be bossed around like a small child and that she is free to do whatever her adult heart desires(legally).

I was sad to see her go, but I'm not one of those boyfriends who is so attached that he can't spend a couple of days alone.

Au Revoir

The difference between facebook and blogger

2009-03-19T13:18:00.000-07:00

Blogger and Facebook are similar in many ways. You can post links, videos, pictures, you can update your status, you can "friend" people, and many more fun things. The obvious difference is that Facebook was intended to be a social networking website while blogger was designed to be an expressionistic site that ranges from the asinine to the extremely interesting. In other ways, I see it like this: Facebook is about talking and updating while blogger is about stories.

However, both serve the purpose of keeping friends and family in the loop. For instance, I took these photos of me and Ashli skating at SUNY Potsdam with a bunch of friends there.

You see, now you can feel like you were right there falling down on your but too! But really, I encourage everyone to blog. Blogging is a fun way to write and share your thoughts on any subject with people so bored that they will actually listen.

Ciao