Officially a Junior

So classes for the spring semester start tomorrow. I think our semester starts later than anyone that I know of. I’m pretty sure Vanderbilt and UT started last week (which is funny, because our fall semester ended before theirs too ).

As far as hours go, I’m officially a Junior (like I should have been last semester, but I’m still playing awkward catch up). After this semester classes will be hard to sign up for because I’m in between where predefined (suggested?) schedule, meaning most of the classes have prerequisites that will prove to be annoying. I don’t think I’ll be able to take any summer classes either, because most upper-division courses are kind of low attendance, so they won’t even offer them during the summer (yay job?).

One nice thing about starting back tomorrow is that we go for two days, then get a three day weekend. I appreciate whomever planned that one out

What A Mess

Iterating Integrals (the integral of an integral of an integral of …), finding the volume / area of specific sections of an object in 3D, and determining the center of mass of an object all via a multitude of integrals, polar coordinates, and trig! What a fun week!
Sadly, the applications of all that crap are fairly useful (especially as far as Engineering goes … and physics). Which means more (and even harder variations) of this to come! Yippee!

I had to skip going to a concert with Elaine on Thursday because I had to study for a Calc III test :’( . Talk about oober lame. I’d much rather have spent the night enjoying myself than cursing at my book for not making sense.

Summer classes are almost over. About two weeks left, which means finals are almost here … sigh. Differentials Equations seems really easy compared to Calc III for some reason. I suppose the most evident is working in three dimensions, which can get a little hairy sometimes, at least conceptually (which is a lot of what we’re doing). We also discuss the existence of the fourth dimension … and the contours of a shape in the fourth dimension … assuming it actually exists. That was an interesting lecture. “So, yeah, this is how you find the contour lines of a what this function would like like in the 4th dimension, assuming there is a 4th dimension … *cough*” That’s a conundrum if I’ve ever heard one. (I didn’t think my math theory classes were at least until next semester … lol.)

I’ve been having a fight with SVN, Trac, and Apache lately. On the one hand, I can easily install Trac and Apache on my desktop and route a sub-domain to my computer, but I can’t get Apache to correctly identify / authorize users (aka me; 401 & 403 errors FTW!). On the other hand, I can (even easier) setup SVN on dreamhost (our host) and attempt to manually install Trac to go along with it. The second part of the fails miserably. Which is really annoying. I’d prefer to run it on my host, mainly because I can’t rely on my desktop being on all the time or even have the same IP. Trac (or a derivative) isn’t necessary, but it’s nice to have something manage tickets / timelines / milestones / etc visually regardless of what client a user decides to use to manage their local copy. I’ve been hunting for something like Trac that isn’t a total bitch to install on a shared server with software that’s at least 2 years old (which is pretty much the same with any [shared] host). At one point, I had Trac running on our host. The sad part is running it from my desktop and accessing it elsewhere was about a dozen times faster because of the way it had to be setup on our host . Talk about lame. (now, for the life of me, I can’t even get it running at all anymore).

So yeah … good times.

Found a new artist thanks to Last.FM last night while trying to not get completely bored and wigged out while studying. The Afters – Never Going Back to Ok.
Here’s one of my favorites on it (so far)
And, although I refuse to use MySpace, this is another cool song by them.

Life and Love and Why

It’s been a year to date now since my mom died. For some reason I thought it’d be some amazingly difficult day or that something really memorable was going to happen. I guess I’m glad it hasn’t turned out that way so far. Honestly a part of me would almost like to really broken up about all of it and just have it on my mind more clearly. But that’s really silly to say, let alone think.

I still haven’t gone to see her grave. It’s been a year and I’ve managed to avoid making the trip somehow. It’s actually sad to think about how I’ve not gone. But I’m honestly not sure if my sister has either. We just don’t talk about it. It’s a three hour drive … and many times I’ve just thought about getting up and going randomly. Other times I’ve tried to hint that I’d like a friend to go with me to make it a little easier. But I wouldn’t want to be that friend if the situation was reversed, so I’m not at all surprised that hasn’t happened either.

I sent myself a letter on FutureMe.org that’ll be sent on May 5, 2010. To remind myself who I am now and hoping I’ve stayed true to myself and hopefully accomplished something by then

Dear FutureMe,

Have you changed any yet? Have you decided that it’s okay to get drunk all of the time and go against every thing you used to believe in? Have you managed to still be happy and yet keep your virginity?

Are you in a relationship? Is she nice?

Please tell me you’re going to church once again. Please.

Have you finally taken it upon yourself to visit mom’s grave? You really need to. Seriously. She’d feel a little sad if you haven’t by now.

I hope you’re something that would make her happy, but at the same token I hope you’re something that you can be happy being.

How’s school going? I’m hoping you’ve graduated college by now. If not I hope there’s not much more left to take. Mom would want you to be productive in life and not depressed because of everything that’s happened. Don’t do that to yourself, not anymore.

Do you ever talk to Dad anymore? What about Carolyn or Dillon? (your used to be step-family) Have you finally forgiven him for … being him?

Do you talk to Christina very much? You really should talk to her more. Because when you’re (even) older, you’re going to wish you had.

I hope two years has helped clear things up and make life a little more clear. Most importantly I hope you’re happy. And not just acting like you are. Move on, be excited to wake up again. Remember everything that you love and that there are genuinely good people out there to make it all worthwhile.

Stay strong, live happy, be yourself.
-the sophomore in college, You

I have some fun stories I could tell right now … but they’re too funny to even post here … lol, just trust me

Remembering the good ole days,

-josh

As Time Goes On

Meh … so moving is a real pain.

Got to my new apartment yesterday but too late to go get the power turned on after unloading the uhaul. I would have done that over the phone but they require you come in personally so they can make it that much harder on you … So I sat the hot dark last night, had to go buy a flashlight because I couldn’t see in the boxes I had packed 3 other flashlights away. Found out that either the cable lines haven’t been cut off yet OR i’m just going to have free cable while I’m here because of someone’s oversight . Now that I can handle. Pilfering some kind neighbor’s wireless internet as I’m typing … pretty peppy too.

I’ve got most everyting I need already … food would be nice … I think I have some Ramen Noodles and popcorn … thank God for pizza lol. Now if I can just remember where I packed all my good stuff ……… moving is poopie.

The house is going to close about a week or two before we had planned on. Not really a bad thing, means I’ll just be getting that check a bit sooner. Still weird to think while I’m in Nashville I won’t be able to drop by my “mom’s house.” At least I have my own place now. And a damn uncomfortable couch … ugly too … but it’s free … arg.

So … Josh is now officially bored. Entertain him. I command you!

-josh