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Howdy
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Apr. 25th, 2007 @ 01:01 am
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Long time no type anything. Let's see...
*I graduate on June 16th. Glad to be finishing up graduate school, though I have certainly learned as much in this two year period as any other I can think of. Granted that is also partly due to my job as well, but still, I enjoy being able to figure stuff out with a much larger tool set that I thought possible.
*99% accepting an offer here in San Diego. Same places as now, but a bigger role. Enjoy the area quite a bit, overall the best (though not highest paying) job offer I've gotten, and doing something I like. Some friends in the immediate area help, as do family only a couple hours up the freeway.
*My Japanese is about as good as its ever been, but I'm somewhat worried it will go down hill once I stop taking formal coursework and most of my Japanese friends here at grad school return to their homeland. Trying to brainstorm ways to keep up since it won't be used much at my job in all likeliness. Thoughts here would be nice.
*I'm contemplating a trip to DC and/or New York this summer. That is as far as I've contemplated.
*I am looking for new apartments half-heartedly now. Toss up between a studio/1-bedroom downtown (presumably more "active") or one in Point Loma (closer to work, probably could walk). Rent is about the same for places between the two. Downtown is still less than 10-12 minutes by car from work and the route doesn't have traffic during the times I'd be going. Probably will start looking in earnest once I get through this last set of mid-terms.
*Kind of weird, but for all the time I've spent in school, I may or may not get more formal education. Likely that my workplace will put me through another Masters, and I have some interest in going back for a PhD after a few years in the field. But to be honest, it is kind of strange to be thinking 'hey, this might be the last ______' that I do/take/etc. But I can deal...had to move on to new things and places twice in the last few years and enjoy the challenge.
*Though to be honest, I am getting ready to settle into a routine for a few years at least. I think. No one gives you an outline of you mid-twenties. 0-22 years was fairly well scripted, and 23-25 were also fairly straightforward. Now I'm taking the training wheels off quite literally, so we'll see how it goes. Thankfully I've been in the workplace more than my contemporaries and don't really have to ask myself if I'm going to like the job. More than one person I know took a job across country and absolutely hates it. Others love it. I like my job and I get to enjoy San Diego's fine weather and scenery, so I got nothing to complain about. Just...weird knowing it is now all on me in form rather than just function.
*Dodgers are doing well enough so far. Pitching should be more than decent, offense is streaky so far but solid. We'll see...hope to get back into baseball once school is done.
*This originally was an e-mail to a friend but it was general enough to post here so...there we go. And no, I don't use LJ cut. |
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Taking exams.
/returns to cave |
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Jan. 19th, 2007 @ 12:00 am
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http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117957532.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1&p=0
And I'm going to Vegas Sat/Sun. How much better can things get?
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Update-wise, I'm doing well. Japan was most excellent. Things were good, then better, then good. Hot springs rock. Tokyo rocks. Gunma is cold. But rocks. Singapore Airline also is quite good. Food was above average and the service was excellent. Super duper video system too, on-demand video is the best answer to long flights. Except WiFi internet access & a laptop, which is better. And they have this wonderful technology.
School starting, like my class at the law school. Like Japanese so far this quarter, but hard...so damn hard. Policy Design/Evaluation is awesome but scheduled so that I'm exhausted by the end of the 3 hours marathon. See, my Thursdays look like:
0700-1200 - Work
1200-1300 - Lunch/driving
1300-1550 - WTO & the Law, then drive 30min to...
1630-1830 - Japanese
1915-2215 - Policy Design
Not good. But certainly educational. My only other day of class is Tuesday. In which I'm doing an independent study and auditing a class I already took to help with the research (class was changed a lot since I took it).
Enjoy things. |
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Photos
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Nov. 26th, 2006 @ 03:47 am
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Finally got a camera that works. Other one never quite worked right after it got worn and torn. New pics at my site http://pbase.com/apsio |
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So I'm still alive and kicking, though school is kinda taking it out of me. Had a fairly nice couple weeks, highlighted by some awesomeness.
Awesome thingy #1:
My friend Eugene and I hit a Better Than Ezra concert in Orange Country. We don't hang out especially often but had gone before to see the band, kinda random but we both wanted to go and wound up touching base so we could hit it up.
I've been to my share of concerts/shows, and this was hands down the most fun I've had. Besides the craptacular food we had at Red Robin prior to the show, it was just awesome. We were like 20 feet from the stage, they played an incredible set list, the lead singer took cues from my friend and I yelling out suggestions for random riffs and a request for 'Normal Town,' which he played even though it wasn't on the set list. The singer just kinda segued into it between songs, and his rendition was just flat out awesome. But this wasn't the best part.
After the show, we wandered over to the backstage loading area, and saw them all getting things wrapped up. Then the whole band walks in, we're standing there speechless...then finally muster the courage to go say hello to a band that I've been listening to since I can remember listening to music as more than just noise around me. Kind drove home in a daze, not everyday you see an awesome show, sing along the entire friggin' time, and THEN get to meet the band afterwards. Good seeing an old friend as well...
Awesome thingy #2:
I'm not sure what else I was planning on writing here, other than I have a decidedly un-awesome amount of school work to get done. Oh yeah, I'm finally getting my plans for my trip to Japan shaped up. A couple weeks of seeing friends and just vacationing for once...should be good.
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Segue to the election: Democrats won. Republicans lost. Or both. I'm very adverse to voting based on party, and still follow suit in my voting habits. Not overly impressed by either platform for change, but at least the rest of the world doesn't think we're entirely clueless. Even though that isn't really the case, perception is damn important...some famous guy said that at some point.
Notes on books: I like books, I really do. However, toting home a sack full of them is horrible. They're heavy, if they had digital versions of them I'd be using that. Some of them I only need a chapter, but man...HEAVY. No one likes curling up with a good book at night more than I do, but man are dead trees heavy. I imagine living ones are heavier though...
Borat the movie: Is good. Go see it. Though if my mother is reading this, DON'T go see it. Not your kind of humor in the slightest.
I'm buying a new digital camera as my old one is well beyond its last legs. Leaning towards the SD700 by Canon. If anyone has a better idea, let me know.
Job hunt is going as well as can be hoped for. Several things firmed up, hard part will be choosing to be honest...and waiting for the wheels of the machine to turn. And I'm still fielding offers, so if any of you are offer 8 figures or more, let me know. :-P |
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I am not cool with assigned readings (on current topics) being significantly older than I am. Nothing against older books, but I find it hard to believe there is nothing more current on this particular topics that a journal article from 1962. This is after reading.
And I need a vacation.
Sep. 27th, 2006 @ 12:14 am
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Eric Neel from ESPN.com wrote it up quite well, so I will just link to that.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=neel/060919
But holy you know what. Defining moment...
And some video for the TV impaired:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSNV2cQanlU
Sep. 19th, 2006 @ 11:24 am
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http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/reasonsbanned.htm
The earliest I recall learning about the concept of banning books was when I saw the movie Field of Dreams. There is a scene with a school PTA/townhall meeting where there seemingly dozens of parents irate about some book that offended their sensibilities. The heroine in the scene (wife of character played by Kevin Costner) calls the woman who was complaining the loudest a "Nazi cow."
Segue to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, there's a scene with a Nazi book burning. It didn't make a whole lot of sense when I saw it, but I did link it to Field of Dreams. I don't recall asking about this to anyone at the time, but I just couldn't see the point of it all.
And I still don't. The link above is a list of attempts to ban books throughout the years. The only surprising thing is that some folks, lets call them 'blooming idiots' for ease of exposition, are still doing this in the 21st century. I expected to see the list and not see a year after, oh, 1985 or so. Guess I was wrong.
This week being Banned Book Week (Slashdot->Google->Here), just wanted to share that.
Sep. 13th, 2006 @ 09:46 am
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While I've taken some vacation over this ridiculouly busy summer, I haven't actually had a free day to myself. From doctor's visits to work to school stuff to whatever, I think I need about 3 days to just massivley decompress. Sleep for 2 of them, eat/bathroom the other 1...these are ratios folks, not a timeline.
Dodgers on the radio and are winning, so that is good at least. And I now officially hate STATA. But it is quite useful.
/returns to clicking
Sep. 10th, 2006 @ 11:53 am
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So some people are questioning whether I'm alive or not. I am. Just not doing much that is notable. Fairly back in the saddle after some medical funness in mid-June. Working hard at my job. Enjoying everything except the early morning start time.
Some travel in mid-August, a concert with a good friend in late, my birthday somewhere in between. Otherwise, nada. School kicks back around September 21st...I guess I'll go.
Aug. 1st, 2006 @ 04:25 pm
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Dude...my phone rings...dude...not the conversation I planned on having tonight.
Me: Hey, what're you doing up, don't u have work tomorrow?
My friend : Guess what?
Me: What...
Friend: I got hit by a car while jogging.
Me: WTF?
Turns out some dumbass hit him while he was crossing the street. WTF is that? Blew past the limit line at the stop sign...dumbass. Makes ya think. He's okay thankfully, seemed rather contemplative. Bum arm, dislocated shoulder, road rash.
So I tell him, "This is why I don't jog."
/embarks upon vision quest
Jun. 23rd, 2006 @ 11:01 pm
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| » This be me |
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So I'm back on my feet after some doctor visit funness. And school is over for the summer. And work is incredible. And...stuff. Good summer on tap I suppose. Last "free" summer possibly...as me returning for more schooling past my masters is not a sure thing. Damn well better enjoy it. And here is my new "highest play count" song in iTunes. Love this man. And I don't believe (or remember how to ) LJCUT. So there.
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I was totin my pack along the long dusty Winnemucca road
When along came a semi with a high canvas covered load
If your goin' to Winnemucca, Mack with me you can ride
And so I climbed into the cab and then I setteled down inside
He asked me if I'd seen a road with so much dust and sand
And I said, "Listen! I've traveled every road in this here land!"
I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
Crossed the deserts bare, man
I've breatherd the mountain air, man
Of travel I've had my share, man
I've been everywhere
I've been to:
Reno
Chicago
Fargo
Minnesota
Buffalo
Toronto
Winslow
Sarasota
Wichita
Tulsa
Ottawa
Oklahoma
Tampa
Panama
Mattawa
LaPaloma
Bangor
Baltimore
Salvador
Amarillo
Tocapillo
Barranquilla
And Padilla
I'm a Killer
I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
Crossed the deserts bare, man
I've breatherd the mountain air, man
Of travel I've had my share, man
I've been everywhere
I've been to:
Boston
Charleston
Dayton
Louisiana
Washington
Houston
Kingston
Texarkana
Monterey
Fairaday
Santa Fe
Tallapoosa
Glen Rock
Black Rock
Little Rock
Oskaloosa
Tennessee
Tennessee
Chicopee
Spirit Lake
Grand Lake
Devil's Lake
Crater Lake
For Pete's Sake
I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
Crossed the deserts bare, man
I've breatherd the mountain air, man
Of travel I've had my share, man
I've been everywhere
I've been to:
Louisville
Nashville
Knoxville
Ombabika
Schefferville
Jacksonville
Waterville
Costa Rock
Pittsfield
Springfield
Bakersfield
Shreveport
Hackensack
Cadillac
Fond du Lac
Davenport
Idaho
Jellico
Argentina
Diamantina
Pasadena
Catalina
See What I Mean
I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
Crossed the deserts bare, man
I've breatherd the mountain air, man
Of travel I've had my share, man
I've been everywhere
I've been to:
Pittsburgh
Parkersburg
Gravelbourg
Colorado
Ellensburg
Rexburg
Vicksburg
Eldorado
Larimore
Adimore
Haverstraw
Chatanika
Shasta
Nebraska
Alaska
Opalacka
Baraboo
Waterloo
Kalamazoo
Kansas City
Sioux City
Cedar City
Dodge City
What A Pity
I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
Crossed the deserts bare, man
I've breathed the mountain air, man
Of travel I've had my share, man
I've been everywhere
Jun. 23rd, 2006 @ 08:57 pm
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"We're here to bring you back to the one, true faith: The Western Branch of American Reformed Presba-Lutheranism." - Rev. Lovejoy
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These kind of things are all that keeps me from snapping. Like asparagus. Delicious asparagus.
May. 9th, 2006 @ 10:41 am
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So I gave my first, well first substantive, briefing at work yesterday. It went exceedingly well.
I also managed to make it through midterms somewhat decently, not having failed any of the exams. I think.
Essentially I'm all 'caught up' finally, and only have another 6 weeks of hell to look forward to. But I like school. Then summer "vacation" where I work full-time. Ehem. After summer...who knows.
May. 6th, 2006 @ 07:19 am
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When God hates all the same people you do, its a sign you've created Him in your own image.
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In general I'm doing well these days. A lot going on, a fair number of decisions to be made in short order. A nice bowl of vegetarian chili in front of me. Life is life.
Apr. 29th, 2006 @ 03:37 pm
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Old man:
"My shoes are too tight."
"Excuse me?"
"Something my father said. He was.. old. Very old at the time. I went into his room, and he was sitting alone in the dark, crying. So I asked him what was wrong? And he said, 'My shoes are too tight. But it doesn't matter, because I have forgotten how to dance.' I never understood what the meant until now.... My shoes are too tight. And I have forgotten how to dance."
Young man:
"I don't understand."
Old man:
"Nor should you."
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Only meaningful thing I've learned all week.
Apr. 20th, 2006 @ 04:29 pm
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I now officially hate NMCI. Everyone told me it'd take a couple weeks to figure out why. Took me 4+ months.
Apr. 13th, 2006 @ 09:29 am
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"...Then as tears of bubbling pitch stream down my face, my dark work will begin. I will open one of my six mouths, and I will sing the song that ends the Earth."
Penny Arcade serious has some awesomeness to it.
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In other new, I'm freakishly tired now. Today was way too long kicking off with my evil alarm clock ringing at 5:55am. Mourning routine and commute and then 7am-12pm at work. 20 minute drive to school, 8 minutes finding parking, 1.5 minute jog to class, then 90 minutes of Quantitative Methods goodness (advanced line drawing!). I washed this down with 90 minutes of wall-to-wall International Finance reading, then I decided attending this talk on Microfinance/Credit Analysis theory in Guatemala done by my Quant Methods professor. Awesome talk by the way. Literally used the stuff in class I leanred TODAY to figure out what he was presenting. It was kind of cool seeing some of the other faculty members find holes in his research. Anywho, this was followed by a nice, if overly long, dinner with a couple friends, and then 3 glorious hours of Finance class.
See, this term is lovingly filled with quantitative classes. All so that the next round of classes I take will mean all that much more to me.
-Quantitative Methods, where I learn advanced statistical modeling. Pretty trippy, and should let me destroy my next fantasy baseball league. Basically I learn how to take data and make policy statements from it. By drawing pretty lines. This is also called Econometrics.
-International Economics, think Macro-econ but taken to another level. Or how money and trade make the world turn.
-International Finance, where all your money goes, and why it goes there. As a future mover and shaker, I guess I should know this crap.
-Japanese for Professional Proficiency, I was looking at where the syllabus says "You should be able to do X, Y, and Z by the end of the term." I've always said Ushida-sensei was the best Japanese instructor I've ever had, but she best be DAMN good if she wants me to be able to do all that in 10 weeks. But I'm proud to say I wrote a 6 page paper, in Japanese mind you, on the value of the US-Japanese military alliance, strictly from a Japanese point of view. I evaluated the economic cost/benefit, the clear social costs, and some other factors (environment, etc.) so that I was able to show that yes, the alliance is worthwhile. This paper is available for reading should anyone want to read it. I'm assuming this is no one.
Apr. 11th, 2006 @ 10:26 pm
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apsio's journal