Matt's Journey

Audit

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:23:00 +0000

No, not the evil IRS kind. (Just kidding, IRS. Please don't audit me!).

I've been looking over the courses and, while far cheaper than any other option, it will still cost me a bit more than I care to spend to earn the degrees. My solution? Ignore the degree and audit all of the classes. The only negative that I see is that I won't have a piece of paper at the end saying I know what it says I know. Ok, a second negative is that dropping a course I registered to audit does not give me a refund.

There are plenty of good point about this plan. Like I've already mentioned, it's cheaper at $100 per credit, undergrad or graduate. That's less than a third of the cost. I can also now drop all of the general education courses that don't teach me what I need to know, like the world history courses. I'll still learn a lot about the history of astronomy and space exploration, but I don't really care the cause of the decline of the Roman Empire. Sorry, Romans.

Another benefit is that I won't be grade focused, but learning focused, which is how it should be. I would rather get everything I need out of a course and earn a B than spend even more time learning things that won't help just to earn an A. I'll have to be very focused, as all of my motivation will need to be internal (wanting to learn the course material) rather than external (wanting to earn an A, as defined by the instructor). I've had trouble with that in the past, as evidenced by all of my dropped projects.

I just signed up for the first class (for the third time). Can't drop it this time, but I'm not sure what else could pop up to stop me.

When It Rains...

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:33:00 +0000

It's been an interesting month. After dealing with a family emergency, I returned home (drove 1300 miles solo, hitting a badger on the way) to find myself in a new office that added 30 minutes to my commute. Two weeks in, and I found myself soft of joining a new team, meaning I got to work with some new people, but still a lot of the same ones as well.

So far, not too bad. I even got the heat working in my car, just in time for 70+ degree weather. Also just in time for my engine to develop a fatal issue (I blame the badger). So, my first week with my new team sees me not being able to drive to work with that team in person. And they're a great team, too.

The solution to my current troubles? Get my car towed 100 miles, learn how to drive a stick in one weekend, drive that manual transmission around until I get a new engine in my car, and hope that I don't eat all of my savings doing it. Did I mention that the car I'll be driving is only a year younger than I am?

I also previously mentioned that I'll be taking classes again. Well, that first class starts next week. With everything going on, though, I had to drop out of it, for the second time. Now I'll be starting the class next month. Right now, I need the money and don't need the stress. But I will be taking these classes; there isn't much that will stop my from that.

What To Accomplish?

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 03:46:00 +0000

In my last post, I talked about the usefulness of dedicating one's life toward a goal. I then intentionally left my answer somewhat ambiguous. Do I dedicate my life toward my goals or not? Is it worth it? Do I risk losing out on what other things life has to offer? Maybe, maybe not. First, let's discuss what the goals are. For that, I'm going to take a strategic business approach; I find it a useful way to organize my thoughts on this matter.

All of the successful business have an overall vision statement. This vision statement is the ideal world the business, or person, wants to operate in. It's the way they want the world to be. It's what they want to work toward. Over a month ago, I crafted a person vision statement.

Forever upward and onward, for all humanity.

I want to see humanity reach for the stars, both figuratively and literally. I don't want humanity to be a one planet wonder, just to be wiped out by a rogue asteroid. As Neil deGrasse Tyson once said, "Dinosaurs are extinct today because they lacked opposable thumbs and the brainpower to build a space program". We have both of those things, yet we are very much in danger of getting wiped out. "The number of people in the world engaged in this search [for catastrophic impactors] totals one or two dozen. How long into the future are you willing to protect Homo sapiens on Earth? Before you answer that question, take a detour to Arizona's Meteor Crater during your next vacation."

After creating a vision statement, one needs a mission statement on how they are going to work toward that vision. Remember that you not have to reach that vision; perhaps it's a vision that will be reach by future generation or, in the case of a business, a future CEO, if ever. I have recently created a mission statement, though I may still tweek it a bit.

Be part in establishing a permanent presence on the moon as a stepping stone to further exploration.

Note that it does not say which role I should play. That is very much up for debate. Believe it or not, I thought about trying to become an astronaut for a time. I even made plans on how to achieve that. But I've always been best in a support role rather than a leading role. For now, I'm leading my exact role open while I work toward my degrees.

After creating a basic mission statement, I set up several mutually supportive goals, in no particular order.

Goal 1: Turn public opinion in favor of space exploration in general, and lunar development in particular.

Goal 2: Turn corporate opinion in favor of space exploration in general, and lunar development in particular.

Goal 3: Become the most knowledgeable authority on the moon, from every angle. (history, geology, geography, chemically)

Goal 4: Become one of the most knowledgeable authorities on space exploration. (top 10%)

Goal 5: Create a series of missions to develop, maintain, and expand a lunar base; use ISS as example.

Goal 6: Maintain physical ability, mental ability, and skill set to be capable of being an astronaut.

The first goal aims to get the average person interested enough in space exploration and lunar development in order to catch the notice of the politicians. The second is for increasing corporate investments in the space industry. The third is a more personal one that grants me a currently undefined role in future lunar development. The fourth grants me an also undefined role in space exploration in general. Number five gives me a very concrete knowledge base about what it will take to develop, maintain, and expand a lunar base. The last goal makes it possible for me to become a payload specialist (a non-astronaut selected to go into space for a special purpose) in the off chance they need an expert to go there.

Throughout it all, I'm leaving my options very much open. The space degrees I've been looking at, both the Bachelors and the Mastery, will give me a great foundation. Beyond that, it'll be up to me. I'm looking at supplementary classes, certificates, and degrees that will help as well, but the cornerstone will be these two degrees. Once these are complete, I'll begin moving toward my new industry. I may work for NASA (which has some useful programs), a private corporation, or do something else. Right now, I want to get moving in these degrees. My first class starts two weeks from today, and I've very excited to get started.

To Accomplish or Not to Accomplish...

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:17:00 +0000

How should one work toward accomplishing a major goal? Should they dedicate their lives toward it? Should they just work toward it in their spare time? If it's a near impossible goal, should they just hope they luck into it, like winning the lottery? Let's ask Mr. Thoreau:

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."

Henry David Thoreau lived an interesting life, but is most famous for Walden, which many of us have read during our schooling. It is him I'm going to turn to for some inspiration and advice, both of what to do and what not to do.

"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours."

"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals."

Thus far, Thoreau is pushing me toward dedicating my life towards my goals. However, not all is as it seems. Thoreau died at the young age of 44, with no family of his own. While some people might be fine with that, I am not. I very much want a family of my own. However, does dedicating my life to something really make it impossible or even unlikely to find someone to share my life with? Maybe if I planned to be a hermit. On the plus side, working toward accomplishing something can make me more attractive to women, especially as I build up confidence in my successes.

"I never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude."

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."

What about social activities? I admit, I'm fairly nonsocial; I just don't go out of my way to socialize unless I'm invited. Then again, I'll meet plenty of people while working toward a goal. And they would be people interested in the same thing as I am, or something similar.

"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us."

In the end, it will always come down to what I feel is right. Am I willing to stand up for my choices? Am I willing to work toward my goals? Am I willing to take the god with the bad? Or will I be found lacking? Only time will tell.

Revisiting the Modern Polymath

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 22:31:00 +0000

Over two years ago, I wrote one of my most popular posts of all time on the modern polymath. In the intervening years, I've had cause to rethink my definition and personal path toward that goal. My long term readers will recall my habit of selecting and changing goals on about a monthly basis, which is another reason for me to write this article.

At the time, I defined the polymath as 'someone with a great deal of knowledge and understanding in many fields.' Then I said about the modern polymath, '...I would expect a modern polymath to be knowledgeable in music theory, first aid, design, three or more languages (at least one not Roman or German based), and have a wide vocabulary.' This is an extreme oversimplification of what I discussed, but it's a start for what I'm going to write about now.

I still define a modern polymath as someone who knows about and can do a wide variety of things. That kinda goes with the term. Now I'm starting to think about the practicality of being a polymath in this day and age. Should a person have some level of skill in a variety of areas? Yes, I think that's important. Should a person focus on being a polymath to the exclusion of having a single specialty or specializing in a single field? This is where I'm rethinking my position.

Previously, I was all about drawing, languages, sports or other activities, and such. Given that I work at least 40 hours a week, I'm seeing the downside of such an endeavour. I don't have time to become better than 90% of humanity in art, math, science, multiple languages, philosophy, writing, and any other number of areas. Yes, I wish I could, but it's not possible for someone who wants a good night's sleep.

Stepping back, how much generalism should a person work toward if they still want to accomplish something? Versatilism gives a bit of a clue. The veratilist has a general specialty, in that they work in a single field, but are capable of a wide variety of roles within that specialty. They are also always working to learn more, making themselves more versatile. Or at least the more capable ones are. This retains the pros of the specialist (a lot of knowledge in a single area, giving them deep respect in that area) and a generalist (the ability to achieve something in multiple areas) while removing many of the cons.

What specificially do I think people should know? Typing, thinking algorithmically, math through at least college algebra, a fairly wide vocabulary, and a field of interest from which all else will follow. Yes, I think should have some kind of specialty. But from that specialty, they should have the history of that field (and strongly related areas), the vocabulary of that field, a knowledge of the people best know (and less well known) in that field, and so on. People should generalize within that field to more easily be able to achieve any role and lend anyone else a hand. By having a focus, but being versatile within that focus, a person can go far.

So what does this have to do with me? I have chosen my area (one from before), and I am removing nearly everything from my home environment that might tempt me to change my focus again. That specialty is space exploration. I'm about to start an online degree in space studies as well as learn related things that will help me. I'm still learning Japanese, but with a different long term goal in mind. I'm going to try Rosetta Stone just to see if I do better with that. I'll also be changing around my other site, Cross Trained Mind, to match my new goals. I'll keep you up to date.

200 Squats: Update

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:18:00 +0000

Looks like my greatest physical liability has stopped me again. Yes, my lower back is acting up, probably thanks to yesterday's run. I walked/ran two miles yesterday. My goal is to run the entire thing before I head home at the end of next week.

This brings up an interesting question: which is more important right now, a general fitness challenge or my running. As I've already signed up for my second 10k in May and really want to run the entire thing, I have to say it's my running. As such, I need my non-running days to let my lower back rest and recover so I can improve the next running day.

I don't like giving up the challenge, especially as I made it half way through with no major issues. However, I uhave to have my priorities straight. Right now, running is a much higher priority.

200 Squats: Week 3b, Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 21:22:00 +0000

200 Squat Challenge: Week 3b, Day 1

Complete.

Max squats for final rep: 60 Note: Still not at home, but back at it. Running tomorrow and back to squats Wednesday.

State of the Blog Address: 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:22:00 +0000

Happy 400th post!

Things are chaotic in my life right now. I'm in the middle of a family emergency, 1000 miles away from home, so everything else about my life is basically on hold. I'm sure you noticed the lack of posts this week after the recent flurry of posts on the 200 squat challenge. That challenge, and a lot more, are basically on hold until things quiet down. My astronomy lessons are similarly on hold.

On the flip side, I now have 400 posts since I started this blog in 2008. Last month is also the first month I had more than 500 page views. In fact, I had 641. Twice before I had neared the 500 mark, but always fell short, sometimes by less than ten posts. This month, I've already beat last month and might break the 750 mark.

The blog is back in action and going strong. I still have a lot to say and a lot to do. Keep an eye out for future fitness challenges and intellectual essays.

200 Squats: Week 4 Delay

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 02:39:00 +0000

Sorry, everyone, but I have a bit of a family emergency to help take care of. I'll repeat days 2 and 3 of week 3 starting Wednesday to help make up for it.

200 Squats: Week 3, Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 01:47:00 +0000

200 Squat Challenge: Week 3, Day 3

Complete.

Max squats for final rep: 60

200 Squats: Week 3, Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 02:37:00 +0000

200 Squat Challenge: Week 3, Day 2

Complete.

Max squats for final rep: 70

Note: I looked ahead; it's going to get a lot tougher. I might have to repeat a week, but will try to avoid that.

Relearning Astronomy - Details

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 03:04:00 +0000

It occurred to me that I didn't give many details in my last post. Given my track record of choosing to do something, and then changing my mind, I think it might be best if I give the details I've worked out. The outline of the course can be found here. The syllabus isn't given here, as it is for many courses, and had to be requested. I then changed it from a 16 week course to a ten week course. Some of the weeks are simply a week straight from the syllabus, while others are two weeks combined. The readings are the same given , as are the labs. I also added the video lectures.

The book being used is Investigating Astronomy: A Conceptual View of the Universe by Timothy Slater. The video lectures used are Understanding the Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy and New Frontiers: Modern Perspectives on out Solar System.

Here are the learning objectives given by the syllabus:

Interpret the motions of the stars, Sun, and Moon in the sky and how those motions
combine to create seasons, lunar phases, and eclipses.
Relate how astronomers use telescopes and electronics to analyze the electromagnetic
spectrum to identify properties of celestial objects.
Recall major advances in astronomical knowledge contributed by such scientists as
Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and Newton.
Explain how our solar system is thought to have evolved, and how these ideas inform
our search for extrasolar planets.
Describe the structure of Earth’s interior, surface, atmosphere, and magnetic field.
Compare and contrast the surface processes and/or atmospheres of both the terrestrial
and gas giant planets of our solar system.
Summarize the methods used to search for life beyond Earth, and the reasons for
thinking it might exist.
Explain the process by which the Sun and other stars make energy and transport it from
their cores outward into the system surrounding them.
Make use of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and other methods to classify stars based
on their observed properties, and distinguish the corresponding patterns in their life
cycles.
Relate how astronomers have deduced the shape and structure of the Milky Way
Galaxy.
Distinguish between different types of galaxies, and identify how observations of distant
galaxies have been used to probe the large-scale structure of the universe.
Outline the evidence for the evolution of the universe.
Demonstrate the ability to develop a research question and then collect and analyze
data to form an evidence-based conclusion

The essays I will write and publish here are related to the first twelve objectives. I'm really not sure what to do for the last one. I suppose that my writing the essays themselves will satisfy it. Some weeks will cover two objectives, while objective nine if covered over two weeks by itself. The final week requires that I watch eleven lectures and week five requires that I watch only three. I'm not suite such if the video lectures I chose will be appropriate for each of these objectives, so the lectures required might change. As I don't have access to the class itself, I'm not quite sure what the purpose of each lab is. However, I have a link to a site for each lab. At each, I will use what I learned from the reading and lectures, what the objective is, and the contents of the site to determine what the lab should be. It's not ideal, but it'll do.

Each week I post an essay here, I will post the learning objective, the chapter titles, the lecture titles, what I did for the lab (not all weeks have labs), and the essay itself. The essay is 'due' Sunday at midnight following the week in question. I'm using Google Calendar to help me track the due dates and Google Drive to store my personal lesson plan.

At the same time, I'll continue to pursue the 200 squat challenge. I'll do that in the morning (as work permits) and focus on my 'class' after work. I'm also getting back into running, which I will continue next week (this is a VERY busy week at work) on the days I don't do squats.

It's about time I challenge myself and stop just sitting here doing nothing, as I tend to do far too often.

Relearning Astronomy

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:29:00 +0000

I have decided to relearn astronomy over a ten week period, starting Monday. I have a sample syllabus to work from, the associated textbook (it will arrive next week), and two video lecture series on the subject to help me out. There isn't anything I can do for exams, but there are a series of labs (9 total) to complete. I'm also going to write a 'paper' that I will publish here as proof that I'm following through.

Why am I doing this? I have had an interest in the subject since early on. It's hard not to, growing up near Cape Canaveral. Then there's the growing number of commercial space ventures starting up. And the meteorite blowing up a couple dozen miles above a Russian town a month ago. Did you know it's the largest known meteorite to hit Earth in the last 100 years? And did you know that if it had not exploded and instead hit the town, the town would no longer exist? And did you know there we didn't know about it until it was within our atmosphere?

The universe is a massive, mysterious, and interesting place. I'd like to know more about it.

200 Squats: Week 3, Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 00:52:00 +0000

200 Squat Challenge: Week 3, Day 1

Complete.

Max squats for final rep: 50 - highest max yet!

200 Squats: Week 2, Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 11:45:00 +0000

200 Squat Challenge: Week 2, Day 3

Complete.

Max squats for final rep:40

200 Squats: Week 2, Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 23:05:00 +0000

200 Squat Challenge: Week 2, Day 2

Complete.

Max squats for final rep: 30

Note: Waited until after work, as my back felt off this morning. Also backslid a bit on my max. Will try to do better Friday.

200 Squats: Week 2, Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 11:38:00 +0000

200 Squat Challenge: Week 2, Day 1

Complete.

Max squats for final rep: 45

200 Squats: Week 1, Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 11:40:00 +0000

200 Squat Challenge: Week 1, Day 3

Complete.

Max squats for final rep: 45

200 Squats: Week 1, Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:35:00 +0000

200 Squat Challenge: Week 1, Day 2

Complete.

Max squats for final rep: 40

200 Squats: Week 1, Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 11:34:00 +0000

200 Squat Challenge: Week 1, Day 1

Complete.

Max squats for final rep: 30

Momento Mori

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 02:51:00 +0000

Warning: This post is a bit morbid. However, it's also a powerful motivation to get off your ass and do something with your life.

100 years from my posting this, about seven billion people will have died. After all, the number one cause of death is time. Time ticks away at each and every one of us from the moment we are born. On average, we have 80 years from start to finish (typically less). One third, 33%, of that is spent sleeping. Only about 2% of that is spent in school (not including college). If you spend an average of two hours per day preparing and eating food, that's about 6.6% of your life. If the average American spends four hours a day watching TV, that's about 13% of your life, or a decade of your life. Granted, there's some overlap with eating for many people, so we'll drop the 0.6% from eating. Altogether, that's about 54% of your life. Then add in your Facebook time, texting, and so on. And this is only if you make it to 80. Good luck with that.

Now, take a look at this:

This is called a Momento Mori. That's Latin for 'Remember your mortality.' Too morbid? Call it Fred, instead. It is 52 boxes across and 80 boxes deep. Each box with a dot is a week I've been alive. I'll fill in each empty box every Sunday morning from now on and ask myself, 'Was that box worth it?' Each row I fill in, I'll ask myself, 'Was that row worth it?'

On the left hand side, you'll notice that I marked the decades, mostly to help fill it in in the first place. At the top, I made three marks for the quarters; the middle mark is the half way point to my next birthday. I stapled several sheets of paper on the back to avoid bleed through from my Sharpie.

Things to keep in mind:

The first fifteen rows were spent not even thinking about my future.
The next several rows were spent only vaguely thinking about my future.
One third of the empty boxes will be filled simply from sleep.
I may not exist long enough to see all of the boxes.
I may exist long enough to fill in ten more rows.
I may exist long enough to fill in twenty more rows.
Anything past these boxes is a bonus I plan to spend having fun.

You can download a blank version from here.

What will you do with your remaining boxes?

What Has NASA Given Us?

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 23:50:00 +0000

There are those out there who think that space exploration, and therefore NASA, are a complete waste of federal funding. After all, what has NASA given us?

Well, there's improved artificial limbs. And scratch-resistant lenses. And improved radial tires. And better fire fighting equipment. And enriched baby food. And freeze drying. And better water purification. And better solar energy collection. And improved mine safety. And improved food safety. And that's just some of what's listed on Wikipedia.

So how much of the budget is spent on NASA as a whole? 2%? 5%? Try 0.48% of the 2012 federal budget. Sound like a lot? The entire cost of NASA, including the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and STS (the shuttles) programs, is less than the entire amount spent in the past two years on the US military. I support the military, but I would rather my tax dollars go toward building something than destroying something. I'm willing to bet there are plenty of officers and enlisted would would agree with me. And that bank bailout? Also larger than the entire budget of NASA.

Need another reason to fund NASA? How about this:

Or this:

Or the classic:

If you don't recognize that last one, it's from Apollo 8, where we first orbited the moon. This picture is known as Earthrise.

Then again, what do I know? I'm just some guy sitting at his computer, saying whatever he wants to say. I had better let an astrophysicist explain:

And part 2:

If you agree, sign this. It's a minor way to say: let's keep going.

Return of the 200 Squat Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 03:56:00 +0000

A while back, I had decided to try the 200 Squat Challenge. It didn't go so well. Well, it's not time to try again. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I'll be following the schedule found here. Right now, I'm going to take the initial test.

Test results: 40

I probably could have kept going, but my knees are feeling sore and I'm breathing fairly heavy.

To keep myself accountable, I'll be posting the results here for each day I do the training. Cheering is more than welcome. If anyone wants to do it with me, post your results in the comments each training day.

Alternative to Traditional College

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 04:10:00 +0000

Going to college is expensive. I know, as I went to one for eight years. I'm literally paying for that now, nearly six years after finally leaving with a couple degrees. Would I do it again? Yes, but not the for the reasons most do it. And I would change things around. And I wouldn't have gone for so long.

As some of you know, I enjoy learning. I try to learn something new all of the time. Even if it's not something useful to me, from a practical standpoint, I still see intrinsic value. I feel that the most valuable portion of my education are my two minors in philosophy and psychology. Do I use them directly? Not at all. But I enjoyed them both, and I feel that they help me indirectly. They, with my major in computer science, basically gave me my major in cognitive science. The rest of my education, my major and Mastery in computer science, I use directly in my career. I also value the teaching experience earned while in graduate school.

But is college worth it? Did you know that the average cost per year at a public, four-year university was over $15,000 two years ago? And that's not including the $200 books, nor the fees. Or that, in 2008, only 54.9% of students graduated from public, four-year universities within six years of enrollment? Even if you get the Pell Grant, that only counts for $5,500 per year (as of the 2011-2012 school year). Let's say you stay in-state and get a scholarship based on your grades for $2,500 per year. You still have to pay $7,500 per year, and then some. If you drop out after two years, and many do, you still have to pay back any loans. In this example, you could owe $15,000 and still not have a degree. Even if you finish within four years, that's still about $30,000 in loans. That holds you back like you wouldn't believe.

So what are you alternatives? Are there any? Well, the first is to not go to college at all. As much as I hate to admit it, this is the best option for some people. Whether due to some physical or mental defect, being raised in a family that looks down on education, or any other reason, even a two year degree isn't for everyone.

Another alternative is to go to a technical school for some trade or another. Trade or technical schools train their students for careers in electrical work, plumbing, AC repair, or other vital maintenance activities. While many educated people look down on those who choose this option, I have a healthy respect for them. These are all important tasks to keep our society running. They are also more difficult than many people realize.

A third alternative is to go a non-traditional route and pay as you go, taking just a class or two at a time. I have a friend who did this, and I have a deep respect for her. It may have taken her longer, but she kept at it for several years and finished. You still get your degree, and you still pay out the backside for it, but you don't go into debt that can hold you back for decades afterward.

Last year, I found another alternative. There are universities that have no residency requirements; you don't need to take any classes directly through them. You can take come courses from a local community college and transfer them, or take the even cheaper route and test out. One website championing this is DIY Degree. The creator of the site has found several of these universities and claims that you can test out of an entire degree in one year for about $4000. While I haven't looked into this in any great detail, I have seen enough to know that it is at least partially true. You can indeed take CLEP tests in place of classes. As efficient as this route is, you need to be a series student; to finish in one year, you must be able to self-study and entire class worth of material and take the test every two weeks. This includes history, English, and math.

Even more recently, I came across a public, entirely online university that offers a respectable number of degree choices at a reasonable price. Most public universities offer online degrees now, but still charge in-state versus out-of-state prices. Being from out-of-state can double the price per credit. Trust me, I was an out-of-state student. APU charges the same price no matter what. Even their online graduate degrees are priced very well. So long as the student can stick with it, they could continue to live with their parents, as unpopular as that usually is, work full or part time, and do their classwork in their free time. This option is also a great method for those wanting an advanced degree while working full time or raising a family, or for those wanting to change their career.

So is college worth it? Maybe, maybe not. Only you can answer that. The wise student will consider all of their choices and choose what is bet for them. The fool will simply do what society tells them to do without a pause. Your future is up to you. Go live it.

A Trip To Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Emerick) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 04:04:00 +0000

I know what you're thinking. No, I'm not going to Japan quite yet. I'm planning a four or five week trip a few years down the line. I need that time to earn enough money as well as vacation time. But I will be going.

One of my goals during this trip is to climb Mt. Fuji. At over 12,000 ft, it's a bit of a climb. However, it's not especially steep, and the process of well organized. There are a series of stations. Each station sell overpriced water, food, primitive sleeping arrangements, and various knickknacks. You can even buy bottled air, if you're having difficulty breathing at such high altitudes. While I'll avoid much of this, one thing I want to do is buy a walking stick with your nation's flag attached. At each station, they burn a mark in it, saying you made it there. At the top, they have a special one, including one only given if you are at the top for the sunrise. They even have a post office at the top, so you can have a postcard that is postmarked from the top of the mountain.

A second goal is to visit a series of Japanese gardens. I haven't planned a lot of this out, yet, but I'm a big fan of the five styles they employ, except for maybe the sand one. While on my road trip a few years back, we stopped at the Japanese gardens in Portland, OR. I really enjoyed it there, and hope to visit again.

A third goal is to visit some of the JAXA sites. JAXA is the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, Japan's version of NASA. They have done quite well in unmanned missions, including giving us the most detailed map of the moon ever taken. There are JAXA sites on all of the major islands and on some of the small ones. Most offer some kind of tour. As someone who grew up new Cape Canaveral, FL, watching shuttle launches, I'm really looking forward to this.

Other than that, I have no other plans. I do wish to see some of the temples and shrines, all four major islands, some of the major cities, and the memorials to the victims of the atomic bombs we dropped on them during WWII. It's going to be a great trip.