How to Survive College

Unscheduled Offworld Activation!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 02:30:00 +0000

Hey, it's been a while. Lately I've been spending a lot of my free time at game nights with my friends and working through my collection of Stargate SG-1 episodes. I might blog about game nights with my crew in the future, but for now I want to talk about Stargate.

I am such a fanboy for Stargate, but I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that this show is one of the best sci-fi shows of all time. My mom doesn't exactly like science fiction, but even she looks forward to watching Stargate as a family. Part of it is that the characters are so good. Character interaction drives the show, so it's easy to get invested in the personalities.

Gah, look at me! I'm advertising a show that ended several years ago! But it's just that good. Maybe I'm having this reaction now because I didn't have much access to the show when it was on the air. One thing's for sure, though: I'll never make fun of Trekkies again.

A Relaxing, Predictable Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Mon, 10 May 2010 21:58:00 +0000

Well, then. Spring semester is finally over, and that means I am finally done with one of the busiest schedules I've ever had to deal with. It's such a wonderful feeling to have the weight of those responsibilities gone (though I say so every semester, it is even more true this time). For all that I like discovering new things, I am most happy when I have a predictable place to come back to. This summer that means my job and one class through the first half of June. No surprises and (mostly) no demand on my time outside of those hours.

The Future is Now

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 22:15:00 +0000

I just had a thought today when I was checking my cell phone battery. I've had this little device for about a year and a half, and in that time I'd be surprised if it's been turned off for a total of more than a week. That's pretty impressive, both in terms of the stability of the software running it and the life of the battery. We keep looking to the future for "cool" tech, but we've got some pretty cool stuff going on right now.

Technology Marches On

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 17:20:00 +0000

Hi guys. I wish my life weren't so boring so I would actually have something to share on this blog once in a while. Anyway, I just realized that I'm sitting in a very interesting position. Kind of literally.

I've got my laptop out and I'm leaning up in bed typing. Not so unusual in itself, but I've got a monitor on my night stand that's hooked up to extend my laptop screen. Looking around my room, I see five computers, most of which I use at least somewhat regularly. Amazing, isn't it, that we've gone from huge, multi-ton behemoths that fill several rooms to feather-light devices that sit on your lap and have many times the computing power? That machines which once cost millions are now inexpensive enough for a college student to collect?

That's my thought for the day. Maybe if the teachers would let up on the homework I could have more of my own thoughts.

Nilla-con Wafers

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:13:00 +0000

Never keep snack food in any bulk near your computer.

Life, to date.

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 02:26:00 +0000

Sorry to have been absent for a while. Life is busy, so many activities clamoring for my time, not enough sleep, too many school projects. On the other hand, the weather is nice, and I have money in the bank (for now). Maybe when something interesting happens I'll post here again. I don't think you're missing out on anything worth reading if I don't post what's been going on these past few weeks.

Mmmmm Mmmmm....

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:27:00 +0000

Happy Pi Day!

Yoga as a Second Language

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 03:44:00 +0000

Negotiation

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:57:00 +0000

Browsing Lifehacker tonight, I came across a neat link: The Art of Negotiation According to Pawnstars. I've seen this show a few times, and I agree that the best part is watching the wild-guess price negotiation. And since I'm terrible at negotiating, this is something I'll tuck away for the future.

Just thinking tonight.

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:21:00 +0000

Well, this sure isn't getting as much attention as it used to! I guess it can't be helped, though, since this semester has sort of redefined busy. Not just for me, though--many of my friends are finding it hard to make time to relax or do anything. A lot of it seems to be school-related, but I'm a bit perplexed that all of the teachers suddenly decided to make life hard for the students.

Another thing I'm worried about is graduation. Just looking at the numbers, I'm beginning to think that it's not possible to graduate in the fall. It would have to be the spring at the earliest. I'm not seeing this as being so bad--another semester in my nice software job could be a good thing from what I'm hearing about the job market--but I'm just getting so tired of school. A real job might be similar in time spent sitting at a desk, but at least you don't bring it home with you. Hopefully.

Tonight I went to a concert to relax a bit. I know I've got stuff to do, but I couldn't pass up seeing a couple of my friends sing, and it was good music, too. Only a couple of the songs weren't that great, but that was more the fault of the music choice, not the singers. Sometimes the "artsy" music is best left to the people who pretend to appreciate it. But the other songs were great! They did part of Beethoven's Requiem (I think that's it) and also one that I remember doing in high school choir competition: "Witness." Very strong soul music, and I love the bass part!

It's no secret to you guys that I want to become a published author. I'll be honest, though, I'm a little afraid to turn writing into work. It is already hard work, but if I wrote enough to live off of it, I don't know if that would take away some of the fun of writing for me. My writing group has kind of collectively set a goal to write every day, and I feel bad that I am not always reaching that goal (see paragraph #1). Maybe what I should do to reach the goal is to schedule into my calendar nonnegotiable writing time. But as far as the bigger question... I guess I have to get a book ready to send to a publisher before I find out.

Get Onboard the Netbook Train

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:14:00 +0000

The problems I've had with my laptop battery have finally come to a head in the last week when it stopped powering the computer altogether. I've been having to find power outlets everywhere I go with it, and while that isn't so bad in itself it also means I have to endure the excruciating boot time every time I want to do anything. Seriously, who wants to wait five minutes just to find out you have no new email?

So I have been looking around for a good solution to portable internet access. For a while I was looking at ultra-portability like the iTouch or Zune HD, but those came with so many limitations (not to mention that they're too small for any serious browsing, and I don't think you can take class notes on them!). So tonight I have jumped on the bandwagon and purchased myself a netbook: Eee PC 1005-series. Blue. I'm typing on it right now, and aside from getting used to the compact keyboard I really love how the keys feel.

It was not a cheap decision for me, but a necessary one. I'm just hoping that my lack of giddiness about it means I didn't rush into the decision. Now I don't have to worry about buying any more technology until I'm out of school, since all my bases are covered. Not to mention that I'm now computing in style! ;-)

Walk a Mile in Another Person's...Eyeballs?

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:31:00 +0000

I don't get headaches very much--at least not anymore; in the first grade I had more than my share since my nearsightedness hadn't been diagnosed yet. My mom used to get migraine headaches, but I haven't heard her complaining of any lately. However, every once in a while I get something that Mom has called a "visual migraine." The first time I remember having one I was quite worried--I'd never heard of this kind of thing and couldn't help but wonder if I had some kind of tumor. AllAboutVision.com has a page on "Ophthalmic Migraines" that says they're generally harmless and often painless (as was mine today, even though a normal headache rolled in later during Finance...ugh).

I experienced one of these today just before I went to meet my adviser about upcoming courses. This one was much longer than any I had previously had, but with an occurrence of about one per year I don't expect it is significant. The intensity of the symptoms was not as strong as the first one I can remember, but the placement of the blind spot was just right so that I couldn't regognize the faces of people I was talking to.

That got me thinking about the neurological conditions that make some people unable to recognize faces, shapes, or letters. It was interesting to have a kind of a small peek into the world of those people, if only for a little while. After the curiosity wore off, it was honestly a little exasperating to not know I was sitting next to my friend in the student union until he said hello to me, or to not realize it was my adviser walking down the hallway to meet me. That is something that I would have a hard time living with (as would most people, I imagine).

I'm not so filled with sympathy that I'll rush off and become a brain surgeon, but it was definitely helpful to me to have a reminder why I should be compassionate to people with disabilities.

Let's Reschedule That

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:21:00 +0000

Lately the weather has been most uncooperative for getting together with people. There is a winter storm warning again tonight, with a snowfall approaching one foot! My brother barely made it to school this morning, and all of the area high schools were let out early (with a high probability of being late or canceled tomorrow). But the college stays open. In fact, in the 5 years I've gone here I can only remember one instance where day classes were canceled, and there have been some pretty nasty storms, let me tell you.

So here I sit, denied movie night last weekend and writers' group tomorrow. Maybe it will turn out good--at least I will have more time to do my homework. Or, knowing myself, procrastinate that much more.

The Concept of Scale

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:17:00 +0000

I found a YouTube video this morning that does a great example of why I think Barack Obama's policies are empty promises.

I actually found the video on the Lake Nona 9 12 website. If you think the current administration is acting out of line with our founders' intent, visit this website for information on what you can do about it.

The Value of Money

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:42:00 +0000

Today I was just thinking about how many (most?) people don't understand how to handle their money. In my experience, when a young kid first learns the concept of money, they tend to equate the value to a certain amount of a toy or candy or other product. In my case, everything was valued in terms of how many LEGO sets I could buy. The problem with our current financial situation seems to rise out of people never moving beyond this stage. People think in terms of a new car, big screen TV, or kitchen appliances. Instead of LEGO, now I think in terms of how much computer equipment I could buy. None of these are bad things, but they have to be balanced against having enough money saved. Now, having money is not an end unto itself, but financial success will require a person to stop thinking in terms of what they want to buy and instead think of how much needs to be saved away to provide for a comfortable life down the road.

What makes me angry (at myself) right now is that I seem to forget about this until I start feeling the financial crunch from school or emergency car repairs or something. Once things clear up I promptly forget about fiscal responsibility and go buy something I don't really need in the long term. I'm not dumb enough to put myself in danger of going broke, but I'm beginning to see that I'm missing out on some investment opportunity. Well, I would be, anyway, if I didn't have to pay all my money to the university.

Once I get this semester paid off, my plan is to start stuffing away cash right away so that I can pay off the fall semester right away, so that I can start investing some money. Hmm... I wonder how much I can get for the 100+ LEGO sets in my closet...

This is Your Roommate on Beer

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 07:21:00 +0000

I'm up and posting only because the drunk roommate has his Metallica on, and his subwoofer is right next to the wall my room shares with his. Even though I'm beginning to accept drinking in general (hey, even Jesus drank wine), I'm also confirming reasons why I don't drink. Roommate 1 is a pretty nice guy, but alcohol brings out a kind of "passive jerk" in him where he either doesn't think or doesn't care about being discourteous, such as playing metal music when I'm trying to sleep. Roommate 2 drinks more and more often. For some reason he likes to cook while drunk, so Roommate 3 and I tend to get stuck with kitchen cleanup. There's also a glass still cemented to the bathroom sink from the night he binged on White Russians. Come to think of it, he actually is a slob all the time. It's just more pronounced when he's drunk. Oh, and when he plays loud music during the early hours, there is also singing.

Maybe there's a certain standard of etiquette amongst drunkards that I've never learned about because I'm not one of them. There's some kind of secret society that meets in bars and tries to take over the world, but they never get around to it because they're all too drunk by the end of the meeting. Or the robot army doesn't work because someone spilled drinks all over the blueprints and made a '5' look like an '8.'

Spend Like a Millionaire

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:21:00 +0000

I don't really have a motto, but if I were to have one I would seriously consider the phrase "Spend like a millionaire."

Today I was thinking back on a conversation I had with my dad about people who win the lottery. We see them on TV advertisements like Publisher's Clearing House, all excited and dancing around. For now, let's ignore the fact that buying lottery tickets is an extremely poor investment strategy. Instead, just look at how the winners spend their prizes: cars, houses, vacations, and luxuries they could never afford before.

One third of lottery winners become bankrupt.
"The CFP Board made an offer to the National Association of State and Provincial Lotteries to provide the organization's members with information to distribute to winners. The Investment News article highlighted the lack of financial guidance many winners receive from state lottery agencies; estimates show that nearly one-third of lottery winners become bankrupt."
Source: Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc

I would link to the article itself for the preceding quote, but the link I found seems to have gone dead. But how can you possibly go bankrupt when you have all of this money? It's because those people are not spending like they are millionaires.

Huh?

My dad told me about an article he read where a journalist asked millionaires what their "secret" was. He hosted a conference at a fancy venue with lots of fancy food. He was surprised to see people showing up in old, cheap cars, wearing plain clothes. Some even commented to him that he spent too much money on the food.

(If anyone's interested in the reference I'll ask Dad if he can remember where he read it.)

So the millionaires did not spend money like they were rich. Their secret was wise investing and careful spending. I don't think I've been careful enough with my spending lately, but there is always time to improve if you catch yourself early. Save money early, retire a millionaire is the advice my finance professor has been giving us, and I think it's definitely a good idea.

Keep the Change

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 04:06:00 +0000

Becoming independent is not an easy thing. I know that many young adults are eager to break away from their parents as soon as possible, but then find themselves tossed on the seas of life (to use a hackneyed metaphor). I was blessed to have significant support and love from my family, but even that in itself makes it hard to break away. Honestly, it gets lonely at college, even with thousands of people around you. Sometimes I just don't want anything to change so I always have the "safety blanket" of familiarity.

Oh, change will happen whether or not I want it, but it would be nice to not have to worry about tomorrow--worry whether something will upset the balance and make me give up something I've had, something I've taken for granted. That old toy store jingle comes into my head: "I don't wanna grow up. I'm a Toys'R'Us kid!" But things which don't grow are, by definition, dead. I have to find a way to deal with change in a way that generates more of what I had.

And now that I think about it, even if I could make everything remain the same, it would slowly turn into some kind of twisted prison world because I couldn't make something bigger of myself. Better to plumb the depths unknown than never be able to realize my dreams and goals.

It always seems to come back to this.

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:45:00 +0000

Lately I've really been into the whole Space Opera thing. I may or may not have mentioned that I'm reading the Honor Harrington series by David Weber--good series, even if I have heard people complain about Honor's character being ungodly overpowered. I like browsing the archives over at Concept Ships, and I've even downloaded my favorites to form a screensaver slideshow. I've recently found a starship miniatures battle game called Full Thrust (which can be obtained online for free, by the way), and I'm even yearning to play Homeworld again.

Science fiction really is my first love when it comes to stories. It's faraway and fantastic, yet even with the darker stories there is a kind of hope that man can invent technologies which are considered impossible today. If I could have my choice, I would have wanted to be a spaceship pilot or time-traveling historian. {Sigh} I was born too soon.

But I'll live with the hand I was dealt, and in some ways it's almost better for someone with an intense imagination because there are so many possibilities (and impossible-yet-cool scenarios) to consider. Maybe by playing out these scenarios in gaming and writing stories I can satisfy that "itch" for the future, and in the process pass along that sense of wonder to someone else.

The Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:19:00 +0000

Merry Christmas from everyone at my office!

Err, actually, no. Not a Christmas tree. By group decision, it is a "Non-Denominational Holiday Tree." I'm pretty sure they didn't use the right terminology there, but whatever.

I contributed the empty raisin box (lower left), but we also have an empty can of Vault, a chicken, a stress ball, an ID card lanyard, a packet of saltine crackers, my boss's business card, and LOTS of plastic knives, amongst other office supplies.

Hope you enjoy the holidays!

December...Busier Than November???

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:43:00 +0000

So, December is supposed to be the time of year when I have TIME to update, right? Well, between being sick and this being my first school vacation working full-time hours, it has been surprisingly hard to drag myself over to the blog to write up something.

Don't get me wrong, I like exercising my writerly brain-muscles and posting things for you to read, but there are just sooo many projects I would love to work on. For one, I have an idea for a mystical, magical movie prop in the vein of the Cthulhu mythos that lights up with a pulsing glow when you bring a key item close to the "mystic inscriptions" on the "rock." Trust me, it's way cool, and I promise you'll be among the first to know when/if I finish it. A coworker liked the idea enough to offer to help me with it, so I think it has a reasonable chance of being seen to completion.

In other news, it's becoming harder and harder to bring myself to work on the NaNo novel! It's true, there is something magical about November that inspires you to write. I was fortunate enough to meet up with the other people in our local group of WriMos on Monday. They're a wonderful group, and even if I didn't get much work done the conversation was still great (and I remembered to jot down a story idea that I thought of a long time ago...and just now remembered it...but guess what I found in an old notebook today: that same story idea! Only this version was slightly different, and when mixed with Monday's notes it came out to a really interesting mix of ideas... Ah, I'm rambling now, aren't I?).

Anywhoo, then my other project is trying to get back into the pen-pal program at my favorite steampunk website, Brass Goggles. Well, not a program per se, but semi-organized chaos. One pen-pal I'm writing to sort of in-character, so it would read more like two adventurers telling of adventures they are having (or are remembering). See, right there, I'm just a sucker for a good story.

Makes me miss the days of my play-by-email RPG I used to do with the LEGO community, but we must move on. College life just doesn't have room for a LEGO collection as big as mine was! It's all in storage, patiently awaiting the day when I or my descendants should choose to pull it out and begin model-building again...

So that's the rundown. I do feel a little bad that I don't have a finely-crafted article to put up here for you, but this is what you get when life happens.

November Wrap-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:36:00 +0000

Well, it was a crazy, fun, hectic, and exhilarating month! I'm so glad that I found out about NaNoWriMo (thanks, Rachel!) because it has pushed me to expand the limits of what I think I can do. Everyone has, at one point, thought about what it would be like to write a novel. Let me tell you, it's hard work! Even though it took me a whole month of buckling down to pound out the words, I'm nowhere near finished with the story. Still, it was rewarding in a way that I think only other writers, marathon writers, and mountain climbers can understand.

Thanks to everyone who supported and encouraged me this month, and thanks to everyone who didn't call me crazy or dumb when I explained what I was doing! Thanks to Chris Baty for inventing this unreasonable event. Thanks to God for giving me the ability and desire to write.

I'm thinking ahead to next year already--I know my college class schedule will be pretty loaded down that semester, so I'm not sure how well I will do. But I know that I must try.

Hooray!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:31:00 +0000

Yay! Thirty days, fifty thousand words. NaNoWriMo 2009 is MINE!

Month To Date

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:04:00 +0000

Hi, folks! As you can see from my word count progress bar to the left of this post, I am now all caught up for my NaNoWriMo writing goals (and then some). I'm really excited to cross the 50,000 mark, but the joy is not just in the destination--it's also in the journey. Specifically, I really enjoyed expanding my writing experience this year by attending "write-ins" where like-minded writers get together to pound out some words on the keyboard (or notepad, as the case may be). Here are some of my interactions with the writers in my area this month. Not exactly a play-by-play, but I hope it gives you a taste of the fun we have.

Tuesday, Nov. 3

Hey, everybody! It was great to meet all of you at the write-in. I hope you all made some decent progress! I did almost my full word count for today in that one sitting, so I'm pretty happy with my performance tonight. I'm looking forward to another write-in some time.

Betsy, I think you've kind of become our unofficial chapter president :-)

I like having a pre-planned meeting time for lots of us to plunk down a couple thousand words. I can bring that big bag of candy again if anyone's interested in measuring their wordcount in M&Ms!

-Andrew (the argyle sweater guy)

Monday, Nov. 9

I came, I wrote, I conquered!

Good write-in tonight, and thanks, Betsy, for getting it set up again. I also appreciate the great idea you gave me for my story, and then all the other brainstorms that spawned because of that one!

So, the victory wasn't so much in the sheer number of words, but in the great ideas I have lined up for the days ahead. Mankato area WriMos rock!

Monday, Nov. 16

Hi Everybody!
I was really glad to have the write-in tonight! It got my creative juices flowing and I not only managed to pound out 2100 words, but also kept the great ideas flowing. Too bad I'm just so busy that I can't write as fast as the ideas are coming! But if you're behind on wordcount, too, just keep at it! I'll be noveling whenever I can steal a few minutes over the next two weeks. We both can do it!

Even though I have to leave early on Mondays, I could do with another write-in a week from tonight (especially the Mocha Mondays deal I just found out about!).

Later that week...

I did an experiment today to see whether or not writing at a coffee shop was making me more productive. I went to my campus library to write for an hour and a half before going to work, and much to my surprise I got out over 1800 words in one sitting! So, between Dunn Bros, the library, and my house, I'm pretty sure that I need to get out and write more. [The atmosphere really helps me get "in the zone."] Either that or it's the big, comfy chairs...

Monday, Nov. 23

Thanks for the fun times, everyone! Yes, tonight was a good night, not just for wordcount (I added a piddly ~500) but for the fun conversations. I like meeting up with everyone and talking about writing, writing tools, weird dreams, and other totally random things.

Tonight I was writing down the web address of a streaming music website (www.grooveshark.com - awesome site, by the way) and borrowed someone's pen to write it. I accidentally took apart her ball point pen! I was embarassed, but when I explained it was because I was so used to my fountain pen with the screw-off cap, she totally understood. Then the embarrassment went away because I knew I was hanging around with the right crowd!

It has been a very enjoyable year for me to do NaNoWriMo again. The joys, heartaches, pains, triumphs are becoming more familiar every year I do this, but I don't think the thrill of coming over the hill of 40,000 words and seeing the finish line will ever grow old.

As a group we've also discussing some kind of regular meeting throughout the year to encourage each other and get ourselves motivated to actually edit our spectacular piles of garbage later in the year. (After all, "The first draft of anything..." as Vonnegut said.) That is something I would love to work toward, especially since I believe we have a lot to learn from each other by sharing tips, styles, excerpts, and support and encouragement.

So, that's my month so far! I hope you can bear with me through the last week of this insanity. Wait... Actually, I'm beginning to think that this insanity will last long after November is over. This isn't something you can do and not be changed forever.

This Might Be Why

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew E) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:22:00 +0000

Here is something I posted to a conversation on the National Novel Writing Month forums about wanting to be a writer as a child, and NaNo rekindling that dream. I thought you guys might like to hear a little about why I like this crazy writing adventure so much.
---

I know what you mean about putting a comma in place because it "sounds right." I am right there with you. However, I think I've had the opposite problem of yours all these years. I used to want to be an astronaut. I mean, I really wanted to be an astronaut. Once, I even put on my toy racing helmet, winter coat, snow pants, gloves, and boots in the middle of summer and went outside to walk around in my "spacesuit." But, alas, my career path has not led me anywhere near Cape Canaveral (unless you count my visit to the Kennedy Space Center ten years ago).

Instead, what I figured out is that I love reading about astronauts. That evolved into a love of science fiction in general, and then to creating LEGO spaceship models that I put on my website with back stories and character bios. This started a slow-burning fuse in my mind. I found out that I could use the LEGO models to illustrate email RPG games I played over the internet with other model builders. Then I realized that my games were, in reality, stories being told in a tag-team fashion with the other person. I tinkered with story ideas and even made a middling effort at one bigger story that I started my senior year of high school.

It was really NaNo which got me to plow ahead with an attempt at writing a complete story. I won my first NaNo in 2008 and haven't looked back. I am a writer, and I couldn't say with more certainty that no matter where I go in life this identity will stick with me. And it's all thanks to Chris Baty and his crazy idea.