Currently sitting in the Miami airport, waiting to board my plane to San Francisco. Counting down the hours until I arrive at home. It has been a fun final day before my departure from the island. My day really started when the exams ended. I went home, rested up, and then joined a group of classmates on a tour of the island. We explored the beaches and rolling hills of the French side. I thought I knew the island, but I had no idea of the beauty beyond the tourist traps. I hope to go back next semester to do some more exploring on foot.
After I got back, I finished off last minute errands, including laundry, packing, eating dinner, and getting ready to go out for the night. I finished all of that off and then headed over to Jafry's place to start the night. He had his Wii going, along with hookah and awesome nachos. I made the right choice in pit-stopping. The plan was to go to Bliss later in the night, since our previous experiences of going around 10pm proved that no shows up until later. This time, we showed up at midnight and it still was barely filling up. But by 1am, the place was popping and we had a great time hanging out. The music was filled with house and some rap, which helped keep the dancing go all night. When we were about to leave, some 2nd semesters got bottle service, so we ended up staying for another hour and a half to enjoy the VIP area and catch up with the everyone.
By 4am I was home. I settled into bed and proceeded to get 45 minutes of sleep, which mainly consisted of tossing and turning in fear of sleeping through my flight. I got up, finalized my packing, and started walking to the guard station to hail a taxi. I got lucky and saw Dutta (at 6am mind you) and she took me to the airport. It seems like the days lest planned tend to work out the best. I don't know how this counter-intuitive idea works, but it does.
Thankfully, Google has provided free internet in MIA for the holidays, so I can hop on, blog, call home, and get some stuff done while I'm waiting for this six hour layover to end. It will be nice to get home, even though I'll still have a ways to go since I'm getting into SFO and need to make to Hollister tonight.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Are We Done Yet?
I'm over studying at this point. I would like to take my finals and go home now. Mandatory finals are a big joke; if you proven you can handle the material during the semester, you should be able move on. Finals should be the for failing or the borderlines, not for those who are happy with their grades and suffer from island fever.
I'm listening to Coldplay which reminds me of undergrad. The song "Shiver" reminds me of Winter in California, particular the crisp, cold nights in LA. Music has a funny way of taking you back to a certain time and place.
I took the BRS biochem comp exam and did fine, which makes me think that I'm ready for the Shelf tomorrow. I used the same strategy to study for anatomy and it seemed to have worked. I wish it was in the morning so I could slip in nap and then get back to studying. Unfortunately, it is in in the afternoon, so I'll have less time to relax before I head back into the library.
Speaking of naps, I've been taking less in the last week. It's nice being able to wake up when I like and go to the library at my own convenience. If only life were this awesome. I've been taking less naps, going to the gym more often, and generally being a better person and student. But alas, I picked the school with the 80% attendance policy, so all of this is temporary.
I'm listening to Coldplay which reminds me of undergrad. The song "Shiver" reminds me of Winter in California, particular the crisp, cold nights in LA. Music has a funny way of taking you back to a certain time and place.
I took the BRS biochem comp exam and did fine, which makes me think that I'm ready for the Shelf tomorrow. I used the same strategy to study for anatomy and it seemed to have worked. I wish it was in the morning so I could slip in nap and then get back to studying. Unfortunately, it is in in the afternoon, so I'll have less time to relax before I head back into the library.
Speaking of naps, I've been taking less in the last week. It's nice being able to wake up when I like and go to the library at my own convenience. If only life were this awesome. I've been taking less naps, going to the gym more often, and generally being a better person and student. But alas, I picked the school with the 80% attendance policy, so all of this is temporary.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
8 Days
The countdown continues...
It's freezing in the library. I'm actually wearing a fleece right now because I can't deal with how cold it is in here. The tips of my fingers are numb from the cold. It doesn't help that it has been stormy and cold most of the day. Twice I tried to go back to campus and study, but the rains came. I was forced to take a nap while I waiting for the weather to pass.
I took many a study break today, but I managed to get most of it done. Tomorrow will be different, I promise. I got my immuno grade back, which was better than expected, so I'm happy. It's a good feeling knowing that I don't need to pass the final in any of my classes to pass. Granted, I'll still end up studying for all of them and probably put equal weight, but that's only because I can't go home and I can't think of anything else to do while I'm here. I should take up a hobby while I'm out here.
I was talking with someone the other day and we both agreed that finals should be optional. If you have a passing grade and you're happy with it, then you should be able to skip the final. I mean, if you're proven you can handle the material throughout the semester, how does testing it one more time make a difference? Hell, it might even give people more incentive to study harder and get through the classes as quickly as possible.
Alright, time to go home because I'm cold and it's getting late.
It's freezing in the library. I'm actually wearing a fleece right now because I can't deal with how cold it is in here. The tips of my fingers are numb from the cold. It doesn't help that it has been stormy and cold most of the day. Twice I tried to go back to campus and study, but the rains came. I was forced to take a nap while I waiting for the weather to pass.
I took many a study break today, but I managed to get most of it done. Tomorrow will be different, I promise. I got my immuno grade back, which was better than expected, so I'm happy. It's a good feeling knowing that I don't need to pass the final in any of my classes to pass. Granted, I'll still end up studying for all of them and probably put equal weight, but that's only because I can't go home and I can't think of anything else to do while I'm here. I should take up a hobby while I'm out here.
I was talking with someone the other day and we both agreed that finals should be optional. If you have a passing grade and you're happy with it, then you should be able to skip the final. I mean, if you're proven you can handle the material throughout the semester, how does testing it one more time make a difference? Hell, it might even give people more incentive to study harder and get through the classes as quickly as possible.
Alright, time to go home because I'm cold and it's getting late.
Monday, December 07, 2009
My Favorite Shorts
Today, I threw away my favorite pair of shorts. I'm fairly certain I've used them longer than any other article of clothing I have. I've had a chance to reflect on the reasons why I liked them. They were given as a gift, of which I have thought little of to this point. The reason I liked them was because they were the perfect combination. They were a good color, had the right texture and thickness, had the nice thick waistband, and were durable. I have attempted to replicate this combination. Off-hand, I can think of 5 other pairs of shorts which did not work out. They were too short, too long, too thin of material, or just the wrong color combination. I have tried sports brands and school brand shorts, but with no luck.
As much as I enjoyed having those shorts, they ended up not being worth the effort of keeping. So I decided that I would cut them loose. Maybe, down the line, I'll start looking for another pair, but I wonder if I'll ever find that combination ever again. Now the search begins.
So long.
As much as I enjoyed having those shorts, they ended up not being worth the effort of keeping. So I decided that I would cut them loose. Maybe, down the line, I'll start looking for another pair, but I wonder if I'll ever find that combination ever again. Now the search begins.
So long.
Saturday, December 05, 2009
StarCraft OWNAGE!
For the first time in my 10 years of playing StarCraft, I beat the computer in a legitimate 2v1. I played one game in which I tried to build up and attack them one at a time. I was able to weaken the Zerg opponent (I don't like playing against Protoss, since I prefer to use them myself), but was not able to finish them off so I could concentrate on the Terran. And in the end, when I went after Terran, the Zerg were able to rebuild and I couldn't break either one of them. I was starved of resources and lost.
In the next game, I waited until both the Terran and Zerg computer attacked me, then I countered hard with two control groups of speed upgraded Zealots and ranged Dragoons with some Observers to spot for Lurkers. I was able to knock out the natural expansion, but didn't penetrate through their base before the Terran came in and wiped my forces out. I gathered up a new set of forces and went after them for the killing blow. I was able to take out Zerg and then had my sights on Terran.
I fought off a couple of counters from Terran. They even managed two successful nuclear bombs, but I was able to kill off two other Ghosts and prevent the nuclear attacks. I finally had a nice group of Dragoons and Zealots with High Templar to use Psionic Storm against groups of Marines and Battlecruisers. They stopped my first two waves, but I was pumping out masses of units with 8 Gateways. I finally broke them and took down a vital expansion. This time I took out their only mineral-mining base and finally took them down.
Since I've never done this before, I decided to post my experiences. I normally don't play the computer in a map where I have to expand or I pick a free-for-all so I can build up resources while the computer attacks each other. This time I had them both after me and I was able to take them down. I practice some of the techniques I learned from all the StarCraft videos I've been watching online. I've incorporated High Templar into my attack, which has had mixed results. Sometimes I take out groups of units, sometimes I fail miserably.
Who would have though a decade old game would still have such appeal. Now I see why all those Korean players are sill hooked on it.
There is a distinct possibility that none of this makes sense to some people, so I'll apologize ahead of time.
In the next game, I waited until both the Terran and Zerg computer attacked me, then I countered hard with two control groups of speed upgraded Zealots and ranged Dragoons with some Observers to spot for Lurkers. I was able to knock out the natural expansion, but didn't penetrate through their base before the Terran came in and wiped my forces out. I gathered up a new set of forces and went after them for the killing blow. I was able to take out Zerg and then had my sights on Terran.
I fought off a couple of counters from Terran. They even managed two successful nuclear bombs, but I was able to kill off two other Ghosts and prevent the nuclear attacks. I finally had a nice group of Dragoons and Zealots with High Templar to use Psionic Storm against groups of Marines and Battlecruisers. They stopped my first two waves, but I was pumping out masses of units with 8 Gateways. I finally broke them and took down a vital expansion. This time I took out their only mineral-mining base and finally took them down.
Since I've never done this before, I decided to post my experiences. I normally don't play the computer in a map where I have to expand or I pick a free-for-all so I can build up resources while the computer attacks each other. This time I had them both after me and I was able to take them down. I practice some of the techniques I learned from all the StarCraft videos I've been watching online. I've incorporated High Templar into my attack, which has had mixed results. Sometimes I take out groups of units, sometimes I fail miserably.
Who would have though a decade old game would still have such appeal. Now I see why all those Korean players are sill hooked on it.
There is a distinct possibility that none of this makes sense to some people, so I'll apologize ahead of time.
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