Ever heard that Etta James song "At Last"? Well, you should be playing it right now to commemorate the return of my blog. Yes, I know it's been a while - whoa, it's dusty in here - but the wait is over. Time for an update.
So it's the penultimate week of Hilary Term in college, meaning that exams are creeping up ever so slowly. Essentially, the three weeks we have off to study are huge when it comes to getting prepared. My plan is to pretty much have everything looked over and notes taken in everything by the end of that break. That way, I'll be positioned well for the run-in.
This week, to add to the weekly lab report, I also have to do what is called a viva. It's basically an interview with a member of staff about two experiments we did. We have to explain everything we did and why we did it, all of that jazz. Dr. Morton-Blake, the resident brain box, is asking me the questions. Do I get any lifelines? Come on, at least give me phone a friend!
Today is a half day - gotta love Tuesdays - but I have to head home and get to work on the viva material and finish the lab report first. On top of that, the deadline for SURE is fast approaching. If I haven't mentioned it before, SURE is a programme whereby students are placed in a lab in Trinity with a member of staff to work on a project. It's invaluable for experience, so I'm definitely applying.
I better get going to this lecture. Actually, it's a tutorial. Enda Bergin's final one with us. I did 9 of 11 questions, so I am pretty pleased with myself in that regard. Off to CHLLT!
Later all!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Time for an update!
Hey all,
Welcome back to the blog! It's been a few days since the last update. In fact, it may have been as long as a week. Forgive me for that, I've been quite busy. Even though exams are by no means imminent, it's quite obvious that the pressures are ever-present for the people in my class, myself included.
This year we are essentially being made the guinea pigs for the new exam layout, so what to expect is anyone's guess at this point. The secretaries of the chemistry department promise they'll have it done soon and e-mailed out to us to view and enjoy. Okay, maybe not enjoy, but it would be good to see some concrete questions.
In other news, I joined the Royal Society Chemistry. Well, hang on. That happened a few months ago when our lecturer and head of department David Grayson offered us the chance to join for a handy price of 10 euro. I said yes, and just last week did I receive my membership card. It was like joining the Stonecutters (of Simpsons fame) only not as glamourous and without the whipping and songs. Could you imagine chemists singing songs and munching on meat and such? Hilarity would ensue.
Hilarity did ensue today after our 10am lecture. My friend Lorcan won a trip with his other half to Russia in a competition, so I was pleased for him. Good job, man. While we were discussing that, we got into how our lecturer from Belarus, Yurii Gun'ko, could be a Bond villain. His main weapon would be throwing nanotubes at Bond! Brilliant. We had a good laugh about that.
In football news, the Panthers face big decisions this week. They have until Thursday to sign OT Jordan Gross to a long term deal so that they can place the franchise tag on unhappy DE Julius Peppers. That would allow them to trade Peppers for draft picks. I've been checking online every day for updates, but nothing has come yet. I'm sure I'll update the blog if something does happen, but I think tomorrow will be the day.
We have this week and then two more weeks after that left in this term, then three weeks off, then a few more weeks... then exams. Things come around fast.
That's it for this entry! Until next time, folks.
Welcome back to the blog! It's been a few days since the last update. In fact, it may have been as long as a week. Forgive me for that, I've been quite busy. Even though exams are by no means imminent, it's quite obvious that the pressures are ever-present for the people in my class, myself included.
This year we are essentially being made the guinea pigs for the new exam layout, so what to expect is anyone's guess at this point. The secretaries of the chemistry department promise they'll have it done soon and e-mailed out to us to view and enjoy. Okay, maybe not enjoy, but it would be good to see some concrete questions.
In other news, I joined the Royal Society Chemistry. Well, hang on. That happened a few months ago when our lecturer and head of department David Grayson offered us the chance to join for a handy price of 10 euro. I said yes, and just last week did I receive my membership card. It was like joining the Stonecutters (of Simpsons fame) only not as glamourous and without the whipping and songs. Could you imagine chemists singing songs and munching on meat and such? Hilarity would ensue.
Hilarity did ensue today after our 10am lecture. My friend Lorcan won a trip with his other half to Russia in a competition, so I was pleased for him. Good job, man. While we were discussing that, we got into how our lecturer from Belarus, Yurii Gun'ko, could be a Bond villain. His main weapon would be throwing nanotubes at Bond! Brilliant. We had a good laugh about that.
In football news, the Panthers face big decisions this week. They have until Thursday to sign OT Jordan Gross to a long term deal so that they can place the franchise tag on unhappy DE Julius Peppers. That would allow them to trade Peppers for draft picks. I've been checking online every day for updates, but nothing has come yet. I'm sure I'll update the blog if something does happen, but I think tomorrow will be the day.
We have this week and then two more weeks after that left in this term, then three weeks off, then a few more weeks... then exams. Things come around fast.
That's it for this entry! Until next time, folks.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Last minute lab reporting
Hey all,
Welcome back to the blog. So we are into that kind of tweener time of year in college. What I mean by that is, exams are far enough away not to be studying your ass off, but close enough that you feel that by not working, you're making a mistake.
Studying for said exams is tough these days because lab reports take up the vast majority of my time and the time of my fellow students in chemistry. They are just hell to do. Sure, you have a whole week, but if you can't even understand what you're doing or why you're calculating x, y and z, then confusion reigns supreme. Today is the day myself and John usually sit down in the Hamilton cafe, and between eating lunch, discuss and work on the lab report. This week's report is going to be lacklustre... at best.
The snow seems to have finally parted ways with our shores and normality has almost returned. The Pro Bowl game on Sunday marked the last NFL action until the preseason... on the field, at least. Yes, for there is no offseason, only a non-playing season. I am checking frequently to see if the Panthers have made any moves.
Well, just wanted to give you all a quick update. I'll be off now to a 9am lecture. Joy!
Welcome back to the blog. So we are into that kind of tweener time of year in college. What I mean by that is, exams are far enough away not to be studying your ass off, but close enough that you feel that by not working, you're making a mistake.
Studying for said exams is tough these days because lab reports take up the vast majority of my time and the time of my fellow students in chemistry. They are just hell to do. Sure, you have a whole week, but if you can't even understand what you're doing or why you're calculating x, y and z, then confusion reigns supreme. Today is the day myself and John usually sit down in the Hamilton cafe, and between eating lunch, discuss and work on the lab report. This week's report is going to be lacklustre... at best.
The snow seems to have finally parted ways with our shores and normality has almost returned. The Pro Bowl game on Sunday marked the last NFL action until the preseason... on the field, at least. Yes, for there is no offseason, only a non-playing season. I am checking frequently to see if the Panthers have made any moves.
Well, just wanted to give you all a quick update. I'll be off now to a 9am lecture. Joy!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Traffic Road
Tuesday brought more snow. Snow, snow, and more snow. Yes, repetition helps you remember things usually, but in this case its purpose is purely for emphasis. Today was, quite simply, chaos.
For most people the chaos took the shape of massive delays in traffic when commuting, but there were a couple of accidents around the country too due to the icy roads. It's unfortunate to see that kind of thing. The contrast between kids enjoying themselves making snowmen and people in their cars on the icy roads is pretty stark.
So how did I spend this crazy snow day? Well, it started with a 7am alarm call. It wasn't as cold as I thought when I got up. I just wrapped up warm and made sure to take baby steps as I walked to the bus, which came quickly enough. The first lecture was painful, with organic chemistry nerd Enda Bergin (lecturer) being methodical as always. I mean, the guy has to be a robot. He simply has shown no deviation from the norm since he started his course last month. Plus, that really annoying smart organic chemistry guy always goes up to ask him questions at the end. Suck up, I think so!
The other two lectures went fine. They were actually more interesting than usual. I didn't go to Analytical Chemistry because, quite frankly, it's a little dull. It's all maths. Not really my cup of tea.
The afternoon was just John and I working on our lab report in the computer rooms. Despite a little confusion on both sides, we finally got it ironed out.
Then it began...
The snow fell, the paths became slushy and the skies turned a pinkish-red.
Yep, the fun began around 3:45pm when John and I got on the 15 bus, expecting to beat the rush hour traffic. We didn't know that we would be stuck on the bus for about 90 minutes. We were on the road of Terenure College for about 45 minutes, no joke. We decided to jump off the bus. While on the bus, we made a little game up, sort of a Big Brother mockery. It's called Big Busser. Basically, a bunch of people are put on a bus and forced to live with each other. The last remaining person on the bus is the proud winner of one million euro! We had a laugh about that one. It was a good idea at the time.
John had to pee and I was getting just as frustrated as him on the bus, moving about two inches every ten minutes (no exaggeration), so we got off the bus, thus giving up our shot to win a million. What were we thinking?! No, seriously, we had to. It was so frickin' boring!
The road we got stuck on will forever be known as Traffic Road. John made the name, hence the lack of originality. Hey, I'm just playing! :)
So we walked and we walked some more. The slush was all over the place, and we opted for the grass route to avoid any chance of slipping. Safety first, people. Coming into Templeogue Village I came up with the idea of getting some chips at Silvio's. We had to wait a good ten minutes for them, but boy were they worth the wait. 2.50 is a little expensive for a bag of chips, but these were quality. Nice job, Silvio's.
So our journey continued, chip bag in one hand, and eventually came to a clearing. A small dog approached us and began talking about drugs. It was that dog from the TV. You know, the one that tells people to talk to Frank about drugs.
Nah, I'm kidding. We did continue walking and eventually got home, a whole 3 hours after we had left Trinity. Now, if that isn't a great journey, I don't know what is. Some stupid kids tried to pelt us with snowballs as we walked back, but they failed miserably.
"Epic fail!" John exclaimed as he taunted the kids and talked about how in his day, kids hit the target with snowballs.
We parted ways at the corner like always, but I think we learned something today. We learned that stupidly long bus journeys sometimes turn into fun, chip-eating treks into the unknown. I guess it's snow wonder - PUN~! - that I feel so comfortable now sitting in my warm, snug sitting room, writing this blog for all of you.
What a bizarre day it was. Oh, would you look at that! It's lab day tomorrow. I look forward to it, although there is some talk of this Fees protest causing the labs to be cancelled. I don't know if it'll happen, though, as it would royally screw up the timetable.
That's it from me, a snowed under David Larkin!
For most people the chaos took the shape of massive delays in traffic when commuting, but there were a couple of accidents around the country too due to the icy roads. It's unfortunate to see that kind of thing. The contrast between kids enjoying themselves making snowmen and people in their cars on the icy roads is pretty stark.
So how did I spend this crazy snow day? Well, it started with a 7am alarm call. It wasn't as cold as I thought when I got up. I just wrapped up warm and made sure to take baby steps as I walked to the bus, which came quickly enough. The first lecture was painful, with organic chemistry nerd Enda Bergin (lecturer) being methodical as always. I mean, the guy has to be a robot. He simply has shown no deviation from the norm since he started his course last month. Plus, that really annoying smart organic chemistry guy always goes up to ask him questions at the end. Suck up, I think so!
The other two lectures went fine. They were actually more interesting than usual. I didn't go to Analytical Chemistry because, quite frankly, it's a little dull. It's all maths. Not really my cup of tea.
The afternoon was just John and I working on our lab report in the computer rooms. Despite a little confusion on both sides, we finally got it ironed out.
Then it began...
The snow fell, the paths became slushy and the skies turned a pinkish-red.
Yep, the fun began around 3:45pm when John and I got on the 15 bus, expecting to beat the rush hour traffic. We didn't know that we would be stuck on the bus for about 90 minutes. We were on the road of Terenure College for about 45 minutes, no joke. We decided to jump off the bus. While on the bus, we made a little game up, sort of a Big Brother mockery. It's called Big Busser. Basically, a bunch of people are put on a bus and forced to live with each other. The last remaining person on the bus is the proud winner of one million euro! We had a laugh about that one. It was a good idea at the time.
John had to pee and I was getting just as frustrated as him on the bus, moving about two inches every ten minutes (no exaggeration), so we got off the bus, thus giving up our shot to win a million. What were we thinking?! No, seriously, we had to. It was so frickin' boring!
The road we got stuck on will forever be known as Traffic Road. John made the name, hence the lack of originality. Hey, I'm just playing! :)
So we walked and we walked some more. The slush was all over the place, and we opted for the grass route to avoid any chance of slipping. Safety first, people. Coming into Templeogue Village I came up with the idea of getting some chips at Silvio's. We had to wait a good ten minutes for them, but boy were they worth the wait. 2.50 is a little expensive for a bag of chips, but these were quality. Nice job, Silvio's.
So our journey continued, chip bag in one hand, and eventually came to a clearing. A small dog approached us and began talking about drugs. It was that dog from the TV. You know, the one that tells people to talk to Frank about drugs.
Nah, I'm kidding. We did continue walking and eventually got home, a whole 3 hours after we had left Trinity. Now, if that isn't a great journey, I don't know what is. Some stupid kids tried to pelt us with snowballs as we walked back, but they failed miserably.
"Epic fail!" John exclaimed as he taunted the kids and talked about how in his day, kids hit the target with snowballs.
We parted ways at the corner like always, but I think we learned something today. We learned that stupidly long bus journeys sometimes turn into fun, chip-eating treks into the unknown. I guess it's snow wonder - PUN~! - that I feel so comfortable now sitting in my warm, snug sitting room, writing this blog for all of you.
What a bizarre day it was. Oh, would you look at that! It's lab day tomorrow. I look forward to it, although there is some talk of this Fees protest causing the labs to be cancelled. I don't know if it'll happen, though, as it would royally screw up the timetable.
That's it from me, a snowed under David Larkin!
Monday, February 2, 2009
It's... snowing?
Welcome back to the blog on this, Dublin's best day of snow since two years ago.
And you know, the snow may have come at a good time. Last night Super Bowl XLIII delivered a highly entertaining game between two teams who went all out for a victory. The Cardinals, billed as the underdogs throughout the playoffs, battled the Steelers, who were the seven point favourites. The game was a topsy-turvy affair as most NFL games turn out to be, with momentum swinging like a pendulum.
Perhaps the biggest play of the first half was Defensive Player of the Year, Pittsburgh's James Harrison intercepting a Kurt Warner pass at the goal line and taking it back a Super Bowl record 100 yards for a touchdown. It's not often you see a linebacker going the length of the field. Truly, an amazing play.
At the half, the score was Pittsburgh 17, Arizona 7. The Cardinals got the ball first in the third quarter, but their offense stalled. Penalties played a big part in the following drive, where Pittsburgh drove down the field to the Arizona red zone. In six attempts, they could not get the ball into the endzone. The score was 20-7 as the fourth quarter began.
Then the Cardinals did what they have been doing best during their playoff run - shock the world. Or more specifically, the Steelers. Pittsburgh got a little conservative, and savvy veteran Kurt Warner found Larry Fitzgerald down the seam for a huge touchdown pass. The score was 20-14, and suddenly things were heating up.
I sat on my sofa at home throughout all of this with my friends, John and Jeroen. Jeroen had come all the way from the Netherlands for the game. He is a massive Steelers fan, so it made the event that bit more interesting.
The fourth quarter began in thrilling fashion, with the Cardinals taking the lead and scoring 16 points. The score was now 23-20 to Arizona. The Cardinals had rattled the Steelers, and it was up to Ben Roethlisberger and the offense to win or tie the game for the men from Pittsburgh.
The drive to win the game for the Steelers was all about WR Santonio Holmes, who came up with 4 big receptions to tally his 9 catch, 131 yard, 1 TD performance. Holmes was a reliable target for Roethlisberger, who found him consistently to move the ball inside the Cardinals 5 yard line. Then, the game-winning touchdown happened, as Big Ben (as he is affectionately known) found Holmes in the right corner of the endzone with an inch perfect pass. Holmes got two feet down incredibly and the celebrations began.
The Steelers held on to win their 6th Super Bowl, an achievement unprecedented in NFL history. Santonio Holmes was named the MVP, in my opinion deservedly. You could have given it to Big Ben, but Holmes had to get it.
Well, it was a really entertaining game and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was better than I expected it to be, quite frankly. I just hope that next year my Panthers can get there and win our first one.
That journey has already begun, as the cycle of the NFL begins all over again with the top draft prospects being scouted and teams meticulously looking through their rosters with a fine toothcomb. Yep, it won't be long before we're drafting our fantasy football teams and the new season is upon us.
Until then, we make do with... well, nothing. We try, is what I'm saying!
Thanks for reading this Super Bowl themed edition of the blog!
The drive to win the game for the Steelers was all about WR Santonio Holmes, who came up with 4 big receptions to tally his 9 catch, 131 yard, 1 TD performance. Holmes was a reliable target for Roethlisberger, who found him consistently to move the ball inside the Cardinals 5 yard line. Then, the game-winning touchdown happened, as Big Ben (as he is affectionately known) found Holmes in the right corner of the endzone with an inch perfect pass. Holmes got two feet down incredibly and the celebrations began.
The Steelers held on to win their 6th Super Bowl, an achievement unprecedented in NFL history. Santonio Holmes was named the MVP, in my opinion deservedly. You could have given it to Big Ben, but Holmes had to get it.
Well, it was a really entertaining game and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was better than I expected it to be, quite frankly. I just hope that next year my Panthers can get there and win our first one.
That journey has already begun, as the cycle of the NFL begins all over again with the top draft prospects being scouted and teams meticulously looking through their rosters with a fine toothcomb. Yep, it won't be long before we're drafting our fantasy football teams and the new season is upon us.
Until then, we make do with... well, nothing. We try, is what I'm saying!
Thanks for reading this Super Bowl themed edition of the blog!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Lab day again?!
Wow, this week has gone by fast. We are once again at lab day aka Wednesday. It's pretty good as far as fun is concerned in the lab, but once you get out you are consumed with a neverending lab report. I'll be sure to make a start on that early this week so I won't be slaving over it during the Super Bowl weekend.
And my, how the Super Bowl has flown in. A week and a half ago since the last NFL game... crazy. I must say that last Sunday at 6pm I was having trouble finding an activity to amuse myself. In the end, I recorded an interview for the upcoming podcast, which you can find here:
nfldoublecoverage.mypodcast.com
Be sure to check it out. It's going to be a good one.
Today in the lab we're working with a bomb calorimeter. As cool as it sounds, there's not really any explosions or anything, or so I'm told. Let's just hope we get it done nice and early so I can go home and work on other things.
I better be off. I'll update you all later.
And my, how the Super Bowl has flown in. A week and a half ago since the last NFL game... crazy. I must say that last Sunday at 6pm I was having trouble finding an activity to amuse myself. In the end, I recorded an interview for the upcoming podcast, which you can find here:
nfldoublecoverage.mypodcast.com
Be sure to check it out. It's going to be a good one.
Today in the lab we're working with a bomb calorimeter. As cool as it sounds, there's not really any explosions or anything, or so I'm told. Let's just hope we get it done nice and early so I can go home and work on other things.
I better be off. I'll update you all later.
Monday, January 26, 2009
A quick update
Welcome back to the blog, everyone! I know I've been away the last couple of days. I wonder how you lasted without my cutting edge life stories and tidbits.
You haven't missed an awful lot, to be honest. I'm currently working out some stuff for my lab report, which is due in for Wednesday. I'll be hanging around in college tomorrow with John hoping to brush this thing under the rug once and for all. The thing about lab reports is that they take up so much of your time. That eats into time you could be spending doing some study. Therefore, your overall work suffers as a result. I can't just remember things off the top of my head I did months ago like certain other people (hint hint, organic chemistry whizz kid).
My point is that the work really is piling up, and as long as these lab reports continue to remain as time consuming as they currently are, I won't have an awful lot of time to study. That will make the run-in to the exams a very nervy one.
Pressure aside, life is going well right now. I'm currently planning my trip to Paris with my girlfriend, putting together an itinerary. It's going well and we think we can fit in all the places one should see when going to Paris.
Thanks to Ger for becoming the first subscriber to the blog. Ger, you're an awesome guy and a true friend. Come to more lectures and such, because you have a habit of cheering up the room, and you know we need that, especially at 9am. Just my two cents.
That should do it for today. Be sure to keep checking. The new episode of NFL Double Coverage will be out on Wednesday evening. It's the Super Bowl Preview, so be sure to have a listen.
nfldoublecoverage.mypodcast.com
Until next time!
You haven't missed an awful lot, to be honest. I'm currently working out some stuff for my lab report, which is due in for Wednesday. I'll be hanging around in college tomorrow with John hoping to brush this thing under the rug once and for all. The thing about lab reports is that they take up so much of your time. That eats into time you could be spending doing some study. Therefore, your overall work suffers as a result. I can't just remember things off the top of my head I did months ago like certain other people (hint hint, organic chemistry whizz kid).
My point is that the work really is piling up, and as long as these lab reports continue to remain as time consuming as they currently are, I won't have an awful lot of time to study. That will make the run-in to the exams a very nervy one.
Pressure aside, life is going well right now. I'm currently planning my trip to Paris with my girlfriend, putting together an itinerary. It's going well and we think we can fit in all the places one should see when going to Paris.
Thanks to Ger for becoming the first subscriber to the blog. Ger, you're an awesome guy and a true friend. Come to more lectures and such, because you have a habit of cheering up the room, and you know we need that, especially at 9am. Just my two cents.
That should do it for today. Be sure to keep checking. The new episode of NFL Double Coverage will be out on Wednesday evening. It's the Super Bowl Preview, so be sure to have a listen.
nfldoublecoverage.mypodcast.com
Until next time!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Latezilla is back!
So, today marked the end of labs in Computational Chemistry, which, as the name suggests, involve computers. The lab wasn't much work, to be honest. We mainly just talked to the demonstrators about calculating pi to a million places and such other scientific stuff. Did you know somebody calculated it to over 5 billion places?! I hope that person is satisfied, because that must have taken a while, even with computers.
I was pretty pleased as I came into college today. I listen to my iPod every day and listen mainly to podcasts regarding the NFL. One in particular, called ESPN Football Today, is a favourite of mine. I decided to send them in an e-mail with faint hopes it would be answered. Lo and behold, the name David from Dublin, Ireland pops up out of nowhere and my question is read. I know this isn't a huge deal or anything, but it was pretty cool to hear the question read and answered.
The tickets for the 2009 London game between the Tampa Bay Bucs and New England Patriots were released today. Due to a scheduled downtime of the internet in college, I couldn't get online to buy them myself, so I had to ask my dad. Thankfully, he obliged and we secured the seats. They're higher up than before, so it should make for an interesting view. Hey, as long as the Bucs lose, I'm good.
Finally, I want to address Latezilla, a fictional (or is he?) character of mine who basically punishes those who are late in life. Stragglers are not tolerated according to his laws and are often lit on fire and made to write out the phrase "I will never be late again" repeatedly. Latezilla doesn't have his own blog - he's a busy dinosaur - so he left me with the task of conveying this message through his agent:
"Latezilla would like to acknowledge the fact that he has been slightly off his game recently. This is due to a death in his family. His uncle, Grillzilla, died of a stroke. The whole of his family were in mourning, and thus he could not punish the late. However, Latezilla's intention is to return to active duty tomorrow morning. He will not be taking any questions on this matter."
So, Latezilla's back, boys and girls. Get used to it. In fact, I can see the posters on the walls of college. You know, it's Latezilla dressed in an Uncle Sam uniform, pointing his claw at you. Man, that would be sweet. If only I had an iota of artistic talent to make it happen. Maybe I could make a Latezilla society.
Okay, enough about Latezilla. That's pretty much it for today. I always enjoy Fridays because of the 11am start, so expect that to continue.
Until next time!
I was pretty pleased as I came into college today. I listen to my iPod every day and listen mainly to podcasts regarding the NFL. One in particular, called ESPN Football Today, is a favourite of mine. I decided to send them in an e-mail with faint hopes it would be answered. Lo and behold, the name David from Dublin, Ireland pops up out of nowhere and my question is read. I know this isn't a huge deal or anything, but it was pretty cool to hear the question read and answered.
The tickets for the 2009 London game between the Tampa Bay Bucs and New England Patriots were released today. Due to a scheduled downtime of the internet in college, I couldn't get online to buy them myself, so I had to ask my dad. Thankfully, he obliged and we secured the seats. They're higher up than before, so it should make for an interesting view. Hey, as long as the Bucs lose, I'm good.
Finally, I want to address Latezilla, a fictional (or is he?) character of mine who basically punishes those who are late in life. Stragglers are not tolerated according to his laws and are often lit on fire and made to write out the phrase "I will never be late again" repeatedly. Latezilla doesn't have his own blog - he's a busy dinosaur - so he left me with the task of conveying this message through his agent:
"Latezilla would like to acknowledge the fact that he has been slightly off his game recently. This is due to a death in his family. His uncle, Grillzilla, died of a stroke. The whole of his family were in mourning, and thus he could not punish the late. However, Latezilla's intention is to return to active duty tomorrow morning. He will not be taking any questions on this matter."
So, Latezilla's back, boys and girls. Get used to it. In fact, I can see the posters on the walls of college. You know, it's Latezilla dressed in an Uncle Sam uniform, pointing his claw at you. Man, that would be sweet. If only I had an iota of artistic talent to make it happen. Maybe I could make a Latezilla society.
Okay, enough about Latezilla. That's pretty much it for today. I always enjoy Fridays because of the 11am start, so expect that to continue.
Until next time!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Lab Day
Hey everyone,
Wednesday's are lab days for me. The 10am start is pretty good, I have to admit. This term, labs aren't nearly as bad as last. I gotta tell you though, I spent a good six hours working on my lab report last night, making adjustments and such. There's so much mathematics involved that if one value is off, it causes a cascade of incorrect values down the line. So you can imagine the kind of time it took to correct.
Despite the staff saying we would be told what experiment we were doing this week in advance, I haven't seen any indication of that happening. I went up to the labs there about twenty minutes ago and didn't see any sign of a timetable. So I guess you could say we are flying blind today. No need to worry, of course. These labs are more than doable without preparation. It's generally taking readings and having a chat all the while.
I went to the cinema last night to see The Reader. Okay, so there's a lot of sex scenes at the start, but it all makes sense in the end. In all seriousness, it was a good movie, one where the story was the most important aspect. No action per se, but a good solid story. Plus, popcorn is goooood.
Okay, I've got seven more minutes until I have to head up to the lab with my overcrowded bag. Headphones, lunchbox, lab coat and lab equipment - it's like I have a human head in there.
Until next time!
Wednesday's are lab days for me. The 10am start is pretty good, I have to admit. This term, labs aren't nearly as bad as last. I gotta tell you though, I spent a good six hours working on my lab report last night, making adjustments and such. There's so much mathematics involved that if one value is off, it causes a cascade of incorrect values down the line. So you can imagine the kind of time it took to correct.
Despite the staff saying we would be told what experiment we were doing this week in advance, I haven't seen any indication of that happening. I went up to the labs there about twenty minutes ago and didn't see any sign of a timetable. So I guess you could say we are flying blind today. No need to worry, of course. These labs are more than doable without preparation. It's generally taking readings and having a chat all the while.
I went to the cinema last night to see The Reader. Okay, so there's a lot of sex scenes at the start, but it all makes sense in the end. In all seriousness, it was a good movie, one where the story was the most important aspect. No action per se, but a good solid story. Plus, popcorn is goooood.
Okay, I've got seven more minutes until I have to head up to the lab with my overcrowded bag. Headphones, lunchbox, lab coat and lab equipment - it's like I have a human head in there.
Until next time!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Lab report blues
So it's Tuesday afternoon, and although I got off college at 12pm today, I had to come right home and continue work on this lab report. I worked several hours on the weekend thinking I could get it out of the way, but no. It continues to be a thorn in my side. It's almost done now, but I need to consult with my lab partner Mr. Nash to figure the rest out. It's mainly just these constants that they don't give you the values for. The rest is done and dusted.
College is going well and study has picked up. I only wish we had a reading week. Yes, in talks with some of my fellow chemistry students this week, we felt that we deserved a reading week, like Zoology get. In fact, even Arts degrees get them, when they only do 10 hours a week as it is. Uncool? You bet it is. I rest my case.
I'm off to the movies tonight as well to see The Reader. The reviews were good, so why not check it out, I guess.
The lab report is sucking me into its wake of numbers and symbols. I gotta go, guys.
College is going well and study has picked up. I only wish we had a reading week. Yes, in talks with some of my fellow chemistry students this week, we felt that we deserved a reading week, like Zoology get. In fact, even Arts degrees get them, when they only do 10 hours a week as it is. Uncool? You bet it is. I rest my case.
I'm off to the movies tonight as well to see The Reader. The reviews were good, so why not check it out, I guess.
The lab report is sucking me into its wake of numbers and symbols. I gotta go, guys.
Monday, January 19, 2009
We have our Super Bowl!
Good morning to all on this, the day after the AFC and NFC Championship games in the NFL. The games served up quite a treat, and I went 2 for 2 in my picks, which is a nice bonus. Those Arizona Cardinals "shocked the world" again, as their new slogan goes. There's only one banner hanging in the rafters of University of Phoenix Stadium - "2008 NFC West Champions". I bet Kurt Warner and co. would like to see "World Champions" there in two weeks time.
In the second matchup of the top two defenses in the league, the Pittsburgh Steelers emerged as the victor. I always say defense wins championships, and I believe in two weeks this point will be proven again in the 43rd Super Bowl in Tampa, FL.
It's funny how the season has flown in and finished so quickly. The cliches are plentiful - time flies when you're having fun and other favourites, but it really does zip by. In the playoffs, this year has shown that all you need to do is get in and anything can happen.
As for me, Im just enjoying life right now. I've booked my trip to Paris in March with my girlfriend, I'm keeping up to date with study and just being me. That's what I do best, after all. Oh, and adding to my blog. I always enjoy that.
Well, this is just a quick entry to keep you all posted (if there's anyone out there).
Oh, and to my friend Ger, go kick that Globalisation's ass!
That will be all until next time.
In the second matchup of the top two defenses in the league, the Pittsburgh Steelers emerged as the victor. I always say defense wins championships, and I believe in two weeks this point will be proven again in the 43rd Super Bowl in Tampa, FL.
It's funny how the season has flown in and finished so quickly. The cliches are plentiful - time flies when you're having fun and other favourites, but it really does zip by. In the playoffs, this year has shown that all you need to do is get in and anything can happen.
As for me, Im just enjoying life right now. I've booked my trip to Paris in March with my girlfriend, I'm keeping up to date with study and just being me. That's what I do best, after all. Oh, and adding to my blog. I always enjoy that.
Well, this is just a quick entry to keep you all posted (if there's anyone out there).
Oh, and to my friend Ger, go kick that Globalisation's ass!
That will be all until next time.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Gettin' the head down
Saturday mornings are usually times of work for me. You get up relatively early, you work for a while and then you watch a game or two in the evening to take it easy. For the last month or so while I was on holidays, I can't say I did any work. I probably should have, but it's too late now to be regretting it. That's why I'm inspired suddenly to get the head down and into the books, because those exams creep up on you like a drug addict in a shady inner city alleyway.
Saturdays are also good days for sport. Today, Manchester United, my soccer team, won a game in the 90th minute to go top of the table. All well and good. I only wish my Carolina Panthers had won last weekend and were in this Sunday's NFC Championship game. On a Panthers note, I completed my mock offseason and posted it on footballsfuture.com. If anyone is interested, here is the link: http://www.footballsfuture.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=289993&sid=fc9f9222f87aec109ce5ebc0f5dfceb1
Whoa, those links get pretty complicated near the end there. Kind of makes you wonder who comes up with them or what process they are randomised by.
So tonight is the East-West Shrine Game, showcasing the best under-the-radar seniors in college football. The NFL Draft is only 98 days away, so it's also creeping up. This is an exciting time of the year in the NFL despite the fact the season is almost over. The Super Bowl looms large, and I wonder if my 6/1 bet on those Cardinals will pay off - literally.
So I'm off now to meet up with my girlfriend to spend some quality time together. Tomorrow morning, I feel the study/lab report writing will start again, but I have that newfound energy to get the head down now, so it's not that tough.
I'll get you, exams! :D
Until next time, loyal readers.
Saturdays are also good days for sport. Today, Manchester United, my soccer team, won a game in the 90th minute to go top of the table. All well and good. I only wish my Carolina Panthers had won last weekend and were in this Sunday's NFC Championship game. On a Panthers note, I completed my mock offseason and posted it on footballsfuture.com. If anyone is interested, here is the link: http://www.footballsfuture.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=289993&sid=fc9f9222f87aec109ce5ebc0f5dfceb1
Whoa, those links get pretty complicated near the end there. Kind of makes you wonder who comes up with them or what process they are randomised by.
So tonight is the East-West Shrine Game, showcasing the best under-the-radar seniors in college football. The NFL Draft is only 98 days away, so it's also creeping up. This is an exciting time of the year in the NFL despite the fact the season is almost over. The Super Bowl looms large, and I wonder if my 6/1 bet on those Cardinals will pay off - literally.
So I'm off now to meet up with my girlfriend to spend some quality time together. Tomorrow morning, I feel the study/lab report writing will start again, but I have that newfound energy to get the head down now, so it's not that tough.
I'll get you, exams! :D
Until next time, loyal readers.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Good old 11am start!
Yes, I'm pretty pleased today as I sit downstairs in the humming computer rooms of the Hamilton building of Trinity College. The reason I am pleased is because today is the only day of the week I start even remotely late. 9am's have become standard for me and my class. Last term, we had a painstaking four 9am starts! This term, it's not so bad.
Apart from that, my brother is cooking up something special tonight - literally. A Greek dish called Mousaka. I'm not sure about the spelling there, for the record. That should be an interesting meal. It's this new Nintendo DS thing he has. He got a cookery game for it for Christmas. Since then, he's been searching for his chef hat and practising his chopping technique.
Well, not really, but you get my meaning.
I'm also working on my first of many Carolina Panthers mock offseasons, where I basically go through the entire team and decide what will happen. It's good fun. If you're a football fan, I recommend trying it.
Right, lecture time. Transition Metal Complexes with the ever-enthusiastic Mary Poppins-esque lecturer I have for it.
Fun! :)
Later!
Apart from that, my brother is cooking up something special tonight - literally. A Greek dish called Mousaka. I'm not sure about the spelling there, for the record. That should be an interesting meal. It's this new Nintendo DS thing he has. He got a cookery game for it for Christmas. Since then, he's been searching for his chef hat and practising his chopping technique.
Well, not really, but you get my meaning.
I'm also working on my first of many Carolina Panthers mock offseasons, where I basically go through the entire team and decide what will happen. It's good fun. If you're a football fan, I recommend trying it.
Right, lecture time. Transition Metal Complexes with the ever-enthusiastic Mary Poppins-esque lecturer I have for it.
Fun! :)
Later!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
ln P vs. 1/T
As I sit here pondering the intricacies of the relationship between vapour pressure and temperature in our latest experimental write-up in Physical Chemistry, my stomach is rumbling. That's because I'm uber hungry after a trio of not-so-outstanding lectures.
Inorganic Polymers, Bio-Inorganic Chemistry and Diffraction Methods.
Okay, so it's not like they come close to my Tuesday morning salvo of boringness, but they come close, and would be comparable to the little brother of Tuesday's lectures.
In other news, I'm picking up my study regime recently. The news that you need a II-1 in each of third and fourth year to even be eligible for a Ph.D kind of lights a fire under your ass.
Sam Bradford, the Oklahoma sophomore QB, who I am not so high on because of the system he is in, has said he is staying at OU for his junior season. Passing up the opportunity to be a top five draft pick (possibly) is a big decision for the young man, but if you ask me, he made the right call.
Since my Carolina Panthers are out of the playoffs, it's down to the final four. In my podcast called NFL Double Coverage, which I co-host with longtime friend John Nash, we talk about our predictions. You can check it out here: nfldoublecoverage.mypodcast.com
I put a bet on the Cardinals to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy, by the way. 6/1 shot, a rush of blood to the head, call it whatever you want. I just have a feeling about that team...
Those Cardinals... :P
Well, I'm off to assist John with this lab report.
Until next time.
Inorganic Polymers, Bio-Inorganic Chemistry and Diffraction Methods.
Okay, so it's not like they come close to my Tuesday morning salvo of boringness, but they come close, and would be comparable to the little brother of Tuesday's lectures.
In other news, I'm picking up my study regime recently. The news that you need a II-1 in each of third and fourth year to even be eligible for a Ph.D kind of lights a fire under your ass.
Sam Bradford, the Oklahoma sophomore QB, who I am not so high on because of the system he is in, has said he is staying at OU for his junior season. Passing up the opportunity to be a top five draft pick (possibly) is a big decision for the young man, but if you ask me, he made the right call.
Since my Carolina Panthers are out of the playoffs, it's down to the final four. In my podcast called NFL Double Coverage, which I co-host with longtime friend John Nash, we talk about our predictions. You can check it out here: nfldoublecoverage.mypodcast.com
I put a bet on the Cardinals to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy, by the way. 6/1 shot, a rush of blood to the head, call it whatever you want. I just have a feeling about that team...
Those Cardinals... :P
Well, I'm off to assist John with this lab report.
Until next time.
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