I'm a Big Baby

I got my grade back on test two, and I don't feel too good about it. I was telling myself, that if I didn't score at least ten points more on this test than the last test, I would drop the class. I got a 72 on the first test and a 71 on this test. I approached the professor to let him know I enjoy the class, but I need to drop it. I long ago met my quota for college screw-ups. He then spent twenty minutes telling me not to drop, he hasn't yet applied the curve to test #2, and that I probably have at least an 82 on the test. He also told me that there is certainly nobody better than me in the class, and he would go home depressed if I dropped. He also assured me, as long as I keep up with my studies the way that I have been, I would receive no worse than a B in the class. I still don't feel great about an 82, but I feel fantastic having that kind of support from my professor. This is my first exposure to truly abstract applications of mathematics, and I find it exceedingly interesting and excruciatingly difficult, but I am confident that completing this 300 level math course will be infinitely rewarding.

Almost ready for test #2 in Linear Algebra

This weekend was filled with nothing but studying and maybe a couple brief outings. I sure hope that I will be able to make up for all these boring weekends to my wife when I graduate. Our two outings resulted in a new air compressor and an evening with friends at Nawab.

Checking air pressure in your tires is pretty essential and never more so than when gas is $4.00/gal. I've been eyeing this model ever since I saw our hardwood floor installers sporting it. Pretty cool. It turns out you can save a bunch of money if you order it from Lowe's online but pick it up at the store. I saved $50. Really cool! ...so for the rest of the weekend...

Vector spaces are descriptions of n-dimensions, and that is as crazy as it sounds. There actually are practical uses for this stuff, but you would need to be an engineer or physicist. The only way you could ever even visualize this stuff is to put it in no more than three dimensions. If you project two one-dimensional vectors with x, y and z coordinates out from the origin of a coordinate system, and then join those vectors to form a plane, you have created a vector space. If you have only cursory experience with vectors, you may have learned the definition of a vector is (essentially) a line with magnitude and direction. Until last week, that was my perception of a vector. Now, I have learned that a vector need only meet 10 criteria, so objects that meet that criteria now include Matrices, Polynomials, the traditional coordinate vector notation (which really boils down to a 1x2 matrix), and a host of other expressions. Wwphhew! I was talking to my buddy Kluas about this stuff yesterday because he is probably one of only two friends of mine who would be remotely interested in this stuff. He's smart enough to have realized that you can use this technique to solve several simultaneous quadratic equations! When I'm in class, I'm struggling to keep up, but Klaus listens for a few moments and makes little discoveries of his own. Man, I wish I was that bright! I've got one more section in the text to cover today, and then I will have done all of the homework before the test. I will spend Tuesday before the test reviewing all my notes and summarizing. This should hopefully prepare me.

Two tests down!

We had our first test in Linear Algebra on Monday and our first test in Microeconomics today. The collective results in the Linear Algebra class were a little low, and I fit right in there. I did okay, but I definitely need to work a little harder. I am not used to doing proofs, so it's a new skill I need to hone. I hate to speak too soon about a test, but I feel pretty good about the microeconomics test. So far, the material seems pretty self explanatory, but it still manages to be pretty interesting. I thought I was working for an MBA simply because it was being thrown at me by VCU, but if econ represents the kind of material I will see in Business School, I'm pretty excited. Most schools consider econ a social science and don't include it as part of the Business School, but I have a feeling that it's just a function of the usefulness of the class. Everyone should take econ just like everyone should take humanities. The reaction of the class to the econ material is exactly as it was for humanities. 60% of the class could care less, and the rest seem enthralled. The professor is a bit creepy. He tells stories, but he usually does a good job of keeping them on point. He's just a bit long-winded. He's old, overweight, and a conspiracy theorist. He also has a problem with eye contact when spoken-to. All in all, he's pretty likeable.

Several Simultaneous Eek-uations!

Linear Algebra is strange. Who knew you could do so much crazy crap with matrices and determinants? Dr. DeRise knows. Anyway, I have my first test on Monday, so wish me luck.
I've been continuing to do housework, and I finally planted some of the shrubs. I also decided to recycle most of my bottle collection. I made a list of what I had and threw it all in the bin. Feel free to e-mail me if you're interested in the beer list. I made a database that included all the pertinent information. I also got two Black & Decker storage cabinets, and those do a wonderful job of keeping the garage looking tidy. I'm turning into the "Anal Retentive Carpenter." I hardly use my tools, but they look really nice in their little cubbies.

My Last Weekend of Freedom

Monday starts my quest to master both Linear Algebra and Microeconomics. I'll have to remember to bring my eye patch so as not to damage my eyes when viewing the very tiny economies through the microeconomiscope. Sonya and I are still trying to decide how to best make use of this last weekend. I'm pretty sure a haircut is in order; I'm back to my Luke Skywalker look. Stupid straight hair. I would like to head to Richmond a make a pilgrimage to Kuba Kuba and perhaps get a Shockoe Shake. MMMM. We also have some yard work to finally get done.

Frank: I told my wife I wouldn't drink tonight. Besides, I got a big day tomorrow. You guys have a great time. College Student: A big day? Doing what? Frank: Well, um, actually a pretty nice little Saturday, we're going to go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don't know, I don't know if we'll have enough time.

Great Meeting!

My meeting with Anita Hazel Taylor at VCU went smashingly. The new wing of the Engineering school was just completed and it looks fantastic. I believe I will be quite happy there. Upon meeting with Mrs. Taylor, I've learned several things that make me excited to go to VCU. First, as I said in my last post, I can drop Chem II from my summer schedule. What I didn't know is I can drop Spanish II as well! VCU gears its students towards an MBA to go with the BS, so I will be taking Microeconomics this summer along with Linear Algebra. Mrs. Taylor told me I don't need to take Linear Algebra, but I've been looking forward to that class for a while. I will stay at TNCC through the fall and transfer to VCU in the spring. I could actually stay at VCU through the spring were in not for TNCC not offering Thermodynamics, but missing that class would put me behind schedule. My last semester at TNCC I'll be taking Vector Calculus, Dynamics, Physics II, and Bowling! I could actually drop the bowling, but that would be just crazy (and it lets me keep my full-time status.) My first semester at VCU will be Differential Equations, Circuits I with the lab, Thermodynamics, and Strength of Materials. The spring will be my first experience in a true Engineering School, so I will be the dumbest guy in the building.

Meeting at VCU

Today at 3:00 I will be meeting the recruiter for the VCU School of Engineering. Sonya and I have been debating the pros and cons of moving away to school, and it just does not seem reasonable to try to sell the house so I can go away to school. ODU is in Norfolk and I have no love for Norfolk. Also, I don't want to have to rely on either the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel or the Monitor Merrimack Bridge Tunnel, so VCU is the best option. The only issue with VCU is they do not offer Civil Engineering, but that's no skin off my back. The only difference in lower division classes between Civil and Mechanical is I don't need Chem. II for Mechanical. I have no great love of studying Chemistry, so Mechanical it is! Avoiding Chem. II also means my summer schedule just got a whole lot better, so I can take Spanish II over the summer or just have an easier summer. Also, I may transfer to VCU in the fall before I finish TNCC if the folks at VCU think it'll work better for transfer. I don't want to waste time at TNCC with classes that do not transfer. Stay tuned...