Suprise of a Lifetime

Material Science has been my least favorite class, but its over. I told myself, no matter what grade I get, I will not take Material Science over again. Of course, I would be forced to take it again if I failed, but I was absolutely sure I did not fail. Surprisingly, except to Sonya, I got an A. whawhawhat? How did that happen? I worked like mad on that class, but my test grades were all Bs. Even my homeworks and quizzes pointed to a B. Through some cosmic fluke, I got a 94 on my final. The final was supposed to be multiple choice and 2 worked problems. When I got to my final, there was no multiple choice. There was only short answer and the two worked problems. This means to me that somehow my pal Arch Angle Gabriel must have guided me to the answers. Don't get me wrong. I studied. ...but I studied for every test in that class, and I was consistently below average. Thank you Gabriel!
So Gabriel, there's this other thing I'm praying for...

The Weeks Ahead

I've got one more final tomorrow at 1:00; it's Dynamics. I'm actually looking forward to it because Dynamics is my favorite class. Two of my classes have already posted the final grades, and the results are pretty good. I got a B in Physics II and an A in Differential Equations. That Physics grade is a little annoying because it's a 5 credit course, so it really drags down my GPA.

Today, I have a dental appointment. Even though it's just a cleaning, I'm still nervous. I'm 32 and still afraid of needles and the dentist. I know it's rediculous. No matter how many painless shots I get or routine dental visits I attend, I still dread those events.

After the dentist, I'll be meeting the wife for lunch and then going home to study for that Dynamics final. Hopefully, this evening we'll have sushi with mom.

Tomorrow morning I will study some more and then head to Richmond for the final. After the final I will most likely do some Christmas shopping in Richmond.

Wednesday, we pick up the rental and head out on our holiday journey. I think we're planning on seeing everyone we've ever met this Christmas. Mmmm, a relaxing vacation...

The moral of this list of events I'm blabbering about is; next to seeing my beloved family and friend this Christmas, there is nothing I'm looking forward to more than the following week when there is absolutely nothing written on my calendar. Maybe I'll finally finish reading The American Sphynx. I love reading about Thomas Jefferson.

The real moral here: We all need to find a way to live closer to one another so it's not an event when we get to see one another. I would love to be allowed the luxury of taking my family for granted.

Brain Break

There is nothing cool about phase diagrams; they are as boring as they sound. They are more boring than watching grass grow because I don't have to read a chart about all the minutia that happens at each step of grass-growth. I don't care about the crystal structures that pop up when Austenite is cooled through an alpha+gamma phase, through the eutectic isotherm, and into Cementite. Oooh, look, Pearlite. Isn't that so pretty?! No, it's obnoxious. Materials Science falls under that special category of classes that is so general that its useless. The needed information will either be covered in specific classes or simply read from a chart. Arg!! I'm sure I'll appreciate the class once I'm done, but right now, studing for finals, ...ick.

thanks dad and Cory for the great picture!

One Down

I just got out of my Physics II final, and I feel pretty good about it. I'm happy to know that I will never have to take another general physics course. I may take Modern Physics to attain a minor in Physics, but that depends on the time I have available. I already have enough credits for the minor in Math, so I might be more interested in seeing how much I need to double major in Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering.
The rest of the class sessions today and tomorrow are all review for finals, so I'm basically done. The mental marathon is essentially over, so I can take a little rest. I'll have a week after the holidays to start preparing for the Spring, but I never really stop thinking about school.
I'm looking forward to spending a couple weeks with friends and family even if it means driving all over the southeast. A change of scenery and a change of pace is always welcome.

Things for which I'm Thankful

My family managed to keep a houseful of people (including two beautiful children) quiet while I worked on Dynamics homework. My wife puts up with the absurd amount of time I put in to school on a daily basis, and I hope she knows how grateful I am. This thanksgiving weekend, I'm sure everybody would have preferred I not work on Dynamics, but everyone understood the necessity. Thank you to all family and friends that make my success at school a probability.

Making Progress

I took a Linear Algebra class over the summer because the most recent curriculum at that time at VCU showed it as required. When I got to VCU, Linear Algebra was replaced by Numerical Methods, so it looked like my Linear Algebra class was going to be a waste. Last week I was talking to a guy in one of my other classes, and he said that Linear Algebra used to count as a technical elective. Today I found out he was right! That means I'll have a very easy Senior Year. Fall 2010, I'll be taking 10 credits instead of 16. Spring 2011, I'll be taking 12 credits instead of 15. If my AA from Miami-Dade College does nothing else for me, at least it is lightening my load!

I also registered for the Spring today. ...17 credits worth of pain. MWF-8:00AM-Electrical Circuits; MWF-9:00AM-Thermodynamics; TR-9:30AM-Deformables; MW-2:00 PM-Engineering Computation; TR-3:30PM-Multivariate Calculus; and a couple of labs as well.

Geesh.

The train speeds up before it stops!

I'm nearing the home stretch this semester, and the pace is exhausting. I have at least one test per week right up through finals. This weekend I will be working take-home test #3 for Dynamics and studying for thursday's Physics test #2. Next week I'll be taking Materials Science test #3, registering for the spring, and paying for parking. The following week I have a test in Differential Equations, and then we head to Atlanta for Thanksgiving. The week after that I'll have Dynamics test #4 and my Physics final exam. Finally, finals week begins. They actually spread finals over a two week period, so Dec. 10 at 8:00 a.m., I have my Materials Science final. Dec. 11 at 1:00 p.m., I have my Differential Equations final. I get that weekend to prepare for my Dynamics final on Dec. 16. Gasp!! You have got to be joking! Then we head to Miami for a "relaxing" Christmas break. I should have about a week at home before classes start up again. I plan on doing nothing.