Staff Letters: Phil

...Roll Dead Kennedy Roll!...

HOLY SHIT? What was that!?!

That's what I said about school in the last two weeks. I'm taking 5 classes, just as I've done every semester. This semester it's: EE457 (Microprocessor Design), EE326 (Fundamentals of Engineering), CS460 (Artificial Intelligence), WRIT340 (Writing/Comm For Engineers) MATH407 (Probability Theorems). EE457 is known as a very time consuming class, so I was prepared for that. WRIT340 is also known as a fairly time consuming class, so I was prepared for that as well. However, EE326 is twice as hard as either class and 4 times as time consuming, and I was not prepared for that. The first week's homework took some 10+ hours for 8 problems. What the fuck? The pre-lab took 6 hours WITH a partner last night. What the hell is that all about? I'm also working 10-15 hours/week as well as involved in a few other projects I'll elaborate on below.

So, I wrote a paper that got accepted to the LISA System Administrators Conference in Philadelphia, PA the first week in November. So I'm missing two midterms to fly out there and present my paper to a room full of professionals! It's very exciting. I actually co-wrote the paper with a man named Richard van den Berg, and we'll both be presenting it. I'm very excited. I have my plane tickets. However, this will make November VERY stressful.

Additionally, I'm the Vice President of the USC Linux Users Group... and we are hosting the first annual Southern California Linux Expo (SCaLE). Guess when that is? The second weekend in November!! Does it GET any more difficult?!?! When am I supposed to take my damn midterms? ::sigh::. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited we're putting on our own large-scale conference... but the timing of everything sucks!

Fortunately, most of my professors understand the impressiveness of presenting at LISA and thus are being pretty cool about the whole situation.

This week I didn't get to sleep until a 3am - 4am each night because of the insane amount of homework, and now I have some strep-throat variant. Well, actually, strep is bacteria, I have a viral throat infection, so I can't even take antibiotics. I get "take Aleve 2x a day to keep inflammation down, use lots of Cloreseptic Spray, and gargle with warm salt water. If you don't feel better Monday, come back." Yeah, like I have time for that! I have EE326 homework due Saturday at midnight (submitted online), I have to do a lab and a lab write-up Sunday day and evening because it's due Monday. ::sigh::
Well now you understand why these letters are so late. My apologies. Onto better topics...

My favorite thing about the new Jump in the Studio vids: Everytime I watch them and I see how happy the band is, it puts a huge smile on my face! I'm sooo excited about how awesome the new album is going to be! The guys are so comfortable and happy, I can only imagine how much the next album is going to blow us away! And the sound-bytes we've heard are making me thirst incredibly for new material!! I can't wait!! If you haven't been keeping up with the videos, I suggest you do. Just seeing the guys attitudes is completely worth it.

Some good news related to school: this is my last 18 unit/5 class semesteStaff Letters: here on out it's 16, 14, and 12 units! Yay!! Now if I can just get through THIS semester... Later.

Phil

GOOD

Surfing
Going to LISA
Jump in the Studio
EE457 (hard but interesting)
CS460 (sometimes boring, mostly interesting)

BAD

School
EE326
WRIT340
MATH407

MOVIES

Scar Face
The Godfather
Spider-man
Behind Enemy Lines

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