Strike this book from my wish list.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Friday, July 04, 2008
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Congratulations bro!
My brother (hopefully) graduates as an engineer today and what better gift than a drawing from his kid sister? ;)
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Being a Feminist
For as long as I can remember I've been a feminist. While feminism can mean many things, I'm with the dictionary on this on, "the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes." I firmly, one could almost say religiously, believe in the equality of the sexes.
Sometimes I'll talk to people that don't believe sexism is a problem today. That feminism has accomplished everything already. Some even argue that men are being discriminated because of feminism*.
I don't know what world people that don't perceive sexism as a problem live in. Perhaps they're just so used to it that they don't notice. When Berlusconi says that, "The left has no taste, even when it comes to women", that's sexism. Think about the implications of his statement. Apparently women aren't part of the left. Only the men count.
Look at some of the coverage of the presidential campaign in the US. That video made me both pissed and depressed. The part about how you couldn't have a woman in the oval office because of PMS and mood swings? Yeah, fuck you! I'm not really a violent person but that statement had me wanting to smash something.
I will grant the people saying sexism doesn't exist one thing, though. Things do look good on paper. It's people's attitudes and thoughts that are the problem. Like when people think women shouldn't do sports that are too physical.
I wish people would let go of their narrow ideas of what being male and female means and instead become feminists. It's good for your sex life.
*I know. That's not really a fair and representative link to choose. I just have a hard time sympathizing too much with the whole "the evil feminists took over everything and now it's just so hard to be male" point. I'm not saying there aren't instances where that is the case. But that's another blog post. I get mad when restrictions are made based on gender no matter what gender is being discriminated against. Hence the whole "equality of the sexes."
Sometimes I'll talk to people that don't believe sexism is a problem today. That feminism has accomplished everything already. Some even argue that men are being discriminated because of feminism*.
I don't know what world people that don't perceive sexism as a problem live in. Perhaps they're just so used to it that they don't notice. When Berlusconi says that, "The left has no taste, even when it comes to women", that's sexism. Think about the implications of his statement. Apparently women aren't part of the left. Only the men count.
Look at some of the coverage of the presidential campaign in the US. That video made me both pissed and depressed. The part about how you couldn't have a woman in the oval office because of PMS and mood swings? Yeah, fuck you! I'm not really a violent person but that statement had me wanting to smash something.
I will grant the people saying sexism doesn't exist one thing, though. Things do look good on paper. It's people's attitudes and thoughts that are the problem. Like when people think women shouldn't do sports that are too physical.
I wish people would let go of their narrow ideas of what being male and female means and instead become feminists. It's good for your sex life.
*I know. That's not really a fair and representative link to choose. I just have a hard time sympathizing too much with the whole "the evil feminists took over everything and now it's just so hard to be male" point. I'm not saying there aren't instances where that is the case. But that's another blog post. I get mad when restrictions are made based on gender no matter what gender is being discriminated against. Hence the whole "equality of the sexes."
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Gadget pointing device
I got tired of my right wrist always hurting and I think this gadget is the perfect solution! :D
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
I knew it!
Being a big child isn't necessarily bad! Read for yourself about playground rules to live by at Dumb Little Man.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Monday, June 09, 2008
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Bruising my foot
I've somehow managed to bruise my foot. I think it is from smashing into a rock in the ocean. It doesn't hurt, though. :)
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Summer
The summer is here and it's fantastic! But my apartment gets extremely hot so I have to either roast or listen to traffic. I chose the latter.
Monday, June 02, 2008
The Lessons of the Thesis
About two years ago, quite a while before I even knew what subject I would choose for my thesis, I didn't really see the point of writing a thesis. Sure, it was required to get my master's degree but what could I possibly learn from writing it that would be useful when getting a job out in the real world?
Flash forward a few years. I've been working on my thesis since May 10. I should have started a while before but that didn't happen. Thesis work is quite different from having courses. When you have courses, you read the required material*, show up for the lectures*, hand in the mandatory hand-ins, look at the exercises, show up for the exercises, email your TA and what not. You always know what you should be doing.
At any given day there is always more you could be doing. But if you've prepared for all lectures and exercise classes the next day and you've planned a bit ahead so you can still meet all your deadlines, you really don't have to do any more. You've been a good student and you can take a break. When you've met a deadline, you might have a few beers with your friends. While this may hurt your short-term productivity, the deadlines ensure that you make up for it later.
So how does this compare to thesis work? Well. Right now I have 1 deadline. It's November 10 when I have to hand in my finished thesis. I have no scheduled lectures or exercises. I have no hand-ins. In short, I have no short-term deadlines that automatically make me work. On the other hand my biggest vice is that I procrastinate an awful lot. Yeah. That's not a good combo.
One could see this as a bad thing. I choose to see it as an excellent opportunity. I'm finally forced to beat the procrastination even without a deadline nearby. I can already see myself making progress. I'm learning how to hack myself. How to get stuff done without a solid deadline. How to learn stuff on my own. When I finally hand in that thesis, I'm going to be Wonder Woman!
*Well, I do, anyway.
Flash forward a few years. I've been working on my thesis since May 10. I should have started a while before but that didn't happen. Thesis work is quite different from having courses. When you have courses, you read the required material*, show up for the lectures*, hand in the mandatory hand-ins, look at the exercises, show up for the exercises, email your TA and what not. You always know what you should be doing.
At any given day there is always more you could be doing. But if you've prepared for all lectures and exercise classes the next day and you've planned a bit ahead so you can still meet all your deadlines, you really don't have to do any more. You've been a good student and you can take a break. When you've met a deadline, you might have a few beers with your friends. While this may hurt your short-term productivity, the deadlines ensure that you make up for it later.
So how does this compare to thesis work? Well. Right now I have 1 deadline. It's November 10 when I have to hand in my finished thesis. I have no scheduled lectures or exercises. I have no hand-ins. In short, I have no short-term deadlines that automatically make me work. On the other hand my biggest vice is that I procrastinate an awful lot. Yeah. That's not a good combo.
One could see this as a bad thing. I choose to see it as an excellent opportunity. I'm finally forced to beat the procrastination even without a deadline nearby. I can already see myself making progress. I'm learning how to hack myself. How to get stuff done without a solid deadline. How to learn stuff on my own. When I finally hand in that thesis, I'm going to be Wonder Woman!
*Well, I do, anyway.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Worrying
One thing I've noticed that sets me apart from most other people I've met is that I don't tend to worry. Most of the time I think this is a good thing. Like the quote, "If you worry, you die. If you don't worry, you die. So why worry?"
In my world things always work out some way or another. Sure, some options may suck more than others but in the end I always manage. Trowing my purse away in Italy didn't leave me worrying how on earth I would get home with no passport, no money, and no phone. I wasn't there alone and I knew that the people around me would make sure I got home.
Perhaps I have a naive trust in not just the people around me, but also myself. I usually think that as long as I have my VISA card and my cell phone, I'll manage. Maybe I just got an ability to see the very big picture. I've never been in a situation where I don't know for sure that people have coped and do successfully cope with much, much worse. So why shouldn't I be able to do the same?
Not worrying is also closely related to not fearing stuff. I'm not saying I'm some fearless daredevil. I'm most definitely not. My point is just that I don't actively fear things without being right in front of them.
Sometimes people ask about your biggest fear. I never know what to answer. A friend of mine said he was afraid that something bad would happen to the people he loved. I felt like sort of an ass for not thinking about that one. But the truth is that I don't fear that. I would hate for it to happen but I don't go around thinking about it. I don't see the point -- it's not like it would make any difference.
Finally I would like to share one of my favorite poems. Perhaps I just took the advice in that one.
In my world things always work out some way or another. Sure, some options may suck more than others but in the end I always manage. Trowing my purse away in Italy didn't leave me worrying how on earth I would get home with no passport, no money, and no phone. I wasn't there alone and I knew that the people around me would make sure I got home.
Perhaps I have a naive trust in not just the people around me, but also myself. I usually think that as long as I have my VISA card and my cell phone, I'll manage. Maybe I just got an ability to see the very big picture. I've never been in a situation where I don't know for sure that people have coped and do successfully cope with much, much worse. So why shouldn't I be able to do the same?
Not worrying is also closely related to not fearing stuff. I'm not saying I'm some fearless daredevil. I'm most definitely not. My point is just that I don't actively fear things without being right in front of them.
Sometimes people ask about your biggest fear. I never know what to answer. A friend of mine said he was afraid that something bad would happen to the people he loved. I felt like sort of an ass for not thinking about that one. But the truth is that I don't fear that. I would hate for it to happen but I don't go around thinking about it. I don't see the point -- it's not like it would make any difference.
Finally I would like to share one of my favorite poems. Perhaps I just took the advice in that one.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
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