Ready to say adieu to November. I guess I'm ready for snow and winter and the end of the semester. Unfortunately, Long Island is just too far outside the weather picture to get any of the snow that rocked the nation. But, the snow flew onto ski slopes around this great land, making sure that they are ready for the winter ahead. Just to really rub it in, the fire and ice party was this evening....it's rough when they import a huge block of ice and nobody even thinks about skating.
posted at 11:45 PM - comments
Thursday, November 29, 2001
Fight club, is it? Boxing is not a sport. Sports are a release. Boxing is not, therefore, a release. Having two people who dislike each other box and then sticking them back into the same microcosmic world is not a good plan. Rule #4: Fight Club was a movie. So was What Women Want, and it was pretty good - funny and serious in a nice blend. Putting the finishing touches on NA7 (Ship Design) even as we, um, blog. It's nice to wrap up a course 9 days before the end of the semester. If only I had a job.
posted at 11:15 PM - comments
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
After a busy day yesterday that included a trip to RMHLI and an Islander's game and Hooter's, this one seemed to drag on and on and on. Lots of class, lots of thinking, lots of human interaction dealing with engineering. Then, an evening of basketball film and practice. Later tonight the seniors will send a delegation to see "Spy Game." I'll be sure to let you know how it stacks up to Harry Potter.
posted at 8:45 PM - comments
Monday, November 26, 2001
Back from break. The song remains the same, the beat goes on, time marches forth, etc. Scotland, England, family, and Thanksgiving were all good. It feels good to be able to say "great" or "fantastic" when people ask how the break went; the luxury of travel seems amplified lately and the corresponding enjoyment grew exponentially. Had a chance to see Scotland play Argentina in the rugby in Edinburgh, and I can say that hearing bagpipes by the score is something else. The home team couldn't get the job done on that rainy Sunday, but for a trio of Americans in the endzone it was still a really good time.
As if going on vacation abroad wasn't enough fun, there is the added treat of flying there and back. I love flying and planes. Nothing better than rumbling along the taxiway seeing these pretty maidens, all in a row, waiting to take us somewhere new. Ships are great and boats rule, but there isn't much on the water that matches the feeling of rolling the power on in a 747 or that feeling when a big tin bird comes out of ground effect and soars skyward with such inspiration. I hope Airbus builds the A38x, and I hope Boeing builds a bigger 7x7 - they are amazing and show the might of man more than anything else in existence.
But tonight we didn't. Tired legs struggled from the floor and a short bench didn't help, but the game was ours and it slipped away, especially in the last 8 minutes or so. Classes ended for the week early this morning and I celebrated by heading off to do some laundry and then made a trip to the local airports with some friends. Fun times. Now, though, it is off to Scotland, England, family, and Thanksgiving. I'm excited to be taking a trip and glad to be out of Webb for a long stretch. Happy Thanksgiving!
posted at 1:30 AM - comments
Friday, November 16, 2001
Tonight we won one. It was a good victory...66-56 going away against Sarah Lawrence. Other things happened, too, but who remembers the events of this morning or this afternoon? Gram and I wrapped up our ME 6 project in relative quickness and there was a pre-emptive Thanksgiving dinner. Sometimes the days fade into one long blank with a highlight at the end.
posted at 1:17 AM - comments
Thursday, November 15, 2001
Somehow it went from bad to worse. Turns out we lost by 42 last night, adding 2 points to what was already a lopsided score. Vibes was a horrible flaming fiasco that disintegrated into an experience that left us with nothing to do but go to a bad hockey game and cheer for the people that we still like. Carol kissed Dennis Martino on Ed and President Bartlett hammed it up on The West Wing. Even Allison Janney singing "I'm Too Sexy" couldn't make this one go away fast enough. Makes me want to blog bad words.
posted at 2:26 AM - comments
Wednesday, November 14, 2001
Yesterday was a day that never should have happened. Somehow our vibes test at 2 got cancelled - at 1230. So, we prolonged our agony as it will be after dinner tonight instead. If only people could learn to make their own beds. Then, the basketball game. What can I say, it just got away from us...big time. What might have been a close game and should have been competitive turned into a 48-88 defeat. Now, we have this busy day to rest before we take to the hardwood against Sarah Lawrence on Thursday. (FYI - This blog sets a record for being the earliest in the day I have ever posted.)
posted at 8:14 AM - comments
Monday, November 12, 2001
Today was ruled by NA 7 and studying for tomorrow afternoon's Vibrations test. Got to love those good vibrations. Couldn't believe the news this morning...how is it that plane crashes are so personal? Sometimes an accident carries more weight than a not accident because who are we going to get back for this one? I pray that we aren't a bully with nobody to pick on in this case.
posted at 10:57 PM - comments
Sunday, November 11, 2001
A weekend with a friend from a past life kept me happily away from blogger this fine pre-winter weekend. We had a great day in a busy New York City on Saturday and relaxed and caught up on old times Friday and Sunday. It was a short visit that I think helped both of us very much in terms of a nice break from the routine. Wish every weekend could be this enjoyable, socially productive, and relaxing.
posted at 9:19 PM - comments
Thursday, November 08, 2001
Isn't it great when everything happens more easily than you anticipated? My ship works quite nicely after just a few hours of fussing with tanks. If only that good fortune would have carried over into last night's ethics paper, which was a hopeless shambles if there has ever been one. Quiet night on campus as a large contingent headed west to see Phantom of the Opera this cold evening. Not only did our cultured friends miss out on an evening of work, but they also missed out on a wonderful Italian feast at dinner. Food is awesome.
posted at 11:01 PM - comments
Wednesday, November 07, 2001
We played better against Cooper last night, but the result wasn't enough for a win. It's unfortunate that we didn't play better, because CU was beatable for the first time since I've been at Webb. In other news, school somehow got frantic again. All of a sudden we have no time and a bunch of big projects. How does this happen?
posted at 11:05 PM - comments
Tuesday, November 06, 2001
Tonight was another of the senior rites of passage: trick or drinking at Professors' Hadler & Wiggins and Pete Morris' homes. About 10 of our class took part in a fun, light social evening. Tomorrow night is the first home basketball game - Cooper Union, which is always a battle. Fantasticly windy here, with clear and cold night skiies. Winter sports must be just around the corner.
posted at 12:56 AM - comments
Sunday, November 04, 2001
At the beginning I thought it'd be good for the New York area if the Yankees won, but who can cheer for a team that has won more than one in four championships since the inception of their game? We aren't talking about a run of luck or a new league being formed; the Yankees represent a single franchise dominating an entire sport's history. Any other situation and the FTC would be stepping in to break up the monopoly. Somehow, I doubt Sherman had the Yankees in mind when he penned the Antitrust Act, but where does it apply more? Let's spread the butter a little better on the bread and make baseball a competition for a change.
posted at 10:55 PM - comments
Saturday, November 03, 2001
Sports can be a blessing and a curse. As if lingering wounds weren't enough of a reminder of the trauma we sustained at the hands of St. Joseph's College, the Wolverines blew a bunch of chances to put away the Spartans and wound up losing. Not enough ice in the world to make that sore go away. Maybe a day of work tomorrow will help.....naaaaah.
posted at 11:45 PM - comments
Friday, November 02, 2001
No shocker here: lines are due at 1600 and the library is chock full of weary-eyed seniors. Mine were turned in at 1045, allowing me a relaxing day that will leave me ready for tonight's 2001 inaugural basketball game, an away tilt at St. Joseph's College in Brooklyn. I'm looking forward to the controlled frenzy and uncontrolled hype of sports again. Does everybody know what time it is? It's GAME TIME! This stuff gets me pumped.posted at 2:11 PM - comments
Thursday, November 01, 2001
Last night's party was hopping: Spider Nick & the Mad Dogs turned a great performance as always. Unfortunately, the late-night festivities turned into an early morning dentist appointment and some wrap-up work on my lines sooner than I would have liked. Then, a long vibes review and basketball devoured my afternoon and evening. Sometimes the days just get away from us. However, our plaque arrived today...Tim Knowles' great deeds will now be forever memorialized in the pub.
posted at 10:54 PM - comments
Friday, November 30, 2001