A whirlwind week. Robin arrived from home, Mom and I went to see Roman things in Wales, plus Christmas doings at home and a night out with some folks my age. Tomorrow morning we leave for Austria and skiing, my favorite activity, so all is very holiday-ish.
posted at 12:32 PM - comments
Wednesday, December 19, 2001
A trip of a different magnitude since last time - yours truly lept across the pond in high style. Boeing's 777 is truly an accomplishment. My arrival was somewhat tarnished by what has turned into a rather nasty cold, but there was still enough health for a visit to nearby Chagford and an evening of choral carols at the cathedral. Today was exceptionally lazy but great promise lies in tomorrow's trip to Wales.
posted at 5:26 PM - comments
Saturday, December 15, 2001
An airport trip, a skishop trip, a grocery store trip. It was a trippy day here on campus as more people filed out and I stuck around. Looking forward to SNL and a decent night's sleep. More departures today, although it is truly interesting how attitudes about the people that go change as time goes by.
"Six months ago I felt your kisses.
On Sunday morning as we dried the dishes"
Eight months ago I felt your kisses.
Now I'm pulling right from dying wishes.
All my letters from Delphine...are falling to the ground.
~Dave Fogg, "Letters from Delphine"
This is the end. Fall hasn't turned to winter in Glen Cove yet, but on this drizzly glum day Fall Semester bowed out. There was laundry, errand running galore, and a trip to the airport with a couple of friends to fill the day as full as one likes on a lazy Friday. Goodbyes were exchanged all around: we find out who our best friends are when we have to bid them farewell. For some it was Godspeed - the sophomores head to sea, and for the ones that we like it is exciting to anticipate the fun they'll have and the pictures they'll take. Freshman are off to shipyards and to stretch their independence to new limits, but most just want to go home. And for the seniors, it is only with the assurance that we'll be back that we allow our classmates to depart.
"People, stay just a little bit longer
We wanna play just a little bit longer
If the promoter don't mind
And the union don't mind
We can take a little time and we'll leave it all behind
Sing one more song
Oh, won't you stay just a little bit longer
Please, please, please say, you will, say you will"
~Jackson Browne - "Load Out/Stay (The Roadie Song)"
A somewhat disjointed day here. This morning was wrap-up time for my ethics paper and the presentation for RMHLI. After lunch I submitted my ethics paper before Karyn and I headed to the RMHLI with Prof. Hennings to meet with the people there. When I returned from that meeting, Anthony and I departed for the mall, where I bought a picture frame and got some ideas for Christmas presents. Upon our return to Webb we found a delegation in our room watching Chocolat and celebrating studying for our last final, ME6, which takes place tomorrow morning. Tonight is midnight brunch and then further merriment in the pub with professors.
posted at 9:04 PM - comments
Sunday, December 09, 2001
Sometimes a blip in the blog suggests a day off campus away from the internet (i.e. rafting in West Virginia) or a lazy day when I forgot (i.e. most Tuesdays), but yesterday was the craziest day I believe I have ever taken part in at Webb. After the week of late nights I was tired and slept in, then rose, showered, and got ready for a 2 o'clock tip-off in our last basketball game. The game was a 5-point loss to Sarah Lawrence, a game that was ours for the taking but slipped away. After hoops was Christmas shopping with Kyle for our classmates. After shopping was dinner, then wrapping, then singing, then the Webb Christmas party. We rocked out main deck until shortly after 1 AM, at which point about a dozen hearty souls moved to the pub for a laid-back but fun after-party that screamed into the night like the Orient Express. Today has been all about the good vibrations from Ship Vibrations take home and studying for the Ship Vibrations final tomorrow. And another round of singing with a birthday party for Jackie as well. I've crammed 4 days worth of Webb activity into 34 hours. There must be a pillow in my near future.
posted at 11:09 PM - comments
Friday, December 07, 2001
Classes ended today with little pomp and even less circumstance. Due to a vibes take-home and ethics paper that will occupy an already busy weekend, it feels somewhat anti-climactic that classes are over. This evening we trimmed the tree, drank cider, and watched "It's a Beautiful Life" in a quiet reception room. On these relaxed nights Webb is definitely a pleasant place full of good people.
posted at 10:52 PM - comments
Thursday, December 06, 2001
Oh please stop the insanity. In the realm of sports there are things that just shouldn't be. Among them are the Detroit Lions, stock car driver Richard Trickle, and Webb Institute v. Pratt Institute. It got ugly early and didn't improve much. On a lighter note, I finished all of my work and am going to be able to get a normal night of sleep on this evening when many of my classmates will let night and day unite over Webb breakfast muffins tomorrow.
posted at 11:18 PM - comments
Wednesday, December 05, 2001
Intense marine engineering. So says the Webb catalog and I confirm that this is the case. I don't even want to tally the hours spent in front of my laptop and our machienry arrangement today; the number would approach a dozen. Happily, the project is essentially complete, with just a few hours of menial printing, plotting, writing a design narrative, and compiling our submission left before Zero Hour. A notable lunch as well - Christmas dinner and an extra half an hour to fill our bellies and be thankful. Finally, happy birthday to Mert, who joined the ranks of 22-year olds this fine day.
posted at 11:57 PM - comments
Tuesday, December 04, 2001
Played football this afternoon for the first time in a long time. It felt good to run and throw and catch, although I recall now why we put up with those heavy heavy cleats. It was another day carried by ME6. AutoCADing details has been the name of my game, with plenty of heat exchangers, pumps, purifiers, and separators to be drawn. Headway has been made, though, and it seems like tomorrow might be the final day of it, albeit at a price perhaps more dear than we can pay: 5 hours of ME will rule our day. Klondike bars in the evening remind us that life is sweet, just in case we let ourselves slip into the vast field of apathy that surrounds our every move.
posted at 11:55 PM - comments
Monday, December 03, 2001
Four hours of ME6 in one day, with an interesting lecture on mummification and an interesting lunch of BBQ ribs in between. The hours are already ticking away on this behemoth of a project...I can see several LATE nights looming large. It's an intense mix of CAD, calculations, and complying with the project guides for our engines. Never thought I would pine for the days of first-semester sophomore year again. The major shining star of the day came when the architectural appreciation elective was approved - 3 guys and all 3 girls under the tutelage of Prof. Harris and (hopefully) several adjuncts. We are all excited about learning and sharing and seeing new things - if only it were already spring.
posted at 8:17 PM - comments
Sunday, December 02, 2001
Today we welcome December, a day late in the Webb tradition, and hope that it gets cold and snows - the sooner the better. In other news, it's been all about sports and work since I last posted. Work on thesis and vibes, both of which went surprisingly well. Sports in the form of watching Detroit beat New Jersey on TV, the watching the Devils beat the Red Wings at The Meadowlands, and then participating in a basketball game here this afternoon, which we dropped to Bard College amidst much frustration. Tonight I watched Meet the Parents, which reminds us all what it means to be in love and also what it means to have a bad day.
posted at 8:48 PM - comments
Saturday, December 22, 2001