What you did today

[Blarghagh]

Dear diary,

 

today I skipped school and did nothing productive. Now I feel vaguely guilty.

 

I did that yesterday. Clean a room or something, the guilt will go away. Then you can triumphantly declare you stayed home to clean up and organize.

 

Don't spend more than 20 minutes on it, though, no need to go overboard.

 

That sounds similar to when I try to convince myself that masturbation is a form exercise and I cannot be out of shape, because I exercise regularly.

 

This is one post I wish I hadn't read repeatedly due to other people's quoting.

 

 

OH GODS WHAT AM I DOING

[Guard Dog]

I went off on my own to see Kyoto and all it's temples and shrines.. I was there for 3 days and have now returned to Hamamastu. Tokyo tomorrow and then back to Denmark.

 

Here are some pictures.. they are taken with a mobile phone, which is why they are so pale and colourless.. I'll have to do some retouches when I get back.

 

Nice! Japan is a very cool place. If you can stand the traffic in and around the metro areas at least.

[Labadal]

Today I signed up to twitter... I feel dirty.

[Nepenthe]

Dear diary,

 

today I skipped school and did nothing productive. Now I feel vaguely guilty.

 

I did that yesterday. Clean a room or something, the guilt will go away. Then you can triumphantly declare you stayed home to clean up and organize.

 

Don't spend more than 20 minutes on it, though, no need to go overboard.

 

That sounds similar to when I try to convince myself that masturbation is a form exercise and I cannot be out of shape, because I exercise regularly.

 

That depends on if you stretch beforehand.

It's a part of the process.

[Malcador]

Nice busy day of ironing, really wonder why I have so many shirts. Ah yes, I keep getting them for Christmas and birthdays. Will need to get used to the clock change as well.

[Flouride]

Not today, but during the weekend which was pretty awesome.

 

Got a job, got drunk with my cousin and his friend and later on got laid (not by my cousin or his friend). 3 weeks of freedom left before my job starts and so much to do...

Edited March 12, 2012 by Flouride

[LadyCrimson]

Today I signed up to twitter... I feel dirty.

You'll get over it. Signing up doesn't mean you have to live on twitter, or something. I barely use it. :D

 

Yesterday I spent too much time discovering all of Parry Gripp's silly 'net meme songs/videos and playing some on repeat, much to the annoyance of my spouse.

 

Today I'm still trying to get over the guilt of possibly taking Mr. Grey (cat) back to the shelter. Turns out he has litter box & feeding issues that I don't want to deal with for the next decade or more. He's so sweet/cute but our house is too small & my time/energy too low for a young pet with constant - vs. occasional - issues. I've tried so many things to make it better but...sigh...this decision is going to take me a while to make.

[Walsingham]

Friends don't let friends use Twitter.

[Raithe]

Having one of those odd days. Background headache and just feeling tired emotionally. Having that feel of having put in months of effort on various things, but apart from a few added stress points at home, it still seems that everything is still stuck at the same place it was this time last year.

 

Pulling myself together with a cup of tea, and then slap back on the stiff upper lip and return to the fray.

[Guard Dog]

Having one of those odd days. Background headache and just feeling tired emotionally. Having that feel of having put in months of effort on various things, but apart from a few added stress points at home, it still seems that everything is still stuck at the same place it was this time last year.

 

Pulling myself together with a cup of tea, and then slap back on the stiff upper lip and return to the fray.

 

Splash a little whisky in that tea! It won't solve your problems but it will make them seem easier to handle. If that doesn't work after the first cup or two I'd suggest you try a third or fourth cup. Sooner or later it always works.

[Nepenthe]

Almost couldn't get out of the bed this morning, and it's been a terribly inefficient day ever since. Also half asleep again. Also forgot to hit "post", wrote this hours ago.

[Labadal]

Today I hit my head so hard it started to bleed. I hate my clumsiness.

[Syraxis]

Writing my personal statement essay to Rutgers today. Why is it that despite my love of reading I have trouble translating my thoughts into words on paper?

[Malcador]

Another day of clients being utter pricks. Makes it really fun to work with them when you feel like gouging their eyes out or something. At least the weather's gone warm - 15 C or so today, I guess our meek winter is over for now.

[Guard Dog]

Writing my personal statement essay to Rutgers today. Why is it that despite my love of reading I have trouble translating my thoughts into words on paper?

 

Do you have to write that as part of an application for admittance?

[Tigranes]

I wrote 11 separate personal statements for my PhD program applications. Personal statements are the stupidest thing since Daikatana, and they should all go to hell, because everybody, including administrators and faculty who read them, know they're formulaic, contrived, performative, and a lot of it doesn't necessarily translate to actual competence.

 

In my experience, at least for US grad programs (and much more for UK grad programs), they care about how well you can formulate your research questions, what kinds of clear principles you have about research and what you are doing, etc., than sappy personal stories or whatever. That's at least a relief to know that you don't have to make up some life-changing experience to get in.

 

Mainly, my statements were rather transparently about telling them how smart I want them to think I am.

[Syraxis]

Writing my personal statement essay to Rutgers today. Why is it that despite my love of reading I have trouble translating my thoughts into words on paper?

 

Do you have to write that as part of an application for admittance?

 

Yeah, undergraduate transfer student. Taking ~60+ credits from Community college with me.

 

I wrote 11 separate personal statements for my PhD program applications. Personal statements are the stupidest thing since Daikatana, and they should all go to hell, because everybody, including administrators and faculty who read them, know they're formulaic, contrived, performative, and a lot of it doesn't necessarily translate to actual competence.

 

In my experience, at least for US grad programs (and much more for UK grad programs), they care about how well you can formulate your research questions, what kinds of clear principles you have about research and what you are doing, etc., than sappy personal stories or whatever. That's at least a relief to know that you don't have to make up some life-changing experience to get in.

 

Mainly, my statements were rather transparently about telling them how smart I want them to think I am.

 

Colleges dig the whole "coming of age" story for prospective students, that's the topic for Monclair University's essay. Which I didn't find too difficult because I had enough crazy life-changing stories happen to me so I didn't have to spew any bull****.

 

Rutgers' well thought out question sums up to be "how do you think a degree here will help you in life?".

Yeah a CompSci degree from the reputable eighth oldest higher edu institute in the U.S.

Oh, you guys want that as an essay?

[Guard Dog]

Thats nuts. I transferred fo Florida Atlantic from Miami Dade Community College, I didn't have to do anything like that. But... FAU is definitely not Rutgers. Good luck!

[Calax]

Transferred to ISU without a statement letter as an undegrad.

 

Currently in NY visitng the city tomorrow with a cousin. And I think my other cousins best friend still has the hots for me... but I'm not sure.

[Tigranes]

Undergrad and grad applications are different beasts. Which makes sense, because most people are idiots when they're applying for undergrad. (Including me.)

 

Rutgers' well thought out question sums up to be "how do you think a degree here will help you in life?".

 

Yeah, so that really is a question where they want you to talk about what your philosophy/principles/vision is in terms of computer science as a field, the specific contributions you want to make, where you see yourself in relation to such things, how you strategize and plan your life and study. Because the worst thing in the world is a grad school student who doesn't love the actual act of studying that field and knows why he/she is there

[Syraxis]

Thats nuts. I transferred fo Florida Atlantic from Miami Dade Community College, I didn't have to do anything like that. But... FAU is definitely not Rutgers. Good luck!

 

Neither you nor Calax, huh. I wonder if it's a mid-atlantic area thing. My sister had to do it when she applied to LaSalle down in Philadelphia.

 

Thanks for the luck.

 

Undergrad and grad applications are different beasts. Which makes sense, because most people are idiots when they're applying for undergrad. (Including me.)

 

Rutgers' well thought out question sums up to be "how do you think a degree here will help you in life?".

 

Yeah, so that really is a question where they want you to talk about what your philosophy/principles/vision is in terms of computer science as a field, the specific contributions you want to make, where you see yourself in relation to such things, how you strategize and plan your life and study. Because the worst thing in the world is a grad school student who doesn't love the actual act of studying that field and knows why he/she is there

 

I appreciate the advice, but I mistyped their question. It's;

 

How do you think a degree from us will benefit you in your academic and life goals.

Edited March 14, 2012 by Syraxis

[Malcador]

Undergrad and grad applications are different beasts. Which makes sense, because most people are idiots when they're applying for undergrad. (Including me.)

 

And when they apply for grad school they only think they're not idiots

[Gorgon]

Today is international beef and blowjob day apparently. Hurry up and make your choice and petition the girlfriend before it's too late.

[C2B]

Man, today was a such a ****ty day. Apart from other personal things 22 belgian kids died here in Switzerland in a crash yesterday.

 

Makes you think....

Edited March 14, 2012 by C2B

[Calax]

Thats nuts. I transferred fo Florida Atlantic from Miami Dade Community College, I didn't have to do anything like that. But... FAU is definitely not Rutgers. Good luck!

 

Neither you nor Calax, huh. I wonder if it's a mid-atlantic area thing. My sister had to do it when she applied to LaSalle down in Philadelphia.

 

Thanks for the luck.

 

Undergrad and grad applications are different beasts. Which makes sense, because most people are idiots when they're applying for undergrad. (Including me.)

 

Rutgers' well thought out question sums up to be "how do you think a degree here will help you in life?".

 

Yeah, so that really is a question where they want you to talk about what your philosophy/principles/vision is in terms of computer science as a field, the specific contributions you want to make, where you see yourself in relation to such things, how you strategize and plan your life and study. Because the worst thing in the world is a grad school student who doesn't love the actual act of studying that field and knows why he/she is there

 

I appreciate the advice, but I mistyped their question. It's;

 

How do you think a degree from us will benefit you in your academic and life goals.

Well, at ISU at least, if it's handled as a transfer rather than an application from HS it's an entirely different beast.

 

Spent the day in NYC, visited Midtown Comics, and an anime shop before seeing "SpiderMan: Turn off the Dark" which feels like it went through the ordeal it did to get where it is. It's a fun show if a bit... strange. They go from cell phones and so on, to 1930's gangsters with tommy guns. Everything is done in forced perspective (even props), and the oddest part about it all is probably the music. My cousin swears up and down that the show was made up along the lines of Bono saying "I can out compose Andrew Lloyd Weber!" and using this as the vehicle to do that. It definately shows, with at least one of the songs being very definately "Vertigo with different lyrics and slightly different guitars". And they use "Rise Above" a lot.