JetBlue isn't quite as cool today, as I just looked up the rules for their frequent flyer miles (TrueBlue). The miles expire one year after accrued, and the flight must be before that expiration. So I'd have to fly round trip 4 times from San Jose to NYC to get a free ticket. Bummer.
NWA and UsAirways (the other companies on which I have miles/credit) don't really have expiration. Kudos to them.
Ok, back to doing whatever I'm doing. NY tomorrow, if I talk to Krista anytime soon (haven't talked to her since Monday, hope nothing went wrong with travel and nothing has changed with my visit!)
Peace
Matt
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Christmas loot
When you ask for 3 things, you happen to get all of them (red LL Bean sweater, tripod that's taller than I am when fully extended, Belgian waffle maker).
Other than that - good stuff. Check out photos at the site I posted yesterday.
Peace
Matt
Other than that - good stuff. Check out photos at the site I posted yesterday.
Peace
Matt
Monday, December 27, 2004
Napoleon Dynamite
Strange. Utterly strange. But not in that interesting Kubric-esque way.
Napoleon Dynamite is about a high school student named, interestingly enough, Napoleon Dynamite. He lives with his 32 year old brother Kip and his butch grandmother. His brother is an internet chat room junkie who has no job and no life. His grandmother is absent most of the movie due to an injury from 4wheeling on sand dunes.
Basic premise: new kid (Mexican) Pedro moves to town. Pedro runs for class president against the most popular blonde girl in school. Also, Napoleon's uncle Rico shows up and sells random things (Tupperware, breast enhancements) and tampers with Napoleon's life. LaFawnduh, Kip's internet chatroom sweetheart, shows up too.
Movie's cool in that it covers the coming of age, asking girls out in high school thing but misses reality by a mile. Everything's just a little weird, and I couldn't really tie myself in with the main character. There was a dance scene to Jamiroquai which is pretty cool, following Pedro's presidency speech. Other than that, not really worth watching in my opinion.
Peace
Matt
Napoleon Dynamite is about a high school student named, interestingly enough, Napoleon Dynamite. He lives with his 32 year old brother Kip and his butch grandmother. His brother is an internet chat room junkie who has no job and no life. His grandmother is absent most of the movie due to an injury from 4wheeling on sand dunes.
Basic premise: new kid (Mexican) Pedro moves to town. Pedro runs for class president against the most popular blonde girl in school. Also, Napoleon's uncle Rico shows up and sells random things (Tupperware, breast enhancements) and tampers with Napoleon's life. LaFawnduh, Kip's internet chatroom sweetheart, shows up too.
Movie's cool in that it covers the coming of age, asking girls out in high school thing but misses reality by a mile. Everything's just a little weird, and I couldn't really tie myself in with the main character. There was a dance scene to Jamiroquai which is pretty cool, following Pedro's presidency speech. Other than that, not really worth watching in my opinion.
Peace
Matt
Farenheit 9/11 reaction
I just watched Farenheit 9/11. I am not sure what was supposed to be such a big deal about it - I mean, I had heard about horrible images in it and I'd heard lots of interesting things about the movie. However, I have a friend who was in Iraq for a year, and I'd seen the Abu Gharib pictures and I'd read about wounded soldiers. It made it more clear the horrible things done in the name of protecting ourselves from Hussein.
I probably watched the movie 6 months too late - I am guessing if the movie hadn't come out I wouldn't have heard all of this through second hand sources. The movie also probably would have meant more if I hadn't seen Bowling for Columbine.
However, the movie does not endear me any more to the Bush administration, it does not make me any more proud of the US in Iraq. Hopefully the country can support itself quickly and we can get our soldiers home soon.
This seems more appropriate than normal:
Peace
Matt
I probably watched the movie 6 months too late - I am guessing if the movie hadn't come out I wouldn't have heard all of this through second hand sources. The movie also probably would have meant more if I hadn't seen Bowling for Columbine.
However, the movie does not endear me any more to the Bush administration, it does not make me any more proud of the US in Iraq. Hopefully the country can support itself quickly and we can get our soldiers home soon.
This seems more appropriate than normal:
Peace
Matt
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Home
So when I thought I was halfway through shopping, I realized I had to buy stuff for my grandparents (both sets) and my sister's fiancee. So for right now, I have my immediate family and Krista (more or less) taken care of - thankfully we're not doing any gifts at all until 12/28.
The drive home went pretty well - I've at least driven through all 5 boroughs of NYC. Boring story about how I detoured through Brooklyn to get from Pittsburgh to Maine.
Music - Paul van Dyk featuring Hemstock & Jennings, "Nothing But You", from Reflections
Hope everyone's break is going well - Went to Yum Mee in Bath today with John and Russ from Burgess. Also went to CVS to get cards, and ... umm... that's it. I'm lazy. Sunday River yesterday - I'll link to pics when photos.zchicken is back up.
Peace
Matt
The drive home went pretty well - I've at least driven through all 5 boroughs of NYC. Boring story about how I detoured through Brooklyn to get from Pittsburgh to Maine.
Music - Paul van Dyk featuring Hemstock & Jennings, "Nothing But You", from Reflections
Hope everyone's break is going well - Went to Yum Mee in Bath today with John and Russ from Burgess. Also went to CVS to get cards, and ... umm... that's it. I'm lazy. Sunday River yesterday - I'll link to pics when photos.zchicken is back up.
Peace
Matt
Saturday, December 18, 2004
4/5 done
One class left. Plus whatever the comp physics prof wants me to fix on old assignments.
15-359 (Special Topics: Probability and Computing) was an amazing course - somehow I got a 97 on the exam. The professors are awesome. If you ever have a chance to have Mor Harchol-Balter or John Lafferty take it in an instant. One of my best courses here. (And somehow I got a 97 on the exam?)
I'm working on my resume and getting stuff together for the internship hunt - I'd like to get one at Google again, but after how I almost didn't try for any other companies last year due to a "sure thing" back home, I'm going to go through without any assumptions.
I keep dreaming about California. Shar and RobOn were in a dream the other day.
Music of the moment - Pete Tong Friday Night Essential Selection.
Peace - study, pack, and clean tomorrow, exam and drive Monday (to Brooklyn?!), finish drive Tuesday. Ski Wednesday.
15-359 (Special Topics: Probability and Computing) was an amazing course - somehow I got a 97 on the exam. The professors are awesome. If you ever have a chance to have Mor Harchol-Balter or John Lafferty take it in an instant. One of my best courses here. (And somehow I got a 97 on the exam?)
I'm working on my resume and getting stuff together for the internship hunt - I'd like to get one at Google again, but after how I almost didn't try for any other companies last year due to a "sure thing" back home, I'm going to go through without any assumptions.
I keep dreaming about California. Shar and RobOn were in a dream the other day.
Music of the moment - Pete Tong Friday Night Essential Selection.
Peace - study, pack, and clean tomorrow, exam and drive Monday (to Brooklyn?!), finish drive Tuesday. Ski Wednesday.
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
The Stopping Problem
Read on Slashdot
"""
As an example of what this whole subject is like let me tell you about a long-studied model of interpersonal behavior that the author discusses in Chapter 3, a chapter titled "Road Testing the Bed"--I kid you not.
"You have to choose your life mate. The rules we adopt for this model are that you will be presented 100 choices one after another, you may date them, sleep with them, whatever. But, at the end, you must say yea or nay and if you say nay, you will never see them again."
What strategy should you adopt? Well, if you wait to the end, the odds are only 1/100 that the last person is the optimal choice; ditto if you choose the first person. The modeler then asks: what strategy should you adopt for optimum results? A little bit of mathematics involving infinite series gives the answer. You can prove mathematically that the best strategy is to look at (approximately) the first 36.787944117144235 people (rounding it to, say, 37 people) and then you should choose the first person from that point on that is 'better' then the previous 37 people. This increases the odds of your finding the best match from 1% to about 37%- roughly a 37 times improvement. (In the pre-politically correct literature this model was called "The Sultan's Dowry Problem," or "The Secretary Problem"; now, alas, it is usually called simply an example of an "Optimal Stopping Problem." )
"""
"""
As an example of what this whole subject is like let me tell you about a long-studied model of interpersonal behavior that the author discusses in Chapter 3, a chapter titled "Road Testing the Bed"--I kid you not.
"You have to choose your life mate. The rules we adopt for this model are that you will be presented 100 choices one after another, you may date them, sleep with them, whatever. But, at the end, you must say yea or nay and if you say nay, you will never see them again."
What strategy should you adopt? Well, if you wait to the end, the odds are only 1/100 that the last person is the optimal choice; ditto if you choose the first person. The modeler then asks: what strategy should you adopt for optimum results? A little bit of mathematics involving infinite series gives the answer. You can prove mathematically that the best strategy is to look at (approximately) the first 36.787944117144235 people (rounding it to, say, 37 people) and then you should choose the first person from that point on that is 'better' then the previous 37 people. This increases the odds of your finding the best match from 1% to about 37%- roughly a 37 times improvement. (In the pre-politically correct literature this model was called "The Sultan's Dowry Problem," or "The Secretary Problem"; now, alas, it is usually called simply an example of an "Optimal Stopping Problem." )
"""
Monday, December 06, 2004
Thanks Shar
tablet brick potato llama, llamallama duck.
May it help you through the last week of classes and finals
Peace
Matt
May it help you through the last week of classes and finals
Peace
Matt
Sunday, December 05, 2004
Reflection
I have the urge to be in California. I can't wait til I'm next there.
I realized, when I kept trying to go into my old room at the house in Maine (now my sister's room) that Maine is no longer home to me, I really don't have a place more real than here in Pittsburgh. Not that it's a bad thing, it's just a thing, that I noticed.
I enjoyed skiing at home, and I'm looking forward to having Kacy up over Christmas for skiing - anyone else out there interested?
OS Project 4 is done, it was really rewarding to add some extra functionality to the kernel.
Peace
Matt
I realized, when I kept trying to go into my old room at the house in Maine (now my sister's room) that Maine is no longer home to me, I really don't have a place more real than here in Pittsburgh. Not that it's a bad thing, it's just a thing, that I noticed.
I enjoyed skiing at home, and I'm looking forward to having Kacy up over Christmas for skiing - anyone else out there interested?
OS Project 4 is done, it was really rewarding to add some extra functionality to the kernel.
Peace
Matt
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Photos from break
Check out the link; I had a post written this morning but blogger had an internal error and deleted my post. So I'll post in depth some other time.
Peace
Matt
Peace
Matt
Friday, November 19, 2004
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Advisor Ghosh
The Physics advisor to me, re: minor
"Please try to see me at least once during this semester."
I make an advising appointment with him, and go in and see him. First thing he asks me
"Why are you here to see me?"
heh...
Matt
"Please try to see me at least once during this semester."
I make an advising appointment with him, and go in and see him. First thing he asks me
"Why are you here to see me?"
heh...
Matt
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Blue Man Group - Character Statement
The Blue Man character is not an alien. He looks different on the outside, that’s for sure, but the key to the Blue Man is his inner life. The people who really connect with the Blue Man see past his unusual appearance and see something fundamentally human. Unlike the Blue Man, most of us are comfortable with pretense, we tend to our egos and our personas. We feel awkward in the presence of the primal, self-conscious in moments of playfulness and we routinely feel alone in crowds. The Blue Man is the opposite. He is naturally authentic, he is egoless, he is at home in the primal, he is never self-conscious and he easily connects with others.
What does it say about the human condition that someone with these traits seems so alien to us? Clearly, in the process of becoming “civilized” something has been lost. It’s so far gone that when it stares us in the eyes, we don’t even recognize it, and it seems strange.
There’s a part of us that instinctively knows we are not our masks, our outer shells. This part of us knows exactly who the Blue Man is. For some people it may be too far down to access; they get so far in they can’t get out. These people do not recognize the Blue Man, but there are others who haven’t completely buried this aspect of themselves. These are the people who “get” the Blue Man. When they see him, his essence is not at all alien; it is familiar, like a voice from the distant past. In this moment of recognition, it all becomes clear; we are the ones who have become the aliens.
What does it say about the human condition that someone with these traits seems so alien to us? Clearly, in the process of becoming “civilized” something has been lost. It’s so far gone that when it stares us in the eyes, we don’t even recognize it, and it seems strange.
There’s a part of us that instinctively knows we are not our masks, our outer shells. This part of us knows exactly who the Blue Man is. For some people it may be too far down to access; they get so far in they can’t get out. These people do not recognize the Blue Man, but there are others who haven’t completely buried this aspect of themselves. These are the people who “get” the Blue Man. When they see him, his essence is not at all alien; it is familiar, like a voice from the distant past. In this moment of recognition, it all becomes clear; we are the ones who have become the aliens.
Friday, November 05, 2004
Thursday, November 04, 2004
My parents' new land in Bethel
They'll have a view of White Cap at Sunday River. I don't think they're planning on beginning to build a house any time soon, but it might be nice in a few years.
Peace
Matt
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
courseload left
I couldn't count last time I thought about how many courses I have left. I only need 4 CS classes and 1 Physics class.
Courses next semester:
Acting for Non Majors
Electronics Lab
Research (Waiting on a professor...)
Constructive Logic
WebApplications development
After that I'll need Algo and I'll be done.
Peace
Matt
Courses next semester:
Acting for Non Majors
Electronics Lab
Research (Waiting on a professor...)
Constructive Logic
WebApplications development
After that I'll need Algo and I'll be done.
Peace
Matt
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Nokia is amazing
I washed my cell phone. It still works. I didn't think it would so I even ordered a replacement. Now I'll have to cancel it. (It got washed and dried)
Oh yeah. Sox win. :-D Curse reversed.
Peace
Matt
Oh yeah. Sox win. :-D Curse reversed.
Peace
Matt
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Hey Britain
I'll trade you Clear Channel for BBC Radio 1. One whole company for one radio station...
Please?
Matt
Please?
Matt
Red Sox and Kerry
The Red Sox are my heros. The biggest difference, to me, between the Sox and the Yankees in the last 4 games of this series? The Yankees just didn't have their hearts in the game. Not that I had time to watch any of them...
John Kerry held a rally yesterday at Carnegie Mellon. I'll add the link to the pictures later when the photos site is back up. Krista got to shake his hands (albeit, she was on my shoulders at the time...)
[EDIT: Pictures of rally]
Peace
Matt
John Kerry held a rally yesterday at Carnegie Mellon. I'll add the link to the pictures later when the photos site is back up. Krista got to shake his hands (albeit, she was on my shoulders at the time...)
[EDIT: Pictures of rally]
Peace
Matt
Friday, October 15, 2004
Sunday, October 10, 2004
Ayn Rand
I have to say, no author has ever struck me the same way as Ayn Rand has. She is so utterly, totally wrong about the way humans should be that I cannot understand her point of view except to say that it is a reactionist viewpoint to communist living.
The thought that you should never do the good of someone else if you don't gain is selfish. Where would we be as a society if everyone followed this economic view of interpersonal relations?
(If you aren't following, Ayn Rand is an author who writes books about how man's happiness is the only end to which one should strive. Or woman's happiness.)
So why do so many people do things that benefit themselves only by putting others down? Is superiority that important to them? Does it make them happy to think they're better than someone else?
Do things for others for no reward. Make someone happy today because you can. Put yourself out there for the betterment of society.
To quote Ignatius : "Lord, teach me ... to give and not to count the cost ... save that of knowing that I do your will."
I am not religious, but there's something about the prayer of St. Ignatius that strikes me at the core.
Peace
Matt
The thought that you should never do the good of someone else if you don't gain is selfish. Where would we be as a society if everyone followed this economic view of interpersonal relations?
(If you aren't following, Ayn Rand is an author who writes books about how man's happiness is the only end to which one should strive. Or woman's happiness.)
So why do so many people do things that benefit themselves only by putting others down? Is superiority that important to them? Does it make them happy to think they're better than someone else?
Do things for others for no reward. Make someone happy today because you can. Put yourself out there for the betterment of society.
To quote Ignatius : "Lord, teach me ... to give and not to count the cost ... save that of knowing that I do your will."
I am not religious, but there's something about the prayer of St. Ignatius that strikes me at the core.
Peace
Matt
Creeped out
Blog 1
Blog 2
Peace
Matt
Blog 2
So I wanted to see why photos.zchicken.com had such a high page rank all of the sudden. Turns out 2 blogs (those above) linked to it with me wearing the propellor hat that I got as a noogler. I took them down. Because, well, I put those pictures up for friends and family and there has to be a reason why no one else has a picture of that online
Plus, I shouldn't be the fifth link for Noogler on Google.
Peace
Matt
Saturday, October 09, 2004
Blogger?
For some reason, blogger decided to post the last post 10 ish times. Go figure.
Busy busy busy. Still at 57 units. People who understand how heavy I'm loading this semester think I'm crazy. People who don't understand think I'm only half crazy. Hero of the week: Klaus, for letting me hand in an assignment one week late.
how do I get poison ivy in October?
Peace
Matt
Busy busy busy. Still at 57 units. People who understand how heavy I'm loading this semester think I'm crazy. People who don't understand think I'm only half crazy. Hero of the week: Klaus, for letting me hand in an assignment one week late.
how do I get poison ivy in October?
Peace
Matt
Sunday, October 03, 2004
What's better than waking up at 4:30 for buggy?
What's better than waking up at 4:30 for buggy?
Waking up at 4:30 for buggy, going through all the motions, and finding out that we don't have enough barricades to roll.
Pancake consumption summary:
1+ 40 oz box of bisquick
1+ bag of chocolate chips
1/2 gallon milk
1 dozen eggs
1 gallon juice
And that's why we have stadium seating at Club Wilkins.
Peace
Matt
Waking up at 4:30 for buggy, going through all the motions, and finding out that we don't have enough barricades to roll.
Pancake consumption summary:
1+ 40 oz box of bisquick
1+ bag of chocolate chips
1/2 gallon milk
1 dozen eggs
1 gallon juice
And that's why we have stadium seating at Club Wilkins.
Peace
Matt
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Skitzophrenia of Pittsburgh
Flooding in Giant Eagle Auditorium
Pittsburgh Dowtown under water
And the next 3 days will have highs above 80. It tasted like fall this weekend... I actually remember liking it every fall. The leaves changing aren't as pretty here as they are in New England.
Peace
Matt
Pittsburgh Dowtown under water
And the next 3 days will have highs above 80. It tasted like fall this weekend... I actually remember liking it every fall. The leaves changing aren't as pretty here as they are in New England.
Peace
Matt
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Life imitating... life
When I was a junior in high school, I toured Carnegie Mellon and decided instantly that I didn't want to tour another school and only wanted to go to CMU.
Today is the Technical Opportunities Conference here at CMU and I really only wanted to talk to Google. I know that I need to look at other companies in case I don't get an internship at Google next summer.
So yeah. How does one overcome this?
Matt
Today is the Technical Opportunities Conference here at CMU and I really only wanted to talk to Google. I know that I need to look at other companies in case I don't get an internship at Google next summer.
So yeah. How does one overcome this?
Matt
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
"I feel love"
"Does the sun EVER shine in Pittsburgh?" - Mom (we're going to get nailed with rain again, when my parents are here to visit this weekend)
PiKA decided to nominate a safety chair with 0 design, 0 building, and limited mechanicking experience. Yay.
I really like my probability class. It can be a little slow, but having problems about drives going offline really is nice and concrete. I figured out that I really dislike abstract stuff like algebraic structure theory.
OS is a bit annoying right now. However my new habit of doing work ahead of time to some extent is helping, to a large extent.
Peace
Matt
PiKA decided to nominate a safety chair with 0 design, 0 building, and limited mechanicking experience. Yay.
I really like my probability class. It can be a little slow, but having problems about drives going offline really is nice and concrete. I figured out that I really dislike abstract stuff like algebraic structure theory.
OS is a bit annoying right now. However my new habit of doing work ahead of time to some extent is helping, to a large extent.
Peace
Matt
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
Oddities in Education
If I drop no courses this semester, I will need
4 cs courses
1 physics course
1 humanities course
to graduate. Basically a little more than 1 more semester.
Options:
Get a random minor (psych: 7 courses. Business: 5)
Do research this spring and hope to get into the fifth year master's program
Have an amazingly easy senior year.
Scary. If I pushed extra hard, I could graduate this spring. I'm not ready to be a college grad!
Matt
4 cs courses
1 physics course
1 humanities course
to graduate. Basically a little more than 1 more semester.
Options:
Get a random minor (psych: 7 courses. Business: 5)
Do research this spring and hope to get into the fifth year master's program
Have an amazingly easy senior year.
Scary. If I pushed extra hard, I could graduate this spring. I'm not ready to be a college grad!
Matt
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Midweek updates
Something recently learned - starting assignments ahead of time leads to good free time later. Yes, it's only week 2, but it seems to help.
Photos from Fallingwater
Best line today from a professor in an email "Also, let's talk about constructive uses of low precision (to test algorithm stability)." It's making the CS major in me cry. Less precision?
sold the 19" crt today. I just couldn't justify the desk space when the image sucks so much. Thanks Dell, I'm glad I got your monitor.
Photos from Fallingwater
Best line today from a professor in an email "Also, let's talk about constructive uses of low precision (to test algorithm stability)." It's making the CS major in me cry. Less precision?
sold the 19" crt today. I just couldn't justify the desk space when the image sucks so much. Thanks Dell, I'm glad I got your monitor.
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Trey's quote in OS
"What languages don't support recursion?" - Eckherdt, rhetorically
"ML..." - Trey
Peace
Matt
"ML..." - Trey
Peace
Matt
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Classes
Intro to Anthro: likely drop. I really have to admit the professor makes so much difference in classes. The professor in this just seems to be too academic.
OS: Likely hard and ballbuster. Want to make it through. Can do on sheer perseverence.
Special Topics Prob & Computing: now 12 units, for more fun! I cringe when I hear them describe it as the "honors" alternative
Computational Discrete Math: Anything called "251 on steroids" also scares me. Though Klaus rocks.
Computational Physics: could be very cool. Heard it's hard from past people, don't believe them yet.
Stars, Galaxies, & The Universe: Anything with Peterson is cool. Who else has a picture of himself on a bike at the south pole on his website? Plus we can check out telescopes for personal use.
Peace
Matt
OS: Likely hard and ballbuster. Want to make it through. Can do on sheer perseverence.
Special Topics Prob & Computing: now 12 units, for more fun! I cringe when I hear them describe it as the "honors" alternative
Computational Discrete Math: Anything called "251 on steroids" also scares me. Though Klaus rocks.
Computational Physics: could be very cool. Heard it's hard from past people, don't believe them yet.
Stars, Galaxies, & The Universe: Anything with Peterson is cool. Who else has a picture of himself on a bike at the south pole on his website? Plus we can check out telescopes for personal use.
Peace
Matt
Sunday, August 29, 2004
Bring on the pain
Tomorrow classes start. Theoretically I'm excited for all my classes, but I will have to drop one, or grow amazing powers of getting stuff done.
Summer was great, and fortunately it doesn't feel that it was too short.
Peace
Matt
Summer was great, and fortunately it doesn't feel that it was too short.
Peace
Matt
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Goals for this summer - End of quarter report
Get to San Francisco 5 times: 100% (Actually 6 or 7 times)
Go to Alcatraz: 100% (went with parents)
Get white water rafting at least once: 100% (With Matt and Justin)
See Krista at least once: 100%
Have fun: more than 100% accomplished.
Read 20 books: 90% (Only read 18)
Other things that I got done that were really cool:
First pilot's lesson
Went to Lake Tahoe for a weekend
Went to Santa Cruz many times
Built a spud gun with Matt and Justin
Summer is almost over, but not quite. If only the air conditioning were working here at Club Wilkins.
Peace
Matt
Go to Alcatraz: 100% (went with parents)
Get white water rafting at least once: 100% (With Matt and Justin)
See Krista at least once: 100%
Have fun: more than 100% accomplished.
Read 20 books: 90% (Only read 18)
Other things that I got done that were really cool:
First pilot's lesson
Went to Lake Tahoe for a weekend
Went to Santa Cruz many times
Built a spud gun with Matt and Justin
Summer is almost over, but not quite. If only the air conditioning were working here at Club Wilkins.
Peace
Matt
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
At Carnegie Mellon
I'm back at school now.
Desk setup
I went on campus yesterday and it looks so nice when I don't have classes. Saw the people from housing, got my new ID, and stopped by the garage.
I'm also the airport shuttle for a few people.
Justin said the same thing when he got off the plane that I said when I got off the plane in New Hampshire "Wooooooo humidity!"
Peace
Matt
Desk setup
I went on campus yesterday and it looks so nice when I don't have classes. Saw the people from housing, got my new ID, and stopped by the garage.
I'm also the airport shuttle for a few people.
Justin said the same thing when he got off the plane that I said when I got off the plane in New Hampshire "Wooooooo humidity!"
Peace
Matt
Saturday, August 21, 2004
Under 7 days in Maine
And I'm on the road again in a little bit. I'm going down to see family in Massachusetts, then staying at Monica's tonight, and then she and I are driving down to Pittsburgh. It is nice to be home, but I'm itching to be at school, even though Scotch 'n' Soda took the fence.
This semester looks tough, 63 units (though 9 of those are currently waitlisted) including
Stars, Galaxies, & the Universe
Computational Physics
Computational Discrete Mathematics
Operating Systems
Special Topics: Probability and Computing
Intro to Anthropology (that's the WL)
Weightlifting
Anyway, apparently travelling south sucks, so I leave now. It's been nice to be home...
Peace
Matt
This semester looks tough, 63 units (though 9 of those are currently waitlisted) including
Stars, Galaxies, & the Universe
Computational Physics
Computational Discrete Mathematics
Operating Systems
Special Topics: Probability and Computing
Intro to Anthropology (that's the WL)
Weightlifting
Anyway, apparently travelling south sucks, so I leave now. It's been nice to be home...
Peace
Matt
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Panoramas
SF and the golden gate bridge from Vista Point
Harpswell looking east from the bridge
Harpswell looking west from the bridge
Santa Cruz Beach
The other side of the wharf in Santa Cruz
Critiques of the Canon photo stitch program:
The seams are dark
Peace
Matt
Harpswell looking east from the bridge
Harpswell looking west from the bridge
Santa Cruz Beach
The other side of the wharf in Santa Cruz
Critiques of the Canon photo stitch program:
The seams are dark
Peace
Matt
Sunday, August 15, 2004
Be ever so humble
There's no place like home.
Car's ready, oil changed, brand new Kenwood KDC-MP245 in dash receiver from the nice people at Crutchfield.
The flights went well, albeit long. One guy either didn't know where his elbows were or he didn't care that they were in my side half the time.
As a side note, US Airways is no longer flying from Portland to Pittsburgh. In other news, Independence Air is flying from Portland to Dulles (and Dulles to Pittsburgh) but they don't look as inexpensive as their website is cheap.
Peace
Matt
Car's ready, oil changed, brand new Kenwood KDC-MP245 in dash receiver from the nice people at Crutchfield.
The flights went well, albeit long. One guy either didn't know where his elbows were or he didn't care that they were in my side half the time.
As a side note, US Airways is no longer flying from Portland to Pittsburgh. In other news, Independence Air is flying from Portland to Dulles (and Dulles to Pittsburgh) but they don't look as inexpensive as their website is cheap.
Peace
Matt
Friday, August 13, 2004
End of internship
And I'll miss it.
12 hours from now, I'll be at the airport.
Goodbye Google, goodbye California... it's been fun
12 hours from now, I'll be at the airport.
Goodbye Google, goodbye California... it's been fun
Thursday, August 12, 2004
Dell 1703FP
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
What I'll miss from California
In-n-Out Burgers
The amazing views
The team (Partner Services & Operations)
The Burstein family
The Company
The organic food
The Weather
Chilling with Longnecker
Flying out of SJC on JetBlue
Palo Alto
What I won't miss
No thunderstorms
The amazing views
The team (Partner Services & Operations)
The Burstein family
The Company
The organic food
The Weather
Chilling with Longnecker
Flying out of SJC on JetBlue
Palo Alto
What I won't miss
No thunderstorms
Sunday, August 01, 2004
Weekend in Tahoe
Summary of weekend:
Friday: Matt, Justin and I drove up to Auburn to spend the night at the local KOA. We get lost on Highway 49 and end up in Cool, CA.
We eventually get to the KOA and pitch tent. Justin, however, was supposed to bring a sleeping bag for me. He forgot. I was very very cold.
Rafting was awesome! The rafting out here is different from Maine - the river was narrower and lower water release, but longer with more rapids. We saw a bunch of equipment from what used to be gold mining setups, we saw 2 bridge abutments that were missing their bridge (it was wiped out in 1964); we all jumped off a cliff 25 feet up into the river too. I got knocked out of the boat 3 times though. Still, a lot of fun.
My uncle picked me up and drove me up to Truckee on beautiful Lake Tahoe. We kayaked from the Lake Tahoe - Nevada State Park for a couple of hours. My uncle and I went to Donner Lake and rented Sea-Doos. They have a really cool statue that was as tall as the snow was the year that the Donner Party decided to gnaw on each other. Unfortunately I lack a link for the picture.
We ate dinner tonight at Lanza's. My cousin, Mike Laroche was here with a bunch of friends when we got back.
Peace
Matt
Friday: Matt, Justin and I drove up to Auburn to spend the night at the local KOA. We get lost on Highway 49 and end up in Cool, CA.
We eventually get to the KOA and pitch tent. Justin, however, was supposed to bring a sleeping bag for me. He forgot. I was very very cold.
Rafting was awesome! The rafting out here is different from Maine - the river was narrower and lower water release, but longer with more rapids. We saw a bunch of equipment from what used to be gold mining setups, we saw 2 bridge abutments that were missing their bridge (it was wiped out in 1964); we all jumped off a cliff 25 feet up into the river too. I got knocked out of the boat 3 times though. Still, a lot of fun.
My uncle picked me up and drove me up to Truckee on beautiful Lake Tahoe. We kayaked from the Lake Tahoe - Nevada State Park for a couple of hours. My uncle and I went to Donner Lake and rented Sea-Doos. They have a really cool statue that was as tall as the snow was the year that the Donner Party decided to gnaw on each other. Unfortunately I lack a link for the picture.
We ate dinner tonight at Lanza's. My cousin, Mike Laroche was here with a bunch of friends when we got back.
Peace
Matt
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
2 and a half weeks to go
I flew last weekend, with Robert French of Bay Area Learn To Fly in a Cessna C-172N Skyhawk at Sundance Flying Club.
I also finished Dune and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through The Looking Glass. Now on to Shadow of the Hegemon (Ender's series book 6).
Work is good; I am done on Friday, August 13. Matt, Justin, and I are rafting Saturday on the Middle Fork American. Though it starts uber early due to the Tevis Cup horse race (they are releasing the rapids earlier so that the river level can be back down later for the horses & riders to cross the river).
Peace
Matt
I also finished Dune and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through The Looking Glass. Now on to Shadow of the Hegemon (Ender's series book 6).
Work is good; I am done on Friday, August 13. Matt, Justin, and I are rafting Saturday on the Middle Fork American. Though it starts uber early due to the Tevis Cup horse race (they are releasing the rapids earlier so that the river level can be back down later for the horses & riders to cross the river).
Peace
Matt
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Matt.Rand()
Bush in 30 seconds
I'm flying on Saturday, for the first time ever. Should be fun.
I'm done with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, now I'm reading Dune.
Peace
Matt
I'm flying on Saturday, for the first time ever. Should be fun.
I'm done with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, now I'm reading Dune.
Peace
Matt
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
What dorks listen to
Friday, July 16, 2004
Thoughts on the area
I guess if I wanted to be in California, or in this area, as an adult I would want to live in Half Moon Bay. Yeah, the commute would be longer, yeah I wouldn't be near anything but isn't that the point? I could be near the ocean, 40 minutes from Google, 40 minutes from San Francisco, 50 minutes from Santa Cruz and living in an awesome place.
I'm trying to see if I can get a flying lesson this weekend. That would be cool; I realized this week that I'm likely going to be more comfortable in life than I'd expected. It's really a nice thought.
(that's from my new image gallery)
Peace
Matt
I'm trying to see if I can get a flying lesson this weekend. That would be cool; I realized this week that I'm likely going to be more comfortable in life than I'd expected. It's really a nice thought.
(that's from my new image gallery)
Peace
Matt
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
Music Plasma
Music plasma is really interesting, it seems to accurately match up your favorite musicians with similar ones. Not sure how.
I'll get pictures up soon from my visit to Krista
Peace
Matt
I'll get pictures up soon from my visit to Krista
Peace
Matt
Thursday, July 08, 2004
Books and NYC
Just finished Xenocide (the book after Speaker for the Dead) and just started Children of the Mind (the book after Xenocide)
Flying to NYC this weekend to visit Krista (and see Blue Man Group).
Peace
Roach
Flying to NYC this weekend to visit Krista (and see Blue Man Group).
Peace
Roach
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Cool beans
My parents land on Thursday at about 1 and are here til Monday at about 1, so I should be getting to those harder to reach places while they're here.
Tomorrow: Spiderman 2 on the company
A week from Thursday: gone to NY for a 3 day weekend with Krista
Let's see, past that
Just read Zodiac, by Neal Stephenson
Reading Speaker for the Dead (the book that comes after Ender's Game)
and Dune
So for my goal of 20 books, I'm on my 12th.
Peace
Matt
Tomorrow: Spiderman 2 on the company
A week from Thursday: gone to NY for a 3 day weekend with Krista
Let's see, past that
Just read Zodiac, by Neal Stephenson
Reading Speaker for the Dead (the book that comes after Ender's Game)
and Dune
So for my goal of 20 books, I'm on my 12th.
Peace
Matt
Friday, June 25, 2004
More books I've read
Finished Fast Food Nation (must mail to Kris) and BNW. Didn't read BNW revisited. Got too boring.
Off to Santa Cruz for the night, was going to go to Pride parade tomorrow. Turns out it's on Sunday. Bad Shashi!
Matt
Off to Santa Cruz for the night, was going to go to Pride parade tomorrow. Turns out it's on Sunday. Bad Shashi!
Matt
Thursday, June 24, 2004
Love this company
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Thursday, June 10, 2004
More ways I'm like a kid here
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Groggy
I'm like a kid again, and it's great!
When I go home, I have no computer to use.
The last 2 movies I've seen are Shrek 2 and Harry Potter 3.
I'm reading Harry Potter book 1.
I'm enjoying all these really new experiences. (San Francisco, Santa Cruz)
Google is like a giant playground for nerds
I haven't driven since I was home
No responsibilities (or very limited)
Oh, and a coworker today described me as "having a personality like a labrador retriever."
Matt
When I go home, I have no computer to use.
The last 2 movies I've seen are Shrek 2 and Harry Potter 3.
I'm reading Harry Potter book 1.
I'm enjoying all these really new experiences. (San Francisco, Santa Cruz)
Google is like a giant playground for nerds
I haven't driven since I was home
No responsibilities (or very limited)
Oh, and a coworker today described me as "having a personality like a labrador retriever."
Matt
Monday, June 07, 2004
Friday, June 04, 2004
TGIF
PowerBook with a Conscience
Pretty roses trying out the Macro Mode on my new Canon SD-110
The rest of the rose pictures
Check out the afterburners on the thunderbirds
The rest of the airshow pictures
Sea lions in Santa Cruz
The rest of Santa Cruz pictures
I see this on the way home every day... (The mountains are across the bay)
Images root
Matt
(I miss Krista... but hey. I wouldn't have seen her yet if I lived at home either. And in Maine I wouldn't have a job.)
Pretty roses trying out the Macro Mode on my new Canon SD-110
The rest of the rose pictures
Check out the afterburners on the thunderbirds
The rest of the airshow pictures
Sea lions in Santa Cruz
The rest of Santa Cruz pictures
I see this on the way home every day... (The mountains are across the bay)
Images root
Matt
(I miss Krista... but hey. I wouldn't have seen her yet if I lived at home either. And in Maine I wouldn't have a job.)
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Weekend: 75% good
Lonely Monday. SF trip was cancelled for the interns. Air show was good, little overly patriotic... more so than I remember. Santa cruz was good too. If you add the 2 together you know why I'm burned.
I'll post pictures soon. I have good pictures of the air show, and of sea lions at Santa Cruz, and trying to take some of the roses in front of the Burstein's.
Matt
I'll post pictures soon. I have good pictures of the air show, and of sea lions at Santa Cruz, and trying to take some of the roses in front of the Burstein's.
Matt
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Here, working
So I got a full idea of what I'm doing here at Google and I have mastered the necessities.
Interesting things:
To get easy mac, campbell's soups, and chef boyardee one must go to an inorganic grocery store (the opposite of Whole Foods).
Major League Soccer is fun!
The bay area is georgeous... and no rain rocks too. And bike paths are awesome. And Google is awesome. Do I have to leave?
I am currently working with jsp+struts+ant+beans. If that means anything you know what I'm doing. If you don't... basically high end web based application stuff.
Peace
Interesting things:
To get easy mac, campbell's soups, and chef boyardee one must go to an inorganic grocery store (the opposite of Whole Foods).
Major League Soccer is fun!
The bay area is georgeous... and no rain rocks too. And bike paths are awesome. And Google is awesome. Do I have to leave?
I am currently working with jsp+struts+ant+beans. If that means anything you know what I'm doing. If you don't... basically high end web based application stuff.
Peace
Saturday, May 15, 2004
California here I come
I enjoy flying :)
Important stops:
2 pm lunch with Kacy
5:30 flight
8:30 (EST) land in Minneapolis
1:58 (EST) land in San Jose
Goals for the summer: (non work related ones)
Get to San Francisco 5 times
Go to Alcatraz
Get white water rafting at least once
See Krista at least once
Have fun :)
Important stops:
2 pm lunch with Kacy
5:30 flight
8:30 (EST) land in Minneapolis
1:58 (EST) land in San Jose
Goals for the summer: (non work related ones)
Get to San Francisco 5 times
Go to Alcatraz
Get white water rafting at least once
See Krista at least once
Have fun :)
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Amatos
I shall miss Amato's. I miss it when I'm at school too. Amato's Pepperoni Italian is just awesome.
Now I must seriously prepare for my departure. Or at least think about getting serious...
Now I must seriously prepare for my departure. Or at least think about getting serious...
California .... here I come!
Everything's coming together nicely for the summer, can hardly wait to leave. Have clothing, housing, transportation, a new backpack... hrm. Seem prepared!
Sunday, May 09, 2004
I made it home yesterday in one piece. The drive was good - it didn't feel long but it was about twelve and a half hours all told. My dad drove for most of it - I drove Carlisle (PA) to Hazleton (PA) and Sturbridge (MA) to Portland (ME).
Interesting things:
I'm working on finding a sponsor professor/advisor for my fifth year master's. It's a possibility for me to do one S06 and F06. Maybe S07 too.
I started learning about ORDBMS (object relational databases). I'm kind of disappointed that it wasn't covered in DB, but the book for the class is good.
My high school alumni relations person is thinking about doing a feature on me in the alumni news publication... I don't think they can take too much credit for anything. But hey - could be a good excuse to go to Portland.
I signed my paperwork for Google yesterday. I know where I'm living too! This is all going excellently.
Peace
Interesting things:
I'm working on finding a sponsor professor/advisor for my fifth year master's. It's a possibility for me to do one S06 and F06. Maybe S07 too.
I started learning about ORDBMS (object relational databases). I'm kind of disappointed that it wasn't covered in DB, but the book for the class is good.
My high school alumni relations person is thinking about doing a feature on me in the alumni news publication... I don't think they can take too much credit for anything. But hey - could be a good excuse to go to Portland.
I signed my paperwork for Google yesterday. I know where I'm living too! This is all going excellently.
Peace
Thursday, May 06, 2004
I start at Google on Monday, May 17... my dad is showing up tomorrow and we're leaving for Maine early on Saturday. It'll be a whirlwind week home and then I fly out on May 15. I'm really psyched!
My family is celebrating my birthday on Sunday before my dad leaves for Norfolk. I'm bummed that I only see him for under 2 days, but I think that it's all worth it.
My family is celebrating my birthday on Sunday before my dad leaves for Norfolk. I'm bummed that I only see him for under 2 days, but I think that it's all worth it.
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