So it has been a while since I last got a blog out. The last 2 weeks of class have been busy. However, while it is not over yet, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. In fact I am writing this as I am on the bus back to spinner. I hope to be done with everything by the end of Saturday so that I can prepare for my trip on Monday.
Not only do I need to pack for when I leave to go to St. Lucia, I need to pack to go home for winter break. This means that I will need to get everything ready to go home.
I can’t wait for break. I have been waiting for this semester to be over since the 3rd week. I will enjoy my break. No work, no classes. I only need to prep for moving to Montreal next semester. This shouldn’t be too bad since it means that I just take everything I am bring home next week back to Canada.
I have my schedule for next semester now too. It turned out to be pretty good considering I didn’t choose the times that I had the classes. Fridays and Wednesdays off, one class Tuesday, two classes on Thursday, three classes on Monday for a total of about 9 hours I think that day alone. I need to get my books for them sometime soon now that I think about it.
So I am still alive just very busy.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Update #38
School has been going reasonably well lately. Nothing to bad has happened. I actually got an extension on a paper for one of my classes. Which was good because when I was originally going to do it I got sick. Other than that I haven't been up to too much. I went to an improv comedy show on Saturday that was pretty good. I had seen the group 2 times before then so I knew I would like it. I also had another climbing lesson. This time it was through the club. It was on basic climbing technique. I was happy that over the last year I have picked most of them up on my own. It was good to get a refresher on the basics though.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Update# 37
I am finally lead climb certified. I took a lesson and got certified a few weeks ago. its a different kind of climbing that I have wanted to do for months. The climbing club is not back in full swing. the club has grown very fast and is continuing to grow. It was started last spring and continued this fall and how has over 50 active members and new people every day. The club goes three days a week. I go to each of those days.
Last week there was a bouldering competition. It was pretty fun. I didn't place, however there are now a ton of new bouldering routes up that I want to try.
Other than that I have been doing pretty well in classes. I have somewhat fixed my schedule so that I have more time to do homework at the right parts of the week. This is nice and I now don't have to always be doing homework. I get most of it done on weekends but I also have some time to do it on Monday and Tuesday now.
Work is going well. Since I am the lead programmer I'm dealing with a bunch of planning, management, and other kinds of things I have less time to actually work on the code myself. Its an odd feeling but I think its good experience to have.
Here is a video of me climbing yesterday. I campused the wall it (climbed it with no feet).
Last week there was a bouldering competition. It was pretty fun. I didn't place, however there are now a ton of new bouldering routes up that I want to try.
Other than that I have been doing pretty well in classes. I have somewhat fixed my schedule so that I have more time to do homework at the right parts of the week. This is nice and I now don't have to always be doing homework. I get most of it done on weekends but I also have some time to do it on Monday and Tuesday now.
Work is going well. Since I am the lead programmer I'm dealing with a bunch of planning, management, and other kinds of things I have less time to actually work on the code myself. Its an odd feeling but I think its good experience to have.
Here is a video of me climbing yesterday. I campused the wall it (climbed it with no feet).
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Update #36
So the week went by and it is the weekend again. unfortunately the weekend for me means reading large amounts for hw. It is a bitter sweet thing. I don't have an overwhelming amount to do during the week since I can get most of it done on weekends. But I'm busy during the week too so this doesn't mean I free time. it just means I have enough time to get work done.
The reading I just finished was for one of my CORE classes. Our teacher gives us a lot of reading. I don't like it but luckily she hasn't given us any papers yet. I'll see how much I like the class once she pulls that. The book I'm reading is somewhat interesting. We are using it to look at globalization. It is about Denim (yeah the cloth) and is about how world trade effects the industries around it. There is also a bit in there about environmentalism but the class isn't too focused on that. I think if this class had about half as much reading I would be a much happier person and the class would still work.
Anyway... I went down town today to head to Dobra and had some tea with 2 of my friends. It is always nice to do this. I like to get down there and just relax for a bit. its nice to just talk with friends over some tea. I'm also getting to try different teas.
Yesterday I was supposed have a lead climbing lesson but something came up and I wasn't able to. we are probably going to try again next Friday. but it was probably the best climbing night I have had in a while. Four of us went and Sue, the clubs adviser, had suggested that Mike and I do some mock lead climbing. This is when you top rope climb (the way I have normally done it) and you also bring the rope up and clip in as you go. So it was really practice for lead climbing. since your using two ropes its a safe way to do this. We also cleaned some routes that Sue had climbed. Cleaning the route is going up a route after someone lead climbed it and clipping the rope as you go up. I did one of these routes and it was amazing. At one point I took a break right as the wall turned into an over hang. It was such an odd feeling to just hang there with no wall next to you. It was probably the same feeling I had when I first started climbing when you let go of the wall when you get to the top. It was awesome. We ordered Pizza and ate there. It was a good night of climbing.
I have put a live feed of my room on the side of the blog. I don't know how long I will keep it there or how often it will be going. but when it is going you will be able to click the play button and see whats going on in my room. It doesn't run when I turn my computer off so it isn't always up. but if you saw it and was wondering what that was you just need to click the small play button in the lower corner to get it to play. However most of the time I'm in my room I'm reading or on the computer so you wont really see anything exciting.
The reading I just finished was for one of my CORE classes. Our teacher gives us a lot of reading. I don't like it but luckily she hasn't given us any papers yet. I'll see how much I like the class once she pulls that. The book I'm reading is somewhat interesting. We are using it to look at globalization. It is about Denim (yeah the cloth) and is about how world trade effects the industries around it. There is also a bit in there about environmentalism but the class isn't too focused on that. I think if this class had about half as much reading I would be a much happier person and the class would still work.
Anyway... I went down town today to head to Dobra and had some tea with 2 of my friends. It is always nice to do this. I like to get down there and just relax for a bit. its nice to just talk with friends over some tea. I'm also getting to try different teas.
Yesterday I was supposed have a lead climbing lesson but something came up and I wasn't able to. we are probably going to try again next Friday. but it was probably the best climbing night I have had in a while. Four of us went and Sue, the clubs adviser, had suggested that Mike and I do some mock lead climbing. This is when you top rope climb (the way I have normally done it) and you also bring the rope up and clip in as you go. So it was really practice for lead climbing. since your using two ropes its a safe way to do this. We also cleaned some routes that Sue had climbed. Cleaning the route is going up a route after someone lead climbed it and clipping the rope as you go up. I did one of these routes and it was amazing. At one point I took a break right as the wall turned into an over hang. It was such an odd feeling to just hang there with no wall next to you. It was probably the same feeling I had when I first started climbing when you let go of the wall when you get to the top. It was awesome. We ordered Pizza and ate there. It was a good night of climbing.
I have put a live feed of my room on the side of the blog. I don't know how long I will keep it there or how often it will be going. but when it is going you will be able to click the play button and see whats going on in my room. It doesn't run when I turn my computer off so it isn't always up. but if you saw it and was wondering what that was you just need to click the small play button in the lower corner to get it to play. However most of the time I'm in my room I'm reading or on the computer so you wont really see anything exciting.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Update #35
A quick update. I'm between classes right now. Just had COR 310: Global Studies I. it was alright we talked about a film we saw last week. it was not bad but also nothing special either. Right now I'm waiting for a rock climbing logistics meeting to start. Kim, our adviser Sue, and some one from Petra Cliffs will be there. we are going over prices, competition info, as well as a slew of other things.
Today is the start of my first week with a full load. It is my first full week of work as well as all my other obligations so I will get to see how the load works out. I'll know if I have to drop anything or if I'll have some free time.
well I'm off to to eat before the meeting.
Today is the start of my first week with a full load. It is my first full week of work as well as all my other obligations so I will get to see how the load works out. I'll know if I have to drop anything or if I'll have some free time.
well I'm off to to eat before the meeting.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Update #34
So school has started again. I'm about to start week 3. It is going pretty well. I am getting too much CORE reading in my opinion. I get over a hundred pages a week which is really pulling me away from my major work a bit too much. but the classes themselves are pretty good.
I've also opted to see if I can mentor this year. it is a program that they are getting going for my major to have the underclassmen get help from the upperclassmen. I am also going to the Wednesday C++ II class to help out there. So that is something I am working on this year.
I also am working at the EMC as the lead programmer for the UN project there. Its really fun. I was talking with people today about it. It is one of those jobs that you have fun at. people always say that you should find a job you like. for me this is that job. I find myself randomly thinking about it during the day thinking about what needs to get done. So I am really lucky to be there.
I have continued to climb multiple times a week. It keeps me in shape and gives me something to do. I'm still slowly getting better I am able to get some V5s now. I have started to try and get a 5.12- climbing but I'm getting stuck at one point and I don't think I'm going to get past it any time soon. considering it is above what I normally climb at by a lot I'm not surprised I can't get it but it is something to aim for.
Today I got down to Dobra tea for the first time in a few months. It was pretty nice to have the time to do that. in the last 2 days the internet at my dorm has been horrible. it was down for 36 hours and after that the strength since then has been weak at best. Other than that I haven't been up to too much. work, class, homework, climbing is where I am at right now. Hopefully I'll find something to mix it up eventually. but for now finding a homework rut I can get into will be good.
I've also opted to see if I can mentor this year. it is a program that they are getting going for my major to have the underclassmen get help from the upperclassmen. I am also going to the Wednesday C++ II class to help out there. So that is something I am working on this year.
I also am working at the EMC as the lead programmer for the UN project there. Its really fun. I was talking with people today about it. It is one of those jobs that you have fun at. people always say that you should find a job you like. for me this is that job. I find myself randomly thinking about it during the day thinking about what needs to get done. So I am really lucky to be there.
I have continued to climb multiple times a week. It keeps me in shape and gives me something to do. I'm still slowly getting better I am able to get some V5s now. I have started to try and get a 5.12- climbing but I'm getting stuck at one point and I don't think I'm going to get past it any time soon. considering it is above what I normally climb at by a lot I'm not surprised I can't get it but it is something to aim for.
Today I got down to Dobra tea for the first time in a few months. It was pretty nice to have the time to do that. in the last 2 days the internet at my dorm has been horrible. it was down for 36 hours and after that the strength since then has been weak at best. Other than that I haven't been up to too much. work, class, homework, climbing is where I am at right now. Hopefully I'll find something to mix it up eventually. but for now finding a homework rut I can get into will be good.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Update #33
So I have done a lot since my last update. that was about a month ago. I guess I have been busy with random things. I have done a bunch, most of which I will not remember and forget to write down here.
I have continued to go climbing. recently I have climbed my first V5 bouldering route. It took me about a month of working on it. 2 weeks of trying to get it where I got it in parts but could not connect them. then a 2 week break where I really did not try it at all. then last week I went to try it again and I got it my second try. I haven't done a whole lot more in terms of working on new hard routes.
I have continued to work on the two jobs of mine. luckily no rushes again since the last one. I have decided to put in an extra half hour each day into it so that I can get a few more bucks every paycheck.
School is starting up soon so I am some what getting ready for that.
I went to new Jersey one weekend too. It was an interesting experience. played tennis for the first time.
Right now I'm down at the cape hanging out with friends. we went tubing and I tried knee boarding for the first time yesterday. it was fun. still have today to go out again.
that is all I can think of as of now so I'm going to go
I have continued to go climbing. recently I have climbed my first V5 bouldering route. It took me about a month of working on it. 2 weeks of trying to get it where I got it in parts but could not connect them. then a 2 week break where I really did not try it at all. then last week I went to try it again and I got it my second try. I haven't done a whole lot more in terms of working on new hard routes.
I have continued to work on the two jobs of mine. luckily no rushes again since the last one. I have decided to put in an extra half hour each day into it so that I can get a few more bucks every paycheck.
School is starting up soon so I am some what getting ready for that.
I went to new Jersey one weekend too. It was an interesting experience. played tennis for the first time.
Right now I'm down at the cape hanging out with friends. we went tubing and I tried knee boarding for the first time yesterday. it was fun. still have today to go out again.
that is all I can think of as of now so I'm going to go
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
In the moment
So I just wanted to capture this moment right now and share it with you. I'm currently waiting for my pasta to cook for lunch and I am feeling great. I figured a video would capture how I felt better than typing it all out.
Now that video was made spur of the moment and may not make sense as it was very quick and everything coming out at once. some stuff may be off. if you have any questions about the projects I'm working on ask. IBM stuff is confidential so I can't really say much about it but I would be more than happy to talk about the UN project I'm on.
As I post this I want to thank everyone who has been there for me and given me these chances. Thanks to my family and friends who have supported me to going to school and doing what I want to do. Thanks to Champlain College and the EMC. Thanks to every one who I work with that makes what I do so great and is fighting to allow me to keep doing it.
Now that video was made spur of the moment and may not make sense as it was very quick and everything coming out at once. some stuff may be off. if you have any questions about the projects I'm working on ask. IBM stuff is confidential so I can't really say much about it but I would be more than happy to talk about the UN project I'm on.
As I post this I want to thank everyone who has been there for me and given me these chances. Thanks to my family and friends who have supported me to going to school and doing what I want to do. Thanks to Champlain College and the EMC. Thanks to every one who I work with that makes what I do so great and is fighting to allow me to keep doing it.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Update #32
So since the last update I’ve done a ton. I worked through my first real crunch time in software development and I went to a wedding.
Last Tuesday I was at work and was told that we were to have as much done on a project in a week. This was something that we thought we had 2.5 months to do. We are then told out of the blue that they wanted something in 6 days. The other news that made this more interesting was that our project manager was gone for the week teaching classes at the Governor’s Institute of Vermont… and one of the programmers on the team was on vacation. This left us with the team of me, a programmer, and another designer. Luckily this designer is a good programmer too. So the two of us had to get a project out the door in 6 day or as much of it as possible. When we got this information right away I was thinking about what this meant. What would we have to do to get this done. Right away I start planning out stuff. The first thing I did was make sure we had a focus. We came up with this reasonably easily. Then we came up with goals to reach that focus. We then broke that down into tasks to get this all accomplished. I was excited. This was my first crunch time. We stayed focused as we worked and I always made sure to keep taking a step back to make sure what we were doing was leading us to reaching the focus we had set. For the first 3 days I felt fine I was sharp even though I had been putting in 9 hours or more the last few days. Then I woke up Friday morning. I could tell that I was going to be slowing down. I felt my mind drifting and was having issues focusing. I made it through the day and had to leave early because I ran out of hours(I can’t work more than 40 hours).
Saturday I had to wake up early to catch a bus home. I went to my cousin Lisa’s wedding. When we got there everyone was wondering if it would be outside or not because the weather looked like it might rain. It was drizzling but it ended up staying outside and the weather cleared up just as it started. I got to see a bunch of my family and got a break from work for the day. I also got the chance to finish the book I was reading on the bus on the way there. I left early the next morning to get back to VT.
Right when I got back I dropped my bag on my bed and went straight back to work. It was Sunday and that meant a new work week. I got there and was very drained. The day off had done nothing. I was even more mentally gone than Friday. Then Monday came. We submitted what we had and then we slowed our pace back to normal. It was an intense week and I am still recovering. It was an experience. I am not sure if there was anything I could do to try and prevent this drain to happen like it did. I was fine for a few day while the other person was slowly draining. Then I hit a hard wall. I learned that my endurance for this kind of thing right now is great for a few days but any longer and It is not good. It was an experience on a small scale. A few very fast paced days of 9 hours a day lead to burnout. That’s good to know.
Anyway other than that I have seen a movie. Gran Torino (is that how you spell it?) was really good. The plot was different and as I look back on it probably uses profanity and language in way that most movies don’t. While other movies will have people swearing and being racist or whatever they do it in quit things like name calling. In this movie it is used in a similar way but in a way that seems more real. Any way good movie.
I also learned how to play magic the gathering last week. It’s a card game that is reasonably well known. I had never played anything like it before so I figured I would give it a try and it was pretty fun. Luckily I was playing with people who knew what they were doing and were able to help me out and lend me their decks.
And now I’m off to camp. I’m actually typing this on the ride down.
Last Tuesday I was at work and was told that we were to have as much done on a project in a week. This was something that we thought we had 2.5 months to do. We are then told out of the blue that they wanted something in 6 days. The other news that made this more interesting was that our project manager was gone for the week teaching classes at the Governor’s Institute of Vermont… and one of the programmers on the team was on vacation. This left us with the team of me, a programmer, and another designer. Luckily this designer is a good programmer too. So the two of us had to get a project out the door in 6 day or as much of it as possible. When we got this information right away I was thinking about what this meant. What would we have to do to get this done. Right away I start planning out stuff. The first thing I did was make sure we had a focus. We came up with this reasonably easily. Then we came up with goals to reach that focus. We then broke that down into tasks to get this all accomplished. I was excited. This was my first crunch time. We stayed focused as we worked and I always made sure to keep taking a step back to make sure what we were doing was leading us to reaching the focus we had set. For the first 3 days I felt fine I was sharp even though I had been putting in 9 hours or more the last few days. Then I woke up Friday morning. I could tell that I was going to be slowing down. I felt my mind drifting and was having issues focusing. I made it through the day and had to leave early because I ran out of hours(I can’t work more than 40 hours).
Saturday I had to wake up early to catch a bus home. I went to my cousin Lisa’s wedding. When we got there everyone was wondering if it would be outside or not because the weather looked like it might rain. It was drizzling but it ended up staying outside and the weather cleared up just as it started. I got to see a bunch of my family and got a break from work for the day. I also got the chance to finish the book I was reading on the bus on the way there. I left early the next morning to get back to VT.
Right when I got back I dropped my bag on my bed and went straight back to work. It was Sunday and that meant a new work week. I got there and was very drained. The day off had done nothing. I was even more mentally gone than Friday. Then Monday came. We submitted what we had and then we slowed our pace back to normal. It was an intense week and I am still recovering. It was an experience. I am not sure if there was anything I could do to try and prevent this drain to happen like it did. I was fine for a few day while the other person was slowly draining. Then I hit a hard wall. I learned that my endurance for this kind of thing right now is great for a few days but any longer and It is not good. It was an experience on a small scale. A few very fast paced days of 9 hours a day lead to burnout. That’s good to know.
Anyway other than that I have seen a movie. Gran Torino (is that how you spell it?) was really good. The plot was different and as I look back on it probably uses profanity and language in way that most movies don’t. While other movies will have people swearing and being racist or whatever they do it in quit things like name calling. In this movie it is used in a similar way but in a way that seems more real. Any way good movie.
I also learned how to play magic the gathering last week. It’s a card game that is reasonably well known. I had never played anything like it before so I figured I would give it a try and it was pretty fun. Luckily I was playing with people who knew what they were doing and were able to help me out and lend me their decks.
And now I’m off to camp. I’m actually typing this on the ride down.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Update #31
Okay so as a follow up to the blog I wrote last night when I was tired. I have also been playing some games. I got the Sims 3 and I have been playing that. I've also had some time to play some Gears of War 2, Dynasty warriors, Rock Band, and Brawl.
This was what feels like the first weekend in a while that I've really had free. While I've been here for others I have always had to make up work hours for the days that I missed. this week I didn't have to do that so I'm enjoying it. Watched another movie today too.
I've been following the situation in Iran the last few days. It has really seemed to escalate. Its interesting to watch CNN try to report on something that they really have no information on. They are turning to sources that would have otherwise only been mentioned. they are relying on Twitter and you tube for information. The news black out is making CNN use these imperfect sources. its an interesting look at how determined people can be.
Other than that I don't have much to add.
This was what feels like the first weekend in a while that I've really had free. While I've been here for others I have always had to make up work hours for the days that I missed. this week I didn't have to do that so I'm enjoying it. Watched another movie today too.
I've been following the situation in Iran the last few days. It has really seemed to escalate. Its interesting to watch CNN try to report on something that they really have no information on. They are turning to sources that would have otherwise only been mentioned. they are relying on Twitter and you tube for information. The news black out is making CNN use these imperfect sources. its an interesting look at how determined people can be.
Other than that I don't have much to add.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Update #30
Alight, So I don't remember when the last post was. I don't really have much to say. I feel like I haven't done that much since then. I have climbed some more and worked. Nothing really new there. I continued reading and I'm now on my 6th book since the summer started. This one is called "Land the Tech Job you Love". I got this book for a few reasons. It is from the same publisher that all of the others are from. I heard a podcast about it and it seemed helpful. It is about how to get hired. it talks about interviews and resumes and other things like that. I hope that if I learn this now by the time I need to use it I'll be all set. It is by a manager who basically is just going through his advice on the topic of how to get hired. It also talks about trying to get a job that you'll actually like. I'm only through the first chapter so I am still not that far in. Hopefully it will be worthwhile.
Well I'm tired and can't think of anything else to write so this is it for tonight.
Well I'm tired and can't think of anything else to write so this is it for tonight.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Climbing
I've been busy and have not got anything up lately I hope to have some time soon. but here are some videos from when I went climbing last week. the first is a v4 that I like because it requires me to put my foot where my hand is. The next two give an idea of what it is like to just hang out there and climb. this is up in the bouldering area so we are not tying into a rope or anything it is just quick but more technically difficult climbs.
v4 Pink
hanging out
More of us hanging out
v4 Pink
hanging out
More of us hanging out
Monday, June 8, 2009
Update #29
So since the last update post it has been almost 2 weeks.
This last weekend was my sisters graduation so I went home. I was there for less than 48 hours but I did a bunch. sat when I got home I went to one of my friends grad party where I got to see a bunch of my friends. I hung out there for a while then went home and fell asleep. the next day was my sisters graduation followed by her party. It was nice. I got to see family and friends. I got to catch up with people that I haven't seen or talked to in months or years.
Going back further, I have continued to climb and will eventually get more pictures and videos up. I haven't done anything really special for a while. I've continued to work on the routes I've been on. I started working on a V5 climbing route. It will be the first V5 I've done once I finish it. that will probably be a few weeks though.
I've continued reading a bunch. I've gone through 2 books and will finish a 3rd in a day or two. the first was about learning and used neuroscience and psychology to give different ways to learn or approach learning and thinking. the second was about management. I thought it was going to be a low level management book but it ended up being about a midlevel manager. I learned a few different things from there about how to manage people and stuff but since it was slightly higher than anything I will reach soon (or will ever want to be). I have always figured I would end up in some management position. this book made me realize that if this happens I will essentially need to give up my technical job. then I realized that that would mean no going back. once you leave the field you fall behind and it is hard to get back in. its so quick pace that if I were to go to even a mid level management job I would really need to give up programming professionally. now this may not be true in the gaming industry but it probably is. so this is a desision I'll need to make somewhere in my career. I'll see where I am when I get there.
I've been keeping up with those iTunes classes. every tuesday and thursday night at 10 i'm watching a lecture on calculus.
Jobs have been good. the UN one did testing this week where we tested the story, art, and design concepts. it was interesting and intensely fast paced but fun and I got to see people play stuff I made, that was kinda cool.
sorry this was consise but I've got a bunch to do and I need to get to it. just trying to get people filled in.
This last weekend was my sisters graduation so I went home. I was there for less than 48 hours but I did a bunch. sat when I got home I went to one of my friends grad party where I got to see a bunch of my friends. I hung out there for a while then went home and fell asleep. the next day was my sisters graduation followed by her party. It was nice. I got to see family and friends. I got to catch up with people that I haven't seen or talked to in months or years.
Going back further, I have continued to climb and will eventually get more pictures and videos up. I haven't done anything really special for a while. I've continued to work on the routes I've been on. I started working on a V5 climbing route. It will be the first V5 I've done once I finish it. that will probably be a few weeks though.
I've continued reading a bunch. I've gone through 2 books and will finish a 3rd in a day or two. the first was about learning and used neuroscience and psychology to give different ways to learn or approach learning and thinking. the second was about management. I thought it was going to be a low level management book but it ended up being about a midlevel manager. I learned a few different things from there about how to manage people and stuff but since it was slightly higher than anything I will reach soon (or will ever want to be). I have always figured I would end up in some management position. this book made me realize that if this happens I will essentially need to give up my technical job. then I realized that that would mean no going back. once you leave the field you fall behind and it is hard to get back in. its so quick pace that if I were to go to even a mid level management job I would really need to give up programming professionally. now this may not be true in the gaming industry but it probably is. so this is a desision I'll need to make somewhere in my career. I'll see where I am when I get there.
I've been keeping up with those iTunes classes. every tuesday and thursday night at 10 i'm watching a lecture on calculus.
Jobs have been good. the UN one did testing this week where we tested the story, art, and design concepts. it was interesting and intensely fast paced but fun and I got to see people play stuff I made, that was kinda cool.
sorry this was consise but I've got a bunch to do and I need to get to it. just trying to get people filled in.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Thoughts: I am living on my own
The last book I read was about different thinking techniques and how one way to use and strengthen the R-Mode part of my brain was to just write. It said a blog was a good way to do this. before my blog has been entirely about informing people of what I'm up to. I will start mixing in with those updates my thoughts blog posts. they will be about all kinds of topics and I will just put my thoughts on that topic. Maybe it will get you thinking too. this is my first one. It came to me as I was making my lunch...
I’m living on my own... I’m at that point in life where I am actually living away from home. I have paid for my summer housing. I pay for all of my food. I pay for all of my expenses this summer. While I’m sure there are a lot of things that I still get through my mom, such as insurance, or from others, such as the money my grandparents give me when I go home (Thanks), I am at a point in my life that is really odd to think about. I say this realizing that there are still a bunch of more steps until I am truly living on my own but I also feel like this is a pretty big step in life. My whole life, all 20 years of it, has been a journey just like anyone else’s. But it has never felt to me like I have made big steps; Getting my license, graduating high school, getting accepted to college, being in a dorm at college all felt like they were just the next step in life. People would always ask if it felt odd or what did I think about it. I never thought it felt odd and I always just felt like it was the next step. I was going with the flow of life and these were the steps that came next. These decisions were not hard ones. They didn’t require much thinking. I guess it was because they were something you knew was going to happen your whole life. As a kid you know you will drive eventually, you know you will graduate high school and go to college (or at least I did. I had the great support of my family to let me know that I was going to exceed in life by going to college. This is a luxury that not everyone gets.) But I never really thought about getting away from home that much. I didn’t mind living at home. I know many people who left home as soon as they could because they couldn’t stand it there; they had to just get away. But because this is not something I thought about. This like all the others was going to happen eventually, I knew this. But I always thought it would come after college. But here I am, summer between sophomore year and junior year and I’m living on my own. This is two years earlier than I expected. Every now and then I just realize where I am in life and I’m kinda reflective on the truth. It makes me think of what’s coming next. I have a feeling that graduating college will seem like just another moment in life. But the hunt for a job, that will feel odd. The reason I am living on my own is because I know that the more experience I get in my field the better off I’ll be after college.
When I first sat down to write this I was reminded of a conversation I had with a girl from the United Arab Emirate (if you don’t know where that is look it up). She was a College Student. She had mentioned how we all (as in Americans) move away from home very quickly. We don’t stay with our families like people do in her region. In their culture they stay with their families until they are married. That is when they move out. We on the other hand tend to stay with our families until we get a job and can support ourselves. It is at that point that you move out. This caught me by surprise. I had never thought about this concept before. Our culture is so independent and as a group we take pride in our individualism. I had never even thought about living at home after school. If you think about it as a kid you are home until you are done with your education then you move out. And from what it seems to me, as a parent you know your children will move out after school. This is just something that we all know will happen. Have you ever thought about doing this differently?
Living away from home and on your own is something that we all do eventually. I’ve known that my whole life. I just didn’t know eventually would be so soon.
Can you remember when you first moved away from home? What did it feel like? Where did you live? What prompted this move? How old where you? Take some time to reflect on these questions. Feel free to post your answers or thoughts here.
I’m living on my own... I’m at that point in life where I am actually living away from home. I have paid for my summer housing. I pay for all of my food. I pay for all of my expenses this summer. While I’m sure there are a lot of things that I still get through my mom, such as insurance, or from others, such as the money my grandparents give me when I go home (Thanks), I am at a point in my life that is really odd to think about. I say this realizing that there are still a bunch of more steps until I am truly living on my own but I also feel like this is a pretty big step in life. My whole life, all 20 years of it, has been a journey just like anyone else’s. But it has never felt to me like I have made big steps; Getting my license, graduating high school, getting accepted to college, being in a dorm at college all felt like they were just the next step in life. People would always ask if it felt odd or what did I think about it. I never thought it felt odd and I always just felt like it was the next step. I was going with the flow of life and these were the steps that came next. These decisions were not hard ones. They didn’t require much thinking. I guess it was because they were something you knew was going to happen your whole life. As a kid you know you will drive eventually, you know you will graduate high school and go to college (or at least I did. I had the great support of my family to let me know that I was going to exceed in life by going to college. This is a luxury that not everyone gets.) But I never really thought about getting away from home that much. I didn’t mind living at home. I know many people who left home as soon as they could because they couldn’t stand it there; they had to just get away. But because this is not something I thought about. This like all the others was going to happen eventually, I knew this. But I always thought it would come after college. But here I am, summer between sophomore year and junior year and I’m living on my own. This is two years earlier than I expected. Every now and then I just realize where I am in life and I’m kinda reflective on the truth. It makes me think of what’s coming next. I have a feeling that graduating college will seem like just another moment in life. But the hunt for a job, that will feel odd. The reason I am living on my own is because I know that the more experience I get in my field the better off I’ll be after college.
When I first sat down to write this I was reminded of a conversation I had with a girl from the United Arab Emirate (if you don’t know where that is look it up). She was a College Student. She had mentioned how we all (as in Americans) move away from home very quickly. We don’t stay with our families like people do in her region. In their culture they stay with their families until they are married. That is when they move out. We on the other hand tend to stay with our families until we get a job and can support ourselves. It is at that point that you move out. This caught me by surprise. I had never thought about this concept before. Our culture is so independent and as a group we take pride in our individualism. I had never even thought about living at home after school. If you think about it as a kid you are home until you are done with your education then you move out. And from what it seems to me, as a parent you know your children will move out after school. This is just something that we all know will happen. Have you ever thought about doing this differently?
Living away from home and on your own is something that we all do eventually. I’ve known that my whole life. I just didn’t know eventually would be so soon.
Can you remember when you first moved away from home? What did it feel like? Where did you live? What prompted this move? How old where you? Take some time to reflect on these questions. Feel free to post your answers or thoughts here.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Climbing Videos part 1
Here are some of the climbing videos that I said I would put up (actually these are all bouldering videos). I still haven't been able to get the other video to work. I might just end up putting up the whole thing if I can't find a way to edit out the unimportant middle part.
This is a V4 I've almost got down. I only have the last hold that I can't make. it took me a while to get to this point the hand grips are not the greatest
This is a V0 that I decided to turn into a dyno. I like dynos so I will go around and try to make them. In this case I started on the V0's second hand hold and I jumped over the 3rd and 4th then I grab the 5th and last hold. I think this is one of the better dynos I have done. this is the furthest I have gone sideways with a dyno. It took me 3 trys to get it.
This is a V4 I've almost got down. I only have the last hold that I can't make. it took me a while to get to this point the hand grips are not the greatest
This is a V0 that I decided to turn into a dyno. I like dynos so I will go around and try to make them. In this case I started on the V0's second hand hold and I jumped over the 3rd and 4th then I grab the 5th and last hold. I think this is one of the better dynos I have done. this is the furthest I have gone sideways with a dyno. It took me 3 trys to get it.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Update #28
Okay so since the last blog I have done a bunch I guess.
I watched the movie Taken. got it on netflix. It was really different. A feel good action movie. It was an odd combination but it was pretty good. maybe a 3/4 stars of 5. but I thought it was good. its basically about a father who does everything he can in an attempt to rescue his daughter.
I have also gone climbing some more. I have decided to start taking videos of the climbs instead of pictures. I then ran into a problem with editing them. So I will get some videos up here soon but I have to work out a few things first. I was told that someone was looking for some videos. I will have the new ones up soon but there are already some on the blog. you can find my 5.10+ climb on the post: Update #22. You can also find a bunch of pictures on the post: Climbing Competition.
As a general pointer, if you are looking for something I have blogged about in the past you can search for it under its label. so say you are looking for all of my posts that talk about climbing. if you goto the right of where this blog is (in that right sidebar) at the bottom of the sidebar there is a thing that says labels. under there it has a bunch of labels click on the label you want to see and they will appear. and if what you are looking for isn't on the screen you can look for older posts (it is sorted by when they are put up. the newest are at the top) by going to the bottom of the page and clicking "older posts".
I have been working a bunch too on both projects I am on. The UN one last week had a bunch of meetings that through off my schedule a bit and made it difficult to start up on the IBM project but I plan to get caught up by the end of the week on the IBM one. I plan on loosening up my schedule in an attempt to get more flexible times on projects.
I have also found this thing on iTunes call itunesU. schools put videos of their classes on itunes for free that people can watch. A bunch of school have classes up there ranging from MIT to UNH. I have started looking at single variable calculus from MIT in order to better understand it. As a programmer it will be needed.
I went to camp this weekend. It was great to see everyone again after so long. I have a new trailer so it was nice to see that finally. I hung out with my friends a bunch and did a bunch of different things. my grandmother made a cookie/brownie thing that was different but good. it tasted like a cookie but with the texture of a brownie. She also made me a Strawberry shortcake.
I have finished the book that I was reading in the last blog. I have since then ordered 3 more and I should finish the 1st one of those on Thursday. this one is about understanding how the brain works in order to be able to learn better. it has a focus on programming but can really be applied to anything. It talks about R-Mode to L-Mode flow and different techniques to help you learn and work better. I'm almost done with it and I'm pretty happy with it. The other two books are also about programming in a way. one is about management of technical people such as a software development team while the other is about staying passionate about what you do.
I have also got an account on Twitter. Twitter is an online thing that can be seen as a micro blog post. It basically answers the question what are you doing now. the posts are always short (under 140 characters) I have put a gadget that puts my twitter post on my blog. you can find them on the right of this post towards the top of the page. they are under the title of twitter and will be updated more often. you will not get an email when a new twitter post is put up so if you are wondering what I'm up to and I haven' posted a blog trying looking at the twitter feed in the corner it may give some insight into what I'm doing when I don't have time to write a full blog. for example I posted stuff about the new books 4 days ago, itunesU 5 days ago, and Taken 6 days ago on twitter.
I watched the movie Taken. got it on netflix. It was really different. A feel good action movie. It was an odd combination but it was pretty good. maybe a 3/4 stars of 5. but I thought it was good. its basically about a father who does everything he can in an attempt to rescue his daughter.
I have also gone climbing some more. I have decided to start taking videos of the climbs instead of pictures. I then ran into a problem with editing them. So I will get some videos up here soon but I have to work out a few things first. I was told that someone was looking for some videos. I will have the new ones up soon but there are already some on the blog. you can find my 5.10+ climb on the post: Update #22. You can also find a bunch of pictures on the post: Climbing Competition.
As a general pointer, if you are looking for something I have blogged about in the past you can search for it under its label. so say you are looking for all of my posts that talk about climbing. if you goto the right of where this blog is (in that right sidebar) at the bottom of the sidebar there is a thing that says labels. under there it has a bunch of labels click on the label you want to see and they will appear. and if what you are looking for isn't on the screen you can look for older posts (it is sorted by when they are put up. the newest are at the top) by going to the bottom of the page and clicking "older posts".
I have been working a bunch too on both projects I am on. The UN one last week had a bunch of meetings that through off my schedule a bit and made it difficult to start up on the IBM project but I plan to get caught up by the end of the week on the IBM one. I plan on loosening up my schedule in an attempt to get more flexible times on projects.
I have also found this thing on iTunes call itunesU. schools put videos of their classes on itunes for free that people can watch. A bunch of school have classes up there ranging from MIT to UNH. I have started looking at single variable calculus from MIT in order to better understand it. As a programmer it will be needed.
I went to camp this weekend. It was great to see everyone again after so long. I have a new trailer so it was nice to see that finally. I hung out with my friends a bunch and did a bunch of different things. my grandmother made a cookie/brownie thing that was different but good. it tasted like a cookie but with the texture of a brownie. She also made me a Strawberry shortcake.
I have finished the book that I was reading in the last blog. I have since then ordered 3 more and I should finish the 1st one of those on Thursday. this one is about understanding how the brain works in order to be able to learn better. it has a focus on programming but can really be applied to anything. It talks about R-Mode to L-Mode flow and different techniques to help you learn and work better. I'm almost done with it and I'm pretty happy with it. The other two books are also about programming in a way. one is about management of technical people such as a software development team while the other is about staying passionate about what you do.
I have also got an account on Twitter. Twitter is an online thing that can be seen as a micro blog post. It basically answers the question what are you doing now. the posts are always short (under 140 characters) I have put a gadget that puts my twitter post on my blog. you can find them on the right of this post towards the top of the page. they are under the title of twitter and will be updated more often. you will not get an email when a new twitter post is put up so if you are wondering what I'm up to and I haven' posted a blog trying looking at the twitter feed in the corner it may give some insight into what I'm doing when I don't have time to write a full blog. for example I posted stuff about the new books 4 days ago, itunesU 5 days ago, and Taken 6 days ago on twitter.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Update #27
I finished reading the book this week. I really feel like I learned a lot from it about programming. Since then I have already started to put it to work at work where right now me and the other flash programmer are talking about the architecture of the game. I'm using concepts of general programming in order to make it easier to maintain and test. I have since talked to a few people asking what books I should read. I just emailed my adviser asking him what books he would suggest so that I can keep learning.
I watched a movie although I forget what it was called. it was okay but not what I was expected I felt like it was really fast paced plot wise which was odd. it wasn't the action packed kind of paced but the movie covered a lot of things in a short amount of time.
um well since the last blog I've gone climbing and worked on a few new routes and bouldering problems. I have also gotten into the project that I have been the last two weeks and feel like I've got a pretty good hold on the project as a whole. the other job doesn't start until next Monday so that means that I got a 4 day weekend so today I went in and paid off my housing for the summer then played games all day.
My new roommate brought his PS2 so I've been playing one of my favorite games. I played the first one and once I got the second game in ther series my PS2 broke so I never got the chance to play it. so I want to get a chance to do that. So I'm replaying the first one now. I also played some rockband and right now I'm playing another game with my friends.
I watched a movie although I forget what it was called. it was okay but not what I was expected I felt like it was really fast paced plot wise which was odd. it wasn't the action packed kind of paced but the movie covered a lot of things in a short amount of time.
um well since the last blog I've gone climbing and worked on a few new routes and bouldering problems. I have also gotten into the project that I have been the last two weeks and feel like I've got a pretty good hold on the project as a whole. the other job doesn't start until next Monday so that means that I got a 4 day weekend so today I went in and paid off my housing for the summer then played games all day.
My new roommate brought his PS2 so I've been playing one of my favorite games. I played the first one and once I got the second game in ther series my PS2 broke so I never got the chance to play it. so I want to get a chance to do that. So I'm replaying the first one now. I also played some rockband and right now I'm playing another game with my friends.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Update #26
So I've got another job. Just got the offer yesterday. it is at the same place so now I'll be working on two different project there. this will give me a fullish week schedule. I wont be working 40 hours a week but prob somewhere around 35 hours. I will start on that one next Monday.
I made a trip back home Thurs into Fri. I was there for about 24 hours. I went back to see my mom since I would not see her on Mothers day. I also dropped off some stuff that I didn't need since I am staying up here and I also picked up some other things. While I was there I visited my brother at school, he was packing and I think he was leaving at some point that day. My friend Kim brought me home so we ended up watching 2 movies. I also went over to my grandparents and talked to them for a bit.
I have rearranged my room a bit. The way it is set up now is good because I can now look out the window from my desk. I can also watch TV from my bed too without having to turn the TV.
I went climbing today. they were in the middle of putting up new routes so there were only a few that I could go on. I went up 4 new ones and up a half finished one. I then went upstairs to boulder. I did a few routes and started working on a new one that I will hopefully get down the next time I go.
I made a trip back home Thurs into Fri. I was there for about 24 hours. I went back to see my mom since I would not see her on Mothers day. I also dropped off some stuff that I didn't need since I am staying up here and I also picked up some other things. While I was there I visited my brother at school, he was packing and I think he was leaving at some point that day. My friend Kim brought me home so we ended up watching 2 movies. I also went over to my grandparents and talked to them for a bit.
I have rearranged my room a bit. The way it is set up now is good because I can now look out the window from my desk. I can also watch TV from my bed too without having to turn the TV.
I went climbing today. they were in the middle of putting up new routes so there were only a few that I could go on. I went up 4 new ones and up a half finished one. I then went upstairs to boulder. I did a few routes and started working on a new one that I will hopefully get down the next time I go.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Update #25
So I've been keeping up with the idea of waking up early and getting work done or at least doing something since my last post. every morning my alarm goes off at 9:00 and I hate myself for interrupting my summer sleep. I had no reason to get up other than my own will. for some reason it worked and now I have the time to blog in the morning.
Well since the last blog a few things have happened. I am no longer going to Texas, I got my grades back, and I got a job.
The conference that the other students and I were going to speak at was canceled. apparently its a bad idea to have a bunch of medical experts at the center of the flu breakout. It makes sense they want people to be able to help their own hospitals and stay away so they themselves don't catch the bug and bring it home. or at least I think that what the reasoning was. I don't blame them but I'm kinda disappointed that my trip was canceled. I was looking forward to going to a conference and going to Texas. I hope I'll get the chance to go to another one.
I got my grades back and they were okay. B-, B,B+,A-,A-. this brought my GPA down by 0.1 but I am still on the deans list. I'll have to try to bring it back up again next semester.
So I got the job I applied for. after the slight set back on getting notice I was offered the job yesterday. I understand the reason for the setback and as far as I can tell they still haven't hired anyone else. I think that some strings may have been pulled in order to let me know back quicker because I had to leave for the summer otherwise. but anyway that starts right away.
yesterday I was able to finally go out and get my passport pictures. so now I should have everything I need I just need to send it out. I also got my hair cut and I got some hooks from walmart.
I have also continued in my productivity crusaide. I am continueing to read the book. I ran into a few different parts that were slightly over my head but it gave me an idea of where I should be heading as a programmer. I have also worked a little more on my website.
I went climbing yesterday and got down two new routes without falling. these were routes that I had finished before but I fell when I tried them. I need to remember to bring my camera next time we go.
Well since the last blog a few things have happened. I am no longer going to Texas, I got my grades back, and I got a job.
The conference that the other students and I were going to speak at was canceled. apparently its a bad idea to have a bunch of medical experts at the center of the flu breakout. It makes sense they want people to be able to help their own hospitals and stay away so they themselves don't catch the bug and bring it home. or at least I think that what the reasoning was. I don't blame them but I'm kinda disappointed that my trip was canceled. I was looking forward to going to a conference and going to Texas. I hope I'll get the chance to go to another one.
I got my grades back and they were okay. B-, B,B+,A-,A-. this brought my GPA down by 0.1 but I am still on the deans list. I'll have to try to bring it back up again next semester.
So I got the job I applied for. after the slight set back on getting notice I was offered the job yesterday. I understand the reason for the setback and as far as I can tell they still haven't hired anyone else. I think that some strings may have been pulled in order to let me know back quicker because I had to leave for the summer otherwise. but anyway that starts right away.
yesterday I was able to finally go out and get my passport pictures. so now I should have everything I need I just need to send it out. I also got my hair cut and I got some hooks from walmart.
I have also continued in my productivity crusaide. I am continueing to read the book. I ran into a few different parts that were slightly over my head but it gave me an idea of where I should be heading as a programmer. I have also worked a little more on my website.
I went climbing yesterday and got down two new routes without falling. these were routes that I had finished before but I fell when I tried them. I need to remember to bring my camera next time we go.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Update #24
So since my last update I have finished school for this year and my finals. My work for the semester is over and I have nothing left that I "need" to do. I Find this odd, due to the fact that there always seems to be something I need to do. However I'm filling my time and trying to be somewhat productive.
This large amount of free time means that I can finally get around to those things that I have wanted to do but just never had time to. I started to read a book about programming that I have meant to to for the last 8 months. I even started trying to design the layout for my website last night. If you didn't notice you are currently on my domain. however I don't have a host yet. The reason for this is that I don't have a site to put up and that until I do I plan on saving the money that would be wasted on a host with nothing on it.
I decided that this week I would try to wake up at a reasonable time so that my sleep schedule stays somewhat regular. This also means I have more free time to do stuff. So when I woke up I showered and promptly became productive and started self teaching myself html so that I can write my own web page, none of that template stuff I want this page to be 100% me.
Backing up to the start of this weekend. I spent Friday sitting on the couch all day waiting for an email from the place where I applied. I would refresh my email every 5 minutes or so hoping to get something back saying one way or another. unfortunately 10:30 rolled around and still no email. I call up the person who I was waiting to hear back from. I told him I needed to know by the next day or I was going to have to move home. He told me he would call me back. I think he called his boss then called me back. he told me due to things beyond his control that he couldn't let me know until next week... Oh well. I understand why however I don't feel like typing out all of that so for now you can know that I'll be up in VT for at least another week.
When I hear back I will either move back home or stay up here depending on if I got the job or not. This means that I have this whole week to do whatever I want. I will try to make the most out of it. I plan to finish that book and I will try to make some headway on my website, along with a few other things I have meant to do.
Well that's all I have for now. My new roommate just walked in and I'm going to help him move his stuff.
This large amount of free time means that I can finally get around to those things that I have wanted to do but just never had time to. I started to read a book about programming that I have meant to to for the last 8 months. I even started trying to design the layout for my website last night. If you didn't notice you are currently on my domain. however I don't have a host yet. The reason for this is that I don't have a site to put up and that until I do I plan on saving the money that would be wasted on a host with nothing on it.
I decided that this week I would try to wake up at a reasonable time so that my sleep schedule stays somewhat regular. This also means I have more free time to do stuff. So when I woke up I showered and promptly became productive and started self teaching myself html so that I can write my own web page, none of that template stuff I want this page to be 100% me.
Backing up to the start of this weekend. I spent Friday sitting on the couch all day waiting for an email from the place where I applied. I would refresh my email every 5 minutes or so hoping to get something back saying one way or another. unfortunately 10:30 rolled around and still no email. I call up the person who I was waiting to hear back from. I told him I needed to know by the next day or I was going to have to move home. He told me he would call me back. I think he called his boss then called me back. he told me due to things beyond his control that he couldn't let me know until next week... Oh well. I understand why however I don't feel like typing out all of that so for now you can know that I'll be up in VT for at least another week.
When I hear back I will either move back home or stay up here depending on if I got the job or not. This means that I have this whole week to do whatever I want. I will try to make the most out of it. I plan to finish that book and I will try to make some headway on my website, along with a few other things I have meant to do.
Well that's all I have for now. My new roommate just walked in and I'm going to help him move his stuff.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Climbing competition
So because I was distracted last night I didn't get the chance to put a bunch of detail in about what I had talked about. so here is my info on the UVM climbing competition that I was a part of last firday.
The club went that day and I think 5 of us took part in the climbing competition that UVM was putting on. the competition was a bouldering one. we had to climb and have 2 people sign off that they saw you climb. you also had to record how many times you feel.
So I signed up for the beginner bracket of the competition because I have been climbing for only about 4 months. When we got up there we realized right away that the rating system that they were using was different than the system that I was used to seeing when I went bouldering. thia meant that I had no clue what was or was not in my range of difficulty. so I start off on a 460 and get it first try. then went on to climb stuff ranging from 350-520 i think was my highest. I had a bunch of fun doing them and then when I passed in my card we were told that what we had been climbing was equivalent to the low end intermediate stuff. I was happy to hear this because it meant I was climbing equivalents to V3 and V4.
I climbed one that required me to stay really close to the wall. another that was pretty standard. I climbed a tunnel route which is like climbing on the ceiling of a stairway so it is at probably a 45 or 60 degree slant. I climbed a crimping route. this is one what has no really good pockets and you kind of need to pinch the holds in order to stay on. I also did one that made me transfer from one wall to another across a small gap. that was cooll because I just had tho throw my body against the other wall. then there was one were I started off going up a wall then climbed onto a slant and heel grabed a few holds.
I didn't win anything but I haven't been able to go back and climb. I really want to work on the problems I didn't finish last week. They were so fun and I was so close on 4 that I was 1 away from the last hold. so now tomorrow I think I'll be working on those and not climbing. I'm climbing tomorrow and I hope to go climbing sunday and maybe tuesday as well. I really want to get those routes down that I wasn't able to do.
When I get back to my room later today I'll edit this post and put up some picutres from the competition... If I remember or have the time.
EDIT: Pictures
The reason the pictures have white specks is because the flash from the camera picks up the chalk floating around in the air.
This is Mike on a 380.
Kim climbing across
I never got this one down but I am eager to go back and finish it. i touched the last hold but couldn't hold it
Same route further along
Bryan. I just thought this one looked cool
this is a 510. the lower hold is a 2 finger one and that left one doesn't have the best pocket to grip
This is Keith on the crimping route I mentioned earlier. as you can see there is no pocket he is pinching that hold
this one ended with an odd dyno
Before and after
The club went that day and I think 5 of us took part in the climbing competition that UVM was putting on. the competition was a bouldering one. we had to climb and have 2 people sign off that they saw you climb. you also had to record how many times you feel.
So I signed up for the beginner bracket of the competition because I have been climbing for only about 4 months. When we got up there we realized right away that the rating system that they were using was different than the system that I was used to seeing when I went bouldering. thia meant that I had no clue what was or was not in my range of difficulty. so I start off on a 460 and get it first try. then went on to climb stuff ranging from 350-520 i think was my highest. I had a bunch of fun doing them and then when I passed in my card we were told that what we had been climbing was equivalent to the low end intermediate stuff. I was happy to hear this because it meant I was climbing equivalents to V3 and V4.
I climbed one that required me to stay really close to the wall. another that was pretty standard. I climbed a tunnel route which is like climbing on the ceiling of a stairway so it is at probably a 45 or 60 degree slant. I climbed a crimping route. this is one what has no really good pockets and you kind of need to pinch the holds in order to stay on. I also did one that made me transfer from one wall to another across a small gap. that was cooll because I just had tho throw my body against the other wall. then there was one were I started off going up a wall then climbed onto a slant and heel grabed a few holds.
I didn't win anything but I haven't been able to go back and climb. I really want to work on the problems I didn't finish last week. They were so fun and I was so close on 4 that I was 1 away from the last hold. so now tomorrow I think I'll be working on those and not climbing. I'm climbing tomorrow and I hope to go climbing sunday and maybe tuesday as well. I really want to get those routes down that I wasn't able to do.
When I get back to my room later today I'll edit this post and put up some picutres from the competition... If I remember or have the time.
EDIT: Pictures
The reason the pictures have white specks is because the flash from the camera picks up the chalk floating around in the air.
This is Mike on a 380.
Kim climbing across
I never got this one down but I am eager to go back and finish it. i touched the last hold but couldn't hold it
Same route further along
Bryan. I just thought this one looked cool
this is a 510. the lower hold is a 2 finger one and that left one doesn't have the best pocket to grip
This is Keith on the crimping route I mentioned earlier. as you can see there is no pocket he is pinching that hold
this one ended with an odd dyno
Before and after
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Update #23
Okay so it has been a long time since my last one. I will try to catch up on everything. I went home and saw the BHS Wizard of Oz with 2 of my friends from school. While I was there I met up with my other friends and got to see them for a while. the show was good. Although I felt like I knew no one in it anymore. that was kinda disappointing.
When I got back I got geared up for the next week of non stop work. which turned into about 2 weeks and I am still in the middle of it. but i'm staying optimistic and up beat about it.
last friday I went to a climbing competition i entered the benginner bracket but did so well they bumped me up to the intermediate bracket. I was pretty happy about that.
I'm currently watching lost I missed last weeks due to all this work. but I now have a chance to relax and i'm enjoying it.
oh I also had an interview for a job up here that went really well. but I'm up against a lot of strong competition so i'm not sure if i'll get it. I have 2 other jobs that I have applied for but i have not scheduled interviews for those yet.
thanks what i've been up to in a nut shell. sorry there wasn't much detail. you can always leave a comment/question. you don't have to regester to due so.
When I got back I got geared up for the next week of non stop work. which turned into about 2 weeks and I am still in the middle of it. but i'm staying optimistic and up beat about it.
last friday I went to a climbing competition i entered the benginner bracket but did so well they bumped me up to the intermediate bracket. I was pretty happy about that.
I'm currently watching lost I missed last weeks due to all this work. but I now have a chance to relax and i'm enjoying it.
oh I also had an interview for a job up here that went really well. but I'm up against a lot of strong competition so i'm not sure if i'll get it. I have 2 other jobs that I have applied for but i have not scheduled interviews for those yet.
thanks what i've been up to in a nut shell. sorry there wasn't much detail. you can always leave a comment/question. you don't have to regester to due so.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Update #22
Okay so its been a while since I've put one of these up. since the last post i'm sure I have done more than I can remember.
One highlight would be that I saw Jon Stewart, the one from the daily show with Jon Stewart, do stand up last Saturday. he was pretty good. I would go see him again if I had the chance.
Other than that school has been fine and works been alright too. I've been working on an annoying bug/problem for the last week and a half or so though. I put in some work over the weekend last weekend trying to get the game done soon. We'll see when it finally gets finished how it is I can't wait for it to be done. partially because I want to move onto another project but also to be able to see my name in the credits of a game. it will be cool.
I have been climbing too of course and I finally got that climbing route down and on tape so the video of it is at the bottom of this post. I have also started working on a 5.9+ that I made to the top of today after falling 3 times. I also got down a few more bouldering routes ranging from V1 to V3.
Tonight after the climbing club's climb we watched Role Models. It is pretty funny and has a good ending. I liked it, 4 out of 5. I would suggest seeing it if you have the chance.
I'm ready for this semester to be over already. I feel like the projects I've been working on are getting old. I know they will turn out cool and I will like them but I'm at that point where I'm ready for summer.
This week I planned out my classes for next semester. I have tuesdays off. down side is that I have 4 9:30 classes a week. but I'm hoping that I'll appreciate the more time I will have to do my homework. Although I'm sure I'll hate myself in the mornings. I also figured that I can work too. there will be good gaps where I have time to work so that I won't have to rush back and forth from campus to do that in between.
Here is my climb I did eariler tonight. I'm so proud of this I've been working on it for about 3 weeks now and I've finnally gotten it down.
One highlight would be that I saw Jon Stewart, the one from the daily show with Jon Stewart, do stand up last Saturday. he was pretty good. I would go see him again if I had the chance.
Other than that school has been fine and works been alright too. I've been working on an annoying bug/problem for the last week and a half or so though. I put in some work over the weekend last weekend trying to get the game done soon. We'll see when it finally gets finished how it is I can't wait for it to be done. partially because I want to move onto another project but also to be able to see my name in the credits of a game. it will be cool.
I have been climbing too of course and I finally got that climbing route down and on tape so the video of it is at the bottom of this post. I have also started working on a 5.9+ that I made to the top of today after falling 3 times. I also got down a few more bouldering routes ranging from V1 to V3.
Tonight after the climbing club's climb we watched Role Models. It is pretty funny and has a good ending. I liked it, 4 out of 5. I would suggest seeing it if you have the chance.
I'm ready for this semester to be over already. I feel like the projects I've been working on are getting old. I know they will turn out cool and I will like them but I'm at that point where I'm ready for summer.
This week I planned out my classes for next semester. I have tuesdays off. down side is that I have 4 9:30 classes a week. but I'm hoping that I'll appreciate the more time I will have to do my homework. Although I'm sure I'll hate myself in the mornings. I also figured that I can work too. there will be good gaps where I have time to work so that I won't have to rush back and forth from campus to do that in between.
Here is my climb I did eariler tonight. I'm so proud of this I've been working on it for about 3 weeks now and I've finnally gotten it down.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Update #21
So over the weekend I went and saw a play down in Lebanon NH. my friends Uncle is an actor and had comped her some tickets so we went down and saw the mikado. It was pretty funny. it is about japan and this guy who is in love with a girl but she is going to be married. but then the guy turns out to be the emperors son but due to odd laws about flirting has to marry an older woman... its hard to explain there is some stuff about being executed but even that gets complicated by another odd law where someone has to be buried alive. the people that put it on also put in a bunch of jokes about what is going on. there were jokes aimed at stuff that has happened in the last 3 months or so.
Monday I tried and failed at getting homework done and out of the way. It is still not done. its a paper that is due Thursday. but I have not be able to concentrate on it. its for my CORE class that I really don't care about and that is probably why I can't concentrate but so far I have a really good outline that is 2 pages long. Today was kind of productive. I got a lot of the reading done that I needed to for the paper but during that time I also fell asleep.
Today I also went climbing again. I did the 5.10+ again but did not record it so I have nothing to show. Other than that I also finished a V1+ bouldering problem that i had been working on. and I also helped to figure out part of another problem, the last half of a V3. we have still yet to figure out how to start start it. there is an odd grab to start. you move over and then there is a dyno part to it. then the second half. we can do the dyno and the second half just not the start. we will get it eventually.
Our Club has also been informed about a climbing competition that is being put on by UVM's climbing club. well a bouldering competition. its April 17th i think and is being hosted by the place we normally climb at. there is a beginner, intermediate, and advanced bracket. what it is is you climb 5 problems and are scored on that some how. I'm not exactly sure how the scoring works but i think I'll enter it. probably in the beginner bracket since I have been climbing for less than 3 months and normally climb not boulder. but when I heard about it I thought it was pretty cool. I'll like it as long as it is a chill and relaxed kind of competition that is about fun and not the kind where people are really there to beat everyone else. and there are prizes to be won too. not sure what they are but it should be fun. so I think my friends and I will bring going climbing 3 days a week now and I'll set one or more of them to working on bouldering. maybe if I get a lot better by then I'll go into the intermediate group even though I'll stand no chance at getting the prize it would be cool to be in the same bracket as people who are much better than me.
but now I'm off to sleep I need to be into work at 8 tomorrow.
Monday I tried and failed at getting homework done and out of the way. It is still not done. its a paper that is due Thursday. but I have not be able to concentrate on it. its for my CORE class that I really don't care about and that is probably why I can't concentrate but so far I have a really good outline that is 2 pages long. Today was kind of productive. I got a lot of the reading done that I needed to for the paper but during that time I also fell asleep.
Today I also went climbing again. I did the 5.10+ again but did not record it so I have nothing to show. Other than that I also finished a V1+ bouldering problem that i had been working on. and I also helped to figure out part of another problem, the last half of a V3. we have still yet to figure out how to start start it. there is an odd grab to start. you move over and then there is a dyno part to it. then the second half. we can do the dyno and the second half just not the start. we will get it eventually.
Our Club has also been informed about a climbing competition that is being put on by UVM's climbing club. well a bouldering competition. its April 17th i think and is being hosted by the place we normally climb at. there is a beginner, intermediate, and advanced bracket. what it is is you climb 5 problems and are scored on that some how. I'm not exactly sure how the scoring works but i think I'll enter it. probably in the beginner bracket since I have been climbing for less than 3 months and normally climb not boulder. but when I heard about it I thought it was pretty cool. I'll like it as long as it is a chill and relaxed kind of competition that is about fun and not the kind where people are really there to beat everyone else. and there are prizes to be won too. not sure what they are but it should be fun. so I think my friends and I will bring going climbing 3 days a week now and I'll set one or more of them to working on bouldering. maybe if I get a lot better by then I'll go into the intermediate group even though I'll stand no chance at getting the prize it would be cool to be in the same bracket as people who are much better than me.
but now I'm off to sleep I need to be into work at 8 tomorrow.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Update #20
Okay so since the last update i've done a few things. I went into work on Friday to fill in a new programmer to our team. I went in and made a schedule with him and showed him what he would be working on. I talked with the project manager and we went over what we would need to get done. Then I went to class and after we went climbing.
As I said before I wasn't in the best shape for climbing but I still went anyway. I tried the 5.10+ that I had worked on but failed to do it twice. Looking at the Video I can see where I messed up. I kept double guessing my footing and then at the end I messed up on the grab when I fell. I will hopefully get a video up here of me actually finishing it at some point. but until then here is my failed attempt. Other than that the climbing club had a lot of new people go that night and the overall fell was really good I think everyone felt like they had accomplished something or had a lot of fun.
Failed 5.10+ Route.
As I said before I wasn't in the best shape for climbing but I still went anyway. I tried the 5.10+ that I had worked on but failed to do it twice. Looking at the Video I can see where I messed up. I kept double guessing my footing and then at the end I messed up on the grab when I fell. I will hopefully get a video up here of me actually finishing it at some point. but until then here is my failed attempt. Other than that the climbing club had a lot of new people go that night and the overall fell was really good I think everyone felt like they had accomplished something or had a lot of fun.
Failed 5.10+ Route.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Update # 19
So since the last blog i haven't been up to much. I haven't been up to that much. I went climbing again. but I have to take a temporary break. I went climbing 6 times over the course of 10 days and I am currently paying for it in a way. When you climb to often and don't give yourself a good enough recovery period your antagonist mussels will start to hurt. and that has been happening to my fingers the last 2 days and my arms hurt yesterday. I'm going climbing on friday after a good 60+ hour break but i still prob shouldn't but after that i'm taking the weekend off and wont go climbing again until tuesday at the earliest. the problem with fingers hurting is i can't do too much. typeing or writeing for long periods of time hurts so since my work requires me to type it kinda hurt. other than that it means I can't kill time like i normally do by playing rock band or brawl since i need to use my fingers a lot in those games.
Other than that I finally made the 5.10+ climbing route that I had been working on. I might see if someone will record that next time we go so I can put up a video. that felt great to finally finish it.
the other day out of boredom I set up a live feed looking outside my window at the bus stop. in reality it isn't very useful since if you are trying to catch the bus and you see it out there it is already too late to try and catch it. if I still have it running you can see it here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bus-watch
Other than that because I am bogged down with work and school on wed I haven't really done that much. Watched lost and went to class again today. don't know what I'm going to be doing tonight might play a board game.
Other than that I finally made the 5.10+ climbing route that I had been working on. I might see if someone will record that next time we go so I can put up a video. that felt great to finally finish it.
the other day out of boredom I set up a live feed looking outside my window at the bus stop. in reality it isn't very useful since if you are trying to catch the bus and you see it out there it is already too late to try and catch it. if I still have it running you can see it here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bus-watch
Other than that because I am bogged down with work and school on wed I haven't really done that much. Watched lost and went to class again today. don't know what I'm going to be doing tonight might play a board game.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Update #18
So since my last post a few weeks have past. before the end of break I went up to UNH and hung out with some of my friends there. Then I got a ride back to school from my roommate. Then I got back and the last week was really nice. I wasn't that busy.
I have adjusted my hours at work so that I have 3 less each week but during that time I am going to be going for help in physics class for most of it. then I also get an hour or so for homework.
Last week i went climbing 4 different times too and made a 5.10+ only falling once after tring it every day I went that week. so I'm hoping about getting it down by the end of this week.
Other than that the climbing clubs numbers have grown so that last week there were 4 or 5 new people that went and this week we are part of an event for East house so that there may be upwards of 30 people going. to deal with this amount of new people who will need belaying lessons a few of the club members are going to get certified to certify people on belaying tonight so that when Friday comes we can help the people that work there on that part of it.
I have also made my schdule for next fall. If it comes out the way I want it to I will have both Tuesdays and Fridays off. that would be nice.
I have adjusted my hours at work so that I have 3 less each week but during that time I am going to be going for help in physics class for most of it. then I also get an hour or so for homework.
Last week i went climbing 4 different times too and made a 5.10+ only falling once after tring it every day I went that week. so I'm hoping about getting it down by the end of this week.
Other than that the climbing clubs numbers have grown so that last week there were 4 or 5 new people that went and this week we are part of an event for East house so that there may be upwards of 30 people going. to deal with this amount of new people who will need belaying lessons a few of the club members are going to get certified to certify people on belaying tonight so that when Friday comes we can help the people that work there on that part of it.
I have also made my schdule for next fall. If it comes out the way I want it to I will have both Tuesdays and Fridays off. that would be nice.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Update #17
Okay today I visited the high school and was shown this link by McRae. He made this in Feb. this is a whole month before the show but it looks cool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eJbhLGdXX4
two years after I leave they start using a blue screen technology... What!? I saw the sets too. they look pretty sweet even though the show is still 3 weeks away. complete with trap doors and the flying monkey ropes.
I haven't been up to too much right now I'm watching the rerun of lost and waiting for the new one to watch. trying to figure out what to do until I get back up to school. I've been hunting down different summer jobs/internships. but i'll prob start studying for physics at some point before I get back. well I don't have anything else to add
...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eJbhLGdXX4
two years after I leave they start using a blue screen technology... What!? I saw the sets too. they look pretty sweet even though the show is still 3 weeks away. complete with trap doors and the flying monkey ropes.
I haven't been up to too much right now I'm watching the rerun of lost and waiting for the new one to watch. trying to figure out what to do until I get back up to school. I've been hunting down different summer jobs/internships. but i'll prob start studying for physics at some point before I get back. well I don't have anything else to add
...
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Update #16
Okay So I'm now at home... well kinda right now I'm at my brothers school for a visit. we are trying to connect our computers together to play a game of starcraft. But since the last update I've been busy but then I had a chance to relax. Over the weekend I had some friends up form camp to visit me at school. we went climbing friday night then watched to matrix. it was a good time. then on saturday. we played some settlers of catan and apple to apples. and in between we played rockband and brawl. we left early sunday morning and drove back home.
That night I caught up on LOST and watched the last 3 episodes. I ate dinner and basically went to sleep. I fell asleep on the couch and didn't get up for like 16 hours. I woke up and showered and stuff and went to a doctors appointment. then that night I watched King's Rose Red. it is a very long horror kind of movie I guess. it wasn't that bad i would watch it again if I had 5 hours to kill and nothing else to do.
Today I also got a bunch of quick things done that i needed to do. Stuff for my data structures class, Usability class, and other quick things that i've been meaning to do for a while.
That night I caught up on LOST and watched the last 3 episodes. I ate dinner and basically went to sleep. I fell asleep on the couch and didn't get up for like 16 hours. I woke up and showered and stuff and went to a doctors appointment. then that night I watched King's Rose Red. it is a very long horror kind of movie I guess. it wasn't that bad i would watch it again if I had 5 hours to kill and nothing else to do.
Today I also got a bunch of quick things done that i needed to do. Stuff for my data structures class, Usability class, and other quick things that i've been meaning to do for a while.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Update #15
Okay so since Friday I have done a bunch of stuff. Friday night I didn't go climbing like I normally would but instead I had a meeting for work. after that I went to a friends house for the weekend. He lives in northern VT so a group of us went up there and had fun most of the weekend. on Saturday we did so much. We snow shoed over to his uncle and aunts house. this was cool because I have never snowshoed before. its alot like walking in snow but you don't fall through it. we went through the woods and across this field with an amazing view of the mountains. when we got there we went skating. I haven't gone skating since the 5th grade. I was smart and wore a helmet. but luckily I didn't fall. it went a lot better than I thought it would have considering I haven't done it in such a long time. played around with a puck for a bit and took some shots on the nets that were set up. After this we went back to his house and I took a nap. I was exhausted. when I got up we went out and went sledding. this was kinda short lived because we had to walk up a very steep hill after doing all the other stuff earlier that day. then when we could no longer walk up the hill we decided that we would make tunnels in the snow. so we did that and connected a few of our. by then we were getting cold so we went inside. that night watched some futurama. the next day we went out and jumped around in the snow. there were plenty of things to jump off of. this porch, shed, walls, and other random things. we played around in the snow until we got tired again and then went in. I read a book for one of my classes knowing that when I got back I had a ton of hw to get done.
Then when I got back I did the hw and went to bed.
monday I did all my normal stuff and was planning on going climbing but 2 hours before I was supposed to go I was told at work that I would have to stay and get some code ready for the presentation we had the next day. it was really bummed out but it ended up not being that horible. I was told how to get a free quiznos sub (goto their website they are in the middle of a 1 million sub give away). so I got free diner, that was nice. other than that yesterday was uneventful.
today I had classes and stuff but then I also was able to go climbing. I was so happy to do this. I hadnt gone in a week and a half but it felt like forever. a bunch of my finger strength was gone but I was able to do at least 4 5.8s and a few other easier routes. then we went upstairs and bouldered for a bit. I wasn't able to goto the meeting for work to see the presentation because it was during my class time but I'll be filled in on thursday when we will have a meeting to go over feedback we got. over all today was a good day. I had free time and went to class and did stuff at work. my AIM isn't working though and its starting to annoy me. it works on campus but not in my room or through my wireless here at my dorm.
right now I'm off to bed I need to be in at work early tomorrow.
Then when I got back I did the hw and went to bed.
monday I did all my normal stuff and was planning on going climbing but 2 hours before I was supposed to go I was told at work that I would have to stay and get some code ready for the presentation we had the next day. it was really bummed out but it ended up not being that horible. I was told how to get a free quiznos sub (goto their website they are in the middle of a 1 million sub give away). so I got free diner, that was nice. other than that yesterday was uneventful.
today I had classes and stuff but then I also was able to go climbing. I was so happy to do this. I hadnt gone in a week and a half but it felt like forever. a bunch of my finger strength was gone but I was able to do at least 4 5.8s and a few other easier routes. then we went upstairs and bouldered for a bit. I wasn't able to goto the meeting for work to see the presentation because it was during my class time but I'll be filled in on thursday when we will have a meeting to go over feedback we got. over all today was a good day. I had free time and went to class and did stuff at work. my AIM isn't working though and its starting to annoy me. it works on campus but not in my room or through my wireless here at my dorm.
right now I'm off to bed I need to be in at work early tomorrow.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Update #14
Okay so lately I've continued in my busyness. Since my last blog on tues I got home after my canceled class. then i worked on hw for a while while i defrosted some chicken. I decided I wanted a good lunch for some reason. then after eating I went into work early and did that until I needed to leave to go to class. After class I had to take the CLA test. The CLA test is a "voulentary" test that we all have to take. everyone gets a different one. mine was dumb. before I could finish the first question I needed to read through 11 different documents. by the time that was over my little motivation for actually trying was gone. (we only need to take it what we get doesn't matter its used to help the school see how well they are teaching us. when they see all the bad grades since people only sign in and skip the rest they will maybe reallize that they are not very good at motivating us to do anything like this) so I gave some answers that I could have done very well at but i put very little effort into them. after this I went back and did homework for the rest of the night
Then weds. I wake up to goto work at 8am. I work unitl 3 (i didn't even leave to eat I brought easy mac there and ate while I worked). I had class from 3:30-8:15. then I got back did some hw and went to a mandatory meeting at 9:30 ( Hall meeting) after this I had some free time from 10-12. it was great I hadn't had that in a while and played apples to apples.
Thursday I got up and went to class at 11:00 and was there until 4:45. After this I got out and saw on the new GPS mapping thing that the bus was all the way over at spinner. I didn't feel like waiting for the bus so I decided to walk back. I talked to my mom on the way and told her about how wierd it is to be at the point of your life where the desicisions that I make will effect the rest of my life. then she said well you've been there for a while and gave examples of not drinking or doing drugs. I didn't see it as the same thing. later I realized why. its easy to not do things. its much harder when you have to make the desicision to do something. like Apply for a job or something like that. not drinking takes no effort. actively desiding on what I should do for the rest of my life means research and thinking things through completely. I was getting to Spinner just as the bus was pulling up. it was good timing. when I got back I didn't even go to spinner I went strait to the EMC and put in 4 hours of work. then after this I went to a Budget meeting for the rock climbing club. After this I skyped with my brother for a while. then I hung around and watched Stone play hockey on the PS2. I then realized I had time to shave and did that because I hadn't had the chance to in a while. then I went to bed.
today I woke up and went to work at 9-11. Then I had to leave because I reached the 30 hour a week work study limit. then I had enough time to eat a brownie and go to a meeting for one of my classes. So thats where I am now. in bewtween the meetings and class. getting a chance to catch a breath before I'm off tonight. I'm going to the Kingdom tonight and hanging out at my friends house for the weekend. we are gonna go sledding its gonna be sweet.
Don't know what I'm doing yet tonight. either another meeting or a break from stress... still haven't been able to try out my new climbing pants.
Then weds. I wake up to goto work at 8am. I work unitl 3 (i didn't even leave to eat I brought easy mac there and ate while I worked). I had class from 3:30-8:15. then I got back did some hw and went to a mandatory meeting at 9:30 ( Hall meeting) after this I had some free time from 10-12. it was great I hadn't had that in a while and played apples to apples.
Thursday I got up and went to class at 11:00 and was there until 4:45. After this I got out and saw on the new GPS mapping thing that the bus was all the way over at spinner. I didn't feel like waiting for the bus so I decided to walk back. I talked to my mom on the way and told her about how wierd it is to be at the point of your life where the desicisions that I make will effect the rest of my life. then she said well you've been there for a while and gave examples of not drinking or doing drugs. I didn't see it as the same thing. later I realized why. its easy to not do things. its much harder when you have to make the desicision to do something. like Apply for a job or something like that. not drinking takes no effort. actively desiding on what I should do for the rest of my life means research and thinking things through completely. I was getting to Spinner just as the bus was pulling up. it was good timing. when I got back I didn't even go to spinner I went strait to the EMC and put in 4 hours of work. then after this I went to a Budget meeting for the rock climbing club. After this I skyped with my brother for a while. then I hung around and watched Stone play hockey on the PS2. I then realized I had time to shave and did that because I hadn't had the chance to in a while. then I went to bed.
today I woke up and went to work at 9-11. Then I had to leave because I reached the 30 hour a week work study limit. then I had enough time to eat a brownie and go to a meeting for one of my classes. So thats where I am now. in bewtween the meetings and class. getting a chance to catch a breath before I'm off tonight. I'm going to the Kingdom tonight and hanging out at my friends house for the weekend. we are gonna go sledding its gonna be sweet.
Don't know what I'm doing yet tonight. either another meeting or a break from stress... still haven't been able to try out my new climbing pants.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Update #13
Well as much as I thought my times of being really busy were over I was wrong. This week I am putting a bunch of extra hours into work because the alpha of my game is due at the end of the week. I'm not sure if it will get done in time. a bunch of the people on the team and I are really stepping up and trying to get stuff done. I'm probably going to put close to 30 hours in this week at work. then on top of that add all my classes and their home work. then the fact that i want to try and keep a kinda social life and you see just how busy I am. oh and I just remembered I have to go to the mandatory voluntary CLA testing tonight at 6 for a few hours. *sigh* oh well.
On the bright side I should be getting the climbing pants I ordered online last week today or tomorrow. One of my friends who left this school is visiting this week. and I am going to go to the kingdom this weekend and hang out up there with at my friends house. so there are some good things happening too.
Other than that I woke up at 7 both days on the weekend to go into work. I put in a total of 18 hours over the weekend I think. But I also went climbing on sat. too so that was nice. I was able to get in a few new route.
Well I just found out that this class I'm waiting for was canceled so i'm going to go get a ride back to spinner.
On the bright side I should be getting the climbing pants I ordered online last week today or tomorrow. One of my friends who left this school is visiting this week. and I am going to go to the kingdom this weekend and hang out up there with at my friends house. so there are some good things happening too.
Other than that I woke up at 7 both days on the weekend to go into work. I put in a total of 18 hours over the weekend I think. But I also went climbing on sat. too so that was nice. I was able to get in a few new route.
Well I just found out that this class I'm waiting for was canceled so i'm going to go get a ride back to spinner.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Update #12
Okay so over the last week I have been really busy. I had 3 papers and an annoying project that I had to do. they were all due right after the other. 1 due weds. 2 on thurs. and 1 friday. normally this might have been doable but with school and work combined it was really hard to find the time. basically mon and tues I am busy 9-5 and weds I am busy 8am-8:30pm so I was stressing about getting these done. I was able to do all of them and now i'm getting some time to breath.
I got a new camera the other day. I had ordered it off of woot so it was 70 off the origonal pricw. it works well. the problem is there is nothing for me to take pictures of. I want to use it but can't.
Other than that the weather warmed up the last three days. It actually rained. it was odd when I realized that seeing rain seemed strange to me. it has been months scence I've see it, its always snow up here. but by the end of the weekend it will be back to the normal subfreezing again.
I was able to go bouldering last night. I finally got a V3 route that I have been working on for a while. it felt good. I am going climbing again tomorrow i'm going to try and get that one down as well as another climbing route that I have been working at for a while. I hadn't been going as much in the last two weeks and I could feel my hands softening so I was glad I got the chance to go again. I also ordered a pair of climbing knickers online so I can climb in something that is more comfortable than my pants and fits/works better for climbing than my gym shorts and PJs
But right now i'm off to class
I got a new camera the other day. I had ordered it off of woot so it was 70 off the origonal pricw. it works well. the problem is there is nothing for me to take pictures of. I want to use it but can't.
Other than that the weather warmed up the last three days. It actually rained. it was odd when I realized that seeing rain seemed strange to me. it has been months scence I've see it, its always snow up here. but by the end of the weekend it will be back to the normal subfreezing again.
I was able to go bouldering last night. I finally got a V3 route that I have been working on for a while. it felt good. I am going climbing again tomorrow i'm going to try and get that one down as well as another climbing route that I have been working at for a while. I hadn't been going as much in the last two weeks and I could feel my hands softening so I was glad I got the chance to go again. I also ordered a pair of climbing knickers online so I can climb in something that is more comfortable than my pants and fits/works better for climbing than my gym shorts and PJs
But right now i'm off to class
Friday, February 6, 2009
Update #11
I have been sick this week with a sore throat. it is more of an annoyance than anything. Haven't got one of these up in a while. I've been really busy haven't gone climbing in a week. i've got a ton of work to do this weekend too. on the bright side my EMC work is going really well and it is the weekend. that all i have right now just trying to get one of these up.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Update #10
Ok, so since Saturday I haven't been up to much. Sunday I slept into 1:00 ish and didn't really get out of bed till like 1:30. it was great after the tiring 2 days before it. Sunday i spent about 6 hours reading and doing some hw. Then today I had class and work from 9:30-5:00. after that I had to do a physics lab that took me about 2 hours. then after that I don't really know what I've been up to... made some dinner, went up stairs and hung out with people and watched the Daily Show and Colbert Report. I prob wont be doing much until thursday my sun-weds aren't the greatest lots of class, homework, and work.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Update #9
Okay so since the last update here is what I've been up to. And sorry for the novel in advance
Looking back at this I notice a bunch of climbing terms and here is what they mean. routes are the different planned paths on the wall that are there to challenge climbers. they have different difficulties and that is what the numbers like 5.8 and 5.9 and stuff mean (it is said like "five-eight" or "five-nine") the higher the decimal number the harder it is. 5.5 is the lowest I've seen and 5.11 is the hardest that I know of at petra (where I climb) but they go up to 5.15 i think. bouldering is like climbing but you stay close to the ground and don't use ropes. these routes are shorter but more can be more difficult and a great way to get more advanced techniques down. ATC climbing is just a different belaying device (the other ropes have self locking belaying things called gri gri). I think that is it post questions if you have them.
After that I went to class. Class was okay, we watched part of a documentary and talked about capitalism. Then right after I went home and got ready to climb. It was the first climb as the Champlain Rock Climbing club. it was pretty fun. There were 11 of us there and even though I went climbing earlier that day I did pretty good. At first my stomach was killing because I ate 2 things of easy mac in like 8 min before leaving... never doing that again. but after like 20/30 min I was fine. so since earlier that day I had been bouldering I hadn't noticed a bunch of changes that had been put in. there was a new route and rope for ATC climb which is good because there aren't a bunch of ATC climbing ropes up right now. They had removed a pretty fun 5.8 that was made up of a bunch of different holds and I liked it. they put in a new 5.7 in its place. they also changed one of my favorite routes from a 5.8 to a 5.9 by taking off a bunch of holds. but I tried it anyway and was still able to do it. that was my first 5.9 that I have done at Petra cliff so I was really happy. then later our club adivso Sue came up to me and said "I have a challenge for you". (Sue is a great adviser she is very good at helping people climb routes and giving them beta and motivation as they go. She has been climbing for something like 6 years. She will always push people to challenge themselves on routes she thinks is at their level of difficult or just thinks you would have fun climbing and since she is there she will help you along the route that she tells you about.). she asks If I want to do this 5.9 route that I had yet to get up although I had tried several times. The last time she went I had tried this and she was helping me through it but I just couldn't get up it. now she asked me this was after I had been doing a bunch of climbing already but I was up for it. I went to it and made my way up and was at the point where all I had to do was reach for the last hold. but my arms were so tired I just couldn't. I reach and can't hold it and fall. I hang there for a bit and Sue is encouraging me to get back on where I fell and just finish it. so I did and was able to finish it and it felt great. even though i didn't technically finish the route in one try I made it to the top and was very happy. After this most people started to head home and me and some other guys stayed and bouldered a bit. I was able to get this really hard jump from a heel hold which made me really happy.
Then after that I went home. The next morning (today) I woke up at like 7:00 to help out my friend who was sick. I did that until noon then went to a group meeting for my web interface and design class. did that until about 2:45 finished up what I was doing and then got a call from my friend asking me to bring them to the doctor. I was there until maybe 7:00 ish i don't really remember. then ordered some food cuz i was tired and played some heroes of might and magic on the computer with my friend Justin.
As you might have noticed I didn't end up snow boarding like i said i would in the last update. we had to change plans yesterday so we couldn't do it today.
This is me bouldering
This is that heel hold i talked about in the last blog. (my right foot) the next hold is just out of the frame on the top its to the left of the hold with the pink tape pointing to it.
same as above different angle
Looking back at this I notice a bunch of climbing terms and here is what they mean. routes are the different planned paths on the wall that are there to challenge climbers. they have different difficulties and that is what the numbers like 5.8 and 5.9 and stuff mean (it is said like "five-eight" or "five-nine") the higher the decimal number the harder it is. 5.5 is the lowest I've seen and 5.11 is the hardest that I know of at petra (where I climb) but they go up to 5.15 i think. bouldering is like climbing but you stay close to the ground and don't use ropes. these routes are shorter but more can be more difficult and a great way to get more advanced techniques down. ATC climbing is just a different belaying device (the other ropes have self locking belaying things called gri gri). I think that is it post questions if you have them.
After that I went to class. Class was okay, we watched part of a documentary and talked about capitalism. Then right after I went home and got ready to climb. It was the first climb as the Champlain Rock Climbing club. it was pretty fun. There were 11 of us there and even though I went climbing earlier that day I did pretty good. At first my stomach was killing because I ate 2 things of easy mac in like 8 min before leaving... never doing that again. but after like 20/30 min I was fine. so since earlier that day I had been bouldering I hadn't noticed a bunch of changes that had been put in. there was a new route and rope for ATC climb which is good because there aren't a bunch of ATC climbing ropes up right now. They had removed a pretty fun 5.8 that was made up of a bunch of different holds and I liked it. they put in a new 5.7 in its place. they also changed one of my favorite routes from a 5.8 to a 5.9 by taking off a bunch of holds. but I tried it anyway and was still able to do it. that was my first 5.9 that I have done at Petra cliff so I was really happy. then later our club adivso Sue came up to me and said "I have a challenge for you". (Sue is a great adviser she is very good at helping people climb routes and giving them beta and motivation as they go. She has been climbing for something like 6 years. She will always push people to challenge themselves on routes she thinks is at their level of difficult or just thinks you would have fun climbing and since she is there she will help you along the route that she tells you about.). she asks If I want to do this 5.9 route that I had yet to get up although I had tried several times. The last time she went I had tried this and she was helping me through it but I just couldn't get up it. now she asked me this was after I had been doing a bunch of climbing already but I was up for it. I went to it and made my way up and was at the point where all I had to do was reach for the last hold. but my arms were so tired I just couldn't. I reach and can't hold it and fall. I hang there for a bit and Sue is encouraging me to get back on where I fell and just finish it. so I did and was able to finish it and it felt great. even though i didn't technically finish the route in one try I made it to the top and was very happy. After this most people started to head home and me and some other guys stayed and bouldered a bit. I was able to get this really hard jump from a heel hold which made me really happy.
Then after that I went home. The next morning (today) I woke up at like 7:00 to help out my friend who was sick. I did that until noon then went to a group meeting for my web interface and design class. did that until about 2:45 finished up what I was doing and then got a call from my friend asking me to bring them to the doctor. I was there until maybe 7:00 ish i don't really remember. then ordered some food cuz i was tired and played some heroes of might and magic on the computer with my friend Justin.
As you might have noticed I didn't end up snow boarding like i said i would in the last update. we had to change plans yesterday so we couldn't do it today.
This is me bouldering
This is that heel hold i talked about in the last blog. (my right foot) the next hold is just out of the frame on the top its to the left of the hold with the pink tape pointing to it.
same as above different angle
Friday, January 23, 2009
Update #8
Okay so since my last post I've been busy I guess.
I did in fact watch wanted yesterday with some friends as I said I would. I would say to someone who is going to watch it to just suspend your belief in anything scientific and reality. Once you do that this movie is so pretty good. Car cases, guns, and a plot that sounds funny when you think about but then you realize you suspended your belief in reality and its kinda cool. I would say 4 out of 5.
After that I played some Rock band which is nothing new. went through a bunch of songs. Then when people left for dinner I had nothing to do. I had a late lunch so I decide to play Portal for the first time ever. I got the Orange Box for like 20 bucks and since its 3 games in one I figured it was worth the money. I played through the whole thing. I haven't done any challenges only the main game.I had really high expectations for this game due to the hype that there was about it when it came out. It was fun and a very original take on the puzzle genre. there was only one spot where i had really no clue what to do so it is not extremely difficult in that aspect. now again I haven't tried any of the challenges yet so those may be harder. over all I would give this game so far 3 out of 5.
after that I just hung out with people til like 12:45 which was a bad idea because I was planning on getting up at 7:00 the next morning. now why would I do that on a Friday when I don't have class until 3:30? well I went bouldering (like climbing but you stay close to the ground and don't use ropes. these routes are shorter but quicker and a great way to get more advanced techiques down) with my friend. We took the 7:55 bus and went to Petra. Surprisingly this was the first time I have used the public transportation buses up here. but in short I now know how to get to the climbing place from where I live using the bus. while I was there I was origonally going to work a route I hadn't finished yet that looked really fun, I think its a V2. but then my friend Kieth showed me the route he was working on, a V3. He was trying to get it down and hadn't figured it out yet. He has been going a lot lately and buldering a bunch and has done a bunch of the routes they have there and was now focused on completeing this one. We both tried it for a while and had an idea of how to get it done. we could do the first half easily but then we had to transfer to a different wall at an incline then go up past it to the more vertical part. we ended up getting it after a while by using a heel hold. When I was watching him do it I was thinking wow that looks cool. it was a fun route... I never actually went back to the route I had started on that day. my hands were killing (and still are) and I'm going back to climb tonight and wanted to be able climb a bit before my hands gave out.
waking up so early makes the days go by much slower. they are so long. I feel like its the weekend but have to leave for class at 2:00. things are going good. and as I type this I am making plans to go snowboarding tomorrow. this is a good start to a semester. Okay its time for me to eat...
I did in fact watch wanted yesterday with some friends as I said I would. I would say to someone who is going to watch it to just suspend your belief in anything scientific and reality. Once you do that this movie is so pretty good. Car cases, guns, and a plot that sounds funny when you think about but then you realize you suspended your belief in reality and its kinda cool. I would say 4 out of 5.
After that I played some Rock band which is nothing new. went through a bunch of songs. Then when people left for dinner I had nothing to do. I had a late lunch so I decide to play Portal for the first time ever. I got the Orange Box for like 20 bucks and since its 3 games in one I figured it was worth the money. I played through the whole thing. I haven't done any challenges only the main game.I had really high expectations for this game due to the hype that there was about it when it came out. It was fun and a very original take on the puzzle genre. there was only one spot where i had really no clue what to do so it is not extremely difficult in that aspect. now again I haven't tried any of the challenges yet so those may be harder. over all I would give this game so far 3 out of 5.
after that I just hung out with people til like 12:45 which was a bad idea because I was planning on getting up at 7:00 the next morning. now why would I do that on a Friday when I don't have class until 3:30? well I went bouldering (like climbing but you stay close to the ground and don't use ropes. these routes are shorter but quicker and a great way to get more advanced techiques down) with my friend. We took the 7:55 bus and went to Petra. Surprisingly this was the first time I have used the public transportation buses up here. but in short I now know how to get to the climbing place from where I live using the bus. while I was there I was origonally going to work a route I hadn't finished yet that looked really fun, I think its a V2. but then my friend Kieth showed me the route he was working on, a V3. He was trying to get it down and hadn't figured it out yet. He has been going a lot lately and buldering a bunch and has done a bunch of the routes they have there and was now focused on completeing this one. We both tried it for a while and had an idea of how to get it done. we could do the first half easily but then we had to transfer to a different wall at an incline then go up past it to the more vertical part. we ended up getting it after a while by using a heel hold. When I was watching him do it I was thinking wow that looks cool. it was a fun route... I never actually went back to the route I had started on that day. my hands were killing (and still are) and I'm going back to climb tonight and wanted to be able climb a bit before my hands gave out.
waking up so early makes the days go by much slower. they are so long. I feel like its the weekend but have to leave for class at 2:00. things are going good. and as I type this I am making plans to go snowboarding tomorrow. this is a good start to a semester. Okay its time for me to eat...
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Update #7
Ok, So today started out bad but within 20 minutes got so much better. I wake up and look at my watch and realize that I have overslept and I needed to go catch the bus to campus in 20 minutes. Normally I wake up at 9:00 for my 11:00 classes because the buses are not always reliable. so in case one doesn't show up I make sure, as well as a bunch of others, to get down and wait for a bus at 10:15. the bus is supposed to be there around 10:20 but like i said they are unreliable and can be early, late, or not even show up in the first place. so I get up at 9;00 shower eat and then get ready. Today as I wake up and run to the shower I am not really worried about missing class. I know there is another bus after I could catch and show up just in time. or if it is late a bit late for class. I get out of the shower and change then go to put in my contacts. As I do this my roommate informs me that he thinks my physics class is canceled today. This is great because Not only do I have physics class but I also have the lab today so in effect 2 classes where canceled. It was great 4 hours of my day were freed up. I still had to go to my 11:00 class though and I was on time.
I put them to good use. I see class cancellations as like a gift and always try to be productive in the times i would have been in class. I am currently doing laundry and marinating food. I have also contacted people about a summer internship and asked my boss from over the summer for a letter of recommendation. I have also emailed the study abroad person at my school for more information. On top of that I finished all my homework due tomorrow so I am planning on finally watching Wanted around 4:00. My day is going good.
I put them to good use. I see class cancellations as like a gift and always try to be productive in the times i would have been in class. I am currently doing laundry and marinating food. I have also contacted people about a summer internship and asked my boss from over the summer for a letter of recommendation. I have also emailed the study abroad person at my school for more information. On top of that I finished all my homework due tomorrow so I am planning on finally watching Wanted around 4:00. My day is going good.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Its been a while
Ok so its been a while since I have put one of these. Since then i have gone on break come back and started classes. I've been really busy with classes and work lately. So far my classes are looking pretty good. There seems to be a reading required. I have also got myself a domain name.
Last night I went to a study abroad meeting and am currently working on what I need to do in order to spend a semester in Montreal.
Currently I am just killing time so I don't have go go into the other room and see lost. I missed the first 30 minutes of it and plan to just watch it online later.
I will try to keep these more consistent by dropping the video in every time and doing them only when I have a bunch of time. by typing these I hope to get them out more often because like this one I can put one out in less than 10 minutes. Hope to get another one out soon.
Last night I went to a study abroad meeting and am currently working on what I need to do in order to spend a semester in Montreal.
Currently I am just killing time so I don't have go go into the other room and see lost. I missed the first 30 minutes of it and plan to just watch it online later.
I will try to keep these more consistent by dropping the video in every time and doing them only when I have a bunch of time. by typing these I hope to get them out more often because like this one I can put one out in less than 10 minutes. Hope to get another one out soon.
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