If you haven't been reading Alicia's blog, shes had a lot happening.
First off, she got a job! She started yesterday (Monday) working for Bloomberg doing legal research. It is great pay and she says it is mindless and easy. I won't go into detail, but I will say she is very happy to have the job search over for the time being. It is a temporary job, so the job search will begin again eventually, but she's employed at least for the foreseeable future.
Even better, she has a birthday coming up. On Friday, October 1oth, she'll turn 27. I've been doing my best to plan it, gifts, etc. Considering it is on a Friday, I'm sure we'll have fun.
Lastly, the wedding planning is going well. We might have a date and time confirmed soon. I'll keep you posted!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Rosh Hashanah
Happy Rosh Hashanah, everyone.
No, I'm not Jewish, but I'm off of school! I've got Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off this week, Wednesday, Thursday off next week, and Tuesday off the week after that. Follow that?
What it comes down to is that I've got a lot of class off. Wednesday is my big study day at the Graduate Center, so two consecutive Wednesdays off is huge for me. I needed it. I've got a lot of stuff to do, and this is a great opportunity to get it done while relaxing.
But, wouldn't you know it, I caught a cold on Sunday. Not to worry, it is very light. It was a small sore throat yesterday, and it has just been the sniffles today. It is so minor that I got a lot of errands done in Manhattan today. So that is great.
Tomorrow, I'm staying in and studying more. I've also got some homework to finish correcting, so the time will be well used.
No, I'm not Jewish, but I'm off of school! I've got Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off this week, Wednesday, Thursday off next week, and Tuesday off the week after that. Follow that?
What it comes down to is that I've got a lot of class off. Wednesday is my big study day at the Graduate Center, so two consecutive Wednesdays off is huge for me. I needed it. I've got a lot of stuff to do, and this is a great opportunity to get it done while relaxing.
But, wouldn't you know it, I caught a cold on Sunday. Not to worry, it is very light. It was a small sore throat yesterday, and it has just been the sniffles today. It is so minor that I got a lot of errands done in Manhattan today. So that is great.
Tomorrow, I'm staying in and studying more. I've also got some homework to finish correcting, so the time will be well used.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Weather
The weather has gotten perfect! It was about 70 degrees today, which is exactly the weather I want. It is perfect keep-the-windows-open weather for us. Any hotter and Alicia and I don't do very well.
The problem with this apartment (the only one besides mice since we've redone the apartment) is that most of our apartment has no ventilation. The living room only has a door, nothing else. So even if it is a nice day out, we have to keep the windows shut and the AC pumping, else it will climb to 85/90 inside that room.
But 70 and below is the tipping point, the point where that room doesn't heat up.
I still fondly recall waiting for the bus to come pick me up on an early fall morning before school. I remember the grass frosting in September. I miss that. That doesn't happen here until November. Eww.
At least we've got some nice cooler days coming. The worst of summer is over.
The problem with this apartment (the only one besides mice since we've redone the apartment) is that most of our apartment has no ventilation. The living room only has a door, nothing else. So even if it is a nice day out, we have to keep the windows shut and the AC pumping, else it will climb to 85/90 inside that room.
But 70 and below is the tipping point, the point where that room doesn't heat up.
I still fondly recall waiting for the bus to come pick me up on an early fall morning before school. I remember the grass frosting in September. I miss that. That doesn't happen here until November. Eww.
At least we've got some nice cooler days coming. The worst of summer is over.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Fall Update
Well, the first day of school has come and gone. A few weeks ago, it seems. Above's what I looked like going out to teach for the first class of the new semester. I wanted to command a little respect, thus the tie. I really liked wearing a tie with a shirt not buttoned to the top, and I've done it a few times since. Alicia and I even went shopping at Century 21 (a really big department store that's really cheap) and bought three new shirts with matching ties.
I've had requests for pictures of the garden. Here's one of the best flowers:
A lot of them have flowered, and we've got mostly orange and pink. But the huge rainstorm last weekend (apparently it was a tropical storm that made its way north) knocked over most of them. They've only recently started to stand back up.
This semester, I'm teaching a Precalculus class and an Algebra II class. Sure, they are both still technically high school math. But it feels good teaching them. The student's have a decent grasp of what's going on. I even get to use a graphing calculator in Precalculus!
My last post probably gave the impression that I'm only studying. That's not entirely true: I've taken up reading on the subway. I'm averaging about one book every two weeks. I'm almost done with a book about Harvard MBAs, and I'm excited about picking what is next.
The wedding is chugging along. Alicia has been working hard on it, and I'll post more information as I get it.
I'm off to work again. Math calls. Until next time, stay good internet!
School is in Full Swing
Whoa! Guess time just got away from me.
I've been aware of the common stereotype that graduate students are stressed, no life, shut-ins that don't have time for anything. I'd even heard of mathematics students having to schedule casual down time, or else they'd not do it. Last year, I kinda felt that way. I had a decent amount of homework, and I had things to keep me busy, but I never felt an overwhelming pressure that eats up all my time, even Saturday nights.
Until about the third week of class this year.
I've got this giant amount of work I want to do. Last year, I had homework to finish, and that was about it. But now, wow. There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the week.
Perhaps this is how I should have been last year. But it didn't feel this way before.
The good news is that it feels a lot better. Last year, I felt like I knew nothing and was going to fail out of grad school. Now, I can see all the new first years from a different perspective. I can see that more than half of the students I met in the first year are no longer here. Things make sense that didn't previously, and I'm getting things done.
In short, the overwhelming feeling that I am stupid has diminished. I still feel stupid, but now I feel like I can do something about it. Which is why I have been studying so much.
I've got a few more things to say, but I'll split them up into different blog posts to avoid one long sputtering post.
I've been aware of the common stereotype that graduate students are stressed, no life, shut-ins that don't have time for anything. I'd even heard of mathematics students having to schedule casual down time, or else they'd not do it. Last year, I kinda felt that way. I had a decent amount of homework, and I had things to keep me busy, but I never felt an overwhelming pressure that eats up all my time, even Saturday nights.
Until about the third week of class this year.
I've got this giant amount of work I want to do. Last year, I had homework to finish, and that was about it. But now, wow. There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the week.
Perhaps this is how I should have been last year. But it didn't feel this way before.
The good news is that it feels a lot better. Last year, I felt like I knew nothing and was going to fail out of grad school. Now, I can see all the new first years from a different perspective. I can see that more than half of the students I met in the first year are no longer here. Things make sense that didn't previously, and I'm getting things done.
In short, the overwhelming feeling that I am stupid has diminished. I still feel stupid, but now I feel like I can do something about it. Which is why I have been studying so much.
I've got a few more things to say, but I'll split them up into different blog posts to avoid one long sputtering post.
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