Spring Break in T minus 2 weeks

I just wanted to give a quick post before everyone thinks I have dropped off the face of the Earth. These next two weeks it's crunch time for me, I have essays to write about Design and Engineering, a robot to program for competition on Thursday, and another Power Point to assemble. Thank goodness my group (NATA) rocks. I promise I will fix the YouTube video on Tuesday, so everyone can see the shenanigans of the Rasta bot.

I'll also be sending in my WWU Applications next week, and I need to finalize my essays and student resume. They suggested that I apply to both Huxley schools - main campus and Everett campus, in case the Everett campus falls short of the student quota. It is the first year of the program, but so far, my advisor Dr. P has said that she only knows of 4 students that are serious about applying. I'm crossing my fingers that they pull in 3 more, so I don't have to drive to Bellingham until Spring 2011.

Well gotta jet so I can legally supply the weekend Vicofix. Just 3 more years, and I quote Gano, "I'll never maaaake iiiiit." Just whining. I'm out.

Robots Robots Robots

So I finally uploaded my Robot Rodeo video to my YouTube account. Laugh as you may, this was our worst trial, and our funniest. Who could hate this little guy?




Next project - A Sumo Bot Competition

Griffey's Back in Town

They're bringin' Griffey back. Them other players don't know how to act.

My little throwback to JT there (thanks Dr. London). Anyway, I love it when icons go back to their original team to retire. Eddie Murray went back to Baltimore to play his last years with Cal Ripken Jr. which made all the O's fans happy. I think Griffey will do the same for Seattle.

Spring training started last week! Someday the O's will win the Series again. I was 5 the last time they won. Maybe this is the year...ha ha, yeah right. I'm still a die hard fan.

We had a perfect presentation in Engineering on Tuesday, including a stellar Power Point with a movie. Unfortunately, we had a preview of our presentation last week, so all the other teams added pictures and a movie, but only our movie and another team's actually played. Next project I will definitely have to get a little more creative.

Our next project starts today. The robots will have sumo matches in 2 weeks. I'm thinking tank design. My Biology professor and advisor Dr. P always says, "always borrow designs from nature." Sumo wrestlers have a wide base and so do tanks. Rear wheel drive or front wheel drive?

It's M' Birfday!

31 years ago this evening, I came to this Earth, and 200 years ago two great men did as well - Darwin and Lincoln. I know there are people that would want to debate the great part of that sentence, but I say to them - go take some science classes and shut it.

There's actually good economic news today on retail sales, maybe my 401K will go up a little for a change. This week has also been a good change from last week, aside from another sick kid. We got snow early in the week, but the sunshine yesterday made it so beautiful out here in the mountains.

We got A LOT done at work yesterday and still stuffed ourselves with pizza and pre-birfday treats. We also teased the new boyfriend of co-worker Nun at lunch, writing her a prescription for "Diamond Therapy" from Dr. Secks Moore. Oddly enough co-worker H gave Dr. Moore an English accent, and it made for a hilarious day.

Today we have a draft presentation of our first robot project in Engineering and our Power Point is looking good, including media clips. I'm going to post the driving by Braille clip to YouTube when the class is over. We're supposed to do Yoga before our public presentations, but I'm contemplating whether I want to do Yoga in public. Xanax anyone? Just kidding.

I've got to give a big shout out to my fellow birthday peeps (and personal heroes) before my busy day begins. Happy Birthday Abe Lincoln and Charles Darwin! Thanks for your pioneering spirit! Two-twelvers rock!

Must See Movie

I don't usually make movie recommendations unless I know your taste in humor, drama, etc. But Paul Blart Mall Cop is the funniest PG movie I've seen in a long time. Clean enough for someone like my stepmom to like, but funny and twisted enough for me to enjoy. We took the kids out on a family day, and for once, all of us loved the movie we saw. Also, the movie contains more funny parts than just what's in the trailer, and that is rare for a comedy nowadays. I definitely recommend this movie for a fun night.

Frustration

I think I am having one of those weeks. It seems like time is going too fast for me to get everything done, and I know I've done it to myself with the 30 hour workweek and 2 classes at school. I am not a perfectionist, but I expect my brain to retain things when I need it to. It seems I've hit a roadblock in Spanish and that I'm falling behind, but I'm not. And earlier today when I went to put my project proposal together for a desk design in Engineering, I couldn't get my thoughts out the way I wanted to.

I had three awesome designs, a really sharp flow-chart, and my writing stunk, in my standards. I don't understand why I can write long, thought-out lab reports on molecules or things like Edge Effects on native species, economic reports on health care around the world, and get A's in both of my English classes, but when it comes to describing how I think, I can't get it out into words. And like I said before, I'm overwhelmed in Espanol - enough foods already! I'm still catching up on preterite verbs stems. Now I remember why I regretted taking Latin in high school.

And to cap off my week, my arthritis flared up in my knee, I found another gray hair (in the front this time!), my husband keeps teasing me about my upcoming birthday, and my Wii fit keeps telling me how my running stride can get shorter with age. Shut up, shut up, shut up! You're going to make me hate my birthday! Screw you guys, I'm going home.

Oh yeah, the robot only hit one target in trials today (it hit the wall many times), but we got full credit for having a functionable bot and program. Thank goodness for most of the groups, Academia finds success in failure. Too bad that won't hold true for the Spanish quiz I'm about to take. Quoteth Poo Bear, "Oh Bother."

February Sunshine

Good news everyone! Our robot can now spin in an expanding spiral pattern, an expanding box pattern, and has a rudimentary Ultra Sonic sensor seeking program, too. Our contest is on Thursday, and I think we are going to do just fine. It knocked over the targets today at practice, but it also ran into a wall twice, picked up and carried off my Spanish Dictionary, and the arm fell off once. We are so close!

I should be pruning the fruit trees this time of year, but the bottom branches are stuck in a foot of solid snow/ice. I tried to pry a pear branch free, but it wouldn't budge, and I was afraid I might break it. But look at what the February sunshine uncovered yesterday:

Underdog

I really like the song Underdog by Spoon. No one can talk smack about the 2008 NFC West division anymore. Go Cardinals - Steelers suck. That's right (sis) D, Steelers suck.