RyanHarne.com

I can appreciate a chance to breathe. Right now, I am appreciating such a moment.

Although I have only had two classes today, the rest of my schedule has kept me moving, or at least studying intensely. That’s enough to say about school.

The new iMac G5!!! I am impressed, very impressed, that Apple has a G5 system for only $1300 (likely only $1100 with my Tech discount). If ever there was a desktop I would purchase, *wham* this would be it. What a great Tuesday morning surprise! Or…I expected to be surprised this morning, and I received it well

And my current laptop has a new wireless card. But I must have missed the joke because my signal hasn’t improved. I feel that the actual blame goes to the Pentium 4M processor that hogs power intensely, even on the AC adapter. I can prove that because of the low, low, low power sent to the USB 2.0 ports (noticed by the sluggish transfer rates compared to Pentium M or Centrino processor models). So basically, there was nothing I could do in the first place to improve my wireless performance. But I did get a new Wi-Fi card out of the transaction. A Dell system isn’t complete without an Express Service warranty, fer sure.

I picked up my first round of ENGE1016 papers today. Because I am a grader, I get the fun and exciting trauma-trip of red-pen-ing my way through formatting issues, incorrect dimensions, and horribly wrong answers. *woot!*

Ok, well I have lots to do. Gonna meet up with my mentoring team for dinner tonight. Gonna study for statics, for ME Design, for C++…and for other things. Then I’ll crash.

But for now, I’ll watch the Paris Expo Keynote. ::needs a Mac…::

Common sense suggests that life is reliant on a myriad of factors. Shelter, food, clothing, just a few. Each world or national culture also incorporates specific elements into the list of needs. Japanese culture stresses teamwork for proper functionality; Hindu cultures add a hint of social hierarchy for control and balance; the American culture includes a considerable amount of materialism. So, in sum, life is a catalogue of dependencies; requirements; a big, fat checklist.

I would suggest, however, that a common perception regarding life is, in fact, ignorantly false. Individualism, at least the Americanized propaganda of such, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Individualism, when left in its truest state, corrupts, debases, festers, maligns. My fascination of the film About A Boy, likely my one favorite movie, is that the character Will discovers a splendid abode in being totally self-dependent. Yet life inevitably crashes down around him as his single-hood falters. While understanding it is simply a choreographed movie, the displayed reality is harsh and honest.

With all of this said, my last few days have been brutal. I wanted a relaxing weekend but nothing of the sort came my way. Yet that’s ok. I’m alive, breathing, though not as refreshed as I’d prefer.

When we can’t walk hand in hand, it’s best to slow down. I believe that our haste and brevity in regards to relationships is a supreme disadvantage. There are, admittedly, needs that every individual calls upon, but the greatest inner desire cannot be met on a solo basis. The highest tier of satisfaction with life doesn’t locate itself in independent accomplishment or endeavor. The summit of life is love. Where all imbalances dwindle is also where concern, compassion, and respect are abundant.

I think this was a good time for me to come upon the Badly Drawn Boy video for “Year of the Rat“.

Once again I am submitted to the endless liberal propagation of the Virginia Tech campus. I think it’s the mix of youthful vitality, natural late-teenage rebellion, and mindless peer pressure that sends many college students down the left-winged way. But whatever it is, I’m daily confronted with someone who thinks Bush is destroying America for one reason or another. Also unfortunately, none of the explanations as to why Kerry would perform better seem to make sense. Is the husband to a billionaire wife truly looking out for the down-and-out? I think not. Honestly, Kerry is a clearly a puppet for the Democratic party at this point; there was little charisma in the race for Democratic nomination in the first place, but Kerry’s political seniority and Edwards’ “home-grown” stature seemed to fit the boot well enough. ::sigh:: Campus will get even more violent as the election approaches. But competition spurs on the least of us, no less.

One more day of classes to go. One more morning, I should say. Thus far, I’ve discovered the grotesque nature of Wednesdays as far as my schedule goes. My professors all seem to be good people, except for the ones that are on vacation or are conveniently absent. I would say that overall this semester will be quite robust. I don’t foresee any slacking of pace or assignments, so I can assume my Fall ‘04 semester will leaving me gasping for winter break.

When charity and chance combine, I get a Gmail account. Thanks to Stewart for the invite.

Additionally, I am now an employee of Virginia Tech as a grader and proctor for Prof. Waldron’s ENGE1016 classes. Extra cash is like money in my pocket…or like…money … in the…bank. Yeah. Anyways, but for a collection of reasons I know want a Mac more than ever. ::gloom::

My first two days of classes were, no less, intense. I’ve been working all night on homework and reading. “Working” is putting it lightly; I’ve been pouring my self into getting differential equations problems complete and have been endlessly trying to get some C++ code to work. Plus the reading, or rather gleaning and extracting. This is going to be a fun semester.

Quickly put: I just did not expect this much work this time around. I had a risky intuition about my C++ and Physics courses but Statics, DiffE, and Mechanical Design didn’t quite intimidate me. Now that I have taken a step back, probably the appropriate direction, I understand the horizon on which I am approaching. Oh yeah, and those labs…

But honestly, I am so far enjoying it. I am thriving in this mind-probing atmosphere. My summer of stagnant thinking, offset by my self-study of Latin, is being put to rest in preference to a true gluttony of learning.

I could say more, but it’s late, I need to shower, and I want sleep more than anything at this point.

Oh. But I did get signed up for my grading occupation here, and I might be grading with a friend of mine from last year. Plus, I met the one guy, so far, in my mentoring team. He seems like a promising freshman, no less; I don’t think he’ll need much in the realm of me holding-his-hand-through-the-first-semester. So, a positive outlook thus far. Onward!

Things are surprisingly crazy for me, prior to school even beginning up. Well, perhaps I’m making them more crazy than necessity would recommend; but still, it’s all in the grand name of Preparation.

I dropped my elective to alleviate intense stress I likely would have felt this semester. After looking over class syllabi for what courses I could access at the time, I realized that it truly was ignorant of me to schedule 19 credit hours, work as a grader for a professor, and be a mentor all simultaneously. Thus, a 3-credit course was dropped (and will return next semester, which looks to be as easy-going as a University Studies major) in favor of personal sanity. I think it was a good call.

Honestly, I was kind of shocked when I noticed this headline today telling of the brilliant work The Scream being stolen from an art gallery in Norway. My limited access to art museums and galleries throughout my life has left me with a fervency to experience more of such artistic talent. Hopefully, the future holds an extensive European tour for me that will catapult me through the eras and ages of art and sculpture. Until then, I wish all calamity and disaster upon those gunmen.

Speaking of calamity, Microsoft, in preference to their insensitive manners, unknowingly unleashed the wrath of several nations. Nations, as in large geographic regions and their encompassing peoples and government systems. I’m surprised this article wasn’t widespread any earlier.

So, classes start tomorrow. Er…I mean, my life ends tomorrow. I suppose every closed door opens another window. Ugh…how depressing.

Wish me luck.

Despite arriving on campus early enough to assumably relax, I’ve done almost none of the sort. I’ve spent the last two days running from here to there and from receiving training for my mentoring experience this semester.

Although, I did get some time Wednesday night to finish Night by Elie Wiesel. Brilliant literature. Still far from relaxing, due to the content of the book.

Thursday was the day of errands. Abigail and I got out to WalMart for a few supplies. Scissors, pens, lucky bamboo; you know, just the basics.

After a morning run, morning shower, and morning moment for recollection and preparation, I went off to Torg (not to be confused with Torgo) for mentoring training. Honestly, I had a great time meeting with several other mentors and participating in the exercises. Even for a five hour session, broken up by a lunch, they spit out a lot of information that we would be wise to know. The folder of documents they gave us helps, but still, scrupulous note-taking would have been a serious chore. Still, it went well and the lunch, at the Old Guard, was extraordinary.

Thus now I am working on some mentoring docs of my own for the initial meeting. Only a few minutes ago, I got the first name of a mentee that will be in my team. Looks like I’ll be stopping by his room in a few. And like a good, little mentor, I’ll be sure to knock.