A bit obsessed

I’m a tad addicted to Linux and learning it’s little ways right now.  I think it’s that Lium mentality thing.  Once we find something we realllllyyy like it’s this never ending drive to just work work work work work away at it.

Right now my mission is to find a VPN client for Linux so I can use the internet with it and put Grass and a few other programs on it.  Puppy Linux, which my friend Chris uses, is made to run externally from your HD (i.e. on  a CD or flash drive or whatever).  So that’s really great. The issue is that I still need a VPN client in order to get through all this proxy crap at the University.  Not tooooo bad.

I’m addicted to learning Terminal.  The last time I used Terminal was mostly for email purposes at Harvard (pine) and a few other random things.  I always liked being able to get into stuff that way.  It seemed so much more. .  intricate than clicking here and there. It’s not as pretty, but it feels that much more intriguing.  You’re going “behind the scenes” as it were.  Just don’t type in the wrong command line. . .

Today I meet with my advisor to talk about Thesis topics and finally settle down on one.  This means I will be looking up bat information for the better part of my weekend along with seeing what books I can grab out of the library for our case study on limestone pavement in Ecosystem Management.

I am not too thrilled about all of this coursework buildup.  The Robinson Library and I are going to be getting very very close this term.  *sigh*

I  like having GIS in the beginning of my week.  It gives me something to look forward to on Mondays.

Anyways, I have class in 30 minutes and I’m not even ready.

Reliving old memories

Conservation Biology Issues: Let’s relive Conservation Biology, Genetics and Ecology all in one hour.  YES!!! Population genetics FTW!!!!  It’s also with undergrads.  This means kids that really don’t want to be there, and fall asleep, are rather rude, noisy and uh. . they smell.  Seriously.  The two guys in front of us REEEEEKED.   Why? It’s a class at 11 a.m.!!!

Assignments: two short “answer these questions” hypothetical papers, then two short topic essays

Ecosystem Management: Another course with undergrads, but taught by my Programme Director.  SWEET!! Apparently there are 24-ish MSc students and 60 BSc students.  Most of us MSc’s were there, I can’t say the same for the BSc students.  We also spent half the time laughing ourselves silly because he was covering things we just did in Quantitative Techniques.  ARGH Shannon/Simpson Evenness I dislike you!  I can somewhat explain it though, so that’s good.

Assignments: Two case studies.  One on Limestone pavement, the other on moor grazing.  EEK!  We get to start the first one on Thursday.  I am so scared.

GIS & Remote Sensing: Possibly my new favourite course.  I did come to this University purely for the GIS course, so I better like this darn thing.  I also think our professor is HILARIOUS.  He’s such a nerd it’s not even funny.  Apparently we’re using Grass  6.0 as our GIS programme, instead of ArcGIS (expensive, etc.  most of our lecture was about how much ArcGIS costs a crapton).  So the story of Grass is that it’s free (huzzah!) and also runs best on. . ready for this?  Linux!  So we get to use Linux for one of my courses.  I’m a bit thrilled.  Prof. Sanderson is also quite keen on teaching us the command codes for the programme instead of the “click here, click there” approach.  SWEET!

Assignments: ONE report/study/thingy

Trees: Growth, Management and Environmental Impact: Not a favourite.  It looks at soils. We haven’t actually had a lecture for this course, but apparently we have a lot to do for it.  Hellooooo no more free time. We have to attend seminars on Friday, do FIVE assignments and deal with undergrads to boot.  The good news is that we get TWO field trips and they sound mildly interesting.  One even has us going back to Kielder Forest.

Assignments: two 1500 word essays (60%), Group MSc Seminar (20%) — Powerpoint, two field reports (20%)

Can we say this will be hell on earth for me??  FOUR of my *adds up assignment total* 12 assignments are due on the 12th (1), 13th (1) and 14th (2) of March.  WHAT ON EARTH?!?!?!  Helloooooo extension time.  I understand budgeting our time, but this seems almost improbably hard.  I’m starting time management RIGHT NOW.  I am going to make google maps EXTREMELY pretty with all my assignments and due dates.  I only know some of them, but hopefully I can get it all sorted and looking right.

Let’s not even start in on how I have to get my Project funding application in, my minor write up for my thesis literature on Feb 8, PICK a bloody topic (will be achieved on Wednesday), and all that hell.  I am going to live at this laptop or in a computer cluster.  HOLY CRAP!

If you don’t hear from me until April, this is why.  You have been warned.

It has begun

The list of homework assignments is starting to show.  Already I know I have 5 papers to do for my Trees module, and 2 case studies for Ecosystem Management.  I DON’T WANNA!!! *sob* Case study #1 starts on Thursday but is due March 13th.  The problem is that we start case study #2 on Feb 21st.  *shudder*  I know what I’ll be working on over Easter break.

At least this will “keep me out of trouble.”

Today: Class #1 — Conservation Biology Issues.  The class I fear will be a repeat of Primack’s Conservation Biology course at BU.  We are using his book after all.  *sigh*  I hope my mom send out that book soon.  I’m going to have to start reading it shortly.  I think.  BLEARGH!

I am less than thrilled.  BUT at least I get to see friends and start taking notes again. I like taking notes. . .  but I’m a dork that way.

The arrival. . .

The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba by Handel (from Solomon) is possibly one of my most favourite instrumental pieces.  It does something to me that even Pachelbel can’t touch.  I LOVE Canon in D, but it’s more soothing.  This piece is much more. . uplifting.  And it seems a bit more fun to play.

I think I’m going to have to take up the violin when I get home.  Or the viola.  I MISS playing a string instrument. BADLY.

*sigh* even the horns are lovely in this.

*GRIN*

Best served seriously cool

The words that are printed on my 500 mL of Sprite bottle.

I love it.

England FTW!  I never know just what to make of things like this.  I love the weird phrases you find on packaging.  It’s almost put there for a joke.  Like all the weird stuff people say the artists put in Disney movies.  Some of it is true, other bits I’m not so sure of.  All the same, funny stuff.

It just keeps howling!

I mean the wind.  It’s been blowing like CRAZY since about 10 pm last night.  It’s INSANE!!  I’m afraid to go outside because I might have a Mary Poppins moment and get blown into the air.

Today is clean up day, at least it’s what I hope it will be. . .  I have to get this room into some sort of shape that isn’t quite so awful looking.  Yes you can still see the floor, but some areas of the floor haven’t been unearthed for quite a while. OOPS!

I hope I can get this stuff done and also my LAST assignment for Quantitative Techniques.

I’m a dork, and I just want to sit around and play Baldur’s Gate this weekend   I’m determined to get somewhere in the stupid game.   But of course, the 30% of my grade takes precedence over my silly game.  I’ll be in the computer lab working away at this hopefully. If I can get most of it done and with bullet points before dinner I’ll be VERY happy.

Two down, none to go

I am done with my exams.

To share the wonders of the british education system: a proctor (as us American’s call them) are known as “invigilators” here.  For some reason I find this very funny.

Here is the definition from Merriam-Webster:

Main Entry: in·vig·i·late

Pronunciation: \in-ˈvi-jə-ˌlāt\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): in·vig·i·lat·ed; in·vig·i·lat·ing

Etymology: Latin invigilatus, past participle of invigilare to stay awake, be watchful, from in- + vigilare to stay awake — more at vigilant

Date: 1553

intransitive verb: to keep watch; especially British : to supervise students at an examination

transitive verb

None down, two to go

Exam 1 (Wildlife Conservation: Policy and Practice) tomorrow at 2 pm.  I AM SO NERVOUS!!!!  Oh my goodness.  At least it’s in the afternoon so I can hopefully get enough sleep and have the energy for the exam.

I think I can I think I can I think I can.

This is about 85% of my grade, so let’s just sit with fingers crossed and PRAY I make it through.  *nervous sigh*

Wednesday is even worse, so let’s just hope that things go as well as they can go.  Environmental Assessment: Land and Water Resources, you need to know that you are the worst module to ever exist.  I actually MISS sitting through that Humanities 102 course at BU.  Oh man.

Flip. . flop

Recently if I sleep well, Grant does not.  And now, he’s sleeping like a log, and I can hardly bring myself to crawl into bed.  I’m COMPLETELY wired, and yes I’ve stayed off of the christmas worms (a cookie my mom makes every year).

UUUUGGGHHH!

Sleep would be nice.  Instead, I’m going to see how long I last before I nose dive.

It workses!!!

The penicillin, it’s like magic or something!!  Seriously, I can swallow again with only minor pains.  Very nice.  Still have a few more days of the pills to go through and then I’ll be 100% better right?  *sigh* I hope so.

Random note: I gots peanuts!! YAY!!!!  I found something my stomach will take and keep and be happy.  Sadly, they’re not very filling. Biolive yoghurt here I come. . . time to keep the little buggers in my stomach and intestines happy as can be.

I’m sure you wanted to hear alllll about that.

At least I’m getting better!!

After 6 hours or so of studying yesterday I am finding it VERY hard to do much of anything today.  Hopefully I’ll get something done, but not yet. . . right now I can’t focus.  Perhaps real food is in order.  That’s probably it.   *sigh*