I Rule The Maths

Email Today:

I submitted semester grades. They should be
available on-line, if not already then in the next few days.

MATH 250B Linear Algebra/Diff Equations
Final Grade: A

I rock at math classes I've already taken two or more times!!!

Maths and Still Dancing Pt. 4

20070513
My morning starts with my study group flaking, so I'm in a bit of a foul mood as I take off for Irvine. I get down around 11am and have three hours of solo study time. I get some sun and studying at Jamba Juice. And yes, I also get a Jamba Juice. Liquid calories aren't such a great idea for me, but I feel like I should buy if I'm going to use their patio. Later on, I move to Bruegers Bagels and run into Shesha and Nikki. I've been there about an hour or so when they stop in to eat before teaching class. I'm still steaming a bit as I start afternoon dance classes.

Always an ego boost to take the beginner class and dance with the new follows.

Drags and Rags goes over some of the same material that Ben taught last week. We go into the drag from front to front, right to right.

After the intermediate class, I start the spins and turns class, but bail and head to Atomic. Nice small class with Danie, who I haven't seen in a week or so, and Preston, who I've known from the Sunday AB series in March. Preston is taking his first Swing 1 class, and will probably take huge strides if he does it regularly. He's doing the OC Swing Intermediate series too, so good for him.

Preston leaves and Chris joins for Social Patterns (which is more like anti-social patterns, I joke). We do an interesting swing out in which we change places and take a two-hand hold during 1-4, then bring the follow in for a whip-like position during 5-6, then send back out during 7-8. Very neat. We also do a six-count swing out, which is just plain weird.

The mystery slot is Aerials! We do a frog-lift, then one I don't remember the name of where the leads lift the follows with a right side torso connection, then squat while bending at the waist to form kind of an aerial dip (the follow's legs are up in the air). We did the opening portions of an over-the back flip, but don't do the lift part. Jerry is very careful with spotting and instruction about injury prevention. Neat class, though probably not socially applicable.

Moms and Maths

Yesterday was Mother's Day. This year I decided not to make breakfast or brunch plans with Mom as I have a study group that meets on Sunday mornings. The group met Wednesday evening, confirmed the weekend, then went our separate ways. I showed up early on Sunday to get work done (hoping that I could power through enough problems to head to Meeting). But no one showed up for 90 minutes. When the first guy came, he explained that at least one other person would be late because of Mother's Day. I was so disgusted that I blew off two things that matter to me (Mom and Meeting) to study with people who didn't have the courtesy to communicate on issues like this that I just left.

I don't think I'll be studying with the group again. I'm -still- pissed.

Life In Balance

Reading this blog, it's hard to come to a conclusion other than that I spend my time taking swing dance classes and cracking wise. That's not quite true.

I spent Saturday with the family for my sister's birthday. Worth missing Atomic's Saturday night to spend time with friends and family. AP showed up and mentioned he's going to try to make it to Atomic later this month. Nice!

My differential equations class has become a huge time sink, but I'm currently riding a solid 95%. Not spectacular, but solid. Even better, I've been doing the homework ahead of time instead of at the last minute. Very proud of myself for that. I'm in an informal study group which meets twice a week after class and on Sunday mornings, which has kept me away from Quaker Meeting. Hopefully I can start to make it back to Meeting after the semester ends (or earlier).

I Rule the Maths

Test #1 results: 50 points out of 52, with the possibility that everyone might get two bonus points, or that the total points possible might be reduced to 50. All I know is that I did good.

I'd be so much prouder of myself if this was the first time I was taking a linear algebra class. Of course, I don't think I understood things this well the first time around. Or the second.

Divine Comedy

Grinding away at the first Linear Algebra problem set with iTunes on shuffle (highest rated playlist; John Remy is right: it's too distracting to have to interrupt to rank a song). Starting to get a little frantic (over 12 hours left, but still) when the David Bowie/Queen song "Under Pressure" comes on. I didn't realize it right away, but when I did, I thought to myself, "That God's go a sick sense of humor."

Next song, Depeche Mode's "Blasphemous Rumors," which has that line as a lyric.

Spooky.

Next song, "Spooky" by Dusty Springfield.

Just kidding, I don't own any Dusty Springfield.

First Class 2007

So last night was the first meeting of the Linear Algebra & Differential Equations class I'm taking this term. I was pretty amped to be getting back to school, excited to be executing my back-to-Tech plan.


And here I am after attending class:


Just kidding. The linear algebra was really basic stuff that I remembered. I just love the ugly pictures.

Maths

Yeah, I'm frustrated right now at my scheduling snafu, but I'm also exhilarated at walking the path of my stated goal: finish my undergraduate degree.

Some background, I attended Caltech in Pasadena, CA for four years on the five year plan, but got so messed up with my sleep schedule, health, and study habits that I never went back for the fifth year. Youth is wasted on the young, I guess (And do they really call that music? In my day...). At one point, I thought I'd never want to go back, but after getting some emotional distance, I decided I'd like to finish what I started. I'd like to go to grad school, and while finishing at Caltech isn't necessary for that, it sure wouldn't hurt.

Perhaps it's pure fantasy to go back, but the steps happen to coincide with transferring to Cal State Fullerton to finish up, so I'm not wasting my time. What are those steps? Well, they'd like to see me taking a full load at another institution with good grades for a semester before transferring in. For me that means spinning myself up at Fullerton College for a term, getting back in the swing of things before trying to attend CSUF. My strategy was to take relax into things, taking the 3rd semester of Calculus they offer, but no dice. Can't repeat that. Can't repeat?! Oops, yes, I took that class at this institution back in 1989, in high school and received a passing grade. That's embarrassing to contemplate. So on to Linear Algebra and Differential Equations. Great, I'm really testing myself now. I haven't thought about either of those subjects for over 10 years. I'll have to pump myself up for this.

Strong like bull!
Smartest guy in the room!
All your base are belong to us!

Maybe I'll listen to Wagner on the way to class every morning?

Frustration

I'm up doing my dry-run of attending class Wednesday morning, but I've run into a slight problem. My class is on Wednesday night. How the ... How did that happen?! I've signed up for a class which directly conflicts with one the Remy's have invited me to attend on Wednesday nights, one I was really excited to attend. The 8am time I thought I was signing up for seems to have evaporated. In fact, this particular class doesn't seem to be offered in the early morning at all! I don't have any explanation beyond self-delusion on Friday night when I registered.

Getting my schooling untracked seems to easily be the priority here, but I hate to sacrifice the fellowship and spiritual stimulation I experienced. Not so easily the priority.

Fuming. Seething. I need to go calm down.