We received your CD and Mom and Dad listened to it once.

We will play it again. I like the Elvis songs.

 

Dad

Anyhow, I think I've been known to send terse emails. I say it's genetic.

OMG. today, i WAS on the floor. we did advisory drafts -- who the kids want for their advisors. they had to list their top four picks and write a paragraph on each as to why that person would make a good advisor. here are a few choice tidbits for your viewing pleasure.

1. ms. pitts -- her room smells really nice.
2. ms. chiu -- she is leftovers.
3. mrs. sanchez -- the pipe cleaners. i don't know why, but the pipe cleaners have manipulated me.
4. ms. pitts -- we is cool.
5. mr. lucey -- because he likes classic comedy like laurel and hardy.
6. mr. lucey -- i know him best because i was "picked on."
7. ms. chiu -- she taught us without screaming.
8. mrs. stucke -- she is strict.
9. mr. hartig -- he likes words and has long hair. and a hole in his head.
10. mrs. lawton -- she races cars.
11. mr. lucey -- he doesn't stay in one place.
12. ms. chiu -- she likes sausage.
13. ms spalding -- because she was born in alaska.
14. ms. pitts/spalding/chiu -- because she is still young and that means she understands us.
15. ms. chiu -- with ms. chiu, i never have "butt days."
16. the reason i didn't choose mrs. stucke is because i am in the "doghouse."
17. ms. chiu -- we talk about guys.
18. ms. pitts -- females tend to listen more.
19. mrs. sanchez -- she lets me go to the bathroom.
20. mr. lucey -- at times, when he gets mad, it's like you have to listen ... i think that's good for those disruptive kids like me.

I don't easily notice slow gradual changes in my life. But a week ago, I found some old web postings that I put up in school. I really enjoyed reading them again, and I thought it would be neat to respond to some of the thoughts from four years ago, to measure the differences that have gone by. So, here is an old post, and then I'll comment on it:

Friday was a pretty frustrating day at work. First of all, my boss dropped another load of assignments on me, asked me to finish them by "early next week", and then added insult to injury by wishing me a nice weekend. I got cracking on the assignment, but computer problems kept holding me up. Argh. So I decided to take a break and think about my thesis instead. Unfortunately, my thesis is in even worse shape than my project. So, I was even more disgruntled when nature called and I headed off to the bathroom stalls.

In the bathroom, one of the stalls had been lacking paper the previous monday. The other one was taken that friday, and since I was in a hurry, I didn't realize the problem until it was too late. There was still no toilet paper! Since monday! Arrrrrrrrggh! At this point the culmination of events was just too much and I snapped, and promptly did something natural but kind of immature...I tore the t.p. dispenser out of the wall.

What's done is done. Let the damage stand as a warning to all who come seeking relief -- for I came, and there was none to be found.

A funny conversation I had last spring. It was a gathering of MST grad students. We didn't completely know each other. We were in some ways an obtuse bunch. As a result, the conversation would lull and then take unpredicted turns. For example, in the midst of one such lull over dinner, somebody commented that she thought one shouldn't eat pork, because pigs are actually extremely intelligent animals. So, of course we asked, "would you eat a monkey? They eat them in China." She answered no. Then we asked, "but would you eat a dog? They're not as smart as pigs, you know." The answer was still no. A moment of thoughtful silence ensued.

Then somebody asked, "how about an entire colony of ants? They exhibit a collective intelligence of sorts." I don't think she answered. I ate the rest of my ham sandwich silently, and thanked the gods that I hadn't spoken up that evening.