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"Comrades! I am proud to sail with you on the maiden voyage of our motherland's most recent achievement. Once more, we play our dangerous game... a game of chess against the American navy... only now the game is different..."
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Had I an orginal thought here I would have opened with it, but as things stand right now, I am very unoriginal. =P But I'm working on it.
I find myself single once again. I suppose that is a strange thing to mention in a blog, but I feel like saying it, so there ya go. I suppose that as far as break-ups go, this one was as ideal as they come since both people felt at peace with the decision. Still, that sort of thing is never very much fun.
Life is definitely different since my last post. I, my family and many other people were deeply saddened with the loss of a great friend, mentor, father, husband, etc. in Jose Luis E. I could go on and on because he was many things to many people, but suffice it to say that I am deeply in his debt and his absence will be felt most acutely.
Here in Southbay, I am proud to say that I have made some decisions. My new plan is to work for the Army up through mid-December and then take two weeks off. Starting the beginning of January, I will be an ENE employee for most of the week and then for part of the week I will work on Army stuff. This will be a good balance because I can begin to help with the family business, but still finish the project for my master's thesis (on-blade control-surface closed-loop control on an experimental rotor). The tentative plan is to graduate in June 2011.
As far as work on that goes, I am very happy to tell that I have made significant progress on several fronts there, and it becomes more exciting the further I go. Last week I completed my goal of adding specific functionality to the data system ("Dexter"), so that I can now see the frequency spectrum content updated in "GUI real-time" so that I know what is going on, and can see the frequency content (y'know, which frequencies are present in whatever I'm interested in...) Very cool stuff. =) I have also made significant headway on the automation required to make data acquisition and processing streamlined. The further I go in this development, the more I realize how much automation of mundane tasks really does speed you on your way to a result; often it is the only way to remain sane and get something done!
I was also happy that my funding has now been approved all the way through June, so I can definitely count on that as a plan. (up until now, it was a tentative plan, but now that approvals have gone through, it is just a matter for me to sign a contract).
hmmm.... what else can I tell you... Oh! I'm very excited that I will be getting a new laptop very soon. I had high hopes of getting an extremely high-end workstation (like $8k) but that purchase gave way to good council and soul searching. My new system will still be a powerful workstation, but a bit more mainstream and affordable for a bear of small means, such as myself. Yes, it is true, I have other needs that I could spend money on (perhaps most notably a truck...) but for my current purposes, a laptop is the most pressing need. I guess for the moment I'll just have to fend off the onslaught of women clamouring for my affection from behind the wheel of a minivan!! It's tough bein' a sexy soccer mom! lol.
In all seriousness though, I am very excited to save (and spend eventually) for items that might fall in the classification being of more "grown up." As you've no doubt noticed, I have a penchant for electronics, software and books that is nigh unquenchable, but this old dog is still learning about what is important... Who know, maybe I'll buy myself a house sometime... but I will not need to invest in a security system, 'cause I can "kick the guns out of their hands!" =)
I think that pretty well brings you up to date on my goings-on. This weekend has been pretty chill, so I have had some time to muse and reflect on things. Here are some of thoughts in a "formatted" version:
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"That I thought I thought"
That I thought I thought, I thought I knew
that I thought I knew, I built my house
now I shiver in the rain, for my house is cold
but my thoughts are known.
To maintain the house, is on-going;
never finished, never painted.
Its walls are fluid and doors are swung easily,
though they remain transparent, reflection is necessary.
That I harden its foundations, I have before me.
That I maintain its flowing walls, I have ever before me.
But where are the walls affixed the floor?
That that flows, meets the Rock.
This problem eats at my mind, a meal without end.
What when there is no food for feasting?
My hope is ever the Rock, for He is ever constant.
I can trust not the walls, nor the doors, for they move.
Lord, that my mind works, You know.
That I can help, You know.
That I am in need, You know.
That you are not finished with me, I know.
-Gavin Nielsen
gavin.nielsen@gmail.com
