Thesis Defense Today!!

Hey Peeps!

I promise to give a better update ASAP, but here's the announcment:

Zero Hour is 3 hours away!!  at 4pm, today (Friday, 11/30) I wil be defending my thesis in OCNL 120.  If there is any chance you can make it, come and listen to me drone for an hour or so...  and then... let's party!  LOL  see map in figure 1.

(figure 1: the map)

And... just as a tasty morsel to get you to come on such short notice, check this sweet, sweet figure out!  Wanna know what it is?  Gotta come!!  (or just ask me later, that'll work too, haha)

Okay, that's it for now.  See you on the other side!  :D
G-DOG OUT.

The Number Games

They say that you should always make your title last, after you've completed whatever it is you're gonna write.  I, respectfully, disagree.  I think you should write your title first and then you can know how to stay on track so your mind doesn't wander!  ;)  j/k.

Truly, I am playing number games (and no, this is not an allusion to the movie in theaters).  I have completed something that now must be undone... I need to count down from 248 LBS to a reasonable weight.  That is just WAY to heavy for me.  I think my target will be in the 200-210 range, but I haven't been that weight since high school and I'm not quite sure what's healthy for me yet.  At any rate, I know I can get below 220 and be feeling good, so that (at a minimum) is my target).

On the other side, I have begun something that must be completed.  I began graduate school in Jan. 2009 and I need to button that sucker up.  All that remains is for me to finish research on my thesis and actually write the paper.  Funny thing, that I find it so much harder to find motivation now that I am really doing an academic exercise (the Army Research experiment is completed).  Also, the lack of due dates is really wreaking havoc with my psyche.

speaking of psyche, have you read that book by C.S. Lewis, "Til we have faces"  Psyche is the main female character.  Great book.  ;)

Anyhow, back to the topic of number games, I'm thinking that I'll make those two projects something that I can regularly report on here.  I apologize if you (whoever you find yourself to be) do not care much for my academic and physical goals, but then of course you find yourself here at this blog by your own volition, so my sympathy for you is limited.  :)

Right.  I do promise to report on those two topics, but at least I can derive some motivation from the prospect of public humiliation or lack of progress in the public eye. 

So, in other news about me, I've finally gotten the right license plates on my truck, which is one small step for a screwdriver and nerves of steel, but one giant leap for the legality of my ride!  haha. 

Hmmm.... what else can I update you on?  I was dating a girl named Kristen (see previous post), now we are not dating anymore.  Definitely not parting on bad terms, so that's a plus.  A blog in many ways seems like an inappropriate place for an in depth discussion of this topic, so suffice it to say that I have a huge amount of respect for her and I hope in the future we can continue to be friends and encourage each other. 

I'm excited that I'll be able to head-up an experimental olive harvesting endeavor this fall, which will be lots of fun (and lots of work too).  I think there are significant benefits to the growers and to the custom harvesting companies if everything works out well.  Maybe even some room in the market for some super-high-tech equipment... hint, hint.  LOL.

So here are the numbers for today:
Weight: 248 LBS
Thesis: 1/6 (experiments completed, nonlinear modeling underway)

By way of explanation, I'm dividing the thesis into 6 sections, for simplicity's sake:
1. data from a real process to control (The experiments)
2. nonlinear modeling of the process (math modeling)
3. control design 1
4. control design 2
5. control design 3
6. write the paper

and I did make it to they gym (For the record) yesterday and ran for about 20 minutes.  a good first start.  I also resisted the temptation of having any treats at my parents (and that is no small feat; currently just "sitting around" in the kitchen is two pans of triple chocolate brownies, 3 pans of apple cake and 1 pan of white fudge!!)  I had cereal, spaghetti and eggs/salsa today.  one confession tho: I did forget this morning and I stopped by Java Detour on my way to work and got a hot chocolate and a chocolate bar.  I didn't even think about it until I was driving away.... DOH!  But tomorrow, I'll do better.  If anyone care to weigh in on the topic, what is everyone's thoughts on hot chocolate as something that should/shouldn't be had during a diet?  Anyone?

Lastly, I'll leave you with this:  There is a green field as I look out the window of my truck passing by.  I can decide to frame this field as vacant and lonely or I can frame it as lush and full of potential.  I choose the latter.

That is all for now, peeps.  Keep me posted and I'll keep you posted!
Gavereno.  email: gavin.nielsen@gmail.com if you want to get in contact with me.

Still alive, just paddlin' along

Howdy peeps.

I hope this post finds you all well.  why does it take me so long to post?  Idunno.  I did get a facebook account recently, so I'm posting a bit more there, but this blog is nice because I can post whatever and it doesn't necessarily broadcast it to all my facebook friends.  Understand, it isn't that I don't want anyone there to read this, but sometimes facebook posts tend to demand the attention of one's friends, know what I mean?  This blog, on the other hand, does not necessarily alert anyone when it is updated (unless of course you subscribed to the RSS or atom feeds).  At any rate, for that reason, I feel like I can post more here somewhat more anonymously without subjecting everyone's eyes to my rantings.  Of course, I'll prove myself wrong and post a link to the this on facebook, but somehow it just seems different.  Go figure.

So where I have I been?  I have been working with the family in Orland, CA. as a design engineer for ENE, Inc.  lots of little projects going on there.  Not as many large projects finishing, but I'm working towards things.

I did have some news to report in my personal life though.  I am now dating a wonderful girl named Kristen!  We have known each other for a while, but have recently reconnected.  It is unfortunate that we live a little ways apart (she in Sacramento, I in Chico), but we make it work.  Below is a good picture of us after my last birthday party...  this was the day-after cleanup.  Actually, come to think of it, we were both in pretty good moods considering that we were running low on sleep!  ;)

Anyhow, it has been great getting to know her these last few months (since November).  I suppose this is neither here nor there, but if you haven't tried Mythos beer, you should really check it out; it's good stuff!

Speaking of parties (since I was talking about cleanup) I just celebrated my 32nd birthday on the 17th.  Every once in a while I have a big theme party, and this year was just such a year.  This time I had guests come as an international, historical noun, so I had lots of creatively dressed friends helping me celebrate.  Kristen did a tremendous amount of planning and footwork beforehand and a whole bunch of cookin' the day of.  I don't think she got enough praise for all of her hard work, so I think this is a good place to brag about what a great job she did.  We had food from six different cultures and apetizers from three.  Beer and other beverages spanning those same six cultures as well.  It was great.  The best part was that lots of people came and helped us celebrate, and they all seemed to have a fun time.

Another thing that has happened since I last posted: I bought a truck!  yeah, baby!

It's a 2007 GMC Sierra 4x4.  Man!  It is so nice to be driving a truck again.  Mind you, I'm not saying that I didn't appreciate the loaner vehicles from mom and dad this past stretch, but it feels good to finally have a vehicle that is closer to my personality.  I'm really diggin' the crew cab too.  Now it isn't a pain to invite more people to ride with me...  ;)  It should be noted that my original plan is still in effect: add lift, tires, wheels, sound, etc.  But as is oft the case, things turned out to be a bit more expensive than I anticipated  and I had a bit less cash than I was counting on originally.  All-in-all, I'm very pleased with the purchase though.

Living situation-wise, I am back in Chico living with my brother and roommates.  I had thought for a while that I would try living by myself.  I haven't totally given up on the idea, but I still am thinking that I am a social enough person that I benefit from living with roommates, etc.  So all that is working well.

I have completed the Army AFDD / NASA Ames stuff as far as my project duties, but I am still in the midst of authoring my portion of an American Helicopter Society Forum paper.  That is kind of exciting, expecially since I've never been a co-author (or author) on anything published before.

My thesis is making very slow progress these days, but I intend to crank up the heat on that.  I have to complete the modeling procedures to represent my plant, and then explore a few controller architectures.  This should be straight-forward, but for some (strange) reason, I am trying to get re-motivated to work on it since i'm not getting paid to (funny how that works).  Also, the fact that there is no deadline is really playing tricks on my psyche.

Hmmmm...  what else can I update y'all on... I have spent a good deal of time thinking about mechanical harvesting equipment and the technology surrounding some potential ideas I've had for olive harvesting (in addition to other crops), that I think could knock the socks of people.  I'll have to give some more details on that in another post.

I would appreciate prayer for my family, generally.  We are all going through some tougher times and as at all times, need God's grace to persevere.  Pray that He will give us all peace and endurance.

Personally, I face many upcoming decisions in a lot of areas of my life, and desperately need wisdom that is not of earthly origin.  Please hold me up in prayer as well. 

I'm not sure if this is really a good marketing tactic, but tune in soon to hear some more technical details and my latest schemings; I promise to thrill!  ;)    cya!  BTW, if you wanna drop me a line, send it to gavin.nielsen@gmail.com I'd love to hear from you.