Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, everyone! Have a safe and joyful 2007!

Knee Update

I went to see the orthopedist yesterday for my knee. He told me that it looks like the physical therapy is helping. My right knee is getting stronger, though not as strong as he would like. Of course, I've only been to the PT for a month. Plus, as long as I keep up my physical therapy and the exercises that the PT wants me to keep performing, I'm sure my knee will continue to improve and get stronger. I'm sure I'll have problems with it for the rest of my life, but as long as I keep up with the exercises, it won't be as bad as it could. I also found out that I may not have to continue the physical therapy much longer since the knee is improving. I should also go back to doing the exercises for my shoulder and improve it's strength as well. Now, if could find exercises for my back to keep it from hurting as well.... It sucks getting older. I'll also do what my sister suggested. Ride my bike more often. I'll have to get it fixed first, and wait till it's warmer as well.

Christmas Pics

Here are some pictures taken while I was in Kansas City for Christmas.




Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Happy New Year!

Semester is OVER!!!!

I had my last final yesterday. I'm so glad the semester is over. I can relax now for a little bit until the spring semester which will be my last semester ever!!!!! At least full-time. I may go back part-time for another grad degree. But for now, I just want to be done. I'll be home this time next week, and want to come home again a couple of weeks after Christmas. I want to bring someone home. And I will.

Update

For those of you who did not know, I spent my Thanksgiving on Long Island with my girlfriend Alia and her family.


Here are a few images of us in New York. With my knee, we weren't able to go into the city to walk around. We figure when we go again, we'll get to walk around the city. I really want to go to Hayden Planetarium as well as Brookhaven National Lab. Still love science.

And speaking of my knee, I was diagnosed with arthritis. My knee does not sit properly in the joint and therefore, hurts. I'm starting physical therapy this weekend, and this time I plan on keeping up with the exercises. I think Alia will make me keep up with it. I should also go back to my shoulder exercises since that is beginning to hurt again. I'm falling apart.

Well, soon this semester will be over, and I'll be starting my last full-time semester. Hopefully, I'll be working in an engineering job as well.

Knee Problem

Okay. So I found out today that I have lateral patellar tilt. Still not sure what that is, though it doesn't sound too good. It could have come from athletic activity, growth spurt, or hereditary. I know it is not from athletic activity as I don't do much athletically (though I'm still hoping to play baseball or softball next summer). It could be from my growth spurt when I was 16, or could be from hereditary. I wonder if Dad had similar problems or anyone else in the family did. I was referred to an orthopedist, but I'm not sure if my insurance covers it. I guess I should call and find out. So right now, I'm wearing a brace and I'll call the orthopedist later today. Hopefully, it is something that can be fixed with therapy and not surgery. I'm so lucky that I haven't had to have any major surgery before, and I don't plan on having major surgery anytime in the near or distant future. So wish me luck.

Knees

Hopefully, Mom doesn't read this. My right knee has been hurting more than usual for the last week, and on Saturday, I woke up and it was swollen. Not overly so, but enough to be noticed. I did nothing most of Saturday, so I was able to stay off it and the swelling went down. But since I have to be on my feet a lot, the pain is not going away. Hopefully, it is nothing serious and I don't need anything, but I am going to the doctor on Wednesday, though I really don't think I need to. Better be thankful for Alia, or I wouldn't be going. We'll see what the doctor says. So far, I've been lucky since moving to Pittsburgh. Nothing major has happened to me, in terms of my health. Let's hope it stays that way.

Bored and at work

It's 2:20 in the morning and I'm still awake. Of course, I'm at the observatory working tonight. Don't get me wrong, I love astronomy, but with my wacky schedule, I'd rather be at home asleep in bed. I have to be at school at 10 in the morning (not too bad) and it's my only class. Then, I have to do laundry, buy a couple of birthday cards, tutor someone in physics at 2 pm, then bartend Friday night from 6 to close. Yeah. Good times. I'm just glad I get to see Alia more often than not, or she would probably be highly upset with me. I like it that I see her all the time and miss her when she's not around. She says that about me, too. I think we make people sick but oh well, their problem.

I can't believe that my life is still this boring. Hopefully, I can get a real job soon, so I don't have these wacky hours and can actually be asleep this late at night (or early in the morning, depending on how you look at it). I just wanted to complain. Y'all have a good one.

It's Over!

My test went well. I know I passed. My interview went well, too. Hopefully, I'll be working part-time in an engineering firm this spring which will lead to a full-time job. That would be so cool. It is time to move on from doing jobs that a college student would have. Time to grow up. We'll see how I did on that test soon.

My Exciting Time

This weekend is going to be so much fun! I get to take my FE exam. For those that don't know, this is an exam like an LSAT or a GRE. When I pass it, it means I can work as an engineering-in-training for about 4 or 5 years, and then, I get to take my PE exam which will allow me to become a Professional Engineer. (I also get to add letters to the end of my name, nice.) Then next week, I have my first interview for a real job for after I graduate in six months. (Wow, only six months left for being in school full-time. I can't wait.) This is going to be a short post because I'm tired and the World Series was not on tonight, so I am going to go to bed. Have a good night, y'all.

This is going to be an interesting weekend...

The Chiefs are in town this weekend. Kansas City is visiting the Steelers this weekend. First time that they have been to the Steel City since 1989, and the first time since I moved here. I have my Priest Holmes jersey on today, and on Sunday, I'm wearing all red. I don't know how many people I am going to upset, especially if we win, but honestly, I don't care. Most everyone I know know that I am from KC, so it is no big deal, but it will be fun on Sunday when I have to work. At least I'm cooking so I don't have to worry about getting tipped. GO CHIEFS!

The Parents

Alia's parents were in town this weekend to visit her, and most importantly, to meet me. We all had a good time together. We went up to the outlets in Grove City, PA for shopping and I bought myself some clothes and watches that I needed. Then Saturday and Sunday, we went house shopping. Alia and I thought it would be for us, but the houses we looked at were way out of our price range. Nice houses of course, but not something we can afford right now. Well anyway, back to her parents. They really like me, but then again, what is not to love? Alia thinks they love me more than her, but I doubt that. She is extremely happy that her parents like me which is very good considering I'm going to New York for Thanksgiving this year. And this will be my first time to New York. I was told that we might go into Manhattan, which will be cool. Things are looking good for us.

I must love having no free time...

So, here I am working a lot again. This summer, I was complaining about working full-time and taking one class, then working on the weekends. Well, at least then, I didn't have a girlfriend. But now, I'm taking classes full-time, tutoring five hours a week (all physics, all the time), working, and making sure I still have time for Alia. And amazingly enough, I do. Too bad the money isn't better, or it would be more worth it. I just must remind myself that I will not be doing this much much longer. April - graduation (again). Then a real 9-5 job that I'll probably be bored with in a couple of years (at least, I hope not). Oh well, I should probably be doing other things now, like clean my apartment and get ready for my next tutoring session. I wish I could sleep.

Philadelphia Trip

I went to Philly on Friday and got home Saturday. For someone who has lived in Pennsylvania for 9 years, this is the first time I ever went. I can't wait to go again. Here are some pictures from the trip. The woman in the first picture is my girlfriend Alia. We went to visit her alma mater, Villanova. The other pictures are at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. There is the statue of Rocky (and no, she wouldn't take a picture of me with my arms raised and no, I did not run up the steps. There are a lot of steps. I did, however, hum the Rocky theme.)

Pictures of my Car

My New Car!

I just got my new car today. A 2003 Toyota Corolla. It is silver, and beautiful. I'll show pictures later.

Planet Definition

I know you are all wondering what I think about the debate raging right now about the planets in our solar system. Is Pluto a planet? Are there 8, 9, 12 or 200 planets in our solar system? Well, in my opinion, based on what I have learned in school and what conclusions I have drawn on my own, there are only 8 planets in our solar system. The problem is defining what exactly a planet is. Is it an object that under its own gravity causes it to be spherical? Can a planet be an object that orbits around another object other than its parent star? Well, that's hard to use as a definition. Based on the first definition, that would mean there are over 200 planets in our solar system. Do you think your children want to memorize that many planets? Nine planets that we had to memorize as children was difficult enough without having to resort to mnemonic devices. If we decide to break down planets into two categories which is what astronomers have done for years (with Pluto not fitting into either category), this leaves us with eight planets. There are the terrestrial, or Earth-like, planets and the Jovian, or Jupiter-like, planets. Another way of looking at it, the planet is either rocky or gaseous. Pluto is an icy body, much like a comet. In fact, most astronomers believe that Pluto is just a large KBO, Kuiper Belt Object, which is where many comets come from (Halley's is a prime example). It may be that those categories need to be expanded on. You cannot require an atmosphere as being a requirement (Mercury does not have one, and Titan, the largest satellite of Saturn does have one). You cannot require that the planet has at least one natural satellite (neither Mercury or Venus have a natural satellite, Mars' satellites are captured asteroids, and Pluto does have a satellite, Charon). The way I've been looking at it, is to look at the core of the planet. Is the core rocky and metallic and a significant fraction of the planet's volume (the fraction will have to be determined)? Was the planet formed out of the stellar nebula when the star formed, but formed orbiting the star itself, and not orbiting a planetessimal? These are questions that must be asked and answered. There is a lot about planets and planetary systems that we do not know. Up until the mid 1990's, the only information we had about planets was that within our own solar system. But so far, it appears that our solar system is very unique and not the norm. We had always thought that terrestrial planets form near the central star and Jovians had to form farther out due to the heat. However, in planetary systems outside our own, it appears that Jovians can be close to the central star. This may also be a bias in that we can only observe extrasolar planets outside our solar system if they are large and orbit close to the central star. In the future, this bias may be eradicated.

So what have I concluded from what I have learned and read? In a list:
1) There are only eight planets in the solar system.
2) A planet must be (a) either rocky or gaseous and
(b) have a rocky/metallic core that is a significant fraction of the planet's size
(3) There is still a lot we need to learn.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment and ask. Just a reminder, by no means am I a professional astronomer, though I have taught college astronomy and studied astronomy for many years. A lot of things I have said here are my opinion based on my education.

Addendum (24 Aug 2006): Pluto has been demoted. After years of teaching that Pluto was not a planet, I have been redeemed. Of course, my definition is not the same as that of the IAU, but I like it.

Good News/Bad News

The good news is is that I'm back home in Pittsburgh after a wonderful visit with my family (only two days too long - more on that later). Besides spending time with Mom and Dad, I got to see Tom, Joanne and Maggie and 6 of their combined 8 children (Tom's daughter, Joanne's two youngest, and Maggie's three) and my sister-in-law Chris and Maggie's husband Josh. Aunts Dorothy, Gina and Judy also came by on Saturday and we had a great time (when I was awake - again, I'll explain later). I went to the Nelson for the first time since I was a senior in high school, and attended a double header that the Royals swept over the A's. I have some pictures, but they will have to wait till my camera arrives (again, I'll explain it later). All in all, a great time.

Now the bad news. I drove to Kansas City in my beautiful 1993 Corolla whose color my brother-in-law Birch referred to as "Zinfadel". It was an easy drive to Kansas City. I left Pittsburgh at 5 PM on the 13th of August and got into KC at 7 am the next morning. I was sore as all, but that happens the older you get. I drove to the museum with dad and did some shopping (shot glasses for my boss and some t-shirts for my girlfriend). So basically, the week was great. I was coming back from Kauffman Stadium after the double header and fireworks, and got stuck in traffic on I-70W just before the I-670 ramp to Kansas. Unfortunately, a woman behind the car behind mine wasn't paying attention. She rear-ended the car behind me which in turn pushed that car into mine. Needless to say, when I got home after the accident, I had trouble sleeping, so that is why I fell asleep on Saturday with everyone there (amazing considering how many kids were there). So here I am stranded in KC without my car, far from home. Luckily, I was there visiting family, so I was able to stay with Mom and Dad a little longer, but by Sunday, I was ready to go home. Hence, two days too late. My car was towed to a body shop in Kansas City, MO but I still had to get back home. I ended up buying a plane ticket to Pittsburgh for Tuesday night (which I will get reimbursed for), but still don't have a car. So I'm in limbo till I know what they are going to do with my car, either fixing it (which means I have to fly back to KC to pick it up), or totalling it (which is what I prefer, though I'll have to buy a new car). I'm just glad school starts on Monday, so I can hopefully concentrate on something else for a little bit instead of worrying about my car or lack thereof.

Addendum (24 Aug 2006): My insurance company called me today. My car will be totalled which means I do not have to fly back to KC, but I will have go out and buy a new car.

Going out of Town

I'm heading here tomorrow.I'm going to eat barbeque, watch the Royals, and try to stay cool. See you all when I get back. Except those that live in the KC area.

Bridge to Terabithia

They are making this into a movie. I remember my 6th grade teacher, Mrs. Higgins, reading this book to us, but she couldn't finish it. For those who have never read it or heard of it, something occurs in the book and Mrs. Higgins couldn't bring herself to finish it. I might have to go see this movie as I remember the book, but never found out how it ended. I might have to go pick it up and read it myself.

New Toy

Just got a new digital camera (for free). Had to test it out. So here are a couple of pictures of my cats.

The Thing I Look Forward to Every Day

Is taking a nap. All day when I'm at work, all I want to do is go home and take a long nap. Then go to bed early to get enough sleep. I cannot wait till this summer job and my summer class is over so I can try to catch up on sleep. I should be able to considering I gave myself three weeks off between the summer employment and the fall semester starting up. I'll need it.

Of course, in the middle of that I'm going to be going to Kansas City, but I have plans of things I want to do there. I told Mom and Dad that I want to go to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art which they both seemed keen on doing, and that I also want to visit the Liberty Memorial museum as well. Dad seemed interested in that, Mom not so much. But that's cool. We also might go to Science City at Union Station. I've been there once and I liked it. I wonder how much different it is now than it was when I last went (2001?).

The Royals are playing a double header the Friday I am home and it seems that no one wants to go. My brother will be out of town, or I'm sure he'd go with me. Dad doesn't want to go, which is fine. I'll go by myself. It won't be the first time I've been to a ballgame by myself. I've been to one or two Royals games and one or two Pirates games on my own. Still enjoyable though I won't have anyone to talk to. Looks like I'll have a full week while I'm there. Plus there is that time I'll have to spend with my brother. And I'll have to visit both my sisters that live in the area.

Some other things I have planned while on "vacation", playing a couple rounds of golf, reading, sleeping, going to see the Pirates, working at the bar, sleeping, cleaning the apartment up a bit or as they say here in Pittsburgh (red it up or is it read it up? - I'm not very good at Pittsburghese. They all talk funny here.), and did I mention sleeping?

Okay, this made no sense and was probably just me rambling on. Amazingly, I only had one cup of coffee today and that was a couple of hours ago. I think I'm probably just tired.

Here's an Idea

I have a cool idea for a space station. A bicycle wheel space station. The space station would be a large circular tube with a radius of around 26,200 miles (centered on the Earth's center). For those who don't know, this is also the radius required for a geostationary orbit. The space station would be attached to the Earth via several space elevators (these would be the spokes). The base of the space elevators would be on the surface of the Earth, at locations on the equator. Some would have to be artificial islands while others could be located in Africa and South America. Ideal locations would be on mountains (the higher up you are, the less distance to travel). The actual distance between the base and the space station would be around 22,400 miles. See the image to the right.

Yeehaw

Depressing day. Today is my 32nd birthday. Being 32 is not a big deal, except that when I was younger, I thought I would be in a different place by now. You know, career, marriage, children. I guess the things I wanted by the time I was 30 will just have to wait. I know that I'll be done with school soon and I'll be working soon. It's just one of those things. I'll get over it.

Today is the 4th of July

So how come there is only one baseball game on TV today? The only game that is on is the Cubs/Astros game on WGN. No Pirates game on Fox Sports, no baseball games whatsoever on ESPN. I mean, c'mon, this is the United States of America. Baseball is our national pastime. There should be wall-to-wall coverage of baseball today. Sigh. I just wanted to complain.

Happy 4th of July!

Just Bored

Nothing much is happening here. Just a few more days till this month is over and July is here. Only six weeks left of my summer job, too. I like it, but I'm sick of doing the same thing over and over again. I like switching up and doing different things. One day, I don't mind doing concrete tests, then the next, doing a little fireproofing examinations. It is so monotonous measuring how thick the fireproofing is when you are doing it by yourself and have no one to talk to and no music to listen to.

Oh yeah, in other news, I already have someone calling me for a full-time job. They want a civil engineer and found my resume on Monster. They didn't mind that I was still in school. Unfortunately, my classes are mostly during the day, and so therefore, I can't work during the day. But they told me that if my schedule opens up in the spring or if I need a job after I graduate in April, to give them a call. So I figure, they are either desperate for a CE or my resume is that impressive. I like to think the second one is the better answer.

I got my wish

This week, I was able to do something different than I had been doing at work. At least, it gave me a switch from my usual routine which is what I love. I have to go back to the other stuff next week, but I'm just happy to have done something different.

In other news, I get to pick up my new laptop tonight. I'm so excited, and yes, I know I'm a nerd, but I don't care. This is my birthday present to myself and I'm going to love it.

Hot Day Today

Today was a scorcher. I loved it. High was in the 90s, humidity probably around 60 to 70 percent. My kind of weather. Too bad I was working outside and sweating in it. I would rather have been playing outside in it, like baseball or basketball. People just don't understand how I can like hot weather. I love hot weather. It means a lot of things to me. Summer is coming which was good when I was a kid (school was out). It means baseball season and baseball is my all time favorite sport. You can spend all day outside without freezing. I hate winter (I think I've mentioned that many times before). Oh yeah, my birthday is in the summer time, though I don't know if I'll celebrate it this year. I'm turning 32 and that age really doesn't mean much. It's a Sunday this year and I have to work the next day. And I'm working on my birthday, too. I haven't told anyone it's my birthday and I don't plan on telling anyone, either. But yeah, it's summer time and I love it. :-)

I hate mornings!

I hope I get used to waking up early in the morning sometime soon. Right now, I am getting up at 6 am to get to work at 7. I know, I know, it's not early to you all, but when you are used to waking at 8 or 8:30, that is early. I think by the time I get used to it, the summer will be over and I won't need to be up that early. At least I'll be used to it for my 8:30 am classes this fall.

In other news, my first crush contacted me this week. What a surprise! My lovely brother Tom ran into her parents and told them about me last year, and I guess, they have been updating her about me. Even then, I didn't think she'd take time out to e-mail me. I haven't seen her in 17 years. She e-mailed me and wants to chat, I guess about what's going on with our lives. I'm still in shock. I haven't yet gotten to talk to her, so it will be interesting to say the least. I'll guess I'll keep you updated. Hey, this may be the first exciting thing to happen me in a while. It might make an interesting story sometime.

The Love Affair has Ended

I knew it was bound to happen. I finally did something at my new job that I absolutely hated. I was on a job site measuring the thickness of fireproofing on I-bars. It is so tedious and boring. I really prefer the lab work, but since I am only a summer employee, I go where I am told to go. At least, I keep doing different things which will be really good on my resume. I hope I get to go back in the lab soon.

Ahhh...the Weekend!

I'm so glad the weekend is here. It means I can sleep in on Saturday (Yay!). Of course, now that means 8:30 or 9 AM, but that's an extra two hours or so of sleep for me. I'll take it.

Right now, I have two weeks under my belt at the summer employment, and so far, I'm still loving it. I'm working mostly in the lab doing lab work (which I love), and once in a while, I get to go out in the field, doing some field testing of concrete. The point of this job (besides money, which is always good as it pays the bills...literally), is for the experience. This will look so good on my resume. And it does help that I am having fun. I still feel like a slacker when I come home as I don't really have anything to do when I'm here, but that will end next week. I start my summer class on Tuesday evening, Steel Structures. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? Hey, it is an important thing for me to learn. Heck, even though I'll have a degree in Civil Engineering with an emphasis on structures, I might not even end up working in that field. I really do like this geotechnical stuff I'm doing. I'm not switching because I do not want to take another year or so to finish. I'm getting older and I don't want to be in my mid-thirties by the time I'm finished. At this point, I'll be 32 next spring when I finish all the work for the BS, and I think that is too old to be going to school full time, especially when I'm ready to get married and have children. And no, this does not mean I've met someone that I am ready to marry, but you never know what will happen.

Hopefully, I have a date tonight, so I'm going to relax a bit and watch a little television. Have a good one, y'all.

First Day on the Job

Well, today was my first day on my summer job. It's blue collar work, for now, but stuff that will definitely come in handy when I actually have a career. Not only that, I even got a raise. On my first day. Only because I have experience, well, at least taking classes. Time for a nap. Just wanted to share.

Help!

I do not know how to relax! I had my last final yesterday, so I'm done for the semester, don't have a class again for two weeks, yet here I sit feeling anxious because I feel I should be doing something, anything. I have been in school way too long so that any downtime I have I feel I must be doing something. I could read, which I probably will, but even then, I feel like I am neglecting work that must be done. I wonder if my sister ever had this problem after her semesters were over. It will be very weird once I am done with school forever. I think because of that, I may take at least one college class every semester for the rest of my life. I can't stand not having anything to do. I'll be a fun guy when I retire.

One more to go...

Four finals down, and one to go. I should be studying for it, but for some reason, I'm not really worried about it. Actually, I just got out of one final. Easy exam. Right now, it's looking like I'll get 3 A's and 2 B's this semester. I can live with those grades. I need a nap, but I'm hungry and my next final is at two. My coffee is cold and I want to go home. I know, I should stop complaining and buckle down and study, but this is more fun. Four more hours till my last final, and I'm just so ready for it. Okay, I'll study for a little bit, get lunch in about an hour or so, then study some more. Yeehaw.

I got a job!

Well, a summer job, but it's a job where I can actually use my education (other than teaching). I'll be working in a construction firm doing some testing of materials, which I did in a class this past semester, and may get to go out in the field once in a while. It'll be great to have real world experience before I get my degree. It will look great on a resume and it means a lot once I search for my first real job after graduation. I'm excited and can't wait. I start Monday. Wish me luck.

New Blog

I started a new blog this weekend. It's on the Royals. Click here to view it. It's nothing special, just something I wanted to put up.

I must really like school....

Okay, first things first. I'm thinking about not getting a BS in Civil Engineering. I may just go ahead and get an MS instead. That will only happen if it won't take me longer. If I could get it by next spring, I'm definitely going to do that. I went down to the Pirates game today with one of my professors (he decided not to have class today - didn't really have to convince me), and he was asking about what I've done and why the heck I'm only getting a BS. The more I think about it, I'm wondering the same thing. If I can get some classes retroactively changed to grad level classes since they are the same classes, just the course numbers are different, I could be done with an MS by the spring. Won't that be nifty? So instead of having two BS's and one MS, I'll have one BS and two MS's....much more impressive, you think? Now, if it is going to take me longer, I am not going to do it. I so want to get out of school. I think I've been educated too much so far (if that is at all possible). I'm so tired of being in class and relearning stuff I learned years ago. I just want to get a job and get out of academia. We'll see and I'll keep you updated.

Happy Easter!

Just want to wish you and yours a Happy Easter!

Actually

I went to visit some married friends of mine yesterday. They just had their second son two weeks ago. The older one, Connor, is such a cute kid. He's a year and a half old and adorable. I hadn't seen him since August, so he's gotten a bit bigger than I last saw him, plus he's walking and talking. And he remembered who I was. I played with him for a little bit, juggled for him (which he loved and wanted me to continue doing), and just hung out with him and my friends. Spending time with them made me really want kids again. I think that if I'm around them when they are that young, I'll love it and get used to it by the time they are older. The more that I do think about it, the more I believe I am ready to start a family. Problem is, I still have to find that someone. I would love to be engaged by this time next year and getting ready to be married next summer. We'll see.

It's only baseball,

But still. It is so hard to be a Royals fan. They looked like they were going to win on Tuesday. And the bullpen gives up 5 runs in the bottom of the eighth to lose 9-7 (to the hated Yankees, no less). And yesterday (Thursday), they pull within 4-3 in the eighth (again!) to give up yet again 5 runs. I love the Royals, but it is just so frustrating to see them running in place like this. I wish I could go back to the days when I was younger and the Royals were actually good. I can at least remember when they won the World Series in 1985, but they haven't really done much since. I also know it's early in the season, but still.

In other news...oh wait, there is no other news. The semester is almost over. I can't wait. I need the break, again. It will be so nice to do things for myself yet again.

I'm sorry you had to be subjected to my boring life. Again, as soon as something exciting happens to me, I'll be sure to share it.

Inappropriate for some people

This is a just a little something I wrote in my down time. Something I had been meaning to write for years, just finally got around to doing it.

NOTE: The title is fitting. If you don't like rough language or certain themes, I would suggest not reading it. If it doesn't bother you, go ahead and enjoy. And if you read it anyway and don't like that kind of stuff, don't say I didn't warn you.



After seven years of marriage,
I could tell she was cheating on me.
I confronted her and told her,
"How could you let this be?"
What she said next still haunts me.
"I didn't mean to be unkind.
My love doesn't have your equipment.
She has a body like mine."

My wife, she left me for a woman.
Oh, how hard can this be?
I never saw this comin'.
How could she do this to me?
I'm not mad that she left,
But this kinda screwed up my life.
Someone commited a spousal theft,
When a woman stole my wife.

This shouldn't be such an amazement.
It really shouldn't rock my world.
She used to listen to Etheridge,
k.d. lang and the Indigo Girls.
She wore a lot of flannel.
She was the stereotypical dyke.
Her name was Michelle,
but she preferred to be called Mike.

It hurt me that the woman I loved,
Didn't want me anymore.
Wouldn't stand for a man to touch her,
Only the feel of a woman was yearned for.

Another Long Boring Day

I sometimes wonder why I decided to go back to school. Well, not really back since I've never really left, but you know what I mean. I forgot how stressful it was between tests and papers and homework due, plus the fact I have to work with others. Just ask my Mom, I'm sure I had many report cards from school that had written or marked on them somewhere "Does not play well with others." I'm still that way. When it comes to doing work, I want to be in charge and don't want to explain it. How I ever was able to teach college astronomy, I'll never know.

On a good note, however, I was able to visit Mimi and her family this past weekend. The older one wanted to play a board game with me on Friday, and I was gracious enough to accept her offer. The younger one wanted to play, too, so we all did. The younger child decided to cheat and then didn't do it very well. The older one was kicking our rear-ends (which I decided I let her do...but in reality, I'm sure she was not having a problem winning anyway. I have to be the good uncle, now don't I?) Halfway through the game, the younger one decided she no longer wanted to play...and this went on for a while. Don't get me wrong, I love them to death, but I am so not used to being around kids, and I just had enough. I now know that I am not jealous of everyone because I don't have any children. I am just not ready for them. I know, I know, no one ever is, but I'm really not. I really enjoy having my freedom right now. Now, if I could find the right woman to be my warden, I'll get over having that sort of freedom.

And shocks of shocks, I have yet to find her. Of course, I'm not really looking at the moment. I have too much on my plate at the moment even to attempt any sort of relationship. I say that now, and then next thing you know, there will be another thing to juggle.

I was bored.

Sometimes I think being single isn't so bad,
When you don't know what you've never had.
No wife, no kids, no cats, no dogs.
Just living life high on the hog.
Work all day, party all night.
But again, something's not right.
Come home to a dark and empty place,
Never to wake to a familiar face.
No one to tell how was your day,
No one saying it will all be okay.
I thought the single life would be the life for me,
But I'm not happy as you can plainly see.
Tired of hearing there's someone for you.
It's just hard to believe that can be true.
Never been hugged, never been kissed.
I want to know what it is I have missed.
Someday soon, I hope this life I lead
Will change for the better, I do plead.
I want a family, I want a wife.
I really don't like this single life.

I Love Spring Break!

I really needed this week. I cannot wait till summer is here so I can work and take one class. Don't get me wrong, I love going to school, but taking as many classes as I am, plus working, does not give me a lot of free time. And it seems that the free time I do have is spent doing homework. I just have to remember: one more year. That is, if I decide not to get another degree. Which at this point, I don't see happening anytime soon, unless it's an online degree.

So what have I been doing this week? Well, I finished all the homework that is due the week after spring break on Friday. I worked a little. I am preparing to write a paper that is due in April. I have all my notes taken and the outline written, so it looks like it won't take that long to write now. I think I'll write it tomorrow. Right now, I'm watching baseball on TV, the WBC. I have missed this sport so much. Doesn't help that the WBC is up against the Big East tournament, but Pitt doesn't play till 9 tonight, so the USA/Canada game will not interfere with the Pitt/Louisville game so I can watch them both. Speaking of sports, I was seriously thinking of sending my two nephews in Kentucky some Steelers's Super Bowl Championship gear, but thought better of it. I'm sure my brother-in-law appreciates that. I did send some to Mom and Dad, as I didn't think anyone else cares as much as I do. I am the only one who is a Steelers' fan, but only after the Kansas City Chiefs.

I was planning on going to visit Mimi's family this week, but things came up. I think, though, that I'll make plans to visit the weekend of the 24th. That gives me enough time to ask for the weekend off from work. Plus, I want to stay here for St. Patrick's Day. I'm going to a party. WOOHOO!

I love being able to sit around and do nothing all day. I woke up this morning at 10:30 (hahaha all you with kids) and am still sitting here on my couch at 3:40. And I want to change this by getting a real job and having kids? What am I thinking? Oh well.

I promise, though, as soon as something exciting happens in my life, I'll share it. Just don't hold your breath.

The Job I Want

I don't know if any of you know what Scaled Composites does, but they are the designers and builders for the Virgin Galactic spacecraft. Last week, I saw online that they are looking to hire people. Unfortunately, I'm not done with school, yet, but I did submit my application into them. I would love to work for them. I've always wanted to do something involving outer space, and for the longest time, I was, working on my Ph.D. in Astronomy. But now, I'm working on a degree in civil engineering with an emphasis on structures. I was thinking of working for NASA, designing and building space stations, but with this possible opportunity, I'll be in on the ground floor of something that will be big someday. And I can look at those spacecraft someday and say to myself, "Hey, I built that. That is so cool."

The only downside I see for maybe working there is that I'll have to move to California. But it would be an opportunity that I could not deny myself. I love Pittsburgh and will miss my friends, but this is something that I feel I was meant to do. I can always come back to visit Pittsburgh, just like I always can go visit my family. Wish me luck.

Reading

I am amazed at how much I can read while I'm riding the bus to school. I used to hate taking the bus, but that was before I started reading on it. In the past two months, I've read three or four books. That may not sound like a lot, but you have to remember that I'm also going to school for an engineering degree full time, and the only time I read right now is while I'm on the bus. I read a book Mom said she could not get into, 1776, but I loved it. If you haven't read it, it's about 1776 during the American Revolution and written based on letters and correspondences of the major (and some minor) players during that year. Right now, I'm reading Ireland by Frank Delaney. It's a pretty good book, too. I have some more books to read before I head back to the book store, so I'm being good and not browsing...yet. I have this tendency to buy books when I have plenty at home that I haven't read yet. I'm down to six that I haven't read yet, but two of them are sequels to books I haven't read yet. I'll probably have to hit the book store when the summer starts. I'll have more time to read then.

Alright, I've taken enough time off from doing homework. Time to tackle Environmental Engineering and drinking a Dunkel. After Tuesday, I won't be able to drink any more beer. I am giving up both caffeine and alcohol for Lent, which I'm not sure is such a good idea. First of all, I work in a bar. Secondly, Saint Patrick's Day is during Lent and I typically like to party on that day. But I'm going to be good. Wish me luck.

Word Cloud

Date Auction Update

I know everyone who saw my first post are sitting on the edge of their seats just waiting for me to tell you all what happened. Well, you're going to have to wait.







Just kidding. Okay, I admit. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. I was just nervous. I was hoping to get bid on, and I did. I ended up going for $15, which is fine by me. I'm just glad I was bought by someone that I knew and her friend, so that is something I can live with. I think we are just going to hang out and that will be our "date". I guess most guys wish they could go out on a date with two women at once, and I will get to. True, it's not really a date, but hey, I can brag about it. :-)

I hate winter

We were lucky this weekend. We didn't get hit with the snow that they thought was coming this way. But it was still cold. Today, it's in the 50s, and of course, I have a cold. I hate getting sick when the weather changes as it does, and you figure, that growing up where I did, I should be used to it. Not so. I still have a class to go to today, but it should be over about a quarter after one, then I'm going home, making some tomato soup, and lying down on my couch. Hopefully, I'll feel better tomorrow when it is supposed to be 60. Then of course, I'll get sick this weekend when the weather is back in the 20s and cold and snowy

Man, I hate winter.

In other news, I was watching the women's Olympic curling competition last night between the US and Japan. That Cassie Johnson is one attractive woman. I never thought I could get into curling like that, and I hate to say it, but it helps that she is beautiful. I know I'm a pig, but I can't help it.

Well anyways, I think I'm going to go sit in the class room and nap till class starts at noon. Later days, y'all.

What was I thinking?

I may have done something really dumb today. I signed myself up for a date auction for the Engineering Student Council. It's a fundraiser. Never did that, but it's not a big deal. I'm just afraid that I will not get bid on. I know I probably will, but it's just one of those things, you know?

Just noticed this

Why is my zodiac sign on my profile? This is not a dating site. And I don't believe in astrology anyway. Technically, I'm not even a Cancer. The Sun was in the Constellation of Gemini when I was born, not Cancer. About 2000 years ago, the Sun was in Cancer on July 9th, but not in 1974. It's called precession. Look it up. I don't really need people to know my sign is Cancer. It's not important and not who I am.

Man, I'm reading too much into this.

By the way, I started drinking caffeine-free Coca-Cola™. I find I drink a lot of caffeine and I should really cut down. Now that it's been really cold recently, I'm drinking a lot of coffee, too. I should probably switch to decaf. Doesn't taste any different. I think I'm just trying to keep myself awake when I'm at work. I'm always tired. But I'm doing this to better myself and so I won't have to go to school anymore...unless I retire. But that's another story.

Awesome

That was an awesome game!!! The Steelers beat the Seahawks for the Super Bowl Championship. This city went nuts. I know I've only been a fan for a few years, but I enjoyed the heck out of this. I was off a little on the score, but it doesn't matter. The Steelers won.

Now, I have to wait for baseball season. Well, at least March Madness is coming up soon.

The Super Bowl

For the first time in my life, I actually care about the Super Bowl. Before, I'd watch it just to watch it. Now, I actually have a rooting interest in a team playing. The Steelers. If this is how I feel about the Steelers in the Super Bowl, I can't imagine how I'll feel next year for the Chiefs, a team I have rooted for my entire life. I can't wait till the game starts. I'll be working tonight, but at least I should make decent money. This city is going to go wild when the Steelers win.

I hope all my family is rooting for the Steelers. Well, maybe my brother-in-law Birch isn't. He's a Bengals fan and I don't know if he can root for the Steelers.

Prediction: Steelers 27, Seahawks 14

New Planet?

An object that was discovered in 2003 in the Kuiper Belt of our Solar System has been found to have a larger radius than that of Pluto. Since Pluto is still officially a planet, it looks like there are now at least 10 planets orbiting our Sun. If the IAU decides to declare this object a planet (as of now, it's name is like an eye chart UB313), it will have to have an official name. My guess is this will be called Vulcan, after the fictional tenth planet that many thought was within the orbit of Mercury. However, if it won't be called Vulcan, it will have a Roman name, much like the other planets, excluding Earth. All the others are named after Roman gods and goddesses, and I'm sure this one will be no different.

Other possible names:
Juno (wife of Jupiter, and his sister)
Bacchus (god of good times - much like Steelers fans will have come Sunday after SBXL)
Helios (though it would be ironic to name the coldest planet after the god of Sun)
Diana (the goddess of the hunt)
Kronos (much like the name of the Klingon homeworld in Star Trek)
Romulus (again, from Star Trek as well as Roman mythology)
Apollo
Luna (though I doubt this will be used. It is another term for our Moon)
Cupid (but this would make more sense if there was ever a moon of Venus)
Janus (the god who looks both backwards and forwards)

Actually, now that I think of it, Janus would be a perfect name for this planet. Janus, looking backwards to the Solar System, while at the same time looking forward to the rest of the galaxy and the Universe. If those who are reading my blog have any say in the name, use Janus...it is perfect.

Of course, there are Sedna, Quaoar, Varuna, and Orcus. These are KBOs that are named after non-Roman gods and goddesses. Sedna is an Inuit goddess. Quaoar was named after a Tongva god. Varuna is a Hindu goddess. Orcus can be considered a Roman god, but that name is more in line with Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. But I think that this object will be named after a Roman god.

Man, I'm such a geek.

Looking for a Job

For the first time in my life, I'm going to try to get a job that I can actually use my degrees in! Sure, teaching college I had to use my degree, but this will be a job that I'm applying something I learned to something physical, and not to impart knowledge of astronomy to students that will probably forget most of it the minute they take the final exam. It will be different to get paid as an engineer. Sure, it will only be an internship (for now), but it won't be bartending or working in a restaurant. I wouldn't mind teaching college astronomy again, though when I have more time. Right now, I don't think I could handle being an instructor as well as taking 15 or 16 credits. Maybe when I'm done.

Well, I just finished dinner (leftover lemon chicken, rice and vegetables - no, not from scratch, but I did make them myself) and I probably should get back to doing homework...on a Friday night... Man, I think I need to get a life.

Jealous

I'm jealous of Kate and Maggie (and for that matter, Tom, Mimi, and Joanne). I really want to have kids. All of you have great stories, funny and cute, about your children. I cannot wait to have children (though I don't want them before I get married). Everyone has adorable children and all of them have great personalities that are beginning to come out. I really miss seeing everyone all the time. Kate's stories about Lucas and his Hunt Hunt clan are just too darn funny and the pictures of Maggie's kids just show how good looking they really are. That pic of Katrina is classic. For some reason, it reminds me of Maggie. I wonder why...

Okay, I've babbled long enough. I'm getting hungry and the chicken is in the oven. I can't wait to share stories of the funny and adorable stuff my children are doing with everyone.

Today's Game

Just got home from work. Long day. The place I work was broken into this morning. Lovely.

Watched today's AFC Division Playoff game. That game was very nerve racking near the end. The Steelers looked like they had the game in hand as they went up 21-3. But the Colts came back to within 3 with about 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter. The Steelers were able to hold the Colts with about 1:20 left in the game and had the ball at the Colts 2-yard line. Figure this game was over, right? Nopers. Bettis tried to push the ball into the endzone and fumbled the ball. Picked up by the Colts defender who was stabbed in the knee by his wife on Saturday who took it down field. Only an amazing tackle by big Ben Roethlisberger kept the guy from rumbling into the endzone. I was getting so nervous, and the Steelers aren't even my favorite team. I like them enough, but they aren't the Chiefs. Well, next thing I know, the Colts have the ball in field goal range with time winding down and their clutch kicker ready to knock it through the uprights. I wasn't watching the play at the time, as I was either getting something to eat or getting ready for work or something. Anyway, I hear the announcers saying the ball is up so I rushed into the living room to see the kick. Wide right. Steeler fans (and myself, too) all breathe a sigh of relief. Next week, the Steelers are going to Denver for the right to go to Detroit and beat the NFC Champion in the SuperBowl. Great game, and even better that the Steelers came out on top.

Not only did the Steelers win, but the Pitt Panthers kept their undefeated season alive by beating the Louisville Cardinals in Louisville. If they are not in the top ten Monday, there is something seriously long with the voting process.

Alright, I've rambled long enough. Time to go to bed. But I leave you this one thought. Five weeks till Pitchers and Catchers report to spring training. Go Royals!!!!!

I Hate Winter

I really hate winter. It was 70 degrees here yesterday and sunny. Beautiful day to be outside. Today, it's in the 30s and snowing. I really want to get a job in Arizona or Texas.

My "Kids"

Since I don't have any human children, here are pictures of my two cats.

ReganAshley

Creation vs. Evolution

This is just something I wrote a while ago. It's probably babbling, but what the hey!

Are the Theory of Evolution and the Story of Creation Mutually Exclusive?

I grew up in the state of Kansas and the things that are going on there now with the system of education are beginning to gnaw at me. A lot of Christian conservatives are saying that evolutionary theory goes against the teachings of the Bible. While it is true that the literal interpretation of the story of Creation in Genesis is incompatible with what science teaches us today, one must look beyond the story. The Bible itself was written by fallible human beings who either interpreted the words of God to their own benefit or wrote what they felt the way the Earth worked. Let’s explore the second part of this statement first.

One must remember that the science of astronomy has changed a lot since the time of the ancients. Up until the 1500s, it was believed that the Earth was stationary and that the Sun and all the planets revolved around a central Earth. The Renaissance was not only a rebirth of culture; it was also a rebirth of science. Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton all came along and turned astronomy on its ear. First, Copernicus was able to show that it was possible and much more likely that the Earth was moving around a central Sun. It was able to explain the position of the planets in the sky much more accurately and with a much simpler model than the previous geocentric model devised by Ptolemy in the 2^nd Century CE. Even then, astronomy kept evolving. Kepler was able to derive his three laws of planetary motion from observations made by Tycho Brahe to give us much more complete model of the solar system. It wasn’t even until Galileo turned his telescope to the sky that these models were shown to be more or less accurate and correct. Even today, astronomy is still evolving. The model of how our solar system formed may not even be correct. The formation of the solar system was only based on one example of a planetary system, our own. Since 1995, there have been over 150 other planets discovered outside our own solar system, and the majority of them look nothing like ours.

Planetary astronomy does not even delve into other astronomy disciplines. For example, cosmology studies the evolution of our universe as a whole. Cosmologists have been able to estimate that the universe is around 15 billion years old (give or take a couple of billion years). They also believe that the universe started in a giant explosion of space and matter into nothing in what is called the Big Bang. Galactic astronomy also can tell us a lot about how wrong the ancient astronomers were. They believed that all of the entire universe encompassed nothing larger than what is just found in the Oort Cloud, a spherical structure 100,000 AU in diameter (an AU is the average distance between the Earth and the Sun, around 93 million miles) containing millions of comet-like bodies. Our own galaxy, the Milky Way is 30,000 times larger than that, and the Milky Way is an average galaxy. This shows us how much we have learned in just the last 500 years, much more than was learned in the 1500+ years prior.

By no means does this mean that I do not believe in God. If we go back to the Big Bang, there are a lot of questions that cannot be answered by science. For example, the Universe is thought to be flat, which means that the Universe is expanding in such a way, that in the distant future, which we can think of as being an infinite time from now, the expansion of the Universe will stop. This model of the Universe was based on two things: the critical density of the Universe and the actual density of the Universe. The critical density of the Universe is the required density of matter and energy contained in the Universe that makes the Universe flat. The actual density is the actual amount of matter and energy in the Universe. Cosmologists have found that the actual density is very close to the critical density. They found that if the density of the Universe was just a tad higher that it actually is, the Universe would have been over dense, and instead of expanding, it would have collapsed too fast. On the other hand, if the density was just a little bit smaller than the actual density, the Universe would have expanding too fast and nothing could have formed from the matter and energy as they would not be able to collapse into stars and galaxies and all the celestial objects we see today. This question cannot be answered easily by science, if at all. There must be some otherworldly force, or even some force outside our own Universe, making the density it is. Other physical constants in the Universe must be what they are as well, or the Universe would not be here either. For example, the strength of gravity, or the gravitational constant, has to be its current value, or the Universe would have collapsed or expanded too fast depending on how it was different. The magnitude of the electron charge, the magnetic moment of the electron, the Bohr radius, and the speed of light must also be what they are or we would not be here. These types of things can only be explained by a supernatural being, which we call God.

There is also the question of dinosaurs. Anthropologists have shown that dinosaurs became extinct 65 million years ago. They disappeared from the face of the Earth before mankind became the dominant life form almost 50,000 years ago. Yet, there is no mention of dinosaurs in the Bible and we know they exist.

How about geology? Geology has shown that the Earth is 4.5 billion years old, and life first appeared about a billion years later.

Lastly, what about biology? DNA comparisons between different species have shown that those wide varieties of species have similar segments of DNA. Humans and chimpanzees have a 97.8% similarity between their DNA strands. Even animals as different from humans as frogs have DNA that is more similar than it is different. If you compare the forelimbs of humans, birds, and frogs, the bone structure is remarkably similar as well. This is compelling evidence that somehow, these four different species, and in general, all species, seemed to have come from the same ancestor.

All this boils down to the Bible being the literal word of God. I feel that the majority of the Old Testament if not the whole Bible is probably one of the best works of fiction ever written. It is a nice moral story and a great code to live by. Science has shown that the Bible cannot be literal. It was calculated, based on the story of Creation in Genesis, that the Earth was created around 6000 years ago, and hence, the entire Universe was also created at that time. I have just stated that the Universe is around 15 billion years old, Earth is around 4.5 billion years old, and dinosaurs disappeared around 65 million years ago. All these numbers show that the literal interpretation of the Bible is the incorrect interpretation. Now, it is possible that God set in motion the mechanisms that created our Universe and brought forth life to the Earth. Another argument that we can make is the definition of a human being. It has been argued that humans are the only species to have souls. Who are we to say that God choose one of our ancestors, some Australopithecus Africanus, to have a soul and make him Adam? How about the wives of Cain and Seth as well? Adam and Eve didn’t have any daughters, or at least, none are mentioned in the Bible. They had wives, and we know that they had children. They each must have mated with someone. It seems highly unlikely that two people, Adam and Eve, populated the whole world.

We can also argue that God’s day is not the same day as a human day. What do we mean by a day? In astronomical terms, it is just the time it takes for the Earth to rotate on its axis once. The Earth day is very different from days on other planets. Mars has a 26 hour day; Jupiter’s day is 10 hours, and so on. How do we know that God didn’t have days that lasted millions or billions of years? We don’t.

So can the Theory of Evolution and the Story of Creation coexist in modern society? The short answer is yes, they can. However, one must be able to separate the Story of Creation and not take the Bible’s version as literal.

My First Blog

I saw Kate starting blogging. Figured that I should as well. You know how much I e-mail everyone.

I think a lot of you know that I went *back* to school for another degree. I know it's not really going back since I've basically been in school since I was 4. I'm studying for a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering with an emphasis in Structural Engineering. Hopefully, this will be the last formal degree I'll be getting...that is at a university. I think that I may go for an MBA later on, probably an online MBA. I started this current educational trip last semester. I should be done by next April, as it is nice to already have a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Physics.

Between school and work, I don't have a lot of free time. Currently, I'm bartending three times a week at a bar in my neighborhood. I'm also still working at the observatory, looking at the stars. Still love astronomy even though I'm not studying it at the moment. This summer, I hope to have an internship so I can have some real-world experience.

Well, I should probably get back to doing homework. I want to be the best student I can be, even better than I was in undergraduate.