November was uneventful except for thanksgiving. Mother arrived with furniture, picked up dad from Newark airport. My brother is back from his first semester at Union College. Got 2 more job application rejections. Corresponding with Profs. Magee, King and D'Angelo (who is incapable of using e-mail and the telephone. Prof. Cowles described him to me as "being old as fuck!") for LORs. A program I was going to apply to: UC Davis Geography Graduate Group or GGG for short decided to die when I checked the site last week. They claim that they're doing curriculum revisions but a facebook group claims that the department's funding was cut. Nice. California is broke such as life. I heard about the student protests on the news and have mixed feelings. The cold harsh reality of economics unfolds once again.
At least Hawai'i isn't broke.....
Other than that I've got my GREs in 2 days. Not sure how I feel. Better prepared than I was last year that's for sure but I'm horrible at standardized testing and have always had a tough time. Want to keep an open mind as to get the best score possible. I'm aiming for at least a 1200. Would really like to get higher but 1200 would make me happy.
Last weekend I volunteered to ferry and aircraft for the flying school. A student who was signed off to make a solo cross country flight from Princeton to Reading, PA (a controlled airport) messed up and didn't talk to approach control or the tower and just came in and landed unannounced. Scared the shit out of the controllers and when he taxied to get fuel they wouldn't let him fly back to Princeton. His instructor asked me to hop in the backseat of another aircraft to pick up the plane and the student. So I did. I got a free flight and got to log the time as well. Total time to date now is 80 hours.
My private pilot checkride is in 3 days. Strangely not nervous at all. A couple other guys I fly with say that I'm cold as ice, meaning that I have no anxiety or fear whatsoever. Not sure if this is a good thing or not. This could mean that I'm situationally aware and cool under stress or I leap without looking. I hope it's the former.
Have to drop my brother off at Newark on Wed so he flys to Tokyo for a couple of weeks. I'm still stuck in NJ. There are a few things I'd like to accomplish by the end of 2009. Run faster and farther, break through 150lbs (hovering around 164 now, down from something like 185 in May '09). If I don't land a job by Jan 1 '10, I'm buying a plane ticket to Vietnam and just getting the fuck out. It's cheaper to live there than here. Teach English, or freelance photography whatever doesn't matter.
First grad app. deadline is coming up. UC Santa Barbara Dec. 15th. Then a bunch in Jan and Feb. Merced, Hawai'i at Manoa (dream choice I think.) and then some more CA state schools.
I'm halfway through Uncle Carl's (Carl Sagan) "Pale Blue Dot." The sequel to "Cosmos." It's very very good. Carl talks about the conflicts of religion and science and humanity's insignificance in the universe. (If you believe in a God, and are offended by freethinking and skepticism, this book isn't for you.)
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Changed my mind....
Went up solo today to practice ground reference maneuvers (S-turns over a road, circles about a point), steep turns, and stall recovery. I'm nailing altitude at last! Well withing the +/- 150ft margin. Took my new PCAS (portable collision avoidance system) along for the ride and was surprised at how will it was able to pick up other traffic. Of course It's just working off of other transponder equipped aircraft which is legally required withing the 30mile radius of the New York class B airspace. (Transponders, not the PCAS....) Whatever keeps me safe.
Then It was off to Allentown for my first GRE prep session with Kaplan. Learned some new tricks that are supposed to buy me more time by not thinking too much and getting the correct answers. Hope it works. Stopped in for some Hibachi next door at a place called "Ichiban's" (Number 1 in nihongo). It was worth it.
I rethought something I posted earlier. I'm staying friends no matter what. One has to grow from experience and I'm slowly making progress. And who knows what the future holds? :)
Then It was off to Allentown for my first GRE prep session with Kaplan. Learned some new tricks that are supposed to buy me more time by not thinking too much and getting the correct answers. Hope it works. Stopped in for some Hibachi next door at a place called "Ichiban's" (Number 1 in nihongo). It was worth it.
I rethought something I posted earlier. I'm staying friends no matter what. One has to grow from experience and I'm slowly making progress. And who knows what the future holds? :)
Friday, November 6, 2009
back down again...
The 4 miles was great. Only able to sustain 6mph after doing the first mile at 7mph. Was still within 90% of VO2 max but it feels fine. I need a better means of holding sweaty earbuds in.
Woke up this morning to too many blackberry facebook messages. Some people always have it their way in life and things come to them effortlessly. Others try and try and try and still end up empty handed in the end. Life continues to be unfair. Feel like shit again. Will try and run it off tonight.
Got done with another lesson today. Need to fine tune everything. Going up solo early tomorrow morning to iron those things out. Was more difficult today due to winds being 25 knots out of the north, a little bumpy but nothing I haven't encountered before.
Skimmed through the Feb/March '09 issue of Air & Space yesterday and found an article on a band called "Max Q" where all members are active duty NASA astronauts. Pretty cool albeit not superstar talented but with their schedules who could be anyways? Their name comes from the aeronautical term for maximum dynamic pressure aka maximum noise. I've listened to a few of their covers on youtube and they're not bad. The band formed in 1987 shortly after the Challenger disaster as a means to boost morale. On a side note I've been giving this a lot of thought to possibly work for NASA. Geographical sciences and an aeronautical background is desirable. I need to actually get into grad school first. I can dream can't I?
Starting the GRE self diagnostic test in preparation for kaplan tomorrow afternoon.
Woke up this morning to too many blackberry facebook messages. Some people always have it their way in life and things come to them effortlessly. Others try and try and try and still end up empty handed in the end. Life continues to be unfair. Feel like shit again. Will try and run it off tonight.
Got done with another lesson today. Need to fine tune everything. Going up solo early tomorrow morning to iron those things out. Was more difficult today due to winds being 25 knots out of the north, a little bumpy but nothing I haven't encountered before.
Skimmed through the Feb/March '09 issue of Air & Space yesterday and found an article on a band called "Max Q" where all members are active duty NASA astronauts. Pretty cool albeit not superstar talented but with their schedules who could be anyways? Their name comes from the aeronautical term for maximum dynamic pressure aka maximum noise. I've listened to a few of their covers on youtube and they're not bad. The band formed in 1987 shortly after the Challenger disaster as a means to boost morale. On a side note I've been giving this a lot of thought to possibly work for NASA. Geographical sciences and an aeronautical background is desirable. I need to actually get into grad school first. I can dream can't I?
Starting the GRE self diagnostic test in preparation for kaplan tomorrow afternoon.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Moving right along...
Been flying daily with instructors critiquing my maneuvers trying to stay within the practical test standards. It's a lot harder than it sounds. But I'm getting there. I'm going up again tomorrow to do it all again. The more I do this, the closer I will get to the check ride.
GRE prep begins this weekend in Allentown for 4 hours on sat and sun. I pick up my mother from Newark sat evening.
Other than that, I've been spending lots of time on the treadmill. I'm actually starting to enjoy it. (never thought this day would come.) I started last month just trying to run 2 miles a day at a pace that wouldn't hurt the left ankle after having used the pool, elliptical and stationary bike in Tokyo for about two weeks in Sept. Now I've been running 3 miles a day at a modest 6mph. Roughly 10 minute miles but I'm keeping within 75-80% of my VO2 max of 198. I've noticed that it's getting easier to run faster and farther. This evening I'm going to attempt to run 4 miles at close to 7mph. We'll see how that goes, may wind up turning the speed down to 6mph. Good news is I've lost more than 12lbs since July. My goal is to loose another 10lbs before I turn 23 in December. Maybe a little too optimistic but it's worth a shot. I'm also playing with free weights every other day and have been seeing some improvement there. Throw in crunches until it burns and that's pretty much my daily hour to hour and half workout.
I've adopted salmon and tuna as my primary protein intake in the form of lox bagels and chunk light in water. The rest is granola with Greek yogurt, raw veggies, and fresh fruit and unsalted nuts. It's pretty bland but I don't really care for once. I haven't really missed the bad stuff i.e: pizza, Mexican food, and all the other crap that you really shouldn't eat.
On the topic of job searching. Well I still haven't found one. I do get contacted every week by somebody at American Income Life where they want me to apply to a sales position but I'm really not interested so fuck em! I sent my resume to a contact I know in Singapore in hopes of swinging something for 6-9 months. And if that doesn't bear any fruit, then there's always teaching English in Vietnam. I missed spring in Vietnam when I studied abroad so I didn't get to witness Tet, the Vietnamese new year. Nothing can really happen until after Dec 1st when I take the GRE for the second time.
Singapore would be fun. Haven't been there since late '98. I've heard that it's changed a bit. I still remember the best and I do mean the absolute best Mexican restaurant in the world: Cha Cha Cha's in Holland Village. Not to mention great Malaysian satay and katupat (steamed rice cakes in pandan leaves) at Newton Circus. It's been too long I think. Hopefully Chin can get me a job or at least another contact.
Anyways got to run literally....
GRE prep begins this weekend in Allentown for 4 hours on sat and sun. I pick up my mother from Newark sat evening.
Other than that, I've been spending lots of time on the treadmill. I'm actually starting to enjoy it. (never thought this day would come.) I started last month just trying to run 2 miles a day at a pace that wouldn't hurt the left ankle after having used the pool, elliptical and stationary bike in Tokyo for about two weeks in Sept. Now I've been running 3 miles a day at a modest 6mph. Roughly 10 minute miles but I'm keeping within 75-80% of my VO2 max of 198. I've noticed that it's getting easier to run faster and farther. This evening I'm going to attempt to run 4 miles at close to 7mph. We'll see how that goes, may wind up turning the speed down to 6mph. Good news is I've lost more than 12lbs since July. My goal is to loose another 10lbs before I turn 23 in December. Maybe a little too optimistic but it's worth a shot. I'm also playing with free weights every other day and have been seeing some improvement there. Throw in crunches until it burns and that's pretty much my daily hour to hour and half workout.
I've adopted salmon and tuna as my primary protein intake in the form of lox bagels and chunk light in water. The rest is granola with Greek yogurt, raw veggies, and fresh fruit and unsalted nuts. It's pretty bland but I don't really care for once. I haven't really missed the bad stuff i.e: pizza, Mexican food, and all the other crap that you really shouldn't eat.
On the topic of job searching. Well I still haven't found one. I do get contacted every week by somebody at American Income Life where they want me to apply to a sales position but I'm really not interested so fuck em! I sent my resume to a contact I know in Singapore in hopes of swinging something for 6-9 months. And if that doesn't bear any fruit, then there's always teaching English in Vietnam. I missed spring in Vietnam when I studied abroad so I didn't get to witness Tet, the Vietnamese new year. Nothing can really happen until after Dec 1st when I take the GRE for the second time.
Singapore would be fun. Haven't been there since late '98. I've heard that it's changed a bit. I still remember the best and I do mean the absolute best Mexican restaurant in the world: Cha Cha Cha's in Holland Village. Not to mention great Malaysian satay and katupat (steamed rice cakes in pandan leaves) at Newton Circus. It's been too long I think. Hopefully Chin can get me a job or at least another contact.
Anyways got to run literally....
Friday, October 30, 2009
Dreams turn into reality eventually...
After months of studying, I went in and took the FAA airman knowledge test for single engine land aircraft and passed with an 88%. I am extremely satisfied. This was holding me back for a while but I did it and now I'm ready for check-ride preparation which should take a week. I hope to obtain my private certificate in the next ten days! After 14 months of weather delays, overbooked instructors and aircraft the dream will become reality. I can just remember thinking all the way back when I was in the 2nd grade where the daydream began....
Having to go through so much of the proverbial matter for the last year this is all too good. I was thinking of mentioning my training on my applications where you're supposed to explain what exactly you've been doing for four months since graduating from college. The job market sucked, entry-level with experience was an oxymoron. Countless CV's and cover letters submitted to more positions than I can count. 3 interviews for sales jobs that I had no interest in, I stayed dedicated to something I was passionate about instead. Take it or leave it.
And the geographic connection? Navigation, map symbology, triangulation, GPS, true vs. magnetic direction, isogonic lines, terrain elevation, time-speed-distance, radio navigation aids, meteorological conditions, basic physics, newton's laws.......it goes on and on.
The big question is what to do with the certificate once I get it? I was planning on renting a C-172 and taking it up to Schenectady, NY pick up my younger brother for thanksgiving.
Next plan was perhaps to make a 400 nautical mile cross country to Ann Arbor, MI to visit an old friend. This may prove to be too expensive and will require crossing into Canadian airspace. Might just buy an airline ticket instead.
GRE prep begins the next two weekend in Allentown. Bring on the fun.
Having to go through so much of the proverbial matter for the last year this is all too good. I was thinking of mentioning my training on my applications where you're supposed to explain what exactly you've been doing for four months since graduating from college. The job market sucked, entry-level with experience was an oxymoron. Countless CV's and cover letters submitted to more positions than I can count. 3 interviews for sales jobs that I had no interest in, I stayed dedicated to something I was passionate about instead. Take it or leave it.
And the geographic connection? Navigation, map symbology, triangulation, GPS, true vs. magnetic direction, isogonic lines, terrain elevation, time-speed-distance, radio navigation aids, meteorological conditions, basic physics, newton's laws.......it goes on and on.
The big question is what to do with the certificate once I get it? I was planning on renting a C-172 and taking it up to Schenectady, NY pick up my younger brother for thanksgiving.
Next plan was perhaps to make a 400 nautical mile cross country to Ann Arbor, MI to visit an old friend. This may prove to be too expensive and will require crossing into Canadian airspace. Might just buy an airline ticket instead.
GRE prep begins the next two weekend in Allentown. Bring on the fun.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Front Page — arachnoid.com
Front Page — arachnoid.com
P. Lutus, same person as mentioned earlier. This is his website, very awesome and a quote from Dr. Richard Feynman to boot!
P. Lutus, same person as mentioned earlier. This is his website, very awesome and a quote from Dr. Richard Feynman to boot!
A new ebook to pass the time.
Confessions Online
"Confessions of a Long-Distance sailor" by P. Lutus.
A guitarist friend of mine from way back in jazz ensemble when I was in HS posted about reading this. It's the story about a man who(he invented Apple Writer) felt that most people lead very boring lives. He strives to do "something different" whenever things get too mundane. He tries to become a sailor; not an easy feat. Sounds like an adventure. This will give me another form of entertainment and dreaming material to pass the time trying to find myself.
Speaking of passing the time. It consists of submitting resumes and cover letters still. Still no replies but I'm sure it will change soon, it must. On top of that I managed to pull a 90% on a practice FAA airman written knowledge test. I'm getting somewhere, despite these dark and empty times.
Blast to the past: It's fall 2000, I had just moved to Japan from a 2 year stay in Hong Kong and thus began the nearly decade long journey to the most interesting place I've ever been. It was in Roen's homeroom however tough it was (I appreciate her now,) we were exposed to a lot of psych-thriller type material and psychedelic lyrics of the 60's and 70's. That was the first time I read T.S. Elliot, Dylan Thomas. I don't know why or how I can remember any of this. For a while it was horrible culture shock. Nothing quite like a humid and overcast fall afternoon studying with the windows open and hearing the faint cry of the yaki-mo (grilled sweet potato) vendor with his loudspeaker go by.
"I am a rock..."
"Confessions of a Long-Distance sailor" by P. Lutus.
A guitarist friend of mine from way back in jazz ensemble when I was in HS posted about reading this. It's the story about a man who(he invented Apple Writer) felt that most people lead very boring lives. He strives to do "something different" whenever things get too mundane. He tries to become a sailor; not an easy feat. Sounds like an adventure. This will give me another form of entertainment and dreaming material to pass the time trying to find myself.
Speaking of passing the time. It consists of submitting resumes and cover letters still. Still no replies but I'm sure it will change soon, it must. On top of that I managed to pull a 90% on a practice FAA airman written knowledge test. I'm getting somewhere, despite these dark and empty times.
Blast to the past: It's fall 2000, I had just moved to Japan from a 2 year stay in Hong Kong and thus began the nearly decade long journey to the most interesting place I've ever been. It was in Roen's homeroom however tough it was (I appreciate her now,) we were exposed to a lot of psych-thriller type material and psychedelic lyrics of the 60's and 70's. That was the first time I read T.S. Elliot, Dylan Thomas. I don't know why or how I can remember any of this. For a while it was horrible culture shock. Nothing quite like a humid and overcast fall afternoon studying with the windows open and hearing the faint cry of the yaki-mo (grilled sweet potato) vendor with his loudspeaker go by.
"I am a rock..."
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