What am I saying? Of course it’s mine. I’ve re-learned recently that being sick makes you absolutely unmotivated. Seriously. I have so much stuff to do, but I’ve avoided it religiously, and still continue to do it. What’s up with that? Why is it that I’m so much more content to sit here and ramble than go up and do homework that’s due in a couple days?

I suppose the fact that I was going to sleep soon anyway is a decent excuse. Who does homework before its due anyway?

There are a few more pertinent things that I could be doing, like completing my “transfer” into engineering. One year ago, I would never have imagined I’d be in this state today (though if you told me why , I’d probably believe it). Two years ago, I would have thought it was inevitable. Three years ago, I thought it was obvious that engineering is meant for me. It’s fascinating how quickly my thoughts on my future can change. But back to that time one year ago. ‘Engineering? Me?!’ might be the likely response. Let’s call this my rebellion stage. In that quite so transient moment of my life, I was intent on being what no one has done before, devoting my life to what I really wanted to do. But then again, looking back, I think I just wasn’t sure with all the choices in front of me. Come to think of it, I’m facing the same dilemma as I am now… just now, I’m far more sure of the path I’m on. Of course I still don’t quite know what I want to be doing in ten years… but with a sustainable vision in mind, I think I’ll chug along quite nicely for a while.

I’ve discovered that engineering has FAR less red tape than LAS. At LAS, they’re like “You’re a freshman? We don’t know if engineering will
accept you, they might demand for ___(insert random requirement here)____ blah blah,” and of course be very anal about the whole process. I go to the engineering building, and I’m out within 15 minutes with the chief advisor, and I get this email in a hour:

Alex —

 

It was a pleasure meeting   you   and
congratulation on your outstanding academic achievements. I am pleased
that you are considering transferring to GE department and as we
discussed, preliminary evaluation shows that   majority of   your courses/credits to date would be counted in GE curriculum. GE curriculum with its flexible Secondary Field of Concentration   can provide you with a unique opportunity to follow your interests in Bioengineering/Business concentration as well as   [neuroscience with the] LAS/ENGR 5 year program.

 

Accordingly, with this letter I am endorsing your transfer request effective   Summer
Semester 2005. Should you decide to finalize your transfer , please see
Dean Carl Larson (cslarson@uiuc.edu, 333-2280) in 206 Engineering Hall
to initiate the formal protocol. If you have any questions please do
not hesitate to call or e-mail me. Welcome to GE!

Regards,
-Prof. Moeinzadeh

Mmhmm… I feel the power~ still, I’ve been through LAS, and I still… it wasn’t that bad

Accordingly, I’ve decided to stay at U of I for the summer session. It’s gonna be the longest summer of my life since school started (way back when I was perhaps 5 years old), and just maybe… when I’m doing two majors (MCB/Neuroscience, General Engineering) and a minor (Bioengineering – Cell & Tissue Engineering), I think getting a bit ahead would be nice. PLUS, more importantly, I want to transfer to this lab  over summer and hopefully continue through the regular school year! They’re doing some of the coolest neuroscience research I’ve seen to date. But I’m just scared to email the guy  lol! Head of the BioE department at the university, the dude is. If that doesn’t work out, any other BioE related lab would suffice , so no biggie.

*Sigh… “Where the tides of war take us, no man can know…”

Yes… “Very tricky, those tides…”

BAH! I need to get better and be pumped for the final push to summer again. I need… enerigization… (haha–word coinage!)!!! Haha–at least it was after my bet with dear Squishy… or else I would be feeling faaaar worse .

<EDIT>

In response to neomage’s comment:

Thanks Shaneal, you are quite right, and I think inside, I always wanted to be an engineer… even when I didn’t know it.

I’ve always believed that everything there is to learn can be applied somewhere else, that connecting people to knowledge, and bringing knowledge to the people (albiet in a produced form) was my mission, and of course… I’ve always wanted to change the world.

This looks like it’ll be a great time–an ocean fo possibilities, and it might be the wild ride to come that I’d just been testing the waters of till now.

The world shall hear and feel the meaning Skyrien, and the Endeavour Corporation soon enough!

</EDIT>

As always, the year is beginning to get into high gear as it approaches the end, but it’s prime time for a little reflection. It’s a scary thought, about how the first year of my college experience is so close to finished. How would I define it? (and yes, I realize that it’s a NU transfer app essay which I won’t be writing )

It’s been so very much that it’s a wonder how fast the years are going by. But if there’s anything that brings me confort, it’s that since I dedicated every year has  been better than the last. Better how? I define good as being meaningful. Meaningful is defined as being memorable. And yes, the past year has been one of the most memorable years of my life. Also probably one of the best chronicled as well; with thousands of digital photos, hours of digital video, and hundreds of thousands of words (digital and on paper) of reflecting in so many
different places (and not always as myself~reflecting as Squishy or NG has been fun). But have I lived it?

I think it’s pretty self-evident that yes, my life hasn’t been a spectator sport this year, with new experiences and inner growth dominating a large portion of my memory. A dear friend says that I’ve changed… and yeah, I probably have, not quite as much as she may have feared, but enough to register though the looking glass. I’ve been very vague yes… I suppose that’s just how I write, since its mostly for myself, I don’t need to elaborate too much.

But there’s a few things that I shall bring up to point. I think I’ve become more… balanced this past year. Maybe I’m maturing (finally! ) or maybe my circumstances have become more closer to “normal”, but… things have gotten to be quite under my control..

[SHALL FINISH LATER!]

***

So for those of you who’ve been to my room, you’ve probably seen the Great Wall of Literature. And I’m proud to introduce the newest addition to the wall, The Holy Umbrella!

The quote on the bottom left: “Man has no nobler function than to defend the truth”… neither do umbrellas.

Haha—I won the umbrella at China Night here in FAR (a cultural night with free food + Kung Fu Hustle–hilarious movie!) when they asked for
the meaning of  xiè xiè But anyway… it was a test to the floor, to see how long they would let an umbrella stay up in the middle of the hallway. Some said two days, others said four. Still some said just one inebriated night will be the death of it! I said a week…

Four days so far! Going good so far!

So what’s been up lately? The typical question I ask myself when begining to reflect. Oh, a couple days ago, I was talking to Mr. Shih, and he mentioned that “Northwestern was a bit rowdy for him”–haha–and I thought ‘I wonder how he’d take a night at the U of I!’ Of course it’s not as simple as that–every school has its hot spots–but I thought it was funny nonetheless.

***
Blah, so this has been my pointless post. But I think I’m sick so it’s okay…

 

Twenty Four is such an amazing series! I don’t think any T.V. series has gripped me so strongly as this in this decade so far–in fact, I haven’t even watched a lot of TV for the last… three years?

Because it’s so good! Granted, it’s not the most realistic series in existence. But it’s fiction nature, like any good series, explores very real questions, and does it with style. The nature of morality, the duality of the value of human life, how knowledge of death changes things… and facing the grim reality when we least want to. The series isn’t “raw” (like many films/books/games that explores questions such as these), which I appreciate and I think, adds to its believability. Plus it’s sheer suspenseful force. Haha–of course, the novelty of a “real-time” series has indeed taken the backseat of all that makes 24 special.

Haha–I’m so glad I came across 24 (now have the entire first three seasons–if you want, ask ), it’s always something to do whenever there’s 44 minutes of free time. I’ve managed to convert a few into the fanship of 24, and am redoubling my efforts, but let me warn you, you MUST watch it from the beginning! Plus, the soundtrack is awesome!

Become a fan! Catch up, and join our 24 parties! You know you want to…