J . M A I L

But it's a dry cold.

I thought I would take a few minutes on a lazy Friday afternoon to update my blog without any real objective or goal. So where do I start… I am settling into my new life here in a new city. My classes are going well, I have submitted assignments in both classes so far. I realized just yesterday that maybe my marks don’t matter so any more. Marks probably will help when I apply for scholarships but to be honest I am unlikely to get low marks in a grad school class, and to be even more blunt, being an opinionated native English speaker in a computer science grad class tends mean I will do well marks wise.

Some thoughts that I have had this week:

• Everyone is too uptight when it comes to citations and rewording things from other authors. I was reading Gladwell’s new book and got to to thinking about the topic. I realized how often, when citing other people. I feel that they first author to say something often says it best and changing a sentence just to change it is often pretty silly.
• I looked up some people on Facebook today that I hadn’t in a while and I think I feel good that they are doing well. What good would someone else’s unhappiness do me? If anything, other people having a good life gives me/us all hope that everyone can have a good life.
• I am down to one pair of jeans and so I will likely go get another pair this weekend. I get the feeling my parents will pay for them and that feels weird. Not that they never give me money but that they seem much more willing now that I am living back at home. I guess I am actually costing them less by living at home than I did while I was living in Guelph.
• I am trying to decide what I am looking forward to these days. If I get Lasik eye surgery this month (I have an appointment, just waiting for some government money to come in) then I don’t know what I will set my sights (no pun intended) on next. I think I am generally happier when I am waiting for something in the future to happen. The only other thing I am really looking forward to is getting a window cubicle in my research lab, it’s really pretty when the sun is setting.
• I have been thinking about girls, as I often do, and I have mixed feelings. Is there any rush now that I am in the next stage of my life to meet someone? I forget what that that falling in love elation feels like and it much harder to miss something I don’t remember. Maybe life is just simpler on my own.
• I want to get bigger again but I find my will power lacking a bit compared to the past. I get a lot of satisfaction from the results of going to the gym but that satisfaction is not producing more motivation for me right now.
• I much prefer Calgary weather to Guelph weather. This dry air, while the cause of some problems, makes leaving the house every morning much nicer.

I also want to say, to my friends who have having relationship problems right now (you know who are you), things will get better with time, you guys are all pretty awesome, and I have no doubt at all that things will get better for you before you know it.

e-hug,

J

Microupdate

Haven’t posted much new content lately. I still plan to post about Outliers. Currently 1/3 of the way through Freakanomics. It is good thus far but I prefer the similar style that Gladwell uses. I have some stuff I want to get my focus back on: completing drawn panels for a book, practicing guitar, and most importantly making consistent progress on my thesis. If anyone knows a good automated way to figure out user intention when provided a short text input please let me know!

I don’t think I should start any new books until I finish the ones I have now. Been thinking more about a sell-able product idea. I have also been over thinking bikes I want but don’t need and more importantly can’t afford. Respaced and flipped my stem on my mountain bike yesterday. Been practicing mediation a tiny bit everyday.