| Update |
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| 11:28am 08/01/2008 |
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I now have an RSS feed that you can all just add to your friends list instead of visiting my site everyday (because I know you all are...)
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/syndicated.gif) functionofx
Enjoy. |
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| A fond farewell |
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| 04:21pm 27/12/2007 |
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Well, in case you haven't noticed, activity in this journal has fallen to a near standstill. I guess I just don't feel the need to document my life like I used to. I also don't really have a consistent amount of free time to dedicate to writing about whatever comes into my mind. Plus, like all of my previous projects, I eventually just lose interest and move on.
So, here ends my relationship with livejournal. I'll still log in from time to time to keep up with the communities of which I'm a member. And I'll leave this journal to sit dormant as a memory of the last 5 years of my life. Maybe when I'm 30 I'll come back and read about what I did as a dumb teenager.
But with the end of one project always comes the beginning of another. So, in the comedic tradition of sites like xkcd and indexed, I'm starting a little comic site of my own:
Function of (X)
It's actually something I've been contemplating doing for a few months, and now that I have a month off I'm going to try to put whatever time and effort I can into getting it off the ground. If you enjoyed my postings over the last few years, you'll probably enjoy Function of (X). So do check it out, and if you enjoy it, tell a friend.
Ciao! |
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| What's a word for less than shameless? |
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| 12:04am 31/10/2007 |
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Oh hey I'm posting again for the first time in a month or two, it must mean I'm jonesin' for some promotin'! (damn, such an almost rhyme)
PROMOTION:
westside-calendar.mit.edu
The Wild Women of the West calendar was started in September 2007 by a group of MIT seniors. Our goal was to create a calendar of hot babes to be enjoyed by all, while also honoring the memory of our friend James Albrecht. James, a wonderfully happy, joyful, and engaging person, passed away this summer before his senior year. His life meant a great deal to so many people at MIT, and we wanted to do our small part to thank him.
All of the proceeds from the calendar will go towards the James Albrecht Memorial Scholarship fund. James would have loved the idea of a bunch of girls in posing sexily for him. The calendar consists of twelve months of gorgeous girls from all over west campus. Many of the shots proudly display symbols of MIT, from constantly studying to places we walk by daily. We hope you enjoy looking at your calendar as much as we enjoyed making it.
BUY BUY BUY! |
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| Not Constantinople |
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| 08:32pm 09/10/2007 |
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What an amazing weekend...
At 2 this morning I was sipping beer on the Bosphorous with my new found friends
At 11 I was eating lunch in a coffeehouse in Amsterdam
And now I'm having dinner with Allie in Boston.
Not too long ago I said that this was the coolest thing I'd ever done. After this weekend, it's not even close.
More later, with visuals. |
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| Hey look, I'm the media! |
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| 11:08am 25/09/2007 |
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mood:  Dumbfounded
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Well at first I felt I had some sort of obligation to check in on the whole 'Lite-Brite Part 2: The Vengeance' thing that happened the other day, but then I found this, and it basically summed up everything I wanted to convey in a much better manner...
In short, my actual feelings: Star fucked up, the police fucked up, the media is completely retarded. Stop watching the news and learn to write your name in LEDs. |
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| If only I went to Harvard.... |
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| 12:57am 20/09/2007 |
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Well, I have no actual evidence, but for now I'm just going to pretend I'm related to this guy.
It's possible.
On a related note, I now know why there are so many Dudley Streets and Dudley Squares in the Boston area. |
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| Fall Semester: A first impression |
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| 01:58pm 11/09/2007 |
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mood:  optimistic music: "Theme for Lester Young" by Charles Mingus
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For the first time in a while, probably the first time since freshman year, I feel like I'm going into a semester on the right foot. I'm rested, I'm organized, and - most importantly - I'm motivated. Hopefully I can stay on track, because I'm taking more units this semester than I've ever taken before, and I can't afford to drop any classes.
The breakdown:
11.001 - Intro to Urban Design & Development: I started this class last fall but dropped it to focus more on studio. I'm not taking a studio this year, so I should be able to push through it. It's a lot of reading, a little bit of writing, and the rest is class discussion. I've got a nice head start on this class because I've taken the first 3 weeks before (I can slack on the readings, and I've already written the first paper). The professor who usually teaches this course (Susan Silberberg) is on leave, so it's being lead by the old TA. It's a little more laid back that way, which I like.
11.002 - Making Public Policy: Counts as a HASS-D and CI-H (for non-MIT folk: Humanities Distribution elective and also Communication Intensive), neither of which I need. I have to take this class to finish my minor in Urban Planning. The class is much bigger than I was expecting, and there are a ton of bright-eyed and bushy tailed freshmen trying to get their Institute Requirements out of the way early. Even though I'm excited about the subject matter (it's basically a current evens class with some political science context), this is probably going to be my grunt-class. It's also attendance mandatory.
11.188 - Urban Planning & Social Science Lab: Counts for my minor as well as my Lab requirement. I haven't really been able to get an impression of this class yet. We've only had 1 lecture and 1 lab, both of which were very introductory. I'm happy about getting to make maps for a grade, though.
4.353 - Advanced Video: I love classes that you can repeat for credit. The professor (Joe Gibbons) and TA (Edgar Pedroza / Gary Prado) are the same, but this year the class actually has structure. We're going to be focusing on documentaries and cinema verite, which is a nice change from the "make your own course" format we had in the spring.
4.170 - International Design Workshop: Turkey: This is probably going to be the coolest, most important, most stressful, and most time consuming class I ever take. I posted the synopsis the other day, so I won't go into too much detail. Basically, there are 4 of us (down from 7) working as assistants to Jan Wampler. He's been commissioned to build a large project in Resadiye (pronounced Ruh-shaw-dee-uh, I think), Turkey. So basically I'm going to be helping design something that is actually built, which will look awesome on any grad school application. Also I get to go to Turkey. Twice. For free.
So there you have it. 5 Full courses. The cons: 60 units is going to kill me. The pros: I finish my minor. I have Fridays off. And I get to travel the globe on MIT's dollar.
I also got hired as a shop monitor for the woodshop, at a cool $15 and hour. So I won't be as poor this semester as I was last fall. |
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| Awesomeness |
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| 12:56pm 05/09/2007 |
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mood:  good
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I might be taking this class (if I can get into it):
4.170
International Workshop: Turkey
This International Workshop is to assist in designing a project in Resadiye, Turkey, which is in the middle of Turkey near the Black Sea. The design project is in a small town and the program includes the following uses. They would like to have a design to build 80 units of housing, shops, workshops for local trades, cinema, cafeteria, library, health facilities and 12 guest units. It is a large project and they hope to make as a center of the town.
We will first try to learn as much as possible about Turkey, Resadiye, site and program and then have a field trip in late September or early October for a long weekend paid for by the client. After coming back to MIT, we will start the design process ending with a set of preliminary drawings and model of the project. Students will be asked to help in the design process by developing parts of the design and all will work on the final presentation.
A second trip is planned later in the semester (the date is not yet set) to present the project to the town and client.
It's limited to 5 students, so hopefully it's not overenrolled. If I can get past the lottery, this could be the coolest class ever. Hell, I get to travel to Turkey! For free!
So far I haven't been to a class yet, even though it's the first day of classes. My first (and only) class today is at 2. The obligatory "heres what I'm taking and here's what I think of it so far" entry will come around on Friday.
In other news, I didn't get hired as a blogger because there's a rule against more than 3 bloggers living in the same dorm, and way way too many people live in my dorm. According to the guy I talked to (benjones), they hired a kid from BC last year and made him wait a year to start blogging because there were already 3 Burton Conner people. Of course, they all lived on the same floor (Conner 2), and the new kid lives on Conner 4. We have no Burton Side representation! I cry favoritism.
jay-kay. |
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| Trip Log: Part 1 |
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| 04:11pm 31/08/2007 |
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Here are the first 8 days (of 12) of my trip journal from last week. I'm working on turning this into a webpage with all kinds of pretty formatting and visual accompaniment, but that's going to take a while and I really just feel like publishing it.
( Behind a cut, so I don't kill your friends' page ) |
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| I can't wait until classes start so I'll have more free time |
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| 11:11am 31/08/2007 |
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Well, rush is over. We got a great group of 14 freshmen, and now that we're no longer spending every waking hour trying to meet them, talk to them, impress them, cook for them, we get to spend every waking hour welcoming our new friends into our strange and cultish little world.
Unfortunately, I have a lot to get done besides make 14 new bestest friends. I'm still working on getting my photos and log from last week online. I really really need to turn in that blogger application today. I should also get my room organized a bit.
I'll work on a more interesting entry for tomorrow. |
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| Home again... |
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| 12:31pm 26/08/2007 |
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Today I swam in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Probably the coolest thing I've ever done.
Details, photos, and a very long trip journal coming soon... |
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| Concert Report from Lazytown |
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| 04:00pm 10/08/2007 |
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mood:  full music: "In which our hero finds a faithful sidekick" by Dntel
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Yesterday, Allie Abbey and I ventured to the land of $8 Bud Lights (AKA The Tweeter Center) to see Warped Tour. I had a much better time than I expected to have (Honestly, I only went because Allie & Abbey needed a ride and I was somewhat excited at the prospect of seeing Coheed & Cambria). I took about 120 pictures, and was going to make a very long photo post, but I'm very very tired right now. Expect a possible post in the near future, like later today.
Went out to lunch with Allie, Colleen & Noah today. We went to Tremont 647. It's restaurant week, so they had a limited prix fix menu. I had a Duck Confit Quesadilla appetizer, Prime Rib w/ Fries and bleu cheese entree, and chocolate pudding cake for desert. I think decadent is the best way to describe it. It was a good deal too...yay restaurant week.
Allie's mom and friends are here this weekend. I'm sure I'll have plenty to write about on Monday (and I mean that in the best way possible, because I like Allie's mom). Then I'm off to New Mexico for 10 or so days.
So far August has not been awakening. |
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| Good Morning |
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| 09:08am 09/08/2007 |
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mood:  awake
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Of course, my first day of vacation and I'm wide awake at 8am. Doesn't it always seem to work out that way? You curse the alarm for waking you up, but turn the alarm off and you're up at the same time anyway. I blame Pavlov.
Anyway, this is great.
ps - Why does the "awake" mood face look so sleepy? Maybe he forgot to set his alarm clock... |
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| I wonder if I qualify for unemployment... |
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| 06:52pm 08/08/2007 |
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I'm done with my job!
I just realized I never actually talked about my job here. Now that it's done, let's reflect.
This summer I worked for Wendy Jacob in the Visual Arts Program. My job was two-fold:
1) Update the design for, and build "Squeeze Cubes", which are big comfy armchairs that contain inflatable bags and pneumatic pumps that 'hug' the user. They were originally developed to comfort autistic children, but we made 3 sizes so they can accommodate pretty much anyone.
2) Design and rig 2 tightropes on campus. This was the part I was pretty psyched about. Wendy has a gallery installation opening on campus in late September that consists of 2 tightropes - one strung down a hallway at about 12" high for the general public to walk on, and one that spans between the gallery and the library stacks (about a 10 foot span across an 18 foot high gap) for a professional tightrope walker to cross. I even got to work with a rigger and walker from the Montreal Circus.
The nicest part about my job is that it totally catered to my short attention span. Not only was I bouncing between 2 projects, but for each project I was bouncing between design and fabrication. And even those were divided into modelmaking, CAD, woodwork, rapid prototyping, metal fab, and fabrics. Basically, every day was completely different from the day before.
In case you missed it, I wanted to draw special attention to the fact that my boss has an article on wikipedia. How many people can say that? I'm still seriously impressed by that fact.
Speaking of wikipedia, I was reading the article on red hair (I like to rifle through wikipedia when I get bored. It's more educational than youtube...) and I found an interesting bit of trivia:
In people with red hair, the cells that produce skin and hair pigment have a dysfunctional MC1R. Researchers have found that this dysfunction triggers the release of more of the hormone that stimulates these histonal cells, but this hormone also stimulates a brain receptor related to pain sensitivity.[24][25]
Researchers have found that redheads require greater amounts of anesthesia, but other research shows that women with naturally red hair require less of the painkiller pentazocine than do either women of other hair colors or men of any hair color. A study showed redheaded women had a greater analgesic response to that particular pain medication than men.[28] A follow-up study by the same group showed that redheaded men and women (and mutant "redhead" mice) had a greater analgesic response to morphine-6-glucuronide.[27]
My first semester at Middlesex, my english teacher told me the part about the anesthesia. He said he read it somewhere, but since he never backed it up with anything, I never really believed him. Of course, that didn't stop my friend Allison from pinching, poking, and punching (alliteration: 5 points) me for the rest of the semester because, according to her, it would hurt me more than it would hurt other people.
Looking back, I'm pretty sure that was her way of flirting. |
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| A little late-summer nostalgia |
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| 08:47pm 06/08/2007 |
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I was thinking about a poem I wrote a while ago, in this entry. As true as that may prove in the long run, the first week of the last month of summer has actually been one of my most active. I've been out almost every day / night. Of course, most of my new found social life is due to the fact that Allie is now 21 and has been dragging me out to bars at every possible moment.
I was going to post a bunch of photos of Allie's birthday / Allie's birthday aftermath, but I didn't take that many good photos. The good ones are on facebook, for those of you who are my friend.
Speaking of pictures, I ran across this entry, and realized I never actually took any photos of the skyline from my old room. I finally got a camera, but I don't live there anymore. My view is still nice, but it's obstructed by a few trees and faces the opposite direction (towards BU instead of towards Downtown). Last night, though, I finally went out and took some photos of the skyline. They're not quite as stunning as the visual I described in my February post - I think the angle of the sun in the winter is better aligned with the buildings - but a few of them came out nice enough to publicize.
( pics )
Also, I stumbled across perhaps the most hilariously-named beer I've ever seen (and I've seen some great names for beers) at Kappy's the other week.
It doesn't taste that good (pretty comparable to Budweiser), but it's been the source of endless jokes for the last week.
In other news, I haven't been running in a really long time. I think I'll go now... |
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| Time to breathe life back into my life |
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| 03:36pm 03/08/2007 |
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mood:  prolific
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I'm considering applying for a position as an MIT blogger. They say they're looking to hire almost exclusively freshmen, but I think I've got as good a shot as any upperclassmen. There's only one other '08, and no Architecture majors, so at least I've got unique points.
The biggest part of the application is a writing sample, AKA this journal. I think I've got enough to show that I'm a decent writer, and I'd like to think I'm somewhat witty and interesting, but in the last few months I've been severely lacking in the quantity department.
The application is due at the end of August, so my goal is to write here as much as I can. Hopefully I can get a worthy entry in at least every other day without sounding hackneyed or forced.
I could always use some inspiration, though. So if you have something you want me to write about, or a nagging question you've been wanting to ask me but never had the opportunity, now's the time. |
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| 09:22am 19/07/2007 |
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Yesterday I bought a 2GB memory card for my camera, because I thought it would come in handy next time I needed to take 3,200 photos all at once. The crazy part: it was only $25. The last SD card I bought was 64MB and it cost me almost $60.
And if that wasn't enough to make me feel old, my camera now has twice as much memory as my first desktop computer.
In other technology related events, my suite is slowly being choked by computers. We're approaching 30 machines, about 20 of which are currently running and online. Our bathroom has a music server. It's awesome. |
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| I'm pretty sure I've said this before about video, but... |
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| 04:47pm 17/07/2007 |
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If this architecture thing ever falls through, I could imagine myself being a pretty good carpenter.
Maybe I'll just drop out of school and link all my hobbies together into an endless carousel of freelancing. At least then I could keep the ADD monster at bay.
In other news, I really like my job, because it's basically what I just described. Today I did a little metalworking, a little carpentry, a little sculpture, and a little CAD. How awesome is that? |
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| Wit goes here |
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| 09:15am 13/07/2007 |
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It's my half birthday. That seems as good a reason to get wasted tonight as any...
I expect a present from every two of you. |
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iamtimslife's journal