December 2003 Archives

Back in the United States. Wow, this day has been a long time in
coming. I got back last night absolutely exhausted, having slept only 3
and a half hours that night. I wound up going from Edmonton to
Minneapolis, Minneapolis to Detroit, and then home. They overbooked my
flight, so I figured I would let them pay me for my inconvenience. I
got a free trip anywhere in North America except Mexico. Merry
Christmas to me... I finally got back to Michigan, and had a dip in the
hot tub? Few things are that surprising to someone, and this really
caught me off guard. I do remember Dan mentioning it, vaguely, but I
had totally
forgotten about it. Pleasant surprise.
I am happy to be home, and I think I will spend the better part of
tomorrow visiting people. I am looking forward to it. That and figuring
out what virus I have installed in Windows. I had to use Knoppix
because the internet is totally useless in Windows right now. Hmmmm....
The nice thing about this computer though was that a friend of mine
installed a blacklight into it. Fun stuff. He also put a tux penguin
into it. Which reminds me -- I am compiling the 2.6.0 kernel at my
soonest opportunity. This entry couldn't be more random, so I think
I'll cut it off and come back at it tomorrow. Salut.

Since I will not be Alberto for quite a while, I figured it was fitting
for him to make a post like the one I gave Eddie on the roommate page.
It was a blast having him around, and his presence will be missed.
Anyway, here goes....
"...Hi everyone, my name is Alberto Sansores Cambranis. I am from
Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz. MEXICO. This place is located on the southeast
of my country, on the gulf of Mexico. It is a warm place with an
average temperature of around 30 celcius degrees (pretty hot, right?).
It's been a pleasure to have come to Canada, have studied at UofA and
have met many people up here. I am really going to miss being here!!!
:(
On the other hand I am happy too because I will see my family again.
You know it's hard to be far away from them but I guess it was worth
every single second I didn't see them.
On my plans there is the idea to come back to Canada to get my Master
degree and of course see again all this awesome people I am just
leaving behind. Ok, well... it was a pleasure to have written to you.
And I just want to thank Nate for all the things he did for me. You may
know that we actually spent really good time together... sometimes
having "breakfast" in the middle of the night, other days just chilling
out and some others just talking about different topics. For sure we
will stay in touch by MSN Messenger and if someday he decides to go to
Mexico we could have good time again.
See you everyone, it was a pleasure..."

Another day in Southern Alberta with the relatives. My Aunt has still
not had her baby but she is bursting at the seams, and her doctor plans
to induce on Thursday if she doesn't have the baby before then. It will
be too late for me however. I am heading back up to Edmonton at 6 AM
tomorrow morning. I made them promise they would email me some
pictures, but it isn't the same...
I am really looking forward to going back to Michigan, but I am really
dreading all of the travel time to get back. I have 6 and a half hours
on the bus tomorrow followed by umpteen hours on the plane that I am
not looking forward to. That and you have to dress carefully to make
sure that you have no metal, and all of that. I have quite a bit of
laundry and other preparation to do tomorrow to be ready for this trip.
I am connecting in Minneapolis, so I will be right by my relatives.
Not much more for news tonight. I am just relaxing my last night with
the relatives. Prettige Kerstdagen. Vaarwel.

I am now in Southern Alberta at my Aunt's house. I arrived here this
morning, actually, at 12:10 AM. The bus ride was, well, exactly what I
expected. I plowed through two motion pictures, Maid in Manhattan and
Stewart Little II. I had absolutely no choice in movies, but after
watching them (there was nothing
else), I would say that Maid was better, if only becasue it was for
adults. The only redeeming value of Stewart II was the cat, who was at
times mildly comical. I also went through a murder mystery type book,
which was oddly reminiscent of Sue Grafton's books.
I completed my exams yesterday, and while they could have gone a lot
better, there is a chance that I passed. Organic went decently only
because I committed to memory a chart of mechanisms and reagents. But I
guess it really doesn't matter now anyways, as the classes are over. I
am now on Christmas break, and I will conduct myself accordingly.
I spent the day relaxing. I went to Lethbridge with my uncle while he
picked up a digital camera. I was also infomed that the guys at the
shop had no luck unlocking my cellphone, but in the process of
attempting, they blew up the battery. Interesting. So, I am trying to
figure out where to go from here, as I really do like that cellphone.
And even if I didn't, I've not the money to replace it.
My Aunt has not yet had her baby, but she is very pregnant at
this point, so my uncle was thinking that tonight might be the night. I
really hope she has the baby before I leave. I would love to see my new
cousin before I slip down to the States. Even if I don't, it is nice to
see everyone at Christmastime, especially with all the snow on the
Rockies, etc. It is fairly warm down here as well, as they just had a
chinook. I guess Waterton had winds of over 130 kph.
I am looking forward to going back to the States on the 17th. I have so
many people to see and hang out with. I am really looking forward to
it. It has been a long time. Anyways, I think I am going to hit the
sack, and I have to fire off an email or two, so goodnight.

Dang, well, I am going to completely fail both of my finals tomorrow. I
really have very little idea of what I am doing on the questions. I can
only pray that the failing won't be so great as to make me fail the
course. Oh well, at least I get to head to Southern Alberta tomorrow to
see the relatives. With the due date tomorrow for my Aunt, I might just
have a new cousin tomorrow as well. I am really hoping I can keep
myself entertained for that long on the bus. I really hate bus rides.
Well, my brain is numb, and my thinking capacity is at the same level
as my 1 and a half year old cousin. Goodnight.

Damage Control. Never has such a seemingly innocuous phrase been so
personally applicable. I wish I could say that I have been acing all of
my classes, but if you have been reading my posts, you will find that
is far from the truth. This "learning machine" has been hemoraghing
worse than a stuck pig for the better part of 2 months. I need a
tourniquet more than Al Gore needed a personality. I am serious; it's
that bad.
Today I had stats and it was ugly. It was more rancid than a gallon of
milk three years past the expiration date. Tomorrow I have chemistry,
and needless to say, I need to do well. I especially need the self
esteem shot in the arm, it is currently at record lows, just like the
temperature here(ok, the temp's fine). No, tomorrow I will be waking up
early to practice and make sure I understand everything on the practice
final. Well, in any case, I am off to bed. Adios.

Well, my brain is just about fried today, and I am going to bed now to
preserve what's left. I am just a touch concerned about finals and they
start on Tuesday. God help me, I don't think I am ready. I played a
little bit of Frozen Throne after studying inorganic chem and
statistics. My goal tomorrow is to plow through at least two practice
tests for each and make sure I can get a decent score. Right now?
Things ain't looking too good. I think I will be waking up at 8. I have
to work tomorrow, so I realize I can't study all day, but I will go as
long as I can.
Well, in light of the fact that I desperately need sleep (or drugs --
but those are expensive and habit forming), I think I will be going to
bed now. I finally have my room they way I like it. It's great. More on
prep tomorrow. Night.

The weekend has gone by slowly but steadily. We had our Secret Santa
gift party yesterday, which was surprisingly fun. Allison has me
apparently, and got me a decorative winter bear for my room. It has the
benefit of being able to hold cards with magnetic paws, which is kind
of nice. I also bought some lights for the room and a stocking for the
door. I didn't go all out, but it is difficult to go full tilt with $5
for your decorating budget. Still, with the advent calendar, the bear
dressed in winter garb, the snowman tins, and the lights, the room is
looking festive enough anyways.
I got a haircut today that is definitely short enough so I will look
good for the Christmas holidays. It might be a bit too short, but it
was only $10. I am also looking at job opportunities
for this summer. There is a lot of stuff I could do, and not enough
stuff that I want to do. The options are plentiful and lowpaying. I
could work on a cruise line, but that would be absolutely insane. I am
not sure I could do that for four months. Going round about the
Carribean would grow tiresome after a while, or maybe it wouldn't.
Something to think about, I guess. I could always do what my old youth
pastor did, work on a fishing boat in Alaska. That would be, ahem,
interesting.
Tomorrow I am going to hit the books hard after church. I need a lot of
studying tomorrow, as it is my last day before my fist final on
Tuesday, which I need a LOT of work to prepare for yet. Statistics is
going to be brutal, and I want lots of prep before I go into it.
Needless to say, I will feel a heck of a lot better when all of this is
over and one with.
I found a verse today that might be the motto of my new website, as
soon as I decide on the domain name. It goes like so «L'homme! ses
jours sont comme l'herbe, Il fleurit comme la fleur des champs.
Lorsqu'un vent passe sur elle, elle n'est plus, Et le lieu qu'elle
occupait ne la reconnaît plus. Mais la bonté de l'Éternel dure Ã
jamais pour ceux qui le craignent, Et sa miséricorde pour les enfants
de leurs enfants » Psaumes 103:15
or As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children-
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts. Goodnight

I have been studying quite a bit for my biology lab exam tomorrow
morning. I am sure hoping it goes well. I can't really say much about
what I am doing lately, as all I have been doing is studying. The only
thing I can say is that I splurged on my first mocha in 2 ½ months
because today was the last day of classes. That's all there is. Well,
that and the darkness is messing with my cycle. I feel sleepier than I
normally would in the summer. Oh well. Goodnight.

I took the MicroEconomics final tonight and it was much harder than I
expected. I definitely did not get the grade I was hoping for, but I am
sure I passed and that is really all I care about I guess. The last day
of classes is tomorrow, but no new material is being covered. We are
just having a review of pertinent information for the exam. I am going
to be doing a lot of studying for the next two weeks. I really need to
ace these exams. The Frozen Throne is a lot more fun, but that really
isn't an option at this point. I am going to run out to Walmart
tomorrow I think to pick up some Secret Santa stuff, and a few other
essentials. What money I am going to use to buy these things I have no
idea, but I'll give 'er a shot. The team lost the dodgeball game today,
but I was participating as I had the final. Oh well, should really get
to sleep. Need to be able to think tomorrow. Äœis baldaÅ­!

Te Secret Santa program on our floor kicked off today leaving me with a
cool advent calendar and my pants down. I'll have to think of something
extra special to pull off to make up for my slow start. The trouble is,
I just have no idea what to get really... Oh well, I'll fudge something
cool together. I impressed by my Secret Santa, either they had one good
guess or they remembered something I said a month ago. Either way, they
set the bar high.
My organic chem lab final is finally over. I think I did fairly well,
and I am just hoping I pass all my classes, so I won't worry too much
about the grades, this time anyway. I am just looking forward to
Christmas break now and being done with classes for awhile. It will be
nice to have some time where I done have some odd mechanism floating
around in the back of my head. I would like to skip down to Granum for
the weekend before I leave so I can see my new cousin, but that may not
happen.
I have my lecture final for microeconomics tomorrow and my biology lab
final on Thursday and then I am done for the week. Of course, I will be
studying like a fiend for the hardest of my courses which all have
their finals the following week. I am going to hit it hard and fast and
hope that it goes well. Like I have said many times, I am hoping for a
pass mark. After that, well, I'll count my blessings. I should hit the
sack a little earlier tonight. The last few nights have been, well, way
too late. I need my rest. I can't have a massive caffeine high for a
final. Äœis la revido!

Wow, it has been such a long time since I updates and for that I am
sorry. I have intended to get to it before now, but as I am sure you
all know by now, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I
didn't get back from Safwalk til late tonight. We had no walks all
night long (went to the coffee shop, played Foosball) until 5 minutes
before shift was up, and then we get a call to walk somebody out into
the boonies. I can understand why she wanted the walk, but earlier
might have been a little nicer. Anyways, it took forever to get all the
way out there and back.
I went to the evening youth service at McKernan baptist, and it was
pretty good. It is not normally youth on Sunday night, but tonight was
the youth run the services day, so that explains that. Anyway, as
usual, I was quite happy I went. God has what I believe is a rich sense
of irony. I am consistantly amazed at his handiwork.
I was disappointed to miss out on Thanksgiving in the States, but I am
afraid it really wouldn't work out any other way. I have classes and
whatnot so I was obliged to stay here in Canada. I am very thankful to
those of you who called me to wish me a good day. Believe me, I would
quite have appreciated some turkey... As it was, I think I had some
pizza.
I saw Master and Commander last night at West Edmonton mall with Upton.
For someone who is absolutely broke, that was one expensive endeavor.
It was, admittedly, an excellent movie. But we missed the first 5
minutes of the actual movie after paying $13.95 CAD (gasp). We thought
we were ok when we got done for a bus ride back. I feel so cheated
because we missed the last bus by 8 minutes, despite the driver on the
way out telling us they ran the buses straight to 1. Yeah, so we we
were standed way out in the middle of nowhere. We hiked for a ways and
stopped at a gas station where some nice ladies tried to tell us the
quickest way to get to the university. After an awkward 45 minutes in a
gas station we got a cab to the university, or close to it. That was so
expensive, I had him drop us off 1.5 km from our place. We hoofed it
back and were back inside about quarter after two. Next time I think I
will stick to matinee showings when I know what the price is and how
exactly I am getting back.
Very late now. goede nacht