My New Spring Break

Last week I had my first Spring Break as a faculty member instead of a student. It was quite a different experience.

Before you decide that this is going to be a rant about how busy I was, I did have some good fun over the break. In fact, once I'm out of grad school, I think my Spring Break will be a great week to relax and get ahead for classes. So, hopefully in 2013 I'll be basking in the sweet rays of the sun from my TV screen in the living room (I hate real heat, so a Florida beach isn't so high on my dream destination list).

I was able to get a lot of time spent on my grad school drawing class which in turn let me spend more time with my wonderful wife in the evenings, that was definitely nice. I also privileged to eat lunch with friends two days in a row, watch True Grit, spend a whole weekday with my wife, and we went out Saturday with my parents to Jungle Jim's, a huge grocery store with exotic international foods.

I basically caught myself up on grading and by then end of Sunday had enough ready to teach the next day. These things combined with getting more sleep than usual made this Spring Break a pretty good week.

I would have liked to work a little more ahead, but beggars can't be choosers. Oh yes, I did get to play 1.5 hours of Mario Galaxy 2 which was one of my goals I included in my last post.

Now it is pretty much a streamline for the finish. Just a few weeks left to get everything done before the end of the semester. Then on to my first new summer!

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You have a reputation for being straightforward and honest.

Learn Chinese: Birhday = Sheng-dan-jie
Lucky numbers (Lotto): 34-35-31-53-21-25
Daily numbers (Pick3): 695
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timewarp

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Sorry Blogger.....

Under Construction

Ok...so after a failed year of blogging about my professorship adventures. I think I need a better topic.

Now, I'm not saying that I have nothing to write about my professorship journey, time is just spread out between super exciting things. Also, as you can note from my previous posts I am pretty busy and don't have an abundance of free time to have big adventures just yet.

I feel that I not only survived my first year, but that I may have spread at least a bit of knowledge out among the young, hungry minds that were placed before me. Will next year be different? Why of course! Every year is different (hopefully not in the spreading knowledge department). I've already been working on some of the ugly stepchild weeks of the year to adjust them to hopefully work better in the next run.

I'm making friends, learning how to fill out academia forms, working on making the better quiz, and stretching myself past where I was on August 24th, 2010. I'm super excited for next year and even the new classes I'll be teaching each semester.

I do have a fun idea that I really think will work for this blog and may possibly be of some use for my students and peers as well. If any of you know Joren, he beat me to my punch a bit, but, I'll have some different stuff to share.

I think I'll still post some Transformers quote or Chinese pithy fortune just because it's fun and maybe different to some degree. Here's to the future!

How awesome is this fortune that I drew...after the 10th refresh :)

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Bad luck and misfortune will infest your pathetic soul for all eternity.



Learn Chinese: Bank = Yin Hang
Lucky numbers (Lotto): 01-05-17
Daily numbers (Pick3): 582
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Because I can, because I must ...

I have given myself an ultimatum to consistently update this blog. Consistent means just that: Reliable; steady. I'm going to try and update at least every other week. That will give my steady readers something they can look forward to and I should have at least something interesting happen to me every two weeks.

So, what is interesting now? On my drive up today I won tickets for an advanced screening of Rango and some Skyline gift cards. How awesome is that!

I'll have to give a review to my 3D class this Wednesday.

Next week is Spring Break and I am extremely excited to catch up on grading and my grad school work. I also want to play some Mario Galaxy 2, but we'll see.

I've heard from all the other faculty that after Spring Break that class flies by at a blinding pace. That scares me, because it already seems to have done that so far this year.

To infinity and beyond!

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You will be rewarded for your patience and understanding.
Learn Chinese: West = xī
Lucky numbers (Lotto): 39-7-17-18-41-24
Daily numbers (Pick3): 657
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Does Vacation Mean More Work?

Yes it does.

I just spent the weekend in Nashville and had a great time with the wife, parents, and some extended family. It was pretty relaxing, I feel like I ate a herd of animals, and I got a decent amount of sleep.

Now it is back to reality.

It's Sunday night and I have to prepare for tomorrow. I've had my coffee, I've got some Hammock waves rising from my laptop speakers, and I'm Powerpointing with a vengeance (except for the moment I'm taking here).

So, the question is, was having a day and a half of vacation with being able to do little to no work worth it? Yes it was.

I realized that almost having a mental collapse last week with my midpoint review looming in the near future and having classes to start from scratch again, that I need a day or two of reprieve every so often. Even though I am a bit stressed about getting things done, I feel quite good about my weekend of recuperation.

I think I will be taking another break/quick catch-up in two weeks when my friend visits from Texas. But I haven't seen him in like 2 years, so again, totally worth any last minute frenzy for the day or so of great fun and conversation.

Feel the same or different? Let me know? I love to know what other people are thinking.

I also came across this idea for my next post finalizer.
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Rest is a good thing, but boredom is its brother.
Learn Chinese: Very busy = Hun-maon
Lucky numbers (Lotto): 10-11-24-33-47-42
Daily numbers (Pick3): 128

I'm Back?

Well, needless to say. Life became a bit hectic last semester and I drifted away in to the abyss of extreme distractedness by things like work, school, and life in general.

I am going to try to stay on top of this whole writing thing better this semester.

The first week was a complete sprint to the finish. I got along better psychologically than last semester, but I was still just as busy, actually, probably more busy!

I have three classes, three practicumites, and an independent study for this semester. I was going to be presenting my midpoint review for grad school this semester as well, but I almost had a nervous breakdown when I found out I had to turn everything in by February 4th. However, after talking with the Director of Animation & VFX I felt a lot better. He said I could still go this semester and be fine, but I opted for Summer so I could have a more developed (and hopefully impressive) presentation instead of something I shot out of my behind at the last second. *sorry if that comment offends anyone, but it made me smile

Snow happened, and I was stranded at a fellow faculty's house last night. I'm really thankful that there are such awesome people around me that I get to work with. Thanks so, so much Mr. and Mrs. B. You totally rock.

Wife is home. Time to go eat pizza before I waste away to nothing....

I'm going to think of something else other than quotes this semester, but later.