I've got what could possibly be considered the biggest test I'll ever write on Saturday. I've also got a lot of material to cover & remind myself of before then, so it's not likely that I'll be doing any writing any time soon. But before I take this short break, let me just say...
Sunday was a crazy study day where I not only covered the material from five courses, I also cooked my self some KICK-ASS gumbo and cleaned the kitchen. I managed to rope my two roommates into following a cleaning schedule, with a $2 fine per week if they don't do their job. It turns out I'm good at organizing people! Sounds like it was a busy day? It was, but I actually *enjoyed* studying. Now I remember why I took Engineering in the first place. It was a relief to be doing something engineering related and actually be happy to do it. It's made me think about going into research at some point. I could probably be quite content there -- after a few years of traveling and adventure first!
Over the course of the last few weeks, I've also come to notice that engineering really does make me write less. I'm far more creative when I'm not thinking analytically or logically. I can let my mind make intuitive leaps, and the limits are only imposed by my imagination. And I'm not distracted with learning and understanding the material I've been reading.
I'm noticing that the weather I see looking out my office window is a wee bit different from Environment Canada's current conditions website. I don't the thick flakes blocking the view of the other office towers "light" and the wind that's blowing it almost horizontal is definitely faster than 11km/hr.
But maybe that's just because I'm way up on the fourth floor. *shrug*
I love almonds. I like them as a plain nut, or in trail mix. I love the flavour they give to so many delicious treats, deserts, coffee flavouring and meals. I love almond-flavoured liqueurs like Amaretto. In fact, I love almonds so much I'm going to have to stop writing about them, because I've just finished eating the last one.
Instead, I'll post this link to a website all about almonds, where you can read about how the almond grows and is harvested. Having spent my whole life in these northern climes, I'm unaccustomed to fruit gardens or any produce that has a growing season of longer than three months. Interesting bit of information, if you're interested in that kind of thing.
It starts today. I woke up to a world of white. I could hear the cars on the street driving trhough water, but I didn't realize until I looked out the window that so much snow had fallen. It's heavy snow, small flakes, so the fact the the tree s are covered with four or five centimeters is impressive.
At the same time as I mourn the passing of warmer days, I look forward to the ski season ahead. It's my goal to be very involved with skiing this winter, as long as my body and my bank account can keep up. Unfortunately, this means a period of waiting until the hills have enough of a base to open. I'm told the busiest weekend at Snow Valley, the small hill in town, is the Rememberance Day holiday at the beginning of November. Most mountain resorts open at the begnning of November, so it's a short wait. EEE!! I can't wait!
No, not a quiz! A survey about the internet. As part of the IEEE Society for Technology and Society (or something along those lines), I was invited to share my opinions and predictions on the future of the internet over the course of the next ten years. It was set up so that you could agree with, disagree with, or challenge a statement. Here are two examples, and my responses (because I think they're important and interesting issues).
Prediction on social networks
By 2014 use of the internet will increase the size of people's social networks far beyond what has traditionally been the case. This will enhance trust in society, as people have a wider range of sources from which to discover and verify information about job opportunities, personal services, common interests, and products.
I challenge the prediction:
"...enhance trust in society..."
It will enhance trust in certain individuals in society who can produce the appropriate credentials, but society in general will be less ready to trust unless adequate information can be produced. Trust in people's own social network will be increased, whereas outsiders will have to work harder to gain an individual's confidence.
Prediction on formal education
Enabled by information technologies, the pace of learning in the next decade will increasingly be set by student choices. In ten years, most students will spend at least part of their "school days" in virtual classes, grouped online with others who share their interests, mastery, and skills.
I agree.
The traditional role of teacher will be diminished as students find peers and other authority figures from which learning can be done. The down side of this is that traditional training for teachers will be inadequate to deal with this kind of classroom, or how to exploit this kind of
learning/teaching dynamic. Only a small portion of "school time" will be devoted to this learning environment, as it has traditionally been viewed as "extra curricular." Little value can be placed on the knowledge and skills attained with this learning because there exist no standard measure of what students learn and apply outside the traditional classroom. There is potential for growth within the area of formal education, but little initiative or consensus on how to implement it.
When considering education I like to branch away from internet also consider technology as a whole. I also believe that schools probably won't keep up with technology mainly because of the way we think of this "institution." School should be a dynamic learning place but (like engineering) many of the types who are involved in school administration are rigid in both their
teaching and learning styles and their seats of power. They are unwilling to bend to an external force such as the internet to replace the traditional teacher, even though students and society could both benefit from it, if taught" properly.
Similarly, with medicine, people tend to think that the more we spend on medical technology, the healthier we will be, which is a fallacy. If we were better educated in health-related issues, if consumers were forced to make healthy choices, and if medical (and pharmaceutical) corporations were more interested in the human/health benefit of medical technology as opposed to just making a buck, I think we'd be much better off as a society. When it comes to social programs, there is little room for privatized and capitalism if we want a system that works. But then again, this survey was about the internet specifically and not technology in general.
I saw an NHL classic game from 1986 while working out at the gym the other day. The playing was interesting enough (as long as I had my music in my ears), but there were two things that struck me and made the game stand out in my mind. At first I couldn't quite place it, but then I noticed that the boards around the ice were completely white. There was no advertising on the boards; the ice was free from logos. 1986 wasn't that long ago (although I guess twenty years is significant when it comes to technology) - these were the days of glory for players as familiar as Gretzky, Coffey, Roy and Messier - but media and advertising has become significantly more pervasive, invasive, and ubiquitous. It has infiltrated our everyday lives so much in the past twenty years that it seems anywhere you look is a possible advertising space. Very little space is sacred - even parks and churches are guilty of this in one form or another.
This brings me to the second think that I noticed - graphics. The sharp contrast between CTV's 1986 graphics that showed game stats (mostly I just caught the score) and today's high-tech sleek technology-enhanced images was laughable. The images I thought looked advanced as a child look ridiculously bland against today's standards. And they are only going to progress, so that today's children will laugh when they see how primitive today's websites, animation and television used to look.
As the images we see surrounding us everyday become more complex and more abundant, I have to wonder what kind of coping mechanism we will have as humans to deal with this invasion of space with more complexities. It fascinates me, as it repels me. I am already sold on the idea of this progression, as I am appalled at the direction our culture is taking and the headstrong, unquestioningly fast pace at which it is going.
How is it possible that three days went by and I managed to accomplish so little? And yet, I was busy beyond belief so that I barely feel rested at the beginning of the new week.
Friday was Paul's stag, where we didn't get him nearly drunk enough. But the minigolf/hockey game was much more fun with beer involved. The rules broke down quickly enough but everyone was having a good time.
Saturday I managed to sleep in until 10am (after a few early glances at the clock), get to the gym before noon, see Kris at the U for all of 10 minutes before heading back home with text in hand, and help Brie clean behind the stove. I studied, I cleaned my room, we planned a great dinner and even though Regan bailed, we had a nice time. We drank the rest of the wine and beer in the house so that by the time Ian stopped by we were pretty tipsy. Ian and I headed to the Backdraft (which used to be the sleazy Nations Pub) to watch some friends of his funk off. The music was groovy, and the crowd was young and fun.
Shaju and I headed to West Ed to find me a new top or outfit and him a new tie. He bought my favorite tie in the whole store, and I even managed to sell it to the other customer. It's good to know that if Engineering doesn't work out for me, I can always try sales. Paul and Viv's wedding was beautiful, complete with a Kazoo choir singing "Here Comes the Bride" as Viv walked down the aisle. Beautiful flowers, clothes, etc. They had a game show before the dinner and a pinata halfway through the night. I'm so glad I could be there for such a beautiful celebration.
Because the wedding was such a great party, I spent most of the next day napping and getting the laptop working. I hope the Thinkpad will work well for the writing course I'm hoping to take in November. I love the feel of a laptop keyboard!
Jamie and Ryan invited me over for a Thanksgiving dinner last night. Carving the turkey was an adventure as nobody had ever done it - or even seen it done! I was very impressed with Jamie's meal and grateful that they had invited me. Finally, my brother and I can get along well enough to spend an evening together!
I'd like to thank both Keith and ABB for providing the use of the sexy coffee mug I'm using to warm myself right now. A thanks out to my employer, EPCOR Technical Services for providing the hot chocolate in the formentioned mug, the seat on which my comfy ass is now resting and the computer from which I am writing this post.
Warm mornings like today are often rare in a climate where winter threatens to overtake you in any given month. That's why the past week and a half have been so wonderful! The colours of the leaves in the river valley and the dusty smell in the air give a pleasant feel to my rollerblade trip home. If it doesn't rain today, I plan to go into the river valley paths to take some pictures before this beauty is gone for another year. The strong winds haven't helped, but thankfully many leaves are holding on thanks to the increase in rain fall this summer.
It's also the time of year where the sun rises and sets when I can be outside to see it. The trip to work is made into a breathtaking experience. This morning's was exceptionally beautiful with bright pink and orange clouds reflecting the morning brilliance against a sky the perfect shade of blue.
Soon though, it will be dark when I get to work and dark when I leave. I hope for many cloudless days this winter so I can at least see the stars as I commute.
This post has been prompted by a somewhat disturbing observation on my greyhound trip from Calgary, where in the ten minutes sitting in the terminal before departure, I witnessed accounts of rude selfishness and racial intolerance.
It was a full bus, and most people sat next to a stranger. I was astonished to see that even with a full bus, one passenger was trying to secure both seats to herself by placing belongings on the seat next to her. When asked to move her belongings by another other passenger, who was already at the disadvantage of trying to find an available seat, she had the audacity to respond, "You can sit here, but I'm going to be getting up often to go to the bathroom. I just thought I'd let you know, in case that's not alright." How is anyone supposed to respond to that!?? "Oh, I guess I'll let you have the inside seat because you were here first, and even if I'm not okay with it, there aren't any more seats. I suppose I could always sit on the floor." This woman knew she'd be getting up often, and yet decided to inconvenience someone else for her own selfish preference for the window seat. How rude.
In some cases, late boarders were forced to sit apart, which happened to the two older Chinese ladies just behind me. They each took an aisle seat, one behind the other. The older woman in front of them asked the bus driver if all the seats were taken and scowled when he answered, "Yes." I found it ironic that she spent the trip reading a religious newspaper/publication but when the women were talking a little on the loud side in Chinese, she repeatedly turned around, scowling. I found these actions to be an interesting juxtaposition. It's true, the women were a bit louder than tact may have called for, but once the bus was outside the city, they were silent.
I'd like to point out that in general, I'm a laid-back individual. This wasn't always the case, and sometimes I can get stressed out and revert to my old high-strung ways, but this is fairly infrequent. I like to think of myself as both tolerant and accepting of things that are different from my personal experience or viewpoints. If everyone were a bit more accepting and tolerant, I think amazing things could happen.
I've come to a point, however, where I can't decide how to react to this kind of behaviour. What should I do when people express narrow-minded, rude, intolerant prejudices that make them behave like an ass? Do I interfere to point out their unnecessary rudeness or that there is little point to getting worked up over such a trivial issue? Is there a way to open my mouth without becoming just like them? It's a fine line, and the only solution I've come up with is to lead by example. Unfortunately, this usually goes unnoticed by the people who need the example, since it involves non-interference. I wouldn't have changed so much if nobody had pointed out these things to me, but I have yet to develop a way of raising awareness without appearing to be a hypocrite.
