I continue to find the sys eng lectures significantly better than the readings, and am impressed by Professor Frey's continuous attempts the tailor the content to the software folks. On Thursday, we are going to look at software testing, very cool. Today's lecture was definitely interesting, if only because it contained a baseball analogy.
Phew....don't need to brief MITRE, just the architecture council.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Monday, July 18, 2005
One slice bread, one tablespoon peanut butter, cocoa pebbles
That's all I've had to eat since Friday morning that has stayed down. Actually, I just had two butter cookies that are doing okay. How come when you can't eat right you feel so bad? I definitely have enough pudge stored up to feed my bod for a few days. I don't get it. Why wouldn't the body metabolize fat to fight feelings of dizziness? (Not a rehtorical question, I really am wondering)
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Rant: Worst reading quiz ever
Okay, warning: I am grumpy as hell. I haven't been able to keep food down for over 50 hours now, so am definitely not chipper, compounded by my mourning.
Anyway, this is the worst, dumbest reading quiz ever. It's so frustrating!!! When I think about systems engineering, I think of a set of accepted tenets which clear the way for effective analysis, design, and implementation of a range of systems. The papers we have read for this class have repeatedly fallen well outside this definition. I have tried to google for many phrases contained in these papers and come up with NOTHING.
For example, this week's paper is on isoperformance approach, specifically performance invariant sets. Go try googling "performance invariant set." C'mon, get outta here and google it. As usual, nothing but academic papers, primarily MIT ones. If this is such an accepted tool, why am I not seeing pages such as Dell or Slashdot or other engineering stuff pop up?
Grr...I try to remain optimistic about this class, but it is taking me a lot to concentrate on anything right now, and this article and related quiz are certainly not worth my effort or time.
Anyway, this is the worst, dumbest reading quiz ever. It's so frustrating!!! When I think about systems engineering, I think of a set of accepted tenets which clear the way for effective analysis, design, and implementation of a range of systems. The papers we have read for this class have repeatedly fallen well outside this definition. I have tried to google for many phrases contained in these papers and come up with NOTHING.
For example, this week's paper is on isoperformance approach, specifically performance invariant sets. Go try googling "performance invariant set." C'mon, get outta here and google it. As usual, nothing but academic papers, primarily MIT ones. If this is such an accepted tool, why am I not seeing pages such as Dell or Slashdot or other engineering stuff pop up?
Grr...I try to remain optimistic about this class, but it is taking me a lot to concentrate on anything right now, and this article and related quiz are certainly not worth my effort or time.
Friday, July 15, 2005
I miss you already, Lyn
I just found out that a very dear friend of the family, Lyn Duggan, died of a heart attack. Lyn was like a young grandmother to me, and her husband Phil is like a young grandfather. Perhaps more importantly, she was also like a mother or older sister to my mother and her sister, whose own mother died 27 years ago.
Lyn and Phil (pronounced "LynAndPhil," they were so inseparable) never had kids and traveled everywhere around the world. They'd go from safari to cruise to Paris. They were so unassuming, so fun-loving and so much in love. Poor Phil...she truly was half of him.
One of my favorite Lyn and Phil moments was at Eve's engagement party. For those of you that don't know, my sister is four years younger than me and waited as long as she could to get married, but eventually had to plan her wedding because mine ain't happening any time soon. Of course, people always worry how the older sister will take it, and I was most nervous about how people would react to that worry (if that makes any sense). Lyn and Phil give me a pair of beautiful Tiffany earrings as soon as they saw me at the party, telling me they got them for me because they knew how pretty they would look on me. It was so kind, and such a loving gesture.
The last time I saw Lyn was on Christmas. Lyn and Phil brought their three Boston terriers to the gathering at my Aunt Helen's house. Eve and I were doing the "Dance Dance Nation" game on cousin Lewis's Nintendo, and Eve inadvertantly planted a foot in one of the dogs' faces while trying to execute a back kick. He went yipping to Lyn, who understood Eve had meant no harm, but merely possessed the family grace that you have seen coming from me.
I guess I should write how they became like family. My grandparents died young. I had a great Aunt Ruth and Uncle Bernard who lived in New York City. Lyn and Phil lived across the hall from them. My aunt and uncle passed on about ten years ago, but Lyn and Phil stayed close to us. They had no children, and we had lost a lot of our family very young. It was a perfect match.
Lyn was an amazing person. God, I'm going to miss her. I can't even imagine what Phil is going through. My mother said he is too broken up to even talk about it. I may go to New York this weekend if I will be able to help. My family will talk tonight to decide.
Lyn and Phil (pronounced "LynAndPhil," they were so inseparable) never had kids and traveled everywhere around the world. They'd go from safari to cruise to Paris. They were so unassuming, so fun-loving and so much in love. Poor Phil...she truly was half of him.
One of my favorite Lyn and Phil moments was at Eve's engagement party. For those of you that don't know, my sister is four years younger than me and waited as long as she could to get married, but eventually had to plan her wedding because mine ain't happening any time soon. Of course, people always worry how the older sister will take it, and I was most nervous about how people would react to that worry (if that makes any sense). Lyn and Phil give me a pair of beautiful Tiffany earrings as soon as they saw me at the party, telling me they got them for me because they knew how pretty they would look on me. It was so kind, and such a loving gesture.
The last time I saw Lyn was on Christmas. Lyn and Phil brought their three Boston terriers to the gathering at my Aunt Helen's house. Eve and I were doing the "Dance Dance Nation" game on cousin Lewis's Nintendo, and Eve inadvertantly planted a foot in one of the dogs' faces while trying to execute a back kick. He went yipping to Lyn, who understood Eve had meant no harm, but merely possessed the family grace that you have seen coming from me.
I guess I should write how they became like family. My grandparents died young. I had a great Aunt Ruth and Uncle Bernard who lived in New York City. Lyn and Phil lived across the hall from them. My aunt and uncle passed on about ten years ago, but Lyn and Phil stayed close to us. They had no children, and we had lost a lot of our family very young. It was a perfect match.
Lyn was an amazing person. God, I'm going to miss her. I can't even imagine what Phil is going through. My mother said he is too broken up to even talk about it. I may go to New York this weekend if I will be able to help. My family will talk tonight to decide.
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Out with the kids
After sailing yesterday, I went home, did some work, then headed into town to meet up with Brie, Amy, and Andrew at The Place. They had been there for a few hours before I got there, and were quite chummy with the bartender. He asked what I wanted, so I asked him what his favorite drink to make was, and went with that.
It was a fruity, sweet martini. At the top, he had drawn a big red heart in some kind of syrup. It lasted 2/3 of the martini! Impressive. And it was on the house. YAY
I hadn't seen Brie for a while. She looks great (as always), and always cracks me up. Good to be out with Andrew as always, though I left before Dave arrived.
Now I'm in systems engineering. The lecture is actually pretty interesting...object-oriented design and web services.
It was a fruity, sweet martini. At the top, he had drawn a big red heart in some kind of syrup. It lasted 2/3 of the martini! Impressive. And it was on the house. YAY
I hadn't seen Brie for a while. She looks great (as always), and always cracks me up. Good to be out with Andrew as always, though I left before Dave arrived.
Now I'm in systems engineering. The lecture is actually pretty interesting...object-oriented design and web services.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
My new favorite pastime
Is sailing on the Charles! I just love it. I went again today to blow off steam from the accounting exam and pressure at work. =) It is such a wonderful feeling to sail...I highly recommend it!
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Join me in my boycott of Sears!
Those of you that knew me last year around this time may remember a particularly disgruntled Ilana. I had just bought a top-of-the-line washer and dryer from Sears (over $2000 for the set) that looked wonderful sitting in my living room. Ya see, I had given the specs to the sales guy who saw the huge commission and sold me the set anyway. Sigh...
So Sears came out EIGHT TIMES. They also had to come out to bring me a stackable and take my gorgeous washer and dryer away after a MONTH. Grrrrr....
So anyway. Bygones. Haven't bought a damn thing at Sears since except for a printer I got with all the gift certificates I made them give me for my trouble.
And now the credit company has started up. I bought the W/D on a Sears card so I could have a year of no payments. EVERY SINGLE MONTH I have been assessed late fees and have had to call and have them strike them from the record.
So today I called and asked to be compensated for my time. I was transferred to a manager (David G.), who had as much intelligence in his skull as I do in the pinky nail of my right toe. In a rather combative manner, David G. told me that they don't compensate for wasted time. I asked him why, if they charged late fees, should we not be able to similarly use time and be compensated for it. Brainiac got mad and said, "So what's wrong with late fees?" I answered, "Other than the fact I should not be charged any? Nothing. You're missing the point."
I could go on, but will conclude with this: Apparently David G. is the highest we get in the Sears credit customer service hierarchy. He told me he was the end of the line (of course smartass here has to say, "So you don't report to anyone?" "Yes, ma'am, but you can't talk to them.") So now I need to write a letter.
I thought Sears was awful before, but now with the latest dealings with their credit folk, they are even lower in my book. TO quote RainMan, "KMart sucks!"
So Sears came out EIGHT TIMES. They also had to come out to bring me a stackable and take my gorgeous washer and dryer away after a MONTH. Grrrrr....
So anyway. Bygones. Haven't bought a damn thing at Sears since except for a printer I got with all the gift certificates I made them give me for my trouble.
And now the credit company has started up. I bought the W/D on a Sears card so I could have a year of no payments. EVERY SINGLE MONTH I have been assessed late fees and have had to call and have them strike them from the record.
So today I called and asked to be compensated for my time. I was transferred to a manager (David G.), who had as much intelligence in his skull as I do in the pinky nail of my right toe. In a rather combative manner, David G. told me that they don't compensate for wasted time. I asked him why, if they charged late fees, should we not be able to similarly use time and be compensated for it. Brainiac got mad and said, "So what's wrong with late fees?" I answered, "Other than the fact I should not be charged any? Nothing. You're missing the point."
I could go on, but will conclude with this: Apparently David G. is the highest we get in the Sears credit customer service hierarchy. He told me he was the end of the line (of course smartass here has to say, "So you don't report to anyone?" "Yes, ma'am, but you can't talk to them.") So now I need to write a letter.
I thought Sears was awful before, but now with the latest dealings with their credit folk, they are even lower in my book. TO quote RainMan, "KMart sucks!"
Monday, July 11, 2005
What is "deceptively easy?"
That would be the accounting exam questions according to our TA. I actually guffawed in class when she used that phrase. HAHAHA
Hurricane Dennis
I saw on the weather channel that Dennis had washed away much of Destin's beach. It basically dragged away 5.5 feet worth of sand (in height). I admit a few tears fell when I saw the footage.
I left Kellie and Allen (my friends who live there) a message on Kellie's cell on Saturday, but haven't heard back from them. I am guessing they evacuated to Atlanta and hope that Dennis left their home unscathed.
I left Kellie and Allen (my friends who live there) a message on Kellie's cell on Saturday, but haven't heard back from them. I am guessing they evacuated to Atlanta and hope that Dennis left their home unscathed.
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Avoiding studying by studying
Accounting bored me so much I did some homework on the Systems engineering WIKI. We need some hardware guys in there, dudes.
Studying
Now I'm actually studying. And I'm bored. Please reply to this post with jokes. If you don't, I'm going to start telling mine. I'm sure you've heard most of them, and they're BAAAAD.
Sailing@MIT
So despite the fact I've been sailing since before I kissed a boy (wow! I was like 17!... kidding, really 8 or so), MIT requires that newcomers to MIT sailing take a lesson. So today, my hours from 9:30-2:30 were spent re-learning how to sail and out on the water.
It was actually a lot of fun. The instructors were very quick and funny. For instance, when they were talking about avoiding other watercraft, one of them mentioned the crew boats. He pointed out that the rowers were very intent on what they were doing and would not see you. "And this person here," he said, pointing to the coxswain, "Is very small, so they won't listen to him either if he tells them to slow down." Maybe you had to be there, but it was funny.
Anyway, as the one person with any experience in the class, I got to demonstrate some stuff, which was cool. Then sailed around on the water for about 1.5 hours with some random guy I was paired with. All in all, a good time.
Now it's time to study. For REAL this time.
It was actually a lot of fun. The instructors were very quick and funny. For instance, when they were talking about avoiding other watercraft, one of them mentioned the crew boats. He pointed out that the rowers were very intent on what they were doing and would not see you. "And this person here," he said, pointing to the coxswain, "Is very small, so they won't listen to him either if he tells them to slow down." Maybe you had to be there, but it was funny.
Anyway, as the one person with any experience in the class, I got to demonstrate some stuff, which was cool. Then sailed around on the water for about 1.5 hours with some random guy I was paired with. All in all, a good time.
Now it's time to study. For REAL this time.
Saturday, July 09, 2005
You know what would make accounting so much more cool?
Aside from "anything." =D It would be so cool if each company we study or read about in our book would give us free samples of stuff. For instance, my current page has Zales and Circuit City, and I could really go for some diamonds and a DVD recorder right about now.
My Favorite Episode of "South Park"
Last night my TiVo picked up the South Park episode, "Osama Bin Laden has Farty Pants." I clearly remember this episode being the first time I felt okay to laugh after 9/11. I was very surprised today when I checked the original air date: 11/7/2001, almost two months from 9/11. I actually still have the original episode on my TiVo...that and "61*" have been there for almost four years!
The episode made it okay to acknowledge that things were, as the boys would put it, "Pretty f*cked up." The episode opens with them standing at the bus stop, all wearing gas masks, then boarding the bus after Officer Barbrady checks their packs.
Some other highlights:
Stan's mother lies on the couch, doing nothing but watching CNN for eight weeks. When Stan comments that he has received a big, brown package from Afgahnistan, she doesn't react for several minutes.
Towelie (an admittedly annoying character) appears and the kids groan. Towelie responds, "So you don't want Towelie around?" Kids:"NO!" Towelie says, "So am I to understand there's been a Towelie-ban?"
Afghanistan has its own version of Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny, wearing arabic clothing rather than winter clothes. The South Park kids meet their Afghanistan counterparts, and try to figure out why people hate Americans. Afghans: "A third of the world hates Americans." South Park: "Why do they hate us?" Afghans: "Because you don't realize a third of the world hates you."
The riskiest part of the episode involved the interaction between Cartman and Osama Bin Laden. Cartman: "OH, dude! It's called deoderant. It's not expensive." Bin Laden later speaks on the phone saying, "A flippity flappity floop. Jihad Jihad Jihad," which starts off a priceless series of scenes in which Cartman plays Bugs Bunny to Bin Laden's Elmber Fudd, inlcuding the typical scene in which Cartman/Bugs dresses like an Arabian pricness and lures Bin laden into wooing a camel. Arabian princess Cartman holds up a series of cartoon signs, starting with the usual screw and ball (screw ball) and jack and donkey (jackass). This quickly progresses to poo and a head (sh*thead) and a rooster and a lollipop (you figure it out). Excellent. Osama is finally put in an Uncle Sam outfit and shot by his own troops.
The episode ends with the boys standing up a small American flag and Stan commenting, "America is our home. It's our team. And if you don't like your team, you should get the hell out of the stadium. Go America!"
It's funny that South Park has become a very intelligent commentator on America. They have continued to be right on the money, including an episode in which they catch Saddam only a few days after he was really caught.
(And yes, I am doing an excellent job of procrastinating from both studying and the gym. I got mad skilz.)
The episode made it okay to acknowledge that things were, as the boys would put it, "Pretty f*cked up." The episode opens with them standing at the bus stop, all wearing gas masks, then boarding the bus after Officer Barbrady checks their packs.
Some other highlights:
Stan's mother lies on the couch, doing nothing but watching CNN for eight weeks. When Stan comments that he has received a big, brown package from Afgahnistan, she doesn't react for several minutes.
Towelie (an admittedly annoying character) appears and the kids groan. Towelie responds, "So you don't want Towelie around?" Kids:"NO!" Towelie says, "So am I to understand there's been a Towelie-ban?"
Afghanistan has its own version of Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny, wearing arabic clothing rather than winter clothes. The South Park kids meet their Afghanistan counterparts, and try to figure out why people hate Americans. Afghans: "A third of the world hates Americans." South Park: "Why do they hate us?" Afghans: "Because you don't realize a third of the world hates you."
The riskiest part of the episode involved the interaction between Cartman and Osama Bin Laden. Cartman: "OH, dude! It's called deoderant. It's not expensive." Bin Laden later speaks on the phone saying, "A flippity flappity floop. Jihad Jihad Jihad," which starts off a priceless series of scenes in which Cartman plays Bugs Bunny to Bin Laden's Elmber Fudd, inlcuding the typical scene in which Cartman/Bugs dresses like an Arabian pricness and lures Bin laden into wooing a camel. Arabian princess Cartman holds up a series of cartoon signs, starting with the usual screw and ball (screw ball) and jack and donkey (jackass). This quickly progresses to poo and a head (sh*thead) and a rooster and a lollipop (you figure it out). Excellent. Osama is finally put in an Uncle Sam outfit and shot by his own troops.
The episode ends with the boys standing up a small American flag and Stan commenting, "America is our home. It's our team. And if you don't like your team, you should get the hell out of the stadium. Go America!"
It's funny that South Park has become a very intelligent commentator on America. They have continued to be right on the money, including an episode in which they catch Saddam only a few days after he was really caught.
(And yes, I am doing an excellent job of procrastinating from both studying and the gym. I got mad skilz.)
Friday, July 08, 2005
Whine Alert: This term is more on the icky side
I would really love to do the normal summer thing and just go party every night, but I suddenly have to act like a grown-up. To counter such feelings, I had two hot dogs and an ice cream sundae for dinner.
As an aside, I am looking forward to Matti's comment on this, which is sure to be about lean studying =)
Cheat Sheets
We are allowed to bring a "Cheat Sheet" to our accounting exam on Wednesday. While I appreciate the pseudo-open-bookedness of the gesture, cheat sheets drive me nuts. I would want an exam to mimic real life as much as possible. It is much more plausible that we will be near a textbook or the internet when faced with an accounting problem than an 8.5x11 piece of paper with formulas written on both sides.
Yes, I understand that writing the cheat sheet is in itself a helpful tool. However, the decision to do this or not should be up to the student. Likewise, if a student wants to spend a portion of a two-hour exam thumbing through a textbook, so be it. I just don't like things that make so little sense.
Yes, I understand that writing the cheat sheet is in itself a helpful tool. However, the decision to do this or not should be up to the student. Likewise, if a student wants to spend a portion of a two-hour exam thumbing through a textbook, so be it. I just don't like things that make so little sense.
Hectic week almost over
Yay! This week has been fairly good, but a little too busy. Last night, we went to the Summer Shack with SDM, then a smaller group of us headed out. Dave, Brit, Kevin, Maja, Christian, Spiros, Abi, Matt L, Sam, and potential SDM06 Shelley ventured into Cambridge and enjoyed a few pints at John Harvards. We didn't stay out too late, but it was great to be out with folks again...seems like forever since the group has done something social.
I am very much looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Of course, knowing that I have an accounting exam on Wednesday will limit relaxation an induce much more studying, but it will be nice not to travel or entertain.
I am very much looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Of course, knowing that I have an accounting exam on Wednesday will limit relaxation an induce much more studying, but it will be nice not to travel or entertain.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Business Trip!
We are currently nearing the end of our business trip. (See SDM Website for details...I'm too lazy to blog)
Today we had a good talk from Right Management Consulting about career direction. Definitely sometime I had to hear.
Okay, now we are going to Summer Shack for dinner. YAY
Today we had a good talk from Right Management Consulting about career direction. Definitely sometime I had to hear.
Okay, now we are going to Summer Shack for dinner. YAY
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Realized I haven't blogged for a while...
Doesn't mean I don't love y'all. Just means I'm way too busy. I'll be better soon...
Friday, July 01, 2005
From my 6'6", Causcasian friend Oge
> You calling yourself supremely logical is like me calling myself
> short and black.
> short and black.
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