Weekend Rangers ball Game

Did some of the usual studying during the weekend by going over truss diagrams. I get turned around often when doing those problems but eventually with a couple questions I can get everything cleared up. On the side I also took a break and number of the REU students took a trip the ball park. It had been ten years since I've been to a baseball game, but this one was certainly worth it. A rousing come back by the Texas Rangers in the bottom of the nineth from a 3-0 deficit which allowed them to eventually win the game in the bottom of the 13th. Exciting stuff this quintessential American sport. Plus there was the lightening storm going on during the game which definitely added to the excitement factor. Seeing a ball hit with a resounding peal of thunder was  something I never thought to see except in Hollywood. An excellent weekend with plenty of laughs shared with my REU friends.

Graduate Studies workshop

I've never really considered graduate studies, figuring if I did take that path it would be after I'd been in out in the world for while. Today did present some excellent arguments for starting grad school after receiving B.A. I'm not sure I can agree with money as being a primary reason, if I were to go to grad school I would have to do it believing that those four or five years couldn't be used making me a happier and more wholesome world. There is only so much you can learn from education. Not everything can be taught. I do however like the idea of grad school opening up my abilities to another level, I'm just not convinced that that next level is a necessity so soon in my life.

Sit in on a ARCH Sturctures 1

I finally got my wish today by being allowed to attend the last lecture of one of the professors who teaches at the architecture building. The college of architecture has fascinated me ever since I realized it was on campus, and I have been there several times for my own personal enjoyment and in my attempt to audit one of the classes. The 1st term for summer is nearly ended but I was at last allowed to attend a lecture by Dr. Mehta. He was very gracious in allowing me to attend his 2 hour lecture and I was extremely impressed by his passion for the subject and his superb teaching style. Here was a man who was certainly one of the top in his league. I was fascinated by the lecture which was, in fact, on some of the very same subjects I had been studying in my project and proved useful in clearing up a couple questions I had. More importantly, I was able to experience a bit of the architectural standpoint and this was very important to me since that is a field I would like to pursue further. It was only a taste, but it has been enough to pique my interest. I talked with Dr. Mehta after the class about my project and about engineering and architecture in general. I thoroughly enjoyed making use of a day that would have otherwise been wasted as I have no project meetings today. I believe if this REU were to continue it would be enormously beneficial for advisers to set up an easier way for students to attend lectures that the student chooses, instead of just those the advisers deem are necessary for the project. It can only enrich the projects that much more and make more efficient use of the resources of this excellent university. Since not everyone in all the projects is at the same level, allowing students who are ahead of the project the ability to explore deeper into related fields would cut down on idleness and keep student enthused about the REU program as a whole. Many participants I have talked to grow bored, which is absurd considering they are on a university in session and have thousands of learning outlets at their fingertips. They doubtlessly have the desire to learn, given that they are in this REU in the first place, but simply lack the means. If these outlets were made more apparent, the end result could be fantastically productive and I strong urge the advisers of this REU to make this possible. 

Fourth of July

Woken by a man on a mega phone asking me to sing the star spangled banner. Presently my goggy head emerged from my covers and I glanced out my window to see a parade occurring not but 25 feet from my bed. Since there was hardly anything else to do, I certainly could not go back to bed, I watched the parade. All around an excellent 4th of July.

Statics Problems and the like.

Today's lecture was probably the most interesting so far. The calculations required some substitution so I felt as though I skills I had learned previously were coming becoming useful. Still very very basic, but it's better than simply number plugging into equations and looking at charts. I enjoy doing problems in class, this generates questions and focuses on fixing the misunderstandings. I am certainly experiencing at this point the issues that can arise from an a liberal arts 3-2 program. My general physics class did cover statics extensively and I know how to do these problems. However, little missing bits in my education appear every now and again, for example not knowing what a Moment its (Force*Distance), that prove to be hangups in my education. Therefore I am forced to start anew relearning what I have already learned twice before in order to fill in these small holes.

Some respite

I never thought I would consider it a blessing to have an overcast day, but a respite from the blazing sun today was a welcome relief. Today's lecture was excellent though it only reiterated what we had been going over in past two weeks and I am definitely ready to move onto something else. We went over a little on how to solve a truss and since I've already done a fair amount of work in statics I don't foresee this next week being that difficult. I've been trying to make myself more busy with this project but since I already know the concepts I don't have much to do. I have done my best to contact professors about additional classes but so far I haven't gotten a response. I wish this process of contacting professors was easier.

The weekend

Two weeks have now passed. On whole I think the only thing I could ask out of this internship would be more work. I enjoy what I learn I simply wish I could learn more of it. This weekend I spend some time studying trusses which was not a difficult concept. I certainly feel as though this project is easier than the other projects so far. I look forward with great anticipation to the modeling. Besides the usual humdrum affair of work I thought it would be inspiring and healthy to the purposes of a creative mind to get out and see a bit of country. I visited Austin, which was an invigoratingly weird and liberal landscape. A beautiful city on the whole and I encourage anyone with a free weekend to find a way to make the 3 hour trip down there. South Congress is particularly nice as is the live music scene. Texas has some good cattle stompin hoot'n hollerin good time old fashion music down there. Also the broad swath of the Colorado drifts on through the city and seems like a pleasant enough place to swim.