Planet Olin

Thanks to all the birthday wishes I received in the last..... 48 or so hours. haha silly timezone differences making people confused.. but it's all good. I'll still accept them all =P It's okay too if you forgot.. because I know a few years ago I forgot that it was my birthday until like the night of.. XD People forget things.. it's okay! =)

Hope everyone's summer has been well, and for all my American friends... See you in a month! =D

I made it though my first week of work at TI and am starting on my second. The first week consisted of various forms of training and getting myself settled into my new work environment. So far, things are great. I like my coworkers (who are actually around my age), I like my manager, I love the perks of being a TI employee, and I think I will really love my job once it gets going.

I am doing a two-year rotational program in power electronics with the hope to become an applications engineer. To be honest, I do not know that much about power electronics yet and I do not even really know what an applications engineer does. But, I figure, it is just like how I went to Olin not knowing what an engineer does and now I know exactly what an engineer does: they drive trains! But really, I am looking forward to taking on a challenge and learning as I go because that is what we learn best at Olin.

I love my Olin education and we really do learn a lot, but one thing I noticed when talking to a senior power engineer is that I do not know most of the EE vocabulary. Once he explained the concept I realized that I had learned it, but never associated a name to it. Maybe it is because we have concepts thrown at us rather than laid out and presented on a nice platter, but it makes you seem like you know less than you really do. It comes back around when learning new concepts because I have discovered that I learn best when thrown into the deep end. Thanks ModCon. :)

This is a handy tip for anyone reading a popular book, Harry-Potter-dork or not.

If you are in a middle of a book and someone who has already read it before asks you where you are in the story, always name a point a few chapters earlier than where you really are. Then,if they say something boneheaded like "Oh, the part where X gets shot?" it won't ruin anything for you.

[via Tricks of the Trade]

While at Uno's enjoying some deliciously cheap food, the captioning of a nearby tv showing ESPN caught my eye.
The sportscaster was saying that Michael Vick's federal indictment has "galvanized the nation."

What?

I don't even know who this guy is.

Soaking wet, impossible to distinguish my sweat from that of others.
An unsealed envelope in my pocket becoming sealed over the course of one set.
People picking each other up and holding up lost shoes to be claimed.
Not being able to hear my own singing voice.
Jumping. Skanking. Otherwise dancing.
Lifting both feet from the floor only to be suspended in air by the crush of bodies.
Drinking hot! water from the bathroom faucet, because they will never give water away.
Simply appreciating the best show I've ever been to.
The final relief of exiting into the night air.
The world sounding muffled.

So fucking good.

I got the tickets.

Reel Big Fish, Less than Jake, Streetlight Manifesto.

I am ecstatic.

Glasses are hot.

What a successful weekend.

Perfect weather.
The end of an era.
More fun than expected.
A verbal warning.
A fitted sheet.
A bike.

Thanks for the music suggestions.

Strike for Much Ado ended at noon today. It made me very happy to be done with the show; needless to say, I won't be coming back next summer.

After that, Jessi and I went on a walk through Natick. It was 73 degrees with fair-weather clouds.

Shortly after our walk, the venerable Jeff Moore came over to wash his car in the driveway. I decided to join him--my car needed a washing anyway. Jessi's two friends also came over. The five of us went to the grocery store and picked out fresh vegetables and then proceeded to make vegan stir fry.

That is all.