Femion

Lunchless next fall

I registered for class today! (I know, not that remarkable, but I'm a DISP kid, I'm used to having all my schedules pre-organized for me.)
Here's what it looks like:
Fall Term:

Fall Classes:
Foundations of Journalism I
Intermediate Calculus I
Physics Tools, Theory
Astronomy I: sky and planets
Modern Physics

Winter Schedule:

Winter Classes:
Foundations of Journalism II
Intermediate Calculus II
Computer Simulation in Science
Physics Tools, Experiment
Electricity and Magnetism

So. Next year I'll have Tuesday and most of Thursday off and shorter days than in DISP, but I have no time for lunch on Mon-Wed-Fri for fall, which kind of sucks. I don't understand. All the classes I take on those days are required classes for physics majors, and there's only one section of each of them. Why couldn't the physics people co-ordinate to give us an hour break somewhere in between and make the day a little longer rather than cram everything together? Milton and Staicer (DISP's directors) should go give them some pointers.

I guess I'm going to have to practice the run from the Dunn to Tim's or Second Cup. At least I can sleep in a little more this year. But I'm not going to be sleeping, I'll be using the extra hour to go to the Dalplex and put in a few laps in the pool before breakfast. I have the willpower.

Probably not.

Portfolio Up

Well, after nearly a year, the portfolio button on the main page works. Hopefully, there will be a lot more up there by the next year.

He's an Orange Maaaan...

do da doot da do do daaaa...

Last night I went to see what Jack Layton, leader of the New Democrats, the third most powerful political party in Canada, had to say. It doesn't sound impressive, but they've got 17.5% of the vote compared to the measily 0.34% acquired by the Libertarians in the states, and their founder Tommy Douglas is often attributed with the creation of Canada's health care. (Sorry for lecture, Canadian readers)

I'll probably end up voting for the NDP in the next election (which will be my first!) even though I disagree with a lot of the things on their platform, because the Liberals made a deal with the Greens that they wouldn't run a candidate in Central Nova if the Greens stayed out of the riding of Stefan Dion, the liberal leader. The NDP candidate was a social studies teacher at my high school who I never had, although I had conservative friends who found her class a bit nutty.

Let me just say that I think I hate politics and I don't look to any current politicians in Canada or the US with respect or admiration. Layton's speech did nothing to change that. He's not a very good orator and he had nothing novel to say than the typical 'Guy in charge is bad because he breaks his campaign promises. I've never been in charge but I'll keep my outrageous and unattainable campaign promises just because it's easy to say it now.' rhetoric.

A guy in the middle of the audience fainted and fell off his chair in the middle of his speech. People around him stood up and wondered if they should call 911, and Layton just went on telling his bad joke about Peter Mackay (not that I'm defending Mackay, the joke was unfunny), as if he was too concerned about his appearance to even feign sympathy for one of his voters.

Also, I've been wondering why Jack Layton says he stands up for working and middle-class families, not working and middle class people. Does that mean he doesn't care for single, adult orphans or people who have become distanced from their family? As my dad suggests, it's a piece of propoganda designed to make the NDP look less communist and more conservative without actually being conservative. Or maybe they're trying to associate themselves with the fond memories people have of their own families, since it's not just the NDP who do this.

Now, though I've been very critical of the NDP in this post, don't think for a moment that I'm some right wing fanatic, because I'm not.

I'm just unsure that I want to be a socialist.

May Issue of the Journal

Well, it's the middle of June, which means that it's time for me to finally blog about the first issue of the Community Science Journal.

Part 1: News and Features





Part 2: Research

I has a drivars lisence

Yes, yes! It's true. After almost 2 years, I had my road test this morning and I am now allowed to drive a class 5 car as long as I:
Don't drink alcohol
Don't let more people than there are seatbelts ride in the car
Don't drive past 12 and before 5 am.
So in other words, they're not letting me have any fun :(. They'll probably expect me to follow traffic laws too.

I am probably contributing to hive collapse...

... by taking this photo:

But at least I'm trying to face my fear of bees. This was taken in my dad's orchard in our backyard.

I think my life is boring. Maybe.

I have survived one month of summer.

Here's my situation, since I probably haven't described it yet:

I live at home with my parents to save money. Upside: bugging mom whenever I want, not just when I happen to call/email her once every month or so. Downside: turning music off at eleven o'clock when parents go to sleep, no social life.

I work at the Holy Smokes section of the Antigonish Superstore, which sells lottery, tobacco, video rentals and dry cleaning. Upside: steady source of income, not part of food industry or retail where I would feel pressured to get a commission, exposure to bad lifestyle choices like the effects of longterm cigarette use and gambling addictions. Downside: the customers who can sometimes be creepy and/or easily irritated.

I am also the editor of the Community Science Centre's Journal. Upside: gaining experience and resume lines for future editor positions, working at a task I find interesting. Downside: getting paid significantly less than I was promissed due to funding issues, dealing with senile 80-year-old boss.

I am taking my final driving lessons and will have my driving test within the next two weeks. Upside: finally finishing Driver Ed's Driver ed., having second piece of photo i.d. so I can get my accound at Video Difference. Downside: won't own car for another five years at least, will feel responsible for global warming.

And that really is it.