Four Steps for College Zen.

Many times I find myself being in the presence of those college students who seem stressed out of their minds and can simply not handle their workload successfully, or with a good amount of sleep. My Professor mentioned in class today if we had any tips on this subject, I had only one, but I thought about it and I thought up a few, so enjoy these Steps, well more like guidelines :).

Step One: Don't overload on classes. Let's face it, everybody is impressed when somebody goes and says they are taking something like 22 credits in a semester. In the college I attend, the average student takes 4 classes, for a total of 16 credits. Sure those kids who take umpteen credits are admired by their peers as well as their parents who will brag about them. In reality, these kids are the ones who stress over classes, drink too much caffeine, and do not get enough sleep.

Solution: Take a less demanding work load, don't worry, you'll finish in 4 years this way. Not to mention still have a life. Also, don't feel as if you must take so many classes to succeed, getting all As in 4 classes is a lot more rewarding than 7 or so Cs.



Step Two: Work hard....but not too hard! Often times I hear kids I know going crazy and stressing to the point where they practically rewrite their chem book! One's brain can only take so much studying, actually that is a fact. I just tried to dig up the research's website, but I know that if you study for over 2 hours without a break, your brain actually shuts out any attempt to learn new material. This goes along with cramming.... It doesn't work, it actually just stresses your brain and makes you learn less!

Solution: During intense study sessions, 15 minute breaks can do wonders. Snacking during this 15 minute period can recharge your brain and make it easier to focus. Think how hard it is to do anything when you are hungry! Also, periodic studying works SO much better than cramming, I have learned that from experience.



Step 3: Don't take a class you know you will not pass. Sometimes we're just not good at things. Its true! As I am writing this I thought of Mathematics. I can do math, but I dislike it and really have to work at it to get it. If you must do it for your intended major, however, and do have to take it, do not try to "get by" without any effort. That does not work. Period.

Solution: Teacher's have Office Hours and practically beg students to come by and chat about homework or class material. It is a tremendous help and can make or break your success in that class.



Step 4: Relax, Zen Style. Okay, maybe not meditate for 3 hours straight or anything (though that would be impressive!). I guess this solution is in the step! After a long day of classes and lots of studying, relax and do something calming. Though watching TV is relaxing, I discourage that since it stimulates your brain with all the plots, flashing images and crazy programs. Instead, listen to calming music, lay in bed with your eyes closed and think, drink tea or my personal favorite, read for pleasure. I recently got into reading and cannot think of a better stress reliever. Finding a good book is not easy, but when you find one, boy is it rewarding. If it isn't the dead of winter I suggest taking a nice walk. If it is a nice calm day and there's that right amount of snow on the ground, then by all means take a walk! It is quite rewarding and relaxing as well.



I guess I only really thought of four, but hey, its good advice if I do say so myself :)

An Algorithm for an Algorithm

Step 1. Figure out how to say the word "Algorithm"

Step 2. Learn how to spell the word "Algorithm"

Step 3. Guess what the word "Algorithm" means :).

Pic of the Day! I've been slacking.

From Astronomy Picture of the day. I thought it looked quite cool and decided to show ya'll.

"Name: Starry Night Castle

Explanation: The tantalizing Pleiades star cluster seems to lie just beyond the trees above a dark castle tower in this dramatic view of The World at Night. Recorded earlier this month, the starry sky also features bright star Aldebaran below the Pleiades and a small, faint, fuzzy cloud otherwise known as Comet Holmes near picture center at the top of the field. Starry Night Castle might be an appropriate name for the medieval castle ruin in the foreground. But its traditional name is Mörby Castle, found north of Stockholm, near lake Skedviken in Norrtälje, Sweden.

Nothing like a Cat Haiku

Thanks to Gizmodo haha





Stay in the yard, Cat.
But stay away from the pool.
My kids would be sad.

Back at College, Summary of my classes!

As I am sitting here drinking my delicious IBC Root Beer, I decided to post my classes, and give a brief summary of each. I'll start with the ones I had Yesterday and list them for you:

Monday, Wednesday and Friday:

11:00-11:50 Intro To Computer Science

1:30-2:20 Zen Buddhism and Japanese Culture

2:30-3:20 Astronomy



So okay, the first being Intro to Comp Sci. Taught by a fresh out of Grad School teacher who is a really nice Chinese lady (well, I guess lady is the right term there). She's very enthusiastic about what she does, which is good, but I didn't really learn anything groundbreaking on the first day. The class is bigger than I thought and surprisingly I'm one of a few nerds in there. Most people are there for their lab requirement I believe. The book we had to buy (a cool one hundred dollars) is called "java software solutions FIFTH EDITION." I am being a diligent student and actually read chapter one last night, well, up to 1.2. I noticed in college that textbooks fit more into chapters by calling them 1.2, 2.4. 1.3, etc. I guess its so students can break up their work better. Its a pretty straightforward book, but I'm more looking to learn about coding and such, rather than computer terms I know, such as what a modem and a BUS are. Gotta start slow I suppose.

My next class of the day was Zen Buddhism, with Professor Olson. Now, I had him for Buddhism 160, he's a good teacher, but he just teaches from his ONE book. Though he makes you buy SIX books and you only have to write two papers. Which is an amazing thing, his direct quote is "I don't give quizzes because, hell I'm not going to lie to you, I don't want to waste my time grading them!" What a guy! Most of the kids have no interest in the class, mainly seniors just picking up credits that don't matter. Which is sad because the religious studies classes are great in my opinion. Oh well, I'll be in that position as well.

Okay, third class, Astronomy. This class I am looking forward to (so far anyway). There's a variety of people in this class, from pretty much every class. Also, my good friend Katrina is in it! So that's always good haha. The professor is your typical Physics nerd, which is a GOOD THING. He talks very quickly and still hasn't gotten over public speaking it seems, but then again that is not an easy thing to do. The class will be very basic, but informative and from the looks of it, full of internet busy work. I also have a lab at like four every other Thursday, which is mostly on computers, so that'll be cool I think. I say that now but it'll be a pain haha.

My last class is my freshman seminar, which is entitled "Software Everywhere." It seems quite cool, the Professor is this really nice guy who loves what he does, you can just tell because he is bursting with enthusiasm. He has a slight German accent which is really really hardly noticeable, but it sounds quite cool. I find it funny, however, that he is the Assistant Computer Science professor and he does not have a computer at home!

But I'm ending this abruptly. more later! Possibly.

I'm starting to doubt Apple's greatness.

Okay, so you all are wondering why (maybe?) that I have not posted in a while. Now, here's the thing. My MacBook randomly decided to crack down the right, well to the right of my trackpad, where the [high quality] crappy plastic meets the solid part. Now, its not a big deal, it just looks like absolute garbage, tainting the Zen-like image of my Apple product. Now, before you think "Pat what happened!? You used to be all about Apple!!"

That is not the case. I do enjoy Apple's products, as they work (I'm starting to doubt this) as well as or actually better than PCs. The main reason I am a big fan of Apple is because of its operating system, OS X. The OS is amazing, much better than anything Microsoft puts out, I'm saying this purely from experience, the lack of games is disappointing, but I could go out and buy a Wii or an XBOX360 (as PS3s still suck and are overpriced). Here's the catch: Apple should improve (and has improved) its hardware. I've had numerous hardware with problems, both with my iPod Touch (which I had to send back and get a new one due to a HARDWARE sound issue) and I've had to send my MacBook in (not counting this time, when I got it back) twice, for ONE PROBLEM. My Hard Drive randomly died in my Mac and I was quite pissed about it since I lost everything and the mexican lady on the phone was of ZERO help (sorry, I have nothing against Mexicans other than I can't understand high pitched ones on the phone.....and ones who try to be funny like George Lopez). So I sent it back and bear in mind, I had the 160 Gig hard drive, which is the biggest MacBooks used to come with. They sent it back with a 60, not a 160, A 60 GIG HARD DRIVE. Someone at the warehouse REALLY fucked up. SO AGAIN I had to send it back. Then I finally got a decent Hard Drive in my laptop and have had no problems with it.


BACK TO THE OTHER STORY:

Okay, so I gave the package to DHL and as soon as he pulled away I realized "Oh crap I forgot to rip the EZ-Label off" and instead of looking at it like a good DHL shipping peon, he doesn't do anything and today I get it back in the mail. I'm not happy. I figure I have a three year warrantee on it, so I can send it back sometime in the summer when I don't need to write mass amount of papers or anything.


So that's why I have failed to post for a few days, now that I am back online, I will be updating you on my classes and life back at college.

Bye!

Man goes to brothel, sees his wife there! Ah irony at its finest.

"WARSAW (Reuters) - A Polish man got the shock of his life when he visited a brothel and spotted his wife among the establishment's employees.

Polish tabloid Super Express said the woman had been making some extra money on the side while telling her husband she worked at a store in a nearby town.

"I was dumfounded. I thought I was dreaming," the husband told the newspaper on Wednesday.

The couple, married for 14 years, are now divorcing, the newspaper reported."

hahah oh man, what a shocker they must have had, though they both had NOTHING to say to each other haha.


"What are you doing here?"

Guy lives in Ikea store

"PARAMUS, N.J. (AP) -- When Mark Malkoff thought about where he could stay while his New York City apartment was being fumigated for cockroaches, he quickly ruled out friends' places (too small) and hotels (too expensive).

Instead, the comedian and filmmaker decided to move into an Ikea store in suburban New Jersey, where on Monday he unloaded two suitcases into a spacious bedroom at the store.

At night when the store is closed, he says he'll play laser tag with security guards and even plans to host a housewarming party. "

full story

Pic of the dayyyyy (or pictureS rather)

Hey everyone, just want to put up the pic of the day; I'm sure I'll post more later, but for now here's a picture of my biggest Koi who lives in my water garden (well they are in the garage now haha). Of course, I'll get an excerpt from Wiki and you can learn something today! Anyways here it is:

"The common carp is a hardy fish, and koi retain that durability. Koi are cold-water fish, so it's advisable to have a meter or more of depth in areas of the world that become warm during the summer. In areas that get harsh winters, it is a good idea to have a pond that is a minimum of 1.5 meters (4 1/2 feet) deep so that it won't freeze solid. It is also a good idea to keep a space open with a bubbler and a horse trough heater.


Traditional Japanese garden with koi.
Koi's bright colors put them at a severe disadvantage against predators; a white-skinned Kohaku is a visual dinner bell against the dark green of a pond. Herons, kingfishers, raccoons, cats, foxes, and badgers are all capable of emptying a pond of its fish. A well-designed outdoor pond will have areas too deep for herons to stand in, overhangs high enough above the water that mammals can't reach in, and shade trees overhead to block the view of aerial passers-by. It may prove necessary to string nets or wires above the surface. The pond should include a pump and filtration system to keep the water clear.
Koi are an omnivorous fish and will often eat a wide variety of foods, including peas, lettuce, and watermelon.[1] Koi food is designed not only to be nutritionally balanced, but also to float so as to encourage them to come to the surface. When they are eating, it is possible to check them for parasites and ulcers. Koi will recognize the person feeding them and gather around at dinnertime. They can even be trained to take the food from one's hand. In the winter their digestive system slows nearly to a halt, and they eat very little, perhaps no more than nibbles of algae from the bottom. Their appetite won't come back until the water warms up in the spring. When the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 °C), feeding, particularly with protein, should be halted or the food can go rancid in their stomach causing sickness.
If kept properly, koi can live about 30–40 years. Some have reportedly lived up to 200 years."

Insecticide please! Oh wait, a natural bug eater :)

Hey guys, I'm back from the dentist, here's a pic of the day, its a little buggy, but bear with me haha :). anyway, from Wikipedia per usual, here's the description!

"The insect order Mantodea or mantises consists of approximatively 2,300 species worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats, of which a majority are in the family Mantidae. For most of the past century, only this single family was recognized within the order, and the term "mantid" was therefore historically used for any member of the order; technically, however, the term only refers to this one family, meaning the species in the other 8 recently-established families are not mantids, by definition (i.e., they are empusids, or hymenopodids, etc.), and the term "mantises" (or the more colloquial "praying mantises") should be used when referring to the entire order. Often mistakenly spelled preying mantis (an eggcorn, since they are notoriously predatory), they are in fact named for the typical "prayer-like" stance. The word mantis derives from the Greek word mantis for prophet or fortune teller. In Europe, the name "praying mantis" refers to only a single species, Mantis religiosa. The closest relatives of mantises are the orders Isoptera (termites) and Blattodea (cockroaches), and these three groups together are sometimes ranked as an order rather than a superorder."

at the dentist!

so i am at the dentist waiting to get my teeth cleaned and hoping that they are healthy. I'll be here awhile since both me and my father have appointments. I'm on my ipod touch because thankfully there is wifi here. There's a computer company thing in this building and i am guessing they are emitting the signal. I am getting used to this tiny qwerty keyboard haha but i feel like a little teenage girl texting. So with that i am done! More tonight everyone!

Piccccc of the dayyyyy

I thought these multicolored cacti were pretty cool (I used to have a tye dyed one, it was cooool). Anyway here's the description of a cactus:

"A cactus (plural cacti, cactuses or cactus) is any member of the succulent plant family Cactaceae, native to the Americas. They are often used as ornamental plants, but some are also crop plants.
Cacti are distinctive and unusual plants, which are adapted to extremely arid and hot environments, showing a wide range of anatomical and physiological features which conserve water. Their stems have expanded into green succulent structures containing the chlorophyll necessary for life and growth, while the leaves have become the spines for which cacti are so well known.
Cacti come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. The tallest is Pachycereus pringlei, with a maximum recorded height of 19.2 m,[1] and the smallest is Blossfeldia liliputiana, only about 1 cm diameter at maturity.[2] Cactus flowers are large, and like the spines and branches arise from areoles. Many cactus species are night blooming, as they are pollinated by nocturnal insects or small animals, principally moths and bats. Cacti's sizes range from small and round to pole-like and tall."

Bill Gates' last day CES 2008 video

This is hilarious, it is a mockup of what Bill's last day at Microsoft will consist of:

What is Web 2.0?

I always was curious what the phrase "Web 2.0" was. I always thought it was Ajax kind of things (like when you "dugg" something on Digg, how it would fade to the text "Dugg!" without reloading the page), but I guess its more than that, like Social based stuff, but I digress to this website, an excerpt here:

"Web 2.0 is white hot at the moment, and not just because of the hype, but because of the insane amount of stuff that's being built for it right now.

I know, I know. It sounds like the Cluetrain Manifesto all over again. Well, it kinda is.

Except that it's actually happening today all over the place and you can use it now (see BaseCamp, BackPack, del.icio.us, Flickr, Kiko, DropCash, Meebo, AjaxOffice, Bindows and dozens of others if you're not sure.)

Of course, VCs have latched onto Web 2.0 big time and that's fueling fears of a new bubble. But this only obscures the real value in it.

I've been closely examining O'Reilly's Web 2.0 meme map and it really is a set of interlocking, reinforcing concepts. The more I study the Web 2.0, the more I realize this visualization is key."

Full article is here

Picture of the Day!

I know its early in the day, but I've had my Cherry Coke and I'm ready to go!! Haha anyways, without further adieu' here's the picture.


Kind of boring possibly, but I was trying to keep with the theme of Lanterns, so I thought this looked kind of Zen.

Windows Mobile 7, AKA iPhone Interface Rip-off

Coincidence? Look at these pictures of the rumored (though not proven, could be fake) images of the next Windows Mobile Platform. It looks almost identical to the iPhone's software. Multitouch as well. Why can't Microsoft be innovative and not a bunch of copycats? Props to them on the XBOX 360 and Zune though. I really do think the Zune is cool because of its integration with XBOX 360 stuff. anyway here's the Article. Also a few pics. Thanks Engadget

Photo of the Day

Here is a Zen Lantern that I have in my summer Zen Garden/Water Garden. I use it to signify certain things such as Tea drinking at night time, opening of the pond for the year and closing of the pond (or closing of Summer, when school is upon us)

First SONG OF THE DAY

Killing in the Name by Rage Against the Machine


download!

Iraq Veteran knows what's up.

oh, and pic of the day here.

"The maroon clownfish, Premnas biaculeatus, is a type of clownfish that is found in the eastern Indian Ocean, from Malaysia to Queensland. They can grow up to be about 16 cm (6. 3 in), and as they grow, they become more aggressive towards other clownfish. It is also known as the spine-cheeked clownfish, or the maroon anemonefish. It is the only member of the genus Premnas.
The stripes across the body are normally white, but can also be golden. The female is usually larger than the male and dark red or maroon, and the male smaller and a bright color red."

In the midst of vacation.

So this vacation never seems to end, not that I am complaining of course, but 80% of the time I have nothing to do. Let's face it, Erie is a step up from the MEAD but is still boring. I have my friends and everything, but other than that I have pretty much nothing else. Haha and I don't want to sound like some complaining person, but I actually am quite excited to start my classes at Allegheny.

So today is Saturday, which means almost nothing! Its like every weekday where I am bored (unless I'm with the girlfriend or the "guys"). Saturday is also Mexican day, meaning me and my family go to this mexican restaurant called El Canelo, and eat food. Its okay, I'm not amazed by it and I swear my parents go there because it sounds remotely like our last name; okay a lot like it haha. I am surfing digg.com at the moment....oh I just got a text message! Oh but anyways, if you haven't noticed I started putting up articles that I deem newsworthy, as well as videos I find interesting to watch. Any feedback/suggestions would be great. I'll also take submissions for photo of the day, providing that they are not TOO racy or my favorite word "RAUNCHY."

I was also thinking of adding a "song of the day" as well, which I would love to do, though I wonder if I will get in trouble for it by the RIAA (oooo spooky).

Have any of you ever seen that freecreditreport.com commercial? I'm sure you have, where the guy's identity got stolen and he's working at a fast food place that's all pirate themed (allusion to hackers). The song is so catchy and is in my head, its CRAZY.

Okay, that's all I've got, I'm very uncreative, but I did just wake up, so give me a break.

Costa Rica's rich environment reveals new salamander!

Three new species of salamander have been discovered in a remote forest reserve in Costa Rica. They were among some 5,000 plants and animals recorded by scientists from London's Natural History Museum during three expeditions to Central America.

Two species are nocturnal, while the third is a dwarf variety, growing to little longer than a thumbnail.

The three new finds bring the number of Costa Rican salamanders known to science to a total of 43.

Salamanders eat insects and worms, and live in water or in moist areas. They usually feed at night and hide during the day, often hibernating during the winter.

FULL STORY

Episode IV deleted scenes

I want this tree:

From Manchini Daily News:

Fukuoka fruit salad literally grows on tree


The lemon tree laden with 11 kinds of fruit is pictured in Onga, Fukuoka.
ONGA, Fukuoka -- A lemon tree that bears 11 different kinds of fruit is earning attention for a resident here who has had it growing in his garden for years.

The tree, which is about 30 years old, is growing in the garden of 71-year-old Onga resident Manabu Fukushima. It is loaded with 11 kinds of fruit including dekopon, hassaku orange, iyoyan, amanatsu, and banpeiyu, a variety of pummelo.

Fukushima started receiving citrus tree saplings from neighbors about 15 years ago, and grafted them onto his lemon tree because he wanted to eat the fruit quickly. Since then, the varieties of fruit have gradually increased. Now locals often come too see the unusual tree.

Successful grafting can produce fruit in one to three years.

"The harvesting is really fun," Fukushima says. "Next year I want to increase the varieties."

original story here

A disappointing Buddhist Christmas. (NOT a pic of the day)

Pictureeeee 1/3/2008

unbelievable.

Why Uri Geller is a poser

Pichaaa for 1/2/08

Sidney Crosby scores the winning SHOOTOUT GOAL against Ryan Miller at the 2008 Winter Classic at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, New York.

Hilarious.

25

Want to be a xray technician?