As a grad student, it is important to always have something to do. That is why they made the Internet. It lets us spend our time doing something, even when we have no idea what it is that we ought to be doing. This prevents creating thinking, innovative ideas, planning ahead, real effort, and other problems that plague undergraduates.
And, of course, I would be a poor friend indeed if I did not help you do this. To that end, here is sample of something I have been working hard on. That is to say, something that keeps me occupied when "other" things arise that might or might not be as important/interesting.
PhD Comics provide a strong, realistic look at life as a grad student, and have taught me many useful things. If I'm stuck on an algorithm, or befuddled by a directive, I know that a few days reading the Archives will help everything make more sense, or at least lower the oxygen level in my brain to the point that every idea seems like a good one.
That said, I shall not distract you further from perusing this gem of knowledge.
EDIT:
A gem we've all experienced with Dr. J.
2nd EDIT:
This one really spoke to me...
We have all changed a lot since we first new ourselves, and it is in order to enjoy (and be disturbed) by these differences that I present you my time machine. Check the post on Thursday, December 18, 2003, a little ways down the page. Click lightly, it is my past upon which you tread.
And for a real trip down memory lane, see "2003: A year in review from the perspective of The Vengeful Cynic"
Just scroll down a bit to the [ 02/01/2004 ] post.
So I haven't posted in a long time... but the knowledge that everyone checks this site daily for updates has finally forced me to provide them.
Living Quarters: June 1st I moved from my small bedroomed, creaky floored, smelly kitchened, and very un-Air-Conditioned on-campus apartment. My new digs: a nice spacious 2 bedroom on-campus apartment with chilling AC and no room-mates. Since then I have acquired a roomie fresh from Princeton Seminary. Sociology of Religion is his study... and he is nice but slightly disturbing.
Food!: Since my discovery of the amazing meals here on campus I am signed up for one cafeteria* meal each day. I enjoy pizza, pastas, cheesecake, hard ice-cream in a variety of flavors, and generally stuffing myself while reading for an hour or so. In the evenings I raid Wendy's or Taco Bell (Junior Bacon Cheeseburger = awesome). Most weekends I am seeing Sharon, my family at home, or the Scotts (Wii makes my arms hurt).
*not to be confused with "cafeteria" in the LetU sense of the word.
Work: I am working on building a system that allows networks to be configured and used for testing. In layman's terms, I'm being an evil network genius. For those more interested, I'm beating my head against the Click! Modular Router, and ssh'ing into 2 dozen machines with 3+ NIC's each. IPv6 is wierd.
School: No classes. Hurrah.
Fun: Play online games (guess which?!?) with strange people I know from college. Read more books. Go adventuring on the weekends.
Books read since first semester, most now part of my library:
New Spring
The Eye of the World
The Great Hunt
The Dragon Reborn
The Shadow Rising
The Fires of Heaven
Lord of Chaos
A Crown of Swords
The Path of Daggers
Winter's Heart
Crossroads of Twilight
Knife of Dreams
A Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
A Feast for Crows
The Paradise War
The Silver Hand
The Endless Knot
Currently Reading: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (got to brush up on my lore for the new movie/book)
Abandoned due to comparing horridly to Jordan and Martin: The Sword of Shannara
I plan to finish up through the new Potter book... then I shall be series-searching again.
Future Plans: Sharon is starting a new job at a company about 60 miles from here (just inside Indiana, on the Illinois side), and as such is taking up an apartment middlish between Notre Dame and her job. I am hoping the job works out well... you all aren't busy next Spring I hope?
In related news, I have a very cute, very small niece named Violet who is scooting about and eating everything she can reach. My 2nd oldest brother, Josh, just got married and I was best man. I have hopes of being an Uncle in even greater measure before too long.
Brothers are coming back form the corners of the earth:
John returns from a year at Word of Life in Argentina, soon off to Taylor.
Peter is back from LetU, but heading out again this fall.
Enoch and Tiffany want to go back to Alaska, but Violet and his job at the Zoo (totally awesome) will probably keep them around.
Daniel, having mastered yet another language, is looking to take a year or so in China.
Josh may be moving down to Dallas with his new bride, Monica.
And now, a sad story to finish the post:
Sharon and I had a great weekend, now just past. We drove the short(er) 5 hours or so to visit the Scotts in Iowa. While there, we played Wii. Most Wii games involve shaking the controller as fast as you can. I did well in these games, and now I am sore. We also played Munchkin, did some mini-golf designed by evil short people (several holes unfinishable), and watched the new Fantastic 4 movie.
In fact, the trip was nearly perfect. However, as I approached the cafeteria Sunday around food-time, I fished into my pocket for my student ID card. Required for eating meals, this card only left my pockets when I went to sleep. Sadly, it was missing, still lieing on the top of a shelf in Iowa where I had stowed it that weekend.
Thus the Moore is having difficulty procuring food for himself: any donations of cookies/pies/tastythings are appreciated.
Thanks!