Murphy Beds

If you're anything like me, you always need more space in your apt/room. I feel like I'm always cramped and if I could just get ride of a few things I'd have so much more space. What's one of those things you could get ride of you ask? Well I say it's your bed! But I need to sleep on a bed you say...in steps the murphy bed!

These things are genius...they fold up into the wall when you aren't using them. Why do I love this idea? Because when you aren't using your bed you just fold it up and BAM you get all this space that wasn't there before. My great aunt has a murphy bed in one of her rooms and it's really neat because when it's folded up she has a desk that comes out of it.

Another plus of these amazing inventions is that you NEVER have to make your bed! When all you do is fold it into the wall why would you ever need to do such a thing. I know personally I would love it.

The only negative I can think of right now is what to do with all the stuff that I store under my bed at the moment...but that's for another blog I think.

Would you like the idea of a murphy bed?

Motion Sensor Equipped Bathrooms

Alright so my pet peeve of the day is bathrooms that are equipped with motion sensor everything. You know what I'm talking about the sinks and soap dispensers, toilets, hand dryers and all that nonsense.

Now don't get me wrong I'm actually quite alright with the toilets doing their own thing even if sometimes I've been at a urinal and it decides to prematurely flush. In the end it keeps me from having to touch the toilet. Now I know you're sitting there saying "But that's what they are all for" and I will say "Yes that's true, but the other automatic things aren't very efficient." Why you ask? I'm glad you did because I'll explain.

Automatic Soap Dispensers - These tend to not be efficient because they don't really give you enough soap with just one squirt so there you are having to keep waving your hand underneath it until you get the desired amount. And the one I have at my work always keeps going off while you're actually washing your hands so when you get done there is soap just sitting in the sink. Quite annoying.

Automatic Faucets - Also tend to not be that great. My first reason here is that each faucet has its own spot you have to put your hand to activate it. Well this may not always be the most appropriate place to hold your hands while washing them so then there you are again waving your hand back and forth to make the water come on. Also sometimes you can't find the spot to start the water so there are you are with soapy hands and no water. Lastly with these is water pressure and temperature control. I like to wash my hands in warm water, but not scalding or freezing. I've noticed the water at Chicago Union Station is so hot it hurts and the water comes out so hard the first time I didn't know it and it went all over my shirt. That was embarrassing.

Automatic Hand Towels - Again like the soap I feel these just never give you enough. So you have to keep waving to get more towels. And the ones that blow air just take FOREVER to work and always leave behind some water. The only people who've perfected this process is Dyson. You know the vacuum people? Yeah well they created the Dyson Air Blade http://ehanddryers.com/images/AHD--Dyson-Airblade.png It's pretty amazing and I first saw this in a bar. I think every place should have these instead.

So yeah there's my bit on those stupid automatic things. Anyone else feel this way?

Lack of Attachment

This post is dedicated to my friend Corey Ariss.

How many times has this happened to you? You open up your email client and start reading the new emails you've received. You spend all this time reading this important email and at the end they say something like "Please see attached document." You look to the side and you don't see that symbol (the little paperclip) that means something is actually attached. Two seconds later another email comes in..."Oh I'm sorry...it's attached this time!" Well this has happened so many times to me.

My friend Corey does this...a lot. But so many others do it as well. All the way from just friends, to my fraternity, to official university documents. It's really frustrating because not only does it not appear in the original email I now have two emails to worry about.

Sometimes people are smart about when they resend the attachment...they'll just reply to what they sent out the first time which saves the message that goes with the attachment. This helps because I can then delete the email without the attachment and keep the one with it. But sometimes people just completely resend a new email which then means I have to keep them both. So annoying because I don't like having a lot of emails in my inbox.

Now I'm not guilt free of this either, I've done it before and man do I hate myself when I do it. But I've found that when sending an email it's now easier to attach first then write the message that way I don't do this.

So please if you send lots of things with attachments try that and see if it helps you.

Does this bug you too, or is it just me?

People Who "Like" Everything

This post is dedicated to my friend Rachel.

Today's post is about the infamous pages on Facebook. You know the things that were created originally for businesses, bands, and organizations to be able to be on Facebook, and not have to operate under a profile or a group. Pages are great, they allow for updates from these groups and also allow people to show who supports them by clicking the "Like" button.

Well there's my first issue with this whole thing...the liking of page used to be called "Become a Fan." That made way more sense to me and it still bugs me that you now just "like" something. This isn't really the point of this post, but whatever.

My real issue with pages and the liking of said pages is that pages now represent all sorts of things. I mean no longer are they actual representations of things, many times I now see pages for things like "I have a dislike for [insert random object]" or "I'm an 18 year old girl and I still love [insert another random object]." Because of these many random pages you now get people who like EVERYTHING that pops up.

My friend Rachel...she's one of those people.

I looked at her profile today before writing this post. She is currently at 2,957 liked pages. This is opposed to the mere 25 things I currently like. Now I have to admit some of the things she likes are pretty funny and at times I completely agree with what the page says, but again I have to actually think something is a business, club, or something along those lines before I'll like it.

Here are a few of the funnier pages I found on Rachel's profile:

If you sext, do you get a phoner?
I hate it when someone secretly puts your name in the Goblet of Fire

And by far my favorite one I found on here which suits Rachel perfectly is:

I'm a fan of seeing my friends become fans of pages I've just been a fan of (note again here that it's no longer becoming a fan)

I couldn't bring myself to continue looking to find funny ones for two reasons. First I'd be there forever trying to read through and pick out the best ones. Almost 3,000 pages is just too much. Secondly she has so many pages that trying to view them all keeps freezing my browser so I just said "Screw this." But trust me, there are plenty.

But really in the end this all was spurred because I get tired of logging onto Facebook and my news feed is full of so and so likes this or what's his face likes that. It makes me want to not allow you on my news feed...but then I'm afraid I'd miss out on some quality information some day from you...you're lucky I'm nice...and that I like stalking on Facebook.

True Meaning of Indepence and Freedom

So this has been the first 4th of July that I haven't had some kind of festivities planned with either friends of my family. Therefore today for me has been full of sleeping in to a ridiculous hour and then waking up and going shopping for some of the inevitable deals that were out there today. And as I sit here waiting for darkness to approach and sit in my window to catch a glimpse of the random fireworks that people set off tonight I can't help but think about what today is really about.

Is it about cookouts, fireworks, and 4th of July parades? My answer is no. Today is definitely a day for celebration and the previous are things we use to create that celebration. But even without those we still can remember and celebrate the meaning of today. Today is about our countries Independence and the Freedom associated with it.

Dictionary.com defines independence as "freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others." and freedom as "Exemption from the arbitrary exercise of authority in the performance of a specific action; civil liberty." What these definitions don't encompass however is sacrifice.

Sacrifice is ultimately what created this country 234 years ago. And today I think a lot of people forget how much was necessary to sacrifice to have the amazing country we do today. Even today as I sit in my apartment in my comfortable AC I know that half way around the world there are Americans fighting for me. Maybe not specifically for me but for Americans.

It's because of soldiers 234 years ago I have some of the most basic rights...speech, press, religion, and so on and so forth. But even today while there is no tyrant oppressing our rights as a population, we still have soldiers fighting for us and in general for freedom.

So today I do hope you had a great time celebrating or doing whatever you did but take some time to remember why it is we can celebrate today. Be proud of the country we live and what we stand for, and be proud of the soldiers, the men and women who every day put on their uniforms and fight under the Stars and Stripes of our flag. I chose the picture for this post because of the sacrifice those soldiers made. I may not know who they are but I thank them for what they did. For putting aside their own personal safety and risking it all for their country.

I'm damn proud to be an American!

What does the 4th of July mean to you?

Movie Review: The Last Airbender

Well I went to see The Last Airbender last night. I used to watch the cartoon version of this when it was on Nickelodeon so when I saw a preview for this a while back I knew I'd have to go see it when it came out. Before I went to the movie I was talking with my friend Joe and he sends me this review that talks about how bad the movie is. I decided ya know what...I've got to see it in order to make the decision for myself.

While many people I've talked to that have seen it and reviews I've read say many negative things about this movie, I overall actually enjoyed it.

The movie follows Aang, the current incarnation of the Avatar. The Avatar is the only person alive who can control each of the elements. (Air, Water, Earth, and Fire) When Aang realized he was the Avatar he ran away and got caught in a storm and was frozen under the water for 100 years. In the century he was gone the Fire Nation waged a war on the other three nations in an attempt to rule the world.

The movie follows Book One: Water in which Aang who is found by Katara, the only waterbender in the Southern Water Tribe, and her brother Sokka, travel to the Notherwn Water Tribe so that Aang can learn to waterbend. Throughout their trip to the north, the trio encounters some run ins with the Fire Nation which ultimately leads to an all out battle at the Northern Water Tribe city.

Now like I said overall I didn't think the movie was horrible. I left and was actually thinking to myself "Huh...I actually liked it." I watched the cartoon and this followed pretty closely to first season of the cartoon's story line. I even thought it was nice to see some of the aspects from the cartoon translated into a real life version.

Now onto some of the things that bugged me:

• 3D - So I already bitched about this in another blog (http://bit.ly/9Ctg89) but I saw this movie in 3D anyways because that's what format it was in. It really didn't do anything for me. I hear the 3D was added after production and it showed. The movie would have been just fine in 2D.
• Names - A few of the names were pronounced differently in the movie than they were in the cartoons. I wasn't the only person that noticed this as the lady behind me kept correcting the pronunciation every time they spoke. (That got really annoying)
• Too Short - I understand that you can't fit an entire season into a movie, but I wouldn't have minded the movie being a little longer. I just felt like things were rushed.
  

I also think it's worth mentioning that it's obviously set up for a trilogy. There were three seasons of the cartoon and when the movie starts it clearly says "Book One: Water." This means Earth and Fire have yet to come. So I'm kind of excited to see how these pan out in the future.

So beyond these few things it was enjoyable. I at least recommend seeing it, if you saw the cartoon. And if you don't wanna pay to go see it in the theater then at least watch it when it comes out on DVD.

Out of 10 I'd give this movie a 6.

Flying Car!

No the picture above isn't fake or Photoshopped. It's the real deal. A car that flies!

It's known as the Transition Roadable Aircraft. The company that is behind the design of the vehicle is Terrafugia. They have been attempting to create this for a while but have been running into some issues with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Up until the FAA gave them an exception the craft was too heavy to fit into the Light Sport Aircraft category.

While not the first flying car out there it seems to be the most economical. HLN stated that is will cost around $190K. When in the air it can cruise at 115 mph and can go for just a little over 400 miles. When on the ground it even achieves decent gas mileage with 30 mpg. One of the benefits of it being in the Light Sport Aircraft category is also the ability for more individuals to purchase. Customers will need a special license but will only need 20 hours of instruction to get the license and be ready to fly/drive. And another cool feature...it runs off of regular unleaded gas that you can get at any gas station.

Terrafugia wants to have the final design and be ready to sell to customers in 2011.

Now I have to say I think this is pretty sweet. If I had the money to purchase this I would in a heart beat. I'd be flying all over the place just because I could. I also think it's nice that I wouldn't have to go and get all these crazy certifications in able to fly it.

However if this is a hit and car companies start making things like this all the time, the sky is going to get ridiculous. I mean for real just think of the Jetsons and how we can barely drive on the ground as a population. I can't imagine what we would be like in the air.

What do you think of the flying car?

3D Technology = Bad

This post is dedicated to Cora Daniel.

Alright so I'm a big fan of technology. I mean a new gadget comes out and I want it so bad. I get excited for every techno conference and when they announce new things. Heck I was even excited for the new iPhone 4 when I don't even have and never have owned one of the damn things.

My friend Cora is the exact opposite of me when it comes to technology. She hates it. She wishes it would just stand still and not continue to change every 5 seconds. She is my friend that still has a VCR and loves it. She sent me a message one day that was a picture of a Best Buy ad. It was advertising those new 3D ready HDTVs. Her only comment "Pissed."

Well I have to say...for once when it comes to technology...I totally agree!

Now don't get me wrong, I think 3D movies can be really cool. I saw Avatar in 3D IMAX (this is really the only kind of 3D viewing I approve of) and it was amazing. I don't know if it would have been the same not that way. But it's really starting to get on my nerves that a lot of the movies that are coming out now are in 3D. And I completely agree with Cora on the fact that in home 3D TVs are just ridiculous!

First my problem with movies constantly coming out in 3D in theaters. It used to be really special when a movie came out in 3D, like a big deal movie or something. Now it's all kinds of movies. Also to my knowledge (and feel free to correct me here) 3D movies cost more to go see. This means ticket prices (which is a completely separate rant and rave) which are already high, will go higher if everything starts coming out in 3D. Then comes those dang glasses you have to wear to actually see the 3D. They are annoying and not always that comfortable.

My problem with the 3D TVs is more along the lines of "what's the point?" Again I mean it's not like your 42" TV will compare anything to the IMAX theaters. The 3D there is great BECAUSE of the super massive screen. Also I go back to the idea of you're sitting in your home...on your couch...trying to be comfortable; who wants to wear those stupid 3D glasses!? No one. I mean I've seen these commercials advertising 3D sports and video games and such, and I have to ask myself...is it really that big of a deal? My answer...no.

Also what happens if this becomes the new norm? Cora and I are worried that our current DVD collections are going to become obsolete and we are going to be very upset by that.

So I'm curious what everyone else thinks about this new move to 3D TVs and more 3D movies in theaters. Do you like it? Hate it? Why or why not?

PC vs. Mac

Alright so I have two laptops right now. One is a 14" Dell that I bought before my freshman year and my other is a netbook I bought this past year. This summer the screen on my large laptop went out. It still works as a computer, I just can't take it anywhere anymore. Now I'm trying to decide whether or not to replace it. And if I do replace it...should I get another PC or should I go with a Mac?

I know that most people are pretty one sided on this argument, but I'm curious what people think here. I personally feel that both have their times to be used. For the most part I use my computer for basic word processing and internet/email, but I also like to do a lot of graphic design and pictures. I know that Macs work really well with the design aspect, but I've worked with Adobe programs on my current PC just fine.

Let's not forget the price difference here. A Mac for sure cost significantly more money to purchase than a PC, but as with all things you get what you pay for I suppose.

So I'm going to ask for some opinions here. What would you do if you were in my position? Would you get a PC? Or Would you get a Mac? What's your reasoning for picking one over the other? Let me know!

Book Review: World War Z by Max Brooks

So I seem to be on a little bit of a post apocalyptic world genre right now. This is the second book I've read where the human race is threatened and the books tells the story of the aftermath. This end of the world book however is not due to war or anything like (despite the name of the book) but instead is the result of a disease that reanimates humans once they die, AKA zombies.

Just an FYI zombies freak the crap out of me. Although I love the horror movies that use them and so when I saw this book I knew it was a must read for me.

Anyways the book goes through from beginning to end how the zombies first started appearing what happened when it got out of control, what governments did, what individuals did and how we as a human race end up taking back the world (sort of).

The best part of the book I thought was the individual stories that people told of how they survived. Brooks writes so well that I could perfectly visualize every story that is told. Again since zombies freak me out after every short interview I would have to put the book down and then come back to it in a little bit.

The interesting thing about the book to me was how people reacted to the crisis. One chapter is called "The Great Panic" where the problem has escalated and no one knows exactly what to do. People are fighting to stay alive and to make sure their families are as well. Some groups barricade themselves in others fight their way to safety. The biggest surprise to me was how many governments reacted. While I understand what they did it kind of sucked for the people who got caught on the wrong side. Most governments knew they couldn't save everyone so retreated to a small location and protected what they could, but in some cases they gave wrong information or just completely abandoned those they couldn't help.

Fighting back was a long process, and in the book it took the United States 3 years to push from the Rockies to the East Coast. And even after all the work that countries put into retaking their land back there was much more to do in getting people's confidence back.

If anything although this entire scenario is completely fake and entirely impossible (in my opinion) the book still testifies to the resilience of the human race. Although there are things that are going to hurt us and will definitely cause set backs and hardships, we are always going to be here.

I just hope if brain hungry zombies start knocking on my door I have a gun...or a lobo! (read the book to find out what this is)

Time Zones

Ok so I understand the complete necessity for time zones and my post today isn't in opposition to their existence at all. My frustration with time zones is that our country seems to run off of Eastern for almost everything when they make advertisements for things. (Mostly things coming on TV)

I've lived in the Eastern Time Zone for a long time so I never really noticed it. For a while when I lived in Indiana and we didn't observe daylight savings time things were wacky at certain times of the year but not that we do it's not as bad. Well I currently now live in the Central Time Zone and all the time things come on and I have to modify the time in my head that it is coming on. World Cup has been a big problem here because a lot of my friends are watching it in the EST telling me it's one time and then I get all confused.

And although I know a lot of TV shows always do the "8 EST/7 CST" thing I always read the 8 first and forgot that it's the wrong time zone since I'm so used to paying attention to that one. I've missed some of my shows because of that and it frustrates me.

However it is nice to catch some shows that would be on later in EST earlier since I am in CST. Like I now get to watch Family Guy at 10 and not 11. So I guess it's not all bad. I just think that TV shows should just state explicitly what time they are playing in your time zone. So if it's playing in CST don't give me this "8 EST/7 CST" nonsense...just say "7 CST." So much easier.

Anyone else have time zone frustrations or am I just crazy?

Storms and Power Outages

So my area of Illinois has been getting hit pretty hard lately by storms. Not all of them have been destructive but it's still kind of annoying. The weather will be up and down all day. The other day I woke up and the sun was shining and then lunch it was raining then shining again and I got out for a run and get caught in this storm from no where. What the hell mother nature!? Make up your mind!

Well Tuesday was definitely one of those days. I had planned on going for a run but saw this huge black cloud approaching so decided I'd just take it easy inside. Glad thing I made that choice because not ten or fifteen minutes later the sky just unleashed everything it had. The thunder was so strong it was setting off car alarms and all that around the place I'm staying.

Well the real reason I'm writing this right now is because we ended up losing power for a while and then the internet wasn't back up until this afternoon. Now I've always grown up with electricity, I mean what person my age hasn't, I mean hell even my parents did. Losing power for my generation I feel is like losing everything that we know. I mean no TV, no computer, and hell since it was night I couldn't even read since I don't have candles. I just can't imagine not having this all the time. Even something as simple as a refrigerator to keep my food cool is useless without electricity.

My point here is that thinking about it the past day or so I just can't believe how dependent we are on it. I mean at this point not like we can ween ourselves off of it, but ya know still just hard to think how I feel most of us (including myself) would find it hard to function without it.

I've been reading some post apocalyptic books lately and really don't know how well I'd fair without power. It's not like I have many skills of survival since I'm so dependent on it. Do you think you could survive without power? Let me know.

Book Review: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

One thing I really like about summer is that I finally have the time to read books for fun. Not because I have to ya know? Well I had finished the couple of books that I brought up to Chicago with me and needed a new one. I was on Facebook and saw a quote from this book as someone's status. I did a quick little read to figure out what it was about and then decided to buy it. Boy am I glad I did! This was a really good book.

If you're a fan of happy go lucky, fairy tale stories then this is most definitely not the book for you. It's a post-apocalyptic world where a man and his son fight for survival. McCarthy never really explains exactly how the world got the way it did. My immediate guess was nuclear war. The book is constantly speaking of ash raining down from the sky and how cities were burned and people had been charred while trying to run. The line "The clocks stopped at 1:17. A long shear of light and then a series of low concussions," made me think of an EMP. Anyways the book doesn't really focus much on the before...it's all about the after.

I never really figured out exactly where they were either. At the beginning of the book they were in the mountains and were heading south. Beyond that, you never read a city name that gives you any hint the path they took. Their goal was to reach the ocean in hopes to escape the bitter cold that seemed to have consumed the whole planet.

In a world that has become essentially dead, and people have turned into cannibal murderers, the man and his son embody two shining characteristics: Love and Hope. Due to the conditions the world is currently in many people have reverted to savages and are willing to do anything they can to stay alive. They imprison people and only save them to eat at a later time. Many times throughout the book, the boy refers to themselves as "the good guys."

The man, who embodies love, will do anything to protect his child. The first time they run across a group that threatens his son, he shoots the man right in the forehead and tells his son he is here to protect him, and he'll kill anyone who touches him. Many times the father ensures he provides the boy with food or water before himself and insists on the boy having more until the boy also demands he have some for himself. The father is always reassuring of the son letting him know things are going to be alright, even though deep down he's not so sure himself.

The boy is a perfect balance for his father. While his father doubts many times how they are going to survive the boy always has hope. At one point he says to his father "You thought we were going to die. Well we didn't." His hope for survival also extends beyond he and his father. Seeing others along their journey he wishes to help to give them a fighting chance. He once pleads with his father to give an old man some food.

The man and the boy also balance each other out in risk taking. The father blinded by love is willing to do whatever it takes to find food. He took many risks in searching abandoned houses while the boy wanted to step back and leave many times. At one point the father's risk taking almost gets them killed and another time it saves their lives.

Overall I give this book a big two thumbs up! It's a great read and moving as well. You can only hope if we ever have to experience the world depicted that such love and hope will still exist.

Illinois: Land of Two Plates

Ok so this is now officially the first time I've made to blogs in one day, but I will be honest...I'm extremely bored but also have something interesting to share.

I have been living in the Chicagoland area for a little over a month now and something I have noticed is that cars from Illinois tend to have two license plates on their cars. They have the normal one which hangs out on the back of the car, but they also have on that is on the front of the car.

I asked one of the ladies that works in the same building as me, and she didn't know what I meant when I asked why they have two here. Well I'm from Indiana and in Indiana we only have one plate...only on the back. I was curious why this is the case here in Illinois so I did a little bit of research. (Yes I know I'm weird like that)

Turns out for Illinois it's actually a state law for the plating laws. Also interestingly enough, Indiana is in the minority of states that actual only require one plate. A few others around us are Michigan and Kentucky. Across the country there are only 19 states that require only the rear plate to be affixed to the car. One of the main reasons for why it has been the case here in Illinois is the officers say it helps them to identify cars quicker when they are able to check a plate number when viewing the car from either the front or the rear of the vehicle.

I also found that Indiana did in fact at one time require to plates but in 1943 during WWII we did away with it because of an aluminum shortage and just never brought the law back. It actually saves us money by not having to stamp out two plates for every vehicle on the road. Illinois is currently revisiting the law in the House. (House Bill 4888) They have stated it will save the state $1 million dollars by only stamping one.

Interesting Fact #2 of the day.

So now if you're driving around in another state and see two plates that's why!

Asterisks, Ampersands, and At

So I'm sitting here today and I'll admit I got a little bored. I was staring at my keyboard and was looking at the asterisk above the 8. I never really noticed until today that on the keyboard it has 5 lines. I mention this because anytime I write an asterisk I make eight lines. Ya know make a "+" and then put an "x" over it type of deal. So this got me thinking...when you type are they also 5 lines. I open up word and type an asterisk...well wouldn't you know...it's 6 lines. WTF!? Why would it look like one thing on the keyboard and then it's something else when you type it. So I figure I wonder if it's always six. Well the answer to that is no...as I flipped through the fonts it can be anywhere from 5 - 8. That's dumb.

Now I sat there and wondered what other deceptions my keyboard had. Well turns out not really that many...the only other two that I have found so far are the ampersand (&) and the at (@). Ampersand doesn't change too much, but as I was flipping through fonts there's a good 4 or 5 different styles for how you can make it. None of which again are how I actually write an ampersand. I write it like a cursive E with a line above and below it, or I just use a plus sign. The at isn't that big of a deal at all, the only difference that comes about in that is how clear the a on the inside is and the shape of the line that goes around the a.

I know this is really random and doesn't really matter at all, but just something I noticed today and was kind of interesting/annoying. That's all.

Train Rides and Fireworks

Today was a really good day. Work, while monotonous, was productive today. One of my internship directors and I decided to take strips of metal and mark them with continuous toolmark lines. Then we cut them in half and label each side and scan them in the SEM. Then using what ever pictures I've taken on the SEM we are seeing if I can successfully match the two halves back together. I did this once already with 14 pieces and was able to make 3 correct matches. Not too high of a percentage, but I also feel I'm really not trained that well in identifying this stuff. Today I scanned all 16 pieces for test 2. I left a little early so that way when I look at the images tomorrow they are completely new and I don't have anymore bias from today.

Got my haircut today in between work and my ride into the city. My have been the fastest haircut I've ever gotten. I think I pulled into the parking lot at 5 and was pulling out at 5:12. I don't mind since I was in a hurry anyways to make sure I got to my train in time. My train ride into the city today was kind of funny. First it was super busy because it was the first commuter train available after people get off of work. Didn't get my good seat that I normally do so that stunk. Then as the train is almost to Union Station this guy next to me starts to talk to me about his dang iPhone. Literally his two comments to me were: "So I just got this iPhone and it doesn't come with a manual...but you kind of just figure it out." and "I like the maps feature." So random!

The reason I went downtown tonight was to meet up with David Barrs, an expansion person from Sigma Chi. We have an interest group at IUPUI that has contacted their HQ and he wanted to learn a little about our campus and what our Greek system is like right now. Seems like I answered most of his questions, and I definitely learned a little about them. They are a huge fraternity...235 active chapters!

After dinner I decided to walk around downtown for a bit. Went to Millennium Park because I wanted to see the bean at night. Even though Areef tells me the bean is the most overrated structure I still love that thing. This is the first time I've seen it at night. Pretty dang cool in my opinion. Then while I was sitting there, Navy Pier set off their fireworks. So I decided to sit down and watch them. Was really relaxing and the weather was just amazing tonight.

Best part of the night though was my train ride home. Almost missed it because the ticketing line was forever long, but anyways I got on the first car since it was empty, but this huge group of ladies got on after me. Turns out they were all teachers at the same school that went to the Cubs game. They were drunk...so funny. Well even funnier was there were students that had gone to their school on the train with them. They had this huge reunion and were laughing so much. Then one of the teachers pulls out a water bottle and tells this kid he looks thirsty and needs some "water." He gets all excited and asks his friend to pass him the Gatorade. He downs the "water" in seconds. So funny! This guy across from me both literally turned around in our seats to watch this all happen.

Overall a good day.

Quote of the Day
Heard this today from David Barrs at dinner.

"The people who say something can't be done need to get out of the way of the people who are doing it."

Chicago

Well for those of you who don't know I've been living in the Chicago land area for almost a month now. Kind of hard to believe I've been here that long already. Which at the same time means I'm almost half way through with the time that I'm here for.

I'm living in Westmont, IL which is a suburb of Chicago. It's pretty small compared to some of the surrounding areas. It's about 10 minutes from Naperville and probably 15 to 20 from Aurora. It's a nice little area that would be a good place to live when you have a family and such.

The internship is going pretty well. The first two weeks I was enrolled in some of the classes from the College of Microscopy here. The first class was Fiber Identification. Was a pretty in depth class on all the ways to identify different types of fibers and how they are made and all that fun stuff. I'm definitely no good at identifying them though. We did unknowns and I got just about all of them wrong. I think I just don't know exactly what to look for yet. The second class I took was the Hair Comparison course. This class was awesome! The people were a lot of fun to interact with and I learned a ton. I was better at identifying some things in this course than I was in fiber. Now I've begun actually working on my "project" for the summer. They've put me on the JEOL NeoScope, which is a bench top scanning electron microscope (SEM). I have to say it's a pretty impressive instrument and extremely easy to learn how to use. I've taken some cool pictures with it. If you have checked out my Facebook album "SEM Pictures" you should. Even if you don't know what you're looking at, they tend to be pretty cool.

Taking an online class right now as well, but hard to believe in about 12 days that's over as well. It's been pretty easy. Computer science. It has been slightly interesting, but at the same time I don't get why I need to convert decimal numbers into binary, hexidecimal, and octal numbers when the computer does all that anyways now. Although I was pretty excited about writing a program the other day and getting 100% on it without any of the hints.

Now to the fun parts! I've been visiting downtown Chicago about every weekend since I've been here. So amazing and I wished I lived right down there instead of in the suburbs. If I ever decide to move to Chicago, I'll definitely want to be living in that area. It's been so much fun exploring the city. I feel I'm finally beginning to understand public transportation and I have to say...I love it! There's even a system called the Metra that takes me from Westmont all the way into downtown for about 4 bucks! Then when I'm down there I just take the 'L' or the buses anywhere in the city I want to go.

I've been along Lake Shore Drive, near Navy Pier, Wrigley Field, Millennium Park, the art museum and so many other places I can't even begin to talk about them all. This city is just so awesome.

That's about all I've got for now. Hopefully I'll start writing into this more often again. I always seem to fall behind by about 4 or 5 months.

Quote of the Day
"You can't always get what you want/but if you try sometimes/you just might find/you get what you need!" --Rolling Stones