Malarchi

Yeah yeah, it's been a year and a half, I'll save any hackneyed even if apropos phrases... :p

This is it... one more bash before the summer comes to a screeching halt and my energies are put less into yard work and more into brain work. Hey, it's a mess in there. We've spent the past few months bit-by-bit shaping our back lawn - which looked like Katrina's big sister hit it hard though years of neglect - into a habitable area of our property, mainly for today - Ginger's belated birthday party. It's the first time, for some strange reason, that Cindi's side of the family will be coming over here in like 7 or 8 years.

To that end, we have installed a new 6' wooden fence along one side (ostensibly for the purpose of keeping Quincy, our recently-acquired family dog - a white fluffball of a Maltese that thankfully is bred to have hair instead of fur so as not to cause allergic reactions in humans - contained within the back yard when we let him outside. We also had the old wooden shed - built to temporarily house stuff from my passed grandmother's house (8 years ago) - dismantled and the ground below it leveled... which now rests beaneath our 10'x15' above-ground pool. The rest of our dirt & crabgrass "lawn" was tilled and filled and leveled... then fixed up with a nice new layer of sod! We have grass! Nice grass!! We got a big party shelter/tent for the patio, trimmed and weeded all the trees, gardened, and much more...

And you'd never believe that yesterday the entire outside world was in turmoil from the fallout of Hurricane Ernesto - it's mostly sunny out, nice temperature and breeze, there are no pools of water from the days of rain, and we even went around and cleaned up after Ernie. All is set for the party any time now, Dominique phoned me that her student loan went through finally, my laptop is on its way in the mail, and the 3D model of a computer mouse I've been agonizing over all summer is nearly there, only days before school starts right back up again!

I'll be packing my car tomorrow morning, and heading up to Dom's place, where we'll spend a little time together before launching into the new year, with its own set of worries and anxieties... But this is a nice way to end Summer. :)

Hey everyone! I am still about, only constantly occupied with architecture school and what-not. Oh yeah, and trying to keep from going broke! =/

I have recently joined the MySpace community, check it out, you friend whores, if you want to see the latest on me...!
http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=9850852&Mytoken=20050227224539

Later,
Jas =)

Just another find in my internet travails...  A 6'-2" (1.88m) woman (lesbian, I presume) muses upon gender boundaries and pop-culture/media acceptance over the past several years:

 

"...I revel in my femme nature now, and dress accordingly when I want to, but sometimes when I'm walking down Castro Street in a dress and lipstick, I wonder if people think I'm a drag queen.

I'm not knocking drag queens. Without them I'd never have found a pair of high heels to fit me. Now think about that.

Because of my size, I can't get a pair of shoes that I, as a woman in this society, am supposed to wear, unless they are made by and for men. Tell me that isn't twisted."

1. I went out front to my car to get my toothbrush, that I may have a palate capable of tasting before I went to get breakfast. The exit door was fine, but the door to get back in was locked. Meaning my card won't open it because it's still *physically* locked. From previous intercom conversations with campus security, it would have to be unlocked by an actual NJIT cop, but apparently that doesn't happen until they get around to it.

Sooo... they're serving breakfast but you can't get into the building without going 'round the block to the other entrance?


2. Upon arriving in the cafeteria (caf), the cook asked what I wanted.
"Breakfast special, please."
"Pancakes, bacon, and home fries?"
"Sure."

So he puts the pancakes in, which by the way seemed to have been refrigerated, or they were just maybe not hot like pancakes are SUPPOSED to be, asks what kind of EGGS I want (I replied "with cheese," thinking he's being generous or they are allowed more leeway in servng portions lately - HA), then he puts a few measly strips of bacon in and seals it.

No home fries? I didn't bother asking because, as I've generally found, they are Nazis when it comes to kitchen regulations - ex., materials and shape of bowls/plates used for each specific food item.

Oh well, no home fries, no biggie. But they looked good.


3. The surly cashier rings me up at $4.75.
"Did it go up?" I ask, pulling out my wallet.
"No, always been $4.75." she says.
"It said $4.50 on the big sign..." I say slowly.
"Oh? Well it's been ringing up here in the computer as $4.75, I'll look into it."

Whatever. I didn't bother asking for my quarter, despite how much I wanted to ruin her morning at that point. I briefly entertained the idea of going back and asking the cook for an extra strip of bacon since I was being overcharged, but - you know.


4. On the walk back to my building, I had to inhale and choke on diesel fumes. They were spewing from a little street-cleaning truck belonging to University Heights. Makes sense.


Those grease trucks are beginning to seem more appealing as an alternative to the caf...
And my eggs are cold and pasty! =P
I should bring in my own groceries and do it myself, darnit! LOL

"A higher IQ score is not a guarantee that an individual will achieve happiness, maintain sanity, or obtain spiritual growth."

hahahahaha....
It's so nice to see that in print, so I don't feel depressed for no reason. ;)

...from this page, I google "IQ" from time to time:
http://www.iqtest.com/scoreexplain.html

While I'm at it, this "snippet" found some resonance with me:
http://www.senses.dreamhost.com/snippets/83.html


I'm on-and-off working on my Studio design for a home for the program's retired professor. Mostly sketches so far, but I've got the site plan in AutoCAD here, though not much progress on it over the past few days. The site is mocking me! LOL

It's situated on the Eastern shore of a freshwater lake in New England; a rocky, concave slope upon which to build a house from natural materials. Every one of my sketches looks completely different from the next, I can't seem to focus and get any real work done... =/

I plan to join my family tonight for Easter dinner (most of my family, anyway!) ;)
so I guess it will be up to school from there, and maybe get a few more things worked out before class begins tomorrow. I also have to finish my site model and type up what I've written on my Management presentation, which will be up in front of the class tomorrow evening... @_@

*puts "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen" back on* - the Andrews Sisters are always so happy. ^_^

Basically, this is the funniest thing I have seen all day - a user-created dictionary of slang, etc.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/random.php

Refresh this page. Laugh.

Jas =)

create your own personalized map of the USA

I can't believe I've never been West of Kansas... =P I'll get to Cali someday, before they float off into the Pacific, hopefully. Or sink. ^_^

-update-
I added Massachusetts and Connecticut, from a trip in late 2004! :)

I love Newark at 7 AM... Did I just say that? YES, Newark, NJ can be a decent place - when the streets are empty! I flew up here on the Parkway after taking a shower and getting a little sleep, made it in plenty of time so that I could pull right up in front of Weston Hall (arch. building) as I so love to do (the alternative is using the 8-level parking deck and paying for it).

I ran up to the 7th floor (OK, took the elevator from 2nd to 7th :p) to see the rest of the sunrise over downtown Newark, blocks away downhill... then checked in at my studio to see who was in yet. Some maintenance guys were actually repairing some of our loft lighting! They had a neat little hydraulic platform but, more importantly, we'll have some better illumination at nights now. Woke a friend up, then ambled over to the Student Center as they were opening the cafeteria, got some killer breakfast (which I'm still finishing) and brought her back an OJ. ^_^

Now I'm going to finish my meal and get ready for Studio in an hour's time, so I'll save the wit and wisdom for later, just thought I'd update you all since I don't presently feel like relating my experiences from New Year's up til now. :)

It's 2004 and we're off to a fresh start of greed, pestilence, & violent bombing - but at the same time benevolence, health reforms & peace efforts...

I drove up to stop by a friend's party tonight, we all played Taboo and then some other group game which I don't think quite everyone understood by the end! Lots of fun and they seemed a great bunch of people to know. A few were cute too. =P

But I made it back here with 4 minutes to spare, so I could be with my family (except Scott, he was at another party, LOL) when the ball dropped. =) Oh and my Dad made killer hors d'oeuvres, too.

Tomorrow (assuming we can get up in time), my brother and I are heading off to witness the charred, alcohol & confetti-strewn remains of the streets of Manhattan. It's something of a tradition, to head up the first of the year - you can do 60 in the Holland Tunnel and pick any parking spot on the island...

Well I finally sent in my FAFSA aid form, electronically. I had to wait for a gov't PIN by mail since their site is so convoluted and self-defeating, security-wise. I wish you could be more specific in the application though - as far as I know, they didn't ask what my grades were, or how many credits I'd be taking, or what kind of rent I pay, etc... Shouldn't those factor into my need for educational funds?

Incidentally, I got A's and one B. =P ^_^

Jas

Well, here is the letter to my university, I thought it might be a good idea to post it for anyone here to read before I ship it out, lest it be too harsh or not bitchy enough. lol

*************************************

Dear NJSoA Deans and NJIT Dept. of Security,


I draft this letter to lodge a grievance as well as to voice my opinion regarding campus security. During the course of this past Fall 2003 semester, not unexpected crimes have been committed against my fellow classmates and myself, the most obvious of which would be theft and vandalism. Objects of great value (especially to any student) were stolen, lockers were broken into, computers were "gutted" for parts, I could go on.

In the beginning of December, my digital camera was "lifted" from my desk while I was momentarily away from it. While this may seem an obvious error on my part, it is mitigated by the fact that our studio (the Campbell Gallery) was the *only* to be left for weeks on end without a functioning door lock. Any person need only pull on the door handle and waltz in, meaning the suspects are no longer restricted to studiomates nor even fellow classmates. I filed a police report and also placed posters around the area, more as an outlet for bitter sarcasm than in hopes of ever getting my necessary and newly-bought camera back (I waited to buy one for some time, until the morning of Black Friday).

I empathize with budgetary constraints, and I understand and have accepted the fact that we are, obviously, being educated in the Newark environment – but shouldn't you, or we, aspire to raise the standards of the city and its reputation? Isn't that some small part of why the school's name has and was going to again change?

I also understand that in any school, there will be malcontents and pranksters – but these are deliberate and unchecked crimes, and they were captured by no surveillance, nor hampered by any real security measures.

I feel that I have been wronged, and though I can curse the thief and blame myself as well, I would like the assurance that obvious omissions of security such as these will not be repeated in the coming semesters. Is this too much to ask…?


Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Jason M. Colbert

I'm out, baby! First semester at architecture school is done done done… Took my last final(!) exam this past Tuesday, I think I got all of it right, actually - Calculus - which for me was a worry since there are a few areas of math at which I don't exactly "represent," if you get me. lol

We had our company Christmas party today, left work at 1:30 - past years starting later in the evening meant people would be staggering home drunk off their behinds at 2, 3 in the morning... My boss was actually quite understanding of my predicament this past semester in not being a steady presence in the workplace, maybe because he went to NJIT as well (Newark College of Engineering, then).

Oh, and I got a Christmas bonus!!!!!!! I had totally forgotten about that, to say nothing of the party itself! I can tell you that money went straight into my checking account, it will be needed... LOL
OK, OK so I bought some Lindt chocolate truffles while I was at the store, too - sue me, it's the holidays!!

God I hope I don't hurl tonight... I did my very first (and likely last!) shot tonight — in part to finally shut them up with their nagging, in part for the sense of belonging, in part to celebrate. White Zambuca (however it's spelled), if you haven't had the pleasure(?!), reeks of licorice and feels like ignited glycerine going down your throat. But I did it. I may have lost brain cells, but I did it. :o)
The rest of the gang was overjoyed... until the next round came along and I passed. hehehe My boss must have spent half a grand on us, easily - half again of that in shots! But it's once a year, and I felt like getting nicely toasted for once, instead of just my usual celebratory Malibu Bay Breeze (a sweet mixed drink that I love). I think the best, though, was my Dad's expression when I told him upon getting home. ^_^

What other news... on the bad end, my great-grandfather-in-law (Pop-pop Kelly) just passed away from heart failure after being in ICU for a while (he had a wonderful life though - no pun intended - and his wife, Nanny Kelly, left us back in 1999, so it was coming - he will be missed though). This had the whirlwind side-effect of my Mom driving out here briefly with her husband for the services - I see her about once a year - so we got to spend some time together. Thank goodness it was after most of my classes were over!

Also, for those of you not in the know, black Friday is what they call the shopping frenzy the morning following Thanksgiving - I was at Best Buy because I figured I'd waited long enough to break down and buy a digital camera, and one was on sale from $250 down to $150.
Well, I sure as hell am glad it was an instant rebate, because I waited in line from 3:30 in the morning only to take it up to campus and have someone totally just steal it off my desk when I wasn't looking the same damn day.
I was pissed, but what are ya gonna do? Aside from file a police report and watch them slowly & incompetently fill out out the form... I used up a small fraction of our printroom quota for the semester and put up these posters all over our building that allowed at least my sarcasm to bleed through, they... oh hell, I'll just upload it:

http://jmcart.homestead.com/files/FujiCam_STOLEN2.jpg

^_^

My finances have been obliterated over this past semester, so I don't have the money to replace it - luckily, others in my class have no problem with me borrowing theirs, but I got one myself so I wouldn't have to... At least it wasn't one of those $850 7MegaPixel digicams... =P

Oh, did I neglect to mention that our studio is the only one which lacks a functioning keypad lock?
And there were varmints? My deskmate Marta said in the course evaluation form we had to fill out at the end: "Oh and don't forget to feed Mickey and Minnie while we're gone!" lol...
If only it were just mice... There was one bug I saw when moving the last of my stuff out the other day, looked like the bastard child of a centipede and a walking-stick. @_@

We also didn't have heat, the windows wouldn't stay closed, the skylights leaked sometimes, and vandalism & theft were pretty much commonplace throughout the semester, particularly at the end. I mean I know I'm in Newark, but how can the security forces on campus or the deans sleep at night knowing what goes on there?

The reason I took most of my stuff out early, was I saw two empty PC towers lying on the floor - other students told me one of them had actually even been locked up in the locker with a combination, and still someone just waltzed into our studio and picked them clean, taking even the motherboards... as well as the last can of who-hash. =P

Still, it was a kind of camaraderie, with the hell we went through, so I will miss those guys (my studio mates, not the thieves) over the break...

So what's up now... I'm finally getting the chance to be lazy again! YAY
I'm back on a standardized regimen of video games, movies, and various time-wasting activities. Oh and early January, I'll see my Mom once again for the trip to Disney!! We'll be in Florida for a week of commercialism, yes. =P Oh well, I'll give the place a shot, I may be a cynic but my brother & I grew up on the Disney Channel... =)


Holiday Cheers,
Jas

HOLY... Well it has, in fact, been a month! Once again, I am planning to go into work tomorrow, but probably only part of the day as I need to get some weekday-only things done. I just wanted to update to express my frustration at a particular circumstance recently with regard to school. Oh, there are many irritating things about school (and not the usual things, necessarily, though I don't know about Queen's - hehe).

The Tuesday over a week ago, there was a review class for my Calculus course. I chose not to attend half-way up, due to "a fatality at the Hazlet train station." This meaning that, apparently, someone had thrown themselves in front of an electric locomotive to kill themself. Needless to say, this put a wrench in the rail route (sorry to sound so casual about it, the other commuters were more so - doubtless I would be more empathetic had it been an ACCIDENT...), and the only mode of transportation left open was a connecting public bus to New York (and, I presume, Newark?). I was not about to go through hell for a single evening class, a review at that. I ended up jumping back on the train home after they made us wait half an hour at the connecting station - my little sister was happy, since this meant I now had a chance to take her to the library. =)

Ah, out of the mouths of babes . . . at one point, she goes "Jay, can we come to the library again next time the train has an accident?" I had only given her the most stripped-down, euphamistic of information, and she still managed to be morbid herself! =P LOL

So, anyway, during this review class, the professor didn't hand out review sheets as he did last time, however one thing in particular he did give the students was a verbal notice to work through a Venn diagram problem in the book, which he ended up repeating nearly verbatim on the exam we took a week ago today.

I got a 100 on the first exam, left early to get something to eat. Out of the 6 problems in this new test, I lost nearly all points on the Venn diagram one, as I was not there to hear this warning from the teacher...

I know, it sounds like an excuse, but I did e-mail him when I wasn't going to be able to make it in & he didn't say anything save for "OK see you Thursday."

WHY THE **** are people always so short in their replies??? When I send e-mails to banks, schools, professors, etc... I often give detailed questions so as not to CONFUSE THEM, I break it down in paragraph form or by number. And still I get replies like a grade schooler typed them, and they were on their way out the door to catch the bus.

I am sidetracking myself. OK I'll get to the point!

So tonight I heard a girl in class explaining to the professor something about not knowing she could have used notes or a calculator or something (though it wasn't notes for the exam, I don't know what exactly she was saying), and he produced a paper and said "here just work on this" like it could help her grade. So at the end of class, I politely went up to him and inquired if there was any way I could make up the Venn part of the test, since the SUICIDE kept me from attending class the day when he mentioned it would be on the test.

I believe his words were "Oh, yeah. These things happen." and here he proceeded to look back down and stare at his book.

Now you see why I don't get around to updating this thing often? Because I get so stressed about the lack of compassion in such a simple thing, and there are so many stories to tell, when you practically live in the city...

OK I am strung out from not being home in 2 days, so now that I finally AM, I am going to hit the hay, as it were. =)


Good night, all!

Jas

I am going to be going crazy this weekend, after working a full day (hopefully!) tomorrow at my company. Our Design critic/instructor wants us to build a "final" version of our 3-D models and have it ready Monday morning - this means my weekend, as usual, is shot. =P

On the plus side, my new speakers came by post, and I brought them up today because I was able to take my car! Yes, I missed the train, but that was only because I was continuing to work on two projects I'd been working on the previous night as well... Driving is expensive, but allows for more variation, so it's a nice change - I can side-track to a store for supplies, bring heavy or delicate equipment in, stay as late as I wish, etc... One of the security guys was nice enough to let me into the parking deck, even though I don't have a permit! He said as long as I go right to the roof deck (8th story), they wouldn't even bother checking up there for tags. I was willing to pay to park for the day, but their system is really screwed-up - I would have had to go over to the Bursar's office to purchase it, then who even knows if I'd have to go back and stick something on my car before going to class... The guard said to not even bother. I was like "...okay."
So I cheated. But it isn't the first time I've bent the rules, and will hardly be the last, considering where I'm going to school... =)

Hey Em, I'm really getting to like campus life, the diversity is amazing! The main difference would probably be the urban/city surroundings, as compared to your more pastoral/small-town campus? I've ventured out into the city a few times, with & without friends, I only wish I had more time to explore! Nice thing is, I'm only a $5.60 round-trip ticket away from NYC, so I may be going there from time to time, just to check out some of the architecture. Won't I look like a tourist. =P
They say one can tell a newbie/tourist on sight because they are always gaping up at the skyscrapers while everyone else just trudges around, being careful to have that glazed-over "I'm not looking at *anything*, especially *you*" look.
Well they should revise it to "tourists and architects." =) Heck, I always look up because I'm of an artistic mind anyway. People in general should really try it more often...

OK gonna get some sleep, go into work early (maybe), then get on my Graphics assignment in the evening... then get ready for a solid weekend of precisely cutting and pasting together yet another chipboard scale model of an abstract & non-representational yet somehow functional & inhabitable environment. Yay! @_@


Oh, and I'm jumping the gun here, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sister RACHELLE!!!!!! May I just say, HA-HA, you're still not old enough to get into a bar. =)~

Hugs & kisses, & have a great day!

Love to all,
Jas

So, now we're charged to construct a third iteration of our model, due Monday, while also doing the readings (one of those studio-copies-only readings) for next class (Wed.) as well as revising our current model. Add to that I have a Graphics assignment due Thursday, our first Calc exam tomorow night to study for... I have to work a full day this Friday... oh and I need a haircut. =)

I'm seriously thinking of buying a cell phone this next week; it seems like everyone here has one, and at any rate I'd be able to keep my Mom more up-to-date on my life... (btw, I was a little shocked to hear that she had no idea I'd gone back to school, I figured it would've gotten along the grapevine at least... @_@ lol)

I worked in Studio until 6 AM Sunday morning, then drove home blearly-eyed (when they weren't closed) to crash finally, and only, at home. The reason for this schedule being, I wanted to assert to myself that I still have a semblance of a personal life - there was a Mensa party at Joe & Connie Lyons' place. It's still mostly older ppl, but Yi-chun was there too ^_^ and a newcomer who seems to have done a bit of traveling overseas herself!

It's funny how the proverbial bar is raised when you're at one of these gatherings though, I notice I'm able to use and pick up on words I'd never hear "out in the world." LOL Joe is a retired US Navy Captain or Admiral, as I recall, and I was delighted to see he had a great number of small-scale airplane models in display cases in the front room, which he himself had built! I told his wife I could name the great majority of them by sight, and that my grandpa had been into model airplanes, though in balsa rather than plastic kits - the B-17 which hangs near/over my bed has a wingspan of 1.5 - 2 meters, alone... =)

So I'm hanging in there, none the worse for wear, just strung out a bit. A bit of a downer today when our Graphics instructor informed us of the pitfalls of choosing architecture as a career... the list was numerous... I'll bring it up again later, the day's almost over and, though I'll have to come up here all day tomorrow to work on this project revision, etc., I'm sure as hell ready to go home for right now! hehe

So I guess I'll get a sandwich combo at Penn Station's 1935 Deli, had cracked peppercorn turkey w/ dark green lettuce & Brie in a tomato wrap last time... wasn't bad, for taking a chance on it! See you all later if, in fact, the 'all' would apply (does anyone but Emo read this? =P)!

Jas


p.s. - I just have to mention that I saw the most beautiful sunrise I've ever seen, coming home Sunday morning!!! Although if you know me, you know I can not have witnessed many sunrises in the past decade... hehe For the times I was still awake in those days, I was always inside all night. =P
But anyway, it was like the sky had exploded into three distinct levels, and there were curiously spaced-apart golden rays shooting up from behind the main cloud layer... an iridescent orange scribed itself a line along the top of the lower cloud, reflected from the sun just below the middle layer, the sky faded to blue above there...
I dunno, I tried to memorize it, it was so breathtaking, so I can probably sketch it now better than I can describe it! lol

p.p.s. - I'm too tired for a p.p.s. =D

Hey, class is about to begin for the day, and I just wanted to say that I am fine, & am caught up more or less in my assignments...

ttyl later!

Jas

Well I bought my own internet cable to hook into the campus LAN lines... they're only supplied to freshmen, and those were short as well - don't ya love administrative efficiency? Like the book our teachers have been assigning readings from which hadn't been in the school bookstore the first week or two. Yeah, now it's in but they weren't releasing them because they seem to have neglected to record the info for the people who paid up-front for the text..... @_@

I am and have been working on this stupid cardboard (chipboard) abstract maquette for the past week, commuting the 2 hrs back home to occasionally sleep..... but it's progressing... still gotta make it more abstract & then have sections & plans of it ready before class on Monday..... =P And then there's my Graphics assignment which is due earlier in the morning Monday...

I miss my family...

Jas

It seems they expect the students to be more responsible and resourceful than the teachers and coordinators at this school? I know they are trying, but when they continue to assign readings for a text which the school bookstore has been unable to supply, things start to get confusing. Or how about not having enough big, metal desks upon which we can draft? Even if there wasn't a student or two left without a place in which to work, you'd still have the problem of boxes. By that I mean, they make us purchase desktop computers which we will be using CAD (computer-aided drafting) on, but everybody in the class has simply piled all of their empty boxes in the center of the studio, once their PCs are set up. Did I mention they completely bury at least one of the short-supply desks?? LOL

My Design instructor has it bad, she's a petite woman at her first year of teaching, as a side to practicing architecture, I believe. I can only imagine what this is doing to her stress level, as well as ours! =) She assigned a reading due Wed. morning, when class ended Monday. The catch is, she made two (2) copies. Yeah. They were to remain in the studio for others to read, unless someone wanted to make copies for themselves and bring them right back. Now, I wasn't about to read them last night (see previous post), and I was sleeping a goodly amount of today, so suffice it to say that I didn't have much time up at the campus tonight either, and there were no copy machines available. So I skimmed the readings and thought up some questions to ask in class (as she suggested) regarding the material. Another last-minute save! =D Fortunately, I was able to make it over to the subway station in time after that.

I think the best part, though, is that we have to buy our own drafting materials, including a board and mayline (the parallel thing that slides up and down). This was all supplied in high school, and was used in turn for the next class. There's being cheap and there's being stupid - what happens when each newcoming class is inevitably left without the requisite materials once last-minute purchases leave local supply stores without stock? And the school store? And the school itself? Couldn't the univ. just have ordered what they alone knew would be required for their own students?

OK, I'm done venting. hehe

On a side note, a very cute girl and I started talking in calc. class tonight; unfortunately, it turns out she is dropping her studio classes and not pursuing architecture after all. She must be from Europe, I saw the fancy number "1"s in her notebook when we were working on something... but she said having to work and commute is too much to take such demanding classes... I'm gonna try to convince her otherwise - I mean I commute two hours each way every day and I'm not ready to give up. =) Tell her to take out a loan, or something... We need more cute girls in studio!! ^_^

Current Mood: winding down...

Current Music: Jerry Goldsmith - Final Flight

...this is what I was told by the guy at the main desk downstairs when I put 75 cents into a vending machine outside my studio, only to have the spiral rotate the opposite way and PULL my granola bar backwards, and further from my stomach!! @_@ LOL I think I asked why they didn't simply unplug the offending machines. I can't remember, that was almost a week ago now...

Hey everybody! This is my journal, and this is me. Or, the back-to-school me. I am stressed, but otherwise doing fine. =P

The commute by car up to Newark, NJ was a little quicker, but very unpredictable and hectic - so I have bought a monthly rail pass from NJ Transit. It's still going to be 2 hours more or less, but at least I can just sit there, and maybe read or do homework! I was told over the phone that the pass would also cover the Newark Subway which I need to take over to NJIT, but the other employee checking tickets seemed to disagree. She said a monthly pass for the subway, even for students, is an additional $20... So I am just going to buy the tickets myself, if they are fifty cents each time it will only come to $16/mo. Those guys up there keep warning me of possible fines too, like if I don't have my ticket validated by a machine, it's a $71 fine!! If that was the case, then waive the fine, and just have the railroad buy me a monthly pass which wouldn't then need to *get* validated! LOL And anyway, the machine should be a convenience - I thought the conductor's job was to validate tickets? =P

Having a place to safely leave my car is another reason I won't drive - the eight-story parking deck was filled to capacity last Thursday morning, and I had to find a spot 5 blocks away - all this while crawling through traffic on one-way streets...! And none of this is including Freshmen, because they're *required* to dorm!

As far as time for dating?? LOL I just put those mailing list things in a bin, and quickly browse them... anyway there are plenty of cute girls at NJIT, and the best part is, most of 'em would obviously be smart enough to get into univ... ;-) Now if only the ratio of guys to girls wasn't 2 to 1...

My schedule so far means Mondays and Thursdays are *filled* with classes (though I'm lucky to get an hour in between 4-hr and 5-hr classes to maybe try to get something to eat in the rush of hundreds of other lunching students... did I mention they do not offer menus during the day time hours, only a one-price buffet?? =P), in fact yesterday I went 16 hours from leaving home to getting back, and that was running on 2 hours of sleep! They expect students to spend a *lot* of time outside of class to work in their studios on projects - unfortunately, this means some of the breaks and free time is eaten up by this...

For example, there is now an unscheduled yet *mandatory* lecture series on Monday nights (they showed a film last night) - but I already have another class scheduled from 6 to 9 PM *only* Monday nights! Since we didn't start school until Tuesday last week, this means I now have missed a week or two of my Management class, and either have to find another section to fit it into my schedule, or even drop the course for this semester. Which I wouldn't mind overly, with my schedule the way it is. =)

OK, talk to you all later, I've got to go out shopping for more school supplies, let's see if we can break the thousand dollar mark?? =P

Jas (aka ASDBJ, aka Iyasu)


p.s. - Yes, Emo, the icon's concept Thundrebird is of my own design... =)

p.p.s. - At some point, I want to put something up describing my first week at school, but I am short on time at the moment, so... lol

p.p.p.s. - how do you get those little sprites for "mood at the moment" or "music at the moment" ? *wonders if the "depressed" sprite would still be kawaii...* hehe

OK, just wanted to say welcome to everybody and thanks for stopping in - though, for now I'm only speaking to one dear person. =P

Hiya, fellow P! ^_^