yar

I bought a new book today. It's about pirates. Yar!

I just got the pirate book because I like pirates and I'd been meaning to get this one for quite a while. I kind of wanted an engineering-techie book, but the engineering section at Borders is 95% books about making battling robots. None of the science or history books really grabbed my attention either. So I got the pirate book.

I only went on campus a little bit today. I got utterly hosed at Hearts. Kind of a funny scene outside Weniger Hall today - one of the newer profs got some huge optical tables delivered, and everyone was hanging around watching as they tried to get them inside. Part of the buildup of Oregon State optics, I guess. The tables weigh a ton - literally - and were in crates that must have been 8' by 5' by 1'. I watched for a couple minutes because I had to give my final summary to the prof I TA'ed for, who was out there because the prof getting the tables is his girlfriend or something. I don't know.

By the way, I found out I'm teaching non-calc E&M next session. More details Monday after a TA meeting (3 other TA's!). Also, I should be getting paid soon. The department office accidentally listed my start work date as 8/18 and not 7/18, so they have to correct some paperwork to make sure I get paid for July. They said I'll also be paid 'for the first half of September' - even though the last summer class ends on 9/2. Then I'll get paid later for the second half of September at a higher rate for the beginning of the academic year. Stipends are so much better than wages.

Today I decided to clean up a little instead of playing games or watching a movie. I did have a pile of T-shirts, so I got to practice my new shirt folding technique on them. I also found my cryptological mathematics book, and I am tempted to find my RSA demo code and play with it some more. It's pretty complicated and I remember my Abstract Algebra class helped a lot with the math, the only thing it was good for (besides proving 3 + 5 = 3 * 5). I remember I got that crypto book from Amazon.co.uk because it's so rare. It came over here with the Pi soundtrack, which I also had to order from England. Both were worth it.

The weather has been cooler here this week, which is very nice. No rain though. I don't think it has rained since I got in my apartment. I have assured it will rain until I'm sick of it in the winter though.

It's going to be a busy weekend. I got the lowdown on the grad party on Saturday, and I might also try and squeeze in another exploring trip. This time, east. I've already been an hour north and an hour west. An hour east is Foster Lake, a recreation area made by the Army Corps of Engineers. Then I still have to see if I can swing a trip up north to meet Fischer somewhere before he goes back to Michigan. At least I won't be bored.

the twilight of GT4

Went to the coast today. I'm a little singed from hanging out on the beach. It was good though.

I sat down to Gran Turismo 4 and beat the last four super license tests to get the Pontiac Solstice. Unfortunately my MuVo has taken this opportunity to crap out. It was the only thing I could get the PlayStation 2 to read. So, I will have to find another device before I can take tons of pictures. That car was the last one I really wanted to get. I am 95.4% done with GT4, and the last 4.6% is so hard to get I'll probably just leave it at that.