Information Overload

I've got a lot of posts running through my mind, hopefully I'll type them out and share them with the Blog-o-sphere sometime soon. They really are comical stories, but who knows, maybe I just think they are funny.

Anyways, my birthday just passed a few days ago. On my birthday my fiance had many things planned for me, we went to a wildflower center where they do wildflower and native plant research. I never realized that there were so many native Texan plants that were actually pretty (and not cacti (plural of cactus?)). I have never thought cactus plants were pretty but really thought that (and Texas Bluebonnets) were some of the only "native" Texas plants but there really are many more than that.

So we went there and ate at the cafe they had on grounds. We both had chicken salad sandwiches. The pieces of chicken were really big for chicken salad sandwiches, but I was not at all highly bothered by that. I found out that my fiance really liked chicken salad and that is a major plus. We are still trying to find different foods that are on our "diet" or "life style change" as one could put it. Our guidelines are pretty simple, relatively, eat out less and eat in more often --> save money and eat less grease.

I am starting to read All the Mathematics You Missed: But Need to Know for Graduate School, thanks to a friend that is lending it to me (you know who you are). I haven't gotten very far, but it seems to be very interesting right now. I also e-mailed my professors to ask them what books they are using for the fall. None of them have chosen books. Either they are "still deciding" or are just giving out papers as they come. I could see someone compiling a bunch of papers and lecture notes for courses, but why not make course-packs?

Maybe those professors are looking to make books soon, I have heard that this is a common way to start making your own text actually. So you are not happy with any of the textbooks on the market and you begin to write things up and explain them in your own way, it makes sense. But it is frusterating for the graduate student who is starting at your school, really wants good grades and feels mildly unprepared. I will be sending them reply e-mails soon to ask if there is any material they think would be a good "refresher" or what the assumed level of knowledge is for their courses.

There are going to be a few workshops like the week before classes start for the TAs, I am really getting excited about teaching my own courses. But the wedding stuff is supposed to come first before all else, because if I don't get over that bridge how can I move on to the next bridge?

I stopped playing that online game, I really should think about whether or not I want to cancel my membership/account or suspend for a little while. I really like playing but it seems to take too much time away from other commitments and I want to make sure I get good grades in my graduate program. I figure if I dedicate myself to my graduate coursework then I could live up to my potential. I have a lot of professors, from undergrad, who often told me about my potential and how I should give myself a chance at this and that. I figure that maybe they are right, maybe I should work really hard on this and that in order to follow through with my commitments. I will never know what my real potential is if I do not work hard to use the potential I have. Then I suppose my bar of potential will raise itself, right? I have had many revelations within the past weeks and this is just one of them. I know I want to be a professor, now I have to show a new group of people how much I want that.

Well, speaking of actually doing things I am supposed to do. I have to e-mail a friend and finish up the invitations that are on my desk. I just want to send out a few before the end of the day (which may be more difficult than I think, but I could at least try). We have at least 10 ready to send out and more on the way. I have packets for central people ready to give invitations to X, Y, Z people - I just have to type up lists of people for them to send the invitations to. Lots of computer work, let's cross our fingers that I'm focused.

What are you up to this summer? Do you have any goals for the summer that you've been working on? Is that going well/badly? Comment please, I want to know there are still people reading.