The Phantom Creeps

I need to reschedule the defense date. One of the committee members suddenly has to fly out of the country. *sigh* The new date will be either on Dec 8 or 9 or possibly, heaven forbids, further down into the middle of December. *big heavy sigh*

At this point of time, I don't know if I should be happy or sad or mad. On the one hand, there will be more time available to prepare, on the other, I will loose some precious days to take care of the paper works for the next submission, not to mention that this might affect our all-girls Albuquerque (home of the QuantumCobalt) planned trip.

On a lighter note, I just read this through Google News. It would be much more exciting if they disclosed exactly what the complaints were about. Corporate world, learn your lesson, please. There is something you cannot just outsource.

*victory smirk*

later that night

Help, this band has nurtured the dark melancholic side of me, way too much.

34th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr. M's pulpit pre-mass announcement:
"Due to the more visitors and the extra time needed for this mass, there will be an overflown mass at the activity center w/ Fr. K. We are going to celebrate the baptism, chrism, and communion of the newly RCIA-ed brothers and sisters."

Ndoro Yadda to Xinda: Longer mass?
Xinda to Ndoro Yadda: It's okay, we need to start paying for that five weeks absent.
Ndoro Yadda: hahaha..true that.

--~~--

CDs "copied" to the Media Library a.k.a. chicken soup for the pre-defense soul:
-Matthews' Some Devil
-Mayer's Heavier Things
-Sting's Soul Cages
-Chapman's New Beginning
-Clapton's House of Blues
-Scott's Words and Sounds
-Starsailor's Love is Here.

Ndoro Yadda dan Ndoro Xinda mengucapkan selamat merayakan Idul Fitri, 1424 H.
Minal aidin wal fa' idzin.

Mutiny on the Bounty

Consuming 280 mL of a certain vanilla-flavored coffee drink with 2 oz of some cheap Belgian chocolate and a tiny bar of some cookie & caramel sugary snack on a go surely vented yesterday and yesternight's stress out. But let me tell you, physically, I became far and away from fine.

The followings are my favorites of the Things to do at Your Thesis Defense list. I might be able to use some of them, seriously.

Pre or post presentation:
# 69. Have a make-your-own-sundae table during the defense.
# 88. Have everyone pose for a group photo.

Opening line:
# 10. "Ladies and Gentlemen, as I dim the lights, please hold hands and concentrate so that we may channel the spirit of Lord Kelvin..."
#142. "By the power of Greyskull..."

During presentation:
# 32. Switch halfway through your talk to Pig Latin.
# 75. "The responsorial psalm can be found on page 124 of the thesis..."
# 95. Spontaneously combust.
#116. Use the words "marginalized", "empowerment", and "patriarchy".

Q & A session:
#28. "Please phrase your question in the form of an answer..."

Speaking of thesis defense, what is a thesis defense anyway?

"A thesis defense has two parts: a thesis and a defense. The second mistake many students make is not knowing what their thesis is. The third mistake is not knowing how to defend it. (The first mistake is describe later.)

Your thesis is not your dissertation. Neither is it a one liner about what you are doing. Your thesis is "a position or proposition that a person (as a candidate for scholastic honors) advances and offers to maintain by argument." [Webster's 7th New Collegiate Dictionary]. "I looked at how people play chess" is not a thesis; " people adapt memories of old games to play new games" is. Similarly, "I wrote a program to play chess" is not a thesis; "playing chess requires a database of actual games" is. A thesis has to claim something."
-Chris Riesbeck

Would you look at that. I think I have fallen into making the second mistake, and third, and the first for that matter. *beating heart and soul*

Playtime

Picture this, we are playing "Truth or Dare". What would you ask me, to tell the truth or to dare me to perform something (which is harmless to others and, uhm, clean)?

If you agree to play this together (no pressure applied), could I ask you to do either one also?

I speak the truth not so much as I would, but as I dare, and I dare a little more as I grow older.
- Michel Eyquem de Montaigne

A Matter of Life and Death

"Is not one aspect of our relationship is expanding each other horizon ?"
Is it, B? Thanks for expressing it like that, I always think it works just one way (I believe you know which one). I haven't bored you too much all this time, have I?

Speaking of relationship, [v] added me on her Friendster list. Is it my computer or is it the Friendster server that's really slow? I might not have time for this stuff, yet. Anyway, if you want to add me, feel free: xinda_huhu@msn.com.

I used too many question marks already. Let's get going.

I donated some blood this afternoon, a whole pint of it. It's not the free Caprisone, the cracker or the free t-shirt that attracted me (why of course not, I'm not that cheap). It's just the thought of the lack of good deeds I have done lately keep pondering on the back of my small mind.

After a sweep glance on some preliminary blood donating information (I'm in a good health, over 17, and haven't donated for 56 days), they put me on waiting for about 5 minutes. The nurse finally asked me to come to her booth, inquired some basic information, took my blood pressure (118/84), checked my pulse (way too high, I need to actually do some sport) and my temperature (a normal 97). The last thing she did was preparing a small needle-like apparatus accompanying by medical cottons full of alcohol.

"It's not for checking the blood type, is it?" I asked her confidently.
"No, you need to go the lab for that, this is just to check if you have enough blood to be donated." She explained, although it doesn't make sense at all.
"I hate that blood checking thing, it hurts."
"This will hurt also, anything that's taken from the end of your nerve system always hurts." She said coldly.

Oh well, too late for backing out. By that time, I already answered 39 Yes/No type questions like "Have you got money in exchange for sex after 1970? If you are a male, have you had a sexual relationship with other male after the 1970?"

I waited for the next open spot for the actual blood taking and finally...
"Are you allergic to iodine?" The other nurse asked.
"No, I'm not. What happen if somebody's allergic to it?"
"Well, we have to let the person go. We're out of that special substitutional chemical. Would you put your hand on the stand, please?"

She then proceeded to mark my artery and acurately placed the big needle right into it. When the bag was full, she sealed it with a striper and shoveled the extra blood on the tubes to the other five test tubes.
"Are you going to use those blood for extra tests?" I asked.
"Uh huh."

"I feel like throwing up," the guy who was donating blood on the spot just to my right said suddenly. They gave him a big pink plastic bag, and put some damp cloth on his head. He looked pale and miserable.

"Are you okay?" My nurse asked me nicely.
"I'm alright." Really, I feel fine, like there's no gift of life flowing out of my body in the last 10 minutes.
"Thank you for donating. Read this post-donating instruction and call us if something happen."
"Thanks."

Some useful links:
American Red Cross
The National Blood Service (UK)
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society
International Committee of the Red Cross
Palang Merah Indonesia

Random food links [I do mean random]

The T.W.I.N.K.I.E.S project.
The results on many rigorous tests performed on Twinkies subjects.

Flamin' Hot Cheetos
A rather epinionated view of the unordinary Cheetos.

The NutellaFans.
Shall you live without Nutella? I know I shan't.

Corn
This little babe is taking care of people.

Freebirds, World Burrito
The best burritos place ever. My two cents: they should put some pictures in the website, and the menu, it shouldn't be on the pdf format.

This is the recipe to my favorite vegetable dish of all time.

Alton Brown
The man behind the wacky Good Eats.

Beef Cuts
Ever wonder what do they mean by round, loin, brisket, flank, chuck, shank?

Ever wonder what part of the chicken is the Chicken Nugget?
Here is the answer.

quid novi?

80% of my Wednesday students (they're all males) fashion an unshaven look today. I feel intimidated awaken lonely. I miss him.

~--~

Upstairs, in the lobby, there is this group picture taking activity for the Aggieland yearbook. Remember the scene in Top Gun, the one with Maverick and Cougar (or was it Goose) singing to You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling? I thought the group tried to recreate that scene. Either that or the song is just suitable for a group singing kinda thing.

-~-~

If the abstract got accepted, I'll be flying to SF for a conference in April. That city is so dang expensive.

-~~-

I'm down to the Abstract and Conclusion part of the thesis. Wish me an open mind, a bit more patience, and more of concentration, please? Thank you.

B.A.L.I





Stories, later. Right now, I'm swamped.
Soonerpride, I didn't taped the game. Too bad. I really wanna see how badly humiliating we were.
QC, that was well beyond my lowest expectation of the Aggies.

Which one is more depressing?
Having a recurring dream about the love of your life (or so you claimed) or listening to melancholic Christmas songs on a cold November morning?
Gosh, I don't recall Brazos county being this cold this early.

Love of my life don't leave me,
You've taken my love, you now desert me,
Love of my life can't you see,
Bring it back, bring it back,
Don't take it away from me because you don't know
What it means to me
--Love of My Life, Queen

Remember life is just a memory
Remember close your eyes and you can see
Remember think of all that life can be
Remember-dream lover is only in a dream
Remember-remember life is never as it seems
Dream-
Long ago, far away
Life was clear, close your eyes
--Remember, Harry Nilsson

Happy weekend, peeps!

A couple of cute emails from the Dept's intraemail system


(Please Post liberally where she may see this)

I want everyone to know that I love my wife R*** * E***.
After 7 months apart, my heart still aches for her, and I cannot wait until I am with her again! I also can't wait to see little D****** in less than one month. :-)

CPT E*** * B*****
B*****h, Iraq

PS:
The couple is pregnant, the baby is due anytime.
The husband is a member of N**O peacekeeping troops.

--~~--

Hi All,

I need to find accomodations for a graduate student visiting from G****** who will be in CS for two weeks in December. IF you or someone you know has an empty bedroom/other accomodations they would be willing to sublet please let me know. H will be here from approximately 12/1-12/15. I can personally attest that he is pleasant and enjoyable to have around. Also his English is better than mine.

Please let me know if you are interested

D**


PS:
Prof D is a native American (as in born from American parents and raised in America).

270° counter-clockwise around my office desk

To the right: the wall, message board (currently hosting Ndoro-Yadda's sketch of my so-distant-future wedding gowns), tonight's dinner, yellow pad and books

Hanging miniature wayang, books, stack of papers

More books, Holy Water (important for the machine, and for quick self service), B&W pictures, this year's b-day card, more stacks of paper

Obviously, the monitor + keyboard

My poor right hand (w/ a Salonpas strip) on top of that unergonomic mouse

The door to the "outside" world.

The Awful Truth

A partial list of (old) Hollywood sitcom reruns that I watch religiously over the years. Now, you guys know how much of a couch potato I am. *coming out of the couch potate closet* Someday, I'll make a more usefull presentation out of this list. Here they are in order of preference:

1. Will & Grace *****
2. Newsradio *****
3. Designing Women *****
4. Roseanne *****
5. Frasier *****
6. Cheers *****
7. Seinfeld *****
8. Mad about You ****
9. Coach ****
10. Living Single ****
11. Friends ***
12. Wings ***
13. Andy Griffiths Show ****
14. That 70's show ****
15. Golden Girls ***
16. The Nanny ****
17. Cosby Show ****
18. Facts of Live ****
19. I Love Lucy ***
20. Adams family (old) ****

What are yours?

This post is dedicated to Ndoro-Yadda, who just yesterday succesfully blew my cover up. hauhauaha.

--~~--

Let's welcome this Cobaltous Gal to the blog (& Livejournal?) world.

Troubles in Paradise

A couple of problems I am encountering right this instant:

1. Stupid computer needs more RAM. Am too lazy to go buy one or order one online. Instead I'm making this list to satifsfy the blogging thirst.

2. My right hand suffers some discomfort due to the prolong use of that unergonomics mouse. Am too lazy to get a new one.

3. BALI is just around the corner. We haven't started shopping for all the "small" necessary stuff. Heck, we haven't even made a list of things to buy.

4. I haven't finished my thesis and it's already first week of November. Instead I spent lot of nights watching rerun after rerun of Law and Order.

Is this lazyness a sign of depression? So help me God.

two words:
reinassance man