Slightly Overestimated...
So the predictions were B's in everything cept a B+ in Econ 1.
Well, I got two B-'s and a C in the B predictions, but an A- in the B+ prediction. Overall I was off by .23 grade points. :/
Classics and Pstat were the B-'s, pretty close to what I predicted, Econ 3A was the unfortunate C, was really hoping for better than that there. Probably missed some nit picky things on the final or something, that was the lower end of the expected possible range. So I ended up not hitting the predicted 3.0, and there's plenty more room for improvement this quarter. I figure I have 4 more quarters here, and I wouldn't mind increasing my quarterly GPA for each one capping it with a 4.0 during my final quarter here. Well, wouldn't mind a 4.0 every quarter, but you gotta start somewhere. :)
Most recent search engine query that brought someone to my page was "ex-girlfriend awesome pics." Heh. Again, pretty sure they didn't find what they were looking for.
Trying to decide what to do with the full day tomorrow, might end up at a theme park, or someplace else fun, nothing really planned, that usually means spontaneity. Will be back at UCSB sometime around 1pm when the dorms open on Sunday, probably leave here at 11.
Friday, March 29, 2002
Non-Stop Entertainment...
I've been told by various friends that watching the Wilson family interact is a lot like a comedy television series in that there's always something to be laughing about. For some reason or another the five active members were informed of a "family dinner" last night scheduled for 6pm. At times this means someone got a raise or bonus and money is going to be "trickled down" to the masses, but last night we were warned in advance that was not the case. I still managed to squeeze in some time between running out of a movie and zipping off to Universal City to head over to the South Bay Grill fashionably late. The three children of the family were given the gift of humor, although depending on which of my friends you talk to there might be some disagreement there. Regardless, anyone one of them by themselves in a room is generally entertaining, but having all three firing off rounds at once is just non stop hilarity. Its a good thing they put us way back in the corner of the restaurant, because at times we can be pretty obnoxious. Highlights were the various comments about my brother's new earring (don't ask) and random digs towards my parents degenerative hearing. Come to think of it I'm pretty sure an outside onlooker wouldn't understand half the humor. We sure have a grand ol time during these rare entire family get togethers though.
Later that night I ended up heading out to the Universal City Hilton, where I hung out with a friend who had been put up there by a company she had an all day job interview with the next day. Pretty nice place, still never been to Universal Studios, going to have to get on that one of these days. It was just like old times, ended up jabberin away well into the morning even though she had to be up at 6. I think things are finally to the point that I can stop saying "most recent ex" and start saying "friend", like I do with everyone else. Its a good feeling, after the years we spent together she still knows more about me than anyone, and its nice to have her be a phone call away if I ever need someone who knows. I think vice versa is also true, its going to be quite a while before she can say she's had a longer relationship than ours. I've always said that a man and a woman can only be truly platonic if there is no physical attraction whatsoever, or if there is they've already tried things out and found out it didn't work. Everyone else is just pretending the feelings aren't there, and that might come out to bite them at some point. So I'd say Project "Regain a Friend" is now over, up next is Project "Find The One." Think the timing on that one is gonna be a bit more lengthy. :)
Was watching tennis just now (hey, its past midnight, what else is on) and checking out the new computerized "ShotSpot" as they call it. Its basically a computer recreation of the shot that just happened, showing exactly where the ball hit on the court including the complete skid mark caused by the compression of the ball, and where it falls in relation to the line. They say its accurate to less than a millimeter. Yet they still have several line judges making the calls. Its just another example of a computer that will eventually replace a biped when it comes to a specific task or job. In the long run I guess it will be better to be positive that the correct call was made every time, but isn't half the fun blaming the ref for your mistake? :)
I've been told by various friends that watching the Wilson family interact is a lot like a comedy television series in that there's always something to be laughing about. For some reason or another the five active members were informed of a "family dinner" last night scheduled for 6pm. At times this means someone got a raise or bonus and money is going to be "trickled down" to the masses, but last night we were warned in advance that was not the case. I still managed to squeeze in some time between running out of a movie and zipping off to Universal City to head over to the South Bay Grill fashionably late. The three children of the family were given the gift of humor, although depending on which of my friends you talk to there might be some disagreement there. Regardless, anyone one of them by themselves in a room is generally entertaining, but having all three firing off rounds at once is just non stop hilarity. Its a good thing they put us way back in the corner of the restaurant, because at times we can be pretty obnoxious. Highlights were the various comments about my brother's new earring (don't ask) and random digs towards my parents degenerative hearing. Come to think of it I'm pretty sure an outside onlooker wouldn't understand half the humor. We sure have a grand ol time during these rare entire family get togethers though.
Later that night I ended up heading out to the Universal City Hilton, where I hung out with a friend who had been put up there by a company she had an all day job interview with the next day. Pretty nice place, still never been to Universal Studios, going to have to get on that one of these days. It was just like old times, ended up jabberin away well into the morning even though she had to be up at 6. I think things are finally to the point that I can stop saying "most recent ex" and start saying "friend", like I do with everyone else. Its a good feeling, after the years we spent together she still knows more about me than anyone, and its nice to have her be a phone call away if I ever need someone who knows. I think vice versa is also true, its going to be quite a while before she can say she's had a longer relationship than ours. I've always said that a man and a woman can only be truly platonic if there is no physical attraction whatsoever, or if there is they've already tried things out and found out it didn't work. Everyone else is just pretending the feelings aren't there, and that might come out to bite them at some point. So I'd say Project "Regain a Friend" is now over, up next is Project "Find The One." Think the timing on that one is gonna be a bit more lengthy. :)
Was watching tennis just now (hey, its past midnight, what else is on) and checking out the new computerized "ShotSpot" as they call it. Its basically a computer recreation of the shot that just happened, showing exactly where the ball hit on the court including the complete skid mark caused by the compression of the ball, and where it falls in relation to the line. They say its accurate to less than a millimeter. Yet they still have several line judges making the calls. Its just another example of a computer that will eventually replace a biped when it comes to a specific task or job. In the long run I guess it will be better to be positive that the correct call was made every time, but isn't half the fun blaming the ref for your mistake? :)
Thursday, March 28, 2002
Three's A Crowd...
So I'm behind on movie reviews, watched two last night and another tonight, alas this is what I busy myself with while at home most of the time.
Tuesday night I went down to the AMC 20 and amazingly enough they let me use one of my free movie passes I got through my Moviewatcher card back in 7/99 which had been sitting in my wallet ever since then... The trick with those is the movie has to have been out at least two weeks and I never see stuff that late, but finally I went to go see A Beautiful Mind which had been out for much longer than that. I don't know if I would vote it Best Picture of the year, but it was pretty good. Better I think if you don't know the story behind the real person going in, otherwise you're sort of cheating when it comes to certain plot elements. We'll go 4 M's out of 7.
I then theater hopped over to Ice Age since getting one movie for free just isn't enough... As expected the little furball guy from the preview was the funniest part, although he had a pretty minor part in the movie. There were some pretty funny sections, but nothing that had me rolling on the ground or anything. Typical animation fare, although not as good as some. We'll go 4 M's here too.
Then tonight I met up with a couple friends from the high school days and after major miscommunication regarding times, well not really just the fact that everyone was late, we ended up seeing Showtime, the new comedy with Robert De Niro and Eddie Murphy. This I found quite funny, with some cool shoot em up scenes and car chases to boot, boosting this one up into the 5 M range. They even had the bloopers during the credits, but they weren't as funny as some movies such as Exit Wounds or A Bug's Life. Overall pretty decent movies and judging from the previews its going to be a busy spring and summer.
More later I was out late tonight and am thus tired.
So I'm behind on movie reviews, watched two last night and another tonight, alas this is what I busy myself with while at home most of the time.
Tuesday night I went down to the AMC 20 and amazingly enough they let me use one of my free movie passes I got through my Moviewatcher card back in 7/99 which had been sitting in my wallet ever since then... The trick with those is the movie has to have been out at least two weeks and I never see stuff that late, but finally I went to go see A Beautiful Mind which had been out for much longer than that. I don't know if I would vote it Best Picture of the year, but it was pretty good. Better I think if you don't know the story behind the real person going in, otherwise you're sort of cheating when it comes to certain plot elements. We'll go 4 M's out of 7.
I then theater hopped over to Ice Age since getting one movie for free just isn't enough... As expected the little furball guy from the preview was the funniest part, although he had a pretty minor part in the movie. There were some pretty funny sections, but nothing that had me rolling on the ground or anything. Typical animation fare, although not as good as some. We'll go 4 M's here too.
Then tonight I met up with a couple friends from the high school days and after major miscommunication regarding times, well not really just the fact that everyone was late, we ended up seeing Showtime, the new comedy with Robert De Niro and Eddie Murphy. This I found quite funny, with some cool shoot em up scenes and car chases to boot, boosting this one up into the 5 M range. They even had the bloopers during the credits, but they weren't as funny as some movies such as Exit Wounds or A Bug's Life. Overall pretty decent movies and judging from the previews its going to be a busy spring and summer.
More later I was out late tonight and am thus tired.
Tuesday, March 26, 2002
DONT TELL ME! Too late.
Since I got home later Sunday evening, I had my mom tape the Oscars for me. I figured I'd be able to watch them the next day without risking finding out who won. Well, I was stupid enough to check my e-mail and see the major award winners of the front page... Then while toasting myself up some waffles I glanced the wrong way and saw the front page of the Calendar section my mom had left out... Then just in case I had managed to block it out of my mind, while walking by Starbucks later my "always wanting to read something" eyes spied even more results in the newspaper on the table to my left as I passed by. I was the kid who read about pyrodoxine hydrochloride on the cereal box during breakfasts, but man does that get annoying sometimes.
I eventually watched the ceremony, although knowing the end results always makes it somewhat anti climactic. If there's one guy I think is pure genius, its John Williams. That guy has done just everything. I can't imagine what it must take to create a powerful and unforgettable theme to a movie such as Jaws, Star Wars, or E.T., from thin air. I read later he's been nominated for an Oscar forty times. FORTY. Geez. Amazing.
I thought the show overall was pretty good, its length drastically reduced by fast forwarding through commercials. Don't think they really needed to squeeze in Halle Berry thanking her lawyer, but John Williams is too nice a guy to cut anyone off, that was obvious throughout.
The other abnormal event from yesterday was getting an invitation from the latest ex now friend to go out to lunch and run some errands... Ordinarily this wouldn't be very significant except for the fact I hadn't seen her at all since oh, a year ago or so... Actually not counting a quick run in up north at that time, I hadn't seen her since the break about a year and a half ago... So yeah, the weirdness level at first was kind of like, well, high.
I did my best to act normal, and I'm pretty sure that's the way it came off. Just same ol same ol, wandering around, cracking jokes, exchanging barbs, ripping on each other's other significant others. Other three times in four words looks a bit strange. It did seem more like a uh, business meeting than a couple of friends hanging out at times, but just the fact that she was willing to take the initial step was huge for her, I think. I think the fact that she's locked up in trying to get over and avoid the latest ex is helping her take baby steps in learning to communicate with me again.
I don't have anything to gain from pushing the envelope, so I've been letting her move at her own speed. My only goal with her is to regain the level of friendship we once had, nothing more than that. It's slow going, but I think in the long run things will work out.
Since I got home later Sunday evening, I had my mom tape the Oscars for me. I figured I'd be able to watch them the next day without risking finding out who won. Well, I was stupid enough to check my e-mail and see the major award winners of the front page... Then while toasting myself up some waffles I glanced the wrong way and saw the front page of the Calendar section my mom had left out... Then just in case I had managed to block it out of my mind, while walking by Starbucks later my "always wanting to read something" eyes spied even more results in the newspaper on the table to my left as I passed by. I was the kid who read about pyrodoxine hydrochloride on the cereal box during breakfasts, but man does that get annoying sometimes.
I eventually watched the ceremony, although knowing the end results always makes it somewhat anti climactic. If there's one guy I think is pure genius, its John Williams. That guy has done just everything. I can't imagine what it must take to create a powerful and unforgettable theme to a movie such as Jaws, Star Wars, or E.T., from thin air. I read later he's been nominated for an Oscar forty times. FORTY. Geez. Amazing.
I thought the show overall was pretty good, its length drastically reduced by fast forwarding through commercials. Don't think they really needed to squeeze in Halle Berry thanking her lawyer, but John Williams is too nice a guy to cut anyone off, that was obvious throughout.
The other abnormal event from yesterday was getting an invitation from the latest ex now friend to go out to lunch and run some errands... Ordinarily this wouldn't be very significant except for the fact I hadn't seen her at all since oh, a year ago or so... Actually not counting a quick run in up north at that time, I hadn't seen her since the break about a year and a half ago... So yeah, the weirdness level at first was kind of like, well, high.
I did my best to act normal, and I'm pretty sure that's the way it came off. Just same ol same ol, wandering around, cracking jokes, exchanging barbs, ripping on each other's other significant others. Other three times in four words looks a bit strange. It did seem more like a uh, business meeting than a couple of friends hanging out at times, but just the fact that she was willing to take the initial step was huge for her, I think. I think the fact that she's locked up in trying to get over and avoid the latest ex is helping her take baby steps in learning to communicate with me again.
I don't have anything to gain from pushing the envelope, so I've been letting her move at her own speed. My only goal with her is to regain the level of friendship we once had, nothing more than that. It's slow going, but I think in the long run things will work out.
Monday, March 25, 2002
Cruise Control, A Blessing...
I must say, whoever invented cruise is now on my "world's coolest people" list, as it made the journey across most of California and back much easier on the body and the brain this weekend.
The trip up was relatively uneventful, except me realizing how beautiful it can be just to be driving through the Central Valley, with mountain ranges far in the distance in both directions, and endless land all around you. I guess I've always lived near the mountains and the ocean, so being completely inland, seeing nothing but the greens and yellows of the land, is quite a new experience. I actually later saw a scene out my window that looked exactly like the default Windows XP background, with the beautiful green hill, the blue sky and clouds, the mountains in the background. By the time I grabbed a camera it was gone though. One of those fleeting moments that lasts only in memory. Rereading that it sounds pretty pathetic that a random hill would excite me that much.
So I eventually made it up to witness the California State Academic Decathlon in Modesto in which my alumnus was competing. That was a blast, I got to not only see some old faces I hadn't run into since high school including one of my teammates, but continue to cheer on and get to know this year's team, including one of the members who is probably attending UCSB next year. Always cool to find out people headed in my direction, enjoy showin the newbies the ropes. They ended up doing well in the competition, including the star of the team who took home multiple medals including a bronze for the 3rd highest score in the entire state. As usual she seemed like she was glad to do well but had visions and dreams of doing better. Striving for perfection, always. Sometimes people just have to take a look back and realize what they've accomplished, and be proud of it. Went out to lunch with the team after the awards banquet, I always have a blast at long tables with groups of a variety of personalities, and great comedians. Just saw a commercial that said "Here's to growing up, but still wanting to be at the kid's table." That's pretty appropriate, even though I've got four years on most of the decathletes this year, I still feel like we share a bond, and since they're much more mature than your typical 17 or 18 year olds, I tend to forget about the whole age thing when in a conversation.
Ended up not really having plans for where to spend Saturday night, and I figured out once up there that most of my friends going to school in the Bay Area were all at home for break... Luckily got a hold of a friend of mine so we hung out for a while, I got to meet her parents who seemed really great, and see her house, which was really cool. Ended up falling asleep on the couch after the really long day, and cleverly locking my car keys in her house when I left early the next morning when they were all asleep. Eventually got that figured out after a few hours and got back to Modesto in time for the awards ceremony. The trip back was pretty boring, as trips back tend to be, luckily I eventually caught up to the caravan of cars from my high school after getting gas and stuck with them the rest of the way, nothing like trying to keep multiple cars in a line on major freeways to keep one paying attention and awake. :)
I ended up surviving the driving though, which is testament than an eight hour shift between here and Texas should be tough, but not horribly impossible. :) More later, been an interesting day since then as well.
I must say, whoever invented cruise is now on my "world's coolest people" list, as it made the journey across most of California and back much easier on the body and the brain this weekend.
The trip up was relatively uneventful, except me realizing how beautiful it can be just to be driving through the Central Valley, with mountain ranges far in the distance in both directions, and endless land all around you. I guess I've always lived near the mountains and the ocean, so being completely inland, seeing nothing but the greens and yellows of the land, is quite a new experience. I actually later saw a scene out my window that looked exactly like the default Windows XP background, with the beautiful green hill, the blue sky and clouds, the mountains in the background. By the time I grabbed a camera it was gone though. One of those fleeting moments that lasts only in memory. Rereading that it sounds pretty pathetic that a random hill would excite me that much.
So I eventually made it up to witness the California State Academic Decathlon in Modesto in which my alumnus was competing. That was a blast, I got to not only see some old faces I hadn't run into since high school including one of my teammates, but continue to cheer on and get to know this year's team, including one of the members who is probably attending UCSB next year. Always cool to find out people headed in my direction, enjoy showin the newbies the ropes. They ended up doing well in the competition, including the star of the team who took home multiple medals including a bronze for the 3rd highest score in the entire state. As usual she seemed like she was glad to do well but had visions and dreams of doing better. Striving for perfection, always. Sometimes people just have to take a look back and realize what they've accomplished, and be proud of it. Went out to lunch with the team after the awards banquet, I always have a blast at long tables with groups of a variety of personalities, and great comedians. Just saw a commercial that said "Here's to growing up, but still wanting to be at the kid's table." That's pretty appropriate, even though I've got four years on most of the decathletes this year, I still feel like we share a bond, and since they're much more mature than your typical 17 or 18 year olds, I tend to forget about the whole age thing when in a conversation.
Ended up not really having plans for where to spend Saturday night, and I figured out once up there that most of my friends going to school in the Bay Area were all at home for break... Luckily got a hold of a friend of mine so we hung out for a while, I got to meet her parents who seemed really great, and see her house, which was really cool. Ended up falling asleep on the couch after the really long day, and cleverly locking my car keys in her house when I left early the next morning when they were all asleep. Eventually got that figured out after a few hours and got back to Modesto in time for the awards ceremony. The trip back was pretty boring, as trips back tend to be, luckily I eventually caught up to the caravan of cars from my high school after getting gas and stuck with them the rest of the way, nothing like trying to keep multiple cars in a line on major freeways to keep one paying attention and awake. :)
I ended up surviving the driving though, which is testament than an eight hour shift between here and Texas should be tough, but not horribly impossible. :) More later, been an interesting day since then as well.
Sunday, March 24, 2002
The Matt Attack Is Back Jack.
A thousand miles later, I've arrived back at home. Managed to see much of the Bay Area and Central California while I was gone over the last 36 hours, and I'm pretty beat. Stories later. However, must say thanks to the friend of mine who put me up for the night on a moment's notice, these deeds do get remembered in the great book of "people Matt owes."
A thousand miles later, I've arrived back at home. Managed to see much of the Bay Area and Central California while I was gone over the last 36 hours, and I'm pretty beat. Stories later. However, must say thanks to the friend of mine who put me up for the night on a moment's notice, these deeds do get remembered in the great book of "people Matt owes."
