At some point in my life...

So for as long as I can remember cars have always been a huge part of my life. Heck at last count I've owned 2 dozen cars in my short driving life. My dad is one of the greatest mechanics I know and can probably fix anything pre-2000 without the manual. For years I have slowly tried to glean as much out of him as I can. I remember many times when my sister and I were younger my dad would take us off-roading in whatever we happened to own. In fact he and I beat the crap out of a Suzuki Sidekick multiple times out past Kamas (ask me for details). And if it's of any doubt, just ask all my friends about the crappy jeeps I've hauled to and from Moab, around Logan, and even throughout UT.

My dad and I have always wanted to race in a SCORE-style race (think Baja 500 and Baja 1000) and a few years ago I came about a league that I may get into, but that's for another day. Then I went South for a couple years and came into Rally Cross. I drove and rode in several Rally Racers and even saw a WRC event while I was down there. It's roughly the same as baja, just in cars.

So where is all this going? Well see I read this article and all I could think is- someday I want to drag my dad down there and pull something this crazy off for ourselves. In the meantime I will just enjoy that somewhere there's a guy living his dream and writing enough about it for the rest of us to laugh at.

This is the article.

~Chris

Two months and counting

I know it seems like a long time out, and yes I will be the first to tell you this should have happened 5 months ago, but the truth is at least its happening. In two months I will have defended my dissertation and will be done with all the requirements for grad school. Now the main reason for the wait is job hunting- I'm still without a job, but I will be employed yet! In the mean time I can continue to enjoy my "stipend" which at least pays better than most people's jobs in UT (too bad the cost of living is twice as much here).

Vocab for 3/12/10

Hemophilifixed

v. The act of making so many changes to so many parts of a shared Microsoft Office file (i.e. Word document, Powerpoint presentation, etc.) that the next author to open views such a plethora of red that it appears as though the author was drafting the document next to a hemophiliac with a nervous shake attempting to shave for the first time, with no water or cream, on stage, in front of 20,000 hecklers.

e.g. Upon seeing all those red changes marked-up in my document it looks like the editor really hemophilifixed my manuscript for me.

The Way it's Done

Today I just submitted the first draft of my last paper to my boss. So what does this mean? Well first of all it means that in the last 3 weeks I have written three journal papers (A summary of a subset of my research that gets published in a peer-reviewed journal). This means that I now have four first-authorships and I am in a prime position to finish writing my dissertation in the next month! I have no idea how I did it, but I succeeded in writing 50+ pages of science crap in less than 2 weeks total time. All I can say is my brain hurts! Now I just have some revisions and some minor details to iron out.

And just to preempt any discussion I have NO IDEA when I'm "Going to be done" so don't bother asking, and NO, I don't know where we're going to be next. I just know this. I did a lot of writing and I feel good that it will pay off before too long.

On another positive note- I may actually be able to enjoy a Saturday, even if I have some work to do.

Chris

Vocab 3/5

sarcasmablasphemous-
Do I really need a definition? Besides this was sent from Nick, who is faithfully serving a mission in Russia. Here's an example of a sarcasmablasphemous statement: I know life's crazy when you don't have to devote every waking moment to serving the Lord... Well, I thought it was funny. (Not tunny, that's another vocab word from Russia).