Update

Well, now that I'm done with the fall semester, I actually have some time to work on this.

Other than finals, the last few months have been uneventful. Church, school, work, and home. Nothing out of the ordinary.

The biggest change took place a few weeks ago, when I was called as a teacher in the Primary organization. No more dozing off during church, I guess. My class consists of the 4-8 year-olds. There are five of them, but I rarely have more than three at a time. They are generally quiet (as far as young kids go), but one of the girls is an absolute chatter box. If there is a quiet moment, she feels compelled to fill it, so I have to make sure the lesson keeps moving at a steady pace.

At home, things are a little crazy. Cabin fever has set in after spending two weeks together almost uninterrupted. With our lives as busy as they are, we're used to only spending a few hours each day together. During the holiday break, however, we've been spending the entire day together, driving each other up the walls. I've probably been least affected, since I get out of the house for work most days. Even so, I can't wait for school to start again.

My class load next semester should be quite interesting. I'll be taking Differential Equations, Statistics, and Foundations of Modern Mathematics, as well as Archery/Bowling, Language of Music, and New Testament Studies.

Everyone in the family got a book series for Christmas, and in the week since then, I've read two of the series, totaling over 4000 pages. I started with the Twilight series, which Elizabeth got, and then moved on to the Leven Thumps series, which was mine. In the next week, I'll probably have read another of the series, adding another 1000 pages or so.

Plunging back into the workforce after my weekend family reunion has reminded me of why I dislike my job.

For those of you who don't know, I work in the kitchen at McDonald's in one of the busier towns in Arkansas. I've worked there for almost 18 months (before you ask, no, I'm not a manager), and it has reinforced my career decision (engineering) more than almost anything else. I DO NOT want to work in the fast food industry any longer than I have to! I really don't have the patience to sit there day in and day out making other people's food, and dealing with indecisive people.

My biggest pet peeve at work is when the order changes. I frequently have an order half-way done (or more), only to discover that the customer changed their mind, they don't want any ketchup on those 10 double cheeseburgers I've already made.When they say "Order when you're ready," PLEASE, don't order until you're ready. Make sure you know what you (and everyone with you) want, then start ordering. If you go inside, don't even step up to the counter until you have everything straightened out. If you're in drive-thru, don't feel compelled to rush things. They will sit there and wait for you to order (if they're doing their job right). This will save everyone time, money, and headaches.

Anyways, enough ranting about work. So far, this semester has been pretty crazy. I'm taking Physics I & II, Calculus III, and Linear Algebra. I just took the final exam for Physics I this morning (I know, it's the middle of the semester, but the only physics professor is going on sabbatical next semester). Unfortunately, there won't be a drop in my workload; instead of Physics I , it'll be Physics II. Calculus hasn't proven too difficult so far, but it's mostly just been 3D Geometry and Calculus I topics adjusted for multiple dimensions. Linear Algebra started off as my easiest class, but has become mostly proofs. I dislike proofs because they actually force me to explain how I got the answer, when I usually do half the work in my head.

I have no idea how I should proceed here. I have always preferred a clearly defined structure or order, with all of the rules followed constantly (such as in math: 2+2 does not equal 5 no matter how much you want it to). Writing, being significantly less structured, has always been difficult for me, so bear with me. I may bounce from one topic to another seemingly unrelated topic. I may not post for weeks at a time, or I might post several times in one day. I may ramble on about topics that make sense to no one but me. But whatever happens, you get to be my audience as I practice writing.

Welcome to the Lab of the Absent-minded Professor.