things that make me feel free

• rode my bike yesterday, first ride of the year. there were a few problems.
  
  • flat tires; even after i pumped them up they still felt flat somehow
  • gears don't like to shift - chain needs to be reset or greased
  • front brakes chafing the tire
  • i ripped my pants on the chain

day off

Yesterday I watched DiG!

It was great. Another tragic character like Lenny, but his fatal flaw is heroin.. also substance abuse and just not having his shit together. It was very cathartic, I really wanted him to succeed in the music industry.

The other film I watched was Puccini for Beginners. It was alright; kind of a light romantic drama I guess. Not really thoughtful or intense at all. 

I'm doing laundry right now.

In a bit I'm going to IIT.

I ordered a 2009 moleskine pocket planner. My 2008 one was the best planner I've ever had.

There's a site that makes a photo you upload into an Obama Hope-style icon. I did that.

Ok so here's the dating post

Sometimes there is just an aspect that prevents me from seeing them as a dating potential, no matter what other factors are there. I thought about these things and figured out what exactly they are. I cannot find someone attractive if they have/are interested in:

• Canadian accent
  
• crack
• Hootie and the Blowfish
• Buffy
• pegging
• improv theater

There's just no way to overcome these character flaws.

Today.

Did bikram last night. It was pretty great, as usual. I think I'm gonna have the chog give me a mohawk. I don't see any reason why not, may as well. I just ordered 10 packs of drum tobacco online. After shipping it comes out to 3.50 a pack; around here it's usually 4.50 a pack. I have a counseling appointment tomorrow, band practice, and possibly more yoga. No work. Tonight I'm getting free soup at the Hideout with steph. I forgot my phone today.

Last night I watched Lenny:


I liked it. I'm not good at reviewing movies. I enjoyed it; it was interesting. Very sad, though. Several things struck me as tragic, of course his oppression by the justice system. The other was the relationship with his wife and how they were in love but she was just too messed up with junk to be with. I have to say I can relate...

The imagery, cinematography, filmmaking, very well done. It's a very beautiful black and white film. The use of sound was striking.



I found out my master's program got approved (the form I had to fill out to tell them exactly what classes I'm taking and when because I am on academic probation). But there is still a hold preventing me from registering. I will try to rectify that tomorrow. I need to get registered for classes, they start next week. Down to the wire.

Today's shuffle...

1. It Means Nothing - The Weirdos
2. Elephant - Shellac
3. Inertia Creeps - Massive Attack
4. Drugstore Rock 'n' Roll - Janis Martin
5. Satan's Jeweled Crown - Louvin Brothers
6. I'm Not Waiting - Sleater-Kinney
7. The Immortal Death - Crass
8. American Psycho - the Misfits
9. The Strangeness In Me - the Cramps
10. Mr. Soft - Cockney Rebels
11. Almost Got Hit By A Truck - Daniel Johnston
12. Let's Build A Car - Swell Maps
13. You Make Me Thick - SNFU
14. We Shall Overcome - Gustav
15. Gimme Some Good Times - Lou Reed

Shuffle this afternoon

I'm just at work today, thinking about things (and doing work). Going to yoga tonight. I have some things to look forward to:

• Free soup night tomorrow
• and also maybe seeing Let the Right One In
• Playing a show on Friday
• B-Movie fest at Portage on Saturday
• School starts next week, hopefully I'll be registered in time

My days are pretty busy but my mind isn't.
Wish I could justify spending money on another tattoo.
I'd get a PNP BJT on one shoulder, and an NPN on the other. It's not very original I guess. I probably won't get it.
I'm making a robot.
I need to unpack my apartment more.

Here's my mp3 player on shuffle...Pretty much the whole 30g is full now.

1. Bomb.Repeat.Bomb - Ted Leo
2. I'm Alive - Circle Jerks
3. Lucky Eye - Flat Duo Jets
4. Cinnamon Girl - Killdozer
5. Hot Diggety - This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb
6. Sperm Bank Baby - Black Randy
7. We Don't Belong - Sylvan
8. Seven Days - Vivien Goldman, Andy Caine & Manasseh Sound
9. Say Anything - Bouncing Souls
10. Haunt - Roky Erickson
11. Freedom of Choice - Devo
12. Steep Air - Sleater-Kinney
13. Violence as a Solution - Filth
14. Don't Touch the Bang Bang Fruit - the Meteors
15. Fuuuuuuun - Be Your Own Pet
16. Off Duty Sailor - Dicks
17. I'm Looking For A Woman - Bo Diddley
18. Stupidity - Detroit Cobras
19. Midget - Devo
20. The Softest Voice - Animal Collective
21. Ain't That Love - Scratch Acid
22. These Animal Menswe@r - Art Brut
23. Defrost Your Heart - Charlie Feathers
24. Do You Understand Me - The Jujus
25. Green Honey - Melvins
26. Born to be Filed - Kill Me Tomorrow
27. Universal Corner - X
28. Roller Coaster - 13th Floor Elevators
29. Mother - Babes In Toyland
30. Searching For A Feeling - Maximum Joy
    

As usual

I have too many projects circling my head. I gotta write some of it down and prioritize or none of them will get done.

ROBOT
Me and the chog are gonna make a robot. Maybe a drumbot? Using the arduino.

LITTLE YELLER
I lost the little yeller so i need to rebreadboard and recreate and maybe improve on this circuit i designed long ago. I am pretty sure I still have the design somewhere, if not, well then it's time for little yeller 2.

ANALOG ARDUINO SYNTH
Not an oxymoron! The synth is analog, controlled by the arduino. Interface is either a hacked wiimote or an accelerometer! Tip, turn, twist, etc to control the synth. I love alternative controls. Digital pots and switches are set by the arduino and integrated in the analog synth circuitry. This is a complicated project.

HEADPHONE AMP
I need a decent one; think i can whip one up pretty quick. Just gotta get around to ordering parts.

Chicago year one

It's the first anniversary of living in Chicago.
Here's a summary.

Welcome to Cold Chicago

1. Moved to Chicago
2. Getting things set up
3. More things set up
4. Relax on Milwaukee with Nate
5. Party at Angela's
6. Recharging
7. Got U-Pass and ID
8. Classes started
9. 2nd class
10. Hired at Goddess and Grocer, went to Two Way with Nate
11. Went to Big Chicks
12. Started at G&G
    
13. Delivery all day for G&G
14. Interviewed at DePaul temporary
15. Work and class
16. Got paycheck, class
17. Janine called, DePaul temp called
18. Went to Fort Wayne
19. Came back exhausted
20. Delivery, went to Hydrate
21. Started work at DePaul for Anne
22. work & class
23. College visits with Chaz, skipped class
24. laundry & homework
25. work, bought computer
26. Dianogah at the Empty Bottle, met Stephanie
27. got sick and puked, poisoned by Tamale Guy
28. Went to Fort Wayne
29. Came back, had class
30. work & class
31. work
    

Stephanie

1. work at DePaul, Two Way with Stephanie and George
2. work at G&G
3. work at G&G
4. recharging
5. class
6. work, no class due to blizzard
7. work, hung out with Steph and George
8. work, hung out with Steph and George
9. lazy & homework
10. work at G&G
11. lazy, laundry, Kuma's
12. midterm
13. work, class
14. work, Valentine's day with Chaz and Steph
15. work, Relax on Milwaukee with Steph
16. massage at Steph's
17. work at G&G
18. Lincoln Park Zoo with Chaz in the cold
19. cleaning
20. work, class
21. work, Steph
22. Interviewed at IDD and got the job
23. chilling at home
24. work at G&G
25. cleaning
26. groceries
27. work, midterm
28. work
29. work, show at Mutiny
    

Lazy March

1. homework
2. G&G
3. laundry, Steph & George
4. groceries
5. work, class
6. work
7. work, ifihadahifi at Cal's
8. relaxing
9. G&G
10. lazy day
11. another lazy day
12. work, class
13. work
14. Rich hung out, work
15. bonfire at Angela's
16. hungover and smell like smoke, met Michele
17. lazy
18. doing take home final
19. studying, final
20. work
21. lazy
22. lazy
23. lazy
24. drove to Lansing
25. Lansing
26. did taxes
27. family
28. lazy
29. drove to Chicago
30. G&G
31. First class

New Job, New Roommate

1. Michele moved in, 1st day at IDD, class
2. IDD
3. IDD, saw Teeth with Chaz
4. saw Juno, went to Beat Kitchen
5. lame loft party with Steph, George, Michele
6. G&G
7. Food poisoning again
8. work, watched lecture video
9. work
10. work, by myself at home
11. hanging out by myself
12. fasting
13. G&G
14. class, hanging out with Chaz
15. work, class, CTA fiasco
16. work
17. work
18. Kuma's
19. G&G, Eliza's birthday at the Note
20. G&G
21. G&G
22. work
23. work, Abbie's here!, Irazu
24. work, Mosquito Bandito at Cobra Lounge
25. Beach day with Abbie
26. Indian food with Chaz, Abbie, Angela
27. G&G all day
28. errands, dinner with parents at Berghoff
29. work, midterm
30. work, midterm, bbq
    

Friends and Parties

1. work, Nike A Go Go first practice
2. looptopia, Chaz got a job
3. Free Comic Book Day
4. G&G/slow day
5. bass strings, class, Chaz's 1st day
6. work
7. work, hung out with Rich
8. work, got bass amp from Scott, Mutiny
9. Chaz went to Lansing, Mosquito & Gallows show
10. lazy, homework
11. G&G, sick, Mother's day
12. stayed home sick
13. work, saw Sarah Marshall with Steph
14. work
15. work
16. R. Kelly party at our place
17. Hot Doug's, Quencher's
18. Fired from G&G
19. slept weird, class
20. work, bought sewing machine
21. work, team meeting for 440
22. work
23. laundry, Trader Joe's
24. lazy, drunk with Michele
25. brunch, sleep
26. Memorial day at Steph's
27. work
28. work, Stephs
29. work
30. Delilah's with Michele
31. Do Division fest, Steph's party

A Month of Solitude and Projects

1. group project
2. group presentation
3. made kundalini video at work
4. work, sick, quit smoking
5. work
6. Drag Kings @ Circuit
7. hung out with J&E
8. Relaxing, laundry, Target
9. Studying for HCI final
10. work, Chinatown lunch, final
11. work, Steph
12. work
13. drove to Lansing, Zombie party
14. hanging out
15. Chaz's mom's
16. Andy's show
17. train home, no car
18. laundry
19. work
20. work, Hotti Biscotti show
21. out with Megan at the beach
22. practice, Steph, hung out with Jen
23. work, walked 5 miles
24. work, walked 3 miles
25. work, Dave & Buster's
26. work, Columbines show
27. work
28. chores
29. hung out with Chaz
30. we broke up and Michele moved out
    

Love/Electronics

1. work, back together...
2. work, Moody's
3. work
4. fireworks on the roof with Chaz
5. recording, overdraft
6. band practice
7. work, tech work at EA??
8. work, accepted to IIT
9. work
10. work
11. work, drinking at Stephs
12. Train to Lansing, party at Christ's
13. hanging out with Abbie
14. hanging out with Abbie
15. train to Chicago
16. work, went to EA, Dexter Romweber
17. work
18. work, Windessa & KT are in town!
19. Pitchfork
20. relaxing
21. work, lunch with Dessa & KT
22. work
23. work, IIT
24. work, IIT
25. work
26. Rachel is in town
27. relaxing
28. work, went to Jen's, L Word and Weeds
29. work, Trader Joe's, hanging out with Chaz
30. work, Chaz
31. work

Music Is Important

1. work, Bottom Lounge, Steph's party
2. jam with the Columbines
3. passed out! started smoking again...
4. work late
5. CavComCorp interview
   
6. work
7. work, J&J came over
8. work, home with Chaz
9. J&J recording
10. my Birthday, Nike practice
11. work, Columbines show
12. work
13. work, Chaz left, Nike
14. work
15. work, BBQ on roof
16. lazy & hungover
17. Nike practice
18. work, the Ex show at noon
19. work, IIT orientation
20. work, Chaz returned
21. IIT classes, work
22. work, train to Lansing, saw VV
23. drove home, Class Acts practice
24. laundry, VV on phone
25. work, class, work
26. class, work
27. work, class, work
    
28. class, cleaning with J&J
29. work, Nike practice
30. Class Acts practice
31. lazy, Sandra's bbq

Electrical College

1. J&J labor day BBQ
2. class, work, fight with Chaz
3. work, class, work
4. lab, class, Trader Joe's, rainy
5. work, Class Acts
6. Nike Practice, Mosquito Bandito
7. Homework, farmer's market
8. work, class, babysit Hannah, homework
9. class, work
10. work, class, work
11. class, lab
12. work, Steph's bday party
13. Class Acts practice
14. Nike, homework (Emma)
15. class & work, felt wierd (Chaz sick)
16. class, work
17. work, class, work, homework
18. class
19. work, recorded rodent phone
20. Class Acts
21. studying
22. home sick
23. home sick, studying
24. work, exam, homework
25. lab, class, Nike
26. work, Quenchers
27. band practice, spaceship
28. Back to 4th Grade, J&J's house
29. work, home sick, studying
30. class, test, work, Nike
    

My Heart Used to Beat...

1. work, class, Class Acts and Nike at Mutiny
2. lab, home sick, VP debates at J&J's
3. work, J&J
4. Pig Roast
5. Fight with Chaz, homework
6. Work, class, broke up
7. class, work, started staying at J&J's
8. work, class, bikram
9. lab, crying, hardest day ever
10. work, drinking with m & s
11. 2nd pig roast, J&J, Randy, bikram
12. hungover, lazy, sad
13. lab, work, class, Steph
14. test, work, J&J
15. work, saw mom at lunch, debate
16. work, apartment finders, bikram
17. Aveda, saw apartment, J&J
18. Chaz is gone, Columbines show
19. Got apt, made Great Aches
20. work, class (no prof), J&J
21. class, work, back to old apartment
22. I miss him
23. lump all day :(
24. work, J&J
25. packing, DANZIG
26. J&J
27. lease signing, class, work
28. class, work, studying
29. work, test, work, mad @ Chaz, witnessed driveby
30. class, work, Lost Boys, recorded song w/ Jonah
31. work, wedding stuff w/ chog, vodka in hotel closet

Oscillations

1. Wedding, dead celeb party
2. got apartment keys
3. work, class, work, Lansing
4. Voted Obama, back to Chicago, packing, celebrating with Steph and James
5. work, class, work
6. lazy
7. work, loft show, Closet with Randy
8. lazy all day
9. got J&J from O'Hare
10. work, class, Steph helped me move
11. work, J&J got a truck for me
12. work, class
13. yoga
14. work
15. practice with the Columbines
16. Nike practice, cultboy
17. work, class, practice with J
18. sad
19. work, Nike practice
    
20. IIT counselor, practice with J
21. work, Delilah's with M
22. Columbines practice
23. Nike and Columbines show at Red Line
24. work, counselor, class, work
25. work
26. work, drove to Lans
27. Thanksgiving, VV
28. drove to Chicago
29. packing
30. packing
    

????/Cold again, even colder...

1-31. ????

Projects

PROJECTS
Headphone amplifier

EXPERIMENTS
Arduino experiments with IR sensor
Little Yeller prototyping
SS gtr amp prototyping

SETUP
Workshop space
Website with current project info

RESEARCH
Digital IC-based reverb pedal

Change in program

I decided to do a thesis.
I don't have a topic yet, but I want to do a thesis as part of my master's program.

• It looks better (to employers, the world, etc)
• I want to do self-directed research
• I can do a topic related to audio DSP maybe
• Possibly get published

My updated program...

513 - Communication Engineering Fundamentals
441 - Microcomputers
437 - Digital Signal Processing I
525 - RF IC Design
538 - Renewable Energies
507 - Imaging Theory & Applications
743 & 744 - short courses on embedded systems and SP
569 - Digital Signal Processing II
THESIS

These are the courses I'm going to take

• RF Integrated Circuit Design
• Renewable Energies
• Imaging Theory & Applications
• Signal & Data Compression
  
• Embedded Digital Systems
• Communication Engineering Fundamentals
• Digital Signal Processing I
• Microcomputers
• Digital Signal Processing II
• Computer Vision and Image Processing
• Linear Systems Theory

And possibly a thesis

Show Oct 1

I'm playing at the Mutiny on October 1st with two bands.
Nike-A-Go-Go is a three piece all girl folk punk Misfits cover band. I play bass and co-sing with kato d. who plays acoustic guitar. Also denise plays drums. It's really nice and mellow. A lot of songs from Static Age and a few from Walk Among Us. Lots of girl harmonies.
Chaz Brackx and the Class Acts is good old time rockabilly and roll. The Class Acts consist of myself on bass, John from the Columbines on guitar and Julia from the Columbines on drums. Chaz Brackx, formerly of the infamous Chirps, sings gospel-rockabilly-soul over the Class Acts' stompy blues.

October 1st will be the first show for Chaz Brackx and the Class Acts, and the first show for Nike-A-Go-Go since I joined their ranks. Also playing with us will be the Prickly Pears, a Chicago based duo.

True False School of Good Ideas

Around my birthday (August 10) I had the idea to start a new school on a radical concept. The concept is that accreditation is not a requirement for learning. Math, science, engineering, and electronics knowledge should be spread around as much as possible to encourage technological breakthroughs from garages and basements, not just big corporations.

I've been working on the curriculum for this new school, called the True False School of Good Ideas. The curriculum is based on what I got out of my undergraduate electrical engineering degree, boiled down to the really important parts. The courses will be available online for cheaper than community college courses and will be conducted at the student's own pace.

I am trying to work out teaching the introductory circuits course locally in Chicago in "real life", as well as offering it online.

This school will be run as a non-profit organization. Although it will not be accredited by any institution, the courses are still very serious and students are expected to participate in assignments and tests in order to receive the degrees. It's not an "easy" fake school, it's a "hard" fake school, but being hard means you also get lots of REAL KNOWLEDGE and practical experience. It is meant to replace a "real" bachelor's degree for the kinds of students who don't care about getting a "real" degree.

For all the information about the school, read this pdf. As there are updates I will post them here.

I am completely serious. If you are interested in the school, in taking any courses, in helping get it set up or have any comments please send me an email.

Yesterday

My bike seat was stolen.

Random (playlist)

From my mp3 player, no skippies.


The Cars, "You Might Think"
Elvis Costello, "Spooky Girlfriend"
Minutemen, "West Germany"
The Chambers Brothers, "Time Has Come Today"
Dead Kennedys, "Viva Las Vegas"
M.I.A., "Fire, Fire"
Orchestra Baobab, "El Son De Llama"
Talking Heads, "No Compassion"
The Cramps, "Peter Gunn"
Sam and Dave, "Can't Find Another Way (Of Doing It)"
Dwarves, "Dead Brides In White"
Dee Dee Warwick, "You're No Good"
Escape Mechanism, "Theme"
The Coup, "Tiffany Hall"
Rosie Flores, "Boxcars"
C.S.S., "Artbitch"
Hasil Adkins, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"
Black Lungs, "Good Times and Twisted Spines"
Massive Attack, "Man Next Door"
Spirit, "Poor Richard"
Del Shannon, "Runnin On Back"
The Misfits, "Some Kinda Hate"
Sleater-Kinney, "Anonymous"
Nirvana, "Blew"
Syreeta Wright, "I Can't Give Back the Love I Feel For You"
Feederz, "Have You Never Been Mellow"
Nina Nastasia, "Judy's In the Sandbox"
Lady Sovereign, "A Little Bit of Shh"
DJ Shukhi, "Sohni Lagdi"
The Libertines, "Mayday"
Red Swan, "King of Beaver Island"
The Residents, "The Act of Being Polite"
Devo, "Goo Goo Itch"
Scratch Acid, "Amicus"
Janis Martin, "Cracker Jack"
Love, "Everybody's Gotta Live"
Shellac, "Ghosts"
Panda Bear, "Comfy in Nautica"
Gun Club, "Sex Beat"
Siouxsie and the Banshees, "Nicotine Stain"
The Breeders, "Overglazed"
The Shaggs, "Sweet Thing"
Bad Religion, "Slaves"
Roky Erickson, "John Lawman"
Mission of Burma, "Blackboard"
The Replacements, "Shiftless When Idle"
Hawkwind, "Urban Guerrilla"
The Meteors, "Paint It Black"
Cockney Rejects, "The Psychomodo"
Flat Duo Jets, "Ludwiggin'"
The Dicks, "I Hope You Get Drafted"
Bo Diddley, "Who Do You Love?"
Peaches, "You Love It"
Danzig, "Soul on Fire"
The Detroit Cobras, "Laughing At You"
Daniel Johnston, "Speeding Motorcycle"

Don't try to call me

You can leave me a message probably
I lost my charger
Send an email.
It should be taken care of by next week.

Well.

I almost drove myself crazy today. I got this email:

Dear Kathryn,

Congratulations on your acceptance, and welcome to Illinois Institute of Technology! Following is a checklist of items that you will want to review and complete (where applicable) as soon as possible prior to the start of the fall term.

In the meantime, we are here to help you with your preparations in any way we can. If you need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us!

I was accepted to IIT for an MS in Electrical Engineering.

But I'm already in graduate school.

My thoughts included everything from ignoring it to giving up DePaul and switching directions at IIT to somehow working on both programs at once. Not practical. I examined the evidence.

IIT Courses:

Students, with their adviser, select courses appropriate to their needs and interests. The program of study must include four courses within one of the electrical engineering (EE) areas of concentration listed below and one course from each of the two remaining areas. An M.S.E.E. candidate may, with permission of a thesis adviser, include in his or her program a thesis of six to eight credit hours. The master’s thesis is recommended for pre-doctoral students. The thesis option requires a written thesis and an oral defense of the thesis. Thesis format and deadlines are set by the Graduate College.

EE Areas of Concentration

I. Communications and Signal Processing
ECE 401 Communication Electronics
ECE 403 Communication Systems
ECE 405 Communication Systems with Laboratory
ECE 404 Digital and Data Communications
ECE 406 Digital and Data Communications with Laboratory
ECE 421 Microwave Circuits and Systems
ECE 423 Microwave Circuits and Systems with Laboratory
ECE 436 Digital Signal Processing I with Laboratory
ECE 437 Digital Signal Processing I
ECE 470 Photonics
ECE 481 Image Processing
ECE 504 Wireless Communication System Design
ECE 509 Electromagnetic Field Theory
ECE 511 Analysis of Random Signals
ECE 513 Communication Engineering Fundamentals
ECE 514 Digital Communication Principles
ECE 515 Modern Digital Communications
ECE 519 Coding for Reliable Communications
ECE 522 Electromagnetic Compatibility
ECE 565 Computer Vision and Image Processing
ECE 566 Statistical Pattern Recognition
ECE 567 Statistical Signal Processing
ECE 568 Digital Speech Processing
ECE 569 Digital Signal Processing II
ECE 570 Fiber Optic Communication Systems
ECE 576 Antenna Theory
ECE 578 Microwave Theory

II. Computers and Microelectronics
ECE 407 Introduction to Computer Networks with Laboratory
ECE 408 Introduction to Computer Networks
ECE 415 Solid-State Electronics
ECE 425 Analysis and Design of Integrated Circuits
ECE 429 Introduction to VLSI Design
ECE 441 Microcomputers
ECE 446 Advanced Logic Design
ECE 448 Computer Systems Programming
ECE 449 Object-Oriented Programming and Computer Simulation
ECE 485 Computer Organization and Design
ECE 521 Quantum Electronics
ECE 524 Advanced Electronic Circuit Design
ECE 525 RF Integrated Circuit Design
ECE 526 Active Filter Design
ECE 527 Performance Analysis of RF Integrated Circuits
ECE 529 Advanced VLSI Systems Design
ECE 530 High Performance VLSI/IC Systems
ECE 541 Performance Evaluations of Computer Networks
ECE 542 Design and Optimization of Computer Networks
ECE 543 Computer Network Security
ECE 544 Wireless and Mobile Networks
ECE 545 Advanced Computer Networks
ECE 571 Nanodevices and Technology
ECE 575 Electron Devices
ECE 583 High Speed Computer Arithmetic
ECE 584 VLSI Architectures for Signal Processing and Communications
ECE 585 Advanced Computer Architecture
ECE 586 Fault Detection in Digital Circuits
ECE 587 Hardware/Software Codesign
ECE 588 CAD Techniques for VLSI Design

III. Power and Control
ECE 411 Power Electronics
ECE 412 Electric Motor Drives
ECE 419 Power Systems Analysis
ECE 420 Analytical Methods in Power Systems
ECE 434 Control Systems with Laboratory
ECE 438 Control Systems
ECE 505 Applied Optimization for Engineers
ECE 506 Analysis of Nonlinear Systems
ECE 531 Linear System Theory
ECE 535 Discrete Time Systems
ECE 537 Optimal Feedback Control
ECE 540 Reliability Theory and System Implementation
ECE 548 Energy Harvesting
ECE 549 Motion Control Systems Dynamics
ECE 550 Power Electronic Dynamics and Control
ECE 551 Advanced Power Electronics
ECE 552 Adjustable Speed Drives
ECE 553 Power System Planning
ECE 554 Power Systems Relaying
ECE 555 Power Market Operations
ECE 556 Power Market Economics and Security
ECE 557 Fault-Tolerant Power Systems
ECE 558 Power System Reliability
ECE 559 High-Voltage Power Transmission
ECE 560 Power Systems Dynamics and Stability
ECE 561 Deregulated Power Systems
ECE 562 Power System Transaction Management
ECE 563 Computational Intelligence in Engineering
ECE 564 Control and Operation of Electric Power Systems

I want that. I want to do signal processing. I want to take Digital Communications and Speech Processing and Computer Vision and Photonics. I want to take Quantum Electronics and VLSI design and filter design.

But then I look at this -

IM 336 Interactive Media Scripting for Programmers
IM 270 User-Centered Web Design
HCI 402 Foundations of Digital Design *
HCI 450 Foundations of Human-Computer Interaction
HCI 470 Digital Page Formatting I
HCI 430 Prototyping and Implementation
HCI 445 Inquiry Methods and Use Analysis
HCI 460 Usability Evaluation Methods
HCI 454 Interaction Design
HCI 422 Multimedia
HCI 432 User-Centered Web Development
HCI 511 Designing for Disabilities
HCI 530 Usability Issues for Handheld Devices
HCI 590 Topics in Human-Computer Interaction
CSC 423 Data Analysis and Regression
CSC 424 Advanced Data Analysis
CSC 428 Data Analysis for Experimenters
CSC 449 Database Technologies
CSC 451 Database Design
CSC 587 Cognitive Science
ECT 433 Survey of Web Programming Technologies
ECT 455 E-Commerce Web Site Engineering
ECT 480 Intranets and Portals
ECT 586 Customer Relationship Management Technologies
IS 456 Knowledge Management Systems
IS 511 Social Issues of Computing
IS 570 Enterprise System Implementation.
ITS 427 Learning and Technology
ITS 431 Instructional Delivery and Course Management Systems
ITS 560 Training and User Support
IT 432 Web Architecture for Non-Programmers
PM 430 Fundamentals of IT Project Management
PM 440 Collaborative Technology for Leading Projects
PSY 402 Perceptual Processes
PSY 404 Learning and Cognitive Processes
PSY 473 The Psychology of Judgment and Decision- Making
PSY 557 Seminar in Learning and Cognitive Processes
PSY 680 Industrial and Organizational Psychology
SE 425 Principles and Practices of Software Engineering
SE 477 Software and Systems Project Management
SE 482 Requirements Engineering
SE 430 Object Oriented Modeling
GPH 425 Survey of Computer Graphics
GPH 438 Computer Animation Survey
HCI 594 Human-Computer Interaction Capstone

And I want that too.

There is only one solution.

I am going to get both degrees... eventually.

It'll take like 5 years but I don't care, I love school.

I will keep going to school for as long as I can.

In the meantime I'll pick up some useful degrees.

I don't think there's any rush for me to get done.

Sometimes people want me to think it's a rush but I know it's not.

barf!

This article is disgusting. I want to reprint it here to remind myself, and everyone, how fundamentally racist and sexist the media is, and possibly a large chunk of the country as well. I have too much anger to blog about it right now except to just say BARF ME OUT THE DOOR.

Poll: Public cool to Michelle, doesn't know Cindy

By ALAN FRAM – 5 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The public hasn't taken to Michelle Obama yet, especially whites. And it's got a question about Cindy McCain: Who is she?

People are divided over whether they like the wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, with 30 percent seeing her favorably and 35 percent unfavorably, according to an Associated Press-Yahoo News poll released Wednesday.

They tilt positively toward the spouse of Republican hopeful John McCain, by 27 percent to 17 percent.

In other words: While the two women are about equally liked, Michelle Obama is twice as disliked as Cindy McCain.

"Cindy seems like she's laid back and not trying to run her husband," said Linda Kaiser, 60, a Republican and church secretary from Clairton, Pa. "It's nice to have a brain, but they should let their husband be president."

Whites have an unfavorable view of Michelle Obama by 18 percentage points, while eight in 10 blacks like her. That is reminiscent of how Barack Obama fared in the Democratic primaries against Hillary Rodham Clinton.

In the AP-Yahoo News poll, whites saw Cindy McCain positively by 17 points, while one in eight blacks like her.

Michelle Obama does better with unmarried people and college graduates but is viewed poorly by people age 65 and up. Cindy McCain is seen more favorably by older people, those who are married and the more affluent, but she is less well-received by singles.

Cindy McCain is also more of a mystery. Nearly six in 10, or 56 percent, said they know too little to say much about her — exceeding the 34 percent clueless about Michelle Obama. Half of Republicans say they don't know Cindy McCain, while three in 10 Democrats say that about Michelle Obama.

Barack Obama's wife seems to incite stronger feelings. One in five had very negative views of her, triple the number who said so about John McCain's wife. One in 10 had very favorable views of Michelle Obama, double Cindy McCain's number.

"She's African-American, she's highly articulate, she's young and she seems highly devoted to her husband and her family," said Edythe Friley, 61, a retired teacher from Detroit. "She serves as a role model. There's not a parent on planet Earth who wouldn't want a daughter like this."

Michelle Obama has been in the spotlight more than Cindy McCain, including stories on whether she was trying to reshape her image.

Michelle Obama, 44, a lawyer and hospital administrator, took flak in February when she said she was proud of her country "for the first time in my adult life." Cindy McCain, 54, heiress to an Arizona beer distributorship, revealed in May that she earned more than $6 million in 2006 after saying she would never release her income tax returns.

The AP-Yahoo News survey of 1,759 adults was conducted from June 13-23 and had an overall margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points. Included were interviews with 844 Democrats and 637 Republicans, for whom the margins of sampling error were plus or minus 3.4 points and 3.9 points, respectively.

The poll was conducted over the Internet by Knowledge Networks, which initially contacted people using traditional telephone polling methods and followed with online interviews. People chosen for the study who had no Internet access were given it for free.

AP Director of Surveys Trevor Tompson and AP News Survey Specialist Dennis Junius contributed to this report.