I am coveting an ice cream maker. Either that or a mandolin. The ice cream maker would be much safer. Less chance of taking a finger off.
Do I really need an ice cream maker? Couldn't I rig up something that works equally well? Here is what I am thinking:
* big metal bowl filled with ice cubes and salt
* smaller metal bowl that has been frozen overnight
* hand mixer blades frozen overnight
* sherbet/sorbet/ice cream mixture refrigerated overnight
Would this be sufficient to freeze the mixture while beating air into it? After all, with the ice cream maker, I would still need to freeze the bowl overnight. The ice cream maker would probably be more convenient (only 1 thing to freeze, no need to hold the mixer) but would also take up cabinet space when not in use. The advantages of the rig are it uses things I already own, and by proxy, it would take up less space. Also, the rig wouldn't cost me anything extra.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Question of the day.
How did I get an A- on the midterm? I had the world's biggest cramp that day combined with a nasty headache.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Reasons to be happy despite being in a fog, however mundane they are.
1. The Saturday midterm was tough but didn't go as badly as thought. At least I hope it went well. I am sure I bombed one of the cash flow problems but accidentally got the future value one correct.
2. The professor complimented me on my use of notes during the exam. (It was an open-book, open-note exam. The only reason it was tough was it involved a lot of computation that can be very time-consuming.)
3. I have now replaced everything about my work laptop except the power brick. The new 6 hour mega-battery is fantastic. Much better than the wimpy old 2 hour one. Even better, I can claim in jest my mega-battery was swiped off an intern.
4. I did quite well on the first Thurdsay midterm.
5. I believe I have made some inroads with the Dean and our invited guest that evening, a professor from a local university.
6. The new Trader Joe's has opened.
7. They will be opening a new Costco in a month. It will be very close to a rather decent 99 Ranch, assuming they didn't build on the 99 Ranch site. The 99 Ranch is in the same plaza as a lovely dessert place that sells one of the more passable mango desserts you can find in the states. It's not mango pudding, but then, hardly anybody does mango pudding for some reason.
8. I had a coupon for the pizza.
9. I haven't had ribs in a long time.
10. The weather is nice and mild.
11. The ancient water filter still works.
12. Dried black currants are surprisingly tasty.
13. The Harry Potter book arrived. If I had checked my mailbox earlier, I would have received it on the day it was released. It's not like I have any time at the moment to read it. Pity it's so thick. I will be rather grumpy when I lug the thing on my next plane trip. But it's here! And it's an easier read than 99% of the other books on my to-read pile! So it will fly by quickly and weigh a ton.
14. 247 people registered so far.
15. Dark chocolate mints, with the gooey center.
16. The grapes from two weeks ago haven't molded over. They are a little shriveled, but that's to be expected.
17. Slightly molten peanut butter cups.
18. Clean dishes.
2. The professor complimented me on my use of notes during the exam. (It was an open-book, open-note exam. The only reason it was tough was it involved a lot of computation that can be very time-consuming.)
3. I have now replaced everything about my work laptop except the power brick. The new 6 hour mega-battery is fantastic. Much better than the wimpy old 2 hour one. Even better, I can claim in jest my mega-battery was swiped off an intern.
4. I did quite well on the first Thurdsay midterm.
5. I believe I have made some inroads with the Dean and our invited guest that evening, a professor from a local university.
6. The new Trader Joe's has opened.
7. They will be opening a new Costco in a month. It will be very close to a rather decent 99 Ranch, assuming they didn't build on the 99 Ranch site. The 99 Ranch is in the same plaza as a lovely dessert place that sells one of the more passable mango desserts you can find in the states. It's not mango pudding, but then, hardly anybody does mango pudding for some reason.
8. I had a coupon for the pizza.
9. I haven't had ribs in a long time.
10. The weather is nice and mild.
11. The ancient water filter still works.
12. Dried black currants are surprisingly tasty.
13. The Harry Potter book arrived. If I had checked my mailbox earlier, I would have received it on the day it was released. It's not like I have any time at the moment to read it. Pity it's so thick. I will be rather grumpy when I lug the thing on my next plane trip. But it's here! And it's an easier read than 99% of the other books on my to-read pile! So it will fly by quickly and weigh a ton.
14. 247 people registered so far.
15. Dark chocolate mints, with the gooey center.
16. The grapes from two weeks ago haven't molded over. They are a little shriveled, but that's to be expected.
17. Slightly molten peanut butter cups.
18. Clean dishes.
Friday, July 20, 2007
More to do.
1. Wednesday's conference. The joy of trying to assemble a decorative rig in high heels.
2. Midterm Thursday. Can't remember if I included it last time.
2. Midterm Thursday. Can't remember if I included it last time.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
To do.
1. Research a language horribly unsuited to the goals of my group, and present interesting discussion topics about the language. Research done (took all of yesterday), presentation in 15 minutes.
2. Fix my code so it builds with the new toolset.
3. Finish adapting my code to the new specs. Which would be done now, except migrating to the new toolset was higher priority. At this point having things running with the new tools is completely useless because it's not like anybody else is using the code. Which is why I wanted to finish the adaptation before migrating. But nooooo, satisfying the boss' ego is more important, which is why the code is now broken in two different ways.
4. Run statistics on the unbroken code. Again, to satisfy the boss' ego. Nobody else is interested in performance, because we're all too busy trying to fix the code.
5. Class. Tonight and tomorrow night.
6. Midterm. Saturday.
7. Problem set. Tuesday.
8. Project. Next Saturday.
9. Midterm. Week after. Thursday, I think.
10. Book report. By the end of month.
2. Fix my code so it builds with the new toolset.
3. Finish adapting my code to the new specs. Which would be done now, except migrating to the new toolset was higher priority. At this point having things running with the new tools is completely useless because it's not like anybody else is using the code. Which is why I wanted to finish the adaptation before migrating. But nooooo, satisfying the boss' ego is more important, which is why the code is now broken in two different ways.
4. Run statistics on the unbroken code. Again, to satisfy the boss' ego. Nobody else is interested in performance, because we're all too busy trying to fix the code.
5. Class. Tonight and tomorrow night.
6. Midterm. Saturday.
7. Problem set. Tuesday.
8. Project. Next Saturday.
9. Midterm. Week after. Thursday, I think.
10. Book report. By the end of month.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Annoyed
Midterm tomorrow. We just learned the last of the material for the midterm last night, which leaves tonight to cram, practice, and write up the cheat sheet.
The midterm was originally called "quiz/exam" because the professor wanted to put us at ease. Bullspit. It's a midterm. What is more, it is the first of two midterms in a compressed quarter. We already know that professors who have two midterms plus a required final in a normal quarter are insane.
The midterm requires a scantron and a bluebook, both of which I have to dash out and purchase today.
The bookstore opens late (8:30) and closes early (6:00). It is also not open during the weekends this month and you can be sure they won't mail me the scantrons and bluebooks.
Also there is a midterm for the other class next week, which I am not prepared for because I have been catching up for tomorrow's exam.
I got home late from class last night, mostly because the class ends late. I have not had enough sleep for over a quarter now. As a result I am halfway through a 12-pack of Diet Pepsi, and it's only the third week of the quarter. This is in addition to the usual tea habit.
The study abroad book report is due at the end of this month. While it is mercifully short (800-1000 words) and the book is a fast read, I am only 70 pages into the book, and have zero time to actually read it. This is because I have to spend all the other nights of the week studying for the two classes.
Having classes on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday has turned out most inconvenient. At first I enjoyed having half my Saturday back. Now I'm rethinking that. Not only do you lose Tuesday and Thursday as study days, you have effectively locked in Monday and Wednesday (prep for Thursday's session) and Friday (prep for Saturday's session). So that leaves only Saturday and Sunday as flexible days wherein you can choose to study more for the class you're weaker at.
I quit my job. More specifically, I am transferring to a job in another department. It turns out that quitting mid-project makes you Loved, more Loved than you would be at review time, and so Old Boss and New Boss are negotiating the transfer date and the details of the transfer. I am waiting, just waiting, for them to each take an arm and make a wish. At least that would settle things very quickly. In the meantime, I am trying to be very discreet while at the same time divesting myself of all kinds of administrivia junk that, if left unattended, would eat up tons of time just when I need to deliver on my technical promises.
This means transferring ownership of many, many machines to the guy in the organization (okay, one of two) whose job it is to take care of the machines. He asked me why I was transferring everything to him, then said he didn't want the machines. Well, hell. I haven't wanted them for several years either. It sounds petty, but it's one reason I wanted the transfer in the first place.
The department that is supposed to pickup unwanted, unused, and decrepit machines is being stubborn. I want to get rid of an ancient, decrepit machine that I inherited during my first year. It was ancient and decrepit by the time I inherited it. Anyway, the serial number no longer seems to be registered anywhere, which is bad, because you need a record in the database to submit the request to have it collected. They keep insisting I need to give them the record, and I keep insisting there is no record.
Oh, and I found out you can stuff a lot of junk in the cabinet in your cubicle. This will make moving an all-day ordeal, even if I just dump the lot into the moving boxes without sorting or winnowing.
The midterm was originally called "quiz/exam" because the professor wanted to put us at ease. Bullspit. It's a midterm. What is more, it is the first of two midterms in a compressed quarter. We already know that professors who have two midterms plus a required final in a normal quarter are insane.
The midterm requires a scantron and a bluebook, both of which I have to dash out and purchase today.
The bookstore opens late (8:30) and closes early (6:00). It is also not open during the weekends this month and you can be sure they won't mail me the scantrons and bluebooks.
Also there is a midterm for the other class next week, which I am not prepared for because I have been catching up for tomorrow's exam.
I got home late from class last night, mostly because the class ends late. I have not had enough sleep for over a quarter now. As a result I am halfway through a 12-pack of Diet Pepsi, and it's only the third week of the quarter. This is in addition to the usual tea habit.
The study abroad book report is due at the end of this month. While it is mercifully short (800-1000 words) and the book is a fast read, I am only 70 pages into the book, and have zero time to actually read it. This is because I have to spend all the other nights of the week studying for the two classes.
Having classes on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday has turned out most inconvenient. At first I enjoyed having half my Saturday back. Now I'm rethinking that. Not only do you lose Tuesday and Thursday as study days, you have effectively locked in Monday and Wednesday (prep for Thursday's session) and Friday (prep for Saturday's session). So that leaves only Saturday and Sunday as flexible days wherein you can choose to study more for the class you're weaker at.
I quit my job. More specifically, I am transferring to a job in another department. It turns out that quitting mid-project makes you Loved, more Loved than you would be at review time, and so Old Boss and New Boss are negotiating the transfer date and the details of the transfer. I am waiting, just waiting, for them to each take an arm and make a wish. At least that would settle things very quickly. In the meantime, I am trying to be very discreet while at the same time divesting myself of all kinds of administrivia junk that, if left unattended, would eat up tons of time just when I need to deliver on my technical promises.
This means transferring ownership of many, many machines to the guy in the organization (okay, one of two) whose job it is to take care of the machines. He asked me why I was transferring everything to him, then said he didn't want the machines. Well, hell. I haven't wanted them for several years either. It sounds petty, but it's one reason I wanted the transfer in the first place.
The department that is supposed to pickup unwanted, unused, and decrepit machines is being stubborn. I want to get rid of an ancient, decrepit machine that I inherited during my first year. It was ancient and decrepit by the time I inherited it. Anyway, the serial number no longer seems to be registered anywhere, which is bad, because you need a record in the database to submit the request to have it collected. They keep insisting I need to give them the record, and I keep insisting there is no record.
Oh, and I found out you can stuff a lot of junk in the cabinet in your cubicle. This will make moving an all-day ordeal, even if I just dump the lot into the moving boxes without sorting or winnowing.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Condensed milk in ice coffee cracked.
The trick is to warm your coffee gently (about 1 minute) in the microwave so it's still cool, but just warm enough to allow the condensed milk to integrate. Stir well, and add a couple ice cubes to help dilute the solution and bring down the temperature.
It helps if you've made the coffee and ice with pristine water, and not the stuff from my tap that tastes like a swimming pool and appears to have floaties in it.
It helps if you've made the coffee and ice with pristine water, and not the stuff from my tap that tastes like a swimming pool and appears to have floaties in it.
How MBA school is like Harry Potter.
More specifically, MBA school is a lot like Hogwarts.
Although there is a degree of specialization, it is not nearly to the same degree as an undergraduate education. You learn about a lot of different subjects, not all of which are necessarily directly related to each other, but which somehow manage to come in handy in a later class.
Your classmates are all over the map, some academically inclined, others less so.
Your instructors are also all over the map, some competent, some less so, some seeking fame.
Your magic wand is your financial calculator. It is a bit mysterious at first, but then later becomes nearly indispensible.
The ghosts of more famous alumni haunt the halls.
Okay, we don't wear robes and hats. I suppose if we all wore suits, that would count.
Although there is a degree of specialization, it is not nearly to the same degree as an undergraduate education. You learn about a lot of different subjects, not all of which are necessarily directly related to each other, but which somehow manage to come in handy in a later class.
Your classmates are all over the map, some academically inclined, others less so.
Your instructors are also all over the map, some competent, some less so, some seeking fame.
Your magic wand is your financial calculator. It is a bit mysterious at first, but then later becomes nearly indispensible.
The ghosts of more famous alumni haunt the halls.
Okay, we don't wear robes and hats. I suppose if we all wore suits, that would count.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Question of the day.
To all of you who object to the Nathan's hot dog eating contest because it glorifies binge eating in an already obese society.
Shall we ban NASCAR too because it glorifies speeding?
Shall we ban NASCAR too because it glorifies speeding?
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Crimes against coffee.
I am a convert to cold-brewed coffee.
Z will roll her eyes because she believes coffee must always be drunk hot, never cold, and by proxy, coffee must always be brewed hot at the optimal temperature.
J will roll her eyes because, despite growing up in the Seattle area, she has managed to avoid becoming half the coffee fiend that Z and I are. (Which must be commended; that's an incredibly difficult thing to master in Seattle.)
I followed the NY Times recipe: steep 1/3 cup medium-grind coffee in 1.5 cups water for 12 hours at room temperature. Strain twice: first through a sieve, second through a coffee filter. The sieves, bowl, measuring cup, and steamer (improvised coffee filter rig) are much easier to clean than the french press.
I'll admit to using decaf instead of regular, but in my defense, I used Peet's. I don't agree with the description in the article. I couldn't taste caramel notes anywhere, although the resulting brew was definitely less harsh than iced coffee made with hot-brewed coffee. Also, this iced coffee definitely needed milk and sugar, and the recipe made too little coffee for my taste.
It tastes wonderful with condensed milk, although I have yet to figure out how to dissolve the condensed milk in cold liquid.
Z will roll her eyes because she believes coffee must always be drunk hot, never cold, and by proxy, coffee must always be brewed hot at the optimal temperature.
J will roll her eyes because, despite growing up in the Seattle area, she has managed to avoid becoming half the coffee fiend that Z and I are. (Which must be commended; that's an incredibly difficult thing to master in Seattle.)
I followed the NY Times recipe: steep 1/3 cup medium-grind coffee in 1.5 cups water for 12 hours at room temperature. Strain twice: first through a sieve, second through a coffee filter. The sieves, bowl, measuring cup, and steamer (improvised coffee filter rig) are much easier to clean than the french press.
I'll admit to using decaf instead of regular, but in my defense, I used Peet's. I don't agree with the description in the article. I couldn't taste caramel notes anywhere, although the resulting brew was definitely less harsh than iced coffee made with hot-brewed coffee. Also, this iced coffee definitely needed milk and sugar, and the recipe made too little coffee for my taste.
It tastes wonderful with condensed milk, although I have yet to figure out how to dissolve the condensed milk in cold liquid.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Things I am coveting at the moment.
* Water boiler.
* Mango splitter.
* New music.
* Garlic press.
* Wii.
* Ice cream machine.
* Mango splitter.
* New music.
* Garlic press.
* Wii.
* Ice cream machine.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Question of the day.
How difficult can it be to fill out a form?
After last week, let's just say I do not envy the DMV. Sample registration responses I have received:
* Reason for attending: not attending. (Why fill out the registration form then?)
* Business group: respect. (I didn't know we sold that.)
* How you heard about us: newsletter. (Written in when Newsletter was already an option.)
* When presented with parallel sessions, choosing both. (I am obviously behind as I have not perfected the art of being in two places at once.)
Noting this is a professional, well-educated (possibly distracted) set of respondents. The only questions that haven't gotten messed up are the ones for which you're not allowed to fill in answers.
After last week, let's just say I do not envy the DMV. Sample registration responses I have received:
* Reason for attending: not attending. (Why fill out the registration form then?)
* Business group: respect. (I didn't know we sold that.)
* How you heard about us: newsletter. (Written in when Newsletter was already an option.)
* When presented with parallel sessions, choosing both. (I am obviously behind as I have not perfected the art of being in two places at once.)
Noting this is a professional, well-educated (possibly distracted) set of respondents. The only questions that haven't gotten messed up are the ones for which you're not allowed to fill in answers.
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