So How Is The Semester Going?

With final exams coming up on May 12 the semester is coming to its end.  It's been a very fast paced semester.  Papers and projects are coming due in the next few weeks and so far I'm thinking I'm going to pull off at least a 3.0 GPA for the semester.  I'm very excited for the semester to be over, because I must admit I need a few weeks off.

Unfortunately my research project, and mainly school in general has kept me away from the blogging world.  The blogs that I normally try to contribute to on a regular basis are suffering to the point where I'm contemplating shutting them down.  Never thought I'd say that!  Needless to say I'm also working a side project designing a website to post all of those fancy pictures of tornadoes.  I guess the only thing holding me back from that (besides school) is motivation and restraint.

I'm restraining posting my storm chases and accompanying data because as of now my data really isn't that reliable because I still haven't figured out the best interval for taking data.  I currently rely on an informal method of setting up scientific instrumentation and manually writing down data in intervals of 5 minutes, unless conditions dictate otherwise.  So until I nail down a few "standard operations" I will not be relying on data that I collect, but will mention interesting data as cases arise.  Any website that ends up becoming published will be more of a documentation of weather events with some commentary.

Until next time, stay tuned to my Twitter and Google+!

Spring Break is Almost Here

Next Friday I start spring break.  What a relief!  I finally get a vacation from the drudgery that has become the two weeks leading up to spring break.  I have this on my to do list prior to spring break:

1. 2 quizzes


2. 3 midterm exams


3. 1 paper


4. More reading on my research project (12 sources so far and growing!)


5. Begin formulating my project outline and bibliography


6. Complete my tax return


7. Make an appointment for an oil change


8. Finalize plans for spring break


9. Laundry


10. Read another chapter in Isaac Asimov's Caves of Steel

So the next week is already going to be busy!  I enjoy it though.  Granted, yes it's not easy, but with any luck this semester, which is already flying by quickly, will end on a very positive note.  So far I've been managing A's and a couple of B's so I can conclude that I'm doing alright going into midterms.  Just have to keep going.  It's been a lot of work so far, but in the end it's worth every minute of study I've put into all of my classes.

Stay tuned to my Twitter @enderscousin for updates over spring break!

Having A Geeky Time

Recently I've found two websites that are great places to geek out your apartment, dorm, office, or wherever you can.  Both Allposters.com and ThinkGeek.com have been amazing places (when I've had a little extra money saved up. . .) to geek out my dorm.  I fully endorse both of these sites for posters and otherwise nerdy things.  On my wishlist is the Periodic Table of the Elements shower curtain!

Spring Semester 2012 Is Underway

The spring semester of 2012 is underway, and I couldn't be more excited.  All of my professors are great and challenging.  So far no complaints, just renewing my focus on what's important right now - my education.

Things are going well between Kayla and I.  We both work part time jobs while in school so over Christmas break we arranged to stay at our dormitory, which was challenging given that we don't have access to a kitchen besides the microwave.  So Ramen noodles, Chef Boyardee, and fast food pretty much made up the daily diet.

My main goal for this semester is to earn a 4.0 gpa followed closely by my other goal of focusing more intensely on my courses.  Yeah it's never easy.  While visiting with my Priest back home over break he gave me some great advice for the next semester.  It's only 16 weeks.  That's right.  No I'm n0t graduating with my degree this semester, but in May I will be 16 weeks closer to my ultimate goal of earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology.

My work out routine has suffered some this week.  Getting oriented to classes grabbed my attention, so I have a choice to make for the rest of the week.  Plan is to catch up and get back into working out tomorrow prior to going to work in the evening.

So that's the semester as it stands!  I've decided not to put a lot of stock into my first perceptions of a course until after midterms.  It's easy to really enjoy a class while the work is just getting going.  In the coming months there'll be projects, papers, labs, and exams.  The usual semester stuff.  Hopefully I'll get to keep blogging my journey through school, and life in general.

Until next time!

Blessed Feast of the Holy Family

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of my family and friends a very Blessed Feast of the Holy Family, celebrated in the traditional Roman Calendar on the Sunday following the Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord!

Hitting the Gym

This school year and especially this semester brings a new goal.  Working out.  I've been doing research and consulting friends who regularly work out and have come up with a fitness plan.  Will I be a body builder?  No.  The goal is just to keep myself in shape.  At some point, if I'm able to keep up regularly, I hope to start building some muscle and endurance.

I'm also using the complete G-series from Gatorade to aid my workout.  I know, sounds very cliche working out and drinking Gatorade products, but after a couple of weeks of using it I do notice a difference in my work out.  The big thing is that I don't feel the usual fatigue after my work out.  The first step in the G-series is a carbohydrate drink that energizes and prepares the body for working out.  The second is just the normal Gatorade that's been around for years.  The third is a protein drink that also re-hydrates muscles.  So the entire series works with your workout.  This doesn't mean that if you use the G-series that you can do whatever you want with your workout.  It's still important to focus on either upperbody or lower body exercises every time I work out, and to alternate workouts every time.

So hopefully this semester will help me become more fit, and with the usual course of my studies more educated.

Beginning the New Year And Back to Blogging

Beginning the new year of 2012 I have decided to radically simplify my web home on the web.  I will no longer be using my website on webs.com and that will be deleted in the next coming days.  Given that I primarily used that as a way to communicate the latest happenings of my life to family and friends, continuing this blog will serve as a better method.

This year brings with it various challenges as every year prior, however I'm excited to announce that I'm getting closer to beginning Phase I of my attempt to completely give my life an increase in geekiness.  Phase I includes obtaining a new laptop to be used primarily for instant messaging, gaming, social networking, and blogging.  This will free up what little space I've used on my current laptop to be spent entirely for school and work purposes.

So as we begin the 2012 I wish all of you the very best.

God bless!

Philosophical Musing: You May Now Kiss The Bride

Oh the thoughts that travel through my mind in early hours of the morning! I was recently thinking about THAT line we hear at just about every wedding any one has ever attended. We see it on TV and in the movies. The image of a couple standing before a minister or Priest saying their vows culminating when the officiant of the wedding says, "You may now kiss the bride." Wait, what does that really mean? My mind drifted slightly and thought about the courtships of 200+ years ago.

Perhaps my mind has been formed by the media to think of William Shakespear's Romeo and Juliet as the "perfect" couple or that there was a time when man and woman's first kiss was indeed at their wedding, but the question remains: what does that phrase really mean? As I continue to think I realize that culturally in the past 200 years the world has changed many of its customs. You don't have to go very far to find a couple making out on a park bench. 200 years ago there seems to be a different custom. Things were "proper." It wasn't common at all to see a couple prior to marriage kissing. Now it's very common to know someone who has had sex outside of marriage.

Is the phrase you may now kiss the bride merely a ceremonial phrase? Or is it in fact granting permission for the couple to finally kiss? What does a kiss even mean?

Discernment Update

Discernment is going really well. So well in fact that I'm discerning out. I'm sorry if this is a shock to any of you. Tomorrow (Sunday) I will be leaving the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest to return to life as a lay person. By the time many of you read this I will already be home. If any of you are in any way scandalized... I'm sorry. 

Things were really great here in formation. I was involved in everything the community did, attended all of the prayers, meals, etc that were required of me. I was doing rather well in my classes and was growing in my faith. But it is apparent that God is not calling me to be a religious. Instead I'm discerning the Institute's Lay Society, the Society of the Sacred Heart, and deciding to pursue academia studying Meteorology. 

Again, if this has scandalized any of you I am sorry and will most heartfully pray for you. If any of you wish to speak with me about this I am willing to talk about my discernment. Please, do pray for me that I may be able to take everything that I learned here and ponder it for years to come. This was not an easy decision. 

Thank you for all of your prayers during this time in my life. Know that I truly prayed for each and every one of you! 

A Day In The Life

So many of you have wondered what exactly goes on during formation. Do I just sit around and pray in the Church? Do I get up early? Do they feed me? What is there to do for fun? And so here I finally write what it is to live a "typical" day in the life of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

6:30 am: Rise (I'm usually up between 5:30/6:00)
7:00 am: Lauds (Morning Prayer)
7:30 am: Rosary and other Marian devotions/ Confession available
8:00 am: Low Mass
9:15 am: Breakfast
10:00 am: Spiritual Conference (Mondays), Gregorian Chant (Tuesdays), classes (other days)
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10:00 am Sunday: High Mass
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11:00 am: Chores (when classes or other things are not scheduled)
1:00 pm: Lunch!
1:30 pm: Free time
2:30 pm: Chores or study
4:00 pm: Free time
5:00 pm: Adoration and Benediction
6:15 pm: Vespers (Evening Prayer)
6:45 pm: Free time
7:45 pm: Dinner
10:00 pm: Silence
10:30 pm: Lights out

It's a pretty rigorous schedule. We learn from St. Benedict who advises us to bear in mind "ora et labora," or "pray and work." My main house chore is cleaning and maintaining the kitchen which involves running to the store every now and again for food.