A Week in Review

The first week of boot camp is over, and I have to say I am enjoying it, despite having my homework finished by nine only on Thursday and Friday (and being finished "early" on Friday only because the professors don't assign work on Friday). But it is nice to finally get back into things and review some math that I haven't used in a year. And we get paid. Our stipend checks came out yesterday, so after taxes, I am about $2200 richer than I was a couple of days ago. (If you are keeping track, the U.S. Treasury is $500 richer, and the state Maryland $2700 poorer, as it received roughly $300 in taxes.)

The only thing is that the next few weeks will follow this week's format. At least I have a couple of things coming up during the weekends that will break the monotony. Tomorrow, I go back up to Frederick to see pretty much the entirety of my mom's side of the family, as my aunt and uncle from New Mexico are in town. And then there is Otakon weekend in two weeks, I think. Unless something extraordinary happens, I will not be attending the actual convention, but I do plan to make it to Baltimore that weekend, as long as I can find a place to crash. It will be good to see people again.

Aside from that, I get to start looking at what health plan I want, and wait for advising at the end of August to find out what classes I will take. Then there's that TA thing. Apparently, all the TAs in the math department are assigned at the end of August. Slightly different from St. Mary's, when I knew I was TAing analysis about five months before the fall semester started. It should be fun. Oh, and did I mention those qualifying exams?

Day One

Well, today was the first day of the so-called boot camp for incoming graduate students in the math programs (pure math, applied math, scientific computation, and statistics) at UMD. The "camp" is really two classes that meet four days a week (with review sessions on Fridays) in analysis and linear algebra. Thus far, the material does not seem hard, but it is the first day.

There are about twenty of us in the camp, with a fairly even gender split (although I believe the males have a slight edge), although I haven't had the chance to really get to know many of them (I was able to chat with two thus far). I do hope to get to know them better over the next few weeks. Overall, I can't complain so far.

And on a political note from home, the Republican representatives to Congress from Maryland are not having a good year. One lost his primary; the other can't keep track of properties he's sold. Yes, that's right, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-6th) could be in trouble with the law. And he's already passed the buck to his staff. (You can read about it in this past Sunday's Frederick News-Post). I highly doubt anything will happen between now and the election. If Bartlett loses, I will be surprised. Heck, I'm not even sure I'll vote for his opponent. I might just leave that part of the ballot blank. Why can't the district get a decent representative?

I Can't Believe This

According to the website for the Frederick News-Post today, someone was arrested for growing a marijuana plant on his apartment patio. Now this wasn't a small plant; it was six and a half feet tall. I believe the cops were able to use the plain-view doctrine to conduct the search of the apartment.

Personally, even though I do not use it, nor do I plan to, I'm not so sure the government shouldn't legalize the drug. Put some restrictions on it, like those for alcohol, and tax it and regulate it. But this guy knew or should have known growing it is illegal. And to do so in plain view is just plain foolish.

Perhaps we'll see this in the next edition of America's Dumbest Criminals.

And on another note, the good citizens of San Francisco will be voting not only for president, but on whether to name a sewage plant after George W. Bush. I'm still not sure what the sewage plant did to deserve this name. I know it's sewage, but still. After all, this could be a bad omen. Do you really want your sewage plant resembling the levee system of New Orleans?

Settling In

Well, it has happened. I have started to settle into my routine, which is not so different from my routine from St. Mary's.

Today, I purchased the book for my summer linear algebra review and decided to start reading it. About five pages in, I realized I was reading in front of the TV. Law and Order was on. Welcome back to being a student.

And on another note, I now have stuff on the walls. Right now, just a world map, but a trip to Target will provide hardware for hanging some of the heavier objects, like the quantum mechanics poster. Yes, go ahead and say it--I'm a nerd. I also have to decide what to do with a certain inflatable object that arrived this past Saturday (where is that knife again?).

But yes, the place looks like someone lives here now. Granted, someone who doesn't do too much decorating, but a human being nonetheless.

Now to figure out how to hang the marker and bulletin boards...

Oh, and I may be able to go to Baltimore for Otakon (spelling?) in August. Whether or not I go is another story, but I will NOT be in costume.

Just About Moved In

When we last left off, I was frantically getting ready for the move. That has been completed, as has the unpacking. But there are a few things that still need to be done:

• Get the proper Internet jack working. Until they fix the Internet jack that's supposed to work, they turned on the one in the bedroom (the one that I would normally have to pay extra for) until they fix the right one until tomorrow. Of course, that means I can't set up voicemail since the data port and the phone are on different panels.
• Get cable hooked up. The Comcast representative comes tomorrow.
• Get a few things. Most are relatively small (fire extinguisher, water pitcher for the fridge, a different lamp since the screw on the switch won't actually turn the switch, etc.), but I still need a futon. I will look at Wal-Mart when I go to Frederick County on Thursday.
• Get ready for the gathering this weekend.
• Put stuff on walls. This will probably be the last thing done. Don't be surprised if this is not done by the weekend.

So far the area seems pretty nice; I found out where the nearest food store (Shoppers'), the nearest Target, and the nearest bank branch are. And I've been visited by five people thus far. So far, I'm liking the apartment. We'll see how I feel when I have to keep it up and deal with my classes and work.

Not Yet, Not Yet, Not Yet

Well, I've been reminded that I'm getting older.

Yesterday, I decided to visit my grandmother before I move down to College Park tomorrow (hoping there are no last-minute snafus). In the course of the 90-minute (or so) conversation, she mentioned a young lady (about 20 years old) she knows from church. Apparently, the young lady has blond hair. And my grandmother actually mentioned the idea that if this young lady (whose name was not mentioned) or I needed an escort for some event, well, you get where this is going.

Of course, I'm sitting there with a blank look on my face, not exactly knowing how on earth to respond. (I was able to change the conversation to a short discussion about my young cousin's relationship.) But I have a feeling this was a not-so-subtle hint about great-grandchildren. After all, I am the oldest grandchild on that side of the family and I am also the one who gets to pass on the family name (no pressure or anything).

So, yeah, that moving thing is supposed to be tomorrow. Let's see how that works out...