Family

Since the holidays are a time to spend with the family I figured I would finally do some updating on my blog with some classic family pictures (actually slides that my mom digitized).

Mom and dad in 1978

Rey and TC hanging out in1979.

Me in 1982 having a pretty good day...apparently.

The siblings hanging out at Christmas 1982.

The family in 1981.

APS Meeting

I'm sitting in San Antonio at the 2008 Applied Physics Society - Division of Fluid Dynamics (APS-DFD) conference and figured instead of going to more talks I would update my blog. The meeting has been pretty good and while I haven't gone to too many talks, the ones I've gone to have been good. More importantly I have been able to talk with a few people in person that I've tried communicating through email with minimal success. The highlight so far has been visiting the Alamo, which is right behind our hotel. It isn't super exciting, but its always cool to visit a historical site and from what I've heard its important to "remember the Alamo".

photos courtesy of Sherry

Eureko

No I didn't invent the Tracy Jordan Meat Machine...but I did solve a problem that has plagued our research group for over four years...nothing like a good old diffusion length to help you out :)

Progress...

I'm still alive even though I seem absent from just about everyone on the face of the earth...besides Dem who comes over to feed me, make sure I'm not living in complete filth, and keep me encouraged. The deadline is approaching and the continuous work has been completely necessary, but I'm glad to say that by the time I go to bed tonight I should have a working rough copy of my entire dissertation...cover to cover. There is still a lot of work to be done with it, but now its fine tuning and and trying to better explain some of the physics in the results. Several parts I think need to be improved and it would be nice to incorporate more results from other studies, but I'm getting there. Now back home (I left the apartment only because when I went to grade some homeworks I found out I didn't have to solutions...opps) where I will do the grading and then read the 70 new pages written for the final part of my dissertation.

Becoming a Doctor

Sorry I haven't been updating much anymore. The reason is that I have neither time nor content to write. I'm in all out dissertation writing mode. Each week I have to submit a rough draft version of one quarter of my dissertation and each section is pretty much independent of the other sections...so its like write a publication each week. Anyone that has written a publication knows how crazy that really is. Typically a publication takes a few months of back and forth between two of the authors, and that is usually starting with like a conference paper or something. But I'm getting there now that I've submitted rough draft versions of 75% of my dissertation and 25% is pretty much in a final version. In order to get this done I've had to keep a rather simple schedule:

10am: wake up
10am-1am : shower, get cleaned up, read bible
11am-noon: go to the internet cafe, check my email, say hi to Dem
noon-7pm: think/analyze/write
7pm-7:30pm: find dinner (or eat what Dem has given me to eat)
7:30pm-11pm : think/analyze/write
11pm-11:30pm : talk with Dem on the phone
11:30pm-4am : think/analyze/write
4am-10am: sleep

That is the typical schedule though on Tuesdays and Thursdays Dem and I typically go running in the evening and Sunday I go to church and spend some time with Dem. Also I've been able to spend a little time with friends here and there (drove to Pigeon to vote, short visits for birthdays, hospital visits, taught some advanced fluid mechanics, and the Red Wings tonight!). Hopefully a week from now I will have a rough version of my entire dissertation, and if I'm able to do that then I have a reasonable chance of defending in early December...wish me luck.

A New President

First, I have to thank President Bush for his past eight years of service and sacrifice for the United States of America. He has made unpopular decisions because he thought they were the right decisions and has lead us through a historic period of time. Perhaps now since everyone is weary of the war and concerned about the economy that we forget how well loved and respected he was after 9/11. So thank you President Bush and hope that your accomplishments aren't forgotten in history.

Also I say congratulations President-elect Obama. I find his views on abortion revolting and disagree with his economic policies, but I will never show him the disrespect that has been shown Bush over the past 6 years-ish. Furthermore I'm glad to be able to see the first black President elected and will always show in the respect he deserves as the President of the United States of America...even if I passionately disagree with his positions.