Categories
Environment Personal

[473] Of finally

I had been holding the degree application form for almost three months and finally handed it in last week. Boy, it took great convicing. I only decided to officially apply for graduation after three months of consternation. Consternation might not be the right word but the real world is scary nonetheless.

And then, I received an email from the auditors’ office:

[…]

Date: January 18, 2005

Name: Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams
ID#: ********
Degree & Degree Period: Bachelor of Science, May 2005
Status as of end of: Fall 2004

You have completed the process of applying for your degree.

[…]

CONCENTRATION/MINOR REQUIREMENTS

[…]

Economics – Fulfilled

Most of my colleagues in economics are planning of doing their graduate work. I’m not sure whether I want to follow them to hell just yet. My game theory class, of which I almost failed, and later I found out, full of graduate students, was crazy. So, I’ve sort of tasted graduate classes and it left a sour taste in my mouth, and to my grades. But whatever it may be, it has been a long and winding road.

I need to listen to the Beatles more often.

Alright, back to some accounting work.

p/s – Last week, the American Meteorological Society met in San Diego.

One of the findings presented was the relationship between greenhouse gases and drought. According to the model, there is a positive correlation between the two. Greater quantity of greenhouse gases leads to more drought.

This depiction of linear trends in the Palmer Drought Severity Index from 1948 to 2002 shows drying (reds and pinks) across much of Canada, Europe, Asia, and Africa and moistening (green) across parts of the United States, Argentina, Scandinavia, and western Australia. (Illustration courtesy Aiguo Dai and the American Meteorological Society.)

More could be read here.

Categories
Environment Gaming Personal

[470] Of bullshit

First, Amazon delayed my WoW order by 2 weeks.

Second, my ethernet suddenly card died out on me. Now sure whether it went kaput or it just decided to take a vacation to somewhere but it seems that the archangel has got the best of it.

Third, rain in January?

Categories
Humor Personal Photography

[458] Of the better part of winter

I can’t wait to wade through 3 exams and then drive all the way from Michigan to Florida and see the sun all over again. But I must admit, in spite of the cold, with the blue sky and the white snow, it’s beautiful here. At least, I think it’s beautiful.

And I see a lot of people like the snow, despite the fact that they whine about how bad the winter in Michigan is.

The photo was taken in front of the Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment. On second thought, I don’t know why I took a photo related to the sewer.p/s – a cool flash presentation. I am not sure whether it is a good or a scary future. Then again, the future is always scary, utopia and dystopia alike. Via Screenshots.

pp/s – Ira furor brevis est. People need to learn how to cool their heads off.

Categories
Personal Photography

[454] Of the return of the photoblog

I’m quite busy at the moment but surely nobody cares. So, I’ll do what I had promised to myself to do weeks ago – post a photo once in two days!

A typical student housing around the heart of the town of Annarbour. I stayed in one of those during the year’s summer. And goddamn, I should have forget about the environment and start thinking about myself – my room was as hot as hell back in the summer.But nevertheless, I love it. I had a small balcony outside and frequently entertained a couple of opossums with bread. They are cute. Or were. Probably are.

p/s – Nicholas Kristof (reg. req.) is hilarious.

pp/s – I’ve just realized that just over a week ago, it has been three years since I started this project. Three years baby!

Categories
Personal Photography

[360] Of here to there and back again

If life were measured in degree, I would have returned the starting line. I would have returned to the place where it all started, where it all begun.

December is fast approaching and I wish I could delay time, or at least lengthen my road to a bachelor degree till April 2005. What a wishful thinking.

I know what I want to do after graduation, at least temporarily. It will be World Wide Fund for Nature or maybe Greenpeace for real. I’ve been donating some money to them and I will want to donate more than money.

And I am in the final phrase of salvaging my summer plan. With about 2000 bucks in my pocket set aside for this, it will be depressing if this doesn’t go through.

Anyway, Top of the Park, Ann Arbor Summer Festival starts this Friday and will last well into July. This should be my last Festival. I have never missed it since I first got here, and I am not planning on missing this edition.

Let us celebrate summer as if this is the last summer ever!