tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88881499147403417402024-02-20T04:51:24.523-05:00Raphael's Fish GallOpening eyes for millenniaHenry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-71428095444341739642010-11-22T18:41:00.001-05:002010-11-22T18:43:03.697-05:00Loneliness<p> Today, I am writing to you from a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_town" rel="wikipedia" title="Ghost town">ghost town</a>. It is apparent that everybody leaves <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=47.12,-88.55&spn=0.01,0.01&q=47.12,-88.55%20(Michigan%20Technological%20University)&t=h" rel="geolocation" title="Michigan Technological University">Michigan Tech</a> during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving" rel="wikipedia" title="Thanksgiving">Thanksgiving</a> Break. It feels like I'm in "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Legend_%28film%29" rel="wikipedia" title="I Am Legend (film)">I am Legend</a>" most of the time.</p>
<p>I am staying at Tech over break so I can relax. I miss my family, but want to try staying at the university over a holiday just to see what it feels like. So far I noticed that it gives me far more time to concentrate and get work done. (Those semester projects suddenly are much easier than they were previously.) I am also saving time and health by staying here: long car rides have a tendency to make me a little sick.</p>
<p>
Clearly, staying here has its benefits. But I miss my dog.</p>
<p>
The dining hall is closed during Thanksgiving Break, so I have to feed myself. It is quite a different experience to have to provide <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food" rel="wikipedia" title="Food">food</a> for oneself as opposed to having it provided for you. The break started on Saturday, two days ago.</p>
<p>
So how have I been getting my food? My mom was nice enough to send me packages of foodstuffs. Thanks, Mom. Additionally, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Union_Building_%28MTU%29" rel="wikipedia" title="Memorial Union Building (MTU)">MUB</a> serves food on the weekdays over break, but not on Thanksgiving. I also intend to go to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wal-Mart" rel="wikipedia" title="Wal-Mart">Wal-Mart</a> sometime. I was going to go today, but it was snowing, and the MUB is serving food. I'll probably end up going on Friday, because I have just gotten an email saying that they'll serve a special meal on Thanksgiving in the Hillside Place (that's the name of the building behind McNair for those who are staying over break.)</p>
<p>
I just realized that Friday is "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Friday_%28shopping%29" rel="wikipedia" title="Black Friday (shopping)">Black Friday</a>." Maybe I'll get some sweet loot while I'm there. Probably just food.</p>
<p>
<div>
<h6 style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0 0 0;">
Related articles</h6>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://r.zemanta.com/?u=http%3A//www.businessweek.com/news/2010-11-22/wal-mart-to-price-match-competitors-black-friday-ads.html&a=28965935&rid=24514272-5356-4d96-a5cd-9ab0ddb2b08b&e=a68a3e24f81410b481a92b6c26f3b1a3">Wal-Mart to Match Black Friday Prices</a> (businessweek.com)</li>
<li><a href="http://crushable.com/other-stuff/make-your-own-scrappy-thanksgiving/">Make Your Own: Scrappy Thanksgiving</a> (crushable.com)</li>
</ul>
</div>Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-20784329576630184712010-09-19T00:00:00.032-04:002010-09-19T00:00:02.347-04:00Classes<p>I am typing this up right now in EDIT. It is terrible. There's also <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vim_%28text_editor%29" rel="wikipedia" title="vim">VIM</a> but I don't understand that program. The machine lacks NOTEPAD for absolutely no reason at all. If only they had <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emacs" rel="wikipedia" title="emacs">emacs</a> on these machines. Ugh. The name of this file is BLOG1.TXT. Yay Windows.</p>
<p>
I spent most of the day today with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pep_band" rel="wikipedia" title="Pep band">Pep Band</a>. First we had the Parade of Nations, and second we had the first home football game of the year. The Parade of Nations was pretty much the same as last year: I didn't see very many foreign floats or anything, and stayed entirely in the center of the Pep Band. The football game was our Huskies versus Wayne State. We beat them 24-7, quite surprisingly.
</p>
<p>
I don't go on <a href="http://facebook.com/" rel="homepage" title="Facebook">Facebook</a> very often because the computer labs are always crowded, and to use a computer to use Facebook when so many people are waiting to use computers would make me feel bad. I hope that is sufficient explanation.
</p>
<p>
On Thursday, in P. Chem Lab, we found the specific combustion energy of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cap%27n_Crunch" rel="wikipedia" title="Cap'n Crunch">Cap'n Crunch</a>. (The other groups worked with other cold cereals.) We did this with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calorimeter" rel="wikipedia" title="Calorimeter">bomb calorimeter</a>, which was pretty cool. Yay Science.
</p>
<p>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_algebra" rel="wikipedia" title="Linear algebra">Linear Algebra</a> and Physics are turning out to be the easiest classes in the whole world. I just have to be careful to do the online homework in Physics. Nothing is more painful to keep track of than online homework. This is true. Besides Mastering Physics, those classes are mostly boring. In Linear Algebra recently we learned how to multiply matrices. In Physics recently, we learned one-dimensional projectile motion. I have learned these thing completely.
</p>
<p>
Unlike last year, there is no <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering" rel="wikipedia" title="Engineering">engineering</a> fundamentals class keeping me busy with meaningless busywork. However, I still have quite a bit of work to do. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_chemistry" rel="wikipedia" title="Physical chemistry">Physical Chemistry</a> is medium as well: at least in that class we learn something new. Now we are learning about Enthalpy (H) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_energy" rel="wikipedia" title="Internal energy">Internal Energy</a> (U). At least it's not boring.
</p>
<p>
My <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_law" rel="wikipedia" title="International law">International Law</a> class is very interesting. The Professor takes a very Socratic approach to teaching. The class discussions are very involving and fun. Some of my peers try to stump the Professor with hypotheticals. Amazingly, she is able to answer every one to satisfaction while referencing sources. I, though, am not such an expert: I don't like writing very much, and this class looks like it'll involve a lot of writing. Well, it is a humanities class, and I have to take a few of them to become "well-rounded," instead of an entirely mathe-mechanical engineer (also I need them to graduate). Law, though, seems to be the most logical of the humanities, so it isn't rounding me off that much.
</p>
<p>
My <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_engineering" rel="wikipedia" title="Chemical engineering">Chemical Engineering</a> textbook is absolutely fraught with logical and grammatical (even spelling!) errors. I wonder who decided on this textbook. Also, it would not hurt the online lectures to be a little bit higher in their resolution.
</p>
<p>
This is approximately one year since my first entry! Happy anniversary dear reader.
</p>Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-22518470450320214092010-09-04T00:00:00.001-04:002010-09-04T00:00:02.985-04:00Back to School<p>Today I finish my first week of the fall semester of my sophomore year of college. It is rainy today, and I forgot to bring my rain poncho, so I got all wet. Noisy people are in the computer lab as I write this, so it is rather difficult to concentrate. </p>
<p>The classes I am taking are as follows:</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elementary_algebra" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Elementary algebra">Elementary Algebra</a></li>
<li> Introduction to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_law" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="International law">International Law</a></li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_chemistry" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Physical chemistry">Physical Chemistry</a></li>
<li>University <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physics">Physics </a>I</li>
<li>Fundamentals of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_engineering" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Chemical engineering">Chemical Engineering</a> I</li>
</ol>
<p>In Elementary Algebra, I am learning about how to solve <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algebraic_geometry" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Algebraic geometry">algebraic equations</a>. Eventually I'll learn methods to solve equations involving several variables. Today my teacher introduced me to vectors. I have gotten an introduction to vectors in the beginning of every math and science class I have taken at this college. I sure hope I understand vectors now.</p>
<p>In International Law this week, I learned the fundamentals of International Law. On Monday, I learned that International Law is a confederal system, as opposed to a federal system, like our national <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Law">law</a>. In a confederal system of government, the individual <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation_state" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Nation state">nation-states</a> are sovereign as opposed to the international government. This makes the enforcement of International Law very difficult. </p>
<p>On Wednesday, I learned the three branches of International Law. Unlike in our nation's system, there aren't very clearly defined branches to International Law. The nation-states can create treaties among themselves (Legislative), institute <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_sanctions" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Economic sanctions">economic sanctions</a> or go to war with nations who break International Law (Executive), and decide whether a treaty has been broken (Judicial). Some International Organizations that also form these functions include the <a href="http://www.un.org/ga" rel="homepage nofollow" title="United Nations General Assembly">United Nations General Assembly</a> (Legislative), the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INTERPOL">International Police </a>(INTERPOL), and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Criminal_Court">International Criminal Court</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Court_of_Justice">International Court of Justice </a>(Judicial). </p>
<p>In Physical Chemistry, all we seem to be doing is reviewing basic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calculus" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Calculus">calculus</a>. Right now it's sort of boring. I just want to learn how to blow things up already! </p>
<p>University Physics uses two banes on my existence: the <a href="http://www.iclicker.com/dnn/Abouticlicker/WhatisaClicker/tabid/143/Default.aspx">iClicker</a> (a device for the answering of multiple-choice questions in class, sort of like a trivia game I played eating at a restaurant), and <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mastering+physics">Mastering Physics</a> (Internet homework). I hate the iClicker. I hate the extra money it costs me, and I hate the time it takes away from the lecture: every lecture, our instructor asks three or four questions on the iClicker. each of these questions takes a minute each. For 45 lectures total, that amounts to three whole hours of my time answering cheesy bar-room-game-type questions. I also dislike how much our grade is based on our answering of these iClicker questions. At ten percent, it just seems like two much. In my straw poll of my peers, I can tell that most of them don't like the iClicker very much either. </p>
<p>If I were ever to teach a class, I would avoid those two things at all cost.</p>
<div>
<h4>Related articles</h4>
<ul>
<li> <a href="http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/notes-from-north-sheridan/2010/08/sophomore-year-wise-fool.html" rel="nofollow">Sophomore Year... Wise Fool?</a> (chicagonow.com)</li>
<li> My first case in International Law that we discussed was AM&S, which is discussed in this article: <a href="http://www.mayerbrown.com/london/article.asp?id=8943&nid=369" rel="nofollow">In-House Lawyers May Not Enjoy Legal Privilege in the EU</a></li>
<li>An instructor talks about the iClicker: <a href="http://www.wellsphere.com/mental-health-article/my-first-quarter-with-iclicker/729120">My First Quarter with the iClicker</a></li>
</ul>
</div>Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-40611129271324130012010-06-14T19:29:00.002-04:002010-09-18T20:50:31.563-04:00Tatercakes<p>Yesterday, I went to the Bavarian festival in <a href="http://www.frankenmuth.org/">Frankenmuth</a>, “Michigan's little Bavaria”.</p>
<p>It was a long parade, almost two hours long. They certainly don't have parades like that in good ol' Port Huron.</p>
<p>Afterwards, we went to the Bavarian Inn to eat dinner. It is a very popular and crowded restaurant in Frankenmuth. I like the tatercakes.</p>
<p>
Speaking of food, today my Mom wouldn't let me eat today until I clean the gutters. After studying <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychology" rel="wikipedia" title="Psychology">psychology</a>, I can only infer that she is a parent of the Authoritarian style. She manipulates me with aversive stimuli and hardly ever explains what I am doing. I will eventually end up unable to make decisions properly.
</p>Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-11965129580993317092010-06-12T22:19:00.000-04:002010-06-12T22:19:03.074-04:00An Analogy<p>
The philosophies of modern psychologists mirror closely the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Philosophy">philosophy</a> of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrates" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Socrates">Socrates</a> and <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plato" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Plato">Plato</a></p>
<p>
Maslow's hierarchy of needs is very similar to Socrates's parable of the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analogy_of_the_divided_line" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Analogy of the divided line">divided line</a>.</p>
<p>
Freud's theory of the ego is very similar to Socrates's idea of prudence as the <i>auriga virtutum, </i>the charioteer of the virtues.</p>
<p>
B.F. Skinner's <i><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_Freedom_and_Dignity" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Beyond Freedom and Dignity">Beyond Freedom and Dignity</a> </i>mirrors closely <i><a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.amazon.com/Republic-Everyman-Plato/dp/0460873830%3FSubscriptionId%3D0G81C5DAZ03ZR9WH9X82%26tag%3Dzemanta-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0460873830" rel="amazon nofollow" title="The Republic (Everyman)">Republic</a></i>. The idea being, that if one knows truly what <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Justice">justice</a> is, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totalitarianism" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Totalitarianism">totalitarianism</a> is justifiable.</p>Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-67236530039670963972010-06-11T20:48:00.000-04:002010-06-11T20:48:43.431-04:00A HaikuHardly ever blog<br />
Muad'Dib no longer needs<br />
The weirding moduleHenry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-17847403042346945522010-04-09T07:25:00.000-04:002010-04-09T20:31:38.553-04:00HOW TO: Install Octave on a Mac.<p style="margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; float: right; display: block; width: 210px; "><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:MATLAB_mesh_sinc3D.svg"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/MATLAB_mesh_sinc3D.svg/200px-MATLAB_mesh_sinc3D.svg.png" alt="A three-dimentional wireframe plot of the unno..." style="border:none;display:block" width="200" height="200"></a><span>The Octave logo. Image via <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:MATLAB_mesh_sinc3D.svg">Wikipedia</a></span></p>
<p>Yesterday, it was snowing. Today it is not. I like it better when it is snowing. </p>
<p>In engineering class, we use a certain mathematics program, <a href="http://www.mathworks.com/products/matlab/" title="MATLAB" rel="homepage">MATLAB</a>. It is rather expensive to buy, something like two hundred dollars is my understanding. </p>
<p>There is a free program that is very similar, <a href="http://www.gnu.org/software/octave/" title="GNU Octave" rel="homepage">Octave</a>, that I stumbled upon while browsing the Internet. It is very nice. Installing it is a little tricky though. Here, I'll tell you how to install it on a Mac. </p>
<ol>
<li>Download the disk image. </li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-click" title="Double-click" rel="wikipedia">Double click</a> on the .zip file in the Downloads folder. </li>
<li>Click on the .dmg file. </li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag-and-drop" title="Drag-and-drop" rel="wikipedia">Drag</a> Octave.app from the new virtual disk to the Applications folder. </li>
<li>In the Extras folder of the disk, click on the .dmg file there. </li>
<li>From the new disk, drag GNU Plot to the applications folder. </li>
</ol>
<p>Congratulations! You have installed Octave on your Mac. To run it, double click on the octave icon in the Applications folder. Have fun with those matrices! Mmm … yeah! </p>
<h4>Related Articles </h4>
<p>
In <a href="http://castingoutnines.wordpress.com/2010/03/23/programming-lectures-and-the-inverted-classroom/">Programming, lectures, and the inverted classroom</a>, Robert Talbert, a math teacher at a small liberal arts college blogs about his experiences teaching MATLAB to college freshmen.
</p>Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-76113242075066427692010-04-04T01:19:00.008-04:002010-04-09T19:24:05.330-04:00Easter-Time<p>It is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter" title="Easter" rel="wikipedia">Easter</a> now. It starts at sundown on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Saturday" title="Holy Saturday" rel="wikipedia">Holy Saturday</a>. Happy Easter.</p>
<p>Lately, the sidewalks at <abbr title="Michigan Technological University">MTU</abbr> have been engaged in a raging theological debate. On Monday, I think, most of the panels said “I believe in John.” This was very mysterious and cryptic indeed. I didn't ask anyone what it meant, though. Eventually, I was eating, and I noticed a pamphlet on the table among the hundreds of different ones currently there. It described a meeting of the “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campus_Crusade_for_Christ" title="Campus Crusade for Christ" rel="wikipedia">Campus Crusade for Christ</a>” or some-such. The organization is too ecumenical for my taste. (Where I come from, <em>ecumenical</em> means <em>Protestant</em>) The meeting was to be on the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Apostle" title="John the Apostle" rel="wikipedia">Apostle John</a> or on the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_John" title="Gospel of John" rel="wikipedia">Gospel of John</a>. The pamphlet claimed they were the same person, but most historians and theologians would disagree with this pamphlet. The name of the meeting would be “I agree with John.” Thus, I understood.</p>
<p>Over the next few days, several of the other sidewalk panels said other things: “I agree with <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwin" title="Charles Darwin" rel="wikipedia">Darwin</a>,” “I agree with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nietzsche" title="Nietzsche" rel="wikipedia">Nietzsche</a>,” and “I agree with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltaire" title="Voltaire" rel="wikipedia">Voltaire</a>.” </p>
<p>Then, the sidewalks were cleaned and it was over. The end. </p>
<p>I met someone who was wearing a neon-green “I agree with John” t-shirt. I asked them why they chose John specifically to graffiti all the sidewalks. I think it was deliberately to be cryptic, because if they had chosen any of the other gospels, it would probably have been more obvious what it was about: “I agree with Mark,” “I agree with Matthew,” and “I agree with Luke.” Those aren't common names like <em>John</em> is. She didn't know.</p>Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-5813462070339314332010-03-24T21:48:00.005-04:002010-03-24T21:53:41.316-04:00In Which I Describe My Religious Retreat Experience that I Took Last Week at Marygrove<p style="margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; float: right; display: block; width: 310px; "><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Leonardo_da_Vinci_%281452-1519%29_-_The_Last_Supper_%281495-1498%29.jpg"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/Leonardo_da_Vinci_%281452-1519%29_-_The_Last_Supper_%281495-1498%29.jpg/300px-Leonardo_da_Vinci_%281452-1519%29_-_The_Last_Supper_%281495-1498%29.jpg" alt="Last supper" style="border:none;display:block" width="300" height="153"></a><span>Image via <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Leonardo_da_Vinci_%281452-1519%29_-_The_Last_Supper_%281495-1498%29.jpg">Wikipedia</a></span></p><p>Today it is sunny, and dollops of cream float by in a blue bowl. Last weekend I took a break from my lifestyle of sex, drugs, and rock and roll to go on a religious retreat. “Drugs” referring to my study of organic chemistry, “rock and roll"” referring to my playing in the church choir, and maybe not “sex” now that I think of it.</p>
<p>The retreat was on the Sacrament of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucharist" rel="wikipedia" title="Eucharist">Eucharist</a>. According to the Father Jamie who was running this, there are three liturgical themes to the Eucharist, and these are:</p>
<ul><li>Sacred Meal</li>
<li>Holy Sacrifice</li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Presence" title="Real Presence" rel="wikipedia">Real Presence</a> of Christ</li></ul>
<p>In post-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Vatican_Council" title="Second Vatican Council" rel="wikipedia">Second Vatican Council</a> times, the principal theme has been the Eucharist as a Sacred Meal, contrasting to the pre-Council theme of the Eucharist as Holy Sacrifice. This is evidenced by our choice in sacred music, for example some Catholic hymns include: “At the Table of the Lord,” “Let us break bread together,” and “Wisdom's Feast,” among others. If you would like to, flip through your hymnal to see other examples. It is also quite evident in our architecture. Father Jamie told a story of how a church (I forget the name) in the pre-Council days had an enormous high altar at the front of the church. When the Council came about, this church chopped up the upper part of this altar to make it look something very much like a table. All-in-all the retreat was very educational.</p>
<p>I especially enjoyed the game we played a game called “I Love Everybody,” invented at a previous retreat on the subject of “God Loves Us.” In this game, participants would sit on chairs arranged in a circular fashion. Much like “Musical Chairs” or countless similar games, there would be enough chairs for everyone except one. This person would stand in the middle and repeat the following patterned phrase “Hello, I am «name» and I love everybody, especially those who «are something» (for example are wearing a blue shirt).” Then, everyone who was wearing a blue shirt would get up and try to find a new spot around the circle, and the person in the middle would sit down: a new person, the loser, would stand in the center. I thought the game was fun, but I was too afraid to issue my paradox “I love everybody especially those who don't get up.” My favorite part was when someone in the middle said “I love everybody, especially those who speak a Germanic language:” it took everybody a while to realize that the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language" title="English language" rel="wikipedia">English language</a> was, in fact, a Germanic one. I found it not a little hilarious.</p>
<p>On Sunday, the Bishop came over to say Mass, answer our questions, and to have lunch with us. It was really quite a treat. I've seen the Bishop twice since I've been up here, which is infinitely many more times than the number of times I saw the Bishop down south in <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.9802777778,-82.4375&spn=0.1,0.1&q=42.9802777778,-82.4375 (Port%20Huron%2C%20Michigan)&t=h" title="Port Huron, Michigan" rel="geolocation">Port Huron</a>.</p>
<p>I loved the retreat, and will probably go on more retreats in the future.</p>Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-53867320584456543862010-02-09T00:57:00.004-05:002010-02-09T01:51:19.011-05:00Metamorphosis<p>Things are changing around here at Raphael's Fish Gall. Just like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a> randomly mucked everything up this weekend, so too have I. (At least I kept my posts in CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.)</p>
<p>I've added a couple of things, like <b><span style="color:red;">c</span><span style="color:orange;">o</span><span style="color:green;">l</span><span style="color:blue;">o</span><span style="color:purple;">r</span></b>, rounded corners, and one of those creepy pictures where the eyes follow you as you move about the room.</p>
<p>I've also added some convenient links to <a href="http://henrysbestblogever.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default">subscribe</a> to my blog.</p>
<p>My only experience with color theory is from a web design class I took in Freshmen Year High School. I still use things I learned in that class to this very day. So, if you don't like the colors, blame Dr. Lewandowski.</p>
<p>Rounded corners are less threatening. This reflects my lighter attitude towards my blog now that I'm no longer doing it for assignments. Look at those rounded corners. Wow.</p>
<p>The picture is of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raphael_of_Brooklyn">St. Raphael of Brooklyn</a>, the first Orthodox bishop to be consecrated in North America.</p>
<p>Tell me if anything isn't formatting correctly, unless you're using Internet Explorer, in which case, <a href="http://www.opera.com/">download a better browser</a>.</p>Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-22867357439317559122010-01-12T22:38:00.003-05:002010-01-12T22:47:23.267-05:00How original are my parents<p>Happy New Year!</p>
<p>Four days ago, I drove a great while and ended up back at school. I didn't like the drive that much, it was an all-day thing. But, I ended up back at school and I'm happier now. At school, I can perpetually do things I like without people pestering me to do some such thing or other, and I am free from my perpetual allergies I have at home.</p>
<p>However, when I am at school, I miss my dog and my family.</p>
<p>Usually, I'm just happy wherever I am or whatever I'm doing.</p>
<p>It doesn't bother me too much if my mom nags me or if my dad tries to get me to exercise. They're nice people and I love them. They sure gave me and my brother Leopold unique names: I'm named after Henry David Thoreau, the American Philosopher; and Leopold is named after Aldo Leopold.</p>
<p>It's pretty nice that these names are almost unique. I only got confused in the presence of a girl whose last name was Henry, and my band teacher called out "Henry," and I had no idea who he was talking to. My brother will have likely even less of a problem.</p>Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-17638244285511056072009-11-18T12:10:00.001-05:002009-11-18T12:11:11.813-05:00Values and Ethics<p>Today it is nice weather. This morning, the ground was frosted for the first time this year. It looked nice.</p><p>This weekend I'll go home. I'm looking forward to that. Unfortunately, this week I have tons of work to do. It is mostly done, but I still have most of a ten-page paper to write. I dislike my Perspectives class more than any of my other classes, even Engineering Fundamentals. They seem to have gotten the assignment schedule back on track.
</p><p>Another class that was a waste of my time was the Alcohol Edu program. Several months ago, I took the Alcohol Edu course online, just like everyone elso who goes to Michigan Tech. It involved some multiple choice questions about what the proper thing to do was in a certain situation. Of course, the answer to these questions were easy: you do the right thing. For example, one question was what to do if a friend wanted to drive drunk, and there were a list of answers; two of them obviously wrong: try and talk him out of it, or do nothing; and one clearly correct: take his keys. The correct answer was always the most extreme response you could have taken.</p><p>Real life ain't always that easy. There is no list of possible answers, and sometimes the most extreme response isn't always the right one: you want to preserve your friendship, right? The right course of action can only be determined with a great deal of thought.
</p>Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-49305153915912304092009-11-18T12:08:00.000-05:002009-11-18T12:09:51.608-05:00Test Anxiety and Stress Management<p>I'm really stressed this week. Seeing as I have an almost endless supply of homework due tomorrow, I also have a pretty good reason for this stress.
</p><p>To deal with this stress, I really don't have any real, defined system. I just try to work hard and get things done. I really hope to get everything done that I want to this week, but it'll be hard, considering all I have to do.</p><p>Well, I figure the best thing to manage stress is to manage my work schedule effectively to make sure I have time to do everything I need to do. I should only move on to fun things when I am done with my work.</p>But we all know that's not how it works sometimes. When I get into situations like I am now, I have a tendency to pace back and forth. Gentle aerobic exercise has an ability to clear my mind when it has clouded up from stress. I also have a stress ball that I got from I-don't-know-where.Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-84501189221153198312009-10-14T12:09:00.001-04:002009-10-14T12:19:47.103-04:00<p>I dislike my Wednesday schedule. Having class almost perpetually from eight in the morning until nine-thirty at night is just terrible. Next semester I get to choose my own schedule. Yay</p><p>On Monday in my Frameworks for Success class, I watched a YouTube video of a man talking about improving my image to become a professional. I thought it was a nice video, but the audio compression made it hard to understand the man who was waving his hands randomly and quickly about and speaking rapidly with a thick British accent.</p><p>I thought about my professional image.</p><p>From now on, I will try to wear clothes that match, sit up straight, and avoid compromising situations where I may be photographed. I know I am always being watched.</p>Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-70938743863670537522009-10-07T09:10:00.000-04:002009-10-07T09:23:01.337-04:00Today I have eight-and-a-half hours straight of class.
OK. Here are my current goals, ordered by alphabetically by subject:
<ul><li>Artistic: I intend to practice my clarinet at least twice a week.</li><li>Attitudinal: I need to be more assertive.</li><li>Careerist: I'll find a job, eventually.</li><li>Educational: I want to get straight As this semester.</li><li>Familial: I hope to avoid marriage, sex, and children.</li><li>Financial: Who wants to be a millionaire? I sure do.</li><li>Free time: I'll go for a walk at least once every two weeks.</li><li>Physical: I'll go to the Student Development Center at least two times a week.</li><li>Public Service: I'll hold the door open for people who are coming up, so they won't have to touch the door themselves.</li></ul> These are my goals. I'm may not going to accomplish all of them, but I will try. I'm a perfectionist, so it is possible for me to achieve a hundred percent success rate.
First, let's look at my financial/careerist goals. I think it would be nice to have a lot of money, but I'd really just like to have a job right now. I haven't worked a day in my life and I don't know exactly how the finding of work would be done. Here's what I plan on doing: I'll learn how to draw; then I'll start a web-comic in January; and then I'll go to the career fair in the spring. If I fail to find a co-op or internship in the career fair, then I'll search for a summer job, so I can at least get paid in the summertime. At the start of 2010, I'll start to invest in the stock market as it rebounds from our current economic recession.
Second: my free time. I have precious little of it. I'd like to go on a walk and go exploring before it is too cold and snowy to do so. I'll also have to account for rain, which is rather ubiquitous this time of year.
Third, my physical goals. I haven't worked out at the <abbr title="Student Development Center">S.D.C.</abbr> yet. I'll start on Friday, the weekday I have the most time. I hope to become strong like my dad.Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-35116521423744220262009-10-02T13:57:00.000-04:002009-10-02T13:59:03.643-04:00Out-of-Class Success<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT87">Today</span> it rains like the Dickens. When I got up <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT88"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT90">this morning</span></span> to go to church, it wasn't raining at all. When I finished with church, it was sprinkling a little bit. While I relaxed for half an hour in the dorm room, changing out of my <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT89"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT91">Sunday</span></span> clothes, it started thundering. Getting here got my legs wet, even though I was wearing my poncho. They are still wet.
It is rarely necessary to memorize. Many times, the natural learning process is sufficient to the acquisition of knowledge. There are certain times, however, when memorization is necessary. One might need to memorize a process, a sequence of data, or a set of rules. For example, in middle school, I memorized the location of the countries of Africa.
I find memorization easy. When I read a sample of text, I remember all of the important points on one read-through when I am prompted. I’ve been described as one having a photographic memory. I am very adept at the recall of facts, but I am sometimes terrible at remembering where I put my backpack.
I don’t like taking notes when I read; it’s distracting to me. It always frustrated me when my evil middle-school English teacher, Mrs. Wesley, would have me write out my thought process and responses to a sample of text. I hated Visualizing, Defining, Generalizing, and Empathizing. Never will I do that to literature again unless forced.
I generally memorize material by the use of mnemonics. My favorite way is to take the first letter of each word of a sequence I am to memorize, and substitute new words starting with those letters to make a sentence. For example, to memorize the steps of the engineering problem-solving method I developed the following mnemonic:
The PDAs of Governors Calculate Solutions which are then Discussed = Problem, Diagram, Assumptions, Governing Equations, Calculations, Solution Checks, and Discussion. This mnemonic has proved moderately useful; I developed it because I suspected my engineering teacher of a surprise quiz she never gave.Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-91987933289367677372009-09-21T15:58:00.000-04:002009-09-21T15:59:14.438-04:00Time Management<p>My first week of classes in Michigan Tech was fun and easy. I had very few homework assignments and required no organization of my schedule, other than carrying my Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) around in my pocket. My PDA has proved extremely helpful in my organization and time management. It only throws you off if you make an error in entering an appointment. I can sync my PDA with <a title="Zimbra" href="http://huskymail.mtu.edu/" id="qdez">Zimbra</a>, <a title="Facebook" href="http://lite.facebook.com/" id="ly-z">Facebook</a>, and <a title="Google Calendar" href="http://calendar.google.com/" id="fe5b">Google Calendar</a>; which is nice. </p><p>On my second week, I started getting some assignments. Most assignments were for engineering, and it was confusing when they were due, as my engineering teacher has three ways of adding assignments: some assignments she'll mention verbally in class; others she'll show on a slide in class; and still others she'll post online to the course website. I wish she would, like in many of my other classes, post a list of all the assignments for the semester, along with when they are due. Instead, she adds assignments unexpectedly, to wastefully force me to check the course website. She's a nice teacher, but I wish her system of adding assignments were more organized.</p><p>Other classes were and are easier to keep track of. Their pre-posted assignment lists are synced with my PDA and my Zimbra. I always get those assignments done with plenty of free time.</p><p>That said, time management in college is VERY different than in high school. I'm not going to lie: in High School, I never used my planner, and couldn't use my PDA because digital devices were banned. Of course, all the assignments were usually quick and easy. I could generally finish math, science, and social studies homework in class. The only homework I really ever had was typing up essays that I had outlined in my English class.
</p><p>In college, however, assignments are due at different times of the day for each class, and I also must keep track of when classes are. I can't do most of the assignments in class, and most assignments must be typed (like this one). I must use my PDA, and I do. It is the most helpful thing here at college.</p>I am facing few challenges when it comes to time management. I wish I had more free time, but that is probably just the summer-vacation mentality continuing into the school year. I'm not taking an unreasonable number of classes, I have a good amount of free time, and I don't feel overloaded. Sometimes I procrastinate. It's not a big problem; I don't feel rushed, get stressed, or turn in sub-quality work, but there's always that fear that keeps me motivated.Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-90848966842090410312009-09-21T15:56:00.000-04:002009-09-21T15:58:24.989-04:00The Parade of Nations<p>Today it is cold and rainy. Today my alarm radio failed to report on the weather. Today I was cold and wet when I arrived in my math class.</p><p>This is a far cry from Saturday: bright, sunny, hot Saturday. I may have not burnt, but I did turn a little pink!
</p><p>I was at the Parade of Nations and I will report on it from a unique perspective. You see, I was in the Pep Band. Some of the things were harder for me to see, and most of them were harder for me to hear for a while afterward. We played several songs and did many cheers. After the parade we had lunch and continued to the football game. At the football game, our Huskies lost 48-10. We were clobbered and sad.
</p>The most interesting part of the parade I could see was the Zombie Nation. I thought it was amusing. I also saw Brazilians, Kenyans, and Koreans. I didn't learn very much, but I was thoroughly entertained. It was a nice break from the nigh-perpetual lectures and homework that constitute my school-week.Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-50580951059979424092009-09-14T12:35:00.000-04:002009-09-21T16:00:03.069-04:00Listening Skills<p>Today is a not-very-busy day. I only have three classes, and only this assignment/blog entry to turn in. It was colder this morning than it was in previous mornings. I regret wearing my normal shorts and t-shirt. There’s no way I can know the temperature without going outside first. My room is on the fifth floor of East McNair, farthest from everything on campus.</p><p>Good listening skills can improve relationships. Relationships are essentially communications. Therefore, poor communication skills lead to bad relationships. Listening is fully half of the communication process. </p><p>I listen more than I speak. It’s both a good and a bad thing. Good, because I understand everything a person says out-loud to me, and bad, because I don’t understand what they don’t say out-loud to me: the things that I should ask them about.</p><p>There are two things I could improve on: taking notes and asking questions. I rarely take notes, though I suppose that I should in case I need future references. In high school, note-taking was completely unnecessary. I was too smart for the classes that were too easy. I very rarely ask questions, but this is probably because it is rarely necessary. I’ll be sure to when it is though.</p><p>Coming up in an hour I have Organic Chemistry. That class has its own website for assignments separate from blackboard: ARIS. It keeps breaking for me. It’s hard for a computer to figure out if the complicated organic molecules you drew were correct, and it’s hard to determine what it’s grading you on. Also, it just keeps coming up with random error messages. I was totally unable to do one of the assignments because of it. Hand-done and graded work would probably consume more paper, but at least there would be less technical glitches. It’s upsetting.</p>Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-8259767586378823962009-09-07T16:18:00.000-04:002009-09-07T16:19:54.056-04:00Personal AccountabilityI have a minor problem on my hands. My ID card does not give me swipe access to my department’s computer labs. This is annoying because sometimes I need to get work done, work that needs to be saved. This means I cannot do it in the library, because the computers there delete everything new at the end of the day. This problem has not been solved yet, I feel, because I have not spoken to anyone about it.
Actually, this small problem is a figment of a larger one. I tend to be a little bit too passive…but that really isn’t the right word. It’s probably best explained by a metaphor about how I used to play chess. Everyone said I played too defensively. Whenever an opportunity for advancement came up with some risk, I wouldn’t take it, and I would often lose. Now, I play assertively, and mostly, I win. However, I continue in my life the same way I used to play chess, defensively. I continue to be shy and passive. Whenever I take an assertive action, good things happen to me.
I think some more assertive action is required here. I’ll talk to some people, see if they’re experiencing problems, and see if they know who to talk to. Then I’ll talk to some other people and get this problem solved.Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888149914740341740.post-34184186888654981792009-09-05T19:25:00.000-04:002009-09-06T12:35:04.329-04:00Hello thereWelcome to my blog.Henry David Raphael Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540099905549409815noreply@blogger.com0