Small lame update

This is my first semester out of the dorms, and as it turns out, things have changed. It's been a month and I still haven't missed any classes, which is especially unusual since I have 8 AM lectures every single weekday. Before, I would just stop going to lectures after a few weeks. I hope things stay like this. Also, I work out 6 days a week (after every morning lecture and on Saturdays). More importantly, though, I'm pretty much keeping up with all the material and homework. I have had a few classes in which I never did any homework. I studied a total of 3 days last semester for organic chemistry for ch%^&*ssakes.

A typical day in the life last and past semesters was: wake up between 2 and 5 pm, eat, go to lab (once a week), go to discussion maybe, waste time, sleeeeeeeeeep. OK it wasn't that bad. At least I (amazingly) haven't failed any classes yet.

Well, in response to this more religious routine, I actually need one of those weekly planner things that I took for granted in the dorms. Instead of just stealing one from a person in the dorms like everyone else, I went out and bought one.

On the left is the matching red pocket pen I got a while back, it has a stylus opposite the writing end.
The planner is just so... cute! I love the leather (pleather?) binding, and the ribbon bookmark, and it's from some company in London.

POST!

This blog is in much need of an update, so I'll do one NOW.

SOUTHERN NIGHT:

Living outside of the dorms has presented my three roommates and me a problem, we now have to cook nearly everyday. We have done this much better than many of our peers, delighting in comments such as, "Man, I never cook, I always eat out and it's getting expensive." While two cook more often than the other and me, I like to shake things up a bit when I cook. I've begun cooking southern style buttermilk fried chicken (mmmmmmm) and for this particular night I also made sweet tea; and my roommate made corn bread and mashed potatoes!


MP3 REPAIR!

So, after reading on anythingbutipod.com one day about how some guy (or girl) dismantled his/her I7 because of a button malfunction, strangely enough a few days later my I7 encountered the same problem. The I7 was a little less than a year old. One of the surface mount buttons fell off! It was the volume - button, and I didn't want to damage my ears by never turning the volume lower (I adjust volume at LEAST 3 times per song, I wonder why the button fell off?). It was very fortunate that I had just come back to Berkeley from my one week post-summer-school break at home, and had brought back a few things: namely my soldering iron and some supplies (wire, sleeving, etc etc, no drill or dremel though D:).

First, however, let's take a look at one of the new things I've acquired to aid in this type of thing:


This is a sponge, the type that goes in the base of a soldering iron holder. The one on the right is before adding water, and the one on the left is after. Watching it expand was insane. I have spares :D

Below is the problem. Circled in red is where the surface mount button should be. The second half of the picture shows a dry-mount of the switch that fell off. I nearly lost it when opening the case!

The equipment (always wear safety goggles!):

And the repair, yes I swabbed off the flux (but I couldn't get the flux under the switch of course, oh well. This mp3 player will probably be replaced in a year or less anyway).

GUITAR!

My trip back home returned me with my guitar as well. I got this thing in junior high, I believe. Never did use it much in high school as I had anticipated. I'm learning a few chords every now and then, looking up tabs and also learning from an instructional book from the 70's. It's pretty fun, I regret not using it more in the past now.


A few of the songs I wanted to play (namely, country) required a capo. Being the cheap, I mean innovative, person that I am, I fashioned one out of a highlighter and a few of those thick bracelet rubber bands. I was going to post this on instructables, however, someone else has done NEARLY THE EXACT SAME THING! I believe he uses a dry-erase marker, though.


WALLET (and phone)!

Both my visits home this summer have not ended well. The first one, a month-long, was just great. LANCAMP 08, spending nearly every day with friends, hookah, etc etc etc. Right before I left back for Berkeley however, I lost my phone, and all my numbers along with it. The second, after summer school, I got to play Soul Calibur IV on my friend's PS3 on my HDTV at home, which looked just plainly incredible. We also watched Harold and Kumar II and some Stargate movie on it in BLU RAY. I saw details that I never thought that old TV was capable of (we acquired it around 2004 or 2005, I forget). It was just beautiful. I also spent a lot of time watching the olympics. I visited some good old friends I hadn't seen in 8 months. However, again, just before I left, I misplaced my wallet. I have spent the time since then getting a new driver's license, school ID, bank card, and I haven't even considered getting a new insurance card.

On the bright side, both replacements are now pink (my last wallet was pink too though) and better. I have a Palm Centro and I made a small pink paper wallet which can fit into my front pocket with my keys (theft prevention).

Both times I swear they were probably in my house, probably in my living room, and I was either buzzed or really tired when I lost them. I scoured my room, living room, car, and every other possibility for both. I hate thinking of supernatural solutions to these kinds of things but what else am I supposed to think? At least they are no big deal now, the older phone was pretty bad and I have a new debit card number (nothing else valuable in that old wallet except my identity).

Phew! That was a huge update! If you read (even part of, or only looked at pictures), pleaaaaassssssssseeeeeee leave me comments, it makes me feel better lol.