Indian Summer

So for Halloween a few people actually did wear costumes to class, and we did do the Pac-Man thing right after class started. We waited for Dr Clothiaux to start writing stuff on the board, then we all came in the door at the front of the class, with Walter leading the way in his Pac-Man costume and his “wacca wacca” sound effects, followed by the four ghosts, including myself. We just kinda went every which way around the desks, meandering until we reached our seats. Everyone was having a pretty good laugh, including Dr Clothiaux, who then asked, “so what are you guys supposed to be?” We told him Pac-Man, and then he exclaimed, “Oh! That’s funny!!” and laughed some more. So apparently he thought at first that we were just being strange or something, haha. Dr Clothiaux also wanted to take a picture of our Rad Tran class with several of us in costumes, “to show people what he has to put up with,” hehe.
Monday night was our final intramural flag football game of the season, except our opponent didn’t show up. So we won our second game of the year via forfeit, pushing our overall record to 3-2. But instead of just scrimmaging against ourselves or whatever, like we did during the first game of the season when the other team didn’t show up, we decided to play against an undefeated team from the major division (we were in the minor division), whose opponent also hadn’t shown up. Well, let’s just say that that team was really good. Before kickoff we thought the line (if there was one) would probably favor them by 30 points, and then we didn’t even cover the spread, losing 40-8. Everyone on their team was not only fast, but also a very good athlete; we never stood a chance, really. It was still fun though, even if it knocked us down a peg by reminding us that we really aren’t very good athletes. 🙂 But the best part is, we were both winners (literally, since we both won on forfeits)! Usually I don’t go for that self-esteem gobbledegook psychobabble, but it fit in this case. Anyway, after the game we all went out for a meal and a drink at the Gingerbread Man, before resuming homework.
On Tuesday I gave my students in Meteo 003 a quiz. A really easy quiz. With questions such as: “Hailstones are falling chunks of what? a) dynamite, b) ice, c) rocks, d) comets” and “What line of latitude separates the northern and southern hemispheres? a) Tropic of Cancer, b) Equator, c) Tropic of Capricorn, d) US-Canadian border.” I haven’t graded them yet, but I did spy a couple of wrong answers here and there (I haven’t seen any on either of those questions above yet though, fortunately). Since they had an exam this week, lab this week was supposed to be a “freebie” type lab where we could do whatever we wanted, instead of assigning the usual problem set out of the book. And if we chose to make a quiz, Bill said it had to be “EASY.” If only lab could be this short and pleasant every week. But I won’t get a respite from grading, as I’m about to be dumped on with 55 Meteo 3 exams to grade (this time the whole thing, not just the first page, because Bill said he’d go insane if he had to grade all 250-300 of them again) as soon as I get to Walker Building this morning. ~whimper~
Yesterday I got a start on the fluid dynamics assignment that’s due Monday, and I’m hoping to finish that ASAP so I can begin on the 501 assignment that’s also due Monday. At least the GFD homework is a bit easier than I’d been fearing, that’s a plus. This week has been unofficially dubbed “dynamics week” as well, because we’re having an extra GFD class this evening from 6-7:30, and then tomorrow morning a double session, from 9-11am, since Dr Clothiaux’s gone and Rad Tran won’t be happening at 9. Yay! We get to fall even further behind!
This afternoon I’m also going to be donating blood at the EMS (College of Earth & Mineral Sciences) blood drive, which is part of the larger annual Penn State-Michigan State Blood Donor Challenge. Last year I guess PSU lost by a mere 35 units of blood, 1785-1750, so they’re trying to make sure there isn’t a repeat of that. I wonder if they’ll give me an “A+” sticker for my efforts. 😉
Back on Sunday or Monday morning there was a coating of frost on the ground here at White Course (that’s right, we had our first accumulating snowfall before our first frost), so the unseasonably warm weather (60s!) that we’ve been having since Tuesday can officially be dubbed as “Indian summer.” Unfortunately it won’t last, a cold front is scheduled to barrel through here on Sunday or Monday, dropping temps into the 40s. Blah.
In a bit of interesting news, computer giant IBM is claiming to have slowed down light to 1/300th is usual speed, which could lead to another revolution in computing technology. It’ll be interesting to see if that technology becomes mainstream.
And probably not too many of you care about this, but the Melbourne Cup was held on Tuesday, “the horse race that stops a nation.” Last year when I attended it, it was the first horse race I’d ever been to, and it still remains the only one. Last year I also bet $10 on Vinnie Roe over defending Cup champ Makybe Diva, who wound up pulling away for the win. Well, this year Makybe Diva was back for another fun at Flemington, and wound up winning her THIRD consecutive Melbourne Cup (the first horse ever to accomplish that feat), putting Makybe Diva right up there with Phar Lap as the most legendary racehorses in Australian history.