Thanks to an excellent IB history series and a collection of political science courses at WSU, I consider myself fairly well versed in America's 20th Century history. But despite the many courses, somehow I have never learned very much about President Eisenhower. He was casually mentioned in two of my courses this semester and he piqued my interest. I'm looking at his 1952 campaign strategies for one of my final projects. He is quickly becoming my favorite president. Below are the passages that began my fascination.
The first that struck me:
"Upon first encounter," one observer noted, "the man instantly conveyed one quality – strength. ... There was one feature of his face impossible to ignore or to forget – the blue eyes of a force and intensity singularly deep, almost disturbing, above all commanding. ... Always they would speak of the moment and the mood: icy with anger, warm with satisfaction, sharp with concern, glazed with boredom. And always somehow – was it their eloquent explicitness of feeling? – they conveyed an image and a sense of strength."
Then this passage in a different book for a different course a couple days later:
Eisenhower was extremely confident of his own expertise compared to that of Dulles, a point he noted during an interview, commenting: "The fact remains that (Dulles) just knows more about foreign affairs than anybody I know. In fact, I'll be immodest and say that there's only one man I know who has seen more of the world and talked with more people and knows more than he does – and that's me."
And the most recent passage I like from a third book:
Eisenhower then told Brownell that he'd once met with Taft and assured him that he, Eisenhower, would not run for president in 1952 if Taft would support the internationalist view of NATO and the protection of Western Europe. Taft replied that, "in good conscience," he couldn't make such a deal. Eisenhower apparently did not know that as Taft left the meeting at the Pentagon, he told companions, "By God, that's a man."
Being perfectly honest, I think part of my fascination may come from the fact that I often find myself drawn to powerful, confident, blue-eyed males.
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
New Quarter
I'm back. Well, I never actually went anywhere, just home. Unfortunately our computer at home is beyond slow so writing one post takes hours. I'm back at school now and have started a new term. I am taking biology, chemistry, and biological anthropology. Yes, that also means I have three labs. Hopefully, when summer finally gets here I will still be alive and relatively sane.
I wanted to share with you a ridiculously cool video my biology professor showed us today. It was made by the crazy kids at Harvard and shows the inner happenings of a cell. Seriously rad.
I wanted to share with you a ridiculously cool video my biology professor showed us today. It was made by the crazy kids at Harvard and shows the inner happenings of a cell. Seriously rad.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Friday, March 7, 2008
Chance of a lifetime
Many of the players on the WSU basketball team are tall. One is particularly so. I have long desired to stand next to him to see just how tall he is. Lisa, her brother, and I went to watch basketball practice today. The last home game of the season is on Saturday and then the seniors will graduate. I mistakenly thought the very tall player was graduating, and the thought that I would never have the opportunity to ask again, gave me to courage to request a picture with him. Thankfully, Lisa takes her camera everywhere with her.
It made my day and I was so happy to get what I've wanted for some time. I couldn't stop smiling I was so pleased. I also got to shake hands with Tony Bennet.
Once I returned to the newsroom, I realized he is only a junior and not graduating. He did not correct me though, which was kind of him.
It made my day and I was so happy to get what I've wanted for some time. I couldn't stop smiling I was so pleased. I also got to shake hands with Tony Bennet.
Once I returned to the newsroom, I realized he is only a junior and not graduating. He did not correct me though, which was kind of him.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Journalism and College
Yesterday, I did something I haven't really be able to do in a while. I wrote an update to the fraternity in trouble story the Evergreen broke on Thursday.
In the middle of my day of reporting, making phone calls and waiting for people to return them, I had to go to COM 295 (the news writing class), where I was supposed to learn to do exactly what I was already doing. It was speech writing day, so I had to listen to a speaker for 30 minutes. All I could think about was how my time could be used much more beneficially elsewhere. I had my article for the class finished before the speaker was done talking. I waited for him to finish before I turned it in, but the prof still gave me a very skeptical look for being done so quickly. At the time, I didn't care. I had more important things to care about.
This is part of the difficulty of being a student journalist. We try to do everything any other newspaper would do, but we have to fit classes in each day also.
In the evening, I moderated The Daily Evergreen ASWSU Presidential Debate. Brian was the timer. Afterward, I had another rare experience. Someone interviewed me for his broadcast class. I didn't want to, but in the end, decided to help him out. It was weird to be on the other end of the questions.
In the middle of my day of reporting, making phone calls and waiting for people to return them, I had to go to COM 295 (the news writing class), where I was supposed to learn to do exactly what I was already doing. It was speech writing day, so I had to listen to a speaker for 30 minutes. All I could think about was how my time could be used much more beneficially elsewhere. I had my article for the class finished before the speaker was done talking. I waited for him to finish before I turned it in, but the prof still gave me a very skeptical look for being done so quickly. At the time, I didn't care. I had more important things to care about.
This is part of the difficulty of being a student journalist. We try to do everything any other newspaper would do, but we have to fit classes in each day also.
In the evening, I moderated The Daily Evergreen ASWSU Presidential Debate. Brian was the timer. Afterward, I had another rare experience. Someone interviewed me for his broadcast class. I didn't want to, but in the end, decided to help him out. It was weird to be on the other end of the questions.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Trains
At OSU last year there were train tracks about 300 yards from my dorm. The train was loud. It came by frequently (several times a day) and blew it's horn the whole way through campus. Sometimes it would come at 6:30 AM sometimes 11:30 PM, those were rare times but did happen. At first the train was a nuisance, but then it grew on me. I liked waking up to it in the morning and falling asleep to it at night. I liked hearing it while I was watching a football game or studying outside. It was a comforting constant throughout my day.
There is also a train here. It is not so frequent. On my birthday it came through town. It was about 1:00 and we (my friends and I) had just laid down to sleep. I smiled as I laid there remembering the train from the previous year. The familiar sound lulled me to sleep and filled me with nostalgia.
The next morning at breakfast my friend asked if we had heard the train. I told her with a smile that I had. My other friend responded angrily and said that she as too. I was confused. I asked them why they were angry and they said because it had gone by three times in the night and had kept them awake. When I explained that I liked the sound and how it helped me fall asleep they didn't understand. I found it interesting that something that was such an annoyance to them was like a birthday present to me.
There is also a train here. It is not so frequent. On my birthday it came through town. It was about 1:00 and we (my friends and I) had just laid down to sleep. I smiled as I laid there remembering the train from the previous year. The familiar sound lulled me to sleep and filled me with nostalgia.
The next morning at breakfast my friend asked if we had heard the train. I told her with a smile that I had. My other friend responded angrily and said that she as too. I was confused. I asked them why they were angry and they said because it had gone by three times in the night and had kept them awake. When I explained that I liked the sound and how it helped me fall asleep they didn't understand. I found it interesting that something that was such an annoyance to them was like a birthday present to me.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Recent Thoughts and Things
Chemistry
"...they decided to shake the poop out of the milk." ~ prof. It grossed me out a little.
"Woods are pretty bad places for humans not just because of the vicious raccoons but there are dangerous chemicals in the air." I'm sorry but are you kidding me??!! I always thought the woods were good for you but if the air is worse in the woods than in the city then my whole life has been a lie.
I truly wonder how many times my chem. prof. has almost died. He's told so many stories...it's unbelievable he's made it this far.
For biology lab I had to collect a sample of dirt and bring it to the lab. Well I forgot and had to get it on the way to lab. I happened to have a plastic bag in my backpack. So I put the dirt in the bag and put the bag in my pocket. For some reason while I was sitting in chemistry with the bag of dirt in my pocket I found the situation hilarious. That was a bad story. I'm sorry.
This week we had a guest lecturer in chemistry. We were each given a sheet and asked to evaluate her presentation. Let me just say that debate has destroyed my ability to evaluate presentation givers. I've become way too critical. Everyone around me was giving her 5s (high rating), but I was giving her tons of feedback and rating her a bit lower than everyone else. Now that I think about it however, that might not be from attending all those debate meets but could just be my critical personality...
Math
"Don't worry. These are going to get trickier." ~instructor Andrew about trig problems. I was so worried.
"We're multiplying 3 things to get zero! Either 2 is zero...unlikely..." ~Andrew
Have you ever wanted to turn to someone and say "Dude, you're obnoxious"? I have.
I like the word "compose."
Biology
The word "parasite" gives me the shivers.
The word "fungus" is weird.
How did people figure out which mushrooms were okay to eat? Just trial and error? I hope not.
Did you know there is a thing called "mushroom prospecting"? It's true.
Me: "It's like, a peanut."
Friend: "That was deep."
Other
"Yay for fat girls!" ~ Davielle Taken out of context that sounds way worse than it actually was.
"...they decided to shake the poop out of the milk." ~ prof. It grossed me out a little.
"Woods are pretty bad places for humans not just because of the vicious raccoons but there are dangerous chemicals in the air." I'm sorry but are you kidding me??!! I always thought the woods were good for you but if the air is worse in the woods than in the city then my whole life has been a lie.
I truly wonder how many times my chem. prof. has almost died. He's told so many stories...it's unbelievable he's made it this far.
For biology lab I had to collect a sample of dirt and bring it to the lab. Well I forgot and had to get it on the way to lab. I happened to have a plastic bag in my backpack. So I put the dirt in the bag and put the bag in my pocket. For some reason while I was sitting in chemistry with the bag of dirt in my pocket I found the situation hilarious. That was a bad story. I'm sorry.
This week we had a guest lecturer in chemistry. We were each given a sheet and asked to evaluate her presentation. Let me just say that debate has destroyed my ability to evaluate presentation givers. I've become way too critical. Everyone around me was giving her 5s (high rating), but I was giving her tons of feedback and rating her a bit lower than everyone else. Now that I think about it however, that might not be from attending all those debate meets but could just be my critical personality...
Math
"Don't worry. These are going to get trickier." ~instructor Andrew about trig problems. I was so worried.
"We're multiplying 3 things to get zero! Either 2 is zero...unlikely..." ~Andrew
Have you ever wanted to turn to someone and say "Dude, you're obnoxious"? I have.
I like the word "compose."
Biology
The word "parasite" gives me the shivers.
The word "fungus" is weird.
How did people figure out which mushrooms were okay to eat? Just trial and error? I hope not.
Did you know there is a thing called "mushroom prospecting"? It's true.
Me: "It's like, a peanut."
Friend: "That was deep."
Other
"Yay for fat girls!" ~ Davielle Taken out of context that sounds way worse than it actually was.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Recent Decisions
I've decided that because I should write a song of the day. After I start my rock 'n' roll career.
I've decided that I have really good problem solving skills and that's why I do so well in math. So, I'm going to start applying those skills to chemistry and thinking about the whole class the same way I do math class. If I change the way I view the class maybe it'll change how ell I do in the class. Perhaps this way I'll do better.
This isn't really a decision, but more of a person observation. I tend to forget the 'e' at the end of "change" and I tend to add and 'e' to the end of "both." Isn't that weird?
I've decided that I have really good problem solving skills and that's why I do so well in math. So, I'm going to start applying those skills to chemistry and thinking about the whole class the same way I do math class. If I change the way I view the class maybe it'll change how ell I do in the class. Perhaps this way I'll do better.
This isn't really a decision, but more of a person observation. I tend to forget the 'e' at the end of "change" and I tend to add and 'e' to the end of "both." Isn't that weird?
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Snow Day
We have yet to determine when was the last time the university cancelled classes, but it was at least a decade ago. All week was spent trudging through snow but today it finally became too much. Campus was closed at 10 a.m. The newsroom is currently staffed by five, those of us who could make it in. The rest of the staff is covering their respective locations however so it's like we have mini bureaus. I don't know if I'll have any time to play in the snow, but at least I don't have to go to class.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
First Set of Winter Quotations
My math teacher has been great so far for good quotes.
"This is the meat of the set notation sandwich, you just need to put the buns on there right?"
"What's another way to say born? Birds aren't born..."
"Does the wingspan go on forever? I hope not, that would be like a scary Alfred Hitchcock movie."
"IT'S LIKE MAGIC! Math magic..."
"Wait a second...that can't be right...I must have plugged something into my calculator wrong...ohhhhh that's embarrassing..."
"Oh boy! Look at all of these solutions!"
"This is kind of a guess-what's-in-my-head kind of question."
This guy get so enthusiastic about what he's teaching us. One time it was so bad I said (to myself and the people near me) "My. God. This is blowing my mind." I got a couple chuckles.
My chemistry professor isn't nearly as funny as last term, but he has some really good stories that he likes to share. I managed to get a couple of quotes.
Prof.:"There are three phases (i.e. liquid, sold, gas)...well actually four but we won't talk about that."
Me:"WHAT?! Everything I ever learned about science is wrong!"
"Gotta be careful about putting yourself in a a vacuum."
He also tends to say "all-gebra" instead of algebra, and molecliar instead of molecular. It bugs me.
There have been quite a few good quotes in my biology class but I'm always too shocked to write them down. They're not from the professor, they're from this obnoxious kid that like to ask the most bazaar questions. Not only are the questions odd, but he takes forever to actually get to the question. That too bugs me. Here is the only question I managed to write down.
Kid: "Do you think reptiles will ever fly again?" (There was a picture of a turtle on the overhead. That's the only connection I could find.)
Prof.: "I doubt it."
I'll try to write them down from now on. They're crazy.
"This is the meat of the set notation sandwich, you just need to put the buns on there right?"
"What's another way to say born? Birds aren't born..."
"Does the wingspan go on forever? I hope not, that would be like a scary Alfred Hitchcock movie."
"IT'S LIKE MAGIC! Math magic..."
"Wait a second...that can't be right...I must have plugged something into my calculator wrong...ohhhhh that's embarrassing..."
"Oh boy! Look at all of these solutions!"
"This is kind of a guess-what's-in-my-head kind of question."
This guy get so enthusiastic about what he's teaching us. One time it was so bad I said (to myself and the people near me) "My. God. This is blowing my mind." I got a couple chuckles.
My chemistry professor isn't nearly as funny as last term, but he has some really good stories that he likes to share. I managed to get a couple of quotes.
Prof.:"There are three phases (i.e. liquid, sold, gas)...well actually four but we won't talk about that."
Me:"WHAT?! Everything I ever learned about science is wrong!"
"Gotta be careful about putting yourself in a a vacuum."
He also tends to say "all-gebra" instead of algebra, and molecliar instead of molecular. It bugs me.
There have been quite a few good quotes in my biology class but I'm always too shocked to write them down. They're not from the professor, they're from this obnoxious kid that like to ask the most bazaar questions. Not only are the questions odd, but he takes forever to actually get to the question. That too bugs me. Here is the only question I managed to write down.
Kid: "Do you think reptiles will ever fly again?" (There was a picture of a turtle on the overhead. That's the only connection I could find.)
Prof.: "I doubt it."
I'll try to write them down from now on. They're crazy.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Two days till the weekend
The snow has not killed me but this week of 16 hour days just might. I learned in my economics class that currently I am functioning outside of my Productions Possibilities Frontier. The feat is possible, but not sustainable. After I get into a routine of newspaper and classes again I expect things to calm down. Until then, this has been a long week. I don't have the energy for a review of my classes. Also, my computer is mildly malfunctioning so more tomorrow.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Back To Bellingham
I am now back at school and feeling a little blue. Big surprise right? I understand more and more how Christina feels about home vs away. I love being at home because I love being with my mom. However, I like coming back to school because that means I leave the craziness behind. I feel like I'm constantly battling with myself inside about where I want to be.
School isn't fun for me anymore (I guess that's what happens when you're a science major) so I've thought about just taking some time off. But when I think about how my life would be, and I apologize for the vagueness, I just couldn't handle being at home that much. It would be too hard (emotionally). I'm hoping that once I get through this year, my classes next year will be ones I like.
I need a sign or something to reassure me that I'm where I'm supposed to be. I think about the future way to much and it makes me sad, I should make a point to not do it so much. "The Future" seems so far away, like something I'll never actually achieve. It's like I'm jumping over hurdle after hurdle and as soon as I can see the finish line the race is made longer.
School isn't fun for me anymore (I guess that's what happens when you're a science major) so I've thought about just taking some time off. But when I think about how my life would be, and I apologize for the vagueness, I just couldn't handle being at home that much. It would be too hard (emotionally). I'm hoping that once I get through this year, my classes next year will be ones I like.
I need a sign or something to reassure me that I'm where I'm supposed to be. I think about the future way to much and it makes me sad, I should make a point to not do it so much. "The Future" seems so far away, like something I'll never actually achieve. It's like I'm jumping over hurdle after hurdle and as soon as I can see the finish line the race is made longer.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Another semester begins
Newspaper training has actually kept me a bit busier than usual. Posts from over winter break will arrive shortly.
I had training on Thursday and Friday and today I came into the newsroom to clean the newsroom's fish bowl. Woodstein should be a happy fish now.
I have the same position as last semester, but everyone else is in new positions. I thought my job would be easier this semester since I've done it before, but I think in reality it will be about as difficult, just different. I'm trying to bring back a strong beat system and it's going to take me a while, I've discovered, to adjust to the managing editor and editor-in-chief.
My classes start on Monday and there was finally an opening in the class I wanted to take so my schedule should be quite manageable. I'm expecting more homework than I had last semester, but that's not saying much since I didn't have any homework last semester.
My suitemates are beginning to arrive and the dining centers are finally open. Everything is becoming routine again and the newness of my return is beginning to wear off.
I had training on Thursday and Friday and today I came into the newsroom to clean the newsroom's fish bowl. Woodstein should be a happy fish now.
I have the same position as last semester, but everyone else is in new positions. I thought my job would be easier this semester since I've done it before, but I think in reality it will be about as difficult, just different. I'm trying to bring back a strong beat system and it's going to take me a while, I've discovered, to adjust to the managing editor and editor-in-chief.
My classes start on Monday and there was finally an opening in the class I wanted to take so my schedule should be quite manageable. I'm expecting more homework than I had last semester, but that's not saying much since I didn't have any homework last semester.
My suitemates are beginning to arrive and the dining centers are finally open. Everything is becoming routine again and the newness of my return is beginning to wear off.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Holidays are over
I am back in Pullman, but more importantly, I again have access to the Internet. I am sorry for the lack of posting in recent weeks but our dial-up Internet at home wouldn't behave. I wrote posts, even though I couldn't post them, and will now post them in the next several days. That is, if newspaper training doesn't keep me too busy.
How is Pullman? Snowy and cold and deserted. Finding food is difficult.
How is Pullman? Snowy and cold and deserted. Finding food is difficult.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
College Stress
I register for Winter term in 9 minutes and I'm really nervous. Weird huh?
Update: I'm taking three classes. Only two of them are ones that I truly need and it looks like I'll be taking math...again. I'll have to put off my Archeology class for a couple of terms. I do have two labs next quarter, one for biology and one for chemistry. This should be interesting. Hopefully I'll still be alive spring term so that I can take THREE labs! Oh boy...
Update: I'm taking three classes. Only two of them are ones that I truly need and it looks like I'll be taking math...again. I'll have to put off my Archeology class for a couple of terms. I do have two labs next quarter, one for biology and one for chemistry. This should be interesting. Hopefully I'll still be alive spring term so that I can take THREE labs! Oh boy...
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Dinner
Sometimes I like flaunting the college lifestyle. While I suppose few would actually desire to have what I had for dinner tonight, it was definitely a stereotypical college student meal. I like knowing there's a bit of college student in me.
My dinner: Microwaveable burrito, two pieces of pumpkin pie, half a bag of Cooler Ranch Doritos, and a couple tootsie rolls.
No worries about the freshmen 15 though. I'm a sophomore.
And I end up burning most of it off at work anyways, at least that's what I tell myself.
My dinner: Microwaveable burrito, two pieces of pumpkin pie, half a bag of Cooler Ranch Doritos, and a couple tootsie rolls.
No worries about the freshmen 15 though. I'm a sophomore.
And I end up burning most of it off at work anyways, at least that's what I tell myself.
Thoughts and Quotes
Quotes:
"NINE! NINE! Sorry, I lived in Germany for 3 years, so I interpret 'nine' in multiple ways." ~Chem Prof.
"So I think we've gone from the difficult to the absurd at this point." ~Chem Prof.
"We're still working on scales and arpeggios here. We're not ready to blow some bad jazz." ~Chem Prof.
"If Thomas loves it it's gotta be awful." ~Davielle
"Sweet is definitely not the right word." ~Davielle [about describing me and she's right. I was thinking bitter.]
Thoughts:
Why do painters wear white outfits?
I've decided that I'm hopelessly something. Just what exactly we might never know.
"NINE! NINE! Sorry, I lived in Germany for 3 years, so I interpret 'nine' in multiple ways." ~Chem Prof.
"So I think we've gone from the difficult to the absurd at this point." ~Chem Prof.
"We're still working on scales and arpeggios here. We're not ready to blow some bad jazz." ~Chem Prof.
"If Thomas loves it it's gotta be awful." ~Davielle
"Sweet is definitely not the right word." ~Davielle [about describing me and she's right. I was thinking bitter.]
Thoughts:
Why do painters wear white outfits?
I've decided that I'm hopelessly something. Just what exactly we might never know.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Three-day Weekend Summary
Friday - I went to the midnight Nuthouse show. A left particularly pleased with many of the references made. Yes there were the traditional excrement, sex, and Star Wars jokes, but there were also references to 1984, The Great Gatsby, and The Scarlet Letter. My favorite was an entire steam of dialogue about Operation Market Garden. My final group HOTA project was an over the top Operation Market Garden sock puppet show. There were parachute men, dry ice, and fake accents. It was marvelous.
Saturday - I had a strange dream where my house and family were in the middle of a war zone. I don't know who we were fighting. It might have been my uncle's family on the hill, but that doesn't make sense because my family would win that war no problem. My father and I escaped the war scene only to begin a hunt for a white Bengal tiger in our forest. We found the tiger but my father didn't shoot it fast enough, so it attacked him. I woke up just after I started beating the tiger on the head with a big stick.
Sunday - I watched a show on Animal Planet about a theme park/zoo called Tiger Island. Aren't coincidences fun?
Monday - No school because of Veterans Day but I had work for newspaper. My news meeting went well and other than that the day was rather uneventful.
Saturday - I had a strange dream where my house and family were in the middle of a war zone. I don't know who we were fighting. It might have been my uncle's family on the hill, but that doesn't make sense because my family would win that war no problem. My father and I escaped the war scene only to begin a hunt for a white Bengal tiger in our forest. We found the tiger but my father didn't shoot it fast enough, so it attacked him. I woke up just after I started beating the tiger on the head with a big stick.
Sunday - I watched a show on Animal Planet about a theme park/zoo called Tiger Island. Aren't coincidences fun?
Monday - No school because of Veterans Day but I had work for newspaper. My news meeting went well and other than that the day was rather uneventful.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Today's Funnies
"I thought about copyrighting myself..." ~Anth. Prof.
"It's been a while since I've read the Book [The Bible]." ~Anth. Prof.
"In the future the grade you got in chemistry is not going to mean as much as the time you spend with the ones you love." ~Chem. Prof. A little weird, but it made me feel a bit better.
"It's been a while since I've read the Book [The Bible]." ~Anth. Prof.
"In the future the grade you got in chemistry is not going to mean as much as the time you spend with the ones you love." ~Chem. Prof. A little weird, but it made me feel a bit better.
Failure is Imminent
I am a smart person. I know this. However, in chemistry no matter how hard I try I do poorly. I have never struggled this much with a class before. I don't like feeling unintelligent. I like to be in the middle or above the curve not below it. I feel like I'm trying to swim up a raging river and every time I get a breath I get pulled down even further. Once I think I've got things under control and grow a little bit of confidence the test backhands me and I fall to the floor. This is a new experience for me. I wasn't very good at HOTA or H2O, but I got by. I'm worried that I will actually fail this class. I must be missing something, but what? I need to pass this chem series in order to take ANY other science class. Pray for me, please.
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