This Thanksgiving left everyone well fed. Two turkeys, six pies, three different potato dishes, a huge pan of stuffing, two different gravies, cranberries, asparagus, and cheese bread are just some of the causes for 14 people's half awake stupor.
The family played games to occupy some of the time while we waited for food, or couldn't move. Wii bowling seemed to be everyone's favorite. Also played poker (I won!), hearts, and Pitchnut of course!
My little cousin, Arielle, did therapeutic exercises to help her knee with a torn ligament she acquired during a soccer game. Uncle Lee continued to look up our ancestors online, while Uncle Blain harassed Aunt Terry's dog, who pretended she was the five pound head of the house.
Sadly, my grandparents we're not able to make it, instead sticking to the Florida weather. My dad and I will visit during my spring vacation (I haven't seen them in over a year!)
It was a successful and grand Thanksgiving. Hope everyone else had a great holiday and is able to finish their leftovers!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Almost Home
This weekend has been great.
Friday started off with an easy test, followed by an open discussion quiz. That evening, Sarah and I went food shopping and stopped at Marino's, an Italian restaurant located in Hornel. We then came back to her place to watch a movie and eat apple pie, (making me more excited about Thanksgiving, and the many pies he family always gets.)
Yesterday was unproductive. I lazed about my apartment playing Playstation and eating Italian leftovers while contacting Brian Wheat and Groggy Darlin, a band I was bringing to Alfred that evening as Homegrown Music Chair of the Student Activities Board. They were to go on at 10PM, and made me nervous when they showed up forty minutes after 8, when we were hoping they would be here by. Thankfully, they took no time to set up and sound check, giving themselves enough time to grab food before the show. Brian Wheat then wanted to get on the Alfred radio station to briefly announce the show, which we were able to do, then he made his way back to he stage to start playing.
Brian Wheat and Groggy Darlin are a band based out of the Buffalo area. Mark, their drummer, is a 2004 Alfred alumni. They play great Acoustic/Indie/Folk Rock. I love their current cd, and look forward to getting the next CD when it comes out. They are a great bunch of guys, some of the nicest people you could ever meet. I recommend checking them out at their myspace.
Today I've got to finish a couple of homework problems on gears. My classes for Monday have all been canceled, and my one Tuesday class that I still do have doesn't expect anyone to show. The only thing keeping me here is the mandatory Chamber Singers rehearsal with the orchestra. Course, tonight tonight Sarah and I will make some Greek pizza and fried mozzarella, then try to finish the pie.
I'll be going back home Tuesday morning.
Random Thought:
I hate trying to figure out what I want for Christmas. I wanted a new phone with a keyboard for texting, but I don't really need it. I was thinking now of getting a High Def. (HDCP) computer monitor to play my playstation on with best resolution, and maybe a game and controller on the side. We'll see.
Friday started off with an easy test, followed by an open discussion quiz. That evening, Sarah and I went food shopping and stopped at Marino's, an Italian restaurant located in Hornel. We then came back to her place to watch a movie and eat apple pie, (making me more excited about Thanksgiving, and the many pies he family always gets.)
Yesterday was unproductive. I lazed about my apartment playing Playstation and eating Italian leftovers while contacting Brian Wheat and Groggy Darlin, a band I was bringing to Alfred that evening as Homegrown Music Chair of the Student Activities Board. They were to go on at 10PM, and made me nervous when they showed up forty minutes after 8, when we were hoping they would be here by. Thankfully, they took no time to set up and sound check, giving themselves enough time to grab food before the show. Brian Wheat then wanted to get on the Alfred radio station to briefly announce the show, which we were able to do, then he made his way back to he stage to start playing.
Brian Wheat and Groggy Darlin are a band based out of the Buffalo area. Mark, their drummer, is a 2004 Alfred alumni. They play great Acoustic/Indie/Folk Rock. I love their current cd, and look forward to getting the next CD when it comes out. They are a great bunch of guys, some of the nicest people you could ever meet. I recommend checking them out at their myspace.
Today I've got to finish a couple of homework problems on gears. My classes for Monday have all been canceled, and my one Tuesday class that I still do have doesn't expect anyone to show. The only thing keeping me here is the mandatory Chamber Singers rehearsal with the orchestra. Course, tonight tonight Sarah and I will make some Greek pizza and fried mozzarella, then try to finish the pie.
I'll be going back home Tuesday morning.
Random Thought:
I hate trying to figure out what I want for Christmas. I wanted a new phone with a keyboard for texting, but I don't really need it. I was thinking now of getting a High Def. (HDCP) computer monitor to play my playstation on with best resolution, and maybe a game and controller on the side. We'll see.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Two Technologies
Just got back from Dresser-Rand, which works a lot with spinning thermodynamic parts such as turbines, compressors, centrifuge equipment, etc. A handful of engineers, including myself, visited a plant about 30 minutes away in the town of Wellsville, NY, which focused the most on steam turbines.
The majority of the tour walked us through the assembly building where many machines cut out various parts, and workers milled and assembled turbines ranging from small television sized units to units that were being created for naval ships, about 1 1/2 times the size of a laying elephant (there were eight being built for one ship).
After the tour, we were given a free lunch of subs, chips, and soda, then spoken to by engineers who worked in another part of the facilities. I only wish our tour showed us the engineering office area, no matter how unexciting it may look.
Also, every Thursday we have a mandatory seminar where engineering speakers from companies come in to talk to us. They almost are always ceramic based, and have nothing to do with mechanical engineering. Well, last Thursday was probably the most interesting seminar I can remember. A speaker from GM came and talked about their new fuel cell technology, which allows cars to run on hydrogen gas, and emit water vapor as exhaust. He drove the fuel cell powered Chevrolet Equinox to the school, so I took pictures and a video after seminar had ended and he showed a group of us the fuel cell in action.
Looks ordinary.
The four slots are where water vapor exits. Air blasts the water out of the fuel cells to keep the cells efficient, so if you reach down in front of it, you feel warm air. Feel close enough, and you can feel the moisture after a few seconds.
Not much to see under the hood. Some of the students popped off the panels, just to see tubes and tanks underneath.
Your not so standard gas intake.
Here's some video I got of the car in action.
The majority of the tour walked us through the assembly building where many machines cut out various parts, and workers milled and assembled turbines ranging from small television sized units to units that were being created for naval ships, about 1 1/2 times the size of a laying elephant (there were eight being built for one ship).
After the tour, we were given a free lunch of subs, chips, and soda, then spoken to by engineers who worked in another part of the facilities. I only wish our tour showed us the engineering office area, no matter how unexciting it may look.
Also, every Thursday we have a mandatory seminar where engineering speakers from companies come in to talk to us. They almost are always ceramic based, and have nothing to do with mechanical engineering. Well, last Thursday was probably the most interesting seminar I can remember. A speaker from GM came and talked about their new fuel cell technology, which allows cars to run on hydrogen gas, and emit water vapor as exhaust. He drove the fuel cell powered Chevrolet Equinox to the school, so I took pictures and a video after seminar had ended and he showed a group of us the fuel cell in action.
Looks ordinary.
The four slots are where water vapor exits. Air blasts the water out of the fuel cells to keep the cells efficient, so if you reach down in front of it, you feel warm air. Feel close enough, and you can feel the moisture after a few seconds.
Not much to see under the hood. Some of the students popped off the panels, just to see tubes and tanks underneath.
Your not so standard gas intake.Here's some video I got of the car in action.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Hint of New Ravine
I just walked into Sean's room. He's working on a new song for our side project Ravine. It's not complete, but he stole the chorus from a tune I was starting to write, which is great, because I already know what I want to write the lyrics about now!
I finally got my Ravine footage on YouTube the other night (left it over night, since our internet speed, at least with steaming footage, is god awful). You check out our myspace here. But, because I'm excited to get these on the web, here they are below!
Ravine (Sean and I) live at a school comedy troupe show.
Unedited footage of the making of "In Your Eyes".
Going on an engineering field trip to Dresser-Rand tomorrow. Gotta dress nice, and make a good impression. I'll be one of those in the group who were actually invited!
I finally got my Ravine footage on YouTube the other night (left it over night, since our internet speed, at least with steaming footage, is god awful). You check out our myspace here. But, because I'm excited to get these on the web, here they are below!
Ravine (Sean and I) live at a school comedy troupe show.
Unedited footage of the making of "In Your Eyes".
Going on an engineering field trip to Dresser-Rand tomorrow. Gotta dress nice, and make a good impression. I'll be one of those in the group who were actually invited!
Last Minute
Just hopping into bed. Rearranged my room a little bit. My bed is finally out of the closet which opened up some space for my winter jacket. I also figured out some more storage places so things look a little more organized. Did all that when I had a test today. Didn't study at all. I think I did pretty well, though I know I didn't get 100% (As I handed in the test to my professor in his office, he started looking it over right there). I made two small errors, we'll see in a while where that gets me. I'm not too worried.
Sarah's pottery class has a gallery set up. Hopefully she will share some of the pictures she took with my camera. They all looked really good.
Sarah's pottery class has a gallery set up. Hopefully she will share some of the pictures she took with my camera. They all looked really good.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Where have I been?
Wow. I keep wanting to put up another entry, but I keep putting it off. I want to include this and that, but I'm just going to go ahead an do it.
We got hit hard with the second wave of snow, and this time I think it's here to stay. 5 days ago we were walking in t-shirts during the afternoon, and now we try our hardest to stay on our feet as soon as we step out the door.
I just got back last night from a not-so-needed at the time home visit. I really wanted to check out my new Playstation 3 I bought on Ebay, and I figured I would pick up a winter jacket while I was home. I'm glad I did, for the jacket. I've got two tests this week, and I'm going to try to make sure my PS3 doesn't slow me down.
I also have my first band that I'm bringing to Alfred as Homecoming Chair of the Student Activities Board, so I've got to get my posters up and start advertising!
One of the proffessors just contacted me about buying my Wii. Hopefully all goes well and I'll be over $200 richer by the end of the week.
Thats it for right now. I'll try to be better about leaving the posts, even if no one's really reading them. Its fun to think somebody might be.
Random Thought:
My Kinematics teacher keeps using the term "Rule of Thumb" during his lectures. The first day he said it he asked if we new where it came from. Appearantly, a long time ago, there was a rule where you could not hit your wife with a stick wider than your thumb. Rule of Thumb.
We got hit hard with the second wave of snow, and this time I think it's here to stay. 5 days ago we were walking in t-shirts during the afternoon, and now we try our hardest to stay on our feet as soon as we step out the door.
I just got back last night from a not-so-needed at the time home visit. I really wanted to check out my new Playstation 3 I bought on Ebay, and I figured I would pick up a winter jacket while I was home. I'm glad I did, for the jacket. I've got two tests this week, and I'm going to try to make sure my PS3 doesn't slow me down.
I also have my first band that I'm bringing to Alfred as Homecoming Chair of the Student Activities Board, so I've got to get my posters up and start advertising!
One of the proffessors just contacted me about buying my Wii. Hopefully all goes well and I'll be over $200 richer by the end of the week.
Thats it for right now. I'll try to be better about leaving the posts, even if no one's really reading them. Its fun to think somebody might be.
Random Thought:
My Kinematics teacher keeps using the term "Rule of Thumb" during his lectures. The first day he said it he asked if we new where it came from. Appearantly, a long time ago, there was a rule where you could not hit your wife with a stick wider than your thumb. Rule of Thumb.
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