Today, i took a test for ENGR 131.  It was to determine how you should be grouped into teams for class purposes.  I have received reminders to take the test for about a week, but hadn't had time.  I was eagerly anticipating the chance to try to fit my life experiences and skills into cookie-cutter molds.  But when I logged on, I was faced by...

4 questions:
1.  What is your gender
2.  What is your ethnicity
3.  What is your GPA
4.  What times are you available to work.

Thank you for taking the time to fill out our survey. We would love to have your comments or feedback in the box below.

(My response)
"I had thought the survey would pertain to making balanced groups, ones in which multiple skills sets were represented.  Instead, I see only gender, race, and schedule matter for grouping assignments.  I now welcome myself to the real world, where businesses care only about the diversity of their employees and how often they can work."

ENGR 131 is a strange class, but one that is exetremily socially conscience.  Today, we: 1) watched Veggie tales (before class started), 2) Did an in class project to solve a part of hondurus' discarded office supply overfill by turning into furniture, 3) listened to a collection of Irish music during break, and 4) talked about the applications of and need for engineering in third world countries.  All of which is cool.  So I thought they might have put a bit more thought into the survey.  Oh well.

Introducing Coal and Boiler Steam

Well, a blog starts with a single post.  That doesn't make it any easier for us on the writing end though.  Especially if they have little to no writing skill.  But despite possibly disappointing written SAT scores (2 out of 12 on essay), I GOT TO COLLEGE! (read, PURDUE!)  So, no more complaining about that.

The Main reason I'm starting this blog is because I was told to.  Yep, less than two days into Purdue life, a speaker came in and said, "If you want to improve your internet image, you need a blog.  People looking you up will find your blog before hey find your Facebook page, so it will give you some protection..."  I don't particularly need "protection" (check my facebook-no matter what year), but starting a blog seemed like a good idea.  In my mind, it is like having a public diary, personal in content but simultaneously public.  For me, just typing or writing thoughts helps me think through things.  And i really enjoy analyzing my own motives...

I may ramble a bit at times (see above), but I hope to keep this blog near a few central topics.
1.   My college life @ Purdue
1a. Classes and Work
1b. Social life (maybe I will include this, maybe not.  I will probably no more than mention it in passing)
2.   My views on Life, the Universe, and Everything.
2a. Evolution and Adaption in everyday life.
2b. Religion, the Nature of Good and Evil
2c. Visualizing the Processes of the Mind
More TBA

Overall, I'm going to try to stay away from topics which only apply to me.  I WILL talk about how I apply the stuff to my life.  And I may talk about random crap.  But I'll label/tag stuff that is more personal.  Once I figure out how all of that works at least.

I hope to post at least once a week.  I will probably post a LOT more in this first Month, simply because I have a backup of 10 years of ideas that need to be shared.  Depending on how good my memory is, I may not run out of that stuff for a good long while. 

Well, for now at least, Good bye. I leave with a toast to the 3 year, 8 month life of this blog.  May the following years be good to us.