Soon to be free...

It's official: a computer spit out a number a few seconds after I submitted my final exam for trigonometry...seems I pulled outta the math dock (to ever return...?) with a 75%...so say the computer stats!

I've graduated, and on the way out of the building I passed a neat looking guy with a shirt that said "I've graduated...now what do I do!?" A smile and a chuckle I tossed his way.

This sums up one weird aspect of our current way of schooling: On the walk down University Ave. to the final test for this undergraduate, I passed a large spread of bright white index cards, maybe one hundred, strewn across the lawns and sidewalk. I looked down knowing they were temporarily of great value to some studious student that, like me, had to memorize information to brain dump onto a piece of paper...one card read something like "What do 68% of Americans....." and I walked on. The clincher is that each 3x5 card had maybe half a sentence on it and a word on the other side....this 'clinch' is my ego saying "WTF!!! Why people gotta be wasting so much shtuff?" I imagined the girl (by the handwriting, is that sexist?) driving down the road, having just finished that test she made all the cards for, and tossing them to the wind in a very liberating (and littering) gesture that was likely soon forgotten....along with most of the information "learned" for the test. I make no claim to have a good memory, o contraire...my point? Temporary value is....tricky? Anyhow, off to Towers for some prime-time dumpsta' divin'!!!

I tend to feel like these guys after being in Morgantown for so long...Concrete Jungle! "Life must be somehwere to be found!" - Mr. Marley

• Super clever clean coal ad by the Coen Bros....one more here too...
• SOLAR NEWS: way cool micro solar technology...maybe my shades can generate some power?
• More flatness in the news: power these speakers with them teeny tiny solar soakers!
• Ditching the ride and steering into the wind, why not change up the factory function?
• Sneaky Solar Array likely unproductive, is Bush a bit green?
• LEED-certified housing opens up in, you guessed it, Cali4nia.
• The new horizon for your Benz: B-class F-cell! The fifteen (15) pics are interesting...
• Dung builders make crappy homes...
• Babes from Uranus that like to reuse tofu! Argh! Stop the blasted hippies!

Three more exams tomorrow, then the key will click open the lock!My favorite weekly astrology column had this to say about the Twins and it has to do with final exams...how peculiar:

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I'm going to quote a few pieces of advice from a piece I found on the Internet, "15 Fun Things To Do During a Big, Important Test." I trust that this will stimulate your imagination in all the right ways as you get ready for your metaphorical version of a final exam. 1. Bring your own private cheerleaders in uniform. Have them cheer loudly whenever you answer a question. 2. Haul in a large, flamboyant idol. Set it next to you and pray to it often. 3. Bring a friend to give you a massage the entire time. Insist this person is needed because your thoughts flow properly only when your circulation is enhanced. 4. Every now and then, clap twice rapidly. If the teacher asks why, say, "The light bulb that goes on above my head when I get an idea is hooked up to a Clapper. DUH!"

I like #3 although I bet it would not fly...the others may just disturb my comrades (Dr. Hanham talk!) a bit much while taking the final test of knowledge and skill.

Morgantown has been getting major national news coverage for its ability to stay afloat in these weird economic times ("It is impossible for man to look straight at the present, because he is too terrified by it. We stand on the stern of the ship looking at the wake and saying, 'We're in very troubled waters.'" - Marshall McLuhan from Rob Brezney's site) Check out this video compilation: Morgantown's Economic Success.

After viewing that, I now have even more reason to head for the hills, which is what I have been planning to do anyhow. Thanks for extra boost, Ron. I love how he gives no clear reason for Motown's success...just that darn good University that has had to spruce up its image since the burning of couches and the handing out of eMBA's tainted the once humble image of our state's great land-grant institution.

And a photo for kicks...

Lily lying (was sleeping) in the leaves...hard to sneak up on that one.