Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Fanstatic week!

My talk on friday (at least in my eyes) didn't go as well as I wanted to, and my superviser said I should have concentrated more on the quantum mechanics than the gritty of Monte Carlo, but you can't win them all. Though, as the one good thing, my other supervise suggested publishing my 3rd year project in a journal, and maybe using it as a teaching tool for Monte Carlo simulation setups!

I was talking to the same people about what project I should undertake next year. This was more than a little problem for me, as the topic I have spent the last 6 months on was one of my choice, and had very little external help - they (my supervisers) simply let me go, only giving me a vague goal. While I obviously loved doing just that, it kind-a concerned me that I hadnt been doing actual research, simply a interest project. While they seem happy enough to keep doing what Im doing, I feel a little fear for what a real research job would be like.....

On that topic, I actually got my first job! Being a contract, it isnt true employement(3-6 months of work) but it is inside a research facility, and I'll have to spend some time working out who does the research Im interested in -- apparently they have a huge nanotechnology division. Who you ask -- I wish I could say -- I just signed my life away in a 6 page document which refered to laws from 1903 and serval laws from 2002! Glup. Bet they relise I protested teachers wages and refuse to employ me! The best thing about this job was the lack of interview - A combination of nepotism and "award" winning charm got me this post. And, I should need to work again for the rest of the year if I dont want it! Makes a nice change from the shitty paying jobs I've had till now (uni pays well, but never let any one accumulate any more than about 4 hours per week).

My Grandma just came out of hospital from having a massive section of her skull cut out and replaced (with some cementie stuff), due to a "abmornal" growth - bone tumour. It went well, but I get the feeling that Ill be glade when this year finially finishes -- there has been too much happening and too much to really deal with.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

End of an era

Ah, my last week of uni. Well, last week of paying for my uni. I am just finishing up my project work, and only have two exams left to complete. All up, this last semester has been one of the most enjoyable of my entire time at RMIT.

I say this is week of paying for uni because I just recieved my first batch of summer scholarships, and, baring anything unforseen, I should get the other scholoarships for next year soon. I even had the luck of a laptop scholarship thrown in as I am 'dyslexic'. The summer scholarships aren't that impressive, as in they are only about $3,000 worth, but then I only have to go in for a week or two - and there is a bit of discussion on what they want me to do.... Either taking the project I have been working on for the last 6 months further, or if I am to simply get a head start on Quantum mechanics for next year. Who really cares -- after all, its got to be better than working the braindead job I currently do. Oh, and I pitty for the poor bastards who have me as a tutor next year - Mechanics was bad enough when I did it - Now me and one of my mates are taking the entire thing off our supervisers hands (he was amost indecently keen to get rid of it).

I just finshed reading my lastest set of books (Mostly Murikami) and am concidering spending a majority of my scholarship on books. I probably shouldn't, but then I have always been missing the little angel which should tell you not to naughty things. :)