Saturday, April 28, 2007

I think the pictures speak for themselves...



Wednesday, April 18, 2007

I'm indecisive. Can you decide for me?

Okay.
So it goes like this.
I'm majoring in Math. Now I just need to figure out my minor. A minor consists of three credits.

What are my choices?
Well I have 2 credits of Biology and 1.5 credits of Psychology. So I can either take 1 more credit of Biology (2 courses) or 1.5 more credits of Psychology (3 courses).

For Biology I'm looking at the following courses:

Environmental Science - a course dealing with the human impact on nature and the environmental crisis. Topics include: overpopulation, environmental pollution, deforestation, the greenhouse effect, nuclear war, and the earth as a self-regulating system of checks and balances.

Plants for People - Plants are the mainstay of traditional and modern-day societies. This course will investigate the origins of economically valuable plants and will describe their structure, cultivation, preparation, and uses.


For Psychology I'm looking at the following courses:

Gender Differences - An investigation of the meaning of gender and sex, and the psychosocial differences and similarities among individuals based on those categories. These issues will be examined from various perspectives, which may include gender role socialization, biological, evolutionary, and cross-cultural theories.

Human Sexuality
- The study of human sexuality from its historical psychological, and developmental perspectives. Topics will include: the psychobiology of the human sexual response. relationships and behavior, development of human sexuality, social construction of sexuality, and contemporary social and health issues.


Now, I've wanted to take Human Sexuality since I heard of it, especially because my favorite professor is teaching it. However, the idea of having to take an extra half credit makes the Biology minor more desirable. Yet, I had the professor who teaches Environmental Science before and I don't really like him (not to mention he has a strong, mexican accent!). So it's a tough call.

Here is my full year schedule with the Biology courses:

FALL
Monday/Wednesday
8:30-9:45 Intro to Calculus I/11:05-12:20 Linear Algebra I
Tuesday/Thursday
9:05-10:20 Discrete Mathematics/12:05-1:20 Environmental Science

WINTER
Monday
8:30-9:45 Intro to Calculus II/11:05-12:20 Linear Algebra II/7:05-9:35 Plants for People
Tuesday/Thursday
3:05-4:20 Intro to Computer Programming I
Wednesday
8:30-9:45 Intro to Calculus II/11:05-12:20 Linear Algebra II

Here is my full year schedule with the Psychology courses:

FALL
Monday
8:30-9:45 Intro to Calculus I/11:05-12:20 Linear Algebra I
Tuesday/Thursday
9:05-10:20 Discrete Mathematics
Wednesday
8:30-9:45 Intro to Calculus I/11:05-12:20 Linear Algebra I/7:05-9:35 Gender Differences

WINTER
Monday/Wednesday
8:30-9:45 Intro to Calculus II/11:05-12:20 Linear Algebra II
Tuesday/Thursday
1:30-2:45 Human Sexuality/3:05-4:20 Intro to Computer Programming I

So either way, I'm looking at a night where I have a 2.5 hour class. However, if I take the biology course that's 2.5 hours, my class the next day isn't until 1:30 as opposed to the psychology course having a class at 9:05 the next morning. Plus, there might not be a half credit of Psychology that I want to take in my last year, or that fits in with all my math courses!

What I have to take into consideration though, is how well I think I'm going to do in these courses because if I want to graduate by Spring 2009 I need to pass all of them. There is no room for error.

I have no idea what I'm going to do.
But, right NOW I'm going to bed.

Good night!

PS: This is assuming I pass the Psychology course I'm currently in. If I don't, there is no decision to be made, I'll have to minor in biology.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Hrmm...Tricky topic. Not for the weak of stomach (or heart).

What am I talking about now?
Well, how about the seal hunt and the bullshit excuses our government tries to use to justify it.

I know, it's last years news but I'm fairly ignorant when it comes to what goes on in the news. However, my recent interest in sharks has led me to discover the disgusting topic that is that of the Annual Seal Hunt. Right here in Canada.

I'm trying to understand how it can be called the most "humane hunt" in the world, yet it's a crime to witness. Did you know that if you're caught watching a seal being killed you're charged a fine of $3,000. It's true. A person with Canadian heritage was banned from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and all of Newfoundland and it's surrounding coasts for trying to watch a seal hunt. Why is this? Maybe because it's not that humane after all? Maybe because if citizens saw how disgusting it truly was that they would want to ban it. Where's the problem in this? A ridiculous video on YouTube claims that there are 5.8 million seals in Newfoundland and that ONLY 400,000 seals are killed. It also claims that Newfoundland suffers from a 15% unemployment rate and that "the seal hunt contributes to 1/3 of the annual income of many fishermen". I'm sorry, but the last time I checked, an abundant population did not justify the eradication of a species. Back in the 1990's the cod fishery was threatened and wiped out for the same reasons: hunting to better the economy. What happened there? The cod population diminished and will never be recovered. What are these poor fishermen going to do when they wipe out the seal population? Start hunting other game? Maybe dogs would suffice, I don't know.

I watched yet another video that had captured footage of a seal hunt. I don't recommend it, it's tough to watch. But I fail to see how taking 5 swings with a spiked club before a seal stops trying to fight off it's attacker is humane.

Some other thoughts to consider*:
  • 250,000 seal pups are thought to have died due to reduced ice surfaces caused by global warming this year alone.
  • the Canadian Minister of Fisheries and Oceans have said that the MOST seals that can be caught is 270,000. As if that's not a lot. Combine that with the the number of seals dying because of global warming. You do the math.
  • The majority of seals that are being killed are younger than 3 months old.
On that happy note, I'm off to study.

*facts taken from www.seashepherd.org

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Daisy and Bunny are BFF

Are you looking at me?


Who says I can't get in there?


It's okay. We can chat like this.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

So, 3x-4y=...

A Linear Equation Perhaps??
Yeah, I'm talking math. If you're wondering why, think about this:
I'm going to major in Math.
I think.

Me.
Major in Math.

You know, the subject with all the equations, symbols, and signs. The subject full of proofs and derivatives. The subject that I don't really care about, but somehow manage to do well in?
Yeah, that math.

What it comes down to is a process of elimination.

Subjects I can't major in and why:
  1. Chemistry: I took first year Chemistry twice and failed the second part twice. I'm done like a thanksgiving turkey.
  2. Biology: Well, you need first year Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. We've already covered that in #1.

I'm in the Science program, and because I suck at things like writing essays and analysing novels, poems, and the like, I can't switch to a BA. So, I could either do a BSc general studies (which makes my brain hurt just thinking about what credits I need, etc) or I can do a BSc with a major. The fastest way for me to graduate (because I could major in Psychology but I a) don't want to take research methods and b) that would take another 4 years probably) is to major in Math. I'll be graduating in Spring 2009 if all goes according to plan.

Don't go thinking "Oh she's so smart, she's majoring in math" just yet.

The only classes that I've taken are Precalculus, Stats, and Finite. Yes, I kicked butt in the last two, but I only got a B- in precal which is by far the most difficult of the three. And the classes I have to take are not going to be any easier.

I met with my Precalculus professor from first year today and she seems to think that taking 3 math courses at once (Intro to Calculus, Discrete, and Linear Algebra) won't be too heavy a work load. But she did stress that I have to have full comprehension of my precalculus because I need to understand Calculus. She said that Calculus is the most important course and that my understanding that is the key to majoring in Math.

Well then.

She gave me a left over course workbook (that students usually have to pay for, have I mentioned I love her?) from this year's precal class so that I can review and make sure it's all fresh in my mind. She said that although I did well in her class, it's important that I have a good grasp on the material as it's been a few years. I'm scared to death, and I'm worried that because I don't want to major in math, I'll fail. I really couldn't handle failing anything else, and really this is my last option. Well, sort of.

As I said, I'll graduate in 2 years if I don't screw anything up. That's exciting. But, with a major in math and a minor in psychology (or biology, haven't decided yet), what am I going to do? I'm going to have to take another degree to make that count for something. And although, yes, I would have a degree, I wouldn't have a JOB. That's why I've been thinking about the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy. In two years I can become a registered massage therapist and be out on my own making money. A real job. How exciting would that be?

Either way, I'll register for classes in the fall, and I might still drop by the CCMH campus to check it out and gain some more information. Right now, my brain hurts from trying to figure my life out.

With that said, I'm going to go make it hurt some more. I have a history final on Monday that I'm determined to do well in so I must go prepare for that.

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