What a better way to kick off the new year with a fun-filled hike followed by a heart attack also known as a 4×4. Of course there were many other things I did in the first three days of the new year; however, seeing as how this one was the one planned “breaking out the new year” event, I’ll start with that.

As you can see the sunset was absolutely gorgeous from the top of the mountain. Unfortunately I only had my iPhone on me for today’s hike so the picture quality isn’t exactly the best.

After we got to the bottom of the hill (literally the bottom, due to the vehicle traffic) we headed over to the In-N-Out in Hollywood over near the Kodak Theatre. So, I’ll start you off by telling you about my venture over to the Westwood In-N-Out immediately after my last final (last quarter) and ordering a 3×3. I have to say that was one of the most intense meals I have ever eaten; well, that is until tonight. Unfortunately the 4×4 I ordered tonight was not as appetizing as any of the other burgers at In-N-Out. The ratio of meat to lettuce is just so incredibly skewed that after getting half way through the burger, it begins to lose its taste and you’re pretty much just eating cardboard.

That was really just not what I would have liked but oh well, you win some you lose some.

Anyways, I happened to kick off the new year at my friend Layla’s apartment. Well, to correctly state the situation, I had actually gone over to Layla’s to bake gingerbread houses (that go on coffee mugs!) just like the ones here: http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2009/12/18/a-gingerbread-house-that-perches-on-the-rim-of-your-mug/

Boy were those good! Mine didn’t turn out so well, so I resorted to making gingerbread men. Layla’s on the other hand turned out so well, they looked just like the ones that the blog person made. And yes, they fit on mugs too!

Then we got around to Layla’s for New Year’s and ended up playing card games and having a good time with some of Layla and Dennis’ high school friends.

Anyways, so many great things happened this break I just don’t know what else I could tell you without shortening the awesomeness of each event description, yet also making it a short, concise post. Have a great new year, everybody!

I realize now that being thankful is saved for thanksgiving, but really I have a lot more to be thankful for in just one small month. So much has happened in my life and now realizing that life can be taken away in an instant, I just want to let everyone (who reads my blog, and those who don’t) that I’m grateful you’re all a part of my life (in whatever way each of you are). Thanks! Merry Christmas, everybody!

What’s the point of getting a ‘+’ on my grade if I didn’t even pass the class? I can’t believe I’m even finding myself in this situation, though I admit I have been flirting with the pass/fail line for a while now and it was just a matter of time before things stopped going my way. Of course, what better time than now?

So now I find myself in a predicament. I’m going to retake this course next quarter (8am, ugh) but now in order to graduate in four years is to take five courses one quarter (without summer school). Since I’d like to have my summer free, I’m really starting to wonder if next quarter is the right time to take the fifth class (in essence, take the four courses I’ve been planning + the course I have to retake). Ahh, decisions decisions.

Realistically, it’s about time I got a slap in the face. I’ve been getting by with slaps on the wrist for a while now (figurative slaps) and although I did make a pact to improve and adapt to my surroundings, maybe this is just a little nudge to help get me going. Thanks life!

Anyways, onto another topic. I’ve been looking at my options for summer jobs/internships and they seem very slim (especially now with a bad mark on my record). I actually got a personal tour the other day of one of the companies I’m interested in and I must admit, that was pretty impressive. I have to say that before I got to walk through the control systems center, I did begin to form expectations. I expected to see a systems center much like the one shown in TV shows (and such) with huge wall-mounted lcd/plasma displays that show various data, graphs, and video feeds.

While walking through the control systems center, I quickly realized it wasn’t as glamorous; however, it was still pretty impressive. They had three 40″ flat panel TV’s displaying the various information I just described, alongside a main system operator running a computer with a quad-monitor configuration. Then I walked around the corner and saw probably twenty to thirty more operator stations (each with a quad-monitor configuration).

Even better, one of the operators was on her lunch break and showed me the video feed from one of a bus stop’s camera and she let me take control of it to show me the impressive technology they were using.

*Nerd Talk* I have to say, that video camera was very good. I believe I got 5x optical zoom (at least greater than 3x) and could clearly read the license plate off of a car across the street from the bus stop. Yeah, I know…

If only they offered me an internship position on the spot, I would have disregarded the plans for the rest of my break to start working for them. Oh yeah, and after I got to play around with the bus stop camera, I got to see the server room. But of course the technology they are running is pretty nice, so that was expected. Surprisingly, some of the newer equipment they’re using has to do with optical cables (as opposed to ethernet/data cables).

For those who don’t know, optical allows for a much higher data transfer rate than traditional ethernet data cables (or whatever is the fastest commercial data cable available). One of the engineers explained that they use optical and run only one wire (compared to a few data cables) and just split the connection later on into whatever they need (data, phone, internet, etc.). Pretty cool stuff, I’d say.

Enough blabbering. I’ve got to go figure out what I’m doing on a Friday night, other than my laundry. Though before I go, I think I would like to officially name this quarter as the quarter of the cock tease.

As it’s always said by the antagonists in movies and shows, “if you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself.” I suppose this is also the case when buying things you want, especially clothes.

I ended up going on a shopping spree today, mostly for gifts, but also for myself just because I couldn’t resist and because I was jealous I was spending so much money on my friends and family and not myself. Damn jealousy…

Lannis == Layla + Anna + Dennis

So I just finished Anthem by Ayn Rand, pretty good book. As I told Grace though, I thought the ending of the book was too preachy about “the good of man’s freedom and independence” for my tastes. I would much rather prefer the unfortunate ending of 1984 where Winston gets his memory erased.

Anyways, now I’m onto the non-fiction “Tuesdays With Morrie” by Mitch Albom. I hope this book is as good as I’m told (by many, many avid readers).

But I’ll probably take a break from reading tomorrow in order to spend time with my friends first eating KBBQ for lunch then at the UCLA vs. New Mexico State game at night. Go Bruins!