zimmeauville

6/9/03~10/9/03
Zimmeau Weekly Anecdotes 10/9/03

-I had two exams this past week. Now all are done, I can concentrate my energy on the big ball game this Saturday. My life as a student in here is about three things: study, social, and sports. Given all the free time, I spend most leisure time on sports. Our football team is playing our archrival -- University of Oklahoma -- this Saturday. I will be in Dallas (3.5 hours from Austin) to see this game live and in person in the Cotton Bowl. This is exciting. We have lost to them three years in a roll. The fact that I will be there make this special, and I can assure you that we will win.

-I have been dealing with some never-ending lab reports. The first one is about calibrating temperature measuring equipments. It took me almost 20 hours. The result is a 50-page report (in which 20 pages are raw data, the real report is only 30 pages). In a span of three days, all I did was that single lab report.

Zimmeau Weekly Anecdotes 9/20/03

-After a fine dinner at Madam Mam's (a Thai restaurant on campus) with my friend, I paid the bill over at the counter with my check card. The cashier gave me a slip and ask me to sign. As usual, I signed and returned the slip. The cashier hesitated when getting back the signed slip. I ignored it and left. When we were outside of the store chatting, a waiter came by and asked, "is the food ok tonight?" "Yeah, it's ok," I said. And he moved on and ask, keeping a always-the-same type irritating smile on his face, "is the service ok?" I took it as some kind of survey and answered, "yeah." Finally he got to his point and said, "is that the reason you didn't lay any tips?" The first two questions he asked was garbage, anyway, I put my hand into my pocket and took out two dollars to him. I came from Macau. It is a place where tips are bonus in a diner like this. But here in America, tips, or gratuity, are unscripted requirement. I just don't recall having to pay gratuity in that restaurant. Anyway, I didn't blame on the waiter, he didn't do anything wrong. I was supposed to put down some tips. I just think I got choked a little when asked to (or force to in some extent) to pay TIPS! This is an American rule I still have difficulty to adjust to. This is not my first time being cornered for tips. It happened last time during my visit in Los Angeles. A waiter chased my company of three to the stairs for "xiao fei" (Mandarin for tips, and that was a Chinese cafe).

-Our school football team last to the University of Arkansas Razorbacks last week. It was like the sky fell down on us. We were the targets of jokes. I heard UT students got poked fun at everywhere. People from Arkansas yelled "Go Arkansas Go" on Austin streets. Even the newspaper political comics wrote "Blame Arkansas" for the low turn out rate for voting last weekend for Petition 12 of Texas.

Photo: Bates/NY Daily News
Lights Out!

I went to New York this summer. I would think this was lucky, or unlucky, depends, that I experienced and was part of history. During the biggest blackout of North America history, I was one of million of people walking on otherwise traffic loaded bridges to get back home. I went to Manhattan on that day. I wanted to take some pictures for my friend Francisco and buy a New York Yankees woolen hat (from the official Yankees store on 36th street and 5th Avenue) for another friend also named Francisco. The fastest way to get to Manhattan from Brooklyn is to take subway (underground train). Well, the train went fine, all the way from Brooklyn to Manhattan. But just as the train was ready to depart from 22nd street, the entire subway station went dark, leaving some dim lights in the train to illuminate everything. It was quite unfortunate that the train didn't stop in between stops, if it did, I would have a chance of a life time to experience walking in absolutely dark subway tunnel. Anyway, I thought the power outage was just the problem of the subway station. I stayed there for two minutes, hoping that it would get powered and move on. ...

Major and Goal (Fourth to a series of life threatening thoughts) addition on 8/15
Not long ago one of my fellow chemical engineering classmates asked my a simple but interesting question.

"What would you choose to be your major [in college] if all the money and other factors are eliminated?"

Honestly, I have never gave this question a thought. I have once mentioned in this website that I choose chemical engineering with a slightest relation to the income that I will get once I enter the industry. But there are a lot more involved in the elimination process. The money was not a major factor. However, I am glad that I will get good pay if I graduate with this degree and some fine generous company would hire me.

When I was in secondary school, I started spending time thinking about my major in college. It was not easy. However, it was easy, in essence, that I know I will never ever study business or economics. Thanks to my horrible experience in Form 3 (9th grade). I took a year economics and it was one of my worst school year. The teacher did not make the subject interesting. The classes were extremely unattractive. And worst of all, I did terribly. I could barely pass in every exam, no matter how hard I tried. I saw others easily getting 80s or up while I struggled with my 50s. I knew and still know that I was not that bad in general. I decided economics was not for me and I'm no good in economics. I know all along that science is my way to go.

I did not know since when I started to get interested in environmental science. I love nature. The ecology, relationship, and the regulation of the animal world, between animals and the Earth, and the Earth itself fascinate me a lot. I want to know more and get involve more. The very first choice of major was environmental science. In my graduating year, I took a "career test". I answered a series of questions and the result is supposed to tell me what type of career will suit me the best. The result was processed and a wavy line is drawn. It looks a lot like a graph. The highs represent my suited careers and the lows show I do not fit. The x-axis is a wide spectrum from business to art to science. The resulting line was quite a flat line with no specific ups or downs. I don't think it indicated anything. I think the result was due to the way answered those questions. They gave me statements and I had to say whether I "dislike a lot", "dislike", "ok", "like" or "like a lot". I remember I answered most of the questions with "like", "ok" or "dislike". My answers were not extreme enough to give a constructive report.

I came to a nice Austin Community College in Central Texas without any major in mind, honestly. On our way (with Calvin, Wesley and Wilson) to the arguably the best Chinese restaurant in Austin, the person offering the ride asked us what are out majors. I forgot what exactly they have said. I can vaguely remember Wilson and Calvin were talking something about considering some engineering. Ironically, I said,

"I don't know. I still don't know. I can take general classes for a year, so I have a whole year to think. But I think I won't be an engineering major."

At that time, I think engineering majors and computer related majors are for jerks. And there is no way I will become a jerk. Well, of course, I have changed my mind over time.

I remember clearly my dislike of chemistry in high school. Mr. Chan was the chemistry teacher. He is not a bad teacher, however, he did not make the subject interesting enough for me to like it. When I learned the Haber process (which is to make nitrogen dioxide with nitrogen monoxide and oxygen, correct me if I'm wrong), I told myself I would never get involved with this again. During the fun days before college life started, I came to meet a chemical engineering major who had just graduated. At the moment I learned his major, my first thought was, "oh! Look at him!" With the stereotype images of jerks in my mind.

Before I can register the first time with the college, I needed to see an advisor. The advisor asked me my major as a routine. I can firmly recall that I said "biology or psychology". Truly, I thought biology or psychology. I thought and I still think biology and psychology are interesting. But as a stressful semester passed by, I learned that most Austin Community College students transfer to University of Texas, and University of Texas is a good school, and University of Texas is particularly good at engineering. My targeted major shifted. I immediately browse the internet to learn more about engineering, particularly chemical engineering. Why chemical? It was a process of elimination. University of Texas offers Aerospace, Civil, Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical, Architectural, Petroleum and Geosystem engineering disciplines. Among them all, chemical seems to fit me the best. With this line I read from University of Texas chemical engineering website,

"...It is a combination of physics, chemistry and biology..."

It sounds perfect.

Enough background, I think I have written too tooo toooo much. It's time to answer the question posted above. (You forgot what the question is! Go back up) I might still choose biology or some environment related fields. I want to contribute to the world with something. I want to help explore the world. I want to let all human and our children understand more of the planet we are living in while preserve the environment and the planet. It sounds too ridiculously huge. But I'm setting this as my goal and hope that one day I can really achieve it.

Picture above was taking on a whale observing trip in Boston, Massachusetts, USA (7/20/03)

Old Generation American & Train Trip
Traveling on a train has long been one of my little dreams in life. I had a chance to fulfill this last week. I traveled from Austin, Texas to New York City. The entire trip took 50 hours with a brief stop in Chicago. I wanted to travel on train because I would have a chance to see the landscape and beautiful scenery around the route on which the train runs through. Well, sadly, it was not as fun as I imagined. I met an old lady (around 60 to 70 years old) on my way from Chicago to New York. She always travels by train. From what she told me, I can tell that she had traveled all across America and Canada by train. She told me that the route from Texas (where I departed) to Chicago is the route with worst scenery in the country.

"If you wanna see things, you should travel across Canada. There are beautiful mountains. I traveled once from Los Angeles to Texas and to Chicago. Hmmm... It's was nothing." --quote from the old lady

OK. I took the wrong route. Further, it is extremely difficult to sleep well on the train. I'm not rich. I do not have enough money to sleep on the train on bed. I have coach with about twice more space than a economy airplane seat. I tried very hard to fall asleep, and eventually I did. The problem is I couldn't get enough sleep even if I sleep for 14 hours. The quality of sleep was horrible. I couldn't feel my left arm and left leg if I sleep leaning toward left. I couldn't feel my other arm and leg if I do so the other way. I couldn't sleep more than half hour if I sleep straight up.

But this did not discourage me from traveling again on train. I will do this again in the future. I will travel across Montana, maybe Utah, even Canada if I have the opportunity.

One little note. The old lady I mentioned met an 60-year-old man on the train. The old man sat on the other side of the aisle. Just before the train arrived in New York, they exchanged their email addresses. I couldn't imagine old people of over 60 years old know how a computer works, let alone sending emails. Some of my college classmates do not even know how to write and retrieve emails. I could have never believe that these older generation people would exchange email addresses after meeting the first time on a train. (7/23/03)

Meaning of Life and Reality (Third to a series of life threatening thoughts)

The nation of United States of America was established partially because of religion, Christianity to be more specific. Ever since I got here, I was bombarded by invitations to different churches. There are people I know asking me to attend bible studies and Sunday worship. I'm not a religious person and a person of no religion. I gave Christianity a chance. I went to bible studies and Sunday worships with different groups. After all, I still find no interest to be a Christian or Christianity convinced me in any way.

But I have to admit that now I have a better view of religion of my own after discussing many philosophical topics with people who tried to talk me into Christianity. I don't like it when these people talk me into it by attacking my ethics views and my belief. They hit me with questions like, "is there a universal law?" "What is freedom?" "Who gave you freedom?" "OK, now you say people have to be responsible." "Didn't you just say people have freedom?" "So you are contradicting yourself." They always try to prove me wrong. They try to put me into the corner on philosophical topics after philosophical topics which they all ended up nowhere (God is where all should be leading up to). I don't feel like talking to them. I would rather talk to someone who does not attack me and tell me why I should believe in God without pulling us into a debate.

In a religion related discussion I rather enjoyed, I talked to several people on the topic on the meaning of life. Yea, What is the meaning of life? I always think that meaning of life is to do what has to be done. Maybe it can all lead to the word "survival". However, I think this view is a pessimistic way to look at it. The meaning of life can be fulfilling oneself to a happy life and enjoyable life.

Just weeks ago, I got into a conversation with a friend about the goal and meaning of life. This is where I deeply realize how the reality is blocking our way to desirable life. It is very sad. My friend said she wants to help children around the world, especially Africa and Mainland China. Reality is, it is almost impossible to earn money that way. If she works full time to work in poor places, it is guaranteed that she would not get paid much. Her dream and reality are so far apart. She is almost admitting that her dream of help poor kids is not an option, as for now.

The big picture is: There are a lot of things I desire to do in my life. However, life is so routine that I will find a job and I will work until I retire. This is the best way to support myself and my family. Anything else would need extra money (travel, as enjoying life, for example) or earn me no money (help poor children in Africa). Money is the big factor. Time is also a factor. Employment restricts my flexibility of time management. There is no room for me to do anything special. I don't want my life to be just working forever and being a slave of money. Life is short, I need to get out of reality. My life so far has been tightly bounded to reality.

I have been going to school with no particular reason of my own. I went to school because my parents asked me to. Now I'm in university to study in order to get a job. Getting a decent job is the sole reason why I'm in university. My life has no goal. I have never had a dream. My paths have been directionless. I did things so far according to routines. I'm happy sometimes to be content with this. But to be honest, I'm life has been no purpose at all. It makes me sick when I realize that I'm studying to get a job in the future. The reason I worked my guts out to maintain a decent GPA is to please my employer in the future.

Sadly, I still cannot locate my goal. I'm still walking on the routine. (7/1/03)

Congratulations! T.J. Ford drafted by Milwaukee Bucks!
My ex-school mate T.J. Ford was drafted by Milwaukee Bucks in the 2003 NBA Draft. This is the only NBA player I have close association with, We have been in the same school - University of Texas - for two years. The sign he did on the left photo above is a "hook 'em" sign, which represent our school. I have never seen him on campus, but I went to most of our home games last year and see him play very up close. (Courtside!!) He is not very tall. He is listed as 6'0" but I think he is just one or two inches taller than me. (That would be 5'9" to 5'10") His neck is very long, in my opinion. In our dream season last year, he brought our team to the Final Four, (out of more than 120 schools for those who do not know) the finals of finals of college basketball. We lost to the eventual champion University of Syracuse, led by Camelo Anthony. Anthony was draft third overall in the draft by Denver Nuggets. By our school team set off to New Orleans for the Final Four, I have a lucky chance to meet T.J. He gave me a high five and I said "good luck" to him. We did not have enough luck to win the national championship, but T.J. brought me a magical season of basketball. It was the best basketball I have ever enjoyed.

(6/27/03) photo: Left: AP/Houston Chronicle, Center & Right: NBAE/Getty Images

Spurs are NBA Champions!

2 89 87 79 77 83 77

4 101 85 84 76 93 88

One of the most boring NBA finals in recent memory is now history. The Spurs came in this series as a heavy favorite and walked out as a champion. This is a year without Lakers and Bulls, without a team for people to love and hate, without super-talent and super-popular superstars (i.e. Jordan and Kobe), the finals looks a lot less appealing. Spurs is the better team. They deserve to win. Tim Duncan is too good. You can put four anonymous players and a Duncan on the court and they can still win. David Robinson is retiring. He walked out of the NBA with a perfect ending. He is truly one of the greatest players: he had won the rookie of the year, defensive player of the year, MVP, two-time champion. Most remarkably is what he has done for the San Antonio community, donating 8 million dollars and serving the navy two years before NBA. On the other corner, Jason Kidd and the Nets had accomplished a lot just by coming back to the finals again. They have won two games this year, I would consider it as an improvement.
(6/15/03) photo: Reuters/James Blake

Bush fell from transporter!

This invention is probably too high tech for Mr. President Bush. The Segway personal transporter is a new invention just on market recently. This machine is designed to substitute walking. It is now available on amazon.com.

Being the president of a high technology country, President Bush really needs to tryout this new product. He did so in his home in Kennebunkport, Maine.

Every child falls when attempting to make the very first step. Now an adult has to fall when trying to use a human transporter for the first time. Bush is no exception. He fell but got on balance by the help of his wife Laura to avoid further embarrassment.

He probably needs more practice. (6/13/03)

photo: Reuters/Jim Bourg

Cats and Dogs

Hong Kong and China scientists recently found that the corona virus that causes SARS on civet-cats (left) is similar to the SARS found on human beings. They suspect that SARS was transmitted to human from civet-cats. It is very likely that the virus was transmitted and originated from Southern China. On the other side of the globe, and species of animal is confirmed to have caused disease found on human. The prairies dogs (right) have transmitted monkeypox (something similar to smallpox) to human in Northern states of United States. 17 people were confirmed to have infected.

I could have never imagined that these pretty and good looking animals can cause so much trouble to human. What have happened? Since when animal diseases are mixed with human diseases. I wonder if human diseases have ever got across the border and entered the animal world. I am interested to know that. However, I'm afraid no one would be (especially the scientists) interested. (6/9/03)

photos: left, Reuters/China Photo, right, Hyungwon Kang/Reuters


	Photo: Bates/NY Daily News Lights Out! I went to New York this summer. I would think this was lucky, or unlucky, depends, that I experienced and was part of history. During the biggest blackout of North America history, I was one of million of people walking on otherwise traffic loaded bridges to get back home. I went to Manhattan on that day. I wanted to take some pictures for my friend Francisco and buy a New York Yankees woolen hat (from the official Yankees store on 36th street and 5th Avenue) for another friend also named Francisco. The fastest way to get to Manhattan from Brooklyn is to take subway (underground train). Well, the train went fine, all the way from Brooklyn to Manhattan. But just as the train was ready to depart from 22nd street, the entire subway station went dark, leaving some dim lights in the train to illuminate everything. It was quite unfortunate that the train didn't stop in between stops, if it did, I would have a chance of a life time to experience walking in absolutely dark subway tunnel. Anyway, I thought the power outage was just the problem of the subway station. I stayed there for two minutes, hoping that it would get powered and move on. ...
	Major and Goal (Fourth to a series of life threatening thoughts) addition on 8/15 Not long ago one of my fellow chemical engineering classmates asked my a simple but interesting question. "What would you choose to be your major [in college] if all the money and other factors are eliminated?" Honestly, I have never gave this question a thought. I have once mentioned in this website that I choose chemical engineering with a slightest relation to the income that I will get once I enter the industry. But there are a lot more involved in the elimination process. The money was not a major factor. However, I am glad that I will get good pay if I graduate with this degree and some fine generous company would hire me. When I was in secondary school, I started spending time thinking about my major in college. It was not easy. However, it was easy, in essence, that I know I will never ever study business or economics. Thanks to my horrible experience in Form 3 (9th grade). I took a year economics and it was one of my worst school year. The teacher did not make the subject interesting. The classes were extremely unattractive. And worst of all, I did terribly. I could barely pass in every exam, no matter how hard I tried. I saw others easily getting 80s or up while I struggled with my 50s. I knew and still know that I was not that bad in general. I decided economics was not for me and I'm no good in economics. I know all along that science is my way to go. I did not know since when I started to get interested in environmental science. I love nature. The ecology, relationship, and the regulation of the animal world, between animals and the Earth, and the Earth itself fascinate me a lot. I want to know more and get involve more. The very first choice of major was environmental science. In my graduating year, I took a "career test". I answered a series of questions and the result is supposed to tell me what type of career will suit me the best. The result was processed and a wavy line is drawn. It looks a lot like a graph. The highs represent my suited careers and the lows show I do not fit. The x-axis is a wide spectrum from business to art to science. The resulting line was quite a flat line with no specific ups or downs. I don't think it indicated anything. I think the result was due to the way answered those questions. They gave me statements and I had to say whether I "dislike a lot", "dislike", "ok", "like" or "like a lot". I remember I answered most of the questions with "like", "ok" or "dislike". My answers were not extreme enough to give a constructive report. I came to a nice Austin Community College in Central Texas without any major in mind, honestly. On our way (with Calvin, Wesley and Wilson) to the arguably the best Chinese restaurant in Austin, the person offering the ride asked us what are out majors. I forgot what exactly they have said. I can vaguely remember Wilson and Calvin were talking something about considering some engineering. Ironically, I said, "I don't know. I still don't know. I can take general classes for a year, so I have a whole year to think. But I think I won't be an engineering major." At that time, I think engineering majors and computer related majors are for jerks. And there is no way I will become a jerk. Well, of course, I have changed my mind over time. I remember clearly my dislike of chemistry in high school. Mr. Chan was the chemistry teacher. He is not a bad teacher, however, he did not make the subject interesting enough for me to like it. When I learned the Haber process (which is to make nitrogen dioxide with nitrogen monoxide and oxygen, correct me if I'm wrong), I told myself I would never get involved with this again. During the fun days before college life started, I came to meet a chemical engineering major who had just graduated. At the moment I learned his major, my first thought was, "oh! Look at him!" With the stereotype images of jerks in my mind. Before I can register the first time with the college, I needed to see an advisor. The advisor asked me my major as a routine. I can firmly recall that I said "biology or psychology". Truly, I thought biology or psychology. I thought and I still think biology and psychology are interesting. But as a stressful semester passed by, I learned that most Austin Community College students transfer to University of Texas, and University of Texas is a good school, and University of Texas is particularly good at engineering. My targeted major shifted. I immediately browse the internet to learn more about engineering, particularly chemical engineering. Why chemical? It was a process of elimination. University of Texas offers Aerospace, Civil, Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical, Architectural, Petroleum and Geosystem engineering disciplines. Among them all, chemical seems to fit me the best. With this line I read from University of Texas chemical engineering website, "...It is a combination of physics, chemistry and biology..." It sounds perfect. Enough background, I think I have written too tooo toooo much. It's time to answer the question posted above. (You forgot what the question is! Go back up) I might still choose biology or some environment related fields. I want to contribute to the world with something. I want to help explore the world. I want to let all human and our children understand more of the planet we are living in while preserve the environment and the planet. It sounds too ridiculously huge. But I'm setting this as my goal and hope that one day I can really achieve it.

	Picture above was taking on a whale observing trip in Boston, Massachusetts, USA (7/20/03) Old Generation American & Train Trip Traveling on a train has long been one of my little dreams in life. I had a chance to fulfill this last week. I traveled from Austin, Texas to New York City. The entire trip took 50 hours with a brief stop in Chicago. I wanted to travel on train because I would have a chance to see the landscape and beautiful scenery around the route on which the train runs through. Well, sadly, it was not as fun as I imagined. I met an old lady (around 60 to 70 years old) on my way from Chicago to New York. She always travels by train. From what she told me, I can tell that she had traveled all across America and Canada by train. She told me that the route from Texas (where I departed) to Chicago is the route with worst scenery in the country. "If you wanna see things, you should travel across Canada. There are beautiful mountains. I traveled once from Los Angeles to Texas and to Chicago. Hmmm... It's was nothing." --quote from the old lady OK. I took the wrong route. Further, it is extremely difficult to sleep well on the train. I'm not rich. I do not have enough money to sleep on the train on bed. I have coach with about twice more space than a economy airplane seat. I tried very hard to fall asleep, and eventually I did. The problem is I couldn't get enough sleep even if I sleep for 14 hours. The quality of sleep was horrible. I couldn't feel my left arm and left leg if I sleep leaning toward left. I couldn't feel my other arm and leg if I do so the other way. I couldn't sleep more than half hour if I sleep straight up. But this did not discourage me from traveling again on train. I will do this again in the future. I will travel across Montana, maybe Utah, even Canada if I have the opportunity. One little note. The old lady I mentioned met an 60-year-old man on the train. The old man sat on the other side of the aisle. Just before the train arrived in New York, they exchanged their email addresses. I couldn't imagine old people of over 60 years old know how a computer works, let alone sending emails. Some of my college classmates do not even know how to write and retrieve emails. I could have never believe that these older generation people would exchange email addresses after meeting the first time on a train. (7/23/03)