First Published: 2022 March 15
Tonight I got to do session 0 for a Pathfinder 2e campaign. I’m going to play a Gnomish Wizard, and more than that we’re still settling. I had my normal issue while building the character, which is that I saw the option to know a lot of languages and had to resist the build where I would have 13 languages at first level.1 Instead, I only know nine, which feels really sad. I did, however, take the ability to speak with any burrowing creature, which is kind of fun.
Honestly, building a character in Pathfinder 2e is a much different experience than in DnD 5e. There are way more options which is great, because I can build exactly what I want, but horrible because I don’t know what I want. I get I think an average of more than a feat per level, which is pretty cool because it means that every Wizard can look different2. I need to come up with a backstory for my Gnome3, which might be the topic of a future post.
First Published: 2022 March 14
It’s been almost a full month since my last update! I’ve had some struggles with writing it, and only wrote 8000 words since the beginning of the month. Since the 19th, when last I wrote this, I have managed to write nearly 20000. It’s a little sad that in those nine days I wrote more than I have these past two weeks. Still, though, I guess the writing pace isn’t too horrible. I may be writing slower, though not a ton slower. If I throw out last week, where I had no mental energy for anything, I think I’m actually still on pace.
If I want to reach my goal of 5000 words by the end of the month, I only need to write about 1000 words a day, which is pretty nice. I’ve been trying to write 2000 words a day, which means that I’d end up well ahead of my goal.
Unrelatedly, I feel very strange writing this post. These past few days have really been a struggle to post at all, and I’m not totally sure why.
First Published: 2022 March 13
Psalm 27:1A: “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?”
Today’s Gospel is a little bit confusing for me. It’s the Transfiguration of our Lord, which has its own day in the calendar. Still, though, it’s a beautiful reading.
In the past, it confused me how Peter, John, and James recognized Elijah and Moses. After all, there were no photos of them, so how would they be recognizable. As I’ve gotten older, though, I think I have an answer for me, if not necessarily a theologically strong one.
The apostles knew the faces of Elijah and Moses because the Lord gave them the knowledge.
First Published: 2022 March 11
I was tempted to write today’s post about how, when I’m underslept1, I lack the ability to do the work I want and need to do. But, I gripe enough without the explicit permission. So, instead I will be writing about the first day in my department’s Graduate Recruiting Weekend this year.
Our group is currently fairly full, so we are not interested in having too many new students. That being said, it did not seem like too many students would want to join us, based on the applications at least. But, the draw of space and chemistry seems to have pulled analytical students this year like my year, and we’ve got new interested students. I wonder if they will remain interested through group joining. Certainly they all seem brilliant and qualified.
Anyways, on to recruiting. I got to hang out at the check-in station for a few hours and chatted with a good number of recruits. Then I showed my recruit our office and we did a lab tour. I went to the poster session, where I finally met one of my committee members. And I ended the night at a dinner where the department did not get enough food for everyone on accident, which is sad. That being said, I still had a great time.
I miss seeing my chemistry friends when I don’t see them, and I love that we’re all in a loose web so I keep making new ones.
as now↩
First Published: 2022 March 10
Today was my first concert of the semester. It was fantastic being able to sing so many lovely songs and hear other choirs doing other lovely music. As has become an unfortunate trend this week, I am awake far too late, and as such this blog is suffering. C’est la vie
First Published: 2022 March 9
In preparation for my Second Year Exam, I’ve realized that I should probably learn some actual science. Thus, this meta-series begins. I am nearly positive that a lot of the data I collect will require the use of lock-in amplifiers. If I can get one of the instruments I’m planning to work on done, I’m sure that the number will increase to all of the in-lab spectroscopy that I will do. As a result, I need to learn about lock-in amplifiers. My plan is to work from three sources to learn this topic:
A paper that describes the lock-in amplifier I think I want to build
The book published in 1983 on lock-in amplifiers
Prior theses from group members on lock-in amplifiers
Realistically, I think I’m going to be learning these in reverse order, because the theses will elucidate what we need and use lock-ins for, the textbook will teach me how they actually work, and then I will be able to figure out whether or not the paper’s amplifier will work for what I need.
I guess I should probably stop talking about what I’ll read and start reading. I’m also not sure how anonymous to be with the details I’m giving, but I’ll err on the side of fewer identifying informations. I would feel worse about describing our current limitations if the theses I’m reading weren’t published on the internet.
First Published: 2022 March 8
Tonight I got to see the local University’s production of Sweeney Todd. It was performed by the operatic portion of the univeristy, which is another point in defense of my belief that the two genres are one.
It was done fantastically, and every member of the show did incredibly. As one of the friends I saw it with commented on the Judge’s song, “he did such a good job I don’t want to clap for him.” It does mean that this week has been filled with insufficient sleep, but such is the life.
First Published: 2022 March 8
I accidentally missed the posting last night, because I delayed writing until I went to see a friend perform. It was really fun, and I’m so happy to have friends who make music.
First Published: 2022 March 6
Deuteronomy 26:7: “we cried to the LORD, the God of our ancestors, and the LORD heard our cry and saw our affliction, our toil and our oppression”
The Lenten Season has begun, and with it the change of emotion for the readings. This Gospel has been interesting to me since I learned that Satan in the Old Testament is not a rebel angel, but one of the faithful.1 It causes me to wonder a bit whether the temptations that our Lord receives are from the Betrayer or from a loyal angel simply doing his job. In the end, it doesn’t really matter, because our Lord resists the temptations, even while starving.
I don’t know if I could stop myself from making bread from stones if I had fasted for a day, let alone forty. We are called to be more like Christ in every way, and self-denial is definitely somewhere I can improve.
I think?↩︎
First Published: 2022 March 5
Yesterday I mentioned that I had an idea for the blog post today. As is too often the case, the ideas I had late at night while half asleep didn’t seem so nice in the light of day.
I was going to blog about, as mentioned bagpipes in funerals, which is a thought that I’ve had for a few years. As I started to talk my way through the post, though1 I realized that the way I wanted to express the idea in many respects cheapened the idea. So, instead I get to meta-blog about how I write nowadays.
I was finding this week that I lacked the motivation and direction to keep writing my story. For a few days I thought it might be that I was just tired of writing, but as I started this weekend, I realized it’s that I haven’t given my mind time to process the story.
I spent about half an hour before bed two nights ago thinking about where the story could go, and when I went to write the story again, the words started flowing out. I guess it’s a good reminder that my mind needs time to sit and think without external stimuli, or at least without mental stimuli. Walking without music or praying has also worked for me, as does driving without music. In the future I should try scheduling more time for silent thought.
If this isn’t how you write I have questions↩︎