060210

Three years have passed since I've last posted anything here. My impetus for posting on a relatively dead blog that I created is the discovery of my good friend Yujin's blog early today. Anyways, I thought I would reflect on the past three years, and give a summary of what has happened in the interim since my last post.

In a somewhat chronological order:
2007-

• Diagnosed with A.D.H.D.--inattentive type (relatively old news, but relevant nonetheless)
  
• Changed my major field of study at WPI to Robotics Engineering (RBE) which had begun as an official major that school year (07-08)
• Went to Hawaii for Christmas with my family (North Shore of Oahu)

2008-

• Completed my Junior (3rd) year of study at WPI
  
• Began my RBE Major Qualifying Project (MQP) over the summer term
• Went for an eventful trip to Beaverton, Ohio to visit Sophia and her family (beginning of the end with Sophia), and went gambling on a ship in Indiana, bet on horses at Churchill Downs in Kentucky, and almost got eaten up by two tornado funnels driving back to Ohio...excitement!!!
  
• Failed to complete the MQP by the end of the summer
• Began my Senior (4th) year of study at WPI, changing my major field of study back to Electrical & Computer Engineering
  
• Developed an Access Control System (dba. GreenKeys) which harvests energy from the environment in possibly the most exciting course to date at WPI: ECE2799 (with Professor Stephen Bitar)
  
• Spent the Christmas vacation in Nagoya, Japan at Towa's home

2009-

• Finally completed the botched MQP that was the Mobile Robotics Platform
  
• Completed the most challenging, yet rewarding, course to date at WPI: ECE3204 (with Professor John McNeill)
• Spent a whole term (C Term, 2009) without my good friend Yujin Choi, while she was away completing her Chemical Engineering MQP in Niece, France
• Got screwed out of an awesome internship at Intel by the incompetent imbeciles in Human Resources
  
• Watched all of my fellow classmates graduate from WPI in May (while it was bittersweet to see them all graduate without me, I was given the best opportunity to photograph the whole thing, since I was not in participation)
• Developed a grotesque case of shingles on my forehead from sitting through a 4-hour graduation in beautifully sunny Massachusetts, which landed me in the emergency room at St. Vincent Hospital (and got to see the awesome atrium therein which features a two-story indoor waterfall!)
• Spent the weekend with Towa and Dukens in Bar Harbor, Maine, which saw us ocean kayaking, taking a harbor cruise on a four-master sailboat, and watching the sunrise from the first part of the continental United States to receive light from the sun each day
• Moved out of our neat apartment at 51 Institute Road, and into my temporary lodgings with Lena (and Smokey, her cat!) at 98 West Street
• Began full-time work on my IQP preparing recommendations for the Office of Academic Advising's website, started on my miniQP solar autonomous robot project (which was required since my MQP was completed for an RBE major, and I had become an ECE student), as well as taking my first summer school course in Linear Algebra
• Dad got fired
• The Exploder (Explorer) died, requiring major reconstructive surgery on various valves and components to get it living again
• Helped Yujin move into her new Cornell home in Ithaca, New York
• Took a road trip back to California with my brother Jimmy, making stops at Cornell, Niagara Falls, Yellowstone National Park (Old [not-so-]Faithful), Grand Canyon (but didn't quite make it...), and finally Las Vegas
• Took up the challenge of teaching myself how to play the noble cello
  
• Graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering
• Began studying kendo with the wonderful people at the Norwalk Kendo Dojo
  
• My cousin Brent get married in Texas, and got to see most of my dad's family after many years
• Spent Christmas on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii with my family and grandparents

2010-

• Joined a handbell choir at my church
• Audited an RF Circuits course at Cal Poly Pomona
• Permitted to wear full armor in kendo
• Ate sushi
• Failed to get a job

That leads us to the present. Thus, while I'm not promising I will update this "blog" regularly, I will provide a recap of the events which have unfolded since our last encounter. So, until then, I remain,
very truly yours,
Jeffrey Evan Trost

Remember the Stick Figure fad?

Animator vs. Animation by *alanbecker on deviantART

Me - 1, Death Sickness - 1

The death sickness that was afflicting me last week has emerged to harass my once again, this time in the form of sinus blockage. I know you all wanted to know my personal fluid movements (are sinuses considered fluid movements?), so I hope this will keep you all happy for the time being. :)

On another note, I completed my first day of my Statics obsession on a high note. I mastered the quiz that we took in class yesterday, albeit I only mastered it after he explained it in class, and I worked on the problem for about an hour afterwards with my buddy. But nonetheless, I mastered it (or, at least can do it now...). So I believe someone around here deserves a congratulatory comment or two.

Tonight's chore is to haggle with the Turkish mafia in order to get my last lab and current lab completed. God bless the Turkish mafia. :)

Me - 1, Death Sickness - 0

I am VERY happy to report that I beat the death sickness that was trying to squinch out my life for the past week (KNOCK ON WOOD!!!). The only thing left is a slighty runny nose, which will be gone in no time!

On the topic of obsessions, I feel that a good obsession to have is one that is related to academics, especially one which impacts my field of study. Therefore, I have decided that I shall attempt to have a healthy obsession with Statics! (Static systems, for those of you less knowledgeable about my University's naming scheme. [although, I think it would probably take the same mneumonic at other schools as well...but that is not the point])

So we shall see if I keep up with this obsession. If it is anything like my blogging habits, it shall not persist for longer than two weeks, but being as the term is officially over on December 13, that is all I shall need!!!! So for all of you who are gluttonously perusing these words, say a silent "gambatte!" in my honor, and pray that I keep it up!

Healthy Obsession at an Unhealthy Time

I figure what better time to resume blogging than when I am sick in bed and unable to do anything else?

Well, I may be a little dramatic in saying that, but I figure life needs a little drama at times.

I think that the one thing that makes other people more "passionate" in their daily lives is the fact that they have a healthy drive towards a goal, or obsession some may call it. That is why my current goal is to find something that I can become "obsessed" with. I feel that is something that is lacking in my life. I am open to ideas if you would like to suggest something! :)