Nails jump on you

When it's time to clip your fingernails, you don't get any notice. One morning you wake up, and all of a sudden your nails have grown to a length that they are bothersome. Never have I thought, "Wow, my nails might have to be cut tomorrow, or two days from now." They always all of a sudden just need it, like a trigger is switched in my body. Why is the difference between too long and just fine such a thin line?

They are not like other periodic grooming needs. When I need a haircut, I usually look at myself one to two weeks ahead of time ahead a time and realize I'm going to need a haircut coming up soon. When I need to shave my beard, I notice it begins to itch ever so slowly.

Is it that nails being too long is just too frustrating to deal with, while a slightly shaggy beard or lengthy hair are bearable?

Equivalent Signs

Have spent a lot of time on I-40 the last six years. Always love the sign in Wilmington, NC that tells how far it is to Barstow, CA, the western termination point of I-40. Went to Google StreetView to see if they have an equivalent sign in Barstow, and they did. Also found out that you can't see the sign in the Wilmington StreetView because Google only drove one side of the highway. Had to find a picture of it elsewhere.

Good thing the distances are the same. Cool to see the different surround landscape.

The NC State Wolfline IS a wolf!

A friend of mine recently shared this post with me, about how people spot animal shapes in geographic features. Examples include a T-rex head when combining South America and Africa and finding animal shapes in London's Underground maps. It spurred me to finally write up this post.

My college roommate pointed out to me once that the map of the NC State bus system, the Wolfline, looks peculiarly like the head of a wolf. Coincidence? Check it out below: ears, jaw, perfect head shape. Also, we've remarked many times before how clever it is that the night service of the Wolfline is called the Werewolf.

Kanye + registration LOL

Written on my university's registration webpage:

"Yo, Fall 2009, I'm real happy for you. I'm ma let you finish, but Spring 2010 is the best semester of all time. OF ALL TIME!"

Class schedules to be released!

Tomorrow is my favorite day that comes once a semester: new class schedules for the following semester are released! I can't wait! I love browsing the courses that are available to take for the next year, seeing when they're offered, what rooms they'll be in, who's teaching them. I love reading the course descriptions. I love crafting my schedule for the next year and then admiring what it looks like on a calendar.

As a graduate student there are less options for courses that I should take, but it doesn't dampen the feeling. I've been waiting weeks for this day to come. I recall as an undergraduate student, I'd spend a few hours looking at the new courses and making mock schedules. I used to think it'd be cool to offer my love for this day as a service: I'd design other people's course schedules given their needs (since other people seemed to despise making schedules.)

Just hours away now!

Fountain Safety