If you told me on New Year's Eve 2011 that I'd be in the position in which I currently am, I would probably believe you, but only because the Spirit would have testified to me of the truth of it. Some things were expected, like making some progress in my master's degree and finishing out my coursework. Other things, like temples and missions, were much less expected. This year was also my least active blagging year, particularly because grad school has imparted to me a spirit of procrastination and a strong desire to write no more than I really have to. Here are some of the highlights of the last calendar year.
- Structural Dynamics - Oregon State brought in a new professor last winter and assigned him to teach the graduate-level structural dynamics course during the winter term. It was terrible. In addition to the assigned textbook for the course, the professor gave us another 1.5" binder's worth of notes. No one finished the midterm or the final. One of the assignments that the previous professor had assigned was incorporated into one of our homework assignments as Problem 3.
- Paris - This Spring, I was privileged to finally use the Passport I've had since 2009 and go to Paris, France. It was awesome.
- Temple - Later in the Spring, my bishop realized that I hadn't taken out my own endowments, so he wrote me out a temple recommend. When I made my previously-scheduled trip to Denver in the summer, I went through, and it was glorious.
- Mission - On the day of a return trip to the temple I felt a distinct prompting that I should try again to serve a mission. I did the medical evaluation again. I was cleared. I'm planning to turn in papers in May, or so to leave in the Summer. I've changed my official prediction to Houston, Texas East, speaking Spanish, with other probabilities including Philadelphia, PA; Lubbock, TX: and Québec, PQ.
- Last Class - This fall, I took my last formal class ever and received an A. My final master's GPA will be 3.70.
- Research - It's been a constant struggle.
- Research
- Thesis
- Graduation
- Plan A: Mission
- Plan B: Engineering Job
- Plan C: Taco Bell
