I have no class.
12/01/2005 01:27:00 PM
Well, no more "brain class" at Rice, that is -- my final one was last night. There is another next Wednesday, but I will be out of town in Chicago for work and miss it.Overall, I was VERY impressed. I got a little worried when I showed up the first day and the majority of my classmates were.. how to put it delicately... of an older demographic -- but none of the lectures were dumbed-down for us, and I really felt like I was learning about cutting-edge research. Yesterday's lecture was especially interesting to me - it was all about Bioinformatics (Wikipedia: "the use of techniques from applied mathematics, informatics, statistics, and computer science to solve biological problems.") and how we make memories. Very interesting stuff.
Anyway, I was sufficiently inspired to look at information on bioinformatics on my Blackberry at great risk to myself as I walked across Rice Village and a number of busy streets (OK, one) in the DARK while walking to the bar to meet Dana. Anyway, the class got me excited.
So today I looked at the continuing education site for Rice and while they don't have a detailed class schedule posted yet, they do have a "sneak peek", on which two classes definitely got my attention: "The Solar System and the Mind of Man" (um, can you think of a better class?), and "Theatrical Adaptation: Re-Inventing Material for the Stage" (why not put that degree to some use? Besides, I've been looking for a 'project' to consume myself with).
Note: yes, the above link is some wildly inappropriate humor. But I figured "self immolation" was a good - if inaccurate - synonym for "consume myself". Hence the link to that entry. Besides, maybe it'll spark some interesting conversation.
Note on the note: the pun "spark... conversation" was unintended, but a humorous accident, so I left it.
Now that I've thoroughly disgusted/offended/entertained (I'm looking at you, BJ) everyone, I'll leave you all with one final tidbit.
I just started reading a modern translation of Don Quixote by Edith Grossman (Don Quixote, of course, the brain-child of Miguel de Cervantes, and widely lauded -- this I didn't know before reading the introduction -- as being the first modern novel). Also interesting, Cervantes wrote in the time of Shakespeare, but it's likely they didn't know of each other. Funny.
Anyway, I'm on the fifth chapter (of many) but much to my pleasant surprise it's a very entertaining - and very EASY - read. So, it comes with my recommendation (thus far). Of course, it's hardly an unknown book, but if you haven't picked it up, it'll not only make you look intelligent (really impresses the wife when I choose to read in leiu of playing videogames), but it's quite possible to be entertained as well.
If only Terry Gilliam's movie version didn't fail miserably.
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5 Comments:
A buddy of mine at work has a friend going for his PHD in bioinformatics at Wright St. They are going to try and get a government contract once he gets his phd.
posted at 2:01 PM
Your link to BJ goes nowhere. Or was that on purpose?! ;)
Taking classes again after workig in the "real world" for a while gives quite a different perspective on things. I say go for it! Those two classes sound fascinating!
posted at 2:19 PM
Even on this little island in Maine there are two fairly large bioinformatics projects - the one at my lab is a toxicogenomics database, which is a relational db of genes, the chemicals/toxins that effect these (your) genes, research publications, etc. (ctd.mdibl.org)
Might be of interest to you chemically-exposed Houstonites.
posted at 9:21 PM
BJ- your friend is smart.
Pablo- link fixed.
McK- probably best if we remain ignorant. :)
posted at 8:02 AM
So is that book similar to the Clif Notes version of Don Quixote? And how funny would it have been if you didn't learn anything in your brain class?!?!?
posted at 12:29 PM
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