Monday, November 17, 2008

Quickies

music

It's been a while. Internet sucks out here, but I found a good cybercafe in town and intend to be more regular. So much to write, so little time.

DVDs: No FBI in China or Nigeria, so it's all about the pirated recordings. Full season of Prison Break, Numbers, 24, can be had for about $3. Everyone around here has watched them all.

Wentworth Miller: In case things don't work out with Tosin y Rafa :) His character in Prison Break has low latent inhibition, which seems really cool to me. That's like, genius disease. This phase will pass, like when I was in JS2 and wished for glasses.

MY students: 72 baby engineers, I ran a course on transmission line theory. We had only four weeks and we did a lot: in-class presentations, the relevant math, a few proof questions, some of the actual engineering coursework, two quizzes, and a little crazy trip. I hope they do well on my final exam. For next semester, I'm looking forward to getting them using software and to supervising a few excellent projects.

Self-defense: Some kid tried to enter my apartment on Saturday night. It was pitch dark (no electricity half the nights here) and I opened the door. He gave a name I didn't recognize and I still opened the door. Don't do this.
Thankfully, as soon as I opened, I pushed myself outside the door (he wanted to push me in.) So, since the dumbfuck had no backup plan, he took a stroll with his friend. I hear this is the season for picking up cellphones and laptops. Stupid kids could be learning how to rule the world but instead they'd settle for your used cheap Nokia.

Intelligentzia: I meet cool people here. My officemate is nice. Many people are nice. Some are even intellectual and all. Like any tech school, too many boys :) Not happy about the thieves, it's making me hate the place. Stupid place. There's a hotel called "Bizare" It's sponsoring a beauty contest for "Miss Bizare"

Suya: FINALLY got shelves from the carpenter and arranged the place. Add a few flowers and traditional leather cushions and maybe a whiteboard and I'll be totally cozy. I eat suya almost everyday. I've even made my peace with the fat that they mix with the the regular beef. Mmmmm, yummy spice-crusted fire-roasted beef fat.

Writing: but not the novel. Poems. My kids will do a little creative writing on their Transmission Lines final - they don't know it yet heh heh heh.

Kids: The goats here are, like, always pregnant. Their little kids are the cutest. Sheep are cool. They hang out with herds of cattle, kinda like sheepdogs. I don't know why. I keep thinking there'll be pictures someday but dunno.

9 comments:

Erik Donald France said...

All good except for the break-in attempt . . .

Salud . . . and more soon . . .

Anonymous said...

Have you tasted the "fura da nono"? Try all the varieties. Ma'assalam!

Unknown said...

I'd love to see photos of your apartment! Hope you're doing great.

xxx

t said...

NIKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! How I wonder where you are.

Anon: Have to do that. I haven't even tried masa yet. Or fura da nono. I will for sure.

Eric: Many hugs. How are the students?

Pictures, eh? First I'll have to remember to get batteries...I so rarely succeed in taking, then disseminating pics.

Anonymous said...

sounds like a lot of fun. Stay Safe.
And don't assume that one kid in class won't find your blog. - shola

Anonymous said...

- from Ngozi U
You still posting T... r u in Naija?

Hope you are great!

t said...

love to
MCSHOLA!!!
and NGOZI!!!

I'm trying , trying , to keep in touch :)

Some of the exam "creative writing" responses were hilarious. Basically they had to write a dialogue in which some writer has consulted them for background on transmission line theory. like ten people nailed it, and three or four went all out with robots in space, chats with Spielberg (lol), and actual story ideas. Made it worth it.

Half of the others tried to directly give back the stuff they'd crammed. Fun fun.

Dee said...

Laughed so hard @ the creative writing with your students!

Are you trying to say that you haven't been taking pics?

@ Suya: I'm sooooooooooo jealous! Reading the few lines got my mouth watering...the fatty part of the meat...and that characteristic smell, gee I can almost taste it!

Life with goats: Reminds me of my days in UI

t said...

love Dee. remember when I thought you were somebody else?