Casey's Blog

Ah, it seems that I've got a new picture on the main blog page! I actually hate every picture of myself because I'm a normal human being so this picture is no exception. However many people have reassured me that, "Casey, it's okay- people don't judge books by their covers." But THAT'S a myth! But it turns out that it's a quote, a common saying, or whatever. I suppose I won't worry too much about that. Even though it's a "common" saying, I must say that this is not a "common" belief. By no means do I look down on humanity; I am just absolutely sure that people always judge books by their covers only to have their opinions repealed by the opinion of the rare people who don't judge these books by their covers. Does that make sense? No?! I apologize; but before you accept this apology, try reading it again. If it still doesn't make sense, it's probably my fault. In that case, ignore this whole paragraph.

Today is a fascinating day. Yesterday night I got up in the middle of night and I wrote, "We change today. Forever." I have no idea what this means, but apparently We change today, and these changes are here to stay. I'm not sure if I was thinking about the environment. I'm not sure if I was thinking about the relationships I share amongst various people. I'm not sure about anything I write when my brain is 95% asleep (not an exact percentage). I don't even know how to explain that, so I won't. I will leave it up to your imaginations to decipher what that means, and what it may mean to you if you were the one who woke up to write something down because at the time it was that important.

This blog entry is becoming very strange very fast. Let's talk about things that are real. Here's something real: I have to study for a quiz/test, I can make spaghetti slightly better than before, I am sad about the lack of progress for a cooperative project, I am creating a calendar involving illustrations of cute animals, and I am planning a fake wedding in June (I already have a fake bride; it's getting rather exciting). Now my blog seems very normal.

I am going to write a paper on WINDMILLS for my Motion and Mechanics Class. It is going to be awesome because windmills are awesome. You would think that someone who writes a blog would have a more extensive vocabulary but you thought wrong. I am excited to explain how a windmill works and how much energy an old windmill creates compared to a newer model windmill. I want the exact ratio of how much more efficient are current windmills are. My guess is three times more efficient. We shall see! (unless it is impossible to get this info; then I'll just cry in a corner for a bit).

Feeling crazy like me? Email me at caseyy@u.washington.edu . Do not be afraid, "GO FORTH!" says the cockatoo which is colored by a blue marker and a highlighter.

-Casey Yano

Yep, Veteran's day weekend. I wonder if we will still be celebrating this holiday a 100 years from now. If we have 3650 more wars in the future, does that mean we'll have an average of 10 holidays a day? There were indeed more wars in the past but I guess the societies have fallen and those holidays were long forgotten. In our new society where we're all connected I don't think it's possible for us to lose things like holidays... and even cellphones, computer chips, and newton's laws. Is it really possible for our society to stop existing? I am interested in how this could possibly happen but I am pretty darn sure that I won't be around when this happens one day.

This week has started off with a quiz; which I failed miserably. The quiz for my other class however, I did well. This may be because I am good in that subject or because I am already knowledgeable on the topic to begin with. Either way, you should be impressed that I got a good quiz score. As for my "other" class not at UWB, it's just more and more repetition... History is like a story, but architectural history is like remembering artists and what they made. However even worse is remembering when they were born and what they were made of and what kind of mechanics and techniques they used and then tying them all together. Does that comparison make sense? I just said art history was easy compared to architectural history because... it is. Really. I've actually taken art history as well; it was easier.

So after class I meet some random folks and sometimes I meet people from my highschool and that's something very interesting. Because at UWB it's like going to the same school but when you meet your friend at UW it's like meeting someone in a restaurant. You don't expect it.

We (as in myself and some other folks) are thinking of starting a billiards club. We basically meet up sometime around 3pm in the games room. The video game club is also in there around that time doing their thing so if you are interested in either one of our clubs, drop by, it'll be great fun. There will be mom jokes... and there will be some good ol fashion billiards playing. Personally I suck at it (though I can beat you). However some of our members are quite the masters. If you have any skill, it may prove to be a challenge.

Lately I have purchased a book called PLANT. It is exactly what it sounds like; it's a book about plants. Since I don't read much (which is ironic because I write) the book is basically a big book with photographs of various plants. Why do I need such a thing? The answer is simple, I draw. Nature happens to have the best examples of patterns and I think that studying plants, landscapes, animals, etc etc is a great way to understand how things work, grow, and check this out- "evolve". Fascinating! If you respect mother nature. Which you do- because if you don't you're a jerk, and jerks don't read what other people write anyway. Which means you aren't a jerk. Congratulations.

So this week seems to be project week. I have projects in all of my classes and I have personal projects which I am working on with various colleagues and friends. Oh it is so exciting! Researching, forming ideas, and whatnot. Here's a photo of a very fancy pen that my father is giving to his friend as a gift. It was so fancy I had to share.

Group projects are a very big part of UWB. During my first year here at UWB I was thinking that these group projects were going to be a drag and that others will slow me down. However after many many group projects (because basically every single class usually has a group project) I have come to the conclusion that groups of people can make things happen. These things that happen cannot be done by one person. This is because of a time limit or because inspiration is lost or laziness is found. In fact currently, I am working on a "secret" project outside of class and it is going pretty darn well. It is good to see something work for once. Although I won't give away my secret I will give away some failed concept art.

This image is not a screenshot from a functioning program. It is a digital alteration of the Android OS.

In other news, I have this feeling that I may be leaving this campus soonish. I didn't write transferring or dropping out, I wrote "leaving". This is because I get the feeling that I have found something that I wanted to do with my life and I have this feeling that if I don't take this chance it will never come by again. This may sound like an impulse but this feeling is more and more intriguing the more I think about it (I've been thinking for like, 6 months now). I'm not moving to Vegas with a girl. I'm talking about starting a company of sorts. It will represent happiness and goodness. This secret project and this feeling are kind of related. Or very related. Who knows?! I will call it a secret until it is confirmed.

Stay Tuned,

Casey Yano (caseyy@u.washington.edu)

Alright so! Here's a very special Thanksgiving edition of Casey Yano's Blog (is that the name of my blog? I wish I could change that). So Thanksgiving is about being grateful for things and eating Turkey (I think) and I did just that during Thanksgiving. If you are a vegetarian I will use this sentence to apologize about the merciless butchering of Turkey for carnivores like myself. Sorry. Here's a picture of cheesecake that I decorated with heavy whipping cream, kiwi, and a can of peaches.

Let's make a list! Because lists don't require proper grammar. Here's a list of things that I, Casey Yano, am grateful for:
-An educational system
-The internet (the good half)
-Cheese with holes
-Cars
-Music
-Billiards
-People. This excludes people who do bad things- like run into my Red Toyota Tacoma with their Chrysler. You know who you are.
-
-
-A lot of homework over the weekend. Wait, no, I am not grateful for that at all.

Ah, that's a fantastic list, I am missing a lot of things for sure- but pretend they're on the list. That's what those two blank spots are for.

So after Thanksgiving is this thing, Black Friday. This is the biggest sale day of the entire year so it's a very good day if you're a hardcore shopper. The name Black Friday comes from "turning a profit" the uhh, black line that goes up on a graph... in business. I think red was the color for loss of profits. I can imagine a Red Friday in the middle of April, the boring month (in my humble opinion).

So on Black Friday I visited Best Buy at like... 8am. They opened at 5am. I bought a nice shiny mouse for 50% off, it still cost $50 though. It is a very nice mouse. It's made of plastic, it has this ball bearing scroll wheel, and it has a LASER on it. Obviously a good enough reason to buy it. Well actually no, but it's the most expensive mouse on the market and it's been the best for quite a long time so I bought it because the price hit $50, the cheapest It'll ever be until maybe next Black Friday.

Alright, back to work. Here's a list of work I need to do over the weekend:
-Rough draft for Motion and Mechanics essay.
-Study for Environmental Issues Quiz.
-Create an illustrative essay for Ancient World (Arch History).
-Think about working on Environmental Issues group project but not get any work done.
-Consider Working on Motion and Mechanics homework early but holding it off until Tuesday.
-Work on side projects.

In the list here you probably read "GROUP PROJECT" and from the other sources you may have realized by now that there are other group projects. The fact about UWB is, there are group projects. Group projects are essential. I'm not going to explain why really... because there are so many reasons that it is important to do group work. If you cannot do group work, you are "doomed". Doomed, my friend, doomed.

This quarter's almost over and I think you folks are just as busy. Why are you still reading this? Obviously you are a very busy person and shouldn't be reading this.

Not actually busy or feel like procrastinating? Just want me to (seriously) explain why group projects are so important? caseyy@u.washington.edu