Year: 2009

• Wondering why it’s called “music” and not “euterpic.”
• I still don’t understand it, but the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm is one of the best-named in my opinion, so it must be awesome. Better than Clausius-Clapeyron, even.
• Pau Gasol is back, Jameer Nelson is out. I guess my fantasy team is not going to fire on all cylinders any time soon. Oh well, it’s just a game.
• I’m finding it very difficult to focus on theoretical stats, which is bad because I’m on the precipice of failing that class.
• Do I buy a netbook or an ultraportable laptop? Or do I just not spend the money on something that I’ll use for 6 months and then have little need for afterwards?
• Big Game this weekend. I have a good feeling. And if Arizona, Oregon, and Oregon State all lose somehow, I think that’s a Rose Bowl trip.

• Fantasy basketball is under way. I managed to eke out a tie despite some subpar performances and Pau deciding to not play. I guess I can see glimpses of potential for the team, so that’s good.
• School seems impossibly busy despite my not spending a terrible amount of time on it. Just thinking about theoretical stats makes me cringe. This treatment of Bayesian stats is also unimaginably dense. It’s going to be a fun midterm on Friday.
• The job hunt is slow, but eventually something will work out, right?
• The saga of the bounced check seems to be nearing its end. Lots of time wasted at the bank. But I think there shouldn’t be any more fees.
• Taking 5 ballet classes a week is kind of a crazy schedule. Strange muscles feel sore all over, and I’m not sure how much longer my knees will last. On the other hand, seeing google girl (and some others) in action is sometimes breathtaking. That quality of movement is simply beautiful.
• Installed windows 7 on the desktop and it seems pretty nice. Is it time to buy a netbook now?
• I need to find a new source of caffeine at some point. This tea isn’t potent enough to keep me awake in Monte Carlo class. I’m working up to quite the number of consecutive classes in which I’ve fallen asleep. On the other hand, that room is so hot in the afternoon and the professor’s lectures so soporific (though not uninteresting) I’m not sure anything could keep me awake.
• Stanford women’s volleyball is really fun to watch this year, probably because they’re good but not so good that they crushed opposing teams like last year. Maybe I’ll read up on the rules of the game at some point so I can figure out what’s going on. Although it’s strange that I don’t think I’ve ever read the rules of basketball or football or tennis, say, so maybe just watching enough games will diffuse knowledge.

The NBA season starts next week, so it’s a time of excitement, Stanford football sucking notwithstanding. Despite school really destroying me so far this quarter, right now is what Colin calls the most wonderful time of the year: you drafted your team, and you’re honeymooning before your players start getting injured and sucking and breaking your heart.

The crew for the real league:

1. (8) Dirk Nowitzki
2. (13) Pau Gasol
3. (28) Joe Johnson
4. (33) David Lee
5. (48) Ben Gordon
6. (53) Ray Allen
7. (68) John Salmons
8. (73) Jameer Nelson
9. (88) O.J. Mayo
10. (93) Jason Thompson
11. (108) Raymond Felton
12. (113) Mario Chalmers
13. (128) Jamario Moon

I’m not terribly thrilled with the team, since Calvin stoleses Deron Williams from right under my nose (plus like 4 other players… argh), and I think Dirk and Pau will both do worse this year than last. I’m also beginning to feel like I drafted David Lee and Ben Gordon too early. Looks like if everything goes well, I have strength in 5 categories, but will be punting a few categories as well. We’ll see how the model 2.0 does overall. Also, Jamario Moon’s already been dropped for DJ Augustin, but I just realized I’m missing depth in the SF and C positions (which I guess happens more often than not). Anyone want to trade for OJ Mayo?