Canto XII

So the week has begun. And is now halfway over. I'm trying to teach myself about differential forms, which doesn't seem like it should be too hard (I've got a cute little book from Dover about them) since I already know the math, it's really just learning how to use notation. But it's been slow going. On the up side, yesterday I had one of those "ah-ha!" moments where suddenly the whole chapter made sense. I then finished off the whole rest of the chapter and did all the problems. It felt good. One of my favorite moments is reaching that point where suddenly you understand something that you didn't just 5 minutes earlier. Great feeling.

I need to stop with the hacky sack. At least twice a day we waste 20 minutes kicking that damn bag around. I just learned that hacky sack was invented in Oregon! How cool is that! And we've been playing some squash lately. I need to get a new racket as the old one I'm using (and I mean old, the thing is a freaking antique) is giving me blisters.

Classes start next week which means that I will no longer be able to goof off as much. String Theory and Physics Beyond the Standard Model, up at Harvard. Yes, I'm becoming a Harvard student. This is slightly angering. I'm not mad at Harvard or myself, but really MIT and the CTP - they just didn't offer any extra particle physics courses this fall. Next week also marks the begining of the study group for the Part III exam. And I need to find a research advisor. I feel like if I can get out of this term hitting my goals, then everything else will fall into place. But I've felt like that the last 2 years here. I keep meeting my goals, but more keep showing up. Where's the finish line? I suppose that's the PhD thing they keep talking about...