Hell Weekly

Note: the posts about my undergrad thesis are here for documentation purposes. Someday in the future, I'd like to look back at how I do things today, and compare them to how I do things by then.

14 October 2012

I MISSED YOU, BLOG!

So as of today, I'm still in between deadlines and exams. But this blog needs attention too (and I want to procrastinate a little). I'd like to post about what has occupied my weeks lately. I haven't been able to take much photos, but I did sneak in a couple of shots.

Doing schematics while watching Wasak on Youtube. 

I was holed up in my room for a long period of time, just doing school work. They pile up so fast, it's not even funny.

I don't really use planners anymore (I have about two, which are currently discarded on my shelf). I end up forgetting about them. They just don't work for me. I have a cork board with outdated reminders and an empty calendar. I guess I should forego buying them in the future. I just waste paper.

The ONE THING I can't function without is my notebook.

Doodles and Drawings

I always bring with me a Venzi Flexy notebook, those really thin ones that they don't sell anymore on NBS (still trying to find some). I've filled up about four of them already and I'm currently on my fifth one. I like them because they survive inside my crammed bag, and they're not too bulky.

These are hard to find nowadays. :(

It's filled with doodles and scattered school notes and quotes from our witty professors. 

I also indicate what I'm listening to at the moment. Chopin is good for studies.

 By the way, my thesis is about designing an astronomical observatory and planetarium for PAGASA (because they are in need of a better one). The challenge here is to create a modern look that people can associate with astronomy as a science, yet also make people think of it as an ecotourism destination.

 

The Balatik is an animal trap used by ancient Filipinos in hunting. According to the father of Philippine Ethnoastronomy and my Kas 1 prof, the late Dr. Dante Ambrosio, the Balatik is symbolized in our version of the constellation Orion.

Very little of these doodles are actually implemented. I have a hard time trying to match everything; form follows function and all that. A prof also taught us to think in 3D, which is quite hard to do while creating plans that match the program.

I think that the worst part of the process is when my laptop crashed. I think it has a video card defect. I had to completely reformat it. Fortunately, I saved the data I needed, and the most awesome brother in the world let me use his own, much better laptop.

And he made me a chocolate sandwich

Sir Blackballs keeps me company sometimes.

I had to do some manual work too. I avoid using SketchUp as much as possible, because I suck at it and my laptop becomes a complete bitch whenever I use it. But of course I would eventually have to use it later.

Kurecolor on tracing paper. A friend laughed at the number of trees I have. No. It's actually not funny.

After a panic-inducing trip to Joli's in Manila to have the CAD files printed (Arkishop Philcoa was way too busy), we finally submitted our schematics to the faculty.

Seeing the work done by batchmates and friends is one of the things I have to get over. I wish I had pictures of their work. If you study in a place like UP where everyone has talent (chos!), it's hard not to compare your own work with everyone else's. But in the end, your work is your own, and there's nothing else to feel about it but pride.

It was a stressful week, and I still can't say if the work I submitted was complete. There is always room for improvement for these things. I already have the hunch that I will be spending my sembreak thinking about the changes I have to make. Hopefully, these changes will be for the better. I am meeting with my adviser tomorrow to discuss the schemes. I'm actually quite nervous, but I know it will be for my own good in the end.