Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

In my two classes today I gave the review for the test on Friday, demonstrating everything from how long I’ll keep the questions projected on the screen to how I recommended that they copy the questions down (noting only the keywords instead of the whole question and skipping a line for the answer after writing each question).

In my 1030am class there was no problem with the questions. In fact, we finished some twenty-five minutes before the period ended. There were only a handful of clarifications about certain questions from some students after I had a dismissed the class.

Afterwards I received a text message from the president of the Outdoor Club saying they won’t use my room anymore for their pre-trip. It seems they didn’t have enough preparation. So maybe that means their activity is also postponed for next week.

My thesis advisee showed up at lunch as he promised, although he didn’t show me his subroutine for displaying the comets because he said it was still in Visual Basic and not an executable file. I let that slide, although he didn’t leave a note either with the chairman asking how many comets he’s supposed to show.

I know the chairman wants him to have a database of comets that his program can access, which means an open-ended file that the user could add to as soon as data on new comets are gotten. I know of at least one other astronomy software that does that.

He asked if I had a copy of the original comments of his panel. I couldn’t find my copy at the moment so I told him to ask the member of his panel in the research building where he uses the computer. I didn’t tell him she complained to me that when he saw her the other day, he just greeted her but didn’t give an update on his thesis status.

He asked how he could predict meteor showers if they’re yearly. He’s gotten used to finding out things the hard way he can’t believe the schedule of the meteor showers are just given to him on a silver platter. At least he already went to the astronomy calendar web page I gave him that shows all the astronomical events for the upcoming week. In fact, it’s so complete it renders his software obsolete, but only if the panel sees it.

He also seemed to have a problem with understanding the hourly frequency of the meteors. I don’t understand what his concern was, that he had to show that frequency graphically, or that they would ask him for his derivation of the numbers, although his last defense should have taught him the panel isn’t looking for the theoretical equations. He finally quit when I used the magic word “statistics”.

I also had to clear it with him that meteor showers are associated with certain constellations, that the Perseids would appear to be coming from Perseus, and thus that would be his reference point for when they are visible.

And that pushes my afternoon class for discussion tomorrow.