O week and UPC induction

Hi all,

Well I have never been to uni, and O week was like Carnival in Brazil, Lots of people, heaps of stalls, heaps of freebies. I had my first Red Bull, wow what a buzz ;)

The induction was interesting, the course coordinator did all of the presentation, she had a manor that made me feel relaxed, excited and motivated all at the same time :) We were told that 35% of the students get distinctions and high distinctions, I am planing to be in this group, I would love to be able to get a HD in UPC.

The only problem today was that I walked around the stalls, about 15 minutes maximum as a lot of the time was under tents or in building shadows. Due to the Nilotibib (the chemo I am on for Leukaemia) makes me phot sensative, so I am BURNT, I went to the chemist on the way home to get a small tube of sunscreen for my back pack, and a pump bottle of after sun.

I have a Red Bull shot for tomorrow ;)

We start the course next week. First two modules are writing and referancing, combined sciences.

Kat.

Disabilities.....

Ok Wednesday, I went in to Uni with my report from my GP, The Disability Officer, has done up the documentation, I am able to use my laptop in lectures and exams (the IT staff will check it over to make sure I have nothing I shouldn't on it so I am not cheating (not that I would want to)) It also has inplace that if I am absent from lecture etc that I am to be given lecture notes, this is due to all my health problems.

am back at Uni on Saturday, for a uni tour etc. Then the next time is the 15th of Feb.. O WEEK I am looking forward to Uni life (I am watching Teenage Kicks on ABC 2, it has Adrian Edmondson, who played Vivian on the Young ones, last episiode was him as a mature age student, and all the things they did to him.... I hope it is not like that ;)

Talk later, have fun ;)

First trip to ECU Joondalup

Hi all,

Well yesterday I had an appointment with the "Equity, Diversity and Disability Officer" as I have trouble writing with a pen for long periods of time eg exams. I need to get my GP to fill out a form so that we can do a learning plan that will put in place being able to use a laptop for exams.

I arrived with about 30 minutes to spare, followed the signs to a carpark near by. Bought a parking ticket, and then headed off in the wrong direction, ended up at the library and looked at the map I had printed. Worked out where the building I needed was and it took me virtually past my car again (and this was around midday on a 35°day)

The officers office is on Level 4! and the lifts were out of action (which I was told about when we made the appointment, but I do not mind some exercise) so I climbed the 4 flights of stairs (all 60 of them). Had a great appointment.

After the appointment which was in the same building as "Student Central" I decided to get my parking permit. I also wanted to get my ID/ Library/Photocopying and Print Card. Which was over in the Library building Doh.

So I now have my ID, Car Permit, need to make another appointment once my GP has done the paperwork.

Next trip to campus will be for O week, the events I need to attend are over 3 days but this is kewl as I do not want to wear myself out.

I am really looking forward to uni :)

Independence

Ok some of you may know that I spent nearly 4 months earlier this year in Hospital, once I got out due to passing out with unknown causes, I was told not to drive for 6 months. Now some 8 months later, I decided it was time to drive.

Yesterday was the day, the car needed to be taken to the tyre shop. As it has sat for over 8 months, two of the tyres were pancakes, the car battery was dead (I had tried to charge it but due to it being discharged so far it will never old a charge) I have a collection of 12V 2oAh Gel cells for my monster UPS, that one day I will build. Well the batteries were not charged :( I even grabbed the 12V 7Ah Battery off the Security system.... So I call roadside assistance, I was meant to be at the tyre shop by now, the operator at roadside assistance tod me they would be there within 2 hours :( Luckily 10 or so minutes later the patrol man was on the door :) Quick look over the engine, jump start and off we went :)

The tyre shop tells me I need 4 not 2 tyres (they only had 2 in stock) so I will have to go back in a week or so :) (I am using Kumho KH17 tyres) They also fitted a new battery :)

I drove there, did a bit of running around with Kos, so did a bit of driving :) I feel so much better to have my independence back :)

Hope you all have a good Christmas, I will be :)

Got to do some electronics work today :):):)

Well, I was expecting today, not looking forward to it as it is very hot in Perth today. The Kave has aircon, but it is slow to cool the room down.

Today's plan changed though, Kos' wireless mouse died :( So I had to go out to the Kave early. The mouse problem was easy, just cat hair (hmmm wonder where that comes from Taffeta ????) in the optical path of the scroll wheel. Removed the cat hair and all was well... ALMOST, to get to this area I had to pull it all the way apart. Doing this I managed to pull the battery connector off the PCB (the force holding the plug in was greater than the surface mount solder joints!!!) so I had to bypass the connector, and straighten the case to put it all back together. So now one happy Kos.

I also had to look at a clock for the farther in-laws car. This module is electronic so it comes to me for repair lol. He sent me 3, so I could marry up all the best parts. This was tested on the bench and all works :)

So I am happy, was a bit miffed at having no electronics stuff to do.....

Brushing up on Maths

Well it has been 20 years since I finished high school (year 10) now I am going to do the degree, I thought I should revise maths (eg trig and algebra) as I have been informed that electronics engineering is the most heavy in maths of all the engineering disciplines.

So I have found a few websites, I am reading all the info and doing the spot tests. It is kinda fun (I am strange lol) I have a better interest in things like this since I left school, as I can now see how it fits in to my career path, where as at school, I could not, so I did not bother to study or do assignments (hmmm how did I ever pass lol)

On the move

OK so I decided that studying across two campuses was silly as the courses were also offered at Joondalup and it will be the campus for my BSEE, so I have moved them all to Joondalup, although if I am reading my timetable right, 3 of the 4 exams are at Mount Lawley.

I figure that one O week (orientation) will be enough, I have had it described to me as a carnival atmosphere, which may help ease my anxiety ;)