Storm Chase #2

From Mustang looking toward El Reno:



I love Oklahoma

posted by Matt @ 5:24 AM 5 comments  

Walker Windsor

Last night I spent a few hours in Walker Tower. Walker Tower is basically OU's equivalent of Windsor Hall in Reading. And the friend I was visiting is a freshman (OU equivalent of 'fresher'), as were many of the other people I ran into there. It was almost like being back at Windsor Hall.

While many things were similar, I noticed some interesting differences:

• No bar
  
• No drunk students
  
• Shared rooms
  
• No JCR
  
• No children's toy room
  
• No cigarette vending machines
  
• TVs in most rooms
  
• One faucet for both hot and cold water
  
• 6 lifts (elevators) instead of 1
  
• Nobody used the stairs
  
• The girls didn't close the door when they had a guy in the room
  
• Room checks - because visitors not allowed after 12
  
• No techno dance music

From what I could tell, it seemed a bit nicer than Windsor Hall but not nearly as fun.

posted by Matt @ 11:20 PM 2 comments  

Tanning Oklahoma

Why are tanning places so popular in Oklahoma? They seemed relatively rare in the UK and CA. But here in Norman they are everywhere. Why?

Is it because Oklahoma doesn't have beaches? because most people here don't have pools? because the weather is too hot or cold? because so many people here avoid physical outdoor activities? is staying indoors during the day a requirement for OU sororities?

I don't understand. Why not just go outside more often? Oklahoma is (usually) a warm, sunny place.

posted by Matt @ 12:25 AM 4 comments  

Found but not lost?

I recently received a call from a criminal investigator at El Paso International Airport.

Apparently they found my wallet (which contained my driver's license, student ID, and credit card among other things) when they were moving things around at the airport. Here's the interesting part: as far as I knew, I never lost my wallet. And I haven't been to El Paso since last June.

He did have the right person -- he knew all about me from Googling my name. So I had him mail the wallet to me. It arrived yesterday. Sure enough, it was mine!

So my wallet, driver's license, student ID, and credit card were lost in El Paso for almost A YEAR and I didn't even know they were gone!! Don't you hate when that happens?


[If you can't figure out how this is possible, a few details might help: it was my (expired) California driver's license, my San Jose State Univ. student ID, and an old bank card that I cancelled years ago. And back in June 2005, I kept my current license, student ID, and credit card loose in my pocket rather than in my wallet.

But I still can't figure out how I lost that wallet! Maybe someone stole it out of my bag and then tossed it when they realized it was worthless.]

posted by Matt @ 12:16 AM 1 comments  

Jesus Movie Idea

With all the talk about Easter, the resurrection, and the Da Vinci Code movie, I thought I'd share my idea for a Jesus-related movie.

The movie would be based on the best arguments against the truthfulness of the gospels. It would assume that the events of the Bible did not occur as Christians believe. The main characters (Jesus and the disciples) would plan and carry out a massive conspiracy to make up a new religion called "Christianity".

The scenes where they meticulously plan and brilliantly stage Jesus' 'death' and 'resurrection' would be especially interesting. I also envision very interesting dialogues among authors of the New Testament deciding how to make it most believable and how to embellish certain real events.

The movie would portray the gospel conspiracy (assuming there was one) as accurately as possible. However, I think it would ultimately illustrate the implausibility of the theory on which it is based. Thus, viewers would realize how difficult (or impossible?) it would have been to invent Christianity if the events of the Bible did not actually happen as the Bible describes.

posted by Matt @ 7:13 AM 2 comments  

Ph.D.

Yesterday afternoon was my Final Oral Examination (Dissertation Defense). After about 90 minutes of questions/discussion, I was told to leave the room so the committee could decide the results and (if I passed) sign the forms. After waiting outside for a few minutes, the next words I heard were "Dr. Haugland, you can come in now."

posted by Matt @ 11:19 PM 8 comments  

Inside Man

Tonight I saw the movie Inside Man. I loved it. I always love movies that involve smart people stealing things (Ocean's 11/12, The Italian Job, National Treasure, Sneakers, etc.). It's probably my favorite kind of movie, even more so than stalker movies (which I also like a lot). I wonder what that says about me?

I think it would be very fun to rob a bank or casino or steal something that's heavily guarded. It would be a great challenge to do it without hurting anyone or getting caught. I always love a challenge. And I think I could do it. Of course, I'd never actually do it.

Here's a bit of interesting info about me: I have been inside a bank during the middle of the night. At the time, I was the only one inside. I even temporarily deactivated the security system. I've never worked for a bank. Why I was there is a long story. Don't get the wrong idea. I was asked to go there and I didn't do anything illegal. And no, it had nothing to do with my work connected to the Secret Service -- that's another story.

posted by Matt @ 6:34 AM 1 comments  

First Storm Chase of '06

Today I went on my first real storm chase of the season. It was mostly west and north of Tulsa. The main storm I watched (pictures below) was one that I followed all the way from Shawnee (just east of Oklahoma City) to Collinsville (north of Tulsa). I saw it grow from a big cloud into a huge supercell. I saw the initial formation of the wall cloud near Stroud. A "funnel cloud stretching halfway to the ground" was reported with this storm when I was watching it near Skiatook.







This should be the first of many storm chases this season. I plan to post pictures here every time I go.

posted by Matt @ 10:48 PM 2 comments  

Freedom

Now that I finished the seminar and the dissertation, I can do pretty much whatever I want between now and at least May. I only have 1 class (ballroom dancing), and another (Greek) that's just for fun. Well, I suppose they're both just for fun. Anyway, I'll have more free time in the next couple months than I've had in many years, probably since I was a junior in high school.

That means plenty of time for storm chasing and softball. I played 6 softball games in the past 2 days [co-ed pre-season tournament. I had 6 homeruns, by the way :-)], and am going back to the field in a few minutes to play homerun derby with some teammates from church. I'll be playing on 3 teams this spring/summer. Can't wait 'till the season starts!

As for storm chasing, haven't had any good days yet for that, but I don't think I'll have to wait too much longer.

Sometimes I don't know what to do when I have free time because I'm not used to having very much. I don't want to spend too much of it working (i.e., on web sites or things like that). I've already done enough traveling for a while. I'd love to go to a few movies, but most of my friends don't seem to be the movie types. Tennis is good, but there aren't many experienced players around here, at least that I know of. I'll probably start doing a lot more photos for DP Challenge in the next couple weeks, so that's a start.

I have some other ideas of things to do, but they're basically the same as work. I'll have to think of some other fun things that are not related to meteorology or graphic design. I'm open to suggestions.

posted by Matt @ 11:44 PM 4 comments