The False Prophet

He sat there with a grin in his face, "You see? That's why I'm here." He didn't budge, he just wrinkled his eyebrow in disbelief. "Fine. Don't believe me. Wait another four days, and you'll see what I mean." Finally giving up, he lowered his eyes to his coffee, "Okay, say I believe you. What are you proposing? Revolution? How can that make sense? You're trying to avoid a disaster, not start it." "You're not listening. Revolution as in change. If we start now, we could make it so that the end of your existence would never come", adding more cream to an almost empty glass. "Start what? I'm trying to listen, but you're just stating vague assumptions and doubtful facts, no specific action." "Vague assumptions? What is vague about complete and utter non-existence?" "That's not the point. You want to revolt people to avoid conflict. Don't you see the hypocrisy there?" "Ah, hypocritical am I? You sitting here waiting for death to happen, and then you judge me, the only sensible voice here trying to avoid it." "But what am I suppose to do to avoid it?!" "Speak up. Tell people what they are and what they need to be doing." "I'd be asking people to stand up to overthrow a divine leader." "In a way, yes, but not by hostile measures. And it would be to put a new, fairer divine plan in place and change the outcome of our repeating end. This is about universal justice: the memory of you will not be, and will continue to not be unless you do something about it." He pondered a bit, looked up and sighed acceptance.

The bar was as you'd expect a bar would be at five o'clock in the afternoon. He stood up and looked around to find a pair of eyes that would connect with his. A couple in the corner were already glaring at him with scarring judgement. He looked back with appreciative understanding, "This is the life you'll live in the next four days, but then: Puff! You want to change it? You'd be interested in doing so. If not, you, me, and the spiky haired freak at your side will cease to exist." The spiky haired freak rose up with anger on his forehead and a fist in his hand, "Excuse me, sir, but I don't think I heard you correctly. Did you just threaten me?" He stood his ground, without fear (to his surprise), "The threat is already here, my friend. Your trajectory in life is already in a downward spiral to an abyss. You're not doing what you're supposed to: change course!" His mind went blank.

He woke up in what seemed to be a hospital bed, and an earthquake of a head. A lady that seemed like a nurse came in, "My! Look who has woken up? You got one hell of a beating, sir. Have some aspirin, you're probably in dear need of it." She hands him a glass of water, barely touching his hand. "You've been the talk of the ICU; they're calling you the fortune teller." "What date is it?", he coughed. "You've been out for four days. Good timing, I'd say. I overheard the doctor say that, when you finally came to, you'll be asked to stay in the hospital a bit more time. Psychiatric care: doctors are not fond of all that talking-to-yourself thing. I guess it doesn't matter much now." "I wasn't... that was..." he looked closely at her. "Who are you?" "That doesn't matter, sir. Right now is your time of glory. Look out the window and see your prophecy come true. Wonderful, isn't it?"

He painfully turned his head to see a black shadow fall from the sky. He looked at the clock in front of him, ticking away. "There's time" he said. He started to wrestle out of the bed's sheets. "You might think that, but why spoil it? Isn't it beautiful? Just look at the magnificent treachery literally falling over this world! Man strives to be God pursuing His perfection. Ha! That emptiness there, my good sir, that is perfection." He looked again, and watched the shadow eating the horizon up in such a way that he began to forget what a horizon is; his eyes swelled with awe. "What are you doing? Stand! Go and start the revolution!" he exclaimed. "I can't... she's right: it's beautiful, it all makes sense now." She smiled and climbed up his bed to lay at his side, caressing his hair. "Look at it. Nothingness. Is this what you were trying to avoid? But, why? It's... it's... what is."

Silence came upon them both and their memories sucked into oblivion, never to be thought of again. Silence became inexistent, and any concept of noise and its absence was erased. Then the act of erasing was inexplicable. An explanation became inexistent. And to exist was not to exist.

A light appeared for nobody to see. "Time. There's always time," he said. "And you're not the only one that can hear me."

Genesis 0, aka Revelations 23

Pseudo-Code for a PhD

//   Preamble    //
define interests = ['childhood dreams', 'tips of BA teachers', 'family know-how']
define max_wait_time = 10 days //change accordingly

list_of_possible_supervisors = new list()
list_of_answers = new list()
list_of_universities = new list()
do
   list_of_possible_universities = google(interests)
   for each (list_of_universities as university)
      list_of_possible_supervisors.add(university,interests)
   endfor
   for each (list_of_possible_supervisors as possible_supervisor)
      email(possible_supervisor, interests)
      possible_supervisor.initialise_wait_time()
   endfor
   //do polling of supervisor list
   do
      for each (list_of_possible_supervisors as possible_supervisor)
         feedback = check_email_from(possible_supervisor)
         if exist(feedback)
            redefine interests = change(interests, feedback)
            list_of_answers.add(answer(feedback))
            list_of_possible_supervisors.remove(possible_supervisor)
            if not exist(list_of_universities[possible_supervisor.university()])
               list_of_universities.add(possible_supervisor.university())
            endif
         elseif possible_supervisor.current_wait_time() > max_wait_time
            list_of_possible_supervisors.remove(possible_supervisor)
         endif
      endfor
   while list_of_possible_supervisors.count() > 0
while list_of_universities.count() > 0

//    Aplication phase    //
//Most of it is just for show: we all know at most 1 university answers back
for each list_of_universities as university
   application(university,list_of_answers.from_university(university))
   university.initialise_wait_time()
endfor
//poll each university response
list_of_accepted_letters = new list()
do
   for each list_of_universities as university
      response = check_mail_from(university)
      if exist(response) and response = 'accepted'
         list_of_accepted_letters.add(get_letter(response))
         list_of_universities.remove(university)
      elseif university.current_wait_time() > max_wait_time
         list_of_universities.remove(university)
      endif
   endfor
while list_of_universities.count() > 0
if list_of_accepted_letters.count() == 0
   return 'Failure. No applications accepted. Run again for another try.'
endif

//   Scholarship phase    //
//assuming you have a scholarship, and if you do, it's always just 1
//that you're eligible for
if not family_savings_ok()
   do
      if exists(feedback)
         redefine interests = change(interests, feedback)
      endif
      essay = write_essay(interests)
      [answer, feedback] = apply_to_scholarship (essay, list_of_accepted_letters)
   while answer == 'no'
   define soul = extract_from(interests)
   money = letter_from_scholarship(answer,soul)
   accepted_university = extract_from(feedback)
else
   money = beg_from_parents();
   accepted_university = extract_from(list_of_accepted_letters.random())
endif

//   First year   //
supervisor = meet_supervisor(university.supervisor)
project = remind(supervisor)
list_of_papers_to_read = extract_from(supervisor)
list_of_papers_read = new list()
do
   for each list_of_papers_to_read as paper
      list_of_papers_read.add(read(paper))
      list_of_papers_to_read.remove(paper)
      redefine interests = change(interests, paper)
      redefine project = change(project, interests, paper)
   endfor
   list_of_papers_to_read = send_to_supervisor(supervisor, list_of_papers_read)
while current_time() < 10 months
redefine project = extract_from(list_of_papers_read, project, interests)
first_year_report = write_report(list_of_papers_read,project)
feedback = first_year_viva(first_year_report, supervisor)
if feedback == 'fail'
   return 'Submit for an MPhil.'
endif
first_year_report = rewrite(first_year_report, feedback)

//   Second year   //
list_of_papers_to_write = extract_from(supervisor, first_year_report)
list_of_papers_written = new list()
list_of_publications = new list()
for each list_of_papers_to_write as paper
   list_of_papers_to_read = extract_from(paper)
   list_of_papers_read = new list()
   do
      for each list_of_papers_to_read as paper
         list_of_papers_read.add(read(paper))
         list_of_papers_to_read.remove(paper)
         redefine interests = change(interests, paper)
         redefine project = change(project, interests, paper)
      endfor
      list_of_papers_to_read = send_to_supervisor(supervisor, list_of_papers_read)
   while list_of_papers_to_read.count() > 0
   paper.introduction = extract_from(list_of_papers_read)
   paper.rest = extract_from(project, interests, ass)
   cry()
   journal = find_journal(paper, supervisor, project)
   if exists(journal)
      pray()
      feedback = submit_to(journal,paper)
      if exist(feedback)
         do
            paper = rewrite(paper, feedback)
            feedback = submit_to(journal,paper)
         while current_time() < journal.publishing_date()
         list_of_publications.add(paper)
      endif
   endif
   list_of_papers_written.add(paper)
endfor
second_year_report = write_report(first_year_report,list_of_papers_written,project)
if current_time() < 2 years
   road_trip()
   start_a_band()
   play_world_of_warcraft()
   sleep()
   read(second_year_report)
endif
feedback = second_year_viva(second_year_report, supervisor)
if feedback == 'fail'
   return 'Submit for an MPhil.'
endif
second_year_report = rewrite(second_year_report, feedback)

//   Third year   //
while list_of_publications.count() == 0
   for each list_of_papers_written as paper
      journal = find_journal(paper, supervisor, project)
      if exists(journal)
         pray()
         feedback = submit_to(journal,paper)
         if exist(feedback)
            do
               paper = rewrite(paper, feedback)
               feedback = submit_to(journal,paper)
            while current_time() < journal.publishing_date()
            list_of_publications.add(paper)
         endif
      endif
endwhile
thesis.introduction = extract_from(list_of_papers_read,second_year_report)
thesis.rest = write_thesis(list_of_publications)
feedback = phd_viva(thesis, supervisor, supervisor.external_examiner)
if feedback == 'fail'
   return 'Submit for an MPhil.'
else
   thesis = rewrite(thesis, feedback)
   return 'Congratulations, Dr. You'
endif

If you actually read all the way to here, and found the error in there, you my friend are sick!

Un año mas, un año menos

It has been a year... so? What's changed?

I'm in a relationship that has challenged me to not only fulfill the part that lies in my responsability and that I usually am not able to meet, but to also commit to a long-distance situation that is famous for its difficulty. However, it has sustained me, I don't know how, but if it wasn't for it, I would probably be lost (more so than I am right now); I tend to be a loner, and seeing myself relying and pursuing the oral company of someone is not something that I'd expect. At the same time, it's not a question of reliability, as being so far away there is so much that someone can do to help. It is a matter of reflection, of feedback (ironically, me in the Control Engineering side); we're a mirror of each other, with all its caveats: I talk like a madman (yes, that hasn't changed) and she's the silent type; I'm more in the commercial arts, while she's more underground; I'm a techy, she's a bio; I don't read, while she loves it; I'm a raging thundershower, she's a spring breeze; I'm a know-it-all, while she actually does. Yet, we click, we nod in the same direction... Thank you Carmen, I love you.

I'm a fullblown PhD student now, with all its glory and stress. I am getting the hang of it though, little by little. I've found that is a matter for persistance, not in the work part, but in the planning. Knowing what to do today and the next day is always comforting. That, and waking up early really helps to get over stuff quickly.

Finally, I'm still here; I'm still going at it. I guess that's the thing that I should be most grateful for. I just hope I'm going about this the right way.

A sense of wonder, the joy of day, and glory of self, all smiling concur with the sound insane.

... Sort Of

I've waited much this day, and work's completed... sort of. I always tend to describe a phase of my life by a phrase, and this past few months have been exactly that: "sort of". Everything is closer than being finished than ever before (which, logically, it always is, but that's a topic for another time), and there's a blinking light at the end of the tunnel. Blinking, unfortunately, so it may be just a figment of my imagination, which from grading my own sanity, it might probably well be.

For those that have endured my weird, non-constant, non-periodical ramblings, and care at least a little for it: you may ask yourself, "How is this any different than before?" If you haven't asked yourself that, you might want to ponder it now... don't worry... I'll wait...

... The difference is that there's no turning back now. I'm more than halfway there, it feels like it. If I know myself as well as I think I do, I know that I won't leave this unresolved; pride is one part, fear is another. Yes, fear. You see, my mum is quite the silent psychic; once she just felt that I needed to bring an extra pair of shoes to a holiday trip to a place that unexpectedly had strong showers. I think I had some of that passed on to me, as I'm always thinking "Five years from now, I'm going to regret not finishing this, being so close to it." And it is true; not the best reason to finish it I suppose, but it does the job.

It's an acquired taste this research thing, and it has been a weird path to acquire it. I'm not too sure that I've acquired it completely though; I hope that the other half of the path takes care of that.

So here I go, ready to jump in this next part, and see it through the end... sort of.

Who is screwing who?

I live under a rock, apparently. No wait, I live in the United Kingdom (which may actually qualify as being under a rock). And I just came across the most hideous way to tell your partner you're screwing someone else:

It gets even better in the strike back:

Funny, yes, but what impresses me the most is the kind of pull that this Jimmy Kimmel has! His show is nice (I've watched it a couple of times in YouTube), but it isn't that nice. Just goes to show you how far a guy can go to hurt the people he has been betrayed by.

And for the record, I know it's a gag... well, I hope it's a gag, for the good of the little dignity that Hollywood and all of the invited guests have.