How long has it been?....

Wow! It definitely has been sometimes since my last visit. I apologize for irregular behaviour, but if you ever TA, you'll see what happened in the past week!

Okay, my bittersweet sensation did mean what it was meant for.Semester ends, and life winds down (to the extent of less nuisance).Then Voila! The final exam week. How could I have forgotten about such a hell week?

Nope. To many of you that are noding b/c you could imagine studying hard for the exams.That's not what I'm talking about.

Studying for exam is in fact easy (sounds cocky aren't I). Well, not like a piece of cake, but the key is to be consistent: take good notes, attend regularly, read up. Most people have tough times meeting consistency.They slack off for about 3 months, and then try to cram everything in the last couple days. And they complain. Hell yeah! If I ask you to write down all the parties and conversions during parties you have had over the past three months, they'll complain the same thing!! Because these are not meant for a couple of days!

Anyway, enough about that. My point today is grading exams. Most students have no idea as this seems to be hidden behind the stage. I spent three days grading straight. Exam happened on last Friday late afternoon.
I was requested that "grade submission must be done on Tuesday".
Fine plenty of time, I thought.

"OH.. and grades for senior must be submitted by 9am Monday."
Crap. If it doesn't seem bad yet. Consider these, 71 students, 11 questions.Most write about 3 books (8 page each). I must also make consistent judgement across all.If that isn't bad enough, here the last blow. Professor does all the letter grades o_O!That means to meet deadline, I have to finish even earlier to give my poor Professor who has just flew back from China enough time to look them over under his jetlag condition.

Why can't they just make the grades due on the same day?

...

.....

Thank you (lucky for me!).

And your EQ score is....

Apparently, EQ is defined as "between the "emotional age" and the chronological age that meaures emotional intelligence (how well a person understands emotions); the most famous test used to determine the EQ is the MSCEIT (Meyer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test)." (from Wiki).

I don't think what I have here is in fact the MSCEIT. It could be, but it looks fairly doubtful from my experience (score calculation is done by simple multiplication and addition). Shouldn't the system be a little more complex? Well, I was blue on my color test. So here are the next piece of information about me for all of you on cyberspace.


"Your Score: 47 (45-54)

Congratulations! You have very high emotional intelligence. This is good news! EQ counts for twice as much as IQ and technical skills combined in determining who will be a star performer. Your level of EQ likely has been and will be a driver of your high performance for years to come. Areas to work on: While you are doing well - don't forget to take time out of your busy day-to-day activities to stop and reflect on what brings you the greatest meaning in your life. If we fail to do this on a regular basis, we risk becoming tranquilized by the trivial. Sedated by the small details. Yes, deadlines need meeting and goals must be achieved. But if we are working toward goals that are not in alignment with our key values and greater purpose, we face becoming hostile and cynical - losing the reason we are doing 'all of this' in this first place! This translates into less joy and enthusiasm for our work - resulting in a diminished ability to be effective, at ease, and on purpose. As William James said: I have no doubt whatever that most people live, whether physically, intellectually, or morally, in a very restricted circle of their potential being. They make use of a very small portion of their possible consciousness... much like a man who, out of his whole body organism, should get into the habit of using and moving only his little finger... We all have reservoirs of life to draw upon, of which we do not dream."

I'll see what kind of dogs I am next. I tried that one a long time ago and I think it's kinda cute.

Another one down...

OH god (Buddha, whatever)!
Spring semester is about to end.
No way!
It only have just begun moments ago.

Coming back from BKK, loaded with ideas and books.
Pursue a few, discard a lot.
My winter break was supposedly useful. Now, I'm not sure.

A step is a step. It is always useful to take one forward.
Relatively, however, is a step relatively a useful thing always? I doubt.

Coalition formation in Cabinetry government
Intergenerational public finance

Spring break lets me explore Seattle.
Though biasedly preferring San Francisco, Seattle almost had me change my mind.A truly exceptional and tasty trip. Thanks to the Microsoft gal.

Economics is indeed a way of thought, not a mere discipline anymore.
Communications in interest of this generation economists are very different from what we projected it to be.

Class conflicts and revolutions
Rise to the power: agent-based modelling
Political Parties and Economic Performance

I should read Acemoglu&Robinson, Donrnbusch&Edwards.
I also should look at BowlesDurlauf&Hoff, and Bardhan

Nevertheless, the semester has in all been bittersweet .
Bitterness from works.
Bitterness for lacking accomplishment to share.
Bitterness from failures.
Bitterness from knowing that I don't truly knew.

Sweetness though lies within.
Sweetness in coming closer to my own preference.
Sweetness in knowing more about myself (and my interest).
Sweetness comes from being to see the clearer big picture.
Sweetness in seeing beyond signals and symbols.
Sweetness in understanding and helping hands.
Sweetness in true colors.
Sweetness in knowing that she's there.
Sweetness in knowing that she cares.
Sweetiness in knowing that she tries hard to ease your day.
Sweetness is having her around, sharing throughts and activities.

True sweetness definitely lies within.
Quality is intrinsic, value may not.
Good things are earned, not given.
Only when you appreciate it, will it leads to a revealation.
I am thankful.

It's been a good semester, a bittersweet one. Just right for my taste.