tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5267473117136772602024-03-12T19:21:08.648-04:00Somewhere between Engineering and BusinessNickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-82376956764736010382009-12-20T16:21:00.000-05:002009-12-26T03:28:41.124-05:00Old postsMigrated some really old stuff over from NickSuch.net hosted on sweb.uky.edu/nasuch2<br />
It has been interesting reading what was on my mind in my younger days...Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-88971374492313407362009-10-12T08:32:00.000-04:002009-10-12T08:32:02.474-04:00New SundaysThis started off as an e-mail to Luke and Brian, but now it lives here. Since then, Luke also informed me of oneweekjob.com<br />
<br />
<hr /><br />
<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<div>From now on, my Sundays will be dedicated to relaxation and the generation of new ideas. 3M does this 15% of the time, so i figured 1 day / 7 = 14.3% of each week. Close enough.<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>Here are 3 for today:<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>1. <b>Music recording studio.</b> This could be the new incarnation of Rockstar Jam Sessions. A low-cost studio, with decent tools, sound-controlled recording room. Just thinking of another way to get the creative talent through our doors. I will research to see if there is anything else like this in the area, and for comparable rates. Definitely would be a night-time thing, unless we get really good at soundproofing.<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>2. <b>T-shirts.</b> There are 8000+ "Kentucky" designs on CafePress. "Kentucky" is a huge brand, but it is commonly either derogatory or boring. <a href="http://shop.cafepress.com/design/15922687" style="color: #354258;" target="_blank">Redneck</a>? <a href="http://kentucky.gov/Pages/unbridledspirit.aspx" style="color: #354258;" target="_blank">Unbridled Spirit</a>? How about we embrace the 'Awesome Ink' misnomer. Proposal: graphic design of creative new line of t-shirts that aren't boring yet showcase what KY is really about: beauty, craftsmanship, horses, basketball, bourbon, the outdoors, family, friendliness, the convergence of north and south, beautiful women, and the fusion of creativity and technology.<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>Inspiration: <a href="http://www.callmejeffrey.com/" style="color: #354258;" target="_blank">Threadless.com founder</a> (via <a href="http://andrewhyde.net/brilliant-short-film-on-jeffrey-kalmikoff/" style="color: #354258;" target="_blank">Andew Hyde</a>)<br />
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</div><div>3. <b>My AJ Jacobs book: 26 jobs in 1 year.</b> I have been working on a list for a few years of all the jobs I would like to have experience with: mechanic, farmer, plumber, teacher, doctor, etc. I want to be MacGuyver or The Pretender for real. From an entrepreneurial perspective, this will give me incredibly valuable exposure to a very wide variety of industries in a very short time. I think 2 weeks will be enough time to discover some of the major problems, and enough content to write a book about how to fix those problems. Also, that will allow for me to put in my 2-week notice on day 1.<br />
</div><div><br />
</div>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-81704508140395929812009-10-09T08:26:00.000-04:002009-10-09T08:26:29.019-04:00An Entrepreneur's case for BicyclesEntrepreneurship is an uphill battle, pitting the strength of human will against the headwinds of a fickle market. Everything that entrepreneur gets, he or she earns. Cycling is not much different, especially in the context of the rolling hills of Central Kentucky. There are ups and downs, that conveniently alternate without warning. Frequently you have to climb out of gulch, yet you can't quite see the end. This is where determined cyclists and determined entrepreneurs can empathize. When you're not at the top, but you want to be, you focus the entirety of your consciousness to make it happen.<br />
<br />
Sometimes, entrepreneurship isn't popular. Your friends and family, possibly your spouse, can be averted to the idea of discarding the security of a corporate job to pursue your passion. When commuting on my bicycle, I am frequently told by the drivers of neighboring cars that I should, "Get off the road!" or, "Buy a car you idiot!" Has this forced me to stop riding yet? No. Like a successful entrepreneur, I have taken the time to observe the big picture. I have a 1 mile commute. While this is a 20-minute walk, it is barely a 5-minute bike ride. During rush hour (ie the time when I actually commute), driving a car this distance through downtown Lexington takes about 15 minutes. I don't think my choice to commute by bicycle is that novel of an idea, but it seems to have far more benefits than drawbacks:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Nearest bike rack is immediately outside the doors to my office building. The parking lot is around the back, across the street.</li>
<li>During a 15-minute car ride through city traffic, 2 things are successfully accomplished</li>
<ul><li>Waste a lot of gas heating up an engine</li>
<li>Build up a lot of frustration, wanting to go somewhere but being inhibited by the herd.</li>
</ul></ul>This is where I find the greatest similarity between entrepreneurs and commuter cyclists. So many people are frustrated with their jobs and their commutes. Yet, instead of looking for and being willing to try another viable option, they continue to give into the unintentional societal norms that suggest that a good benefits package is more important than following your dreams or that paying for the luxury of gasoline has better results than daily exercise.<br />
<br />
Entrepreneurs and commuter cyclists must always be alert. They stand out from the herd, so they must learn to protect themselves. But likely that is the reason they have chosen their path in the first place. They care so much about their passion that they manifest the will to execute upon it. How the world is a better place as a result of these pursuit.Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-54523979173856069342009-10-01T23:41:00.000-04:002009-10-01T23:41:00.152-04:00My Three E's<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0px;">I am passionate about the 3 E's (I know, Jack Welch has 4, but that's an unlucky number in Japan, so I'll stick with 3).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Engineering</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Entrepreneurship</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Environment</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0px;">Each of these have a deeper than surface meaning.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Engineering</b> is all about problem solving. In the popular sense, engineering is about understanding the laws by which the physical world operates and using that knowledge to create structures, devices, chemicals, and software. In a more human sense, it is about learning from our life experiences. It is about rewarding intelligence over laziness. It is about being open-minded, observational, and retaining a life-long thirst for knowledge. It is about knowing that you don't know everything. It is about believing that facts are more convincing than opinions. It is about knowing your expertise, and trusting others on their expertise.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Entrepreneurship</b> is literally undertaking an endeavor. It is popularly used to describe those who start their own business ventures. It also describes my favorite definition of leader: "Not necessarily he who strives to be first, but he who is first to strive." Being an entrepreneur is about ignoring antiquated social norms and being your own person. It is about taking a step back, looking at the big picture, and seeing what others are missing. It is about rallying the pimps (ie your coolest friends) and getting them to collaboratively do something awesome. It is about not settling for the old and proven, but venturing out into the uncertain unknown. Entrepreneurship is about sacrificing good now for great later. It is about following the vision of Gordon B Hinckley, who at age 92 stated, "I am no longer a young man filled with energy and vitality. I’m given to meditation and prayer. I would enjoy sitting in a rocker, swallowing prescriptions, listening to soft music, and contemplating the things of the universe. But such activity offers no challenge and makes no contribution. I wish to be up and doing. I wish to face each day with resolution and purpose. I wish to use every waking hour to give encouragement, to bless those whose burdens are heavy, to build faith and strength of testimony. It is the presence of wonderful people which stimulates the adrenaline. It is the look of love in their eyes which gives me energy."<br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Environment</b>, in the green movement of the new millennium, is about stepping back from a myopic view of the consequences of human activity on this planet. What one of us does today effects everyone tomorrow. Therefore, environment is about solidarity. It is about never being alone on this journey. Environment is about service and sacrifice. It is about not separating the end and the means. It is about Stephen R. Covey's "Third Alternatives". It is about consensus, equality, liberty, unity, and teamwork.<br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">These are deep-rooted beliefs. I will never think it is dumb to be smart. I will always hope you dance, instead of sitting on the sidelines. I will respect the earth and all people who live here.<br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">What is unanswered is this: how will I make progress on all 3 of these when I wake up tomorrow morning?<br />
</div>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-33669195430798280832009-03-08T04:42:00.002-04:002009-12-26T04:43:00.232-05:00Quote from "The Voice of the Martians"<p>"Cynics say that, Hungarians created America's Hollywood befoer other Hungarians less destructively created America's atomic bomb." - The Voice of the Martians</p><p>In case you have not realized, just as I did not, the influence of Hungary in Hollywood, here are just a few American movies that were filmed in Hungary:</p><ul><li>Evita</li>
<li>Underworld 1&2</li>
<li>Munich</li>
<li>Kontroll</li>
</ul>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-14541053023511168832006-10-16T03:28:00.000-04:002009-12-26T03:30:12.768-05:00Traditional Families<p>The "Traditional Family", by a popular defintion, currently describes a meager 7% of American households. This definition states that a traditional family is one where the male head of household is the wage-earner, the female head is responsible for caring for the household and rearing the children, and at least one of these children is under the age of 18.</p><br />
<p>From where and when this definition stems is not the most pressing issue at hand. What brings greater concern are questions such as, "How do we define family," and "How does this effect us?"</p><br />
<p>The family, in many cases, is considered a safe haven of love and the fulfillment of one's pupose in life. But for many people, family is a source of turmoil, grief, stress, and frustration. How are these people's needs quenched in our society when the family is unable to do so?</p><br />
<p>Another drawback of the traditional family is in the rights granted to this classification. Our government and other socially supportive organizations often award financial aid and assistance to groups defined as families. What if a societal group provides for the needs of children, but does not meet the dying traditional definition of family? Where do grandparents, single parents, unmarried couples, same-sex parents, and other leaders of familial teams go when they need help raising children? Why does our society continue to glorify an ideal of family that hasn't been the norm for over 2 decades?</p><br />
<p>Since my mom went back to work, following a demanding life of raising 3 very active children, my family's classification has moved from Traditional to Dual Income. I never realized that this change meant that my family had migrated away from the percieved norm, but find comfort in the notion that we may have become more "normal". Even my parents, whose 1960s-1980s Catholic familes had 6 and 7 children, were from untraditional roots because both of their parents worked. The family is far too complex of an entity to have any single situation deemed as its ideal. Even American TV has caught on to this fact. "Seventh Heaven", "The Gilmore Girls", "American Dreams", "Desperate Housewives", and even "The Brady Bunch" can help us disassociate ourselves from the inaccurate "Leave it to Beaver" idealization.</p><br />
<p>A few other points to ponder:</p><ul><li>the divorce rate in America has been steady since about 1980.</li>
<li>the average number of pregnancies per American female has stayed nearly constant at 3.5 since 1900</li>
<li>despite the fears that heterosexual marriage is an endangered institution in our country, almost 90% of Americans will marry in their lifetimes</li>
<li>Is your family a "Traditional" one?</li>
<li>If not, how has this affected your development as a person?</li>
<li>How would you define family?</li>
</ul><br />
<br />
<p>(I was inspired to write this following a weekend where 2 sets of my college friends were married, thus starting new familes of their own. In addition, my girlfriend, who is majoring in sociology, is taking a course on familes this semester, and is at this hour slaving over 3 complex essays on the subject.)</p>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-7213408046862869132006-10-03T03:34:00.002-04:002009-12-26T03:35:19.584-05:00Realizations of Average<p>I have recently come to think of myself as the perfectly average, middle class, middle of America posterchild. My childhood saw are circle around the Heartland, growing up in Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Kentucky. I'm 5' 8'', 160 lbs., and Caucasian. I drive a Ford (and would rather bike it, but don't due to route safety and suburban sprawl). I played sports throughout my childhood, but wasn't good enough for college. I'm a Catholic Christian. I like computers and cars and action movies. Almost every article of clothing I own came from 3 sources: the aforementioned sports' teams, Old Navy, or Kohl's. I think Outback is a fancy restaurant. I'm not a fan of abortion, but I don't think felonizing the practice will save any more babies. If two dudes want adopt one of those potentially aborted babies and start a family, I don't see how that is a bad thing. Doesn't mean it's going to be my life choice. I wouldn't mind if marijuana was legal, especially if it meant that Kentucky schools would get a nice tax kickback from the state's biggest cash crop. Doesn't mean I'm gonna start toking. I own a cell phone and a digital camera. So do half of our country's 8th graders. I don't have an iPod. My grandparents are registered Democrats. My parents are registered Republicans.</p><br />
<p>The first point I'm trying to make is, if there is some proverbial FENCE out there, I live my life trotting upon it. From this perspective, my outlook on life possesses at least one of two characteristics: I understand the Middle, and/or I don't get the Extremes.</p><br />
<p>Which brings me to my second point. Who out there in our country is really that extreme? If the last presidential election was a good indicator, then America is rather...average. If every ballot cast in America was decided by a coin flip (donkey or elephant), we would have had almost the exact same popular election results. Normal distribution? I wonder what Pete Williams would say...</p><br />
<p>In the words of a band ironically named 'War', "Why can't we be friends, Why can't we be friends?"</p>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-40471650506481223962006-09-30T03:35:00.001-04:002009-12-26T03:36:27.584-05:00Choices<p>In a society that still has trouble accepting the differences/similarities between Black and White, how have we allowed ourselves to be satisfied with "Democrat or Republican"?</p><br />
<p>Point for Pondering inspired by a recent Facebook debate by 3 of my highschool peers.</p>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-5629575883227957432006-06-06T03:36:00.009-04:002009-12-26T03:38:55.957-05:00Letter to my favorite middle school science teacher, Mr. SpeerMr. Speer,<br />
<br />
I'm not sure if you remember me, but you were my 8th grade science teacher at Peter Kiewit Middle School. I think that was the 1999-2000 school year. Anyway, you were probably one of the most influential teachers I've ever had, and I hadn't talked to you in a while. So, I checked to see if you were still teaching (that Google thing sure comes in handy), and found your e-mail address at Beadle Middle School.<br />
<br />
I am 20 years old and currently finishing up my sophomore year of college. I have spent this semester in Budapest, Hungary as an exchange student at Budapesti Muszaki Egyetem (Budapest University of Technology and Economics, in English). It has been the experience of a lifetime. In the 5 short months that I have been here, I have visited all 5 countries that my ancestors hail from, in addition to about 8 other countries that were either close by or seemed interesting enough to visit. I had never even been to Mexico before February, so this has been a very novel thing for me. It was also kind of crazy for me to come over here and find out that my roommate was a guy from NE Wesleyan who graduated from Millard South! Small world.<br />
<br />
My family moved from Omaha to a suburb of Louisville, KY following my Eighth Grade year. The area we live in reminds me a lot of Omaha. There was even a corn field across the street from us, but it has since succumbed to residential development. I attended South Oldham high school, played baseball and football for 4 years. I graduated 3rd in a class of 273, and maintained a 4.0 GPA. I think I decided somewhere between my 7th and 8th grade years that I wanted to study engineering. I remember doing one of those career aptitude tests, and I was quite pleased to see that "Aerospace Engineer" came up for me. I think your science class had a lot to do with it also. I remember you bringing us news clips of technological developments, introducing us to neodymium magnets, and of course our activities related to NASA. Throughout high school, I took courses that would prepare me for a future as an engineer. AP Calculus, Statistics, Physics, etc. I tried to counterbalance that overly technical load with more subjective courses and activities, also.<br />
<br />
This brings me right up to college. I started off looking at schools like Notre Dame (too elitist), Purdue (too expensive out of state), Illinois (too gigantic), and Missouri-Rolla (too engineer-y). The university I chose was initially my fall back school, but I would consider it anything but that now. The two years I have spent at the University of Kentucky have been two of the best years of my life. I have had a chance to explore the natural beauty of the state of Kentucky. It's amazing how beautiful the landscape is in the Eastern part of the state is; too bad they got stuck with the Appalachia/Redneck stereotype. Looks just like Transylvania in Romania. I have made lots of new friends, and gotten to try many new things. I met my girlfriend at the Catholic Church (Newman Center) on our campus. She led the "Outdoor Adventures", and would take groups of students to hike and camp at KY's state parks. She had actually spent a semester in Linz, Austria before I came over here. We both come home in a couple weeks. Mechanical Engineering has so far proved to be everything that I hoped it would be. I joined the Solar Car team at the end of my Freshman year. We traveled to Austin, TX last summer to compete in the North American Solar Challenge. This cross-country "rayce" departs from Austin and goes 2500 miles to Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We passed all the inspections, and were on our final 1/3 of the day of qualifying laps when the "Gato del Sol II" decided to blow 4 capacitors and end our hopes of racing. We were kind of heart-broken, and are still trying to repair and improve the car.<br />
<br />
This fall semester, I will be working at General Electric's Consumer and Industrial division in Louisville. Another great thing about studying engineering is the chance to do co-ops/internships. I get to do real engineering work, without yet having a degree, I get college credit for it, and they even pay me! I'm pretty excited about this opportunity.<br />
<br />
So, that about sums up my life since I last saw you. I have actually had this letter as a point in my to-do list for about the past 3 years. When I got a Palm Pilot, it was one of the first things I wrote down. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated what you did for me. You were given the task shoving a necessary set of skills down the throats of a group of 8th graders. You, however, saw that there was a much better opportunity at hand. That was about the last time in our lives that we would be openly receptive to the influences of our teachers, and you seized the chance. You instilled me with a curiosity that still steers my thoughts today. You showed us that the world was far too interesting to ever be bored. But most of all, you helped us transition toward adulthood by treating us like young adults, not just a bunch of kids. You showed us that we could be anyone we wanted to, if we worked for it. The world needs more people like you.<br />
<br />
All of this has so far been about me, now I'd like to find out how you've been for the past 6 years. I see that you are no longer at Kiewit, so how is Beadle? How is your family doing? Did I read correctly that you still take students to science competitions? How about the EarthKam?<br />
<br />
It would be great to hear back from you, and thank you again for all you do.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Nick Such<br />
University of Kentucky<br />
Mechanical Engineering<br />
nicksuch@gmail.com<br />
www.nicksuch.netNickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-65817833843221921272006-05-16T03:38:00.002-04:002009-12-26T03:39:58.721-05:00Live and learn, live to learn, learn about life<p>Time is winding down, and I've finally started to study for finals. I thought the following applies well to my life right now, too.</p><p>We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action.<br />
<br />
- Frank Tibolt<br />
</p>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-46733016853162322332006-05-13T03:40:00.000-04:002009-12-26T03:43:12.533-05:00Quotes that relate<p>Don't try to solve serious matters in the middle of the night.<br />
<br />
- Philip K. Dick</p><p>I definately applied this last night. I was tired, so I went to sleep, leaving a Hungarian Culture presentation to prepare for, Dynamics HW to do, a little bit of packing, and a an international Taco Fiesta to prepare for. Got through it with a little praying and a little sleep, it all worked out.</p>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-88211626004939831792006-05-12T03:41:00.001-04:002009-12-26T03:42:26.702-05:00Quote of the Day<p>Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh.<br />
- WH Auden</p>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-52414006749304436912006-03-27T03:43:00.002-05:002009-12-26T03:44:26.270-05:00Country Hopping!<p>Hey all you Americans,</p><p>This is my first time writing to you guys as a 20-year-old. Yep, I'm no longer a teenager! In addition to closing out my second decade on this planet, I can also add visits to Barcelona, Spain and Linz, Austria to my life's list of accomplishments. I am sorry to all of you who I miss dearly, but it will be difficult to leave Europe.</p><p>Stephanie has now seen the 8th World Wonder, in the city of Budapest. She came to pay homage to the greatest city in Central Europe with a group of about 96 students from the lesser county of Austria. I met up with her once she arrived, and got to meet all of her foreign friends. Once they finished their tours of The City and visited Hungary's restoring baths, we got to check out some of Budapest's night life. We headed to the pubs for some Hungarian Unicum liquer, then off to the Diskos!</p><p>Hungary, after many border changes, has become a land-locked country. So we headed to Barcelona, Spain to enjoy the refreshing Mediterranean breeze. In Barcelona, Steph and I met up with Ryan McMahon (known simply as 'Nebraska' to many of you) and Stephanie's friend Stella who is from Zaragosa, Spain. We spent the first day seeing all the unique sights of Barcelona, such as the mall attached to our hotel. It did have some really good crepes. The next day, we headed out to do some of the more touristy things. We saw Las Ramblas, the main drag of Barcelona. It was filled with outrageous street performers, struggling artists, and a grande helping of Paella! I'm pretty sure I gained 10 pounds in the week we spent in Spain. Following the rice and seafood skillet that was Paella, we downed a little bit of homebrewed Sangria (a Spanish wine and fruit coctail), some Tapas (assorted appetizers) including Patatas Bravas (amazing fried potatoes with special sauces on top) and Callos (look that one only if you are really curious and aren't reading this over dinner), and more Crepes. Besides the food, Barcelona's Harbor, Placa de Colon (Christopher Columbus), Picasso Museum, and Gaudi Park were very fun sights to see.</p><p>For those of you who, like me, could not place Barcelona on a map of Spain, it is very important to know that it is on the Northeastern / Mediterranean corner nearest France. This resulted in two important parts of our trip: mild temperatures and the Catalan language. We did get to see the beach, but the 60 degree Fahrenheit weather made it a little too cold for swimming. As for the language, Barcelona officially speaks Catalan, a Spanish dialect that also has some similarities to French. Not to worry, however. If your Spanish skills are good enough, the locals will, although reluctantly, speak to you.</p><p>Following Spain, I took a one week hiatus in Hungary. It was great to eat soup and buy lunch at the cafeteria for about $0.60. Spain is on the Euro, and is rather expensive, while Hungary still clings to its Forint for 2 more years. Thanks to Stephanie, I was, however, hooked on the Crepes that we ate every day in Spain. Mmmmmm, sweet goodness. So I made some back here in Hungary, where they are called Palacsinta (Puh-luh-cheen-tuh). The Romanians (my Dad) call them Clatite (Cluh-tee-tay).</p><p>So you may be wondering what is so important about those darn Crepes. I'm getting to it. On Thursday, I hopped on a bus then later a train towards Linz, Austria. After more than 6 months of hearing about it, I finally got to visit Stephanie in her home away from the Bluegrass. Quaint might be the best word I can find to describe Linz. Everything looks as if it is straight from my Mom's porcelain Christmas village collection. The city is nestled between some hills in Northern Austria. It is home to Austria's largest church and Europe's steepest mountain railway. Although our schedule didn't allow for those this time around, I had a great time in Linz.</p><p>The first night there, I got to hang out with Steph and her international friends in the Raab Heim (which must mean Ginormous DormHotel in Deutsch). The next day, we went on a hike to a nearby lake and played some football (European style - no hands). Then we went out for Linz's best pizza. Even Stephanie's Italian friends approved. This brings us to Saturday, the reason for my visit. March 25 was two anniversaries in one for me. The most lenghty marked 20 years since I was born. Mom and Dad, I owe you one, it has been one exciting life so far. Although it was my first birthday away from you, it was also the first birthday where I was sung to in 4 different languages! The second occasion for celebration was the one year that I have been dating the most amazing woman on the planet: Stephanie Craig. What is crazy is that we get to see each other more now that we are both in Europe! For the first time in 20 years, I can truly say that I am in love. That day, we woke up, walked the streets of Linz, sat down for some Wienersnitzel and Sauerkraut, and searched for a new Speedo so I could look more European at the beach. I chickened out of that one, for now. Then we went back to Stephanie's dorm and made Crepes with the French and Italians, who know what they are doing when it comes to crepes. Once we could eat no more, we headed out for some dancing at "Cheeese" and "RememBar". It was one great birthday present.</p><p>So now I am back in Hungary. I spent last night with the Hungarian Transportation Engineering students who live in my dorm. They had a competition where they shut down one of Budapest's six bridges over the Danube at midnight and raced student-built pedal-carts on the tram rails. It was a pretty sweet night, hanging out with 2 Ádáms, 3 Zsolts, a John Deere replica complete with smokestack, and about 1000 other competitive engineers.</p><p>Sorry for the length of this e-mail, just had to get out the feelings I have for Europe and its people (ok, the food too). This trip has made me more proud of the country I came from, but even more proud of the land from which my ancestors hailed.</p><p>Viszonlatasra!</p><p>Nick the Hun</p>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-83125692283050787952006-03-07T04:43:00.002-05:002009-12-26T04:43:47.425-05:00Busy guy!<p>I have been crazy busy lately, so sorry for the lack of updates. I have been keeping up with the pictures, so keep checking them out on Facebook. I have tried to add captions where appropriate. Budapest is an awesome city. It and Chicago are my favorite big cites, for sure.</p><p>Anyway, since I last updated you, I've been to Vienna, Bratislava, a ski town in Slovakia called Jasna, and all around Budapest. I've been to the Operahouse for a ballet, Heroes Square for ice skating, and finally checked out St. Stephan's Cathedral. Classes are going well so far. I have met a bunch of international students, and I am starting to meet some Hungarians, too. There are about 8 Americans in my building, which leaves close to 400 Hungarians to meet in my dorm alone. They are very nice people, and we engineers seem to speak the universal language of techno-geek. Stephanie is coming with her school to Budapest this weekend, then we are heading to Barcelona for a week. I met up today with Thomas and Agnes Szekely, some distant relatives through my great-grandmother. In two weeks, I'm heading with about 50 students to Krakow, Poland to see Auscwitz.</p><p>That's all for now, I'll try to keep you more up to date with details!<br />
<br />
<br />
Szervus,<br />
<br />
<br />
Nick</p>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-48750720485117281332006-02-16T00:13:00.001-05:002009-12-27T00:27:31.078-05:00Hungarian updates!<p>Writing the date in international format because I'm in Europe! Actually, in Hungary, we write it 2006-2-16. I have a couple updates for you. See the links on the left to check out the pictures I have uploaded to facebook and flickr. They should be up here soon. Hungary is awesome! I'll post my weekly e-mail updates here, so keep checking back. Sziastok!</p>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-90901674245290744342006-02-13T00:27:00.000-05:002009-12-27T00:30:44.242-05:00Just another week in Budapest<p>Jó réggelt kívanok!<br />
<br />
(That's Hungarian for "I wish you good morning")</p><br />
<p>I think I like this country. Every day has seemed like two days in one, I have been so busy. I am staying at Hotel Góliát, which is a collégium, or dormitory. Although by bus and train it is about 45 minutes from school, it is in a very good part of the city. I can walk to 3 elelmiszers (supermarkets), a Catholic church, a supermarket, and about 5 different bus/tram stops. The public transportation system is great. For most of the week, I didn't even pay for a ticket! However, if I was to get caught riding without one, it would be at least a $20 fine, so I forked over the $10 for the month. Heroes Square, which is bordered by 2 art museams is about 5 minutes from my dorm. Right next to it is the City Park, which includes the zoo, ice skating rink, and best of all: Szecheny Bath. If you ever visit Europe, and are anywhere close to Budapest, the baths alone are worth your visit. For $10, we got to explore over 15 different baths with temperatures from 104 F to 40 F. Some had bubbles and minerals, others had powerful jets that create a lazy river on steroids. There were almost a dozen different steam rooms and saunas. It was amazing! And if you leave in under 2 hours, you get almost half your money back.</p><br />
<p>I keep mentioning the cost of everything because the cost of living here is very affordable. 200 Hungarian forints is about 1 dollar. I can buy a freshly baked loaf of bread for 100 forints. A bottle of wine is 288. Cookies: 199. I've also noticed that there is less waste here. I haven't bought anything that came in a cardboard box yet. Also, there are very few overweight people. Even at the mall food court, where I had a gyro for lunch, it seemed like everyone was very healthy.</p><br />
<p>I have 2 roommates in a room with 4 beds. Chris Mohr is from Nebraska Weslyan University, and is studying History and Anthropology. He is a 20-year-old junior from Omaha, NE and lived less than 10 minutes from where I used to live. Andrew Cawrse is from the University of Idaho. He is a 22-year-old junior studying Environmental Engineering and is big into Snowboarding. There are also 3 American girls who live next door. They are studying via the International Student Exchange Program, also. There are a couple other guys named Aaron and Jin who live down the hall. They have already been here for a semester and have been very helpful to us. Aaron's girlfriend is from Transylvania, and speaks 5 different languages. There are other international students, staying at other locations, who are from Finland, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, France, Spain, Italy, and Colorado.</p><br />
<p>Almost everyone I've met so far is in to outdoor stuff, so I feel like I fit right in. We took a hiking trip yesterday up north near the Danube Bend. Very pretty rolling hills. Reminded me a little of the Eastern Kentucky landscape, except that it was covered by almost a foot of snow. Next weekend we will probably take the same train and head to Esztergom, where we can cross the border to Slovakia.</p><br />
<p>We also took a bus trip around Budapest with the other 40 or so international students. Budapest is actually a merger of two cities: the hilly Buda on the west side of the Danube and the flat Pest to the east. The view from Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion is stunning. You can see the whole Pest half of the city spread alone the Danube. On the trip we passed a disco called LivingROOM where we had a party with all the exchange students. I sang 2 hours worth of Karaoke with my new Hungarian friend Adams, who is majoring in American Studies.</p><br />
<p>Probably the biggest challenge so far has been the language barrier. Although all my dealings with the university are in English, it is not so widespread around the city. Unlike Spanish or German, Hungarian has very few words in common with English. It is in the same family as Finnish, but my Finnish friends here find it just as foreign as I do. I am enrolled in a language course, and have already began picking up the language, and ways to get by until I learn it. 3 quick tips if you want to sound Hungarian:</p><ol><li>"S" makes an "SH" sound. So I am living in "Bood-uh-pest"</li>
<li>Almost all words are spoken with an accent on the first syllable</li>
<li>Igen (ee-gen) is yes and Nem is no.</li>
</ol><p>That is all from me for now. I have to get ready for my first day of class. I'm signed up for 21 hours right now, but will probably drop a few once I find which ones I like the best. My pictures and videos, as well as this message, should soon be up on www.nicksuch.net. We don't have internet access at our dorm yet, but hopefully will sometime this week. For now, the only place I get it for free is at school, and it is very slow. I have been receiving, and enjoying, all your voicemails. Once we are up and running with net, you'll be getting some phone calls!<br />
<br />
Sziastok!<br />
<br />
(A greeting, hi or bye, as said to more than one person. Szia is the singular form. Sounds like "See ya!")<br />
<br />
Your Hungarian correspondent,<br />
<br />
<p>Nick Such<br />
Kerekes u. 12-20.<br />
H-1135 Budapest<br />
HUNGARY<br />
<br />
nicksuch@gmail.com<br />
502-410-4221<br />
nicksuch.net<br />
<br />
pictures: <a href="http://utk.facebook.com/photos.php?id=12914481&l=0ada2" title="Budapest pics on facebook">http://utk.facebook.com/photos.php?id=12914481&l=0ada2</a></p>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-81695371699759432922006-02-10T00:31:00.001-05:002009-12-27T00:31:47.492-05:00Some pics from Budapest<p>Hey everybody,<br />
<br />
Took a bus tour yesterday, so I have some pictures now. The links are<br />
below. Fast internet and toilet paper are somewhat hard to find here,<br />
but everything else is good. People and food are great. I'll send you<br />
more when I have it! Take care, I miss you all.<br />
<br />
Szervusz!<br />
<br />
Nick<br />
<br />
nicksuch@gmail.com<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://utk.facebook.com/photos.php?id=12914481&l=0ada2" title="Nick's Hungary pics on facebook"> <br />
http://utk.facebook.com/photos.php?id=12914481&l=0ada2</a></p>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-9229035302383254212006-02-07T00:31:00.002-05:002009-12-27T00:32:53.747-05:00Budapest is cold!<p>Hey everybody,</p><br />
<p>I'm in Budapest, Hungary. I landed at 9am local time (3am for you guys). I'm sitting in the airport waiting for a couple other Americans who land in the next 2 hours. The airport is really nice inside. The radar tower, however, reminds me that this country was under Communist rule not too long ago. It looks like an Imperial Walker (the 2-legged ones) from Star Wars. The flights were all great. I sat next to a guy who works for LG&E on the first one. He knows Shannon Hincker's dad. The second leg was kind of a blur. I slept the whole time, even turning down free food for sleep. Yeah, weird, I know. I sat next to a woman from Delhi, India whose husband lives in Chicago, but their adopted children couldn't get green cards because they are Christian and not Hindu. The flight from Frankfurt to Budapest was almost empty. I had a whole row to myself, and finally got a window seat (aisle's on the other ones). When we were landing, our pilot informed us (in German, Hungarian, and English) that the temperature outside was a -13 degrees. Sure enough, <a href="http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/12843.html" title="Budapest weather">http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/12843.html</a> says that it is -13 celsius, or 8 Fahrenheit. Feels just like Texas. During the ice age.</p><br />
<p>As far as money goes, I'm feeling kinda rich right now. I gave them a $50 bill and got back almost 10,000 forints. Too bad vending machine flowers cost 2500.</p><br />
<p>Eleanor II survived the journey, unscathed as far as I can tell.</p><br />
<p>Laptop battery is going quick, so I'm gonna go now. Just wanted to let you guys know that I survived my first excursion to a country where the language seems to be gibberish, but everything is still in English! I can't wait to meet the other students so we can go explore. We're catching a train then a bus to our hotel, which I think is on the other side of the Danube river from here. I'll let you know more when I get there!</p><br />
<p>Jo reggelt!</p><br />
<p>Nick</p>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-82787134184740948502005-10-26T00:45:00.000-04:002009-12-27T00:46:13.286-05:00White Sox win, White Sox win!<p>"No longer the second team in the second city"</p><p>I was a White Sox fan back when Ozzie Guillen still played infield for the Sox. Back in the day with catcher Carlton Fisk, first-baseman Frank Thomas, outfielder Bo Jackson, Sammy Sosa, Ozzie Guillen, Joey Cora, and my favorite Sox player of all time, third-baseman Robin Ventura. Throws right, bats left. They were cool back then. Plaing in Comiskey, none of this US Cellular you-know-what. The big candy swirls in the outfield. Post-game fireworks. South-side Chicago.</p><p>Jermaine Dye, MVP.</p><p>My dad wasn't even born the last time the Sox were in the World Series. 1959. Last championship, October 15, 1917. 88 years ago. Wow.</p>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-56073542399441031062005-10-17T00:47:00.011-04:002009-12-27T00:51:26.272-05:00Brief thoughts on how the automobile has changed America<i>This was the beginnings of my thesis on the future of human transportation. Please notice the vein of sarcasm begin to pulse.</i><br />
<br />
The concept of suburbs is an American original. What are suburbs? They are the leftovers between urban and rural, with neither of their advantages. Suburbs are not in the middle of the city; you aren't in the middle of all the action and events of the movers and shakers. Suburbs don't have huge tracts of land. You cannot hunt, raise cattle, farm, or hold monster truck rallies in the suburbs. So why do we have suburbs? Because we have cars. Personal transportation allows Americans to go wherever they want, whenever they want. Forget public transportation, bicycles, or much worse, walking. Grab the keys and stick them in the ignition. The only limit to your travels is your fuel tank. Americans like the suburbs for a variety of reasons. They are better than the city because the drive home from work is longer. This gives us more time to talk on the cell phone, play our music loudly, and show off the affluence that is evident by our automobiles. Although carpooling or taking the bus saves fuel and money, a suburbanite would rather not miss out on the relaxing, pepeaceful joyride. Horn honking, finger flying, fist shaking, paved exhiliration. The suburbs are also better than the country. If one lived in the country, one would likely also work in the country. People who work outside in the dirty country cannot be as cool (just ask Corlito) as people who work in air-conditioned offices. They are inferior beings, because they sweat much and often don't have college degrees. When the do, it is in fields such as "agriculture". Besides, the world would go on without them.<br />
The suburbs are the place to be, especially if you are a conservative White Anglo-Saxon Protestant. Pretty much the same as a WASP, a cWASP not only values his fair-skinned European ancestry, but also the moral protection granted to inhabitants of suburbia. First of all, middle-class people live in the suburbs. Middle-class people are the most grounded and morally sound of all. Unlike the country-club uber-rich and the trailer-park po-wite-trayash, middle-class suburbanites don't do drugs, don't get divorced, don't kill people, aren't depressed, aren't addicted, and they go to church. Why would you want to raise your kids anywhere else besides the suburbs, when they will benefit from being protected from all the vices of society? I know my kids will grow up on the "right" side of the tracks. Just look how much it screwed up that guy from "8-Mile".<br />
Children in the suburbs have access to all the best influences in life: Cable TV, the Internet, corporate parents, and private schools. As you may know, these are the most effective teachers of all the finer points in life. You can learn about how important it is to always win and make money, no matter which underage laborers suffer for it. The government is usually right, except when it comes to taxes. Taxes only restrict you from buying more designer clothes. Republicans are the smartest politicians. Democrats are only out to tax you if you are successful in business. Besides, they support things like gay marriage, welfare, and social security. They are practically socialist, and we know America in no way wants to be associated with socialist ideals. Third-party candidates and independants: bored, rich, senile people who want to stand out and enjoy their fifteen minutes of fame. Most of them are illogical an only throw together loosely-strewn campaigns. Besides, they they're not Republicans or Democrats, so they have no chance of being elected. Major news sources are the only ones you can trust. Rupert Murdoch and Ted Turner are the only guys you can trust for your news. Those small "inferior informers" are mostly liars. If they really had the good news, they'd be more popular. Being popular is not only good, it is an important skill to strive for. We should all try to be more like the popular people, especially through the clothes we wear and the way we treat others.<br />
Moral of the story: America would be like all of those primitive, liberal, immoral countries if it weren't for automobiles. We have sixteen lane highways, they have sixteen languages. They let sixteen-year-olds drink, but we only let them drive. Without cars, I don't know where I'd be now. But one thing is for certain, I definitely wouldn't be better off.Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-12023312323085426462005-10-17T00:46:00.000-04:002009-12-27T00:47:14.691-05:00Studying AbroadSo, I decided to go to Hungary next semester. Budapest University of Technology and Economics. My ISEP and passport applications have been sent their respective ways. I still need to find some alternate locations, in case Hungary is full (which is how it currently and unfortunately appears). Reasons for going to Hungary:</p><ul><li>I've never left the country</li>
<li>I'm 1/8 Hungarian.</li>
<li>Hungary is close to Romania, Italy, Germany, and the land formerly known as Bohemia, all of which are places from which my family is descended.</li>
<li>GE makes most of its European lightbulbs in Budapest. I hope to intern for GE C&I next fall.</li>
<li>They teach engineering classes in English, but speak Hungarian all around. Take classes, see new culture, learn new language, not get behind.</li>
<li>Located on banks of Danube. So is Linz, Austria. A special someone named Stephanie happens to be there. And if you're wondering, she is worth chasing across 6 timezones.</li>
<li>If I'm going to revolutionize transportation, public or personal, I'd better take cues from somewhere besides America. Europe seems to have lots of ideas.</li>
<li>I've never been a minority.</li>
<li>The only language I speak is English</li>
<li>I've never lived anywhere besides suburban, midwest, middle-class America. Just kinda curious about what else is out there.</li>
<li>My dad has traveled a lot overseas. I'd like to see what he has experienced.</li>
<li>How can I appreciate America when I'm never away from it? Absence makes the heart grow fonder.</li>
</ul>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-70313071352591146852005-10-07T00:51:00.000-04:002009-12-27T00:55:56.381-05:00Pissing QuotesMicah's Quote of the Day: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">"I'm pissed off!"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Nick's Quote of the Day: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">"Better than being pissed on."</span><br />
<br />
(Note that a very similar quote appears in "Robin Hood: Men In Tights". Achoo (Dave Chappelle) makes a remark to the Sherriff of Rottingham, who is angrily suspended upside-down under his horse, as to the proximity of the Sherriff to the animal's "means of pissing".)Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-1791096389985792222005-08-03T00:56:00.002-04:002009-12-27T00:57:27.504-05:00Before there was Twitter...Boring details about my day:<br />
<ul><li>Cycle down Wolf Pen, see Gary and Marilyn's house</li>
<li>Design more floors</li>
<li>Mow some more</li>
<li>Last regular season LUFA game, at Seneca</li>
<li>Try Skype?</li>
</ul>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-76577734271202115352005-08-02T00:58:00.000-04:002009-12-27T00:59:37.724-05:00Daily notes<ul><li>Slept in 'til 9, drove to Shelbyville, picked up 4 plans, drove back, procrastinated, worked on plan</li>
<li>Applied to NSCS</li>
<li>Applied for "<a href="http://www.sharetheroadky.com/">Share the Road</a>" licence plate</li>
<li>Mowed grass</li>
<li>Watched Oldham County Eagles (Joey Stamper and Jeremy "Heckmo" Heckman's softball team) soar past the Brave for a 15-13 victory in their season opener at Lyndon.</li>
<li>Tried to remember how to rationalize denominators and complete the square</li>
<li>Yes, Dad, I watered the grass. It is kinda crispy, though.</li>
</ul>Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526747311713677260.post-89585162930668211322005-07-31T01:00:00.009-04:002009-12-27T01:03:05.640-05:00The first post, Summer '05<i>And so it begins. As I migrate these old posts over from SWEB to Blogger, I realized that I'm sitting in the same desk that I was in '05. A lot has changed since then. And the thought intrudes, would I change any of it?</i><br />
<br />
<i>Nope.</i><br />
<br />
<hr /><br />
Just got back from the Rauer Family Reunion. Pics coming soon. All the cousins got big. Went to Zach's last night. I miss the good ole' days of Freshman Football. I also missed Stephanie, so I went to see her this morning. This is the longest summer I've had in KY, but it's still not long enough.Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17408572214171433667noreply@blogger.com0