Some days I have big profound thoughts

Probably most days, really. Some days they are more memorable than others. Today:

1. Geez, the Homestead Strikers were some kind of heroes. Imagine, your job at the steel plant is beating you down, and then Andrew Carnegie cuts your pay too. You just can't take any more. You strike, get locked out, and protest a lot. And then, you're sitting there at the plant, and you see a barge come down a river, and you know it's full of Pinkerton guards with guns who are there to beat you up. And you fight anyway, and you win a huge victory for organized labor. (course, then you also shoot down a white flag and beat the junk out of the Pinkertons, I guess, so I don't know how great heroes these guys are...)
Wikipedia Article

2. I am clearly going to be a professor. That's my path, it's all planned out, I'm excited. I saw a talk by Greg Kesden today, a CS professor (whom a lot of people hate because he's pretty tough I guess), and there wasn't anything spectacular about the content of his speech, except that he talked a bit about some of his greatest professors, and I realized, someday, one of my students could be saying that about me.

That said, my plans will clearly change in the next 2 years. Probably even a year from now, when I'm in Switzerland, and my view of the world gets demolished. If not, though, look for me teaching math or CS somewhere!

3. The annoyance of carrying skis to and from campus is alleviated by the knowledge that few things are more badass than someone carrying skis on his shoulder.

4. I just realized, next time it snows big enough to cover the streets (and there are no cars out), I am going up to the top of Squirrel Hill and skiing down. That will be really sweet. Probably next year.