Highlights From The Past Week by Ben Jones
A post on birthdays and bad (but oh so good) TV.
1) I’ve almost fully recovered from the flu
2) I turned 31 – I AM OLD – spent my birthday reading apps
3) My app reads have been particularly awesome this week
4) We had our first followup meeting to my proposal and it went really well – I think we’re going to be able to implement a lot of my requests into MyMIT – YES!
5) Well not this week but last week… the new Alias season began. In general I don’t have time to watch TV but I’m obsessed with Alias so I make time for it – haven’t missed an episode ever and this is season 4.
6) I can’t believe I’m going to admit this in a public forum but the only other show I make time to watch is The OC. Damn it, I love The OC. It’s like Beverly Hills 90210 except (a) the parents are real (and well-acted) characters and therefore actually part of the plot and (b) the kids are just so much more intelligent and witty than their counterparts of yesteryear. But it’s still… The OC… yeah, I know.
Okay this post is over. < slinks away in shame >
-B
P.S. Don’t expect to hear from McGann for awhile – Mystery Hunt started today and that guy was rarin’ to go. Can’t wait to see him after 72 hours of no sleeping or showering. Will post pictures of the aftermath if I can get my hands on some.
yay! they liked your proposal
Will more info about CPW be posted on MyMIT? When?
(for shame!)
i’m more of a cheesy/campy man myself.
my mother turned thirty-six on the seventh and it’s amazing how “old” she doesn’t proclaim she is anymore.
congratulations on the proposal.
Hey Ben,
First off, Happy Birthday!
Congratualtions, hopefully we might get to see these new features. .
I have a small problem concerning my testing situation, can I throw in a message to you about it? or call?
“3) My app reads have been particularly awesome this week” – Haha, I hope so! Did you get to read any application from an international applicant?
Thanks,
Good to hear you’re feeling better.
I too am glad to hear you like your applications this week, although I only sent in a supplement as I was EA.
Happy Birthday! And if I’m not mistaken, you’re actually in your “prime” – 31 being prime.
Ben, I’d also like to just say that you’ve done an amazing job with MyMIT. I usually check out the MIT ’09 Guestbook in my AP Java class, since the pages do take forever to load at home w/ my dial-up connection, but anyways, the only other student in the class, a Cornell EA acceptee, has become prettty jealous
I’m also not the least bit ashamed to admit to Loving Alias & The OC… the DVD sets are addictive!! (That’s what I spent my Christmas vacation doing…) I’m not sure if I like the new premise on Alias w/ Sloane back, etc., but I can’t resist The OC between my love of Seth & Summer and the constant witty banter
The Simpsons & Freaks and Geeks are other favorites of mine.
Keep up the excellent work!!
Hey Ben-
Congrats on getting over the flu, I am just starting to get over a flu/chronic sinus infection combo myself. And Happy Birthday, 31 is definitely not old, now 18, that’s scary (it was my birthday on the 9th). It’s good to hear that you are feeling better, your blog was missed. I would also like to say that we O.C. fans should be proud not ashamed, because we watch the best show on television (tied with the West Wing).
P.S.-I didn’t mean to try sounding like a doctor on my cold medicine suggestion, but the stuff is awesome.
can i ask a question? Ben?
since you have already read some regular decision applications, does it appear to you that “the RD applicants are as strong as EA’s”?
Ben, you can choose not to answer if you think the question is …..or might be “belittling” either kind of applicants. well, i am defered and i am very worried about how many defered MIT will accept this year. so, sorry for being so rude………*or just totally ignore me*
and another question: is it possible that some defered will end up in the waitlist in April? “I want to go to MIT so much that i’d rather get in the waitlist than getting rejected out right . *of course an acceptance letter would be the best……..but you will decide^..^*”
Ah, The OC. I have a love-hate relationship with that show. Sometimes it’s incredibly witty, and then sometimes I want to cry because of how bad some of the acting is. I feel your pain, it’s tough to admit you watch it.
Hey Ben, just remembered a question I had. The online application had a space for an AIME score but it only allowed three characters.. to my dismay my 111.5 didn’t fit in, so i just wrote 111. I really, truly believe the 0.5 will make a difference.. hehe.. I was really just wondering if the discrepancy from reality would matter, or if there is anything I should do. Thanks-
lol I wouldn’t want to be around matt after the MysteryHunt
Dont forget to post pictures from this years mystery hunt
And have a nice time reading app
HOLA! Oh man, I love ALIAS! My favorite character is Marshall, because he is so funny and crazy smart. And today is Wednesday, which means it’s on tonight, YAY! anyway, ADIOS!
oh and by AIME i meant AMC12.. same thing
Elo Ben,
Don’t worry about the shame of OC. I get downcast looks when I mention Everwood lol. I just tell em’, “you’re missing out.”
Hey Ben, hope you are feeling better soon!!
I too am an Alias and OC fan. Addicted to both. Did you see last night’s episode? Very amazing!
Ben-O:
Happy Birthday! You lost me on the OC, but I’ll stick with you on Alias.
Best,
Note: on 1/26/05 I migrated this site to a new publishing system, using Movable Type as the backend CMS. Though the comments were preserved, I had to manually move them over, and there was no way to preserve the dates on which the comments were originally posted. That’s why they’re all logged on 1/26 or 1/27, even though many of them were posted earlier. Sorry for the inconvenience! Comment dates will be correct moving forward.
First of all, a huge thanks to everyone who made me feel better about my choice of TV addictions. It’s good to know I’m not alone.
“Admitted Student” – The CPW portlet went live this morning for admitted students. You should find all the info you need there, but feel free to email me if you have further questions after checking it out.
Hamid – certainly, email is benjones (at) mit (dot) edu. Although testing questions are usually better to ask Matt – he knows more on that subject than I do. Haven’t read any international applications yet! Looking forward to doing so.
Jane – GREAT point. I am in my prime now! Well, until I turn 32 anyway.
Rebecca – yeah, Sloane is creepy. From SD6 to the CIA?!? I’m not sure I buy that. He’s ALWAYS got something up his sleeve.
Jenna – happy birthday fellow capricorn! 18 may seem scary but it was one of the best years of my life (especially starting in the fall, for obvious reasons). And you’ll never be in high school for another birthday (for me this was a good thing).
Sheep – Of the RD apps I’ve read thus far, they’ve been comparible to the EA apps. The thing to keep in mind is that apps have already been through a triage stage before they get to me – so it’s not suprising that I’m only reading truly competitive ones. The real question is what percetage of EA apps make it to the next-stage readers like me versus what percentage of RD apps make it – I don’t know the answer to that, unfortunately.
For more info on the whole process including the triage stage, take a look here:
http://www.techreview.com/articles/atwood1103.asp?p=2
To answer your second question, when an early app gets deferred, it’s treated the same as a regular app, so yes, a deferred EA applicant can get waitlisted in March.
Stevo – no worries, that half point won’t hurt you. In the future, however, always round UP!
Kiersten – yes, Marshall ROCKS! (He probably went to MIT.)
Muahaha Ben! Do you remember who I am?
Anyhow, I live in the OC! Oh boy, the show depicts what the O.C. is in many ways.. but it leaves out a lot! hehe, admit me and i’ll tell you all about it! Let you experience the O.C. .. what up gangsta??? ..hehe that’s the side you don’t know about it. Okay okay.. so that was a shameless attempt to get admitted, but i was just kidding around. I watched both Alias and the OC. as well as med investigations, desparate housewives (that’s such a chick flick.. but it’s how too), and boston legal (holy crap that’s the most hilarious legal show i’ve seen.) It’s wickedly dark humor.