Ask Slim J, Getting through college, life, work, etc...

I wanted to make my topic real specific on more serious things. I grew up in an economically challenged community where my first drive by shooting experience was when I was 4. My childhood friends started smoking weed in 3rd grade, and now most of them ended up in jail.

I managed to leave, or rather escape my community and make it through college. It was tough, and I wasn't the brightest guy on campus but I was motivated. I graduated with a dual degree in Engineering 2 years ago and am currently working in the Aerospace industry.

Ask me anything about life (college, love life, work, engineering, etc...), or science and comic books and I will try and answer by sharing my experiences with you and how I got by. No personal questions please like where I work, my address, etc.

I'm hoping my experiences may relate to your problems, questions or concerns.

@SlimJ87D: Ever been shot?

@SuperTide said:

@SlimJ87D: Ever been shot?

No, just shot at. But after the drive by, I used to randomly find the bullets in my front lawn. The person that was killed was my neighbor's son. He wasn't gang affiliated but his "twin" brother was. Sad to say, they got the wrong twin. I was naive, but I gave one of the bullets to my neighbor and it made him tear up. I didn't understand why he teared up till I was a bit older.

@SlimJ87D: Fave dinosaur and why?

@SuperTide said:

@SlimJ87D: Fave dinosaur and why?

I was never too fond of dinosaurs. I never went through that stage, but I was fond of little foot.

@nickthedevil said:

First trait you look for in a girl. Physically.

Last night at a bar I was discussing with my GF and a friend about a bartenders large beautiful breast and how she gets tips with them. Breast are the first thing that grab my attention from the front, second being face. The face determines if I will keep peeking at her breast or not. From the back, it's nice hair that will grab my attention.

@progenitor said:

At what point in your life did you decide that Cap and Bucky were favorites? Why?

In college, about 2007 I got really upset that they divorced Peter and Mary Jane. It really upset me so much that I completely stopped reading Spider-man and just boycotted it. Then Steve was killed and I was completely shocked! I started off with issue number 34, which will always be my favorite. I read Bucky's narration, and thought "this is like a real person who has a real burdon on his shoulders. Kind of like how we all have a burden put upon us by other peoples expectations of us."

I couldn't get enough of Captain America, and Bucky became my number one and Steve my number two. I caught up and read past issues from there.

@lykopis said:

Outside of offering this wonderful thread --- have you or do you mentor other youth who are presently in the same environment you managed to escape from? If yes -- how do you find the experience, and if not -- why not? Not to make it appear as though I think you should? Just the reasons why not (and I know your life must be very busy/fulfilling by your accomplishments)

I have not had a chance to mentor others besides my friends little brothers and sisters that are stuck there. I recently went back to my old high school and talked to my old teachers telling them what worked and didn't work for me. They asked if I could take some time to do some motivational speaking to the senior class about to enter into college.

Right now I haven't had the time, but now that you reminded me about it, I definitely want to motivate them. I want to let them know about the statistic of 50 percent of college Freshmen dropping out of school, and what they can do to try and be the other %50. Thanks for reminding me Lykopis.

How are the upper level physics courses? Just wondering because I'm thinking of picking up physics as a minor. I took AP physics in high school and really enjoyed it, I also did well on the exam (I got a 4).

@The Man of Yesteryear said:

How are the upper level physics courses? Just wondering because I'm thinking of picking up physics as a minor. I took AP physics in high school and really enjoyed it, I also did well on the exam (I got a 4).

If your school is on a curved grading system, then when you hit your upper division courses the mean goes from a C+ to a B- in most cases. I will explain why.

Lower Division Classes usually have a large number of people in the classes. So they want a good amount of them to fail out because it only gets more tough.

Upper Division Classes, the mean will move to a B- so more people can pass and make it through. Sometimes it's at a solid B! So even if you get below average you still get a good grade.

This doesn't mean it gets any easier though, as I said it always gets more tough.

Physics is great. You will never think the same again after taking these kinds of courses. My main advice is to grab the syllabus, and study the material before the professor lectures about it.

The more you study, the more valuable lecture becomes to you. Professors move very fast so you will only take in about %25 to %50 of what he says depending on if you suffer from ADD like I do (was never officially diagnosed). But if you at least read the chapter before class, you will take in %50 to %75 of what he says or even more! Depending on if you have ADD or not. Other factors are how much sleep you get and how you function with sleep. These are my experiences, they may differ from you and others.

Seeing that you are a comic book reader and probably have a big imagination, I bet you probably get distracted easily right like I do right?

That being said, always stay on top of your game. You took AP Physics, so you're already ahead. If your calculus is good then that makes it that much better. I think you should consider becoming an Engineer if you are really that interested.

@SlimJ87D: Who are you gonna vote for and why?

@SuperTide said:

@SlimJ87D: Who are you gonna vote for and why?

I've been raised a democrat but lately I've been swayed towards the republicans. I'll have to see the presidential candidate debates.

@SlimJ87D: Why are gas prices so high?

@SuperTide: Gas prices are so high because honestly, we did not look into alternative fuels. Did you know that the United States has the largest source of Natural Gas? And cars can run on Natural Gas? We even ran out of places to store Natural Gas right now!

A lot of cars, the majority of them, can have a bifuel system to run on either Gas or Natural Gas.

Imagine if the USA sold natural gas and mined it here in the US? Our economy would rise for sure. We wouldn't have to rely solely on petroleum which comes from over seas.

@SlimJ87D: Your thoughts on gun laws in the United States?

@SuperTide said:

@SlimJ87D: Your thoughts on gun laws in the United States?

I've had to do research on this. There is really no statistics that show that making guns illegal would lower crime rate. Also, the majority of guns are bought on the black market anyways. Taking away guns from civilians would only make them more vulnerable against black market guns IMO. I've had to do a debate once, and I was pro guns in it.

@SlimJ87D: Is the death penalty right or wrong? And why?

I started off with issue number 34, which will always be my favorite.

I actually started reading comics (collecting I mean, this wasn't my first comic though) with Captain America #33, that's actually were my love for Bucky's character began. Plus issue 34 was simply epic! xD

@SuperTide said:

@SlimJ87D: Is the death penalty right or wrong? And why?

I don't really have a problem with it. I mean it's pretty hard to get the death penalty even trying. I just wouldn't want any of my kin performing the death penalty on others.

@War Killer said:

@SlimJ87D: How would feel about Bucky having Steve's energy shield added to his bionic arm, personally I think it would be a nice add on and nod to all of the Bucky-Cap fans out there, but I'm curious on what a fellow Bucky fan thinks of the idea.

@SlimJ87D said:

I started off with issue number 34, which will always be my favorite.

I actually started reading comics (collecting I mean, this wasn't my first comic though) with Captain America #33, that's actually were my love for Bucky's character began. Plus issue 34 was simply epic! xD

War Killer, it's nice to run into you here. I've been thinking about the ENERGY SHIELD for Bucky too! I think we both think alike. It would be awesome and nostalgic for you and I.

@SlimJ87D: Best way to overcome poverty?

@SuperTide said:

@SlimJ87D: Best way to overcome poverty?

The way my family got ourselves out of poverty was learning how to deal with sacrifice, aka discipline. Anyone that is in poverty is going to have to realize they don't have the luxury to spend their time doing nothing like their wealthy peers. It takes sacrifice and dedication. You need to come with the terms that these were the hands you were dealt.

You will have to sacrifice leisure and find a way to motivate yourself to be the best that you can be at what you are interested in.

For me, I have a plan A, B, C, D, E, F... X, Y and Z. They all directly relate to each other, A is pretty much an unreachable goal that I had strive for because if I failed, then B was still next to A and almost as successful. If I fail at B, then I will move on to C.

That's how my family got ourselves out of poverty.

@SlimJ87D: Fave hotel?

@SuperTide said:

@SlimJ87D: Fave hotel?

My favorites have been Palazzo and Venetian in Las Vegas. I've also stayed in a sister hotel of the HIlton and it was pretty nice too.

@SlimJ87D: Does going to the movie theatre ever get old?

@SuperTide said:

@SlimJ87D: Does going to the movie theatre ever get old?

Definitely not. Specially when your GF gets movie tickets for $7.

Depending where you work, you should check if they sell movie tickets. Also Costco sells 2 movie tickets for $14.

@SlimJ87D: Thoughts on Brodus Clay?

1. What do you think is better: renting (apartment) or buying (condominium, house, etc.)?

2. Your thoughts on minimum wage? Should it stay the same, be increased or be decreased? Also, your thoughts on living/surviving on minimum wage?

3. In your opinion, why do the necessities of life cost so much money?

4. Your thoughts on credit cards? Do you think that they are absolutely necessary?

5. What is the most powerful human emotion?

6. Do you think that the possible conflict with Iran is just talk and bluff or it serious?

7. Favorite drink?

8. Do you think that college is the next bubble (similar to the housing situation)?

9. Favorite cuisine?

@SuperTide said:

@SlimJ87D: Thoughts on Brodus Clay?

LOL, I just googled him. I haven't watched professional wrestling since Stone Cold Steve Austin got old. Those were the days.

@Edamame said:

1. What do you think is better: renting (apartment) or buying (condominium, house, etc.)?

2. Your thoughts on minimum wage? Should it stay the same, be increased or be decreased? Also, your thoughts on living/surviving on minimum wage?

3. In your opinion, why do the necessities of life cost so much money?

4. Your thoughts on credit cards? Do you think that they are absolutely necessary?

5. What is the most powerful human emotion?

6. Do you think that the possible conflict with Iran is just talk and bluff or it serious?

7. Favorite drink?

8. Do you think that college is the next bubble (similar to the housing situation)?

9. Favorite cuisine?

1. Renting or buying really depends on your financial situation and income stability. If I had the budget, I would definitely buy a house. I actually am going to buy a house in the next few months or a year. I pay rent now, but if I bought a house and grabbed 2 roommates it would be the same as my rent. I'd pay a little extra to finish my payments a little early and not have to pay as much interest. Remember that property is more like a savings account and could potentially be an investment while cars, boats, etc are not investments at all. You'll hardly ever get any of tha tmoney back.

2. I think that minimum wage should interpolate with the value of the dollar like it has been. Survival on minimum wage is almost impossible, and therefore I think financial aid should still support those that need it. What needs to be done are audits. My friends father bought 5 motorcycles and declared bankruptcy. He fully paid the bikes off so he gets to keep them but come on!

3. Necessities are usually stuff high in demand. If it truly is a necessity, we as consumers will be taken advantage of by big corporate. But as long as there are competitors to compete against each other and our government does their job in stopping monopolies we shouldn't see anything too outrageous. For example, everyone needs groceries, thank God there isn't just ONE grocery store we can go to that will jack up the prices. There are dozens which have different kinds of sales.

4. I think Credit Cards should always remain optional, as there are those who have had bad experiences with them and those that find it convenient. I do not believe they should be necessary, as there are pros and cons in using them. Remember, if you pay off your credit card completely every month then you got nothing to worry about. Don't listen to that BS where they say that you should always pay the minimum to build your credit. I've managed to obtain a high credit score just by paying off all my credit cards right away. And I'm not in debt like my friends.

5. The most powerful emotion a human can have is insanity. Being insane is being out of the norm, and there are a lot of things that make us become insane. Such as love. Most often times people do things out of their norm for love. Not like Van Gogh cutting his ear off for a hooker, but I mean we will make sacrifices for things we enjoy for ones that we love if we really do love them.

6. The conflict with Iran can definitely be serious, just like the conflict with North Korea. What measures should we take? I really can't say. It's a sticky situation.

7. My favorite beer has been guiness. Favorite soda is root beer. I usually stick to water to stay fit though.

8. Undergraduate school, no. Graduate school like law school yes. My family member racked up 100,000 in loans going to law school for the first year. That's insane! There are cheap ways to do college, such as community college first and then University. People just got to really think hard before they decide to throw money down on a education. Specially if they are going to get a degree to do NON-PROFIT jobs. Those guys got to really be careful.

9. I love Mexican, Indian, Asian and American foods. American foods such as BBQs, etc.

@_Black said:

I always wanted to pursue Aerospace engineering, but the whole deal with NASA sort of scared me away from it thinking that I couldn't get a job after I graduated. I'm currently on the track to become a Mining engineer, however. Sorry that wasn't a question. Lol

No problem, I can comment at least. I feel the same way. You are going to go through school, solve all these kinds of problems and you'll only use %10 to %20 of what you learned. Most of the time you'll get stuck just doing boring paper work. You really need a MS or PhD to work in the RnD departments of engineering. Aerospace pays good, but the lay offs are like a roller coaster. A company I worked for designed a plane for the Government. Well the moment the prototype crashed, 250 people were laid off in 1 hour.

@_Black: I honestly have probably done more math here than I have at work. And a lot of it comic science too:

http://www.comicvine.com/forums/battles/7/speed-vs-strength-common-misconceptions/608680/

LMAO.

@_Black: Thank you. Good luck in school, I hope you find a job right out. Do A LOT of research. I know they say you only need to do 1 senior project, but I did 2 and research. It will make your resume a full page of relevant stuff.

Summer time, ask any of your professor if you can do research, get a research grant and they'll pay you like $12 to $15 an hour. It's like an internship. That's if you can't get an internship. You have to do this before the summer as the form for the research grant closes at a certain date.

I can't stress enough how important it is for you to do a few senior design projects instead of the 1, the bare minimum that everyone does.

@SlimJ87D: Have I lost weight?

@sesquipedalophobe said:

Breaking everything down in terms of payments (four-fifty to six hundred a month (including insurance and taxes) ) and with my eleven thousand in 401k (for a significant down payment), would now be the opportune time to buy a house? I've been pretty unsure of it for a while now. The issue is being stuck paying seven hundred a month now and being on a two-year lease.

Sorry I missed this question. It would really depend on what kind of 401K you have. If you have a Roth 401(K), I know that you can take out a big loan and the interest you pay actually goes into the 401(K) itself. So really you're taking a loan from yourself and just paying more money into your 401(k), Hopefully that is your case with your 401(k). Your company should actually have a financial advisor that you can meet with and discuss all this.

As for housing, I think property is an investment. If you rent an apartment, you never get that money back. But if you pay a mortgage, I think of it as a savings account where eventually you get most of that money back when you decide to sell.

Also, are you going to rent the rooms out? That can lower your mortgage down, and allow you to actually pay more in your mortgage letting you buy off the house quicker and lowering how much you owe in interest. I had a homeowner who lived in a garage and rented out all the rooms. He just collected unemployment and had us pretty much pay for the mortgage.

It also depends where you want to live and if you find a great house with a good bang for the buck. It also depends if you are a hobbyist and your hobby is being a handy man. Fixer upper vs a none fixer upper. It sounds like you're real busy with work, so I don't think you have a lot of free time.

I would think about all these and then talk to a realtor, hopefully you have a family friend or a family member, and ask them if it's worth buying in your area or not.

@SuperTide said:

@SlimJ87D: Have I lost weight?

Have you lost weight? I'm not sure lol. Are you asking me how to lose weight? Well first you need to know your body type.

ECTOMORPH
An ectomorph is a typical skinny guy. Ecto’s have a light build with small joints and lean muscle. Usually ectomorph’s have long thin limbs with stringy muscles. Shoulders tend to be thin with little width.
Typical traits of an ectomorph:

• Small “delicate” frame and bone structure

• Classic “hardgainer”

• Flat chest

• Small shoulders

• Thin

• Lean muscle mass

• Finds it hard to gain weight

• Fast metabolism

Ectomorphs find it very hard to gain weight. They have a fast metabolism which burns up calories very quickly. Ecto’s need a huge amount of calories in order to gain weight. Workouts should be short and intense focusing on big muscle groups. Supplements are definitely recommended. Ectomorphs should eat before bed to prevent muscle catabolism during the night. Generally, ectomorphs can lose fat very easily which makes cutting back to lean muscle easier for them.
MESOMORPH
A mesomorph has a large bone structure, large muscles and a naturally athletic physique. Mesomorphs are the best body type for bodybuilding. They find it quite easy to gain and lose weight. They are naturally strong which is the perfect platform for building muscle.
Typical traits on a Mesomorph:

• Athletic

• Hard body with well defined muscles

• Rectangular shaped body

• Strong

• Gains muscle easily

• Gains fat more easily than ectomorphs

The mesomorph body type responds the best to weight training. Gains are usually seen very quickly, especially for beginners. The downside to mesomorphs is they gain fat more easily than ectomorphs. This means they must watch their calorie intake. Usually a combination of weight training and cardio works best for mesomorphs.
ENDOMORPH
The endomorph body type is solid and generally soft. Endomorphs gain fat very easily. Endo’s are usually of a shorter build with thick arms and legs. Muscles are strong, especially the upper legs. Endomorphs find they are naturally strong in leg exercises like the squat.
Typical traits of an Endomorph:

• Soft and round body

• Gains muscle and fat very easily

• Is generally short and “stocky”

• Round physique

• Finds it hard to lose fat

• Slow metabolism

When it comes to training endomorphs find it very easy to gain weight. Unfortunately, a large portion of this weight is fat not muscle. To keep fat gain to a minimum, endomorphs must always train cardio as well as weights. Usually supplements may not be needed as long as the person has a high protein intake in their diet.
A combination of body types.
These body types aren’t set in stone. In fact, most guys have a combination of two body types. These combinations are either ectomorph/mesomorph or mesomorph/endomorph. It is not uncommon to find a pure mesomorph that gains weight like an endomorph for example.
So which body type are you?
Given the information above you should be able to identify your body type. You may also want to optimize your diet and training to suit your body type.
One final point I want to mention is that no matter what your body type you can build a big, ripped, muscular physique. Even the skinniest of guys can bulk up. Yes, it’s harder but if you’re willing to put in the hard work it can be done. I have about the skinniest natural build possible and at the time of writing this article I have gained about 30kg (66lbs) of lean muscle mass.

Lastly, along with this, using a calorie calculator application like MyFitnessPal on your phone will also help. Make sure you get the nutritions you need, cut your calories. Also going on a 30 minute walk everyday for a month or two will have you lose about %4 to %12 of your body percent fat.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1213

I'm actually very luck because I am a mesomorph where I have a natural muscular build and lose weight easily.

@SlimJ87D: What is your favorite game of all time?

@SlimJ87D: Fave Dave Matthews song?

@CaioTrubat said:

@SlimJ87D: What is your favorite game of all time?

My favorite game of all time is probably Demon's Souls or Dark Soul's. You have to try Dark Souls, it's great.

@SuperTide said:

@SlimJ87D: Fave Dave Matthews song?

I've only heard Crash Into Me, so I guess it's that one. Actually I heard space between, I like that one more.

@SlimJ87D: Ever plant anything?

@SuperTide: I've thrown fruits in my front yard and they sprouted. I had to kill them. One time I planted a tomato vine and took a shit on it so it could grow faster.

@SlimJ87D said:

1. Renting or buying really depends on your financial situation and income stability. If I had the budget, I would definitely buy a house. I actually am going to buy a house in the next few months or a year. I pay rent now, but if I bought a house and grabbed 2 roommates it would be the same as my rent. I'd pay a little extra to finish my payments a little early and not have to pay as much interest. Remember that property is more like a savings account and could potentially be an investment while cars, boats, etc are not investments at all. You'll hardly ever get any of tha tmoney back.

2. I think that minimum wage should interpolate with the value of the dollar like it has been. Survival on minimum wage is almost impossible, and therefore I think financial aid should still support those that need it. What needs to be done are audits. My friends father bought 5 motorcycles and declared bankruptcy. He fully paid the bikes off so he gets to keep them but come on!

3. Necessities are usually stuff high in demand. If it truly is a necessity, we as consumers will be taken advantage of by big corporate. But as long as there are competitors to compete against each other and our government does their job in stopping monopolies we shouldn't see anything too outrageous. For example, everyone needs groceries, thank God there isn't just ONE grocery store we can go to that will jack up the prices. There are dozens which have different kinds of sales.

4. I think Credit Cards should always remain optional, as there are those who have had bad experiences with them and those that find it convenient. I do not believe they should be necessary, as there are pros and cons in using them. Remember, if you pay off your credit card completely every month then you got nothing to worry about. Don't listen to that BS where they say that you should always pay the minimum to build your credit. I've managed to obtain a high credit score just by paying off all my credit cards right away. And I'm not in debt like my friends.

1. I see. The good thing about renting apartments is that you don't have to pay for upkeep. That is for the landlord to handle. With houses, you have to pay for upkeep, home insurance, taxes, mortgage loan, mortgage interest, etc. Not only that, but you have to worry about being accepted by those banks for having "good enough" credit. You are absolutely right, though. Nevertheless, what if you can't sell the house and you want/need to move? I think it is probably the same with townhouses and condominiums.

2. I agree. It is a pity that nothing is really being done about it, though. Minimum wage hasn't matched with inflation. It's ridiculous.

3. I just hope that food and water don't become scarce resources in the near future because prices will go up and there will be a lot of trouble. I also think that simple shelter shouldn't be as expensive as it is. Health/dental insurance should also be more affordable.

@Erik said:

@SlimJ87D:

I believe you have had the same avatar for as long as I have been aware of you. Who is it and why have you chosen/stuck with him for so long?

It's Sebastian Stan playing as Bucky. I have had it since a few months before I went to the Captain America premier and got to see them in person in Hollywood. Bucky is my favorite comic book character.

I wish we could have animated Avatars, I would use this to further clarify who he is.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt4ej8vy6P1r2pyh2o1_500.gif

Major foreshadowing of his future right?

@k4tzm4n: it started with Captain America #34. The way Ed Brubaker wrote Bucky's subconscious made me actually tear up inside. I vaguely remember what he said but it went somewhere down the line of "I can't be Steve... But I can honor him." This was a character that had a huge burden put on, and the way he narrated showed it.

Subconsciously, I think Bucky made me feel the burden my family put on me to be successful. I grew up in one of those low class Asian families where my mother and father had to leave and I was raised by my sister who was only 20 years old. In college there was a great burden on my shoulders. Every time I saw Bucky throw the shield it made me want to do better in school to honor my sister. She pretty much sacrificed her whole life so I could go to college.

So in short, I felt like Bucky's emotions and Brubakers writing really touched me at an emotional level where no character ever had.

@SlimJ87D: Are you watching the NFL Draft?

@SuperTide said:

@SlimJ87D: Are you watching the NFL Draft?

Sorry I am not. Can you let me know who the Green Bay packers get and if they look healthy for next season?

@SlimJ87D: Tonight in the 1st round they drafted Nick Perry, a defensive lineman out of USC.

Why are nachos so yummy?