Nicolas Ventura
As of 28 February 2026, there have been 84 posts published.
California License Plates Part 3
27 September 2024 This story is totally unnecessary, but I will show the general form of a formula going from sequence number to license plate and vice-versa. Read more
California License Plates Part 2
26 September 2024 Here we will figure out how many license plates have been issued in California and how many are left! Haven't yet read part one? Read it here! Read more
California License Plates Part 1
20 September 2024 License plates in the state of California follow an interesting pattern with 7 letters and numbers, and we're going to run out soon! Everyone panic!! However, this journal isn't about that just yet, but we're building up to it. Read more
How To Write Like a 5th Grader
16 September 2024 Here's a handy guide on how to write a killer 5-paragraph essay, just like a 5th grader would. Read more
HPC Operator's Review, Sandia Labs, Albuquerque, New Mexico
09 September 2024 It's that time of year again for HPCOR; the high performance computing operator's review! This time, my colleagues and I went to Sandia Labs in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Read more
Marina Run Club
08 September 2024 I am now part of two different running clubs, both with the same acronym! "MRC," for "Marin Running Club" and "Marina Run Club." I've been going to the Marin Running Club for several months now, but this week was my second week attending the Marina Run Club in San Francisco. Read more
Resolution Progress
30 August 2024 We're nearing the end of August already. At the beginning of 2024, I had 2 simple New Year's resolutions. How am I doing? Did I keep them, or stop after a week, like most people? Read more
Possible Chess Games
29 August 2024 Without looking up the answer, how many possible games of Chess are there? Find out here in this excruciatingly long story! Do you think there are more games of Chess or atoms in the universe? Read more
Journey to PE
28 August 2024 In the United States, certain practices of engineering are required to be performed by a licensed engineer. This includes signing and sealing engineering plans and drawings, and some engineers working in teaching or government must be licensed. To obtain licensure in engineering, you must pass two national standardized tests (the FE, fundamentals of engineering, and the PE, principles of engineering) and then apply to your state's board to obtain the license (also called the PE, professional engineer.) The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) writes the standardized tests, which are specifically designed for several disciplines of engineering. Spoiler alert: If you've seen the home page on my website, you'd already know I have successfully obtained a PE in control systems engineering. Read more
Golden Gate Half
25 August 2024 A 5K is about 3.1 miles, and a 10K is about 6.2 miles. That's a lot of running, but long-distance races don't stop there. There's half marathons (13.1 miles), marathons (26.2 miles), 50K's (31 miles) and 100K's (62 miles). Anything beyond that is crazy. I was in San Francisco today with the simple intention of running across the Golden Gate bridge to Marin and back. What I did was much more than I expected. Read more