NEAL MATTA

Course catalog

Classes with a syllabus written and waiting. Each quarter is planned by picking from here, and a class leaves the catalog once it’s on a quarter.

3
Classes
9
Credits offered
CUL 1013 credits13 weeks · 4 units

Cooking 101

Cook Indian food well enough to host friends for dinner.

Midterm · Wk 7
[Midterm]
Final · Wk 13
Host a dinner party with Indian food I cooked myself.
Every week
  • Cook one new dish
  • Post a photo and one note on what to change next time
When & where
On my own: one new dish a week
› Full syllabus · 14 steps
Unit 1Pantry & basicsWk 1–3
  1. Wk 1Stock whole and ground spices
  2. Wk 2Cook basmati rice that comes out fluffy
  3. Wk 3Learn a tadka (tempering)
  4. Wk 3Make a basic raita
Unit 2Dal & sabziWk 4–6
  1. Wk 4Tadka dal
  2. Wk 5One dry sabzi (aloo gobi or bhindi)
  3. Wk 6Get one family recipe written down
Unit 3CurriesWk 7–9
  1. Wk 7Master an onion-tomato masala base
  2. Wk 8Chana masala
  3. Wk 9A paneer or chicken curry
Unit 4The dinner partyWk 10–13
  1. Wk 10Pick a menu of 4–5 dishes
  2. Wk 11Cook a dry run for 2–3 people
  3. Wk 12Write a prep timeline for the day
  4. Wk 13Send the invites
SWM 1014 credits13 weeks · 4 units

Swimming 101

Get comfortable in the water, enough to swim a full lap on my own.

Midterm · Wk 7
Glide + kick a full length with a board, no stops
Final · Wk 12
Swim one full length of the pool unassisted: no wall, no board, no standing. On video.
Every week
  • Thursday swim class
  • One solo practice swim, 30 minutes
  • Quick check-in after class
When & where
Thursdays: swim class at Lakeview Athletic Club (Tuesdays are volleyball)
› Full syllabus · 16 steps
Unit 1Get in the waterWk 1–3
  1. Wk 1Sign up for the free month + Thursday class
  2. Wk 1Get goggles, cap and suit
  3. Wk 2Exhale underwater: 10 bubble bobs holding the wall
  4. Wk 3Front and back float, 5 seconds each, on your own
Unit 2Glide & kickWk 4–7
  1. Wk 4Push off the wall and glide
  2. Wk 4Decide on a membership before the free month ends
  3. Wk 5Flutter kick with a board, half a length
  4. Wk 6Flutter kick with a board, a full length
  5. Wk 7MidtermGlide + kick a full length with a board, no stops
Unit 3Stroke & breathWk 8–10
  1. Wk 8Freestyle arms with a pull buoy
  2. Wk 9Thursday class
  3. Wk 9One solo practice swim
  4. Wk 10Arms and side-breathing together, half a length
Unit 4The full lengthWk 11–13
  1. Wk 11Full length with fins or a spotter
  2. Wk 12FinalFINAL: full length unassisted, filmed
  3. Wk 13BufferBuffer week: make-up swim, or a celebration swim
WDW 1012 credits10 weeks · 5 units

Woodworking 101

Build one real thing for the apartment and build it well: design the behind-the-couch ledge, test it, change it, and finish it properly.

Midterm · Wk 4
Revise to v2 and a final cut list; stain test on offcuts; have the store cut the lumber; line up rentals for build weekend
Final · Wk 8
The behind-the-couch ledge I designed and would be proud of: space for plants and a place for coasters to sit neatly. Square with no wobble, sanded, stained and sealed, and in daily use.
Every week
  • One session, about 2 hours: design weeks can be done anywhere, build weekends (Wk 4, 5, 7) run longer
  • Every design change goes into a new numbered drawing: v1, v2, v3
  • Write every dimension down before cutting: measure twice
  • A check-in with a photo or sketch after each session
When & where
Learn as I go: Home Depot on-demand How-To Workshops plus YouTube, no multi-week class. Design work travels (sketchbook or laptop). Build weekends at home: Wk 2 warm-up frame, Wk 4 mockup, Wk 5 build, Wk 7 finish, Wk 8 install. Fallback if it slips: Wk 10. Rent or borrow tools as each step needs them instead of buying up front; have the store make the long cuts.
› Full syllabus · 29 steps
Unit 1Measure, watch & a warm-up buildWk 1–2
  1. Wk 1Home Depot workshop: Tape Measure Basics (before measuring)
  2. Wk 1Home Depot workshop: Woodworking Tool Basics (before measuring)
  3. Wk 1Home Depot workshop: Power Tool Basics (before the warm-up frame)
  4. Wk 1Measure the couch space: back height, gap to the wall, length. Photo + numbers
  5. Wk 1Measure what goes on the ledge: plant pots and coasters
  6. Wk 1Measure the odd wall space for the warm-up frame
  7. Wk 1Pick the picture for the warm-up frame
  8. Wk 2Save 10+ reference photos of behind-couch tables with plants and a neat spot for coasters
  9. Wk 2Warm-up build, Saturday: the picture frame, with tools rented or borrowed for the day. Four cuts, glue + brads or screws, sand, stain
Unit 2Design & iterateWk 3–4
  1. Wk 3Home Depot workshop: How to Maintain Woodworking Tools
  2. Wk 3Home Depot workshop: How to Repair Drywall (for hanging the frame and patching holes)
  3. Wk 3Sketch 3 different layouts for plants and coasters
  4. Wk 3Pick one layout
  5. Wk 3Draw the favorite to scale with every dimension (v1)
  6. Wk 4Weekend: full-size mockup behind the couch in cardboard + painter's tape; set real plants and coasters on it
  7. Wk 4Hang the picture frame
  8. Wk 4MidtermRevise to v2 with a final cut list
  9. Wk 4Stain test on offcuts
  10. Wk 4Have the store cut the lumber
  11. Wk 4Line up rentals for build weekend
Unit 3BuildWk 5–6
  1. Wk 5Build weekend: cut, dry-fit, glue + screw the ledge
  2. Wk 5Build the coaster spot
  3. Wk 6Party test: the unfinished ledge in use at a get-together. Note what to change
Unit 4Finish it wellWk 7–8
  1. Wk 7Finish weekend: make the party fixes
  2. Wk 7Fill the screw holes and sand 120 → 150 → 180
  3. Wk 7Wood conditioner, then stain
  4. Wk 7Weeknights: 2–3 coats of water-based poly, a light 220 sand between coats
  5. Wk 8FinalFINAL, weekend: plants and coasters in place, ledge in daily use
Unit 5Optional extraWk 10
  1. Wk 10BufferOnly if the ledge is done: a small plant holder

Already taking or taken: the transcript.