How to Survive College

Unscheduled Offworld Activation!

2010-06-12T21:30:00.003-05:00

Hey, it's been a while. Lately I've been spending a lot of my free time at game nights with my friends and working through my collection of Stargate SG-1 episodes. I might blog about game nights with my crew in the future, but for now I want to talk about Stargate.

I am such a fanboy for Stargate, but I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that this show is one of the best sci-fi shows of all time. My mom doesn't exactly like science fiction, but even she looks forward to watching Stargate as a family. Part of it is that the characters are so good. Character interaction drives the show, so it's easy to get invested in the personalities.

Gah, look at me! I'm advertising a show that ended several years ago! But it's just that good. Maybe I'm having this reaction now because I didn't have much access to the show when it was on the air. One thing's for sure, though: I'll never make fun of Trekkies again.

A Relaxing, Predictable Summer

2010-05-10T16:58:00.003-05:00

Well, then. Spring semester is finally over, and that means I am finally done with one of the busiest schedules I've ever had to deal with. It's such a wonderful feeling to have the weight of those responsibilities gone (though I say so every semester, it is even more true this time). For all that I like discovering new things, I am most happy when I have a predictable place to come back to. This summer that means my job and one class through the first half of June. No surprises and (mostly) no demand on my time outside of those hours.

The Future is Now

2010-04-27T17:15:00.003-05:00

I just had a thought today when I was checking my cell phone battery. I've had this little device for about a year and a half, and in that time I'd be surprised if it's been turned off for a total of more than a week. That's pretty impressive, both in terms of the stability of the software running it and the life of the battery. We keep looking to the future for "cool" tech, but we've got some pretty cool stuff going on right now.

Technology Marches On

2010-04-24T12:20:00.002-05:00

Hi guys. I wish my life weren't so boring so I would actually have something to share on this blog once in a while. Anyway, I just realized that I'm sitting in a very interesting position. Kind of literally.

I've got my laptop out and I'm leaning up in bed typing. Not so unusual in itself, but I've got a monitor on my night stand that's hooked up to extend my laptop screen. Looking around my room, I see five computers, most of which I use at least somewhat regularly. Amazing, isn't it, that we've gone from huge, multi-ton behemoths that fill several rooms to feather-light devices that sit on your lap and have many times the computing power? That machines which once cost millions are now inexpensive enough for a college student to collect?

That's my thought for the day. Maybe if the teachers would let up on the homework I could have more of my own thoughts.

Nilla-con Wafers

2010-04-07T19:13:00.003-05:00

Never keep snack food in any bulk near your computer.

Life, to date.

2010-04-01T21:26:00.002-05:00

Sorry to have been absent for a while. Life is busy, so many activities clamoring for my time, not enough sleep, too many school projects. On the other hand, the weather is nice, and I have money in the bank (for now). Maybe when something interesting happens I'll post here again. I don't think you're missing out on anything worth reading if I don't post what's been going on these past few weeks.

Mmmmm Mmmmm....

2010-03-14T13:27:00.000-05:00

Happy Pi Day!

Yoga as a Second Language

2010-03-06T21:44:00.002-06:00

Negotiation

2010-03-02T22:57:00.003-06:00

Browsing Lifehacker tonight, I came across a neat link: The Art of Negotiation According to Pawnstars. I've seen this show a few times, and I agree that the best part is watching the wild-guess price negotiation. And since I'm terrible at negotiating, this is something I'll tuck away for the future.

Just thinking tonight.

2010-03-01T23:21:00.004-06:00

Well, this sure isn't getting as much attention as it used to! I guess it can't be helped, though, since this semester has sort of redefined busy. Not just for me, though--many of my friends are finding it hard to make time to relax or do anything. A lot of it seems to be school-related, but I'm a bit perplexed that all of the teachers suddenly decided to make life hard for the students.

Another thing I'm worried about is graduation. Just looking at the numbers, I'm beginning to think that it's not possible to graduate in the fall. It would have to be the spring at the earliest. I'm not seeing this as being so bad--another semester in my nice software job could be a good thing from what I'm hearing about the job market--but I'm just getting so tired of school. A real job might be similar in time spent sitting at a desk, but at least you don't bring it home with you. Hopefully.

Tonight I went to a concert to relax a bit. I know I've got stuff to do, but I couldn't pass up seeing a couple of my friends sing, and it was good music, too. Only a couple of the songs weren't that great, but that was more the fault of the music choice, not the singers. Sometimes the "artsy" music is best left to the people who pretend to appreciate it. But the other songs were great! They did part of Beethoven's Requiem (I think that's it) and also one that I remember doing in high school choir competition: "Witness." Very strong soul music, and I love the bass part!

It's no secret to you guys that I want to become a published author. I'll be honest, though, I'm a little afraid to turn writing into work. It is already hard work, but if I wrote enough to live off of it, I don't know if that would take away some of the fun of writing for me. My writing group has kind of collectively set a goal to write every day, and I feel bad that I am not always reaching that goal (see paragraph #1). Maybe what I should do to reach the goal is to schedule into my calendar nonnegotiable writing time. But as far as the bigger question... I guess I have to get a book ready to send to a publisher before I find out.

Get Onboard the Netbook Train

2010-02-21T00:14:00.003-06:00

The problems I've had with my laptop battery have finally come to a head in the last week when it stopped powering the computer altogether. I've been having to find power outlets everywhere I go with it, and while that isn't so bad in itself it also means I have to endure the excruciating boot time every time I want to do anything. Seriously, who wants to wait five minutes just to find out you have no new email?

So I have been looking around for a good solution to portable internet access. For a while I was looking at ultra-portability like the iTouch or Zune HD, but those came with so many limitations (not to mention that they're too small for any serious browsing, and I don't think you can take class notes on them!). So tonight I have jumped on the bandwagon and purchased myself a netbook: Eee PC 1005-series. Blue. I'm typing on it right now, and aside from getting used to the compact keyboard I really love how the keys feel.

It was not a cheap decision for me, but a necessary one. I'm just hoping that my lack of giddiness about it means I didn't rush into the decision. Now I don't have to worry about buying any more technology until I'm out of school, since all my bases are covered. Not to mention that I'm now computing in style! ;-)

Walk a Mile in Another Person's...Eyeballs?

2010-02-10T22:31:00.003-06:00

I don't get headaches very much--at least not anymore; in the first grade I had more than my share since my nearsightedness hadn't been diagnosed yet. My mom used to get migraine headaches, but I haven't heard her complaining of any lately. However, every once in a while I get something that Mom has called a "visual migraine." The first time I remember having one I was quite worried--I'd never heard of this kind of thing and couldn't help but wonder if I had some kind of tumor. AllAboutVision.com has a page on "Ophthalmic Migraines" that says they're generally harmless and often painless (as was mine today, even though a normal headache rolled in later during Finance...ugh).

I experienced one of these today just before I went to meet my adviser about upcoming courses. This one was much longer than any I had previously had, but with an occurrence of about one per year I don't expect it is significant. The intensity of the symptoms was not as strong as the first one I can remember, but the placement of the blind spot was just right so that I couldn't regognize the faces of people I was talking to.

That got me thinking about the neurological conditions that make some people unable to recognize faces, shapes, or letters. It was interesting to have a kind of a small peek into the world of those people, if only for a little while. After the curiosity wore off, it was honestly a little exasperating to not know I was sitting next to my friend in the student union until he said hello to me, or to not realize it was my adviser walking down the hallway to meet me. That is something that I would have a hard time living with (as would most people, I imagine).

I'm not so filled with sympathy that I'll rush off and become a brain surgeon, but it was definitely helpful to me to have a reminder why I should be compassionate to people with disabilities.

Let's Reschedule That

2010-02-08T17:21:00.003-06:00

Lately the weather has been most uncooperative for getting together with people. There is a winter storm warning again tonight, with a snowfall approaching one foot! My brother barely made it to school this morning, and all of the area high schools were let out early (with a high probability of being late or canceled tomorrow). But the college stays open. In fact, in the 5 years I've gone here I can only remember one instance where day classes were canceled, and there have been some pretty nasty storms, let me tell you.

So here I sit, denied movie night last weekend and writers' group tomorrow. Maybe it will turn out good--at least I will have more time to do my homework. Or, knowing myself, procrastinate that much more.

The Concept of Scale

2010-02-04T08:17:00.003-06:00

I found a YouTube video this morning that does a great example of why I think Barack Obama's policies are empty promises.

I actually found the video on the Lake Nona 9 12 website. If you think the current administration is acting out of line with our founders' intent, visit this website for information on what you can do about it.

The Value of Money

2010-01-31T15:42:00.003-06:00

Today I was just thinking about how many (most?) people don't understand how to handle their money. In my experience, when a young kid first learns the concept of money, they tend to equate the value to a certain amount of a toy or candy or other product. In my case, everything was valued in terms of how many LEGO sets I could buy. The problem with our current financial situation seems to rise out of people never moving beyond this stage. People think in terms of a new car, big screen TV, or kitchen appliances. Instead of LEGO, now I think in terms of how much computer equipment I could buy. None of these are bad things, but they have to be balanced against having enough money saved. Now, having money is not an end unto itself, but financial success will require a person to stop thinking in terms of what they want to buy and instead think of how much needs to be saved away to provide for a comfortable life down the road.

What makes me angry (at myself) right now is that I seem to forget about this until I start feeling the financial crunch from school or emergency car repairs or something. Once things clear up I promptly forget about fiscal responsibility and go buy something I don't really need in the long term. I'm not dumb enough to put myself in danger of going broke, but I'm beginning to see that I'm missing out on some investment opportunity. Well, I would be, anyway, if I didn't have to pay all my money to the university.

Once I get this semester paid off, my plan is to start stuffing away cash right away so that I can pay off the fall semester right away, so that I can start investing some money. Hmm... I wonder how much I can get for the 100+ LEGO sets in my closet...

This is Your Roommate on Beer

2010-01-24T01:21:00.005-06:00

I'm up and posting only because the drunk roommate has his Metallica on, and his subwoofer is right next to the wall my room shares with his. Even though I'm beginning to accept drinking in general (hey, even Jesus drank wine), I'm also confirming reasons why I don't drink. Roommate 1 is a pretty nice guy, but alcohol brings out a kind of "passive jerk" in him where he either doesn't think or doesn't care about being discourteous, such as playing metal music when I'm trying to sleep. Roommate 2 drinks more and more often. For some reason he likes to cook while drunk, so Roommate 3 and I tend to get stuck with kitchen cleanup. There's also a glass still cemented to the bathroom sink from the night he binged on White Russians. Come to think of it, he actually is a slob all the time. It's just more pronounced when he's drunk. Oh, and when he plays loud music during the early hours, there is also singing.

Maybe there's a certain standard of etiquette amongst drunkards that I've never learned about because I'm not one of them. There's some kind of secret society that meets in bars and tries to take over the world, but they never get around to it because they're all too drunk by the end of the meeting. Or the robot army doesn't work because someone spilled drinks all over the blueprints and made a '5' look like an '8.'

Spend Like a Millionaire

2010-01-21T09:21:00.004-06:00

I don't really have a motto, but if I were to have one I would seriously consider the phrase "Spend like a millionaire."

Today I was thinking back on a conversation I had with my dad about people who win the lottery. We see them on TV advertisements like Publisher's Clearing House, all excited and dancing around. For now, let's ignore the fact that buying lottery tickets is an extremely poor investment strategy. Instead, just look at how the winners spend their prizes: cars, houses, vacations, and luxuries they could never afford before.

One third of lottery winners become bankrupt.
"The CFP Board made an offer to the National Association of State and Provincial Lotteries to provide the organization's members with information to distribute to winners. The Investment News article highlighted the lack of financial guidance many winners receive from state lottery agencies; estimates show that nearly one-third of lottery winners become bankrupt."
Source: Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc

I would link to the article itself for the preceding quote, but the link I found seems to have gone dead. But how can you possibly go bankrupt when you have all of this money? It's because those people are not spending like they are millionaires.

Huh?

My dad told me about an article he read where a journalist asked millionaires what their "secret" was. He hosted a conference at a fancy venue with lots of fancy food. He was surprised to see people showing up in old, cheap cars, wearing plain clothes. Some even commented to him that he spent too much money on the food.

(If anyone's interested in the reference I'll ask Dad if he can remember where he read it.)

So the millionaires did not spend money like they were rich. Their secret was wise investing and careful spending. I don't think I've been careful enough with my spending lately, but there is always time to improve if you catch yourself early. Save money early, retire a millionaire is the advice my finance professor has been giving us, and I think it's definitely a good idea.

Keep the Change

2010-01-19T22:06:00.003-06:00

Becoming independent is not an easy thing. I know that many young adults are eager to break away from their parents as soon as possible, but then find themselves tossed on the seas of life (to use a hackneyed metaphor). I was blessed to have significant support and love from my family, but even that in itself makes it hard to break away. Honestly, it gets lonely at college, even with thousands of people around you. Sometimes I just don't want anything to change so I always have the "safety blanket" of familiarity.

Oh, change will happen whether or not I want it, but it would be nice to not have to worry about tomorrow--worry whether something will upset the balance and make me give up something I've had, something I've taken for granted. That old toy store jingle comes into my head: "I don't wanna grow up. I'm a Toys'R'Us kid!" But things which don't grow are, by definition, dead. I have to find a way to deal with change in a way that generates more of what I had.

And now that I think about it, even if I could make everything remain the same, it would slowly turn into some kind of twisted prison world because I couldn't make something bigger of myself. Better to plumb the depths unknown than never be able to realize my dreams and goals.

It always seems to come back to this.

2010-01-18T11:45:00.003-06:00

Lately I've really been into the whole Space Opera thing. I may or may not have mentioned that I'm reading the Honor Harrington series by David Weber--good series, even if I have heard people complain about Honor's character being ungodly overpowered. I like browsing the archives over at Concept Ships, and I've even downloaded my favorites to form a screensaver slideshow. I've recently found a starship miniatures battle game called Full Thrust (which can be obtained online for free, by the way), and I'm even yearning to play Homeworld again.

Science fiction really is my first love when it comes to stories. It's faraway and fantastic, yet even with the darker stories there is a kind of hope that man can invent technologies which are considered impossible today. If I could have my choice, I would have wanted to be a spaceship pilot or time-traveling historian. {Sigh} I was born too soon.

But I'll live with the hand I was dealt, and in some ways it's almost better for someone with an intense imagination because there are so many possibilities (and impossible-yet-cool scenarios) to consider. Maybe by playing out these scenarios in gaming and writing stories I can satisfy that "itch" for the future, and in the process pass along that sense of wonder to someone else.

The Tree

2009-12-21T22:19:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas from everyone at my office!

Err, actually, no. Not a Christmas tree. By group decision, it is a "Non-Denominational Holiday Tree." I'm pretty sure they didn't use the right terminology there, but whatever.

I contributed the empty raisin box (lower left), but we also have an empty can of Vault, a chicken, a stress ball, an ID card lanyard, a packet of saltine crackers, my boss's business card, and LOTS of plastic knives, amongst other office supplies.

Hope you enjoy the holidays!

December...Busier Than November???

2009-12-18T00:43:00.004-06:00

So, December is supposed to be the time of year when I have TIME to update, right? Well, between being sick and this being my first school vacation working full-time hours, it has been surprisingly hard to drag myself over to the blog to write up something.

Don't get me wrong, I like exercising my writerly brain-muscles and posting things for you to read, but there are just sooo many projects I would love to work on. For one, I have an idea for a mystical, magical movie prop in the vein of the Cthulhu mythos that lights up with a pulsing glow when you bring a key item close to the "mystic inscriptions" on the "rock." Trust me, it's way cool, and I promise you'll be among the first to know when/if I finish it. A coworker liked the idea enough to offer to help me with it, so I think it has a reasonable chance of being seen to completion.

In other news, it's becoming harder and harder to bring myself to work on the NaNo novel! It's true, there is something magical about November that inspires you to write. I was fortunate enough to meet up with the other people in our local group of WriMos on Monday. They're a wonderful group, and even if I didn't get much work done the conversation was still great (and I remembered to jot down a story idea that I thought of a long time ago...and just now remembered it...but guess what I found in an old notebook today: that same story idea! Only this version was slightly different, and when mixed with Monday's notes it came out to a really interesting mix of ideas... Ah, I'm rambling now, aren't I?).

Anywhoo, then my other project is trying to get back into the pen-pal program at my favorite steampunk website, Brass Goggles. Well, not a program per se, but semi-organized chaos. One pen-pal I'm writing to sort of in-character, so it would read more like two adventurers telling of adventures they are having (or are remembering). See, right there, I'm just a sucker for a good story.

Makes me miss the days of my play-by-email RPG I used to do with the LEGO community, but we must move on. College life just doesn't have room for a LEGO collection as big as mine was! It's all in storage, patiently awaiting the day when I or my descendants should choose to pull it out and begin model-building again...

So that's the rundown. I do feel a little bad that I don't have a finely-crafted article to put up here for you, but this is what you get when life happens.

November Wrap-Up

2009-12-03T09:36:00.002-06:00

Well, it was a crazy, fun, hectic, and exhilarating month! I'm so glad that I found out about NaNoWriMo (thanks, Rachel!) because it has pushed me to expand the limits of what I think I can do. Everyone has, at one point, thought about what it would be like to write a novel. Let me tell you, it's hard work! Even though it took me a whole month of buckling down to pound out the words, I'm nowhere near finished with the story. Still, it was rewarding in a way that I think only other writers, marathon writers, and mountain climbers can understand.

Thanks to everyone who supported and encouraged me this month, and thanks to everyone who didn't call me crazy or dumb when I explained what I was doing! Thanks to Chris Baty for inventing this unreasonable event. Thanks to God for giving me the ability and desire to write.

I'm thinking ahead to next year already--I know my college class schedule will be pretty loaded down that semester, so I'm not sure how well I will do. But I know that I must try.

Hooray!

2009-11-30T19:31:00.002-06:00

Yay! Thirty days, fifty thousand words. NaNoWriMo 2009 is MINE!

Month To Date

2009-11-24T09:04:00.004-06:00

Hi, folks! As you can see from my word count progress bar to the left of this post, I am now all caught up for my NaNoWriMo writing goals (and then some). I'm really excited to cross the 50,000 mark, but the joy is not just in the destination--it's also in the journey. Specifically, I really enjoyed expanding my writing experience this year by attending "write-ins" where like-minded writers get together to pound out some words on the keyboard (or notepad, as the case may be). Here are some of my interactions with the writers in my area this month. Not exactly a play-by-play, but I hope it gives you a taste of the fun we have.

Tuesday, Nov. 3

Hey, everybody! It was great to meet all of you at the write-in. I hope you all made some decent progress! I did almost my full word count for today in that one sitting, so I'm pretty happy with my performance tonight. I'm looking forward to another write-in some time.

Betsy, I think you've kind of become our unofficial chapter president :-)

I like having a pre-planned meeting time for lots of us to plunk down a couple thousand words. I can bring that big bag of candy again if anyone's interested in measuring their wordcount in M&Ms!

-Andrew (the argyle sweater guy)

Monday, Nov. 9

I came, I wrote, I conquered!

Good write-in tonight, and thanks, Betsy, for getting it set up again. I also appreciate the great idea you gave me for my story, and then all the other brainstorms that spawned because of that one!

So, the victory wasn't so much in the sheer number of words, but in the great ideas I have lined up for the days ahead. Mankato area WriMos rock!

Monday, Nov. 16

Hi Everybody!
I was really glad to have the write-in tonight! It got my creative juices flowing and I not only managed to pound out 2100 words, but also kept the great ideas flowing. Too bad I'm just so busy that I can't write as fast as the ideas are coming! But if you're behind on wordcount, too, just keep at it! I'll be noveling whenever I can steal a few minutes over the next two weeks. We both can do it!

Even though I have to leave early on Mondays, I could do with another write-in a week from tonight (especially the Mocha Mondays deal I just found out about!).

Later that week...

I did an experiment today to see whether or not writing at a coffee shop was making me more productive. I went to my campus library to write for an hour and a half before going to work, and much to my surprise I got out over 1800 words in one sitting! So, between Dunn Bros, the library, and my house, I'm pretty sure that I need to get out and write more. [The atmosphere really helps me get "in the zone."] Either that or it's the big, comfy chairs...

Monday, Nov. 23

Thanks for the fun times, everyone! Yes, tonight was a good night, not just for wordcount (I added a piddly ~500) but for the fun conversations. I like meeting up with everyone and talking about writing, writing tools, weird dreams, and other totally random things.

Tonight I was writing down the web address of a streaming music website (www.grooveshark.com - awesome site, by the way) and borrowed someone's pen to write it. I accidentally took apart her ball point pen! I was embarassed, but when I explained it was because I was so used to my fountain pen with the screw-off cap, she totally understood. Then the embarrassment went away because I knew I was hanging around with the right crowd!

It has been a very enjoyable year for me to do NaNoWriMo again. The joys, heartaches, pains, triumphs are becoming more familiar every year I do this, but I don't think the thrill of coming over the hill of 40,000 words and seeing the finish line will ever grow old.

As a group we've also discussing some kind of regular meeting throughout the year to encourage each other and get ourselves motivated to actually edit our spectacular piles of garbage later in the year. (After all, "The first draft of anything..." as Vonnegut said.) That is something I would love to work toward, especially since I believe we have a lot to learn from each other by sharing tips, styles, excerpts, and support and encouragement.

So, that's my month so far! I hope you can bear with me through the last week of this insanity. Wait... Actually, I'm beginning to think that this insanity will last long after November is over. This isn't something you can do and not be changed forever.

This Might Be Why

2009-11-19T13:22:00.003-06:00

Here is something I posted to a conversation on the National Novel Writing Month forums about wanting to be a writer as a child, and NaNo rekindling that dream. I thought you guys might like to hear a little about why I like this crazy writing adventure so much.
---

I know what you mean about putting a comma in place because it "sounds right." I am right there with you. However, I think I've had the opposite problem of yours all these years. I used to want to be an astronaut. I mean, I really wanted to be an astronaut. Once, I even put on my toy racing helmet, winter coat, snow pants, gloves, and boots in the middle of summer and went outside to walk around in my "spacesuit." But, alas, my career path has not led me anywhere near Cape Canaveral (unless you count my visit to the Kennedy Space Center ten years ago).

Instead, what I figured out is that I love reading about astronauts. That evolved into a love of science fiction in general, and then to creating LEGO spaceship models that I put on my website with back stories and character bios. This started a slow-burning fuse in my mind. I found out that I could use the LEGO models to illustrate email RPG games I played over the internet with other model builders. Then I realized that my games were, in reality, stories being told in a tag-team fashion with the other person. I tinkered with story ideas and even made a middling effort at one bigger story that I started my senior year of high school.

It was really NaNo which got me to plow ahead with an attempt at writing a complete story. I won my first NaNo in 2008 and haven't looked back. I am a writer, and I couldn't say with more certainty that no matter where I go in life this identity will stick with me. And it's all thanks to Chris Baty and his crazy idea.

It's because I'm writing a book this month.

2009-11-16T23:05:00.004-06:00

I swear I'm not a grammar Nazi, but I do appreciate it when people can use proper grammar and spelling. It helps to enable clear communication, and I like it when the focus is on the ideas being communicated--not on a search for the point of failure in communication.

Therefore I present for your perusal this link to an article on the finer points of using 'i.e.' and 'e.g.' in writing: How to Use "i.e." Versus "e.g."

How to Stop Phone Spam

2009-11-13T10:59:00.004-06:00

Recently I've been getting these really annoying telemarketer phone calls on my cell phone (which should be illegal, in my opinion). A friend of mine said that every time he gets a spam call, he adds a contact to his phone called "Telemarketer" or something like that. Then, when a repeat number calls, you can see the name on the phone's screen and not answer. I suspect it might take a while to build up a library of numbers before this primitive blacklist actually detects a spam call, but the more calls you're getting, the more I think you'd find it useful.

Somebody warn me if I start oinking.

2009-11-06T16:51:00.003-06:00

A lot of people are worried that there won't be enough doses of the swine flu vaccine. I personally am not going to get a vaccination because I trust the vaccine less than I do my own health habits. After all, I haven't had the flu in something like 4 or 5 years. I figure it should be enough to be responsible in washing my hands, not touching my face or food before washing, and getting enough sleep and nutrition.

Still, it will be worth it to be vigilant. I came across this link on the internet today that should prove helpful: Do I Have Swine Flu.org

Wait...

Uh oh.

Woot!

2009-11-04T18:31:00.005-06:00

Today I was thinking about how much I appreciate my dad. There was, however, one thing I had against him: he grew up. (After all, growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional.)

Then I got this email response from him:

Woot!
Thanks.

I take it back. My dad didn't grow up--he's probably as young at heart and my brother and I still are, except he's better at pretending to be grown up. Of course, now I realize I had better hide my NERF guns from him...

What's with the music?

2009-10-29T08:52:00.002-05:00

Today during a quiz in Databases, I encountered the question "Is an employee required to have a first name?" This got that old Oscar Mayer jingle stuck in my head. I could barely keep myself from singing, "My employee has a first name; it's O-S-C-A-R..."

Yesterday during my Info Warfare test I got stuck on the last question, and the only thing I could think about was the Darkwing Duck theme song. Typical college student? I like to think so.

Why?

2009-10-25T22:17:00.005-05:00

It's the lead-up week to November, and you know what that means...? PANIC! Only 7 6 days left until I start writing! I have been rather busy this fall, so I haven't devoted as much time to this blog as I would have liked, but in a strange twist I will be voluntarily making my life even more busy by participating in this insane writing challenge. If you see me here, odds are it will be to whine and complain about how busy I am.

I was reading the NaNoWriMo forums today and came across a thread asking why we do it (which, incidentally, is where I pilfered that awesome image at the head of this post). It's not as if there is fame and wealth to be had. Half the time it leaves us frazzled, sleep-deprived, and desperate. So why the torture? I think the best answer is another question: why climb a mountain? Why ski the black diamond slopes? Why jump in a frozen lake in the middle of January? (Um... Actually, scratch that last one. I don't even know why those guys do that!)

In short, it's there, and it must be conquered.

[Edit]
Oh, and here's another discussion that addresses the same issue. It brings up the point that some things are just worth doing in and of themselves, regardless of material reward.

[Links to NaNoWriMo forum posts expire within a year of the posting date on the forum due to yearly forum reset]

The Breakfast Story

2009-10-19T23:09:00.003-05:00

A happy young boy and a grumpy old man were eating breakfast together. The boy enthusiastically grabbed the salt shaker to salt his eggs as the old man watched with a frown. He scooped a bite of egg into his mouth then made a face as he realized that his eggs were now far too salty to eat. The boy sadly scraped the rest of his breakfast into the garbage as the old man lectured him on the virtues of frugality and the consequences of wastefulness. Then the old man sprinkled a tiny amount of cinnamon onto his toast. He ate the bland meal with a scowl, barely tasting anything, just as he had for years.

Obama Named Country Music Entertainer of the Year

2009-10-16T07:11:00.004-05:00

NASHVILLE (The Borowitz Report) - President Barack Obama stunned the country music world today by picking up its highest honor, Country Music Entertainer of the Year.
Mr. Obama was chosen unanimously, according to the Country Music Association, beating out such favorite as Carrie Underwood and Toby Keith.

In Nashville, country music insiders were shocked by Mr. Obama's selection, given that he has only been in office for eight months and during that time has yet to record a single country song.
But Mr. Obama was gracious in receiving the honor, saying that he was "honored and humbled" by the award before excusing himself to accept this year's Heisman Trophy.

[written by Andy Borowitz]

Things I Learned From LOLcats

2009-10-11T22:35:00.000-05:00

1. Every day is Caturday!

2. For this, I die a horrible death. In fact, I die a horrible death for pretty much anything.

3. It's dangerous to go alone; take a kitten with you.

4. Longcat is looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong.

5. Monorails are down for maintenance quite often.

6. Basement Cat is the source of all ebil.

7. Itteh bitteh kittehs perfer governance by committeh.

8. What has been seen CANNOT BE UNSEEN.

9. I has it, but wut I do wif it?

10. I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER!

A More Realistic Ending

2009-10-07T21:00:00.002-05:00

Apparently this is what happens when you don't file a flight plan for your flying DeLorean/time machine.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2009-10-02T21:09:00.006-05:00

It's getting close to that time of year again! National Novel Writing Month is practically around the corner! Every year I get more and more excited about it, but maybe that's because getting a "win" under my belt did a lot to boost my confidence. Anyway, I'm pretty excited about the challenge of getting another 50,000 words written!

If you don't know what NaNoWriMo is, click on one of the following:

http://www.nanowrimo.org/

And yes, I did decide to do the story based on the song I mentioned a few days ago. Here is a banner I put together to use as my signature on the NaNo forums. Click to read my story ideas on the NaNoWriMo forums!

Five or Six

2009-09-30T23:57:00.004-05:00

If you know me you won't be surprised to know that this quote is satisfying to me in the same way that it's satisfying to bite into a cold slice of juicy watermelon with just the right crunch.

"Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don't see any." - Orson Scott Card

Dang it. Now I want watermelon.

A Still More Glorious Dawn Awaits

2009-09-28T23:03:00.004-05:00

I never saw Carl Sagan's Cosmos before, but I knew he was a really popular guy for making science accessible for the average person. Now that a new song has been released on YouTube, I think I might sit down and watch some. The video is a music tribute to Sagan (with an appearance by Stephen Hawking) using an auto-tuner to make him "sing" phrases from his videos. This song really grows on you; it's all I listened to at work today! It's got an inspirational quality to it, with the lyrics:

"A still more glorious dawn awaits--not a sunrise, but a galaxyrise; a morning filled with 400 billion suns. The rising of the Milky Way."

I might try to take elements of the song and use them as inspiration for my NaNoWriMo novel this year, if I can wring some coherent story elements out of the lines. I've got to say that whoever made this is a freaked-out genius.

Busted (Headlight)

2009-09-27T23:12:00.002-05:00

Tonight as I was driving home from grocery shopping it occurred to me that my headlights were a little dim. I made a mental note to check the alignment and promptly forgot about it. Not five minutes later a cop pulls me over. Turns out I had a headlamp out. It must have just happened in the last few hours or something because I had just checked it.

The short of it is that he asked me to fix it (no warning ticket, either!) and now I'm looking online to see how cheap I could do it myself. Of course, I'm no fix-it man, so I will probably just surrender to the auto shop prices if I can't get my roommate's help.

I was pretty flustered when the cop pulled me over because I knew for a fact that I wasn't speeding, so my mind was racing to find a possible cause. My first thought after "uh-oh" was to try to recall any tips from an article I read about not getting a speeding ticket. Not that I condone trying to weasel out of a ticket, but there were some good tips about not making the officer nervous (a nervous officer will make things hard for you!). Here is a pretty good article about tips on what to do if you are pulled over; it's not the same one I read, but it makes most of the same points:

How to Avoid Getting a Ticket When Caught Speeding

I don't like being on the receiving end of law enforcement, but it's the job we want the officers to do.

Controlling a Desire to Control

2009-09-25T22:51:00.003-05:00

So the other night I went to the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship meeting on campus, and Steve talked about how people want to control their own lives. It would have been easy to just nod my head and half-listen if he had been talking about trusting God to help us handle all the unexpected things in life, but instead I was quite surprised to hear him talk about being willing to give up control over where the IV ministry was going. We're not the biggest group on campus, but it seems to be the trend that the Christian groups try to be hip and cool to attract more people.

Steve's point was that even the best intentions at building a group like IV can go awry when the leaders see it as something to control (and his point that "it's not all about the numbers" rang especially true as I remembered my sour first experience with another group on campus), but it got me thinking about control in a more general sense, as well. This introspection made me realize just how much my personality is driven by a desire for control. It manifests itself in several ways, but these, I think, are the most prominent:

1. Time
My first control issue is fear of wasting time. I can see the confused expressions already--it's not that I don't waste time, it's that I'm afraid of wasting time. The paradox is that by trying to hoard my time for myself I usually end up wasting it. After all, it's not something you can bottle up and put on a shelf. In some ways, this actually stems from item number two...

2. Perfectionism
Well, not Perfectionism per se, but I get frustrated really easily if I don't become at least competent with something fairly soon after starting it. I turned into at least a competent drummer, and I can at least play the right notes on my bass, but you can guess what happened when I tried learning piano and guitar. I've tried all kinds of things, from drawing to archery to rock gardening, but it usually ends in frustration and something getting broken or put into permanent storage. I guess I just have this overwhelming desire for everything to be right with the world, and I'm destroying some part of that by performing poorly.

There's kind of a vicious cycle set up with this one because I am aware (perhaps too aware) of opportunity cost in time and resources, and that seems to lock up my decision process faster than asking a computer to divide by zero. That leads me back to point 1...

I am trying to break out of this cycle by just up and deciding to do things without agonizing over the details of making it turn out perfectly, or worrying about the opportunity cost of going to an event versus the possibility of a more important thing cropping up. It just makes your life grind to a halt! So I started small by deciding to completely shave my beard. I think there was only a one-week period since the summer of 2004 when I did not have facial hair of some description. The next step will be to combat everyday around-the-house "boredom" by just plunging into an activity without opening up the mental day planner, or without thinking over whether it's the best use of my free time.

Hopefully none of you readers are put off by this frank admission (which, I frankly admit, has turned into a rambling lament), but maybe one of you will benefit from my thinking out loud. It certainly makes me feel better to talk about these things because I can lay out my thoughts in a straight line and start to make sense of what's going on in my head. Well, I must sign off now; I've decided to do some laundry.

New Internet Transfer Protocol

2009-09-10T09:16:00.001-05:00

In a turn of events that I'm sure will amuse geeks everywhere, a carrier pigeon turns out to be faster than the internet in South Africa.

Overheard

2009-09-09T20:41:00.003-05:00

If you guys only knew half the things I overhear... At work there is a particularly interesting group across the room that can make jumping into the middle of a conversation somewhat...awkward. Here are just a few of the things I overheard from them. They are presented to you just as I first heard them, completely out of context.

"I don't understand...why is she so hairy!?"

(Victoriously) "Ha, ha! Chewbacca!"

"Ideally you should be smarter than your minions."

"I don't want a pop, and you can't make me!"

"I would totally make man-babies with him!"

(Singing to Rock Me Amadeus): "I'm a day old, I'm a day old! I'm a day old!"

Good Morning!

2009-09-01T09:33:00.003-05:00

"Good morning!" said Bilbo, and he meant it. The sun was shining, and the grass was very green. But Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out farther than the brim of his shady hat.
"What do you mean?" he said. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"
"All of them at once," said Bilbo.

Today is a Good Morning! Not the best, but still certainly good. My laptop died a horrible death yesterday (either the MB or GPU failed), and I was certain that I was going to have to pay big bucks to get it working again. I couldn't wait on the repair because I need it for class and homework, and all of my files were on it! I tried to be cheerful as I brought it into Electronic Repair on campus today, knowing that, at the very least, it would be running again in a week or so (and that is far more than could be said of other computers I've had).

Imagine my surprise when I found that the thing was still under warranty, and that I could have it back in only 2-3 days! At least for today I am one happy camper.

It's the weekend...

2009-08-14T22:18:00.003-05:00

And it's not too far from the truth! I have a couple really good games I hope to play with the family this weekend, and despite the nerdly image board games have they are actually a super way to spend time with people you like. If you think you don't enjoy board games, I think you've only ever encountered one of the following scenarios:

An excessively long game of Monopoly
An excessively long game of RISK
Thinly-veiled advertisements to buy more cereal in the form of a "board game" printed on the back of a cardboard cereal box

One game that my family really enjoys is Carcassonne. In it the players draw tiles to lay on the table and organically sculpt a landscape and place their little wooden people on the landscape to score points.

Regular readers probably think this is old hat, since I've talked about Carcassonne before, but I have recently got some new games, one of them being Citadels. It's a card game that is pretty fast and very fun to play. It's actually the first game my brother has ever asked to play back-to-back!

So that's what I'm probably going to be doing this weekend. (It's actually gaming paradise for me now with my new roommates at college! But I still like to play with my family.)

Oh, and you may be asking, "What the heck is that image he posted at the beginning of this article?" Again, the regular readers get the satisfaction of looking smug and exchanging knowing glances at the expense of the newcomer, implying some sort of superiority through their prior familiarity with the subject. That image is a strip from the online parody comic "Garfield Minus Garfield" in which the titular character has been erased from all of the strips, leaving "the existential angst of a certain young Mr. Jon Arbuckle." I highly recommend following the link on over and perusing the archives.

Hello Again

2009-08-07T00:05:00.002-05:00

Hey there,
Haven't been around much lately. Sorry about that--work and moving into new houses and all that.

So, here's a funny picture:

How Not To Survive College

2009-07-28T22:33:00.003-05:00

Always make sure you bring all of your battery charging cords on a 5-day trip. Otherwise your phone is pretty much guaranteed to die on day 3, and your other stuff won't last much longer (if it hasn't pooped out already).

Happy Anniversary

2009-07-20T09:00:00.003-05:00

Happy 40th anniversary, everyone!

I believe that America lost something when astronauts stopped being heroes of the country, so I was excited to hear today about the Apollo 11 astronauts' visit with Obama to encourage more manned space exploration. That pioneering spirit is what captured the world's attention 40 years ago, and it is what will capture the hearts of the new generation.

E-book "1984" pulled from e-book readers by Big Brother

2009-07-17T22:29:00.004-05:00

For those of you who don't follow Slashdot, I just had to pass this story along. Apparently Amazon has surreptitiously removed books by George Orwell from its e-book reader, Kindle. They credited customers' accounts for the amount of the books, but the computer world is abuzz with discussions on the irony of electronically and remotely censoring the originator of the term "Big Brother." Not only that, but it's downright scary to think that you may not own the stuff you've bought after all.

Of course, if you want control over your own possessions, you could always dump Amazon and the Kindle, since we're not exactly talking about a government conspiracy here. Vote with your dollar. I've heard that some people are just planning on pirating the books now, since they're available free online from places like the Australian Project Gutenberg site (a funny situation where the books are still under copyright in the US but not elsewhere).

Ultimately the preservation of privacy is up to the individual, but most people just don't care. I wish people would start making conscious decisions about their privacy and how much they're willing to give up--even if they give it up entirely, they would have done so consciously. Then I'll sit in my hidden bunker and laugh at them as the government implants the mind-control probes in their brains.

Seriously, though, I'm convinced that something bad is going to happen to our country within my lifetime because the populace is increasingly uninformed. When, where, how, and who are all up in the air now, but if history gives any indication, Big Brother often shows up when people stop caring.

What I Do at Work

2009-07-17T13:14:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted, and I apologize for that. The truth is that work just gets busy sometimes, as you can tell from this photo:

Twister!

2009-07-09T21:37:00.000-05:00

The coolest thing I did today was post this blog post in the path of an oncoming tornado. See you later (hopefully).

Tired but Happy

2009-07-04T00:26:00.003-05:00

Thanks. (And thanks to the guys for the most epic game of Settlers of Catan EVAR.)

Reversal

2009-07-03T06:27:00.001-05:00

This morning I just realized that, in a funny reversal, now I leave for work before Dad wakes up.

Busy work and birthday presents

2009-07-02T22:37:00.006-05:00

Well, another busy week almost gone. You really don't know what stress is until you've had a software engineering job and gone through a release cycle with a product. Okay, I'm not working on commercial products yet, just internal company tools, but after breaking the PROD server ("production" = the one used by the end user) today, I'm just happy I didn't cause any real damage. And I can breath a sigh of relief now that we're also at the end of a release, so things will be a little less frantic around the office.

Also, I bought myself an early birthday present of some HeroScape expansions, so I'm totally geeking out about that. This picture shows my favorite figures from the most recent expansion:

(Image by HeroScapers.com member Hogg, from this thread)

Another one bites the dust...

2009-06-28T21:45:00.004-05:00

Have you heard that ~~everyone's favorite~~ the world's most annoying infomercial host, Billy Mays, has kicked the bucket? I guess he's trying to sell some "miraculous" cleaning product to the Big Guy Upstairs.

I hope this sort of thing becomes a fashionable trend amongst liberal Hollywood. (joke, joke)

What's the big fuss?

2009-06-27T18:57:00.004-05:00

About half the news coverage I've watched this week has been some rehash of Michael Jackson's death and the circumstances surrounding it. I'm not trying to make anyone mad here, but what's the big deal?

I'll give you this: Michael Jackson was a very talented performer whose success was a milestone in the music industry for many reasons. But could someone please explain why people are getting all broken up over this? For as long as I've known who he is, he's been white, creepy/weird, accused of doing things to kids, and didn't produce any music worth talking about. It's pretty hard to to get all weepy over a guy who you primarily know as the inventor of the moonwalk.

I'll definitely join you guys in saying, "Hey, that's too bad," but this constant news coverage to get high ratings is probably more insulting to the man's memory than anything else. And if you really need something to be upset about, get upset about the one million people who die of malaria each year.

Found on the Internet

2009-06-26T17:45:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I find the best quotes on internet forums, either in profile pictures or signature lines. I saw this one on the xkcd forums today:

"English: A language that lurks in dark alleys, beats up other languages, & rifles through their pockets for spare vocabulary."

Approval Rating

2009-06-22T23:12:00.003-05:00

...just saying.

How Many Degrees of Kevin Bacon?

2009-06-19T10:36:00.003-05:00

I'm sure most of you have heard of the concept behind "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon." You try to trace an actor/actress's connection to Kevin Bacon by seeing what films they were in with other people who were in films with Kevin Bacon. It's a spin-off and pun on the game "Six Degrees of Separation." It has become a kind of pop culture thing to see what your "Bacon Number" is.

I was reminded of this today while waiting for one of my code tests to run at work, and I got curious to see what my Bacon Number was. After all, I was an extra in the film Joe Somebody (it's a terrible film, don't waste your time). Lo and behold, my Bacon Number is 2. I was in Joe Somebody with Wolfgang Bodison, who was in A Few Good Men with Kevin Bacon.

I wonder if I can use this to pick up chicks at parties...?

Pocketknives

2009-06-13T09:00:00.005-05:00

I like getting things in the mail. Yesterday I got my replacement laptop battery, and soon I expect I'll get a travel mug I ordered from the NaNoWriMo store. Even when you know what you're getting, it's like a present all wrapped up and waiting on your doorstep. Granted, the wrapping might as well be made of force shields, but that's why I have my Mini Samurai Sword of Doom...er, pocketknife.

Well, mine isn't even really a pocketknife; it's a Leatherman tool, which has several knives included in its superfluity of gadgets. Maybe it's the Inspector Gadget Pocketknife of Doom.

Anyway, you don't see a lot of people carrying normal pocketknives anymore. Ever since the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US, security procedures have been ratcheted up (sometimes to extreme levels, like not being able to take nail clippers on the airplane). Normal people are becoming afraid to carry things like pocketknives because of security checkpoints (where it might be confiscated) or having the police called on them by one of those paranoid people that see terrorists under every park bench.

I suppose it's true that the usefulness of a pocketknife in certain communities is diminishing. Why carry a knife to the office when the toughest thing you need to open is the envelope with your performance review inside? Still, I have rarely seen my grandpa without his knife; he'll use it for anything from opening packaging to cutting slices off his apple to cutting my fishing line free when I cast it into the trees on shore. To some extent, I think we might find more uses for a pocketknife simply by having one available.

A funny antiparallel to the plight of the pocketknife is the rise of the cell phone as the ubiquitous utility tool. Only, this time it's a social tool instead of one for physical tasks. A few years ago I could not have seen myself with a cell phone, yet it was only a few weeks after getting one that I realized it was one of the best purchases I ever made. Cell phones make people effective in communicating information about social interaction (or facilitating that interaction directly--but I don't text, and I don't like long phone conversations if I can help it). It's the pocketknife of the 21st century.

I think I'm going to get a real pocketknife to carry around since the Leatherman is really a bulky thing to have in my pocket. I can see from my grandpa's example that it is a very useful tool if you have it on hand at the right moment. Besides, you'll never get a cell phone to hold a nice, sharp edge.

Update
After I published this post my grandpa had some additional information to share regarding pocketknives:

"That was interesting to read and I can relate to that story somewhat too. Aside from the use of the pocket knife it was also a status symbol. The banker had a silver/gold plated one with his initials engraved on the side; the outdoorsman used his knife to cut twine or skin a small bird or small animal."

I find it especially interesting that pocketknives were a kind of status symbol because cell phones often fulfill that same role.

June 6th

2009-06-06T18:49:00.002-05:00

Thanks, guys.

More Superheroes

2009-06-04T19:16:00.003-05:00

This is the second time I've seen a major news story about "real-life super heroes," covered by CNN, no less. It's a pretty strange thing to do, but it appears to be a growing movement. I think it speaks to a growing frustration people have with injustice in the world, and these "superheroes" are willing to do something about it.

But if these people are derided as mal-adjusted weirdos, what does that say about the rest of us? Granted, patrolling the streets for crime at night doesn't fall under the normal duties of a citizen, but why aren't there more people handing out sandwiches to homeless people? Real-life superheroes take their inspiration from fictional comics, but the rest of us should be taking our inspiration from them. Sometime in the next week, try it--go out of your way to help someone. Even if you don't go so far as to put on a cape and tights (actually, please don't...), or even seek out a homeless shelter, you can still do good for someone.

I will keep an eye out this week for something I can do to live up to that exhortation.

Today's post is for the computer geeks.

2009-06-04T18:20:00.002-05:00

People don't think God exists because he never left any freakin' comments in the code.

It's like it follows him around.

2009-06-01T07:18:00.003-05:00

Is Al Gore speaking in New York this week?

Hey, I'm not saying anything...

Yeah, this happened to me.

2009-05-30T11:26:00.002-05:00

You know you've been spending way too much time on the computer when you're writing something on paper and expect a red line to appear under it if it is misspelled.

The Best Bad Fanfiction EVER

2009-05-27T21:59:00.005-05:00

I'm not against fan fiction. Sometimes it's mildly entertaining, and a few stories are actually good. Unfortunately, the vast majority of fanfic writers have no idea what they are doing, resulting in awkward stories with unlikely character hook-ups, bizarre plot devices, and loathsome use of that unholy abomination of a word: "noone." The worst of these writers can leave you writhing on the floor in anguish over their abuse of grammar, even if you got a 'D' in Senior English class.

Yet there is hope. Over the years I have encountered a handful of geniuses who have been able to see past the atrocities of the words on the page and glimpse a vision of pure hilarity. These few can transform the most mind-numbing pap into comedic gold by adding one simple thing...narration.

Today I ran into one such work of genius on YouTube. I warn you now, wait until you are in the privacy of your own home (or soundproof booth) before watching this video--the narration is funny enough, but what really transforms this story is the animation done using a modified version of the video game. Even a half hour later, it still hurts to breathe; watch at your own risk.

Half Life: Full-life Consequences: Free Man

The video I linked to is the first in a series of increasingly absurd videos showcasing what is probably the worst fanfic ever written...about the Half Life games, at the very least. Watching them in order doesn't really add much to the experience, since the plot is so disjointed, but you might as well. Familiarity with the video game series isn't required, either, except it helps to understand that "Combine" is the title of the alien invaders, not a farm vehicle.

Oh, and by the way...

Happy Towel Day! ...and Memorial Day

2009-05-25T00:45:00.005-05:00

From the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:

A towel (...) is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value -- you can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapours; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a mini raft down the slow heavy river Moth; wet it for use in hand-tohand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or to avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (a mindboggingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you -- daft as a bush, but very ravenous); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.

More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (strag: non-hitchhiker) discovers that a hitchhiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, face flannel, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitchhiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitchhiker might accidentally have "lost". What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his towel is is clearly a man to be reckoned with.

Hence a phrase which has passed into hitch hiking slang, as in "Hey, you sass that hoopy Ford Prefect? There's a frood who really knows where his towel is."

[Learn more about Towel Day]

Note about Towel Day 2009:
In the United States, two very important holidays collide on May 25th of this year. One is a celebration of fun, quirkiness, and humor. Without these, life would be unbearably boring. Douglas Adams created a series of stories that used absurdity to poke fun at and alleviate the stress of everyday life, and on Towel Day some of us choose to let the world know that we appreciate artists who bring us the joy of humorous, quirky, random stories.

The other holiday is a solemn remembrance of the men and women who valued this country and its citizens so highly that they chose to sacrifice their own lives to protect them. This world would be irrevocably changed were it not for their bravery and dedication. On this day we also show the world that we appreciate and honor those people.

The coincidence of these two celebrations this year forces an unfortunate choice to give up carrying my towel for the morning ceremony for Memorial Day. There was never any question which event would take precedence--without our soldiers, we would not have the freedom to express ourselves in such a manner--so I will be towel-less for the morning in honor of the sacrifice made by those patriots, and then in the afternoon I will honor them again by enjoying the freedoms they fought to preserve.

I hope that you will all join me in spirit, celebrating the joys and freedoms of life in the free world.

Happy Birthday, My Dear Watson

2009-05-22T17:58:00.003-05:00

As one member of Fark.com so wittily put it, "Since no other day of the year is [Sir] Arthur Conan Doyle's birthday, we must deduce that his birthday is today." Wired.com has a nice, short biography of the man who invented the most widely-known detective in literature.

Holmes and Doyle

I enjoyed reading Sherlock Holmes stories all the way back in grade school. Well, OK, it was just an abridged version of Hound of the Baskervilles (who else remembers that series of small, thick books for kids? The ones with all the abridged classics?). Still, I loved the Holmes character. Being more of the intellectual disposition myself, I often wished I could be as sharp as him instead of playing the more obtuse Watson.

Eventually I learned that my gifts are more in the spontaneous creativity and technological departments, but I still enjoy trying to keep up with that eminent detective and guess at the endings of mystery stories. Tonight, though, I will celebrate the birthday of Sir A. Doyle by settling in with one of his familiar, old stories.

Cat Yodeling

2009-05-18T18:11:00.001-05:00

Work is still keeping me busy enough, so until I settle in more, here's an instructional video on Cat Yodeling.

Summer "Break" Begins

2009-05-16T01:40:00.004-05:00

I've been very busy this week since I started working full-time. The work is challenging, but that keeps me from being bored out of my skull. I am part of a software maintenance and improvement team, so about half of my job is fixing bugs. Taking a cue from old fighter pilots who painted an icon on their plane after each kill, I draw bugs on small post-it notes and put them up on the wall of my workstation. Sorry, I can't take pictures of the office, though. If you ask really nicely (and slip me a 10) I might let you look inside from the doorway.

The only real downside is that my extra-long commute cuts down my non-work, non-sleep time to about 5 hours per day. I'll be happy to find a place to live near school next fall.

But I am psyched for Saturday because it will be my first chance to sleep in since three or four weeks ago. Oh, so tired! I'll try to post more regularly this summer than I did in previous years, but if I miss a few days just chalk it up to an empty coffee pot at work (or me sleeping through the weekend).

Perspective

2009-05-07T08:29:00.003-05:00

The way the media is portraying the swine flu, you'd think we would all be living in plastic bubbles by now. I didn't make this image (actually, I stole it from Graphjam.com), but I appreciate that at least one other person has some perspective on this whole thing:

A Student's Prayer

2009-05-04T09:01:00.002-05:00

A Student's Prayer
by St. Thomas Aquinas

Creator of all things,
true source of light and wisdom,
origin of all being,
graciously let a ray of your light penetrate
the darkness of my understanding.

Take from me the double darkness
in which I have been born,
an obscurity of sin and ignorance.

Give me a keen understanding,
a retentive memory, and
the ability to grasp things
correctly and fundamentally.

Grant me the talent
of being exact in my explanations
and the ability to express myself
with thoroughness and charm.

Point out the beginning,
direct the progress,
and help in the completion.

I ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Finally I can sleep

2009-05-01T18:20:00.001-05:00

Huuuuuuurrrgh.... sleep. Finals are going to seem easy peasy after this week. Good night.

My Fault? A Group Project Confession

2009-05-01T00:54:00.005-05:00

Well, I suppose it's all my fault.

Right now I'm in the early stages of a last-minute programming marathon to create an application that my whole group was supposed to be working on all semester. It's 1am, and there's a long way to go yet. The best I have to look forward to tonight is one or two hours of sleep before I cruise up to campus and present this thing, and grab a thermos of coffee before that if I'm really lucky.

But I say it's my fault that this isn't already done. A partial truth, I guess, but I will take the full blame. Honestly, only one other guy in the group is made from any kind of leadership material, but even that wasn't enough for him to get the others moving when I delegated half the work to 80% of the group members. So that means I have some responsibility to keep things moving, right? I'm no Napoleon or George Washington, but I'm definitely the Leader in this group. Anyway, I'll make this quick because I have to get back to programming.

For the past year I've grown accustomed to having the teacher assign a programming problem, specify an end date, and let us loose to tackle it. I did very well in that environment. However, this semester the teacher expected us to organize ourselves and keep things moving along. The assignments (reports) he was giving us I was mistaking for the "stage" of the project that was "due." I failed to move my team along quickly enough.

But it's all right. Or it will be in about 8 hours. I just discovered some quirks in the framework tool we're using that just might save our collective posterior if I implement the right hacks. Wish me...not luck, I guess; I'll need alertness more. And I'll need to not nod off while giving our presentation.

Life Imitates Comic Books

2009-04-28T12:45:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure whether to call this guy pathetic or freakin' awesome. Apparently there is a "caped crusader" running around Cincinnati, OH, being a superhero. Yeah, really! The guy seems like a page ripped straight out of a comic book; he calls himself "Shadowhare" and wears a cape and mask as he fights crime on the streets. Shadowhare carries legal items such as mace and handcuffs to stop bad guys and even make citizen's arrests (which, I guess, are legal in Ohio; and here I thought they were a myth).

Want to hear something even more surreal? There's a whole bunch of these types running around the country, calling themselves the "Allegiance of Heroes." Members include Aclyptico, Wall Creeper, and Master Legend. They each patrol their own cities and communicate online.

So, besides the pathetic/awesome debate, is this really a good idea? The group is drawing a lot of criticism, but many people are supporting the heroes in their work. A few lines in the article I linked suggest that it's not all "Batman" beatdowns--it does mention "feeding the homeless" as a possible activity for Shadowhare. I'd say that these heroes would best serve the community by only filling in where the police are unable to do so. Food for the homeless seems a bit outside a cop's job description, so that is probably a good role for Shadowhare to fill. Stopping a mugging in progress is also something I would think any decent (and decently-equipped) citizen should do. The article also mentioned some superhero teamwork to track down a rapist. As long as they're not breaking the law, I would say this is also a responsible thing to do (especially since the cops are always asking the public for information relating to crime).

The heroes should remember, though, that they don't actually have super powers, and should not try to be a replacement for the police. That can get super dangerous and super illegal. Otherwise, I don't see any reason they shouldn't be allowed to spend their free time this way. Maybe it's just because of that voice inside me that cries out for justice.

What's that you say? No, I haven't been searching for a superhero name generator online...

Quote to Ponder

2009-04-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

"One of the peculiar sins of the twentieth century which we've developed to a very high level is the sin of credulity. It has been said that when human beings stop believing in God they believe in nothing. The truth is much worse: they believe in anything."

~Malcolm Muggeridge

Science Confirms the Obvious

2009-04-27T00:30:00.000-05:00

Quoting Fark.com: "Today's 'science confirms what you already knew' segment: Eating tofu really does make you a sissy boy." Health news story on the Daily Mail online. Real men everywhere nod their heads sagely.

This is what you get when I get busy

2009-04-22T22:33:00.004-05:00

Sorry, but I'm going to be really busy for a few weeks. New job, end of semester, lots of group projects to do. So I'll leave you in the capable hands of our good friend Billy Mays:

Costly Damage to your Toilet

Chuck Norris for President

2009-04-17T16:19:00.001-05:00

OK, now I'm hoping Texas secedes from the United States of Obama. Chuck Norris has offered to run for President of Texas. Yeah, I'm so moving to Texas when that happens.

Lesson for the Day

2009-04-16T11:26:00.002-05:00

Never call somebody 'fat' if they're in charge of making your food: NotAlwaysRight.com

End of the Semester

2009-04-15T23:27:00.002-05:00

They tell me this is common knowledge...but apparently you shouldn't wait until the last minute to do big, end-of-the-semester projects. Especially group projects. Who knew?

Sudden Wealth Syndrome: the Early Signs

2009-04-14T15:58:00.004-05:00

I've been going to school full-time ever since I entered college, and my parents have been generous enough to tell me not to worry about working to pay for school; they want me to concentrate on my studies instead of mopping floors at Wal-Mart. I'm really thankful for that, and I must say that in the last two years or so I haven't really felt any unfulfilled needs. Sure, I don't get to buy any CDs, movie tickets, or cool toys, but I have had food, shelter, and transportation to school (not to mention tuition and books!). So, thanks, Mom and Dad.

But then this funny thing happens--now that I'm close to my first paycheck at my new job, I'm beginning to notice things I'd like to buy. Not even paid yet, and I have a list of ways to throw away money! I will have to exercise a little discipline this summer so that I don't blow the whole thing on an inflatable bouncy castle party!

The Saga Continues

2009-04-13T11:35:00.004-05:00

Today's un-surprise: the Demonmobile died again. Actually, that was a few days ago, but it's becoming so commonplace I didn't think it was worth an update. (I'm only writing about it now because I'm too lazy to think up a real article for Monday.) The thing would start, but very reluctantly, and the more you tried it the faster it would try to turn over until it eventually started. My dad drove in with us today so he could take it to the repair place, and it turns out that the alternator was damaging the battery. The whole works will have to be replaced; it's just one more example of how free stuff is never really free.

I'm thinking we'd better start keeping a spare steering wheel in the car. You know...just in case.

Escape!

2009-04-10T09:12:00.004-05:00

On one of the forums I frequent, there has been an ongoing discussion about escapism. The person who started the discussion offered some thoughts on escapism and perceptions of such in the scifi/fantasy subculture, but things quickly evolved to a general view of escapism.

I think there is an unfair connotation in today's society attached to the word 'escapism,' mostly because the people who use it most are doing so hypocritically. Many times, people who just don't understand the appeal of certain subcultures convince themselves that "those weirdos" are just doing it because they can't handle life. Wikipedia's article on escapism more or less defines it as any activity which removes one from other, natural activities. When you think about it, this involves most forms of entertainment and pleasant diversions available to us. Television and film, resorts and theme parks, even a good book can be considered 'escapist.' Ever tracked the progress of your favorite sports team? That's escapist. Ever followed a soap opera? Tell me it's not a waste of time!

I love "geeking out," but it's not a form of retreat from the world as some would have us believe. In the forum discussion, I like how one person put it:

I personally think escapism is a healthy activity, but it's like what ------- said about balance. Obviously, it's not good to spend all your time "escaping", but you can't be "on" all the time with work, society, school, current events, etc. either, because you'll just burn yourself out. You need time to get away from things and recharge.

Think of it like sleeping. Sleep is like a form of physical escapism for your body: it allows it to take some time off and shirk its usual responsibilities of moving you around and performing critical thinking. More importantly, it is so vital to your existence that if you stopped sleeping, you'd die within days. However, if you slept all the time (like, say, someone in a coma), it wouldn't be very good for your health either: even if you had an IV drip to give you water and nutrients, your muscles would atrophy from disuse.

Mental escapism (hobbies, roleplaying, movies, fishing, meditation, etc.) is exactly the same. Don't do it at all and you'll go crazy from the stress. Do it too much and you won't be able to put food on the table (unless you've got a rich uncle providing the metaphorical IV drip) and your social skills will atrophy.

I also enjoy a metaphor often used by C.S. Lewis (and mentioned in the Wikipedia article)--"C. S. Lewis was also fond of humorously remarking that the usual enemies of escape were jailers."

So the next time you're tempted to make fun of some "dorks" who play "that stupid dungeon game" or read "stupid fantasy stories" just stop and think about all the different ways you enjoy escapism on a daily basis. It might just turn out that those "dorks" are better-adjusted than you are!

Old batteries don't die; they just...well, OK, they die.

2009-04-09T12:51:00.003-05:00

Recently I've been noticing that my laptop's battery life is wearing down. The surprising part is how quickly it's been dropping off since the end of my warranty. Or maybe I shouldn't be surprised. Right now the battery is reporting just over an hour of use left on an 85% charge. If I want a reasonable battery life back, it looks as if I'll have to cough up the $150 for a replacement. Still, it's cheaper than a new computer, especially since this model's performance already meets my needs.

Or I could just "accidentally" break it so I can take advantage of the main warranty still in effect... Nah, not really.

Things I Learned in College

2009-04-08T13:46:00.001-05:00

Never take the second-to-last bus in from the parking lot before your class because everyone else has the same idea and different bus stops.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

2009-04-04T10:45:00.001-05:00

Everyone knows that old people love to talk about their illnesses, pains, and surgeries, but do you know what is the second most popular topic of discussion? Other people's lives. It's like they've been hired to write a biography on every person they've ever met. Kinda creepy, in a way.

But I guess it's no different than the unwashed masses who fawn over movie stars and watch gossip programs on TV. I guess the only thing television has changed is who people talk about and how many people talk about them.

Return of the Son of the Curse of the Devil Car

2009-04-03T13:26:00.002-05:00

My car is like a curse--it causes no end of grief, yet you can't get rid of it. We decided that the cheapest thing to do was to fix the latest engine problem (which involved new valves and planing the engine head) and put it back on the road. The whole family now sees why I call it the Devil Car. Or Demonmobile, take your pick. Well, this morning the thing barely started. Now I'm wondering if there's electrical trouble or what. Anyway, I'm going to show a little faith and put new tires on today. If the starting problem continues...well, we'll see.

The Birth of the Internet Police

2009-04-02T00:01:00.001-05:00

I'm all for promoting ethical behavior, but on the other hand I strongly oppose heavy government regulation. Enter a proposed New Jersey law that would require social networking site to "police" their patrons. What in the world is this?

First of all, the proposal is absurd on its face. Since when can a single state dictate the global actions of websites that probably don't even reside in that state? I think New Jersey might be a little outside of its jurisdiction here. Even if it passes, who is silly enough to think that this is even remotely enforceable?

Secondly, it never works to legislate morality. You get either an impotent system or an authoritarian regime where the only appropriate interactions are "Yes," "No," and "How are you today?" I have always said that Freedom and Security are not two attributes you can increase/decrease independently. The real world acts more like a slider bar with Freedom at one end and Security at the other. Pick your ratio, people. I've picked mine, and it is biased toward Freedom.

Third, a law like this would only reinforce what I think is a terrible precedent in our legal system. Government entities are constantly pushing new legislation on us "for our own good." Someone please tell me the last person to be enshrined in American folklore for ducking his head and meekly submitting to everything he's told. These kinds of laws exert government authority where there is none, and after a time people just get used to it. Then the cycle begins all over again, repeating until we have the authoritarian regime mentioned in point #2. Or until Chuck Norris roundhouse kicks Washington DC into the Atlantic Ocean.

All right, I'm no fan of online harassment and bullying. Hey, as a little guy I was subjected to bullying, too. I know that of which I speak. There is, however, a point when the victim mentality goes too far. In this case, the people being harassed need to either get offline or start taking privacy control measures.

Oh, and New Jersey? Cut it out. Seriously. You're making the rest of us look stupid.

I Quit

2009-04-01T10:21:00.007-05:00

Ugh. What a terrible day! I can't believe how much homework the professors are loading on! I'm really beginning to hate this whole college thing. Who needs it anyway? I'm quitting. Not even gonna finish the semester--I'm just quitting. The way the economy is tanking, what good is a degree anyway?

So that's it. This is my last post here since I'm no longer a college student. See you all at McDonald's. (Mention this blog and I'll give you a free drink with your order.)

(Just as a CYA: This was a joke. Haha. Not very good, I admit, but April Fool's Day is not something I plan for in advance. Maybe I'll finally do something good next year, guys.)

Personal Assistant

2009-03-31T12:35:00.003-05:00

Would you believe that all three of today's classes ended up being test days? It completely slipped my mind that I had a test at noon because I had to attend a special meeting to get my registration code for fall semester. I don't feel overly confident about any of them, but at least I know I'll do all right.

I think what I need is one of those artificial intelligence computers to act as a personal assistant. I'd wake up to a soothing tone from the computer. Then a smexy female voice would say, "Good morning. Today is Tuesday, March 31st. Important events today: Information Security test, Fall Registration meeting, Systems Analysis test, and Accounting test. Weather forecast is rain all day. Have a nice day." It wouldn't make me feel any better about the tests, but at least I'd be hearing it from the nice computer lady.

(Worship The) Earth Hour

2009-03-28T20:45:00.003-05:00

I'm making a point tonight of blogging during Earth Hour. What's that? Well, the World Wildlife Foundation has sent a decree out to all the faithful followers of the religion of environmentalism: on Saturday (that is, today) turn off all lights/electrical devices in your house from 8:30 to 9:30. Here's the nearest handy link to the story on Wired.

Seriously, this is a cult, and Earth Hour is a well-crafted piece of propaganda. They've got the Eiffel Tower, the Bird's Nest stadium in China, and a whole bunch of other landmarks falling into step, too. Now, I really don't mind if someone's doing it to save money, but I guarantee you that no individual is doing this primarily for the savings.

Hey, how much do you want to bet that once those evil electric lights go out that those sensitive, caring environmentalists will light up some candles? Stick that in your carbon offset and smoke it!

Employment. I has it.

2009-03-25T10:20:00.003-05:00

I am pretty excited today because I finally landed a job that I've been working toward since last fall! The position is with a software consulting company that is associated with my campus and is owned by a large firm in the Twin Cities. My family and I have been praying that this would work out, and I'm very thankful that it did! The position is in quality and testing, though I will also be writing a lot of code for the customers to use.

Fair warning: starting in April this may keep me busy enough to prevent regular updates here. When I go full-time in the summer, though, the schedule should actually thin out a bit.

(Image: icanhascheezburger.com)

Curse of the Automatic Flush

2009-03-24T10:23:00.004-05:00

You know what bugs me? Those automatic-flush toilets (the stools, not urinals). You can never tell when they're going to send a flume of water whooshing down under your backside...or if they'll ever go at all. You dance around in the stall like a mental case trying to get it to activate again. Of course, it won't. They're designed that way.

But I've found a way around this problem! Simply take a length of toilet paper (if it can be called that in a public restroom) and drape it over the flush sensor, thereby hiding your actions from the little gremlins who live inside it. In all the models I've encountered, removing the paper causes a flush a few seconds later, so you don't have to worry about leaving any...evidence...behind.

Now you'll never have to worry about an unexpected flush again!

Another Grab-Bag Update

2009-03-23T17:00:00.004-05:00

For some reason I was very tired today. I almost fell asleep in the car on the way to school! Staying up late on Saturday probably had something to do with it, but I think it was mostly the rain. Rain is calming and relaxing to me, and there's nothing like a little thunder to put me to sleep. Lazy, muted days.

Thankfully I didn't get too relaxed! I made it to school all right and managed to be alert in class. At the beginning of the class the professor asked a question about the material we were covering. When I got it right, he pulled out a big stack of computer goodies (it looked as if he was cleaning out some of the free stuff he gets as an educator) and said, "Pick one." I got a slightly older version of Adobe Illustrator, so I was psyched--when it was new, it was an $80 program!

Over the weekend I've been playing with a web application framework another professor introduced to the class. It's called Django, and from what I've seen so far it's really a sweet deal. Basically it does all the tedious, common tasks that most dynamic websites have to have in place to operate, and the developer using Django only has to create his content. I'm hoping to use it in an upcoming project, so I'm spending some more time getting it down.

Readjusting

2009-03-19T11:03:00.004-05:00

It's amazing how quickly a person's sleep cycle can change if he dramatically alters his sleep habits. Over spring break I regularly stayed up into the wee hours of the morning and slept in, and almost a week later I'm still having trouble readjusting to a "normal" schedule. For this reason I've been pretty tired this whole week. I guess consistency is important when it comes to sleep.

Happy Excuse to Drink Beer Day

2009-03-17T11:19:00.002-05:00

I'm abstaining from the drink, but I wish you all to have happy and safe parties today. Here's a picture from I Can Has Cheezburger to help you celebrate.

Things That Bug Me

2009-03-16T23:59:00.000-05:00

If the male name 'Stephen' is pronounced with a 'v' sound, then why don't we do it for the female name 'Stephanie'?

Last update of spring break

2009-03-12T22:38:00.002-05:00

Travel update

I'm stuck in Georgia for tonight because we don't want to chance the mountains in Tennessee...in the dark...while it's snowing. But the upside is that I get to visit my cousins! Tomorrow is going to be a long haul...all the way back up to Minnesota, so don't expect an update tomorrow. I promise next week I will post something you actually care about, but at least it's been a great spring break for me!

As a consolation, here's a video from YouTube that was already popular months ago, but I still find it funny: Bear falls out of tree onto trampoline

Vacation Update

2009-03-11T21:42:00.003-05:00

Ah, hot tubbing in March! I wore shorts today for the first time in six months! I saw trees with leaves still green! Yep, the 24-hour drive coming up is definitely worth it.

The plane wasn't hijacked

2009-03-10T22:50:00.004-05:00

Hello from Florida!

Hey, I've got a tip for you conservative readers. I know a guy starting a new conservative blog called Monster Conservative. There are a few bits of the site still under construction (he's even asked me to help with a few tidbits!) but he's rarin' to go and has a good number of posts on the site already. Definitely worth watching for future development.

Have fun back home in the snowstorm, suckers!