DogNose Data Werkz

I cleaned off my desk the other day. Ever since then, I’m pleasantly suprised when I walk into my room. It’s so nice to have a clean surface. I even wiped it off with Windex^tm. I’ve decided that I don’t like glass surfaces, as then tend to retain some remnant of every object that ever touched them. I liked having a clean desk so much, I cleaned my dresser off too. It’s good that I did, since I’m going to have to gather everything up to move out in 28 days.

Living out here for the past six months has taught me a lot about living away from my parents. I find that I actually do keep things relatively clean, especially the bathroom. This is reassuring. I learned that one room mate can make as much mess as the other three combined. I learned that when the contract says “no pets,” the complex really means it. All in all, this has been a good test run.

I got my degree audit back last week. That’s the official document that says what classes you still need to take to graduate. Turns out that I am missing two hours. Yeah, I need two extra lowsy hours, or I don’t graduate. After I changed pants, I went to speak to the Science Advisor. This woman actually know what was going on, unlike the part-time CS Advisor. She said I could just CLEP out of some CIS class to get the hours. The test costs about $70, which is a lot cheeper (and faster) than taking the class. So I will indeed graduate in August as planned.
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Today is the third day of my last semester (Summer II). Lately I realised how quickly this is ending. Graduation is on August 12 (at 2:00 p.m.). That’s pretty soon. I still haven’t applied for any jobs, although I have started looking. I also found out today that my move-out date is August 12 (at noon). That should be interesting. I guess I’ll load all my stuff up in the morning, take it down to San Antonio, and then drive back up to graduate.

My first class of the day is at 8:00 a.m. It seems I’ve come full circle, as I’ve not had a class that early since my first year of college. The busses don’t even run that early. The class is Unix System Programming with Dr. Davis. He’s old school. He says lie-nux. He prefers monochrome terminals to color ones. And he likes case sensitive file names. This should be fun.
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Survey of Programming Languages was enjoyable. It covered C++, Java, and LISP. I don’t know why people think LISP is so terrible. It’s actually elegant in its own way. Not to say that I delved that deeply into the language, but I definately see its strengths. The sections on C++ and Java were informative, but I already know about 80 percent of the material.

The other class I took was Linear Algebra, my last math class. It was the three extra hours that I had to take to get a math minor. Let me tell you, Linear Algebra isn’t any more fun the second time through, although my grade did improve by a letter (to an A). I had to repeat it on account of it being a sophomore-level class at SAC, but a junior-level class at TSU.

I’m looking forward to my last two classes: Unix System Programming and Software Engineering Project. I think Unix will be interesting, and Project will emphasize doing over learning.

In case you don’t know, Apple has announced they’re going to start using Intel processors in their machines, and will completely convert by mid-2007. Wow. I assume they’re going to use IA-64. I wonder what all the Mac, uh, aficionados, have to say.

I think it’ll be a good move for Apple, as does John Dvorak, who predicted the move some time ago.

But I still don’t think OS X is that great.

Well, for most strapping young lads, summer is just getting underway. I, unfortunately, have summer school. It starts on Monday. This summer I’ll finish up my degree.

In the first summer session, I’ll be taking my last math class, which is Linear Algebra. I already took it at SAC, but it didn’t transfer. My other class for Summer I is Survey of Computer Languages, which uses C++, Java, and LISP. I’m interested to learn LISP, since it’s not a C-style language. I think it’s the basis for The GIMP‘s Script-fu, which I have a bit of experience with.

Summer II includes Software Engineering Project, which should be decent, and Unix System Programming, which should be interesting but difficult.

Website work with PDP has been picking up recently, which I’m glad about. I’ve been considering what type of job I’d like to have when I grajiate, and I think I’d like to continue to do this sort of thing.

In other news, apparently Longhorn won’t use the “My” prefixes on everything anymore. Thank God. I thought that was a stupid idea when they released it (in Windows 98?), and I’ve maintained my position ever since.

I have finally turned my computer against itself.

I moved into my new apartment in San Marcos last Sunday. It’s pretty nice. Anyway, here’s a run down of what happened in my first week:

• Sunday: Moved in. Roommates (all 3 of them) enjoy the Sunday night line-up on Fox. Excellent.
• Monday: Set up my computer. Found out, after lugging the tower, monitor, and peripherals up from San Antonio, that I forgot the power cable. Damn.
• Tuesday: Woke up around 6:00 a.m. with fever and nausea. Great. Puked a few times, went back to sleep. Woke up at 8:00 a.m. Repeat. Rode the very bumpy bus to the School Medical Center, fearing I had Bacterial Meningitis. Nope, just the flu. Went to class against doctor’s orders. I’m a trooper, aren’t I? Went home after 20 minutes. Slept the rest of the day.
• Wednesday: Woke up fine. Why do I get horribly sick for one day? Is that a weak or strong immune system? Picked up my first batch of papers to grade. By the way, I’m now a grader for CS 1318. 78 students.
• Thursday: Not much to report here. Graded papers, screwed around, didn’t do any school work.
• Friday: Worked on a project. Went home to San Antonio

Exciting, eh? And I subsisted on macaroni & cheese and pizza.

I was also pleased to find out that my roomates enjoyed my DVD collection, which is made up entirely of Fahrenheight 9/11 and Napoleon Dynamite. And we’re half-way through Season 1 of Arrested Development.