Felocity

Today I plan to ramble about a game that when it hits on the streets will be crack for the Nontendo legacy. Worse than Advance Wars 2, possibly on par with Crystal Chronicals. This is Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. This game is an addicitive thing, perhaps even more powerful than KOTR is. Nevermind I don't think I am supposed to have this yet. I was a fan of the original Final Fantasy Tactics, and so playing this brought back memories. I only got to play for a few hours this morning because I need to get back to the homework. I also need to figure out when on Tuesday I can get down to building 47 and get a parking permit and my books. So that I can, you know... park and learn. Thanks to the magic of 2 classes and work, however, I shall be running around crazy either on my lunch or dinner break. I've gotten very used to parking out in no-man's land and then walking everywhere on campus. In a small way, it is absolutely necessary. The MLC lot is now always full since that 50 car lot is now the parking lot for 2 dorms and the MLC, so I often find myself parking over near the Science Building (new one) and walking everywhere.

Speaking of walking, if anyone around campus wants to, there was some really cool things out by 12th street and the buildings that way. Sure, it is a bit of a hike, but they have some really cool things. Well, at least they looked like cool things. Next time I am going to bring a flashlight.…

It seems that I have hit a journaling slump. I'm not sure if this is just because nothing interesting is happening on a day-to-day basis, or I just stopped looking for it. I've been exposed to my classes and their respective homework assignments, and so far math is shaping up to be the icky one. That's not to say I don't like math, but even for someone who likes math the material can be dull and uninteresting. Our campus network still remains in shambles, although I hear IT put stuff in place to make it better. I figure this is kind of important since 3 of my 4 courses have placed their material only in online form.

I think this is an omen for the semester to come.…

My Internet is so shot to hell, I honestly have no idea when this will actually make its way onto the Internet. I've been very down, quiet, and distant lately, though I am trying not to let it show. Can't do too much about the quiet thing though. I think it is a direct result of not having any social time with friends before school started. I got back, and was training. There wasn't downtime, and while we were gaming in the night, nobody I knew who lived in the dorms got back until Saturday or Sunday. Add to this the only free weekday was spent running campus errands (the other was in MORE training), and there goes everything social. I did get to grab lunch with Chris and dinner with a group of people, which was pretty cool. I'm falling behind on emails though, so I'm not ignoring you, I swear.

The Felocity.org redesign was set on hold while I try and sort out these first weeks of class. I also need to figure out what I am going to do about K-F distro, as my anime club meets right through the Tuesday night (Wed @ midnight eastern) distro. I may either do that, or find some sort of Pocket PC IRC client. Since I can set up all the topic changes, all I have to do us just spam at release time. Depending on how good the program is, it just might be worth the $15 reg. Or I will just write something myself. Incidentally, I was pointed to a VNC viewer for the Pocket PC. It is so nice to see the development community for PPC expanding. The language used is much more familiar to developers which means common software can be ported much easier.…

Intro to Unix (CST 334) dsullivan at gaia dot nasa dot gov class materials at http://lakshmi.arc.nasa.gov:9518

Right, so here we go. Will append this as we go, live from class. : (For better or for worse)…

It's been only 48 hours, and the kitchen was destroyed. I don't know if someone cleaned it before I got back (out of raw fear or something), but today I saw how badly destroyed the kitchen was. I left it all on my rommate's desk. A 24 hour grace period is fine. Beyond that, when I have seen you playing video games and things like that instead of doing the dishes, I get very very mad. It doesn't take more than once to figure this out; I thought this anyway. Of the four rommates, one and myself adhear to this 24 hour rule, 1 is never around to cook, and the fourth you can easily guess about. Outside of this though, it has been a rather quiet and cloudy day. Amusingly enough, I have been too busy to touch Knights of the Old Republic, which has been begging to be played. Soon though, once I am done with the BASS barbeque, once I am done with unpacking, once I am done playing with this kitten... you get the idea. I am hoping that maybe some magic moving gnomes may happen by, see my plight, and assist me, but I doubt that will happen. I think the worst part is trying to find space for all the small things I have collected over time. I also need some more wall space for things I got over summer.

My "training" at ASAP has been okay, although it pains me to know a lot of this stuff I have already done and already been taught. The training we did in Supplemental Instruction wasn't as bad as I was planning on it being, and there was even a few new things in there. The guy seemed to really be pitching his PASS program to the center though, which reminded me of the SmarterThinking group. When you had out a worksheet that is full of loaded questions designed to highlight why your program is be best and most cost-effective solution, you lose my interest really fast.…

I mentioned a billboard entry last time. Today it said "The Million Dollar Question: Do you believe in Jesus?"

I still do not know if this is a Bank or a Church.…

Remember that project for ASAP? The one I kept talking about. The one in MS Access and Visual Basic and required those MagTek Scanners in order to work really well? The one I have been working on here and there over the summer at about 7 hours/week? They decided they didn't need it. I refuse to let the project go unfinished though. I mean, I did get paid for it, so I intend to have a functioning product when school starts. I feel bad though that they paid me all this money and then aren't going to use it. Sigh.

There is some other bad crap, but we will gloss over it in favor of more interesting stuff. Yesterday, H and I hung out with Shiru, and did more animegamethings. On the way to her house, H and I went by a red billboard that had me laughing. I always find the funniest stuff when I am in the car with her. Anyway, this said: "Your money says "In God We Trust". Support the Church of Jesus Christ." I didn't know what to make of it. I still don't. One the way back to the Sacramento suburbs, I checked it, just to make sure I didn't just see things the first time. If I get a chance, I may even find a way to get a picture.…

Meh, stuff. I figure since this is a blog, and you are reading it, you must simply be crazy. Either that or you enjoy the pointless technical banter about languages not many people care about. I could fill this entry with all sorts of emotional stuff. Instead, I present: technical babble!

I've gotten all the design and SQL related things done for the ASAP Database. Now all that is left is a huge chunk of interface writing. At this rate though, everything will be ready for the start of the year, which is nice. My only hope is that ASAP followed up and got the card readers I had asked for. I sent Marc a direct link to the Magtek web site with the exact card reader we want. Hopefully that will be at ASAP by the time I return.…

I should probably feel bad about this, but it was for the potato. It simply had to be free. (IRC transcript follows) [02:00] * FBAround cowers at jakobo's computer powerz [02:00] Around> So much fun :)! [02:00] bah, not computer powerz [02:00] It's more problem solving than programming for me. XD [02:00] Around> (Majestic! Remeber the Majestic!) [02:01] (yes, right, Magestic!) [02:01] I mean um, *ahem* why thank you FB for your support! [02:01] It is no problem, Mighty programming warrior of justice! [02:01] (like that?) [02:01] Around> (Beautiful :D) [02:01] (This Magestic thing is tough. lol) [02:02] (Of course, It's tough being this good. smoothes back hair) [02:02] (XD) [02:02] XD [02:02] Around> Now that we have confirmed our majesticness, I feel we must talk of other matters. [02:03] Very well, bring for the other matters in need of discussion. [02:03] (forth*) [02:03] (Magestic edit: you saw no typo from 2 am work) [02:04] (Magestic edit: Same with my remeber typo from 9am sleepy eyes) [02:04] Around> So. [02:04] Around> (Suddenly leans across table and looks INCREDIBLY serious).... If you were a potato, what would you be thinking right... now. [02:05] Mommy, I don't want to be a small fry! [02:05] Around> *slams table* Exactly! That's the problem with potatoes these days! No courage! No vigor! No... No... what's the word... [02:05] Around> NO ROOTS! [02:06] Perhaps they are all roots? And as a result, can never grow to reach their potential. [02:06] Around> Our mission today is to inspire potatoes. [02:06] Around> gasp [02:07] Around> You may very well be right, oh mighty programming warrior! How terrible!!! [02:07] We must unroot them and throw them skyward then! [02:07] Only then can they soar like eagles! [02:07] ONLY THEN! [02:07] INDEED! Again you have deduced a most brilliant plan! Let us commence!! [02:08] * FBAround flings potato into the air [02:08] Around> Arise young potato! BE FREE AND LIVE FOR YOUR DREAMS!! [02:08] * Jakobo starts pulling up potato after potato, lobbing them at the sleeping Zoggy. [02:08] Around> potato: Shiiiiiiiiiiittt! [02:09] * FBAround watches the zog pummeling and sheds a tear [02:09] Around> It's so uplifting [02:09] They are free, and rebelling against their tyrant. [02:09] The potato-squandering Zogbeast is weak in this state. [02:09] Go young potatoes! You will suffer at the hands of the evil zogbeast...NO MORE! [02:10] Around> (one falls into zog's open mouth) [02:10] Around> Gah! Victim! [02:10] (grabs some rope) We need to make a rescue attempt! [02:10] Potatos need not die without cause in this conflict! [02:11] Besides, death by Zog inhalation would be such a bad way to go for this youngin'. [02:11] Around> Indeed! Do not fear, young one! We majestic folks are coming to SAVE you from the throat of doomedness! [02:12] Zoglog... very dangerous. ... you go first (hands you the end of the rope) XD [02:13] (slaps self Enough posing, FB!!!) Jakobo! I will now throw the rope! [02:13] I will gather the potatoes to aid us in our cause! [02:13] * FBAround throws, aims for the potato, and gets zoglog in a noose instead [02:13] * Jakobo poses for a few seconds more before scooping potatoes into a pail. [02:14] Around> Shoot! I can work with this! [02:14] * FBAround tugs the rope tight, strangling Zogbeast and causing his to cough violently, the potato edges out slowly [02:15] I have returned with an army of potatoes. Should the rescue fail, they have all said they are willing to give their lives for their brethren. [02:15] Yes, that's it FB! Pull! *grabs onto the rope to pull as well* [02:15] (Magestic edit: his - him) [02:15] Around> Come potatoes, join us! PULL!! [02:16] * Jakobo ties the pail to the end of the rope and continues to heave. [02:16] Around> (Is it not majestically fortunate that he's still awake?) [02:16] Around> (MAJESTIC EDIT: NOT) [02:16] * FBAround curses the tiny keys of the tiny laptop [02:16] Around> I will have my revenge one day... tiny keys.. [02:16] (Quite wonderful he sleeps. A raging Zog could be the bane of us all) [02:17] (Indeed! Let us end the battle quickly!) [02:17] FB, the keys are but another battle! The Zog must be toppled! [02:17] (to FB and pail) Pull with all your might! [02:17] * Jakobo heaves. [02:17] * Jakobo is now known as potatoes [02:17] * FBAround ho's [02:17] * potatoes heave too [02:17] * potatoes is now known as Jakobo [02:17] We are doing it! [02:17] Look! The little potato is free!! FREE!! [02:18] * FBAround see potato fall on ground [02:18] * Jakobo runs over the three feet to scoop it up. [02:18] * Jakobo gently places it in the pail with the other taters. [02:18] The day is saved! [02:19] * FBAround ties zog to a tree [02:19] Around> Oh the sweet perfume of victory! [02:19] Around> And our mission? [02:19] * FBAround looks at the potatoes [02:19] Around> Do they look uplifted to you? [02:19] Quite. [02:20] Around> Then our mission is complete. [02:20] * FBAround and jakobo begin to shine [02:20] * Jakobo poses. [02:20] * Jakobo is now known as potatoes [02:20] * potatoes pose too [02:20] * potatoes is now known as Jakobo [02:20] Around> And now we must take our leave, sweet potatoes... [02:20] Around> There are other crimes happening we must attend to. [02:21] Yes. For Jakob must sleep, and FB must... do the FB thing she does so well. ^^ [02:21] Around> Yes! I must POSE! [02:21] (do we get to laugh Majestically yet?) [02:21] (Right... about.... now!!) [02:21] Around> (Ha.Ha.Ha.) [02:21] (Ha. Ha. Ha.) [02:21] * FB …

The title comes from TroutNinja's new nickname. You know he loves it. ^_^

I just moved my Movable Type to PHP. I feel sleek and sexy, as well as free from 5 mb worth of database files. At over 700 entries, it was time to move away from the bulky filesystem method. On the first site-wide rebuild, I could see the speed. We are talking 30 seconds to rebuild all of the HTML (as opposed to 3 minutes with the old system). It's hot, it's sexxay, and it is the way code is meant to be. I owe a thousand thanks to Charles who is the admin guru who I have given my soul skills to.…

I am continuing to be a KF-slave, and loving it all. Did a bunch of work, it's early AM, and I am loving the project. Also finished the IRC rules page.I keep wanting to do more, but this seems to be more than enough (and a pretty constant job). Between this and the ASAP project, I've had my little database hands full. A few days ago, I had planned to talk with my boss at the tutoring center about the mag stripe readers, and what kinds of methods I came up with for identifying students. I don't care how simple "modifying 3 records is"...you just can't expect the front desk, hired for secretarial skills, to make the changes to the database. No amount of front end programming will solve this. The solution then, is to clearly shift the "stupidity responsibility" to the user, so that it is their own problem / fault if they don't do it right. When I wanted to talk to Marc, I was already stressed out, and had a lot I needed to get done that day. I got a smart-ass remark, and promptly decided my temper wasn't best for discussing an old topic. I offered instead to e-mail.

Still haven't written that e-mail.…