Ryanadc: Blog

So my "old" Gateway 17" monitor went into its death throes Tuesday--it would constantly flicker on & off to the point where you couldn't even see the mouse on the screen (I'd barely get a glimpse of windows on my desktop).  This was after it taking 5 minutes to decide to actually turn on...

So Tuesday night I ordered a Dell S2209W 21.5" widescreen, 1920x1080 monitor for $199 (it was on a special till yesterday), and I got free shipping.  After waiting for FedEx to decide to move the monitor from Kansas (supposedly due to snow--although it didn't snow up here until last night), it finally got here today, and I can use my computer again (hooray!).  Now i've just got to figure out where to take my old monitor so that it gets recycled properly.  I just wonder if there's anywhere in Kirksville to do this, or if I'll need to take it home over midterm break.

Actually, this semester shouldn't be as bad in some aspects...although this is my last semester before graduation (knock on wood/other superstitious phrase here)

12 hours (4 classes) +1 hour credit for half-semester professional seminar in accounting
Classes:

• Management Information Systems
• Analysis & Design of Business Systems (aka Systems Analysis & Design)--taking for Graduate credit
• Database programming (the CS course--already took the Business division's database course)
• Artificial Intelligence

Oh, did I mention that I have a group project in every one of those classes? This makes the record for big semester group projects [4 concurrent].  Hopefully I won't have as much of a time crunch...I certainly have plenty of free time during certain parts of certain days (like M-W-F afternoons & all morning Tues/Thurs--although I'll be doing my scholarship job).

Now I just need to find a job.  I'm looking for an entry-level internal auditing position to start in mid/late May or early June ideally.  So, if you know of anything, send me an email or contact me on Facebook.

There's nothing like having nothing to talk about and then getting really busy with 3 or 4 group projects to put online activities like LiveJournal, Twitter, Facebook, IM stuff, etc. into a little more perspective s being not so important compared to other things. [Ok, so that's a half-assed reason for not posting anything for 5-6 months].  Of course, I'm still addicted to Digg, so I guess I can't mouth off too much...

At least Pownce is (sadly) closing down, so I haven't really had to make up my mind which one I'd actually use if (1) i actually used SMS/text messaging on my cellphone AND/OR (2) having anything to say.

Oh, and hello finals week. Thank God you're not as bad as last week was...

Well it's been longer than i thought since I last posted, but regardless...

So in May/early June I got hired by the closest Shop 'N Save here at home to work in the produce department.

Yesterday I got laid off before the 45 days of my "probationary period" were up since they were having to cut hours for everyone across the store for budget reasons.

Just wish I'd been able to work a few more weeks before I have to go back to Truman, but I can't get anything now since I'm having oral surgery to move my upper jaw forward next Tuesday [which I'm not exactly looking forward to].

Ah, simple humor:
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/12424

Apparently, yes, there is indeed a Stuff Mart... (it's down a ways on the list).

Going home today for live Diggnation episode tonight and then an accounting-thingy on Thursday.  Hopin' for decent-enough weather.

As an update on the old van from hell, after my mouthing off a couple of nights ago the van's horn elected to go off again (for the second time that night) at 2:45am; fortunately, I had a gut feeling after the first time it went off that I should wait up (and be ready just in case) the van decided to go off during the dead, coldest part of the night.

So then I had to drive to Wal-Mart (to warm up the van and get a wrench to help disconnect the battery for the night, b/c it was flipping cold), then drove back to the dorm, went inside, grabbed my flashlight and some other tools (just in case), and then at 3:20am in the subzero wind disconnected the battery on the van so that I (and everyone else) could get some sleep. 

Saturday was still too cold, so I just left the horn disconnected; no biggie.  Yesterday, I had a "smart," if only temporary, revelation, while I was searching on the internet in vain to try and find a diagram/any help on where the relay to disconnect the horn was.  Somebody on Wikianswers (hey, I got it from a Google search, so whatever) had mentioned on one of the pages about pulling the fuse for the horn.  Sure enough, when I checked the owner's manual, the horn is indeed on its own circuit (along with the dome light and the clock/radio [sort of on the radio; it doesn't matter because the old radio in that thing is crap anyway]).  So yesterday afternoon in the relative warmness (compared to prior 2 days--too bad I didn't wait till Monday) I first yanked out the horn fuse and then reconnected the battery.  Problem solved...for now.

Ok, we've finished the first week of the semester, it's time, I guess, to let anyone who might actually care know what's going on.

So I finally only have 5 classes (that is, 15 credit hours) this semester, after 6 classes (18 credit hours--which qualifies as overloading) the past 2 semesters.  I have 2 more semesters (counting this one we're in) before graduation in December 2008.

This semester, I have some classes (listed here in no real particular order):

1. CS 260: Object-Oriented Programming [Java]
2. CS 310: Data Structures and Algorithms [C++]
3. BSAD 387: Business Database Management Systems
   
4. ACCT 407: Federal Taxation
5. ACCT 368: Accounting Systems Integration
   

#1 & #2 are obviously computer-related stuff big time, although the combination of learning Java and C++ in the same semester, compounded with the fact that I had some exposure to C# last summer with my internship/research program (though I didn't really learn it or the concepts of OOP) may result in a serious brainf**k (no, not that brainf**k , but rather the 'ur head asplode' kind).  Furthermore, #3 and #5 are also computer-y stuff.  So I'll be spending quite a bit of time on my own PC this semester--doing legitimate classwork, that is--since I've almost all of the programs I need set up and ready to go: I have the compilers I need set up (well I need to do a little more to figure out which way I am going to work with C++, but I've already got Visual Studio 2005 as well as a VNC setup using ICE from the CS Dept., and finally I just got Office 2007 Ultimate for $60 from Microsoft's Ultimate Steal deal (runs through the end of April and no, I am sadly not getting payola) in order to be able to use that since some of my classes are going to be using some of the programs, and I was thinking of buying it for a while anyway.  If I only had Peachtree Accounting and Visio on my computer I'd never need to work in a school lab.  Oh well, I can't have everything.

Oh, and Federal Tax already sucks, and we've only had 2 classes so far.

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In other news, it's really flippin' cold up here right now.  The old van already did its stupid "it's below 20F [BTW, it was like 8 when this happened this evening] so I'll just have the horn go off now" thing tonight, so I drove it around for an hour and made the engine as hot as I could, considering the cold air (and without doing 90).  Hopefully that'll take care of it until tomorrow at least, which looks to be just as bad as today.  Then I'll have to make sure to get the engine and van warm before quarter to 9 at night.

And on the roommate situation [as the one I had last semester graduated in December (probably better anyway; he didn't seem to happy with the situation, but anyway...)], I refuse to speak, so DO NOT ASK, and I mean that seriously.

So I made it through finals, got home OK despite crappy weather both in K-ville and St. Louis for the past week, and stuff.

And now I get to freeze my butt off doing traffic control at West County Mall for some spending money.  I start tomorrow.  Yippee.

So I'm finally back up here at Truman, kind of back in the loop (maybe ignoring the internet since Tuesday was not such a good idea), and not looking forward to this Hell Week:
-2 papers due (including the 10 page term paper)
-1 test
-1 CS Program to finish
-various annoying homework assignments
-have to do a phone interview as a follow-up for the Research program I did this past summer.

I knew the other week when I didn't have much to do that I'd be kicking myself...but I didn't know it'd be this bad.  Why do I always do this to myself?

A word of warning to all Firefox users:  DO NOT INSTALL THE "Flashblock" EXTENSION.

The damn thing has seriously f***ed up my Firefox and it's hell trying to install it.  Avoid it at all costs! 

yeah so i got braces again today.  boo is right.  although they don't hurt too much right now...it's more just uncomfortable.

Lord Voldemort = God???? WTF?!


("I guess she has seen the Directors Cut version of the Harry Potter movies" from Digg)

read more | digg story

a couple of us from my REU group went to St. Louis for the Cards-Cubs game...I drove.

We had standing room only tickets, and wound up on level 3(?--not entirely sure and it's not all that important) right next to the Casino Queen area, behind left field.  It was nice to go to a game in the new stadium finally, and to get to see the Cards play the Cubs, even if it meant standing for 3 hours straight, although I did get to lean on the railing the whole time).

I case you missed it,
Cardinals pummel Cubs, 11-1.

Duncan's Grand Slam was AWESOME.  Not that Rolen's and Pujols' homers weren't great too.

I was really glad that the Cards started hitting...I hate boring "Pitchers' Games" where no one could hit a freakin' ball...although it would've been cool to watch Nolan Ryan play...or to see a pitcher throw a complete no-hitter game.

The most fun part, though, was that one of the guys, Jason, who actually also goes to Truman, is more of a Cubbies fan than a Cards fan, so the progress of the game was much to his chagrin after the fourth inning.

Now I just need to get back on my research project and find myself a copy of Harry Potter for cheapz.  Of course, I haven't been looking very hard around here.

Firefox 2.0.0.5 is out.
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/2.0.0.5/releasenotes/

read more | digg story

52%

Mingle²

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Geez I need to stock up on nonperishable foods and weapons.

And no, I won't use  the Zombies Application of Facebook, dammit!

so they finally paid us today...it only took 6 1/2 weeks.  just wish i wasn't sick with a sore throat and stuff.

Also, check out the new Halo videos that MS unveiled at E3:
http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=ethreeblowout

the cool one is the second one, "Arms Race", which shows some of the work the Weta Workshop guys (the special effects company that worked on The Lord of the Rings,  King Kong, and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe among others) got done before the Halo movie project was put on hold...now I really want it to be worked on again...it's totally awesome! (the one showing gameplay for Halo 3 is sweet as well)

drool...wish i could've bought a 360

yeah, so we're working away on our REU projects now, down here in Columbia...i'm working on learning C# so i can work on this program called Classroom Presenter created by people in the CS deparment at the University of Washington.

and so things are going well...lots of interesting stuff has happened, but the most interesting thing that i can write about in the couple of minutes before we go to lunch is that I'm going to buy a Wii.

I have a friend in the REU project who's got a Wii, and i've played it several times, and love it...I'm even already a Pro in the bowling part of WiiSports...Yesterday I bought a Wiimote for myself from the bookstore here at Mizzou.

It appears that nobody in Columbia right now has a Wii in stock, but I can order one through the bookstore for what should be the standard retail price (approx $250).  I'm just going to make sure it comes with the same stuff the standard retail package has (Console box + cables + Wiimote + nunchuck + wiisports game) and then I will order it...

I was originally going to spend the money on an iPod (which is also $249), but I feel that I'd rather have a Wii, as I do have the 1Gb mp3 player my parents gave me for Christmas already, and even that I don't use too much...so I'll be happier with the Wii...and I'll finally have my own game console.  I wish i could afford an XBOX 360, but I'm not going to spend $600 to get everything i need (console + controllers + halo 2 + a few other games probably), so the Wii will be good...plus it's fun.

Now i just have to figure out what to do about the stroke my mother's going to have when i tell her i've bought one...because boy is she going to be ticked... 

Update your software!
read more | digg story

Yes that's right, yesterday I moved into my dorm room at Mizzou.  I got a room to myself, although I'm in a 4-person suite (4 single rooms that share a bathroom).  Jason Novinger, the other guy from Truman who's working on the REU project this summer, is actually next door to me.  I'm in a corner room, so there's traffic going by at all times (although not constantly), and my South-facing window is lit at night because immediately south is a footbridge over the street (College Ave.).  Fortunately the blinds block a fair amount of light and I can't notice it too much when I've got my eyes closed, but I'm thinking about buying one of those blindfold thingies whenever I get to the Wal-Mart up here.  Now I've just got to figure out how to get around this darned town.  Oh, and get cleaned up, because we start at 10am this morning.

But Halo 3 is coming out September 25th.