all things me

Today I’ve been doing the layout for a portfolio I’m doing. It’s for a computer studies’ course “Digital Media Technology” (emphasis on webpage techniques). I know that making a layout will take me a lot of time because I always tweak and tweak to no end. Changing colours, fonts, widths, placings. Next I’m going to start worrying about the technique part; I have access to a database and I’m using PHP to do all kinds of cool things Here’s a little tasting of the layout I’m whipping up:

Oooh, pretty! What do you think? Oh yeah, I’m making a blog There were several topics available, but I felt most passionate about a blog. Go figure.

It’s going to be really interesting to get to dig into the stuff that makes things work. I know WP, I can use it, do a little tweaking, but the database part is complete blur. Today I learnt how to set up a database connection and do statements. Unfortunately the db at the dept. of computer studies is using Oracle — I’m more familiar with MySQL — but luckily I was just on a introduction to databases course where we learnt the Oracle syntax. And luckily, they aren’t disturbingly different.

*go backs to staring at the layout in awe*
Sometimes I amaze myself. Sometimes.

I got my new work computer last week. It’s very spiffy, black and silver. And not to mention fast.

It, however, doesn’t have any sound device installed, so every sound it needed to make (Windows warnings), it beeped from its rear end. Extremely annoying! Especially when the sound was made even when I pressed an arrow key at the end of a file. I searched for the solution and found a nice tip: If you right-click My Computer, choose Properties, Hardware tab, and select Device Manager, check Show hidden devices under View, go to Non-plug and play, select Beep and set it to Disabled, the bleeping beep is gone!

And it IS gone!

*pummels the arrow key at the end of a file*

I got the [edit: Feb 2]2nd[/edit] best total score in Introduction to Application Design. That’s out of 94 ppl who passed and 50 ppl who failed.

*does a little victory dance*

Braggadocio — 1. An act of boasting: boast, brag 2. One given to boasting: boaster, brag, braggart, bragger

My eyes are closing… I woke up around 8:30/9:00 to be in time to sign into a computer class (and I got in! Hurraah) , yesterday I was woken up at 7:45 by a plumber drilling (or something) right behind the wall where my bed+head is. Today (that’d be Thursday) I’m going to see Grudge with my sister, right after work above all. Guess who’ll be knackered.

Today — I mean yesterday, Wed — we took Amadeus to the vet to get his 2nd vaccinations and a microchip. I wrote all about it on Ami’s site.

Yesterday, I mean Tuesday, I got a new roommate at work. I’m glad the previous went (got his dissertation done, I guess) because I probably would’ve freaked out at the next “would you pleeeease close the door if you leave” (of course, I wouldn’t have, but I need to say I would). This new roommate of mine speaks English. Uh oh. Me and English is like a mouth and a hot potato. Anyway, I don’t know much about her yet. Today, I mean Wednesday, she got a new computer (a fancy black one, lucky her). The computer guy promised I’d be getting mine soon.

Oh yeah, I’m getting a new computer at work. The guys, or one of them, had quite a list of features they need (tons of Ghz, tons of Gb, CD/DVD burner (eh, what are you planning to do? Rip movies?), optical/wireless mouse, huge flat screen………), and I would just like some extra memory and a bit faster computer (now I have 900 Mhz, and probably 256 or 512 Mb memory, at work that is) — it’s not like we’re getting to keep the machines. Boys and toys, right?
I did request to get both Windows and Linux installed because the computer guy specifically asked (good thing he asked, I want Linux too). But that’s it.

Tod… ok ok, yesterday I got a banana. Not any regular banana but a friendly banana. Thanks S., I owe you a banana.

The network connection on my work computer didn’t work this morning. Linux wouldn’t start because it couldn’t find my home directory. On Windows, everything worked, except the connection and the stuff I’m doing on Protege kind of needs a connection (and I can’t google offline). So, the configurations were being updated which took half an hour but still there were problems with the connection. So I went to the student area where there are 4-5 computers. Not a place of peace and quiet. Next to me sat a man who mumbled to himself all the time, and you know how a low-pitch mumble is very very audible (like a darn bass boom).

Now I’m finally back in my own room (not without a roommate, alas) and the connection works. Too bad I have to get going in half an hour. (Last terminology lecture, and last lecture ALL YEAR — there’s an exam on Application Design on Thursday, though)

I’m browsing some manuals for terms to put in the ontology. In one printer manual there read:

For optimum performance, use the printer at elevations below 2,500 m (8,200 ft.). Performance may diminish at elevations between 2,500 m (8,200 ft.) and 3,000 m (9,840 ft.). Use at elevations above 3,000 m (9,840 ft.) exceeds operability limits.

Shoot, I can’t take the 82 kg printer with me on a mountain hike.

For the last 4 hours or so I’ve been drawing UML class diagrams, instance diagrams, sequence diagrams, and collaboration diagrams (well, I didn’t do that one, actually, I’m too tired and my head hurts) based on a Java code. Ugh. My mind’s spinning with lifelines and instances and call arrows. Drawing on Dia is fun-ish, but when there’s dozens of call arrows and instances, getting the image organized — let alone your thoughts — is a pain in the neck, or wrist… or eye. Or head, apparently.

And as a last drop I noticed that my site looks crappy on IE. Too bad, so sad.

I’m really really tired at the moment.

I got 3 from Introduction to Databases!! I was sure I was doomed, even though I made all the SQL exercises (so got max points for that) but in the exam I was writing whatever breeze came out of my brain (apparently no farts).

By the way, if you go to the link I gave above and read the definition 1. I never write “dir” on Unix at the dept, but “ls” on MS-DOS at home. And then wonder what’s it complaining about.

I got asked to continue in my job next year. Of course I said yes, because I had written in my traineeship report (about last summer) that I was glad to have been able to continue the work this autumn and wished I’d get to continue after this 3 months’ period. I don’t know if my professor had read the report yet… but anyway. I got my employment extended. \o/

My “room mate” at work asked me ONCE AGAIN that I’d close the door if I leave because he has an expensive laptop here. I just went “yes yes, I know” but I don’t have to be told more than once! GEEZ! I do have common sense (and then some), and even though I don’t have any fancy computers that I carry around, I care about my stuff enough not to leave the door open with a note “please, do come in and steal everything”. Besides, I hardly ever go anywhere (except lectures) so when I’m here, I’m like a guard dog.

I’m really offended (and annoyed) by the constant request.

Men…

Oh yeah, happy 1st of December!

On Tuesday at the study group meeting of Introduction to Application Design I made “a joke” with ’42’ in it. And people understood it. That was surreal.

[42 refers to Douglas Adams’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, I’m not going to explain it further, that’d spoil everything.]