Tim's blog - Random

A couple updates

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:58:40 -0500

So when they say winter quarter at Rose is hectic? They're not kidding. I just found my first solid chunk of downtime since I came back to school two weeks ago. What have I been up to, you ask?

For starters, the Festivus, Christmas, and New Year's celebrations that occurred over my last break were all most excellent. This year was the fifth consecutive Festivus celebrated within the group, and it was by far the smoothest a Festivus has ever gone. The Airing of Grievances was trouble-free, the introduction of a white elephant gift exchange went smoothly, and our Feats of Strength involved that classic game Set. For Christmas a few days later, hordes of relatives (from both sides of the family) descended on the house for almost an entire week all told. (Most hilarious was our cousin Keith, who's two and just being ridiculous all over the place. He got an iPod Touch for Christmas. He's two.) Lastly, New Year's went well overall, despite some illnesses on part of a couple of the partygoers. Mario Kart is never so hilarious as when played sleep-deprived at 4am.
Continue reading "A couple updates"

Not an impulse buy, I promise

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:06:24 -0500

My new guitar.

So the other day I bought a guitar.

A lot of people have been telling me that this seems really random - since when did I want to learn to play guitar? It's understandable, given that I didn't really talk to that many people about it ahead of time, but I've been looking to take up another musical instrument for awhile now. I wanted something more portable than the piano, which I played for a couple years way back when, but still relatively common and popular (so not the ocarina in my closet).

The MSU trip I took awhile ago was really what put "guitar" in my head. The instant I got there, we all sat down in the middle of a basketball court and like four different people all pulled out guitars, and everyone was having a great time. I thought, why not take it up myself?
Continue reading "Not an impulse buy, I promise"

Summer summary (summery?)

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:56:22 -0400

So wow. Summer's gone. I head back to school the morning of the 30th, then dive right in with freshman laptop orientation the 31st and a Learning Center tutor "retreat" (two-hour meeting) on the 2nd. Classes begin the 3rd.

In light of all that, I thought I'd take a moment and recap what my summer was like this year.
Continue reading "Summer summary (summery?)"

Rest for the weary

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 22:00:31 -0500

Apparently there is such a thing, despite the cliche. I'm home again after a harrowing seven weeks of school (plus a week of finals), and to be able to relax and do nothing is great... for about a day. Then I get bored.

Thankfully, though, I've stuff to occupy myself with. First, I'm working on a new iPhone app, which should hopefully be ready by the end of break. I'm hesitant to promise anything, however - I get my wisdom teeth out tomorrow, and I may not be lucid enough to code well (although if the Ballmer peak applies to alcohol, I don't see why it can't apply to the remnants of general anesthesia).
Continue reading "Rest for the weary"

Not really about chess

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:03:51 -0500

Checkmate!

Overview: Checkmate is a simple game that may be played in college and high school cafeterias. It's a simple, easily explainable concept that adds a little spice (no pun intended) to your day.

Players: For 2-10 players

Equipment: Checkmate requires a cafeteria, lunchroom, or other common eating area that provides trays and salt (or pepper) shakers. Nothing else is needed!

Rules: The goal of Checkmate is to trick, distract, and deceive your friends into bringing a salt shaker up to the tray return. At some point during a meal, place the salt shaker on your friend's tray; after that, all you have to do is keep the friend from noticing until they go up to return their tray at the end of the meal. If they bring the salt shaker all the way up to the tray return without noticing (requiring they make an extra trip back to the table to return the shaker before leaving the cafeteria), you've Checkmated them!

Remember that you have to place the shaker on your friend's tray while they're still at the table - you can't carry the shaker up with you to the tray return, then place it on the tray. Also, if you get Checkmated, you can't just leave the shaker at the tray return. That's just poor manners! Instead, you should be a gracious player and return the shaker to your table, despite the mockery of your friends.

Let's look at an example. Say that Chris, Randall, and Sam are eating lunch together, and it's getting close to the end of the meal. Chris could point at something interesting out the window, and while he and Randall look, Sam takes the opportunity to slip a salt shaker onto both of their trays. Chris notices the salt shaker right away, and takes it off his tray while he's still at the table - this is not a Checkmate, but it was a good effort on Sam's part. Randall, on the other hand, doesn't notice (perhaps because Sam hid the salt shaker behind Randall's glass). Randall picks up his tray and moves toward the tray return, and just as he's setting his tray down, he notices the salt shaker. This is a Checkmate!

Tactics: Frequent Checkmate players recognize the need for more subtle play than simply placing a salt shaker on a tray. Good players will often take advantage of natural distractions, rather than creating their own. Really good players will place the salt shaker strategically on the tray, using the other objects on the tray to hide the shaker. Great players will time their placement very near the end of the meal, minimizing the time other players have to notice the salt shaker and take it off their tray. Defensive players will always instinctively check their trays at the end of meals.

Have fun playing Checkmate!

Played Checkmate at your school? Have a good story about a deceptive tactic you used to Checkmate someone? Leave it in the comments!

Happy Holidays

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:28:55 -0500

Another holiday season has come and (almost) gone, and I thought it'd be nice to take a few minutes to look back on my week and see what went on.

Christmas was obviously the dominating event of the past few days. Among the big gifts I got were a terabyte hard drive (for the RAID array - more on that in a minute) and a nice new office chair to replace the one I have at school. Rose provided a batch of chairs in all the dorms, but they are pitiful excuses for seating apparati, especially considering the amount of homework and coding that is intended to go on in them. So my parents got me a big new padded black leather executive wheeled chair that I can take with me, and I put it together yesterday and tested it out. It's not quite an Aeron, but it's good.

Another big chunk of my time has been spent working on a new iPhone app. I won't say exactly what it is, but it's a big departure from my previous utilitarian apps, and I think it should be a fairly big hit. I will say that it's an adaptation of a preexisting game, and that it involves pretty much every feature of the device I could get my hands on (accelerometer, orientation sensor, sound facilities, and multi-touch capabilities, to name a few). Regrettably, it's still a ways away from being done. Although most of the functionality is there, a huge amount of polish has yet to be applied. In a few days, I'll hunker down with Photoshop, GarageBand, and Audacity and see what I can accomplish. demonic laughter

Back to the RAID. You may recall that I promised a big, in-detail look at the array around Christmas. This is that entry. Be warned.
Continue reading "Happy Holidays"

NOT a good time

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:00:04 -0500

So I had just finished with some Data Structures homework, and Catherine was browsing around bumper stickers on Facebook. She found the traditional "for a good time, call..." sticker, but this one actually had a number associated with it: 918-781-3870. Of course, I had to try it.

I dial the number, and a woman picks up right away and says something unintelligible. Since it's a prank call, I really don't care what she said, so I go ahead and say "I'm calling for a good time."

She responds by saying, "You're on the air."

I asked for a good time on the radio.

The customer isn't always right

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:09:19 -0400

This morning I found myself running some errands for the family, including a trip to Wal-Mart for duct tape, light bulbs, and the like. I had a list provided to me; all I had to do was visit the store, grab five items, check out, and leave. Simple.

I made it up to the self-checkout without issues, and the first thing I did (out of habit) was scan my Preferred Card. The machine beeped at me, saying "unknown item." Whatever - maybe my card's old, or cracked, or whatever. I'll just have to pay a little bit more. It's no big deal.

I finish the checkout, then go to pay. At this point, the screen stops me, and a message says it's waiting for a cashier to approve my "unknown items." The guy watching the checkouts wanders over and asks me if everything's OK. It is, but I decide I might as well ask about the card. I pull it out and show it to him, asking if they discontinued Preferred Card use or something. (Figured it out yet?)

The assistant stared at me for a second, then looks at me and says, "Sir, this card is for Jewel-Osco. You're at Wal-Mart."

Oops. Somehow, I've never been quite able to get the distinction between the two straight in my head, and I still don't know why. It's not like they're that similar or anything. So at this point I have to try to play it off like I'm just tired, I didn't get enough sleep, and I'm not thinking clearly. He voided the card and let me finish my transaction, and I grabbed my bags and practically sprinted out of there.

At least the guy's got a story for his friends when his shift ends.

Blink fiction

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:16:23 -0400

OK, I know you're all probably bored to death of hearing about Ommatidia, but this is a little different. I've decided to try my own hand at this "blink fiction" concept. I'm not adhering to the 101-word rule, nor am I following any other recognized constraint, other than it has to be short. I decide what short is. (But I am stealing Brendan's idea about naming the story after a character.)

So here's a story. It's fiction, but it's based in reality. It's also very obvious. Hit the link to read it.
Continue reading "Blink fiction"

Ommatidium

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:59:46 -0400

The cover for Ommatidia

I got the print copy of Ommatidia yesterday. It's self-published 101-word stories from Brendan Adkins, who also runs the Ommatidia web page. I've mentioned him before, but this was a fantastic book, so I'm writing about him again.

The thing that's so appealing about his stories is their modularity. Each story can be read alone, without context or preparation, in the space of about a minute. And each one, especially those selected for publication in the compilation, does a fantastic job of constructing a world and telling a story within that framework without any unnecessary overhead or explanation.

They aren't just standalone stories, however. Several are about the same character (or characters) and can be chained together for a longer look at a person or place. The overarching storyline that runs throughout the print copy is that of Cosette, a girl in a house that never ends. What's strange about this particular story is that the last installment of it was published to the site the exact same day I got the book. Eerie coincidence, no?

If you've got five minutes, go through and just read the last week's worth of stories. Brendan publishes one a day every weekday, and he's got something for everyone, whether you're looking for funny or serious, happy or sad, smart or dumb. My personal favorite series is that of Proserpina, a young boxer at an all-girls boarding school, but you might also enjoy stories about Longinus (an incarnation of evil), Reaching the West Reaches (which is Star Wars cast into a nontechnological society), or They Shall Breathe Ashes (the world's most famous assassin). I also feel inclined to point out some individual gems: there are phenomenal single stories about Jenna, a hero who just wants to be normal, and Ewards, a man who makes a living selling stolen coal in a very dark, cold world.

In a completely unrelated story, I somehow managed to get free Internet access at Seattle-Tacoma using an email account with AT&T that I thought had expired three years ago.

Canada, the interlude

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:40:01 -0400

This entry is not about Canada. Rather, this entry is about everything else going on that just happened to occur while I was in Canada. As such, it's a little fragmented and disjoint, but whatever. Ready?

Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
This, the new Coldplay album, was officially released today, June 12, in Europe and Asia. It won't appear in the States and Canada for another five days; however, the Internet being what it is, the album was leaked a few days ago. As a result, Coldplay decided to stream the entire album free from their Myspace for awhile. I've listened to it several times through and it's fantastic.

Besides the two singles that had been out for awhile (Viva la Vida and Violet Hill), my favorite song is Death and All His Friends / The Escapist, the last "official" track on the album. This is the one that had played over the beginning of the Grey's Anatomy season four finale ("oh, winter / we got carried / away over / on the rooftops..."). It starts very soft, but builds to a resonant (if slightly repetitive) chorus at the end of the first half before quieting down for the second half, which gently ushers out the album.

As a whole, I'm glad to see Coldplay move away from the styles they had picked up in X & Y. I really felt that they were at their best in the days of A Rush of Blood to the Head, which continued what Parachutes had started. Although the band did refer to their first three as a "trilogy," I don't think X & Y was really representative of their music. And it's good to see Chris Martin drop the falsetto for a lot of his music. A lot of people derided him as sounding "whiny," and truth be told, it didn't really work out for him in a couple cases.

Anyway. If you can find a way to buy the album where a good chunk of the money actually goes to the artist, rather than the RIAA (read: iTunes store), I highly recommend it.

Tomatoes?
Apparently there's some disease hitting a lot of the big tomato farms in the U.S. A lot of restaurants are refusing to serve tomatoes whatsoever, and the rest all have big signs up saying "our tomatoes are safe" or some such proclamation.

I gotta say, this is not helping our economy. Plus, what with crude prices jumping another $5/barrel or so, we could be in some serious trouble if we lose a big cash crop like this.

PHP 5/Mac OS X
One of the reasons I really like Macs over Windows machines is that the Mac OS, as of version 10, is built on a Unix base. It has bash, it has apache, it has vi and cron and all kinds of other Unixlike things. It's very possible to develop on a box running some version of OS X with minimal hassle.

Until you run into a problem. Then it's a huge hassle to figure out what's going wrong, because unlike most Unices, the majority of the Mac OS is not free. It's not open-source. And it's not easily reparable. Case in point: I want to use PHP for a web page I'm using to monitor the progress of a long-running program at my house. I already have the code on one of my machines at home, chugging merrily along on my LAMP stack and spitting out fine and dandy reports and images. I tar it up, scp it over, and voila! I have a website.

Except PHP isn't enabled in the version of Apache that ships with OS X by default. No big deal; just find the LoadModule directive in the configuration file, uncomment it, and the text-based part works perfectly. The image generation, though, is not happy. I dig a little bit and find out that the version of PHP that ships with OS X, although it can be integrated very easily with Apache, does not include GD support, which is what it needs for all those image functions.

Grrr. Does Apple provide a solution? No, of course not: the only article I find is how to get PHP 4.3 up and running on OS X. This article looks like it was written quite awhile ago, and provides no helpful information. Basically it comes down to this: if I want PHP5 with apache2 on OS X Leopard, I have to compile it from source. This is, to say the least, a little bit dangerous. I might make a Genius Bar appointment just to see if they can help me. If so, great; if not, at least I get to mess with them a little bit.

Multicategory entries
This works! I can select multiple categories in the administrative view of this entry and have a single entry posted to all of them, so it shows up in the feeds and searches for each individual category. (For the record, this entry is posted in "Administrative" for this section, "Random" for the tomatoes and album review, and "tech" for the PHP rant.)

Graduation day

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Sat, 31 May 2008 21:38:40 -0400

Churchill said it best: This is, perhaps, the end of our beginning.

I graduated today, along with the other 571 members of my senior class. A lot of people asked if it was exciting, or sad, or a little of both. My answers have been pretty noncommittal, because it's hard to describe the feeling graduation brings. Sure, I'm happy to be moving on. Am I ecstatic? Excited? Not really. Am I going to miss high school? Sure, now that you mention it, but not that much. It's just another part of life, like any other.

The fun thing about graduation is the parties. We started at Chris' with his relatives and friends and hung out there for about an hour. He fed us well - burgers, pasta salad, and watermelon (in other words, traditional American graduation/cookout food). From there we migrated to Randall's at six, put on Knocked Up, and promptly forgot about it. Randall had got a light-up Frisbee, so we spent awhile playing with that. While we were, my sisters and Maggie (Peter's (Randall's brother) girlfriend) showed up. "Foursome" jokes abounded.

Eventually people got bored and suggested swimming at Bryan's. Being as it was still 70 degrees at 9pm, we were keen to cool down, and all trooped over to Bryan's. I had to go home and grab some swim trunks; when I showed up, Randall, Jessica, Marissa, Matt, and Bryan were all in the lake just standing there and shivering. I dove in and dunked Matt, much to his chagrin. Soon after we decided that while cooling down was admirable, dying of hypothermia was not, so we got out.

This brings me up to the present - we're all at Bryan's, showering off and trying to figure out what to do next. Sam suggested Monopoly.

Too little too late

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Fri, 30 May 2008 00:32:32 -0400

I received a rather interesting email today. It came from Barry University, located in scenic Miami Shores, FL. They wanted me to consider Barry among my college choices.

I'm sorry, but are you kidding me? It's May 30! My decision has been made for months! Not to mention I've never heard of this school before - the name (and partially the location) makes it sound like it's just some guy named Barry wandering around teaching classes. Plus, the only way they could've gotten hold of my contact info was through either the College Board or the Midwest Talent Search, both of which sound like places to find at least decent students. I don't think that's the caliber that wind up attending Barry University.

Barry, if you really want students to come to your college (which I'm told offers over 70 majors and has "Adrian Dominican compassion"), you need to get your act together and start looking for applicants a lot earlier. Like, last year.

A new spin on an old concept

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:48:16 -0400

I ran across this site the other day, and it's about the coolest thing since sliced bread: This guy writes, once a day, fiction stories of exactly 101 words.

I mean that exactly like it sounds. Every day, the stories are 101 words, no more, no less. They're about everything, from sci-fi to religion. There are even a few that can only be called "biting satire." You can get really into it and look at characters that have been developed over time and ongoing storylines, but they're also great if you have some spare time and want something quick to do.

May Day? Just one?

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Sun, 11 May 2008 17:29:50 -0400

I found this floating around the Internet somewhere. It is an official list of fake holidays, one for each day in May. I've already missed ten of them, but the rest should be enjoyable. I bolded the ones I plan on taking part in - I encourage you all to join me.

5/1/08: International Band T-Shirt Day
5/2/08: International Air Instrument Day
5/3/08: International Cinema Day
5/4/08: International Rock Band/Guitar Hero Appreciation Day
5/5/08: International Salsa Day
5/6/08: International Poke Day
5/7/08: International Fake British Accent Day
5/8/08: International Mountain Dew Day
5/9/08: International Be Sexually Inappropriate With Your Friends Day
5/10/08: International Silly String Day
5/11/08: International Condiment Day
5/12/08: International Powerthirst Day
5/13/08: International Smack An Ass Day
5/14/08: International ...In Bed Day
5/15/08: International Gum-Chewing Day
5/16/08: International Sexual Act Day
5/17/08: International Whipped Cream Day
5/18/08: International Photograph Your Day Day
5/19/08: International Sexican Day
5/20/08: International Sexual Innuendo Day
5/21/08: International Tickle Day
5/22/08: International Gluten-Free Day
5/23/08: International Bagel Day
5/24/08: International Videogame Marathon Day
5/25/08: International Vegetarian Day
5/26/08: International Humorous T-Shirt Day
5/27/08: International Zombie Day
5/28/08: International Spontaneous Orgasm Day (I'm not participating, but there's a part of me that really wants to see someone pull this off in the middle of an AP class.)
5/29/08: International Are You Nervous Day
5/30/08: International Blame It On ___ Day
5/31/08: International National Foods Day