Clarrification
After a few hours to brood on the topic, I figured I'd come back and add some clarity to the previous post. I didn't replace it, because I feel that preliminary thoughts are important to how I feel. So lets start from the top. I actually let this sit over night on my computer, and then it sat longer afterwords. I thought I might clarify where I've been, and whats been going on with me lately.
This morning I went to Writing class. I got my half done paper back today, and it turns out the teacher seemed to like it. Its kinda my first attempt at Science fiction, and I fear I might have made the beginning too long. I shall finish it up, and probably shorten the beginnning. It was only a rough draft.
After that, I went to the lab. Today seemed rather busy, so I figured I'd go get something to eat at 10:30 (as that is when lunch opens) and do the minor things I needed to do before my class at 11. Enter Professor Lysko, A founding member of the Widener Computer Science program, who laid out ciriculum 20 years ago...which for some reason we still seem to follow.
Anyway, we have some high school students coming in and taking a tour, and he wanted to check on a few things. Apparently, a program that he used wasn't working. I figured it was because of our Slack Distro upgrade, and it probably wasn't an included package. After about 15-20 minutes fiddling around and trying to find his program, I ended up downloading it. I told him "I'm sorry, but I don't want to install this, because I'm unsure of what it can do. It'll be easier if youw ait for us." He wanted it done on Monday. A Pigs ass to want something done on monday when its a Friday.
Then he wants to install it on his account. I figure the worse he could do is just screw up his own profile. So I coppied it to his directory, and found that the program was acting screwey. There was a procedure I did that I should have only been able to do as su. I'm not going to reveal what it is for secruity measures, but needless to say it shouldn't have happened.
Now is a good time to mention that most computer scientists are predisposed to patterns. When we do something, we expect an outcome that we've predetermined. That guy cursing in the corner? His program isn't acting like he predicted it should. That guy reinstalling his computer? His computer isn't acting the way it should. When we run a command, we expect a outcome. Thats why we did what we did.
So anyway, he installs it, I think, but it doesn't work or something. Its going on 10:45, and I'm getting hungry. I excuse myself, and run down to UC to get meself a sammich. Good one too. But when I get back, I'm running on 11:05. However, step two.
When I get in, Prof. Nevlin stops me, an tells me that mtools isn't working (a program used for floppy stuffs). We had it working last week, and now its not. Then we find out that another program running off the server isn't working correctly. This is mucho fishy.
So, after class, I go and run to do my little things I have to do. I have a meeting with my creative writing prof, and I wanna get there and get it done. I get those done, and the meeting with him was pretty preductive.
So, I get back to the lab at 1:00, because I'm on duty. There are more computer problems, and its looking real fishy. I'm not going to go into details, but needless to say, these things shouldn't have been happening, as we've had them checked over many a times.
I tried installing Grimlock, our newest computer, and it seemed to also be going fishy...right off the install disks. Meh. He'll get done soon enough. But at 2:00, I didn't feel like going to Software Engineering, and ditched hoping to help out in the lab. Got side tracked though, and ended up making a background. I also didn't get to turn in my time sheets.
Then came the play time. My day was ok, but it drug itself out. And I wasn't in a particular mood today for the play, but you can't just take off. Now, I'm no seasonsed actor, like alot of the people I work with here. Lisa, the director, is giving directions left and right, but wants us to work with it ourselves, and be a integral part of the process. I'm used to the Senkow approach of "Do it this way. Now!", so this was new on me. When she'd say one thing, I'd be thinking over doing it that way, and while thinking of it, miss what she said next. It put me in a few uncomfortable posstions.
Not to mention being a bit uncomfortable already. I play the generic person in the crew. I don't really have a role. My lines are those marked "Sailor". I'm the only one though. Everyone else has a secondary job playing another character. I don't mind this, it just makes it a bit awkward for me, as there are points where I don't have anything to say, but I have to move while everyone else is doing lines. There were many times that I felt like an ass.
Now, to top off my day, while at dinner, I hear something about Y100, my favorite radio station since I was in 8th grade, having changed its format via Clear Channel Radio, the assholes who are trying to own all the radio stations in the city. This has me disgrunted and upset. The only station that played alternative rock in Philidelphia was gone, and I was very upset.
Getting back to my room, I call my mom, because we were going to see "Cukoo's nest", just to check in with her. She asked how I was doing, and I said that I was "depressed". She then asked why, and I told her, because of the radio station.
She then screams at me about how I had her worried, and that she thought it was about grades or something, and that I shouldn't upset her like this. This is the point were I started to cry.
there are three primary reasons why I probably got so upset.
1. I called her expecting some sort of sympathy, and getting the complete opposite was a shock to the system.
2. It hurt to think that in all the time that she's known me, she doesn't know that the radio station was a big part of my life
3. That the things in my life don't matter. Just grades and other things are the only things to worry about.
That, combined with my day, created the outburst that happened. Fun stuff. She said something then to the likes of that there are alot of points that I didn't get upset, and then this was one of them. No idea how to take that. After finishing arranging the times to meet her, we hung up, and I wated.
Then my roomate came in, and saw me the way I was. He really is a great guy. Though I should have said something to the likes of "Nothing is wrong. I'll be ok" when he asked what was the matter, I pouted out something about the radio station. He then started to joke around and say things that made me feel alot better. He has a way of putting a smile on my face.
Anyway, me and mom then went to go see the play, and it was really, really good. Dan was excellent in it, and the rest of the cast had me cracking up all night. I wish that wasn't second to last showing. I would have gone to see it again.
During intermission, I had a thought about the radio station. They are hosting themselves on a free radio station, and it occured to me. We can do something like that in the lab! It would be awesome! I'll detail some of the plans to come, as things progress, but its such a cool idea!
So then comes to today. The REAL today, which is the 25th. Like I said, I wrote some yesterday, and then some today.
Now, dispite what happened yesterday, you might ask yourself, why is he happy? Because I did something good today.
It was about 11 o'clock when I finally rolled out of bed saturday morning, and I was feeling alright. I got a shower, and got dressed, and was on the computer, browsing the internet, when Dan came in. He said that Moll was flooded, and they needed all the hands they could get to help carry things out. I finished getting dressed, put on my work boots, and rushed over there.
The place was a litteral disaster area, as clean up crews were working frantically to get everything out. What really happened is a bit conviluted right now, but what is known is that a toliet broke on the third floor, and nobody noticed/reported it. Now, whats so conviluted? I've heard things from it jsut being broke, to someone having pulled it off. And the damage it did was extensive
Alot of people showed up to help out, which was really good. I didn't know anyone in Moll, and neither did alot of other people. We were there just to help out.
I've been in Moll before, so it was somewhat familar to me. However, when going in there this time, absolutely nothing was familar. The carpets had been ripped up, and all the ceiling tiles had been pulled out. The place literally looked like a sloshy construction zone, as crews were wroking dilligently to get it all out. People were scattered, trying to bring ou thier items in crumby plastic bags, pulling them out to awaiting cars.
It was almost haunting to see the place like that, like seeing the the skeleton of someone after thier flesh was ripped off. It was reallly hecktic. I remember one girl came up to us, and said her boyfriend was in Harrisburg, and he had no idea that the place was flooded, and she was looking to get into his room. Campus saftey wondered around the rooms, helping anyone they could, and A few of the Fraternities were helping bring thier brethren over to thier dorms. We already had a housing shortage on campus, and this made it much, much worse.
I helped three people today. the RA on the first floor needed help getting her things out. She left a large collection of assorted full perfumes ontop of her dresser. Something interesting she said was that they were for show, which surprised all the guys that were helping her out. She said that she would get double packs of the stuff, and that she'd use one, and put the other in her collection. I get a 5 pack of deoderant at a time. I'll tell you that when one gets used up, the other 4 will follow suit until there are none left.
The second person who I helped apparently wasn't there that night. She came in, and didn't even have her keys when she got there. Her roomate wasn't there at all, which confused me slightly, but who knows. Me and another guy helped her gather up her things, and carry tme out to her VERY small Lancer. She had a lot of thigns that she wanted to move, and we dilligently picked them up and brought them out. She had so much, that we actually had to fill up her friend's car too.
Now, I don't have alot in my room. It'd take a while for me to pack it all in, but there was ALOT of clothes that she had us put into her car. Alteast three trashbags full. I started to wonder about this, then I recalled my roomate's wardrobe. Meh.
After we helped her, me and the other guy went out seperate ways. She gave us her phone number, and told us to call her and she'd hook us up with some beer. I'm not sure what to do now, because I'm not a drinker. =snicker=
I then helped one more person carry a computer out to the frat truck. then it seemed that just about everyone was out of the place, and no one needed help.
I was about to leave Moll, when the girl I helped move her stuff out came back. She said that she'd need help getting all the things out, considering how much time it took ot get them all in. It took a long time because we had to get it all down two stories. However, getting it all into the other house only took about 10-15 minutes, but I was winded.
when I went to dinner, my jacket was soaked in sweat. but I felt good. really good. I suppose there is something to the addage that manual labor can be rewarding, and I felt bery rewarded.
I wanted to comment on other stuff that has happened to me recently, but I suppose I'll save that for another time. Catch you all later. Same bat time, same bat channel.
This morning I went to Writing class. I got my half done paper back today, and it turns out the teacher seemed to like it. Its kinda my first attempt at Science fiction, and I fear I might have made the beginning too long. I shall finish it up, and probably shorten the beginnning. It was only a rough draft.
After that, I went to the lab. Today seemed rather busy, so I figured I'd go get something to eat at 10:30 (as that is when lunch opens) and do the minor things I needed to do before my class at 11. Enter Professor Lysko, A founding member of the Widener Computer Science program, who laid out ciriculum 20 years ago...which for some reason we still seem to follow.
Anyway, we have some high school students coming in and taking a tour, and he wanted to check on a few things. Apparently, a program that he used wasn't working. I figured it was because of our Slack Distro upgrade, and it probably wasn't an included package. After about 15-20 minutes fiddling around and trying to find his program, I ended up downloading it. I told him "I'm sorry, but I don't want to install this, because I'm unsure of what it can do. It'll be easier if youw ait for us." He wanted it done on Monday. A Pigs ass to want something done on monday when its a Friday.
Then he wants to install it on his account. I figure the worse he could do is just screw up his own profile. So I coppied it to his directory, and found that the program was acting screwey. There was a procedure I did that I should have only been able to do as su. I'm not going to reveal what it is for secruity measures, but needless to say it shouldn't have happened.
Now is a good time to mention that most computer scientists are predisposed to patterns. When we do something, we expect an outcome that we've predetermined. That guy cursing in the corner? His program isn't acting like he predicted it should. That guy reinstalling his computer? His computer isn't acting the way it should. When we run a command, we expect a outcome. Thats why we did what we did.
So anyway, he installs it, I think, but it doesn't work or something. Its going on 10:45, and I'm getting hungry. I excuse myself, and run down to UC to get meself a sammich. Good one too. But when I get back, I'm running on 11:05. However, step two.
When I get in, Prof. Nevlin stops me, an tells me that mtools isn't working (a program used for floppy stuffs). We had it working last week, and now its not. Then we find out that another program running off the server isn't working correctly. This is mucho fishy.
So, after class, I go and run to do my little things I have to do. I have a meeting with my creative writing prof, and I wanna get there and get it done. I get those done, and the meeting with him was pretty preductive.
So, I get back to the lab at 1:00, because I'm on duty. There are more computer problems, and its looking real fishy. I'm not going to go into details, but needless to say, these things shouldn't have been happening, as we've had them checked over many a times.
I tried installing Grimlock, our newest computer, and it seemed to also be going fishy...right off the install disks. Meh. He'll get done soon enough. But at 2:00, I didn't feel like going to Software Engineering, and ditched hoping to help out in the lab. Got side tracked though, and ended up making a background. I also didn't get to turn in my time sheets.
Then came the play time. My day was ok, but it drug itself out. And I wasn't in a particular mood today for the play, but you can't just take off. Now, I'm no seasonsed actor, like alot of the people I work with here. Lisa, the director, is giving directions left and right, but wants us to work with it ourselves, and be a integral part of the process. I'm used to the Senkow approach of "Do it this way. Now!", so this was new on me. When she'd say one thing, I'd be thinking over doing it that way, and while thinking of it, miss what she said next. It put me in a few uncomfortable posstions.
Not to mention being a bit uncomfortable already. I play the generic person in the crew. I don't really have a role. My lines are those marked "Sailor". I'm the only one though. Everyone else has a secondary job playing another character. I don't mind this, it just makes it a bit awkward for me, as there are points where I don't have anything to say, but I have to move while everyone else is doing lines. There were many times that I felt like an ass.
Now, to top off my day, while at dinner, I hear something about Y100, my favorite radio station since I was in 8th grade, having changed its format via Clear Channel Radio, the assholes who are trying to own all the radio stations in the city. This has me disgrunted and upset. The only station that played alternative rock in Philidelphia was gone, and I was very upset.
Getting back to my room, I call my mom, because we were going to see "Cukoo's nest", just to check in with her. She asked how I was doing, and I said that I was "depressed". She then asked why, and I told her, because of the radio station.
She then screams at me about how I had her worried, and that she thought it was about grades or something, and that I shouldn't upset her like this. This is the point were I started to cry.
there are three primary reasons why I probably got so upset.
1. I called her expecting some sort of sympathy, and getting the complete opposite was a shock to the system.
2. It hurt to think that in all the time that she's known me, she doesn't know that the radio station was a big part of my life
3. That the things in my life don't matter. Just grades and other things are the only things to worry about.
That, combined with my day, created the outburst that happened. Fun stuff. She said something then to the likes of that there are alot of points that I didn't get upset, and then this was one of them. No idea how to take that. After finishing arranging the times to meet her, we hung up, and I wated.
Then my roomate came in, and saw me the way I was. He really is a great guy. Though I should have said something to the likes of "Nothing is wrong. I'll be ok" when he asked what was the matter, I pouted out something about the radio station. He then started to joke around and say things that made me feel alot better. He has a way of putting a smile on my face.
Anyway, me and mom then went to go see the play, and it was really, really good. Dan was excellent in it, and the rest of the cast had me cracking up all night. I wish that wasn't second to last showing. I would have gone to see it again.
During intermission, I had a thought about the radio station. They are hosting themselves on a free radio station, and it occured to me. We can do something like that in the lab! It would be awesome! I'll detail some of the plans to come, as things progress, but its such a cool idea!
So then comes to today. The REAL today, which is the 25th. Like I said, I wrote some yesterday, and then some today.
Now, dispite what happened yesterday, you might ask yourself, why is he happy? Because I did something good today.
It was about 11 o'clock when I finally rolled out of bed saturday morning, and I was feeling alright. I got a shower, and got dressed, and was on the computer, browsing the internet, when Dan came in. He said that Moll was flooded, and they needed all the hands they could get to help carry things out. I finished getting dressed, put on my work boots, and rushed over there.
The place was a litteral disaster area, as clean up crews were working frantically to get everything out. What really happened is a bit conviluted right now, but what is known is that a toliet broke on the third floor, and nobody noticed/reported it. Now, whats so conviluted? I've heard things from it jsut being broke, to someone having pulled it off. And the damage it did was extensive
Alot of people showed up to help out, which was really good. I didn't know anyone in Moll, and neither did alot of other people. We were there just to help out.
I've been in Moll before, so it was somewhat familar to me. However, when going in there this time, absolutely nothing was familar. The carpets had been ripped up, and all the ceiling tiles had been pulled out. The place literally looked like a sloshy construction zone, as crews were wroking dilligently to get it all out. People were scattered, trying to bring ou thier items in crumby plastic bags, pulling them out to awaiting cars.
It was almost haunting to see the place like that, like seeing the the skeleton of someone after thier flesh was ripped off. It was reallly hecktic. I remember one girl came up to us, and said her boyfriend was in Harrisburg, and he had no idea that the place was flooded, and she was looking to get into his room. Campus saftey wondered around the rooms, helping anyone they could, and A few of the Fraternities were helping bring thier brethren over to thier dorms. We already had a housing shortage on campus, and this made it much, much worse.
I helped three people today. the RA on the first floor needed help getting her things out. She left a large collection of assorted full perfumes ontop of her dresser. Something interesting she said was that they were for show, which surprised all the guys that were helping her out. She said that she would get double packs of the stuff, and that she'd use one, and put the other in her collection. I get a 5 pack of deoderant at a time. I'll tell you that when one gets used up, the other 4 will follow suit until there are none left.
The second person who I helped apparently wasn't there that night. She came in, and didn't even have her keys when she got there. Her roomate wasn't there at all, which confused me slightly, but who knows. Me and another guy helped her gather up her things, and carry tme out to her VERY small Lancer. She had a lot of thigns that she wanted to move, and we dilligently picked them up and brought them out. She had so much, that we actually had to fill up her friend's car too.
Now, I don't have alot in my room. It'd take a while for me to pack it all in, but there was ALOT of clothes that she had us put into her car. Alteast three trashbags full. I started to wonder about this, then I recalled my roomate's wardrobe. Meh.
After we helped her, me and the other guy went out seperate ways. She gave us her phone number, and told us to call her and she'd hook us up with some beer. I'm not sure what to do now, because I'm not a drinker. =snicker=
I then helped one more person carry a computer out to the frat truck. then it seemed that just about everyone was out of the place, and no one needed help.
I was about to leave Moll, when the girl I helped move her stuff out came back. She said that she'd need help getting all the things out, considering how much time it took ot get them all in. It took a long time because we had to get it all down two stories. However, getting it all into the other house only took about 10-15 minutes, but I was winded.
when I went to dinner, my jacket was soaked in sweat. but I felt good. really good. I suppose there is something to the addage that manual labor can be rewarding, and I felt bery rewarded.
I wanted to comment on other stuff that has happened to me recently, but I suppose I'll save that for another time. Catch you all later. Same bat time, same bat channel.