603

Firstly, Gordo always comes up with great stuff on holidays. Here's his list for Halloween. Careful though, it is not for children. (I like numbers 1, 3, 5, 10, 11, and 14.) Gordo even has his own Wikipedia page! (I wish I had one...)

Wow. Kevin Pereira just put a picture on his moblog that is incredibly offensive. And yet, I think it's funny. Does that make me a bad person? (I am NOT going to post a link to it, because it REALLY is offensive. But so hilarious!)

I was on the bus like usual when it hit me. Again, like so long ago, I have that smirk. I was just thinking about some things I did way back when. I am 2 people rolled into one. I can be the nice guy. I can be the 'less-innocent' guy also. Oh, the trouble I could get into!

Turned in my Unit 10 Lab and took my Unit 10 test. 10 more to go. It isn't that bad though.

I also talked with my advisor today. We mapped out the rest of my degree and it looks like I have 6 more CS classes, 1 more Spanish class, and 1 more Math. I can take a full semester next spring, and go part-time during the summer and fall. That's all that is left. Amazing really. Honestly, I could go part-time during next Spring, but I don't want to. I'm going to add some 1-hour classes to put me over. The 2 that I'm looking at are a class on PERL and a PE class. Yes, PE. But more specifically, basketball. I'm looking forward to it.

Ugh, today's weather was weird. It was midly warm at 1PM, it started raining around 2PM, and it was cooler than cool right afterwards. It was a very sudden drop in temperature. Still, I thought it was nice.

Either way, I don't have much else about today.

602

Yea, I haven't posted in a while. Oh well.

Nothing new really. Enjoying the nice weather, although I would love it more if it were colder. Crap, it's supposed to rain tomorrow. I don't like that at all. Especially since I can't skip my 3 - 4 class for the rest of the week. I have a test coming up in that class.

Yea, it's Halloween. I don't really care though. The best thing is the day after. All of that candy at half of the price. That's something to look forward to. Oh, I really love those mellowcreme pumpkins. So, so good.

Charging up my shuffle for the bus rides. Every morning that I wake up, I always ask myself if I should just stay in bed. Honestly, if attendance wasn't part of my final grade for any of my classes, I would sleep all day.

Well, except for CS 349. I really like that class.

The West Wing was awesome tonight. They're going to have a live episode next Sunday. I can't wait. Oh, and the Cowboys won. That was pleasant.

I think I need to find more hobbies. Now that outdoor basketball is coming to an end, I'll have to pass time in another way. I should seriously work on my poker face and start gambling.

Was telling Brandon that when we go to a Mavs game, I'm going to drink. I've waited long enough. Everything should work fine.

I had a crazy dream. I beat the crap out of a guy that tried to steal from me. I chased the guy down and started wailing on him. I kept going until my fists felt heavy. Then I woke up.

Either way, time for sleep.

I know I have a link to Gordo's Blog already, but here's a link to some columns he writes for some Dallas/Fort Worth site. His dark humor is greatness.

601

Today was interesting, I guess. Class was kind of 'meh' because no one could form any intelligent opinions on privacy and the internet. I have an opinion, and some would call it a 'half-assed' opinion.

When I decide to get online and view material, I understand that the web site I am visiting may be monitoring my actions. I'm fine with this, because it is their content I am using. If they sell it to another company, that is their decision, but I at least hope that they use the data to improve their web site. For instance, I always go to ESPN's web site. If they find that I like basketball and football more than hockey, and they use that and other information to change the layout to the majority of users' preference, then I'm very happy with their actions.

If I go to the Finish Line, and one of their employees notices that I like T-Mac's shoes, that's fine. Most likely, this information will be used to order more of T-Mac's shoes. Or possibly place those shoes at the front of the store. I'm totally fine with this.

However, when a company monitors my actions while on a web site that they do not own, I disapprove. I don't think it is right for ESPN to watch how I use CNN.com. This is why I have several spyware detecting applications and a few spyware removal programs. I am not saying ESPN hands out spyware, but plenty of free software comes with spyware. Always look into a download before you even place it on your computer.

In other news, tropical frogs may prevent HIV transmission?

Oh, and here's a list of podcasts of lectures. Many of them are from Purdue, but the topics are interesting.

Visual patterns of Mathematics. Some of them are kind of cool.

And last but not least, a link to a video that I think is hilarious. Careful though, because there is an f-bomb or two. (I admit, I play these kind of games. I'm a guy. I like shooting things, playing football, you know, typical guy stuff.)

600

Ugh, I'm stressed out. I missed a question on one of my Unit tests and now I have to do some stupid homework. Had to write a poem in Spanish and that was just weird. Then came home and worked on a program up until deadline. Well, 8 minutes past deadline. I don't even know if it works. And then my lessons have been pushed back to some unknown time, although I'm alright with that.

I should really read my book for tomorrow.

Oh, so close to the weekend. I can't wait.

There are 66 days left in the year. If I post once a day, I'll start the new year with an interesting post. (Have I mentioned that 3 different popes died on my birthday?)

I haven't been on AIM for over 2 weeks now. And honestly, I don't miss it. I still have Google Talk on, but that's just so I can keep track of my Gmail.

Wow, Facebook has gotten real crazy. I saw a picture of a chic I went to high school with, and she might be a whore now. Oh, that might have been offensive. Oops. (Honestly, my high school had a bunch of them. I guess it really doesn't surprise me.)

Speaking of offensive, this one is for you, Brandon.

Hooker.

599

I'm going to be updating constantly as the day goes on.

First, this is shocking and disturbing. Young girls spreading racism through music has left me speechless. I would never expect something like this.

For all of you drinkers out there, here's a cool site. I guess a cool game would be nice, too.

Speaking of alcohol and such, J has an interesting MSN Spaces blog with stories from her workplace - a real bar! Here is a link and I'll be sure to add a permanent link soon.

Now, about links, if you didn't know, Jamie has switched from Blogger to Xanga. That link was updated a while ago, but I wanted to mention it again just in case.

On Nip/Tuck, they used Radiohead's Everything In Its Right Place. Awesome stuff. Boston Legal was great except for the ending. The hot chic was hot and all, but then it got serious and that was a major bummer. I don't like to see hot chics cry, whether its right in front of me or on a show.

598

Sorry it's been a while. I've been rather busy due to the parents being in town. Had a mid-term. Had a presentation in Spanish.

I think my mid-term went well. I actually read the book, so I knew most of the questions. The prof is cool, so I think it'll be fine.

My presentation in Spanish was good, and bad. It was good because the prof told the class, "This is what the presentations should be. He gave important information, his spanish was polished, and this is the bar you all should aim for." Why is this bad? Because that's not cool. No one likes the kid who always gets the highest score on every test. No one. So as he said that, I stared at my desk and hoped everyone in that class would forget. And by everyone, I mean the females.

My family and I went to a park to have a picnic. The Kid (my nephew) was having tons o' fun. He really likes basketball. And he's friendlier towards the ladies. My influence has already taken effect.

Saw Doom tonight. It's alright. I mean, if you liked Resident Evil, you'll like Doom. If you don't know anything about it, wait until you can rent it. I found that there were more funny moments than 'make you jump out of your seat' moments. Ugh, and there were a bunch of high schoolers out. That was annoying.

Alright, I'm tired. I'm off to bed.

597

Ah, CS 349 was awesome today! The prof watched the episode of South Park where Cartman gets revenge on Scott Tenorman. He made two references to it during class. Great stuff.

Came home and ate some ice cream. Blue Bell has a Banana Pudding ice ceram that's just awesome. It has whipped cream, vanilla wafers, and pieces of bananas in it. It's only in season for a couple of months out of the year. People thought I was crazy when I first mentioned it. That's because it disappeared for a year. Well, I couldn't find it again. By the which, I swear I saw Milky Way ice cream once before. Someone back me up on this.

I still spend some of my time on the bus trying to determine what type of person I am. I am a theist, but I value the sciences. I am quick to help people, but I'm also the first to laugh at misfortune. I can be devilish one day, and angelic the next. I won't get into politics though. Let's just say that I am stuck in the middle on many issues. It's not a lack of certainty or conviction. It's the consideration of circumstances.

The Devil's Workshop Big Band covered Radiohead's Morning Bell. You can find it on iTunes. It's amazing really. Well, only if you're into Big Band. Other jazzy covers of Radiohead songs can be found by searching for Brad Mehldau. Hell, even if you don't know anything about Radiohead, Brad Mehldau is good stuff to listen to.

After going through my 2-month Audioslave kick, I've rediscovered the greatness of A Perfect Circle. Orestes is just such a great song. And their covers of "What's Going On" and "When The Levee Breaks" are just amazing. Seriously, if there are 2 songs out there that I would recommend, those are it. Especially the latter.

Another long day of classes. Ugh, I'm tired. I might go for 8 hours of sleep tonight. Maybe more. I've been bored lately anyway. Maybe I should do some of my school work.

Oh, and in case you're bored like me, here is a link to a logic puzzle I do nearly every day. It's called SuDoku.

596

That's right. Screw the EE TAs! That guy doubted my ability and talent. So, I proved him wrong. Last Monday, he told me that I had to take my Unit 5 test, my Unit 7 test, and turn in my Unit 8 Lab by today. I said, "Sure." He said, "It's a steep climb." Whatever. So, I completed it all. The suggested rate has us finishing about 1.5 Units per week. I just did 2 weeks' worth of material in 1 week. Once again, do not doubt me. Tell me I can't do it, and I'll make a believer out of you. Stupid EE TA.

I have a Spanish presentation on Friday. I have to do some research on Uruguay. Eh, won't be too hard. 5 minutes of speaking and I'm done.

I really have to go to my CS 337 discussion section. I need to ask about the program due in a week. I understand how to get the row-reduced echelon form of a matrix, but the encoder and decoder functions don't make sense. Eh, I won't get into specifics.

My parents are coming down Wednesday night. That'll be cool. From what I've heard, my parents would really like to move to Austin. Of course, this would be after my Dad retires. I forget how much longer he has. I know it's not much. If they were to move down here, I would definitely put Austin at the top of my "where I'll live after graduation" list. Currently, I would rather live in Dallas.

Austin is nice and all, but the things that make it great are things I can't appreciate. The live music scene doesn't interest me. Only having two major highways sucks. The radio stations here suck.

All of my fond memories (the few remaining) are of Dallas. The lights, the roads, and the buildings. And I'm also talking about Farmer's Branch, Addison, Garland, and others.

I really wish I was done with school, had my degree, and had a good job. I want my life.

Ugh. I'm tired now. Off to bed I go.

595

Eh, nothing new today. I've been working on my Unit 8 Lab, and I'm close to finishing. I'm not going to bore you with the details, but I have to minimize my circuit and I can't find what I can cut out. I'm just going to bug a TA and get them to tell me the answer.

7 friends on MySpace. Yea!

Ugh, another long day of classes. I feel like taking another vacation already. I'm hoping to make the most of Thanksgiving and just sleep 12 hours a day. Will probably do the same during Christmas break. Oh, how I love to sleep!

I know of some people who should read this. Handwriting is very important.

I think about changing my sleep schedule. You know, the one all of the great inventors used. You stay awake for 4 hours, sleep for 30 minutes, repeat. Maybe some day I'll give it a try.

Oh, now things are getting boring. Someone send me entertainment!

Eh, I'm off to bed.

594

I went outside to throw away some old pizza. As I looked at the street, I realized that I really wanted to go for a walk. The air was cool and the lights had that tint of orange to them. I remembered being in a neighborhood that had the same appearance. Deja vu, or something. The only problem is that I can't remember where or when. I think of North Dallas, but I could be wrong.

I know I bad-mouthed MySpace, but I keep signing in. I now have 6 friends! I guess I'm climbing society's ladder. As far as Facebook goes, there are still 4 friends invitiations that I haven't declined yet.

Yes, I have an account on ModBlog and Xanga. I'm thinking about posting on all 3, but then what was the point of buying my domain name? The 1-year contract runs out later in December. I think I'm actually going to get hosting for fbombandy.com. That would be awesome.

If you go to the movie theater all of the time, this site would be handy for you.

Not much else that I really want to talk about. I'm pretty pissed about the USC-ND game.

593

Well, today was just full of fun!

I skipped my Theories in Programming class. Instead, Erik and I went to some sushi bar. I love Philadelphia rolls! Erik convinced me to try a certain item he ordered. It was salmon eggs. Did not like it at all.

Yea, more college football when I wake up! This is the best time of the year. The basketball season is warming up. The baseball season is nearing an end. Football is everywhere.

I have this pile of clean clothes that I should really fold. I'm too lazy though. I've also been too lazy to record another podcast. I'm just not happy with the sound quality. I have a cheap microphone. And the sound card is beginning to show its age.

Sweet! I haven't been on AIM for 4 days now! I haven't received any calls or emails, so I guess it's safe to say that AIM is no longer necessary on my computer.

Oh, sleep sounds so good right now.

592

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Waking up early sucks!

McDonald's is doing their Monopoly game. It's leading to some hilarious action on eBay. People are selling pieces of the game board, and bidders are thinking that these pieces are actual stickers. Some are going for $50. It's amazing really.

Well, I'm going to eat a snack and then take my Unit 7 test again. Ugh, I hate that class so much.

591

Took my Unit 7 test. Didn't get all of the questions right. So, I have to do homework over the chapter and then take the test again. Sucks. I hate homework. It took away 3 hours of today that I'll never get back. Oh, and there's 2 hours tomorrow that it's going to steal from me also. Nice. Real nice.

I have lessons tomorrow, so I actually have to wake up about an hour earlier than normal. That's why I'm posting right now. I want to get some sleep since my stomach isn't doing too well. I guess I ate something I shouldn't have.

Apple is now showing trailers in HD. Nice. I like it. But I wouldn't bother unless you have a higher-end computer.

And yea, Apple announced a new iPod. It can play video. It has a TV output. And it comes in 30GB and 60GB versions. But eh, I'm not really interested. I'm a music guy, not a video guy. Although, having Desperate Housewives on the go does sound nice.

Ugh. Time for sleep.

590

About to study for my Unit 7 test. There isn't a lab, so I won't have to worry about that. I also have a test in Spanish, and that will be followed by a written assignment. Tomorrow looks like tons o' fun!

The Mavs won their preseason game against the Kings. That makes me happy. Yea, it may not matter much since it's preseason stuff, but basketball is basketball to me. I can't wait until November 1st.

There's a new Audioslave DVD out. I really want to pick it up. I might do that tomorrow or I could wait until my parents come down. They both like Audioslave now.

Oh, this could come in handy. I do procrastinate like crazy. (I should be studying right now.)

And this looks like a bunch of fun. It's called Sketchplanet. I think I'm going to sign up and start sketching. Way back when, I was good at drawing. And writing scripts. Dirty scripts. Ha!

Oh, speaking of my rant on Facebook, I received another friends invitation. But it's this chic that I barely know. Maybe talked to her once, but by 'talk' I mean "Hey." I just don't get it.

Well, I'm going to get crackin' on those books. But first, I'm a bit hungry. I better snack on something.

589

Well, my EE TA told me that it would be a ton of work to catch up to the 'suggested' pace. The guy even offered the idea of dropping the class. So what did I do? I took my Unit 5 test, got my S (for satisfactory), and left. I don't care how far behind I am. It doesn't matter. The best way to get me to do something is to tell me I can't. Tell me I can't catch up, and I'll bust my ass to shove it in your face. Stupid EE TA.

Last night was interesting. I stayed up, went with 6 hours of sleep, and actually felt fine in the morning. I usually suffer if I get less than 8 hours because then my stomach gets all lava-like and I get grumpy. But, my alarm clock was fierce, I took my shower, and I felt fine. Seriously, my alarm clock was on steroids or something.

I've added a new link. Check out her blog. (Which, by the way, I might switch to modblog if it offers more features. I'm happy with blogger right now, but everyone seems to be leaving.)

The weather is slowly improving. It wasn't raining, but there was some mist going on. Not quite drizzle, but just a mist. It's supposed to be the same tomorrow. Highs in the low to mid 80s. It's quite nice. I still prefer 60 degree weather, gray clouds, and no sunlight. Oh, how the sky was gray today! I'll have to take a picture to post on my moblog.

My test in CS 337 was kind of tough. I don't think I made a 100, but then again, I don't think anyone did. There was a question on Hamming codewords, and I didn't know anything about that. I also didn't know anything on Reed-Muller codes. But I feel confident about everything else. Thankfully there's 2 more tests. And 3 more projects.

Ugh, my CS 337 prof posts the class slides in PDF format. There's nothing worse than clicking on a link and having to wait for Reader to load up.

I haven't been able to think of any good questions for Attack of the Show. I usually come up with awesome questions, but not lately. It'll come back eventually.

I should really read my book for tomorrow. I think I'm behind by a chapter or two. Eh, I'll catch up before class starts. Afterwards, I'll come home and study for my Unit 7 test. Or do the lab for Unit 7 if there is one. I haven't checked yet. What else do I need to do tomorrow?

Alright. Time to get some sleep.

{Added on around 1:04AM}

I just read an old friend's blog and now I feel like an ass. I always talk about how I'm there for everyone I know. But I'm not.

I'm tired of it. I can't keep saying those things.

Why do I even log onto AIM? I talked with Brandon about it. I don't IM people. People don't IM me, except for Brandon. So, what's the point? I log on at night before I go to sleep only to put up an away message.

What's the point of having a MySpace account? The person who talked me into signing up isn't even someone I talk to anymore.

And why am I on Facebook? I have 3 people wanting to add me as their friend, but I don't even know them.

No one talked me into starting a blog. That was my choice over 2 years ago. And because it was my decision, nothing has stopped me. Rather, no one has stopped me.

I'm starting to think that this should be the only proof of my existence on the interweb. I should forget everything else.

Come to think of it, I should sort out my numbers on my phone. I have about 30 numbers, but only 10 of them are important.

588

Wow, my 4th post in 9 days. Not good. I'll pick it up tomorrow.

So, it's past midnight and I plan on being awake for quite some time. I have a test in CS 337: Theories in Programming. I sucked on the 1st project, I missed a week of class, and I'm just now feeling 82% healthy. But, after informing the TA of my situation, I now have a list of things to study and links to old tests. This is the first semester that I've actually asked for help from a TA or a prof. I now realize that it isn't such a bad thing.

However, I have to have a conference with a TA for my EE 316 class. It's the self-paced one. I've missed a week of that class as well, so I have an excuse for not being on the suggested pace. But I hate having to talk to EE TAs. Anything about EE pisses me off, even the building. But, I pass it this semester and I don't think I'll ever have to step foot in there again. That's motivation enough. Can I pass 15 tests in 1 month? You betcha. Will I? Probably not. I'll spread it out over 2 months. I procrastinate. What else can I say?

I was thinking about changing my template once again. I'm a bit bored with the blue. Maybe I should go back to black. I'll think about it. Any suggestions or comments are welcome.

Oh yea, the Longhorns beat down the Sooners. Awesome stuff. I knew they would. This is a special year.

And the Cowboys beat down the Eagles. Amazing. If the offense and defense are at the top of their game, no one can beat them. But it's a 'once in a blue moon' kind of thing.

So, as you all know, I watch Attack of the Show every weekday. Well, here are some links to two hilarious bits they did last week or the week before. You'll need Flash, but you probably do, and the videos are work-safe, as long as the word "jerkass" is ok.

Kids are jerkasses!

Hilarious bedroom PC bit.

587

Well, I just woke up 30 minutes ago. I think I got 11 hours of sleep. The doctor said to rest this weekend and take it easy. I have a doctor's note, so I think I'm fine for whatever assignments I miss.

I just had a dream that felt like a 3 hour long movie. And don't worry, it's only PG-13. The only bad thing is that I don't remember much. What I do remember is...

I was at the mall looking for more pants. I love khakis, but not dress khakis. JNCO made some that were everything to me, and I still have two of those. But I don't think they make them any more. Well, I saw C.T. wearing some really cool pants, so I went to the store he told me about and picked some up. Then I was back home, where my relatives were visiting my parents. I quickly bailed and ended up at some school. There, it was C.T., Sam, and I. I can't remember, but Brandon may have been there as well. Either way, we were changing for some big event.

Next thing I know, I have my band pants on. If you don't know, marching bands have special black pants with no pockets and built-in suspenders. One minute I had a tank top on, the next I have no shirt on at all. Well, I look around and realize that I'm at a football game and I'm in the stands. Well, it's more like an auditorium with a wall knocked out, and it's next to a football field.

Anyway, I look around for a place to sit and I see a chic I recognize. She had a very mischievious smile. I went to her and she told me to sit next to her. Well, the chic kept changing. It was all of the chics I've had a thing for in the past two years or so. Whomever she was, she was adjusting my suspender straps and fixing my hair when I realized that I didn't have the upper half of my uniform. So, I run down the steps to the rack of uniforms and try to find my jacket. I eventually do, but when I get back up to my seat, the chic was gone. I didn't want to sit by myself, so I looked around for another inviting seat.

By the time I found one it was almost half-time. I don't know whether I'm supposed to be playing or conducting, so I pick up a French Horn and try to figure out what the song is. I get a couple of notes right and then that scene is over.

There was one more segment. Something about catching an alligator or hippo that had escaped. I have no idea what that was about.

It was a really weird dream. I don't know if it's the medicine or something else. Well, it has to be the medicine since there is nothing else.

I feel better than I did on Wednesday. The one thing that sucks about having a runny nose or a stuffy nose is when your nostrils crack. That hurts like hell, and there's not much you can do about it.

Alright, I need to go downstairs and eat.

586

Sinus Infection. Sucks.

585

Well, today just sucked.

I arrived on campus with the expectation of taking my Unit 5 test, passing it, and then going to my Spanish class. Unfortunately, I was in such a hurry this morning that I forgot to bring my Unit 5 Lab. So, I walked into the class, muttered a four-letter word, and left. I can't remember anything.

So, after Spanish, I decided to come home. The bus ride was something else. I spent most of the time staring out of the window and just analyzing everything in my life right now. I'm sure it has to do with the weather. Two days ago, the high temperature was 105 degrees. Today, I think it was 85 degrees. The skies are gray and the wind is cool. I can feel winter coming. Oh, I love winter so much. For me, there is nothing more refreshing than a cold breeze hitting my face. There's only one thing bad about winter. I stop talking, I start thinking, and I go into my emotional hibernation.

So, when I finally made it home I worked on a program that is due Monday at 8PM. Then I got bored with that, so I picked up some tools for learning Ruby. Ruby is a programming language, like Java or C++. Well, it's closer to Java. I've already written a program in Ruby, so I think I'll know it fairly well by the end of this month.

My parents might go to El Paso for Thanksgiving. My bro and my sis-in-law are thinking about going back to Dallas to spend that time with her family. I'll end up staying in Austin most likely. I don't really celebrate Thanksgiving. I just see it as a reason to not have school, eat a ton of food, and watch a Cowboys game. And honestly, all I'm looking for is a break. I haven't had a meaningful vacation in 2 years. I think I might find a nice hotel and spend a few days there. That would be perfect.

Alright, I'm going to sleep. I need sleep.