Tuesday, July 17, 2007 - I thought that school didn't start until Aug. 20?

current view of a Baker cluster

Currently updating from a Baker cluster on a short self-induced break from Cog. Its freezing, but I can concentrate better here than on my own computer, regardless of how many people are in and out.

Yet another group project. Every Monday there is a new one. This time, something else involving banks and CDs. Not as interesting this time, but just another thing to get over with.

So work work work work work work work SURPRISE BANG BANG BANG ON YOUR DOOR work work work work work work work

12:40am last night, BANG BANG BANG on my door, it's an RA! "Letter from the assistant director for you and your roommate. If you have any concerns you can speak to Damian or bring it up at the Junior Assembly kthnxbye" ::slight panic:: huh!? Ripping it open seconds later, it appears that I have signed in late on Friday, July 13th? Sure. I don't think so, but the tone of the letter was somewhat insulting, especially for something unlikely true. "Blah blah this is an official warning you ungrateful brat without focus that doesn't care about this wonderful opportunity!" That was a bit of an exaggeration, but it was something like that. A bunch of other seemingly innocent people received letters too. There is a floor meeting tonight, supposedly with this issue as the topic matter, so let's see what they say...

This is turning out to be more like school that I originally thought. The whole 9-5, like a job, thing can get tiring, although it's worth it. But it is a school where you actually learn stuff! Wow! I've never been to one of those! Nonetheless, there is still fun, like in electronics today:

there are even worse pictures to match

In spite of all the fun, we still get work done too. I was the second person to get my op-amp and speaker working, so I got it to play music from my iPod and show the output on the oscilloscope. I started the dice game today, but I should be finished by Friday, well I kinda have to be.

It seems to be the point in the program where the workload has come to a constant state and everyone is always working. Sure, most of the people in the cluster now have Facebook and YouTube open in another tab, but I'm sure they're working hard on Cog and their essays and such. Suuuure.

So...Gustavo introduced me to Mika, this guy that is pretty popular in Europe now, and I've heard one of the songs before, but now I can't get it out of my head! And that stupid Satisfaction song! Oh well...that's what iPods are for. The iPod that happens to be dying. All of those Apple rumors were true. iPods tend to begin to act funny JUST as the warranty expires. My warranty expired July 3, 2007. Coincidence? There have been false battery indicator warnings for a while, even though I have reloaded the firmware several times. Naturally, the battery life has decreased greatly too, but I don't know if they even make iPod mini batteries anymore. Apple no longer supports the Mini, so I'm a bit screwed when it finally croaks. Christmas?

Back to the Cog! 6 units down, 6 to go!