Monthly Archives for March 2009

Most Used Programs

I’m re-installing Windows on my Desktop today following a sudden slowdown in performance coupled with the fact it’s been at least three years since a good hard drive cleansing. I’ve already put my most important files on a memory stick and everything’s automatically backed-up to Carbonite, but I still have to worry about getting all my programs back. It’s not a long list, seeing as I only use my computer for school stuff and photo editing. Here’s my list, in no particular order:

  • Office suit
  • Photoshop
  • Firefox
  • Flickr Uploader
  • iTunes
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader
  • Carbonite
  • Ad Aware
  • RAID (though technically it’s a driver, right?)

What programs can you not do without?

Realizations

Apparently I have a blog. Hmm. You wouldn’t think this if you talked to me on a regular basis, and certainly not if you come to my site every now and then to look for something new. As usual, life is crazy and I haven’t been in the mood to write here. I’ve been doing much more writing of the pen on paper variety (and Twittering and updating Facebook status). Maybe blogging is dieing, maybe I just don’t feel like it anymore.

But that’s all besides the point. This blog isn’t just here for me to fulfill some inner need to write or share or show off (though that’s certainly the largest factor as to why I started blogging 10 years ago). It’s here to keep you all up date, particularly those of you on the Left Coast or related to me. (Hi Karen! Hi Mom!) If you see me somewhat often, nothing you’ll find written here is new. Wait, no, that’s a lie. This is the only place I really talk about knitting to a non-knitting audience beyond the “Right now I’m knitting a baby sweater and *feel* how soft the yarn is” level. (I got lots of complients from family who saw me knitting socks yesterday afternoon. I was really embarassed when I started the heel too early and had to put the project away out of aggravation.)

So where have I been? First, there was mid-terms. I did pretty well on most though the definite low point was Matrix Algebra. I can say that I still have a B- in there though that’s only with the aid of a 100 on our first test (which was take-home and easy to the point of insulting our abilities).

Just as mid-terms were finished up, we headed to Italy for 10 days. Whirlwind tour of Rome, Florence, the Cinque Terre, and the hill towns of Tuscany.

Italy

We returned late Monday and were only in town for 36 hours before heading to Deleware for a few days (Matt’s grandmother, after a long illness, passed away early Sunday morning). While the reason for going was a horrible one, we enjoyed the time to catch up with the cousins and other relatives. I’m still a bit of an outsider, not having grown up with any links to the Mennonite community but they’re very welcoming people and always make me feel loved.

And that brings us to today. I am tired, jet-lagged, and ready for the weekend. I have exciting plans to sleep in, whipe my PC’s hard drive and reinstall Windows (very tempted to try Windows 7, I gotta say), and do lots of knitting.

What’s new in your life?

Blame Twitter

  • My mind is constrained to think in only 140 character portions because of constant Twitter use. Not bad, just different.
  • You can write a lot in 140 characters, even without crazy abbreviations or leaving out words. Hate leaving out words.
  • I should blog more. People what to know what’s new in my life, other than knitting. Especially my parents.
  • Should convince my parents to get on Twitter. They’re already on Facebook. Previous attempts to get them to be bloggers failed. Too busy.
  • But the knitting posts are so easy – only have to write a paragraph about why I made it and what went right and wrong.
  • I could write about school and about how GMU is both much harder and much easier than CSULB.
  • Everything here is no much newer but people still whine about the school’s “crappy” condition.
  • If you don’t go here, you can’t say it, though. Think someone else making fun of your friend. Sure, she’s odd but they can’t say that.
  • Starting to get into a routine with where to study, when to eat lunch, and all that.
  • Still miss the major-specific computer labs and student organizations.
  • Student organizations here do next to nothing – rarely even hear about meetings.
  • Makes me really miss SWE and EAT and, heck, AESB meetings.
  • Have found two great people to hang out with between classes. They’ll be in most classes until we graduation together.
  • That makes me really happy, in a totally laughable way.
  • I wonder how many people are actually in our degree program overall. There only seem to be about 20 of us in our “year.”
  • Are we third years or second years? I guess second. Leah and Mike are 2nd years. (They’re my new friends.)
  • Man, I have been in college far too long.
  • At least, someday, I’ll get my degree. You will be able to hear my screaming in Southeast Asia (maybe even in Iowa).
  • I’m no longer working part-time. Group has zero funding. Means I need to get on the ball about finding a job for the summer.
  • Career fair is the week after we get back from Italy. Have to buy new pants.
  • Have I mentioned that I’m going to Italy, oh, this Friday? Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, and a city I can’t spell but can pronounce.
  • Say it with me “Multa-pul-chee-ahn-oh.”
  • After a Matrix Algebra, Dynamical Systems, and two ballet mid-terms, that is.
  • Not a fan of mid-terms, even these supposedly easy ones.
  • My February Lady Sweater is nearly complete. Finished the lace part of the body yesterday.
  • Today, I finish the garter at the bottom.
  • I would like to make more progress but Matt’s parents are coming down. There’s bathroom cleaning in my near future.
  • Speaking of being productive, it’s about time I ended this post and was productive. ‘Til next time!