To My Parents...

This post goes out to my parents. I always thought you were strict, and I'm sure I made your lives a living hell because of it.
But now, seeing the terrible things the parents of my peers have done, I thank you. Thank you for:

• Not imbuing me with racist ideals.


• Letting me choose my career without worry about extortion.


• Letting me stop going to church (albeit disappointedly) when it became apparent that doing so was belief based and not boredom based.


• And much, much, more (for three easy payments of just 6 years).

Bandaid Bread, Eye of Zeus, CMU Computer Services

So I was tempted to shop at the more convenient supermarket near me again, even though they don't have the bread I like. So I got my groceries, came home, and decided to snack on some bread. By the way, I love bread. So I was really, really angry because this particular loaf had an extra ingredient - Bandaid.
I also pitched The Eye of Zeus to the Variety Hour (a once a semester variety show with live and prerecorded elements). I just gave a synopsis - but I think they liked it.
In other news, CMU Computer Services has once again disappointed me by allowing a wireless network outage on a Sunday night. This is a crime and I think the student body needs to hold them accountable, as an ISP, for network uptime every hour of every day. I want a network downtime refund!

Great Deals

I'moften asked to help someone buy certain tech related gear. And since I keep myself tuned to the pulse of the tech market I can usually save people a lot of money. So I'm starting a new thing here on my blog. When I see deals that are really good I'm just going to quick post them with easy, generalized names. And no - I have no way of making money off this. So...

• 2GB USB 2.0 Key - $10 w/ free s/h


• 1GB iPod Shuffle - $39 Refurb (pad order to $50 for free s/h)


• 1TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive - $199.99 w/ free s/h after rebate

Enjoy!

Rants: Piano Lesson, Bill Gates

I had a 12 hour rehearsal session last Saturday for Piano Lesson. And I'm working under this woman who is an utter hag. She doesn't know a damn thing about managing people. Things have to be done her way, even if my way is faster for me - and more organized. And when I wondered if there were batteries lying around somewhere for my dying flashlight she snippily responded that they couldn't provide me with batteries (even though they'll provide me with an inferior flashlight). A simple, "Sorry, no." would have sufficed. Not to mention, for some reason she thinks that she wants to leave at the end of the day more than me. That's just silly - I'm not even getting paid like she is.
Moving along - Bill Gates was at CMU today to give a lecture. And, luckily for me, all I had to do on campus was a 9:30 exam and crew call at night. So I made it a point of getting off campus. I didn't realize it before, but I really hate this guy. There were massive amounts of people waiting for him to show up, and it just made me really angry. Not only is Microsoft evil, they haven't released anything good in ages - it is an insult to my intended profession. And just because Gates is now into philanthropy doesn't mean he should be forgiven for is tactics when starting M$ (the Devil does not do refunds). If I had stuck around I don't know what I'd do. And because I'm with cmuTV, I could have gotten easy access and everything (I can't chose between incessant heckling, or classic pie-in-the-face). I am such an Apple fan-boy...

Communication, Pins and Needles

I hate SMS (that's text messaging to you Americans). Not only is it inordinately expensive (without grounds, I'd claim it is the most expensive form of communication ever), it is difficult, slow, and terrible at conveying actual meaning. It only beats out one other form of communication: telepathy.
I also started run crew for The Piano Lesson of Monday. But I'm on costumes, which means I'm sewing until they start using the costumes. So I've been attaching labels, hemming pants, and the like. It's painful, and not my ideal theatre experience, but at least I have nicer supervisors, and better hours. Anyway, dress rehearsal starts Saturday!

Poet's Preface

This will make it to the Closet Poet page eventually. But I wanted to respond to the Anonymous [Coward] who commented on my most previous poetry related posting.

Poet's Preface

When shoulders can take no more,
With ink on paper it all goes.
As greater demons want to play,
The more my simple writing flows.

Sometimes it seems quite the blessing,
Other times it's more of a curse.
But I find it keeps me going,
The lines and lines that become verse.

Because whenever emotion,
Is enough to make me explode,
I can enjoy taking comfort,
In that my quick rhymes will be heard.

And when I am stuck in a mood,
I try to keep the facts in key.
But sometimes I can't help myself,
And add in some hyperbole.

So as I retreat into thought,
My soul splayed out upon the page,
I hope you will enjoy the fruit;
The writings of my love and rage.

A Shot of Poetry

The Eighth and Ninth Sweet Nothings are on the Closet Poet page. Comment below.

Who's got a job?

I've got a job! It's long term web work on Gelfand Center. I'm so happy I can barely type (this may also be from lack of sleep, no breakfast, and coffee).

Long Time, No Read. Now Time, Long Read

Your fix is back after a brief hiatus. I've been busy with work, being burglarized, the job hunt, and much much more.
First things first, several portions of my site will no longer be linked to soon (mainly old picture albums), so take a look while you can.
Next up - what is this a picture of? Well, I decided a while back I could write better if my incomplete poetry were all in front of me. Thus was born an ever-expanding wall of poetry. I was just contemplating last night that while poetry may be fun, being an OCD poet is not. Cause when inspiration hits while I'm trying to fall asleep I have no choice but to get up and write it down. I actually had to actively concentrate on not writing in order to fall asleep last night.
What else is new? Well I'm in the middle of a new product release. aSTARick is an iTunes visualizer (for the Mac) crafted by yours truly. Get it here. (If you got a pre-release version from me, you should download the latest.)
OK, as an iPod reseller I have some pet peeves which, for the sake of customer support, I refrain from telling my buyers. First, it is "iPod". That is how you spell it. Not "Ipod" or "IPod" (though I'll take "ipod" if you are writing in all lowercase). Also, to the best of my knowledge, no package shipper has managed to break and/or distort the space-time continuum. Thus, shipments will take real time to travel to their destinations. Some people don't understand this.
Next, for those of you unsatisfied with your current financial institutions DO NOT USE from the following blacklist:

• USAA
• PayPal Plus Credit Card via GE Money
• Citizen's Bank in Oakland, Pittsburgh, PA

The first two have terrible online interfaces (and as an IS major, this appalls me). And Citizen's Bank had me waiting half an hour just to ask some questions. Plus, I knew where their customer service reps were. One was doing nothing in the office next to where I was waiting, and the other was outside smoking. I got fed up and left.
There's your fix. Enjoy!