Grab Hold of Your Bootstraps

Before I start this, I’m going to warn you: a great deal of this is going to be complaining about how insane my life is lately, because of uni. Hopefully there will be some entertaining bits, but yeah. Just puttin’ it out there.

It is currently exactly midnight on my clock, which means, mostly, that I can no longer submit my final assignment for Data Structures & Algorithms. This is a bit disappointing, as up until this point I had not lost a single mark in the subject, but now I am guaranteed to lose a number of them. Not only did I not fully implement the entire specification (got 75% of it), but my code was 120 lines longer than his example program (which was apparently 160 lines). This is not a good thing. But hey, it’s over now, and I don’t have to worry about DS&A again until the exam.

Yesterday (Thursday) I did my Spanish presentation, and found that we did not prepare anywhere near as much as we should have. A good deal of my part got cut out because I simply could not remember it. That’ll teach me to leave it to the night before to learn. I was rather upset afterwards, but I suppose I only have myself to blame. I mean, I was absolutely terrified the whole time I was up there, and came off red and shaking, but I’ve done similar things before, and it mostly comes down to one thing: practice. Simple fact: practice more, do better, be more confident. #speechfail

These two subjects led to what happened tonight. Hopefully this will be the entertaining bit of the post. I had to go back up the lift after I left work, because I forgot my backpack. Then I bought some pasta to cook, before deciding I didn’t feel like pasta, and went to get a kebab instead. Got to Broadway, and decided that I really didn’t feel like a kebab, and would prefer the pasta. But wait! I really felt like beans nachos, specifically Badde Manors beans nachos. So I head there, find a seat all by myself, and order wedges. Yup, wedges. I’d like to say it was their mistake, but when they took my order I actually said “wedges”, and then proceeded to confirm that that was what I wanted. I think I realised my mistake halfway through, but not enough to correct myself. Sigh. The wedges were still pretty good, though. As was the chai, although I kept pouring it straight from the teapot into the cup, instead of through the strainer. Still good.

Then instead of going back to fix my code (I would’ve liked the full 8/8), I hung out with Lexie for an hour or so, which was a very much needed break. And now, well, here I am, writing this. And thinking I should really go to bed soon, as I have another two assignments to do over the weekend; Web Services Development by Monday, an Interface Design by Tuesday. Let’s hope they aren’t as tricky as the DS&A one. I don’t think they will be (especially ID, for which I will be mostly just writing stuff). Oh, and there’s my Spanish exam Thursday, for which I’m taking Wednesday off work to study.

Speaking of the DS&A one being tricky, it really was. For me, at least. I mean, I’d like to brag and say that not losing a mark so far means I’m an excellent algorithmist, but truth be told, I’m not. The other two assignments weren’t all that complicated, and I had enough brain power (after drawing diagrams, and writing stuff down) to work them out. This one, on the other hand, was just way over my head in the end. I have no doubt that I could’ve nutted it out in the end, but it would’ve taken me a while (especially to get it optimised), and driven me insane at the same time. I guess that’s why I’m doing the user interface side of things with Three Ring Solutions, which is something I’m loving (and I’m rather good at, if I don’t say so myself). Work with your strengths, right?

I’m off to see Little Scout supporting Holly Throsby tomorrow night at the Vanguard, which should be excellent. I’ve never been to the Vanguard before, but I’ve heard some nice things. I got Lexie the tickets for her birthday, so hopefully they put on a nice show!

I think I’m slowly running out of things to say. I’m so looking forward to the holidays, I need a break. This is the most stressed about uni I’ve been in a long time, and I don’t like it at all. I’m super excited about Fiji, it should be a wonderful trip where we can just chill and out have a hell of a lot of fun. Excellent!

Oh, and I keep missing my car. It’s weird. I mean, I’m quite conscious of it, because I don’t want to seem like one of those people who are obsessed with cars and stuff. I’m really not, though, I just enjoy driving, and I love my car (Franz? Josef? Josep? (pr. Yo-sep, haha)). The really bad thing is, I could actually afford to bring it here and park it, I think. It’s bad because it’s rather tempting, but my intention is to save the money for Chile (which I’m pretty sure is a rather more noble cause). I guess I’ll have to wait until I get back and find a place of my own (hopefully with parking!).

Anyway, I guess I should actually go to bed now. It’s taken me almost half an hour to write this, and I really should be sleeping in preparation for a big weekend (you know, following on from the big week, which was preceded by a big month, etc). It’s kind of scary. Maybe if I stay away it will never get to Saturday?

Wishful thinking.

Green Shoes and 555 Verbs

Here I am, spending my Friday night programming. I had such a productive day or two that I declined to catch up with Lexie (we’re doing Sunday instead), instead figuring I could make some serious headway on my Spanish presentation, among other things. This idea did come to fruition.

The programming I’m doing is admittedly useful – I’m doing my Data Structures & Algorithms assignment – but the most imperative thing at the moment really is my presentation. I have to write three minutes worth of material about the later life, death, and influences of one Antoni Gaudí (the Spanish architect). Here’s the thing, though: as nice as a lot of his work is, and as much as he seemed like a pretty cool guy, his life makes for a pretty darned boring presentation. And who has the motivation to write a presentation that they know is going to bore their classmates?

But enough complaining. You want exciting things? Well, tonight after work I went shopping! Specifically, I really needed some new shoes to replace my beloved Tigers, which were getting just that bit too worn out for proper use. So what did I replace them with? More Tigers! Can you blame me, though? They’re pretty much my favourite shoes ever, and this time they are green (yes, green!). So at least I have some variety?

I also bought some nice books from Dymocks. Namely a large book of 555 Spanish verbs (you know, conjugations and stuff), which I’ve been meaning to get hold of for ages. It should be very useful, especially when I don’t have a nice Internet connection. But it wasn’t all boring (for you) utility books. I also got the novel The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet, which I have heard wonderful, wonderful things about (hat tip: Lizzie). It looks pretty exciting; let’s hope the content lives up to its reputation! The only problem being I probably won’t get around to reading anything until class is over for the semester – study and all that kind of ruins my appetite for any kind of books, which is a shame, really. Watching DVDs is a much more appealing pastime for just relaxing and getting out of my head.

Dammit I can’t even think of anything much more to write. Pretty much I’m just procrastinating, avoiding doing actual study and assignments. And it’s not as if I’ll have much time during the rest of the weekend to do much, either. Working (with TRS) tomorrow, and then probably off to the football to see the Swans vs. Port, which should be interesting, as I used to go for Port Adelaide, but now feel rather affiliated with the Swans, if only for their South Melbourne origins.

Trying very hard to resist the temptation to just give up and watch Veronica Mars… It’s really engrossing at the moment!

Our Future Spreads To What Truly Excites

In other travel-related news, apparently I’m going to Fiji twice this year; once in a few weeks’ time, for the Emotum annual conference (apparently everyone forgot how much I had to say at last year’s conference in Macau) and again in the Spring mid-semester break, for Mum’s 50th birthday – she figured it would be nicer to go and relax for a week with just me and my brother and sister that have a big party. I am unable to find flaw in her logic.

I’m just kind of hoping that I like Fiji! Regardless, I’m pretty sure that the trips will be quite different anyway, so it’s not as if I’ll have too much deja vu. Pretty exciting, no?

Destination: Viña del Mar!

So I finally have some nice blog material for you! Well, not that I haven’t had my fair share of bloggable material over the last few weeks since I last blogged, but this is kind of just the first thing I’ve felt inclined to write much about. Odd, really, considering how much I usually enjoy writing things down. Anyway, I said I have some nice blog material for you, right?

I finally found out where I’m going in Chile next year! And the winner is…

Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Viña del Mar!

I was kind of bummed when I first got the email, as my first preference (after much debate, and discussion with blogger Eileen, as discussed previously) was Santiago, the capital, with Viña as second. Viña was actually originally my first preference, until I started looking at the each city’s university in more detail. The main clincher for picking Santiago was that the university there had a much broader range of subjects and activities, whereas UAI appeared to be more of a Business/Law school (neither of which interest me in the slightest). After some further research last night, though, and some knowledge gained from talking to the exchange coordinator here, I discovered that first semester will be pretty much be doing more Spanish lessons and intro history / culture kind of subjects, and second semester I’m only taking two subjects anyway – probably more history and politics, by the sounds of it (which suits me brilliantly), so as long as there are lots of nice people, I don’t think the uni will be an issue at all.

So now that I’m over the initial feeling of rejection for not getting my first preference, I’m pretty excited! And it’s so nice to know exactly where I’m going; this whole thing is getting more and more real by the day, which makes saving and organising a lot easier, I think.

So I think I will leave it at that for now, and I’ll tell you about everything else that has been going on some other time. Until then!

P.S. I know I linked the the Google Maps page before, but I’m going to embed it, too, just because embedding maps is fun. Highlighted is the approximate location of UAI, as far as I can tell. Apparently it has quite a nice view.

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