Zomg teh Blargs! - oldLJstuff

1 semester done.... ??? to go

nospam@example.com (Evan) — Wed, 2 Jan 2008 05:32:00 -0500

First, lemme splain. Regis online classes are 8 weeks long so my two classes this semester were one after the other, not at the same time.

So. The first half of the semester I took CS208 - Intro to Comp Sci. Why did I take this? It's a requirement and my CIS10 class from SRJC got counted as 'Control Structures' instead of the intro class it really was. So intro to comp sci was EASY. Easy A and while I didn't learn much new (other than some binary math I had fuzzy ideas about but didn't know) it was a good refresher course in C++.

Then came CS362 - Data Structures. Had they not counted CIS10 as control structures, I would have taken CS361 first. I almost wish I had, as it was a bit of a leap from intro to data structures, but I handled it. Again, not so much with the learning (at least for the first half of the class) because I was already familiar with arrays, structs, and multidimensional arrays (in C++ and other languages) but the second half of the class was quite challenging. Pointers, linked lists, stacks/queues, etc. were all new (well, the C++ implementations thereof were) and binary file I/O was quite a trip. But, I was able to get a 91 on the final (only because I argued a couple questions with the professor) and got an A in the class. The last assignment was rewriting an assignment that used arrays of structs (800+ lines long) to use linked lists and add some other functionality with queues for a whopping 1500+ line program. Phew. glad that's over with.

Next semester for the first half will be advanced programming (CS372) and then .... dun dun dun.... the second half will be Calculus I. Why yes, I took CalcI at SRJC, but it was eons ago and I got a C so ... NOT going to jump into CalcII. Thanks to some awesome parents I got a TI-89Titanium for Christmas so I'm all set. The books are gonna be almost $200 for the class (SRJC only wanted $85!) but I should be able to sell them back. I'm not selling my C++ book for CS362 cause it's also used for 372 and should prove to be a good reference.

So now I relax while no homework. Pity, all this free time and no more new episodes of good stuff on TV. Blarg.

ETA: They took my college math class and a bunch of other stuff for the official transcript. Including the 6 credits I just finished, I have 63 credits left, for a total of $23,115-30,015 depending how many classes I take online/inclass. That's $nicecar.

I guess I should update this thing.

nospam@example.com (Evan) — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 08:47:00 -0400

While I haven't found a job outside of security (there was hope of one a couple months ago but they never got back to me) I have made a life-altering decision.

I'm going back to school.

I have applied to Regis University's School for Professional studies for a BS in Computer Science. It's expensive, being a private school, but I can take all my classes online. I'll probably end up taking some classes in the classroom ($335/credit classroom, $435/credit online, dunno why) but they have a campus just across the highway and up an exit from me. Most of the classroom classes are 6pm-10pm which means I'd have to get up early, but I'd have plenty of time between that and work.

If I do the insane route, I could finish in 5 semesters (fall/spring/summer/fall/spring) and graduate in 2k9. I'm not sure if I can afford that or handle the workload. The classroom classes are mostly 5 weeks long (some 8) which makes for some really hardcore intense fast crazygonuts learnin. The online classes are 8 weeks, but probably no less strenuous. The advantage is that I could take 18 credits a semester and only have to deal with 2 classes at a time. It also prevents me from getting bored with a class and not doing the work.

But, I'm looking at $40k+ for the 88 credits required (the preliminary transcript eval only took 40 credits from junior college) not counting books, supplies, and software. The gen ed stuff I'll be required to take includes some religion and lots more cultural stuff (bleh) and the amusing thing is that they want me to take a college algebra class (since my college pre-calc was algebra/trig mixed) but they took my credits for calc I so I can start calc II right as soon as I'm done with algebra. I don't want to take algebra again. I had algebra in high school (wasn't AP but was darn close) and plenty of the stuff in my college class was already a repeat of that. If anything, I'd like to take Calc I again cause it's been 5 years and I got a C in the class (mostly due to being bored and disinterested by the last 3rd of the class).

Then there's the option for a math minor with only 4 more classes (including Linear Algebra and Statistics) which sounds interesting but would just be more money at this point.

All in all, I'm looking forward to getting back into school. It'll be expensive (all loans as I make too much to even get a Pell grant) but it'll be worth it.

In other news, I hate SOX audits. Paperwork sucks.

Music Quiz

nospam@example.com (Evan) — Sat, 6 Jan 2007 06:30:00 -0500

Shamelessly stolen from mcnutcase.

One point each for artist and title. These are all out of my collection of mp3s and I picked only stuff I'd immediately recognize, so they shouldn't be too hard. Well, I guess we'll see about that. These are all 128kbps mp3s, varying from 9 to 31 seconds long, 150-490KB.

HAH!

nospam@example.com (Evan) — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 12:27:00 -0500

I laugh in the face of blizzard conditions!!!

MMMM Chef Boyardee.

Yeah, I had other food but felt like eating Chef Boyardee out of the can with a spoon. What's your problem with that?

I got a 3 day weekend cause of all the snow, but have to go back Saturday. The roads should be nominal by then.

Heh. I said nominal. I've been watching NASA TV nearly nonstop since the launch 12 days and however many hours ago. They're de-orbit burning right now for a landing.

Oh, one more thing

nospam@example.com (Evan) — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 12:29:00 -0400

I got Serenity and Firefly DVDs this week (after finally getting a DVD burner for my computer last week).

Shiny!

I'd borrowed them from a coworker over last week and watched all of them, then all again with commentaries (thems that have them).

Then when I got my own copies, did pretty much the same thing over the last couple days.

Pizza should be here any minute, which episode should I throw in?

Since I was nudged

nospam@example.com (Evan) — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 12:20:00 -0400

The devorce paperwork has been filed. (and assuming they accept our request for non-appearence, should be final in 3 months)

I really like my new site.

Um....

My apartment is cleaner now than 3 hours ago.

um

I can't think of anything else interesting to say.