Computing Topics

So I was chatting with Tiny (yes, the Tiny... miss that guy) the other day, and the issue of the internet came up. I was telling him how fast it was, and how I was downloading this program at 3MBps in peak hours. But then I remembered that one of my flatmates decided to download the demo of Age of Empires III to check it out. He did so in less than 10 minutes (and the demo is 500MBs). That's crazy speed! And that was around 7pm, not 4am. Now, what I figured was that it probably took him more time to install the demo than delete it... how insane is that?

On my part, I'm sure that this connection is fucking up my hard drive. I'm SURE that the connection downloads faster than my hard drive can write (as it's a freaking hard drive from around 1996). Back then they didn't even dream of having connections this fast... or processors reaching 2GHz, for that matter. So yeah, I'm careful when downloading things (not that I can download much... I can't even download MSN Messenger, I have to use a third party messenger!) as I don't want to be confronted with another Blue Screen of Death (I was confronted with four of those in the first two hours that I used the computer).

Oh, and another thing, I've discovered (well, reaffirmed really) that the internet is a curse in disguise. Before I got a connection in my room I used to read for my marketing, think about uni-related stuff and ways to improve my programs. How that I have the connection you can imagine what happens: nothing. Just surf the web, chat with people... surf the web... kill time... kill some more time... etc. Damn the internet! Anyway, I'm off to do some research (LOL).

The bizzare

So since nothing really happened today (yet, anyway), I'm just gonna write about these bizarre (so which ones, right, the first of the second?) things I've seen.

- I come out of my flat to go to a lecture, and then I come to the intersection where the halls meet the path of us who come from the much better Richardson Road. So I'm walking alongside this guy and all of a sudden this disabled old guy comes racing from the right on his rolling chair and dashes before our eyes. The guy walking along me almost got hit. So I wonder how it was that this old man got himself into a "wheel chair"...?

- The other night (well, quite a long time ago, actually... about three weeks ago) my flatmate and I were out and decided to crash at Burger King's for a quite bite. We were shocked to learn that they had stopped serving burgers.

- In the row where I usually sit for my marketing lecture, someone vandalized one of the desks to read "fuck a duck." And I thought I was messed up...

Description

So today thus far it was been a very stressful day. Mostly (and only) because of my programming practical. I've learnt my lesson, though. Never go to a practical when deprived of sleep (well, more like sleep when I have a practical). I spent hours and a quarter doing that bloody thing, and the problem wasn't that it was hard, but that I kept on missing out on the small things...

Anyway, on Tuesday we had a very entertaining tutorial for my programming class. The class was split in two (down the middle) and the right side had to do the loop for the program and the right (that's my side) had to write the code that went in the loop (aka all the work... as usual). So whatever, we just get on with it, but it was great fun because we ganged up on each other (okay, I ganged up on people... what can I say, I'm a bastard). But they seemed to enjoy it, so no problems there. We had a great time taking the piss from each other.

Anyway, then comes the time to go up to the computer and write the code. So this guy goes up and writes the main function assignment (function oddOrEven(num)) and then it's the turn for another one to come up. So we all tell him to put the comments in, because the comments are a must (just so the professor can know what the program does without reading it... lazy bastard). So the first comment is supposed to explain what the function does, as the names can only say so much. So he types this for a comment: "odd or even." We all thought he was taking the piss, but when seeing he wasn't we just started laughing (well, I started laughing, everyone else followed). So pajuo. That was classic. I bet even the professor was laughing, but I had too many tears in my eyes to see clearly.

Light My Fire

So I'm really pissed off. Today was my late start (lecture at 10) and therefore I stayed up until around 2:30 doing some research for an essay (yes, I do work from time to time...). Then during the early hours of the morning I heard this badass horrible sound. It wasn't my alarm clock, this was something from another (evil) world. I finally realized ten seconds into the noise that it was the fire alarm. Fair enough, let's get the hell out of here. I was even going to go out in my shorts, but then thought twice about it. I put my jeans on and made my way out. Three people (including myself) from my flat were outside... everyone else? Not outside. Around 5 minutes later almost everyone was outside, some people half dressed (and one girl out from the shower... yeees!) and others just... in pijamas.

Anyway, turns out it was a drill... a fucking bloody drill. Bloody hell, when a fire alarm goes off early in the morning I want there to be flames, people burning and stuff like that. I don't want to be woken up because of a stupid drill. Yes, I know I'm a heartless bastard...

Night of the Dead

So I went out yesterday. It was Halloween, so everyone was dressed up... except me. I decided to wear my Class of 05 polo shirt (the one with my name). Whenever someone told me that I wasn't dressed up or asked me what I was supposed to be, I said "I'm dressed as James Nicholson... if that isn't scary enough for you I don't know what is..." and then I showed them the picture in my cedula. I got away with it (but I did have a point...).

Before hitting the nightclub, I decided to go to a flat party in my building. I usually don't go to those because the music is crap, but the girls took the trouble to invite me personally (instead of inviting the whole flat) so I didn't want to be discourtious (I know it's misspelt). So I went up there and as expected the music was relatively crap. Not many people were there, though. Why? There was a better flat party in the flat below. How? They had strippers. Damn, I was going to go, but then us people from my flat decided to stay loyal to the girls. Plus, they looked so freaking hot in those black dresses and black pantyhoses.

I then headed off to a different nightclub than them (I don't know where they went, but I went to Legends, a rock nightclub, with one of my mates). The music was alright, a bit heavy and a bit dodgy. But it was good. There was a strange incident when this girl asked me if she could take a picture of me. I, of course, said yes. So she took a picture of me with this other girl. I was going to say "well, that'll be 3.50" but it was so loud I didn't bother. It just occurs to me at this moment that I might've known her...

There were a couple of tracks that made it all worthwhile. First there was Iron Maiden, and although I didn't know the full lyrics, it was a blast to... uhm, bash along. Then I really hurt my vocal chords while screaming Welcome to the Jungle... accompanied by lots of jumping, air guitar and rolling on the floor. By the time Bohemian Rhapsody came on, I couldn't speak much. But I couldn't let that go. I sung it loud and... "clear". Us four (we found a mate with a mate over in the club) performed a near perfect presentation of the song. I don't think I have to mention that I have no vocal chords anymore.

A look into the past

So nothing much happened on Sunday... same old same old. Most boring day of the week. So I'll just write about things I've been saving up. They just keep coming in and I don't have the chance to put them up, so here goes.

-I get along with my flatmates, for the exception of two (hey, three out of six ain't bad). It's not like I hate them, but we just don't go along together. I had an arguement with one... twice (okay, so two arguements) so there's some tension there... and it didn't help when I beat him in the PS2 footy game (Venezuela vs. Northern Ireland... tomalo!!!). The other one is the Irishman. It's not that I don't like him, but I just can't understand what he says... so we really dont' communicate. Everytime he says something I just nod or say "yep." Well, not always, I rarely understand what he's trying to say (usually with a three second delay). Anway, I was thinking that perhaps he thinks that I hate him or something, as I don't speak to him at all. In fact, I'm pretty sure he's asked me at one time or the other "you hate me, dont' you? you think I'm a knobhead..." and I just went "yeah, sure" and nodded.

-The other day while walking through the streets of Newcastle I happened to glance down and I saw a midget. Okay, so that's an offensive term... I saw a tiny person. That's also offensive... damn it, whatever. Flood my inbox with hate mail. Please. Anyway, the point is that that was the first time I've ever seen a live midget (tiny person). So cool!

-I was taking this brain test to see if I'm more feminine than masculine or vise versa. It turns out I have no feelings. I then took another test on personality. It says I have no feelings. Can't say I'm shocked, though. Not even surprised.

-The British Computer Society visited the university the other day and they came into our lecture to talk to us about some things (after all my course is credited by the BCS... they own me!). Then the woman decided she'd give out some shirts (as she had too many) to the people who gave her the right answers to some questions. She asked where the BCS had connections. I started yelling "Canada!! Canada!!!" and then this guy said "Canada" and she gave him a shirt. Then I started again "US of A! US of A!!!" and this other bloke says "...USA" and she gave him a shirt. Bitch

Celebrating 60

So this is my 60th post for this blog. This means that I've posted twice as much as I did on the Tales... yet the Tales are still better. Damn it. Why haven't I found a Tiny yet!?

Anyway, yesterday was a great night (oh, it just started to rain... damn it), it was my one (proper) outing of the week. And yeah, I woke up with a terrible hangover and all... but I'm better now. Sort of. Anyway, I don't remember many details, just some basic things. I know I "met" some people from my course ("met" because I don't remember who they are today...). Then I remember how this girl was trying to give me her mobile number and I was too pissed to be able to write it down properly (hey, it's hard to read a mobile screen... especially if you're submerged under the influence). Damn it. I do have her name, though (I got it on my phone along with a wrong number) and I did my research today and found out she's a second year. Fuck me. And she was really interested in me... damn alcohol! I'm never drinking again (lol)! Anyway, I managed to come up with her email address, although there are two potential problems with that. One is that I'm not sure exactly what course she's doing (Latin American studies or Modern Languages... they're both the same!!) and there are two people with the same name doing those (same forename, anyway)... and two, I don't want her to think I'm a stalker (which she will when she recieves an email from someone she didn't give it to).

What to do... what to do...? I'll probably come up with a solution the next time I'm drunk.