Just a quick note that I have posted some pictures. Click on the Photography link to the right
If I’ve said it once I’ve said it 97 times: there are no bad foods, just bad food habits. If I’m fat (and I’m not saying that I am) it’s not Ronald McDonald’s fault, or ConAgra’s fault or Ben & Jerry’s fault, or my mom’s fault or anyone’s fault but my own. I don’t support lawsuits against fast food any more than I support lawsuits against cigarette companies. Anyone who doesn’t know cigarettes are bad for you is an idiot. Anyone who doesn’t know that eating too much fast food will make you fat…ditto. In fact I think I may organize a class action lawsuit against people who stage lawsuits against corporations who they think should take responsibility for them. Criminy! Most corporations can barely take responsibility for themselves much less others.
If I’m fat it’s because I’ve shoved to many calories down my pie hole. I don’t need to chat with Oprah about it and I sure don’t need to consult that loathsome profiteer “Dr” Phil. I just need to stop eating so much and exercise more.
Ok, just one link. An article by the author of Talking Point Memos, a very good blog.
At Karen’s proding, the essays I wrote for my grad school application are below. I am aware that I lay it on pretty thick, so be make sure you have your hip waders on before you click on the link for more.
Provide whatever other information regarding your background, extracurricular activities, or general experience you may wish
As an undergraduate student, I worked to support my tuition and living expenses. I worked for the William and Mary Information Technology group, first as a member of the help desk and later as a network technician installing the networks in the residence halls. During the same period, I worked as for the Williamsburg Regional Library system as their sole techie. I developed their initial internet systems including mail servers and web servers.
After graduation, I spent 4 years working for 3GI (later acquired by RSA Security). I started as a software developer and advanced to head of our research and development group. After the 3GI office was closed, I was hired as a Network Security Consultant for Trigon Healthcare (now Anthem). My responsibilities included the implementation of PKI based systems for the communication of sensitive health care information between Trigon and health care providers.
I am now employed by the College of William and Mary as a Senior Programmer Analyst. My responsibilities include the development of software for course evaluation, the SACS accreditation process, and the College’s integrated web portal. I also participate in advisory groups that focus on information security and web software design.
In addition to my professional development, I maintain an internet domain for groups who provide content ranging from online roleplaying to ultimate frisbee. I also support approximately 15 people with email and web space. I have several personal web development projects including a popular online wishlist management system. I have authored and released two open source software projects.
Describe your career plans and the reasons you wish to pursue graduate studies.
After graduating from William and Mary in 1997 with a B.S in physics, I immediately entered the world of software development with only a minimal amount of formal training in computer science. Over the next several years, I progressed at 3GI through self teaching and mistakes made to become the head of our research and development group. My responsibilities included the design and architecture work for many of our software projects and core middleware. This was an amazing learning experience for me, but I found that I was hampered by my lack of formal training in the area for which I was responsible; I often had to rely upon instinct rather than training.
After 3GI, I realized my goal was to participate more effectively in the planning and design stages of software development. In order to accomplish this goal, I need to take the skills I have learned through experience and hone them by applying formal training. I feel graduate study in Computer Science will provide the additional knowledge and insights I need to succeed.
I have spent the last three semesters taking graduate computer science classes. The course work has begun to solidify the principals I learned through trial and error at 3GI, providing a new solid foundation from which I can move forward. I also feel that my experience in commercial software development can be an asset to the department and to other graduate and undergraduate students by offering a comparative insight to the theory and methods taught in class.
In the future, I intend to take the knowledge I have gained through graduate studies and reenter the high tech market. My goal is to be part of a small firm to develop software free of the bounds of a strict corporate structure. That environment allows for market flexibility and personal freedom. I see this as the logical continuation of my work at 3GI.
Contents of an email from a friend of mine. 6:00 PM Opening Prayer led by the Reverend Jerry Fallwell
6:30 PM Pledge of Allegiance
6:35 PM Burning of Bill of Rights (excluding 2nd amendment)
6:45 PM Salute to the Coalition of the Willing
6:46 PM Seminar #1: Iraq Stratergies-Voodoo/DooDoo WMD
7:30 PM First Presidential Beer Bong
7:35 PM Serve Freedom Fries
7:40 PM EPA Address #1: Mercury-It’s what’s for dinner!
8:00 PM Vote on which country to invade next
8:10 PM Call EMTs to revive Rush Limbaugh
8:15 PM John Ashcroft Lecture: The Homos are after your Children!!
8:30 PM Round table discussion on reproductive rights (MEN only)
8:50 PM Seminar #2 Corporations: The Government of the Future
9:00 PM Condi Rice sings “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man”
9:05 PM Second Presidential Beer Bong
9:10 PM EPA Address #2. Trees: The Real Cause of Forest Fires
9:30 PM Break for secret meetings
10:00 PM Second prayer led by Cal Thomas
10:15 PM Lecture by Karl Rove: Doublespeak made easy
10:30 PM Rumsfeld demonstration of how to squint and talk macho
10:35 PM Bush demonstration of trademark “deer in headlights” stare
10:40 PM John Ashcroft demonstrates new mandatory Kevlar chastity belt
10:45 PM Clarence Thomas reads list of black republicans
10:46 PM Third Presidential Beer Bong
10:50 PM Seminar #3. Education: A Drain on our Nation’s Economy
11:10 PM Hilary Clinton Piñata
11:20 PM Second Lecture by John Ashcroft: Evolutionists: The Dangerous New Cult
11:30 PM Call EMTs to revive Rush Limbaugh again.
11:35 PM Blame Clinton
11:40 PM Laura serves milk and cookies
11:50 PM Closing Prayer led by Jesus Himself
12: 00 PM Nomination of George W. Bush as Holy Supreme Planetary Overlord
From CNN:
Three techniques removed from list of interrogation methods approved for use by U.S. troops in Iraq, sources tell CNN. Details soon.
This whole thing just makes me ill.
As part of the final exam for my CS class, the undergrads were asked to rate each of the three grad students on our management skills. This included providing comments to some questions regarding our ability and worthiness as managers. I just got copies of my evaluations and I thought I would pass along some of the more choice comments.
Question: “Would you recommend that this manager be placed in leadership positions in the future? Why or Why not?”
[Removed at the request of the writer. See comments ::chuckle::]
Question: Please comment on how you think this manager can improve his or her management skills.”
“Be a little less anal, maybe. Take people less seriously.”
[And my all time favorite]
“shrug Lay the smack down on negative workers with more prejudice.”
These are just some of my favorites. The class really did a great job and I am happy to have worked with all of them (well almost).
I’m still alive. It was not exactly the most pleasant experience I have ever had, but it is over now.
I needed to be there by 8:30am. I got there at a little after 7:00am. I am so paranoid. I sat in my car and watched people drop their movies off at the Blockbuster next door while I listened to NPR and read some last topics in my GRE prep book. Other (normal) people started showing up around 8:00am.
At 8:15, I went inside. After handing over my id, I was handed a sheet of paper with a paragraph I had to write out affirming I wouldn’t do anything bad. Highlighted above the blank space was DO NOT PRINT. Shit. I haven’t written cursive in years, and it showed. Oh well, at least that part wasn’t graded.
I now have some understanding what it might be like to be in a secure facility. I was instructed to leave everything (keys, wallets, phones, tissues, everything) in a locker outside the testing area. The woman behind the glass window then told me to come through the door and sit in the black chair to wait my turn to be “processed.” After the person in front of me was done, I got to move to the pink chair. There I got to have my information verified, my picture taken, and then I got to sign in.
The test area was behind yet another door. Every desk was monitored by video and shows up on a screen out in the room I was “processed” in. It was like being in an observation room. I got computer #1. The proctor signed me in and I went through the instruction section on how to use a mouse, click buttons, and scroll. Very enlightening
The essay section was first. 45 minutes to argue for or against a statement. I had two choices to pick from. The one I selected was:
The human mind will always be superior to machines because machines are only tools of human minds.
I choose to argue against that statement. I used up most of the 45 minutes writing, but I wasn’t rushed.
The next essay was 30 minutes to critique an argument. The question I got was:
The following is a recommendation from the personnel director to the president of Acme Publishing Company.
“Many other companies have recently stated that having their employees take the Easy Read Speed-Reading Course has greatly improved productivity. One graduate of the course was able to read a five-hundred-page report in only two hours; another graduate rose from an assistant manager to vice president of the company in under a year. Obviously, the faster you can read, the more information you can absorb in a single workday. Moreover, Easy Read costs only $500 per employee - a small price to pay when you consider the benefits to Acme. Included in this fee is a three-week seminar in Spruce City and a lifelong subscription to the Easy Read newsletter. Clearly, Acme would benefit greatly by requiring all of our employees to take the Easy Read course.”
This was rather straightforward as well. I got a 10 minute break after this section.
Next were the multiple choice sections. I ended up getting 2 quantitative sections and 1 verbal section. 1 of the quantitative sections was an experimental section, although I don’t know which one that was. My feeling was that I had not done well on the quantitative section, but from looking at my scores, I was obviously mistaken.
Verbal: 600 Quantitative: 740
So, that is that. Now I get to wait and see if I get accepted to the grad progarm. Wish me luck.
You too can be an artist. No self-mutilation necessary.
Fish Garlic Monkey in Muted Yellow
“There is no abstract art. You must always start with something. Afterward you can remove all traces of reality.”
Pablo Picasso
I’ve been in academic limbo for the last year and a half. I have been taking graduate CS courses, but I was not actually in the graduate program. That had been the plan, but I needed to take the GREs first. Initially I had wanted to take time to study and prepare before taking the GREs. Monday I realized that that was never going to happen.
So I have taken the plunge. I am scheduled to take the GREs on May 11th. That would be the day after my final exam for Software Engineering; I might as well get all the pain over with quickly. I have my application to grad school in my bag as I type this and will be dropping it off today (once I figure out where it needs to go). Last night was spent honing my answers to the fluffy questions that schools seem to want to know about. I even found 3 suckers kind individuals to write me recommendations.
A part of me is really wondering: “What the hell am I thinking?” I guess we shall see.