Posts Tagged ‘College’

My own layout

Wednesday, November 29th, 2006

I’ve been making layouts for eFiction for a couple years, but it suddenly occured to me just how many fanfiction sites there are that look exactly like Luna because I’m using the same layouts I’ve released. XD

We need a fresh, creative, and distinctive look that strictly belongs to Lunaescence. No release or sharing, it’s ours in the biggest sense of the word. Pink really doesn’t count, because it’s too girly (and glitchy, sorry Jass) to be a primary design.

Sure, I’ll keep my other skins available, but there’s several hundred sites now that have some combination or derivation of Shinigami Blues, Marauders, and/or Zenlike. Shuriken is starting to make the rounds too. Don’t get me wrong, it’s thrilling seeing so many people using my designs and seeing them translated into so many different languages.

I just suddenly realized we don’t have a look of our own. And that bothers me.

Even though I probably can’t claim it on a resume, this site has been a huge education for me. I want it to succeed and thus, I’m going out of my way to learn things they aren’t teaching me in college.

I guess the problem is, I’ve started researching area companies and realized that I’m about to enter the big picture. Some of these design firms and agencies I’m looking at blow my mind by how cutting-edge they look, especially compared to my sites. I know I simply have a bad case of artist’s vision and inferiority complex, but I really need to up the ante.

I’m just not sure where I’m going to find the time to do that! XD

Feeling Proud

Tuesday, November 21st, 2006

I’m feeling rather proud of myself right now. I just completed a script to handle my fanlisting codes and I’m thrilled to say it’s working exactly the way I planned. ^_^

Looking at the page, you won’t see anything that truly different. My images will all appear to load normally. But if you look at the image’s URL, you’ll see it’s PHP rather than an image. *huge grins*

For those technically inclined, the script basically first checks to see whether or not the fanlisting code is being accessed from my blog. If it is, the script progresses and serves the image being called. However, if someone tries putting the image as part of their sig on say — Xanga or Gaia Online — the script will first log the attempt and then terminate.

To make it easier on myself if someone figures out how to circumvent the script, I even stored the fanlisting code directory in an array. That way if I need to move or rename the folder, I only have to edit just that particular line and every code will be changed.

I’d still like to add a few more security checks, but right now this is awesome. There are times I feel like I’ve learned nothing new in college and then I completely surprise myself by doing something like this.

I have no real problem with people using stuff, but I’m awful protective of my bandwidth. My baseline server costs are plenty without overage charges. Besides, they can download the fanlisting codes on the fanlisting sites and use photobucket. It’s just stupid.

College is going well. I got 100% on my first speech — talk about awkward, though. I’m not used to web cameras, so I stared at my monitor the whole time. XD I was so wooden too!

I really need to get around to calling my academic advisor, but I keep procrastinating. I need to get details about what I need to be doing to get an internship somewhere, but I’m feeling rather “meh” about the whole thing.

Well, time to get on my English homework. Yes, another level of English. -_-; Wish I could test out, but it’s business writing so I suppose I should pay attention.

Much ♥ — talk to everyone soon.

RSS Feed

Wednesday, November 1st, 2006

For my CS332A final, I decided to make an RSS feed that listed my most recently updated projects for the eFiction script including skins, modifications, and plug-in type functions such as blocks and panels. I installed it in the header of my personal site (rather than crux, which seems to hate me right now) so RSS capable browsers would automatically make it available to my users.

XML Project Feed: project.xml RSS

I originally wanted to do both an RSS feed as well as an XML document listing all my available projects. The RSS feed came together quickly, though I did have some problems getting it to validate correctly. (I kept wanting to use 4 letter month abbreviations and it took me a while to realize it wanted only 3 letter abbreviations.) Unfortunately, I didn’t have the same luck with my project list. I guess I didn’t understand XSL as well as I thought I did, because I’m having a problem figuring out what I’m doing wrong.

If you’d like to see my project list XML document, you can find it here: full_project_list.xml

I do plan on finishing it up eventually, I really do need something to keep my projects straight. Once I finish up the rest of my finals, I’ll probably return to it just to see if I can finish before midnight.

Missing supplies

Friday, October 13th, 2006

I would kill to know what happened to my beading supplies.

I have a huge ball of hemp, a large container of wooden beads, and a bunch of other little things missing right now. I can see losing or leaving the small stuff behind somewhere, since some of it was in small envelopes… but the hemp and wood beads would be hard to miss. Knowing me, I probably threw them into some random box the night before the movers arrived.

Now that I have a web cam, I can (maybe) take a few pictures of my jewelry to put up on my DA account before I sell them for Christmas money.

I really hope I didn’t loose them, I don’t want to replace everything.

I finally learned why I had to have my own camera for that speech class. It’s going to be held online apparently, so I won’t be able to share the school’s camera. Kind of curious to see how that’s going to work.

So far, I’m passing my classes, though I’m routinely staying up until 4am trying to get everything done or waiting for things to upload to the school server. (Which gives a totally new definition to the word “slow” — I’d hate to see what would happen if I wasn’t on cable.) I think I’ve discovered the fate of Computer Science majors: Sleep is for weaklings; caffiene is king.

What have I gotten myself into??

Just kill me now

Wednesday, September 20th, 2006

My books for college just officially annihilated me. Forget for a moment my tuition, lab fees, and other expenses for a moment.

English 301
Book: $132

Public Speaking
Book: $81
Video Camera: $88

Intro to Perl/CGI
Book: $65

Advanced HTML
XML Book: $14
DHTML & CSS Book: $18

Total: $428.88

Please…. just kill me now. X_x

Seriously, the most reasonable book prices are for the classes I actually want to take. The rest are kind “meh” classes for me, but I need to pass them for my degree. Thankfully I have a hard time failing English and public speaking has never bothered me. (I’m not even sure why I need a video camera, but – oh well.)

Going to try to finish up one last eFiction modification before my classes resume tomorrow morning and then I’m poofing for a while.

My summer so far

Wednesday, July 12th, 2006

So far, my summer seems to be going well. I’m partipating in the eFiction Project actively for the first time in a long while, though probably not as much as I could be. (Actually, I’m probably being downright annoying.)

One of the large sites must have pissed people off again, my site has had a massive surge in visits and new authors. I keep checking my stats, but I can’t tell what site is referring them. I’m actually very glad I brought in all those extra moderators. I’m used to the sudden hush the RL/AR used to get; all this activity is a tab unnerving. ^^;

eFiction 3.0 is going to be very very cool, but I’m dreading switching us over. I’ve added so many extras there is going no easy way to upgrade. ^^;; But… ooh, it is awesome. There’s just so many new things in this release, it’s just going to be pure awesomeness. (Is that even a word??)

My Kiwi layout has hit a bump, since I don’t remember what I wanted to do with it anymore. I can’t find my original design sketch either, so I can check my plan. XD I might just trash it and work on Green tea instead.

While I’m thinking about it, I need up re-do my blog. I’ve begun posting my eFiction junk to it, which is kind of cluttering it. I also want it to have a more professional look, since I’m going to put a portfolio and my resume on it. (I probably should clean up the language too *grimace, laugh*)

For the first time in years, we have a garden. It’s nothing special, just some tomatos, strawberries, and some flowering plants that I’ve planted in pots so if I need to move again they can come with me.

Local news has me feeling a little more optimistic:

Google to bring 1000 jobs to Michigan

LANSING — High tech – and high-tech jobs — hits Michigan with Tuesday’s announcement that Google will open a facility in Ann Arbor.

At a morning press conference, Governor Granholm officially unveiled the project that will add 1,000 jobs to Michigan’s workforce.

The new facility involves Google’s AdWords unit, which handles “pay-per-click” advertising to Google’s users. To sweeten the deal, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation gave Google a high-tech business tax credit worth more than $38 million over 20 years. (more…)

I sincerely don’t want to move to Ann Arbor, that’s way too close to one of my mom’s aunts… who is just way too much like Sheba for my tastes. BUT if it means I can get a good job doing what I enjoy doing, then by the Gods of warfare — I’ll do it! (What Karla doesn’t know won’t hurt her me.)

Other than that, we’re holding on. Mom blew a tire last night on her way to work and had to get a ride from our neighbor, but it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. The local tire shop quoted her about $80 for a new tire plus installation, but then the owner decuded ti only charge her $50. ^___^

DTE Energy keeps calling, demanding their money. Maryann still wants her $600 back, plus we keep getting letters from collection agencies for some of the bills we incured trying to get out of Alpine Medows… so we’re not out of the woods yet. The pressure has just been let up a bit.

I’m trying to work with a lady who bought one of my books off from Amazon.com. There were 4 audio chapter review CDs that came with the book and I said they were included in my post. I remember putting them in the envelope with the book and so does mom and Jasson, but apparently the CDs didn’t make it there. The envelope was apparently intact, so they didn’t fall out. *sighs* Being good, I retraced my steps to see if I lost them on the way to the post office. Nothing in lost and found. I called the publisher and distribution center to see if could buy new copies, they’re only part of a bundle deal.

I’m more than a little dubious about the whole thing. First of all, she waited a month to e-mail me and is now taking anywhere from 5 days to weeks to write me back each time. She says she absolutely has to have those CDs for her class. I’ll admit that they were helpful in allowing me to study during the eviction and while moving, but they weren’t that helpful nor essential. I have no idea what’s going on. I finally offered her a refund and it’s going on about two weeks since I last heard from her.

Mom has come right out and wondered if she isn’t trying to weasel copies of the CDs out of me so she can have two. She’s also wondered if they CDs aren’t/weren’t in the bottom of the envelope. *shrugs* Her guess is as good as mine.

I swear, if I sell anything else on Amazon — they only thing I’m writing is the book’s condition. No information on infotrac or anything extra that comes with it. And then I’m going to mummify the damned thing so nothing falls out.

Anyroad, that’s my summer so far. Much love to everyone.

Idiot Error

Saturday, June 17th, 2006

Okay, some web site must have puked because I’m getting an awful lot of idiots lately. These people can’t even spell their own e-mail addresses correctly, much less write a story. Seriously, “hotmail” isn’t that difficult to spell.

I suppose their inability to even register is a sign that my site is at least a little idiot proofed.

There’s one girl “Akemichan” who insisted on trying to get her idea for a story through. In a nutshell, she says “I’ll write it if I get enough reviews” in her paragraph and describing what her story will be about, complete with enough spelling problems to choke an elephant. *head-desk* I wrote her back and none-too-kindly informed her that we’re an archive and that I’m not posting her idea. She’s free to post when she actually has a story or part of a story to contribute. She must have deleted her account, because I can’t find her anymore.

Another girl writes us:

I changed my e-mail address. So, i dont have my password to get in. Is there any way you can send the pass word to my new email address?

And then gives us her “new” e-mail. No further information. This time Jasson answers and tells her “Uh, sure… if I knew what account you’re talking about.”

She makes another account. First account she made turned out to be with a fake e-mail. Then, apparently she couldn’t figure out how to spell “hotmail.com.” We deleted both accounts.

Then there’s was another girl who didn’t even know what AIM, ICQ, etc. are and insisted on filling up each and every blank with “I dont know what that is” and “Don’t have one.” She then filled her bio up with drivvel that she’s 15 years old and is such a HUGE fan of anime and has the super hots for her favorite fictional character that she has to type her thoughts in all caps and plenty of mixed 1’s and !’s. Of course, with all that passion, she obviously has nothing left to care about her spelling.

Yeah, someone get a mop and some bleach cause something seems to have yacked.

I’m not really upset by the idiots today. I’m just… disappointed. Maybe a little disturbed.

Anyway, letting that go I’m trying to figure out what classes I want to take this fall. Do I want to hurry up and get some programming classes out of the way or do I want to get speech done? Advanced HTML Programming is open and so is Interactive Web Design.

Flash and UNIX are both going well, so far I’m getting 100%. Though I do have to stop playing with LA and get my final started. (Yay, procrastination!)

Anyway, I think I should go to bed. We’re having our first ozone action day of the summer tomorrow and that always wipes me out.

Can’t they bother to read?

Tuesday, April 4th, 2006

If you can’t be bothered to actually read, don’t comment on my posts!

*sigh* Okay, now that I have that out of my system. On my class message board, I replied to a comment where a guy had used a rather vulgar, unprofessional “programming” website to back up his statement that programming standards are “stupid”, “limit creativity”, “stifle new programmers who have to then learn a different way of doing things”, yadda yadda yadda.

I said that I wanted to call the validity of the site into question, based on the person’s overuse of obscene language and statements where he said “The standard is usually stupid because it’s not what I do.”

Okay, that sounds like an angst-ridden teenager right there. I don’t care what his resume looks like, but if I was an employer looking through that site I certainly wouldn’t hire him.

I asked for clarification on how the standards limit creativity. Maybe I’m just a stupid little noob, but I really fail to see doing your best to make sure other people coming onto a project can read your code does anything to limit creativity. The code’s the same no matter how you lay it out.

Nope, his response looks like he read only the first line or two of my post and immediately called me a flamer.

*sigh*

I love my major, but I’m really getting tired of dealing with this every other class. Oh well, another person to avoid. To bad I can’t do the same thing with that girl from my other class.

Finals, Forums, and Failing

Wednesday, March 29th, 2006

Heh, yay for alliteration.

Owwie, I really don’t think I’ve done good on my finals. I really don’t. These classes have no been anyway in the same zipcode as fun.

One teacher really never gave me much in the way of feedback, so I never knew what I was doing right or wrong. I’m not even sure if she actually even looked at my homework. I turned in incomplete assignments and still got 100% on them.

Then, for my other class, I had to write a paper on a fictional business and create a whole model for improving it over the next 12 to 24 months. I may be a lot of things, but I’m not business minded. ^^;;

At any rate, this semester may be my off one. So long as I do good in my Spring classes, I think I’ll be okay.

The site is back up and everythings transferred over. I canceled my account with the other webhost and still haven’t gotten back to them about why. (Not all that interested, to tell you the truth.)

The forums… wow. What to say? It took Jasson and I two days to install the subcategories modification; it was that involved. Several thousand lines of code that had to be added to that damned script. I think that’s the hardest thing we’ve ever attempted, I really do. But it was sooo worth it. ^__^ It definately looks better than the default stuff phpBB comes with. I think I’m actually starting to get excited about forums again!

But…. after Arise/RL, I’m not all that interested in leaving things to the rules. I don’t want to scream at people all the time. I just want them to act like civilized human beings and not a gaggle of preschoolers I have to watch every second. In lieu of this, I’m to put security measures into the actual script so they can’t pull some of the bull-plucky they did there. (more…)

Moving

Friday, February 24th, 2006

Okay, I promised an update regarding the move and here it is.

I’m still a bit ambivalent about this whole move. A large part of me will be intensely glad to be out of Alpine Meadows, but another part is still waiting for the next shoe to fall.

Parkwood Green accepted our application (they don’t do credit checks, in fact crime seems to be the only thing they’re concerned with) and the bank went through on financing.

The (new) trailer was moved into the park yesterday, though the crew almost got into an accident on the way over. We had a sudden snow squall go through, which reduced visibility to almost zero. Apparently some lady hit the breaks unexpectedly, a semi swerved to avoid her and almost hit our trailer. However nothing happened and they finally made it into the spot… only to discover our water line had broken during the night. ^^;

Mom visited this morning on the way home and saw that everything is hooked up now, which should mean we can begin moving our stuff in. I’m still not sure which room I’m taking, but we can hash that out when we can actually move in.

The only other ugly thing is that we’re going to have to rent a power-washer to clean the trailer once it gets warm and the shed is full of garbage from the previous owner. >_> But that’s not too bad, considering.

Trudy, the owner of Cedar Mobile Home Service, is a miracle-worker. I swear. She’s taken care of all the permits, phone calls, even managed to talk a building inspector to give us a permit on his day off. Right now it’s looking like we’ll be able to live in the new trailer Monday or Tuesday. Trudy is good, let me tell you.

Another bad thing is that we couldn’t stay with Comcast. They don’t offer service in Sparta, even though it looks like they’re only a mile away. *sighs* Bye-bye anime, Food Network, and Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Anyroad, we’re going to take a load of junk to the trailer today and then we’re going out with Jodi tomorrow to pick out new appliances. (Note to self, turn Amazon store to vacation and get financial aid papers filled out!)

In other news, my main blog can now be set to friends only! (Haha!) I knew there had to be a plug-in to do this. ^_^

Instead of trying to inform everyone who needed the password, I can just send them logon information and be able to set things just like I can do on LiveJournal.

I just know I have some pretty weird people checking out my blog and I wanted a better way to protect sensitive entries. This is still my online diary, afterall. Yes, I want to share with my friends and family, but I don’t necessarily want my classmates reading my health-related posts. (or rants full of obscenities.)

Don’t worry, this isn’t going 100% friends only. I was just looking for a better way to protect posts to varying degrees.