Obama's Nomination

No matter what your politics last night was a huge night for all Americans when Obama became the 'Presumptive' Democratic Nominee for President. He talks about it on MSNBC's First Read

Talking to reporters before getting in his motorcade to leave Capitol Hill, Obama reflected on what it means to be the first African-American nominee of a major political party. "It's an enormous honor... It's very humbling," he told reporters amassed between his Secret Service detail.

"When you think about all the people who had knocked down barriers for me to walk through this one; and the challenges they went through were so much more difficult, so much more severe; and the risk they took were so much greater."

And then, the candidate touted as a great orator, seemed almost at a loss to express his feelings. "Last night standing in the auditorium," Obama said slowly searching for just the right words, "it struck me that it was a testimony to them."

"I've heard from a number of people already, both black and white, that their kids -- 7, 8, 9 years old -- take for granted now that of course a black can run for president. Of course a woman can run for president. There's a matter of factness to it that I think bodes well for the future."

I love that the twins will grow up in a world where they wouldn't think twice about the race or gender of the person running for President, that they won't understand what the big deal was.

I almost feel bad for McCain, like I did for Hilliary Clinton. Both of them are qualified and I think wouldn't do an awful job, though I'd pick Clinton over McCain. But the timing just sucked for them because I think Obama is leading a movement that isn't going to be stopped. He has people excited about politics that have never even cared before. Hilliary brought in the upper middle aged women who fought for equal rights, the even older women who desperately want to see a woman President in their lifetimes. While I respect the hell out of (most) of those people they were going to vote anyway, one way or another. Obama is bringing in people who under normal circumstances wouldn't vote.

I'm very excited about the elections this fall and the potential turn out. Getting the younger generation excited and if we can get them to actually vote amazing things could happen. Too many people don't vote and because of that aren't represented in our government, showing them that they really can make a difference, and that is a wonderful thing.

No More Internship

Well I just heard from Sun that National got dropped from their Campus Ambassador program so I don't have an internship for this fall. I'm fine with that, I'm not sure I actually accomplished what they wanted me to, but the extra money was very nice.

However as time goes by school is going to be more and more difficult maybe having one less bit of pressure is a good thing, but like I said, money is good.

That and apparently I don't get the 'please love us' hand out from the government this year as my 'earned income' wasn't high enough, even though I had enough taxable income. This means that for 08 I need to make at least 3k in earned income (which I'm pretty sure I've done, I'll check my pay slip) so I can get the money next year. No new monitor =(

I guess I'll look around for internships or something. This last one kind of fell into my lap, which was nice. If nothing else I'll just get programming books and learn as much as I can.

Oh got a C in my logic class, and since I'm not going to be a hardware person I'm ok with that. Kills my GPA a bit but we'll see how I do in June.

And..... we're done

Paper in, it's not great but it's in and that is really all that matters anymore.

So happy, nothing to do until 5:30pm on Tuesday. Of course all those things I should be doing most likely aren't going to happen, but it's nice to not have stress.

I'm going to go uninstall all that crap now and archive my assignments. Not unhappy to see this stuff go.

Rocked the Final

Turned in my final early and rocked it. That is the most confident I've felt about anything in this class for the last two months.

Ready to present my lab project, just need to write that up (easy after I put it together for the presentation) and the lab class is done.

All that is left is to finish up and polish the paper. That isn't completely trivial but I'm so ready for this to be done. Never doing this kind of stuff again, and I'm happy about that in a BIG way.

I'm looking forward to having a few days off after I finish this up. Next month is supposed to be hard also but at least it's new material. Same professor and I'm glad, I really like her.

So ready to be done.

Gas

I just spent 40.06 for 9.869 gallons of gas......

From my iPhone

Ester

Cleaning

As anyone who knows me knows very well I'm not a big fan of cleaning. I like things clean, dirt and grime drive me batty, but I just have a hard time getting into actually doing the cleaning myself. I tend to just not look at the clutter and ignore it until it gets to the point where it just pisses me off. It doesn't hurt if I have something else to procrastinate, it seems like I clean the most when I have homework to do.

So a while ago I bought a Roomba on sale a few years ago and it's been living downstairs. It does an amazing job on the laminate floor down there, I just hit a button and it goes to town keeping things rather clean, it's kind of surprising what it will pick up.

So today I finally got tired of the den that the dogs had built under my bed. My excuse before was that it's actually really hard to get stuff out from under there as there isn't a lot of room (for a broom) and my arms are short! Today I bit the bullet so to speak and between lots of stretching and creative broom angles I got most of everything out from under there. I won't get into what I found lets just say that the next time I go out of town without the dogs I'm shutting the door to my room.

So now my trusty Roomba is going to down under my bed. It's a comforting sound though I'm kind of frightened on what I'll be dumping out of the unit when it's done. I love my little robot, though if anyone ever wants to get me something expensive the higher models let you program them!

Grocery Shopping Online

I found that I spend significantly less money when I do my grocery shopping online. As long as I can find a coupon for free delivery of course.

I had to go out and get the cat's needles (here is something that I didn't have to deal with in college the first time, and aging cat with diabetes) so I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a 'few' things and spent more than I did when I did my real shopping last week.

Amazon.com does a lot of household stuff with free shipping, you sign up for a subscription and they send it at a regular interval for less than you're going to find it at a local store.

Not that my grocery store is far away but it's nice to not have to drive also. Cheap gas is 3.89 as of yesterday so the more time I spend not driving the happier I am. I even got stamps yesterday so I don't have to go out to mail stuff.

Part of being 'old'....

.... is reconnecting with old friends. I got a message on MySpace today from someone I went to college with, someone from my Freshman year who I had lost contact with and had given up on trying to find.

There was a group of four guys who hung out together and were people I loved dearly. It's part of that bonding experience that comes with going away from home for the first time. One of these four had totally cyber stalked me at SOE back Thanksgiving of 01 but when I left that job I totally blanked getting his email. It was kind of an insane time in my life and I've regretted it dearly since. Every once in a while I try out my google-fu to find people and with these guys I'd been failing.

I can't even express how happy I am that Austin found me. My life is really different than it was back then and I'm not sure how much we actually have in common anymore, but reconnecting with people who hold dear places in my heart is something I treasure.

Why I'm not for Hilliary

I'm watching The Daily Show and they're talking about Bloggers and how blogging is much more mainstream etc. Got me thinking that there is so much more than just school that interests me and that I have feelings about, and while this is primarily a blog about going back to school it wouldn't be inappropriate to talk about this Democratic race and what I think about the first viable woman presidential candidate.

I didn't vote for her and I don't like her. This goes against every instinct I have about the concept of a woman in the Oval Office but I can't bring myself to support her bid.

I want there to be a woman president, not just in my lifetime but my grandmother's lifetime. It really struck me when I was watching President Ford's funeral, it was all old white men. I get the old part but it was ALL white men and I don't want my generation's political legacy to be represented by all of that... sameness.

We are a country of diversity and that should be represented in our government. I think our generation and that if my parents' have accomplished this in our elected representatives, but there are things we haven't reached yet, and someone who isn't a white man in the highest office is the biggest 'glass ceiling' in existence.

So why am I not for Hilliary? Her policies, well her policies before she went bat shit crazy pandering for votes, are pretty much in line with what I believe, she'd nominate left leaning judges for the Supreme Court which is very important to me, she's a successful and powerful woman making a viable bid for that ultimate glass ceiling, yet I want nothing to do with it.

There are two factors that when combined with the fact she's a woman prevent me from being able to support her candidacy. First is that she is where she is because of her husband. That offends me as a woman and a feminist, she didn't do this on her own merits but is running on her husband's accomplishments. I'm not saying she couldn't have accomplished everything she has all by herself, but she chose not to and for that reason alone I can't do the 'women power rah rah rah' thing.

The other issue is that she allowed her husband to publically humiliate her and then stayed with him. The only reason that I can fathom that she stayed was so she could run for president someday, and that is wrong. She said to every woman whose husband was unfaithful to them that they should just suck it up and smile. Hell I can't count the number of political wives that have stood next to their husbands in the press conferences as these husbands admit to cheating on them. What the hell??? This is not the way to show that women are equal to men, it shows that these women shut up and take what the man gives them, screw that noise.

There are women politicians whom I respect even if I don't agree with their politics simply because they are accomplishing things that a woman before hadn't. Nancy Pelosi, Condi Rice, Madelin Albright to name the ones in my most recent memory. All of these women have accomplished these very high positions without having to ride their husband's coattails. I wouldn't know Pelosi or Albright's husbands if I ran into them on the street and I don't believe Rice is married.

Now don't misunderstand me, I think a spouse can be a huge pivotal part of someone's success and deserves credit for their contributions. I also think that a spouse of someone successful can be successful in their own right. However Hilliary Clinton runs, in part, on the 'I am a woman look at me' and opes that up for scrutiny, and she doesn't pass mine.

Now, if we didn't have another option that I am completely enamored with I would be supporting Clinton like I did Kerry, lesser of two evils. It is very exciting to be able to vote for someone that I actually WANT to vote for, I've never been in that situation before.

I'm sure I've said this before on this blog, but I've always been a bit jealous of my parent's generation who had JFK, a politician that people were actually excited about. A politician who inspired them and the whole nation to go to the moon! I have finally found that kind of politician in Barack Obama.

The man isn't perfect, hell part of what he's campaign on is the fact he's not a Washington insider, and it shows with some of this 'newbie' mistakes. He's had misteps, as has his wife, and I'm sure there will be more. Oh as an aside I feel the same way Michelle does, it is the first time I've been proud of my country. I've been proud of people in my country before but never of my country as a whole.

Anyway Obama will learn how to express the fact that people in rural areas have turned to things they know they can win politically instead of what would really help them without actually accusing them of clinging to their 'guns and god' like it was a bad thing. Maybe he'll even learn to bowl, who knows, but he's run a fantastic campaign that isn't in debt and has invigorated people who usually don't pay attention to the political process. That alone could become one of his biggest accomplishments if he can make it stick, inspiring a whole generation of people to get involved would be a big accomplishment.

Something specific brought this on tonight. I was watching MSNBC, as I do pretty much every day, and the wonderful Rachel Maddow brought up the spouse issue. It got me thinking and I agree completely. Basically, I want the first woman president to be someone who got their on her own accomplishments and not her husband's.

This is why I'm most likely not going into hardware...

I just created a circuit where 10 * 2 = 66

This is what we call 'new math', or 'Ester's headache'... both work

Dropped the AI Class

I just can't do all of it and instead of letting my grades suffer (and this hardware class they just might suffer anyway) I just dropped the AI class. I'm sad about it and I hope I can take it some other time. I added back the class in July (I currently have it both places) in case they can schedule another AI class next January. I'll email my professor again this week asking about an independent study option also.

Driving home back to San Diego today. The twins had a great birthday weekend and are five now! We went to see Sesame Street Live and while it was good it went on a bit long for their (and my) attention spans. They had a good time though which was what really mattered.

So much less stress this month than I was anticipating, now I have no excuse to not rock these hardware classes. I haven't figured out my actual grade yet but since this is all new material I'm not upset about not getting an A.

Need to see Iron Man =)

Hardware

This month's class consists of designing logic circuits. It's actually more interesting than I thought it would be, and much more difficult. I"m getting the hang of it though so that is good.

Next weekend the twins turn five!! The idea is to leave on Wed for Phoenix and be back on Monday which is the beginning of my AI class. Oh and the hardware class doesn't actually end until the end of May. May is going to be really really busy but I can do it.

The trick will be to get a big portion of my paper for the hardware class done next weekend, one less thing to worry about in May. I'm doing it on solid state hard drives, the kinds you have in the iPhone etc. They're great, small with no moving parts so less heat etc but they're also really really expensive. That is one of the reasons my iPhone cost as much as it did, the hard drive.

If I can get that to a rough draft status this next weekend (inbetween Twin's stuff) that puts me ahead for May giving me a bit more breathing room.

I have a midterm on Tuesday and I want to get my next lab in by that day also. That way I have lots of time to do the next week's assignments without stress over getting things in on time.

No word yet on any internships this summer. I'm so torn over that, I want the experience, I'd love to be working in an office again with people! But the idea of having the whole month of July off is so appealing. So to compromise I've only applied for two internships and am only actively perusing one. If I don't get that one then I"ll just be poor =) The experience would be invaluable so I am actively trying to get it, but the silver lining would be a whole month off to work on the garden and stuff around the house... and to play WoW!!!

It's all about who you know

I may have mentioned this but I'm applying for an internship for this summer. I applied, among other places, my old company of Sony Online Entertainment. I am on very good terms with the CEO, he's a great guy and despite the fact I quit quite a few years ago we've been friendly every since.

So I emailed him tonight telling him that I applied for an internship, I figured it could only help my chances of getting the job. I heard back from him and apparently his father got his degree from my University. He isn't in charge of the actual hiring but he's going to 'put in a good word for me' with someone else who I was also friendly with all those years ago.

I feel my chances are good. No guarantees of course, for all I know they have multiple applications with much better resumes, but I feel pretty good about it.

Made my night!

Wrists and such

Well my wrist has been hurting for about.... 7 years. I've pretty much ignored it when I can, just careful not to use it too often and look like a complete wuss as I can't lift much of anything. When I couldn't empty out the cast iron pan last night I decided to do something about it and went to the doctor today.

I'm in a brace. I'm supposed to 'take it easy typing'. I can't type with the brace on (I took it off to type this). This isn't going to work with work and school. I do haver some nice pain killer/anti inflammatory drugs that I'm on for a month or so but I'd have an easier time not walking then I do not typing. I guess I'll just wear the brace when I can and see what happens.

On the good side these pain killers should help my hips too.

Anyway it's not carpel tunnel and it's not a cyst though I am going in for an x-ray tomorrow. I'm supposed to go to physical therapy also but I can't call them till Thursday. I may be getting a new keyboard though, and I really like mine!

Going to be a long month

Woot! Did well again

Got an A- in Algorithm Design!! That brings my gpa back up to a 3.4, I want a 3.5 but this is in the right direction. I was a bit concerned as I really had no idea what my grade was in that class, but I'm very happy with an A-!

Trying to remember to update more often

Week one of classes so far so good. I have 2/3 of my homework due Tuesday done with an email into the professor with questions and the item I need to do Thursday's homework will be here on Wednesday. So far it's just doing math in other bases besides 10, not very exciting but ehhh it works.

As it turns out I do have another class in May, and as long as I can take her final a day early I can do all three of them. I really really want to keep this AI class so hopefully I can get it worked out. Going to go hermit again in May but it's all good.

It's HOT here all of a sudden. I miss my '70 with a breeze' weather, almost 90 really isn't doing it for me. Bleck

Time off of School

I moved a class around and I'm taking July off from school. I've been going non stop since last March and will from Aug to next March so I figure a break will be helpful. Don't know what, if anything, I'm going to do but it will be nice to let my brain just kind of be empty.

So from June 28th to Aug 5th I have no classes. Can't afford a trip overseas really but I am not looking to just stay home and play WoW. It's kind of funny as I live where most people go for vacation, makes it a bit harder to plan one of my own!

Might be a moot point if I get an internship over the summer but then it will be a month of much less stress either way. Then it's Aug to Christmas break straight through and then three months left!

I still have to take Physics in there but I'm not doing it this summer since I'm taking July off, if I'm going to take a month off I want it OFF. Hopefully there will be a five week version offered next January so I can be really done by the end of March 09. Yeah me!

Schedule Conflicts

Ok this sucks.

I'm currently enrolled in AI for May and I've been really looking forward to that class. Now apparently it seems the class I'm in right now runs for two months so if I stay in AI I get to double up again. So really don't want to do that thanks.

I emailed the Faculty Lead to see what's up and if they'll offer AI again. I even have the textbook!

I'll double up in May but that is also the last month on my Sun Internship so that will be kind of nuts. Bleck!

Price of Food

I know I'm a bit behind the curve here, and I also know that there are others who are in much more dire straights than I am, but today the price of groceries really hit me hard. I spent 150, after 'saving' about 25 by not buying almost anything that wasn't on sale, and I didn't splurge or buy a bunch of stupid stuff.

A gallon of milk was almost 5 dollars, eggs were just as bad. Juice was five bucks for a quart or whatever it was. I don't cook much so there were frozen foods involved and my diet coke addiction got a bit pricey, but I didn't buy any alcohol, ice cream or chips. I got one chicken breast and one lb of hamburger. My junk food consists of bagels, my extravagances beyond the diet coke are the weight watchers frozen dinners. I can't imagine buying groceries for a family of four, let alone bigger.

Gas prices are insane, which is what the food prices are being attributed to, and I don't really go anywhere and it effects even me. I saw 4.05 for Premium in Bakersfield this weekend. Yes that is a tourist trap but it's the first time I've seen it break that four dollar threshold. The only plus lately is that my home equity loan's interest rate is dropping dramatically. Unfortunately my student loan is in a fixed rate a full two points above the home equity loan.

Home prices are dropping and gas prices are rising. I understand the whole supply and demand concept and what a bubble is and what happens when it breaks, consumer confidence oh and that little war driving up prices, but knowing these things intellectually and actually seeing the results are two different things.

What happens when wages drop and yet the price of a gallon of milk is still five dollars? I don't have children depending on me, I have resources the 'average' person doesn't have and it's kind of freaking me out, what happens to that family that can't afford to feed their kids and drive to work and pay the heating bill all at the same time?

I read an article today that basically talked about how mortgage companies are just abandoning foreclosed houses to avoid paying the taxes on these empty houses as they can't sell them. This is causing whole neighborhoods with scores of empty houses where crime and drugs just move in further lowering housing prices and causing a viscous cycle.

Honestly I don't know what to do, I don't have very much sympathy for people who got 'teaser' rate loans counted on equity to bail them out. They bought homes they couldn't afford and are now paying the price, but that price is effecting the whole country. There are people who were duped, lied to and taken advantage of, and those people deserve help a hell of a lot more than some bank does, and honestly how do we tell the two apart? How do we know if this person bought more than they could afford banking on equity to pay it off later and how many people thought they were getting this amazing deal and could live in a home they never thought they could afford.

It's hard to say no when the 'American Dream' is dangled in front of you especially when there is a fast talking banker saying 'oh don't worry the rates won't REALLY go up, just sign here!' Those people I do feel sorry for and this administration is just watching it happen.

Spring Break Done

Vegas was great. School starts again tomorrow which I'm kind of of two minds about, but it should be good, I hope =)

The dog is still digging, apparently he didn't do it when I was gone just when I left today. I'm kind of at a loss there.

Beyond that I'm back to 'normal', the weather is amazing as usual and I'm just kind of hanging out, playing video games and trying to learn stuff at school. It's all good!