Phoenixrage

#EngineerProblemsNow that all my monitors are in one place again (was using 2x23" on campus and 1x32" when at my folks), I need to build a new piece of furniture for holding them all so I can use them all together, and also maybe a keyboard desk that has a slot for my netbook to use it at the same time as well (because I-Have-Too-Many-Terminals was said by no compy engineer ever).

Welcome to the power of the Home Depot?

Also, if I could afford a third 23" monitor I'd be so happy so I could max out my monitor slots. Sure this would be the part I'm supposed to say "a second 32" or "a new 60" main!", but realistically, I'd be deliriously happy with 3x23" as peripheral desktop space and 32" as the main. At least until I graduate and can afford to waste money, then it's so going to be 3x60" and 1x900", naturally.

mit viel Liebe,
_phoenixrage
yes, I did mean 900"

2 weeks ago | Comments (0)

That sort of tired.I just spent 1/2hr trying different pins for my dorm room because I couldn't remember what it was. #EngineeringProblems #FinalsWeek #LoveUnnecessaryHashtags

That moment whena teammate tells you your final presentation paper is due the 3rd, not the 13th.

Freescale and FreecoholI am out of shape. That would be my body's initial reaction to the aftermath of the Freescale Cup. In summation of everything that came out of this weekend, though:

It started with a bit of a bump, seeing that I don't have cell service and a teammate's directions to where we were meeting ended up getting me to the wrong parking lot. After about 40 mins of not seeing anyone and not having a way to get in touch with people, I went off to Hope and emailed our team cap, they were still waiting around and picked me up and we were on the road.

After a Subway stop and a nature stop (men's rest stop), we managed to do okay time out to CALIFORNIAAAA..., Pennsylvania. I was so teased when I thought we were going to California-proper the first time our professor told us where the competition was.

We checked in at Cal U of Pennsylvania, where the University Police cop guy person told us where to go (J Cool's) and where not to go (McMo's and Ciggs). My reaction, "we have to go to McMo's and Ciggs!" We ended going to J Cool's... what. a. dive. I got sort of bored so I did what I do when I'm awkward and bored

I ended up finding a karaoke bar (score!) and some other cool places on campus that turned out not to be all that far off (you fail, University Police cop guy person). I end up getting back to the hotel close to 1am, where I'm a little surprised to see they had all ready come back to sleep (though Nate seems not to remember this, he was out coooold from sleep).

Competition day was stressful and long. We ended up having our practice time cut short just as a change was made to the software, so the group took the risk on using the untested software instead of going with the known-good version. Payoff didn't pan out as we ended up not being able to finish the track

Our sister team, on the other hand, turned out to have the odds be ever in their favor: they managed to secure the East Coast Title for URI! It was our university's first year attempting the competition and we (including professor) had no prior experience with the hardware they had given us to work with, so this was a huge feather in our school's cap. Their time only lost to UC Berkeley (the West Coast Champs), so our professor was all

Lots and lots of photos later, we ended up going out to a free dinner and drinks courtesy of our professor (who was happily riding on cloud 9). We at at Primanti Brothers which had some great edibles and drinkables, then (courtesy of Foursquare) we found House of a 1000 Beers, which was no joke. It was beer brands as far as the eye could see.

Our professor headed back to the hotel and we then proceeded to continue the celebration. This is when it's a good thing that I have a hearty Colombian constitution and that I've gone through some serious German training when it comes to drinking

. We also ran into another of the competition teams during the night at Lagerhead from the host university, they were very nice to us and treated us to a bunch of rounds and shots and orange peanuts.

Tim and I herded our teams home, where I got to have a long (and very necessary) talk with my bro (

). My head in a good place and my body finally chirping that it would like some sleep, I gave it a couple of hours of tribute. My close friends will laugh when they hear I was first to wake up and last to be ready to leave (my inertia for leaving my bedroom = legendary).

A long road trip home (14hrs with stops, sidestepping traffic jams, grabbing gear from URI) and I'm back in Pawtucket, and now it's exam mode. Well, first it's bed mode, then food mode, then bed mode, then exam mode ;)

meanwhile, in Pennsylvaniain the city of California, PA tonight and tomorrow for a robotics competition, leaving Sunday morning.

ConsolidationDeactivated my Facebook account for the meantime. We'll see how long that lasts.

secret hobbyi like building houses of cards. it's not so much about making huge or intricate houses for me. it's the feeling as you build it, the impending doom. the sense of hubris just before it all comes crashing down is gratifying.