robot pirate scorpion

I’ve got some projects that I want to work on and I felt that my current setup (OS X 10.4 on a mac mini + ok-but-not-great monitor) was holding me back.  It was time to do something about it, so I went down to the Apple store and bought a new macbook pro.  It’s fancy, it’s fast, and I love it.  Now i have no excuses keeping me from starting the many projects that i’ve been whining about not being able to start because of “equipment problems”.

okay.  i get it.  i’ve been hearing the same thing from several distinct sources, and they’ve all been telling me that writing on a (semi-) regular basis is important.  apparently, it’s the only way to be both a better writer and a better programmer (more on that later).  so now, as part of starting the new year in the right direction, i’m going to fill in some of the blanks since last posting in may.

if you’ve been reading my dispatches for a while now, or if you take a minute to browse through the archived offerings, you’ll notice a pattern.  lately, the posts have increasingly focused on geekery.  this is a reflection of the changes in my circumstances as well as a change in my fixations.

i spent the last few years working off-and-on while taking some math and science courses part-time.  most of the jobs i had tended to be either boring, monotonous, or unfulfilling.  after years of procrastination, distraction, and indecision, i decided to apply for admission into the computer engineering program at concordia university.  last july i received my offer of admission while finishing the last prerequisite course.

the program is a mix of math, programming, and electronics: subjects i’ve found fascinating although not always my strongest.  my classes are interesting and challenging- the exact opposite of my previous school and work experiences- and exactly what i need.  after getting through a rough introductory semester, i can say that this is one of the better decisions i’ve made.

since i’m already preoccupied with programming and nerdy computer stuff, and there are tons of projects that i intend to start (and hopefully finish), this blog is increasingly going to reflect that.  i’m going to share what i’m working on- i hope mostly non-school projects- and what i am getting into.  later this week i’ll be attending a conference about software engineering, CUSEC, so expect a report of my experience there or at least a brief rundown of my impressions as a start to this new year of consistent posting.