So my current monitor is a... what was it? 17" LCD, 1280x1024. I'm quite satisfied with it. I like it. It's a nice monitor. I figured this was going to be the monitor I'd be taking with me to college.
My dad figured otherwise. So before I even knew it, today sitting at the bottom of the stairs is a 21.5" widescreen LCD, 1920x1080.
... I mean, wow, that's awesome, but I kinda feel bad about him spending all that money on me. o__o
Very nice to have a clean slate that I haven't screwed up with loads of downloaded @&*^!! While the OS was setting up, I compiled a list of the programs I really use, various utilities like 7-zip and TeraCopy, etc. got all that stuff installed and now it's basically usable.
Speaking of which, stick with Vista vs. upgrade to Windows 7, pros/cons of each? Anyone more tech-savvy with some suggestions?
Oh yeah, just for a change, I installed OpenOffice instead of MS Office. I'll have to get used to using it, I guess, but I may as well. Keep with the times, eh?
Currently transferring 42.57 gigs of data, and then I'll basically be done. All that's left is little stuff like what wallpaper I'm gonna use...
Thankfully I've gotten rid of most of the annoying things (like asking for permission for EVERYTHING. "Did you copy this file?" "Did you start this installation?" YES I DID DARNIT) but there's this one thing the source of which I simply haven't a clue... these noises.
For one thing, Vista is significantly noisier than XP. Either that or the noises are just more obtrusive, instead of the very functional, to-the-point digital beeps and clicks of normal XP usage... Vista seems to have replaced those with various chimes and tones.
But when I delete to the beginning of a form, click on something, perform a function, and it makes a sound, I at least get what's causing that. But every now and then there will be these odd low-pitched chime noises... which I can't even find the source of-- there, it happened again, it was like a doo-dee-doo-doo, and I haven't a clue what's even causing it! Augh, there it goes again! There are two variations, one rising pitch, one falling pitch, they always come in pairs... and I dunno what's doing it.
Like, seriously, whose idea was it to make Vista make all these noises anyway? I play a lot of videos and music. I don't want Windows noises going off constantly. I mean, you've seriously got a problem when you've got so many noises that you can't even find the source of all of them.
10:30 PM - Started watching Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei ep 02, subbed by gg. Realized that the .mkv file was not HD quality.
10:31 PM - Ripped the subtitle script using an .mkv extraction utility. Started watching the episode using an HD raw with the script file.
10:36 PM - Realized that the subtitles were off sync with the raw video I was using by a few fractions of a second.
10:37 PM - Ran the script through a Java app that I'd written a while ago to make minor corrections to subtitle script timings.
10:46 PM - Realized that, due to where the different raws cut the commercial break out, the latter half of the episode was again a fraction of a second off sync.
10:47 PM - Spent some time reading over the script file, and realized that using my current Java app, which selects lines to adjust based on line number, would be extremely difficult considering the script had several parts that were not in strict chronological order.
10:48 PM - Started rewriting my Java class so that it would adjust times on the basis of their relationship to a preset timestamp, and not the line number.
12:24 AM - After numerous rounds of testing, retesting, comparing the script with the video, working out compiler errors, discovering problems I hadn't considered before, and consulting the Java documentation, the class is complete, functional, and free of bugs and glitches. I run the app, fix the script, and realize that it probably would have taken less time to open the script file in TextPad and manually change all the timestamps.
Nonetheless I praise my own genius at getting the app to work.
Okay, so if you're comparing two things, you have to use the comparative, e.g. "Comparing the red car and the blue car, the red car is faster," and you can't say "the red car is fastest."
If you're comparing three or more things, however, you use the superlative, e.g. "Comparing the red, yellow, and blue cars, the red car is fastest," and you can't say "the red car is faster."
What if, however, you've got three things, but you talk about two of them compared to the third? As in, "Comparing the red, yellow, and blue cars, the red and blue cars are [faster/fastest]."
... which would you use?
I'm kinda leaning towards the comparative but I'm not sure.
When I wake up tomorrow morning (or I should say today morning) the answer will probably seem obvious but oh well.
And yes, there's going to be somebody standing there. I've actually gotten further along on that part... I just hid the layers. =)
Eh, it's probably pushing it, but I did try to imitate the patterns on Bionicle parts, and the wall and the floor do "fit together" if you look at the connection.
EDIT: And this is why we read! Yeah, off to do some modifications since I think that's stretching it way too much as far as custom goes. Wall sucked anyway. Might be able to get away with the floor and railing.
Like seriously, what was up with those Ancient Greeks?
So I'm on Book 9 of the Iliad, and I get to the part where Agamemnon spends something like fifty lines listing all the stuff he'll give Achilleus if the latter will be persuaded to rejoin the battle. And I'm like, "Holy geez, that's a lot of stuff. Like, a seriously huge amount of stuff."
And obviously Achilleus refuses.
WHAT THE HECK.
In other news, I'm up to episode 8 of Lain. Every time I think things are starting to make sense, something else happens that just... doesn't. Also this show is extremely creepy and unnerving. Like the scene where everyone is staring at Lain.
Okay so I'm currently waiting for the painkiller to kick in and trying to ignore the sharp throbbing in my left upper gum.
I think I'll go watch random Vocaloid vids off Nico to distract myself...
The disappointing thing is the painkiller isn't having any funky mind-altering effects. :< That might partially make up for the whole experience, but noooo I don't even feel drowsy.
I'm gonna be on all sorts of painkillers for the rest of tomorrow and over the weekend! I should probably marathon Lain while I'm still pumped full of drugs. It'd probably make more sense.
Although being the coward I am I generally avoid any roller coasters taller than my house, today I went to Six Flags (Great Adventure) with a friend('s family) and ended up being forced onto most of the big coasters there.
As it turns out, they're not so bad! Also as it turns out, inversions are not what I'm afraid of (they're fun!), I just don't really like the huge drops (first drop of Nitro = OHMYGAWDOHYMYGAWDOHMYGAWD).
... I wanna go on Batman again.
Oh yeah, Kingda Ka was closed (wouldn't have gone on it anyway, even after Nitro). I swear, that thing is closed more than it's open. There's a reason nobody else builds coasters that tall!
Reading the Iliad (translated by Richmond Lattimore) as summer reading for Lit Hum next year.
The ancient Greeks sure knew a lot about medicine. You can tell. They've got such detailed descriptions of exactly which internal organs were stabbed for each hero who falls.
In all seriousness though, it really does go to show how much about the human body they knew. They knew which organs and parts of the body were vital and would cause death if harmed, and which parts of the body could sustain injury without being fatal. They knew the relative positions of the organs inside the body, and probably had a good idea of the function of each organ.
It's pretty cool to go into this already with a pretty good background on the ancient Western world and epic poetry. It also really goes to show that the Aeneid really is Homer fanfiction. Vergil uses a lot of techniques and styles that I'm seeing in the Iliad, like really long, almost tangential metaphors, for instance. It's also interesting to note some things like lines that are repeated pretty much word for word; I believe I read somewhere that since the Iliad and the Odyssey were originally orally recited, memorized epics, the repeated verses were meant to make it easier on the guy doing the memorizing.
On a completely unrelated note I started Serial Experiments Lain and boy is it a mind trip. o_O
So I've been watching a lot of anime to pass the time until, you know, college. Been averaging around 40 eps/week these past few weeks according to MAL. I marathoned ef - a tale of memories (excellent), finished Soul Eater (bad ending, fun series), finished Spice and Wolf (didn't get what everyone was talking about till episode 5, after that it was good), finished Higurashi (nightmares), finished Nanoha first season (better than I thought it'd be from the first few eps), finished Aria the Animation (so relaxing...), started Azumanga Daioh, started Higurashi Kai, started Aria the Natural, caught up with the subs of all the current series I was behind on, kept following the other current series I'm up to date with including the new Haruhi (endless Endless Eight whaaaat), and watched the premiere of Umi Monogatari (Satou Jun'ichi + other Aria staffs = yey. Satou Jun'ichi is literally the only reason I decided to watch this show).
By the way. Did I mention that it's REALLY FREAKING HOT? Blargh...
For those with a Nico account, it's sm7357773. Well, one version of it, at least, with a nifty accompanying video.
Around 50 or 60 (probably more) Nico meme songs mashed into one crazy eleven minute dance mix.
What I recognized, in order:
» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «Black Rock Shooter (supercell ftw)
A Gakupo song that I’ve heard, but don’t know the name of
Sand Canyon from Kirby
This one is Touhou-related and sounds REALLY familiar… but I can’t place it.
Rainbow Girl
Saikyou Pare-Parade (Suzumiya Haruhi radio show OP)
The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku
Macross Frontier related (two songs in a row?). Haven't seen the show, but I believe that's Ranka Lee with the green hair and the pose.
Judging by the video, this is related to Evangelion. This means I should know it, except I don’t.
World is Mine (supercell again)
Tettette (memeriffic!)
Popipo (likewise)
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (Miyazaki Hayao. Haven’t seen it yet)
Megurine Luka singing something. I’ve heard this song before, but don’t remember what it’s called.
Meltdown (feat. Kagamine Rin)
Super Smash Bros something or other (yeah I don’t play many video games)
Uninstall (Ishikawa Chiaki, Bokurano OP)
Marisa Stole the Precious Thing (IOSYS)
Hare Hare Yukai (with odd male voice filter; Suzumiya Haruhi ED)
Motteke! Serafuku (Lucky Star OP)
Dear You (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni [Kai?], haven’t finished the series yet but this song is somewhere in it)
Airman ga Taosenai
Melt (more supercell)
God Knows (Suzumiya Haruhi IN)
Caramelldansen (naturally)
Don’t Say “Lazy” (K-On! ED)
Aaaand... NicoNico Douga… loves you.
Not gonna cheat and grab song titles off the Nico comments.
For those without a Nico account... uh, search for 七色のニコニコ動画
Me: Okay, I've parked.
Dad: All right, let's go.
Me: Wait, what button locks the car?
Dad: Oh, don't worry about it. No one will want to steal our car anyway.
Me: *looks at beat-up, 13-year-old Maxima with paint scratches, no hubcaps, and a bent license plate* Well, that's true.
Me: It's hot out. Should I close the windows?
Mom: Hmmm, you can leave them open a little. It doesn't really matter though. Nobody's going to want to steal our car.
Classes, at least. All that's left is the Physics field trip (to Six Flags. Yeah. We'll be doing loads of "physics") and Senior Society (aka go volunteer somewhere instead of going to classes. No homework, no tests, I'm perfectly fine with that).
Whether the line between them is fine or not, there is no doubt that these two girls were way over it.
So the other day, after yet another five-hour night, I also happened to be somewhat sick with a cough. So while usually I'd be awake by the afternoon, this time I got on the bus, plopped my backpack on the seat, tossed my jacket on my backpack, flopped down on top of both of them, and started to doze.
Now. WHY did these two feel the need to question me about my sleep habits WHEN I OBVIOUSLY WANT TO SLEEP? It's like, paradoxical. They KNOW I'm drowsy as heck... which is why they're bombarding me with questions about how much sleep I get... which is preventing me from actually GETTING any.
And it's clear they don't even care what I say either. "What were you doing up so late? Studying or watching late night TV?" "N'ther..." "What?" "Neither." "So what were you doing?" "Could you stop ask..." *sees book that I'm holding* "Oh I know! You were reading!" "Eh? No, I..." "Don't lie, we know that's what you were doing."
... the heck. If you're going to insist on your own conclusions about my life, don't question me about it in the first place! Just SHUT UP and let me catch some winks! Seriously.
Missed the live because of school (by only an hour, too; if I'd know this'd happen I mighta taken the day off. I do legitimately have a cough...). LQ raw torrenting right now. Saw the new ED already.
Disappearance and all the suchstuff surrounding it was definitely my favorite story from the novels. Looking forward to it muchly. ^^
Oh, I did manage to catch K-On! 8 live, though. Yay half days. Yay new insert song.
EDIT: Scratch that, troll raw. Figured it was too early.
Next:
Implement powerups; EDIT: partially done.
Implement dying/lives system (right now if you get hit you disappear for good);
Implement game over system;
Implement score system;
Figure out some kind of menu;
Figure out some kind of level system (right now I think I can only do one);
Figure out some kind of high score system (shouldn't be too hard);
Figure out how to stop typing a semicolon at the end of everything (harder than it looks);
If anyone has Java Runtime Environment on their comp and wants to try out the (incomplete, occasionally buggy, and somewhat unreasonably difficult) game let me know.
Anyway this is what I've been doing nonstop almost for the past two days.
As stubborn and frequently unable to handle certain ideas that friend of mine is, he does ask some good questions.
Today he mentioned that he'd heard that in either Chinese or Japanese, the past was referred to as "forward" and the future as "backwards," while the opposite is true in English. At first I was all, "What are you talking about?" but then I though about it for a second, and I realized, hey, technically he's right, that's true for both languages, although when used in context of time, I'd usually translate them as "before" and "later."
In Chinese, you refer to something that happened a year ago as 一年前 (yi4 nian2 qian2), where the 前 means "before" or "in front." In other words, if you were saying 往前看 (wang3 qian2 kan4) that would be "look forward (in the front direction)" but 一年前 would be "one year before." In the same vein, something that will happen in a year, would be 一年后 (yi4 nian2 hou4) "one year later," and you could also say 往后看 (wang3 hou4 kan4) which would be "look behind." The equivalent Japanese characters are the identical 前 (mae) and 後 (ato).
The thing is, since I'm a native speaker, in my mind the "before" and "in front" ideas are quite simply the same concept, when I'm thinking in Chinese at least. I couldn't see why my friend kept asking for an explanation beyond the (seemingly) obvious relationship between "before" and "in front," or between "later" and "behind."
Then he said, "In English it makes sense to think about the future as forward, because you walk forward into the future, and behind you is the past."
And that was a good point, so I had to think about it a bit, and analyze the concept in my mind. I thought visually (since I think more easily visually) of the events of the future stacked up behind me and the events of the past stacked up in front of me, and wondered why that would make sense.
And then I analyzed my thought process a bit more and realized that I could imagine myself standing on a timeline, looking forward at the stuff that's already happened, and with what is yet to happen crawling forward from behind me, and that's when the distinction hit me.
I said, "Imagine a train. It travels past a fixed point. The first parts of the train, the parts in the front, have already gone past that point, and are in the past. The end of the train, the back of it, has yet to come to that point, and it is in the future.
"In other words, in Western thinking, the human walks forward into the future, but in Eastern thinking, the future comes forward towards the human."
Amazing isn't it? Love languages. Absolutely love languages.
