We just finished defending our database application project yesterday morning. It's a good thing that our CS 312 teacher extended the deadline because the RC Marketing Database System is relatively complex. We have been excruciatingly hoping for the friggin' FoxPro to cooperate with what we want it to do. We have been revising codes and layout several times that we cannot even keep track of a numbering system to label the versions of the application.
The ADD ORDER form, in particular, is madness! Error messages came out from everywhere! I have been making excuses like "It'll only work in our computers," and "FoxPro is stupid!" I cannot have the mood to enjoy recounting the chronicles of our attempts to bend FoxPro to our will, except the climax.
On the eve of our defense, the "File must be opened exclusively" devil came back like a nightmare coming true. We were frantically trying out solutions like browsing tables, modifying the data environment, and running the form several times. It was working in our home PC's. Why not in the office computer?! I remember myself stupidly reasoning out, "Baka ayaw n'ya sa computer dito sa office, sa bahay lang..." We were so desperate.
Then we realized that our home computers have something that the computer in front of us didn't have. Administrator account privileges! So we restarted the PC, typed in 'administrator' in the user box, opened the FoxPro project file, pressed the 'Run' button, tested the ADD ORDER form, then here I am typing a post about how finally defending this despicable application is a breath of fresh air!
After all that, our group buried FoxPro several feet below the earth and vowed never to dig it out.
I thought I posted the "Nature's Appreciation Part 1" here in Blogger. But I discovered that it has been rotting in my dusty Friendster blog. Oh, poor blog: My Friendster Blog: Nature's Appreciation
So right now, I'm pulling this experience out of the sea of oblivion. Let's pick up from where I stopped in my post (seven months ago!).
So when we arrived at the very remote, very far-flung Tolosa, each of us were assigned a "buddy" that we have to keep an eye on. Before heading off to a rumored oasis in the middle of the dense forest-mountain, we took a break in a local sari-sari store (there's a store in the mountain?!) to buy junk food and, for some girls, to use the comfort room.
And afterwards, the journey started. It was so long and exhausting that I can't narrate it in detail. But I remember fondly our complaints during the search for the hopefully existing oasis:
(1) it just rained the day before so the land was kinda muddy; (2) since we were on the mountains, we were practically nearer to the sun and tree shades near our path were very rare, which is very ironic because we were in a semi-virgin jungle; (3) some parts of the path were adjacent to cliffs that were almost vertically steep! I thought that in case I would fall, at least I could hang on to the small, weak tree (or bush) growing out of the side of the cliff; (4) speaking of steep, we also had to pass through steep paths (of course because we were in the mountains), which led to several slips and stumbles, usually by the girls, including our moderator; (5) and finally, the worst part is when we had to have our shoes soaked in river-water, which I didn't really enjoy because I hate getting wet when I'm NOT supposed to be wet. At first I thought we only had to CROSS the shallow river. But then soon, we had to pass THROUGH the river! No bridges! I did not anticipate this so I had to endure my squeaking rubber shoes when walking on land. Plus, we were walking against the flow of water since this alleged paradise was upstream.
After all of that, I thought it was all worth it because at least I finally had a rare hiking experience and the oasis was real after all. There were small pools. One of them had a small but strong waterfall and its water could reach up to my neck. Later, our local "tour guide" climed up the coconut trees to bring down coconuts. It was funny watching him crack open the coconuts with a bolo because it reminded me of "Manang Merin and the Top," one of my favorite stories in our Literature class.
Afterwards, our moderator gathered us to give us a spiritual talk about the experience. She said that this was part of the ACIL activities to let us see unadulterated nature that reminds us of God's power and existence. She discussed a lot of other things about journeys. The most striking for me was about going through a journey you're afraid of. She told us about her experience of a sort of vocation for the nunnery. She was afraid of the idea of being a nun and had decided that such life isn't for her. But she explained that undergoing the vocation is not a journey straight to the convent, but a journey of discovering if there is or isn't a calling for her.
That actually made it easy for me to accept the invitation for a Jesuit vocation seminar two months ago. That journey is not a one-way ticket to priesthood. The seminary isn't all about preparation for ordination. It's more of the process of knowing the vocation that God called you to.
You see, we, the Catholics, believe that each of us is destined to one of the three life vocations: matrimony, singlehood, and priesthood. We do NOT CHOOSE; we are CALLED by God to one of them. However, it does not imply the denial of freedom. One can still prefer to resist the calling. But in the Jesuit vocation, a speaker mentioned that you are happier when you walk on the path that God has chosen for you. That's why, the speaker added, some people feel that something is missing in their lives as laymen. And these are the kind of men that the seminary usually encounter.
As for me, I don't think I feel something empty in my life. I admitted, in a group discussion during the seminar, that priesthood is a POSSIBILITY for me and I don't completely close my door to it. But above it, I have many more priorities. And the topmost is career. But... hmmm... I just realized that up to this point, my career plans are still vague. Well at least it's gonna be related to computer science.
But this field is very broad. In the Database subset alone, one may be a database manager, or data or database administrator, or data analyst, or database consultant, etc. I think in Systems Analysis, there's the same number of available jobs with Database. Just replace "database" with "systems," like systems analyst or systems administrator. It'd be okay too if I work in the technical side, like a programmer. But programming is also vague. I have to ask in what field would I specifically spend time programming software. Gaming? Business? Medicine? Government? Shit! More decisions!
Wait... Perhaps this ambiguity in career is a sign of God's calling to a stable and definite life in priesthood...
The Ubuntu CDs I have requested from shipit.ubuntu.com have arrived just yesterday. Wow, I cannot believe that they would actually give out free CDs for distribution. I thought there are no free stuff these days. 10 pairs for PC, four for Mac, and eight for 64-bit computers - all free. But my father had to pay P35 for the delivery or something. But then the package itself is free! It's a disappointed though because it was the same 5.10 version as the one already installed here. I expected a new version. *sigh* So much for free stuff. I guess I'd better give them away to "spread humanity to others."
I just recently realized that for the next two months, I will never return to the classrooms for anything except exams. Classes are over. Why isn't there an exclamation point after that sentence? Hmmm. What's wrong with me? I should be in a festive mood. Perhaps it's because I feel that I am going to have a hell of a schoolyear ahead. And the warning came just last Friday, during a reserch presentation.
So five groups presented their IT projects: (1) a software to create a movable 3D image of covalent bonding of molecules based on the user's formula; (2) one-player computer game version of the "Game of the Generals" with a "simple" artificial intelligence as opponent (which I'm not really impressed by); (3) a system, named ADZU SMS, that sends students their midterm and final grades to the privacy of their personal cellphones and away from the embarassment of friends, family, etc.; (4) text-to-voice software: cellphone program to vocally dictate text messages to the recipient when he needs it, for example, while driving; and (5) Chi-Ki-Cha mobile game that can be played by two to four players using their cellphones through bluetooth.
Some of the groups were attacked with intimidating questions, leaving some of them stuttering their replies, which eventually led to the practicum moderator defending the projects herself. But if I were the researchers, I'd be hostile in answering their questions. Like there was this one guy who mocked the text-to-voice software as "low-quality" because the voice was robotic, and added that there are "current" cellphone technology that offer better-quality voices. But actually, he was talking about voice messages, and sending them are expensive. Like duh! This country is eternally under economic crisis. Sending a text message is much much cheaper, and the phone itself converts it to voice. If I was one of the group members, I will come up to the mic and say, "Before I answer your questions, stupid BITCH, why don't you return to your doghouse and suck your eight tits while you listen to my replies?" That would have felt so good. But of course I'm gonna do that only in my fantasies!
You see! I'm nervous because we're next! What if our project at the end of the schoolyear would not be successful? At least now we are pressured to come up with something as excellent as possible. But what project? The practicum moderator has actually approached me and suggested a project about determining the type of a cut wood. Her father was able to catch illegal loggers and used cut wood as evidence. The type of wood needs to be determined for the case. However, it was difficult to verify the wood type since the bark and other characteristics of the wood were cut off. The only way to verify the type is to burn the wood because the smoke can tell the wood type. However, the evidence would have to be consumed in flames. Therefore, a software may eliminate the need to burn the wood by capturing and creating a 3D image of the wood and determining its type by the intricacies of its physical form. I currently have no idea how to create such software. I can say that it is similar with the technology that validates thumbprints, but I also have no knowledge of it. Therefore I have to study new concepts, from the uniqueness of each type of wood to 3D imaging.
This project is environmental, and thus a benefit. But I somehow feel that it lacks something in the sense of achievement. Perhaps I think that it is too limited to the environmental sector. But protecting the environment protects everyone, I guess. But if I accept this, I might feel that this is something imposed on me and on whoever my groupmates would be. But (this is the third consecutive 'but') I cannot think of any other project. Game? Too common. Database? Too boring. Software? Too broad. No time to narrow down further. ::sigh::
I love Pink. And also her newest video mocking stupid girls like Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson. Just watch the embedded player below. It's so funny how she impersonates those whores:
Paris Hilton especially deserves this! I hate her and her show "The Simple Life." She makes fun of people who live a simple but dignified way of living. Plus, she's talentless! I haven't watched "The House of Wax," but a friend who have told me that most of her lines were just screams! I also saw her in her new commercial eating a burger while carwashing, wearing only a two-piece bikini with her nipples visible through the bra. What a slutty sight to behold!
I also dedicate this song and video to the stupid people in my life: Baluga, Lady Marmalade, Flayer, Flayer Shaman, and oh so many more! You fuck the hell out of me! Eat these lyrics! (I especially like the lyrics in bold.)
Stupid Girls Pink
Stupid girl, stupid girls, stupid girls Maybe if I act like that, that guy will call me back What a paparazzi girl, I don't wanna be a stupid girl
Go to Fred Segal, you'll find them there Laughing loud so all the little people stare Looking for a daddy to pay for the champagne (Drop a name) What happened to the dreams of a girl president She's dancing in the video next to 50 Cent They travel in packs of two or three With their itsy bitsy doggies and their teeny-weeny tees Where, oh where, have the smart people gone? Oh where, oh where could they be?
Maybe if I act like that, that guy will call me back What a paparazzi girl, I don't wanna be a stupid girl Baby if I act like that, flipping my blonde hair back Push up my bra like that, I don't wanna be a stupid girl
(Break it down now) Disease's growing, it's epidemic I'm scared that there ain't a cure The world believes it and I'm going crazy I cannot take any more I'm so glad that I'll never fit in That will never be me Outcasts and girls with ambition That's what I wanna see Disasters all around World despaired Their only concern Will they fuck up my hair?
Maybe if I act like that, that guy will call me back What a paparazzi girl, I don't wanna be a stupid girl Baby if I act like that, flipping my blonde hair back Push up my bra like that, I don't wanna be a stupid girl
[Interlude] Oh my god you guys, I totally had more that 300 calories That was so not sexy, no Good one, can I borrow that? [Vomits] I WILL BE SKINNY
(Do ya thing, do ya thing, do ya thing) (I like this, like this, like this) Pretty will you fuck me girl, silly as a lucky girl Pull my head and suck it girl, stupid girl! Pretty would you fuck me girl, silly as a lucky girl Pull my head and suck it girl, stupid girl!
Baby if I act like that, flipping my blonde hair back Push up my bra like that, stupid girl!
Maybe if I act like that, that guy will call me back What a paparazzi girl, I don't wanna be a stupid girl Baby if I act like that, flipping my blonde hair back Push up my bra like that, I don't wanna be a stupid girl
Whew! I thought I'd have to bring this sick PC over to a computer shop again. I don't know what's wrong with this thing! Just two days ago, the PC mysteriously restarted. It could not normally log-in to Windows then. But the Ubuntu was fine. But I can't live with the latter alone. All my important files are in Windows. Plus, I could not connect to the internet through Ubuntu, which is another mystery, not to mention additional frustration!
Then, when I logged-in to Windows in safe mode, it identified the cause of the problem, which is the video card. So I tried to stupidly fix it by cluelessly altering the graphics adapter. After that, the computer did not start at all! If I had involuntary psychokinesis, it could've been triggered by my steaming fury and blasted my PC to smithereens! I wish I have that and do it on deserving people. But then I'm out of topic.
I went to school still boiling with vexation. But later, I was told that since I changed the graphics adapter to use the On Board VGA or something, I'd have to connect my monitor to the old video card. And just last night, arriving here from school, it worked! Then I returned the graphics adapter to the Add-on one, then voila! Here I am again using the Windows, typing this post.
I just realized how ignorant and negligent I am with computer hardware. But then I don't have to worry because I don't prefer to be an engineer or technician. So software, software, software... but still with little hardware of course.
As a student of Computer Science, I should start researching and building a thesis paper hypothesizing that Windows is a jealous OS that wants the computer all to itself. For the love of God! Ubuntu just has a meagre 4 gig, you selfish bitch!
The ADD ORDER form, in particular, is madness! Error messages came out from everywhere! I have been making excuses like "It'll only work in our computers," and "FoxPro is stupid!" I cannot have the mood to enjoy recounting the chronicles of our attempts to bend FoxPro to our will, except the climax.
