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Jul. 17th, 2008 @ 10:12 pm Plans and Progression
Current Mood: busy
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I just heard about Pi-Con (Springfield, MA in late August), and I must say the line-up of guests and programs makes me awfully tempted to go. Unfortunately, I'd have to nail down that plan in the next few days or so. Going so soon after Confluence seems perhaps overly expensive, but I had planned to explore the con scene more now that I can afford to do so.

That aside, things have been same-old, same-old. Exercising heavily, adding highly engineered meal substitute to my diet (protein powder shakes don't taste great, but make me feel a bit like a spaceman), being super-confused at work and worried that this stuff will remain perpetually over my head, trying to get more sleep, trying to get more hours in at work, trying to make the most of my free time. Going on dates with people who are nice and cute, but where things never quite "click". Finding new activities to explore. Etc.
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L33t zombie
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Jul. 10th, 2008 @ 12:23 am Not So Eventful
Current Mood: blah
Current Music: Le Tigre - On the Verge
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I've been watching my diet this week and exercising a lot. My weight is fluctuating heavily (sometimes up and down several pounds in less than a day), so it's hard to tell if that's trending downward or not. My strength and endurance are gradually improving, though.

I'm still trying to meet new people. I'm going to a movie with someone who suddenly acquired a boyfriend after we first exchanged emails but before we had to chance to meet. It's like a first date where I come pre-rejected.

It's my birthday.
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L33t
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Jun. 26th, 2008 @ 11:33 pm Technology On and Off
Current Mood: excited
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I went to the Boston Lisp Meetup on Wednesday, which was pretty good. The main talk was on implementing run-time contracts (type-checking or otherwise) in Scheme, a necessary component in a system that uses partially typed Scheme (PDF). In particular, it covered the tricky problem of implementing run-time type contracts for parametric polymorphic functions.

On a diametrically opposed note, I'm going to Sandy Island Camp on Lake Winnipesaukee (map) with my family all of next week (Saturday to Saturday), which means I'll be without phone, computer, and internet. That bit makes me grimace, but I'm still very much looking forward to it, and I'm sure the periodic detox is good for me in the long run.
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Jun. 22nd, 2008 @ 09:44 pm Health Food or Not
Current Mood: full
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Dinner was delicious, healthy, and refreshing (it's really muggy outside):
Steamed asparagus with lime and salt
Lowfat yogurt with honey
Orange juice
Carrot sticks
A few cashews

On the other hand, lunch was Sunday brunch out with DJ, so that was:
Steak
Eggs (2)
Hash browns
Pancakes (2)

At least the portions weren't IHOP level; they were fairly reasonable for a diner. Still makes me feel my Sunday diet is somewhat bipolar.
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Food
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Jun. 20th, 2008 @ 09:10 pm The Damage Report
Current Mood: determined
Current Music: PodCastle 12
Tags: , ,
Results of my fitness evaluation from last Saturday:

Weight: 195 lbs.
BMI: 31.5

Fitness Scores
(1-100, 50 is average, higher is better, compared to other males my age)
Bodyfat (3-Pinch Measure): 30 (19.6%)
Bodyfat (Impedance Measure): 10 (26.0%)
Resting Heart Rate: 28 (74 BPM)
Active Heart Rate: 5 (143 BPM)
60-Second Situps: 12 (25 reps)
Maximum Pushups: 10 (10 reps)
Sit-Reach Flexion: 55 (17.5 in.)

So, not a good situation. My strength and bodyfat percentage were as bad as expected, although I was a bit surprised that my cardiovascular health is that dismal. At least my flexibility is all right, so I don't have to fix that before I can do a proper workout.

My first week of physical training has gone well. My hamstrings and lower back were sore early in the week, but they've recovered well. I'm getting in regular cardio workouts along with my strength training sessions, and I'm up to burning calories at a speed I find satisfactory (a little over 600 kCal/hr).
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Rock!
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Jun. 14th, 2008 @ 11:57 pm Freshman 15 Plus Interest
Current Mood: determined
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The last semester has been bad for my health. My weight skyrocketed: I'm over 190 lbs. now, and my BMI and body fat percentage both peg me at slightly into the "obese" range. My cardiovascular fitness is also unhealthily low.

I've enrolled in a personal trainer program, so hopefully more regular workouts, the weekly yoga class I'm taking at my office, and a closer eye on my diet will be enough to get me into better shape.
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Rock!
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Jun. 10th, 2008 @ 08:31 pm Spending Money
Current Mood: chipper
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Sunday brunch at The Druid in Inman is a bit on the expensive side, but their Irish breakfast is amazingly good.

In unrelated news, some graduation gifts (in monetary form) arrived in the mail from various relatives. Not sure what I'll buy yet, but I have an inkling.

Now I need to write some proper thank you notes...
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Moochery
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Jun. 3rd, 2008 @ 11:07 pm Attempts
Current Mood: okay
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Be productive, watch my diet, cut back on caffeine, get enough sleep. Make new friends, don't let work eat my social life. Continue with Japanese, make progress on my to do list. Don't stress too much.
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Conga!
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Jun. 2nd, 2008 @ 12:39 am Housewarming
Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: Larry Unger & Ginny Snowe - Cafe Waltz/In The Boulangerie
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Housemates and I threw a housewarming party today, which went excellently.

The house has been named "The Haunted Grotto". Grotto is more or less apt, the house is small, old, pretty, and tucked out of the way. As far as haunted goes, I'll defer to Patti's more expert judgment...
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Pirate Hat
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May. 31st, 2008 @ 06:24 pm $_$
Current Mood: chipper
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Payday has come and gone, and my financial troubles are over forever*!

Work: Getting started with bugs, learning the details of unit testing and assertions, confusing and frustrating but interesting, and I feel I'm starting to get stuff done.

Social: Evidently, I can find people to date on OKCupid. (The secret, of course, is to be direct about it so they know you're interested in more than idly chatting online.) Who knows if I'll be able to turn first dates into second dates, though. I miss Sarah, too...

I thought my cousin Amy's graduation celebration was today, in the afternoon, but in fact it's next week, in the evening. Oops. The unnecessary trip wasn't a total waste of time, since I got some reading done, but I'm still embarrassed.

* Probably overly optimistic.
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Rock!
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May. 22nd, 2008 @ 09:14 pm Launched Out
Current Mood: energetic
Current Music: Enur - Calabria (Radio Edit)
Tags: , , , ,
The new house: My room is small, but the house is nice and the location is great, less than a mile from countless great shops and restaurants, three T stops, and my job, and right next to a bus stop, grocery store, and drug store.

The new job: Intense. I'm working on ITA's core technology, which means a code base of a million lines of Lisp or so (plus some other languages) and a system architecture beyond the ken of mere mortals. I'm getting a very different feel for Lisp than the limited use that CS classes provided. Lisp can be terribly complex and awesomely elegant. It will probably take me some time to get up to speed, though. My coworkers are friendly and skilled, the food is great, there's a movie night and a yoga class every week.

Other stuff: Went to see the new Indiana Jones movie last night with Xave and other members of DOOMCom. It was pretty sweet. Moral of the story: Harrison Ford is still Indiana Jones.
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Matrix Largo
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May. 18th, 2008 @ 08:53 pm College Over
Current Mood: stunned
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I'm graduated, with a diploma and everything. I've moved into my new home. Seeing my family was very nice. I start work at ITA Software tomorrow.

Guess I'm in the real world now.
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L33t
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 04:41 pm "SCOPE's Canceled"
Current Mood: jubilant
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I'm done with work for the semester! Yeah!
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May. 13th, 2008 @ 12:49 am Relationship
Current Mood: calm
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One other note from the weekend: Sarah's back home for the summer, so we're both single again (although with plans to stay in touch and hopes of resuming a dating relationship in the fall). I'm fairly pleased with the current state of things, although I wish I'd had another chance to see her before she left town. Couldn't be helped, though...
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Affection!
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May. 12th, 2008 @ 12:29 am Packed
Current Mood: satisfied
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Yesterday: Mel's birthday party, ramen afterwards at the Porter Exchange, then to the Sunset Bar and Grill for dessert. Everyone else had Sam Adam's Triple Bock (the Merlot of beers, evidently; smelled quite interesting, but I held off for the sake of my stomach), a few (including me) had some of their specialty ice cream.

Today: Moving day! Walked to Wellesley Hills, took commuter rail into town, rented a U-Haul van with Maya, managed avoid any accidents and/or near-death situations (save for a few Boston-driving-induced cardiac incidents). Celebrated at Tosci's with an excellent rootbeer float (Porter Wort flavor, which has a strong molasses taste, goes very well with root beer, and makes today the second day in a row I've had beer-flavored ice-cream). After that, had dinner at the Border Cafe in Harvard Square with Laura and friends, took the Senate Bus back to Wellesley, and walked home to Olin.
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Food
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May. 10th, 2008 @ 08:13 am 朝だよ
Current Mood: awake
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Up surprisingly early this morning. I'm a bit hungry, had a small, early dinner yesterday. Maybe that has something to do with it.

Olin Mel's birthday party is today, on Boston Common. I'm looking forward to it. I'm hoping I'll get to see Sarah before she skips town, too. She's been super-busy with finals.
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Why Me?
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May. 10th, 2008 @ 01:23 am Movie and a Meeting
Current Mood: bouncy
Tags: , ,
Iron Man is sweet. Missing my SCOPE meeting for photos, not so sweet. Oops. But the meeting still got done.

Although the penalty for delaying said meeting rendered me quite inebriated...
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Drink
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May. 6th, 2008 @ 02:19 am Chute Deployed
Current Mood: surprised
Tags: ,
I am feeling the sensation of sudden deceleration as my school-related work suddenly approaches zero.

Remaining:
SCOPE - Expo presentation (next week)
Software Systems - Final (Friday)
OSS - Record video of software demo (Wednesday)
Japanese - DONE

So I'm totally free tomorrow!
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May. 1st, 2008 @ 04:20 pm Naptime FAIL
Current Mood: tired
Tags: ,
1. I'm tired, I should take a nap.
2. I need to do laundry this afternoon, so I should put that on first.
3. I'm doing laundry, so I should wash my sheets while I'm at it.

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L33t
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May. 1st, 2008 @ 11:55 am Last Day of Class
Current Mood: bored
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Gave blood yesterday, had a cavity filled today. Wrapping up work along with the medical stuff.

Sketchy cab-driver guy apparently thinks Barack Obama is "communist", "anti-semetic", "arrogant", and "unelectable". Seems ludicrous to me, but I hope this doesn't represent the opinion of the "average American voter". Scott Adams seems to think it does (more or less).

Things left to wrap up:
SCOPE - Report, expo presentation, code walkthrough
OSS - Code cleanup, video demo
Software Systems - Final project report, final exam
Japanese - Final exam
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