FishoftheBay

Microsoft: the MySpace of Software

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 02:17:28-03:00

A perfect analogy to the Microsoft vs. Apple battle in terms of design and creative control is that of MySpace vs. Facebook. see efishdesign.com

High School Drama

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:50:32-03:00

Thought: In middle school and half of high school, I would get teased not only by the "popular" sporty guys but also by the popular girls. I could understand the guys doing it...that's all they were smart enough to do. But the girls were another story.

It just occurred to me (whilst watching high school dramas on TV) that perhaps they had frustrating relationships with said "popular" sporty guys (whereby the guys didn't respect them) and therefore felt the need to lash out on completely uninvolved other boys - like me - since they knew we couldn't do anything about it. So, picking on the nerdier/geekier kids had far less consequences than actually getting mad at the guys who were the real culprits.

Damn you sporty kids.

American Teenager Secret Life

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:19:53-03:00

Ok, it may be a bit corny, but I saw so many advertisements lately for ABC Family's new show "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" that I figured I'd give it a try. So I watched a few episodes and I'll admit, it's actually pretty catchy. It makes me remember all the stupid stuff we have to deal with in high school: disingenuous jocks, fake love, fitting in, etc.

And while the show is written somewhat naively, I think it's intentional, meant to show how little we know about ourselves when we were that age. I mean goodness, I entered high school nearly eight years ago. Eight!

Plus the star of the show is really cute ;^)

Gardens in Golden Gate Park

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:24:47-03:00

Mannequin FAIL!

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 01:48:54-03:00

I saw this randomly and thought it was funny.

It's Real Life Now

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 17:32:07-03:00

As I watch a lot of friends heading back to school now for the next eight months, it's slowly sinking in that this is it for me - it's real life now. And while it's pretty sheltered compared to some people (I mean come on, luxury shuttles to work with a gourmet cafe, free computers, lots of money and other benefits...), it's still very different from being sheltered at school.

For one, the social life isn't handed to you on a stick. Other than your co-workers, there isn't a row of frat houses with parties every night. There are bars, but it's not the same. You have to work for friends now.

For another, there are actually bills to pay and responsibilities. It's not overwhelming, but it exists now. And unlike our PennSix house from last year, we can't just *not* pay the gas bill (sigh).

But regardless of the fact that I can sit in the park and reflect on the fact that my schooling *is* over and I'm on my own now, I can't help but feel excited at the things to come...

Russian Hill

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 02:49:17-03:00

I'm at a friend's party in Russian Hill, SF. It's between Coit Tower and the Fairmont and what a view its got of downtown SF.

From the roof of my friend's apartment, you can see nearly 180 degrees with the TransAmerica building in the center, Coit off to the left and the Fairmont off to the right.

And in the misty evening, everything looks like it has that romantic glow you see in model photographs.

What an Apple Fanboy

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:52:09-03:00

So, I currently have two MacBook Pros, a MacBook Air, a Mac Mini, a 30" display, a v1 8 GB iPhone *and* the new 16 GB 3G one, a 60 GB classic iPod and an AirPort express. It's awesome.

A few weeks ago I bought myself a 30" display because I've been wanting one for years. It's amazing - took a couple days to get used to, but now I'm spoiled with the screen space. When I got my MacBook Air, I started leaving the MacBook Pro at home - hooked up to the monitor - and started carrying around the Air. I use the Air for website programming and asset generation (using Adobe CS). It contains no music or video ... that's all contained on my iPhone which I always have on me too!

Not a bad setup, if you ask me. And with the iTunes remote app on the iPhone, I can connect to my wireless internet (given by the AirPort) and change the music playing in my apartment while I'm out on my sunny deck surfing the web on my ultra-portable :)

Bay Area Background

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:09:29-03:00

I figured I'd add a background image of the actual SF bay area to the site... other than the name and my quick reference to living/working in Silicon Valley, the "bay" area isn't so clear. Maybe it will be now that I've got the terrain in the background. Meh.

Outlet Searching

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:46:52-03:00

Gah! Why is it whenever I need an outlet, I can't find one? It can ruin a pleasant afternoon. You're out in the park on your ultra-portable laptop, surfing the net on wireless you stole from a neighbor who chose *not* to protect his network and then BAM 0% battery life.

So you have to leave, walking uphill of course, searching for the nearest outlet. And if you're lucky enough to find one, you're probably forced to wait uncomfortably until you're fully charged. Damn computers.

Story of the World

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:50:40-03:00

Last night, while trying to find fun things to look at on the internet with Nick, I remembered having had a pretty good experience using WeFeelFine, a project created by someone who understands the relationship between computer science and design. For those of you who don't know, it's essentially an aggregator of all the blogs on the internet, looking for specific phrases that include the words "I feel ____." As such, you can filter your search and find all the blogs where people feel "fat" or "angry" or "confident" etc. The interface for sorting through these hundreds of posts is amazingly simple and easy to use, offering an enriched and animated view of what could easily have been just a webpage with a list.

It's quite stunning and it's amazing what you can find in many random blog posts. Some people have a great way of expressing themselves and you can get a really good look at the world from reading a few of these random blog posts.

Incidentally, if you want a laugh, search for women in their 20s who feel fat. Some of the posts are hilarious.

Late Summer in San Francisco

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:45:00-03:00

It's almost September and that means we're almost to the Fall season! Fall in San Francisco is supposedly the best time of year for weather. And it's apparently true - I'm seeing the changes already. Lately it's been quite warm and sunny, sometimes blisteringly so, and nights are mild and clear. It doesn't rain, it's not as foggy and I think the whole summer warming process has reached its peak and we should have pretty awesome warmth for the next three months!

Morphing 3D Faces

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:31:37-03:00

A friend directed me to this video showing how creating a 3D model of "the average face" allows for all sorts of controls that can essentially morph the face into any face you want! Exceedingly nifty.

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1763468

Marin / Mill Valley

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:53:33-03:00

This evening I went up to Marin / Mill Valley with a friend to see Robin Williams perform at a small, local theater. Never having been too far across the Golden Gate bridge, I was quite delighted to find a small town that reminded me *so* much of Westport, CT, the wealthy/ritzy/New England town just south of where I'm from.

Marin is a quiet but quaint little suburban town full of really wealthy people. But unlike its East Coast counterpart, everyone here is insanely liberal. Chock full of Obama signs, weed, anti-war posters and decked-out VW buses, it's about as opposite from Westport as you can get - yet, still the same.

The theater reminded me of Westport Country Playhouse, which my family goes to. It's a very small, intimate theater so you get to be right up close to the stage. Robin was, of course, hilarious, performing a "work in progress" in preparation for a new HBO special.

Needless to say, it's nice to know that only 20 minutes from where I live is a place that reminds me of a much more democratic and laid-back home :)

Scrubs Fanatic

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:51:12-03:00

I've been watching a lot of Scrubs (TV show) lately. I have five seasons on my computer but I never got into it. So a few weeks ago, I deliberately started from the beginning and watched about half of season one straight through... must have been about four hours.

Since then however, I'm just busting through each episode, already nearing the end of season five (which scares me because there are only two more seasons ... and if I finish watching them, *then* what will I do?)

But anywho, I really like it now. When you know the underlying stories, the characters and the relationships, you really can appreciate the show a lot more. This is why I think all pilots should run for two hours, so you can actually get invested in the story. There's a pretty good chance that the first episode will suck and most people won't tune in anymore. The first episode of Seinfeld wasn't that good... needless to say, people gave it a second and third chance and it worked out.

I think from now on, if there's any new show on TV, I'll just wait a few weeks and watch four episodes at once. That'll really tell me if I'll like the show or not. Though I'm willing to bet I do.

Extra Large Restrooms

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:16:28-03:00

Here's something that annoys me: public restrooms that are just way too large. Seriously, have you been in a restaurant or cafe, gone to the restroom, noted that it's a *one at a time* room and there's like 20 feet between the toilet and the sink? What's with the waste of space? They could have made two tiny bathrooms out of that - and then there wouldn't be a line anymore.

One restroom I went to had a plant in it to fill up the space. This room had no windows. What an awful place for the plant.

Tea is the new Coffee...?

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:46:02-03:00

A while ago, I bought some good Chinese tea. I've since been back to purchase other varieties and now find myself making tea much more often than I would have predicted. Although I have my coffee maker and an exceedingly large amount of one-cup coffee container things, I haven't made coffee once since I moved to San Francisco. It's weird.

Oh I still drink coffee - I have it at work or at local cafes - but when I'm home, I usually just make the tea. It's probably healthier this way. In the olden days, having tea was a big deal. Now the ritual has become coffee. I wonder if tea will ever make its comeback...

The Checkout Line

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:26:07-03:00

Whenever I buy groceries, I like to freak people out by appearing super OCD in the checkout line. I'll carefully unload my cart placing items in largest to smallest, widest to narrowist and filling in every little crevice of that grid shape that is a conveyor belt.

And even if I finish early because the person in front of me *still* hasn't figured out how to use the keypad with his card, I can still use the extra time to rearrange my food, being careful not to have my pretzels fraternizing with the person behind me's peas.

If they think *that* is weird, I do the whole thing all over again when I bag.

Cool Clouds

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:01:06-03:00

On my way home to SF from San Carlos which, by the way, has a great
view of the bay.

Dolores Park

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:37:13-03:00

It's a lovely Sunday afternoon and I'm having ice cream and hanging out in Dolores Park in the Mission district. The walk here is only a few blocks, but it's certainly a popular destination on the weekends, especially when it's sunny and warm. Plus you get a pretty cool view of the city.

Columbus Ave

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 19:53:58-03:00

I'm walking around NE San Francisco. If you bring some cash and
start walking along Columbus Ave, you can usually spend it all on cool
little things like coffee, tea, pastries, chocolate, candy, dried fish.

That last one is in Chinatown :P

Parking Spaces

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:30:15-03:00

You know you live in San Francisco when you start noticing empty parking spaces and get excited.

Seriously, if you're not back in the city at the right time, there's no parking and you can drive around for an hour trying to find one nearby to your destination. So even when my car is comfortably parked near my building, if I notice a free space, I'll involuntary mentally note "hey! a spot!"

New Music Anyone?

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:06:10-03:00

I'm in need of some new music. For the last several weeks I've been a little addicted to two songs from Feist's The Reminder, "1234" and "I Feel it All." But it's time to start finding a new set of songs to download that can occupy my time.

I have friends with over 20,000 songs in their iTunes library and I wonder how in the world they can have so many songs. I have barely 2,000 but at least I know every song's title and artist after listening to a clip. I can't imagine having another 100 songs let alone 18,000.

Well anyway, if anyone has any good recommendations, send them along :)

Binaural Recordings

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:22:07-03:00

Easily one of the most awesome things I've ever heard. I downloaded an iPhone app that's basically a sound machine (waves, birds, etc.) but I noticed that it sounded a lot better than I'm used to. With stereo headphones, the waves sounded like they were moving around me - not simply "in my head."

In doing some more research, I stumbled across several sites which discuss binaural sound, a special kind of recording that effectively sounds 3D! As you listen, it sounds like things are happening right in front of you or right next to you, etc.

I've compiled a little collection of samples so check it out! You have to wear stereo headphones.

eFishDesign.com/binaurals

*update*

Check out the iPhone Version

Uncomfortable Converse Shoes

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 19:10:49-03:00

No wonder all those emo kids are always angry - their feet hurt!

If you ever see a happy emo kid, it's probably cuz he's got special insoles.

Hot Spots

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 20:45:49-03:00

It's nice living in a city only a couple blocks from where people want to be.

Clear Day In SF

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:17:14-03:00

Afternoons

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:25:18-03:00

Can you go wrong with *this*?

Yellow Tangs

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:38:36-03:00

This is my favorite fish ever :)

Seeing The World in Black and White

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:40:36-03:00

No, I don't mean like old TV shows and movies. I mean conceptually. Things are black and white, absolute. I always try to figure things out and I spend my time going about the world, seeing things in their fundamental components and trying to find patterns.

I have a difficult time accepting things I cannot understand. As such, I often will argue with people to find a solid ground when something doesn't make sense. I'm always trying to categorize or compartmentalize or classify the things I learn. Ideas and things are fundamentally black or white, off or on, this way or that. Even a large space of gray color is made up of tiny black and white pixels. So sure, the big picture may not be simple, but its components are and I strive to find them.

Perhaps that's what I enjoy about teaching and lecturing - taking big picture ideas and concepts that appear convoluted and trying to find the black and white components that we all can relate to. A lot of people I meet often categorize design as this amorphous, highly conceptual, "in the clouds" thing when, in reality, it's just made up of many simple different components and principles. I mean really, at its root, design is psychology whose roots lie in the human body's biology. And even biology has roots in creation and the universe.

Given what we know about the big bang theory, the universe and everything in our world, it seems highly probable the way we got here. What happened before the big bang, I can't say. That's one of many things that freak me out too much to try to delve into. Religion, for example, is a gray area although several aspects appear black and white. Needless to say, I'm not religious, and this is one of the reasons why.

So many aspects of life are mathematical and it astounds me how much can be traced back to it. If I didn't find the subject terribly arduous and abstract, I might have delved more deeply into studying it.

In my opinion, anyone who claims something is a gray area and calls case closed is just being a bit lazy or narrow-minded. Just like computer science, larger problems can always be broken down into smaller pieces that logically make sense.

And as much as I like thinking of myself as a designer and not an engineer, we both essentially work the same way, just with different principles. Engineering and programming stems from math. Design stems from psychology. But we're both putting the pieces together to find solutions.

That's really what it's about: solving problems.

Why Am I Watching This?

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 02:18:50-03:00

I have a collection of various TV shows and episodes on my hard drive which I usually watch before going to sleep or if I'm bored. But I noticed that I don't find a lot of them very funny. I suppose they're amusing, but they're not as engaging as Seinfeld or The Office. So why do I watch sitcoms that aren't funny? I guess I just like to be entertained. It's something to do.

The Lost Art of Conversation

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 01:32:29-03:00

I'm adding this to my list of dislikes. I hate it when people don't respond to instant messages. What's more frustrating is when there's no delay in responding to mundane conversation - but when something interesting comes up, they stop talking. They're quick to say "what's up" and "not much" and "yeah" to maintain small talk, but then they say something that sparks interest like "there's an earthquake tonight" and then take forever to respond to your "WHAT? WHEN?!"

See, the way around that is to just use the phone, but no one does that anymore. It's too purposeful. Clearly most people I interact with don't see IMs as a dedicated conversation tool. I unfortunately do, and therefore tend to engage in IMs when I start one, much to my disappointment. Apparently it's okay to respond to a question 10 minutes later. Or even 20. It's not like you know whether or not they're busy, so you'll just assume that there was a valid reason why they took so long to respond.

On a similar level, why don't some people respond to text messages in a timely manner? Everyone knows that everyone has their phones with them (usually on, unless the battery's dead). So with something so readily available, it's hard to imagine people not getting text messages right away (I suppose sometimes you don't hear it vibrate, but still...). In comparison, I can think of a lot more reasons why you might not respond to an IM than a text message.

I wonder if there's some kind of cognitive dissonance going on that has altered our perception of this increasingly discourteous, nonchalant conversation style. We look at it as a common aspect of today's society, and why not? The apathy exists in so many other places. Of course, if we actually stepped back, thought to ourselves that the long responses times or ignoring was rude and took it personally, then we'd probably have less friends - and who wants that? So we've learned to accept it as part of the times and, in doing so, perpetuate it.

It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong. - Voltaire

Font Conference

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 05:24:55-03:00

College Humor's "Font Conference" is one of the few awesome videos I've seen in a long time.
www.collegehumor.com/video:1823766

Yeah, Something's Familiar

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 01:12:16-03:00

"This is a very typical time. All I need is a cup of tea, a light, and my MacBook Air, you know, and that's what I have."

Sushi!

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 21:50:26-03:00

It's artful.
Featured here, the Rainbow Roll from Barracuda Sushi on Market St.

An Absence of Weather

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:42:24-03:00

Funny - I thought when I initially made this site that I'd incorporate a "weather" icon because that's fun to talk about and certainly a popular subject in small talk.

But there isn't any weather out here to talk about. Really. It's the same everyday: cloudy in SF, clear in SJ. We need a new subject with which we can chew the fat.

The Need For Routine

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:36:02-03:00

As much as I hate to admit it, I need a routine. I need structure. I want to come to work and know the plan for the day, instead of aimlessly wandering around using other people as entertainment.

"You look interesting. What do you do?"

The weekends are one thing - amorphous blobs of time which you can use to do something exciting one day and mundane another (such as laundry, which I should probably do at some point). I've always treated Saturday as the "party" and Sunday as the "cleanup" (which, if nothing interesting happened on Saturday and hence nothing to clean up, can be quite boring).

But the weekdays need a framework. And not the collective weekdays but rather, the individual days, hour by hour. I've set my starting hours to be 10 to 6, although I tend to fudge the numbers a bit because creativity is *not* an eight-hour span that can be turned on and off by the clock. In fact, I do some of my best work at 2 in the morning.

This 10-6 schedule would have done well for me, except the afternoon drags on a bit too far. You come in at 10, get your coffee, and check email for an hour (even though sometimes you can sort through it in 20 minutes, leaving you 40 to check Facebook, stocks, news or someone's blog - you can argue this counts as working because you're "staying connected" with the world around you).

At 11, you're close to lunch, so you can't start anything big because you know you'll have to interrupt it with some food. So, you end up attempting a few small projects with no intention of progressing.

Normally lunch is at 12, but to beat the rush, you head out at 11:45. But wait, you don't want to leave everyone 15 minutes early. So you stay. Lunch hour really means Lunch However-Long-You-Want.

It's funny how the 10 AM and 1 PM hours are similar. After lunch you feel the need to "regroup" when your interruption really wasn't as severe as going home for a night. Nevertheless, without a plan, you're left clicking through email you already read and blogs you already saw. That's why I like to have post-lunch meetings for an hour - gets you back on track.

From there, 2-4 is really the time to get work done. You have to force it down (like the vegetables that your parents claim were good for you, though you still see no merit even to this day).

Lucky for you, if you can make it through (with a few minor breaks in between to check out a YouTube video and check up on your neighbors to ensure that they too aren't working as hard as they want you to think), you can take a second coffee break at 4. And this is a legitimate break because half the company is out lounging around, so you don't feel as bad. You figure, as long as they're sitting, it's okay.

But when 5 rolls around, you get anxious and head back to your office which is now much emptier because so many people have left at 5. You now have the space to yourself, quiet and inactive. This seems alright at first until 15 minutes later you realize that you don't like working alone, that the activity around you keeps you "busy" and now you *actually* have nothing to do but check email (because you got one new message) and post on your blog.

You try that for a little, but it's boring, so you leave. I mean, who really wants to stay at work doing these monotonous things all day long when you can *leave* and do something more exciting?

So you go home and spend the rest of the night playing on the computer and watching TV.

Switched On

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:12:50-03:00

My friend Demian recently gave me some CDs of Wendy Carlos, one of the first electronic musicians ever. The albums, called Switched-On Bach, feature remakes of various classical pieces from the famous composer. But what's remarkable is how they're made: one note at a time, from a series of electronic sounds made from a synthesizer. It's amazing now, not to mention in 1968 when they were first created. The fact that each note is carefully created lets you hear the pieces in their fullest, identifying notes that you knew were there, just never really heard before. It's quite exquisite.

More of her work is heard in famous films, such as Clockwork Orange and Beauty and the Beast.

A Browser Dilemma

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:54:42-03:00

Funny timing for this because another friend of mine was just writing about something similar. Except he doesn't have a mob chasing after him.

Well, I guess I don't either. But close.

My friends on the Safari team keep yelling at me for using Firefox all the time. I tell them it's just a habit and they tell me to break it. So I've started using Safari more frequently. But when I don't think about it, I switch back. I mean, all in all, they're the same. Safari renders webpages beautifully but I've grown accustomed to Joe Hewitt's Firebug for Firefox web developers. And while Safari 4 Developer Preview has similar features, it's just not the same. Needless to say, my stubbornness may lead to a better Safari soon :P

(Although I have to say, seeing the original PSD file of the Safari icon on my computer in all its high resolution *is* pretty cool.)

Really Good Ice Cream

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:19:25-03:00

Bi-Rite Creamery just off of Mission Dolores Park has lines out the door (apparently) and really good chocolate ice cream. Though Sierra thought banana was good too. I'll give her that.

3692 18th St, SF CA

CA Mexican Food

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:51:48-03:00

Um, guacamole is one of the best things ever. Actually, all
Mexican food out here is amazing.

Me and my burritos :P

Me at Home

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:30:11-03:00

My apartment is so empty, I'm starting to feel like Steve Jobs.

"This was a very typical time. I was single. All you needed was a cup of tea, a light, and your stereo, you know, and that's what I had." -Steve Jobs

The View From My Apt

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:43:05-03:00

Nothing like a 270 degree view of San Francisco. Click the image to see an enlarged panorama!

Roof View

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:48:58-03:00

*This* is two floors above me.

Late Nights, Dim Lights

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 03:06:54-03:00

I spent pretty much all of my senior year of college in my own little world, characterized by a studio-like 400 sq ft open living space which contained a large desk, two large couches, a large coffee table, a large bed and a pseudo kitchen - not to mention the 100+ inch projection screen.

Furthermore, I spent nearly every night awake until all hours of the morning (usually around 7 or 8) doing miscellaneous things from website programming to Photoshop designing to watching movies and drinking coffee. The night times were peaceful. The room felt lived-in and warm, despite the dirty and dusty molding, the windows that wouldn't close all the way and the lack of heat for the better half of a semester.

Needless to say, being back on a more normal sleep 12-8, work 9-5 schedule is rather boring. I get most of my creative thoughts between the hours of 10 pm and 4 am. Maybe now that once again I will have my own place - albeit, a *real* apartment and not just a room - I will drift back into these...oh, "creative hours" I'll call it.

I spent part of today purchasing and installing better lighting and it gives the place a much warmer vibe at night.

SF / Castro at Night

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:57:18-03:00

Last night some friends and I walked around the Lower Haight / Castro area until about 3 in the morning. Had dinner at Osaka Sushi, which was great - though a friend recently suggested another place, Barracuda Sushi, which is probably just as good. Recommending the Dragon and Caterpillar rolls, which were both artfully prepared.

Outside, the nightlife is hopping in the area, lots of people out and about all night long it seems, and it's only about six blocks south of my apartment.

Apartment Pictures!

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:04:53-03:00

I Second That

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:40:12-03:00

Yes, Apple knows what makes a party

Apple Food

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:22:24-03:00

Boy I'll tell ya - Apple knows how to throw a party

Missing the Office

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:50:54-03:00

I'm really starting to miss The Office. The last episode of the season was already three months ago. I want to know what happens next! Seems like there could be some interesting developments in the next season in regard to the relationships of a lot of characters.

I've decided not to get a TV in my apartment. I'll have internet and I'll probably buy a nice TV for watching movies only. Too many times you go to watch something and there isn't anything on... and who wants to pay a lot of money per month for that? Nah, when I'm done for the day, I like walking around or playing on the computer. These days you can just watch episodes online anyhow and thankfully, NBC provides that ability for The Office. It'll probably save me a lot of money that I can then use to buy more technology or something.

New Apartment in SF!

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:22:31-03:00

Well I finally found a place in San Francisco and am moving this weekend. It's in the Lower Haight, right next to Buena Vista park and only a few blocks from Haight/Ashbury, Duboce Park, the BART and Alamo Square!

Mmmm connectedness.

Pictures to come, I'm sure.

Muxtape

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:25:27-03:00

http://FishoftheBay.muxtape.com This site launched months ago and I
thought it wouldn't keep. But it did, so why not check it out. Lets
you upload songs to a public playlist.

Pretty City

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:17:54-03:00

Next to Buena Vista park on Duboce Ave, at sunset, looking east

Favorite Spot In SF

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:53:20-03:00

Corner of Columbus Ave and Kearny St. You get the antique and modern contrast.

Now with Photos!

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:46:31-03:00

You'll notice there are suddenly photos on the website. Well, after toying with the idea for a while, sifting through a hefty amount of *unhelpful* PHP tutorials online, spending a while debugging code and testing, I finally incorporated email images to the site, which is awesome.

And no, this isn't just me simply uploading an image from the computer and linking to it with an HTML tag. This is cooler. This is me emailing myself from my iPhone (in the standard FishoftheBay style) and attaching an image, which is then effortlessly extracted and nicely displayed here on the site.

So stay tuned, because I like to take pictures.

Pretty Flower

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:44:33-03:00

A flower from the community garden in Palo Alto, taken while perusing a local art fair

Good Fruit on Route 1

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 05:33:45-03:00

If you're ever driving along Route 1 somewhere between Saratoga and San Mateo, be sure to stop at local fruit stands. The fruit is amazing.

Nice day at the San Gregorio beach today - no overcast, freezing cold ocean, the smell of barbeque, driving 90 through the hills...

And the fruit - perfectly ripe apricots, strawberries and cherries. Followed by a nice leisurely stroll through the quaint Half Moon Bay and the incidental discovery of a bakery with really good cinnamon sugar crispy thingies.

Can it get more relaxing?

Expensive iPhone Apps

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:52:16-03:00

My friend, on purchasing iPhone apps: "it's amazing how fast you can lose $10"

$5 Gas

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:44:20-03:00

Well it's here. I just paid $4.99 / gallon for regular gas in California.
I finally have something to say "back in my day..." about.

And yes, I remember when it was like $1.73 per gallon, I could hand the guy $20 for a full tank and be on my way. Even when your super-awesome, never-fail, great-pick-up 2002 Rav 4 only takes 13 gallons, you're still looking at near $70.

Do you realize how many In n' Out burgers I could have gotten with that extra $50??

2.0 Software a Bit Early

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:04:55-03:00

I now have an updated phone, which is awesome.

It's really nice to see all the hard work and effort both on Apple's part and the third party developers I've worked with. The results are great, minus a few glitches here and there. Certainly worth the wait I think. I'll be interested to see how it's received in the coming weeks.

Apparently I Don't Exist

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:07:15-03:00

It's hard enough for most people to make the transition from being a student to being a full-time employee. But what's really frustrating is the fact that the world is built for experienced people.

Here I am trying to do a variety of things to transition into "Phase Two" and the process is complicated by the fact that (a) I have no credit history, due to lack of a credit card, (b) I have no previous residency other than my home and on-campus living, (c) I have no previous employer because I was just a student and (d) I have no work experience ... again, because I was just a student.

It seems that it's really difficult for people to work *outside* a system -- that is, they really don't care about who you are as a person, just whether or not you fit into a mold that the system provides. But isn't it like that in most places? I've noticed that in trying to find a job - if you don't fit a specific image of what a group is looking for, they'll be narrow-minded and not take you. For example, I'm not an engineer and I'm not an artist, but most people in my industry start their jobs as one of the two. It's hard for larger companies to find good fits for you if you're a square peg in a round hole.

Anyway, it's made the whole process of procuring an apartment a bit more confusing than necessary. Can't we just "apple"-ize everything and simplify?

iPhone 3G in 3 days!

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:51:38-03:00

The new iPhone 3G and 2.0 software will be available on Friday @ 8 am PST!

The cool part is really the new software. I mean, the new phone is neat, with its 3G-ness... but I'm really excited for the third party apps. I can't talk about it though :)

Evenings in Palo Alto

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:36:26-03:00

I went out with several friends last week to hang out in downtown Palo Alto. I really like it there - if I weren't so set on living in San Francisco, I'd definitely consider finding a place in this area.

We went to my favorite bar, Nola, known for its mojitos and hurricanes among others. They *are* really good. After that we proceeded to a wine bar across the street where we drank some rich Pinot Noir and sweet Cabernet, also sampling a cheese platter to compliment the wine choice.

Good times!

Twitter is ... odd

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:13:27-03:00

I can see having a personal blog where you can posts random thoughts you have as you go about life (hence this one) but is it really necessary to text thoughts to a website every minute of every day? I mean, why are we tethering ourselves to a social network whose aim is to keep tabs on us all the time?

I mean, I enjoy reading up on what friends have been up to ... but some people just post constantly throughout the day. I tried doing that for a while but it's difficult. I have other things to do! Everytime I think of something interesting, my first instinct is *not* to text it to a website.

(sigh) you can follow me on twitter if I ever decide to post more ... FishoftheBay

Suggested Music

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:10:16-03:00

Currently on my Recent Favorites Playlist:

Elton John's "Love Lies Bleeding" (seriously, awesome)
Kaiser Chief's "Ruby" (also awesome)
Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants To Rule The World"
Dire Straits' "Sultans of Swing"

Good stuff.

On Napa Tours

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:00:24-03:00

If you want a good experience in Napa, you should drive yourself. Sure, you won't have the insider information that a tour will give you, but you *will* have the freedom to do what you want. I was up there this past weekend as part of my grand 4th plan, on a tour, visited a few wineries, had a fairly enjoyable time. I would've liked to be with my car and drive myself though.

The countryside is gorgeous and the drive south through Sonoma back to San Francisco is extremely picturesque. For miles you see plains of vineyards, splotched with small and large hills painted with pretty houses. And even from miles away, you can squint and see San Francisco in the distance and a hint of the Golden Gate.

Yeah it takes a few hours to get up there from the city, but if you leave early in the morning, you really can enjoy a full day. Save up some money for tastings and you're good to go. Skip the touristy stuff - you're there for the wine and the view. Make it a picnic and bring a friend!

Fresh Fruit in Endless Supply!

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:14:45-03:00

Come to California! We ALWAYS have fresh fruit! I'm making a salad right now.

Good Chinese Tea Place

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:32:05-03:00

Vital Tea Leaf - on Grant & Jackson in San Francisco. The owner, Kenny, is a super nice guy with a lot of knowledge about the various tea herbs and leaves. You can go for free tasting :)

I may end up being one of those tea-drinking hippies instead of a coffee addict. But I'll never be vegetarian. I like my cow.

I Don't Watch TV

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:08:18-03:00

I haven't been watching TV at all in the last several weeks. Like, not even a single show.

I didn't watch it much during school, except of course for Thursday nights for The Office. But now I'm realizing it's a lifestyle change. In high school I used to watch a lot of TV... even freshman year for that matter.

This past year I really got into watching movies, so if I'm gonna sit on the couch and watch something, it's going to be a movie. In fact, I'm really big on the projection-and-a-dozen-speaker system that I've concocted. From now on, it goes where I go.

Been Busy...

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:23:52-03:00

Yeah I haven't written much lately, but I've been busy. Over the weekend, my friend Jim from high school arrived (he's working at a local software company) and we took my car to the beach.

Well, it wasn't that straight forward. From downtown Palo Alto through the Stanford campus and off into the hills, we drove up and down curvy roads, taking a break to stare out at the valley from high up. Along the way we stopped at a redwood forest which was amazing. I should put up pictures...

There's a stretch of road along La Honda (84) that goes to the beach from an intersection with Pescadero. What a fun drive that makes - wide roads that sweep back and forth in the plains. No sharp turns, just an easy drive - and apparently a lack of a speed limit. Windows down, sunroof open, Boston blasting...

And then you hit the beach, and it's suddenly overcast. Still. Amazing. Worth the trip for sure.

Then a quick drive up route 1 through Half Moon Bay and you're back in San Mateo. Funny how all this wilderness is literally 15 minutes away.

My Database Died

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:50:50-03:00

You may have noticed that there was a long gap of posts after June 12. That's because on Friday morning while doing a bit of manual editing, I executed an SQL Update command and forgot the WHERE clause.

Yes. Lucky for me, I had backed up my database rows a few months prior, so all was not lost. Needless to say, I did lose a lot.

I may be experienced in web development, but I, like any end-user, want things to just work. Surprise to me, when something didn't, I was frustrated.

Let this be a lesson, I suppose. Grrrrrrrr.

WWDC Bash

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:28:18-03:00

Well, the week has been going swimmingly. I've met with dozens of developers and consulted with iPhone interface design. It'll really be something when the new phones come out with the app store in July.

I'm here at the bash now - what a perfect day for it. All day it was sunny and warm (and for San Francisco, that's rare). The Barenaked Ladies are our band of choice for the evening and I'm making my way in and out of groups of developers between tables of all sorts of food: Chinese, pizza, sushi, beer. Yes. Hooray for alcohol. Really calms ya down.

This is exciting - I hope they play "It's All Been Done," kinda one of my theme songs during the last several months.

Good Crepe Place!

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:12:17-03:00

In the San Francisco Shopping Center food court (lower level) there's a really great creperie. I've been getting lunch there throughout the week along with my friend Elliott. Reminds me of the crepes from Penn ... although somewhat better. Maybe it's the location :)

A Shirt A Day...

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:45:49-03:00

I didn't pack enough clothes to stay the whole week in San Francisco, so I've been continually stopping off at H&M and the Gap on the way to WWDC to purchase a new shirt. Thus far, I've gotten a yellow and black button-down.

It's cool - I like wearing new clothes. Maybe one day after making a lot of money, I'll just wear an article of clothing once and buy a new one thereafter.

The nice thing about shopping in San Francisco especially is that everything's my size: tall, thin. There are pants that fit, shirts that are slim, and inexpensive prices even at my favorite stores. Yay for high fashion!

The Lower Haight

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:43:53-03:00

In order to make my commute easier, I've decided to stay in San Francisco all week with my friend Patrick, who lives in the lower haight area.

I've spent a fair amount of time looking at apartments in various locations within the city and I have to say, I'm growing pretty attached to this area. It's quiet, but it can be very social in the evenings and it's about 10 minutes from the subway, the haight ashbury area, the hayes valley area and just a few blocks from my favorite park, Alamo Square.

Perhaps I should look at finding a place here. A few blocks away, I can hop on the subway which takes me directly to Moscone West. Certainly an easy commute.

WWDC '08!

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:00:32-03:00

I'm at the Moscone West Center in San Francisco awaiting to hear Steve Jobs give the kickoff Keynote. It's exciting - you can really feel the enthusiasm among the crowds of people trying to find their seats. This year's conference has over 5200 attendees, 55% of which are completely new to Apple. They're here for the iPhone and I expect to meet with many of them throughout the week.

Ooh here comes Steve.

San Francisco Summer

Wed, 28 May 2008 20:39:08-03:00

Yesterday, a group of friends and I trekked up to San Francisco for the day. Surprisingly, it only took a half hour by car on 280 (maybe that's cuz I drive fast). The whole day was very cold and rainy ... even down in the valley. Note to self - and whoever else is interested: driving a car to the city makes it impossible to find parking. We must have spent a solid fourth of our day just driving around looking for parking. Next time Caltrain would be a better choice methinks.

Bay Area Weather

Sun, 25 May 2008 16:37:24-03:00

The weather is always the same here. Everyday it\'s sunny, cloudless and occasionally a tad windy. Sure, I miss the east coast summer thunderstorms (especially now), the fall leaves and the sproutlets of Spring, but in comparison, the weather here is a \"sure thing.\" Would you rather take a job at a startup company or at an established one? To each his own I suppose.

Back in the Valley

Thu, 22 May 2008 10:34:50-03:00

It feels weird to be back in the valley, this time for realz. Twenty-two years of stress, self-consciousness and a variety of other health-malities are slowly draining away.

For one, the weather's the same everyday - sunny, warm. Can you beat that? For another, everyone's pretty laid back - and yet still entrepreneurial. Should make for an interesting lifestyle change.

Oh and the food. I'm not a big eater to begin with, but when I do eat, I'd prefer it be good. And it is. Everything's fresh, especially the fruit and I can't wait to continually have fresh strawberries, raspberries, apricots and peaches.

Yay!

Cool PC Music

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 01:46:43-03:00

Now, I'm a Mac fan, of course, but Windows does have better sounds:
See Here

Living In Oblivion

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:12:04-03:00

I rented this to watch the other day. I've seen it before, but
I wanted to again - it's really good. It's about independent film-
makers and how everything seems to go wrong on the set all the time.
It's cleverly woven between different characters and is left open-
ended, as though the whole movie were simply a glimpse into the lives
of others (which is a good movie too).

CSE Not Funny

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:23:42-03:00

Note: any story which involves any aspect of computer science can NOT
start with "oh funny story..."

Social Experiments

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:32:18-03:00

Social experiments rock. I highly encourage everyone to start
conversations with random people you meet throughout your day.

You never know what it might bring!

Black And White

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:35:51-03:00

Powdered sugar is the death of black pants.

Stupid donut with your powdery goodness!

Instant Snow

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:50:31-03:00

It started snowing in the middle of the night yesterday and
now we have instant snow. It's everywhere. Slushy, wet, powdery,
white. I was just hanging out in my room with the windows open last
week. What's with these weather patterns? Flights were cancelled! And
I'm supposed to leave on one in a couple hours.

Why can't weather on the East Coast be simple? Simple like the West
Coast. It doesn't do anything out there. It's always the same. Yeah I
guess that could get old, but right now I'm not really interested in
interesting weather.

Conflict Of Interest

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:19:29-03:00

I like to keep my door open but I also like to play my music loudly. I don't know what to do. Maybe cut off half my door?

Things That Make Me Smile

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:47:08-03:00

Finding a perfectly undamaged potato chip.

Those extra fries at the bottom of the McDonald's bag.

Waking up on the weekend and realizing I don't have to.

The little red circle on my Apple Mail icon telling me I have new mail.

Natural Logs

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:52:29-03:00

You know you're NOT a computer science engineer when talking
about natural logs makes you think of dead trees.

The Dating Algorithm

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:28:33-03:00



public boolean date(Girl g) {

    getCoffeeWith(g);

    if(thoughts > 0) {

       say("I like you");

       askToDinner(g);

       if(g.getResponse()=="yes") {

          goToDinnerWith(g);

          if(g.getFeedback()>0) {

             attemptMakeout();

             if(makeout(g)) {

                return true;

             }

             else return false;

         }

         else return false;

       }

       else return false;

    }

    else return false;

}

Windy Days

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:03:17-03:00

Well that was fleeting. Within three hours it got to be windy
and rainy.
I have to say though, I kinda like going to class through the wind and
rain. It makes me feel a sense of accomplishment. It's like, I
expended the energy to get to class. I paid my dues. I don't have to
take notes. You should just be happy I'm here.

Save Icon

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:13:41-03:00

I really think it's funny how the universal "save" icon is a floppy disk, which no one uses anymore. Typically, the device of choice is a flash drive if anything...can we make that an icon?

What other icons are outdated?

Today's Weather

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:32:00-03:00

It is AMAZING out! Here's hoping for an early Spring!

Thoughts from the Day

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:51:02-03:00

I spent the day shifting between 30th St. Station, a VERY dilapidated burned down house and an extremely vast cemetery. You don't realize a lot about life until you do something like this.

Only a few miles west of school, the area was pretty poor and crumbled, and I spoke with a few people who lived around the corner.

"What do you guys do all day?" I asked.
"Walk around, I guess," he replied.

The reason for spending the day here was to shoot a music video with my friend - we couldn't have found more interesting places to shoot. It was pretty crazy.

Blog Posts

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 02:42:35-03:00

To be honest, I'm actually quite surprised that people can continually find things to write about on a personal blog. I mean, I have random thoughts during the day, but I don't always feel like making a big deal about them by writing some post as though I'm soapboxing or something.

I don't even know why I write this one. I think it's because I like to look back and see what I was thinking about at a specific time. That's pretty much all. Do you even care?

Coding Latenight Music Playlist

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:44:54-03:00

I made a playlist for my latenight coding sessions. It's got 31 songs. Among them are: Roxy Music, Cat Stevens, Elton John, Gerry Raferty, Three Dog Night, 38 Special, Steely Dan, Keane, Tracy Chapman, ELO and Sufjan Stevens.

Notable song titles include Roxy Music's "Take a Chance With Me", Keane's "This is the Last Time", Al Stewart's "Year of the Cat" and Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car."

Coding Latenight

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 05:53:57-03:00

Sometimes I get in the zone and stay up all night coding something. Isn't that 'developer-ish' of me? I put on some music and a couple lamps and start programming, switching back and forth between the text editor and the browser window. I still haven't created the perfect playlist for 'coding latenight' but I'm working on it. I'll share when I come up with something.

Anywho, back to the PHP.

Rainy Day Music

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:25:42-03:00

Last night it started raining late and, being that I had to
stay up to do my homework, I decided to open my windows and put on my
Rainy Day playlist. There's something very calming about listening to
the rain alone and feeling a cool browse filter through the windows -
however, I think the feeling is enhanced by adding the appropriate
music.

My playlist includes songs from Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Pink
Floyd, Gordon Lightfoot, Roxy Music and others. They're mostly
downbeats but have an element of depression that coincides with that
rainy day feel.

I'm gonna miss rainy days next year... it hardly ever rains in Silicon Valley.

Coffee : Not Addicted

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:59:28-03:00

I'm not addicted to coffee. I am however addicted to the IDEA of
coffee; the break in the day, the tiny bit of relaxation, the
something-to-do when bored, the oral fixation of continually having
something to drink (similar to gum chewing).

Without a coffee break in my day, I feel like things move too fast and
unstructured. You go from one thing to another amorphously, undefined
(and thirsty).

I'm in line for a grande mocha as I write this.

Well That Didn't Last Long

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:30:13-03:00

her: It rained last night and now we lost our warm weather. Sadly,
it's back to 48 degrees - more February-like. Oh well. I think we all
enjoyed the warmness, however bring.

Sun, see you in a couple months :^)

Apple Juice

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 02:06:02-03:00

I can't help but feel like a child again when I have apple
juice. Actually, the same is true for grape juice. When I was a kid,
those two were all I drank. Since growing up though, I rarely partake
in these juices. Usually I drink orange juice, coffee or 'grown-up'
drinks.

I bought a container of apple juice the other day and am realizing how
much i actually miss the taste. It's probably a lot better for me than
coffee - which, as I said in a previous post, makes my leg shake.

It's like when you go visit your parents as adults, you can't help but
feel like you're back to childhood and want to be taken care of just a
little bit, though you might not admit it.

Downbeat Songs

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:24:53-03:00

I love walking around at this time of night (dusk) listening to
downbeat music. There's something calm and humbling about it.

Currently listening to Fast Car. Perfect weather for it.

I Wish the Office Would Come Back

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:17:51-03:00

You don't know what you've got til it's gone. I miss watching The Office on Thursday nights. Without it, my week has no pinnacle - and thus no purpose.

Oh Dwight, will I ever hear again your crazy questions? And Michael, I miss your arrogance. And Pam! Well, I just miss watching cute girls.

(sigh)

It's So Warm Out!

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:47:39-03:00

Well geez. I'm doing my usual walk down Locust - which is normally freezing and windy at this time of year - but it's actually quite pleasant! Feels like Spring.

Maybe I only need to wear three layers...

'Morning' from Peer Gynt

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:09:03-03:00

Is there any better classical wake-up song? Honestly.

It's All Been Done

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 07:30:31-03:00

I'm currently listening to this song by the Barenaked Ladies.
Really good.

Starbucks is crowded

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 07:19:01-03:00

I'm at the 34th and Walnut Starbucks trying to get my usual Tall
Mocha and Toffee Almond Bar but the place is exceedingly crowded. What
happened to the days when coffee was a novel idea?

Need a Pick-Me-Up?

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 05:25:18-03:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg9x5mUjbH8

I can't help but be happy after watching this

Annoyance

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 04:35:13-03:00

I think I get annoyed too easily. I'm driving down the road in a
perfectly good mood and I come to an intersection where another car is
stopped. I motion for him to go. He motions for me to go. No you go.
No. FINE. I'll go if you want me to go so badly.

Instant bad mood.

In n' Out is the Reason to Move to CA

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:47:16-03:00

Fast food on the East coast sucks.
After having spent three months visiting In n' Out Burger and then returning several more times during my Fall semester of my senior year, I've concluded that this place is definitely high on my list of reasons to move to California (you know, besides the job).

It's just really good! I found a list of all the secret menu items (Look Here) and I've become a fan of toasted bun, animal-style and well-done fries. Everything's fresh - you can even watch them cut up a real potato and fry the pieces! And unlike most places I go to eat, I can actually have more than one burger. In one sitting, I've had three - despite my being only 125 lbs.

In fact, for my Google interviews, I had to do a scavenger hunt that involved me ordering and eating a 6x6, which means SIX patties and SIX pieces of cheese. Needless to say, it did not come with a free angioplasty, but it was okay because it tasted great.

Definitely one of the first things I'm doing to celebrate phase three of my life is treating myself to a #1: double double with fries and a drink :^)

Coding LateNight

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:34:00-03:00

Sometimes I get in the zone and stay up all night coding something.
Isn't that 'developer-ish' of me? I put on some music and a couple
lamps and start programming, switching back and forth between the text
editor and the browser window. I still haven't created the perfect
playlist for 'coding latenight' but I'm working on it. I'll share when
I come up with something.

Anywho, back to the PHP.

Best Coast and Least Coast

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 14:29:51-03:00

Here I am on my last weekend before heading back for my last semester at school. It's really been hard to accept the fact that the next four months of my life have to be spent at a place where I feel limited both socially and intellectually. Had I gotten the job at Apple as their User Experience Evangelist (and I was their #2 choice), it would have been really difficult to convince myself to stay at school for the degree, considering I didn't need it for the job.

What a semester it's been though. In the last two months, I've been out to Silicon Valley four times. That paired with an awesome summer has left me definitely more in a pro-West sentiment instead of a pro-East one.

This is a switch for me. For the longest time I was set on living and working in NYC. I thought about working at either Google or a smaller design company down in the village. But after having been back and forth between NYC, Philadelphia and Mountain View so many times, I can adequately compare the locations.

The difference between NYC and the valley, I find (besides the better weather) is that the people are all like-minded, relaxed, passionate and yet care-free. I've spoken to many people at Apple, Google and Microsoft who've moved from the East to the West specifically for that reason (and also because they were tired of shoveling snow!).

I was amazed at how easily I found people like me when I went out for my Google interviews. In a matter of hours, it felt like we'd been friends for years. And rather than call me a "nerd" for heavily discussing social networking and technology at dinner, they embraced it and engaged in what ended up being very interesting conversations.

(Sigh) I'm planning on moving out there in May - just a little over 125 days or so. Until then, now that I'm set with a plan, I have no more weekly jaunts out West to break up the monotony of class. I guess I need to find something else to entertain me...