Tallahassee

Since I graduated I have been really busy... I keep trying to finish organizing my things, but people keep needing my help in far away places. I've been traveling a ton lately, first I was flown out to Ft. Lauderdale for an interview... the next week, I had graduated so I went on a camping trip in Anastasia Park near St. Augustine. The dogs absolutely loved the beach. I bought a fishing license, a pole, lure, etc, and attempted to fish, but the poles we bought were too cheap and the wire would tangle after every cast.

The day after I got back from there, I headed to a celebration that my family had planned for me in Atlanta. It was good to see my aunt, and my cousins. They took me to the Atlanta aquarium, which was really really cool, just a little too crowded.

I got back from Atlanta, and the next day my uncle Mike calls me up and tells me his computer broke. Best Buy wanted $350 to even begin to fix it, so he decided to use frequent flier miles to get me to Birmingham, Alabama. Well, Tallahassee is extremely small, so I had to fly through Atlanta (I was just there the day before). Not only that, he decided he wanted me there ASAP, so he put me on the 6:15 AM flight. Turns out (once we looked at a map, that Birmingham is only a 300 mile drive, rather than the 400+ I thought it was). Well, I get there, and his hard drive was fried so we bought two new ones, I got Windows up and running for him, and finally I used Norton Ghost to make the second one identical. Now if one hard drive fails, the other automatically starts working, and all his files are the same. He also backs up to CD, and uses an online backup program (made by Quicken) to store his files on a server automatically, every night. A little paranoid! he he... It was good to get to know him better, he is my least known uncle.

I finally get home, spend a day trying to organize, when I get a call from Patti asking me to come to Gainesville to cheer her up. Unable to let a friend down, I dropped everything I was doing and made the 2 hour trek to the Gville. I think I have only slept in my bed one night in the last 3 weeks.

Next week is the Facebook conference in San Francisco that my friend Kyle and I are going to. I am pretty stoked about that! Then it is back to Ft. Lauderdale.

Labels: austin foster, bailey foster, dmitri sokgobenzon, dogs, facebook, gainesville, kristen foster, kyle gower-winter, mike folts, movie, patti botero, tallahassee, vacation

This is the second attempt at posting, the first attempt got deleted when the stupid IE popup blocker went on... so yeah... SPREAD FIREFOX!

Anyways, my evil uncle woke me up at 6:30 just because he wanted to see me annoyed one last time... he he... I guess I can't blame him for trying to get one last laugh out of me... I have had to put up with this for the whole summer, but I guess I can't complain since he was nice enough to let me stay here free of charge... at least my aunt sides with me sometimes when it comes to the constant bashing of Nikk... I'll miss having them around... Tina and Cory will also be missed, they were my main source of entertainment (human entertainment that is) over the summer... they also introduced me to Heather, who's really cool and deserves more then what she lets herself have... I just want to let all of them know how much they have meant to me over the Summer, despite the fact that they are glad I am leaving... he he... oh well, have to finish my last minute packing before I head over to the dentist for my crown... after that I am going to hit the road and try to make it all the way back to Tally, but the weather report says I am going to hit a ton of rain, which will probably slow me down... I might spend the night in New Orleans because my best friend Megan is there visiting her brother and her dad... but that depends on the time I am making and my mental state after the 510 mile leg of my drive...

Labels: austin texas, best friend, dentist, firefox, heather, kelly folts, tallahassee, tina folts, tina marie palma

My manager here at Freescale was nice enough to suggest to Human Resources that I am somebody they must hire next Summer... even if it isn't for him... That made me feel good about the work I did here... theoretically I saved him about 8 hours of his time a week by automating most of the Excel files he uses... Well, he is worried that when his needs change, he won't have a tool that would suit his needs anymore... So, he is trying to get me hired as a contract employee where I could work, when necessary from Tallahassee... I just hope "when necessary" is at least 5-10 hours a month so that I can make just a little more money then I will be spending... That way I wouldn't tap into all the money I saved over the summer, like I had planned...

Once I see how much I'll be working (if this all works out), then I can buy the projector I want for my living room... which I have been about to buy for 3 months now, but every time I do, I think of how I need to save the money I am making or I won't make it all the way through Grad School...

Anyways, I cancelled the order of the 8 piece KitchenAid pot set... only to order a 10 piece instead... it cost me $25 less because there is a new promotion at Amazon that if you spend $125 in Kitchen supplies, you get $25 off instantly... and this is on top of another deal where you get $20 gift card in 4-8 weeks from now if you spend more then $100 on pots and pans... and on top of this, it was already nearly 60% off... so, in the end, I got a $380 pot set for $105... not bad if you ask me... of course, since I was saving $25 I decide to buy a little more... so I bought a 8 person silverware set... and another set of kitchen utensils (peeler, can opener, etc...) by KitchenAid because it too was on sale, and I need it... I am sick of the crappy kitchen supplies I have... I can't wait to get to Tallahassee and start cooking up some goodness... I think I am going to buy some cookbooks, or at least download some recipes from online... if you have any good (and for now, easy) ones you'd like to share, leave them as a comment on this post! I'll appreciate it!

Labels: amazon, excel, freescale, grad school, tallahassee

I was told by my boss today that I possess "the skills, knowledge, motivation, and ethics" that make me a perfect fit for Freescale... Pretty nice... I didn't think I would have another internship opportunity next summer because I have finished everything he needed done, but it turns out that he thinks he will need somebody next summer for something similar, yet different... So he hopes he can pull me away from summer classes at FSU so that I can do that, and if he ends up not needing me he said he is going to put in a good word for other departments so that I could still get hired... The exciting thing is that now that I have this internship under my belt, as well as I would be half way done with my Masters degree, my starting salary should be closer to $65-70,000/year ($33/hour... $264/day... $1320/week)... and I'll have nobody to spend it on except for me! They explained how they decide the pay rate by plugging in your credentials and it spits back a number after assessing you... They explained how it assesses you by how much school and how many internships you have had... woot woot... and so if I decide not to stay at Freescale, which I would rather not in the long run, but still, if I don't stay here then I could still say that I made $70,000ish at my last job so I would be making tons when I got out of school... I think I am going to apply for internships at other companies next summer as well... maybe diversity would be better, it doesn't matter where your internships were according to Freescale, but I would think other companies might think otherwise... If I could find an internship at a video game company I would scream... yeah... oh well...

Megan comes to Austin on Wednesday... I am excited to see her... I am going to take off most Thursday and all of Friday so I can chill with her...

I miss my fellow CSers... can't wait to get back to Tallahassee, move into my house, buy a dog, and start programming... I still want to program after programming the whole summer, which is a good sign that I am on the right career path... Oh well...

Labels: austin texas, best friend, freescale, tallahassee, work

I official decided (again) that the health care in Tallahassee stinks... My goddaughter hasn't grown since she was born and they kept saying she was fine but now that she is approaching the age of three, and still hasn't grown, they are finally worried and did some tests... Well, they think it is hypothyroidism... "Infants will grow and develop normally if hypothyroidism is treated within the first month of life. Untreated hypothyroidism in infants can cause brain damage, leading to mental retardation and developmental delays." Anyways, it makes me made because it is easily diagnosed and they still are too unskilled to know for sure... She'll have to be on medication for the rest of her life if she does have the disease... yeah... so that is all...

Labels: ashlyn pinner, sick, tallahassee

I highly recommend everyone goes and sees Mr. And Mrs. Smith... It is hilarious and Angelina Jolie is gorgeous... Batman Begins is also a great movie... Anyways, my younger sister is in town for 12 days... I have been really busy working 10 hour days so that I don't have to use my Paid Time Off this Friday to head out to Homer, LA where my Grandparents built a lake house... I am really excited, I get to see my best friend Megan (best friends since 9th grade) because she is driving down there from Atlanta... I don't think I am going to have time to finish the Harry Potter series in the next 15 days 16 hours... to busy and I am falling behind because I can't read when I have a lot on my mind... which I do...

Next weekend I am setting up somebody's computer and that will earn me some extra cash... As I probably mentioned, my sister and I are trying to go to Europe this Winter and I have to pay for a lot of her until she can pay me back, so I have to make as much as possible... I might change my mind and just end up buying skis and going to Colorado, but that doesn't sound as fun... It has been forever since I was in Europe and it is my favorite place to be... We'd stay at a youth hostel in Munich and take a train everyday to the Alps and go skiing... Then, on Christmas Eve we would take the train up to Frankfurt area and see the Treffehns for Christmas... Both Tatiana and Mike are going to be there visiting too... I haven't seen Mike in a million years and he use to be my best friend... He also might come and visit me and his sister in Tallahassee this Fall...

I am excited about school starting... I hope I get to work in the Lab still because I get to be social and the regulars there are fun to talk to... and the money is nice as well...

I am really excited about the sofas I am getting from Adriana... They are sooooooooooo awesome... I've spent a lot of nights passed out cold on them... and a lot of days sunken deep between their cushions watching movies... good times good times... uber comfortable...

Labels: adriana infante, best friend, harry potter, honey folts, megan folts, mike treffehn, munich, papa folts, tallahassee, tatiana treffehn, vacation

Well, I had the weirdest dream last night... it was a Kindergarten-9th grade reunion... everyone from that time in my life was there... yet, not a single person from 10th grade on... which was really weird... I actually had two girls get in a fist fight over me... who? my first girlfriend Deanna Tobin who I dated from Kindergarten all the way to the middle of 6th grade (I know this doesn't really count, but she was my first kiss) anyways, the other girl was Kathy Zischka... my first love... I dated her in the middle of 9th grade in Germany... Anyways... I know for sure it was a dream because they both flirted constantly with me and Kathy even started to cry... when I asked her why it was because I had left her, but now she was engaged to some guy, despite the fact that she really loved me... he he... shut up you guys, I know what you are thinking, I know I am pathetic...

My point is, having the dream made me regret not keeping in touch with old friends... luckily I found out that Mike Treffehn, my best friend from Germany, is trying to visit me in Tallahassee during the Fall... but yeah... I started writing to all my old friends in Germany, and I also went on Facebook and added a whole bunch of people from my elementary school... I also missed Germany itself, so I spent the day trying to plan the trip my younger sister insists we are taking this winter... but prices are WAY to high... which frustrates me... even for somebody as rich as I am... if I knew if I had the lab monitoring job next semester, then I would know more if I could afford it... otherwise with just the TA job I will be making just enough to pay morgage (I am joining ownership of the townhouse with my parents... at least $375/month), car ($400/month), health/car insurance (around $200/month)... food ($150/month) and the books/random expensive ($100/month) If I had that security of that second job it would make my life a lot more relaxed and fun so I could blow money on a awesome ski trip to Europe... And maybe even see some of my old friend from Germany...

I miss Europe... I am thinking about moving there after grad school... Freescale (the place I work now) has a branch there and since I might be able to keep my job, and could do it from anywhere... I think there would be great... America sucks he he... well, at least Florida and Texas... too damn hot... Florida is even worse though... even though it is averaging 98 here this week, the humidity is non-existent... I also found out today that Sebastian's post-cancer problems are coming back... right when he is moving into the dorms no less... which is pretty scary because, if I know him, (which I probably do as much as anyone does), he is not going to be motivated to take his medicines daily... or go see the doctor... etc... another thing that frustrates me...

I have been trying to get a hold of my god daughter Ashlyn since I got here, and every time I call they don't answer, so finally they call me and I missed it because I was busy, but Ashlyn left me a message and it made me so happy that I am not going to delete it all summer so even though I can never actually talk to her, at least I can hear her and know that she hasn't forgotten me... 4 months is a long time when you are her age...

Labels: ashlyn pinner, deanna tobin, facebook, freescale, germany, kathy zischka, megan folts, mike treffehn, sebastian amunategui, tallahassee, work

For the past two years I got my dad REALLY good on April fools day... well, this year I surpassed it all... It actually wasn't my idea, but I asked others for ideas and this kid Cory in the lab came up with it... so here it goes...

I called my dad up and told him that my advisor contacted me and told me that I cannot graduate because I was suppose to take some class that I didn't know about... and I told him now I wouldn't be able to go do this internship thing in Texas (read below) because I will have to stay in Tally to take the class... This is also after he bought all the hotel rooms, bought invitations, food, etc... well, I don't know how I did it but it without laughing but I did... anyways... he called back twice saying I should see if I can do the internship for credit, etc. etc... anyways... I let him worry about it for 2 hours and then finally I started to feel bad... so I was getting on the phone to call him and tell him, but then my friend was like "wait wait, give me the phone, what is his name... Hi, this is Demetirus Brown the chair of the Computer Science Department here at Florida State University, your son wanted me to talk to you about why he can't graduate..." anyways, 15 minutes later my dad started getting really worried so Demetirus responded... "here, let me transfer you to the Dean of the College of Arts and Science..." then proceeds to hand me the phone and I scram "APRIL FOOLS!"... he he... it was hilarious... anyways, go me...

Labels: demetrius brown, patrick folts, prank, tallahassee

Well, I just checked my UCF application status online and it says I have been admitted... yay... pretty cool... this is not for the gaming school, only for the Computer Science department... which is still pretty cool... I see it as the best CS program in Florida, so that is exciting... and they actually PROGRAM there, which is something we sort of lack here at FSU... I am still in Homer, Louisiana... middle of nowhere... he he... I might head to tally tomorrow but I haven't decided yet... maybe I'll wait till Sunday...

Labels: florida state university, gaming, grad school, honey folts, papa folts, programming, tallahassee

Well, in about 3 hours I have an interview with Freescale, a company that use to be part of Motorola... My uncle works there and told me about an summer internship that I might want... So, I thought why the hell not, and I am going to try... They pay for relocation even... I don't know how much they plan on paying me yet, but if it helps pay for grad school, then yippee... I also applied to be a video game tester in Orlando for $8... that is with EA... that would be sweeeeeeeeeet... I get my foot into the video game industry... which is cool...

If I live here the whole summer then I could start looking for houses in Dallas in case I get accepted to SMU... I am kinda scared to move so far away, but the truth is I really have no reason not to... all I have to think about is myself, which is weird... I am really excited about the thought of it, even though I am scared too... I need to feel like I am at a different stage in my life, because I will be... I don't want to be stuck in the same lonely routine in Tallahassee...

I hope they think I am good enough to get into these gaming schools... I would work like crazy once I got in, the problem is getting in... at least everyone at SMU will remember me because they freaking announced that I drove all the way from Florida during the main presentation by the Director of the school... embarrassing... but oh well... I feel more qualified than the other people there sounded... none of them seemed to know anything about programming... they were all scared about having to program... and I was really really excited about it... Even if I didn't go into video games after graduating, I would be a SUPER DUPER programmer and be able to apply to other places as well... They would teach me a whole bunch of very useful things...

Next week, after my Algorithm's test, I am going to start programming like crazy and finish up my portfolio...

Guess what! I got a 104 on my first intellegent systems test... so now we are done with 50% of the course and I have like a 99.999999... which is sweet... I only need like 40%'s on the rest of the course work to pass... that is a fun class...

OH well, I have to start getting ready for the interview... so yeah... bye

Labels: electronic arts, freescale, gaming, grad school, kelly folts, tallahassee, undergrad, work

Hi guys... I haven't written here for weeks because I have been busy as hell... I just finished my busiest week. I had 2 midterms today, and I have a paper due tomorrow that I already turned in so I am now in Gainesville with my Tito... I am VERY upset... Taco Bell stopped (at least in Gainesville and Tallahassee) serving Dr. Pepper... that is the worst thing that anyone company can do... loose me as a customer... I HATE Pepsi, so I can't drink anything while I am there... OH well, anyways, I got an 88 on my first math test... It was not only the highest grade, it was the only B (and it is almost an A, but nobody got an A out of 100 people...) GO ME! anyways... DIE TACO BELL! DONE

Labels: dr pepper, francisca amunategui, tallahassee, undergrad