Digital Analogue

Still alive, well

I occasionally mentally compose blog entries, but then it never seems like I'm near a computer when I think of typing it in. And now my front page has gone blank from lack of posts and people are emailing me to check that I'm okay.

I'm okay! Just busy.

The middle of the term was last week, and in the lead-up to that I had midterm exams and projects to grade; and that was just enough extra work that I still haven't pulled myself up through the usual homework load (though I'm sort of close, I guess).

Fall is really really here. Monday I started wearing sweaters, and Blanket Guy has been wandering around campus for a week or two now. But the real indicator is that I've stopped lamenting the cold and started looking forward to the first snow.

Last Saturday, I was in Urbana for the UIUC ballroom competition. I wasn't competing, but Kathy was, and it was good to go to a comp again. I'm all psyched now to get a few couples to go to Iowa State's comp in March. One of my students, Andrew, actually came with on Saturday; and aside from a little bit of shyness about actually getting out there and dancing with people that were better than him (I promise that's the best, funnest way to improve!), he really seemed to be into it. I also made a convoluted connection with some Monmouth kids (one of Kathy's teammates's sister and her boyfriend, or was it brother and his girlfriend?) who might be joining us now or at the start of the next term, which is pretty exciting.

I haven't had any time to do any political stuff, which is a little frustrating but probably just as well, as I'd just get angry. Although, I did write a letter to the Zephyr last week, which got its own heading rather than being put with the other presidential debate responses, about this idiotic "culture of life" business the Republicans are yapping about now. (See, there I go again, getting angry.)

So anyway, here I am, plodding along. My next planned departure from Galesburg is the 6th, when I go back to Urbana for the ACM programming contest, and I might go visit Ames at some point. But other than that, I'll just be here. Grading.

"Programming is just another name for the lost art of thinking." --Aaron Hsu