Divide by Null - undefined

AOL speak. How infamous. It can be summed up in this quote: "Relationships are so easy on the internet: it all starts with 'asl' and ends with 'stfu'." That's not exactly verbatim... but still. I've heard "wtf" be used at school and "brb" on occasions, both jokingly and not. "wtf" I can see used as a euphemism, "brb" I can see used as an abbreviation (but it's 3 syllables still, unless pronounced "burb"... which I've heard). But when one gets to "lol"...

I may occasionally abbreviate words when typing. "brb", "btw", "imo" and "wrt" are examples of ones that I use... relatively often. I never use "lol" though. It never seemed right to me since I would always read it as "lohl" or "lawl" or so. I said that I didn't use it because I wouldn't say it in real life. Which is true, but I was incorrect with my reasoning.

When I type, I'm thinking of what I'm typing. If I encounter a phrase that could be initialized or otherwise abbreviated, I'll abbreviate it. One would (hopefully) not laugh by saying "laugh out loud! laugh out loud out loud out loud!" My abbreviations are just shortened formats of the words that I'm thinking of. In addition, I only abbreviate using initialisms, unless I would otherwise speak it in an abbreviated form ('cuz, wha, etc), and in general, I type how I talk.

Being on the internet so much, I'm used to reading posts with internet abbreviations. Oddly, I read them slightly slower than those with proper grammar and such. It's actually harder for me to type like that because I have to think about it. It's just natural for me to type out everything. It's become habit.

Now, as to why I do the same for texts (yeah, apostrophes too), I don't know. It's more proper? It looks better? In any case, I'm willing to go the extra mile. I can understand why people would shorten their messages for texts. Space limits and the general inconvenience to enter messages are convincing arguments. Regardless, I don't.

And as for abbreviations on the keyboard, is "u" that much better? "cu l8r" is code-like to me. If it's speed that's the problem, practice proper typing! Such abbreviations would likely actually hinder typing speed, at least for formal documents.

In any case, that's how I use it, and I don't muchly care if you do it differently. As long as I can read it, it's fine... for IMs and texts. E-mails and forum posts should have proper grammar. Those are asynchronus versions of communication, giving plenty of time to spell check. It's just a pet peeve, really. I can live with it... but not contently.

Strong Bad and Mr. Period agree... scalawag.

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So this is the first real entry in awhile, it seems. I just haven't had much inspiration. Three days ago, I decided to just write down topics that I would expand later to a real entry and I came up with a few. So there's the inspiration, but I still was just too lazy to go ahead with it. So, here I am now. I'm going to somehow relate this to the computer... so let's start with...

AP Computer Science! I finally got in my results. (Oddly enough, I still don't have my AP US History results yet.) I was pleasantly surprised to encounter a 5. I'd thought that the test was far too easy, but I then thought I must have been missing something. Considering that I wasn't exactly finished with my study guide at the time of the test, I was indeed pleased. I guess my background in PHP helped, but this definitely showed be the value of OOP. Granted, it tests so little PHP that I still can't exactly make anything useful. I've made a GCF/LCM, prime number, and prime factorization program (all previously made in PHP) and a very simple RPG (just movement involved... it's more of a text-based maze). I digress, though. I'll just say that I was pleased with my score (AP scholar with distinction.. here I come?)

Next on the list... AJAX. I'd like to make something that involves it somehow. I was going to reorganize up the photo gallery on the band site and implement AJAX-style navigation, but what has kept me back was the initial reorganization. I was trying to do too much. I get too caught up with details sometimes. That's why I plan my code for modularizations for situations that would likely not come up. (Is this what happens when I don't write often? I get off-track often?)

So, in order to familiarize myself with AJAX, I'd like suggestions from my commentors (?) and visitors (I have any?). What sort of flashy thing can I add? Or any other type of application? If you don't know what AJAX is, it's basically javascript and remote calls; javascript handles client-side data and when necessary, calls a server script to collect data and use the data to modify the page without actually going to a new page. For reference, Gmail is something of a uber-AJAX application.

Aside from AJAX, what else can I add to this blog? This blog is something less of a blog than it is a neverending test of my PHP and web programming skills. I might as well just slap a "BETA" to my logo and call it Web 2.0.

One thing I did manage to get done is this random image generator I made for the VMHSGA forum. I have quite a collection of randomness there. It was partly inspired by those Danasoft images and partly inspired by my boredom.

Oh yeah. I also got a new monitor. bright LCD. It actually hurts my eyes after long periods of time becaue it's so bright. Everything else looks so yellow. I got it because the blue in my old monitor wasn't working properly. It would occasionally flicker out, but return after a tap (or more). Then, it suddenly dropped out completely and my monitor had a yellow tint. This is quite a difference.

Also, this 4-monitor display looks spiffy. It might take some getting used to, but I definitely see some advantaged.

So ends this randomness. I should have another one out tomorrow hopefully. I'll force myself to do it! (provided that I'm not lazy enough to resist)

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I have been lax. I haven't had much inspiration for a new entry. But since I don't really have a regular userbase, I decided that's not much of a problem. Once someone reminded me that I hadn't posted, I decided to muster up something.

There's something bugging me. I'm looking at it right now. It's my monitor. Here and there, it'd have short spurts of "yellow fever". That is, everything would gain a yellow tint. More precisely, it would lose all of its shades of blue. For those that know color hex values, instead of #ffffff, it would be #ffff00. Usually, it would go back by itself or I could force it with a gentle (sometimes) tap on the left of the screen.

This time was different.

For some reason, too, I knew that it was different. Right after it changed, I thought that this time, it might not go back. Still, I tried. Tap... slap... fwap... BANG BANG BANG. I was hitting the monitor with varying force at various areas. Yet, to no avail did it revert. I then thought I could turn it off for awhile and it would return to its previous state. Five hours later, it's still yellow.

This also happened to my last two monitors. Malerie's computer is the same, but purple, that is, her green is faulty. I wonder why mine turn yellow while hers became purple? Did I overwork the blue? Did she overwork the green? I would not have been so curious if both screens became yellow; I probably would just assume that's the way it is. But when I saw the purple...

Anyway, it's time for a new monitor. I opened paint and put blue at 255 with red and green both at 0. I then put my crude drawing on top of true black. I couldn't see the picture. Also, whenever I look away after being on the computer for awhile, everything looks bright blue. My room, with light blue walls, looks especially bright.

Oddly enough, though, anything that wasn't really true blue appears blue. On Google, for instance, the text links are dark black, but the g's in the logo are noticeably blue.

It's annoying. It's not too much of a hindrance. I can still use the computer and do just about everything I did before (aside from image editing and website color management), but regardless, I'd really like a new monitor.

So much for Blue Shades

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Something about late nights must make me ponder about life.

I am a senior. I have a year of school left before this era of my life is over. How time flies. Wasn't I just a freshman?

I don't want the good times to stop. I know that I have to move on. I realize that the future is full of great times, too. But still, I can't deny the great moments spent in high school.

Next year is the last year. I want to make the most of it. Carpe Diem! Take chances and go forth! This summer has so far felt... different. I believe it to preclude a change in school life next year. But will this be so simple?

Change is constant, but likewise, always resisted. Some people will always try to stop change. This year is going to be different, but definitely not without its problems.

Thing that I may have regretted not doing in the past, I will try to go after. Will this new approach to life be well-received by others? Who knows? Will it be better for me? Who knows? I feel somewhat obligated, however, to do what I can to make sure that this last year in high school is the best possible.

Thinking back to 9th grade, so much has changed. I was more of a reserved introvert, held by self-restraint, unwanting of the unknown. Now I am embracing it, seeing it as a chance for revitalization. In the course of 3 years, 75% of high school completed, the metamorphosis is almost complete.

There is one more year left before I will be pushed out into the real world, before all the others will be getting jobs, serving in the military, studing in universities, living a much different life than now. Scary, yet exciting.

I can't wait for college. Not that I'm not sad to leave high school, but I understand that I must move on and tackle this new challenge.

It's all been leading up to this point. Every action, thought, idea, instruction, and interaction has made me into this person. Everything since I was born has had some effect that eventually led up to this. Now I can take control and push forward. I will gain momentum and not grow weak. The past is good to remember, but I must not lose grasp of the present and not lose sight of the future.

It's about halfway into the break and thus it's enough winding down. Time to start accelerating to prepare for 12th grade.

Here I come, June 15, 2007!

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It was 10:30 pm, June 30. AP scores are going to be released tomorrow.

Tomorrow is going to be here in under two hours... I wonder if I could wait? WAIT! College Board headquarters is located on the East Coast!

Eager to hear my scores, I scoured the website for the number. No... that's not it... customer service? No... Ah! Grades by phone!

Testing out my theory, I decided to call the number, just to see if it would work. Lo and behold, I got the automated answering machine telling me to press 1 for AP scores. I did, but then I hung up.

I needed a credit card still, so I jumped out of my room. I saw the bright light coming from under the nearby door. Yes! She's still awake! I ran upstairs and explained the situation to my mom.

"Tomorrow", she said. Finally, if reluctantly, she decided to go ahead with it.

I ran back down the stairs to the main telephone. She was waiting for here Filipino show to finish, so I had to wait as well, but finally, we called.

1 888 308 0013... 1... a long string of numbers, AP number, birthmonth and day, credit card number, all separated by a verifying "1".

Not all of your scores are available.

That's ok! I must hear them! Finally then, the scores.

Your score for the AP US History Exam is... not available.

Whaat? But.. but...

If you would like to hear this score again, press 1.

But... what score?

When you are ready, press 9.

But... fine. Let's finish this.

Your score for the AP Calculus AB Exam is... 5

WOW! That's... pretty good, I must say!

Your score for the AP Physics B Exam is... 5

WOAH! Nice. Something to show to Mr. Johnson, at least.

Your score for the AP Spanish Language Exam is... 2

Um. No. I don't think I like that score. Oh well, I didn't think I'd do too well (but I thought I'd pass). The 5s were overpowering though.

YEAH! 5²!

And no AP Computer Science? well, I guess it was the late test. Regardless, I was really interested in that score.

So to summarize:

• Calc: 5
• Physics: 5
• Spanish: 2
• US History: ??
• Computer Science: ??

And the two scores I didn't get were the two I were most interested in hearing. Ah, well, I guess I can wait about a month.

(Yay!)

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