This evening I decided to transfer Kularski.org from GoDaddy (where it was placed by Google Apps). I was pleasantly surprised at how fast and efficient the transfer procedures are now. I have not had to perform a domain transfer in over two years, so I was still expecting the process to take 2 – 5 days. It only took about 5 hours, at the rate of about 1 email per hour for confirming each step of the process, but it was fairly smooth. My only complaint is that GoDaddy (losing registrar) did not maintain DNS service at all once the domain was transferred. Previously, I was used to the old servers still being usable for at least 24 hours after the move, allowing time to configure new information at the receiving registrar.
Desktop Clutter
During the Windows XP development process Microsoft began a “clean desktop” initiative, to attempt to make the Windows desktop a more useful place to run applications and save the user time by not having to minimize apps to launch new processes (that’s what the Start Menu is for). It was also the intention of Microsoft to give the end user more control over the desktop and let the user keep only the icons that were important to the user on the desktop. It seems as though that initiative has been forgotten, as it seems like almost any application that is installed places an icon on the desktop, sometimes with permission, or more often, without.
I find myself having to clean up after applications way too often, especially on my mobile systems. The application that started this particular rant today is an image viewing and manipulation application that placed its icon on my desktop. For that application, I do not require the desktop icon or even the start menu icons. The only way I launch the application is by its file associations. Perhaps its time to rethink how applications are accessed.
Slow Transcript Evaluation
I sent my final transcripts to Fayetteville on February 5th. I have been trying for months to communicate with them, and finally today got a response. My transcripts have all now been evaluated and there is now 12 more hours of credit on my record (for 114 hours that transferred total). In addition to transferring new work, the registrar also went back and re-evaluated a few “general electives” to give them proper designations.
Some of the notable items that were given clarity are:
GC ART 131 – Drawing 1 = FSU ART 121 – Basic Drawing
GC ART 132 – Drawing 2 = FSU ART 222 – Advanced Drawing
CPCC HIS 131 – US History 1 = FSU HIST 211 – US History to 1865
GC ENG 131 – Introduction to Literature = FSU ENGL 240 – Introduction to Literature
All this being stated, I only sent the transcripts to that the complete AA would show up so that I could eliminate the general education requirements (under the CAA). I didn’t really need more credits, all of my requirements were filled and all I had left were major requirements. I have credits coming out my ass since I’ve been in college so long.
PSYC 421: Cognitive Psychology Completed
Cognitive Psychology is finished. That’s one down and 4 more to go.
I finished up the last chapter and took the final exam this evening. Unfortunately it looks like I will be getting a B in the course. It has been a very interesting course and has given me a lot to think about in connecting computer science with psychology.
Eighty-eight Lines about 44 Women
I am starting to question the sanity of my musical tastes. Recently I got this song stuck in my head from XM 80s. I have heard it about once a day for the last few days and even when I am not listening to it I hear it in my head.
Deborah was a Catholic girl
she held out till the bitter end
Carla was a different type
she’s the one who put it in
Mary was a black girl
I was afraid of a girl like that
Suzen painted pictures
sitting down like a Buddha satReno was a nameless girl
a geographic memory
Cathy was a Jesus freak
she liked that kind of misery
Vicki had a special way
of turning sex into a song
Kamala, who couldn’t sing,
kept the beat and kept it strongZilla was an archetype
the voodoo queen, the queen of wrath
Joan thought men were second best
to masturbating in a bath
Sherry was a feminist
she really had that gift of gab
Kathleen’s point of view was this
take whatever you can grabSeattle was another girl
who left her mark upon the map
Karen liked to tie me up
and left me hanging by a strap
Jeannie had a nightclub walk
that made grown men feel underage
Mariella, who had a son,
said I must go, but finally stayedGloria, the last taboo
was shattered by her tongue one night
Mimi brought the taboo back
and held it up before the light
Marilyn, who knew no shame,
was never ever satisfied
Julie came and went so fast
she didn’t even say goodbyeRhonda had a house in Venice
lived on brown rice and cocaine
Patty had a house in Houston
shot cough syrup in her veins
Linda thought her life was empty
filled it up with alcohol
Katherine was much too pretty
she didn’t do that shit at allPauline thought that love was simple
turn it on and turn it off
Jean-Marie was complicated
like some French filmmaker’s plot
Gina was the perfect lady
always had her stockings straight
Jackie was a rich punk rocker
silver spoon and a paper plateSarah was a modern dancer
lean pristine transparency
Janet wrote bad poetry
in a crazy kind of urgency
Tanya Turkish liked to fuck
while wearing leather biker boots
Brenda’s strange obsession
was for certain vegetables and fruitRowena was an artist’s daughter
the deeper image shook her up
Dee Dee’s mother left her father
took his money and his truck
Debbie Rae had no such problems
perfect Norman Rockwell home
Nina, 16, had a baby
left her parents, lived alone
Bobbi joined a New Wave band
changed her name to Bobbi Sox
Eloise, who played guitar,
sang songs about whales and cops
Terri didn’t give a shit
was just a nihilist
Ronnie was much more my style
cause she wrote songs just like this
Jezebel went forty days
drinking nothing but Perrier
Dinah drove her Chevrolet
into the San Francisco Bay
Judy came from Ohio
she’s a Scientologist
Amaranta, here’s a kiss
I chose you to end this list.
Yet another academic post
These are starting to bore even me, but there are a few things I need to catch the record up on (since this blog is as much my personal notes as it is a way for people to get to know me).
First of all, Neither instructor to whom I sent e-mail regarding a closed-section permit ever responded, but this morning the department of psychology opened an additional 5 seats in each course. I have acquired one of those seats for Statistics of Psychology. I have abandoned theories of learning at this time, with the hope it will be offered in fall and I can take Behavior Modification next Spring.
My schedule has been updated accordingly:
Also, because of all of this registration craziness, GITI now displays a color coding for sub-statuses (course dispositions?) for courses in the pending state. Purple (the old color for general pending) is the color for a “planned course”, whereas gold is used to designated “registered course”. This is also in addition to another change in the layout of the course page which shows all courses together, grouped by semester and not status (used to be courses were pushed to the course page when they reached “registered”).
On a related topic, I looked at some of the degree options with the Art Institute Online, particularly the program in Photography. I considered it serious as something to think about doing as my fun curriculum during my Masters program, that is until I figured out the cost. $437 per credit hour, plus $100 per-course fee. That comes out to be about $6000 every 5 weeks At that rate, I could probably hire a part time photography tutor, or better yet, save for 10 weeks and buy a high-end lens and become self-taught with plenty of cash left over.
The administrative side of academics is starting to get on my nerves. I am so glad that I don’t have to worry about anything again until registration opens again in November.
Action Photography
Just trying a little bit of sports photography.
Change of Program?
Fayetteville has implemented the “change of major” in a fairly unique way that I did not even begin thinking about. I suspected that they might change my designated campus to be distance, or perhaps actually change the major, but instead, they changed my program. My degree remains as “BS” and my department and major remain as “Psychology”, but my program is now “BS Online Psychology”. I can’t believe with the amount of time I spend in Banner that I did not see the “Program” field before now. I guess it just did not factor into my understanding of the academic system. I understood the hierarchy of things to be University/College > College/Division > Department > Major field > Concentration. I guess they have to have some sort of administrative unit to manage other things by though that has nothing to do with curriculum.
Fall 2009 Registration
Once again, my Distance Education Coordinator kicks ass! I was finally able to get in to register for Fall. I have Algorithms (CSC 220), Research Methodology (PSYC 352) and Sensation and Perception (PSYC 420). I want to have at least one more course to fill out the semester, and 2 more would be even better (16 credit hours).
Funny thing about my present registration though, is that PSYC 352 has a pre-req of PSYC 233, for which I am still waiting for a permit. For the present time I have tricked Banner (not hard to do) into bypassing the pre-requisite error by momentarily being in a different section of PSYC 233 (one that meets MTWR from 8:20 – 10:20…. EEEK!). Now I just have to hope that the instructor will grant a permit before the system does its pre-req check (I know it does it, just not sure when).
I have decided to go ahead with Biopsychology during summer, allowing me to take Sensation and Perception during Fall. I am hoping that the department makes PSYC 320 (Theories of Learning) available online during Fall to fill at least one of my other spots so that I do not get slowed down in my completion of the program.
So… as a summary:
Summer 2009
PSYC 233 – Statistics for Psychology (pending)
PSYC 370 – Introduction to Biopsychology
Fall 2009
CSC 220 – Algorithms
PSYC 352 – Research Methodology
PSYC 420 – Sensation and Perception
Have PIN, Will Register
Well, my old advisor wasn’t lying, she gave me my PIN as soon as I called her today. I guess she just doesn’t do things by email. My new advisor, on the other hand, emailed me at 7:00am (although, he doesn’t have my PIN).
For Summer, my chosen classes are full, so I have sent email to beg for permits from both instructors. I am presently registered for my backup course, “Introduction to Biopsychology”.
For Fall, I am registered for CSC 220, but that’s it. There is a problem with my record that the registrar must address before I can register for courses in my department. For now, I remain calm and patient and let my department and the DE Coordinator take care of things.