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Friday, April 30, 2004
 
My uncle's birthday / retirement party is tomorrow; I'll be attending with my family. The catch is that he lives in Vegas. Guess who's spending a weekend in Sin City? If you answered any of a number of B-list celebrities popular in the 1970s you'd most likely be right, but that's not important right now. What is notable is that I'll be out of state this weekend trying to see if I can win enough money to pay for next month's rent!

Thursday, April 29, 2004
 
Hey all, I'm testing out the internet browsing capabilities of my PDA. It seems a little weird to be typing with the stylus, but I think I can get used to it. On campus I can find a wifi signal easily, but it's a lot harder to find one in my apartment where I am now. Luckily, when connected to my computer, I can bum off its ethernet card for a connection to the internet.

Wednesday, April 28, 2004
 
I got a spiffy new PDA for free today. The only catch is that I have to turn it back in at the end of the quarter. For some reason, my teacher in VIS 149 seems really interested in wireless networks and wants us to get involved in a campus-wide wireless message board-type thing. So we all get PDAs to access it. I don't seem to have a signal in my room, so I don't know if I've correctly configured the PDA to access the server. I'll figure it out.

Tuesday, April 27, 2004
 
My morning class was a sort of field trip. We met at a beach a little ways south of campus, and observed and filmed for two hours for this documentary class. Normally the class is three hours, but the teacher wanted to give us plenty of time to get back to school. Of course, I got lost on the way down. Would someone please explain to me why there's no way to get on the 8 West from the 5 South?! I guess I'm just no good driving around here.

Monday, April 26, 2004
 
I'm about ready to hurt myself. So on Friday I got my new digital camera and started playing with it. It's really cool, a higher resolution than my previous one, and even has audio and video capabilities. The one problem I had was that it wasn't accepting my CompactFlash card. I used this card on my HP camera, so I guess that formatting was screwing up my new Vivitar one. I guess I was fiddling with things I shouldn't have. This morning, before driving back to school, I was trying to get the card to work again. And now the camera won't turn on. Grrrrr..... At least it's still under warranty.

Friday, April 23, 2004
 
Yesterday my aunt put her dog, Kimberly, to sleep. Kimmy was 16 years old and a Brittany spaniel, the same breed as my previous dog Major. In fact, my aunt got Kimmy the year before we got Major, in 1988. That Kimmy survived this long is itself a small miracle, but she was so feeble that I'm sure she feels a whole lot better right now. We lost Major in 1997 and there are times the pain feels so fresh. I know what my aunt and her family are feeling right now, because truth be told, I'm feeling it a little myself right now. Major like Kimmy and was always excited when he got to see her. I tend to think that Kimmy kind of looked down on Major a little, seeing him as an immature little boy. Those personifications we project onto our pets make the grieving process even harder since we seem to have lost a family member. My current dog Brittany like Kimmy too, but she only knew Kimmy as an old dog who wasn't really up to deal with Brittany's antics. Kimmy was losing her hearing and terrible arthritis, but she still loved those around her. It broke my heart to see Kimmy this way, and I when I saw her throughout the past year I tried to make her feel comfortable. I could tell she still remembered me, and it was always fun to see her shake her butt in happiness (I think whoever cut her tail cut it too short, since she was never really able to move it on her own like Major could). I barely remember the time before my aunt had Kimmy, and losing her is a reminder of how much time has really gone by. 1988 doesn't feel that long ago, but for some of us, it's a lifetime. I remember how bad I felt when I lost Major, I'm feeling a little sad now that Kimmy is one, and I'm dreading the time when I'll have to say goodbye to Brittany.

My grandmother is 90, and in not the best condition. Her husband, my grandfather, passed away 14 years ago. I had a delayed reaction to when he died, numbness at first, followed by total sadness when the news finally sank in. I was only 9 at the time. I'm wondering how bad I'll feel when she finally passes on....

Thursday, April 22, 2004
 
I'll be at home for the full weekend this time, at least I hope so. Among other things I'd like to do, I need to get a haircut and pick up my digital camera (if it's arrived yet). The haircut is a definite must. I haven't cut it in at least two months and it's really starting to bug me. That, and it adds a weird level of height to my head. Yeah, I know, this post is pointless, but I'm allowed to rant like a senile old fool, dammit!

Wednesday, April 21, 2004
 
I'm starting to feel a little bit of the pressure of those class assignments bearing down on me. In two of my classes, I already need to be working on my final project (it's only Fourth Week!) and in a third I'll need to shoot my second film really soon. Fun times all around. On the plus side, though, I... well, there really isn't a plus side to this. I'm meeting new people, does that count?

Tuesday, April 20, 2004
 
Nothing much went on today, aside from the normal hustle and bustle my school schedule requires. It looks like I'll need to put together another video for my documentary class pretty soon, but I don't really have an idea about whom I should film. The subject of the assignment is to create a portrait of a person I find interesting. The problem here is that the people I find interesting are inaccessible to me, or boring to everyone else. I suppose the inherent challenge of the assignment is to make the person interesting to others. Oh well.

Monday, April 19, 2004
 
We didn't end up filming Saturday due to the unexpected rain, but we did manage to get it done on Sunday. (Here's an aside: did anyone else notice how completely opposite the weather was those two days? Overcast, rainy, and cold on Saturday, clear, sunny, and warm Sunday!) Anyways, one of the requirements for the assignment was to shoot the same scene at three different film speeds. We chose to shoot me getting thrown out of a chair. Not too much of a problem except that I damaged my cell phone in the process. I cracked the case and created a weird discoloration on one part of the LCD screen. Nothing too terribly dangerous, but I did have to buy a new case.

Between the aborted Saturday shoot and the completed Sunday one, I did drive home. I wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary until the windshield wipers stopped working right about 30 miles from home. The driver side wiper worked fine, but the passenger side jammed at the bottom. This was the case for most of the rest of the drive, but there were times when the passenger wiper got free. Normally this would be a good thing, but the wiper would move all the way over to the driver side; one time it jammed the driver side wiper, effectively blinding me, the other time it managed to get to the bottom of the windshield and get stuck there. I managed to make it home intact, but this effectively grounded the Jetta for the time being.

Lastly, my dad finally is getting me a new digital camera. It'll have 3 megapixel resolution, 3x optical zoom, and take the same kind of memory card my previous camera had. As a bonus, it comes with it's own printer and is on sale at only $100. I'm still kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop, but for now I'm hoping this camera will be worth it.

Friday, April 16, 2004
 
Tomorrow will be one of those rare Saturdays where I'm actually still in San Diego. I need to film a 16mm film with a group for a vis arts class I'm in. Hopefully it won't take too long to shoot, since we only need to deal with one roll of film that lasts about 3 minutes. Also, the assignment is more about the using the camera than what we're actually shooting. I plan on leaving for home as soon as we finish. The only real annoyance was that I had to pick up the camera from school. It doesn't sound too bad until you factor in the weight of the camera and its case, the two battery packs, and the heavy tripod which I had to carry back to the shuttle bus and then to my apartment. It was a bit of a workout. (That, or I'm more out-of-shape than I realized!)

Thursday, April 15, 2004
 
As far as I know, everything that I need to do in terms of schoolwork I'm handling. Yet I can't quite shake the feeling I'm forgetting something. I'm not sure if I'm just being paranoid here, or if I really do have something I need to do. I guess I'll find out soon enough. In the meantime, it sure is bugging me.

I also found out this week that I have in my possession three 8mm films my grandfather taped in the 1960s. I think it would be a really nice present for my mom to have these converted to VHS or DVD. I know the on-campus Media Center can transfer them to VHS, but I'm also wondering if it would be possible to transfer the film to miniDV cassette, so I could stick it through my computer onto a DVD. I'll have to look that up.

Wednesday, April 14, 2004
 
Starting next week, I'll need to provide some information about my final projects to my teachers in a few of my classes. I find this a little bizarre that it will only be the fourth week, but I'll already need to know what I'll be doing in June. Honestly, I haven't a clue as to what I'll do, but I suppose thinking about it sooner is much more desirable than later.

On the apartment front, I might get another place, seeing as how my prospective new roomie doesn't want to share a single room. I'm willing to set up shop in the living room, but he said he'd feel guilty about that. We'll see how this develops.

Tuesday, April 13, 2004
 
This is a little weird. It's Tuesday night and I'm back at my house. Apparently, dad needed my signature to complete the IRS forms he didn't give me over the weekend, so here I am. I'll be leaving tomorrow morning since I don't have class until 3 pm. It's kind of like having a mini-weekend in the middle of the week!

Monday, April 12, 2004
 
Wow, Monday's almost over; I almost forgot about this thing. I had a nice Easter yesterday, nothing too hectic nor too boring. Other than that, not much went on. I saw Ken on Friday and went to Universal on Saturday to take some film footage for an assignment in my documentary class. This morning, before driving down to school, I bought some X-Men: Evolution DVDs. I really haven't seen much of the show, but what I have seen I like. I was actually pleasantly surprised to find that the X-Men roster actually grows and changes. That's a nice touch, and quite appropriate considering how often the comic book line-up changes. Now if only they'd put out all of the old X-Men cartoon on DVD. It's tough trying to track them down on video, and even then, I don't think every episode was released.

Friday, April 09, 2004
 
AAArrrggghhh!!! Studentlink won't let me sign into my class! I hate that they take so damn long to register that someone on a wait list is supposed to be in the class. (Did I mention I hate the fact that you have to drop from the wait list before you can officially join the class? It just adds to the confusion!!) I have about two hours until the class sign-up deadline and I still can't get in!! What do I do?!?

Update: It's about two minutes later, but I finally got in! Turns out I was registered to join in the other name of the class, not the one I was trying to get into. Damn those cross-listed classes can be confusing!!

Thursday, April 08, 2004
 
I'll be staying in SD until tomorrow night on apartment business. I need to check out my possible roommate for next year and make sure he's okay with living with me. Other than that, I have no need to stay here. I'll probably visit Ken on the way home, and try to finish up a video assignment on Saturday.

In other news, I finally got the battery acid-encrusted cap off my 35mm film camera's battery compartment without wrecking it. It looks like I may have a chance at salvaging the light meter in there since the top battery didn't leak. Good news, but it probably didn't make a word of sense to anyone who doesn't really know cameras. Which, I suppose, is anyone reading this. Oh well.

Wednesday, April 07, 2004
 
It appears as though my weekends are going to be full this quarter. Having two film classes can eat into my time, but it's complicated by having groups to make our first few films in one class. Luckily I will have this weekend off, but it's unlikely this sort of thing can be kept up. I suppose it's for the best, though. A little socialization should do me some good, right?

Tuesday, April 06, 2004
 
Long day of classes today (I just got home), but it looks like I'll get into both of my wait-listed classes after all. I'm tired, but I think it's good since my middle class is about movement and as such, I get a workout. It's funny, I have 8 hours of classes today, but I'm in no way as mentally drained as I'd be after finishing my 9 hour Wednesdays last quarter. What a difference class quality can make.

Monday, April 05, 2004
 
I think it's nice not having class until 3 in the afternoon on Mondays. Case in point: this morning, I drove down to Beach Blvd and Ball Ave to pick up some comics and action figures, drove back home, and then drove back to school. I arrived at my apartment with plenty of time before I had to get to class. Yes sir, I like it!

Friday, April 02, 2004
 
Looks like I'll need to renew my apartment lease by the middle of the month if I want to keep it at the rate I currently have. Oh boy, this is going to cause problems. I may have someone as a roommate at that time, but how do I sign them on now when I still have to deal with my current situation?

Thursday, April 01, 2004
 
First Week is over and done with for me. I arranged my schedule to get Fridays off, and it looks like I'll be needing them with the amount of projects I may have to do this quarter. I'm certain I'm thinking it's going to be worse than it really is, but one of my classes is about making films on film. Honest-to-God film, none of those miniDV cassettes I use. It's going to be an interesting experience fighting to get a camera to do my projects, much less actually creating them. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how it turns out.

But what's really annoying is having two waitlisted classes (half my schedule), and still not knowing if I'm going to be in them or not!

 


The views and opinions expressed here are solely those of Phillip Donnelly. Unless explicitly stated, all statements are those of Phillip Donnelly. So there!

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