Wow, I just slept 16 hours. I haven't done that in years. I think I was pretty tired.

Funyy, how a low is counteracted by a high or two.

Oh, and to everyone who's giving me shit for renting out the basement of my mom's house after I leave, I really don't want to hear it. If you found an apartment for half the going rate in the area with three times the square footage, wouldn't you jump on the opportunity? For real...

Seeing as how everyone else has blogged within the past 6 hours, I figured I had better get mine in too.
Yeah, I was on the phone with my mom a couple days ago and she was like "you've seemed a little depressed since about October." Sigh. I should be happy about my actually having scored a job or maybe the trip out west I'm going on after I graduate, but it all seems lackluster. Can't focus on my classes for shit, and I'm already behind. I'll be damned if I'm headed for another 2.4 semester. This mood swing shit is already getting to me again.
Whatever, I'm going back to sleep. Maybe my whack ass sleep schedule is the problem.

I have several things to blog about, but my brain is squash, so I'll mention the less involved stuff.

So the shoot with Laury during winter break went well. I just processed the black and white negs... can't wait to make prints (like I have time). Laury went to the trouble of having the few rolls of color shots developed, scanned, and posted online, here. YES, SHE IS WEARING CLOTHES IN EVERY SINGLE SHOT. You just can't see her top in some of them, which is the whole [artistic] point.

Apparently the college republicans are ecsatic with my work for their not so little event with a certain Oliver North as the keynote. He's actually a pretty entertaining speaker, if you kinda ignore some of the republican rhetoric. Yeah, about one hour into that seven hour assignment, it occured to me "All of these people are white, middle class or better, and chrisitian." Hopefully I'll be getting a peek at those shots this, though the College Republicans must keep them hostage until mid February.

Yeah, my mom's business is not doing so hot. Like, well, I'd say how bad it was, giving specifics would be a bad idea. Let's just say that if the Toy Corner still exists by next Christmas, it would something of a miracle.

In not-unrelated commentary: I'd just like to point out the fact that until 9/11, the US didn't suffer the kinds of terrorist attack more commonly survived by countries like, say, Israel, the UK, France... The difference IMNSHO is that our intelligence community does such a good job that we are so shocked by such an even precisely becuase it doesn't happen [here]. Frankly, I'm kind of saddened that this has so damaged American morale, and thus the economy. Granted, Osama is an evil man, and I have the utmost sympathy for all those connected to the events... but I think Americans need to get used to the idea that we are not invincible and that being this free (cough, cough) and powerful has its adversities.
I guess my point is that I think its taken a good deal longer to move on with the nation's business that I think it should have. I love these commercials that proclaim big sales or low financing to "keep America rolling."
Terrorist attack on the United States on a much larger scale would totally destabalize the country- not becuase we could not react via military force, or rebuild what was lost, but because we'd be too busy crying about it.

So that was a bit longer and more cerebral than I was planning.
I hope my MITRE job goes through. It would really suck if it didn't.

So like I was saying earlier, having really good friends who you can lean on is cool. Props to Catherine, Amy, and Dave for being there for so many years. Somehow I think I'll still be talking to these crazy people when I'm 80.

Whee, 41 straight hours of conciousness. It's waaaaaay past my bedtime. :-P I'm a little tuckered out.

Oh, ahem, did I mention I've been asked to photograph an even for Purdue College Republicans? No, no, it gets worse... OLIVER NORTH will be there. Yes, that's right, the convicted fellon and Iran-Contra ring-leader himself, Ollie North. Ah, for the love of money.

So I've made four onsite trips in the past week to put out fires for the Probation Department. I'm getting sick of this shit. I'm willing to dive through database development in Access and VBA until my face turns blue (big concession, trust me), but putting out fires onsite on short notice is not cool. Oh well, at least now I have more ammo when I say
"Microsoft sucks!"

In somewhat related news, I discovered two viruses on my windows box. Yea. After many runs of several different virus checkers, a couple dozen reboots, and a few replaced system files, the viruses are no more. Success you say? No. Files that get cleaned of viral code are sometimes never the same. To put a long story short, I probably could have fixed it, but instead I decided to order a new hard drive and reinstall with a distinct "Aw, fuck it" insterted somewhere in there.

So in my EE469: Operating Systems lab (7:30 Monday morning, and I'm a senior, !@#%&Y!@#$&!%), the TA asks for introductions from all the students. Out of the 30 students, all seniors, most graduating in May, I was one of two who could reasonably claim having a job lined up. Yes folks, the job market is that bad.
For those of you who are wondering, "so when did Carson get a job offer," I don't have anything official yet, but.... it looks like I'm going to work for MITRE. During my couple weeks in NoVA, I worked for MITRE some, and planned on discussing my possible future with MTIRE with my department head and assitant head. Yeah, after walking into her office, she was basically like "So when would you like your offer?" Yes, that was approximately the pinnacle of the past 17 years of my academic career. Needless to say I was pleased. Mind you, I'm not counting my chicks before I can see the five digit number on their backs, but I'm pleased to say the least. Or, to put a long story short,
FUCK YEAH, I'VE GOT A JOB! WOOHOO!
Or, as Sean Connery would say, "The day ish mine!"
I'm waiting for the FedEx package and the phone call. Then I'll truly be able to relax. :-)

So how about those campaign contributions by Enron to Bush, Ashcroft, & Co.?

Going out on a Thursday night is fun. The funny part is knowing that you'll see one or two of them the next morning in Software Engineering. After spending 3 hours onsite getting our project partner's database working correctly again (Bill Gates, I'm glaring in your direction), Tom (the CTO of my EPICS group, JDS) and I were like, "I know where I'm going to be tonight." That's right, the Neon Cactus.

I also enjoyed the first public use of my Rav'n light, compliments of a certain Diva. Oh ack, I've turned into one of those guys who waves /(glow sticks|leds|photon lights)/ around, attracting attention to himself in clubs. Ah well, I enjoyed myself. :-)

Funny though, I could never get her out of my mind this evening. Not that I'm complaining, because I'm not. ;-)

So I was flipping channels, and what do I find? A couple dancing to "Clubbed to Death." Frankly, I think a few glow sticks would have helped. :-P

Let her talk about the things
You can't explain
To touch is to heal
To hurt is to steal
If you want to kiss the sky
Better learn how to kneel ... (on your knees boy!)

She's the wave
She turns the tide
She sees the man inside the child

It's alright ... it's alright ... it's alright
She moves in mysterious ways