I am starting to see the morning more often now but from the wrong end. I keep having so much work that I almsot never go to bed before 7am anymore. I took on this extra project for a guy at work. The project was to fix a dynamic php/mysql site that didn't really work. He was supposed to have it done for this conference next Wednesday. There was no way in hell that he could have ever had it do anything by Wednesday. It was in such poor shape and the structure of the data itself made it obvious that he really had no idea what he was doing.

I feel bad for him because it really must be a defeating to have to hire your own projects out when you can't do them. Luckily, I had the last eight months working on this site to give me a head start so I said I could get in done in about three days. I never had any idea how bad the code would be. I had to throw out 90%. Variables changed names, databases din't have matching keys for cross referencing, etc. What kills me is that I could have done this a long time ago. They actually tried to hire me to do this project two years ago but I quit when I found out that he was making $2500 for freaking web design and they wanted me to do the database and PHP for $900.

Then he tried to offer me $200 to do this $1500 project. I have to say I was a bit offended, I think I would have rather that he just asked me to do it for free. I tried to compare it like this. He is a painter and it's comparable to me bringing him a pencil sketch for a portrait I was commisioned to paint and asking him if he could just touch it up with oil paint and build a frame.

So eventually, we agreed on $500, because I think I can do this quickly but also 30% of future profits from the project and my name as programmer on all paperwork. He will be presenting it in Atlanta Next week.

Honestly, I really like him and think he is one of the most talented graphic artists I personally know, and overall a great guy but this project is embarrasing. I can't imagine having to give a lecture about it. Its so 1991 in terms of the technology. And conceptually, I don't think it is offering anything new or innovative.

So Terry is reallyy mad caus ehe resrved a cabin for us all to go camping and trish canceled. Then I canceled because I seriously have too much work. I really want to go but now I am involved in this crap. I hope somday when I go back and read my ten years of journals, I don't see this weekend as the point where I chose work over life and then hate mysql. I meant to write mysql but then by accident typed mysql. Oh my god I did it again. I meant to type myself. That's really ironic and kind of scary.

Life on Elmwood is insane. I have to get out of here soon.

Unclaimed Money lised on the internet. Somehow my mother hearda bout his and started checkign everyone. My cousin who shot himsel fis listed. I wonder who owes him money?

Sadly, he is not around to claim it. I wish someone owed me lots of money. But not if I had to die for it.

Check it out for yourself here

This image represents George Bush's dedication to the democratization (militarization) of space.

On another note. I got stuck doing Ben's project after all. Although I am still bitter with the fact that he get $2500 and I will do so much work for far less. I made him sign to 30% of future profits, my name listed as PHP programmer on the documentation, copyright retention of my code and $500.

I have gotten sucked into 3 projects that are not my own. Unfortunately, they are on crazy deadlines so I have to postpone the updates here for another little bit of time. I think it will be worth it. Sorry about that. I hope you guys still can love me.

I am still up doing someone else's programming nwork. I better get credit for it. I am very tired but at least it is wokring out despite the numerous bug dramas.

Well teaching an online course seems to take more time than a real life one. According to Jesse's time clock I have been in the course world online for 158 hours so far.

I finally finished scripting my turtles and disco ball for the SL course. I also started selling glasses and touched up my living room. I spent the whole day trying to finsish reading the manual for SL scripting so that I could explain it to other people. I really have a knack for that. Reading manuals and then explainign them. Sometimes, I can't believe that other people don't do this. I can't tell you for exmaple how many people coe to me with really basic Adobe Photoshop orblems. Say for example, "How do I turn a path in to a selection?" I usually ask, "Have you consulted the manual and/or help files?" and they 99% of the time say no, its too confusing. I finad manuals to be the easiest reading on earth. There is no bullshit, no opinions, etc. Just hard afct on how something is done. Espcecially now that almsot every manual is online and serachable or at least in PDF.

Basically, scripting in Second Life is like programming in C. I like it a lot. Programming makes me very very very happy. Each time I discover a new way to do something, I get a little rush. Eventually it becomes like a drug when I set a loftly good for myself and then reach it. Which lead sto a loftier goal, which is then met and so on, untill I get to a really hard problme and then I start getting completion withdrawl. I love the compelting feeling.

I realy think programming makes you smarter, as well. Logic tastes so much better than anything for my brain.

For those of you that don't program at all, I suggest trying it. i didn't used to but honestly, it really makes you feel good about yourself and its great fun to see your artwork become dynamic and responsive. I wish I had just started a little earlier.

If you do any sort of computer artwork, give it a try. You won't regret it.

This is my disco stand. It sells bracelts which make it easy for your avatar to dance. See my tempreal journal for more information about these projects.



My new Living Room.



My online turtle pets. What a little aplha channel and a lot of scripting can do!! These cute little pets follow your avatar around. They were a great learning exercise for me and also a great money maker.



This is where I sell them.



Unfortunately, while testing the code for the turtles, I made a mistake a one of the turles, litterly blew up.



One of the avatars who was their said it looked like a suicide lemming. The things circled in red are its finger nails and little parts that blew off. It was really sad. Even though its not real I was starting to get attached to it. It could tell me it loved me, follow me around, wait for me in places, say its initals in binary, etc. Luckily it was a binary pet and I have unlimited didgital copies of it.

What type of implication would there be if I had unlimited digital copies of a real pet. Would I share them on the internet. Cyberpets! Maybe there is a market there. I seemed to really get attached to mine. Kind of like a tomogochi. I guess There.com already has cyberpets.

It seems like everyday more people are asking me to do them favors - computer style mostly and offering me trivial amounts of money in return. I am really busy. No Mike, this is not about Tim. I do not have any extra time to take on additional projects.

I was searching for images of leaves on google images and ended up on a flash virtual bong hit page

People have way to much time on their hands.

Today was my mother's birthday party and our family valentine's party at my Grandmother's house. It was the first opportunity I had with my mother, at my Grandmother's recently, where we could find all the paperwork for my Italian citizenship campaign. I will be an EU citizen in no time, I hope.

If it proves too difficult for me to get it, both my mother and father have the possibility of claiming it as well. Either way, I am going to get it.

The following paperwork is what I needed and I have it now.

My Grandmother's Birth Certificate



My Grandfather's Brth Certificate



My Grandparents Marriage Certificate



My Grandmother's US Citizenship Papers



My Grandfathers's US Citizenship Papers