A while back I wanted a smartphone, and Microsoft was handing out Windows Phones to anyone developed an app for them. So I banged out an app called Soil Sort that classifies soils based on sieve test particle size. It tells you some general properties of the soil like strength, cohesion blah blah. My roommate Sarah always called me a dirt nerd because of it.

Anyway, it had been downloaded 448 times, but I never got any feedback. The other day I got an email from some Nigerian engineer thanking me for writing it.

Thanks a lot for this wonderful program I love it GOD bless you for taken out time calculations easy for designers let us have more of unified systems and way of alternating the % retained method
Regards
Abiakam Chidi Steven
Civil and Environmental Engineer @ GEOFINITE CONSTRUCTION

It's an awesome feeling to hear that someone actually used something I made. It motivates me to want to program more. I'm still learning tons about web development and PHP from (e:paul), so hopefully I can produce useful tools soon.

I've been feeling pretty restless lately. I'm not sure if its because of work, that I want it to be warm or maybe a combination. I have a bunch of projects that I'd like to do at home but its hard to even do them because being cooped up drives me crazy.




There are these ridiculous ice tunnels in Crystal Beach that have popped up, apparently it's a freak occurance from the lake ice and wind. The other day I was wishing I could just bike across the lake on the ice to Canada or something. In a few months we'll be riding over the bridge to Windmill Point anyway!


(e:paul) is going to Florida for a conference at the end of the month. I'm jealous. Too bad (e:terry) and I couldn't go with him.

Last night (e:terry) and I went with (e:yesthatcasey) to GO Bikes Valentine event at Essex. Not really sure what the point was but the Rusty Chain was free for members so that was awesome.

We ran into Dana there and ended up having a big debate on GMOs and food. Casey asked me if I would eat an animal that just died if it wasn't raised or killed for humans to eat. I feel like logically I should because that takes away the environmental and ethical problems, but that means I'd eat roadkill. They do have recipes .

Ironically we drove there because of Terry's bum knee. So embarassing, I'll never be cyclist of the month at this rate!

So for her birthday, we went with (e:Mike) and (e:libertas) to Hutch's. It was crazy good food. I got the poblano pepper which was amazing and vegetarian, and even the mixed green salad was good.

After we went to Mike and Dave's for dessert. I ate way too much sponge candy and caramel bark. We heard from Paul's Dad what happens when you're in the first division, and that Paul was either a really terrible or really good paper boy.

Wish I took pictures.

(e:czarkasm) sang at Nietzsche's open mic night again. Even with the burps, definitely thought she was the best we heard there. Unfortunately we missed the throat singer but a guy did a poem that was pretty decent.

(e:paul) and I think (e:terry) should go up and sing sometime, he's so good at singing.

After we got back Terry and I danced in the living room to an hour of Pharrell's Happy. It has a 24 hour music video online here . Surprisingly it didn't get annoying to me but I'm pretty sure it was to Paul, lol.