Was It Worth It?

After spending four years on a task, it’s probably inevitable that one wonders whether all the stress and hardship was really worth it. So I’ve been thinking about college now... M O R E »

Four Years Later

I made it.... M O R E »

The Last Semester Wrapup Ever

The last one of these I will ever write. Crazy. ENG 384 - Great Film Directors It was cool to sit around and talk about movies, and I got the... M O R E »

Done for now

When I hand in my (completed) TSC project in two hours, I will unofficially be done with my college career. To be sure, I still have a few finals next... M O R E »

My Law Paper Is Done

I’ve finished the last paper of my college career. It’s not nearly as good as I think the other one is, so you don’t get to read this one. I’d... M O R E »

About that other paper...

So I had a pretty easy time writing that last paper. Well, easier than I expected, at least. Now I realize why: I did some serious research. I read three... M O R E »

As Promised

Like I said before, I’m posting my long-ass paper on the Fairness Doctrine. It’s called The Fairness Doctrine in the 21st Century, and it is probably the longest single thing... M O R E »

My Slacker Image

Last night was the honors banquet for the JMU Computer Science department. I received two awards: the first was a “Distinguished Graduate” award, which I think had something to do... M O R E »

Reprieve

My Television professor opened class tonight by asking us what we would say if he pushed the due date for our term paper back by a week, and there was... M O R E »

Remaining Major Projects

I got a B+ on the paper I wrote in less than three hours last week, which encourages me that I might complete the following: Major term paper (15 pages)... M O R E »

English Paper in Under 3 Hours

I just wrote my paper on Brewster McCloud for my film class in a little less than three hours. I go now to a class where I’ll have my resume... M O R E »

Disengage

I spent several hours yesterday acting more surly than usual, thanks to the last-minute assignment of silly busywork in the middle of an already stressful week of classes. I need... M O R E »

What's A Heapsort?

Today is University Assessment Day, when seniors take meaningless (to us) tests that our departments will use to evaluate their curriculum. We CS majors were handed the AP CS-B test.... M O R E »

Television Research Paper

My One Nation Under Television class requires a 15+ page term paper on any topic related to television in America. After much consideration (and sifting-through of topics), I've decided to... M O R E »

Spring 2004: First Impressions

ENG 384: Great Film Directors The first day of class, we were handed a questionnaire whose last question was, "What do you hope to get out of this class?" I... M O R E »

Un-FUCKING-believable

As I get ready to pack my computer up (hint: I won't be online for the next 24 or so hours), I must rant a bit about the latest actions... M O R E »

Penultimate Semester Wrapup

I've finished two of my required three finals and am now basically sitting around, waiting for everything to be done so that I can go home. It's a bit unnerving... M O R E »

Done With Computer Science

I've completed registration for spring semester. The CS department is not offering a whole lot, so I won't be taking any computer science courses. I'm done with my major (mostly).... M O R E »

Thought for the Day

Incompetence makes me angry.... M O R E »

Halfway Home

I just got out of my Operating Systems midterm, so though I have three more classes today, the semester is effectively halfway over. Including next semester, I have 24 more... M O R E »

Class Preview: Fall 2003

CS 450 - Operating Systems By all accounts, this class should suck. Prior experiences with the professor have not turned out well (not grade-wise, just staying-awake-in-class-wise), and there's stuff in... M O R E »

Overheard Around Campus

Guy: Wouldn't that be ill? Girl: Oh, that would be so ill. Girl 1: So, do you guys drink? Girl 2: Oh, yeah, heavily!... M O R E »

JMU Email System Approaching Uselessness

We've known for several months that JMU would be upgrading their mail system over the Memorial Day holiday, and one of the consequences of the switch would be a move... M O R E »

On JMU's Paths

Peter Merholz looks at UC Berkley's campus landscaping and path design and finds them sorely lacking. Interestingly, JMU has taken the exact opposite (and, according to Peter, the correct) approach... M O R E »

Another Semester In The Can

I'm done, again, for the sixth time. Two more semesters to go in my collegiate career. A brief recap of the classes I took this semester. ECON 331 - Intermediate... M O R E »

More on the ECP at JMU

Today's edition of The Breeze is in an uproar over the decision by the Board of Visitors to stop distributing Emergency Contraception Pills on campus. Apparently, the pills on campus... M O R E »

What has the Board of Visitors done lately?

It pays to read the news section of one's University website, even if it generally sucks. From the latest release, titled Summary of Action by JMU Board of Visitors: Set... M O R E »

Un-Opinionated

There are craploads of potential tuition payers on campus today, so I got trapped between two groups of them walking from the Modular building to ISAT this morning. One guy... M O R E »

Scheduling for my Final Fall Semester

Unlike Dan, my head is not spinning this time around. 14 credits, five classes, and I'm nearly done. CS 450: Operating Systems CS 474: Database Somethings SMAD 356: Telecom Law... M O R E »

I Love The Snow

Another day off. Yes, I'm sick of winter, and yes, I hate the snow, but damn: I fucking love the snow!... M O R E »

I Hate The Snow

...but there's something strangely reassuring about Thursday Evening Classes Cancelled. I feel a three-day weekend coming on!... M O R E »

Correction: School is not, in fact, out forever

We need to go back tomorrow. I guess I'd better try getting my car out at some point today in preparation.... M O R E »

School's Out Forever

No school tomorrow, either. I wasn't supposed to have class tomorrow anyway, thanks to schoolwide assessment testing for sophomores and seniors, so I'm not really impacted by the decision, but... M O R E »

Culmination

I had my first two economics tests this morning, back to back, for three hours. What is it about economics teachers that enables them to write these tests that seem... M O R E »

Piece of Cake

Today was the first exam of the semester in, of all things, Network Programming. It was right up there in the top 5% easiest tests ever, as I finished it... M O R E »

A Disappointing Start

My Internetworking class is a waste of time. Sure, we've been reviewing since the semester started. It's material that I covered in last semester's Local Area Networks class, and it... M O R E »

Spring 2003 Class Preview

Having completed a week's worth of classes less than two hours ago, it is time for me to register my opinions thus far on each of them. Let's hope for... M O R E »

Grade Report

Seems I spoke too soon before; grades were up by 9 AM after all. I wound up with three As and three Bs for the semester, my worst performance in... M O R E »

Grade Delay

Grades are meant to be posted this morning at 8 AM. It is now nearly 9 and the server is still down. The system is down The system is down... M O R E »

Ramblings of a Madman

I promised that I would put some excerpts from my HELLF notebook in this space a week ago, and now I follow through. There are many doodles and sketches (this... M O R E »

HELLF Final: Epilogue

You may already know what I think of Dr. Prodoehl, Health Professor. Chances are good, however, that you are not her supervisor or in any way her professional superior. That's... M O R E »

HELLF Final: Prologue

In fifteen minutes, Dan, Amanda and I will take the final for GHTH 100, HELLF. It's been a long, terrible semester filled with boredom and insane scrawlings in my notebook... M O R E »

Semester Wrap-Up

The semester isn't really over yet, and thanks to snow this coming Monday, may not be over until a week from Saturday, but I certainly know enough about each of... M O R E »

Learn to H4X0R

As the Local Area Networks class winds down, we've been discussing Network Security. Today's discussion came with mentions of Old School attacks such as Smurf and Fraggle, along with snooping... M O R E »

Population Blogmarking

I still have four article critiques to write for Geography, and I need to have a closer look at this Salon article about the role of the Bush administration in... M O R E »

Scheduling: Complete

My scheduling appointment came at noon today, and I have since signed up for 15 credits in Spring 2003. Unfortunately, the class necessary for a Telecom minor closed with less... M O R E »

Googlism

Googlism takes an entry and does something involving Google with it. I don't really know what it is, but it's funny as hell. Because "AJ Schuster" yields no results (frowny... M O R E »

Going Up

It's official: Tuition at JMU next semester will rise by $170. The increase applies to all students, and pays no heed to the fact that out-of-state students already pay more... M O R E »

Schedule This!

Amanda mentioned offhandedly today that she started making plans for her Spring schedule of classes. Seeing as I'm stuck (once again) in a computer lab with no one to tutor,... M O R E »

U_WRECKED

I had plans to go to UREC last night with Karen and Amanda around 7. We got there at 6:55, and UREC closed five minutes later. Why it needs to... M O R E »

On The Environment

My Geography midterm consists of two double-spaced, one page essays on topics selected by my professor. It turns out that one page is far too short a space to express... M O R E »

Rain! Rain! Rain Down On Me!

Saved by the rain. Today was meant to be the hike/campout for Hippie 101 (aka Geography 240), as our professor put it, "rain or shine." I suppose the rain won... M O R E »

One Fifteen

This week's Sports Illustrated ranks all 324 Division I schools on their sports programs overall. James Madison is number 115. Reads the blurb: Dukes made NCAA baseball regionals; spelunking club... M O R E »

It Turned Out OK

The HELLF Test was hell, and the waiting was hell, but my grade isn't entirely hell. Turns out I got 87/100 curved (though I don't know what the uncurved score... M O R E »

Parents Suck

I should clarify that title as quickly as possible. I don't mean to say that my parents suck. Quite to the contrary, my parents rule. Nor do I mean to... M O R E »

HELLF

As part of my GenEd requirements, I'm currently taking Health 100 with Dr. Terri Prodoehl. It is, by far, the most useless class I have ever taken, high school and... M O R E »

Damn Hippies

As I read about the mass arrests at the IMF meeting in DC, I can't help but wonder if anyone from my Geography class was included.... M O R E »

Cybersecurity

Turns out that the AXIS OF EVIL aren't the only ones with their sights set on destruction. Lucky for us that the esteemed Linwood H. Rose has been named to... M O R E »

Sex in the 'Burg

The Godawful Health class that I am taking, GHTH 100, has a requirement that each student attend six "Passport Events," each covering a different 'dimension' of health. The types include... M O R E »

Sharing Is Caring

I got a response last night from the Lead Network Engineer. Apparently, the date on the email sent to me was wrong; it was actually referencing Tuesday (as in, two-days-ago-Tuesday).... M O R E »

Teaching Is Hard

A friend of mine (you know who you are) is a new first-grade teacher this year at a public school in Northern Virginia, and has been keeping me updated on... M O R E »

First Offense

I opened my email this morning to find this gem: Subject: 1st Offense: Excessive Bandwidth Usage During the summer of 2001 Information Technology implemented Bandwidth Management procedures for all users... M O R E »

Bike Boy: This is only the beginning

Amanda has already written about Bike Boy, so I'll let her (excellent) description stand. In class yesterday, our professor mentioned the tremendous light pollution created by our University. "I live... M O R E »

Inconvenience Charge

I'm planning on catching Insomnia with Karen at Grafton-Stovall tonight, and remembered that I was told at the last movie that I'm down to about US$2 on my FLEX account.... M O R E »

'Getting My UREC Groove On'

Went to UREC tonight with Dan and Amanda as a start on our thirty mandated hours for GHEALTH 100. I rode a bike for 20 minutes (oww, my legs), ran... M O R E »

Parking Sucks

I realized that I forgot something at home while at work this morning, so I left campus at 10 AM to come back here and pick it up. I was... M O R E »

Misallocated Funds

Amanda and I were discussing at lunch how misguided some of the money allocation is here at JMU. She obviously is coming from a different place than I, as her... M O R E »

Class Preview

Six classes, including marching band. 17 credits. Two (hopefully three, but more on that later) jobs. Can I handle it all? In the tradition of past semesters, I will write... M O R E »

The Ultimate Sunday

Back when I was in high school (and dating to long before that), I would always dread Sunday evenings. No matter what had gone on during the weekend, I would... M O R E »