February 29, 2004

What Cheapos

I just wanted to get this off my chest. Crystal Cruises are so cheap and disorganized!! I applied for a job as an on-board computer instructor at Crystal Cruises back in November. I got a phone call from them saying they were interested in me. They informed me of the responsibilities: instructing 3 hours a day, supervising 2 hour lab shifts, and conducting two 1-hour lectures to all the guests. Ok, that's a lot of work... but I get to work on a cruise ship! BUT, the job is unpaid; they would only pay for my trip and airfare and I could bring a guest for free. Hm, I guess it sounds alright. However, I was not hired yet, and the guy I was speaking to asked me to create 2 lecture outlines about any computer technology topics to see what I could come up with. So I spent a lot of my time trying to come up with a couple of good topics, did all the research and everything and e-mailed it at the end of December (the guy told me to send as early as possible). But then it turned out that he went on vacation for the whole month of January, which meant I was rushing to finish it for no reason. So earlier this month, I still hadn't heard from the guy so I had to e-mail him... turns out he had forgotten to look over my outlines. He later tells me that my outlines were really good and I had the potential to be a good instructor... and then asks me out of the blue whether I'd be in the Los Angeles area in the "foreseeable future". What the heck did that mean? In the summer? After I graduate? Well, I asked for clarification, and it was then when he finally informs me that people have to audition at their office before they hire anyone. I assumed that they wouldn't pay for my airfare to fly there but I just asked just in case... and they have never replied back. Jeez, it would have been nice if you told me originally that there was to be an interview all the way in LA and that your company wouldn't cover for it... I wouldn't have wasted so much of my time making up those stupid lecture outlines! You'd think that a "luxury cruise line" that charges an insane amount of $$ for their trips could at least afford to PAY people to work for them or pay for the trip to an interview.

In other depressing news... Microsoft rejected me and I didn't translate my resumé and cover letter to French in time for the job deadline on Friday. :( *sigh sigh sigh*

It's Oscar night tonight. I hope Bill Murray wins for Best Actor.

Posted by mich at 5:23 PM | dreams [0]

February 27, 2004

99.99% CPU Bursts & 0.01% I/O Bursts

I made it... I'm alive! Today's horoscope in the newspaper pretty much summed everything up:

Don't be quite so attatched to your source of stress. It is about to leave your life, if only you knew it. The prerequisite is that you must be willing to let it go. Your future holds a wonderful sercret of unexpected adventure.

Well, I dunno about the last part, but the stuff I had that was due this week is finally over (for the most part).

So how was my week? I had the web programming assignment due on Monday, which was basically done a week ago, but I still stayed up late Sunday night to make some last minute minor adjustments. I had also came back from Montreal that day too and I was quite exhausted from the trip (more about that another time). Monday night and Tuesday morning I was studying hardcore for the operating systems midterm, which turned out to be pretty easy... so I wasted so much time preparing for that. Tuesday afternoon I worked a bit on the operating systems assignment that was due on Thursday. But I also had 2 art assignments due on Wednesday... I only had time to do one, so I decided to do the one which involved mini group discussions with the instructor, and leave the other assignment for next week. But in Wednesday's class, the instructor decides to tell us that she's extending the assignment that I finished to March 10! Just my luck... now I have to take a penalty on the assignment that I didn't do.

So Wednesday and Thursday was just one huge day for me (40+ hours in fact). I knew I was going to stay at school overnight on Wednesday so I packed everything I needed for Thursday, including all my negatives and photo paper for my darkroom booking for my photography assignment. However, I didn't get my last roll processed so I rushed to Loblaws in the morning to get the 1 hour developping. I went back within an hour and realized that the roll wasn't C-41, meaning I would have to go somewhere else to get real B&W processing (doh). I got to school at noon on for class until 3, then jogged to West Camera at Queen & Bathurst to get my negatives processed in half and hour. Got back to the lab and worked on the OS assignment, then went to my 6-9 art class. From 9pm to 8am I was working on the simulation part of the assignment but with no real progress. We were just staring at the computers and had no idea how the simulation was supposed to run. I can't believe I pulled an all-nighter and was still unable to finish the assignment. My darkroom booking was from 9am-1pm and the thing was due at noon. I only had 5% of the simulation plus the written portion of the assignment that was worth 55%. I figured if I had an extra day to work on it, getting a 10% late mark was still better than handing in what I had on time. So I went to the darkroom and printed out my photos for my photography assignment that is due on Monday. The negs I picked up the day before weren't cut so I had to do that myself. While I was cutting, my hand was shaking... I was so scared I was going to cut up my images! Breathing in those chemistry fumes for 4 hours, not having slept, and not having eaten anything since 4am can really make a girl sick. Anyway from the afternoon to 12:30am, we were just hacking away on the computers and finally got the simulations to run. I took a 30 min. nap on a makeshift bed (3 chairs) at around 3:30 and that made such a big difference- I was energized and never felt sleepy the rest of day. The amazing thing is, after the all-nighter, I would never have expected to (or even think that I could) stay at school and work until midnight. There is nothing I can't do now! Haha.

Last night I slept for 6 hours; my bed had never felt sooooo comfortable. I had the hardest time waking up at 8:30, but I had to go back to school to fix up some minor things, and finally submit the hard and soft copies by noon.

I'm applying to a job in Québec, and I have a french resumé and cover letter due today that I have to start on now.... I had planned to do it last night after handing in the OS assignment, but we all know how well those plans turned out...

Speaking of operating systems, I'm Windows 98. LOL Which OS are You?


You are Windows 98.  You're a bit flaky, but well-liked.  You don't have a great memory, but everyone seems to know you.  A great person to hang out with and play some games.

Posted by mich at 5:06 PM | dreams [1]

February 17, 2004

Happy Reading Week.... not

Why is reading week always a time of stress? This past weekend was anything but relaxing- waking up in the early morning then working until 4am each night. Every year I've always gotten an obscene amount of work to do because everything is due after reading week. Take my schedule after reading week for example:

  • :: Monday- CSC 309 assignment (finished yesterday... YAY)
  • :: Tuesday- CSC 369 midterm
  • :: Wednesday- 2 art assignments
  • :: Thursday- CSC 369 assignment & photography printing
  • :: Friday- resumé in English and French as well as a cover letter in French (shoot, I haven't written anything in French in 4 years)

Despite all this, I've actually decided to have some FUN this reading week (first time ever). Wednesday I'm going on the CSSU ski trip, where I'll try snowboarding for the first time... I'm so excited! Then Thursday I'm taking the train (first class, baby!) to Montreal to stay with my sister and shoot my photography assignment done while I'm there. Oh and I can't forget about doing some MAJOR shopping at Simons! :P

Posted by mich at 10:36 AM | dreams [1]

February 14, 2004

Conan in Toronto

So did anyone watch the Conan O'Brien episode on Thursday night? The show featured Adam Sandler as well as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, who was quite insulting to say the least. They went to Québec City where the dog said the rudest things to the locals, including "You're in North America, learn the language". I didn't think any of it was funny at all, and I was quite embarrased when the audience was booing at the mere mention of Quebec. There have been quite a few articles in the news about it, including this one.

Posted by mich at 9:26 PM | dreams [0]

My Foray into Darkroom Photography

I worked in the darkroom for the very first time on Thursday for 4 hours. It was so fun! I love putting the photo paper in the developer solution and watching the image just magically appear. I had a lot of misses though, where some images were either really underexposed or overexposed so I have a lot of white or dark/black images. I did come out with some great prints though, including this one.

The funny thing is, the reason why I've started using the darkroom is for my chemical photography class. The university has a camera club that allows members to use the darkroom whenever they want. I had been sort of reluctant to sign up on my own because I had an image of darkrooms as being dark, cramped and spooky. I always had a freaky image of myself developing pictures and seeing ghosts appearing in my prints. Haha, I guess I'm over that!

The only thing I don't like about the darkroom is all the nasty chemicals that get absorbed into your skin and hair. It leaves a filmy residue and a not-so-pleasant odour. Yech.

Posted by mich at 3:14 PM | dreams [1]

February 6, 2004

Interview Bonanza

Sooo, I just had 2 interviews in the last 2 days. The interview that went pretty well was the one today after lunch. It was was for a web programming position for an international semiotics journal. The interview was pretty short and informal... we just discussed what the website was for and how they wanted it to function, as well as my capabilities.

And yesterday was my interview with Microsoft. What can I say except for the fact that I knew I could have done better than I did. The day before I read the book How Would You Move Mount Fuji?: Microsoft's Cult of the Puzzle How the World's Smartest Companies by William Poundstone for preparation. Didn't help. First of all, when the interviewer first called me in, he didn't introduce himself OR shake my hand. Instead he just told me to take a seat. I just felt like it was off to a bad start. Then he asks me questions that I already answered on my application form or that were specified in my resume like my majors, etc. He was really disorganized and shuffling papers around for a while (and throughout the interview he never really smiled). Then he finally got down to the real questions. He asked me to describe my previous projects I've done, long-term and short-term goals, typical questions like that. Then he asked me stuff like when is a product ready to be shipped and asked me to write testcases for the atoi() function. When I handed him my sheet of testcases I wrote, he studied it a bit and said "cool". I'm not sure whether that was a good sign, or whether he just said it because I had things written down for him. I also got a couple of puzzles, one of which I came up with a correct answer for but it wasn't the standard one he was looking for. Doh.

The interview lasted 45 minutes and after it was over I felt so much relief. But as the day progressed, I kept mulling over the interview and replaying instances of it in my head, analyzing everything that happened. Seriously, what are my chances of getting this type of job? I just need to learn to get over things after they're finished and done with, but it's so hard.

Posted by mich at 10:01 PM | dreams [2]

Bursts of Delightfulness in My Mouth

For lunch today I went to Monsoon with Cass and Christian. The interior design of the restaurant is simple yet gorgeous, and the food was excellent. I ordered baby greens in pappadum cup with yuzu vinaigrette and sunflower seedlings, grilled lemongrass chicken and ho fun shiitake noodles, sautéed greens and fuji apple salad, and infused crème brulée. Before we got our food we had these amazing yam chips (sounds gross, but surprisingly yummy!)... I want to know what they're called so I can get some for myself.

There was too much walking today with my platform heels. Not only was it really slushy with massive puddles all around, I walked around for 30 min. in circles looking for the darn restaurant! I can't believe I totally missed the street when I got off the subway. Below is an illustration of my wandering :P At least it wasn't as bad as yesterday, when I was wearing my 3 inch heels and walking around the icy campus. I slipped and almost fell! I screamed too which sent a bunch of my friends in peals of laughter. At the end of the day when I was walking towards the subway station it really felt like my feet were going to fall off... seriously it was like I was walking on my tippy toes! I won't be wearing those shoes in a loooong while, that's for sure!

Posted by mich at 7:45 PM | dreams [0]

February 2, 2004

The MINI Driver Psychological Exam

How did you fare?

Posted by mich at 9:59 PM | dreams [0]

Mouth Watering Good Food

Last night Justine, Brad and I went to eat at Filet of Sole for Winterlicious. I chose the Fried Coconut Shrimp & Asian Spring Roll for the appetizer, Lemon Fettuccine for the entrée, and the Raspberry Ice for dessert. The coconut shrimp was surprisingly good, and the fettuccine wasn't as lemony as I expected, which is good! I was so full by the time we left the restaurant at 10 pm, but it gave me enough fuel while I stayed up until 4 am to finish my photography assignment :P

Posted by mich at 9:42 PM | dreams [0]

February 1, 2004

Hey Ya!

On Thursday night, after working on CSC 369 for the afternoon, I went to the CSSU Pub Night at the Peel Pub that just opened up near the campus. What can I say except that I had SOOO much fun! Here are the pictures (next time Cass, I'll definitely pose with the fob fingers, haha). It was a great night of music, games, and laughs and now I can never listen to Outkast's Hey Ya! without laughing!

My baby don't mess around
Because she loves me so
And this I know fo shooo..
Uh, But does she really wanna
But can't stand to see me
Walk out the dooo..
Don't try to fight the feelin'
Because the thought alone is killing me right nooww..
Uh, thank god for mom and dad
For sticking through together
'Cause we don't know hooowww...

Can't wait for next week... :P

Posted by mich at 5:10 PM | dreams [0]