Yummy carrot muffins! Recipe when you click "read more" below:

Checking MySJSU yesterday, it appears that my Credit by Examination (CbE, a.k.a. "Challenging a Course") grade is in and is the expected "CR" grade. This is the second course I've successfully challenged (see here for information on the first one). Click "read more" for the rest...

This is a weird semester. Not only is it my last, but it looks likely that my schedule will only have a stats class and a PE class on it as of Friday this week... And the stats class doesn't seem as though it'll be very difficult.

So I might end up with something resembling free time this semester. So many things I could do with my time, and absolutely no focus whatsoever. Click "read more" to see a list of stuff to think about in the next few months...

I took a class on Religion in America over the break and the official grade finally popped up in MySJSU:

HUM 191: A+

Area S (last of my upper-division GE) is now complete. Highlights included a uniquely talented storyteller of an instructor, a great field trip to Coyote Hills and Mission San Jose and a reasonably good paper regarding snake handlers and the law in the South.

Click "read more" for my thoughts on the matter...

Grades are in. Bit lacksadasical (for me, anyway)...

I finally got some time to spend some real quality time at the beta MP3 store at Amazon. Nice.

Because of the (RI|MP)AA's silliness, I've refused to buy any new CDs or DVDs for several years now, and I won't touch iTunes or similar because of file format and DRM reasons (sorry, but DRM-free AAC and an app I can't run on Linux doesn't quite cut it). Walmart was close (platform restrictions killed it for me), but Amazon's platform-agnostic, true MP3 files, reasonable pricing and selection clinched it for me--I'm hooked. And I have a growing collection of legit MP3s (at least of those that weren't ripped from old CDs).

While buying MP3s from Amazon still funnels money back to the RIAA, I desperately want Amazon to succeed--I wouldn't have nearly so much of a problem with the RIAA if they stopped suing people and started embracing efforts such as Amazon's, and a successful Amazon venture might force the RIAA's hand.

It's odd to think that I need frequent validation of my ideas, but I do. One such idea that's been validated recently is this notion I have inside my head that I might end up being a decent educator someday (if I can find the time). Here's a sample of the feedback from a presentation I gave last month in my Network Management class:

You are great at explaining topics. You should become a teacher!!

You have a great ability to simplify complex paradigms and abstract concepts, making them more digestible by your listener.

Yep. I'm insane. But you already knew that ;-).

In any case, check out my latest hack:

Hit the button and it says "that was easy" (as in the original), but now three LEDs stay on for a minute afterwards. Click "read more" to, er, read more...