How Did You Find Me?

Posted on May 25, 2012 by

One of my favorite features of WordPress is getting to see what kinds of search terms lead people to my blog. I’ve been flattered, amused, and in some cases – horrified by the terms people have used to find my litle corner of the Internet. So since I haven’t got anything better to write about, I’ll provide my breakdown on a few of the search terms have led people to my blog, and my interpretation of them. Turn back now – this is gonna get ugly. →

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Turning 22…

Posted on May 22, 2012 by

self.age += 1

Today’s my birthday, meaning I’m another year closer to becoming a bitter, cranky old man. Actually, having my age fall immediately after the end of the Spring semester has a number of very interesting qualities. First and foremost, I wasn’t even legally permitted to drink until after I had my degree! Supposedly American college culture is all about binge drinking and partying, but I was just too young for all of that nonsense. Boy did I miss out? →

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In the Kitchen: Lab Edition

Posted on May 18, 2012 by
The "Kitchen"

This is what keeps me going while writing a paper.

There have been so many “real” blog entries lately that I haven’t done a cooking-related one in a while. I’ve been hard at work writing, so I figured I’d post an entry saying what I’ve been eating to keep myself alive lately. In fact, I don’t think I’ve had a real meal in two weeks… my lunches have basically just been a peanut-butter sandwich, a bag of popcorn, and a delicious honey-and-oats granola bar. That’s not a lunch. →

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Blogging Pitfalls

Posted on May 16, 2012 by

When I started this blog, I made a conscious decision to stick my real name all over it. Over the past year, I’ve been working on consolidating my online identity so that when people see my name in conference proceedings, there is no mistaking the fact that when they search for me, they find me. And this blog is really a fundamental part of who I am, which is why I make such an effort to ensure that it is visible to people who are trying to find out more about me. While this is all part of building a healthy brand, there are a number of pitfalls that I’ve considered, yet decided that the benefits outweighed the potential issues. You sound like blogging is like putting your life on the line. →

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Communication, Technology, and Stuff Like That

Posted on May 14, 2012 by

This evening, the Women in Engineering Affinity Group for the local section of the IEEE hosted a great talk by Daun Daemon and Jamie Larsen, two of the professional writing instructors at NC State who I can only imagine are responsible for developing ENG 331, Communication for Engineering and Technology, a course required for all Computer Science undergraduates at NC State. It’s basically an introduction to professional writing for folks who are expected to pursue a job in industry. In my case, it was a bit of a poor prediction – I probably could have used a more research-oriented course to prepare me for the paper I have due in three days, but back then, I didn’t even know I wanted to get a Ph.D., so I guess I’ll let it slide. You should demand a refund! →

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