Life is currently good. I found out today that I got out of a nasty final I was really dreading. I also got $78 for selling back two books. That’s awesome. I’m heading to Lexington tomorrow to do some Christmas shopping with a pocket full of money (not really…but it is more money than I’ve had in awhile).

At times like this, it’s easy to remember why it’s fun just to live. School has largely taken away all the stuff I love lately. I haven’t had time to do anything fun that I enjoy. It’s stupid to let something take you over like that, but in a few short months, I’ll no longer have to worry about it. A real job is nothing like school. With a job, you work on projects that have meaning then get paid for it. I can’t wait.

According to this CNN article, it is apparently possible for high-tech and industrial terminology to offend people. Using the terms “master” and “slave” to refer to two devices on the same channel has apparently pissed somebody in Los Angeles off. This is the most ignorant thing I have ever heard. For one, the devices aren’t being deprived of any rights. The “master” device does not value itself over the “slave,” nor did it purchase the rights of the “slave.”

I seriously wonder what’s next. Are we no longer going to be able to refer to hardware which has been intentionally been told not to function as “disabled?” These poor pieces of hardware are just abled differently. Am I going to be subpeonaed into court for asking someone to hand me a “female DIN plug?” Everytime the male DIN plug is inserted into the female DIN plug, the female DIN plug is objectified and denied the basic feminine freedoms. Philips head screwdrivers better watch out: The Coallition for the Women named Philipa wants to know why Philip has the right to claim the four-way for his own. Give me a break.

Why is it that there is Braille notation on most public things in America? I realize that it is an attempt to give blind people some independence. I have no gripe with that; however, there comes a point when you have to ask, “Why?” I can almost guarantee that the rest of the civilized world does not suffer from being overly-accessible to the point of it becoming stupid.

There are a couple examples of where you can find Braille that really gets to me. Putting Braille writing on drive-up ATMs is absolutely the most ridiculus thing I have ever heard of. Granted, the same ATMs that are found at a walk-by location are probably installed in the drive-through, but still, it certainly begs the question…

Putting Braille writing on bathroom doors of public restaurants is also slightly odd. In order for the blind to successfully navigate, things must be in the same place, standardized in such a way that allows for rote memorization. I have never been in two restaurants, even from the same chain, where the bathroom was in an identical place. So unless the blind plan on feeling out an entire building until they feel the notation for “Male” or “Female,” what is the point?

Sometimes I wonder how much of success in life boils down to luck. Dad always told me that no matter how skilled you are, you need at least one break in life in order to make it. I think he was right. In a few short months, I’ll be striking out on my own trying to find a job. I hope my break comes sometime within this period. If somebody will take a chance on me and believe in my skills, I know I can make a name for myself.

I hope all the favors and help I have provided to others over the years comes back to me soon. Honestly, I don’t help others with the expectation of getting something in return, but I do believe there is something to kharma. I’m pretty sure I’ll get my break, but I just hope it comes sooner than later. Dad didn’t get his until he was a little older, and as a consequence, he had to work much harder. Only time will tell whether my hard work up to this point will pay off.

I have tried out iTunes & Napster over the last couple days. Each service lets you pay $0.99 for a song or $10 for an entire album. Once you have paid, you download your tracks. You can then burn the songs to a CD if you like. Considering how much flack the RIAA has given to those who download illegaly, this isn’t such a bad system. Besides, when is the last time you bought a CD where you liked every song on it? Most of the time, I concentrate on two, maybe three tracks. Instead of paying $3 for a single at Wal-Mart, now I can download the sucker at my lesuire for about a buck.

I like Napster better because you don’t have to put in your credit card info until you actually make a purchase. iTunes requires you to give credit card information up front before you can even get an account through them. I felt that this was too invasive. The interface for Napster is pretty quick and its easy to find groups, albums, or individual tracks. And the speed and quality of purchased tracks really is better than the illegal downloads we all know and love.