Update of sorts

I'm terrible at this regular blogging thing.

Then again, I have usually made a point to blog about progress or interesting things I find pertaining to coding or scripting, and not much of either of those things have been happening lately (much to my chagrin).

I did take a huge step forward this week when I finally tackled an AWS EC2 Instance. EC2 is Amazon Web Services' virtual server service that allows 750 hours of micro instance runtime per month for a year, and you can host on Linux or Windows. There are lots of other services that fall under the "free tier" of Amazon Web Services, so go check them out if you feel it may help you out.

Right now, I have a private server running a game called Starbound. I wasn't able to get it set up without lots of help, namely a step-by-step guide from a kind fellow on Youtube who made a 15min video about a year ago. Starbound has been updated since, so it wasn't a perfect guide, but I was able to get it figured out. It is now plugging along quite happily on my Ubuntu instance.

Possibly the most difficult part of working on this project has been getting used to the lack of a GUI. I'm not good at that yet. I need to practice more and get better, and that was part of the reason I shied away from exploring AWS as a viable hosting option for a private server. Something clicked the other day, though, and I realized that I was never going to get better at it if I didn't give it a shot. So I went for it.

Now, I'll be looking into getting a Ventrilo or Mumble server set up for using in Starbound or any of the MMOs I play (GW2, FFXIV, WoW, SWToR) in either the same instance or a separate one. It is so empowering that it costs nothing and I have 100% uptime. I no longer need to worry if my internet goes out at my apartment, or if my computer auto-updates and terminates my server in the process. My next project will be to figure out how to work FTP on the virtual machine, so I can backup the universe files on my Starbound server.

As far as programming things, I have still been all over the place. I had a disenheartening chat with someone recently who managed to stick that small doubt back into my head that wonders if I'm ever going to feel like programming comes naturally, or if I will always fight with the logic. One of my biggest fears is that I will come to find out that I have spent so much time learning all of these things, only to be a mediocre programmer at best. I can handle being mediocre while I'm still learning; but to think that I'd be terrible at it no matter what I do is a hard feeling to beat.

Regardless, I'm plugging along with a Python class that is followed immediately by a C class. These are internet classes that are hosted by a kind person who believes in making programming easier for people to understand. His site, Learn Python the Hard Way, has helped me immensely. He encourages good study and research habits, points out tips and tricks along the way, and if you give him a little money, he offers personal 1-on-1 assistance via e-mail. I'm a big fan. ;)

Outside of that, I have been busy writing down ideas and plotlines for a major project. That keeps me busy when I'm not playing games or working. Maybe sometime soon, I'll be able to sit and hammer out more programming stuff. I also want to get a personal website up and running for myself, but that is pretty far down on the list of priorities. We'll see if it happens.

Is there such a thing as a variable name that is too long? Lol.

I'll make a post eventually to give this a little more context

So busy.

I have so little time now. I really do mean to come back to my coding work, but in the near foreseeable future, I will be very occupied with my position in the MUD.

I also wanted an excuse to post this photograph so I can link to it on Tumblr, haha.

[Editing only to add another photo]

I did get a break from work this past week, but again... Between my position on the MUD, all the writing I've had to do, and the things I've been using to take a break from that (including Guild Wars 2 and hanging with people outside of the internet *GASP I KNOW RIGHT? BLASPHEMY*), I just can't focus long enough on my textbooks to get anything worthwhile out of them.

And writing a ton of pseudo-code doesn't count, though I've been doing that.

Ugggg. I'll be back. I promise!

I've not forgotten anyone...

I promise I've not abandoned this blog. If anything, I am more enthusiastic to learn how to code than I was before.

I've been promoted to an immortal position in the MUD I currently play. I've been building there instead of in The Builder's Academy for the past week or so, and I can't overstate how surreal it feels to have a position like this in this particular MUD. I've logged over 70 hours since last Saturday night... out of a total of 168 hours I could have spent on there this week, that is rather considerable, I think. My fiance got a position as well, and he only has 30 hours logged...

Anyway, I'm gushing and probably talking about it too much. The point is, at least until my zone is complete and ready for launch, I will be on coding homework hiatus. Hopefully I don't forget too much... But I will also be working extensively with something called m/o/rprogs, and my notes on those may come here, much like my notes on DG Scripts.

I'll be around!

Slacker...

Oh man. These past few days have been so so SO so busy... Ahhhh...

First, I didn't study coding at all this past weekend because I was lazy on Friday night and Saturday. Shame... I can't help it though, I get home from work for the weekend and all I want to do is lounge like a lethargic kitten who just drank too much milk...

Sunday was a very exciting day because Andrei and I announced our engagement to a big group of our friends and family! I know a bunch of people took photos, but I've only seen a few so far... Not everyone has emailed them to me yet. But, one of my favorites...

Andrei wasn't expecting to have to give a speech, but he moved us all with his words, regardless. That's me getting all teary-eyed over what he's saying. Ahh, I love this man.


Anyway. I may end up bogging down some of my posts with messy pseudo-code. I'm going to be using my knowledge with C to design a text game (I've mentioned that before). I need to get some of the main functions down for features I want to offer, and in the process, I'll be trying to figure out if they're going to be possible.
Things like save-files that are password protected for characters... Garages or stables where they can store animals/vehicles for mounts or minions... A leveling/storage system for minions that allows them to gain experience and skills alongside their masters (it is SO Pokemon-y, but I hope that the end product won't feel like that at all)... Crafting that actually makes it feel like you have complete control over how a piece of armor looks, instead of making the same shirt/pants/boots over and over... Not to mention, items that give invisible flags, like comm-links that allow a character to talk into an IC channel that is only available to other characters with that comm-link item...

Idk, I just have so many ideas. I didn't ever ever EVER think I would get into game-design... but if I can get good with this coding bit, or find someone who likes the ideas I have enough to help me... Oh man. Ohhhh man. I just get all excited thinking about it.

I've got note-taking on my list of things to do today, if I can tear myself away from Facebook and Tumblr. I've got to keep my goals in sight. I know I can do this as long as I keep myself motivated!!

Oh, Interesting Things I Find

So, late this morning, I was waking up slowly and checking over all of my social networking sites for updates, when I found a blog I follow shared something quite interesting back on May 29th. I missed it on that particular day, and only found it because I was investigating something else... But I found it relevant.

I have a particular appreciation for music, as it has always been in my life, just as I have a love of art and color. I used to love staring into the old iTunes visualizers for the amazing color combinations that I could see move together during my favorite music... But I was always slightly put off by how the visualizer really couldn't predict the music, and continued sporadic movements even when the music was no longer sporadic.

This is far from a visualizer of that sort, but I still find it fascinating to watch.

Just like visual/kinetic typography, the sounds you hear are visible. I find this so amazing.

This gentleman has dozens of compositions that he has designed with his overlapping talents in music and programming. I look at this, and I think to myself that anything can be possible.

Now, to find some more Saint-Saens to listen to...

"jif" or "gif"

After seeing a series of amusing Tumblr posts...

...it truly piqued my interest why so many people were posting about it all of a sudden.

Apparently, this happened.

(In case you were wondering, I have always pronounced it "giff", as in "graphics".)

So, yes, it is pronounced "jif", but it will take a long time for me to adjust... if ever. It just sounds so weird to meeeee.

Also, I laughed pretty hard when I Googled "define gif" and hit the speaker next to it. Google wants none of your shit.

Also, an interesting read

Andrei mentioned in passing earlier that some of the earliest coders back in the '40s were actually women.

The mathematicians of the time were too concerned with developing mathematical concepts, and most notably, John Backus realized that there were women who were just as brilliant who would be willing to work on groundbreaking projects like those he was planning.

He designed Fortran with the assistance of some great woman thinkers of their time.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Grace Hopper, who had quite a hand in early programming. She achieved the rank of US Navy Rear Admiral, and contributed to Backus's work with Fortran.

Anyway, just thought I'd mention. I hope I don't offend anyone with my blog title... Just commenting on the societal notion that girls aren't nerds and definitely don't exist on the internets.

Update and Blabbering

I'm finding it pretty amusing that, after picking up K&R, I haven't been using King nearly as much. K&R is so concise that it teaches you a LOT in a small amount of time. King is much more expository in style. I think K&R is the best choice if you can keep up with them, but if you don't know what an operand is (or some other term that is used in K&R, I only used that as an example), you will probably cause yourself less grief if you go with a more detailed approach.

Now that I'm reading through, I'm finding that I can skip over huge sections of King. I think I may use King as an extra workbook, at this rate, but it is still good reading that doesn't assume that you already know what you're doing (example: declarations really do need to go before the statements every time. K&R assumes the reader knows this; King spells it out, just in case.).

I haven't posted here in a couple of days because I got into a creative rut, and because I got busy at work. The busy-ness at work comes and goes -- I'm thankful for the time I can spend on personal projects, but I do still have to pay attention to some things (and, occasionally, those things get overlooked because I'd rather be working on anything else coding... Heh...).

The creative rut is exciting, so I let it wrap me up for longer when I get stuck in it. These past couple of days have been filled with gaming, but also with writing. My fiance and I are putting ideas down on paper (at last!), and I'm excited to be weaving his thoughts and my thoughts together. We've been talking about this project for the better part of a month now, and it feels good to be making some solid progress on it. This is the same project that spurred my interest and dedication to learning to code in C.

Anyway, this is somewhat of a rambling post. I'm resisting the urge to monetize this blog, despite how popular it seems to be so far. I know how ads can kill something enjoyable... Of course, that's assuming my rambling is actually enjoyable to any of the people who stop by here haha.

Possibly going to do some exercises today! I'm going to make an effort, anyway! But a good friend is coming to visit, tonight, and there will be chinese buffet and Star Trek movie goodness. That may not leave much room for coding practice. XD

GW2

Finding myself entranced again by the beauty of this game. Just wanted to share.

Of course, it's not nearly as pretty as it could be. My computer is rather dated. But it gets the point across. Meet Yvinne, my evil sylvari mesmer. She serves as the equal opposite of my favorite character, and causes trouble for the sake of storytelling. So nice to have an evil little plot device.

Yvinne's probably neutral evil, but borders on chaotic evil. Silvaria is true neutral, but can sometimes be neutral good, and other times, she's chaotic neutral.

I have some feels for the two of them. Silvaria, in all her incarnations, tends to be drawn to the darkness, and Yvinne is there to show her what the darkness is capable of. It's interesting... to me, anyway.
I might come back and post a pic of GW2!Silvaria, or I might come back and take more notes. Not sure presently...

More Filing and Getting Ready to Take Some Notes

I'm procrastinating again... I really don't want to do this filing.

So I'll make a blog post instead.

Yesterday was odd. I don't know why I was hit with such icky feelings all of a sudden like that. I just know that I felt somewhat like I did back in College Algebra... "This should really make sense, and I feel like this should really work... but it doesn't." From what I understand, there's a lot of that in coding as a whole haha.

It makes me nervous, though, because if I don't have the mind to wrap around these things, my project with my fiance is up in smoke before we can even start on it. He has already determined that he's not a coder. If I can't learn this and get good at it, we'll be a couple of really creative people without the means to produce what we want. Puts on the pressure. :(

I'm also nervous because I'm afraid that these ideas we have aren't going to be interesting to other people. I'm scared that our scope is too big, and we're trying to do too much... Is all of this work going to pay off with a product that is thoroughly enjoyable by everyone, or will Andrei and I be the only ones enjoying it?

Anyway, I'm going to reward myself today. Once I'm done with this filing, I'm going to start taking notes from my textbook in between answering the phone and checking emails. I'm still working on the DG Scripts and triggers for my zone in TBA, I just have to step back from them and tackle something different for now.

Ho Hum

Quiet because of Mother's Day. Not too much happened in the coding area, though I did have a good time with my family today. Fiance and I went to Mom and Dad's for amazing italian take-out, but before the evening was over, Grandma lost her balance and fell. She's been complaining about vertigo, and I think that's what did it. She hit her head, but seemed okay after drinking some cold water.

Fiance and I came home and we've honestly been playing ToR all night. My 'Sin is almost 55, and we're enjoying being beastly together on our mains (he has a Sorc). I totally love playing our toons together, because we can sit and banter back and forth about RP things. I have this tendency of being knocked off of the edges of platforms by knockbacks, and so we were laughing earlier about how his character would be constantly scolding mine for falling all the time.

"Silvaria, we're going to be fighting on a Gravity Hook. DO NOT stand near the edges."
"Okay, okay! I got it!"
"Are you sure? You've almost plummeted to your death how many times? Ten, now?"
"...Eleven, after the last one in the mining shaft....."

We have a lot of fun with our characters, heehee.

Here's Silv with a kind of incomplete set... She's 54 right now and I'm not sure what her gear will look like when she hits 55, but I know I want to change it. We affectionately call this set "swamp beast" lol.

Anyway, not much is going to happen tonight. Just going to enjoy the evening with Fiance and be happy. :)

Some Off-Topic Things While I Wake Up

Today is going to be a good day.

Yesterday was good, too, but full of filing and rushing. It left me exhausted and unwilling to do anything but curl up with fiance after movie and sleep.

Speaking of movie! Iron Man 3 was pretty damn good! I won't spoil anything, but we both enjoyed it thoroughly more than #2. Anymore, I judge stories by how well they suspend my disbelief, and after seeing the mindfuck that was Dark City and being seriously messed up for a good two days after that, very few movies are capable of instilling that feeling anymore...

But the action was good, and the story was interesting, even if some parts were not explained very clearly in words. Sometimes it is good to leave things to the viewer's interpretations, but important plot points shouldn't be on that list of things, lol.

Anyway, today is going to be good because it is Saturday and we are being lazy kitties and only doing what we want to do. For me, that is scanning over my C textbook, testing and writing triggers in TBA, and possibly playing some ToR later on. Fiance seems to be pretty happy playing his Sith Sorcerer at the moment, but he told me earlier that we'd be able to write some today, too! Whether that means we RP or world-build, I'm not sure... But either would make me a happy camper!

Anyway, going to go finish my coffee and be lazy. If I take notes today, I will make another post. :D

It's filing day today at work. I can't pay any attention to the web. Sadface.

It's also bring your fiance to work day. The first of many, now that he doesn't have anything to do during the summer. Mwahahahaaa...

We're planning to see Iron Man 3 tonight, but there will be about 3 hours between work and movie that I might be able to work on some things. Still have not figured out the mfollow problem from the last trigger I posted, but finding out he was re-enlisting last night put a halt on any progress I might have been able to make. After talking about that for a few hours, and getting the zombie mac set up, we opted to kick asses on our Bounty Hunters in ToR.

Very unrelated to coding. My apologies. I really don't want to file this paperwork. Aggh.

Sadhappy

My fiance is re-enlisting into the military. :( Makes me a sad code-girl.

But what makes me a marginally happier code-girl is... I have Ubuntu Server on my zombie-macbook now.

Seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?

Happpyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy...........

Distracted from scripting AND work today. Thinking about the scope of what will need to be done for the project that inspired this blog, and it is daunting, indeed.

I will probably mutter about snippets here, and they may not seem totally relevant to coding as a whole, but they will be relevant to my adventure into coding. Every program must have a purpose, yeah?

Haha, I Matrix'd without even realizing it. My fiance would be proud.

(I saw The Matrix for the first time only a few weeks ago. Bad nerd, I know.)

Anyway, every program must have a purpose, and each program I'll be writing must be carefully placed within this project so everything works together seamlessly. I have ideas for the aesthetics (which are incidental, sadly), but those will take a bit of work as well.

There is so much I'd love to do, but I can't start yet. I especially need to graduate from DG Scripts -- which are a great introduction into the logic processes I need to know -- and actually tackle some C, soon. I have a book that is highly recommended, by K. N. King. As I read through, this will most likely be where I take notes.

((I'm also very distracted by one Mads Mikkelsen. In his role as Dr. Hannibal Lector in NBC's Hannibal, he has the perfect face, demeanor, and accent for the new incarnation of my fiance's character. I could spazz about this character here, but I'll contain myself for the benefit of this blog... for now, anyway.))