Finals

Where did the time go? Here I sit in front of my books, notes, and homework...studying for my 9:45 am final tomorrow morning. The question I keep asking myself is, "where did the time go?" I mean, it literally feels like the semester just started! I can't believe that this Friday it's all over. I can't believe that in 12 hours I'll be driving to my first final of the semester. This is all insane. The time went by too fast. There just wasn't enough of it to go around. I was still doing homework assignments yesterday for goodness sake! I was writing lab reports (that weren't late mind you) today! This is nuttiness in its finest form. Well, the only thing I can do is give it my best! I've already been studying for a while now (over a week), hopefully something stuck. Today is refresher.

I'm still paranoid that I am not going to do well...I guess I really want an A...it's been so long since I've seen one of those. They are quite the rare sight...

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"Victory belongs to the most persevering."
Napoleon Bonaparte

Blog 10: Awesome Linux Apps!

So you’re considering switching to Linux from Windows or Mac, but you’re not sure it’s such a good idea because the operating system may not be compatible with various mainstream programs. Well, don’t let this stop you. After searching through various Linux/Unix websites, I found a plethora of programs available to you, many of them FREE! And the fact that they’re free is just the icing on the cake.

Let’s start with the OpenOffice.org suite. This office suite comes loaded with great, useful software. The suite contains Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, and Base. Writer is similar to Microsoft Office’s Word program, but it’s even better because it is absolutely free! The Calc program is like Microsoft’s Excel Spreadsheet; Impress is PowerPoint’s equivalent; Draw is similar to Paint, although I must admit, it seems to have more tools and options than does Paint; and finally, Base reminds me of Access. All in all, OpenOffice.org is the free version of Microsoft Office…need I say more? For a nice review on OpenOffice.org, see the video at the end of this post. OpenOffice.org is available here.

Next is a program so wonderful, you’ll wonder why you don’t already have it installed on your machine—Virtual Box. Virtual Box is a program that works like VMware Fusion. It allows you to run a separate instance of an operating system, within a window on your main hard disk. This could be useful in a variety of ways, such as running Windows on a Mac, OS X on Windows, or either of those operating systems on a Linux machine. This provides users with a variety of options where they are not limited by the current operating system they currently run. What’s the best part of this software? Two things: it runs on Windows, Linux, Mac, and OpenSolaris, AND, you guessed it, IT’S FREE! I downloaded this bad boy as soon as I found it. I have included a video covering how to use this program, down below. Virtual Box is available here.

Finally, we arrive at my all time favorite program: Dropbox! This is probably the best invention ever conceived. It was created by the brilliant minds over at MIT and has since become one of the most excellent programs I have ever used. I have embedded a video about this down below. It explains what it’s all about and why it’s good to have. In a nutshell, Dropbox synchronizes any files you select and makes them accessible to you over the net, on your PC, or even your PHONE! It is an incredible find and I highly recommend it. I have personally used it on group projects at school and the workplace. It takes the stress off of the possibility of losing your files because it basically removes this possibility. This tool is available free of charge for the first 2GB. However, you can receive an additional FREE 250MB of space by using this link when you choose to sign up: https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTU1NzcyMTk?src=global0 or http://db.tt/DVNeD6G

Here is a screenshot of Dropbox running on my PC (at left). And below, there is a screenshot of Dropbox running online. As you can see, it is easily accessible to you no matter where you may be. It is truly a "must have" program. The main dropbox website is available here.




The world of Linux has so much to offer, these programs are only the tip of one humongous iceberg! 

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One Crazy Week...Or Two...

Here I sit late at night, working away. Trying to make up for a two week span that illness took away from me. Now, over a month later, I am still trying to catch up all my school work. Listening to Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride" and pondering how I will ever save my grades now. Perhaps it's too late. Perhaps I will get lucky. Maybe sudden enlightenment...but highly unlikely. Spent the last few days focusing on one class only, and now today, I found out that I might not even pass. Now I'm squeezing out the remainder of my energy, trying to finish everything up for one of the classes I put on the backburners. *Sigh*

I wonder, should I even be going to school? I mean, I miss flying airplanes so much...if only there was money for that. That was the best time of my life! I don't feel cut out for school right now...even though I made it so far already...all the way to my senior year...and then some...

Bummer. I'm just sleepy and tired. I only slept 2.5 hours last night and I have to get up at 7am...in about 3 hours from right now. It's almost Friday...

"When the best things are not possible, the best may be made of those that are." - Richard Hooker