Really Short Videos From Modeling Class

3D Modeling Class

3D modeling is a very in depth subject. We're using 3DS Max, which is made by Autodesk, and you can do incredible things with it. It seems like it's all going over my head, but I'm plugging away, and I've done a couple of cool things so far. Here's one:

Make sure your domains are private!

http://joystickrequired.com/forums/f3/drama-2951.html#post28987

Later on in the thread, he goes on to say that he found that his domain was not private, meaning his contact information could be gotten by looking at the registration information somehow. So, those of you who own any domains, make sure you have private ones! (Or at least don't have personal contact information attached.)

Time Flies

One nice thing about quarter systems is how fast they go by... Of course, that leads to some feelings of non-stop on the go action type things, but so far it's helping me keep my focus more than it's creating stress.

I managed to "squeak" out A's again this quarter, so I have my 4.0 still rocking through 20 credits. 99.7 or so in Math II, and somewhere around 95-97 I believe in Intro to Programming.

Next quarter will be a challenge, as I have my nemesis, Comp II (I have psychological issues with that class, I think I'll Call it Flower Arrangement 102 from now on). However, I'm taking it online, and I'm on a mission! I've also been improving each quarter so far on my procrastinating habits (at least in regards to school, my room/desk/etc. is still very disorganized and I haven't written on I:NJAC at all), so I have high hopes for this go round. I'm also excited about two classes, 3D Modeling and Rapid Visualization (which is a drawing class), though, like I felt with programming at the beginning of the quarter, I'm not quite sure what to expect. I'm kind of mentally preparing myself for the possibility of losing the straight 4.0, however, keeping that 4.0 is definitely the target.

I will be cutting back on the second job after the holidays, and there is a two week break right up around christmas and through the new year, so that will help me rest up and hopefully get a lil ahead on some of my work. (Run on sentence night tonight). This week and next week are a bit of a vacation as well, since I finished my finals asap. Working only 40 hours this week makes it easy in spite of having to work 'Black Friday' at the local mall at my retail job. Of course that's compared to working 70 last week, and averaging about 55/week since I started my FT job.

Well, I've pretty much said all that to say this. Everything's going pretty well, which I'm thankful for. Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

FF7: Advent Children

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is a movie I must recommend. It may be 100% CGI, but, like it's predecessor, Final Fantasy: the Spirits Within, it is visually stunning to the point that you really don't think about it. The action is incredible and fast paced. The plot is full of classic Final Fantasy twists, turns, and intriguing tidbits. And, like all FFs, the music is stellar. I can't think of anything else a person could want from a movie. Watch it. It's better than Harry Potter.

What Kind of Monster?

You Are an Alien

You're so strange, people occasionally wonder if you're from another world.You don't try to be different, but you see most things from a very unique, very offbeat perspective.Brilliant to the point of genius, you definitely have some advanced intelligence going on.No matter what circles you travel in, you always feel like a stranger. And it's a feeling you've learned to like. Your greatest power: Your superhuman brain Your greatest weakness: Your lack of empathy - you just don't get humans You play well with: Zombies

What Kind of Monster Are You?

Half Done

Wow, one nice thing about quarters... they go by really fast! Still holding my 4.0 so far, though the programming will start getting more complex now I'm pretty sure! So, wish me luck! Math II still going fine, although I finally got a point off... /sigh. Such is life. Also, worked 60 hours this week, so I'm glad that the midterm from programming turned out to be amazingly easy and we got done 2 hours earlier than normal!

I:NJAC Updated!

Just like the title says, I finally posted another episode of I:NJAC over on joystickrequired.com. Speaking of that, check out Jumpgate: Evolution and get signed up for the beta! Methinks the newest up and coming rendition of Jumpgate will rock! They even said that they're making it easier to be a mouser for those who don't want to buy a JS. :)

I know, I don't post but once a month for a long time, then suddenly I post 3 in one day! Could it mean that I won't post again until after Christmas? Heaven forbid! XD

A Picture II

I colored another picture after many moons. (Last one was colored about 2.5 years ago). This one got posted a lot sooner though. :) Hope ya like it! (BTW, it's for a little girls birthday, lest anyone get any ideas about my manliness, since I just colored a picture of a faerie).

One Third

One third of the way through my third quarter. Intro to Programming and Math II are going well! 97% and 100%. I haven't written, done anything particularly interesting to post up here other than that I write out my math homework in prose (at least a lot of it), which my teacher finds entertaining. Thank goodness it's online so I don't have to do the ole "Problems 1-1085109, Odd" business.

I haven't been late to work yet, in spite of the horrific earliness in the morning of it. (6-2, *Shudders*). I've been working about 50 hours between the two jobs, which is good. I'm slowly making headway with my bills. :) Also, I am insured again for the first time in a long time, but, I'd still prefer to not break my leg or anything!

I read the novelization of that new movie that's coming out, Beowulf, which is obviously about the epic, Beowulf. I can't say I loved some of the 'interperetation' of it, but it looks like it would be a decent movie. Probably won't watch it though since it horribly ruins my image of Beowulf. ;) If the movie is anything like the novel of the movie, then I commend them on their portrayal of the culture of that time period. They did an excellent job of incorporating the conversion to Christianity that was just beginning at that point in time.

New News

It's getting nigh the end (as in it's the last week) of the quarter. One class totally finished, Intro to PCs and locked down with a 100% (99.95 approximately). Now I need to buckle down and finish my paper for comp I tomorrow so that I have some time before sunday to edit it and get a minimum of an 85% on it. If I lock that down with an 85+, I think I'm guaranteed at least a 90%. Then Math I I'm currently shooting a 98%, which I should maintain with this weeks quiz/homework. The final is only 5% of the grade so that's pretty much a lock for an A as well. So, I just need to finish a paper in such a fashion that it doesn't totally suck and I should be through 20 credits with a 4.0!

Next Quarter I'm cutting back to 2 classes, Math II (Trigonometry), which I'll be taking online with my sister, as well as... Intro to Programming. That second one is kinda making me nervous, as I have not done any programming ever, unless you count some really basic html (which I don't). Well, it shouldn't be TOO hard I guess, so long as I make sure to keep up with everything. Then I'll get to help my sister when it's her turn to take it... yay...

Now, as for the reason that I'll be cutting back to 2 classes instead of 3... you may have guessed it already. I picked up a job. I will admit to not being SUPER gung ho about it, as it involves getting up at 5ish am, and assembly work on circuit boards. But, it is full time, which after the past year and especially the past 7 months, I REALLY need, even if it isn't the highest pay rate in the world. Combining it with still working a night or two a week at the retail store I work at, I should have a minimum of 45 hours every week which will go a long way towards getting me caught up, back on my feet and out of the mental hospital. Well, I guess I've always been crazy so it may not help that last one. ;)

Last week I read the last harry potter book, as well as the full Lord of the Rings 'trilogy' (it's not really a trilogy you know) all in about 4 days, instead of working on the paper like I should have been. Bad me!

I think that's all I've got for now, since I should really stop staying up late NOW so that I can hopefully get a new sleep pattern started before crunch time. (Kind of too late for starting that today I guess... Ooops)

Approximate Midpoint

Well, I'm approximately 1/2 done with this quarter of school, so I figure I'll give a little progress report. In Intro to Computers, I've been doing good, but we're having a debate on AMD vs. Intel next week. Current grade 99%. I'm also doing well in Math I, with a 98%. With Comp I, I should be doing better than a 91%, but I had a big 'slacker week' last week, so I still have one more assignment to catch up on yet, and also to do this weeks stuff.

In other news, I'm nearly done with The Story of Britain From the Romans to the Present: A Narrative History by Rebecca Fraser. Yes, I've been reading it for about a month and a half. It's quite interesting, but not the kind of book that I read 'straight through'. Not that I skip around in it or anything. I just set it down for a few days here, a couple there, and read/do something else. That's all I've got.

True Prosperity

True Prosperity- the ability to liberally apply the fluid of life on grass without thinking about it.

I:NJAC Special

Well, something I just did is work up a bit of an outline finally. First I outlined what's taken place so far, then I've outlined up through Chapter 8, though I'm not going to force myself to lock in 100% to the future lineups. Here's through Chapter 6, since I'm pretty sure I'll keep it right on through there:

Prologue - Introduction
Chapter 1 - A Combat Mission
The Mission
The Plan
Patrol
Scramble
Aftermath
Chapter 2 - Hide...
Meeting
Fight
Depression
Chapter 3 - ...and Seek
Where to?
Not Alone
The Lumpy Stew
Chapter 4 - On the Lam
Fight to the Elevator
Mystery Man
Escape
Chapter 5 - Invasions and Conversations
Call
Harmony
Invasion
Surrender
Rescue
Chapter 6 - The Undercover Cover Band
The Low Down
Get the Gear
Practice?

Well, I still have to come up with some poetry or something special like that for after Chapter 4. I've written through the second episode of Chapter 5. Look for more to come!

A Picture

This is a picture I colored. It was originally drawn by Diane of Final Fantasy Vault. I think they still have her FFXI comics and art archived there. If not, it's quite a pity.

Restructuring

Well, I've reorganized the computers and paraphenalia (sp?) yet again! I now have the PC back out in the living room, sharing Keyboard, Video and Mouse with the laptop via a KVM switch. I can now perform the eqivalent of alt-tabbing while playing FFXI. (If I were playing, I'll log in with my sisters chars more often). I also broke out my USB hub that I bought awhile back, but never hooked up, so now I've got the wireless network, my JS, a printer, a scanner and a cord for a digi cam all hooked up now. Also, I have an old VCR hooked up to the monitor, cuz it's a special LCD flatpanel screen, so it has 3 AV hookups and a monitor hookup slot. So, now I can watch my old fave videotape, This Week In Baseball's Greatest Plays. Joy!

Current and Recent Reading

I've been doing a fair amount of reading with my spare time lately.

This is what I've chopped off:

I Was A Kamikaze
Ryuji Nagatsuka

The Threadbare Buzzard
Thomas M. Tomlinson

Currently Reading, interspersed with other stuff:

The Story of Britain: From the Romans to the Present Day
Rebecca Fraser

School To Begin Again, and More

Monday I start my second semester in the Digital Entertainment and Game Design program of ITT Tech. I'll be taking Comp I, Math I, and Intro to PCs. Luckily, these classes shouldn't be a huge challenge as I am concurrently seeking a final (for a couple years at least I hope) end to my job problem, and will most likely be learning a new FT job working possibly 60 hours a week (one of the jobs I got a first interview with, waiting on a possible second).

I checked out the official Jules Verne, Around the World in 80 Days. As some may recall, I have a story/novel/book idea on the back burner that I'd like to do, Around the Galaxy in 80 Days. After reading the book (which I hadn't read in sever years), I've noticed how much more liberty the producers of the movie (TV movie I think) took than I first realized. Also, I think that I'd be able to write a sci-fi version that balances the spirit of the book and the movie in an acceptable fashion, though I think I'd try to bring it in closer to Jules' original feel a bit more so than the movie. First, I gotta get I:NJAC finished. Maybe if I push really hard I can finish it in a year. I have moderate hopes of finishing the next chapter by the end of the week before school starts back up again and I have supreme business to look forward too.

~Mophia Out

P.S. If I can get a FT Job that pays $10 or more, I'll be back in FFXI in a month. If not... it could be a loooooong time.

Latest Episode Availabe

Of Istanbul: Not Just a City. Click on the link on the right to read. :)

Dys Functions!

You may or may not find this insightful.

Removing the ‘Dys’ From Function

By Philip Morey

The key to overcoming the Five Dysfunctions, whether in an online or a traditional business setting, is having the right people, especially the leadership. Here are some strategies that will help a leader succeed.

Absence of Trust is the biggest issue facing a team. If the team members don’t trust each other, it leads to a Lack of Communication, which then turns into the remaining three dysfunctions. The key to having trust between team members is to… have trustworthy, responsible team members in the first place. If you’re team is full of slothful liars, all the teambuilding exercises in the world will do nothing for you.

If you do have good team members, Lack of Communication may come down to technological difficulties in an online setting. However, with a good IT department, that should be of little concerned and it remains on the leader’s shoulders to foster good communication throughout the team. The leader does this by setting an example of open, honest communication to all the members. There should also be plenty of opportunities made for communication to take place, yet not call an over abundance of meetings or flooding the correspondence channels with ‘babble’, which impedes the progress of the actual work.

A good team leader heads off Fear of Conflict with good communication and impartial judgment of the results. The leader needs to be the front runner in paying attention to the status of the project. If the leader is paying attention to the results, the good communication ensures that the rest of the team can’t fall prey to Inattention to Results.

Following the above principles, the leader will be aware of any problems in the project and have the ability to follow through with the necessary means to keep on track. Firm, consistent follow through, as well as the leader showing personal accountability to the rest of the team, will keep the rest of the team from Avoidance of Accountability.

The thing to note through all of this, is that having the right people is really the most important factor. A good leader with bad, or just the wrong, people will be no better off than a good team with poor leadership. Sadly, most failed groups actually have bad leadership AND members. In that case you can pretty much throw all these ideas out the window and have a corporate merger.