log entries of timotheus

Ok, this is what I have been thinking more of lately. Using icons and stuff as opposed to generic box images.

Check it out here.

Today is another glorious day in Soviet Maryland! I was supposed to take my great aunt to brunch and grocery shopping, but last night one of her front teeth fell out. I told her to stop playing hockey. Instead I went to the library, dropped off a book and donated two others. Then I dropped off a bit of post, after which I went to my local Mars grocery store. Nothing like shopping at 09:15 with all the senior citizens. They always give me dirty looks too, like I’m screwing up their universe by being there. I love it.

I just looked at my shopping list, and I’m proud at how healthy it is:

-Wheat Bread
-Grape Jelly
-Carrots
-Bananas
-Salad
-Orange Juice
-Frozen Veggies

Thanks for the input on the naming situation. I think I’m going to go with the folders / subfolders idea, because everyone who is familiar with computers at all understands this. I came up with a neat way to show it though. If you look here, you can see what my idea is. I realize the colors are horrible, but the layout can definitely be done with CSS I think. Obviously the real one would have different subfolders in it, and each main folder would show the actual total of it’s subfolders. And the header/menu was just a mock up. I’m going to leave the design to the design peoples. But I think having the subfolders inside the main folders like that makes it really easy to see what is going on.

Ok, now I need to stop talking about it and work more on these function conversions.

It’s nine in the morning, and I am showered, fed and ready to start my day. I made a lot of really good progress yesterday on nickelpinch. After two weeks of inner turmoil, I finally came up with a database structure for it that is scalable and simple. I’m starting with a new everything, and taking from the old version one function at a time, as is needed. Yesterday I started and finished the new user signup page, and it works great. Today I plan on making the second part of that, where the users can input what their main money account is called, and it will generate the default containers, and the corresponding sql statements to make them a reality. Although first I am going to try some XML generation from sql queries. Ideally I want this program to run off of 0based, which will use the same API that anyone else could.

I only have eight days, but I’d like to get this site fully working by the time I head to Berkeley. I’m hoping I can talk some of my fellow cogs into helping me with the actual design of the site, since I have no aesthetic skills.

In the meantime, I am polling the audience here. I need your help with a name. When you take your money, and you break it down (this much for food, clothes, etc), what do you call those units? A fund, like the food fund? Should I call them slices, like slices of the pie that is your monies? I’m having a tough time determining what to call them. I don’t want to be confusing. Maybe a totally made-up term? Maybe just ‘folders’?

I have a savings account with ING Direct, which is a mostly-online only savings and loan company. (They do have offices for their home mortgage division) Anyway, they’re pretty cool because right now the interest they give is 3%, which is pretty decent. It is compounded monthly, and any amount you have in there will earn interest for that month.

Their service has always been great for me, but the reason I write about them today is regarding the newsletter I just received from them. Here is the section that really surprised me:

While we don’t have an Orange crystal ball, we do expect the economy to remain fragile through 2009. The best course of action for our Customers is to be disciplined: avoid splurging; identify and cut out unnecessary expenses and save for what’s essential; and hedge against those tough times. We can all benefit by developing good spending habits: confront – and cut up – credit cards; use your home as a savings vehicle – not as an ATM; and establish and contribute regularly to an IRA or 401(k).

I was really impressed at this responsible advice coming from a financial institution. Most places try to downplay the current economic downturn, or try to convince you to get into more debt or something.

So, yesterday was my first day at Towson University, and I was planning on sitting in a cryptography class. Well, the bad news was the class was full, with people trying to add. I didn’t feel right taking a chair, so I left. It also seemed pretty intro; I knew most of the crypto stuff they were going to cover anyway. But no one said anything. I’m going to look for another class to try for. I did spend a lot of time in the library though.

I did something I’ve never done before. I pulled a book of the shelf, “When we were Orphans” by Kazuo Ishiguro, which was on my to-read list, and read it cover to cover, then put it back. Only took around 4.5 hours or so. It was a pretty neat book, about a British guy growing up in Shanghai in 1915, then going back in ’38. I also found a great spot with power and great wifi signal, so next time I’ll work on my laptop. Even if I don’t end up going to any classes, I think I’ll be using the library a lot. It’s a great resource when I’m working.

I can’t believe it’s September already! I have a lot of projects I want to complete before I leave for Sacramento at the end of the month. I’ll be picking up some hours while I’m back there at my old place of employment, which is a good thing. It will keep me busy.