Right Now XXXI
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 42,315
Likes: 45
From: Central Massachusetts
Right now, I'm sitting at the United terminal waiting for my flight which is now delayed an hour and a half. Weather in San Francisco is windy and air traffic control is delaying incoming flights.
I am at least one sheet into the wind after my usual bloody mary ritual... so...
Gather round folks, Chazmo feels the need -- right now -- to tell you a story:
When I started college at the Air Force Academy, I spent an entire evening programming my Texas Instruments calculator to do a "selection sort" for my computer class. It was not an assignment; I just did it. When I went to show the teacher, who was a "permanent" captain in the AF, he told me that he liked what I'd done, but that if I did it again I'd have to drop the class.
(OK, so why????, Chaz...)
Well, he knew I had cadet "duties," such as shining my shoes, folding my underwear, and lots of other silly stuff that I clearly hadn't done while I buried myself in my calculator's programming language.
Anyway, that's the story. I honestly think this had the opposite effect... I became a software guy, not an AF officer, and I've been creating programs for 32 years now. I mean, you don't see me shining shoes and folding my underwear do you?
(story over... moral of the story is ALWAYS question science and throw yourself into it entirely. Half-assed is no-assed).
I am at least one sheet into the wind after my usual bloody mary ritual... so...
Gather round folks, Chazmo feels the need -- right now -- to tell you a story:
When I started college at the Air Force Academy, I spent an entire evening programming my Texas Instruments calculator to do a "selection sort" for my computer class. It was not an assignment; I just did it. When I went to show the teacher, who was a "permanent" captain in the AF, he told me that he liked what I'd done, but that if I did it again I'd have to drop the class.
(OK, so why????, Chaz...)
Well, he knew I had cadet "duties," such as shining my shoes, folding my underwear, and lots of other silly stuff that I clearly hadn't done while I buried myself in my calculator's programming language.
Anyway, that's the story. I honestly think this had the opposite effect... I became a software guy, not an AF officer, and I've been creating programs for 32 years now. I mean, you don't see me shining shoes and folding my underwear do you?
(story over... moral of the story is ALWAYS question science and throw yourself into it entirely. Half-assed is no-assed).
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,450
Likes: 14
From: Portland, OR
Right now, I'm sitting at the United terminal waiting for my flight which is now delayed an hour and a half. Weather in San Francisco is windy and air traffic control is delaying incoming flights.
I am at least one sheet into the wind after my usual bloody mary ritual... so...
Gather round folks, Chazmo feels the need -- right now -- to tell you a story:
When I started college at the Air Force Academy, I spent an entire evening programming my Texas Instruments calculator to do a "selection sort" for my computer class. It was not an assignment; I just did it. When I went to show the teacher, who was a "permanent" captain in the AF, he told me that he liked what I'd done, but that if I did it again I'd have to drop the class.
(OK, so why????, Chaz...)
Well, he knew I had cadet "duties," such as shining my shoes, folding my underwear, and lots of other silly stuff that I clearly hadn't done while I buried myself in my calculator's programming language.
Anyway, that's the story. I honestly think this had the opposite effect... I became a software guy, not an AF officer, and I've been creating programs for 32 years now. I mean, you don't see me shining shoes and folding my underwear do you?
(story over... moral of the story is ALWAYS question science and throw yourself into it entirely. Half-assed is no-assed).
I am at least one sheet into the wind after my usual bloody mary ritual... so...
Gather round folks, Chazmo feels the need -- right now -- to tell you a story:
When I started college at the Air Force Academy, I spent an entire evening programming my Texas Instruments calculator to do a "selection sort" for my computer class. It was not an assignment; I just did it. When I went to show the teacher, who was a "permanent" captain in the AF, he told me that he liked what I'd done, but that if I did it again I'd have to drop the class.
(OK, so why????, Chaz...)
Well, he knew I had cadet "duties," such as shining my shoes, folding my underwear, and lots of other silly stuff that I clearly hadn't done while I buried myself in my calculator's programming language.
Anyway, that's the story. I honestly think this had the opposite effect... I became a software guy, not an AF officer, and I've been creating programs for 32 years now. I mean, you don't see me shining shoes and folding my underwear do you?
(story over... moral of the story is ALWAYS question science and throw yourself into it entirely. Half-assed is no-assed).
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 42,315
Likes: 45
From: Central Massachusetts
Originally Posted by Chazmo' timestamp='1452971130' post='23854082
Right now, I'm sitting at the United terminal waiting for my flight which is now delayed an hour and a half. Weather in San Francisco is windy and air traffic control is delaying incoming flights.
I am at least one sheet into the wind after my usual bloody mary ritual... so...
Gather round folks, Chazmo feels the need -- right now -- to tell you a story:
When I started college at the Air Force Academy, I spent an entire evening programming my Texas Instruments calculator to do a "selection sort" for my computer class. It was not an assignment; I just did it. When I went to show the teacher, who was a "permanent" captain in the AF, he told me that he liked what I'd done, but that if I did it again I'd have to drop the class.
(OK, so why????, Chaz...)
Well, he knew I had cadet "duties," such as shining my shoes, folding my underwear, and lots of other silly stuff that I clearly hadn't done while I buried myself in my calculator's programming language.
Anyway, that's the story. I honestly think this had the opposite effect... I became a software guy, not an AF officer, and I've been creating programs for 32 years now. I mean, you don't see me shining shoes and folding my underwear do you?
(story over... moral of the story is ALWAYS question science and throw yourself into it entirely. Half-assed is no-assed).
I am at least one sheet into the wind after my usual bloody mary ritual... so...
Gather round folks, Chazmo feels the need -- right now -- to tell you a story:
When I started college at the Air Force Academy, I spent an entire evening programming my Texas Instruments calculator to do a "selection sort" for my computer class. It was not an assignment; I just did it. When I went to show the teacher, who was a "permanent" captain in the AF, he told me that he liked what I'd done, but that if I did it again I'd have to drop the class.
(OK, so why????, Chaz...)
Well, he knew I had cadet "duties," such as shining my shoes, folding my underwear, and lots of other silly stuff that I clearly hadn't done while I buried myself in my calculator's programming language.
Anyway, that's the story. I honestly think this had the opposite effect... I became a software guy, not an AF officer, and I've been creating programs for 32 years now. I mean, you don't see me shining shoes and folding my underwear do you?
(story over... moral of the story is ALWAYS question science and throw yourself into it entirely. Half-assed is no-assed).
No, not really, Monica. He was a good guy, and he had a valid point. It's one of the main reasons I left the Academy. The mission of the place was about creating time/pressure-handling machines, not computer experts (which is a little ironic when you look at the Air Force today). In retrospect, I have always understood this, but at the time I was truly taken aback and I realized I was in the wrong place.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,450
Likes: 14
From: Portland, OR
Originally Posted by :hello: Monica' timestamp='1452971388' post='23854090
[quote name='Chazmo' timestamp='1452971130' post='23854082']
Right now, I'm sitting at the United terminal waiting for my flight which is now delayed an hour and a half. Weather in San Francisco is windy and air traffic control is delaying incoming flights.
I am at least one sheet into the wind after my usual bloody mary ritual... so...
Gather round folks, Chazmo feels the need -- right now -- to tell you a story:
When I started college at the Air Force Academy, I spent an entire evening programming my Texas Instruments calculator to do a "selection sort" for my computer class. It was not an assignment; I just did it. When I went to show the teacher, who was a "permanent" captain in the AF, he told me that he liked what I'd done, but that if I did it again I'd have to drop the class.
(OK, so why????, Chaz...)
Well, he knew I had cadet "duties," such as shining my shoes, folding my underwear, and lots of other silly stuff that I clearly hadn't done while I buried myself in my calculator's programming language.
Anyway, that's the story. I honestly think this had the opposite effect... I became a software guy, not an AF officer, and I've been creating programs for 32 years now. I mean, you don't see me shining shoes and folding my underwear do you?
(story over... moral of the story is ALWAYS question science and throw yourself into it entirely. Half-assed is no-assed).
Right now, I'm sitting at the United terminal waiting for my flight which is now delayed an hour and a half. Weather in San Francisco is windy and air traffic control is delaying incoming flights.
I am at least one sheet into the wind after my usual bloody mary ritual... so...
Gather round folks, Chazmo feels the need -- right now -- to tell you a story:
When I started college at the Air Force Academy, I spent an entire evening programming my Texas Instruments calculator to do a "selection sort" for my computer class. It was not an assignment; I just did it. When I went to show the teacher, who was a "permanent" captain in the AF, he told me that he liked what I'd done, but that if I did it again I'd have to drop the class.
(OK, so why????, Chaz...)
Well, he knew I had cadet "duties," such as shining my shoes, folding my underwear, and lots of other silly stuff that I clearly hadn't done while I buried myself in my calculator's programming language.
Anyway, that's the story. I honestly think this had the opposite effect... I became a software guy, not an AF officer, and I've been creating programs for 32 years now. I mean, you don't see me shining shoes and folding my underwear do you?
(story over... moral of the story is ALWAYS question science and throw yourself into it entirely. Half-assed is no-assed).
No, not really, Monica. He was a good guy, and he had a valid point. It's one of the main reasons I left the Academy. The mission of the place was about creating time/pressure-handling machines, not computer experts (which is a little ironic when you look at the Air Force today). In retrospect, I have always understood this, but at the time I was truly taken aback and I realized I was in the wrong place.
[/quote]
Right now, ohhhhhh. That makes sense now
