Today I had a prelim interview with Microsoft on campus. I'm not sure if I'll get called back.. I made about an equal number of mistakes and clever answers.

The interview started out with the interviewer telling me about what he does at Microsoft. I asked him a few thoughtful questions about his project but I don't know if that really matters in the end. He asked me a few questions about my resume but not really anything about the projects/jobs I had listed on it.

Then he asked me for my application. I hadn't heard anything about an application or been given one. Apparently someone was supposed to have given me an application when I checked in. I had to waste 10 minutes of my interview slot filled out the damn application.

After that, he gave me a problem solving question involving polygons because my research area is graphics.

The question was: given an array of lengths constituting the sides of a polygon, determine if the polygon is valid. I managed to figure out the basic solution (add all of the sides except the longest side, then compare the sum with the longest side. if the sum is greater than longest side, the polygon is invalid). However, I forgot to check to make sure the input is even valid (if there are less than three values in the array). Most of you have probably stop reading by now so I won't bother listing the other things i did wrong/right.

It was my first interview where I was given any sort of problem to solve. Even if I get called back I probably won't take the job unless all of my other prospects fall through. I got to wear a tie though. i look sharp.

This year marks the first in many that I am buying a costume instead of making one.



Note that the sample image is doing a saucy dance. Ole!

I turned on the TV for a little relaxing Sunday night viewing, and what did I see, but one of my FAVORITE Muppets songs being used to SELL DIET DR. PEPPER in a new ad!



Click for the original video. Someone else will have to find the Diet Dr. Pepper ad, I can't stand to think about it any longer.

I've been walking around for most of the day so far feeling like complete shit, and it matters less than ever.
Last night, I thought someone had bought everyone a round of drinks, but then it turned out that someone was me. Luckily I didn't have the drug money on me. Foresight...
Next thing I remember, it was almost five am this morning and I was being kicked out of the hospital. I guess I had my stomach pumped.
They're evacuating the city, and so they just kicked me right out of the hospital to make room for someone who's really sick. That's fucking fine with me. Last thing I need is some medical bills.
I guess they have been expecting this for weeks, but I haven't really paid attention. I've finally come into my own lately... I feel like nothing can really go wrong now.
I've spent so much of my life wasting time and scrounging change. Suddenly the tides are changing and things are working out for me. I'm not going to give up my chances just because we're having another unfounded scare.
Some people are going into shelters under ground, and some are trying to just leave as quick as they can.
How the hell do they know they're going to be any safer out there? I mean... I think I'll stick with the home turf advantage.
I've been barfing all day, and my head feels like its going to cave in. In a few more hours I can go pick up the stuff I've been saving up for.
A little bit for me.. and then I'll sell the rest. I've got my own shit under control... its the money that I'm concerned about. I've been waiting my whole life to get what I deserve. I'm not going to high-tail it out of here on a Code Orange warning and try to start all over again on some other fucking planet. Its like they want us to all go so that they can keep us from ever gaining anything on them. Fuck that.
Anyway, once I get the stuff, it'll take the edge off this headache..

So in the last two days my store was visited by three count 'em three DC "rock stars" it was kinda surreal.

On Monday within like a fifteen minute span of each other Guy Picciotto from Fugazi and Bratmobile/Partyline's Allison Wolfe visited the music section. Guy was in and out before I could offer my assistance. Allison was looking for the new New Pornographers album (which was ironic because at that time I had the soundtrack to the TV show Weeds on which features a New Pornographers song which was playing at that time.) We talked a bit about her recently dyed hair and about Java Green, where she'd just eaten lunch, and how her bike got a flat tire on the way downtown.

Today Dismemberment Plan's Travis Morrison was in the store to buy a Motown boxed set. When I told him that we had a mutual friend in Julie [last name withheld] we talked a bit about Galaxy Hut and he made some weird joke about how one of these coked-up DC bartenders would do in a cute, quaint little spot like Galaxy Hut.

So the thing I've learned is that once you become a DC rock star you make enough money to buy those boxed sets you could never afford before (one of the previous times Guy was in the store he bought the Freaks and Geeks boxed set.)

Saturday night, Mess up the Mess recruited me to play bongos for them. Which is pretty flattering except I've never really played the bongos before EVER. I'm hoping they were only kidding. They were kidding weren't they Cricket?

♥♥♥♥♥♥


I made my reservation, I'm leaving town tomorrow
I'll find somebody new and there'll be no more sorrow
that's what I'll do each time but I can't follow through

I can't break away though you make me cry
I can't break away, I can't say goodbye
no I'll never never break away from you no no

I make a vow to myself you and I are through
nothing can change my mind "Im sorry" just wont do
that's what I'll say each time but I can't follow through

I can't breakaway though you make me cry
I can't breakaway, I can't say goodbye
no I'll never never break away from you no no

Even though you treat me bad and many cruel words are spoken
you have got a spell on me that just can't be broken no no

I'll take your picture down and throw it away
there'll be no baby now for you to call each day
that's what I'll say each time but I can't follow through

I can't breakaway though you make me cry
I can't breakaway, I can't say goodbye
no I'll never never break away from you no no