Running for One Hundred

Halfway through my first week back. Lots of interesting lectures, and I've joined the gym. The lecturers all seem very interesting, The content seems like it should be pretty straightforward for the most part. Though cryptography still looks tough, as does compiler construction. The optional modules seem to be a lot more doable than the compulsory modules.

To the Grindstone

Back to work! Only back a day and lectures start tomorrow. Straight into Security Protocols, first thing tomorrow morning. I also need to finish my registration for my modules. I've got a couple of hours free over lunch so I'll have to take care of it then. I still haven't fully decided what modules I want, but I guess I can change that after I get a good feel for what's available.

Home Again, Home Again

I'm back. And this time, it's serious business all round. Lugging my bags to Schipol and across Dublin was a pain, but I had a good flight. I turned my phone on when I touched down, and the internet came flooding back into it. It had been quiet since I left but it's been chirping incessantly since I arrived. A couple of relaxing bus trips and I was home. It's good to be back.

Job Done

Today was my last day of work. That's it, I'm finished. There was lots of lovely cake served to say goodbye to me, and I was given a lovely Irdeto branded notepad, flash drive and pen. The notepad is great. Another person was leaving today too, a woman who started the same day as me. So there was lots more cake in the afternoon. Then we spend the long evening drinking and chilling out in the company bar. I got a couple of games of pool in to prove how bad I am.

Finishing up

Just two days left for me here in the Netherlands. I really should get around to packing my bags or something. Tomorrow I'll be needing to take a trip to city hall to let them know I'm leaving the country. I tried to do it today but I forgot that nobody will talk to me if I'm not carrying my passport. A little annoying but if the alternative is some kind of identity theft then I'll put up with that minor inconvenience.

Homeward Bound

Into my last week here in Irdeto. We had a sprint planning meeting and all I did in it was take up space. I asked to leave as it didn't involve me at all, but they had me stick around. Not that I had any work to be doing regardless. Listening to what the guys are going to be doing, it sounds like they'll have a nice easy couple of weeks to start them hard, before they launch into some nice frustrating test cases. Part of me is glad to be going.

Lazier Days

After a night out in the XO in Haarlem on Friday night, with two of the most hipsterish DJs I've ever seen spinning out lots of Techno, I've spent half the weekend in bed. I can't recall the last time I was this tired. Tired to the point where even getting up to go to the shops is a massive effort. I don't know what it is but I hope I shake it soon, back to work tomorrow.

Forever Delayed

Registration still isn't open today. I did some more research into the choices and I'm almost back to square one in terms of picking what I want to do. On further investigation, Operations Research is not about problem solving, decision making, game theory and management skills. It is instead about very hard, nasty maths. So where I had it down as a sure thing, I now might reconsider. If I can find something else worth taking.

Scritch Scratch

I've gotten my third year results. At long last. I was concerned that I was going to fail one of my modules, Object Orientated Analysis and Design. Though at the end of it all I came out with 66, a good mark. Everything turned out better than expected. It brings my total mark for the year to a 2.2. Which isn't the best I could have gotten but I'm glad regardless. All that's left for me to do is to submit my INTRA report, which I should be able to wrap up this weekend.

Hop to it

Tomorrow I'll have to start on my INTRA report. It's due in a few weeks time but I'll have to crank out a good 2,000 words on Irdeto. I'm not sure what I'll write but I need to get it done before I leave so my boss can review it for things I can and cannot say. Shouldn't take too long to do. 2,000 words isn't exactly a lot.

Mean Streets

So on Friday, we all went into Amsterdam for drinks. We had a good time, such a lively city at night. I still don't understand why every night out turns into a pub crawl though. Several times we were settled into a pub and having a grand time, when suddenly it was time to wander a few streets and find a new one. It's something I'll never understand.

Potentially Useful

The new interns have been here almost two weeks. In that time they've been in constant training. I can count the amount of minutes training I've received since starting on one hand without using my fingers. Some of the stuff they're learning seems to be quite useful and would have helped me a lot when I was still fumbling around the system back in July. Guess there's not much point investing time in training me now as I'll be out the door before the month is gone.

Living in the Future

Sometimes technology scares me. Or rather, the pace of advance. Today I received delivery of a replacement memory card for my phone. It was a 16GB Micro SDHC card. Now I know these have been kicking about for a couple of years now, but this was my first time handling one myself. These things are smaller than my thumbnail but can hold a pretty large amount of music or photos. Or if I felt like it, a few full HD movies.

Stop That.

I'm going to take a step here, and risk cutting off my own toes with this. If there's one thing on the internet that annoys me more than most things, and there are a lot of annoying things on the internet, it would have to be the winging. The constant winging and whining. Yes, even more than the sense of self righteous entitlement that everyone seems to have.

Tumbleweed

I really need to find out something to do with myself. Ever since I got back I've been spinning in my chair wondering what to do with myself. I'm just about fed up of it at this point. I should probably try to finish my Java book, I'm only halfway through. But I was hoping for something more fun and relaxing. I guess it'll get fun once I get into the swing of it.

Super Positive!

One thing I've learned today. Well, I've learned a few things, but the biggest thing I learned today. It's that The Go! Team are great. Like, really great. Super positive and super funky. They kind of remind me of Alphabeat, only less poppy and much funkier. There's so much energy, some of the tracks just make me want to jump about. "Thunder, Lightning, Strike" is a great album.

Electric Glossy

This has been a pretty slow week, though not the slowest since I got here. Though next week will hopefully be a bit more involved. I've finally been given a proper task to do again. It's a little vague and a bit tricky but should keep me busy for a few days at least.

Sounds

I've been listening to some new music recently. A couple of Canadian bands from the Arts and Crafts labels that I was recommended amongst others. In particular I'm enjoying Stars album 'Set Yourself on Fire' and Broken Social Scenes 'You Forgot it in People.' Very good albums both of them. I enjoyed them both.