So just finished my first week at Big Ant! It’s been busy but fun: I fixed a bug in my first day which they were pretty impressed by. Ended the week with two on the board (it was a 4-day week because I started on Tuesday) let’s hope I can beat that next week (ideally I’d want one a day).

So it’s currently my last week of classes and my Networking unit is killing me. At least I know for certain that I don’t ever want a career anywhere near that field. I am, however, learning a lot, particularly now in my weekend cram session before my exam on Monday.

For instance, I finally know the order of colours on the UTP cables, so that’s nice. Basically, it’s just an ordering of pairs. The pairs are:
1: Blue | White-Blue
2: White-Orange | Orange
3: White-Green | Green
4: White-Brown | Brown

The T568A standard (which I just call ‘A’) orders them as:
3, first-half-of-2, 1, second-half-of-2, 4
Or as I write, 32124.
That makes the colouring:
White-Green | Green, White-Orange, Blue | White-Blue, Orange, White-Brown | Brown

The T568B standard (which I just call 'B’), however, orders them as:
2, first-half-of-3, 1, second-half-of-3, 4, or 23134.
That’s also:
White-Orange | Orange, White-Green, Blue | White-Blue, Green, White-Brown | Brown.

In addition to those colours, I also made a mnemonic to try and remember the OSI Model (or at least the non-application section). It’s People Don’t Like Networking Tests (Physical, Data-Link, Network, Transport).

In non-networking news, I’m slowly working through my Twine game. The Javascript modules are a nightmare so I’m probably not going to bother much with them. I’m liking my story more as I get through it, which is nice because I kinda went with one of my earliest ideas just so I could get a start on it.

Basically, I’m a real busy-bee at the moment. Really hoping I get through this networking exam (and then I can have at least 2 more for the same class after it). :(

Until next time~
- Rachel

Just started my first Twine game for one of my classes.

I’ve already bashed my head open trying to get Javascript to work in it.

Hey folks, just wanted to update you on my day, because it was pretty fun and different.

So today (well, technically yesterday), for my class’ tutorial we had to run around the University and take photos of a bunch of designs, then comment on how they convey (or fail to convey) their affordances and other meanings.

For those not familiar with the idea of affordances, it’s basically this:
Correct Rejection: When an object can’t do something and you perceve that it can’t do something
False affordance: When an object can’t do something but you perceive that it can
Perceived affordance: When an object can do something and you perceive that it can
Hidden affordance: When an object can do something but you perceive that it can’t

My group ended up with around 40 photos, but these were my top three:
#3:

#2:

#1:

With the exception of #2 (which demonstrates a really amazing hidden affordance), the others aren’t really the best examples of what I’m talking about (they were just really funny). However, my least favourite one has a lot of stuff to talk about:

These circles are the windows to what we call the ‘cheese-grater’ building (because on the outside it looks like a cheese grater). In actuality those circlular windows were originally put there to try and give off the meaning of calmness (curves are considered pleasant and natural due to our evolution), freedom, and adventure. They were completely open and you could look out to the University from several floors in the air, and when you would do it, it would feel really surreal and thrilling. It was a really great feeling, though it was definitely a hazard. As far as I know, though, nobody jumped out of the window and killed themselves, if that means anything.

Anyway, these wired things were a new introduction to (I presume) counter the safety hazard, though it gives off this feeling of being closed / imprisoned - which mind you, you can’t see from the outside (hey, it’s almost a metaphor for Uni… haha, I joke… or am I?) Also, jagged/pointy edges tend to make humans feel uncomfortable, and putting it in front of a shape it doesn’t fit makes it even more unnerving. In addition to that, on the whole it is just really insulting because they didn’t even use a shape that fits the hole.

Which I guess brings the question, how do you prevent the safety hazard while also keeping the original design intention of giving a feeling of adventure? Somebody in class suggested putting a bubble around it, (kinda like those windows in McDonalds playgrounds) which I quite liked, but who knows if that is the only decent solution.

So yeah, it was a pretty fun lesson in all. You should all have a look at the stuff around you and see what their designs are conveying, you’d be surprised how much meaning you can find in the things you walk past everyday. Let me know in the comments or in a reblog about what sort of affordances and meanings you found in my pictures (particularly the prison-cheese-grater), or even ones you see in everyday life.

Until next time,
- Rachel

PS: If you’re interested in learning more about this sort of thing, I’ve been recommended the book The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Norman (though I haven’t had the chance to read it myself). One day, Rachel, one day.

Have any of you guys tried implementing the Pomodoro Technique (time management method/theory/thing) into your work or study cycles? If so, what were the results of it? Did you see an improvement?

Hey folks,

It has been a while so I figured it was about time I left an update. I had a rather eventful week, mainly because I:

• Celebrated my 23rd revolution around the sun
• Started my final year at University
• I lost my phone

My birthday was really fun. I had class on the actual day (Tuesday 4 March), so that was a bit uneventful, but I met up with friends in the city over the weekend.

My parents have not gotten me a gift yet because there was not anything I wanted at the time. I am now figuring that if I cannot find my phone by the end of this week then I will just get another one and ask my parents to contribute towards it (it was a Galaxy S2 so it was beginning to show its age). If I do upgrade, I’m probably going to go with either the Galaxy Note 3 or hold out another month and get the Galaxy S5 (so far leaning more towards the Note).

I’m not taking any programming classes this semester, which is an interesting change. I am also taking a Writing for Interactive Narratives class, which is exciting because I always enjoyed writing but it did not have much of a place in my course.

As for updates to the blog, I just added Disqus, so now you can leave comments on here. I’m excited for all the discussions we’re going to have!

Hopefully I’ll get some new and interesting stuff to post up here, but depends on how much time I get outside of class.

Anyway, hope you guys are having a wonderful day, and see you next water time!

- Rachel

Finally the last one. I’m not sure whether I’ll be making any more, mainly because Pokemon Meadow seems to be in the state of redesign-limbo, which is a shame because I used to really love the place.

Anyway, here is the very last one.

Regular/Shiny:

Yes I know you’re all sick of these now, I swear there’s not much more of them to go.

Regular / Shiny:

Just going to casually write new here this time.

Regular / Shiny:

I originally did these for Pokemon Meadow, a Pokemon RP forum. Figured I’d post them here for those who might be curious to see them.

Regular / Shiny: