frustrating program

I mentioned the last time that a lot of us are having a difficult time, right? And just when I was thinking that it couldn’t possibly get any worse, well, it did. It got harder!

We were doing some exercises (as usual), and my program kept on returning errors. I’ve already spent a good amount of time editing and checking my work for errors, but I can’t find any. I even asked my professor for help but even he can’t figure out what’s wrong with the program. Apparently, a classmate was experiencing the same frustrating dilemma. I guess the frustration got the best of her and she burst into tears! Told you it was that frustrating!

By the end of the day, I feel like I’ve used up all my brain cells. I felt like a zombie going home. When I arrived at my in-laws to pick up my wife, I laid on the outside sofa covered with patio furniture covers and tried to relax and destress. I was initially planning on working some more on my program but thought better and instead focused on destressing.

The next day was the same, but somehow, it was a little bit easier. I guess I’m getting used to the stress, or maybe I’m getting good at handling stress.

not just me

I initially thought that school would be easy. After all, I was a student once. Oh boy! I was dead wrong!

The first few days were a bit easy, but that’s because I attended the two-week Bridge Class. But now that new lessons are being added, I’m finding it difficult integrating everything. But I’m not the only one. Some of my classmates, IT graduates themselves, sometimes have a hard time figuring it out too. So I guess it’s only normal that I have a difficult time too. 

But what’s great is the camaraderie. Whenever we can, we try to help each other out. Which explains why most of the time, during breaks, we’d have out netbooks out and helping each other with whatever we can contribute. You know what they say, two heads are better than one. What more with multiple heads!

the fun begins

Just like that, two weeks have passed by. And with that, our Bridge Classes are over. Now, the real fun begins. Because the real classes start tomorrow (Monday).

I have mixed feelings starting school again. I’m scared and excited. I’m scared because I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep up with my classmates. Years of working had somehow fried my brains. I’m a little bit rusty learning new things. And this program that I’m currently enrolled in is fast paced. The school expects us to learn C programming in just two weeks! After that, some higher-level language will be introduced. I have a feeling that I won’t be needing sleep pills because I don’t think I’d have time to sleep. There’s just so much stuff that I need to cram into my brain. Now if only there’s a pill to sharpen my brain again!

still at a loss

I wasn’t able to be there for my wife’s monthly check up. Fortunately, my SIL accompanied her. I don’t really know for sure why they weren’t able to determine the baby’s gender. But from what my wife told me, the baby is still in a position that prevents us to see for sure its gender. And so the adventure continues.

I’ve mentioned before that we’re rooting for a girl, right? But the OB hinted though that there’s a big possibility that the baby would turn out to be a boy. My SIL in New Zealand already bought pink girly clothes for our baby. And if our baby turns out to be a boy, those clothes would have to be given away. On the other hand, if it does turn out to be a boy, then the baby stuff that Yuan left would really come in handy.

I really have no preference (unlike diet pills, which I prefer to be organic). As long as the baby is healthy, I’m happy. I guess the baby will just surprise us when he/she comes out.

boy or girl

Later today, we will have our monthly check up again with my wife’s OB. And this time, we will again try to determine its sex. The last checkup was a bust as the baby was positioned right. And this time, we’re hoping that the baby will cooperate.

Last night, I was giving the baby some energy auditor training and psyching him/her to behave so we could peek. I still don’t know though if I’d be able to make it there when the OB probes my wife. I have classes till 5 PM. And It’d be around 6:30PM when I get back here. Still, I’m crossing my fingers and hoping everything is ok.

recording the baby

There are a lot of things that we want for the baby. And I think I’ve mentioned how my wife and I have been wishing for a camcorder. It’d be really great if we could record much of the baby’s life. We all know how fast babies grow. Take Yuan, for example. We were there when he was born, and in what seems like an instant, he’s now a little boy. How time really flies!

And so with our baby, a camcorder would really be useful. But we’re still undecided if we can afford one. With just my wife working full time and me doing just a few freelance work and studying, we’re having second thoughts about getting one. It’s something that’s nice to have. We’ll see.

finances and funds

If you must know, our baby has his/her own bank account already. And I dare say that the baby fund is a lot fatter than my study fund.

Even before I took the entrance exam last February, we’ve been saving since early last year. If I was to go to school, we’d have to be ready for my school expenses. The tuition fees alone are expensive. And since I have to quit my job, we really need all the money that we can save. Being debt free helped a lot. We saved as much as we can. Much as I liked to have personalized basketballs and a few new gadgets (iPhone, iTouch, and now iPad), we became Ilokano and focused on what we really need. This went on till early this year.

Ever since we planned on having a baby, we started saving up for him/her. Initially, it was a measly Php500 per payday, or Php1000 a month. We were busy fattening up my study fund. And when we found out that we are pregnant, we substantially increased it. The study fund isn’t 100% complete, but the baby is much more important. Plus, there are options for school, like maybe getting a sponsoring company. We also took some more freelance work to fatten it up.

Planning for future expenses like these really does help. It’d be a nightmare if we didn’t have these funds set up. The peace of mind alone knowing that everything will be taken cared of is worth the hassle.

to be a computer

So far, this week is much more relaxed compared to last week. Whereas last week’s lesson was the dreadful C programming, this week we’re currently learning about computer systems and basic I.T. concepts. Since Monday, which I’d like to call Cyber Monday, we’ve been talking and discussing about how computers work and how they convert and process human language into computer language.

There some group work and activities that also somehow liven up the discussion, and from time to time, we are called in front to simulate and act how computers process data. Some very interesting stuff, right? Learning how computers process data by being a computer yourself was just genius. And if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some more algorithms to run.

abs in no time

I have a feeling I won’t be needing fitness equipment real soon. For the more than two years that I’ve been married, I stopped having an active life. Instead, I spent all my free hours with my wife, which is a good thing. But our activities usually revolved around going to the mall for (window) shopping, maybe a movie, and of course indulging in food. There were times that we travelled too, usually to the nearby Tagaytay, but that also involved food, and I doubt that any physical activity that we ever did, like rafting, rappelling, hiking, etc., can really be counted as exercise. Basically, I’d say that we had a sedentary lifestyle.

For a few years now, whenever I say commute, it basically means that I took a cab. Having your own car does that. I got snobbish. I refused to take public transportation. But since the UP ITTC is all the way to the North, and I’m from the South, the gas expenses would be staggering. So I commute, as in really commute. I ride a tricycle, a jeepney, the MRT, and one more jeepney to get to school. And transferring from one public transport into another involves a lot of walking. So you can imagine all the sweat I’m generating: kili-kili power! And with that power, I’d slowly starting to notice that I’m losing weight, most noticeably along the midsection. So be ready, if this continues, in no time at all, I’d be sporting some sick-pack abs!