My weekend has started off pretty well! I had an interview yesterday for a summer internship at ISP spots network. I felt that it went very well. I am anxious and excited to find out if I got the position. If I get the position it could open up many doors for me, which is very exciting. There may have to be a few changes made to my life, as in not going home for the summer, getting an apartment, finding a new side job. It all is a little stressful, but definitely worth the opportunity! This should be a good week of school coming up, last week before spring break. I'm excited to see my family for the break, we are going on a cruise for seven days for my parents 25th Wedding Anniversary. I'm hoping the trip will create many fun memories, I wish my grandparents were coming, but it should still be an amazing trip... That's it for now, I actually get to go out tonight, since I don't have mounds of homework, and work! I'm excited!!!!!!!!

Lucky

Today I made my final contribution to my tuition payment 5,000 dollars. That was rough to see the money disappear after hours of work.. Now I'm on a mission to earn it all back. I know it will be hard but I have to do it again. I'm setting a goal for myself to not buy unnecessary things such as clothes, and shoes. I need to appreciate what I have right now. I am very lucky. I keep reminding myself how lucky I am. Life can be a lot more difficult than I have it. LUCKY GIRL !

My Sanctuary

Today was the first time I have touched a ball seriously in about 5 months. It was just me and the gym. My own sanctuary. It brings out the feelings of who I really am, when It is just me the gym, and my basketball. I could spend hours in the gym. It makes me feel relaxed. I can think about life. I can reflect on everything. It is the best feeling in the world. When I walk out of that gym after hours of sweat and hard work, I feel a sense of accomplishment, and self worth, that no one else can feel but me. I plan on sneaking away to the gym a little bit more often, and letting part of my old life seep back in to the person that I am becoming day by day.

Tom Igoe Lecture Response

Kristin McComas

Lecture Response

February 20, 2010

Tom Igoe Lecture Response

The lecture presented by Tom Igoe was very interesting, yet extremely confusing. The topics he spoke about seemed as if they were from another planet. I definitely learned some interesting information though. Tom Igoe teaches at ITP Tisch School of the Arts, which is a school that is part of NYU. Along with teaching, he has a background in theater. I found this very unique that different aspect of art makes up his life. He is best known for his book titled, Physical Computing. The books focus is on expanding human expression through use of digital media. He teaches a class that specifically focuses on how networks meet the physical world. The name of the company that he works for is Ardruino

In the lecture Mr. Igoe mentioned how he works with many different people. Many of the people had very unique ideas, and inventions that seemed unrealistic to me, yet realistic in their eyes. Leah Buechley, of MIT, makes sensual things to touch. Mr. Igoe works in collaboration with her. She recently created the “Lilly Pad” for Ardruino. She also works with interactive walls, so that when people touch the wall it would send impulses of the touch to the computer. Hannah Perner- Wilson, created bracelets that work in connection with the stereo on your computer. The most unusual person that he is associated with is, Tom Aerhardt. He borrows behaviors from the natural world. He created a candle that connected to the wall and made a flicker. He also used mud as a mouse for computers, very unusual.

Mr. Igoe spoke of partial layers of openness. There are many aspects to this topic. Some of these topics include physical construction, bill of materials, extendability, reprogrammability, programming interface, communication protocol, interoperability, aesthetic guidelines, interaction guidelines, and warranty.

As I mentioned earlier, I found this lecture very interesting, yet bazaar. The information was something I probably never would have learned about if it weren’t for this lecture. I found all the different inventions he spoke about very creative and unique. Each of the inventions had specific duties you don’t see regularly.

ReSpEcT

I went to bed last night, and woke up this morning with the same feeling. I miss Utah so much. I miss waking up to the mountains in my back yard. I miss the seclusion of the place. I miss the people who can actually walk by and say hello. I miss the non materialistic lifestyle that consumes the people here at Tampa. I can't stand it. I know its not everyone here, but a large majority. Last night I was standing outside my dorm, knocking on the door. There were two girls sitting there about three feet from the door, and they wouldn't look at me or move to open it. I was so frustrated I wanted to cry, about my entire experience here. I miss my friends so much. Some days I am depressed, and upset about how I ended up here.I tell myself that everything happens for a reason. I try to remind myself of why I transferred here, and why I moved my life half way across the country, because of what happened to me just one night under the dark skyline of salt lake city. This isn't a bad place by all means academically this is the best experience I have ever had! Socially I feel alone. I have a lot of friends here, but some days it just doesn't feel real here. I was so mad when those girls didn't open the door for me I called my mom and told her how upset it made me that people can be so rude. I don't care how much money you have, where you are from, or what color your skin is. No matter what everyone deserves respect. You won't get very far in life, if you can't even look at the person standing next to you in the elevator.

Dinner

Tonight at dinner my parents adn I had an interesting conversation. I told them how I just don't feel like myself, I am in a little funk, a crossroads in my life. I am a junior in college dealing with a huge amount of stress, yet trying to still have fun, and get everything finished. Its pretty hard. I have given up my social life to complete 18 credits, work two jobs, volunteer, and train for a half marathon. Your probably like this girl is crazy! Yes I think that too myslef when I lay down exhausted every night. UT is my third school, the best school that I have been at academically, but socially this place is the worst experience I have ever had. I feel like I don't fit in for the first time in awhile. I don't know how to explain it, but Tampa is much different. The people are very different. Part of me wants to be done with college, but the other part of me is waiting for it to get better. I use to hear people say that college is the best years of your life.HA! I would have to say the hardest years at this point. My Dad told me tonight at dinner that right now is the time I am creating the best years of my life with hard work. He told me that right now it may be hard, for me but it will only be hard if I give up. I am not giving up! I just am in a little drought within my ownself. I know in time things will maybe seem better, but I will just keep working hard, because you never know what can happen tom. I fly back tom to start another week. I'm telling myself right now that it is going to be a good week! i hope.......................

Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home. I just got off the plane, about an hour ago for my quick weekend trip home to Milwaukee. I was only back at school for four weeks, and those four weeks, a lot of new beginnings occurred. I talked to my Mom a lot, and my Grandma and realized I just needed to take a breath and leave Tampa behind for the weekend. I missed my Grandma a ton even though it was only four weeks. right when I got home I ran across the street, and gave her a big hug, she had been waiting up for me. My grandma is my best friend. Since I was a little girl I have always been extremely close with her. I always tell her she is going to be my maid of honor in my wedding. I have tons of girlfriends that I consider my best friends, but my grandma is the one person in my life, I can count on to be there for me no matter what. She is my shoulder to cry on, my escape from reality many times, and the one that I can have so much fun with. I love her to death. She is the one thing that keeps me coming back to Milwaukee, when time and time again I say that I'm not coming back to this place. I am very close with my parents as well. Me and my Mom are a lot alike. She is very hardworking and determined. Tonight when I walked in the house I had a feeling. I always have a feeling or this same rush of thoughts that come in my head when I come home. I look at the gorgeous house my parents provide. It amazes me, neither of them went to college, they both just worked there way up to achieve success. It scares me to think about the future sometimes. I feel that If I am not able to provide the tyoe of lifestyle they have given me for my children, that I am a failure. Scary. It is good to see my Dad when I get home, well kind of see him... He was asleep, seeing that he gets of at 3 30 everyday to go to work. I admire him so much for this. He works long days sometimes 15 hours its insane. His job is extremely stressful, and its frusterating and hurtful to me how he deals with the stress sometimes, making me never want to come back to this place. I am learning though to separate myself from his problems and my life. I learn to love him for the father he is to me. I love him so much, he does everything he possible can for me and my brother. I just wish that I could open up to him and tell him how I feel, but I can't. maybe someday God will give me the strength to do that. But for now I am going to enjoy the weekend here in the freezing cold, and enjoy time with the family. I hope my brother comes home from school so I can see him !

Today was an amazing day. Lately, I have been thinking about why I gave up playing basketball at the D1 college level. I was going to school for free and gave it all up! I became frustrated with these thoughts when I realized how many hours I have been working. I would told myself to wake up, I wasn't truly happy when I was in the spotlight playing. Today I realized that I haven't really given up the game I loved for so long. The love and passion came back to me but in a different aspect. I was at the Boys and Girls Club today, speaking to one of the directors. He asked me if I would want to coach a girls team, at one of the clubs. At first I wasn't so sure then it hit me, that I can still be a part of the game I loved so much, but in a different aspect. Someone is giving me a chance to give back and help girls, like so many people did for me when I was younger. I am so excited for this opportunity!!!

I was listening to the craziest thing on the radio today. There is a rumor going around that a basketball league is going to be created for white people only, because so many feel that the NBA is dominated by the African American race. Is this even possible in the country we live in today? I found this information so shocking and so wrong, that i didn't know if it was true or false. Has anyone else heard this? It caught my attention since basketball has been a part of my life through college where I played Division 1.

Take a deep breath and breathe. Today has been a difficult day for me, completely overwhelmed by everything life is throwing at me. I keep telling myself that God doesn't give you more than you can handle. I need to understand their is no such thing as perfect. I am going to keep doing the best I can with it all. I wish I could just turn off my phone and shut the world out from me. I can't do that though... I wish but no.. I am trying to organize hoping that will make me feel better. I wish i could just roll up on my bed and read my book, Have a Little Faith, but their is work to be done. Plus I know that valentine's day shouldn't bother me that its coming, but it just keeps reminding me and opening wounds when ever someone brings it up. I know its not a big deal to them, but there is a little part of me still hurting that know one will ever understand. I have tucked it deep within me. Yet my love is haunting me like a death, that I wish would dissapear forever, and give me the pieces back they have taken. So for now I keep telling myself.. I AM A STRONG GIRL THAT CAN GET THROUGH ANYTHING!

Spent the weekend with my little brother. We had so much fun together. When he left today,I realized how important it is to have a good relationship with a sibling. They are the one person you should be able to count on in your life. I really value his opinion, and I feel like I can talk to him about anything . I value our relationship more after this weekend.