Fetching, Seeking and Rolling Over

I apologize for taking longer this week to update the blog. School has entered that infamous stretch where you aren't quite sure if you are not sleeping too little or too much. My program's portfolio show is in a week and as such I have been trying to build my very own portfolio online. As much as I am a fan of the quick and easy solution Carbonmade provides for poor students like me, it was definitely time get my own.

While my courses have been amazing at giving me real world experiences, and teaching me how to think of great creative ... coding they lack. I originally had lofty ideas of creating this beautifully illustrated binder with lined paper inside and old school tabs to navigate. But after an evening of watching tutorials, and playing around in Dreamweaver and Flash, I realized I was out of my mind. I took a computer engineering class at University of Alberta. You had to get the coding perfect. And if anything was off, even a space, the whole program wouldn't work. I was so excited when I figured out how to program a basic calculator. I am pretty sure the only reason I passed that class was because I was the only girl out of 100 guys... it wasn't exactly hard to find a lab partner willing to do my work.

So, I created my website in iweb. I have to say, I didn't really like it as a program. After the absolute control of CSS programs, the interface on iweb bothered me, it wouldn't allow me to move from computer to computer, and it shoves mobile me down your throat repeatedly. When I have time, or more likely, when I can afford to make time, I seriously would like to teach myself Dreamweaver and Flash so I never have to use iweb again. But until then, I am satisfied (although it probably doesn't sound like it).

I feel like there is a whole other world inside online coding and I am clueless. Trying to learn about Protocols, Fetching, and Hosting all sounds like some kind of weird Martha Stewart special.

I realize some of you will say this particular goal was cheating as it was school related. But in my defense, it is career related, and hopefully going to help me land an internship come January!

Check it out! sarahrutherford.ca

Bloodless Blood Drive

So today I was supposed to give blood. My lovely friend cooked me a delicious omelet in preparation for my big day, and accompanied me to the blood drive. What I didn't realize was blood drives are quite the event on campus. I arrived at 11 AM, and left at 3 PM! That's how long the line up was. At first they turned me away because they were too busy, and I was told to come back at 12:30. But even when I came back, it took me 2.5 hours to move through the entire process. By the time they registered me, pricked my finger, and interrogated my sex life, I was exhausted, cold, and hungry.

Finally my time to give blood came. I was actually kind of excited by the prospect. I am not afraid of blood or needles, have a high pain tolerance and was curious about the procedure. One donation saves three lives! Needless to say, I was pumped. But apparently, my veins were not. Immediately the nurse started shaking her head and looking from one elbow to the other. My veins were tiny, and my pulse was weak. They only managed to squeeze out enough blood to test me for diseases before my blood stopped pumping. I was pretty disappointed.

But worst of all, the nurses all teamed up on me about how I don't eat and am underweight! Not only did I feel like a rejected donor, I felt like a bulimic donor there to shed a pint of body weight. So after four hours I am left a pin, bruised arm and wounded ego.

I fear this blog is quickly entering the realm of the discovery of the not so fabulous life. But before you lose all faith in me, I do plan on trying to donate blood again! This time I will just eat and drink like a trucker before going.

Unsuccessful Beginnings

Well the first week of my social experiment came and left, and I had less than successful results. By popular vote, I was supposed to ask out a guy who was not my type. In retrospect, probably a bad decision on my part to have this be the kick off of my blog. The problem is, I have a hard time defining what exactly qualifies as my type. I guess I usually have a few qualifiers: taller than me, usually athletic build, and charming. The list of deal breakers is much more concrete: smoking, arrogance, pompous or elitist attitude, ignorant/ rude, and guys with no aspirations in life. I don't really consider myself a hard girl to please (if you can make me laugh, you are 80% there). That being said, not many guys have succeeded the last little while. I did go out this Halloween with the intention of asking out a guy. I saw and danced with lots of guys. Received many strange pick up lines. But the more guys I met, the less and less I felt inclined to ask any of them out. I will keep my eyes open, but I think this goal will have to be a continuous one over the year, rather than a week.

I will, however, be giving blood this week! November 4th to be exact. I have never given blood before. I don't even know my blood type to be honest. I am excited, but mostly scared of watching that bag fill up. Even the doctor taking a small vile of blood for tests weirds me out. I'll take my camera with me so you can have documented proof of my trials.

Wish me luck!