Infinite State Automaton

So, in case it's not obvious, Anna fixed my blog so it's not ugly.

I'm really tired today because of yesterdays crap hours, and I have an exam later today so I'll leave this pretty short.

My first task at my new job in the future is to find a way to get William's Lego Mindstorm scorpion to respond to his mobile phone blue tooth commands. The scorpion is very cool already. It moves forwards, and if something moves in front of it, it backs away all scared like. If the thing is really close, instead, it's tail goes forward and BAM! Dead. He also has a variety of smaller lego critters that have other roles, like picking up balls and announcing what color the ball is, and a tag team one that follow a path and interact together to move balls out of the way.

I'm not sure yet exactly what I am supposed to be doing, all I know is that it involves some system called REPATH and that I am supposed to be researching Java 3D and JoGL once my exam is done. Now, I already programmed in both of those before so I have a big head start. I also had a semi-complete ray tracer that I think I will kick start again.

Anna also took me shopping. Kind of. Since I will soon have enough money to not live out of tins, I was thinking of getting some furniture like a bed or a door. I live right across from Ikea - it's a sign from God! Here are Anna's suggestions...

(I'm fixing the HTML on these...will repost shortly)

TV Cabinet

Coffee Table

Side table

Corner sofa bed

White sofa

Armchair

Cushions

Lamp shade

Lamp base

Some kind of....throw rug....thing.... Maybe a scarf? I don't know.

Bookcase! I can trick girls into thinking I am smart by filling this up with books about, um...? Should I fill it with lots of traditional guy stuff, like books on tanks or cars, or go for the 'hawt in bed' angle with lots of books on Birds And Bees. I do have an "Art of Seduction for Dummies." Maybe I want to keep that one out of sight, though...

Shoe rack This one is really good idea. I wasn't sure at first, but looking at it more carefully, they look about the right size for junk mail, warhammer tanks, and even bottles of wine. I think I will get two.

Hat and coat rack is handy for those times when I am really drunk and forget where I put my jacket. I don't have any hats yet, but Rusty does, so it's sure to get some use. Plus, tank storage space.

Vases I'm a boy so I can't really put flowers in it, but I like the colors. I don't know how big they are. My grandparents have vases filled with different colored soils from around the world, but I don't know if it will really work with the vases having their own colors. I'm a big fan of clear vases filled with pretty rocks, though. Maybe I can put a fish in them or something.

Is this art? My favourite cityscape pictures are the ones at night that show the city lights. Sydney is probably my favourite. I got a brief glimpse of Osaka on my way to Ezhou, but there was heavy mist and I didn't get the full panorama that I had hoped for. Next time for sure. Actually, I'm a big fan of the Chicago pictures that you get in Subway's here.

Fruit bowl At least, that's what I think it is for. Maybe keys? I can probably put water in to it and have little floating candle things, too. Like the vases, I need to see how big it is before I can really think of what to do with it. Worst case scenario, it looks like a real fun thing to throw.

Wait, wait. If I turn it upside down, it would make a terrific piece of terrain for my Space Marines. I can put some stairs in to the side of it and POW instant bunker. Nothing's getting up that slope, and certainly not crazy Blood Angel Assault Marines. Yes I am looking at you, Rusty.

Rug This one is definately a rug, because it says 'rug'. So. It's a rug.

Table and chairs This was a really good suggestion because I don't have a proper table, or really any chairs. Most of the time I have to eat standing up. Of course since mostly I'm eating pizza or other junk food that's OK.

Deep plate I actually have many of these. No, wait. Rusty has many of these. Eventually when I move out on my own I will need to have bowls and stuff. I did actually have a set before moving here, but my flatmate had been taking my plates and bowls and letting her dogs eat out of them. You can wash them and use them afterwards I guess, but I didn't want to eat out of a dogs bowl so I left them for her. Maybe if they were my own pets my feeling would be different. I think it's ok if, say, my cat jumped up on the table and stole some food (because he would do it all the time. And not just meat, either. One time he made off with a potatoe. WTF?) while I wasn't looking, you can wash it and its fine. But I would come home after work and find my plate covered in dog drool and rotten meat filled with maggots. You can't clean that kind of image out of your mind. So, I left them all. I was a little uncomfortable about doing it. But the thing about the old place...much like getting away from Donut King...is that it was really important to me to get rid of all the links to the past. It was a bad time, and I want to burn it out. Keeping those plates will remind me of the terrible way I was treated and I don't want that in my life.

Maybe it's a stupid feeling, but it's my feeling, and I'll stand by it.

Coaster set I actually have some coasters already, blue University of South Australia ones that I got for helping out the marketting division last year. With two sets, I can have one nice set, and one set for throwing at people. Or maybe one set for normal times, and one set for special guests. My mum is one of those people who has super elite chinaware that only comes out once every three or four years. Probably there is a reason for it.

But coasters make excellent projectiles. They are like mini frisbees. It's one of my best memories of childhood, having coaster/teatowel wars. Of course Dad was the best at teatowel flicking. We wrote on the forum QQ nerf fathers, to no avail.

Dinner set Another really good suggestion. We have most of these things already - when I say 'we' I mean, Rusty owns it, so I have access to it. But when I am living on my own, I think my current inventory includes a few saucepans and......ah.....coffee cups. I used to have frying pans/toaster/kettle/etc but a decade of living with flatmates has meant anything of quality that I owned was used and destroyed very quickly.

Although the sandwhich frying machine was my own fault. I tried to wash it by putting it in the sink. Apparently delicate electronics and water aren't a good combination. Who knew? Ah, and that time when my grandmother nearly killed us all when she spilled water on the kettle through to the sink where I was washing the dishes. "This water feels funny," says I, as AC current was attempting to fry my brain. Good times.

Knife sharpener It's important to have sharp knives.

Of course, it's important to have knives also.

Bread knife. I actually like my breadknife at work better, but I don't know where I can find one like it. It's a massive, 15"/40cm long stainless steel TITANIUM PLATED thing that can cut through just about anything, and would happily factor in 'human flesh and bone' if I am not careful. I don't know why Monika splashed out for something so crazy sweet, but it's there, and if I can swipe it, I will. This knife, and Rusty's bread knife, always feature when I have zombie nightmares and have to duel wield kitchen knives. What, you don't have zombie nightmares?

Garlic press. I'm glad they clarified what it was because at first I thought it was for some entirely different thing. Of course this assumes I ever cook anything like garlic.

Hey, actually I DID make some mean surf and turf with garlic prawns ages ago. Unfortunately in the process I completely destroyed my frying pan. Maybe next time.

Dishwashing scrubs. I can't imagine what I could possibly use these for, but they sure are pretty colors. Maybe some kind of artistic wall hanging?

Timers. Insert poor taste homemade bomb joke of choice. Also, again, pretty colors. So shiny!

Paint tray. It's perfect! I don't have anywhere to put my paints. Thanks, Anna! (Edit: Oho, there is no sneaking things past this young woman. Yes. It its a spice rack.)

Tupperware containers (probably). It's important to have something to store all my flour, sugar, salt, and other stuff in to, so that some day when I go to open up my, say, oatmeal, it is not fine sticky grain swimming with weevils.

Plastic bag dispenser. For plastic bag dispensing.

12 Bottle Wine rack. What an excellent suggestion! I should try to fill it up as soon as possible. Then empty it. A lot.

It's a water jug!

Candlestick holder. I can't be sure, but it looks like the one from Cluedo. What are you trying to suggest, Anna?! I totally would use the revolver.

Mmm, delicious fire.

White bed set. Later we decided against white for the bedroom. White reflects light, and the last thing I want when trying to sleep in til late afternoon is a bedroom that glows. Well, that's not the real reason, but it will work for now.

A ke...a what? I always thought that this was a portable toilet for those desperate situations when you either a) were so terribly drunk you couldn't remember which was was down, and b) in the event of nuclear war so that you didn't have to stink up your room so much. I didn't know they made these still.

I am not sure why I would use it except for the "can't find the toilet" thing. Oh, and in the event of nuclear war. So, I will factor this under the 'almost never used, but when you need it, it's absolutely essential' category. Safety first!

This is the bed Anna eventually picked out for me. I really wanted the racing car one, but she didn't like the color of it, so, we went with this one instead.

Bedside cupboard. Remember, we decided not to go with white but I don't seem to have the link to the wood set anymore. I'm not sure what I would put in the bedside cupboard. Maybe booze. What do you think?

Wardrobe. Because you can never have too many places to hide.

Wardrobe(s). At the moment I am pretty set for wardrobes as I have two build into my room. However they are useless to me when it is time to move house.

I actually DID have two wardrobes when I moved here from West Lakes, but they were ugly, ugly things that had broken locks (kind of like WoW) so the doors would never stay closed. We went through all the effort of moving this wretched, spider ridden monstrosities here, only to leave them on the side of the road for people to come and take. The first one went in a few hours. The second one went a few days after. People will take just about anything if they think it is free. It was kind of strange sitting in my room watching people walk past, checking out the cupboards. One little girl even wanted to sit in it, but her parents didn't let her. Good idea! My underwear had been in that cupboard. It can't have been a happy place.

Chest of drawers. Ok, now we're talking. This is probably the item Anna picked out that I need most of all. At the moment to store my clothes (oh ho. As if I have them any place but the floor) I have the base of the two built in wardrobes. I can only stack my clothes up, or hang them from the clothes hangar. I have four tiny drawers for storing my socks, jocks, ladies underwear and suspicious items. There isn't any place to put bigger garments like jeans or shirts or so on. Something like this is perfect.

Shelf. I may not be a smart man, but I know a block of treated pine when I see it. I can't help but choke when I read it was 'designed' by Ikea. I could go to a hardware store and buy the same thing for cheaper, and in a variety of cuts and wood suiting my needs and budget. Permapine? Particle board? Of course since I am going for elite, I should find an expensive antique piece of furniture and buy it just so I can cut out one side of it, or perhaps one of those ten thousand year old redwoods.

Making fun of Ikea aside, a shelf is a really good idea. At West Lakes, I had one big long shelf that I was able to put about 50% of my entire army on. If I can get another bunch of shelves like this, I can probably have the whole bunch out, thus freeing up precious space in other places, and no doubt mightily impressing any ladies that happen to come over.

Quilt cover set. I'm not sure about the color, I am finally getting out of Donut King and having to wear pink, but I think the suggestion is a good one. At the moment I only have one quilt cover. If I wash it and forget to peg it up or it rains, I have to use a sheet for a quilt cover.

Laundry bag. Another really good suggestion. At the moment, all my dirty washing goes in a pile next to the washing machine. If I have a basket in my room, I can be even more lazy. Sweet!

Clothes hangars. My new job will have wearing swish button up shirts and suits on occasion while I compose the fine details on secret military projects. Should I go for the traditional red on that button, or a more aesthetically pleasing blue to match the tungsten and aquamarine finish? Decisions like these require the finest clothes, and the finest clothes require the finest of treatments. So I can't just leave them on the ground like everything else, I mean, folded up in my wardrobe. Yes.

(Edit: Fixed up all the links. Man, it took forever, but it sure was worth it. Thanks for taking the time to go shopping for me, Anna! It sure was a lot of fun!)

I probably would not get all of these since I don't plan to live here for much more than six months, but some of the items looked quite good (like the table and chairs) and what I don't take with me I can leave for my brother.