Category: Blog

Seriously.  I went out to check my data usage on my air card since I have been using the Router – doesn’t seem to affect things at all.

So then I decided I needed to see if how much would it cost to get an iPhone – probably won’t.  Noticed they had a SmartPhone special.  I think I snagged a Pure for $39.99 with no other charges.  I also tried to order a BlackJack for free but that order was cancelled and that seemed way too good to be true.  Will follow up on that though.  It will be nice to have a backup phone that is a bit more modern than my new one.  I am also hoping it works better than the Tilt 2 which drives me nuts.  Half the time 3rd party software works.

The weird part, is that I really don’t think I’m eligible and I suspect it will get cancelled – or my plan will be extended which I don’t mind.  I think.

Seriously.  I went out to check my data usage on my air card since I have been using the Router – doesn’t seem to affect things at all.

So then I decided I needed to see if how much would it cost to get an iPhone – probably won’t.  Noticed they had a SmartPhone special.  I think I snagged a Pure for $39.99 with no other charges.  I also tried to order a BlackJack for free but that order was cancelled and that seemed way too good to be true.  Will follow up on that though.  It will be nice to have a backup phone that is a bit more modern than my new one.  I am also hoping it works better than the Tilt 2 which drives me nuts.  Half the time 3rd party software works.

Chumby is having a Father’s Day sale, $119.95 + free shipping for a Classic, and I’m sorry but I like the Classic’s better than the Chumby one.  They just look cuter.  This one will probably end up at school since it is red and white.

Been busy with teacher workshop and puppy, so finally getting around to getting it out of the box and on.  I also LOVE the Chumby Classic packaging.

So now I have four (one broken) Chumby Classics and one Chumby one.  Black, White, and Red.

I need a life.

Took it to a fun match last night.  Left it in the car and set up a few feet away in the field.   Perfect reception.  Much nicer than having the air card plugged in, and less prone to accidents.  Also can use more than one device at a time.

Started the day with housekeeping and with door prizes.  I won a prep book.

Information Algorithmic Analysis – teaching efficiency at a level below Big O.

Asteroids – how to use Leon’s graphics class

Break

Video while housekeeping (removing files, etc, for controlling robots), have already seen it (Size matters)

More lecture.

Evaluation time

Summary

For Dallas area people:

I would recommend Leon Schram to first year teacher’s, especially those with no computer science.  Not a lot of hands on.

I would recommend Glen Martin at advanced teachers – but I couldn’t go to that one this year because it was at the same time as Early Start.  Haven’t been for a few years, but was heavily hands on.

I personally want to go to a Stacy Armstrong workshop but I don’t like to pay hotel bills in the Houston area.

My absolute favorite place to go for AP Computer Science training is Carnegie Melon, or a workshop put on by the Chief Reader.  Either one is an excellent choice, as they usually have the best new information.

I made the statement at the AP Workshop yesterday that I keep Outlook open all the time.  I do.  I have lots of things going on in Outlook that are important.

First, my calendar.  I even go so far as to put my school schedule by period in Outlook as a recurring event.  As a campus technologist, this is real important as I will often have to fix something at another location than my classroom, and get wrapped up in it.  It’s nice to be able to glance at my phone or my desktop to know what class period it actually is.  It will be more important year as we go to an alternating regular and block period.

Second, my tasks list.  By having Outlook up and open, I have a my to-do list up. 

Third most important is my school email – that’s a secondary to-do list, and having that available on the screen comes in handy too.

Next is email – most of the stuff that comes to my personal account ends up in my calendar as an event, or as a task to performed in the future. 

Last is my tweeter feed.  I use TwInox to bring my Twitter feed into my Outlook, so I can keep up with what is going on in my virtual world. TwInBox is at http://www.techhit.com/TwInbox/twitter_plugin_outlook.html

Here’s today’s picture off my netbook:

Basically my life in a nutshell. 

Same sort of thing is going on with my windows mobile phone, since I use an Exchange server for my main mail, and have school and secondary emails also being pulled in by my phone.  Also even have a twitter client installed.

As to Office 2010 – i retweeted a Crabby Office Lady post today where she showed how to do “Quick Steps”.  I had seen them, but had not really done anything with them until today.  @MSFTCrabby: Crabby Office Lady – Outlook 2010 can save your hide: Using Quick Steps (Crabby’s Daily Tip) http://bit.ly/d8BYwh

In fact, her blog is definitely worth reading, and she is a really good person to follow.  She has been focusing on Outlook this week, and her posts have all been helpful, especially with 2010 features.

The other thing I really like about Outlook 2010, is that it automatically deletes Imap email that you mark delete – Outlook 2007 required an extra purge step to do the same thing and it really makes me crazy.

I live in my car – a lot – those of you think I am just a computer geek are wrong, I am a dog geek too.  I do dog agility which involves a lot of sitting in the car.  I also have a vast array of internet enabled devices, notebooks, netbooks, Zunes, chumbies and the like.

Just got the cigarette plug for the thing (Amazon gift certificate, love them, send them to me) and while using in inverter wasn’t bad, it just made the set up better.

Right now, I’m sitting in my garage, plugging about the thing, and will hit publish in a minute and send this.  Yes, I was pulling email, etc. while driving in Dallas traffic.  No, I was reading it, but it’s here and ready for me when I want it.

Yes, I can use my phone for that, but having the information on the netbook is even easier.  And it’s going to be fabulous during dog show season.

By the way, I’ve yet to use my monthly allotment of internet, but maybe now.  I usually do use two computers when I am doing anything useful.  Or at least dual monitors.

Only problem is the aircard.  If it gets disconnected, it goes into Airplane Mode and now the only way I know to reset it, is through the Sierra Wireless Watcher.  Need to plug it in at the house and read the manual.

Some of the things I liked about it, is that it comes with no CD.  Worried me at first, but if you plug it in and connect it, you automatically get set up and documentation in your browser.

Found answer – if the aircard disconnects, reboot the router and it works like a champ.  Love it!

Started the day with Lab Tests – yeah, hands on.  Uses them to equalize grades.

Split people between Gridworld and Lego Robots, I’m staying for GridWorld.  And yeah – more hands on.  However, more housekeeping problems!

ARGH!!!! Too much irrelevant talking.

More Gridworld after break.

Lunch

More Gridworld – hands on

Sharing

Lego Tank – cool but costs $$$$

Small Basic

NonMath Math

XnaStuff

Arrays (arrays and arraylists)

Generics

Unfortunately most of this really fast and really lecture style.

Next bummer – their firewall is up – I can do twitter, but not facebook or Typepad.

Spending a huge amount of time again housekeeping.  I’m sorry but I really do prefer in teaching in a lab that is preconfigured.  Cuts down on housekeeping.

We are doing some basic Gridworld stuff.  Am liking it.

—-

Lunch

—–

Inheritance – more talking

Random numbers

Free Response quizzes – closest to hands on all afternoon

Leon introduces a End of Year Graphics project so that the students can work on it when ever they finish something early.

Addressed inappropriate material or dishonesty when it comes to the project.

So far, this afternoon has also been plagued with Technical Issues

Late afternoon is OOP