Oh noes. By taking notes in lecture classes, we infringe on copyright? That's just ridiculous. Dave Wiley (in the link above) discusses it more fluently than I can here.
DJ is secretly a chef. I'd like to try this guacamole variant sometime (the premise: if it works in margaritas, it will work with guacamole).
Also, Python interactive shell tab completion? Thanks, Josh! (One of my favorite things about being at TOPP: I learn about neat meta-tools every day, and grow slightly more effective at using my computer for Great Justice every time I learn things. Seriously, how did I go so long without using regular expressions for more than "ls *.jpg" ?)
And man, the world is very different once you can "overhear" conversations (for me: blogs, but moreso IRC channels. Why did I not learn about these years ago? I've never overhead conversations before - they reveal all sorts of tiny, untaught, tacit things that you can use to navigate more surely through a world.) I've said this many times before. I'll keep on saying it again. When you grow up devoid of conversations, the appearance of people you can talk to and forums that you can understand group discussions within is like a magic world you can not ever take for granted.
Reposting T.S. Eliot:
Endless invention, endless experiment,
Brings knowledge of motion, but not of stillness;
Knowledge of speech, but not of silence;
…
Where is the Life we have lost in living?
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?
The lot of man is ceaseless labor,
Or ceaseless idleness, which is still harder
I say: take no thought of the harvest,
But only of proper sowing.
I need more poetry in my life. I've started writing (sci-fi) again. I feel a need for music; I have not played an instrument in months (I sing, and find myself working out more a capella arrangements on the train - currently songs from Rent.) I need physical motion - dance and martial arts, and maybe someday rock climbing. Life is abundant and just full-to-bursting, and it's good - a few days ago I was stuck in a depressive spiral of "dammit, I'm not going anywhere," and tried to consciously kick myself back into a non-scarcity mentality.
Apparently the best cure is to hang out with some awesome people. When they start talking about the fantastical things they're working on and learning and the trips they're going to take and how they're going to change the world, you get all fired up as well, and realize "hey, I can do that too!" and happiness ensues.
I am incredibly fortunate to have friends that continually inspire and challenge me. I'm not sure what I'd do without them.