You Know You're a Nerd When

You know you're a nerd when you check the FedEx website to see if your package was delivered instead of walking to the front door and checking the porch.

Explanation: Well, let me first mention that I got an email last week saying that something I ordered was being shipped. Excited about my impending delivery, I immediately checked the tracking site only to discover that it had actually been shipped two days before and was already on the truck for delivery. I love it when that happens!

After a workout and quick shower at lunchtime, knowing that I might have missed the doorbell, I checked the FedEx website to see if my delivery had come yet. It hadn't, but after I checked their site I realized that I could have gone and checked the front door, instead.

This reminds me of the time I was in college and had a service emailing me the daily weather. My family came to visit, and when asked what it was like outside, I went to my computer to check my email. My sister went to the window and looked. I still argue that I gathered more information from my email (high/low temperatures, forecast) than she did from her observation (current conditions), but I really can't argue against my nerdiness.

Special Blog Bonus: Here are two important reminders on how to turn off that pesky computer from Bloom County and the Banana Jr. 6000:

Eschew Obfuscation

Eschew Obfuscation

Source: A T-Shirt from the ComputerGear catalog.

Explanation: If you need an explanation, look it up.

Check out Computer Gear:



Or link directly to this T-shirt.

Special Blog Bonus: Code from the International Obfuscated C Code Contest, which is always fun. Look for the winning entries. Here is a sample entry of truly self-documenting code which will add two positive integers. Remember, this code will compile with an ANSI C Compiler.

Another good one is here. It's quite fun to read. (Note that (char)lotte and (char*)lie are incompatible types!) The program is a "Picking the Daisy" simulation.

Eternity, by Woody Allen (Like Calvin Klein, But the Exact Opposite)

"Eternity is a very long time, especially towards the end."

Source: Woody Allen

Explanation: I actually found this quote when Stephen Hawking used it in a speech about the origins of the universe. A Realplayer stream of the speech can be found here.

Special Blog Bonus: It's a shame the MC Hawking web site doesn't have MP3s on it anymore. Some quality, quality stuff. Instead, please enjoy this mug shot of Stephen Hawking:


Here's a link to Stephen Hawking's web site.

Randomness

From the archives:

The generation of random numbers is too important to leave to chance.

Source: Taken from a T-shirt in the Computer Gear catalog.

Check out Computer Gear:



Or link directly to this T-shirt.

Hoover's Paradox

From the archives:

Hoover's paradox: The inability of a vacuum cleaner to clean itself.

Source: This is original material. It was born from some combination of vacuum usage and having recently heard about a famous paradox which I was unfamiliar with. Doesn't matter. It still makes me giggle.

I See a Bug in Line 1

Half of programming is coding. The other 90% is debugging.

Source: Taken from a T-shirt in the Computer Gear catalog. I've used a bunch of quotes from this source.

Special Blog Bonus: Check out Computer Gear:



Or link directly to this T-shirt.