March 08, 2004
Float
Float is a data type in C—numbers with decimal points, basically. The DSP lab assignment that's due this week was all floaty, iterative IIR filters. I wrote most of it on Friday, but when I ran the program, I saw that I was missing some salient knowledge, such as how to do anything with those floaty numbers which bore no apparent relationship to the frequencies I was hoping to get out. The input was a file of sample telephone touch tone keys, 867-5309. (Getting that awful song stuck in my head is one of the hazards of this class.) For once I was smart enough to recognize that I would get nowhere, no matter how long I beat my head against it, so I shelved it for the weekend.
I spoke to the professor about it this morning.
He said, "The output isn't the frequency, it's the energy. Compare the energies, only the relative value matters and that will show you which frequency was passed by the filters."
"Oh." I manage to refrain from the translator's/engineer's salute (slap heel of hand to forehead). I'd been wondering how I was going to determine a frequency of 692 Hz from a number like 593800932.
"What are you using for N?" he asked.
"205, like it says here, I used these k values too. Who am I to argue with Bell Labs?" (Heh. I got him to laugh.) I then went down to the lab and wrote the remaining bit in less than fifteen minutes. Score one for common sense—ask questions when you don't understand.
Float is my schedule: up in the air. A client contacted me on Friday at 5:00 p.m. (yes) about a quote for a job to be due on Wednesday. I looked at the words "Devices midterm" penciled into my calendar for this Thursday and gritted my teeth, then sent in a quote. Today, not knowing whether I would have another chance, I studied for the midterm and checked my email obsessively to see if I had a go ahead on the job. Not till, yes, 5:00 p.m. did I get word that the client decided not to go through with it. What? I cost too much? So I'll have plenty of time to study for that midterm after all.
Float is me, around the neighborhood. I'm probably getting a reputation as the wingnut with the camera. I went for a walk and made further attempts to photograph the Lucky Strike signs down at East Main and Pear. It was a bad day for the white balance. I need a hazy summer morning. Now.
Float is konjac jelly, floating in Dragon Dude drink! We went back and found it this time. We've tried strawberry flavor (quite good, actually tastes like real strawberries), and have apple and lychee in the refrigerator. Oz also decided he had to have some Sarsi after I told him it was sarsaparilla flavor. We found a whole case, but only bought three bottles. Tastes okay, Oz says it's too sweet, but then he says that about everything. I'm tempted to take some Dragon Dude to school to see if I can gross out the teenagers who make fun of my apple juice boxes. "Look, dude, slime drink!" The SARS cola might be more effective, except that engineering students tend to be unaware of current events and they might not get it.