Well, now it’s Christmas Eve, but yesterday at 10AM I participated in the graduation ceremonies at UMBC.  Not sure how ready I am to leave that place.  On one hand, it will be nice to not have homework or projects for a bit and I can let my stress level lower dramatically.  On the other hand, now I have to drive at least two hours to see anyone I know.  With working full-time in the future, this is going to be a huge pain.  I’ve been accepted into the Masters program at UMBC and so hopefully that gives me an excuse to be on campus, but I’m also not sure that’s what I really want.

There’s really just too much going through my head right now.  I need to settle down and let it all sink in.  I need the time to do that now.

I never thought I would see this day.

I gave my final presentation for my iPhone Development class tonight on my project called UMBC Campus Friend. It’s an app that tells you places you are near on a campus. From a developer’s perspective, it’s very cool in that all you have to do is provide an XML file with POI descriptions and another XML file with building coordinates to get the app to work, with zero programming experience necessary.

After the presentation, I was approached by an individual from UMBC’s DoIT who expressed a great deal of interest and excitement in the app and said that we would probably be in contact.  Several other students thought I should be trying to go somewhere with this app.  They’re probably right.  I’m looking to get the ball rolling, beefing up the app to add some features I thought about but didn’t have time to implement, and hopefully even taking this app to market. It’s a good night for sure!

Every story has a beginning, and so it goes this blog. It’s only fitting to start with hello world, as all computer scientists have done dozens of times over the years when learning new languages. It’s a necessity, a tradition — you have to. So today, this afternoon, less than a week until I’ll be walking across a stage laid out on a Catonsville basketball court waiting for a piece of paper and a severe butchering of my last name in exchange for $40,000, I bring you my new beginning, earlier than even I expected.
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