As the title suggests, this fall whipped by so fast; it's quite simply hard to believe it's all over.

First things first, Computer Science (CS) 100. I throughly enjoyed teaching CS 100 this semester.  Not really knowing what to expect, I found myself very much enjoying it. To be honest I was slightly terrified at first simply due to the fact that there was 270 students enrolled. That fear quickly vanished as I found myself immersed and enjoying everything about it. Throughout my academic life I've always had kind of a micro view of computer science, focusing on really a small subset of the discipline. I learned so much from my prep work in CS 100 that I personally think I'm the better for it as I know have a much broader perspective of things ~ a more macro view of it all if you will. Specifically I am forever grateful for experiencing, while prepping, the writings and knowledge of Kevin Kelly and Larry Lessig.  Kevin Kelly in particular with his rather unique view on technology and it's impact on culture.  Culture was a theme I used throughout the term.  Technology has had such an impact, positive and negative on our culture; the many in-class and web-based discussions I had with my students were truly illuminating. I hope I get the opportunity to teach this class, or a class like it in a future position. Some of my students were truly inspiring ~ some of them really got it and that, to an educator/teacher, is simply an awesome feeling.

Teaching took up the majority of my time this fall but I was also involved in some other things as well. Specifically, in my role as Research Conference Chair for the 2011 Graduate Students' Association annual conference I was able to get 2 very special keynote speakers for our event: Robert J Sawyer, an award winning Canadian science-fiction author (Hominids, Flashfoward (ABC show), WWW-series) and Richard M Stallman, founder of the Free Software Foundation. I'm truly excited about having both of these people speak as I am huge fans of both. I'll be posting more information on this event in the new year.

Daryl was also hard at work for me and was able to secure some funding money for my research through some collaboration with Agriculture and Food Canada. I need to be a little cryptic here as the work I will be doing will be "in-progress in 2011" ~ but know the work I will be doing will enable me to conduct a large chunk of research towards my PhD.  This is truly exciting news for me (and Daryl) and I am looking forward to working with so many new and interesting individuals on this project

Jason and I also performed a few live sets over the course of the fall.  Hopefully there will be more of these in the new year and also an album from us.  I also have other creative projects planned for 2011.  I'm excited about them all!

With Christmas just around the corner, I'm looking forward to spending some time with family (yes, I too can't believe I said this). Also, with the end of 2010 approaching, this means I will have my "top 10 albums of the year" blog posted very soon.  I've shortlisted a few albums already.

Well, that's the update for now. With the dawn of the new year I will also be revamping this site a touch.  I love my current theme/layout but I acknolwedge I need to get more content up and thus I'll be adding a lot more content very soon (music, art, etc.). 

2010 really was a great year for me and 2011 is looking like it will be much of the same. Cheesy, yes, Cornball, absolutely but also all very true! :) -tMac

Spring/summer is here...well, sort of.  It's more like RAIN season! (but I love the rain so that is cool).

Most of you know that I am back in the world of academics.  I am very excited indeed!  I did quite enjoy my time in industry for the most part, meeting some very interesting, kind people and doing some exciting work.  However, I realized somewhere along the way that I am more of an academic type person; a researcher, an idealist, one who has the freedom and ability to devote intense and large amounts of time to investigate why things are the way they are; and one who has the freedom of opinion and choice and the ability to act on such (e.g. to use and be a proponent of open source software ala Richard Stallman style and not to simply succumb to the windoze way of life that is indicative of industry...cough...yuk!).  I found out that industry is not as tolerant in these respects.

That all said, the primary reason for my decision to head back to school was that during the last half year while working in industry, my research had all but come to a halt.  Having completed a large chunk of my degree program and realizing that this aspect of my life was going nowhere fast, I decided to move on it.  After all, I have found out that researching and teaching are the things I truly get excited about; what I really love.  Although things were going very well for me in industry, I decided to resign my position and head back to complete the ol' PhD.  It was a very difficult choice/decision but one that needed to be made and I'm glad I did it.

So, in terms of my academic life.  Over the summer I will be working with Daryl to finish up old business and refine new ideas.  Daryl and I have come up with a very interesting research path - one that I think will enable me to be a part of something great and I am very excited about the potential of it all. 

I have also re-integrated my web consulting activities back into my life, having been asked by Luther College to come back as a part-time web consultant over the summer.  And of course there is my continued work with RCE Saskatchewan.  While working in industry I was barred from doing such activities as they posed a conflict of interest (I never really did see how though).  Regardless, I am happy to be back working with these two organizations as we are really doing great work (especially with RCE Saskatchewan).

With this new found exploration in academia I have obtained a renewed vigor and energy to complete my degree and successfully defend.  It is really great!  I am also taking steps in a similar sense in my home life, having a renewed energy and drive to become a more healthy individual, integrating healthier eating and exercise into my daily routines.  For me, the exercise has never been an issue as I do quite a bit of walking and weights, it's the eating that I need to work on. It will be hard as I lead quite a busy lifestyle and it's so easy, perhaps this is a cop-out, to eat all the garbage and processed foods out there; It's something I need to work on - changing my habits.  I have been reading Michael Pollan's books on the subject and have found them to be quite enlightening.  The great thing about this aspect of my life is that it relates to my academic research so, in essence, I can be a guinea pig for my own work which is truly exciting!

I have also had a rejuvenation of sorts re: my musical endeavors.  I have recently picked up the ol' electric guitar again.  Having been strictly an acoustic guy for the last 3 years, I have found playing ol' blackie (my fender strat) to be quite refreshing.  Before resigning my industry position I was able to purchase some musical upgrades - a new amp (Fender Blues Junior tube amp that sounds most spectacular) and some effects pedals.  With these mods/additions I have begun writing new material and hope to have an album released by the end of this year under the moniker interaction.  My ideas for musical exploration include exploring the possible musical interactions between humans and computer generated music and augmented human/computer musical devices.  I've written some very raw new songs, all of which have a jam type feel very reminiscent to what Brett and I used to do back in our high school years oh so many years ago :-)  I'm very excited about it!  I also have a number of songs written for my next acoustic album which will also hopefully be out this year; I have about 10 songs written - they just need to be recorded!  Jason and I will hopefully get things back going again too!

Other stuff: Both sisters are having babies this summer...so many baaaabbbbiiieessss....ewww :-)  It should be good though.  Tess is on #3 and Krista #1.  Exciting news for them indeed!  Iron Maiden, Tool, Rush, and the Folk Fest are all music concerts I am really looking forward to.  As well, I'm the conference chair of the 2011 graduate student conference - I'm really looking forward to this - planning is starting very early (next month), Rider season!!, IPAD! (need I say more), and Ubuntu on my Macbook...awesome!

All in all, a great summer is planned.  Like always, I'll try to post more regularly. -tMac

Welcome here and welcome all! 

As indicated way back when (ala the buck 65), I have upgraded and updated my website. Putting the concept of usability on a pedestal, I have opted to be a minimalist, {re}developing this very clean, very lean looking theme of themey drupalyness. Deciding to go this minimalist of routes was by no way an easy decision.  I struggled with providing awesomely implemented splashes of photoshoped godlyness, ajaxy sexiness, and webly 2.oh-no-he didn'tlyness. But alas, I find many of these things necessarily unnecessary.  With that, I am most pleased with the new look, and I hope you are as well.

One thing to mention before I end this little note. I have opted to start from scratch with this new website.  This optedness was by no means a decision made lightly.  It was, however, a decision held moot as in the process of dealing with my servery serverness, well, accidents were made and contents nullified through moronic trigger happy apple keys and human interaction (although I was able to save my 2008 AOTY).  Confusing, YES!  Regardless, with that all said, sometimes it's liberating starting from scratch and this is what I'm doing.  Bring on 2010 I say, bring it on indeed!  Here's hoping I can devote some more time to this bloggy blogness in 2010!...

...and, just an FYI; I'm in the process of updating all sections of the site so not all of them are done.  {OK}Actually, I should say not {ANY} of them are done {yet}{HahA}.  I'm am hoping to have all the sections done very soon though and then my first big blog post of the new site; my 2009 albums of the year!! {AOTY}.  Cant wait to hear thoughts on those indeed as it was a very {VERY} hard narrowing down of the field on that one indeed! -tMac