It's Monday night, which is writing night.

I got a package from Amazon today. I bought an ESV and NRSV Bible, as well as a paperback copy of Velvet Elvis. I have a lot of stuff in my room. Rather, i should say, i used gift certificates to subsidize those books. Special thanks to Mr. Lee, who presented me with an unexpected and generous early Christmas present. It reminds me that i should buy a few things as gifts as well, and not hold out for the month of December to be generous.

I've been getting up to date on the buzz-worthy technologies of the last calendar year. I downloaded Firefox 2.0, and have been extolling the virtues of podcasting and Google reader here. I was recently pointed at both Opera and Life Hacker, an aggregator for all things techie and nerdy. I remember reading Joel on Software this time last year, and now seeing all the cool things that are happening out there with Ajax and next-gen web stuff, i have to admit my feet are getting a little antsy. I wonder sometimes about whether or not i fit into the structured IT departments of academics. I don't always fit in here, politically or strategically.

I sometimes fiddle around with something, and wonder, do i really have what it would take to cut it in a top-flight, brain-tanky sort of environment? I've had a lot of trouble getting big projects done at Pitzer, and i fear that i've unnecessarily stunted my growth as a programmer by taking a comfortable, easy path. I've become a bit spoiled, and i don't know if i like that much at all.

I am really, really spoiled. My friends think so highly of me that they wonder why i don't have a PhD, or go into full-time ministry, or have a girlfriend.

Hmm... Google has offices in Santa Monica? I could live in Santa Monica. Of course, i've also thought that i could live in China, New York City, North Carolina, or Seattle, in the last year. For now, i'm all talk.