Date:	2006-09-26 18:10
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	determined

I've finally gotten through the bulk of the bureaucratic nonsense involved with starting a PhD. Now for the technological segment of our show! I'm overwhelmed with work and meetings and lectures and reading, but it's keeping my mind off being lonely. And I made a huge pot of soup this weekend that I'll be eating forever.

Oh! And I'll be in SF for Thanksgiving!

Days to Christmas: 89

Date:	2006-09-15 19:35
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	melancholy

All this week I've been away at the IGK Summer School in Comp Ling. It was at Firbush, a University-affiliate awesome place on Loch Tay (north of Sterling). It was great. I met a whole bunch of people who work in my field, and spent many, many hours in talks. Saw Robert Dale, whom I know from Australia, and met the guy who does MoodViews. I managed to call Jamie on his birthday, which was more complicated than it should have been, and it went to voice mail anyway, but at least I got the points for it.

The whole thing reminded me of summer camp. And it made me appreciate my dorm more: it's about the same caliber, but I get a room to myself!

Also good news: got my first scholarship cheque today. From now on, I'm spending pounds.

Days until Christmas: 100

Date:	2006-09-03 17:45
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	lonely

I just put Jamie on a plane back to California. 113 days to Christmas.

Date:	2006-08-10 08:09
Subject:	TSA PSA
Security:	Public
Mood:	depressed

Now banned on all flights from or connecting in the UK: books, magazines, food, liquids, laptops, music, cell phones, writing utensils, notebooks, knitting.

Next week, sleeping, talking, breathing. Because terrorists do those things.

I get it, ok? Coming down out of the trees was a bad idea.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4778615.stm?ls

Date:	2006-08-07 08:43
Subject:	Tax and fees included.
Security:	Public
Mood:	impressed

RyanAir is my new best friend. (Sorry, Dave.)

Glasgow to Stockholm: £32.73
Glasgow to Oslo: £28.42
Glasgow to Brussels: £21.96

I am moving to Europe. Can you believe it?

Date:	2006-07-27 16:09
Subject:	I put my Visa on my Mastercard
Security:	Public
Mood:	relieved

So very, very, very, very relieved that my visa went through. I got an email today from the British Embassy in LA (one of those do-not-reply-to-us things) saying I'd been approved. Apparently I paid $12 to have them overnight it back to me, so I should have it tomorrow, in theory. I'm really looking forward to having my passport back on my person. It's unnerving not to be able to fly to Australia on a whim.

Meanwhile, I went to a travel agent for the first time. We've got to get a one-way and a round-trip on the same flight, which is irrationally difficult. The agent, one Kim, told me we might be better off taking different, and cheaper, flights. We'll see. She said she'd call. She really could just shout. I live right above the agency.

Tonight I'm bringing dinner to Jamie at work. I like seeing him... ever.

The meaning of an utterance is functionally equivalent to its expected response.
Artificial Intelligence need not be designed to operate in the same way as Actual Intelligence.
System equivalence is demonstrated when different conditions achieve the same result.
In order for a theory to be informative, its circumstances must be proven both sufficient and necessary.
Language is a statistical abstraction.
Meaning is not independent of culture.

How does an artificial agent encode meaning?
How does a sentient agent encode meaning?

Verb : function call :: Noun : argument

Date:	2006-07-16 11:06
Subject:	Let's take a shot at this "blogging" thing.
Security:	Public
Mood:	jealous

It's 11:00 on a Sunday morning. Normally, I would not be awake yet. But alas, it is WWDC season and Jamie's working weekends, and when the Boy gets up at 7 to go to work, you really can't just stay in bed.

So far this morning, I've eaten Honey Nut Cheerios, learned about transistors, started reading a comprehensive review of the history and methodology of machine learning research, and explored the exciting world of LiveJournal. There's a lot of folks on this thing. Oh, and I did the dishes and washed the living room windows. Don't call me a housewife. I needed to wash the windows because the Strong Bad I'd drawn on them was getting old, and I've got a Teed Girl Squad planned for later.

Tonight is dinner with Dave, at which I will be treated to live details of recent events, and probably cookies. (Hint)

Look! I can blog, too!