"You've heard the expression 'Let's get busy'? Well, this is a dog who gets biz-ay; consistently and thoroughly."

Yes, I realize I've been rather taciturn when it's come to blogging this summer, but be fair, folks. I've been biz-ay (consistently and thoroughly). Coming on here to actually write something (and these posts take time!) has been difficult, especially now since I disseminate most of my random quips, anecdotes and news links through the evil that is known as twitter (and thus, why I also changed my layout. whatdya all think?) Time hasn't been on my side the past few weeks, mostly because I've been inundated with this stuff:

No, no, not collector beer glasses. GIS. Geographic Information Systems.

I've been studying this stuff day-in and day-out for the past month, and according to this nifty countdown igoogle widget I installed earlier, as of this moment, I still have 34 days, 11 hours, 4 minutes, and 31 seconds before the end of the program. It's all good though. For the first time since I started college (and this saying alot), I finally feel like I'm learning something practical enough to put into practice in the workplace (and I got to attend the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) International GIS Users Conference! Now doesn't that sound big and important??) And rather than try and explain what it is I'm learning, I'll just show you:



Yes, essentially what it comes down to is that I'm learning this fancy schmancy program that teaches me to digitally create maps (and I do realize that the last map was a 'Master Plan of the North Pole,' with Santa's workshop and all)

"Mapping? But hasn't the whole world been mapped already?"

Excuse me for a second while I shake my head and ignore the fact that you probably just asked the worst question you could ever ask someone in my field. I'll only say this once: it's not only places that are mapped. Vegetation, urban areas, demographics, density, hell, even cell phone coverage for you kids and your 3G capable smartphones are constantly changing. And what better way to keep track of all these changes except through a map? Somebody's gotta keep track of changing demographics through census data, somebody's gotta update a map if a new skyscraper is built downtown, someone analyzes subway ridership per stop through (you guessed it) a map, and somebody's gotta draw out those guide maps in all those malls (a simplified use of the program, but hey, it still needs to be done).

And so hopefully, within the next 34 days, 10 hours, 45 minutes, and 53 seconds, I'll be able to master all these skills. Considering I'm still unemployed, I've sorta put all my bets in on this program.

Wish me luck!

"the erotic museum...must be a cultural gem around here"
-AR