Stephen’s Statements A little bit of everything from Stephen Duncan Jr, a Software Developer in Portland, Oregon

In a blog tradition, here’s my very late announcement that I’ve started a new job. After Cormine Intelligent Data closed its doors, I joined Intelligent Software Solutions at the beginning of May.

My brother, Scott, just got married last night. Congratulations Scott and Dana!

Despite my misuse of the term in this post, I don’t frequently participate in “memes”. But this one from Jason seems like a good one. Basically, I selected adjectives describing my personality traits, and now you will select them too, and we can compare the overlap or lack thereof. Without further ado, here’s the more-or-less positive list, and here is the mostly negative list. Please take the time to fill it out if you know me, as the number of synonyms requires a large sample size to get any useful aggregation of results…

Searching around to find more information on Laura's death, because obsessively seeking knowledge is how I cope with grief, I found the following article that Laura wrote a few weeks ago about her mission in Afghanistan: The Route to Democracy. Also a tribute post from the Ezine blog after finding out that Laura died.

Laura Walker, a friend and classmate of mine from the class of 1999 at S.H.A.P.E. American High School, was killed in Afghanistan on August 18th. Laura was a terrific person who I wish I'd gotten to know better. My thoughts are with those whose loss is greatest: her family and all those who loved her.

Last night Diane and I went out to a comedy club with Jessica Kaizar, a good friend from high school who's been stationed here. It was an amateur comedian contest, and then some pros trying out some new material and getting warmed up for the weekend, so the quality of the material varied quite a bit. But it was a lot of fun.

Ryan Spanier has pictures up from his trip to the joint AFCENT/SHAPE reunion that was held in Las Vegas. The only people I recognize are Jared Whitney, Kori Whitney (on the left), and Kristen Martin, who looks prettier when she's smiling :) (Ryan's on the far right).

If you played on the boys soccer team (either with me or before or after me) at SHAPE High School under Mr. Tony Blasio, then go sign up at this site: www.shapespartanssoccer.com.

Also, does anybody with a SHAPE yearbook from 1998 or 1999 think they could scan in the men's soccer yearbook photo? Unfortunately, I don't have a scanner, and I only have the 1999 yearbook.

I've been meaning to blog about this for a little bit. I've changed positions recently (started the new position on May 16th). Previously, I worked at the SJFHQ. I did system administration for Sharepoint Portal Server, provided portal expertise, and did some Java-based web development on the side.

The new job is with the same company, and still working for JFCOM. Now I work at Joint Experimentation, with the team responsible for the Iraqi Information Sharing Portal. So, now I'll be closer to doing full-time software development. I'll be working on an interesting project, with a larger team, with some experienced developers. I'm looking forward to the challenges, and the opportunity to learn and improve my skils, while helping a very worhtwhile project for the military.

Pictures from someone else on Flickr of flowers at the campus of the University of Kansas. Check out all the KU Photos. Compare the pictures of flowers to mine.

I just received my wedding ring. Yes, I know I've been married over 18 months. Hey, there's something to be said for getting your wedding bands in time for your second Valentine's day. Uh, really!

Welcome my wife, Diane, to the blogosphere, and witness her get drunk on the power of self-publishing.

Yesterday was my 1st Anniversary. I've been married to Diane for a full year, and I couldn't be happier.

Yay me!

Went to the dentist today. Last time I went was the winter of 1999. Oops. Only two cavities, so, all things considered, that's not too bad, though I've never had a cavity before. Joy.

I am so not prepared for a hurricane.

Anybody who believes they have power over the weather: please, by all means, stop this hurricane from hitting the Norfolk, VA area. Thanks.

Today, I got married to Diane Lynn Godfrey (now Diane Lynn Godfrey Duncan). In jean shorts and a t-shirt. I'm glad I didn't wear my usual baseball cap today...

It all started when we went to get Diane her ID card. Her certificate of birth abroad arrived, and we thought that was all that was needed to satisfy the new look-like-we're-doing-something-but-really-not rules for identification cards. Unfortunately, her expired passport did not count: it needed to be current. Looking on the list, we see that a marriage license is an acceptable secondary identification piece.

Since I'm about to start a job, and being married will get her covered under my benefits package, we figured we'd go all out and just get married. So we drove over to the courthouse and just got it done. With none of our family there...

Unfortunately, we still can't get her ID card, because we first need to go to Social Security, and get her SSN changed over to her new name. And the lazy bastards close at 3:45 every day, and aren't open on weekends.

So, in all, it's been quite the adventure of a week for me...

Haven't said much here for a while.

Anyhow, I'm in Norfolk, Virginia, living with my parents. My job search continues, but I'm hopeful: I've got several new leads.

I've updated the pictures page with graduation photos plus some organization, so check it out if, for some reason, you read this page...

I've graduated! Whoo-hoo!

I think I'll collapse and sleep for a few days straight now...

Today I worked further toward my goal of rearranging and cleaning up our apartment. I bought some clothes-hangers and new laundry hampers to organize Diane and I's closet. I also bought a 5-shelf bookshelf to finally clean up the baskets and boxes of extra books we have. That's 4 bookshelves we already own. Also moved a desk out to the living room to hold this computer once I get my new one. I am oh-so looking forward to it. Yay! Christmas was fun. Nothing fancy, just calm, relaxing, warm, and enjoyable. Plus food. Whee!

Merry Christmas to all!

My control systems professor today gave out a shirt sort of like a door prize. Interesting way to try to keep attendance up. Or maybe just a way for a professor to avoid having a garage sale.

Here's my schedule for next semester. I'm done every day at 12:20. Not too bad (except for 8:00 classes Tuesday and Thursday).

       Crdt                             Time Time Meet             
 Line#  Hrs Course   Title              Beg  End  Day     Room Bldg
 ===== ==== ======== ================== ==== ==== ======= ==== ====
 44902  3.0 PHIL 375 MORAL ISSU CMP TEC 0930 1020 M W F   4008 WES 
 66628  3.0 EECS 663 INTRO COMM NETWORK 0800 0920  T R    120  SNOW
 66508  3.0 EECS 541 COMP SYS DSGN LB I 1100 1220  T R    1046 LEA 
 66604  3.0 EECS 645 COMPTR ARCHTECTURE 0930 1050  T R    2001 MAL 
 66328  3.0 EECS 444 CONTROL SYSTEMS    1130 1220 M W F   1014 LEA 

As you can tell, I haven't done anything on the webpage this summer. I've been busy working. I've got a week left to go. It's been good. It pays extremely well, I'm getting good experience for my career, and it's been enjoyable, and most of the time not too difficult. But it really has been most of my activity. Haven't played much in the way of video games, although Diane and I have developed a small addiction to The Sims. Anyhow, I should be leaving Virginia a week from Saturday and therefore end up in Lawrence Sunday night. The apartment I will be living at for my senior year (with Diane, Jason, and Rorik) is South Pointe apartements:

2200 West 26th St. Apt. B12
Lawrence KS 66047

In case you wanted to know.

This might not be the best place to announce this, since I don't know if anyone reads it. Plus it's a little late. But for the records, at least: On July 17, 2002 I asked Diane Godfrey to marry me and she said yes. So there you go, I'm engaged. Current plans are for getting married December 25, 2003.

Having a homework assignment and a project to do still, with finals so close, sucks.

I'm now enrolled for the Fall semester. Whoo hoo! I'm taking Moral Issues in Computer Technology (PHIL 375), Control Systems (EECS 444), Computer Systems Design Lab I (EECS 541), Computer Architecture (EECS 645), and Introduction to Communications Networks (EECS 663), in case you want to plan your schedule around me ;)