Well, I ordered some thing from Thinkgeek for some people. And I decided to get myself some things to, so as not to have to pay shipping twice. I was amazed when the package came today. I didn't think they had even shipped it yet, I only ordered a couple days ago, amazing but oh well. Anyways, Think-geek is basically a gadget and stuff store for geeks - like me. Today has been rather geeky I will show you.
First I worked on one of my projects for school but instead of actually working on something that I needed to do, I decided to see if I could figure out how to use a display that I managed to get 5 years ago and didn't know how to use back then. I got it working in test mode, and I've worked out the pin-outs and have a characters map, so now I can interface it to the board that we are using for the course and display messages! fun! Here is a pic. You might recognize the display - it is the one that's used in pay-phones, bet you didn't know that it has Russian and Greek font-sets. on the right is what I am supposed to be working on... 
Next I decided that I'd see if I could get the screen from Blaze's old laptop apart and separate the LCD from the backlight. because I want to make a home-made projector for watching movies and all I need is an LCD and an overhead projector. An overhead projector I can get for free. An LCD - well here it is. Now I can make a 3500-lumen XGA projector for $50 instead of $1500 Muhahaha!!! Geeky I know, but hey, big movies, yay! Here is a pic of Blaze's poor old laptop with the LCD lying sideways over its backlight. These things really are amazing, I great bright fluorescent light, and so thin! And the LCD is cool too. I had to take the laptop mostly apart to get the LCDs cable free so that's why everything is in pieces. I'm thinking that I will use the backlight as a photo frame and put something translucent in front for a cool effect, Think X-rays but with a cool pics, not bones. I just have to work out the pin-out and attach a standard VGA connector somehow and all will be good.
And then, my think-geek stuff came! I ordered for myself, a USB powered Christmas tree that fades back and forth between different colours - green, blue, purple, red, etc... and it looks very cool. I wanted a geeky Christmas ornament for my room and this is perfect.
The other thing I got for me was a green laser. I've wanted a quality laser forever, and a green one for almost as long. Everyone has a red laser, but who has a green one?! ME! hehe. It's very cool, very bright, and expensive, but oh well. It has a visibility of 9000ft, about 4 times more then most red lasers. Powerful enough you can see the beam if it's dark enough. Point out stars, and such. I can actually sit in my room and point out the houses at the top of the hill outside my window - but that will only mean something to those who have been to my house.
And for other news, I actually did get a lot of real work done today, but I still have a lot to do. I've been working on a group project for 411 - programming, what else? Tonight I need to get the screen on the board up in the first pic working - the LCD, not the vacuum fluorescent.
My mom also bought a new car today, and I was the first to drive it, will her behind me, I went through two stop signs and didn't even notice, should I really be driving? hmm, perhaps not.
I miss Blaze tonight but I already said that I needed to get work done and Mom's expecting me home for supper... hmm... I suppose I really do need to work.
Either way, it's overall been a quite good day, and now I'm going to get back to stuff and see you all later. Have a good night.
-Allanon