Today I went with a co-worker to Barnes and Noble to buy a book on Servlet Programming. Something that I wanted now since I had run out of stuff to read at work, and I needed to learn servlet programming for a prototype that is due next week.

It's funny that a few years ago, if I went to a store and they didn't have an item I wanted, I would buy the item from mail-order because then I'd get it faster than having the store order it internally. Nowadays, since I mail-order a lot more things than before, I go to a store to buy something that I need now, not next day.

Anyway, I ended up buying four books for almost $200. One book is an outdated "Learn Java on the Macintosh" that I read because it came on the CodeWarrior CD. But that was included as a courtesy, without benefit to the author or publisher, so I bought the book which I will probably give to my brother so he can learn to program.

I also bought a couple of books on Object Oriented design because they looked interesting. Hardcover computer books tend to be reference books or more scholarly works. So I tend to buy one occassionally to keep up on theory and such. Once I've decided to buy one book, then I usually buy two or three at once. It just takes the one to push it over the edge.

Someday I'll get my review done for this year. I was scheduled to meet with my Tech Lead and the Department Director to discuss how badly I've done this last year. For once I did my self-evaluation with some amount of thought and honesty. Last year I knew that Pickering was the only one who was going to read it so I joked throughout.

This year, since the Tech Lead will also read it, I was much more restrained. The model of maturity, as it is. Well, for most of it. I think I did put in a couple of slight jokes because that's just my nature. It's tough for me to take things seriously for long; life's too fun.

Anyway, I do wonder if I'll get promoted or not. Pick has been trying to get me promoted for the last year, but it hasn't happened. He has made it up in other ways, larger than average bonuses and such. But sometimes it feels as if Oracle doesn't appreciate me. It's a rather disloyal thought on my part and one that I shouldn't be thinking.

Still, it would be nice to be paid more. I need to get my debts payed off someday. I'm making progress but there's still a lot more that I owe and will owe for another couple of years at least. Usually I'm ok about it. It's great making those monthly payments and knowing that I'm responsibly reestablishing my financial standing. But sometimes it's frustrating.