The Encrypter

     I am constantly amazed by the variety and coolness of the things that we discuss in our class.  I have always found encrypting a very interesting subject.  As a kid my brother and I created a alphabet of symbols that we would use to exchange secret messages.  Seeing how different types of ciphers work and even using them was like a blast from the past for me.  The ciphers we used in class were a good bit more complicated than the ones I used as a kid, but the basic idea is the same, make something that isn't comprehensible to outsiders.  I cannot imagine trying to break even one of the simple ciphers that we used in class, not to mention any of the mega ciphers that are used in computing these days.
     An update on life without a phone:  It's very hard to get in touch with my friends this way.  To make plans I have to try to find them in their rooms, which they often aren't in, or use the chat feature of Facebook.  I think that this reliance on technology might come from our rushed lifestyles that have been partially created by the technology that we use.  One really cool thing that has come from it is the fact that I have found myself spending more time with people that I didn't know so well before.  Because I cannot get in touch with my close friends, I am widening my friend base by incorporating people who used to be simply "acquaintances"