Current Mood: what if?
We just passed Armed Forces Day, and it's almost Memorial Day. In addition to several new relatives (that officially became a part of my family when I married Jenny last July) that currently or have served in the military, I'm proud to say my little brother is an enlisted Airman in the United States Air Force. I've been told it's not cool to post specifics about his service, so I'll just say he joined this year, he's been in Texas (I got to see him recently for the first time since he left), and he's in contracting (not a contractor, per se, he doesn't hang drywall, but he's more about the paperwork).
At some point he'll be leaving for a far away place to do Air Force things. He's always been a few hours drive away from me, so having to think of Skype as the easiest way to see him isn't easy to get used to. It will definitely shake up our family holidays (like we haven't had enough of that!) and I think my mom's taking it the hardest (like I said, totally allowed). I think he'll enjoy it, though, and I wish him all the best.
Bradley's now an Airman. My friend Brant just joined the Army. Another friend (Benji) almost joined several branches. It makes me think about how at one point, I almost joined ROTC to help pay for college, and how differently my life would have turned out.
Even beyond that, though, there's a deeper significance I put on being in the military, and I wish I could tell you it was purely a noble, self-sacrificing, guarding your country and fellow man kind of thing. Really, it's a pretty stereotypical guy kinda thing.
Ugh. I know I'm not going to explain this well.
Let me back up. Growing up, I sometimes felt jealous of other people who had a strong sense of identity. They played sports and loved their team/school (I did not - at least not until I got Purdue, I think that's part of why I love this school so much). They had some sort of ethnic heritage and celebrated unique holidays (I did not). They were religious and had special ceremonies (I did not). They had groups to belong to and rites to go with them. Basically, growing up, it seems like boys around me had plenty of opportunities to "prove" themselves to be Men with a capital M. I'm talking about Eagle Scouts, Bar Mitzvahs, Mission Calls, stuff like that. Some sort of rite of passage they took on to emerge on the other side as...I dunno, as adults, as men. They were confirmed, they were sports guys, they went hunting with their dads... something they could point to as accomplishment.
The military? Well, that's definitely one of those things. I consider that one of the oldest and truest tests of self, of confidence, of courage, and of manliness. I dunno, it's strange - I never really want to be in combat, to fear for my life, to have to risk everything, to have to possibly take another person's life - and yet, I wonder if I would ever have what it takes. Does that make any sense? On some level, I wonder if I could do it, if I could stand up and face that.
Mom suggested my back surgery as a test that I passed, and I shot it down - I didn't pick that. That experience was something that happened to me and I dealt with it the best I could (still do, even). Getting married and being a husband didn't make me feel like any more of a Man. Don't get me wrong, I love my wife and I will do my best to provide for her and take care of her, but most days it feels just like when we were engaged (or dating)...and honestly, she's the one who provides for us right now.
I dunno, maybe this all comes back to feeling like I'm never going to be done with school. I never finished engineering - I never got the diploma or the ring. I don't feel like an engineer. I never finished my flight lessons. I don't feel like a pilot. I don't have my A&P [yet]. I don't feel like a mechanic.
Some days, I wonder what to call myself. UGH, that sounded so stupid.
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
5.28.2012
5.27.2012
closing in
Current Mood: removed from the bubble
Another semester finished (around the first week of May) at Purdue, which means I am down to just 2 semesters. One more school year. My "senior" year, for real. One last summer break (during which I am happy to be busy with my internship!), one last set of holidays, one last winter break, one last spring break - the familiar school routine I've had since grade school. Only 2 more sets of finals!
I learned a ton of new stuff. I'm really glad I took my extra 490 classes - I gained some unique experience doing hangar maintenance, as well as some confidence doing hands-on work in my field. My fuels class really let me gain a rapport with one of my professors, and I learned some things about the industry that are outside the books, stuff they don't test you on but I feel like helps me understand the big picture. I even managed to get my best grade in electronics yet, which has always been a struggle for me.
My senior year will be somewhat front loaded, with something like 18 credit hours in the fall and probably about 13 in the spring - I wanted to try and take Air Traffic Control classes, but my schedule would not allow it. This includes senior design (both semesters), which I've heard horror stories of in terms of time commitment. I'd like to balance that out a little, but hopefully this way I can spend more time (especially in the spring) on job searching (and A&P prep)! That's right, honest to goodness, college graduate, real world, time to be an adult and look for gainful employment job searching. I can't wait!
After 8 years of Purdue (with one more to go), it's time for me to fly. I have to trust that just like retiring from the Ship of Fools, this is the right move. There's definitely part of me that's somewhat institutionalized - I love Purdue, and I love knowing exactly where everything is, where to go and who to talk to for anything I need or want, knowing where the best food is, the quickest routes, stuff like that. Feeling like a king around campus, because I have insider knowledge and my finger on the pulse of what's important. I have family and friends close by, we have an awesome apartment filled with all of my favorite things - why would I go anyplace else?
Of course, if I go someplace new, I'm sure I can recapture those feelings - it just takes time and effort. And let's be realistic, when I finally graduate, more than likely we will be moving. Most of the jobs in my field are in Washington, California, Texas (ugh), Florida, DC, places like that. As awful as it would be for J to leave her school that she loves and fought so hard to get, the reality is that she'll have an easier time finding a school near my job than vice versa. I'm not opposed to staying here - if I could find something, or somebody would pay for my grad school, sure, I'm just not sure how plausible that scenario is.
That all said, I'm feeling surprisingly optimistic about the job search (ask me again in a year, haha). I'm doing very well with my new major, especially grades wise. My cumulative grades (including that debacle half decade in engineering) have finally been pulled, kicking and screaming, to the floor of acceptable. My major GPA is rockin'. My professors like me and know me (one of my professors asked me in March if I had anything lined up for the summer, and when I told him my internship was pending, he told me if it didn't work out he'd "find something for me"). I see my professors in the hall and they say hi to me, and they know my name, which is a great feeling. Something I didn't even consider when I switched to this smaller program, but definitely something I like.
Some of my classmates have gotten internships at some places I'd love to work (Lockheed, Rolls Royce, Gulfstream, etc.). So it can definitely be done! I just have to buckle down, put my head down and power through. One more year of classes, books, and exams. One last year to do all the Purdue stuff I've put off (not that much), and then graduate. Oh, and take my A&P test *shudder*. Plus, I have got to stop paying for school and start paying down loans. That's...that's all I'm going to talk about that subject for now.
This May has been so weird. Seniors in my major are leaving, and I had just started to feel like I was getting to know them. Now I'm going to be those seniors. Another group of people (all majors, lots from the improv club and Ship of Fools, little siblings of people I started college with) graduating, some of which started schools years after I did, and now I've watched the grow up and now it's time to say goodbye. I'm extremely proud of them and happy for them, but there's a tiny bit that stings. Something about seeing them come and go, instead of being the one leaving. Seeing Facebook blow up with statuses and pictures of caps and gowns and sappy goodbyes. I have plenty of great stuff to take from my time at Purdue already, and I'm sure I will look back on my time here fondly, but right now I see a lot of frustration, wasted time and opportunity, and spinning wheels on my part. Never, never thought I'd be one of those old guy students who spent more than 4 (even 5) years to finish his undergrad degree.
UGH. Gotta push those stupid feelings away and get down to business.
Another semester finished (around the first week of May) at Purdue, which means I am down to just 2 semesters. One more school year. My "senior" year, for real. One last summer break (during which I am happy to be busy with my internship!), one last set of holidays, one last winter break, one last spring break - the familiar school routine I've had since grade school. Only 2 more sets of finals!
I learned a ton of new stuff. I'm really glad I took my extra 490 classes - I gained some unique experience doing hangar maintenance, as well as some confidence doing hands-on work in my field. My fuels class really let me gain a rapport with one of my professors, and I learned some things about the industry that are outside the books, stuff they don't test you on but I feel like helps me understand the big picture. I even managed to get my best grade in electronics yet, which has always been a struggle for me.
My senior year will be somewhat front loaded, with something like 18 credit hours in the fall and probably about 13 in the spring - I wanted to try and take Air Traffic Control classes, but my schedule would not allow it. This includes senior design (both semesters), which I've heard horror stories of in terms of time commitment. I'd like to balance that out a little, but hopefully this way I can spend more time (especially in the spring) on job searching (and A&P prep)! That's right, honest to goodness, college graduate, real world, time to be an adult and look for gainful employment job searching. I can't wait!
After 8 years of Purdue (with one more to go), it's time for me to fly. I have to trust that just like retiring from the Ship of Fools, this is the right move. There's definitely part of me that's somewhat institutionalized - I love Purdue, and I love knowing exactly where everything is, where to go and who to talk to for anything I need or want, knowing where the best food is, the quickest routes, stuff like that. Feeling like a king around campus, because I have insider knowledge and my finger on the pulse of what's important. I have family and friends close by, we have an awesome apartment filled with all of my favorite things - why would I go anyplace else?
Of course, if I go someplace new, I'm sure I can recapture those feelings - it just takes time and effort. And let's be realistic, when I finally graduate, more than likely we will be moving. Most of the jobs in my field are in Washington, California, Texas (ugh), Florida, DC, places like that. As awful as it would be for J to leave her school that she loves and fought so hard to get, the reality is that she'll have an easier time finding a school near my job than vice versa. I'm not opposed to staying here - if I could find something, or somebody would pay for my grad school, sure, I'm just not sure how plausible that scenario is.
That all said, I'm feeling surprisingly optimistic about the job search (ask me again in a year, haha). I'm doing very well with my new major, especially grades wise. My cumulative grades (including that debacle half decade in engineering) have finally been pulled, kicking and screaming, to the floor of acceptable. My major GPA is rockin'. My professors like me and know me (one of my professors asked me in March if I had anything lined up for the summer, and when I told him my internship was pending, he told me if it didn't work out he'd "find something for me"). I see my professors in the hall and they say hi to me, and they know my name, which is a great feeling. Something I didn't even consider when I switched to this smaller program, but definitely something I like.
Some of my classmates have gotten internships at some places I'd love to work (Lockheed, Rolls Royce, Gulfstream, etc.). So it can definitely be done! I just have to buckle down, put my head down and power through. One more year of classes, books, and exams. One last year to do all the Purdue stuff I've put off (not that much), and then graduate. Oh, and take my A&P test *shudder*. Plus, I have got to stop paying for school and start paying down loans. That's...that's all I'm going to talk about that subject for now.
This May has been so weird. Seniors in my major are leaving, and I had just started to feel like I was getting to know them. Now I'm going to be those seniors. Another group of people (all majors, lots from the improv club and Ship of Fools, little siblings of people I started college with) graduating, some of which started schools years after I did, and now I've watched the grow up and now it's time to say goodbye. I'm extremely proud of them and happy for them, but there's a tiny bit that stings. Something about seeing them come and go, instead of being the one leaving. Seeing Facebook blow up with statuses and pictures of caps and gowns and sappy goodbyes. I have plenty of great stuff to take from my time at Purdue already, and I'm sure I will look back on my time here fondly, but right now I see a lot of frustration, wasted time and opportunity, and spinning wheels on my part. Never, never thought I'd be one of those old guy students who spent more than 4 (even 5) years to finish his undergrad degree.
UGH. Gotta push those stupid feelings away and get down to business.
1.18.2012
be careful what you wish for
Current Mood: still somewhat aghast
Yesterday afternoon I was at work. I had just completed a routine lay up (layers of composite materials put under vacuum) and was mixing the two part resin to inject into the part which would complete the process. My boss (Prof S) came up to me with what he called "bad news".
He's a pretty sarcastic, joking kind of guy so I didn't even stop what I was doing. Then he proceeded to tell me that the higher ups, the powers that be, have stopped our research project.
I laughed, and asked him what new project we'd be switching over to. That's when he told me that was it. Funding stopped, project canceled, done. Zip, zilch, bagel. Nothing to switch to, no warning, scale down, or trail off, just stop what you are doing and go home, because there's no more research to be done here. No hours to be worked or money to be made, because it's all gone.
When the job was first presented to me (about a year ago) I was told it was dependent on funding, but I thought once the semester started we'd be in the clear until probably summertime? Apparently, not. Felt like the rug was pulled out from beneath me.
I can look at this from a few different angles-
Projects in aerospace can be somewhat ephemeral. Especially small budget college research groups in a time of defense budget cuts. Even larger programs can and do get canceled, sometimes with little or no warning. Better get used to that, if this is supposed to be my field. I've never had a job vanish like that- I always quit on my terms, usually because I was moving or for school.
All that time and effort I spent re-arranging my schedule and rides to fit in 20 hours of lab work? SUDDENLY FREE TIME. My classes are getting harder, so I should have more free time to study and do group work. Still, do I fill that free time with sleep, video games, and flex time for school (I picked up extra classes this semester, so that's helpful...)
Or do I immediately look for another job? Not much at the airport now, and I don't really have transportation to get to a more normal job (cashier, waiter, etc.), even if I could find one and if they were flexible with my schedule. Last time I job searched, it was pretty bare bones (although, in a roundabout way, not having a job helped me have time to do well in school which led me to this job...)
Is it too late/do I want to try and find a class to TA? I don't particularly like teaching. I would have to TA a full semester for credit before I could get paid at some point in the future.
Those summer internships I applied/want to apply for? Here's hoping they pan out! Could/should/would I go back to summer conferences if not?
I wasn't making a TON of money, and I'm not in danger of becoming homeless or anything, but it sure was nice contributing to the finances and being able to go out to eat and buy gifts and such without worrying. So here comes the money worry (again). I just want to be done with school so I can get a job and make real money, full time.
I was getting a little burnt out at work from the work, and at the same time really starting to like my coworkers. Former problem solved, latter - well, at least I'll still see these guys around school.
In the past months, I usually had not worked the full 20 hrs/week possible, usually because I was too tired, had too many classes or studying or exams or improv or places to be to really hit that mark. And I was okay with that, again, a little bit of burnout. Now...now I'm done. Do I regret not working those hours? Would that little bit of money made a difference? Am I going to need it later? Would I have learned something in those hours? Could I have done more?
*headdesk*
Can't imagine what my life would be like right now if I was single, working a real job, and suddenly had no job for reasons beyond my control. I would be a basket case. Whole lot more respect for people out there who have to deal with this kind of crap.
Yesterday afternoon I was at work. I had just completed a routine lay up (layers of composite materials put under vacuum) and was mixing the two part resin to inject into the part which would complete the process. My boss (Prof S) came up to me with what he called "bad news".
He's a pretty sarcastic, joking kind of guy so I didn't even stop what I was doing. Then he proceeded to tell me that the higher ups, the powers that be, have stopped our research project.
I laughed, and asked him what new project we'd be switching over to. That's when he told me that was it. Funding stopped, project canceled, done. Zip, zilch, bagel. Nothing to switch to, no warning, scale down, or trail off, just stop what you are doing and go home, because there's no more research to be done here. No hours to be worked or money to be made, because it's all gone.
When the job was first presented to me (about a year ago) I was told it was dependent on funding, but I thought once the semester started we'd be in the clear until probably summertime? Apparently, not. Felt like the rug was pulled out from beneath me.
I can look at this from a few different angles-
Projects in aerospace can be somewhat ephemeral. Especially small budget college research groups in a time of defense budget cuts. Even larger programs can and do get canceled, sometimes with little or no warning. Better get used to that, if this is supposed to be my field. I've never had a job vanish like that- I always quit on my terms, usually because I was moving or for school.
All that time and effort I spent re-arranging my schedule and rides to fit in 20 hours of lab work? SUDDENLY FREE TIME. My classes are getting harder, so I should have more free time to study and do group work. Still, do I fill that free time with sleep, video games, and flex time for school (I picked up extra classes this semester, so that's helpful...)
Or do I immediately look for another job? Not much at the airport now, and I don't really have transportation to get to a more normal job (cashier, waiter, etc.), even if I could find one and if they were flexible with my schedule. Last time I job searched, it was pretty bare bones (although, in a roundabout way, not having a job helped me have time to do well in school which led me to this job...)
Is it too late/do I want to try and find a class to TA? I don't particularly like teaching. I would have to TA a full semester for credit before I could get paid at some point in the future.
Those summer internships I applied/want to apply for? Here's hoping they pan out! Could/should/would I go back to summer conferences if not?
I wasn't making a TON of money, and I'm not in danger of becoming homeless or anything, but it sure was nice contributing to the finances and being able to go out to eat and buy gifts and such without worrying. So here comes the money worry (again). I just want to be done with school so I can get a job and make real money, full time.
I was getting a little burnt out at work from the work, and at the same time really starting to like my coworkers. Former problem solved, latter - well, at least I'll still see these guys around school.
In the past months, I usually had not worked the full 20 hrs/week possible, usually because I was too tired, had too many classes or studying or exams or improv or places to be to really hit that mark. And I was okay with that, again, a little bit of burnout. Now...now I'm done. Do I regret not working those hours? Would that little bit of money made a difference? Am I going to need it later? Would I have learned something in those hours? Could I have done more?
*headdesk*
Can't imagine what my life would be like right now if I was single, working a real job, and suddenly had no job for reasons beyond my control. I would be a basket case. Whole lot more respect for people out there who have to deal with this kind of crap.
11.23.2011
worky work and the funky bunch
Current Mood: *headdesk*
Trying to take a bite out of the backlog of "one post a month" goal...
In just a few short weeks I'll have been at my research assistant job 1 full year. Yay! No more "rookie".
Things are a bit different than what I expected. When I first started I was pretty worthless, mostly cleaning the lab and doing gruntwork for the upperclassmen that already worked there. I tried to find ways to be useful, but scheduling problems and lack of access (seemed like I was the only one who didn't have a lab key?) made progress very difficult. I felt a little bit like a loner, to be honest.
Then after gritting things out for a semester, it seems like everything changed. I didn't apply for a University Residences job (breaking a 5 year streak) and instead worked full time at the lab for the summer. Most of the older students left, and three new guys (my age, sort of) joined. I knew them a bit from class, but I wasn't that close to any of them.
Summertime, we busted our asses. We gutted the lab next door, cleaned and re-tiled it, moved equipment, and painted everything. Got some funding for new machines and got some donations/expert advice from a company in Indy that does composites. Made a ton of projects and some of them were great, others crashed and burned. Working there M-F 9-5 was a different beast - much more productive but very tiring. Got to know my coworkers a lot better - we all get along quite well and don't have problems like the previous employees did, apparently (I heard there was a girl involved, and things got messy...).
From the way Professor S. talked about things when I was hired, I thought I might be doing some engineering type things, working on papers and equations. Reality? Not so much. I pretty much do the same things as everybody else, and I guess that's okay, I don't know that I would really be qualified to do composites engineering stuff right now anyway. Sometimes I get a little hesitant at work because we change what we are doing so frequently, it's hard for me to get used to a routine. Our projects are very iterative, but with small changes, and sometimes I have a hard time keeping track of it all.
Because of my class schedule I don't work as much as my supervisor and Professor S would like, and sometimes I can't tell if they're just joking with me or not about a lot of things. Also I missed the chance to TA for our composites class (the very class I took last fall that led to me getting this job), though I may be a part of an Advanced Composites class in the works next year?
At any rate, most of projects are progressing pretty well. I like my teammates a bunch, even though they're much different than me (totally guy's guys, waaay different music [dubstep??], things like that). There was talk of trying to patent one of our projects, but the fervor of that seems to have died down...
Anyway, unless something majorly unexpected happens, I should have this job next semester as well. Beyond that, well, I'd love to have an internship, something different for the summer. I'll be applying to a few places, but if not, I'll try to work there again in the summer. I don't know that composites are what I want to do for the rest of my life, but it's a big area of development for aviation so I know it'll be great for my resume when I graduate. Also I think my mechanical/shop skills have improved simply by being there, which is good too.
I am getting pretty worn down some days, though. Between class and work I'm at school pretty much from 8am to about 6 or 7pm most days, sometimes longer. I feel like I live at the airport! Now I have a bit of spending money, but the apartment is a mess and I don't have the free time I would like to relax at home. Good thing I retired from the Ship of Fools, eh?
Not a very coherent post, but for anybody trying to keep up with my life maybe that's something.
Trying to take a bite out of the backlog of "one post a month" goal...
In just a few short weeks I'll have been at my research assistant job 1 full year. Yay! No more "rookie".
Things are a bit different than what I expected. When I first started I was pretty worthless, mostly cleaning the lab and doing gruntwork for the upperclassmen that already worked there. I tried to find ways to be useful, but scheduling problems and lack of access (seemed like I was the only one who didn't have a lab key?) made progress very difficult. I felt a little bit like a loner, to be honest.
Then after gritting things out for a semester, it seems like everything changed. I didn't apply for a University Residences job (breaking a 5 year streak) and instead worked full time at the lab for the summer. Most of the older students left, and three new guys (my age, sort of) joined. I knew them a bit from class, but I wasn't that close to any of them.
Summertime, we busted our asses. We gutted the lab next door, cleaned and re-tiled it, moved equipment, and painted everything. Got some funding for new machines and got some donations/expert advice from a company in Indy that does composites. Made a ton of projects and some of them were great, others crashed and burned. Working there M-F 9-5 was a different beast - much more productive but very tiring. Got to know my coworkers a lot better - we all get along quite well and don't have problems like the previous employees did, apparently (I heard there was a girl involved, and things got messy...).
From the way Professor S. talked about things when I was hired, I thought I might be doing some engineering type things, working on papers and equations. Reality? Not so much. I pretty much do the same things as everybody else, and I guess that's okay, I don't know that I would really be qualified to do composites engineering stuff right now anyway. Sometimes I get a little hesitant at work because we change what we are doing so frequently, it's hard for me to get used to a routine. Our projects are very iterative, but with small changes, and sometimes I have a hard time keeping track of it all.
Because of my class schedule I don't work as much as my supervisor and Professor S would like, and sometimes I can't tell if they're just joking with me or not about a lot of things. Also I missed the chance to TA for our composites class (the very class I took last fall that led to me getting this job), though I may be a part of an Advanced Composites class in the works next year?
At any rate, most of projects are progressing pretty well. I like my teammates a bunch, even though they're much different than me (totally guy's guys, waaay different music [dubstep??], things like that). There was talk of trying to patent one of our projects, but the fervor of that seems to have died down...
Anyway, unless something majorly unexpected happens, I should have this job next semester as well. Beyond that, well, I'd love to have an internship, something different for the summer. I'll be applying to a few places, but if not, I'll try to work there again in the summer. I don't know that composites are what I want to do for the rest of my life, but it's a big area of development for aviation so I know it'll be great for my resume when I graduate. Also I think my mechanical/shop skills have improved simply by being there, which is good too.
I am getting pretty worn down some days, though. Between class and work I'm at school pretty much from 8am to about 6 or 7pm most days, sometimes longer. I feel like I live at the airport! Now I have a bit of spending money, but the apartment is a mess and I don't have the free time I would like to relax at home. Good thing I retired from the Ship of Fools, eh?
Not a very coherent post, but for anybody trying to keep up with my life maybe that's something.
6.26.2011
start with the corners, then fill out the border
Current Mood: waiting/anticipating
What a whirlwind week it has been. Well, weekend, really.
First off, the big news - after weeks and weeks of applications, applications, scanning and writing, more applications, and a few interviews, Jenny was offered a job on Friday. She will be teaching 2nd grade in her own classroom at a school here in town. That is pretty much the very best case scenario that either of us could have hoped for- no co-teaching, not on the other side of the state, not even moving grade levels. She likes the principal, they have a Science Club, and did I mention it is seriously close? Closer than her current school. I know she will kick ass there and I'm not an especially sunny optimistic guy but I have to believe that the two years she has spent at her old school has helped her prepare for her first year on her own. It'll probably be tough in the fall, with lots of extra time spent at the school, but we got through student teaching okay so I think we'll be okay. This school does not have the extra school hour her old one did, and it's in a different district - old school was high poverty, high mobility and lots of intervention... new school is likely to be overeager parents and professor's children, so I think things are about to be flipped upside down.
Many many thanks go to everybody who helped Jenny look for job openings everywhere, and I can't believe how awesome her old bio professor has been going to bat for her with the local administrators.
ANYWAY. Now that Jenny has a job and it's in town, we are green lights for finding a new place to live. We have to be out of current apartment in 25 days, so looking for a new place ASAP. So we're moving, losing a roommate, and moving some of Jenny's teaching things to her new room.
Wedding stuff is getting crazy. Yesterday was 4 weeks until wedding and we still have a checklist of just about 95 things to do. Take a day off work to go to the courthouse and apply for a license. Get rings, tuxes. Finalize rehearsal dinner plans. Pick songs to get to DJ. And so on. If you've been married recently, you probably know *exactly* what I'm talking about. I'm sure we'll get it all done, but geez. I'm not nervous to get married, but I'm hoping everything goes well the actual day of the wedding. WEDDING WEDDING WEDDING. Feels like that's all I talk about sometime.
We were so worried about job stuff that we'd put off really doing stuff like getting the a/c fixed in our shared car, or planning a honeymoon, so that stuff is back on now. Y'know, like we don't have enough going on...
This weekend Jenny's family threw us a cookout/bridal shower. I guess co-ed showers are becoming the norm these days but it was really great - she has a giant family and they all pitched in to get us some really nice things. My mom and grandma were the only ones who could make it, so I felt like my family was a little under-represented. But I guess in 4 weeks it will also be my family too, right?
Job stuff has settled down somewhat, which is good. I feel like I'm kinda getting into a groove, getting used to the hours and the tempo and stuff. I don't know that I've made any world-changing discoveries (yet) but I think I'm pretty consistently working through the assignments and projects my boss gives me. It's very different than working there in the summer - during the spring I was trying to grab a few hours here and there and it felt like it was hard to get anything done. Now, I have 8 hours in a row plus 4 other guys there so it's much more productive. We goof off a little bit and Fridays are mostly clean-up days, but I get along pretty okay with the other dudes. I'm pretty sure I will keep working there in the fall.
Super ready for football to start back up again. I hope the CBA talks continue in time for the offseason to get back on track.
Pretty ready for school to start in the fall, too. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. 4 more semesters. 2 years. Gonna try to find an internship for next summer, too. Building my resume up so that hopefully when I'm all done here somebody will look at me and say "that's the guy I want to design/invent/maintain/repair my airplane/rocket/spaceship". Or something like that...
What a whirlwind week it has been. Well, weekend, really.
First off, the big news - after weeks and weeks of applications, applications, scanning and writing, more applications, and a few interviews, Jenny was offered a job on Friday. She will be teaching 2nd grade in her own classroom at a school here in town. That is pretty much the very best case scenario that either of us could have hoped for- no co-teaching, not on the other side of the state, not even moving grade levels. She likes the principal, they have a Science Club, and did I mention it is seriously close? Closer than her current school. I know she will kick ass there and I'm not an especially sunny optimistic guy but I have to believe that the two years she has spent at her old school has helped her prepare for her first year on her own. It'll probably be tough in the fall, with lots of extra time spent at the school, but we got through student teaching okay so I think we'll be okay. This school does not have the extra school hour her old one did, and it's in a different district - old school was high poverty, high mobility and lots of intervention... new school is likely to be overeager parents and professor's children, so I think things are about to be flipped upside down.
Many many thanks go to everybody who helped Jenny look for job openings everywhere, and I can't believe how awesome her old bio professor has been going to bat for her with the local administrators.
ANYWAY. Now that Jenny has a job and it's in town, we are green lights for finding a new place to live. We have to be out of current apartment in 25 days, so looking for a new place ASAP. So we're moving, losing a roommate, and moving some of Jenny's teaching things to her new room.
Wedding stuff is getting crazy. Yesterday was 4 weeks until wedding and we still have a checklist of just about 95 things to do. Take a day off work to go to the courthouse and apply for a license. Get rings, tuxes. Finalize rehearsal dinner plans. Pick songs to get to DJ. And so on. If you've been married recently, you probably know *exactly* what I'm talking about. I'm sure we'll get it all done, but geez. I'm not nervous to get married, but I'm hoping everything goes well the actual day of the wedding. WEDDING WEDDING WEDDING. Feels like that's all I talk about sometime.
We were so worried about job stuff that we'd put off really doing stuff like getting the a/c fixed in our shared car, or planning a honeymoon, so that stuff is back on now. Y'know, like we don't have enough going on...
This weekend Jenny's family threw us a cookout/bridal shower. I guess co-ed showers are becoming the norm these days but it was really great - she has a giant family and they all pitched in to get us some really nice things. My mom and grandma were the only ones who could make it, so I felt like my family was a little under-represented. But I guess in 4 weeks it will also be my family too, right?
Job stuff has settled down somewhat, which is good. I feel like I'm kinda getting into a groove, getting used to the hours and the tempo and stuff. I don't know that I've made any world-changing discoveries (yet) but I think I'm pretty consistently working through the assignments and projects my boss gives me. It's very different than working there in the summer - during the spring I was trying to grab a few hours here and there and it felt like it was hard to get anything done. Now, I have 8 hours in a row plus 4 other guys there so it's much more productive. We goof off a little bit and Fridays are mostly clean-up days, but I get along pretty okay with the other dudes. I'm pretty sure I will keep working there in the fall.
Super ready for football to start back up again. I hope the CBA talks continue in time for the offseason to get back on track.
Pretty ready for school to start in the fall, too. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. 4 more semesters. 2 years. Gonna try to find an internship for next summer, too. Building my resume up so that hopefully when I'm all done here somebody will look at me and say "that's the guy I want to design/invent/maintain/repair my airplane/rocket/spaceship". Or something like that...
5.29.2011
welcome to the rest of your life
Current Mood:
I like to think I'm a pretty mature guy, pretty grown up in my actions and deeds. But the truth remains that many days I still feel like a kid. I get the feeling that might change this summer though.
Tomorrow's my 25th birthday. Now, around my mid teens my birthday started to feel like much ado about nothing, in that the day itself didn't mark any sort of significant change in my life. I never felt any older than the day before. Other than the big milestones (18, 21) nothing *really* changed and even when it did, I rarely took notice. I didn't go out on my 21st (not that I'm complaining - I just don't care that much about alcohol I guess). And tomorrow's not much different, but I'm now halfway through my 20s, and that marks me as a quarter century old. That feels pretty old to me. Not OLD old, but certainly not a kid anymore, right?
I'm about to start my 8th year of college. UGH. I'm getting "Adult Continuing Education Plans" emails in my inbox instead of "Beware the dangers of drinking". I don't stay out late and today - A Saturday of a Three Day Weekend - I got up before 8 am, voluntarily. I try to eat better and sleep regularly. Just about everybody I started school with in 2004 is graduated, dropped out, gone to grad school, has a Real Job, and/or has a family - something different than perpetual undergraddom like me.
I'm getting married in a little less than 2 months. That's a grown up thing, right? I've been with Jenny for five and half years, so long that the idea of getting married doesn't really seem like that big of a change (which is something I like, means I'm not freaking out or worried about it). We're just gonna keep on doin' our thing after tying the knot, I imagine. Still the same people you guys like, I hope. If I completely change and become a different person that sucks, tell me please? Most of the wedding details have been settled but we have more work to do... just about every weekend from now until then is booked with some kind of wedding thing so I have my summer pretty well planned out.
Last summer I "worked" "40 hours" at a "full time position" but to be honest I was in a salaried position and got my work done just fine by being in the office from about 1-4pm. I wasn't slacking, but it wasn't a very demanding job. It was pretty rad. Now? Now I WORK forty hours, Monday-Friday from 8-5 at the Composites Lab. Like clockwork. And it is exhausting. I'm not trying to say I have the worst job or anything (far from it) but I don't know how people work 60,70, or 80 hour workweeks without going crazy.
All in all, baby steps, methinks. But I get the sneaking suspicion this is a turning point in my life, and I may look back on this summer as a blurry jumbled "line" dividing something resembling adolescence/early adulthood with the next vague and uncertain stage of life (adulthood? mid-life?).
*Edit* ^ugh. that sounded really dumb, didn't it?
I like to think I'm a pretty mature guy, pretty grown up in my actions and deeds. But the truth remains that many days I still feel like a kid. I get the feeling that might change this summer though.
Tomorrow's my 25th birthday. Now, around my mid teens my birthday started to feel like much ado about nothing, in that the day itself didn't mark any sort of significant change in my life. I never felt any older than the day before. Other than the big milestones (18, 21) nothing *really* changed and even when it did, I rarely took notice. I didn't go out on my 21st (not that I'm complaining - I just don't care that much about alcohol I guess). And tomorrow's not much different, but I'm now halfway through my 20s, and that marks me as a quarter century old. That feels pretty old to me. Not OLD old, but certainly not a kid anymore, right?
I'm about to start my 8th year of college. UGH. I'm getting "Adult Continuing Education Plans" emails in my inbox instead of "Beware the dangers of drinking". I don't stay out late and today - A Saturday of a Three Day Weekend - I got up before 8 am, voluntarily. I try to eat better and sleep regularly. Just about everybody I started school with in 2004 is graduated, dropped out, gone to grad school, has a Real Job, and/or has a family - something different than perpetual undergraddom like me.
I'm getting married in a little less than 2 months. That's a grown up thing, right? I've been with Jenny for five and half years, so long that the idea of getting married doesn't really seem like that big of a change (which is something I like, means I'm not freaking out or worried about it). We're just gonna keep on doin' our thing after tying the knot, I imagine. Still the same people you guys like, I hope. If I completely change and become a different person that sucks, tell me please? Most of the wedding details have been settled but we have more work to do... just about every weekend from now until then is booked with some kind of wedding thing so I have my summer pretty well planned out.
Last summer I "worked" "40 hours" at a "full time position" but to be honest I was in a salaried position and got my work done just fine by being in the office from about 1-4pm. I wasn't slacking, but it wasn't a very demanding job. It was pretty rad. Now? Now I WORK forty hours, Monday-Friday from 8-5 at the Composites Lab. Like clockwork. And it is exhausting. I'm not trying to say I have the worst job or anything (far from it) but I don't know how people work 60,70, or 80 hour workweeks without going crazy.
All in all, baby steps, methinks. But I get the sneaking suspicion this is a turning point in my life, and I may look back on this summer as a blurry jumbled "line" dividing something resembling adolescence/early adulthood with the next vague and uncertain stage of life (adulthood? mid-life?).
*Edit* ^ugh. that sounded really dumb, didn't it?
3.11.2011
shelter from the storm
Current Mood: made it to Spring Break!
Not all is doom and gloom in the land of Ryan, despite the tone of the previous posts.
I just spoke with Professor S, and he was remarkably okay with my most recent time card being significantly deficient in hours. Almost as if he runs a lab full of student workers who regularly experience exams and projects right around spring break? So that eases some of my immediate concerns.
And I didn't even write anything about how excited I am for next semester. I will be married by then, so all the craziness of that will be done. I'll have much more experience at work, so I'm hoping things there will be relatively smooth sailing in the fall as well. Especially if things (namely funding) pan out for me to work in the composites lab in the summer as an internship from the higher up funding/govt. think tank that sponsors some of our projects - that would be great! It would be my first summer since 2005 I would not be working for University Residences (in fact I already applied but turned down an SA Billing spot with them last week - time to take the plunge!).
But maybe the most exciting thing is that I'll drop from 18 credit hours (currently) to 12. From 5 labs (currently) to 3. That means less 12 hour days, more time to fit work in without working super late most nights and weekends. Plus I think I've finally decided to retire officially from the Ship of Fools/Purdue Improv Club, which will free up a significant amount of time (though I expect some of that to be filled up again with improv if I follow through on my plan to join One Size Fits All).
So, the big stuff like where I'm going to live and how I'm going to pay for school and bills remain unanswered, but I should be less busy!
Not all is doom and gloom in the land of Ryan, despite the tone of the previous posts.
I just spoke with Professor S, and he was remarkably okay with my most recent time card being significantly deficient in hours. Almost as if he runs a lab full of student workers who regularly experience exams and projects right around spring break? So that eases some of my immediate concerns.
And I didn't even write anything about how excited I am for next semester. I will be married by then, so all the craziness of that will be done. I'll have much more experience at work, so I'm hoping things there will be relatively smooth sailing in the fall as well. Especially if things (namely funding) pan out for me to work in the composites lab in the summer as an internship from the higher up funding/govt. think tank that sponsors some of our projects - that would be great! It would be my first summer since 2005 I would not be working for University Residences (in fact I already applied but turned down an SA Billing spot with them last week - time to take the plunge!).
But maybe the most exciting thing is that I'll drop from 18 credit hours (currently) to 12. From 5 labs (currently) to 3. That means less 12 hour days, more time to fit work in without working super late most nights and weekends. Plus I think I've finally decided to retire officially from the Ship of Fools/Purdue Improv Club, which will free up a significant amount of time (though I expect some of that to be filled up again with improv if I follow through on my plan to join One Size Fits All).
So, the big stuff like where I'm going to live and how I'm going to pay for school and bills remain unanswered, but I should be less busy!
3.06.2011
what makes you think this would be any different?
Current Mood: aggravated
Still can't sleep, so I'll start this one too.
So my classes are pretty crazy. But that's only half the story. My boss wants me to work 20 hours a week and I don't know if I can do it. I get to school every morning at 7:30am and I try to go to work between classes and then after classes but I get so fed up or frustrated or tired or hungry that I usually can't make it past 6pm or so.
Still, I usually end up needing to work on the weekends to get to 20 hours. And I'm rapidly running short on time to study for tests, to make up classes (occasionally I have missed classes for a funeral, sickness, etc. - normal life stuff). I don't want to let my professor down - he did hand pick me for this position, but my god, how does anybody do this?
Mentally, I'm spent. I was spoiled last semester, I had all sorts of time to come home and just relax and dick around on the internet and decompress, read comics and watch Modern Marvels and clean up the apartment until my neurotic brain was appeased. I knew it was a little excessive, but now I've had to cut so much of that crap out just to stay on top of it and I still can't let go some days that I'm not caught up on reading every post from some website.
I've always had that problem, trying to make sure I've checked and read and understood and explored every nuance of a site or magazine or whatever is in front of me. Probably helps explain my capacity for details but seriously, when you're worried that you're missing out on some Facebook updates, does that mean it's time to ask for help?
Anyway, work is physically draining, too. I carry heavy things, I have to use all my weight to close or open certain latches, and some of the rolls of material take every bit of arm extension and muscle to cut through. I sweep and mop, take out trash, move things, lift things, and some days it's friggin' hot in there. I'm losing weight (probably doesn't hurt that my schedule seriously has cut down on the time I have to eat, no joke) at a noticeable pace.
Ironically, being exhausted from a 12 hour day actually does help me get to sleep, sometimes! But I still have sleep issues. If I don't get to sleep (not get to bed, actually get to sleep) by like, 10:30pm, I can barely get out of bed. I'm amazed I haven't fallen asleep in class yet. I dread any day I don't have Mt. Dew because I feel like I need it to get going.
But I haven't really said anything about work yet.
I'm the new guy, the Rookie, so I get teased a little bit and get assigned to do a few undesirable things like cleaning and copying things. But it's not that bad, and I generally try to do it with a smile because honestly I'm glad to have this job, I really am. I didn't even apply for it! Don't tell my boss, but I would probably be doing this for less for the experience.
But I'm older than most everybody there. And I don't act like a hot shot know it all, so a lot of times they continue to haze the previous "new guy", which is somewhat amusing to me. I spent the first few weeks shadowing everybody, getting to know how to operate a lot of the machines in lab and getting to know certain procedures.
After a time I got assigned my first project, with is a legit science assignment. I am doing research. Without getting too technical, we have a process to make composite panels. My job was/is to build a device to purify the liquid resin we put in with vacuum pressure, then run a series of layups to see if the panels have less air pockets in them. If it works, this would be a way to increase the strength and decrease the defects in the repairs we make. Maybe it sounds boring, but I think it is super cool. And it's *my* project, warts and all. And just the other day the professor wanted me to start designing and modeling a new inlet port.
He said maybe I could get a patent. And a coworker said some of my research could be published in a journal - somebody last year got to fly to Paris on the University's dime to present a paper.
How fucking cool is that?
I don't know if I will get that far - there's been some budget rumors floating around (great, another job in jeopardy, like there hasn't been enough of that going around lately). Try not to get my hopes up, but it shows how much potential there is where I'm working, which is definitely a good thing.
For now I will keep trying to stay positive, stay on top of my hours. My prof. said he thought I had a different skill set than some of the other guys in the lab, that he thought I had great potential and could do some special things for the program. I can't tell you how much that helps to hear, but now I just have to make sure I live up to the hype.
I think my goal when I started typing was to type and put words onto screen until I was too exhausted to stay awake. That was probably a dumb idea.
Still can't sleep, so I'll start this one too.
So my classes are pretty crazy. But that's only half the story. My boss wants me to work 20 hours a week and I don't know if I can do it. I get to school every morning at 7:30am and I try to go to work between classes and then after classes but I get so fed up or frustrated or tired or hungry that I usually can't make it past 6pm or so.
Still, I usually end up needing to work on the weekends to get to 20 hours. And I'm rapidly running short on time to study for tests, to make up classes (occasionally I have missed classes for a funeral, sickness, etc. - normal life stuff). I don't want to let my professor down - he did hand pick me for this position, but my god, how does anybody do this?
Mentally, I'm spent. I was spoiled last semester, I had all sorts of time to come home and just relax and dick around on the internet and decompress, read comics and watch Modern Marvels and clean up the apartment until my neurotic brain was appeased. I knew it was a little excessive, but now I've had to cut so much of that crap out just to stay on top of it and I still can't let go some days that I'm not caught up on reading every post from some website.
I've always had that problem, trying to make sure I've checked and read and understood and explored every nuance of a site or magazine or whatever is in front of me. Probably helps explain my capacity for details but seriously, when you're worried that you're missing out on some Facebook updates, does that mean it's time to ask for help?
Anyway, work is physically draining, too. I carry heavy things, I have to use all my weight to close or open certain latches, and some of the rolls of material take every bit of arm extension and muscle to cut through. I sweep and mop, take out trash, move things, lift things, and some days it's friggin' hot in there. I'm losing weight (probably doesn't hurt that my schedule seriously has cut down on the time I have to eat, no joke) at a noticeable pace.
Ironically, being exhausted from a 12 hour day actually does help me get to sleep, sometimes! But I still have sleep issues. If I don't get to sleep (not get to bed, actually get to sleep) by like, 10:30pm, I can barely get out of bed. I'm amazed I haven't fallen asleep in class yet. I dread any day I don't have Mt. Dew because I feel like I need it to get going.
But I haven't really said anything about work yet.
I'm the new guy, the Rookie, so I get teased a little bit and get assigned to do a few undesirable things like cleaning and copying things. But it's not that bad, and I generally try to do it with a smile because honestly I'm glad to have this job, I really am. I didn't even apply for it! Don't tell my boss, but I would probably be doing this for less for the experience.
But I'm older than most everybody there. And I don't act like a hot shot know it all, so a lot of times they continue to haze the previous "new guy", which is somewhat amusing to me. I spent the first few weeks shadowing everybody, getting to know how to operate a lot of the machines in lab and getting to know certain procedures.
After a time I got assigned my first project, with is a legit science assignment. I am doing research. Without getting too technical, we have a process to make composite panels. My job was/is to build a device to purify the liquid resin we put in with vacuum pressure, then run a series of layups to see if the panels have less air pockets in them. If it works, this would be a way to increase the strength and decrease the defects in the repairs we make. Maybe it sounds boring, but I think it is super cool. And it's *my* project, warts and all. And just the other day the professor wanted me to start designing and modeling a new inlet port.
He said maybe I could get a patent. And a coworker said some of my research could be published in a journal - somebody last year got to fly to Paris on the University's dime to present a paper.
How fucking cool is that?
I don't know if I will get that far - there's been some budget rumors floating around (great, another job in jeopardy, like there hasn't been enough of that going around lately). Try not to get my hopes up, but it shows how much potential there is where I'm working, which is definitely a good thing.
For now I will keep trying to stay positive, stay on top of my hours. My prof. said he thought I had a different skill set than some of the other guys in the lab, that he thought I had great potential and could do some special things for the program. I can't tell you how much that helps to hear, but now I just have to make sure I live up to the hype.
I think my goal when I started typing was to type and put words onto screen until I was too exhausted to stay awake. That was probably a dumb idea.
he's still right, folks
Current Mood: blech
Work is exhausting. Actually, let me back up. This semester is exhausting. I'm taking 18 credit hours. Minimum full time is 12 credit hours, and I think I only ever had 1 other semester that was this many. I don't remember which one, though, all my semesters are seriously blurring together because I have been in school a long time at this point.
I have 5 classes, and each one has a 3 hour lab (one is 4, actually). Every day of the week. I've never had this many labs and it's grueling. To be fair, I don't actually have as much homework in the typical sense, and unlike some classes I have taken the lecture material and the lab work match up pretty well most of the time. We talk about timing magnetos, then we time magnetos, for example.
The level of hands on-itude in this major is blowing my mind. There is a very good chance by the time I am done here that I will get my A&P (Airframe and Powerplant) Certificate, meaning I am qualified by the FAA to repair and inspect airplanes and their engines. Not what I want to do for a career, but that's still pretty great. And it is a ton of practical knowledge for anybody in my field, knowledge that I'm honestly surprised is not required for engineers (my former major), even though there's a part of my brain that is telling me that's just a cop out justification for my switch to an easier program.
Well, maybe academically easier. I feel like my math skills are starting to atrophy from lack of use. There's just not much theory going on, which is what I was told going in but seeing it day to day is somewhat shocking from the viewpoint of where I was. Every component we need to look at and touch, install, take apart, repair, test, and reinstall. Some of it is very difficult just from a motor skill perspective. I have never welded, never soldered, never riveted before. Some of it feels almost...outdated? But despite what you may hear about sexy composite structures, there are aluminum aircraft flying today that are 40, 50 years old with plans to be in service another 30 years. So this is relevant knowledge.
Some days I am stunned by how long we spend on a subject. Something that would be assigned as light, almost trivial reading for homework in engineering is explained over and over in technology. They hold our hands like and avoid the word "formula" if they can.
Other days I'm bowled over by the brevity. Professors will mention some aspect of an airplane, or how something works, and we get the cliffs notes version, when in engineering that entire theory, concept, whatever was an entire month's worth of work. And I'm left there with my mouth hanging open, wondering when we're going to get an assload of problems working out the enthalpy of a closed system carnot cycle efficiency heat engine with a partial properties chart. Nope! Just point to the right colored box on the diagram!
I'm doing pretty well, and it feels great to be "smart" again. My counselor was gushing over my grades last semester. It made me feel smart. And at the same time, not? Does that make sense? Or one of my professors will make a comment about "those engineers". "Those engineers don't understand that we need X" or "Those engineers won't bother to check for Y". I cringe on the inside. I was one of them. I was set to be one of them. And I still wish I was, until I think about my 301 final and how badly I cried when I realized I couldn't understand the first problem after an entire semester of trying.
I've taken flight lessons, but I'm not a pilot. I've taken engineering classes, but I'm not an engineer. I'm in a technology program, but I don't think of myself as a technician. I do research but I'm not a scientist. I'm not a mechanic, or a manager, or a salesman. I'm a little bit of everything and some days I wonder where I fit in. Or where I will fit in.
Now they're redesigning the AET curriculum, and I'm hearing rumors it's trying to be molded to more of a core curriculum for the rest of the campus, the A&P will become optional, it's going to be more engineering minded, whatever. I don't know. I want to be done, I want to get my degree, get my certifications, and get a job. Get money and fix some of the crap I have going on. I don't want to worry that the class I'm in will be the last of it's kind and if I fail it won't be available again.
I hate that I'm somewhat desensitized to failing a class. I couldn't fathom that until I got to college. Now, it's still an awful thought, but it's happened so many times it just leaves me with a numb feeling. Engineering has really screwed me up.
Gosh this is a clusterfuck of thoughts pouring out.
I do like my major, I really do. It's super cool when I get to the airport in the morning and the runway lights are on. The other day an F-18 landed 50 feet from where I go to work. I inspect and service actual aircraft engines. I'm doing very well and I'm in such a better position than I ever was in engineering. I just still have so many semesters left, and this routine is starting to grind me down. A week until spring break and I am exhausted.
Here's a good analogy: I feel like I'm an athlete that couldn't cut it at a big school and transferred to a junior college. Now I'm doing better, but I wonder if I can make it to the pros?
I'll get to my thoughts about work soon enough, this is enough for now. I just can't sleep and I figured typing this is better than nothing.
Work is exhausting. Actually, let me back up. This semester is exhausting. I'm taking 18 credit hours. Minimum full time is 12 credit hours, and I think I only ever had 1 other semester that was this many. I don't remember which one, though, all my semesters are seriously blurring together because I have been in school a long time at this point.
I have 5 classes, and each one has a 3 hour lab (one is 4, actually). Every day of the week. I've never had this many labs and it's grueling. To be fair, I don't actually have as much homework in the typical sense, and unlike some classes I have taken the lecture material and the lab work match up pretty well most of the time. We talk about timing magnetos, then we time magnetos, for example.
The level of hands on-itude in this major is blowing my mind. There is a very good chance by the time I am done here that I will get my A&P (Airframe and Powerplant) Certificate, meaning I am qualified by the FAA to repair and inspect airplanes and their engines. Not what I want to do for a career, but that's still pretty great. And it is a ton of practical knowledge for anybody in my field, knowledge that I'm honestly surprised is not required for engineers (my former major), even though there's a part of my brain that is telling me that's just a cop out justification for my switch to an easier program.
Well, maybe academically easier. I feel like my math skills are starting to atrophy from lack of use. There's just not much theory going on, which is what I was told going in but seeing it day to day is somewhat shocking from the viewpoint of where I was. Every component we need to look at and touch, install, take apart, repair, test, and reinstall. Some of it is very difficult just from a motor skill perspective. I have never welded, never soldered, never riveted before. Some of it feels almost...outdated? But despite what you may hear about sexy composite structures, there are aluminum aircraft flying today that are 40, 50 years old with plans to be in service another 30 years. So this is relevant knowledge.
Some days I am stunned by how long we spend on a subject. Something that would be assigned as light, almost trivial reading for homework in engineering is explained over and over in technology. They hold our hands like and avoid the word "formula" if they can.
Other days I'm bowled over by the brevity. Professors will mention some aspect of an airplane, or how something works, and we get the cliffs notes version, when in engineering that entire theory, concept, whatever was an entire month's worth of work. And I'm left there with my mouth hanging open, wondering when we're going to get an assload of problems working out the enthalpy of a closed system carnot cycle efficiency heat engine with a partial properties chart. Nope! Just point to the right colored box on the diagram!
I'm doing pretty well, and it feels great to be "smart" again. My counselor was gushing over my grades last semester. It made me feel smart. And at the same time, not? Does that make sense? Or one of my professors will make a comment about "those engineers". "Those engineers don't understand that we need X" or "Those engineers won't bother to check for Y". I cringe on the inside. I was one of them. I was set to be one of them. And I still wish I was, until I think about my 301 final and how badly I cried when I realized I couldn't understand the first problem after an entire semester of trying.
I've taken flight lessons, but I'm not a pilot. I've taken engineering classes, but I'm not an engineer. I'm in a technology program, but I don't think of myself as a technician. I do research but I'm not a scientist. I'm not a mechanic, or a manager, or a salesman. I'm a little bit of everything and some days I wonder where I fit in. Or where I will fit in.
Now they're redesigning the AET curriculum, and I'm hearing rumors it's trying to be molded to more of a core curriculum for the rest of the campus, the A&P will become optional, it's going to be more engineering minded, whatever. I don't know. I want to be done, I want to get my degree, get my certifications, and get a job. Get money and fix some of the crap I have going on. I don't want to worry that the class I'm in will be the last of it's kind and if I fail it won't be available again.
I hate that I'm somewhat desensitized to failing a class. I couldn't fathom that until I got to college. Now, it's still an awful thought, but it's happened so many times it just leaves me with a numb feeling. Engineering has really screwed me up.
Gosh this is a clusterfuck of thoughts pouring out.
I do like my major, I really do. It's super cool when I get to the airport in the morning and the runway lights are on. The other day an F-18 landed 50 feet from where I go to work. I inspect and service actual aircraft engines. I'm doing very well and I'm in such a better position than I ever was in engineering. I just still have so many semesters left, and this routine is starting to grind me down. A week until spring break and I am exhausted.
Here's a good analogy: I feel like I'm an athlete that couldn't cut it at a big school and transferred to a junior college. Now I'm doing better, but I wonder if I can make it to the pros?
I'll get to my thoughts about work soon enough, this is enough for now. I just can't sleep and I figured typing this is better than nothing.
3.04.2011
Maslow was right, as always
Current Mood: ramblin' man
I don't update my blog as much as I should. And when I write "should" I mean "as much as I feel like I should" or "as much as I would like to". And when I say "like to" I guess what I really mean is that it is not as high a priority as other things, which sometimes is a pathetic excuse, but in this case I really feel like it means I am out in the world doing things and learning and working and such. Yay for me?
Part of that also is that I really can't seem to condense my thoughts enough to post something with any brevity, so I procrastinate because I don't always have the gumption or energy to write out everything I'm thinking with the level of detail it deserves, so I end up stalling and stalling until I find a chunk of time, and then I write WAY too much for the casual blog that I have...which is probably what I'll end up doing right here. Fair warning.
My self imposed goal was 1 post a month and I missed last month, so I'm aiming to finish this post and then get another one in before March is over. FYI.
So why am I so busy all the time? I think when last we talked (where'd this conversational tone come from? boy I am in a weird mood today) I was all angsty and nervous about my new job, and I'm probably going to save that for the aforementioned later post... the super short version is I'm not repairing Marine helicopters but I am working very hard, learning new things, and I have my own set of projects to work on that I will describe later.
Moving on.
Life is pretty good right now, but there are some big things looming on the horizon. There are, as of this writing, 141 days until I get married. ! My role in things so far has been pretty low key - I have my tux stuff figured out and from here on out it's mostly just a matter of wrangling up the male half of the wedding party, spending time with them, and offering to help my fiancee with... well, whatever she may need. I'm trying really hard not to be one of *those guys* who sits on his ass and assumes the woman will take care of it all - I have seen up close and personal how expensive and time consuming and exhausting and detail laden this can be, and my woman isn't even close to what you could call a Bridezilla (thank god). Suffice to say the whole engagement process has been a little different than I guess I would have imagined it would be, but I'm not complaining and things seem more or less on track so far. Okay, so maybe we're a little behind and between us we have some wonderful things to work around, but I'm sure every couple has some of that.
Bleh, I bet you are all sick of reading about that, right? What else... my apartment lease ends 1 week before we get married and I have zero idea where I'm going to live after that. I'm probably retiring from the Ship of Fools improv troupe at the end of this semester and possibly joining the adult (read: professional non collegiate) troupe across the river, One Size Fits All. Which makes me feel like crap some days because I worry about the shape of the club for the next year. What few school friends I have in town from my earlier life as a Purdue Engineering student are getting ready to finish and spread into the wind, which is bittersweet. I still have two more years (and 6 more weeks of this current semester) of school, which is great but also sucks, honestly. Can I claim Senioritis at this point? Maybe some advanced mutation?
Probably the hardest thing to deal with, though, is that my fiancee is getting RIF'd (Reduction in Force - we're not firing you, but we don't have a spot for you anymore, as I understand it) at the end of this school year. And because of state budgets, tax dollars, union arguments - a sum of political and economic crap - she also does not have a chance to teach summer school, which was experience and money we were both looking forward to. Because of previously mentioned factors, it's going to be very difficult at best to find another job for her in the local area at all, much less one that is in education, that is in a good school, full time, with benefits, where she would have her own classroom, with a principal that she feels comfortable with, with co-workers that she would get along with and befriend and develop a meaningful career (not that all of those things are present at her current job, I'm just listing some things I would like for her to have).
It's looking like *if* she can find a teaching job, it may be somewhere else in the state. Forgetting for a moment how expensive it will be to try and find two places for us to live, I'm not exactly thrilled at the idea of spending our first year as a married couple (weird to write that, ack) hours (?) apart. I mean, I would absolutely do it if that's how it worked out - I need to be here to finish school for 2 more years, and she brings home the bacon - but I'm not one of those people who hates to come home to his significant other. Quite the opposite, in fact. I really enjoy coming home after a long day of class/lab/work and collapsing onto the couch to watch TV with my fiancee.
At the end of the day, I really just try to put my head down and power through, focusing on my next lab or project or exam and do what I need to do, which is get good grades and work hard so that some day my turn will come to look for a job and hopefully earn money to pay her and other people/institutions back for believing in my going to college. And I'm just optimistic enough to hope that one day, when I've got all this stuff figured out, I will be able to look back and go "oh, remember that time when everything was scary and we were so worried?". But in the meantime, it's enough to make me more than a little nervous.
One week until spring break and a little trip home.
Three weeks until my siblings (and their significant others) come to visit to see Spamalot.
Four weeks until Opening Day.
I don't update my blog as much as I should. And when I write "should" I mean "as much as I feel like I should" or "as much as I would like to". And when I say "like to" I guess what I really mean is that it is not as high a priority as other things, which sometimes is a pathetic excuse, but in this case I really feel like it means I am out in the world doing things and learning and working and such. Yay for me?
Part of that also is that I really can't seem to condense my thoughts enough to post something with any brevity, so I procrastinate because I don't always have the gumption or energy to write out everything I'm thinking with the level of detail it deserves, so I end up stalling and stalling until I find a chunk of time, and then I write WAY too much for the casual blog that I have...which is probably what I'll end up doing right here. Fair warning.
My self imposed goal was 1 post a month and I missed last month, so I'm aiming to finish this post and then get another one in before March is over. FYI.
So why am I so busy all the time? I think when last we talked (where'd this conversational tone come from? boy I am in a weird mood today) I was all angsty and nervous about my new job, and I'm probably going to save that for the aforementioned later post... the super short version is I'm not repairing Marine helicopters but I am working very hard, learning new things, and I have my own set of projects to work on that I will describe later.
Moving on.
Life is pretty good right now, but there are some big things looming on the horizon. There are, as of this writing, 141 days until I get married. ! My role in things so far has been pretty low key - I have my tux stuff figured out and from here on out it's mostly just a matter of wrangling up the male half of the wedding party, spending time with them, and offering to help my fiancee with... well, whatever she may need. I'm trying really hard not to be one of *those guys* who sits on his ass and assumes the woman will take care of it all - I have seen up close and personal how expensive and time consuming and exhausting and detail laden this can be, and my woman isn't even close to what you could call a Bridezilla (thank god). Suffice to say the whole engagement process has been a little different than I guess I would have imagined it would be, but I'm not complaining and things seem more or less on track so far. Okay, so maybe we're a little behind and between us we have some wonderful things to work around, but I'm sure every couple has some of that.
Bleh, I bet you are all sick of reading about that, right? What else... my apartment lease ends 1 week before we get married and I have zero idea where I'm going to live after that. I'm probably retiring from the Ship of Fools improv troupe at the end of this semester and possibly joining the adult (read: professional non collegiate) troupe across the river, One Size Fits All. Which makes me feel like crap some days because I worry about the shape of the club for the next year. What few school friends I have in town from my earlier life as a Purdue Engineering student are getting ready to finish and spread into the wind, which is bittersweet. I still have two more years (and 6 more weeks of this current semester) of school, which is great but also sucks, honestly. Can I claim Senioritis at this point? Maybe some advanced mutation?
Probably the hardest thing to deal with, though, is that my fiancee is getting RIF'd (Reduction in Force - we're not firing you, but we don't have a spot for you anymore, as I understand it) at the end of this school year. And because of state budgets, tax dollars, union arguments - a sum of political and economic crap - she also does not have a chance to teach summer school, which was experience and money we were both looking forward to. Because of previously mentioned factors, it's going to be very difficult at best to find another job for her in the local area at all, much less one that is in education, that is in a good school, full time, with benefits, where she would have her own classroom, with a principal that she feels comfortable with, with co-workers that she would get along with and befriend and develop a meaningful career (not that all of those things are present at her current job, I'm just listing some things I would like for her to have).
It's looking like *if* she can find a teaching job, it may be somewhere else in the state. Forgetting for a moment how expensive it will be to try and find two places for us to live, I'm not exactly thrilled at the idea of spending our first year as a married couple (weird to write that, ack) hours (?) apart. I mean, I would absolutely do it if that's how it worked out - I need to be here to finish school for 2 more years, and she brings home the bacon - but I'm not one of those people who hates to come home to his significant other. Quite the opposite, in fact. I really enjoy coming home after a long day of class/lab/work and collapsing onto the couch to watch TV with my fiancee.
At the end of the day, I really just try to put my head down and power through, focusing on my next lab or project or exam and do what I need to do, which is get good grades and work hard so that some day my turn will come to look for a job and hopefully earn money to pay her and other people/institutions back for believing in my going to college. And I'm just optimistic enough to hope that one day, when I've got all this stuff figured out, I will be able to look back and go "oh, remember that time when everything was scary and we were so worried?". But in the meantime, it's enough to make me more than a little nervous.
One week until spring break and a little trip home.
Three weeks until my siblings (and their significant others) come to visit to see Spamalot.
Four weeks until Opening Day.
1.06.2011
in which some of my choices are beginning to bear fruit
Current Mood: it is snowing outside. WHY WAS I NOT INFORMED?
GRAH. New year, filled with the same optimism, promises, and hopes of an arbitrary day we celebrate. Anyway, I know I've been slacking when it comes to updating here but I still cling to the hope that it's something meaningful. Even though lately I've been wondering the wisdom of spending too much time cataloging and analyzing and dissecting and listing and reposting everything, especially the minutiae and mundane things that make up most of, let's face it, mine and most other's lives. That's not to say that self reflection isn't useful (far from it), but I have to think that parroting back somebody else's work (art, music, film, whatever) is not in and of itself the same as creating your own work - good bad or awful, there is some value to the process, the struggle, the desire and effort to form a thing that was not there previously, combining and synthesizing colors and patterns, sounds, movements, shapes, concepts WHATEVER into something unique and previously nonexistent.
So my brain is filled with plenty of random chaotic thoughts, neuroses, just like everybody else. Right now I'm having trouble sleeping despite trying harder than ever to stick to a routine - go to bed around 11, get up around 7 (admittedly I've been much better this break than I ever have, but still, it's getting worse with school starting back again on Monday).
I hesitated to really bring this up back when it was a nascent idea, but also on Monday I start a new job. That's right! Not long ago I wrote this huge post about my work history and how I wish it was different, and lo and behold last semester I was kicking ass in a class - in part because I've switched to an easier major, in part because I'm not an alcohol fueled freshman dumbass, in part because I actually bother to try.
At any rate, I was doing well in my composite materials class. The first exam, the professor had an open challenge: anybody who could get a perfect score he would treat to lunch. Depending on when you asked me, I would say I either managed to get most of them correctly because I studied and the rest I guessed correctly, or I managed to make that professor pay for that slice of hubris. At any rate, the scary House-ian professor made good on his deal and took me to Pizza Hut and we had a lovely sit down. I told him of my numerous years of struggle in AAE and some about my time at Purdue. He tried to tell me that was normal - after all, his top grad student spent two whole years in AAE. His jaw hit the floor when I told him it took me almost 5 years to switch. But he seemed encouraged and told me to keep up the good work, that he might have an opportunity for me at some point in the future.
I was stoked, but tried to be realistic and not get my hopes up. After all, I was the same student in AAE, just as motivated and personable, and those classes kicked my ass and those professors barely knew my name.
Fast forward to the end of last semester-
side bar, Jenny says I still have a lot of insecurity and fear left over from AAE and I'm inclined to believe... it's now January 6th, spring classes start in 4 days, grades have been out for about 2 weeks and I'm still terrified to look at them even though all indications are that I did very well in my classes
- and my prof (let's call him Prof. S) pulls me aside at the end of lab and tells me he would like to offer me a job. ! I met him with the next week for the details:
*I will be working in the Aerospace Composites Lab at Purdue under Professor S.
*I will be a Research Assistant, working on his various projects that deal with aerospace composite structures.
*His primary project is a special repair gel for Marine Corps helicopters that cures in UV light, which negates many of the expensive/time consuming/tricky requirements of standard repairs. His assistants are helping him test this material to see if it is as strong as conventional repairs.
*I will be making some pretty solid money, 20/hrs a week. The position is for spring and fall, for now.
What else to say. Like I said, I start next week. There is a good chance Prof. S has a spot for a summer internship for me, but we'll have to see how that will mesh with my summer plans for getting married. For now, I'm just happy there's a chance. This is a real Aero Job.
Of course I can't just be happy about something, or proud, or confident, and this is no exception. Prof. S and his Main Grad Student both are kind of intimidating to me. Make that very intimidating. And I did well in the class sometimes because I have already taken two classes on a computer program we used, or lab TAs helping us in lab used my part as an example, etc. Professor thinks I'm some sort of engineering math whiz, which I don't think that I am. So we'll see what sort of work I actually am asked to do.
Not to mention I hate working and schooling at the same time. I've done it before (res. hall main office) and it really sucks sometimes. And that was more like 10 hours/week in a cushy office where I could usually do homework. So here's hoping my 6 more credit hours this semester plus 20 work hours any other thing I might do don't pull down what might be my excellent grades from last semester?
So here's to next week... with cautious, footnote laden optimism?
GRAH. New year, filled with the same optimism, promises, and hopes of an arbitrary day we celebrate. Anyway, I know I've been slacking when it comes to updating here but I still cling to the hope that it's something meaningful. Even though lately I've been wondering the wisdom of spending too much time cataloging and analyzing and dissecting and listing and reposting everything, especially the minutiae and mundane things that make up most of, let's face it, mine and most other's lives. That's not to say that self reflection isn't useful (far from it), but I have to think that parroting back somebody else's work (art, music, film, whatever) is not in and of itself the same as creating your own work - good bad or awful, there is some value to the process, the struggle, the desire and effort to form a thing that was not there previously, combining and synthesizing colors and patterns, sounds, movements, shapes, concepts WHATEVER into something unique and previously nonexistent.
So my brain is filled with plenty of random chaotic thoughts, neuroses, just like everybody else. Right now I'm having trouble sleeping despite trying harder than ever to stick to a routine - go to bed around 11, get up around 7 (admittedly I've been much better this break than I ever have, but still, it's getting worse with school starting back again on Monday).
I hesitated to really bring this up back when it was a nascent idea, but also on Monday I start a new job. That's right! Not long ago I wrote this huge post about my work history and how I wish it was different, and lo and behold last semester I was kicking ass in a class - in part because I've switched to an easier major, in part because I'm not an alcohol fueled freshman dumbass, in part because I actually bother to try.
At any rate, I was doing well in my composite materials class. The first exam, the professor had an open challenge: anybody who could get a perfect score he would treat to lunch. Depending on when you asked me, I would say I either managed to get most of them correctly because I studied and the rest I guessed correctly, or I managed to make that professor pay for that slice of hubris. At any rate, the scary House-ian professor made good on his deal and took me to Pizza Hut and we had a lovely sit down. I told him of my numerous years of struggle in AAE and some about my time at Purdue. He tried to tell me that was normal - after all, his top grad student spent two whole years in AAE. His jaw hit the floor when I told him it took me almost 5 years to switch. But he seemed encouraged and told me to keep up the good work, that he might have an opportunity for me at some point in the future.
I was stoked, but tried to be realistic and not get my hopes up. After all, I was the same student in AAE, just as motivated and personable, and those classes kicked my ass and those professors barely knew my name.
Fast forward to the end of last semester-
side bar, Jenny says I still have a lot of insecurity and fear left over from AAE and I'm inclined to believe... it's now January 6th, spring classes start in 4 days, grades have been out for about 2 weeks and I'm still terrified to look at them even though all indications are that I did very well in my classes
- and my prof (let's call him Prof. S) pulls me aside at the end of lab and tells me he would like to offer me a job. ! I met him with the next week for the details:
*I will be working in the Aerospace Composites Lab at Purdue under Professor S.
*I will be a Research Assistant, working on his various projects that deal with aerospace composite structures.
*His primary project is a special repair gel for Marine Corps helicopters that cures in UV light, which negates many of the expensive/time consuming/tricky requirements of standard repairs. His assistants are helping him test this material to see if it is as strong as conventional repairs.
*I will be making some pretty solid money, 20/hrs a week. The position is for spring and fall, for now.
What else to say. Like I said, I start next week. There is a good chance Prof. S has a spot for a summer internship for me, but we'll have to see how that will mesh with my summer plans for getting married. For now, I'm just happy there's a chance. This is a real Aero Job.
Of course I can't just be happy about something, or proud, or confident, and this is no exception. Prof. S and his Main Grad Student both are kind of intimidating to me. Make that very intimidating. And I did well in the class sometimes because I have already taken two classes on a computer program we used, or lab TAs helping us in lab used my part as an example, etc. Professor thinks I'm some sort of engineering math whiz, which I don't think that I am. So we'll see what sort of work I actually am asked to do.
Not to mention I hate working and schooling at the same time. I've done it before (res. hall main office) and it really sucks sometimes. And that was more like 10 hours/week in a cushy office where I could usually do homework. So here's hoping my 6 more credit hours this semester plus 20 work hours any other thing I might do don't pull down what might be my excellent grades from last semester?
So here's to next week... with cautious, footnote laden optimism?
7.18.2010
work
Current Mood: kinda bored, actually
I think I read somewhere that the average adult has seven jobs in the course of their lifetime. If that's the case, then I think I'm stuck on number two.
Growing up I definitely did house work and yard work for family and neighbors to make a few bucks, mostly cutting grass. I also did stuff like edit reports and design word art brochures for my dad's home business, which netted a few bucks here and there.
It wasn't until high school that I had my first legit have-a-paycheck kind of Job. With a capital J. I had an interview, I learned my social security number, that sort of thing. That was when I worked in the kitchen at Mt. Washington Care Center, washing dishes and serving elderly folks. It was satisfying, in a way, for a few different reasons - it was physical and I got stronger, I ate well for free, helped me pay for my car, it was a good break from my tough AP courses, and I got a lot of satisfaction proving to everybody there that this 15 year old kid could do anything they could, and usually faster. Not to mention it was good to have some spending money, and I felt like it was the right thing to do in high school before college - I really bought into the whole Honor Society/Working Teen/Academic All Star kinda mentality hoping it would help me get into a good school. And I did, so I'm not complaining. It just seems odd to me now that I worried so much about certain things then, and now it's a totally different set of values and headaches.
That job was part time. I was mainly in school, so I worked a few weeknights and usually one weekend night. I usually ran the dinner shift, which was about 4pm to close (around 9pm). Still, I made pretty good money!
Probably the best motivation for MWCC was that that job let me afford flight lessons. I didn't finish - I got my solo and then had to stop - but boy I had a lot of fun with that. Can't wait to get back to doing that someday. Y'know, when I don't have gazillions of dollars in student loans to pay back.
My second Job was when I got to Purdue. Towards the end of my freshman year I started working at the front desk of one of the residence halls. It was pretty easy stuff - answering phones, sorting mail, alphabetizing files and putting stickers on packets. The kind of gruntwork that makes the machine that is college turn, y'know? I got some cool stuff out of it, like free magazines.
I didn't make a ton, in part because I got paid less and I was still working very much part time. It got hard to balance school and work- I could sometimes do homework while I was there, but especially when I moved out of the building the travel time got to be a pain in the butt. Most of my big expenses like books and tuition were from loans (I couldn't make that much even if I worked double full time), so my money was mostly fun money. I usually ended up working all weekend, which kinda sucked. I listened to a lot of Purdue football games on the radio.
Summer conferences could be considered my third Job, but it shares so much in common with Student Office Staff (Job 2) - same employer, mostly same locations, same bosses, that if anything it's like Job 2.5.
At any rate, I've been spending my summers working for University Residences since (...got to school fall 04, first summer home, then...) 2006. At first I was an Operations Assistant (OA) for several years, living in the buildings on my own floor mostly by myself. I went on rounds, worked the check ins and check outs like a hotel, helping the groups coming and going through our halls have a good stay. I got to know a lot of people like Purdue administrators but also some of my good friends. The pay is pretty great, plus I get food and housing on top of it all, which is probably the main reason I keep coming back. It's also pretty easy - it's considered a "part time" job, but most of the hours are just being on call, so I can hang out in my air conditioned room and play video games and get paid to do it.
Then last summer I got promoted midway through the summer to be Senior Assistant (SA) Staffing. My SA left to take a job elsewhere, and I got moved up to take her spot. I was in charge of schedules, mostly, since a lot of the work had already been done by Lisa. I was now The Guy who Took Care of Things when they Went Wrong. Still, I mostly cruised to the end of the summer and thought I'd do that again this year.
Instead, I got brought back, but as an SA Billing. This was a bit of a change of pace for me. For ones, it's definitely a full time 40 hour position. My boss is pretty good about letting me fix my hours as long as I get my work done, which is great, since I don't sleep well. I usually come in around lunchtime and stay to the end of the day, and then I have occasional weekends where I have to come in (like right now). Working for conferences for so long really gives me a step up as a Biller, since I know what's going on.
I have an office. I go there and sit at a computer and play with names and numbers. Before every conference I have to get the roster and contract details into special software (CP5). Once the group is in house I track the meals they eat from reports we get. Then the conference leaves and I get a report of all the nights they stayed, any damages or charges, and I put together a giant bill. It gets audited internally then by the conference, then I send it to some office on campus so the University gets paid (and I do mean get paid, these contracts are usually at least several thousand dollars).
I'm making a lot more now (which is SUPER nice). Enough that I can actually pay for some things like rent and loan payments. I'm One of The Guys that gets called when there is a Problem. I work (mostly) M-F 9-5, instead of 3 or 4 days a week from noon-2 then 7pm in the building until 7am with rounds at 9 and 11 or somesuch. I handle important data and get in trouble when it's not right. I don't get to manipulate my schedule to take a week and a half off like I did as an OA. It's very different.
Admittedly, it's nice not living and breathing conferences like I was as an OA, because that really got tiresome after a while. And if I'm really good and stay on top of things, I don't get in trouble or called in after hours. More money is very nice. I wish I had a car, but don't want to pay for gas, repairs, insurance, or even a car payment. For now I learn to use the bus and plan my schedule around Jenny's work, which is for now very fortunately close and conveniently located.
All of the Purdue stuff has taken me pretty much all across the residential half of campus. By the time I'm done here I probably will have worked in just about every building we have. I've been here so long that the guys I used to make fun of for being the old guys like Kyle and Scott are now asking me when I'm about to graduate, yay.
Blah blah blah old news. What about the future?
It feels like my whole life, but especially my entire school career has been aimed towards ending up in some sort of aerospace field. I was on track until like, my third year of college when everything kind of fell apart.
One summer I almost had Job 3. I got a position for a research fellowship in the Aerospace Engineering department working for a really cool professor on a UAV project. Unfortunately, I a lot of trouble with the whole balancing-work-and-school department (sensing a pattern?) and had to drop out.
That was probably the closest I've gotten to working in the field I want to be working in. Sure, I've got some kind of employment right now, which is more than some people have right now, so I'm trying not to complain. But the fact that I've switched majors and struggled a lot in school means I haven't even gotten close to getting a "career" off the ground (heh, NPI).
I didn't have a 4.0 my freshman year, so I don't have an internship or Co-Op position to get my foot in any doors. It is only recently, with my mom's new husband Scott that I even have a remote tie to the aerospace field. I just feel like a dumb college student on the outside, looking in. Somebody who hasn't graduated yet and is watching his more intelligent peers move onto grad school or get jobs doing super cool stuff. Or worse, watching somebody younger do those things (*through gritted teeth* congratulations, guys, I'm so happy for you).
It's my fault, I guess. I don't want to blame the world for the fact I'm working at Purdue this summer and probably will next summer, instead of being on some Tiger Team at NASA staying up late trying to build an air filter from socks and a flight manual to save some astronauts.
I guess I'm just feeling a little discouraged lately. I hope I can get my new major on track this fall and start steering it away from summer conferences, towards something - anything - related to airplanes and rockets. Something I can label Job 3 and be proud it's the start of my adult career, not just some thing that works because I'm still at/in school. Something that pays the bills and loans, something that starts putting together a plan for insurance, for retirement, for a car and wedding and a house and maybe even a family.
I think I read somewhere that the average adult has seven jobs in the course of their lifetime. If that's the case, then I think I'm stuck on number two.
Growing up I definitely did house work and yard work for family and neighbors to make a few bucks, mostly cutting grass. I also did stuff like edit reports and design word art brochures for my dad's home business, which netted a few bucks here and there.
It wasn't until high school that I had my first legit have-a-paycheck kind of Job. With a capital J. I had an interview, I learned my social security number, that sort of thing. That was when I worked in the kitchen at Mt. Washington Care Center, washing dishes and serving elderly folks. It was satisfying, in a way, for a few different reasons - it was physical and I got stronger, I ate well for free, helped me pay for my car, it was a good break from my tough AP courses, and I got a lot of satisfaction proving to everybody there that this 15 year old kid could do anything they could, and usually faster. Not to mention it was good to have some spending money, and I felt like it was the right thing to do in high school before college - I really bought into the whole Honor Society/Working Teen/Academic All Star kinda mentality hoping it would help me get into a good school. And I did, so I'm not complaining. It just seems odd to me now that I worried so much about certain things then, and now it's a totally different set of values and headaches.
That job was part time. I was mainly in school, so I worked a few weeknights and usually one weekend night. I usually ran the dinner shift, which was about 4pm to close (around 9pm). Still, I made pretty good money!
Probably the best motivation for MWCC was that that job let me afford flight lessons. I didn't finish - I got my solo and then had to stop - but boy I had a lot of fun with that. Can't wait to get back to doing that someday. Y'know, when I don't have gazillions of dollars in student loans to pay back.
My second Job was when I got to Purdue. Towards the end of my freshman year I started working at the front desk of one of the residence halls. It was pretty easy stuff - answering phones, sorting mail, alphabetizing files and putting stickers on packets. The kind of gruntwork that makes the machine that is college turn, y'know? I got some cool stuff out of it, like free magazines.
I didn't make a ton, in part because I got paid less and I was still working very much part time. It got hard to balance school and work- I could sometimes do homework while I was there, but especially when I moved out of the building the travel time got to be a pain in the butt. Most of my big expenses like books and tuition were from loans (I couldn't make that much even if I worked double full time), so my money was mostly fun money. I usually ended up working all weekend, which kinda sucked. I listened to a lot of Purdue football games on the radio.
Summer conferences could be considered my third Job, but it shares so much in common with Student Office Staff (Job 2) - same employer, mostly same locations, same bosses, that if anything it's like Job 2.5.
At any rate, I've been spending my summers working for University Residences since (...got to school fall 04, first summer home, then...) 2006. At first I was an Operations Assistant (OA) for several years, living in the buildings on my own floor mostly by myself. I went on rounds, worked the check ins and check outs like a hotel, helping the groups coming and going through our halls have a good stay. I got to know a lot of people like Purdue administrators but also some of my good friends. The pay is pretty great, plus I get food and housing on top of it all, which is probably the main reason I keep coming back. It's also pretty easy - it's considered a "part time" job, but most of the hours are just being on call, so I can hang out in my air conditioned room and play video games and get paid to do it.
Then last summer I got promoted midway through the summer to be Senior Assistant (SA) Staffing. My SA left to take a job elsewhere, and I got moved up to take her spot. I was in charge of schedules, mostly, since a lot of the work had already been done by Lisa. I was now The Guy who Took Care of Things when they Went Wrong. Still, I mostly cruised to the end of the summer and thought I'd do that again this year.
Instead, I got brought back, but as an SA Billing. This was a bit of a change of pace for me. For ones, it's definitely a full time 40 hour position. My boss is pretty good about letting me fix my hours as long as I get my work done, which is great, since I don't sleep well. I usually come in around lunchtime and stay to the end of the day, and then I have occasional weekends where I have to come in (like right now). Working for conferences for so long really gives me a step up as a Biller, since I know what's going on.
I have an office. I go there and sit at a computer and play with names and numbers. Before every conference I have to get the roster and contract details into special software (CP5). Once the group is in house I track the meals they eat from reports we get. Then the conference leaves and I get a report of all the nights they stayed, any damages or charges, and I put together a giant bill. It gets audited internally then by the conference, then I send it to some office on campus so the University gets paid (and I do mean get paid, these contracts are usually at least several thousand dollars).
I'm making a lot more now (which is SUPER nice). Enough that I can actually pay for some things like rent and loan payments. I'm One of The Guys that gets called when there is a Problem. I work (mostly) M-F 9-5, instead of 3 or 4 days a week from noon-2 then 7pm in the building until 7am with rounds at 9 and 11 or somesuch. I handle important data and get in trouble when it's not right. I don't get to manipulate my schedule to take a week and a half off like I did as an OA. It's very different.
Admittedly, it's nice not living and breathing conferences like I was as an OA, because that really got tiresome after a while. And if I'm really good and stay on top of things, I don't get in trouble or called in after hours. More money is very nice. I wish I had a car, but don't want to pay for gas, repairs, insurance, or even a car payment. For now I learn to use the bus and plan my schedule around Jenny's work, which is for now very fortunately close and conveniently located.
All of the Purdue stuff has taken me pretty much all across the residential half of campus. By the time I'm done here I probably will have worked in just about every building we have. I've been here so long that the guys I used to make fun of for being the old guys like Kyle and Scott are now asking me when I'm about to graduate, yay.
Blah blah blah old news. What about the future?
It feels like my whole life, but especially my entire school career has been aimed towards ending up in some sort of aerospace field. I was on track until like, my third year of college when everything kind of fell apart.
One summer I almost had Job 3. I got a position for a research fellowship in the Aerospace Engineering department working for a really cool professor on a UAV project. Unfortunately, I a lot of trouble with the whole balancing-work-and-school department (sensing a pattern?) and had to drop out.
That was probably the closest I've gotten to working in the field I want to be working in. Sure, I've got some kind of employment right now, which is more than some people have right now, so I'm trying not to complain. But the fact that I've switched majors and struggled a lot in school means I haven't even gotten close to getting a "career" off the ground (heh, NPI).
I didn't have a 4.0 my freshman year, so I don't have an internship or Co-Op position to get my foot in any doors. It is only recently, with my mom's new husband Scott that I even have a remote tie to the aerospace field. I just feel like a dumb college student on the outside, looking in. Somebody who hasn't graduated yet and is watching his more intelligent peers move onto grad school or get jobs doing super cool stuff. Or worse, watching somebody younger do those things (*through gritted teeth* congratulations, guys, I'm so happy for you).
It's my fault, I guess. I don't want to blame the world for the fact I'm working at Purdue this summer and probably will next summer, instead of being on some Tiger Team at NASA staying up late trying to build an air filter from socks and a flight manual to save some astronauts.
I guess I'm just feeling a little discouraged lately. I hope I can get my new major on track this fall and start steering it away from summer conferences, towards something - anything - related to airplanes and rockets. Something I can label Job 3 and be proud it's the start of my adult career, not just some thing that works because I'm still at/in school. Something that pays the bills and loans, something that starts putting together a plan for insurance, for retirement, for a car and wedding and a house and maybe even a family.
8.08.2009
taking root
Current Mood: sick of moving
I'm sick of moving. This is probably mostly a by product of all the moving I've been doing for the past two weeks, but still. Broken down:
Am living/working at Earhart Hall this summer.
Contract for work ended August 3rd, but I'm staying a week past that to help out/get hours.
Helped roommates move out the last of their things, cleaned my old apartment.
Moved the last of my things out of my old apartment into a friend's place (July 28th).
Four days later, moved all of those things again, into my new apartment but didn't stay there.
About a week later (while calling for utilities, etc.) am helping Jenny move (some of) her things.
Furniture still needs to be moved (need: truck, people stronger than me, not rain).
When I'm done at Earhart, the last bit of my things (computer, clothes, etc.) get moved in.
Whew. That should all be done by Monday.
Physically, it's not been nearly as bad as it could be. We've had a really mild summer, and even late July/early August, it's only been like mid 80's most days, instead of 100 degrees with killer humidity. Also, I have had a lot of help from my friends to move, so that's really helpful. I guess I'm just sick of having my stuff in two places, of shuffling back and forth, not having one particular item when I need it, not feeling any sense of stability.
Classes start soon and I need to finalize my schedule, get loans, and a dozen other little things.
I just want to sit in my apartment and relax after this summer, before things kick into gear again. And then I think I want to stay in this apartment as long as I can.
fall 2004: moved to Purdue - McCutcheon Hall
summer 05 - home
fall 05 - Hillenbrand Hall
summer 06 - OA Hillenbrand (different room)
fall 06 - Harrison apartment
summer 07 - OA Hillenbrand
fall 07 - Harrison apartment
summer 08 - OA Earhart
fall 08 -Waterfront apartment
summer 09 - SA Earhart
fall 09 - Fairway apartment
Part of that is that I'm still in college. Part of that is my choice in roommates and living assignments. Part of that is my live-in job for 3 months of the year. I just can't take much more moving right now!
I'm sick of moving. This is probably mostly a by product of all the moving I've been doing for the past two weeks, but still. Broken down:
Am living/working at Earhart Hall this summer.
Contract for work ended August 3rd, but I'm staying a week past that to help out/get hours.
Helped roommates move out the last of their things, cleaned my old apartment.
Moved the last of my things out of my old apartment into a friend's place (July 28th).
Four days later, moved all of those things again, into my new apartment but didn't stay there.
About a week later (while calling for utilities, etc.) am helping Jenny move (some of) her things.
Furniture still needs to be moved (need: truck, people stronger than me, not rain).
When I'm done at Earhart, the last bit of my things (computer, clothes, etc.) get moved in.
Whew. That should all be done by Monday.
Physically, it's not been nearly as bad as it could be. We've had a really mild summer, and even late July/early August, it's only been like mid 80's most days, instead of 100 degrees with killer humidity. Also, I have had a lot of help from my friends to move, so that's really helpful. I guess I'm just sick of having my stuff in two places, of shuffling back and forth, not having one particular item when I need it, not feeling any sense of stability.
Classes start soon and I need to finalize my schedule, get loans, and a dozen other little things.
I just want to sit in my apartment and relax after this summer, before things kick into gear again. And then I think I want to stay in this apartment as long as I can.
fall 2004: moved to Purdue - McCutcheon Hall
summer 05 - home
fall 05 - Hillenbrand Hall
summer 06 - OA Hillenbrand (different room)
fall 06 - Harrison apartment
summer 07 - OA Hillenbrand
fall 07 - Harrison apartment
summer 08 - OA Earhart
fall 08 -Waterfront apartment
summer 09 - SA Earhart
fall 09 - Fairway apartment
Part of that is that I'm still in college. Part of that is my choice in roommates and living assignments. Part of that is my live-in job for 3 months of the year. I just can't take much more moving right now!
8.03.2009
Tell us how you really feel
Current Mood: a little embarassed
Administrative Responsibilities:
Unsatisfactory Marginal Good Excellent Exceptional (written in and circled) Mind Blowing
Staff Function:
Unsatisfactory Marginal Good Excellent Exceptional (written in and circled) Beyond Words
Customer Service
Unsatisfactory Marginal Good Excellent Exceptional (written in and circled) Superior in Every Way
"Really, this employee is beyond description, setting the bar so high and working so hard and so well the English language as we know it has not the appropriate words to convey this truly remarkable young man. But, as his supervisor, I must try to describe, to you, dear reader, what a true pleasure and honor it was simply to share a workspace with this, this...dynamo, this superbeing of professionalism and knowledge, of humility and modesty, of work ethic and flexibility, of handsomeness and charisma...
(over, obviously)
patriotism and intellect, and countless other measures too numerous to list here. In short, he is absolutely everything we've ever searched for in an employee - and then some. How we've come this far without him is a mystery that vexes me constantly and causes me countless sleepless nights."
-SA Ryan Garwood's [fake] review of OA Ryan Garwood
Administrative Responsibilities:
Unsatisfactory Marginal Good Excellent Exceptional (written in and circled) Mind Blowing
Staff Function:
Unsatisfactory Marginal Good Excellent Exceptional (written in and circled) Beyond Words
Customer Service
Unsatisfactory Marginal Good Excellent Exceptional (written in and circled) Superior in Every Way
"Really, this employee is beyond description, setting the bar so high and working so hard and so well the English language as we know it has not the appropriate words to convey this truly remarkable young man. But, as his supervisor, I must try to describe, to you, dear reader, what a true pleasure and honor it was simply to share a workspace with this, this...dynamo, this superbeing of professionalism and knowledge, of humility and modesty, of work ethic and flexibility, of handsomeness and charisma...
(over, obviously)
patriotism and intellect, and countless other measures too numerous to list here. In short, he is absolutely everything we've ever searched for in an employee - and then some. How we've come this far without him is a mystery that vexes me constantly and causes me countless sleepless nights."
-SA Ryan Garwood's [fake] review of OA Ryan Garwood
7.06.2009
Limited Time Offer
Current Mood: productive
After 4 straight summers of being an Operations Assistant for Purdue University Residences Conference Services, I've been promoted to Senior Assistant (Staffing) at Earhart Hall.
My former supervisor, Lisa, was hired on as SA for this summer under the arrangement that she'd be leaving July 5th to take a job at Washington State to be a new Residence Live Manager (Purdue's term) there. Originally, the Earhart Hall general manager (Ken) had ok'd the arrangement, thinking he'd shift Lisa's duties for the remainder of the summer (about 5 weeks) to the other SA (Billing) - Tony.
Once the summer got underway, however, it became apparent that things would get pretty hairy if Tony was to take on all that responsibility. The higher ups at the Conferences Division decided to ask somebody to step in as acting SA for the rest of the summer to help out.
Conferences wanted a nomination, and both Lisa and Tony suggested me, after reviewing my experience and job performance so far. Ken was supposed to approve it, but when this happened he was on vacation, so the decision was moved farther up the chain. The women in charge of all of the conferences know who I am (I've worked there for 4 years, remember?) and unanimously approved the move. Bam.
So within the span of a week, I became interim SA, and just today, started my first official day on my own as supervisor. !
I still do everything I was doing as an OA - have duty nights, go on rounds, work the office, help set up and take down various hall functions, give tours for incoming freshmen, and work the check-ins and check-outs for the various conferences that stay at our hall.
In addition, I now am in charge of more. The biggest responsibility is scheduling - I handle the schedule for 7 OAs and myself for the rest of the summer. I also am in charge of the details for every check in and check out, mainly organizing and setting up the key packets for every guest we have. I'm also supposed to be the go-to guy for any problem that comes up - stuck keys, broken elevators, basement floods, fire alarms, angry/sad/lost guests, noise complaints, late workers, and pretty much anything else that may happen. I post signs and door tags, run orientation meetings for conferences, and attend some meetings regarding large scale issues and changes for conferences.
I've moved from part time (20 hrs/week, plus about 10 hrs/week giving tours) to full time (40 hrs/week). I also get a pretty hefty raise, which is *really* nice. The workload varies a lot week-to-week, though.
Some days are easy. I have the schedule done, no conferences are coming or going, and all of my staff does their jobs and everything hums along perfectly.
Other days I'm running around the building trying to find somebody with the training or clearance to fix something I can't, or find something I wasn't quite told where to find, or something like that. So there's quite a lot of on-the job training.
But it's not like I'm completely helpless. The other SA on staff helps out a lot, the hall GM is around most of the time to help, and I've been an OA for several summers before. I'm pretty well versed in customer service, having worked the main desk at Hillenbrand Hall for a few years, and before that I worked in a kitchen at a nursing home. Plus I've been at school for a while, so I know the answers to most Purdue questions like the back of my hand.
It's the first time I've really moved beyond the entry level at a job before, and I feel very proud. This isn't what I have in mind for a lifelong career, but it still feels good. My boss(es) seemed very pleased I was able to step up and have a lot of faith and trust in my abilities and reliability.
I had actually missed the application process to do this job from the start of the summer, so in some way this feels like a second chance. Hopefully this promotion will be a stepping stone to do it again next year.
I remember when I was a little kid, when my dad would sit at the kitchen table with a ruler and a yellow legal pad, crankin' some tunes, working on his schedule. We (siblings) always joked about how dad would completely tune everything else out while he was working on the schedule - we would have to climb up into his lap just to talk to him. Both my parents have been and currently are managers in very stressful, customer-service oriented fields, and I feel like I have a tiny bit more understanding of what that takes.
I hope I can make them proud.
After 4 straight summers of being an Operations Assistant for Purdue University Residences Conference Services, I've been promoted to Senior Assistant (Staffing) at Earhart Hall.
My former supervisor, Lisa, was hired on as SA for this summer under the arrangement that she'd be leaving July 5th to take a job at Washington State to be a new Residence Live Manager (Purdue's term) there. Originally, the Earhart Hall general manager (Ken) had ok'd the arrangement, thinking he'd shift Lisa's duties for the remainder of the summer (about 5 weeks) to the other SA (Billing) - Tony.
Once the summer got underway, however, it became apparent that things would get pretty hairy if Tony was to take on all that responsibility. The higher ups at the Conferences Division decided to ask somebody to step in as acting SA for the rest of the summer to help out.
Conferences wanted a nomination, and both Lisa and Tony suggested me, after reviewing my experience and job performance so far. Ken was supposed to approve it, but when this happened he was on vacation, so the decision was moved farther up the chain. The women in charge of all of the conferences know who I am (I've worked there for 4 years, remember?) and unanimously approved the move. Bam.
So within the span of a week, I became interim SA, and just today, started my first official day on my own as supervisor. !
I still do everything I was doing as an OA - have duty nights, go on rounds, work the office, help set up and take down various hall functions, give tours for incoming freshmen, and work the check-ins and check-outs for the various conferences that stay at our hall.
In addition, I now am in charge of more. The biggest responsibility is scheduling - I handle the schedule for 7 OAs and myself for the rest of the summer. I also am in charge of the details for every check in and check out, mainly organizing and setting up the key packets for every guest we have. I'm also supposed to be the go-to guy for any problem that comes up - stuck keys, broken elevators, basement floods, fire alarms, angry/sad/lost guests, noise complaints, late workers, and pretty much anything else that may happen. I post signs and door tags, run orientation meetings for conferences, and attend some meetings regarding large scale issues and changes for conferences.
I've moved from part time (20 hrs/week, plus about 10 hrs/week giving tours) to full time (40 hrs/week). I also get a pretty hefty raise, which is *really* nice. The workload varies a lot week-to-week, though.
Some days are easy. I have the schedule done, no conferences are coming or going, and all of my staff does their jobs and everything hums along perfectly.
Other days I'm running around the building trying to find somebody with the training or clearance to fix something I can't, or find something I wasn't quite told where to find, or something like that. So there's quite a lot of on-the job training.
But it's not like I'm completely helpless. The other SA on staff helps out a lot, the hall GM is around most of the time to help, and I've been an OA for several summers before. I'm pretty well versed in customer service, having worked the main desk at Hillenbrand Hall for a few years, and before that I worked in a kitchen at a nursing home. Plus I've been at school for a while, so I know the answers to most Purdue questions like the back of my hand.
It's the first time I've really moved beyond the entry level at a job before, and I feel very proud. This isn't what I have in mind for a lifelong career, but it still feels good. My boss(es) seemed very pleased I was able to step up and have a lot of faith and trust in my abilities and reliability.
I had actually missed the application process to do this job from the start of the summer, so in some way this feels like a second chance. Hopefully this promotion will be a stepping stone to do it again next year.
I remember when I was a little kid, when my dad would sit at the kitchen table with a ruler and a yellow legal pad, crankin' some tunes, working on his schedule. We (siblings) always joked about how dad would completely tune everything else out while he was working on the schedule - we would have to climb up into his lap just to talk to him. Both my parents have been and currently are managers in very stressful, customer-service oriented fields, and I feel like I have a tiny bit more understanding of what that takes.
I hope I can make them proud.
6.26.2009
impromptu storytime
Current Mood: pleased as punch
Steven (3:12:15 PM): so...story time... if you have time of course
Ryan (3:12:23 PM): uh, sure!
Ryan (3:12:33 PM): There once was a stegosaurus who came out purple
Ryan (3:12:55 PM): all the other stegosauri in his family were shades of green and brown, but he was bright purple and all the other stegs made fun of him
Ryan (3:13:06 PM): wouldn't let him play in any steggy games, that sort of thing
Steven (3:13:14 PM): oh no
Ryan (3:14:15 PM): jaded from a lifetime of ridicule from a genetic accident far beyond his control, and lacking both the dexterity and scientific capacity to change his pigmentation, he retired to a quiet island in the Pangea Mediterranean for a life of exile
Ryan (3:14:53 PM): there he met a nice neon orange pterodactyl named Herbert, and together they lived out the rest of their days in friendship
Ryan (3:14:57 PM): then, the meteors came.
Steven (3:15:33 PM): yayish
Ryan (3:17:55 PM): how's that?
Steven (3:19:33 PM): well he was happy, but then died a painful death in the destruction of his people
For the record, he was asking me about my recent work promotion (woo!). In the back of my mind the whole time was this comic from the PBF, which you should all read the hell out of.
Ryan (3:12:23 PM): uh, sure!
Ryan (3:12:33 PM): There once was a stegosaurus who came out purple
Ryan (3:12:55 PM): all the other stegosauri in his family were shades of green and brown, but he was bright purple and all the other stegs made fun of him
Ryan (3:13:06 PM): wouldn't let him play in any steggy games, that sort of thing
Steven (3:13:14 PM): oh no
Ryan (3:14:15 PM): jaded from a lifetime of ridicule from a genetic accident far beyond his control, and lacking both the dexterity and scientific capacity to change his pigmentation, he retired to a quiet island in the Pangea Mediterranean for a life of exile
Ryan (3:14:53 PM): there he met a nice neon orange pterodactyl named Herbert, and together they lived out the rest of their days in friendship
Ryan (3:14:57 PM): then, the meteors came.
Steven (3:15:33 PM): yayish
Ryan (3:17:55 PM): how's that?
Steven (3:19:33 PM): well he was happy, but then died a painful death in the destruction of his people
For the record, he was asking me about my recent work promotion (woo!). In the back of my mind the whole time was this comic from the PBF, which you should all read the hell out of.
8.16.2008
arguably the best summary ever
Current Mood: summer is slipping away...
I've been slackin' on my goal to post once a week here.
Part of that was the early part of the month - I helped Jenny move from Hillenbrand to her new place, and then I moved out of both my old apt. and Earhart into my new place. Many thanks to everybody that helped.
I'm glad that's over, because it felt like a solid week of moving, and the furniture especially sucked to move. I guess I'd underestimated how much stuff I really left back at the old place. That's even with a concerted effort not to keep a lot of things, and even still it was a lot!
I'm more or less all settled in my new place, and it's really nice - a lot of that is just more space, but also the pool, laundry room, more a/c. Greg and I are hangin' all the time (I even have gotten him hooked on RE4) and it looks like it will be a blast living together. I have a slight suspicion that there's a bug infestation in a nearby apartment, but hopefully that's just me being paranoid.
Still need to get my registration and loans goin'...
The other big part of August so far has been Jenny and I's trip to Green Bay. Jenny posted pictures and kinda chronicled everything here: 1 2 3
We left Sunday morning and forgot about the time change driving through Chicago. I'm technically from Cincy, but I really am not a downtown driver. So of course I was terrified to navigate my way to my friend [from improv long ago] Scott's house in the heart of the city. Still, it was a Sunday afternoon and despite a few slow moments and a few tolls, we made it okay. I'll go ahead and mention here the weather was gorgeous the entire time.
Side note: later I want to take a trip to Chicago and get a CityPass because pretty much all of the stuff I want to do and see there is a nerdy museum of some kind. Also, the pass is good for 9 days, so it'll be a big expensive trip.
Had a great time with Scott and his girlfriend Allison. We walked like, 2 miles, trying to find Giordano's Pizza - in part because it's Stu's favorite chain, in part because I'd never had authentic deep dish. This was also my first time to Chicago, despite living 2 hours away for 4 years. After stuffing myself, we rode the 'L' into downtown Chicago (the whole time I kept fantasizing about skipping a day of school to see the sights, making dozens of police cars chase me all over town, and then hunting down the one armed man - and if I was very lucky, seeing Janitor [bonus points to anybody who got that one]).
An eerily quiet Chicago downtown awaited us. We saw the Magnificent Mile (why is it magnificent? because of shopping, apparently, not because of grisly murders), Sears Tower (from the ground), and the street they filmed some of The Dark Knight on. Took pictures at the Bean (sigh). Later that night Scott made us pot roast and we watched a bit of vintage Ah-nold.
The next day we drove to Green Bay. The drive up was pretty uneventful, even if Milwaukee was 50x bigger than I thought it would be (I guess when the only idea of Wisconsin I have is from That 70's Show, I kinda imagined the whole state looked like Eric Forman's house).
Green Bay The City is awesome. The whole town is just like you think - everybody there has a cute almost Canadian accent (mostly it's the drawn out "o"s) and a Favre jersey, even with all the crazy shit that's been going on with him being traded to the Jets. I watched Jenny buy a ton of Packers stuff she's been wanting for a long time, 'cuz it's cheaper/only found there.
Every fan we met there was super nice. Granted, it's not like the Bengals and Packers are hard-core division rivals, but basically it was nothing but smiles and waves. I got to try more local food: butter burgers, cheese curds, and a real bratwurst. Fantastic. My first NFL game was at historic Lambeau, and it was really pretty amazing, like any old stadium should be.
Our sign ("We drove 8 hours to get here, and the loser pays gas!") made some people laugh, but it didn't get us on TV. Oh well. Turns out the family behind us drove 18 hours from Montana, anyway, so it didn't seem so impressive. Plus it was a lie...beforehand we decided that I'd buy tickets, Jenny would buy gas. Yes, that's right, I lied to try to get on the Jumbotron.
Speaking of tickets, our seats were on the 20 yard line-ish, and the view was about the same as Ross-Ade watching the Boilermakers, that is to say pretty decent. The preseason game doesn't count for anything, but it was awesome to see our teams actually playing, tackling, passing, and kicking against each other. Bengals won 20-17, and I was happy to see Aaron Rodgers take over the Packers offense without Favre and do a good job. The drunkest fans we saw were middle aged schoolteachers sitting in the row in front of us. Odd.
The next part of the trip started right after the game. We drove about an hour and a half West of GB to a little town called Waupaca to stay with Jenny's aunt and uncle. They were really nice and drove us around the area to show us some parks and lakes and take us out to eat. Uncle Dennis had an amazing vinyl collection that I went really crazy for. Like for all of Jenny's family, I turned up the charm hoping they would like me. Like all of Jenny's family, I think it worked :D
Unlike the 2-day trip up, we drove back all in one day on Wednesday. We covered close to 400 miles. The rest stop was in Pleasant Prairie (right near the southern WI border) to take a tour of the Jelly Belly factory. Seriously, we only stopped here to stretch our legs, but it was a fun stop. Bought some JB irregulars ("Belly Flops") and some caffeinated "sport beans". The next "stop" was rush-hour Chicago. Seriously...close to 3 hours to go like, 60 miles, and I think we spent 20 dollars in tolls. In retrospect, FUCK toll roads. We drove s'more and had a nice dinner with Benji and Corrie in Valpo (and found a sweet water park for next year).
Whew. Next up: Judas Priest concert on Tuesday.
I've been slackin' on my goal to post once a week here.
Part of that was the early part of the month - I helped Jenny move from Hillenbrand to her new place, and then I moved out of both my old apt. and Earhart into my new place. Many thanks to everybody that helped.
I'm glad that's over, because it felt like a solid week of moving, and the furniture especially sucked to move. I guess I'd underestimated how much stuff I really left back at the old place. That's even with a concerted effort not to keep a lot of things, and even still it was a lot!
I'm more or less all settled in my new place, and it's really nice - a lot of that is just more space, but also the pool, laundry room, more a/c. Greg and I are hangin' all the time (I even have gotten him hooked on RE4) and it looks like it will be a blast living together. I have a slight suspicion that there's a bug infestation in a nearby apartment, but hopefully that's just me being paranoid.
Still need to get my registration and loans goin'...
The other big part of August so far has been Jenny and I's trip to Green Bay. Jenny posted pictures and kinda chronicled everything here: 1 2 3
We left Sunday morning and forgot about the time change driving through Chicago. I'm technically from Cincy, but I really am not a downtown driver. So of course I was terrified to navigate my way to my friend [from improv long ago] Scott's house in the heart of the city. Still, it was a Sunday afternoon and despite a few slow moments and a few tolls, we made it okay. I'll go ahead and mention here the weather was gorgeous the entire time.
Side note: later I want to take a trip to Chicago and get a CityPass because pretty much all of the stuff I want to do and see there is a nerdy museum of some kind. Also, the pass is good for 9 days, so it'll be a big expensive trip.
Had a great time with Scott and his girlfriend Allison. We walked like, 2 miles, trying to find Giordano's Pizza - in part because it's Stu's favorite chain, in part because I'd never had authentic deep dish. This was also my first time to Chicago, despite living 2 hours away for 4 years. After stuffing myself, we rode the 'L' into downtown Chicago (the whole time I kept fantasizing about skipping a day of school to see the sights, making dozens of police cars chase me all over town, and then hunting down the one armed man - and if I was very lucky, seeing Janitor [bonus points to anybody who got that one]).
An eerily quiet Chicago downtown awaited us. We saw the Magnificent Mile (why is it magnificent? because of shopping, apparently, not because of grisly murders), Sears Tower (from the ground), and the street they filmed some of The Dark Knight on. Took pictures at the Bean (sigh). Later that night Scott made us pot roast and we watched a bit of vintage Ah-nold.
The next day we drove to Green Bay. The drive up was pretty uneventful, even if Milwaukee was 50x bigger than I thought it would be (I guess when the only idea of Wisconsin I have is from That 70's Show, I kinda imagined the whole state looked like Eric Forman's house).
Green Bay The City is awesome. The whole town is just like you think - everybody there has a cute almost Canadian accent (mostly it's the drawn out "o"s) and a Favre jersey, even with all the crazy shit that's been going on with him being traded to the Jets. I watched Jenny buy a ton of Packers stuff she's been wanting for a long time, 'cuz it's cheaper/only found there.
Every fan we met there was super nice. Granted, it's not like the Bengals and Packers are hard-core division rivals, but basically it was nothing but smiles and waves. I got to try more local food: butter burgers, cheese curds, and a real bratwurst. Fantastic. My first NFL game was at historic Lambeau, and it was really pretty amazing, like any old stadium should be.
Our sign ("We drove 8 hours to get here, and the loser pays gas!") made some people laugh, but it didn't get us on TV. Oh well. Turns out the family behind us drove 18 hours from Montana, anyway, so it didn't seem so impressive. Plus it was a lie...beforehand we decided that I'd buy tickets, Jenny would buy gas. Yes, that's right, I lied to try to get on the Jumbotron.
Speaking of tickets, our seats were on the 20 yard line-ish, and the view was about the same as Ross-Ade watching the Boilermakers, that is to say pretty decent. The preseason game doesn't count for anything, but it was awesome to see our teams actually playing, tackling, passing, and kicking against each other. Bengals won 20-17, and I was happy to see Aaron Rodgers take over the Packers offense without Favre and do a good job. The drunkest fans we saw were middle aged schoolteachers sitting in the row in front of us. Odd.
The next part of the trip started right after the game. We drove about an hour and a half West of GB to a little town called Waupaca to stay with Jenny's aunt and uncle. They were really nice and drove us around the area to show us some parks and lakes and take us out to eat. Uncle Dennis had an amazing vinyl collection that I went really crazy for. Like for all of Jenny's family, I turned up the charm hoping they would like me. Like all of Jenny's family, I think it worked :D
Unlike the 2-day trip up, we drove back all in one day on Wednesday. We covered close to 400 miles. The rest stop was in Pleasant Prairie (right near the southern WI border) to take a tour of the Jelly Belly factory. Seriously, we only stopped here to stretch our legs, but it was a fun stop. Bought some JB irregulars ("Belly Flops") and some caffeinated "sport beans". The next "stop" was rush-hour Chicago. Seriously...close to 3 hours to go like, 60 miles, and I think we spent 20 dollars in tolls. In retrospect, FUCK toll roads. We drove s'more and had a nice dinner with Benji and Corrie in Valpo (and found a sweet water park for next year).
Whew. Next up: Judas Priest concert on Tuesday.
7.23.2008
Baby Hold On
900 posts!
Current Mood: frustrated
My summer work is almost over. About 2 more weeks of work, and then I'll be done with conferences, done with Earhart, and done with dining hall food. Our last big conference leaves Sunday and I get my floor back, I get paid at the end of the month, and things start to wind down.
Still, the last bit isn't exactly going very smoothly. I was told at the start of the summer to prepare to work until August 8th, which I was. Then we had a staff meeting and were told we could leave on the 3rd...only to get an email an hour later revoking it. Not such a big deal except we still are being asked to move out of our rooms by the 4th to turn things over to the new RAs. Power outages, being on call until the early hours of the morning, construction, and all other sorts of things are workin' my last nerve.
Yeah, this job really can't be beat in terms of compensation (pay, food, housing) vs. actual work (duty, check ins, etc.), but I am really getting sick of doing this. I can't leave my work at work, because I also live, eat, sleep, and socialize here. I'm not making any progress career-wise, either. It's very much a safety job for me, and I want to break free.
I really miss apartment living, which is another reason I'm aching to leave. I need to figure out moving out of Earhart and my old apartment into my new one, and coordinate things with both new roommates and their old one, plus my "current" roommate and the two subleasers living there. On top of that I have to find a vehicle to move my bed, desk, flatware and such, plus move a ton of stuff to other people (Wii, TV, fridge, couch). Plus my fantastic old apt. landlords decided to pro-rate rent for the month of August, so I have to cough up about 100 dollars on top of it all. Who knows how much of my security deposit I'll get back.
And then of course I still need to get registered for classes...but I have made some progress! I went to see my advisor. He pawned me off to his secretary (actually a really nice lady), who informed me that Purdue is transferring all of their administrative tasks to an entirely new software system. So she tried to help me, but I couldn't do anything because of a hold. So I took the printoff to Schleman. Schleman told me it was a loan thing - because of academic problems last year I've been making student loan payments, but part of that was Purdue is also transferring lenders - a multimillion dollar deal. I took the printoff to University Collections. UC told me it was still having problems with "student status" from my academic problems from last year. I went to Hovde and got an official transcript and brought it back to UC. UC told me to wait a few days for the system to update, and then I should be able to go back to my advisor's secretary and register, so then I'll have registered student status for the Fall so I can now apply for a student loan.
And I'm sure that'll just happen without any problems.
What a difference from my last post, eh?
Current Mood: frustrated
My summer work is almost over. About 2 more weeks of work, and then I'll be done with conferences, done with Earhart, and done with dining hall food. Our last big conference leaves Sunday and I get my floor back, I get paid at the end of the month, and things start to wind down.
Still, the last bit isn't exactly going very smoothly. I was told at the start of the summer to prepare to work until August 8th, which I was. Then we had a staff meeting and were told we could leave on the 3rd...only to get an email an hour later revoking it. Not such a big deal except we still are being asked to move out of our rooms by the 4th to turn things over to the new RAs. Power outages, being on call until the early hours of the morning, construction, and all other sorts of things are workin' my last nerve.
Yeah, this job really can't be beat in terms of compensation (pay, food, housing) vs. actual work (duty, check ins, etc.), but I am really getting sick of doing this. I can't leave my work at work, because I also live, eat, sleep, and socialize here. I'm not making any progress career-wise, either. It's very much a safety job for me, and I want to break free.
I really miss apartment living, which is another reason I'm aching to leave. I need to figure out moving out of Earhart and my old apartment into my new one, and coordinate things with both new roommates and their old one, plus my "current" roommate and the two subleasers living there. On top of that I have to find a vehicle to move my bed, desk, flatware and such, plus move a ton of stuff to other people (Wii, TV, fridge, couch). Plus my fantastic old apt. landlords decided to pro-rate rent for the month of August, so I have to cough up about 100 dollars on top of it all. Who knows how much of my security deposit I'll get back.
And then of course I still need to get registered for classes...but I have made some progress! I went to see my advisor. He pawned me off to his secretary (actually a really nice lady), who informed me that Purdue is transferring all of their administrative tasks to an entirely new software system. So she tried to help me, but I couldn't do anything because of a hold. So I took the printoff to Schleman. Schleman told me it was a loan thing - because of academic problems last year I've been making student loan payments, but part of that was Purdue is also transferring lenders - a multimillion dollar deal. I took the printoff to University Collections. UC told me it was still having problems with "student status" from my academic problems from last year. I went to Hovde and got an official transcript and brought it back to UC. UC told me to wait a few days for the system to update, and then I should be able to go back to my advisor's secretary and register, so then I'll have registered student status for the Fall so I can now apply for a student loan.
And I'm sure that'll just happen without any problems.
What a difference from my last post, eh?
7.10.2008
The Fortune Cookie Experiment
Current Mood: mellow
A few weeks back some friends of mine (mostly co-workers around Earhart Hall) convinced me to take part in a project they'd cooked up, something they called The Fortune Cookie Experiment. For one week we all agreed to eat dinner at Earhart Dining Court and grab a fortune cookie from the stir-fry station. For the next 24 hours, we were to live as if the fortune was 100% true (without explicitly broadcasting it, unless that was part of the fortune), and to note the result.
Monday's fortune: You have musical talents. Make them known.
Result: I do have musical talents, but I try not to brag, so this one made me feel awkward. If anything, I wait until somebody asks me about it or the situation allows me to bring it up naturally (like karaoke or Rock Band). That said, I changed my Facebook status to talk about my vocal range, and told people I knew about how I played in concert band in middle and high school.
Tuesday's fortune: He who is aware of his folly is wise.
Result: This one was exhausting. In an attempt to be more wise, I spent the entire day trying to be hyper-aware of things I knew I didn't know much about.
Wednesday's fortune: Your perseverance will pay off soon.
Result: I interpreted "soon" as sometime within the next few days, which meant I largely forgot about my fortune waiting for something to fall into my lap. Nothing did.
Thursday's fortune: You have an unusually magnetic personality.
Result: *rolls eyes* Scott and Anna found out about this one and ran into me every time I walked by them for a full day.
Friday's fortune: We can learn from everyone, especially from our enemies.
Result: I went about my day hoping Snidely Whiplash would leap from the shadows and teach me about advanced mathematics. No dice.
Saturday's fortune: Your energy is at a peak. Channel it into creative activities.
Result: I spent all of Friday working and doing errands, and was completely exhausted by today. I did very little activity at all, much less something creative.
Sunday's fortune: You'll accomplish more later if you take some time for yourself.
Result: I slept in, and then spent several hours reading stuff online. Later...I played video games. No discernible change in accomplishment levels.
Conclusions: I don't hold fortune cookies in very high regard. They're in the same boat as horoscopes and tarot cards, for me. I anticipated a series of general statements that would be difficult to implement into my daily life, and that's more or less what I got. They also threw in some proverb-type statements, which I fully expected.
I would've been more impressed if I'd gotten Saturday and Friday's fortunes switched. Also, my days are not very dynamic, since I stay up and then sleep in working in a mostly-empty residence hall, so it was difficult to apply these with any meaningful result.
The only one I really was surprised by was the first one, and I admit I was uncomfortable "making it known".
Lastly, human interaction remains devoid of ferromagnetic properties. Myth busted.
A few weeks back some friends of mine (mostly co-workers around Earhart Hall) convinced me to take part in a project they'd cooked up, something they called The Fortune Cookie Experiment. For one week we all agreed to eat dinner at Earhart Dining Court and grab a fortune cookie from the stir-fry station. For the next 24 hours, we were to live as if the fortune was 100% true (without explicitly broadcasting it, unless that was part of the fortune), and to note the result.
Monday's fortune: You have musical talents. Make them known.
Result: I do have musical talents, but I try not to brag, so this one made me feel awkward. If anything, I wait until somebody asks me about it or the situation allows me to bring it up naturally (like karaoke or Rock Band). That said, I changed my Facebook status to talk about my vocal range, and told people I knew about how I played in concert band in middle and high school.
Tuesday's fortune: He who is aware of his folly is wise.
Result: This one was exhausting. In an attempt to be more wise, I spent the entire day trying to be hyper-aware of things I knew I didn't know much about.
Wednesday's fortune: Your perseverance will pay off soon.
Result: I interpreted "soon" as sometime within the next few days, which meant I largely forgot about my fortune waiting for something to fall into my lap. Nothing did.
Thursday's fortune: You have an unusually magnetic personality.
Result: *rolls eyes* Scott and Anna found out about this one and ran into me every time I walked by them for a full day.
Friday's fortune: We can learn from everyone, especially from our enemies.
Result: I went about my day hoping Snidely Whiplash would leap from the shadows and teach me about advanced mathematics. No dice.
Saturday's fortune: Your energy is at a peak. Channel it into creative activities.
Result: I spent all of Friday working and doing errands, and was completely exhausted by today. I did very little activity at all, much less something creative.
Sunday's fortune: You'll accomplish more later if you take some time for yourself.
Result: I slept in, and then spent several hours reading stuff online. Later...I played video games. No discernible change in accomplishment levels.
Conclusions: I don't hold fortune cookies in very high regard. They're in the same boat as horoscopes and tarot cards, for me. I anticipated a series of general statements that would be difficult to implement into my daily life, and that's more or less what I got. They also threw in some proverb-type statements, which I fully expected.
I would've been more impressed if I'd gotten Saturday and Friday's fortunes switched. Also, my days are not very dynamic, since I stay up and then sleep in working in a mostly-empty residence hall, so it was difficult to apply these with any meaningful result.
The only one I really was surprised by was the first one, and I admit I was uncomfortable "making it known".
Lastly, human interaction remains devoid of ferromagnetic properties. Myth busted.
7.01.2008
big payoff
Current Mood: productive
I thought the 4th of July was pretty much a holiday unto itself, but apparently it's actually more of a celebration + 3 day weekend, or something. Because of this, I have my favorite holiday (Friday) off, but am working close to 30 hours of the Saturday and Sunday afterward. I was assigned most of those hours on top of my normal ones because apparently nobody else around the hall wants to work.
This is doubly sucky because I have three separate friends coming in from out of town coming to see me (at least in part). I've also been warned three separate times not to attempt to get onto a roof of a Purdue building to watch the fireworks (the penalty is instant termination). I would feel somewhat insulted, but I've more or less made it my mission the past two summers to gain legitimate access to the roofs of University Residences as often as possible.
Attempts: many.
Successes: one.
That said, maybe I'm just paying my dues now. I say this because it looks like August is shaping up to be a pretty awesome month. I'm gonna have a new pool at my new apartment, so I'm looking forward to swimming.
I just ordered my *free* lawn ticket for the Metal Masters tour with Judas Priest. It came free with their newest 2 disc album, Nostradamus. I'll be going with Future Roommate Greg, and I'm really excited. I've only been to 2 concerts - Stxy/REO Speedwagon and Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Also, it looks like my trip to Green Bay with Jenny for Bengals/Packers preseason is gonna happen, too. I'm probably more excited for that. I need to find some orange and black to wear, since it's going to be Monday Night Football and I sure would love to make it on the Jumbotron...
I thought the 4th of July was pretty much a holiday unto itself, but apparently it's actually more of a celebration + 3 day weekend, or something. Because of this, I have my favorite holiday (Friday) off, but am working close to 30 hours of the Saturday and Sunday afterward. I was assigned most of those hours on top of my normal ones because apparently nobody else around the hall wants to work.
This is doubly sucky because I have three separate friends coming in from out of town coming to see me (at least in part). I've also been warned three separate times not to attempt to get onto a roof of a Purdue building to watch the fireworks (the penalty is instant termination). I would feel somewhat insulted, but I've more or less made it my mission the past two summers to gain legitimate access to the roofs of University Residences as often as possible.
Attempts: many.
Successes: one.
That said, maybe I'm just paying my dues now. I say this because it looks like August is shaping up to be a pretty awesome month. I'm gonna have a new pool at my new apartment, so I'm looking forward to swimming.
I just ordered my *free* lawn ticket for the Metal Masters tour with Judas Priest. It came free with their newest 2 disc album, Nostradamus. I'll be going with Future Roommate Greg, and I'm really excited. I've only been to 2 concerts - Stxy/REO Speedwagon and Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Also, it looks like my trip to Green Bay with Jenny for Bengals/Packers preseason is gonna happen, too. I'm probably more excited for that. I need to find some orange and black to wear, since it's going to be Monday Night Football and I sure would love to make it on the Jumbotron...
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