Current Mood: grateful
I promise I will write about my internship soon, but I wanted to type this one up before it fell by the wayside.
I was never a big birthday kinda person. I mean, as a kid, I loved getting stuff. I liked getting some special attention from my family. I went to a couple of birthday parties of other kids, and for my 16th birthday my mom let me take a few of my very close buds to (I think) laser tag. Other than that, not really a big fanfare - I don't set my alarm extra early, I don't know or particularly care what *time* I was born, and while I don't mind people knowing when my birthday is or celebrating it, I don't really go out of my way to announce it. I don't hide it, but I won't bring it up in conversation, does that make sense?
Plus, on top of that, I kinda like to sit at home and do my own thing most nights. I mean, yeah, I like to go out sometimes and do things but when I do, I much prefer them to be scheduled in advance with a set start and end time. I realize this probably makes me sound like a robot or a huge introvert or both, but that's just how it is. Deal with it.
So when it comes to birthdays, especially now that I'm older (ugh this is making me sound like an adult), I think my ideal celebration is probably just going out to a nice dinner someplace I like to eat with people I really like - like Gold Star Chili with my family or Triple XXX with the Ship of Fools, something like that. I don't even really care that much about presents - I know plenty of college students who really can't afford it, I'd prefer something personal instead of generic which can be tough (ask Jenny), and I don't like it when I have to guess what level of friendship I am with somebody and feel reciprocal gift obligation. Plus I don't want a bunch of things that I can't use (I still move too much these days). And now that I have a summer birthday (K-12 I did not, now I do and summer birthday people get totally ignored, haha) I've been at Purdue for the past few years when my birthday rolls around.
SO anyway, with that all in mind, this year was a little different. I'm in Texas for my birthday, and at this point I've been here all of a week and a half. I don't really know many people around here, I don't know many cool places, I'm broke and I have no car.
The night before I got kinda bummed. I was feeling homesick, missing my wife, and feeling stupid that I suddenly wanted my birthday to be a bigger deal.
Well, at midnight I started getting some text messages. Then more when I woke up. When I got to work we had a meeting with our whole intern group, and 97 interns kicked it off by singing Happy Birthday to me (probably the largest group I've ever had sing that to me!) [the meeting was not for my birthday, FYI]. Several friends and family called me and left me birthday wishes on my phone.
Facebook blew up with birthday messages, and I used to not think it was that big of a deal. This year, I can honestly say I've never been so happy to read those messages. I wanted to give every single one of those people a hug. So much birthday love when I was feeling homesick, and each message gave me a smile.
When I done with work, my friend Andrew (and his new gf Kimberly) took me out to a local brewpub/steakhouse/sports bar where we got to watch hockey (Stanley Cup game 1) and baseball (Reds!). I got a plush T.Rex and some Hulk gloves, and ordered a giant steak. Got a free dessert, and they insisted on paying for me.
Then, when I got home from that, I found out that Jenny had arranged for a local dessert company to deliver 2 dozen freshly baked cookies (and milk) to my apartment! She even knew that even though the company had several varieties of cookies to pick, I would only want chocolate chip and M&M ones. Love this woman.
So when it was all said and done, I had a pretty killer birthday, and it happened exactly when I needed it!
Oh, I will also mention that Jenny got me a super cool gift. Some backstory (as if this post wasn't long enough): at some point around when I was in middle school, my mom let us pick if we got presents, or she would give us a fixed amount of money and take us shopping for whatever we wanted. Me, being the kid that I was, did not take this opportunity to go wild and purchase whatever suited my fancy, no, it became an exercise in planning and careful calculations, using the most recent Toys R Us ad from the Sunday paper, and later a bit of internet research (yes, at that time, the internet was a fringe thing).
This once a year opportunity was the one chance I had to purchase some big ticket items that otherwise were hopelessly out of my reach, allowance wise. For three straight years, this included going after a large Star Wars Micro Machine playset that went along with all of my various Star Wars space ships and figurines. The first year I got the Hoth playset, the second year I got the Death Star, and by the time the third year rolled around...the Yavin playset was gone. Nowhere to be found.
I don't want to be melodramatic, but I was devastated. I pined for it in a way that only a child and collector could, and as the years wore on I looked for it, but I never saw it again. Heck, the Star Wars Micro Machine line really died off not long after that, and it appeared that that chapter of my life was closed.
You can probably guess where this is going, but I'm gonna tell you anyway. Fast forward to this year, where on a bored weekend Jenny watched the entire Star Wars Trilogy (OT of course) back to back to back with me. While we were hanging out, I got out ALL my old Star Wars toys and she patiently humored me while I explained that the differences between the different TIE fighter models (the Empire chose to specialize their fighters based on mission profile rather than develop a true all purpose craft), and that it wasn't until just before the Battle of Endor that the Rebel Alliance had the resources to develop the B-Wing starfighter, things like that. I also told her about my childhood-defining tale of never managing to find the Yavin playset...the one that got away.
Well, just before I left for Texas Jenny gave me my birthday present, and lo and behold it was the Yavin playset, custom ordered from a specialty toy shop! She remembered my story and figured out *exactly* which one it was (which, given the dearth of options when it comes to Star Wars toys, trust me, there's plenty of opportunity for confusion). It was a total blast from the past (I didn't know any still existed!) and was yet another example of my excellent wife getting me a great gift that was very personal and meaningful.
Showing posts with label Texas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Texas. Show all posts
6.03.2012
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.
5.26.2012
which is worse - messing with Texas or the Sasquatch?
Current Mood: frankly, a bit confused
With the caveat that I haven't really gone off the main roads (from the northwest corner to Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin, then San Antonio), here are some thoughts about Texas so far:
-In my experience, everything isn't bigger in Texas. I've seen smart cars, green fueling stations, and eco-houses. Buildings are normal sizes, portion sizes are the same, and the roads are large in big cities, just like anywhere else.
-The state, however, is enormous. Things are far apart in Texas, because you could fit most of the Midwest in here.
-After Hispanic, I think the most populous minority I've seen here is Czechoslovakian. Did not see that one coming. Props to the Czechs out there with billboards like "Check in at the Czech Inn" and "Czech and Loan".
-I wonder how the Dallas Zoo stacks up to, say, a world class zoo like Cincy's.
-Warm. Hot, actually, to me, but I've been told by reputable sources that I ain't seen nothin' yet (dun dunnn, b-b-baby I ain't seen nothin' yet). Probably less humid than Indiana, but it's no Colorado. Also the weather has been messing with my sinuses something fierce. I've been told I'll get used to it, but I forsee an uphill battle with that one. I'm allowed to wear shorts to work, thank god.
-I saw a billboard advertising a show by Clint Black. Couldn't tell you what he sounds like, but I know he was in Maverick.
-I cannot get used to an area that lives in perpetual summer. Some of the rest stops here are open air bathrooms, like at a campground. The roads - oh, the roads - there's stuff on all of them, little raised bumps and reflectors and knobs that would get destroyed by a snowplow, plus the drainage slopes and runoff drains are way different [I took a road design course at school, okay? cut me some slack].
-This Dallas building ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infomart ) was based on this building ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crystal_Palace ). They may look the same, but boy does the original sound a whole lot classier.
-I saw a hotel proudly advertising an "indoor heated swimming pool". WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE??
-Thankfully, my fears that everybody would be speaking with a deep southern accent and I wouldn't be able to understand them have not come true.
-Texarkana is both a region AND a city, much to my chagrin.
-Colorado has King Soopers, Texas has Tom Thumb. Strange, strange world.
-I returned my car to DFW airport and got seriously lost. Not a pleasant experience, and it may take some time before I'm comfortable driving there again.
-Texas roads have these tiny little exit ramps on the left side of the road. Normally, this would not be a problem, as we have left side exits in Ohio sometimes. It becomes a problem when I don't know where I'm going, so I drive a normal speed like 70 mph, and to avoid upsetting people going 90, I drive in the right hand lane. Then my GPS says "keep left", which I always assumed to mean "ahead, there will be a choice, and you want to take the one that is not on the right" but apparently is code for "go left right now, seriously, do it". Now I'm forced to either ignore my directions and get lost, or force my way into a much faster and aggressive stream of traffic just to immediately dive off the road and screech to a halt, because the tiny exit is completely full of cars.
-Very glad I did not try to drive down here in a car without A/C.
-New burgers!
Jack in the Box: okay, a little too big
In and Out Burger: delicious, would eat again
Whataburger: TBD
I remember as a kid driving to Florida on a family vacation. When we reached the state line, I was extremely disappointed to learn that it looked a lot like the highways of Alabama, that is to say a divided freeway with a grass median and deciduous trees on either side. I was expecting a literal line of sand, palm trees, perhaps a hammock with a crab wearing sunglasses and holding a Corona. Or maybe orange juice.
Apparently my notions of US geography and climate are entirely founded on a very simple puzzle I worked ad nauseum at my grandmother's house. Y'know the one, where Idaho's entire identity is a giant potato, and Maine is a lobster, and I'm pretty sure both Dakotas are Mt. Rushmore.
Another example - when I went to Seattle, and it didn't rain, I was pissed. That's like... the Seattle thing. It didn't feel right until we got soaked.
What the hell does this all have to do with Texas? Well, when we got to the state line of Texas I expected sprawling ranches of cowboys driving longhorn steer around. I expected giant cities full of gleaming neon signs of boots with spurs. I expected every gal to have giant blonde hair and say "y'all" (I actually have met a few of them, actually, but not enough to fit my world view) and every man to look like Clint Eastwood. I expected everything to be a brown desert, with cacti and tumbleweeds and saloons.
I know it's not football season, but I would have thought that after a week here, I would've seen more than ONE Cowboys jersey (thank you, mail room guy).
Am I missing something? Do I need to go to like, Amarillo? Lubbock? Odessa? A movie set? I am craving the Texas experience, and so far, this place looks like Dayton, OH.*
So far, Texas, I am disappoint.
*not really a compliment
With the caveat that I haven't really gone off the main roads (from the northwest corner to Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin, then San Antonio), here are some thoughts about Texas so far:
-In my experience, everything isn't bigger in Texas. I've seen smart cars, green fueling stations, and eco-houses. Buildings are normal sizes, portion sizes are the same, and the roads are large in big cities, just like anywhere else.
-The state, however, is enormous. Things are far apart in Texas, because you could fit most of the Midwest in here.
-After Hispanic, I think the most populous minority I've seen here is Czechoslovakian. Did not see that one coming. Props to the Czechs out there with billboards like "Check in at the Czech Inn" and "Czech and Loan".
-I wonder how the Dallas Zoo stacks up to, say, a world class zoo like Cincy's.
-Warm. Hot, actually, to me, but I've been told by reputable sources that I ain't seen nothin' yet (dun dunnn, b-b-baby I ain't seen nothin' yet). Probably less humid than Indiana, but it's no Colorado. Also the weather has been messing with my sinuses something fierce. I've been told I'll get used to it, but I forsee an uphill battle with that one. I'm allowed to wear shorts to work, thank god.
-I saw a billboard advertising a show by Clint Black. Couldn't tell you what he sounds like, but I know he was in Maverick.
-I cannot get used to an area that lives in perpetual summer. Some of the rest stops here are open air bathrooms, like at a campground. The roads - oh, the roads - there's stuff on all of them, little raised bumps and reflectors and knobs that would get destroyed by a snowplow, plus the drainage slopes and runoff drains are way different [I took a road design course at school, okay? cut me some slack].
-This Dallas building ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infomart ) was based on this building ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crystal_Palace ). They may look the same, but boy does the original sound a whole lot classier.
-I saw a hotel proudly advertising an "indoor heated swimming pool". WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE??
-Thankfully, my fears that everybody would be speaking with a deep southern accent and I wouldn't be able to understand them have not come true.
-Texarkana is both a region AND a city, much to my chagrin.
-Colorado has King Soopers, Texas has Tom Thumb. Strange, strange world.
-I returned my car to DFW airport and got seriously lost. Not a pleasant experience, and it may take some time before I'm comfortable driving there again.
-Texas roads have these tiny little exit ramps on the left side of the road. Normally, this would not be a problem, as we have left side exits in Ohio sometimes. It becomes a problem when I don't know where I'm going, so I drive a normal speed like 70 mph, and to avoid upsetting people going 90, I drive in the right hand lane. Then my GPS says "keep left", which I always assumed to mean "ahead, there will be a choice, and you want to take the one that is not on the right" but apparently is code for "go left right now, seriously, do it". Now I'm forced to either ignore my directions and get lost, or force my way into a much faster and aggressive stream of traffic just to immediately dive off the road and screech to a halt, because the tiny exit is completely full of cars.
-Very glad I did not try to drive down here in a car without A/C.
-New burgers!
Jack in the Box: okay, a little too big
In and Out Burger: delicious, would eat again
Whataburger: TBD
I remember as a kid driving to Florida on a family vacation. When we reached the state line, I was extremely disappointed to learn that it looked a lot like the highways of Alabama, that is to say a divided freeway with a grass median and deciduous trees on either side. I was expecting a literal line of sand, palm trees, perhaps a hammock with a crab wearing sunglasses and holding a Corona. Or maybe orange juice.
Apparently my notions of US geography and climate are entirely founded on a very simple puzzle I worked ad nauseum at my grandmother's house. Y'know the one, where Idaho's entire identity is a giant potato, and Maine is a lobster, and I'm pretty sure both Dakotas are Mt. Rushmore.
Another example - when I went to Seattle, and it didn't rain, I was pissed. That's like... the Seattle thing. It didn't feel right until we got soaked.
What the hell does this all have to do with Texas? Well, when we got to the state line of Texas I expected sprawling ranches of cowboys driving longhorn steer around. I expected giant cities full of gleaming neon signs of boots with spurs. I expected every gal to have giant blonde hair and say "y'all" (I actually have met a few of them, actually, but not enough to fit my world view) and every man to look like Clint Eastwood. I expected everything to be a brown desert, with cacti and tumbleweeds and saloons.
I know it's not football season, but I would have thought that after a week here, I would've seen more than ONE Cowboys jersey (thank you, mail room guy).
Am I missing something? Do I need to go to like, Amarillo? Lubbock? Odessa? A movie set? I am craving the Texas experience, and so far, this place looks like Dayton, OH.*
So far, Texas, I am disappoint.
*not really a compliment
5.25.2012
A Limited Window
Current Mood: I remember it!
We'd finally gotten to San Antonio, where Airman Bradley had been enlisted in the Air Force since early February. I narrowly missed seeing his graduation from Basic Training due to my class schedule and the expense of flying (I contemplated driving, what an awful idea that would have been). Then he started Tech School there, and we found out afterward he'd be leaving to go to Germany for his job! My visit to Texas for my internship happened to provide the perfect opportunity for me to see him for possibly the only time before he left!
I was so happy to see him when we finally arrived - in part because it was the end of the trip, but also because doggone it I missed him pretty bad! For a day and a half we enjoyed San Antonio - stayed in a hotel to get him off base. We ate barbeque, we swam in the hotel pool, we had some drinks, and he told us hours of stories about military life and Basic shenanigans. I really loved hearing his stories - he's got a little different demeanor after enlisting, but especially hearing him tell jokes about the little screwups and victories, it really felt like he was still my brother. He did awesome at Basic, if you're wondering - I'm super proud of him.
We toured his base - got to see the areas I'd seen in pictures where he did PT, took test, trained with his rifle, things like that. Saw the parade grounds, Airman's Run area, even some static planes on display (although when you've seen WPAFB...nothing compares!). Brad insisted that seeing his dorm buildings was no big deal, but our family has always had a thing about seeing where people live and work- I know it helps me picture that person living there and being happy. We also got go to a cool Base Exchange (BX) store and check out some military gear. The whole time Bradley shared some little bits of military lingo... I couldn't always remember it all, but I think it's super neat.
We explored San Antonio a little bit. We saw the outside of The Alamo (apparently it closes at like, 4?) and I saw enough of the plaques outside to move on. Kinda...underwhelming? Didn't help that it was sandwiched between giant skyscrapers - I felt like that detracted from the historical aspect. Anyway, we went down to the Riverwalk. I got another bent penny for my collection, and then we waited a bit to take a boat tour. The tour was great! A good mix of things to learn, like how I had completely forgotten that Miss Congeniality takes place there.
Nabbed a sweet riverside table at a mexican restaurant in part because the waiter liked Brad's Reds hat! His favorite player was Joe Morgan of the Big Red Machine. We had dinner and people watched for a bit, and we waited hours for the christmas lights strung ALL over to light up...nothing!
The end of the visit was bittersweet. Bradley and I were pretty businesslike, but mom cried a lot (as moms are both wont and allowed to do). I don't know when I'll see him next, but I bet he'll be a little more grown up and a lot more worldly!
The next day I dropped mom off at the San Antonio airport (she had an awful trip home, with delays and hours and hours of flights/airport waits - thanks for going with me, mom!) and drove 4 hours back to Dallas. After being surrounded by family for about 3 straight days, it was a lonely drive. SICK of being in the car.
My apartment check in was surprisingly smooth. I picked it completely sight unseen, working with an unknown roommate (Nick, also an intern with me) - so I'm glad it played out okay. Probably my only complaint was that I couldn't show proof of income [my internship was still 3 days from starting at this point], so the company insists on holding a massive extra deposit while I'm here. I will make enough money to cover it just fine...over the course of the 3 months I'm working! Cash flow priorities, for sure.
Moved my stuff in - place is nice, probably somewhere between my current place and our last one. Big, and especially with my meager offerings, feels very empty. Still, it's in a nice area, has central air [does any place in this heat scorched landscape not have central air?], a pool in the complex, isn't too far from work, and is close to food and groceries and stuff.
Picked up roommate from the airport on Monday with my rental car. We went to some stores and bought some essentials, but as my "you stupid idiot, how could you forget _____" list indicates, there remains some items to be had. For the most part, I've tried to lay low, beat the heat, not spend a lot of money by going out, and get ready for my internship!
We'd finally gotten to San Antonio, where Airman Bradley had been enlisted in the Air Force since early February. I narrowly missed seeing his graduation from Basic Training due to my class schedule and the expense of flying (I contemplated driving, what an awful idea that would have been). Then he started Tech School there, and we found out afterward he'd be leaving to go to Germany for his job! My visit to Texas for my internship happened to provide the perfect opportunity for me to see him for possibly the only time before he left!
I was so happy to see him when we finally arrived - in part because it was the end of the trip, but also because doggone it I missed him pretty bad! For a day and a half we enjoyed San Antonio - stayed in a hotel to get him off base. We ate barbeque, we swam in the hotel pool, we had some drinks, and he told us hours of stories about military life and Basic shenanigans. I really loved hearing his stories - he's got a little different demeanor after enlisting, but especially hearing him tell jokes about the little screwups and victories, it really felt like he was still my brother. He did awesome at Basic, if you're wondering - I'm super proud of him.
We toured his base - got to see the areas I'd seen in pictures where he did PT, took test, trained with his rifle, things like that. Saw the parade grounds, Airman's Run area, even some static planes on display (although when you've seen WPAFB...nothing compares!). Brad insisted that seeing his dorm buildings was no big deal, but our family has always had a thing about seeing where people live and work- I know it helps me picture that person living there and being happy. We also got go to a cool Base Exchange (BX) store and check out some military gear. The whole time Bradley shared some little bits of military lingo... I couldn't always remember it all, but I think it's super neat.
We explored San Antonio a little bit. We saw the outside of The Alamo (apparently it closes at like, 4?) and I saw enough of the plaques outside to move on. Kinda...underwhelming? Didn't help that it was sandwiched between giant skyscrapers - I felt like that detracted from the historical aspect. Anyway, we went down to the Riverwalk. I got another bent penny for my collection, and then we waited a bit to take a boat tour. The tour was great! A good mix of things to learn, like how I had completely forgotten that Miss Congeniality takes place there.
Nabbed a sweet riverside table at a mexican restaurant in part because the waiter liked Brad's Reds hat! His favorite player was Joe Morgan of the Big Red Machine. We had dinner and people watched for a bit, and we waited hours for the christmas lights strung ALL over to light up...nothing!
The end of the visit was bittersweet. Bradley and I were pretty businesslike, but mom cried a lot (as moms are both wont and allowed to do). I don't know when I'll see him next, but I bet he'll be a little more grown up and a lot more worldly!
The next day I dropped mom off at the San Antonio airport (she had an awful trip home, with delays and hours and hours of flights/airport waits - thanks for going with me, mom!) and drove 4 hours back to Dallas. After being surrounded by family for about 3 straight days, it was a lonely drive. SICK of being in the car.
My apartment check in was surprisingly smooth. I picked it completely sight unseen, working with an unknown roommate (Nick, also an intern with me) - so I'm glad it played out okay. Probably my only complaint was that I couldn't show proof of income [my internship was still 3 days from starting at this point], so the company insists on holding a massive extra deposit while I'm here. I will make enough money to cover it just fine...over the course of the 3 months I'm working! Cash flow priorities, for sure.
Moved my stuff in - place is nice, probably somewhere between my current place and our last one. Big, and especially with my meager offerings, feels very empty. Still, it's in a nice area, has central air [does any place in this heat scorched landscape not have central air?], a pool in the complex, isn't too far from work, and is close to food and groceries and stuff.
Picked up roommate from the airport on Monday with my rental car. We went to some stores and bought some essentials, but as my "you stupid idiot, how could you forget _____" list indicates, there remains some items to be had. For the most part, I've tried to lay low, beat the heat, not spend a lot of money by going out, and get ready for my internship!
5.24.2012
Highway Companion
Current Mood: as if there were few, if any, limitations on my current situation
A week ago today I left to drive down to Texas for my internship. I'll write more about that soon, but first I wanted to share some thoughts about my big trip to the Lone Star State.
I had originally planned to leave Wednesday morning. When I went to pick up my rental car Tuesday afternoon with my friend Taylor, the rental car company gave me all sorts of hassle - wanted a credit card not a debit card (noted), didn't like my insurance, and balked at the idea that somebody would rent a car for 91 days. Yes, guy at the counter, I need it to get there, to work, to the store, to place and people and things, and then to come home. He said if I wasn't being backed by a corporate insurer, the required insurance would almost double the price, placing the already probably out of my price range into "and monkeys might fly out of my butt" range. So...lovely.
We settled on a one week rental, enough time for me to get where I was going and then get set up, before I had to return it. Once we worked out the details and I explained my plight, the rental company actually cut me a deal, so I managed to get my car early Thursday. Taylor was once again my driver, and I had packed out what I felt was a balance between the absolute bare minimum (basically living out of a suitcase) and backups and extra things for every contingency (what if there's a chilly evening? flannel lined pants!). Had to leave room for other passengers, though.
Got a really nice silver Toyota Corolla, with about 2400 miles on it - practically a preemie for that brand. Also, air conditioning! (something Jenny and my car does not currently have). So I took off from Indy to Cincy. Stopped for some Gold Star before trailing mom to the Louisville airport, where she would later fly home to. Everything was goin' smooth, weather was great, I was good to go.
Then mom takes over the driving, and we drove to Nashville, then to Memphis. Hit some bad stretches of traffic (including one freaky stop where the other side of the highway was completely empty and a single police cruiser started driving against the flow on our side...combined with the setting sun and the scenery, was very The Walking Dead). Stopped for dinner at the Crack B, then made it all the way to just outside of Little Rock. Stopped at an okay hotel, then zonked out.
Back up again early. Continental breakfast, then we were on the road by 7:30am. Got to Texas (finally) around 10:00am. Ate Jack in the Box for the first time. By this point mom and I had basically run out of things to talk about, and we were rockin' out pretty hard to Warrant, Firehouse, Cinderella, stuff like that. Also, it wasn't boredom that got to me, it was the soreness in my back. We finally got to Dallas...and then continued on to San Antonio to see Bradley.
Austin traffic was awful. The whole drive, though, mom and I planned our stops very well - she drove fast enough that the GPS time saved "paid" for our stops, and we combined food, stretches, and gas at each break. We hit more traffic in San Antonio and I was about ready to claw my way out of the car. We finally, FINALLY got to Bradley's Air Force Base at about 5:40pm, not long after he'd gotten out of class for the day. Despite the delay at the rental car station, mom and I managed to cover 1,400 miles in about 25 driving hours (about 34 real time hours). Not bad! Not something I'm looking forward to doing again in August at the end of my internship, for sure. At least I have a few months to worry about that - plus I'd need to find another car, and maybe another driving partner.
A week ago today I left to drive down to Texas for my internship. I'll write more about that soon, but first I wanted to share some thoughts about my big trip to the Lone Star State.
I had originally planned to leave Wednesday morning. When I went to pick up my rental car Tuesday afternoon with my friend Taylor, the rental car company gave me all sorts of hassle - wanted a credit card not a debit card (noted), didn't like my insurance, and balked at the idea that somebody would rent a car for 91 days. Yes, guy at the counter, I need it to get there, to work, to the store, to place and people and things, and then to come home. He said if I wasn't being backed by a corporate insurer, the required insurance would almost double the price, placing the already probably out of my price range into "and monkeys might fly out of my butt" range. So...lovely.
We settled on a one week rental, enough time for me to get where I was going and then get set up, before I had to return it. Once we worked out the details and I explained my plight, the rental company actually cut me a deal, so I managed to get my car early Thursday. Taylor was once again my driver, and I had packed out what I felt was a balance between the absolute bare minimum (basically living out of a suitcase) and backups and extra things for every contingency (what if there's a chilly evening? flannel lined pants!). Had to leave room for other passengers, though.
Got a really nice silver Toyota Corolla, with about 2400 miles on it - practically a preemie for that brand. Also, air conditioning! (something Jenny and my car does not currently have). So I took off from Indy to Cincy. Stopped for some Gold Star before trailing mom to the Louisville airport, where she would later fly home to. Everything was goin' smooth, weather was great, I was good to go.
Then mom takes over the driving, and we drove to Nashville, then to Memphis. Hit some bad stretches of traffic (including one freaky stop where the other side of the highway was completely empty and a single police cruiser started driving against the flow on our side...combined with the setting sun and the scenery, was very The Walking Dead). Stopped for dinner at the Crack B, then made it all the way to just outside of Little Rock. Stopped at an okay hotel, then zonked out.
Back up again early. Continental breakfast, then we were on the road by 7:30am. Got to Texas (finally) around 10:00am. Ate Jack in the Box for the first time. By this point mom and I had basically run out of things to talk about, and we were rockin' out pretty hard to Warrant, Firehouse, Cinderella, stuff like that. Also, it wasn't boredom that got to me, it was the soreness in my back. We finally got to Dallas...and then continued on to San Antonio to see Bradley.
Austin traffic was awful. The whole drive, though, mom and I planned our stops very well - she drove fast enough that the GPS time saved "paid" for our stops, and we combined food, stretches, and gas at each break. We hit more traffic in San Antonio and I was about ready to claw my way out of the car. We finally, FINALLY got to Bradley's Air Force Base at about 5:40pm, not long after he'd gotten out of class for the day. Despite the delay at the rental car station, mom and I managed to cover 1,400 miles in about 25 driving hours (about 34 real time hours). Not bad! Not something I'm looking forward to doing again in August at the end of my internship, for sure. At least I have a few months to worry about that - plus I'd need to find another car, and maybe another driving partner.
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