Grass

I have grass growing now! This is a momentous time for me. Since I've owned my house I've dealt with looking at dirt and weeds and random grass sprouts. Raking the lawn cleaned up a lot of dead grass. The front yard is finally growing. There are teeny tiny little sprouts coming up. I'm excited.

I did the back yard tonight. I finished raking it, then seeded it and fertilized it. Hopefully the resutls in the back will go well. I think we only have a few more weeks left until leaves start to fall so I'd like to get some grass before then.

Tonight I'm going to do research on grad schools. It is something I am considering, an MBA. I feel like I want to further myself and keep moving. I do NOT want to become stagnant and common place. I know now, if I'm not challenged my mind will rot. I need something to stimulate it, pretty much at all times. I hate not being productive with my mind.

Speaking of being productive, I think laughter is a good thing. Especially when you're on the edge of using language you normally wouldn't because a program is being retarded. For example, this afternoon I had a headache, and I was dimensioning a drawing. At times, the dimensions did not want to cooperate and it was getting rather frustrating. This went on and on, and I would simply recite to myself (maybe my lips even moved, I'm not sure) "NOOO stupid, that's NOT what I meant". Stupid refers to the computer by the way. This went on and on for a while, then one of those friendly little warning boxes with a red "x" popped up, and said:

"At this time, it is impossible to dimension the selected element"

Right. At this time it's impossible. First of all, nothing is impossible. Second of all, how is it impossilbe at this time? Will it be possible 5 minutes from now? Maybe. Yes, it will be possible. I know it's possible because I did it. But not before I did a print screen and taped the warning sign to my computer so I can remember how a little warning box can sound so stupid, but make you laugh.

Saturday

How will you spend your Saturday...knitting, raking leaves, painting porch trim, or making a potato caserole?

I'll spend mine taking an 8 hour long engineering exam. It's ok though because it's "exam" weather, in the low 50's and rainy. There's no other place I'd rather be (for real, I'm actually looking forward to it to see what I remember).

Gather 'Round and I'll Tell Ye a Story

I'm taking a break from studying to tell you this, so please enjoy it.

Beetlejuice was on TV yesterday and I watched about 45 minutes of it. I love that movie. There is a character in the movie, shown above, I want to tell you a little story about. If you've known me for a long time (family) you know I compare people to characters in movies, or make odd names for people, like Nana, or Bebop. Well Paul is the same way, except he sometimes is a little more out there with his character selections, or more creative I guess you could say.

One day, I think the first day, of Fluids class a girl walked in, and she had a TEENY TINY head on top of huge football player shoulders and a thick torso. I couldn't believe it. I immediately said to Paul "Look! She looks like the guy with the shrunken head from Beetlejuice!". We found out her last name was Bugg. Not Bug, Bug-g. You can't say "bug" like an insect, you have to go "Bug-g". Go on, practice: Bug-g-g-g-g. We decided though when you pronounce the name you can't just say Bug-g once, you have to stutter it like Bug-g-g-g-g-g like you're caught on the last G. But an extra G is in the name so it's important, you must enunciate it. Bug-g-g-g-g-g.

Then I had "Dr" Wood and we used her first name with Bug-g and came up with a fictional character called "Judy Bug-g". Matt Junior can do it really well, the way he stumbles his G. I can't really put a face on Judy Bug-g, but she's probably tiny, drives a VW Beetle or a Miata like a maniac, and is real flighty and hectic and talks fast. I think I have a video of Paul doing an impression of her. If you meet her, let me know.

Sh Sh Sh Sh Shhheeahh Moment Diagram

I hated Strengths and Materials in college. It was the worst subject for me. I think I got off on the wrong foot with it, with Yong, my Chinese professor. There was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way, like how he didn't speak coherent English. That actually didn't just rub me the wrong way, it infuriated me. As a side note, if you want to rip your ears off listen to a Chinese person stutter. It WILL drive you insane, I guarantee. So there was that, on top of the fact that he assigned massive amounts of homework due in unreasonable intervals. For example, I think we once had 3 assigments due on one day? I think I made like a 64 on the first test, studied extremely hard for the second test, and made a 62...or some grade like that which you know the teacher gives you just to mock you. Well, maybe not, but I think he did, he was that spiteful. I remember he didn't have time to help me one day after class because "Mr. Smithes I come back from trip and I be much too tired", followed by that tiny little smirk. Ugggh.

So when I made a D in his class I re-took it with "Doctor" Judy Wood. You should watch HERE. I strongly recommend it. It is worth the 35 minutes of your life, I promise. I can't really explain this one, just watch her and you'll know what I mean.

So Strengths and Materials and I just got off on the wrong foot. I even had Thermodynamics with John Saylor, who many Clemson student's think it Satan's brother, and I somehow loved, and still love that subject, so it took a lot for me to be sour about Strenghts and Materials.

To the moral of the story. Things are looking bright for me and Strengths of Materials. I calculated the bucking load of a stabilizer link at work the other day and found out I got a result very similar to what the computer would give. I'm re-introducing myself to it through work, small amounts at a time. I'm getting more comfortable with it.

There is just that little Chinese man that keeps stuttering his words in my head whenever I think of that subject that I'm trying to ebolish. "Helllloooo Boooooyes" and "Behhh Beehhh Beehhhh Behhhhh Beeending, Bending, Bending".

Goodbye Dazed Raccoon

Last night it was rainy, and I got to fall asleep listening to the rain hit the tree leaves outside my window. Those make for the best night's sleep. In the morning I woke up, and it was still raining and dark outside. I did not want to get out of bed, but Jesus died for my sins so the least I can do is get out of bed on a rainy Sunday and go to church. I'm happy to do that. Well, it was cold outside, for August atleast! Today it stayed 63 degrees and overcast and rainy all day. It doesn't feel like August at all.

When I came home from church I saw this little raccoon walking in cirles in the road in front of my apartment. He looked very confused and scared. I bet he was spooked about the weather because this is weird. So when I left my apartment again today, he was dead in the road. I looked on Wikipedia for information about raccoons, because I figured I don't know enough about them. Well they're nocturnal, so I wonder what he was doing out in the road, in the middle of the day?

Tomorrow starts a new week of work. I'm in full swing now, and there's not really anymore "find stuff to do" time. I have stuff to do and it takes the full 8 hrs each day, usually more. I'm not complaining though, I like it.

I'm thinking (I have to make a decision this week) of taking German 101 at a community college this fall. It meets twice a week and I think it would be a good way to meet people my age, have something fun and new to learn, and it's free! My work will pay for all tuition, I think up to $5000/yr. It includes all books too, so I might as well take advantage of that. I wish I still got to use Spanish because I really love that language. German sounds so mean and demanding.

I'll go to Schoolcraft College tomorrow and see what I need to do to enroll. Then Alex and I are supposed to play some Smash Bros. which I have been dying to play.

They Were Closed

I thought the bike shop closed at 8:00, because in Michigan all (excuseme, most) businesses stay open until 8:00 on Monday and Thursday nights, and close at 6:00 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. By the time I left work and got to the shop it was 6:30, and they closed at 6:00. So, I didn't get the bike today. Maybe tomorrow, hopefully.

Even though I didn't get the bike today, I got some wonderful suprises in the mail. Matt Swindler (Hi, Matt *waving*) sent me a postcard from DisneyLand. Mom sent me some mail I got back in South Carolina, and I got my medical and prescription cards from Blue Cross Blue Shield. Kiki (Hey Keh Keh) sent me a nice postcard a while back from San Fran, and Paul (Ju Paul) sent me Pokemon cards 4 weeks ago, that's why there's a Pokemon of the Week.

Work was fun today, I'm doing DFMEA (Design Failure Mode Effect and Analysis) training Monday - Wednesday and I like this a lot. I'm busy at work this week though but I'm getting the hang of things a little more and taking on more responsibility. I guess Dr. Fadel aka Gorgeous Georges taught me something.

Gas is back up to $3.35 per gallon here. Boooo

Tuesday

Class is going well, it's still very easy and the instructor is really lax. We don't get started until 9:00 or so, take about 1 hour worth of breaks, go to lunch at 11:30, come back at 12:30, take another hour break or so, and then leave at 3:30. We're still learning the material, but it's a small class so we go over the material quickly and it's not hard.

After work I stopped by Saturn of Southfield to get a service menu since I can't service my car on my own anymore because of living in an apartment. Let me just say they were a rip off. An oil change is $38, a transmission fluid change is $199, the list goes on and on. Then I stopped by Saturn of Farmington Hills, also on the way home and they were MUCH more reasonable. The oil changes there are only $25, and I can bring my own oil if I want to and they'll just charge me labor, which is $12. So, I'll be going to Saturn of Farmington Hills. Saturn of Plymouth is really close to me also and I'm actually going there Thursday to get my oil changed in my 92 Saturn.

I also went for a jog today around my neighborhood. I just can't get into running. I've tried on several different occasions but I absolutely hate it. I hate the way I feel when I run, I hate the way my body juggles and my stomach flies up to my heart, and my side starts stinging. I hate it. So, I'll walk, treadmill, or do the eliptical trainer but I just cannot get into running. I also had to go get something for my dad for father's day.

I made a frozen pizza for dinner, and saved half for lunch tomorrow. I also ate a gala apple, it was really good. Tomorrow night I'm going to a Detroit Lions game with Bill and Mary Kay, so I'll finally get to go into Detroit and see what that's all about.

I guess that's all for now, everything is going well!

In School Again

Today I had my first CATIA class at Oakland County Community College. I left my apartment at 6:00 am to ensure enough time to get there. I had plenty of time, I was there at 6:45 am and the class didn't start until 8:00 am. I read a story in the newspaper about how Diamler had to sell Chrysler. Remember that bald headed German guy who did the Dodge commercials about a year ago, Dr. Z? He was in the article...and he sounds harsh. The class today was really easy, and today was very very basic. There are only 7 people in the class, including myself. The teacher, Derek, is really young and funny. We already were comfortable with one another by lunchtime which was nice incase we had any questions.

The class only goes from 8:00 - 4:00, with an hour lunch. Today we left at 3:30 which was nice to have a big chunk of the day free. Only, on the way home I got lost trying to find I-75 and ended up in Pontiac. Around Auburn Hills the roads turn crooked, and winding like they are in South Carolina so you have no sense of direction. Add to that one way streets, construction barrels, and Michigan left turns and it gets really confusing. I made my way back though.

I constantly hear people here talking about the job situation in Michigan, and how it's so bad and people are leaving. Well, some people in the class were talking about it today and I don't think that's it's bad, rather they don't want to work for the wages being offered. Some of them said they were worth $70/hr. Well, good luck with that one no matter where you live. Also, a third person today referred to me being from North Carolina instead of South. I don't know why people can't get that right.