Outdoors

The First Real Relocated Post

So, we have internet. I considered giving you a day or 2 to read the post below, but then I would forget stuff and it wouldn’t make it up. Not that there is much.

First a blog note: Ads are gone. It was going to take years to get a check, and it just wasn’t worth it. Besides, nobody likes ads. Also, the blogversary is coming up. And, I was found on google under national otter day, I love that.

I found a way down to the river finally. The problem is, having made it through the forest, I found a swamp, about 50 foot across still to cross. I turned around and went back up.

We missed all the Sunday shows, which I am very sad over. Fox is the only channel that doesn’t offer online shows. Bastards.

Last night I made yellowfin tuna, tonight was italian sausage and gnocci with tomato onion sauce (homemade sauce, of course).

I picked up the window screen today, so can clean in office without sweating hopefully now.

I have to start applying for jobs. I can’t find anything that I would really like, but have 2 that are semi interesting. May go to Manpower and MichWorks and tell them what I want, maybe they can help. Too bad no work-study until fall.

Jenn is Ok with job so far. Not saying a lot though, because is just orientation. She has learned the hell of Grand Rapids at rush hour though.

OK, thats all I got for now.

nick

Ramblings

So, what’s new? Nothing really. Spent time with Jenn, home in the yard, nothing real big though. Jenn goes for her physical tomorrow at Spectrum. We were going to go to the tulip festival in Holland too, but decided no.

After looking at what we will have to get, pay for, and when she will start work and get first check, we realized we will be very poor for the entirety of May, but situation should improve in June. Sadly, it means a very low chance of camping any time soon, which is related to the no tulip fest mentioned above.

Of course, I am looking for a job too. I think progress on that won’t really pick up until after we are moved. Car insurance, credit card, and car work all take money, and I need a source of some.

I began posting pics on Picasa. I can post higher quality and don’t need to pay for bandwidth or storage. I wouldn’t mind leaving on site if they were viewed regularly, but they just aren’t. It’s only like $3 a year, but still. Also, the ads will likely be gone soon, as it would take about 20 years for me to get up to the $100 needed for Google to send a check.

I went to Delta yesterday, which kind of made me upset because I had rather well convinced myself as I left 2 weeks ago that I would never be there again, not that I did or didn’t want that. Anyway, I was emailed by my counselor that I may need to bring in copies of a few things to get my degree through. So I go out there, go into Records, and they tell me my degree had posted as of about 10 that morning, an hour before I was emailed that it might not go through. There was a point to this paragraph about having to go back after thinking I never had to go back and then having not actually needed to go back, but it was lost. Instead, we will say the point is I do have my degree, on my transcript anyway.

Uhm…

Not as much progress packing as I should be making, though I really don’t have all that much. Jenn is finally packing now, and making somewhat decent progress.

Santa Rosa was launched by Intel today, which means laptop upgrades everywhere. Faster processors, flash-RAM assisted booting, 802.11n standard, and thank god, a replacement to the GMA-950. There are something like 400 new notebooks planned to be released within the next few weeks. Sadly, new MacBook(Pro)s will likely be included in that, with faster booting, better graphics, and more fun-ness. I say sad because I have about a 5% chance of a new computer by year end, with the chance before school starts being less than 1%. The only way I see it happening is if I get a REALLY well paying job, and MTP was as close as I have ever had to that. Then again, maybe it just seemed well paying because I didn’t have so many expenses.

What else…

Apparently I passed 125,000 words a while back. I missed that somehow.

The 4th year of blogging begins soon. Anniversary is May 27th. Then I can add a 4 years back to the sidebar. Seriously, how many people have been blogging for 4 years?

Both counters combined, I am at 12243 visits total.

I need a new poll huh? I just don’t know what to ask really. That will be another loss, I think having the same IP, it won’t let me and Jenn both vote. I will need to mention in a post and give Jenn the poll vote I suppose.

I wonder how long this is? I realize it’s not the 1071 words, but is getting up there. Hmm, only 642 so far (at period of last sentence). I kind of wanted to break record, but I’m not sure I can do 500 more words.

I sent out an email a few days ago with my new address on it, if you didn’t receive it and would like it, let me know.

OK, I think I will leave it off here. See you all later.

nick

Un-Homeless

We have a home now, yay!

We went to Big Rapids yesterday morning and started Silvernail Realty’s office. They took us first to an apartment that was in a rather crappy house, and the apartment had just been left by the previous tenant. It was very dirty, and just not up to out expectations anyway. The next apartment was the best we had seen yet, though still had a few issues. It was an older house, and had a rather small kitchen, but was certainly a possibility. The third apartment was north of town, but only about 5 minutes to Ferris. It was in a newer building designed as an apartment building rather than a converted house. It’s a little bigger that Jenn’s place now, and seemed to have real potential. We told the realtor we were going for lunch and would let her know.

Before lunch though, we went looking for other options. We drove around town looking for Hillcrest-Oakwood’s office, talked to them to find out where Hillcrest was (they are 2 bedroom, Oakwood is 4), stopped at what looked like a converted motel, then went to Hillcrest, which we found behind K-Mart. Hillcrest was quite nice, big apartments and some other things we liked. Time to go make decisions.

So, off we went to Applebee’s for lunch. We debated the pro’s and con’s of the 2 frontrunners. Hillcrest was cheaper, but looked like party central, and we didn’t really want that. The Silvernail building (something bluff’s, I can’t remember) is near the river (can see out window, 200 ft away?) and is out of traffic area. Both offer Jenn good freeway access, and both are far nicer than others we had seen.

Following lunch, with some leaning but no clear answer, we decided to go have a look at a house we had planned to see on our first trip, but had gotten car sick and skipped. It was south of town and right on the dam pond. We pulled up to it and realized it was small, the size of an average garage. The single bedroom was 8×8, barely enough room for a bed, and certainly no dresser in there with it. There was a small living room with a wood stove, a small kitchen, and a small bathroom. There was a closet, but we were not sure if it was for clothes, or the water heater/furnace as we were just looking through the windows. Why is this house worth $600 a month, or buy for $100,000+? The view. It sits 30 ft above the shore of the pond, with a walkway going down. We could have stood on the deck for a long time just staring out. It was a gorgeous view, but still not enough to make up for the very cramped quarters inside.

So, we drove back through town and looked at the Silvernail property again, and decided on that. We went back to their office and signed the lease, and it shall be ours by the 14th. There is currently a guy from Midland in it, whose lease lasts till August, but he wanted to move back to Midland for a summer job and end lease, so he will be out about the 7th. We may get sooner, but 14th latest.

So last night, we were looking at maps, and resolved one of my tiny issues with the place. Being off the highway out of town, biking was looking difficult. But, it turns out, the White-Pine Trail crosses over the river just half a mile or so north-east of apartment, so that means easy access to trail and riding without fighting traffic on Northland.

In other news, Todd had a bon-fire last night. Sadly, as always, he kept throwing in crap so it was hard to sit close and enjoy. He put an airbag in at one point. That was cool to watch, but took 5 minutes to go off, and you had to stand 50 ft back while waiting so as not to be hit by burning debris whenever it did decide to deploy.

OK, that’s all for now folks.

nick

Yay Summer!

So, here is the latest.

As of 9:30 AM Wednesday, I am on break. I never need to go to Delta again. Final grades are supposed to be up tomorrow.

Saturday Jenn and I went for a walk around State Park, and had a corn dog at Muscle Beach. I had heard they hand dip them, but it wasn’t as good as I had hoped. Walk was still fun. And, I set up my hammock and enjoyed that in the back yard Saturday night and a while yesterday.

Jenn accepted a position in the GIGU at Spectrum this morning, physical and all that is next week. We are going tomorrow to look at apartments.

I stopped by the library Friday. Yeah, they miss us. They had a 250+ computer day, we used to get maybe 200 in the summer. With the other branches closed, book check outs may be down, but certainly not computer use.

Jenn broke the counter record with 6058th visit, beating old counter currently at 6057.

I signed up on facebook. I was kind of bored Tuesday evening and decided what the hell.

My room is looking more and more empty. I have a ways to go but am getting there.

Camping should be soon. Not sure exactly.

OK, I am sure I forgot some. I meant to update Wednesday night but put it off, then forgot, then lead to this. Updates will probably remain rather sporadic for a couple weeks.

Ok, later.

nick

The Final Week

My last week at Delta, so sad.

So, the party went well. Fifteen people including myself, and loads of fun. Sadly, I do have quite a pile of leftovers though.

My physics professor made us the deal that if we get 100% on the last 3 assignments we don’t need to take the exam. Well, I just submitted the third and have 100% all around. Honestly, with a 91.9%, the exam is more likely to hut me. We have 3 lab grades coming back, but the chances of an A in the class are pretty much nil. A 4.0 semester would have been nice, but it doesn’t look like it will happen at Delta.

I had last CNC today, last Physics tomorrow (since I don’t need to show for exam I don’t need to take Thursday), and last Materials will be Wednesday. Quite exciting.

Scott earned the honor of 6000th visitor on Saturday morning. 6058th will break the old counters record later this week I hope.

Tulip festival starts May 5th, I think Jenn and I will go to that. Maybe get some camping in around there too.

Jenn has 4 interviews tomorrow at Spectrum and Saint Mary’s in GR.

OK, that’s all I have for now.

nick

Mmm, Mr. Hot Dogs

So, the BBQ is shaping up. I have 12 confirmed, 5 maybe, and 3 I haven’t heard from. Nobody has said no yet though, which means it must be a good idea. Expected high for Sunday is now up to 62, up from 57 yesterday. Rain moved form Wednesday all the way back to Monday though, but I think it will leave us alone.

This Friday night on Jimmy Kimmel, Ferris’s Rube Goldberg team will be showing their national championship rig, with around 140 steps to juice an orange. I somehow thought it was last week, but it is in fact this coming Friday (technically Saturday morning, as after midnight).

I found this on Wikipedia

Nearly ninety percent of the black widow bites reported in the medical literature of the first 4 decades of [the twentieth] century were inflicted on the male genitalia by spiders lurking underneath the seats of outdoor toilets.

Rather scary, huh?

Only a week and a half of school now. Is really sinking in and feeling like exams are tomorrow. Right now I have a Physics test and exam next Thursday, a materials test next Wednesday, and a CNC project to finish up Monday. That’s actually not all that bad I guess.

OK, that’s all you get for now.

nick

Spring Has Sprung

Well, it’s officially spring, A&W opened today. Kind of odd that they opened on a Saturday though.

I am in the process of cleaning my room up, and needed a break, and since I have been rather good at posting every other day, thought I would blog.

Apparently the poll doesn’t work under certain circumstances in IE for some reason. I made a change that maybe will help, if not I can make another. Not that I particularly care if it works in IE, since it sucks, but still.

Google says I my ad is at 235 impressions, and I have earned $0.00. I am waiting for 1000+ impressions to see what I get, and depending on that it may either stay or go.

New season of Man vs Wild supposedly begins April 6, with Survivorman coming later in the year.

I really want to go camping. If Jenn didn’t work this weekend I would have been trying to convince her. Next weekend is Easter and we are going to her parents, then the following 2 weekends are the last of the school year and will be studying and homework galore I am sure. Maybe a “We’re out of school and summer is here” trip from the 27th till whenever?

Yeah, so school is down to 4 weeks, thats 16 actual days of class, 20 classes total. Uhm, 80 hours of class time? My total time left at Delta is 88 hours total then, including my 2 hour break on Mondays.

I received my financial aid award offer from Ferris yesterday, but it was missing 1 grant that I know of, and I possibly qualify for a second. I emailed and asked, should hear back Monday or Tuesday. I also get my grade for my Industrial Safety class Tuesday, since it was an independent study and ended early in the semester. Probably find out how mad I screwed up on my Physics test too.

OK, that is all. Back to cleaning.

New poll tomorrow at Midnight, presuming I got the auto posting to finally work.

nick

Grand Rapids and St. Patrick’s Day

Lets begin with the poll. You have thankfully voted for the easier options, though deleting old polls was a rhetorical option and would never happen, so a page under info wins by a landslide 100% of the votes. I will begin my edits this weekend I believe, or maybe tomorrow afternoon, not sure yet.

The weekend in Grand Rapids. Jenn’s interview went well, and she learned some good info at the job fair. We did some shopping and even some buying, though the buying may have been a little more than it should have been.

On Friday we went to Rudy J’s for my monthly Library breakfast, though it was only 5 people including Jenn and Beth’s husband, so really 3. Once in GR, we went to our hotel and Jenn left for her interview. When she returnded we decided to go shopping and eat. As soon as we went over the overpass I recognized it as where Scott’s sister and boyfriend had taken us when we brought her the couch. So we went to eat at Carrabba’s, which was really good, and decided to go back to the hotel for a while before shopping. Later that night, we finally went shopping, but after about an hour in the mall bought nothing. There was lots I wanted to buy, but I didn’t.

Saturday Jenn went to the job fair and when she got back we checked out and went across to Kentwood, and did a little more shopping there. We had lunch at BD’s then both succumbed to buying at Nordstrom’s, I got a pair of shoes and sandals, Jenn got a pair of shoes and a suit. After that, we headed home.

Saturday night we stopped by the American Legion beer tent downtown and had a Guinness. My mom was volunteering there all weekend, so I got a free t-shirt too. Sunday we went to the parade, but left early because it was getting rather cold.

So, after all the shopping, I am rather sure I am getting the camping fever. Almost everything I wanted to buy was somehow camping related. I could go any time, but Jenn has some problem with camping in the cold.

There was a hiccup with my graduation at Delta leading to me receiving a denied notice, but that has been ironed out. They changed several classes for my major since I applied for it, so I have like 6 substitutions and they lost track of some I guess.

And, I think that is all.

See you all next time,
nick

Spring Break

So, I am on Spring Break for the next week. Jenn and I hope to go look at some houses around Big Rapids at some point, and she is going to a nursing conference in Lansing. I think there was more, but I don’t remember it.

I took Molly for a 4 mile walk on Wednesday. We walked all the way to Jenn’s where I planned to sit until she got out of class about an hour from then. Then a guy who works for the apartments complained to me that I can’t bring a dog in, and I didn’t really want to make it to 8 miles in a day. Lucky for Molly and I, Jenn got out early and picked us up about 15 minutes later.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) there will be a Lunar Eclipse at sunset. Viewing should be best on the East coast, as the sun will set slightly earlier there giving a bit longer observing, but should be quite acceptable here as well providing the skies are clear.

Jenn sold her iBook on eBay today, for more than we expected.

Scott, clarify please.

And, that is all. I hope to update more over break, but we will see.

nick

p.s. Nevermind Scott, I got it.

A Gaggle of Geese

Right now I have 5492 visits, and the former blog ended on 6017 when I took it down (but is at 6057 right now, thanks to still being on my blogger page and on google chche of the old site). So, at the current rate, I would say about a month or so to pass the old counter.

I have been doing rather well at posting once a week on Friday or Saturday, which actually isn’t that great since I should be more often, but oh well.

Speaking of Fridays, Man vs Wild is finally coming back (it was part of Survival Fridas on Discovery). They have had 2 marathons now, so new ones should be in a week or two.

I had 2 posts I was going to make this week, on what I would do if I won the lottery, and my feelings on alternative fuels, but I decided they didn’t really matter so I never posted them.

I have all my financial aid stuff into Ferris, just waiting for them to make award. That will probably be a month or so but I still check everyday. I need to get the health center form filled out still though.

I think that is about it.

See you all when I feel like it, and comment damn it!

nick