School

Back To School

So far school has been pretty good. I can see some of the classes getting a bit hairy toward mid semester but everything should be smooth till at least then. Somehow, 3 of my five classes are in the same room, which is nice. I know most of the people from last semester and that is always a plus as well.

MacWorld keynote begins in 53 minutes. Thank got I have class, that will keep me from peeking until at least 1. I want to manage to watch the video with no knowledge of the updates. I am rather sure I have never managed that, or at least only once.

That’s really all for now. More in depth later tonight I suppose.

nick

And I Was Doing So Well

I had 3 posts in the first week of the year, then I crapped out. Oh well.

I talked to mom and we moved in with my Grandma in May 1986, just before Chris’s first birthday. This leaves both options as possible first memories, likely just a few months apart. I kind of think the Johnny Carson memory was first, just because I can’t recall Chris being around at the time.

You probably noticed theme change. It was just some color switching, nothing major yet. I want something more at the top, as it is too bleh. Just seems like one giant blog of sameness up there. Maybe some pinstipes or an image. Will work on over time.

MacWorld 2008 begins tomorrow. The keynote presentation with new product announcements will be Tuesday at noon eastern, 9 AM pacific. It should be available about 4 PM to view online. If everything works out, I will be getting a new computer shortly after. My Mom and dad are putting in, and I making up the difference. this was actually offered to be around December 10th or so, but I held off knowing the possibilities MacWorld brings. We will see.

Yesterday Jenn and I were bored so we went shopping in Grand Rapids. We didn’t but much but had fun. I drooled at the Apple Store, especially knowing I could be back within a week.

Today we are supposed to do laundry, and make french onion soup, but are lacking in energy. Knowing I have school tomorrow is making me want to go to sleep.

Will have details of first day of school tomorrow maybe, if not they will be thrown in with MacWorld details Tuesday night.

Nick

Shopping and Snow

So, the shopping trip went OK. We went into Nordstrom’s first, and saw a few things we kind of wanted, but no gifts. Jenn bought something for her aunt at Lane Bryant, then we went for lunch.

First, we went to BD’s, but were told about a 20 minutes wait so we went to Grand Rapids Brewing Company. The two beers I tried were so-so, but their sausage plate was very good. Homemade polish sausage, onion bratwurst, sauerkraut, potato pancake, whole grain mustard, and horseradish.

After that, we went to the Woodland Mall and shopped Eddie Bauer, the Apple Store, and Macy’s to name a few. I got Jenn and my Mom’s gift then while we were in JC Penny I thought of getting a throw blanket for my grandma, however they had a very poor selection. So, rather than walk back to Macy’s, we drove to the mall in Grandville.

We found the throw I wanted at Macy’s, then as we walked through the rest of the mall we quickly got irritated by the thousands of people and decided to get out of there.

On the way home, we stopped at Rosie’s Diner in Rockford. I had the chili cheese fries and a slice of dutch apple pie a’la mode. it was all really good, but the chili was really coney, but still good.

Sunday we went to Meijer, Lowe’s, the Dollar Store, and the Old Pioneer Store downtown.

Yesterday was my Statics and Strengths exam, today I turned in a lab and our project for Industrial Engineering and my CNC project, and tomorrow is my Statistics exam.

Snow has been falling here all day, probably about 5″ by now. It’s really wet stick snow too, which is good for snowmen and snowballs, but quite slippery. The fact that they seem to be waiting for it to stop snowing to plow isn’t helping either, especially because it doesn’t seem to be stopping.

OK, that is all I have to say. I will leave you with a pic from about 4:30.

nick

Snowy Trees

Almost

Sorry about the hiatus, has been a little busy with the semester coming to an end. All the projects are done now, just exams next week.

Last night, I saw 4 doe walk out of the treeline, come about 50 ft from me, finally notice me, and run off. Was pretty cool.

Thursday of Friday I am coming to Bay City, after exams. Planning on something with guys from the library on Saturday, and Todd wants to go see Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Futurama movie was pretty good, despite what Scott told me. I am on a mission now to find a Futurama episode that was less good than the movie. Adult Swim is supposed to have a marathon, I will find something then. Maybe the musical episode, where Fry gets the Robot Devil’s hands?

On Wednesday, the 5th, my iBook turned 5 years old. It kind of looks like I might even see it turn 6. It has held up quite well.

I was thinking, and you know the old guys who yell about the young kids and that they need to stay off his lawn? Yeah, that will be me. I am only 25, and I already dislike high-schoolers, as they are too damn young and just seem more annoying than we were in high school. With another 30 or 40 years of dwelling on it, and a bigger gap, by the time I am 60 or so i will be bitching about the damn young’n 50 year olds.

Scott is in Bay City, and I will not be able to see him. As I said, I will be in town Thursday of Friday, and he leaves Thursday morning. I missed him the last time he was in town too.

I saw Ocean’s 13 too, that was decent. The first one was pretty good, second a little less, third a little more less.

Tomorrow Jenn and I are going Christmas shopping in Grand Rapids. Hopefully we can get everything done.

Speaking of Christmas, her family Christmas will be held in Ann Arbor, as her dad will be getting a pacemaker on the 22nd.

I think that is it for right now.

ttyl,

nick

Who Are You?

OK, looking at visit stats, have some questions.

1) Who is the person in Bay City using Firefox on Vista?

2) Where the heck is Scott? Is he the one on Vista?

In other news, school keeps getting closer and closer to the end.

I think that’s all.

nick

Thanksgivings

I guess I am a little late, so alot to go over.

First Thanksgiving was at Jenn’s parents last weekend. We left here Friday afternoon and took 10 across to Clare, then 127 up to Gaylord where we stopped at Jays for a look around. From there, we took 32 across to Alpena where we arrived after 7. Friday night was mostly sitting around, played Trouble with Johnny, and went to bed.

Saturday we ran to Staples for no particular reason, had lunch at Applebees, and spent time with her family. The neighbors were up from Detroit and their son shot his first deer, and a friend of Jenn’s family and his wife came over and she got her first deer as well.

Sunday we had our dinner, mostly appetizers and the like. Jenn’s sister and boyfriend and her 2 were over as well, and it was fun. Around 2 or 3 we left for home, and decided to take 33 down to 72 and across to Greyling. We missed 72 though, and ended up going through Rose City and having to take 55 through Houghton Lake to 127. It really wasn’t out of the way, as there is no good route, and going south then west or west then south makes no real difference. All told, it is 4 hours, 200 miles between, plus or minus a little depending on the route.

Monday and Tuesday was class, that’s about it. Jenn was off both days, and made me Beef Tips and Noodles Monday, then we went to Bungalow for all you can eat spaghetti Tuesday, which was a good deal at $6.95. By 8:30 I was in bed with a headache, and quickly asleep.

Wednesday morning Jenn did work, so got up at 5, and out the door by 5:30. Having been to bed so early the night before, I was up with her, and unable to fall back asleep. I managed to wait until about 7, then got antsy and left for Bay City. I made a stop in Evart at McDonald’s for breakfast, then continued on arriving in Bay City about 9. Most of the morning I spent with my mom, then went to visit my dad for a while, then shopping with mom. I installed a new blind, new thermostat, and fixed her stereo that wasn’t working right. While we were out getting everything, we had Old Great Wall too.

Thursday I helped out some with dinner, then my Dad came over and we ate. The standard dinner, turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, squash, sweet potatoes, rolls, cranberry sauce. The stuffing was pecan and dried cherry, I rather enjoyed it. After dinner, we watched Happy Feet on one of the premium channels, then Live Free or Die Hard that I had rented with my dad the night before. Both movies were good, but Die Hard was freaking sweet. While we watched, my mom brought us some shrimp and cocktail sauce that was held back from dinner as we decided there had been enough. The sauce was made with very fresh horseradish, and we had to add more ketchup 2 or 3 times to get it right. Strong is good, but for eating a lot, a little weaker is better. After the movie, I headed home, about 7:30 or so. I got back to Big Rapids a few minutes before 9. While in Bay City, I picked up our Christmas Tree and a few other things, so Jenn helped me bring those in.

Interestingly, I turned on Z93 while in Bay City, and it actually came in all the way here, not going out until, I swear, I parked my car. It works somewhat around town, but just barely. For some reason though, where I park my car, I just get silence. Weird.

Friday morning, we went shopping: Staples, Menards, Big Lots, and Meijer, plus Family Video. Then we came home, watched I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, and set up the tree. After adding the lights we bought, we realized we needed more, so out to Lowes and Meijer again. Back home, we finished the tree, had some drinks, ordered a pizza, and watched part of Shrek 3.

Saturday, Jenn worked and I sat around doing nothing. When she got home we finished Shrek, which I returned afterward and that was the night.

Today, same as yesterday. When Jenn gets home we will have dinner (pork cutlet, squash, augratin potatoes) and watch Ocean’s 13. I will do some homework soon too.

While shopping friday, we got memory cards for our phones, an inflatable coleman mattress that converts into a king, double high twin, 2 twins, or a couch, some glasses for Jenn’s sister, a japanese rice bowl set for my dad (2 bowls, 2 pair chopsticks, and 2 soup spoons), ornaments, lights, candles, and a wreath. We kind of wanted the digital photo frame from Meijer, for $29, but were long gone when we got there.

So, I think that is it. I am off to do my homework, and get ready for the second to last week of class (this week and next week of class, then 3 days of exams).

Scott, aren’t you done soon? You never called back after I called about forgetting your birthday.

Ok, bye!

nick

Snow!

Well, I changed my theme as you have seen I’m sure, and now today is snowed all day. No accumulation except on my windshield, but still snow.

Either tomorrow or Saturday Jenn and I go to her parents for Thanksgiving. We kind of want to go tomorrow and come back early Sunday, but Bill (Jenn’s sister’s boyfriend) has to work Saturday so we can’t have dinner until Sunday afternoon.

On my way back from Meijer, I once again saw the “Bridge May Be SPIcy” sign. I giggle every time I see it. I realized I should take a picture, next time.

So, thats about it. Class and home, class and home this week. Yesterday was 6 months since we moved here.

Update on the weekend Sunday or Monday.

nick

Hrmmm…

So, Ludington trip was pretty cool. Great Lakes casting is a foundry, so rather foundry like stuff. Making sand molds, filling them with steel, breaking them out, particle blasting, and then shipping. The tour guide kept stopping in front of operations so we could watch them, which would be cool, but he had a habit of stopping in front of crappy operations. Sure, it’s cool to stand and watch molten steel being poured, but we can’t watch that because there is ladles of hot steel all around and we were in the way, so instead we watch some guy filling molds for 10 minutes, not as cool. The machine that breaks apart the molds is fun to watch though.

Whitehall Industries was a bit more fun. They heat a log of Aluminum about 20 ft long and 8″ round to 900˚F, cut off a 4 ft length like it was butter (which aluminum pretty much is at that temp), and ram it through a little tiny die under a few hundred thousand pounds of pressure. That 4 ft of log comes out as a perfectly formed extrusion up to 175 ft long, amazing. They have one extruder that they change the dies out on every so often, and as pieces come out they cut them to length and send them to the various machining and punching operations through the plant. A good part of what they make is rails for sunroofs for pretty near every manufacturer, as well as splines for convertible tops, and some parts to the C5 corvette frame (which is almost all aluminum, unlike the standard corvette which is steel framed, but still fiberglass body, apparently). They said roughly 80% automotive parts. They just expanded, so had some open space, but were already talking about next expansion in a few years, sounds like they are doing rather well.

My Industrial Engineering test came back as a 63, which sucks. I could have done better, a 93 would have been more my style. Not sure what happened, but will need to make sure it doesn’t again.

Jill has become very big, and has spent the last few days chasing Sunny around. I am not sure if I should do something, or what I could do. I feel bad for Sunny, because she was chased by the first Chi Chi so much when we first got her. The problem is Jill is really big, and only going to get bigger. I don’t want to have to get rid of a fish, but I don’t want to loose one either.

Yesterday want well in the machine lab with the seniors. I had to be there at 8, but we were done by noon, so that wasn’t too bad. I was afraid would be there till 4 or 5 or something. They pretty much finished their machining, have to re-run a few parts, then do heat treat next Friday. I don’t know if I will be there for that or not, will talk to partner Monday and make a decision.

I still need to do tags on all the posts, but it is a scary thought, having done categories on all the posts once already. I know it will end up taking a month or so, and obviously don’t look forward to going through over 500 posts again.

I was looking through and found out my longest blog was not 1071 Words and No Point, but Back from Vacation about Jenn and I’s Mackinaw trip. I was surprised to find that out. My longest post are my two process planning assignments from MFG-111 at Delta.

Speaking of long posts, this one is about long enough. I will see you all later I suppose.

nick

It Snowed

Jenn and I went to Applebee’s tonight for dinner. They have a new menu, and to be honest, I was rather disappointed. Gone is my beef stew over mashed potatoes thing, as well as Jenn’s grilled shrimp. As I flipped through the menu, I honestly felt that there was a whole section missing from it. I considered paying for our drinks and going somewhere else, but being the blustery cold evening it was, I didn’t feel like walking back to the vehicle only to drive a block or 2 and need to get out again. It wouldn’t be that bad, but the quality of some of the food we had gotten one of the last times we went there was rather poor, and we already lost Ruby Tuesday’s to a poor menu change (including price hikes beyond what the items are worth). At least we still have Bennigan’s (please don’t let them go to the dark side too).

I had a test yesterday in Industrial Engineering, and after turning it in I realized just how much I had gotten wrong. Will find out just what I did tomorrow morning.

Also tomorrow is the trip to Ludington with the SME group.

In case anyone missed it, it snowed today, and some yesterday. That is the first of the year I believe, around here anyway.

I posted a few new pics on Picassa, you can check them out by clicking Gallery at the top.

OK, suppose that it all.

Nick

Weekend Alone

Well, not Alone, but without Jenn. She left for Arizona Thursday to see her friend Gwen in Phoenix, and returned on yesterday (Monday).

I went to the Job Fair at Ferris Thursday, which she was still around for, then class, which was uneventful. Friday morning I had class and he snuck the lab in too, so no lab later in the day. That left me a few more hours of free time so I left for bay City around 12.

I took all side roads and even managed to become lost north of Midland. Somehow, it is very easy to take side roads through Mecosta and Isabella County, but once you get to Coleman it all gets screwed up. I have always hated Midland’s roads anyway. Anyhow, I finally crossed into Bay County, and got all excited, and then realized I had never heard of the road I was on, so went south a mile to see what one was next. I ended up at the corner of Garfield and Beaver, and finally remembered how US-10 turns south after the mall, and that since I had been north of 10, I would obviously be very north in Bay County.

Anyway, I finally made my way home, and visited with my Mom for a while. Next, I showed my car off to my Dad, then Todd. Back to home then, pick up Chris and my Mom, and we went to RiverRock for dinner. Once done there, I tried to set up something with everyone from the library but all had plans for Saturday, so I talked with Brandon for a while and then drove around for a bit. I ran to Meijer in Essexville and realized I had not been there since May 17th, almost 5 months before. It was a little weird, familiar but very different. As I drove around a little more, it really hit me that I don’t live in Bay City anymore, and as familiar as it all was, it had become a foreign place.

Saturday morning, I went to the Bay City Mall, and then to Rudy J’s with my Mom. Just before, I had helped her unload a shelf from her truck so my hands were rather dirty from it, so went to wash my hands. This, oddly, is important, because it is the first time I had ever been in Rudy J’s restroom. OK, not that important, but surprising I had been there so many times and never “gone”. Anyway, after that Tim came over to visit, then I went back to my Dad’s to see my Grandma, then headed home.

Everyone liked my car, particularly the color. I am amazed I was as lost as I was in Midland. I mean, I didn’t know where I was exactly for alot of the trip, but I think in Midland was about the most lost I have ever been, and I have never been real lost before. I am going to blame Midland and the Sun, for not shining that day. I went to Weidman for some traveling supplies (Jerky, Vernors, and a honey bun) because the sign gave me a choice of M-20 or Weidman, and I didn’t want to take 20.

So, Sunday I sat around mostly, did a little homework, and made some pretty good chilli.

Monday, Jenn returned after both of my classes.

Today (Yesterday now) I had class, we made stew, and visited the new pet store on Michigan. They have a Jack Dempsey Cichlid about 12″ long, 6″ tall, and 2″ wide. Is scary that our little Jill will get that big in a few years. Heck, in the last month we have had her she has gone from about 2″ to 3″.

So, I think that is all for post number 499.

See you next time.

nick