School

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

Or Not

I wanted to update more in the last week, but I kept putting it off a few hours, and then a day, and then eventually we got here to a week later with nothing.

So, Spring Break 2007. Yeah, not that great overall.

Monday Jenn and I went to Big Rapids to look at some houses we were considering outside of Big Rapids. Overall, we found the whole area not what we expected. The few houses we did go see were surrounded by trailers, and not even nice ones, in what could best be described as a county sized mobile home park. We were getting a little car sick from making the mistake of taking M-20 in, and disgusted by what we were finding, and decided to quit looking. We did stop by Ryan’s Creek apartments, which looked really nice and was by far the top (perhaps only) contender until we found out we would be double their income limit.

The apartments we looked at in Big Rapids were kid of slummy. Like the college kids don’t care, and the landlords own too many houses to care, and the neighbors gave up too.

So, on the way back we stopped at Jays to lift our spirits. I tried on the shoes I rather liked last time we were there, and decided I didn’t actually like them, though I had been becoming more and more obsessed with getting them. So that kind of bummed me out too.

So, after lots of discussion with Jenn, we are considering (strongly) the possibility that I enroll in Ferris Grand Rapids, presuming I can take my entire program there. That would mean better job opportunities for me, better housing opportunities, and less drive for Jenn. I will be checking into that on Monday. There was also the possibility of me attempting to get into WMU also, but that is kind of drastic.

Other than that, the weekend wasn’t a whole lot of action. I got my vaccination history from the health department which I will need to send to Ferris soon, but not until I know what campus I will be attending.

We did make some really good food though. I made a chicken pot pie, semi-from scratch that was really good. Jenn made Jambalaya, that was also very good. And we learned Jenn, a semi-vegetarian, makes very good meatballs, which I thought odd.

So, that was our spring break.

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

Semi-Linky

Just in case anyone is unaware, Woot!

Yeah.

So, I skipped my class Wednesday, partly due to a complete inability to sleep, and partly because when I realized I had over slept, I considered the situation and decided I didn’t really give a shit.

My site currently consists of about 60 megs, over 50 of which are photos. I am on and off considering moving them to flickr or webshots or something. Not saying I will, but it has been considered. Then again, $0.01/MB/Month x 55MB x 12 Month = $6.60, so not really a huge deal.

I received my financial aid rebate, so I have money for a while. I will absoltely need somthing around Big Rapids though.

I found a camping/backpacking hammock at Wal-Mart a few days ago for $9. I bought it, as thats WAY less than most I have seen. It isn’t great, definately not the mosquitto net wrapped one I wanted from Campmor, but I will be happy with it for a while. I am still trying to figure out how to hang it in my room.

Ok, that’s all I have for you tonight.

Later,
nick

Oops

I slipped again huh. I hate doing it, but it’s hard to blog real often, though I did do stuff to blog about.

Last Sunday, Jenn and I went to a dodgeball game at Delta. An actual, inter-college dodgeball game, against MSU even. There are rather few teams still, as MSU and Delta, along with an Ohio university were cofounders in 2005, but there are championships and everything now. Anyway, it was really different than what is played in the movie, and Delta creamed MSU.

School is still going, nothing real eventful. I talked to me counselor and applied for graduation and all that seems set.

I did my taxes and will be getting a huge $34 rebate from fed, and owe $2 to state. Oh wow. Did FAFSA too.

Jenn and I went to the newish mexican restaurant on Friday, that opened in July-ish on Saginaw, across form the planetarium. We were waiting to go to their lunch buffet, but were never making it so decided to just go for dinner. Well, we must have waited too long because they looked quite closed, and the “For Sale” sign on the door really hammered that point home. So, we went to the one on Broadway instead. I had been in there once before, but that was 10+ years ago when Rudy J’s had just opened there, not as the mexican restaurant. Anyway, it wasn’t bad, but not real great either. The meat was unseasoned, which may me authentic for all I know, but it isn’t what my “Old El Paso” accustomed taste buds were looking for. You simmer your meat with either taco seasoning or salsa, or it can’t go in a taco, its the american law of taco meat, I’m sure it is on record somewhere. Anyway, I would be willing to go back, but only if somebody else was buying.

I receive my Financial Aid refund Tuesday, which Chase will be happy about, and will ease the jobless situation, but I still should find something. It sucks having $0 income. Especially when your car acts up and decides it refuses to idle.

The weather is outright cold right now, huh? Calling for wind chills around -15 tonight, -20 tomorrow, and – 30 tomorrow night. I guess camping is a no.

I think thats about it. I should go work on homework or something.

Try and stay warm, and enjoy the game.

nick

Untitled 10

Way back, on January 7th, Jenn made the 5000th visitor mark, at 10:45 AM.

I just upgraded WordPress to version 2.1. You don’t see any difference, and other than perhaps a slight speed increase you probably wont, and that’s OK. There is a difference on my end, but I won’t get into that.

School is still doing OK, still a little boring though.

Still no job either, suck.

Tomorrow I have my graduation audit, to make sure everything is OK for me to be done at the end of April.

At the former tech staff meeting Friday only 4 of us showed up. That was rather sad. Jeremy was broke and Dan had just worked that night. No idea where Dave Rivet was.

I think that’s all I have.

Number 435

Somehow, by a stroke of strange luck, I managed to get sick for a second week in a row. After finally getting over my flu in time for school last week, I managed to pick up a cold late last week and am still in the end of it.

My classes aren’t quite as bad as I though initially last week, but having an 8 A.M. class today really doesn’t excite me. Only 13 weeks left though.

Still no job yet, which is pissing me off. I am close to deciding to just stick it out till I move and use my refund money that I should get mid February, but I would much rather be making some money.

This morning Delta’s weather station reported a low of 4, and MBS reported a mere 1 degree. I thought it was cold when I went out to start my car in the morning, but didn’t realize that low.

OK, that’s all for today. I will try to update soon. I know I say that and don’t, but I really will.

A Belated Happy 2007

Hello all, and sorry for the posting lapse, hopefully not a sign of the year to come.

OK, lots to cover, so where to start…

1. Happy New Year

Yes, though it is the 9th already, perhaps 10th or 11th by the time you read this, I haven’t said it yet so there you are. A new year’s post just wouldn’t be the same without resolutions, so lets get on with that. I learned to aim low, so I said I would buy a car, bike more, and keep up my grades. Well, I bought a car in June, I raised my GPA by 0.5 since then, and I did fairly well at biking. For next year, I propose the following:

  • Bike more
  • Keep up grades
  • Survive move and not freak out at all the changes

That would be pretty impressive.

I will post a 2006 in review next time.

2. The Gap

So, why did I not post until today? Well, Tuesday I caught one hell of a flew, becoming actually sick around 2 am Tuesday. I spent almost all day Tuesday in bed or the bathroom, getting around 20 hours of sleep. Wednesday I was supposed to go to the Christmas party for work, but thought eating wasn’t in order yet. It wasn’t until Friday I felt I was near healthy. Saturday I went to Saginaw for a family picture that my grandma wanted. Sunday I realized I had to be in school the next day and vacation was over, so I did nothing, and I have been in school since. Also complicating matters was that 20 hours of sleep I mentioned, which had me screwed up to the point of waking between 3 and 5 PM and not going to bed till between 9 AM and noon. Anyway, I was sick, lay off.

3. School

So I went at 7:30 Monday morning and set up my independent study for Industrial Safety, that took about 10 minutes and I woke up for it. At 2:00 at was back to school for physics that was quite boring, then a 2 hour break that was boring, then CNC that was boring. Hopefully that doesn’t persist. Today I had Physics, that was slightly less boring. Tomorrow I will have strengths of materials at 8, that will be very early and I predict boring, and on Thursday I have Physics again, with a good chance of boring. On the non-boring front, I managed to only need 1 book this semester. For my IS the professor borrowed me his book, in CNC we were told the book wasn’t necessary and he didn’t plan to use it (it had been assigned by the previous instructor, who isn’t teaching it anymore apparently), and in Physics I asked and was told my old book from 3 years ago would work fine.

4. MacWorld

Hmm, the first MacWorld keynote I have ever seen with no Mac introductions, disappointing. The Apple TV was released, which is cool if you have an HDTV, but would be better with a built in 802.11n router maybe, or DVR functionality. as a box for the sole purpose of streaming from my computer, why spend $299 when I can get a $29 cable to connect laptop to the TV? Hell, if I had an HDTV I could just get a DVI cable and be done. The iPhone I admit is very cool, but more than I would ever need or could ever afford.

Where was iLife, iWork, Leopard, updated computers, updated software, anything mac related? I don’t know. With Vista approaching, Apple should have had something. WWDC may have the final OS 10.5 preview, as it could land as early as May and be in time to preview Leopard and still give a 30 day shipping announcement, but otherwise some sort of “Special Event” would be necessary. I have been afraid since the iPod began to grow that Apple may start to move too far from the Mac and get over-focussed on other devices, and this mac-less MacWorld brings that fear back all too strong.

OK, thats all from me today. I will try for something during the weekend.

nick

Merry Christmas

I promised you an update by the end of the week, so here it is.

I got my grades on Tuesday, I received an A in Fluid Power, Psychology, and Intro to Business, and an A- in Blueprint Reading. Once again, the A- was from a specific professor who has a strange grading scale that I have griped about before (and likely will again as I have her for winter semester). Wednesday evening Delta called be to let me know my Industrial Safety class was canceled due to low enrollment. The issue here is that I need the class to be able to graduate at the end of the semester, so I left the professor a voice mail and hopefully (I am 99% sure) we can set up an independent study.

Tomorrow morning I will be going with Jenn to Alpena until probably Monday morning or afternoon. We will visit all her family and do the Christmas thing on Saturday. When we get home my Mom and Brother and I will do our Christmas thing, and then at some point I will go visit my Dad and Grandma for their Christmas thing.

Today being Friday, I have today, next Wednesday, and that Friday left of work. Just about 2 and a half days left, 11.75 hours actually.

Jenn and I watched Talladega Nights, Cars, and My Super Ex-Girlfriend over the last 2 days. All were quite good, especially Talladega Nights and Cars. We still have 3 of 4 movies we want to see over break.

I think that is about all I have to report. Will update you all on Christmas Day, or maybe the day after.

nick