Travel

New Computer!

So, Friday I got my money from Ferris, so I wrote Jenn a check for $1300 which her bank here cashed, then we headed down to GR. We got lunch at BD’s, then went to Woodland Mall. Jenn bought some Croc’s at Journeys, and I got a shirt with the silhouette of a man and boy, with the man pointing under a tree saying “That’s Shady”. Then, we went to the Apple Store. I walked in, and the concierge greeted me and asked if he could help me, so I pointed at the middle MacBook and said “I want that”. He said “Uhhhm… OK, let me find you an associate” and walked over to a girl and asked if she could help me get a MacBook. She said something like “You are interested in a MacBook?”, to which I replied “Yes, the 2.2GHz White MacBook with SuperDrive, the middle one.” “Uhh-OK, uhm…”. She was, at this point, a little off balance. Associates are no doubt used to selling iPods, or trying to talk iPod buyers into a Mac, or helping a customer decide between a few models, but not somebody who can walk in, not look, and just know exactly what they want. Finally, she regained her spot, fast-forwarding in her mind through all the other sales lecture, and began to ask if I would like a printer as well. “No, I already have a printer, I will consider Apple Care, but not today, and no .Mac”. She stands and does a little more fast forwarding, then said she would be right back and went to the back room. She came out with a black MacBook, so I sent her back for the correct one, then proceeded with checkout.

After shopping, we went to our hotel for the night, that had a really hard bed and maybe 5% humidity. I was itching and sparking all night. Worse, I had a brand new computer without any of my stuff on it, and the hotel wireless was $4.99 and only 100k! Thankfully, they forgot to charge us somehow. After a while there, we went out to dinner at Smokey Bones, kind of like Famous Dave’s but not as good.

Saturday we went to Centerpointe Mall where I almost bought some new shoes at Nordstroms, but they just didn’t fit right. Then, we went across the street to Woodland and ate at Olga’a Kitchen, which was really good, then to Barnes and Noble. After that, we came home and spent the evening here.

Sunday morning, Jenn woke up early, saw Meijer had Wiis in stock, and had one home and hooked up by 9. She woke me up just after 10 to make me help her clean because her parents were on the way. Just as we were about done, they arrived and we talked for a bit. Following that was Meijer, Qdoba, K-Mart, and Wal-Mart. Jenn’s parents proceeded home after that, and we sat around. I got a really bad headache, and spent most of the rest of the day on the couch. While at K-Mart, I bought a Belkin wireless router for my Dad, which was on sale for $29.99. I had found one for $18 on Buy.com, but was a brand I never heard of (but with really good reviews), no shipping, and less hassle. I decided he will like it.

Today was class, that’s about all. I took my computer in and had to answer questions about it, like that it can run windows, and it doesn’t cost a lot, and is cheaper than your $2000 Dell that is only 6 months old and is cracking and being a piece.

Lasty, Scott is apparently being deployed for it sounds like a month. Not sure if he is leaving today, or this week, or in a couple weeks, or when. If you read this, let me know, and good luck.

OK, tata…

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

The Last of 2007

With just 3 hours left in the year, I think I can safely say this will be my last post of 2007. Here it is.

Friday, Jenn and I left for Alpena about 1:00. Just our luck, the snow rolled in about 1:00, so that made it more interesting. There were a few times where visibility couldn’t have been more than 500 ft, and others where it was not bad at all. The biggest annoyance was people being way too cautious, and going 25 in a 55 when the road was totally clean.

Once in Alpena, we had our gift exchange. We got new dishes, a new digital camera (Olympus FE-230), a few candles, some Christmas ornaments, a gallon of Hawaiian Punch, a set of binoculars, a pair of gloves and a scarf, a hoodie, and memory cards for out phones. That was the stuff for Jenn and I, and for just me. There was some more for just Jenn, but I don’t really remember that. We gave Jenn’s family their presents too, including a Transformers voice changing helmet for Johnny, which turned out to be the most annoying gift possible. After gifts, we had dinner, sat around and played with everything, then went to bed.

Saturday morning we awoke, had a little breakfast, and headed down to Bay City. It was the first time we went from Alpena to Bay City since Easter. Once in Bay City, we exchanged gifts with my Mom, played with the Wii for a little bit, then went to Kingfish for dinner. Following that, we went to see my Grandma and Dad and exchange gifts with them, then back home and a little more Wii.

Sunday we woke up and headed to Rudy J’s for dinner, then to Midland for a little shopping. We realized we didn’t really need anything and continued on home. I never got to see my brother as he was out of town, and got back a little after we had left.

Today we sat around. Jenn works tomorrow so in bad early, no new years celebration here.

I will update tomorrow with some things I have been forgetting to mention, and to make the first post of the year.

nick

Merry Christmas

So, Jenn and I spent Christmas together yesterday. We woke up, exchanged gifts, talked about making breakfast, played with our gifts, took a nap, made dinner, ate, and watched TV. I got her a bathroom water filter with drinking fountain and a video adapter for her MacBook. She got me a new wallet, a Lego set, and a watch. After assembling the Legos, I spent far too much time looking up Legos online.

Our Christmas dinner consisted of sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes with gravy, roasted pork loin, biscuits, apple pie, green bean casserole, and jellied cranberries. It was pretty good.

We did learn though, that Christmas is not the same alone. It just seemed like it was done really fast. We really didn’t have a lot of choice though. Jenn worked the day before and day after, so driving to Bay City or Alpena were out, and I wasn’t going to go home and leave her completely alone on Christmas. Next year hopefully will work out better.

Friday morning we plan to leave for Alpena, spend the day and night there, then down to Bay City Saturday and spend the night there, then back here Sunday for a rest on Monday.

I think that about covers it.

Maybe an update before we leave if something good happens, if not when we return Sunday or Monday.

nick

Trip Home

So, Friday I went home to see the family. Was rather uneventful actually, sat around and not much more.

Saturday I met with Dan, Jeremy, Dave, and Matt at Hooters around 6, had some food and a rather craptastic waitress, then headed to Hooligan’s around 8. We sat there until close at 2 having drinks, singing Karaoke, and bullshitting. You can view Dan and Jeremy on YouTube actually, I posted videos of their attempts under my account. Since I had not been drinking, I gave Dan and Jeremy a ride home, as Dan’s mom is just a few blocks from my mom’s house.

Sunday I awoke on the couch and called my mom as I was alone, and found she was at Rudy J’s just finishing breakfast after standing in front of Circuit City and Toys R Us, and had gotten a Wii. Once she got home, I spent most of the day playing Wii sports, and ran with my brother to Target to get WiiPlay, where we found out they had had 60 Wii systems come in that morning. If anyone wants a Wii, they seem to be getting easier to get, especially if you show up early Sunday morning.

Todd came over later Sunday and played a few games with me. He had been at Hooligan’s too, and met up just by chance. After he left, Chris and Brandon played some game till Chris went to bed, then Brandon and I spent a few hours playing WiiSports some more. I was really getting good at baseball and golf, and decent at bowling. Tennis and boxing I was consistently sucktacular.

Monday I woke up, packed everything, and headed back here. I spent the day with Jenn who had it off doing not too much. Tuesday jenn worked, but only until 3. I made Chicken Kiev and cheesy potatoes. Wednesday we got up, she packed, we made a frozen pizza and did some laundry, and then she left to Ann Arbor to be with her dad for his surgery. I have just sat around and enjoyed the nothing since. Her dad was scheduled to go in today at 2:30.

We planned on me going to Bay City tomorrow, and she would meet me and spend the night there, then meet up with her parents in Alpena Saturday. however, the current word is her dad won’t be released until Sunday, so we are holding Christmas off until next weekend.

I got some Christmas gifts while in Bay City. A set of CorningWare from my Dad, a Chicago Cutlery knife se from my mom, and a set of glasses from my Mom to Jenn. Out gifts to them I didn’t take, and are waiting until next weekend, along with whatever I get from my Grandma (a pair of Dockers gloves, just like the ones I got 3 years ago but I had to send back for repair and never saw again).

And I think that is all.

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

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