Archive for November, 2008

• Running with the dogs

  Date: 2008.11.29 | Category: Life as we know it | Response: 3

  

• America’s Hat

  Date: 2008.11.27 | Category: I was too lazy to organize these | Response: 0

  For the second year, I’m spending my Thanksgiving north of the border in Princeton. BC. The trip is a bit of an avant garde camping trip but I really enjoy my time here. Our hosts, Richard and Paula, are kind enough to feed us twice a day and let us hang out. We don’t have very many stressors save for trying to decide if we’re able to eat seconds. I’ll try and take some photos of while I’m out and about but for the large part I’m just going to laugh, eat, relax, and play with the dogs. It looks like it’s going to be a good time.

• Football

  Date: 2008.11.24 | Category: I was too lazy to organize these | Response: 0

  Jessica kicked me out of the house yesterday so that she could host a candle party. If she hadn’t kicked me out I surely would have left – no man wants to hang around when a candle party is in progress. So, I went down to Jeff’s house (Jessica’s bro-in-law) to watch some football. On the way there I had an unfortunate encounter with a police officer that left my bank account slightly drained. That would be the first time in nine years – I’ve been using the cruise control with increasing frequency since my encounter.

  The first game was between the Titans and Jets. This should have been a decent game but the Titans didn’t bring their offensive unit. I think they put some people on the field but I don’t think they were playing the game. The game wasn’t interesting enough to draw out attention. For long periods of time Jeff and I concentrated on the back of our eyelids. In an NFL market, when the home team sells out, there is no other late game. You get the home team and whoever they might be playing. They call them blackout rules – and I’m not a fan. Yesterday, the only late game available was the Seahawks vs. the Redskins.

  This year the Seahawks are woeful. They aren’t playing as bad as Detroit but they should be ashamed. Most of the Seahawks fans that I know are ashamed of their team. In fact, they have a hard time watching. All hope has been lost for this season. The Redskins have been playing some decent football this season but failed to get anything going yesterday. The commentators repeatedly called the game “a chess match.” In reality, it was an utter crap fest. Neither team could get a good offensive series and the play on both sides of the ball was sub par. The commentators surely didn’t need to hype up the game. The only people watching were the ones that couldn’t change the channel – there were no other options. They spent most of the time talking up the student vs. master battle (Zorn vs. Holmgren). If the only thing you’ve got to talk about is the coaches its a sure sign that the game is boring.

  I can’t wait until the NFL ticket contract expires. I can only hope that the cable networks will make a bid and take it away from satellite. I’m not a fan of satellite and the NFL isn’t a big enough draw to get me to switch. I live in the pacific northwest and we are known for our rain – and pine trees. I have pine trees that block all view to the south and I live in a climate that isn’t conducive to satellite television. I have no options – save to wait until the contract expires – or the Seahawks get better.

• It's Mine

  Date: 2008.11.22 | Category: work | Response: 2

  These past two weeks have been probably the most stressful weeks I’ve ever been through. About a month ago I was notified about an official position in my lab, with my exact job duties. Basically they are getting rid of my intern position and giving the production team another official tech. There was also a position for the other group that works in our lab, Germination Research. I am currently working with the production team so I applied that position. They told us that the research position and the production position would be interview together as a pool and they would pick from the pool. I then was giving a date for a phone interview on the 12th. It was weird. I have never been in a position where I can’t see the people asking the important questions. I guess I really like to be able to see if they think I’m complete idiot or not.

  The phone interview was 30 minutes, 8 questions. I got through it in about 10 minutes. I must have done O.K. because I was then scheduled an in person interview on the 17th. Yeah, I was freaking out with nervousness. I have to say that I didn’t think the interview went that bad. My answers had a little more substance to them as to take up more time. Then next day we had a “meet and greet” and program overview. They served us lunch and went over the basic idea of the project. Then, they brought in everyone from the lab. The people that I know and work with. This was the worst part of the whole experience. I didn’t want to be that person who was “buddy-buddy” with everyone in the room, making the other candidates feel awkward so I just hung back and watched everyone interact awkwardly. Then I had to leave the room so they could all give their input about the candidates. After that point I couldn’t really be nervous anymore. It was out of my control and all I could do is wait.

  Then, that night at about 6pm my phone rang. It was my boss who had called to let me know that I was the best candidate for the Production position and the job was mine. So as of December 15th, 2008 I will be an official Weyerhaeuser employee with full benefits and about $35K a year. Not too shabby for a first job. Looks like my hard work paid off. Go me!

• Dominos are cool

  Date: 2008.11.16 | Category: videos | Response: 0

  
  

• Fireside chats

  Date: 2008.11.15 | Category: ahh the news, videos | Response: 0

  President Elect Obama released his first “fireside” chat that can be viewed below in its entirety.

  
  

  It sounds like Jessica and I were correct in the belief that we would see a shift from the military industrial complex to civic works and green energy. I think these are both going to be needed changes but with any change we must strive for balance. The military has worn out much of our equipment over the past 7 years and some needs to be replaced. We still fly tankers that are as old as my parents and we still use fighters that are older than I am. Simply put, we can only upgrade them so many times before they need replaced. Balance is the key – lets hope we get some.

• Halloween

  Date: 2008.11.08 | Category: family, shenanigans | Response: 0

  So last weekend John and I had our first Halloween party. We had spent all week getting food and decorations ready. It actually turned out pretty cool. We had the new beer pong table, spooky treats, and witches brew. Leanne and Jeff were great and made 100 jello shots for the party. It was really fun ( what I could remember of it anyway) and it seemed that everyone else had a pretty good time too.

  Costumes were encouraged so I was really excited when everyone came dressed up. John and I decided to be zombies. We acquired our costumes from thrift stores and makeup from Wal-mart and they turned out really cool, if I do say so myself.

  Here are some pictures from the party and the rest you will find HERE.

  

  We eat Brains

  

  Cartman

  

  
  
  

• Scapegoat

  Date: 2008.11.07 | Category: ahh the news, links! | Response: 0

  

  I don’t like Sarah Palin and I probably never will. I don’t think she’s qualified to manage a McDonalds. Many republicans have changed their opinion of the former VP candidate. In fact – she might be the scapegoat of the campaign. She polarized my opinion as I know Hillary might have if she was going to be the candidate. Watch the video and read the story at ABC news – interesting stuff.

• What are we going to do now?

  Date: 2008.11.07 | Category: ahh the news | Response: 1

  

  Obama won the election much to the chagrin of republicans across the nation. In his acceptance speech he spoke of the challenges that we are facing and that the solutions could take years or even an entire term before we see change. Legislation takes time – we’ve got to understand that he is only a man – hopefully he will be a great leader and fulfill his promises. Obama had his first press conference and was backed by some of the best economic minds in our country.

  Jessica and I have talked about potential paths to creating jobs and stimulating the economy. For the past 8 years much of the growth has been in the military industrial complex. We’ve spent billions on improving our military while fighting a war. Much of the money has gone to contractors that provide a variety of services to military members stationed overseas – they fed me while I was in Iraq and I’m glad we were paying them instead of sending more military members overseas to cook.

  Civic projects will probably be one of the highlights of the Obama administration. Roads and bridges are in dire need of renovation and repair (save for the bridge to nowhere). I think we’re going to see new schools, hospitals, and libraries constructed across the nation. The fall of the housing market has crushed the construction industry and our nation could use the work. We’re going to pay for the work – and in reality – it’s not that bad. The masses aren’t standing in soup lines and food and other commodities aren’t being rationed like they were during the world wars. Change is going to be tough for America. We have the grit to make the change but we’ve all got to give. I give my service to my country and I pay taxes. If I had to pay more in taxes to fix the problems at hand I would. I wouldn’t want to but these things are necessary evils. In order to make money we’ve got to spend some money.

• Yes We Can

  Date: 2008.11.04 | Category: I was too lazy to organize these | Response: 0

  Here it is America. We used our voices to demand a change and boy did we demand. I couldn’t be happier to say I exercised my American right and responsibility to elect President Barrack Obama. It’s amazing to think about how far we’ve come as a country and what we’ve been through as a country and how much power we still have as citizens of this country. I can’t wait to see what is in store for us in our life times.

  I hear stories and see movies about how people had so much dedication to a president in the past. People had passion for JFK. People had dedication to FDR. I was never able to understand how you feel this way for a president. A celebrity sure but not a president.  Maybe it was because I wasn’t old enough or maybe it was because I have never been part of the democratic process but now I get. When this man speaks his words hit me with a chill. To see him named as the Leader of OUR county brought a tear to my eye. Now I understand the passion and dedication of the American people.