2010

New year: so far so good.

Of these first 21 days of Jan, I think i've been to the gym 15 of them. Not only have I so far avoided burning myself out, i'm actually staying longer and longer each time (that is to say, i'm not as totally weak as I was at the beginning of the year). Lets see how long I can actually keep this pace up!

After a month of inactivity, we've finally managed to bottle the Red Ale (it tastes amazing so far) and started our first steeping grains batch (an American IPA, it promises to be intense). I think i've recovered enough economically to get back on the brewing wagon.

School starts next week. I guess I'm looking forward to my classes, though German II was the only one I actually wanted that I managed to get in to. That and some Polisci internship, but its one unit so it doesn't count. This should be my last JC full time semester; I should have a new job with benefits by fall with any luck, and I only need to be half-time to keep those loans deferred.

Speaking of new "jobs" i'm applying to this non-profit as an intern/volunteer, but also possibly something permanent or maybe paid? Hopefully it satisfies the internship class requirements, but beyond that the organization seems cool/young enough.

Is 2010 the year of renting a house as well? Ja?

Spring Semester

So I missed the deadline last Friday for enrollment into my bank's health insurance plan, which means that I must continue on as a full-time student to stay on my parents' insurance. Loan deferment is a perk, but my payments are not unmanageable. Insurance on the other hand, that's life or death man.

Which brings me to my problem: Should I take German 2 or retake Spanish 3?

German
Pros: Easy, cool to speak, useful if I go back to Germany, good teacher
Cons: Useless if I don't go back to Germany, impractical unless I study in Germany/Work in Germany/Marry a German chick/become Amish

Spanish
Pros: Completely practical and useful, can actually have a meaningful conversation with my grandma
Cons: Already taken up to Spanish 3 and forgot most of it, will probably have to do a considerable amount of HW (considerable in the sense that I don't have ANY in German)

Also: podcast coming this week.

Word to yo mother

Compaq

My dad is back from Singapore, which means I have my laptop back. Oh happy days are here again.

Bored

I like how the last time I updated this thing my computer was having problems, and once again its acting up. Its not nearly as bad back then - that malware BS SUCKED - but I'll still likely have to replace the RAM, and if so I might as well take the time to upgrade my CPU and board, and that's going to cost all kinds of money I don't want to spend.

My Saturday...

If this wasn't the highlight of the month, then its at least tied for the title. Its Stone, so the beer was obviously spectacular; nice and strong, right up my alley. I brought back a 2L growler of some Barley Wine style Ale. Sooo good. The Mac n' Cheese I got at the bistro was really good too. The brewery tour was sweet, and the only "cost" was time. Chris and I got there a little before 3 and had to spend the hour in the gift shop to score the limited tickets they distributed at 4 for the 6 o'clock tour. The food, beer and souvenirs did cost me around $60 total, but it was pretty well worth it, and definitely worth going back (if for nothing else then to fill the growler).

Afterwards I picked up Lah for some jamming and hanging out. Then around 10 Chris rolls on over with Gran Turino and Slum Dig Millionaire. Gran Turino was such a great movie. I don't know if Clint Eastwood being a super racist and abrasive was intentionally supposed to be hilarious, but it was. I missed the beginning of Slum Dog Millionaire, and by the time I got home I was done for. I may have lasted 20 minutes before sleeping through the rest. Whatev, hopefully i'll catch the whole thing soon enough.

On an unrelated note, my desktop comp has been down for a week and a half after catching some gnarly malware. It was brutal enough for me to go ahead and try reinstalling Windows, but in the process something happened to my HD's driver and the installer won't recognize a SATA drive. AND I seemed to have lost the HD's driver CD. I can just download it, but i've been busy/lazy. I'll get to it this week though...I got some schoolwork to get started and recording i'd like to do.

Return to the blogosphere

Holy cow, its really been over a month since I last updated? I guess I've just been too busy to update? Well, no thats a lie. Busy yeah, but I've just been too lazy.

A lot has certainly gone on over this last month. I guess I should provide some closure to the cliff-hanger that was my last entry: I got my school money issue taken care of. Grants were cut, and I took out another loan, but I got to keep this quarters grants. And I'll still get about $60 a quarter after tuition, which is enough for maybe 2 textbooks! I'm just rolling in the dough. I'm also single again, which is alright. It was nice being in a relationship, but it was under pretty ridiculous circumstances, and in any case breaking up wasn't much of a surprise.

Biggest relief: Finals are over! I didn't put as much off till the very end like I have in previous quarters, but I was far less comfortable with the material I had, which made finals week just as stressful and crammed as usual when it didn't have to be.

11/7

Today has been an unbelievably exhausting day. I've been up since 4:30 AM, already worked 5 1/2 hours, 3 classes, statistics and a midterm essay to work on, and 4 more hours tonight training tonight. I don't think i'll make it home any sooner than 1 AM. All for the promise of $.50 - $1.00 more an hour no dispatcher has gotten yet, and may in fact be an outright lie (The cake [IE: pay raise] is a lie!)

Over summer I accepted the Financial Aid awarded to me with the intention of having moved out by now (and my Aid budgeted accordingly). However, since i'm still at home (moving out was a kinda unrealistic goal), they've retooled my awards and now I aparently owe back around 1,800 in Grants? Weak! With any luck they'll accept my appeal and at least let me keep this quarters grants(a good chance), if not all of it outright (unlikely). In any case, my savings has been totally shot because of this. Pretty lame

I'd like to take this time to give my wholehearted approval of this getting healthy/running bend everyone is on now. I'm totally on board, except by "board" I literally mean "surfboard." I'm digging the surfing and swimming at the gym thing a lot, but I'd like to get back into some actual running (not just cross-trainers and bike machines); I'm sure my stupid knee is up for the "high-impact" stuff by now.

*EDIT* On second look, I don't think the graphic is really appropriate. That arrow should be falling steeply downwards. Whatever!