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almost over Thursday July 31
i always dislike those last days of july and early august where you realize that the summer is almost over. i reiterate to myself all the things i really wanted to do but didn't, and so on. i really got blitzed by the business, it stood in the way of learning the kanji or playing the guitar; hopefully, i'll be able to reclaim those things come school.
also, since cara is leaving august 25th, i feel i've been making more of a effort to spend time with her (sorry, other friends), and that's also been hindering my efforts to be productive. but in terms of priorities, really, what's more important? the girl, or the glowing computer screen? i think you can see what i have been choosing.
i don't think that my fall classes are going to be all that hard; i am excited to learn how to use director -- flash and director experience is the one area of web development in which i have been lacking. if i don't like it, though, i'll drop it in a heartbeat and reduce my total hours: reason being? i need time to bring my GPA back up while still working three jobs (company+wpgu+foellinger). i know, i know, i'll be working the rest of my life, why start now blah blah blah, but if you work smart, not hard, the work that you do lateron can be quite rewarding.
if i give myself an edge (say, by running a business in college), i've already got a leg-up on the other applicants who are graduating these days and pursuing non-existent jobs. at least, i'd like to think i'll have an edge.
milquetoast Friday July 25
this morning on the way back from OHOP, emily was running a little late to work, and so drew, eric, and i started in on making excuses for her. drew suggested ones that really didn't make sense, as to throw off the boss from asking more questions. he said that she should say she had bad milk toast, and that she had to go to the hospital.
now, i've only heard milk toast once before, and that was in sixth grade band with mrs. grimes. we lost mr. mckelvey to cancer that year, and mrs. grimes stepped in to fill the role. every now and then, she'd cut us off and tell us we were playing like milk toast, you know, like bread all sopped up with milk; it's really gross. she wanted us to play, "lucky charms".
i hate lucky charms.
anyway. so, the discussion in the car devolved into the meaning of milk toast, and i kept asking what it was (because i was under the impression it was a food, as spelled out by mrs. grimes in sixth grade), and the eric informed me that, no, it is not a food -- it is a descriptor. he even said it was spelled with a "que".
and sure enough, here it is. i was led astray by that vile band woman; now, luckily, i know the real meaning of that word.
and i might start using it to, i don't want to be a milquetoast about using new words.
the conclave Tuesday July 22
last wednesday at midnight, i departed from the planet with nine other employees, headed for minneapolis, minnesota for the annual conclave radio conference held there. i'm not going to recount every detail, but it is worth mentioning that all of the pictures that are fit for public consumption are available here.
in other news, i wrapped up the rest of the interviews for pitchpipe today, and i'm sitting down and figuring out all of the database tables right now. once that's done, i'll be able to draw up the projects and call the people i choose to contract. i had seven interviews, and i plan to hire two or three. ah, decisions. with those guys coding (i did have a female apply, actually, but she will not be back on campus until august), i'll be free to go out and get more clients...and hang out a little more. i realize i've been a hermit these days, coding whenever i can.
burma Wednesday July 16
until a couple of weeks ago, my knowledge of burma was that it existed as a developing country in southeast asia next to thailand (thank you, map games), and that a couple of my shirts were "made in burma". however, i've learned a lot recently thanks to my political science international relations class that mandates that i write something topical about current international relations (and everyone in the class decided that iraq and the middle east were off-limits for a 10-page paper).
yesterday, the united states house of representatives voted almost unanimously (418-2) to enact economic sanctions against burma until the military junta running the country releases the democratic party leader aung san suu kyi from house arrest. in response to this action, the myanmar government (what the government of burma calls themselves) released the following statement, which i read in this article:
Myanmar's junta on Wednesday condemned a United States vote to tighten economic sanctions on the military-run country, describing them as "weapons of mass destruction" that would create havoc.
yes, that's right. they used our own language against us. and i think it's brilliant. however, the burmese government's resiliency will not help them as they lose over $350 million in exports, and i suppose i should not laugh about a government acting in a way to force hundreds of thousands of its workers to lose their jobs.
fear not, ladies and gentlemen. it's all in the name of democracy. and i'm not being sarcastic, that's the truth.
barbeque Friday July 11
i don't think the weather could cooperate better. it's going to be partly sunny today, with a high of eighty degrees. the lawn has been cut, the t-shirts laid out, and all that's left to do is shave, get an outfit going, and shape the burgers. drop by at 6 for the barbeque.
john henry Sunday July 6
like most people, i came to college fresh; i inherited a lot of nathan's friends, but none of my friends from high school (save danyel) came here, and chance encounters alone introduced me to many of people that mean a lot to me today. and sometimes, when you're least expecting it, one of these good friends tells you that they've got to leave you for good. and here's the story:
rebecca rockmy freshman year, shortly after moving in, i met a girl named rebecca rock. besides having a cool last name, she also had a reasonably hip taste in clothing, and after hitting it off immediately, we went shopping together at the salvation army on the corner of first and university. and even though rebecca's cool (she actually lives in the house next door to me now), we more-or-less diverged when i told her i didn't want to date anyone, and she wanted to date me. this isn't to say that there was anything wrong with her, i just wasn't ready to date my freshman year. but she introduced me to someone who's been very special.
i still remember when she pulled that white-checked shirt out of the rack and showed him to me. and he only cost a dollar. it was literally love at first sight, and i knew that we'd be together for a long time. i took my new friend home and introduced him to the rest of my closet. some of the button-ups were jealous that the new guy was getting all the attention, but after awhile, everyone got along just fine. before long, the holy trinity of the red checkered shirt and the solid-blue fitted shirt was joined by the white checkered shirt (whose name is john henry), and was complete:
father blue, helping me defeat nate in that eating speed competition
son red, after he got my through my last engineering exam ever
holy ghost white, spreading his love to the sea of japanbut, sadly, i pulled out john for a rockin' tuesday afternoon, and then he told me of his impending departure:
and he was so youngdisaster struck the closet. support from all of the shirts, even that neglected heavy brown one i only wear in january came out in full force to help john through his time of pain. the doctors still aren't sure yet if they can help him, it is too soon to tell. thus, in this time of woe, i have constructed a brief timeline of events to help us remember how true and dear of a friend he was:
john was always up for an adventure. he liked that kind of thing, and even though it was over 80 degrees and humid, he wanted to be my shirt of choice for my long bike ride last summer. he knew the conditions, and the outcome, but even after i had soaked him with salty sweat, he pressed on. what a shirt.
but john wasn't always so noble. he was also kind of a fan of the ladies, and well, we can't blame him. he was really popular with the girls, and if it weren't for him, katy's sister (pictured above) would have never even talked to me. i often wondered if he ever got jealous that i wore him to get the girls, but he never got a cut of the action. like here:
he told me later that if i ever was involved with two girls again, that i should not be so selfish and allow one of them to have the shirt, and then i can have the other one.
but seriously. it wasn't all about girls.
hrmm. okay. maybe it was, but you will be missed, my friend. i must retire you to the only-for-really-special-occasions-because-you're-ripped-now section of my closet. it was a good time, old buddy.
chicago Saturday July 5
cue the reasonably impromptu trip to milwaukee and chicago, yet another delay :( getting back tonight at 6.
