Fancy

You Fancy Huh?

I forgot last week to Blog because I was so busy visiting my gf in San Diego and moving into my new place in Dixon, CA (5 mins from Davis). I will make it up this week.

Well, after being laid off for 3 days, I have a job situation that works out as I can still take care of my parents and work hard.

My Engineering firm, BeKaFf (spelled it like that because HR divisions google their company's name and see what has changed about it) has offices scattered throughout Norcal and 1 in Orange County. I am now based in the Sacramento Office, here


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We are really close to the Capitol. The first time I have ever driven to the Capitol, and I admit that I was a little awestruck seeing the Capitol Building right in front of me. It is definitely because I have become much more interested in the news and government because of listening to NPR. Even at work I download their podcasts and listen to them instead of music. It is an excellent way of learning and keeping up on current events.
More about Sacramento later! I will be working in Sacramento and living in Dixon Tuesday to Thursday. Drive up Monday, Drive down Thursday.

On Mondays and Fridays, I get to work from the San Jose Office here:

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I will be putting an enormous amount of miles on my car, but it is actually less then when I was working at Walnut Creek every day. Trust me, I am driving less.

Right now I am renting a room at my friend's parents extra house in Dixon. It is a 1 story and he is there for classes in Davis Tuesday through Thursday. I rarely see him because hes out with friends or working.

I'll talk about the place more in another blog post, but the largest problem has been a poor wireless internet connection because I'm about 50 ft away from the old router and it has to past through multiple rooms to get to me. Just a few years ago it would not have been a big problem but now so much of what I do is ridiculously better with it.

I should become used to not relying on the internet to constantly entertain me, like this!

Sporting Events

So I watched the SuperBowl this Sunday at a friends place which turned out to be a small gettogether. At about halftime my friend's wife was passed out on the floor, sleeping soundly after a few drinks.

It wasn't that thrilling of a game as the first half was dominated by the Steelers poor play. Though the second half was much more thrilling and high caliber, especially for a fan that doesn't care really about either team.

What I have found odd though is that to truly enjoy watching some type of sport, you have to have been taught it at a young age and possibly have played in it. Though I am interested in Tennis (going to watch the SAP first round with some friends today), I feel like that interest has stemmed from a small of amount of experience playing it and the people around me enjoying it.

It is my goal that in the next year I go to a:

Sharks home game
SJSU basketball/football game
Battle of the Bay game
Warriors home game

For each one I will make a poster from Kinko's (its so cheap!) and try to enjoy the atmosphere. Most of those event I haven't been to in years or ever!

Something into Something

Hey hey,

Well I have been trying to keep up with my new year's resolutions!

I have been writing down my errands for the weekend.

I have been blogging consistently, and using twitter a bit.

Hanging out with friends or going out 3 times a week is pretty hard to do now because of the diversity in people's schedules at this time of our lives. Mid-20s seems to be a very chaotic time, especially because of how volatile the US economy is right now.

I am a clear example. My Walnut Creek office is unsure whether or not they will have work for the rest of the year, as well other workers in the office do not have enough to keep them employed. We work on a "job charge" system, where you always must be charging work time to the job so that project managers can bill accordingly. It's a good system of keeping companies efficient.

I will be taking a part time, possibly full time job in Sacramento while my parents are still sick and need help. It is with the same company and I believe they really want me to stay in the system and loyal.

Volatile situation, as they have to take a risk of losing me to another company because they can't even offer a potentially valuable long term employee a job.

Anyway, I was thinking in the shower today (I do my best thinking then) and I thought about the old expression, "his shit stinks just like yours does", meaning that no matter how perceivably better a person is then you, both of you are still human and equals. Yet I began to wonder if there should be more to that expression, like "its what you choose to put in you, that's what counts."

All about choice, I think.

Anyway, I am rambling, and my babe is complaining that she might have cancer.... she's definitely does not...

New years resolution!

Valentines Planning!

So... I just realized its the end of January....

Holy cow did that month go by quickly. So much seemed to be jam packed into the last 3 weeks....

The ironic part of this is that now that all the holiday spirit and cheer has come and gone, we have to begin looking forward to times that aren't as world consuming or social. I really want to go to Hawaii some time this year.

My friend has a free flight with southwest, he has suggested going to vegas, miami, new york.

But there has to be little events to look forward too as well. I am always overjoyed to see my girlfriend and spend time with her especially since it is a long distance relationship right now (rawr).

After going through the last few events in my family life with financial problems and health problems I realized that events to look forward to don't have to be ones that you can tell everyone about like a marathon or a wild trip to vegas, but little things that make lives better. I have never taken my parents out to eat, and we are going for sushi tomorrow. Hopefully the place will not be packed because of my dads wheelchair.

And if they can't, then I'll be sure to get take out and sit down with them.

Maybe I'll have a Guiness with my dad, Brillant!

Martin Luther King Day!

Well, I started his blog post that day, but I had to sleep for work! Work is excruciatingly boring when you don't have much to do, and it has been like that for the past couple days.

Happy "Everyone should remember how bad and racist the world used to be and be thankful that you dont live in that world" day!

If you stop and think about the state of the US today and what it was back then, even with the spiraling debt, political unrest, and rising prices, the American people have pulled through so much worse in the past. Maybe I should get a Martin Luther King poster, he was my favorite philosophical activist of the 20th century for his beliefs (albeit idealistic) in love and good always prevailing because it is the highest form of human emotion and action.

If anyone reads the news anymore (igoogle.com!), there have been revolts and uprisings in Tunisia because the people are disgruntled at job problems 100x worse then the US and a corrupt government. There have been public suicide burnings and riots. The President had to flee the country for safety to Saudi Arabia. This whole story is symbolic of the interesting power groups of organized people can have. When the Peasants aren't working there's no food for the Nobles.

My gf came up for the weekend to celebrate her birthday and it was a semi-crazy party! I say semi because she did not overdrink to the point of throwing up or blacking out, much to my happiness. In a way its a last hurrah of the holiday season for me, because I do not have MLK day off like some people. If you look at this article that she gave me, it spells out a funny scenario about why January 17th is the saddest day of the year.

Here we goooooo!

Til next week!

New Beginnings?

Well I started off the year sick, with a fire at our apartment complex, and not getting a lot of sleep sadly.

Every company and website is trying to push "reinvent yourself!" and I wonder how many people these things actually work one. The other day I saw a commercial for Cheerios saying "wouldn't it be great starting off the year eating right, for you and your family's sake?" Geez that's harsh. I mean I like cheerios but still, it makes it sound like I am going to hurt them if i don't reinvent myself with cheerios.

Though I am a big advocate of new years resolutions. They are fun, and sometimes work. My most successful one had been not to lose a nailclipper for an entire year.

Lofty goals this year for me though, but I want this year to be a year of.... being active. Going out, studying away from home, being athletic, traveling, and trying new things.

I really want to go rock climbing, and kayaking, and rafting and go to hawaii, and .... yeah maybe do one of the top 10 manly life experiences:

http://www.askmen.com/top_10/travel/top-10-manly-life-experiences.html

and be more like the dos equis guy!

New years again!

Oh boy, looks like I will only post on this every new year, say that its a new years resolution to say that I will post more, and then fade out like those people with gym memberships.

But NOT THIS TIME....

Anyway, I have 2 new years resolutions:

One is to push errands to the weekend so I can get them out of the way at once and save the weekdays for relaxing/working out/sleeping/studying. I'll make lists of things I need to do over the week.

Another is to hang out with GOOD friends at least 3 times a week. I don't want to become one of those people that forgets about having friends and people that he found unique or special.

All of these random ones are flooding into my mind now but I need to cut it there! Sometimes my posts get too long and I ramble so there will be no more of that even though I believe I give good information and I want to put my thoughts down somewhere to be saved and so that others can.... ok rambling.

Anyway, More blogging!

Check out this cool picture of this guy!

From here!
http://www.npr.org/2011/01/02/132482428/into-the-tunnels-exploring-the-underside-of-nyc

First Day of Work!

Hey Everyone,

I had my first day of work today! it was a 8 to 5 day and had work almost the entire time. I wish i actually had more time to get prepared and situated, but that is life.

I am going to denote the company name with periods inside of it. Last time I blogged about a company they found it by searching their name and I prefer to keep my blog away from my work life so I do not need to be second-guessing what I say.

It is for a company called BK.F, that works in land development and building construction. They do the Planning->Design and then works with contractors to finalize the project. Its a medium size firm and I really like the "push as hard as you can" atmosphere with a lot of banter back and forth. The work I have been given deals with designing hospitals, librarys, streets, and utilities, which is what I want to be working in right now.

So many supplies! I could take all of them and find a use for each one!

Many of my coworkers are very athletic. At least 2 run Marathons and some of the others go cycling classes (Run Fat Boy Run haha).

The best thing though was getting a tote bag with free stuff in it! I got:
-BKF Frisbee (had one, gave it away, and now i have another)
-BKF Mug
-Business Cards (I'll get new ones when I become a E1!)
-Measuring Tape (good to have)
-mini flashlight (It's not great...)
-Pocketknife
-keychain.... thrown away...
-Information packet!

I brought my gf's valentine's gift with me to work for decoration, but I am looking for more of them as I need to seem like I am there for the long haul. Sadly posters have to be small because the walls are only 3 ft tall. I was thinking about more things to put all over the cubicle I reside in.

I need:
Something from SJSU
Picture Frames of my favorites (have 2 frames ready!)
A Collage (I'll make it from my pictures one day!)
Something from Simpsons
Something from Legos
A funny joke or 2

That's all for today. I am actually going to be trying to not go out on Sunday/Monday/either Wednesdays or Thursdays because I need to workout at home and if I stay later then I can leave earlier on Fridays!

Signing off, have a good day!

Dreams and Lessons

I was listening to my Ingrid Michaelson songs that I have on my flashdrive at work today and "I'll See You In My Dreams" came one. It is an incredibly powerful song . Here's the lines:

Of a happiness that used to be
Soon my eyes will close (soon my eyes will close)
Soon I'll find repose
And in dreams, you're always near to me

While I am definitely not in a position where the love of my life is leaving me as Evelyn and I are staying together while she is going to SDSU (Hurray for her! Sad for me!) and I am starting up full time work next Tuesday after helping her move in, this song reminded me of a video and book that I wanted to blog about.

The Last Lecture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

A while back I watched the youtube video of a Professor's last lecture at his college because he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The youtube video was his actual last lecture infront of a packed lecture hall filled with his friends, students and family. Everyone that he personally touched the life of. The book was about him writing that lecture and the line that rang true throughout both was:

"What wisdom would you try to impart to the world if you knew it was your last chance?"

While there were multiple beautiful life lessons he tried to pass on, a major one and possibly the one Randy Pausch lived by was to follow your childhood dreams. It was a goal in his life that transitioned and changed just as he changed from a child to an adult, but never lost its innocence or grandeur.

"The Best of the Gold is at the Bottom of the Barrel"

I loved his lecture and his book, and both nearly drove me to tears as this man who was dying from cancer tried to give everything to he still had to give in the few months he had to live after the fatal prognosis. He continually talked about wanting his newly born children to know who he was.

People change the world in so many different ways. I hope everyone picks their path in life for the way that it affects others. I suggest everyone read that book and watch the lecture!

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Lecture-Randy-Pausch/dp/1401323251

I miss my legos and my constructs… gotta dig them up!

I just got a job with BKF Engineers! Its a rather large company in the bay area and I would like to start my career with them. This is a big step and opportunity for me. I start on august 17th and will tell you all about it later. For now here's a blog i wrote while at work and waiting for a DVD to burn (20 mins...).

What would I put on my Cubicle/Office Walls?

After seeing this interesting site online:
http://www.maxim.com/humor/stupid-fun/93917/21-awesome-office-cube-pranks-pics.html

I thought about what I would do to make my own workplace a little more fun. I'll write another post about the things I will have in my office/cubicle later.

#1: Some pictures of my family, friends, and gf. You gotta have a few of those around to show off that you have a life outside of work… you just haven't visited it in a while. Maybe 1 or 2 pictures of events in my life like graduation to round it out. I care about others, but also myself, you know.

#2: A small Whiteboard. I would have said a blackboard but no one would have wanted to use it because of the chalk (even if it was no dust chalk). It would be there to write down important notes or events, but also silly quotes like "It's A Trap!"- Admiral Ackbar or drawings of the Simpsons.


#3: Something from SJSU, maybe a poster or something I made to remember where I have come from with my Honors Society.

#4: a Possimpible poster that I will make when I have time. This word is from Barney Stintson and I think its awesome! Did you know that Kinkos will make you rather large posters for just a dollar or 2? So I"ll make my own, muahahaha. A Shirt done for the word!

#5: A "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibiity" Poster of Comicbook Spiderman. Awesomeness

#6: A Calendar. Of what…. I don’t know yet. I'll go to a calendar store and whatever catches my eye which might be a simpsons question calendar.

#7: I'm open to suggestions!