III Reasons I hate Georgia

Realizing that it has been in fact 6 years ago this month that we moved to Georgia from California (which I also hate with more passion than can be described), I have begun counting the reasons why I despise the not-so-great state of Georgia.

1) Summer. Having grown up roughly 50 milesish from San Francisco, in a bowl valley just east of Oakland, summers were hot, and reasonably opressive... however, it was, as they say, a dry heat. One that is akin to sitting in an oven on very low temperature for 12 weeks.

However, here in (the not-so-great) state of Georgia, we not only get the opressive heat, but humidity that seeps into every fiber of your being. Horrible humidity that makes you sweat buckets the second you open your front door (which, I theorize, evaporates and mixes in with the existing humidity, which means every breath you take (Awesome song), you are sucking in the sweat from the 400 pound trucker chick at Wal-Mart who has a very inappropriate tramp stamp on her ample back.

2) No Jack in the Box. The nearest Jack in the Box is in SOUTH CAROLINA for goodness sake, roughly a 6 hour drive round trip for bacon cheddar wedges and egg rolls, not to mention the extremely awesome Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger (on sourdough with no ketchup or mustard). I would have absolutely no problem making the trip, mind you, if I had ample money. Of course, if I had ample money, I'd be out of this hellhole already. What's worse, is JitB is running NATIONAL ad campaigns, which adds insult to injury, rubs salt in the wound, and kicks your 3 legged blind dog all at the same time, all the while promising to expand their stores in these JitBless states soon...

Knowing my luck, the first one opened in Atlanta, will open the day after we move... and all the ones in Idaho will close the day before we get there.

3) Southern Hospitality - Why would I hate this most wonderful sounding thing that makes you envision corn bread and lemonade next to the swimming hole while pa picks at his banjo and Old Man Walters blows into his empty 'shine bottle (that he just finished drinking, and incidently is about to fall off the porch)?

Because there is NO SUCH THING. Granted, there may have been some back in the Gone with the Wind days, but now adays, Southern Hospitality has been replaced by a population who act like they've overdosed on Southern Comfort and think you stole their wallet. Goes to show that people, for the most part, are the same everywhere you go... Douchebags. Douchebags, laced with the tinge of racism, reverse racism, bi-racial racism, blatant racism, and overall just bad tempered racism. That eminates from all races. White people that hate black people, black people that hate white people, white crosswalk guys mocking their black backgrounds... it's everywhere. Definately not a place to raise a young child and expect them to be normal (i.e. with a full set of teeth and/or not pregnant at 14 and married to some guy named "Bubba" at 15).

I know the old saying about the grass is always greener, blah, blah, blah... right about now, it's sure looking pretty good.

[Waiting...]

By the way, the title is a tribute to one of my favorite [Adult Swim] bumps, and actually is an apt title if I may say so myself. Why, you may ask (or not)...

After 4 exceeding long, painful days of anticip...............ation, (RHPS Reference) my first quarter grades were posted on line, and as expected, I nailed Psychology with an A (which I already knew because we got our grade on the final day of class... last Monday.

I think I posted in my last blog on Monday about the final exam, and what I needed to finish with a B, since an A was mathematically impossible. Well I don't know what I actually got on my final, but I logged on to my online student profile, and there, after 4 long.. oh wait, I already said that... days of [Waiting...], my math grade, sitting there, nonchalantly, was my much desired B.

So my first college semester as an adult, returning to the realm of education, as to better myself and prospects for better employment, not to mention getting the hell out of Georgia, resulted in a very respectable 3.5 GPA.

So how am I celebrating such a monumental achievement (ok, so I am overselling it a little... ok alot)? A can of coke and sitting at work, in the dimmed light of the lobby.

Only 7 more quarters to go...

A journey of 1000 miles can be defined as f(m)=1000x*10 Weeks

Some good news for today. Finally, after attempting to cram 8 months of College Algebra into my head in only 10 weeks (well, 2 days a week for 10 weeks is actually 20 days, which 2 hours a class is really 40 hours, which is a standard work week... really?), I took my final exam today, and I think I did well enough on it to solidify a B in the class, which would make my GPA after 2 classes to 3.5. Not a bad start. 15% of my degree down, and I begin the home stretch of my core classes on April 5th, Humanities and Speech, which anyone who knows me, knows I have no problem talking.

THE STORY OF THE BOOK BUYBACK THAT DIDN'T BUY MY BOOK BACK

First we define the word "Work" as Informal. to exploit (someone or something) to one's advantage: See if you can work your uncle for a new car. He worked his charm in landing a new job

This is an example of how college textbooks bought and sold though the on campus bookstore is a work. I purchased (out of time and necessity) a brand new 8th Edition College Algebra book for my class this quarter for about $160ish. Thinking that the bookstore would take it back during buybacks, I walked to the spot they had set up, and handed them my Psych book and my Algebra book. They had no problem taking back the Psych book, but when they scanned the Algebra book, they told me that they were switching to the 9th edition and that they wouldn't take back the 8th edition. Meaning I am stuck with a $160 book that I have absolutely no use for (and for those people who would suggest I go ahead and study the rest of the material, let me cut you off right now with an emphatic "HELL NO"!). So now to scour the internets to find someone who will buy it back and not rape me (metaphorically speaking).

All in all though, I am happy that I am done with this quarter, and algebra altogether, but there is a little sadness as well, since I spent so much time and effort studying, racking my brain trying to solve problems, and really getting into the problem solving aspect of it, I will miss the class a little. It was a good challenge, one that I felt worthy of. Can't say the same for Psychology, and probably not for Humanities and Speech. I do have an Economics class in the summer that should be interesting, and once I get into the guts of my degree courses, I should find that satisfying as well. I just hope I don't fall into "auto-pilot" mode and screw these two classes up after a promising start.

In other news, I finally get to go back on a normal sleep schedule (at least, normal for me), and that's about it. I feel mentally strong right now, and my stress level is back to manageable, if bordering on barely noticable. I'm sure that will change in a couple weeks when classes resume.

Oh yeah, arm is out of the sling, some mild soreness in my left hand and minor loss of motor control, but all in all, it's better. Hopefully I can get get full control of my hand again.

In the meantime, here's looking at you!

Hell week over, injuries, and a countdown to Idaho update

Well, hell week is pretty much over, I just need to finish the final 5 hours of my shift. The worst of it was Wednesday, as I had to do CPR/AED certification, my Algebra final review, and work all night on 3 hours of sleep (on St. Patrick's Day no less), and what do I have to show for it? My left arm in a sling.

Back in my senior year of high school, I had my left shoulder dislocated playing softball. Since then, it kind of goes in and out (or out, then back in) on its own. Well it must have done it earlier in the week because it was a little sore (which is rare, because I rarely feel any discomfort when it pops out and back in) Tuesday. I think I slept on it wrong and it popped out and stayed that way for awhile.

Anyways, back from that tangent, Wednesday during class, while doing compressions, it must have popped out and on it's way back home, pinched a nerve pretty bad. My shoulder was really hurting last night to the point of being unable to hold a 12 oz can of coke.

Well, I ran into an EMT last night while closing up the garage, and we got to talking because he noticed I was not moving my left arm, and wincing if I did. He told me what I figured it to be, and recommended keep it in a sling for 7-10 days. So I am doing that (and incidently typing this with one hand).

Monday is my Algebra final, and I am a little worried about it because I think I hit my "no more math" wall. Got to do some studying this weekend and hope to miracle a 65% to guarantee a "B" in the class. I did get my final grade in Psychology already, scoring an impressive 790 points out of a possible 800 for the first academic A in my life I think!!

So after Monday, I got 2 weeks off before I start quarter 2 (of hopefully only 8, according to my plan), which means about 22 months until we are free to move to Idaho.

Off to enjoy my weekend, as best as possible.

Overtime, End of the Quarter, and Sam's Club...

I dread double shifts. I absolutely dread them, probably they leave me drained for a few days afterwards, no matter how much rest I get afterwards. Worse yet, I dread working a double to start my work week. Not the best way to get a start on the week. That being said, I am finishing up the tail end of my "Begin the work week" double shift (-1 hour due to the time change). Even worse way to start what I call "Hell Week".

Why "Hell Week"? It is because there is an unusually busy schedule ahead this week, and I am not looking forward to it. Let me break it down.

Sunday - Started at Midnight, and working until 4pm, but because of the time change, it's only 15 hours worked instead of 16 (but I get paid for 16, or rather 8 + 12 with time and a half).

Monday - Dr. Appointment at 11:15am, my last Psych class (final exam) at 1:10, maybe a nap before my 5:45 Algebra class (maybe no nap), and then rest and eat before getting ready for work at 11:00.

Tuesday - Get very aquainted with my pillow as much as possible before working at 11:00

Wednesday - Get home around 8, sleep for 3 hours, drive an hour back to work for a 3 hour CPR class (and you better believe I get paid for it), drive all the way back home just in time for my 5:45 Algebra class (can't skip it, since it's the second to last of the quarter, and we're cramming for the final), come home and either eat and relax or sleep for two hours before work at, you guessed it, 11:00.

Thursday - Reaquaint myself with afore mentioned pillows, before once again, working at 11:00.

Friday - Home at 8:00am, sleep till whenever, get up and enjoy the rest of Friday and all day Saturday off, before working 8:00am - 4:00pm on Sunday, and having my Algebra final Monday night.

Finally, kicking around the idea of a Sam's club membership. $40 a year (which breaks down to $3.33 a month) and there's good savings on some stuff I want to buy, like 10 pound bags of chicken breasts and some other stuff. Wife isn't sure if it's worth it, I think it would be worth trying for a year, but money is tight right now and it's six of one, half a dozen of the other, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Until later....

3 Annoyances that deserve paintball treatment...

I've been thinking about this for awhile now, usually 10 times a week (on the way to work and on the way home 5 days a week). There are three things that are just so profoundly annoying to me, that I just want to go out and buy a paintball gun, and use it on those offenders who are just too annoying NOT to shoot.

1) People who drive 10 miles an hour UNDER the speed limit in the fast lane. I think everyone who does this should have their cars peppers with multiple colored paint, as a warning that these people do not know how to drive. Never mind the fact that they don't get the clue to get the hell into a slower lane when you flash your brights at them. Now paintballing them... that'll wake them up.

2) People who can not acknowledge a simple greeting such as "Good Morning". I deal with this almost every day as well. Where I work, it's part of my job in the morning to greet people by saying "Good Morning" as an acknowledgement that I am aware of their presence, and beyond that, it's just a nice thing to do. For the most part, people are pretty good about returning the greeting, or at least nodding their head in my general direction. I don't take that as a slight at all. Sometimes people have things on their mind, or perhaps aren't feeling very socialble that morning. I get that. But the ones who walk by without even a simple acknowledgement, or worse yet, the ones who shoot you dirty looks for even speaking to them deserve... yep, you guessed it, to have their $1,000 suit custom decorated with fashionable paint. That way, everyone will be able to recognize them for the assholes they truly are from across the lobby.

3) People who twitter. I mean, really? Your life is so interesting that you find it necessary to tell people in 140 words what kind of coffee you are drinking or who you just saw in the grocery store that looks like some celebrity, or any other facet of your life that the world needs to know THAT VERY SECOND? [SPLAT] You get a paintball in the back of your head.

Internet therapy or useless ranting.

So everyone has one of these nowadays, don't they? Well I do anyways. I've always wanted to blog, but quite frankly, I knew I'd just get bored with it and stop after a couple of posts, and not update the damn thing for a year, post a couple more, and repeat the cycle.

However, lately, it seems that I have been doing a lot of introspection about my life, and feeling a little disconnected from a lot of things that are important to me, mostly my wife and daughter, for about a month now.

Now I am not like I was a couple of years ago, so depressed that I couldn't muster up the energy or desire to be involved with them. Not at all... it's just that I've slipped in my level of enthusiasm, for a lack of a better term.

Let's explore this. After every element, I will include a score. Why? I am not really sure. Maybe it'll help me figure some things out... who knows.

Let's begin.

I work graveyards in a very boring, unfulfilling job, making barely enough money to support a family of 3. (+5)

In January, I made the monumental decision to return to school to pursue my associates degree in computer networking, and foolishly made my schedule to where my Tuesday/Wednesday schedule amounts to maybe 4 hours of sleep in 39 hours (More on this later) (+8)

Last week, I took out a used car loan for $3150 to purchase a new minivan for my wife (6.75% for 26 months) (+2)

So I am giving myself a stress score of 15, which probably serves no purpose because I have no scale to compare it to, but it makes me feel better. Obviously, the higher the number, the more stress involved though...

Ok, I feel the need to address these three points one at a time. First, the unfulfilling, very boring graveyard job. It's my fault that this is pretty much all I am qualified for right now, since I was extremely disinterested in high school, graduating with a sub 2 GPA, and was way to immature to even consider finishing college. Or one semester of college for that matter. So maybe part of my funk is a subconscious pity party for myself because I wasted my opportunity when I had it.

Going back to school. This actually came about because of one of those stupid Facebook "Where do you belong" quizzes that I took out of boredom. It actually said I belong in Idaho, which, after sharing with my wife and having a few good laughs, we started doing some research and what we found convinced us that that's pretty much where we belong. But I didn't want to uproot my family just to get stuck in another dead end job, so I decided to go to school, with my end goal of getting my degree so we can move to Boise with a better chance of getting a better job.

Now here's where the stupid part comes in. My work schedule is: Sunday 8:00am - 4:00pm. Monday - Thursday 11:00pm - 7:00am. Which means Mondays are a good day to take some classes because I will have had a decent night sleep. So I schedule my Psychology class for 1:10-3:15pm Mondays and Wednesdays, and my Algebra class 5:45-7:50pm Mondays and Wednesdays. Which means, Tuesday, I get up around 5 in the afternoon, go to work from 11 until 7, get home at 8, sleep until roughly 12:30, go to class, come home and maybe take a nap or not, go to math class, come home and eat, and go back to work from 11-7. Not a lot of sleep there, which makes me a pain to be around.

Thankfully, Monday is my last Psychology class, and I will finish that with an A, so I guess it paid off...

The car loan. This was done out of necessity, and the fact that I thought it would be a cool valentines day present to my wife. Got a nice 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport for a good price, and it fits into our budget (barely). Just got to figure out how to get it paid off in 2 years instead of 3.

So I guess the light at the end of the tunnel is I finish Psychology Monday, finish Algebra on 3/22/10, and have 2 weeks off before my second quarter. Now I learned from my mistake, and am trying something new with this quarter schedule. Same work schedule, but my school schedule will be Speech Fundamentals on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:45-7:50, and Humanities on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8 - 10:05. This should put me in a little more balanced sleep pattern, and maybe I'll start to emerge from this little funk I am in...

Ok, I doubt anyone who read this whole thing (if anyone did read this whole thing) cares one way or another... no problem. I know I feel better now, getting some of this pent up emotion out. But this is what to expect from this blog. I don't know when I will post again, hopefully soon, and I don't know what I will post, and quite frankly, I don't care if you enjoy it, follow it or ignore it. This is more for me than you, but the light is on, coffee made and a chair is waiting if you feel the urge to have a seat and listen... you never know, you might like it. I might like it. We'll see...