So I'm hanging out at work late today. I'm thinking I'll get some other personal work done since I have such a nice spacious desk space, a fast computer, and nice environment. Back at home, my room still feels kinda dirty (I need to vacuum), and the sheets on the bed are still gross and sandy since I never got a chance to change or wash them yet...I just don't even want to use them I think I'll buy new sheets this weekend...jersey. The desk is old and warped and covered with all the stuff I put on there that I didn't use in the room (ie the bed sheets, lamps, an old record player, etc.). So I have to sit on the bed to do stuff and use the computer. I think I'd rather use my workspace at work lol.
Anyways I'm there late, also pumping up the body ball that I had requested to sit at my desk (it's loud and squeaky to pump up LOL), when another intern from Poly comes over and brings up grabbing some dinner. I'm thinking hmm cause dinner sounds good but I don't really want to spend more money. We head out to get dinner near First and Market and I grab my bike from the bike room since I don't like walking back home late from the Ashby station to home in Berkeley. Riding a fast bike seems safer than walking after dark lol. When we get to the general area, it's time to choose a place to eat so I park my bike on the sidewalk chaining it to a bike pole with my expensive fancy bike lock (not a U-lock mind you since my U-lock currently decided to stop working about a month ago). I run in through the frame and front wheel, taking a minute to take out the bike seat and put it in my backpack since I had suspicions that it would be taken. We must've walked around for an hour not finding anything we could agree upon. Finally we end back up at First and Market and he makes a comment about my bike still being there. Well...of course it's still there. It'd better still be there!
So finally I'm thinking I'm hungry and I settle on going lower class to Subway right next to my parked bike. We head in and take about 15 minutes to get my sandwich and eat it. I walk out and it's like a dream...one of those feelings where something is out of place, but you can't put your finger on what it is. I walk over to my bike. Where is my bike? I must've parked it somewhere else. I look down and see my lock. Oh no, did I not even lock my combo lock? I pick it up and see that it had been cut through with some heavy duty cutters. Whoever it is had made more than one attempt before successfully cutting through. No. Way. My bike was stolen. I've been in this city for less than a week. Effing eff. Sigh. My friend tried to talk about other things to take my mind off of it, which I appreciated despite not really showing it. I was pretty bummed. I wasn't mad though...it could have been worse...a bike is just a thing and can be replaced...but it was a nice bike...and it means there are so many bad people in this City...in this World. That's just disheartening. We grab some stuff at 7-11 down the street and head down to BART at Monterey. I get on my train towards Bay Point but in some last minute decision from my bitterness, I get off on Embarcadero. By coincidence, another friend who lives in the City calls me up to say hey and ask what I'm up to. I tell him what happened and that I'm headed up from BART to wander the City hoping to see some bum with my bike. Ha looking back on it, that was probably not one of my brightest ideas. He tells me to stay put and he comes to pick me up to grab dinner with another friend of ours since he didn't want me wandering the streets. I'm glad I have friends to look out for me when I make silly decisions like that. I'm not gonna lie though...I might have been more safe on the streets than inside his car LOL. His driving was nuts but we ended up getting every where very fast and...we got there. So I can't complain too much, but it was a crazy ride around the City. We all went out to Pizza Orgasmica...pretty much an erotically named Pizza place. Very...interesting somewhat disturbing names. "Oh waiter, I'd like a Manage A Trois please...make that half Kinky Cow. Oh yea and while you're at it, some Cream Between Her Thighs. Yes, that's all for now. Thanks."
We had taken seats on the ground table, so getting up afterwards felt good to stretch the legs out. My friend and I left town to drop me back off in Berkeley...that was really nice because getting home on BART this late would have sucked. Especially without a bike. I am still bitter. My roommate's response as I told him..."Wow, you just got here!" Yea, it sucked. Oh well, what can ya do. If you see someone walking around with (or on Craigslist lol) a Giant Mountain Bike, Silver, 21 speed, and no seat, you let me know.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Another Day at CNet Networks
So yesterday after clocking out, I checked out one of the massage chair rooms and sat down in the Sharper Image chair. I've done a few massage chairs before and they've been...alright. But this one is awesome! I must've sat there for like 15 minutes almost falling asleep. They've got a music library in there too to put in the stereo and listen to. After dragging myself out of there, I stopped on the 3rd floor to try out some of the arcade games...free! I had to jet so I couldn't finish an entire game, but I'll definitely be back.
I just got my ergonomic evaluation and workstation modifications today at work. Not only that, but after looking around and talking to some other people, I requested a body ball to sit on at my desk. Someone delivered it up a few hours later new in the box. AWESOME! Haha I can now exercise in my bull pen lol (that's what we call our cubicle space because each cubicle square has four desks...one in each corner...and our cubicles are HUGE...I keep thinking I want to put a basketball half-court in the middle to fill the space).
I really like it here. :) CNet Networks rocks!
I had made some suggestions for the intern program here and Libby wants to meet with me and another intern tomorrow to talk about ways to improve the program. Sounds fun! Ironically it's almost like what I did last summer at IBM lol.
I just got my ergonomic evaluation and workstation modifications today at work. Not only that, but after looking around and talking to some other people, I requested a body ball to sit on at my desk. Someone delivered it up a few hours later new in the box. AWESOME! Haha I can now exercise in my bull pen lol (that's what we call our cubicle space because each cubicle square has four desks...one in each corner...and our cubicles are HUGE...I keep thinking I want to put a basketball half-court in the middle to fill the space).
I really like it here. :) CNet Networks rocks!
I had made some suggestions for the intern program here and Libby wants to meet with me and another intern tomorrow to talk about ways to improve the program. Sounds fun! Ironically it's almost like what I did last summer at IBM lol.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Exploring SF on Lunchtime
I love coming to work each day. Still working out the kinks though lol. I got stuck on BART in the terminal and not enough money on the card to get out back to the streets of SF. So I walked tentatively over to an Add Fare machine and it spit out my money since I only had a 20 and it only took 1's and 5's. And no credit cards. Great. So the guy let me go out to get change as I left my bike behind the gates. Once I got back in and put in a 5, it spit me back all my change in quarters...lots of quarters LOL. I could have used all those quarters for meter parking at Poly! Anyways, I get my bike through and chink, the little doors close between me and my bike. Fantastic. I stand there thinking how funny it would be if someone had a camera right now and thanking God that a BART hadn't just unloaded. Some guy grabs onto my bike and I have a moment of panic that he's just going to take it out of my grasp, but he stands there and smiles and nods over to an attendant who looks over and ushers me through the emergency gate. Embarrassed, I say my thanks and walk off to buy another BART pass for my trip home later.
Something to note is the inconsistency of the public transportation. I had paid for a pass with a Visa before. Now they didn't take Visa cards at these kiosks. I walk over to a lady at the window and she says that none of the machines take Visa. I tell her I've paid for it at Ashby with a Visa before. She refines her statement to say that the Embarcadero, Montgomery, and Powell stations don't take Visa. I say oh and walk off. LONG BEHOLD, as I'm walking past another set of kiosks along a wall, one of them has a little Visa card sign that catches my eye. I think it's the only one. But I bust out my Visa and put 20 buck on a new BART pass. I'm convinced that they make it all this confusing on purpose just to mess with all of us...employees included.
Oh yea, and an older man asked me to marry him after I helped him put only a little bit of money onto a BART pass from a larger bill. He was very nice and I thought it was cute haha. To be honest, I hardly knew what I was doing myself since I just moved up here and all.
Steven came over here for lunch today. We gave him some free CNet food because it was Bring Your Kids to Work Day. LOL that statement sounds funny. Steven was our kid I guess haha. I had snuck some food a little bit earlier and found some other interns doing the same thing so I went up to eat with them in the gameroom on the third floor...Allison and Stephanie. Free arcade games yea! Anyways, with the free food that we didn't have to get else where, we spent the rest of our lunch break with Niklas exploring the city blocks at the Moscone center and surrounding parks and gardens. It was fun. I found out that there's a 24 hour fitness literally less than a block away from my work. I'm going to start making use of that for sure...just have to figure out how to plan it in to my weekly schedule with showering and bringing extra clothes and all.
Okay, well I think it's time to go back to the game room and go home. Everyone's been kind of playing today while I worked (feels more like studying) with their kids here and all, so I don't feel bad taking a break to the game room. Hmmm...better make it quick since I'm meeting Kimpers in Berkeley for dinner tonight. Okay, Michelle out! See ya.
Something to note is the inconsistency of the public transportation. I had paid for a pass with a Visa before. Now they didn't take Visa cards at these kiosks. I walk over to a lady at the window and she says that none of the machines take Visa. I tell her I've paid for it at Ashby with a Visa before. She refines her statement to say that the Embarcadero, Montgomery, and Powell stations don't take Visa. I say oh and walk off. LONG BEHOLD, as I'm walking past another set of kiosks along a wall, one of them has a little Visa card sign that catches my eye. I think it's the only one. But I bust out my Visa and put 20 buck on a new BART pass. I'm convinced that they make it all this confusing on purpose just to mess with all of us...employees included.
Oh yea, and an older man asked me to marry him after I helped him put only a little bit of money onto a BART pass from a larger bill. He was very nice and I thought it was cute haha. To be honest, I hardly knew what I was doing myself since I just moved up here and all.
Steven came over here for lunch today. We gave him some free CNet food because it was Bring Your Kids to Work Day. LOL that statement sounds funny. Steven was our kid I guess haha. I had snuck some food a little bit earlier and found some other interns doing the same thing so I went up to eat with them in the gameroom on the third floor...Allison and Stephanie. Free arcade games yea! Anyways, with the free food that we didn't have to get else where, we spent the rest of our lunch break with Niklas exploring the city blocks at the Moscone center and surrounding parks and gardens. It was fun. I found out that there's a 24 hour fitness literally less than a block away from my work. I'm going to start making use of that for sure...just have to figure out how to plan it in to my weekly schedule with showering and bringing extra clothes and all.
Okay, well I think it's time to go back to the game room and go home. Everyone's been kind of playing today while I worked (feels more like studying) with their kids here and all, so I don't feel bad taking a break to the game room. Hmmm...better make it quick since I'm meeting Kimpers in Berkeley for dinner tonight. Okay, Michelle out! See ya.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Getting Home in Daylight
So one of today's notables consisted of actually getting home before the skies got dark (I think it gets dark around here by 9pm or so). I got to see my landlord and his wife (she thought I didn't exist since nobody except Scot had seen me yet lol).
I was starved and didn't have any food at home, so I left and drove towards Berkeley just wandering around until I found myself on Shattuck Avenue and passed a Hawaiian BBQ place that made me U-Turn to go back to. I had a sugar low or something so waiting for the food was really a drain on my patients lol. My eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach so ordered too much and only ate like 1/3 of my food before packing it up to go and heading out. I had not idea where I was going...I didn't really feel like doing anything, nor going home, nor...I dunno lol. One of those wandering states of mind. So I just drove toward the direction of Berkeley and found myself back on Telegraph and then on the edge of the UC Berkeley campus. I parked and got out and started to walk, grabbing my backpack out of the back seat so nobody would think of breaking into my car and so I could look more like a student lol. It was getting dark, but there were so many students out and about!...like Cal Poly campus between classes. Okay maybe not that busy, but you get the idea. I call up a few friends whose calls I had missed earlier that day to talk while I walked, but just ended up leaving messages.
As I wandered past the library and alumni center, I got a call from one of my good friends from last summer and I plopped down somewhere in UC Berkeley's University Union to talk, staring at the fountain and clock tower over the treeline. It was fun I love talking and catching up with old friends. He made a comment that is very true...how he's all busy and I'm always busy and it's always nice when busy people can find time to still sit down and chat. It is nice. He'll be heading back to New Jersey for good in a few weeks, which I'll be sad about. While talking I got up again to wander and stumbled towards some music floating across the air to where I could see people dancing through the glass doors of a building. After finishing up my philosophical conversation, I wandered in and sat down next to a random girl named Marie and asked what was going on. There were dozens of people just break dancing in the middle of the building hallways, practicing and showing off. She was just as clueless as I was and had just come with a friend. We chatted a while before she left and I continued to watch. I had a few looks my way...I probably looked out of place there...oh well. Eventually I got up intending to just walk and wander more down the empty building hallways but ended up stopping and talking to a girl named Pernilla who looked like a dancer to ask what was going on. It was basically just an informal place for break dancers in the East Bay to come together and learn and practice together with different crews. I told her I was impressed and intrigued and she said I should come out to a battle sometime. I said I would totally come watch a competition, so she gave me a website, her number and said to call her and she'd be happy to teach me a few moves sometime. How awesome is that?
I headed out. Headed home. Met my other roommate Scott for the first time (yup another Scott spelt differently lol), and we chatted for a while...even talked about camping and he invited me to one of his gigs next Thursday. Sounds fun. His room is sweet...tons of instruments and tech stuff. I got ready for bed, and ended up talking to two more really good friends a good 20 minutes each before hanging up barely able to stay awake. I'm smiling right now. I predict being fast asleep within a minute from ending this sentence.
I was starved and didn't have any food at home, so I left and drove towards Berkeley just wandering around until I found myself on Shattuck Avenue and passed a Hawaiian BBQ place that made me U-Turn to go back to. I had a sugar low or something so waiting for the food was really a drain on my patients lol. My eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach so ordered too much and only ate like 1/3 of my food before packing it up to go and heading out. I had not idea where I was going...I didn't really feel like doing anything, nor going home, nor...I dunno lol. One of those wandering states of mind. So I just drove toward the direction of Berkeley and found myself back on Telegraph and then on the edge of the UC Berkeley campus. I parked and got out and started to walk, grabbing my backpack out of the back seat so nobody would think of breaking into my car and so I could look more like a student lol. It was getting dark, but there were so many students out and about!...like Cal Poly campus between classes. Okay maybe not that busy, but you get the idea. I call up a few friends whose calls I had missed earlier that day to talk while I walked, but just ended up leaving messages.
As I wandered past the library and alumni center, I got a call from one of my good friends from last summer and I plopped down somewhere in UC Berkeley's University Union to talk, staring at the fountain and clock tower over the treeline. It was fun I love talking and catching up with old friends. He made a comment that is very true...how he's all busy and I'm always busy and it's always nice when busy people can find time to still sit down and chat. It is nice. He'll be heading back to New Jersey for good in a few weeks, which I'll be sad about. While talking I got up again to wander and stumbled towards some music floating across the air to where I could see people dancing through the glass doors of a building. After finishing up my philosophical conversation, I wandered in and sat down next to a random girl named Marie and asked what was going on. There were dozens of people just break dancing in the middle of the building hallways, practicing and showing off. She was just as clueless as I was and had just come with a friend. We chatted a while before she left and I continued to watch. I had a few looks my way...I probably looked out of place there...oh well. Eventually I got up intending to just walk and wander more down the empty building hallways but ended up stopping and talking to a girl named Pernilla who looked like a dancer to ask what was going on. It was basically just an informal place for break dancers in the East Bay to come together and learn and practice together with different crews. I told her I was impressed and intrigued and she said I should come out to a battle sometime. I said I would totally come watch a competition, so she gave me a website, her number and said to call her and she'd be happy to teach me a few moves sometime. How awesome is that?
I headed out. Headed home. Met my other roommate Scott for the first time (yup another Scott spelt differently lol), and we chatted for a while...even talked about camping and he invited me to one of his gigs next Thursday. Sounds fun. His room is sweet...tons of instruments and tech stuff. I got ready for bed, and ended up talking to two more really good friends a good 20 minutes each before hanging up barely able to stay awake. I'm smiling right now. I predict being fast asleep within a minute from ending this sentence.
CNet Projects
Went to lunch with my team today. Mmm Thai food. There are so many good restaurants around my work...as you can see. Sam sent me a link about CNet's plans for a new upgraded look. How funny because yesterday was the alpha launch of the new site and it was fun to see it being rolled out. I should note that it was fun for me to watch (all of us at CNet did) but my team was definitely more than a little stressed about it and it's high potentials for problems.
Anyways, here's the news article of CNet's New, Improved Look. Check it out.
I finally found out my last potential project that I can work on today too. I get a choice of supposedly one of three. I want to work on two, so we'll see if I can send that idea through (and complete it). One is a useful tool for my own team to gather information, and the other is actually on a different team for CNet TV.
I like this place. The City is still in limbo with my preferences, but this company and the people are great.
Anyways, here's the news article of CNet's New, Improved Look. Check it out.
I finally found out my last potential project that I can work on today too. I get a choice of supposedly one of three. I want to work on two, so we'll see if I can send that idea through (and complete it). One is a useful tool for my own team to gather information, and the other is actually on a different team for CNet TV.
I like this place. The City is still in limbo with my preferences, but this company and the people are great.
First Day on the Job
What. A. Day!
Ha that could mean anything...the downfall of words on a screen and not being heard aloud. Of course I mean it in a good context. I had butterflies for sure, but admittedly they were kind of muted with all the other happenings of the day. What other happenings do you ask? Well, I'd get ready to laugh a bit (it's okay, I laugh at myself too).
Buzz...buzz...my alarm goes off and after hitting the snooze button a few times I drag myself out of bed. Four hours of sleep does not leave me waking up refreshed. But the early morning light coming in through all four of my tall windows is quite gorgeous so I stretch out my arms, smile and say good morning to Fish, and head off to take a shower. The tub is an old style tub (you know, the ones with four legs) and I reach over to turn on the water, which comes out nice and fresh. Now this is where it gets tricky...there's no pully thingy to activate the shower head. No buttons, knobs, levers...nothing. I am confused out of my mind and step in anyways hoping to find the magic of this shower. Well. I failed. That had to be the most awkward shower ever lol. I won't really go much further than that since I guess it wasn't officially a shower LOL. I figured it out later after getting to work and talking to Scott that you have to kind of reach inside the pipe and flip some plug. Now why didn't I think of that?? Sigh.
Now to get to work. I've got a bike that's in three pieces (frame and two wheels), some money, and some minor sense of direction. No map. No internet (apparently we don't get wireless at the house, it's hard lined and I don't have time to figure out where that is. I grab my backpack with potential things I might like to have for the day (packed a few hours before), and walk outside to my bike taking a few minutes to put it together and get my hands all greasy before hoping on and just picking a general direction with lots of traffic. I was told that there was a BART close by...somewhere. And I had remembered Kim making some side comment of "oh there's a BART" when we were driving around a few days before. I keep riding and stop a nice young man to confirm my suspicions of an existing BART and he says to keep on going. Yay I found the Ashby BART! Okay. Now what?
Lol I've seen these kiosks before when I went to SFO from Pleasonton over spring break to Minnesota. I go to an empty one and kind of quizically push buttons as the thing pings at me. It's too easy. I felt like I did something wrong. I finish and look behind me to find a line of about five people behind me. I swear the place was empty a minute ago lol. I move quickly out of the way and stare at the slots to walk through seeing how people got through and wondering how (and if) I can get my bike through. I'd heard they were allowed on BART, but wasn't sure. Some guy passing with his bike gives me the low down on getting through (there are no formalities), and the bike black out hours. I head on down. For some reason I get the feeling that bikes shouldn't be allowed on escalators, but I don't know how else to get it down...didn't look very hard for an elevator though there must be one lol. Grabbing maps, I stare and keep looking up at the blinking signs before picking a station and hoping on the BART that rolls through. It's not such a bad ride...kinda boring since I'm standing most of the time and with a bike I have to hold up and keep out of people's way. When I get to Montgomery, I hop off and ride up the escalator with my bike. This time, there is no wide exit to go through and I stand there wondering how on earth I'm supposed to go through the skinny stations with a bike until someone else lifts his up vertically on the back wheel and slides on through. Aha! So I do the same...a lot more ungracefully mind you, but it works.
It felt like the movies watching the City scene slowly rise into view as I ride up the escalator to the street surface from the caverns. I take a second to look around. I'm pretty aware that I'm close to my work and what general direction to go (based on somewhat of a memory of looking at a map last week), but I must've looked lost or shocked or something because one person asked me if I was alright, and another asked if I was lost. I smiled and said I was fine. Then headed on my way up 2nd Street. I parked my bike and locked it to a pole (someone had suggested a tree, but I couldn't get myself to lock my bike to a tree) before heading inside. I was 20 minutes late (surprising eh?). I went down to orientation, and found that I had missed nothing...just some mingling and waiting for people to take their ID photos. Libby wasn't even there yet.
Snap my photo, get my badge, get access to the bike room, go through orientation (this is gonna be a fun summer I'm sure) with the one other person starting today Jackie and go on a tour of the place (getting Libby to detour to lock my bike in the bike room she'd never even been to) before getting dropped off at the Ops area to begin my work. Jackie and I are the last interns to start of the summer. She works in corporate marketing. My eyebrows were definitely raised.
Work was fun. I went all over the place. Third floor was awesome with GameSpot taking up the floor. Every console and PC game imaginable down there with a studio, testing rooms, action figures, the works taking up the floor. I'm on the fifth floor and I like it up here...nice view from the side windows. I get introduced to everyone...I mean everyone all over the place, not just my team. It's great. Everyone is so nice. There's also a new hire that started today on my team named Sergey. It's nice to do all the training and learning with someone else. And I love my team...they are fun and dynamic.
After the day is over, Steven calls and comes by the office to check it out. I'd remembered he was in the City and sent him a message to hang out earlier that day. He came up and found me with Niklas to my surprise since I didn't know how he got in (Niklas obviously), and the fact that I'd been looking for Niklas earlier that day and never found him. We all walked over to North Beach area for some good Italian food and wine and a good time before heading back to Market to catch a show. There's nothing really good out right now, so we settled on Forgetting Sara Marshall. Oh my goodness my poor eyes! Lol I got a kick out of the movie, but it could have done without the crying men and full frontal male nudity. I would give it...not a very high rating. But it was fun none-the-less and the company was great. We jumped on a BART and parted ways to head home.
I met a woman on the BART home who smelled of beer and was a project manager for some company. We talked the entire ride back and it was good conversation. She's from Tustin down in the OC so we had a lot in common. She put me on the right connection BART and told me to be careful. I was kinda sketchy to begin with, but her fears of being mugged didn't help my own lol. I got off at the Ashby station and started to walk home. It's a LOT slower without a bike (I'd left it at work to walk around SF that evening) and 1am in the morning. My boss earlier that day had made a comment about how I lived in the hood lol. Well that didn't help either. I was tired and to be honest, yea...I was scared. I put my hood on and walked quickly down the streets and neighborhoods an ran up the steps to my haunted house (I'm just gonna call it that lol). I am tired! Falling asleep is never a problem these days lol.
Ha that could mean anything...the downfall of words on a screen and not being heard aloud. Of course I mean it in a good context. I had butterflies for sure, but admittedly they were kind of muted with all the other happenings of the day. What other happenings do you ask? Well, I'd get ready to laugh a bit (it's okay, I laugh at myself too).
Buzz...buzz...my alarm goes off and after hitting the snooze button a few times I drag myself out of bed. Four hours of sleep does not leave me waking up refreshed. But the early morning light coming in through all four of my tall windows is quite gorgeous so I stretch out my arms, smile and say good morning to Fish, and head off to take a shower. The tub is an old style tub (you know, the ones with four legs) and I reach over to turn on the water, which comes out nice and fresh. Now this is where it gets tricky...there's no pully thingy to activate the shower head. No buttons, knobs, levers...nothing. I am confused out of my mind and step in anyways hoping to find the magic of this shower. Well. I failed. That had to be the most awkward shower ever lol. I won't really go much further than that since I guess it wasn't officially a shower LOL. I figured it out later after getting to work and talking to Scott that you have to kind of reach inside the pipe and flip some plug. Now why didn't I think of that?? Sigh.
Now to get to work. I've got a bike that's in three pieces (frame and two wheels), some money, and some minor sense of direction. No map. No internet (apparently we don't get wireless at the house, it's hard lined and I don't have time to figure out where that is. I grab my backpack with potential things I might like to have for the day (packed a few hours before), and walk outside to my bike taking a few minutes to put it together and get my hands all greasy before hoping on and just picking a general direction with lots of traffic. I was told that there was a BART close by...somewhere. And I had remembered Kim making some side comment of "oh there's a BART" when we were driving around a few days before. I keep riding and stop a nice young man to confirm my suspicions of an existing BART and he says to keep on going. Yay I found the Ashby BART! Okay. Now what?
Lol I've seen these kiosks before when I went to SFO from Pleasonton over spring break to Minnesota. I go to an empty one and kind of quizically push buttons as the thing pings at me. It's too easy. I felt like I did something wrong. I finish and look behind me to find a line of about five people behind me. I swear the place was empty a minute ago lol. I move quickly out of the way and stare at the slots to walk through seeing how people got through and wondering how (and if) I can get my bike through. I'd heard they were allowed on BART, but wasn't sure. Some guy passing with his bike gives me the low down on getting through (there are no formalities), and the bike black out hours. I head on down. For some reason I get the feeling that bikes shouldn't be allowed on escalators, but I don't know how else to get it down...didn't look very hard for an elevator though there must be one lol. Grabbing maps, I stare and keep looking up at the blinking signs before picking a station and hoping on the BART that rolls through. It's not such a bad ride...kinda boring since I'm standing most of the time and with a bike I have to hold up and keep out of people's way. When I get to Montgomery, I hop off and ride up the escalator with my bike. This time, there is no wide exit to go through and I stand there wondering how on earth I'm supposed to go through the skinny stations with a bike until someone else lifts his up vertically on the back wheel and slides on through. Aha! So I do the same...a lot more ungracefully mind you, but it works.
It felt like the movies watching the City scene slowly rise into view as I ride up the escalator to the street surface from the caverns. I take a second to look around. I'm pretty aware that I'm close to my work and what general direction to go (based on somewhat of a memory of looking at a map last week), but I must've looked lost or shocked or something because one person asked me if I was alright, and another asked if I was lost. I smiled and said I was fine. Then headed on my way up 2nd Street. I parked my bike and locked it to a pole (someone had suggested a tree, but I couldn't get myself to lock my bike to a tree) before heading inside. I was 20 minutes late (surprising eh?). I went down to orientation, and found that I had missed nothing...just some mingling and waiting for people to take their ID photos. Libby wasn't even there yet.
Snap my photo, get my badge, get access to the bike room, go through orientation (this is gonna be a fun summer I'm sure) with the one other person starting today Jackie and go on a tour of the place (getting Libby to detour to lock my bike in the bike room she'd never even been to) before getting dropped off at the Ops area to begin my work. Jackie and I are the last interns to start of the summer. She works in corporate marketing. My eyebrows were definitely raised.
Work was fun. I went all over the place. Third floor was awesome with GameSpot taking up the floor. Every console and PC game imaginable down there with a studio, testing rooms, action figures, the works taking up the floor. I'm on the fifth floor and I like it up here...nice view from the side windows. I get introduced to everyone...I mean everyone all over the place, not just my team. It's great. Everyone is so nice. There's also a new hire that started today on my team named Sergey. It's nice to do all the training and learning with someone else. And I love my team...they are fun and dynamic.
After the day is over, Steven calls and comes by the office to check it out. I'd remembered he was in the City and sent him a message to hang out earlier that day. He came up and found me with Niklas to my surprise since I didn't know how he got in (Niklas obviously), and the fact that I'd been looking for Niklas earlier that day and never found him. We all walked over to North Beach area for some good Italian food and wine and a good time before heading back to Market to catch a show. There's nothing really good out right now, so we settled on Forgetting Sara Marshall. Oh my goodness my poor eyes! Lol I got a kick out of the movie, but it could have done without the crying men and full frontal male nudity. I would give it...not a very high rating. But it was fun none-the-less and the company was great. We jumped on a BART and parted ways to head home.
I met a woman on the BART home who smelled of beer and was a project manager for some company. We talked the entire ride back and it was good conversation. She's from Tustin down in the OC so we had a lot in common. She put me on the right connection BART and told me to be careful. I was kinda sketchy to begin with, but her fears of being mugged didn't help my own lol. I got off at the Ashby station and started to walk home. It's a LOT slower without a bike (I'd left it at work to walk around SF that evening) and 1am in the morning. My boss earlier that day had made a comment about how I lived in the hood lol. Well that didn't help either. I was tired and to be honest, yea...I was scared. I put my hood on and walked quickly down the streets and neighborhoods an ran up the steps to my haunted house (I'm just gonna call it that lol). I am tired! Falling asleep is never a problem these days lol.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
New Summer, New Beginnings
Ah the adventures of moving. It's almost like going back in time every time I move because of all the stuff that I uncover that I had stuffed under my bed or back in my closet. I'm bringing one car full of stuff up and hoping that's all that's going to be in Berkeley. Importantly I've got my bike, long board, documents, plenty of ready books, clothing, and computer stuff. I think the only furniture I have is my laundry basket, small book shelf, and a desk light. Next week I'll bring up my guitar and surfboards.
I'm gonna forget something that I use daily lol. Oh well I'll be back in a week. I also spent my time dancing around the house to music by Pandora and keeping myself entertained with YouTube lol. I didn't used to procrastinate on YouTube much until summer started. Here was my laugh of the day...M&M Cru Vs. ACDC. Dustin this reminds me of you!
Aside from this post and looking around my room for some little details (doesn't really look like I made a huge impact except for emptier shelves...and my car is full haha), this is my relaxing time before hitting the road and stressing about getting up to Berkeley at a decent hour...at this point it won't be a decent hour lol. I have yet to figure out how to use the BART or where it is! Nor do I know where to get off, how much it costs, or where my work is relative to BART in the City. Oh my life. Well it keeps things interesting. :) Oh yea and I'll pick up Fish from Will (thanks Will!) as soon as I head out. Notes to self. Call Sabi to see if she really really needs her stuff by this weekend, pick up my pillow that I left in Mountain View (probably not tonight) and get my money from Atherton from Cal Poly ASI!!! Sheesh I could use a few thousand dollars back in my account since banquet.
Okay. My nerves are calmed. Time to hit the road to Berkeley. First day of work is tomorrow. I've got the butterflies, but I'm smiling inside...this is going to be exciting!
I'm gonna forget something that I use daily lol. Oh well I'll be back in a week. I also spent my time dancing around the house to music by Pandora and keeping myself entertained with YouTube lol. I didn't used to procrastinate on YouTube much until summer started. Here was my laugh of the day...M&M Cru Vs. ACDC. Dustin this reminds me of you!
Aside from this post and looking around my room for some little details (doesn't really look like I made a huge impact except for emptier shelves...and my car is full haha), this is my relaxing time before hitting the road and stressing about getting up to Berkeley at a decent hour...at this point it won't be a decent hour lol. I have yet to figure out how to use the BART or where it is! Nor do I know where to get off, how much it costs, or where my work is relative to BART in the City. Oh my life. Well it keeps things interesting. :) Oh yea and I'll pick up Fish from Will (thanks Will!) as soon as I head out. Notes to self. Call Sabi to see if she really really needs her stuff by this weekend, pick up my pillow that I left in Mountain View (probably not tonight) and get my money from Atherton from Cal Poly ASI!!! Sheesh I could use a few thousand dollars back in my account since banquet.
Okay. My nerves are calmed. Time to hit the road to Berkeley. First day of work is tomorrow. I've got the butterflies, but I'm smiling inside...this is going to be exciting!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
I Got Berkeley
Got a call this morning from Scott in Berkeley. I got the place. :) Thank goodness I didn't have to start all over again from scratch. I've got some pretty awesome angels on my shoulder working their magic because even though I get all nervous I won't get the place I like...that's never happened. I've always ended up getting my first pick place to live at. Knock on wood.
Hopefully I won't have to deal with this kind of thing too much longer though. I've got a place for summer, a sweet place for fall, and then perhaps only one more house hunting adventure before the actually finding a permanent home to own a few years down the road. Of course, I hope to own a few places by then to rent out to others and make some kind of side income. I already have one place kinda dropped into my lap. Kinda like someone giving me a bike in a runner's race and not considered cheating lol. I should take advantage of that. Next question then is where.
Hopefully I won't have to deal with this kind of thing too much longer though. I've got a place for summer, a sweet place for fall, and then perhaps only one more house hunting adventure before the actually finding a permanent home to own a few years down the road. Of course, I hope to own a few places by then to rent out to others and make some kind of side income. I already have one place kinda dropped into my lap. Kinda like someone giving me a bike in a runner's race and not considered cheating lol. I should take advantage of that. Next question then is where.
Housing Discussions
So here's my story of the day. Moral of the story...I'm not cut out for San Francisco. I'm too nice and I don't really want to harden up for the City life.
I woke up with a dry throat this morning because of the smell of weed wafting through the windows and corridors. It wasn't really strong, but enough to make me gag for some break of fresh air. I moved my car a few spaces to avoid a ticket, took a shower, and then took off to the last place on my list in the City. I got there fine. It was really hot today...they say it's always foggy in the City. Anyways, I get there and Daniel is waiting outside for me and I do my perfect parallel park and get out to say hello. He ushers me inside and shows me the place and his fish tank (a big point of the sublet is for someone to watch and clean his fish tank while he's gone). It's a lot smaller than I expected it to be. And not much room since his stuff will probably stay there. It's nicer than other places I've seen, but perhaps being a spoiled OC girl and then a spoiled SLO-Town gal, I really wasn't gung ho about the place. I tell him my standard "I'm looking at a few other places and will get back to you by tomorrow or the next day latest" routine along with "do you have any questions for me?"
He starts to chat about his life style and things about why his place is a great place and I'm keeping it conversational when all the sudden he cuts in with "I think we should keep in touch while I'm in China" to which my casual conversation pauses, and to make up for the silence I say "yea you should tell me how the teaching English thing on the side of traveling works out cause I'd like to travel someday and make a little income too." The comment had hit me, and then I'd let it slide. He says a few more things and asks me about my hobbies and lifestyle (hypothetically for if his place would be alright in my control), and then looks at his watch, picks up his coffee, and says "It's a nice day and there's that park I had mentioned just a block down. My next appointment to check the place out is at 1pm so we'd have plenty of time. Want to go for a walk around the park? We can walk and talk." Not thinking much of it, I smile and say sure. The park is really nice...for a city park...I guess. I'm still not a fan of San Francisco. Take me to a real park and we'll chat then...I'm talking like the Sequoias, Yosemite, Big Sur. But the dogs in the dog park were cute, and he told me more about San Francisco and his work. He seemed friendly enough and he's half Chinese half Dutch and surfs, but is out of my age range, isn't my ethnic attraction, and I'm just not looking for anything from the City. True I could just be reading into it that he seemed to like me, especially with giving me a hug at the end instead of a typical hand shake, but I'll still say the comment that I just kind of wish the City would keep it's grasps away from me. I am not interested in a San Francisco guy. Ha. Or maybe Russell is right. I just don't give anyone a chance and the guys I do like are somewhat oblivious (or would like to pretend to be so who knows). Story of my life.
Anyways, not necessarily because of the guy, but I'm crossing that place off my list. That only leaves me with one place that I really like. I called up Scott in Berkeley to tell him but I still have yet to hear from him. Hopefully early tomorrow. I don't think I have a second on my list. I'll probably scrap them all and start all over again...what an immense pain.
I grabbed lunch with Gloria in the Haight at Askew Grill. We walked around and got some kewl henna art at a tattoo shop for fun. Then went back to Chris' place, played some games, got some logistics worked out, baked some cookies, and went to Bucca di Beppos for dinner with her friends. It was fun. I'm bummed I missed the Brad Paisley concert though...majorly majorly bummed...totally didn't know it was today until it was too late. I could totally have gone. Oh well. I'm in Mountain View now with Leif. I love my friends...my wonderful friends. :) Thanks Leif and Justin for the roof over my head. And I must say that after all the place hunting I've been doing so far, this little apartment is luxury in comparison. I almost wish I could live here. A lot of my friends are down in this area too. Sigh.
I woke up with a dry throat this morning because of the smell of weed wafting through the windows and corridors. It wasn't really strong, but enough to make me gag for some break of fresh air. I moved my car a few spaces to avoid a ticket, took a shower, and then took off to the last place on my list in the City. I got there fine. It was really hot today...they say it's always foggy in the City. Anyways, I get there and Daniel is waiting outside for me and I do my perfect parallel park and get out to say hello. He ushers me inside and shows me the place and his fish tank (a big point of the sublet is for someone to watch and clean his fish tank while he's gone). It's a lot smaller than I expected it to be. And not much room since his stuff will probably stay there. It's nicer than other places I've seen, but perhaps being a spoiled OC girl and then a spoiled SLO-Town gal, I really wasn't gung ho about the place. I tell him my standard "I'm looking at a few other places and will get back to you by tomorrow or the next day latest" routine along with "do you have any questions for me?"
He starts to chat about his life style and things about why his place is a great place and I'm keeping it conversational when all the sudden he cuts in with "I think we should keep in touch while I'm in China" to which my casual conversation pauses, and to make up for the silence I say "yea you should tell me how the teaching English thing on the side of traveling works out cause I'd like to travel someday and make a little income too." The comment had hit me, and then I'd let it slide. He says a few more things and asks me about my hobbies and lifestyle (hypothetically for if his place would be alright in my control), and then looks at his watch, picks up his coffee, and says "It's a nice day and there's that park I had mentioned just a block down. My next appointment to check the place out is at 1pm so we'd have plenty of time. Want to go for a walk around the park? We can walk and talk." Not thinking much of it, I smile and say sure. The park is really nice...for a city park...I guess. I'm still not a fan of San Francisco. Take me to a real park and we'll chat then...I'm talking like the Sequoias, Yosemite, Big Sur. But the dogs in the dog park were cute, and he told me more about San Francisco and his work. He seemed friendly enough and he's half Chinese half Dutch and surfs, but is out of my age range, isn't my ethnic attraction, and I'm just not looking for anything from the City. True I could just be reading into it that he seemed to like me, especially with giving me a hug at the end instead of a typical hand shake, but I'll still say the comment that I just kind of wish the City would keep it's grasps away from me. I am not interested in a San Francisco guy. Ha. Or maybe Russell is right. I just don't give anyone a chance and the guys I do like are somewhat oblivious (or would like to pretend to be so who knows). Story of my life.
Anyways, not necessarily because of the guy, but I'm crossing that place off my list. That only leaves me with one place that I really like. I called up Scott in Berkeley to tell him but I still have yet to hear from him. Hopefully early tomorrow. I don't think I have a second on my list. I'll probably scrap them all and start all over again...what an immense pain.
I grabbed lunch with Gloria in the Haight at Askew Grill. We walked around and got some kewl henna art at a tattoo shop for fun. Then went back to Chris' place, played some games, got some logistics worked out, baked some cookies, and went to Bucca di Beppos for dinner with her friends. It was fun. I'm bummed I missed the Brad Paisley concert though...majorly majorly bummed...totally didn't know it was today until it was too late. I could totally have gone. Oh well. I'm in Mountain View now with Leif. I love my friends...my wonderful friends. :) Thanks Leif and Justin for the roof over my head. And I must say that after all the place hunting I've been doing so far, this little apartment is luxury in comparison. I almost wish I could live here. A lot of my friends are down in this area too. Sigh.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Housing Decisions
So I just put in and watched Little Miss Sunshine over at Kim's place. Cute movie. I was definitely like oh my goodness at more than a few points, but that's pretty expected lol.
At this point, I've been all over the bay area. I've almost got most of down in my head...from going places multiple times to getting lost to looking at my makeshift drawing of a map...I pick up a sense of direction pretty quickly.
I made six stops today. I think. We'll map them out and see.
[an hour later]
Seven stops today. Yesterday, I did three and didn't like any of them. Today I found one that I liked and two other potential backups. There was also a cool one on Alameda island, but that's just kinda ridiculous because if I missed the ferry (that's right, I'd take a ferry to work every day), then I'd be kinda screwed. But I sure do love that island. It's pretty much a deserted navy base. You can tell it was a happening place once upon a time...wish I could have seen that!
One more tomorrow in San Francisco. The ad makes is seem like a sweet place. But we'll see because it doesn't look to be near other public transportation in SF. My most prime option at the moment is in Berkeley. And it's pretty near BART. So if the SF place doesn't work out, I'm gonna try to nab it really fast.
Which brings me into thoughts of maybe being able to stay at a place for free down in southern east bay or peninsula. Should I even consider it? I'd have to ask too which doesn't mean it'd even be and option. But is it worth asking if I live that far from work? The thing though is that all of my Cal Poly friends are down there...which is really really nice. I'd love to see them more. Sigh...just can't have your cake and eat it too.
At this point, I've been all over the bay area. I've almost got most of down in my head...from going places multiple times to getting lost to looking at my makeshift drawing of a map...I pick up a sense of direction pretty quickly.
I made six stops today. I think. We'll map them out and see.
[an hour later]
Seven stops today. Yesterday, I did three and didn't like any of them. Today I found one that I liked and two other potential backups. There was also a cool one on Alameda island, but that's just kinda ridiculous because if I missed the ferry (that's right, I'd take a ferry to work every day), then I'd be kinda screwed. But I sure do love that island. It's pretty much a deserted navy base. You can tell it was a happening place once upon a time...wish I could have seen that!
One more tomorrow in San Francisco. The ad makes is seem like a sweet place. But we'll see because it doesn't look to be near other public transportation in SF. My most prime option at the moment is in Berkeley. And it's pretty near BART. So if the SF place doesn't work out, I'm gonna try to nab it really fast.
Which brings me into thoughts of maybe being able to stay at a place for free down in southern east bay or peninsula. Should I even consider it? I'd have to ask too which doesn't mean it'd even be and option. But is it worth asking if I live that far from work? The thing though is that all of my Cal Poly friends are down there...which is really really nice. I'd love to see them more. Sigh...just can't have your cake and eat it too.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
House Hunt Update
The process of finding a new place to live has to be one of the most time consuming, patience testing, snipe hunting games to be played. Either that or it falls out of the sky and is handed to you on a golden platter. The latter of which is not the case lol. But still, I'm optimistic. They all like me fine, but I can't seem to find a place that I like. Maybe it's cause it's the bay area lol...still not a fan.
Checked some places out today and who knew they would take so long to drive to and find? It was pretty much an hour for each place (mostly because of all the driving and getting lost). Funny thing is that some wouldn't give me directions up front and said to call them on the way. Omg never say okay to that since that is just asking to get lost...miserably. They would speak in accents so thick that I had to ask to repeat two or more times. I just told them my reception was bad on my phone though lol.
In the end, I didn't like the three places I saw today, although one of them is at the top of this huge hill that overlooks...everything...in Berkeley. Just as much as the location though, I want some good fun roommates.
As I lie here in this futon bed in San Francisco, my mind keeps wandering to things that really matter in life. Or more like...what things matter more than others. And I find myself missing a lot of things about SLO, including the people...the wonderful people...my friends. As well as a certain friend who might not be there when I get back in the Fall (there's a few people, so I can say that publicly since you'd never guess! Lol). Basically, it would have been great to know em better.
Okay time to turn out the lights, charge the phone for another day, and shut the windows so Mary Jane can't seep in and strangle me by the throat like she seems to be doing. Ugh. Good night!
Checked some places out today and who knew they would take so long to drive to and find? It was pretty much an hour for each place (mostly because of all the driving and getting lost). Funny thing is that some wouldn't give me directions up front and said to call them on the way. Omg never say okay to that since that is just asking to get lost...miserably. They would speak in accents so thick that I had to ask to repeat two or more times. I just told them my reception was bad on my phone though lol.
In the end, I didn't like the three places I saw today, although one of them is at the top of this huge hill that overlooks...everything...in Berkeley. Just as much as the location though, I want some good fun roommates.
As I lie here in this futon bed in San Francisco, my mind keeps wandering to things that really matter in life. Or more like...what things matter more than others. And I find myself missing a lot of things about SLO, including the people...the wonderful people...my friends. As well as a certain friend who might not be there when I get back in the Fall (there's a few people, so I can say that publicly since you'd never guess! Lol). Basically, it would have been great to know em better.
Okay time to turn out the lights, charge the phone for another day, and shut the windows so Mary Jane can't seep in and strangle me by the throat like she seems to be doing. Ugh. Good night!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
A 23rd Birthday Story
I had no idea what to expect of today. As usual, I knew there'd be some chaos, some delays, but I don't think I stopped smiling today. :)
To prep the week my family was here for graduation this weekend and it was a blast! Stressful in a sense yes, and a bagillion pictures, but it made me feel so special that everyone was there. I went downtown to meet some friends that evening (leaving the fam at home) and the guy at Mother's Tavern says "Cover is 10 bucks no discounts tonight" without even looking up at me as I hand him my ID. He stares at it for a few seconds and I'm shuffling my feet and he looks at his watch then at me and says "It's two days til your birthday, you can get in free" and waves me in. How fun! I wasn't out long considering I got there past midnight but I just wanted to see my friends and old roommie.
Today was amazing. I woke up and finished my paper and sent it off while talking to a few people online and making silly jokes. Took a shower. Met Dan and Melissa for lunch at Gus' and had so much fun in the presence of good company. Dan I am so glad we are such great friends...how looking back I can see all the times you guys were there for me and I appreciate it a lot. Melissa I love to see our friendship grow...so you'll be in Chicago...that doesn't have to change anything.
To prep the week my family was here for graduation this weekend and it was a blast! Stressful in a sense yes, and a bagillion pictures, but it made me feel so special that everyone was there. I went downtown to meet some friends that evening (leaving the fam at home) and the guy at Mother's Tavern says "Cover is 10 bucks no discounts tonight" without even looking up at me as I hand him my ID. He stares at it for a few seconds and I'm shuffling my feet and he looks at his watch then at me and says "It's two days til your birthday, you can get in free" and waves me in. How fun! I wasn't out long considering I got there past midnight but I just wanted to see my friends and old roommie.
Today was amazing. I woke up and finished my paper and sent it off while talking to a few people online and making silly jokes. Took a shower. Met Dan and Melissa for lunch at Gus' and had so much fun in the presence of good company. Dan I am so glad we are such great friends...how looking back I can see all the times you guys were there for me and I appreciate it a lot. Melissa I love to see our friendship grow...so you'll be in Chicago...that doesn't have to change anything.
Of course I completely overlooked the time and when we parted ways I raced home to everything I hadn't packed or prepared yet for my road trip to the bay area. I was slightly stressing until I walked up my driveway to see flowers on the doormat. So beautiful! Thanks Mom! I carried them inside, tidied up the house a bit and threw things into bags without really taking time to decide what I'd need and didn't need. I stuck clothes in the dryer before heading out and paused in front of the sink of dirty dishes before deciding I really couldn't take care of them right then.
I do a scan of my room and realize that Fish is just swimming around his bowl and I'm thinking oh no. I can't think of anyone in town off the top of my head until I pick up the phone and call up Will. :) So Fish won't starve now thanks to more good friends. Thank you Will! Although your face when you picked it up questioningly made me laugh. That Fish is special...he knows all my secrets!
Off to pick up things for Sabrina and Amy and I jet out of town to Fremont. The drive up was filled with hellos from Julie, Cameron, Kyle, and Tyler. I had to call Sabi because I realized that I had no idea how to get to Olive Garden myself LOL. It worked out perfectly really. I got there 15 minutes before 7:30 (my rescheduled time lol) and people showed up in a timely manner. A lot of my friends also don't know each other. That's how I role lol...new people, new friends for you. :)
Dinner was amazing! Not necessarily the food though it was good...but I couldn't stop smiling thank you all for such a wonderful evening. The stories kept me laughing and I found out something new about everyone for the most part. I recall sitting there letting all the chatter well up around me drinking my margarita and just lost in my own thoughts about how everyone came together to this one moment. In other words, you are all from such different backgrounds and with different interests and yet you come together at this time and place together. And my life has been touched by each and everyone one of you in different ways...we have a history and a story and an ongoing friendship that...makes me smile.
Thanks to everyone who came out again! It means more than you know. :)
And thanks Sam for the roof over my head, internet access, and jenga. Wish me luck on my summer house hunt this week! :P
Friday, June 13, 2008
College Golf Tourney
Wow it's been a long day. I had to drag myself out of bed once again this time for an 11am breakfast lol. Mmm apple pancakes homemade. Then it was time to jet off to help out the CENG Golf Tournament at the SLO Country Club. High rollers! Geeze I wish I had dressed up more lol.
So here I am the only student at this function welcoming guests...some who would look at me and smile as I greeted them and others who would never even notice I'd said hello. Everyone was very nice though. Proper...I'd say not lol. A lot of them had played golf that morning, and I was on the shift for the wine tasting function. So that's what I did. :) I had my glasses of wine and fair share of cheese and veggies. I talked to reps from Raytheon and the CENG staff. I made friends with Bill Swanson's personal driver (wall-be) who convinced me to stay for dinner and talked with me the rest of the afternoon. As well as Kurt whom I'd been my Raytheon contact with for the past two years and finally was able to meet in person. People at this event were...whew...the titles were almost overwhelming. It was a small group really. President Baker, Dean Noori, all the rest of the important CENG staff...Joe, Debbie, Donna, Jeff, Zahed...Department Chairs like Dr. Griffin from Biomedical and Dr. Puig-Suari from Aerospace. CEOs from Raytheon like Bill Swanson and from Northrop Grumman and Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.
I like the keynote speaker's line stating that with all the defense system head honchos, this is probably the safest place we could all be right now. Either that or a gigantic target on the map.
I got a very nice Cal Poly polo and hat. Very nice. Perhaps I'll be back someday on the corporate end. Someday. It is fun to be wined and dined!
So here I am the only student at this function welcoming guests...some who would look at me and smile as I greeted them and others who would never even notice I'd said hello. Everyone was very nice though. Proper...I'd say not lol. A lot of them had played golf that morning, and I was on the shift for the wine tasting function. So that's what I did. :) I had my glasses of wine and fair share of cheese and veggies. I talked to reps from Raytheon and the CENG staff. I made friends with Bill Swanson's personal driver (wall-be) who convinced me to stay for dinner and talked with me the rest of the afternoon. As well as Kurt whom I'd been my Raytheon contact with for the past two years and finally was able to meet in person. People at this event were...whew...the titles were almost overwhelming. It was a small group really. President Baker, Dean Noori, all the rest of the important CENG staff...Joe, Debbie, Donna, Jeff, Zahed...Department Chairs like Dr. Griffin from Biomedical and Dr. Puig-Suari from Aerospace. CEOs from Raytheon like Bill Swanson and from Northrop Grumman and Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.
I like the keynote speaker's line stating that with all the defense system head honchos, this is probably the safest place we could all be right now. Either that or a gigantic target on the map.
I got a very nice Cal Poly polo and hat. Very nice. Perhaps I'll be back someday on the corporate end. Someday. It is fun to be wined and dined!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Meetings Galore
I had to drag myself out of bed this morning and race out of the house to my first meeting at 9am with Donna for ESC stuff. Then it was off to the LCM house for Peer Minister meeting which I predicted would take a while, but am worried about how long these meetings will last next year. I just don't have that kind of time! Anyways, it was good and very productive and Cameron and I went over to Tyler's house to have a final lunch with him before he and Cameron left for the summer. Ty had made pesto pizzas (omg it was amazing) from scratch and I stuck around in the Patricia house after lunch divulging into my novel "The Memory Keeper's Daughter". I should have been writing my papers. I should be writing my papers now. But the nice thing...I finished my book yay! Literally one minute before my next meeting at 5:30pm...another LCM Team meeting with the adults. Free Mama's Meatballs mmmm. Then it was home, some time to get things done (not much mind you), and then off to the Grad with Will for a night of dancing.
Now that's a story lol. I got a call from a friend that evening asking for a ride to the Grad that night. When I called him back to confirm, he said he couldn't go, but his friend would like a ride. Anyways, after talking to his friend, I said alright and picked her up from the dorms. It was just so random lol. I stopped by to pick up Will and we headed off! Oh it was fun. Of course. As always. :) I nodded my hello to the bouncer who normally checked IDs on the way in. He knows me now and I should get his name next time for formalities sake. I don't even have to show my ID anymore these days lol. Will picked partner dances up pretty quickly actually and it made me smile to see him try the line dances. There have definitely been times I've taken people who just sit on the side like wallflowers and find it mandatory to have their liquid courage before stepping on the dance floor. That always annoyed me just a bit. But this night...this was fun.
It was also great to see Dustin there. One of the smoothest dancers I know. Another CSC Grad student...goodness he's done with his thesis already! I remember taking undergrad classes with him and working long hours on those class projects...and now he's done! I'll miss him for sure he was a great friend and always made me smile. It was his last night at the Grad and probably the last time we would dance and he makes it so much fun cause I don't mess up much! Lol. Anyways, he finally showed off some of his swing moves after my ongoing requests, and I regretted it as soon as he started because he was really really good and I felt totally incapable. But the blues dancing was fun I'd never done that before...properly lead at least. Hot hot hot lol. I'm pretty convinced that all guys should learn how to dance (or at least be open to it).
After some fun dancing it was off to donuts and Leo, the donut man! As it turns out, Will and I share the same favorite donut. Who knew? Chocolate Rainbow Sprinkles. Highly recommended I tell ya. I like the regular rainbow sprinkles too.
Now that's a story lol. I got a call from a friend that evening asking for a ride to the Grad that night. When I called him back to confirm, he said he couldn't go, but his friend would like a ride. Anyways, after talking to his friend, I said alright and picked her up from the dorms. It was just so random lol. I stopped by to pick up Will and we headed off! Oh it was fun. Of course. As always. :) I nodded my hello to the bouncer who normally checked IDs on the way in. He knows me now and I should get his name next time for formalities sake. I don't even have to show my ID anymore these days lol. Will picked partner dances up pretty quickly actually and it made me smile to see him try the line dances. There have definitely been times I've taken people who just sit on the side like wallflowers and find it mandatory to have their liquid courage before stepping on the dance floor. That always annoyed me just a bit. But this night...this was fun.
It was also great to see Dustin there. One of the smoothest dancers I know. Another CSC Grad student...goodness he's done with his thesis already! I remember taking undergrad classes with him and working long hours on those class projects...and now he's done! I'll miss him for sure he was a great friend and always made me smile. It was his last night at the Grad and probably the last time we would dance and he makes it so much fun cause I don't mess up much! Lol. Anyways, he finally showed off some of his swing moves after my ongoing requests, and I regretted it as soon as he started because he was really really good and I felt totally incapable. But the blues dancing was fun I'd never done that before...properly lead at least. Hot hot hot lol. I'm pretty convinced that all guys should learn how to dance (or at least be open to it).
After some fun dancing it was off to donuts and Leo, the donut man! As it turns out, Will and I share the same favorite donut. Who knew? Chocolate Rainbow Sprinkles. Highly recommended I tell ya. I like the regular rainbow sprinkles too.
What Now?
I feel like I'm disjoint from this life. I still have passions and I love everyone and everything...but at the same time, it's like I'm not attached to anything. I want to be with everyone, and yet I don't. And there is nobody here that has enough grip on me to move me...move my heart. Maybe that's why I feel so disjoint.
Not that I'm worried. Perhaps it's the hype of so many friends graduating and moving along while I still remain. And so many more getting engaged before my story has even begun. More people with set plans of adventure while I still don't know where I'll be in a week. And others with opportunities and access that I don't know how to get. Last summer there was someone who was always around for me to call often when I wanted to...at least one good friend that I was close to at each phase of my San Jose summer. Most of those people are tied down now with girlfriends. And others are heading down to Southern California or out of state. How I long for my Southern California roots and familiarity. When I'm there, I never hear anything about this whole Nor Cal vs. So Cal Pride...people really didn't care where I was. But when I'm here in SLO and up in the bay, it becomes a big thing and I don't know why.
Perhaps I'm just not in the mood at the moment. I would not make the effort to introduce myself to someone new nor do I care to scan the crowd for a face or personality that attracts me. Yet I know that when it comes down to it, it's what I do in the adrenaline rush of a new setting. I guess that I am scared of what's to come...and at the same time unsatisfied that it is not more extravagant and mysterious as a trip out of the country or a road trip with friends. But I guess I shouldn't doubt myself too much. That's how I roll...too free for my own good. So much that I'm confident enough to get a place within a week and not having a place during that time..."winging it" if you will.
Oh dear. What am I getting myself into lol.
Not that I'm worried. Perhaps it's the hype of so many friends graduating and moving along while I still remain. And so many more getting engaged before my story has even begun. More people with set plans of adventure while I still don't know where I'll be in a week. And others with opportunities and access that I don't know how to get. Last summer there was someone who was always around for me to call often when I wanted to...at least one good friend that I was close to at each phase of my San Jose summer. Most of those people are tied down now with girlfriends. And others are heading down to Southern California or out of state. How I long for my Southern California roots and familiarity. When I'm there, I never hear anything about this whole Nor Cal vs. So Cal Pride...people really didn't care where I was. But when I'm here in SLO and up in the bay, it becomes a big thing and I don't know why.
Perhaps I'm just not in the mood at the moment. I would not make the effort to introduce myself to someone new nor do I care to scan the crowd for a face or personality that attracts me. Yet I know that when it comes down to it, it's what I do in the adrenaline rush of a new setting. I guess that I am scared of what's to come...and at the same time unsatisfied that it is not more extravagant and mysterious as a trip out of the country or a road trip with friends. But I guess I shouldn't doubt myself too much. That's how I roll...too free for my own good. So much that I'm confident enough to get a place within a week and not having a place during that time..."winging it" if you will.
Oh dear. What am I getting myself into lol.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Dead Week Weekendness
My Current Location: Computer Science Grad Lab. Feet up on the couch for a stool and facing a blank wall. With Will working (working? he was totally procrastinating a few minutes ago) somewhere facing another blank wall. Oh the life of a computer science student.
Recent realization: I have a lot of grad student friends.
What that really means: I am old and should have graduated by now.
So what happens when someone asks if you blog. And then why don't you have it linked to your Facebook account. I laugh on the inside and debate whether to tell them that my blog IS linked to my Facebook account, or just nod and smile. Mostly because I'm sure that lot of things I write in here are embarrassing! Well, not that the time, but perhaps in hindsight. At the same time I'm not embarrassed enough to delete it...or not write it haha. I'm just telling the story of an ordinary girl with flaws, who's gone through heartbreak, and who likes to think everyone in the world has a big heart...or should have a big heart.
Anyways, I will tell two stories. My story for today. I spilled sour cream all over my pants and sweatshirt. So now I smell of sour cream gone bad. But I'm too lazy to get up and go all the way home. So I continue to sit in the grad lab lol. I'll probably leave after this since I'm not studying and that's what I'm here to do...sigh.
My story for the weekend is kinda nuts. Starts on Thursday bike night being somewhat what I felt was ditched and then stood up for line dancing from a friend. But hey, it happens right? Then on Friday going to a kick-ass CPE Banquet (not as good as CSC though!) and helping them set up. It was fun because I got to hang out with my Vicky and Ebrah...so much fun! Went back to town and picked up my bike from Joel's. And then stopped by a friend's place where everyone was young and I felt old and out of place (ah I'm a predator! lol) and a boy tried his charm on me haha. Nothing to tell I promise. Saturday was Camaroon's surprise orange birthday, blacklight party, and downtown with the underage 18 year old Ausies with fake IDs. They were a hit at the bar but I went to hang out with my own friends...though I love the accents I won't lie. Sunday is church, meetings, and studying all day. Lol despite the sound of it, I did study a lot this weekend. I should be right now. Right. Okay okay I'm going...
Recent realization: I have a lot of grad student friends.
What that really means: I am old and should have graduated by now.
So what happens when someone asks if you blog. And then why don't you have it linked to your Facebook account. I laugh on the inside and debate whether to tell them that my blog IS linked to my Facebook account, or just nod and smile. Mostly because I'm sure that lot of things I write in here are embarrassing! Well, not that the time, but perhaps in hindsight. At the same time I'm not embarrassed enough to delete it...or not write it haha. I'm just telling the story of an ordinary girl with flaws, who's gone through heartbreak, and who likes to think everyone in the world has a big heart...or should have a big heart.
Anyways, I will tell two stories. My story for today. I spilled sour cream all over my pants and sweatshirt. So now I smell of sour cream gone bad. But I'm too lazy to get up and go all the way home. So I continue to sit in the grad lab lol. I'll probably leave after this since I'm not studying and that's what I'm here to do...sigh.
My story for the weekend is kinda nuts. Starts on Thursday bike night being somewhat what I felt was ditched and then stood up for line dancing from a friend. But hey, it happens right? Then on Friday going to a kick-ass CPE Banquet (not as good as CSC though!) and helping them set up. It was fun because I got to hang out with my Vicky and Ebrah...so much fun! Went back to town and picked up my bike from Joel's. And then stopped by a friend's place where everyone was young and I felt old and out of place (ah I'm a predator! lol) and a boy tried his charm on me haha. Nothing to tell I promise. Saturday was Camaroon's surprise orange birthday, blacklight party, and downtown with the underage 18 year old Ausies with fake IDs. They were a hit at the bar but I went to hang out with my own friends...though I love the accents I won't lie. Sunday is church, meetings, and studying all day. Lol despite the sound of it, I did study a lot this weekend. I should be right now. Right. Okay okay I'm going...
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