I'm going to let you all in on one of the few things that still makes me curse up a storm. Some of you may completely understand, but I figure a lot of you will think I'm making a big deal out of nothing. The thing I'm speaking of is, of course, dryers and their usage. Let me explain.
In my building, there are only three washers and three dryers--with 30 apartments. This sometimes causes an issue where some people can't get to dryers or washers or both. Of course, this issue is made worse when you consider that the middle dryer of the three takes about 5 hours just to get your laundry to only mildly damp. Now what makes me curse is when people leave their laundry in a dryer long after it is done. This is because I'm too nice to say "You've had way too --- long to --- get your (stuff) out of the --- dryer, so I'm removing it for you" if there is still a dryer that isn't "in use", even if it is the middle one. However, then I'm forced to wait for the slowest dryer in the building, and I get frustrated by the fact that it doesn't work. I usually end up waiting for another dryer to become "free" or just taking my clothes out, still damp and hang them up around my room--usually cursing the whole time.
Anyway, as you might have guessed, this happened just today, so there's almost nowhere to sit in my apartment, as there are damp clothes everywhere.
24 June 2010
It's been a while
I can't believe it's been almost 3 weeks since my last post. Anyway, I feel I should update on my life--which is basically just work and sleep now.
I've been working on the driving thing--I've now driven two different beemers. The one I've been practicing in lately is an automatic, so I'm not fighting it as much. I've even been out on the roads a little--I drove home from the last real lesson, and then I drove home from connection group last night.
Anyway, so far on the job, I've cut fabric, mixed paint, caught 30 fish (yes, I'm keeping track--14 of these were today, even), gotten fishing licenses, and unloaded a truck. And apparently, they trust me with a $2000 scanner. Oh yeah, I also got my first paycheck today! I'd frame it, but then I wouldn't be able to cash it--and it would be a waste of money anyway.
I'm unsure how to feel about the big move coming up. On the one hand, I'm excited that in 38 days I'm going to be in Iowa City, planting a church with some awesome people. On the other hand, I'm sad that in 37 days, I'll be leaving a city that I've come to know as home, and the first place I've really felt at home. I guess that's for the best, though--if I get my way now, I'll never want to leave Ames.
Today's random moment, I realized how true this is today--but with me it tends to be more true with rabbits than cats.
I've been working on the driving thing--I've now driven two different beemers. The one I've been practicing in lately is an automatic, so I'm not fighting it as much. I've even been out on the roads a little--I drove home from the last real lesson, and then I drove home from connection group last night.
Anyway, so far on the job, I've cut fabric, mixed paint, caught 30 fish (yes, I'm keeping track--14 of these were today, even), gotten fishing licenses, and unloaded a truck. And apparently, they trust me with a $2000 scanner. Oh yeah, I also got my first paycheck today! I'd frame it, but then I wouldn't be able to cash it--and it would be a waste of money anyway.
I'm unsure how to feel about the big move coming up. On the one hand, I'm excited that in 38 days I'm going to be in Iowa City, planting a church with some awesome people. On the other hand, I'm sad that in 37 days, I'll be leaving a city that I've come to know as home, and the first place I've really felt at home. I guess that's for the best, though--if I get my way now, I'll never want to leave Ames.
Today's random moment, I realized how true this is today--but with me it tends to be more true with rabbits than cats.
07 June 2010
Day 1
Today was orientation at my new job. That's right, 7 hours of watching mind-numbing videos, listening to managers talk, and filling out forms. I'm not sure if $7.45 an hour is too much for that, or not enough.
I'll be working at the North Ames Wal-Mart as a "sales associate" in the Pets, Paper, and Household Chemical (and possibly even Hardware) Departments. My schedule for this week and the next two weeks (weeks in this case ending on Friday) is pretty simple: 4-8 pm on days starting with T, and 2-6 pm on days starting with S. Unfortunately, this does mean I'll be missing Salt for the next 3 weeks.
I'm currently still in my work clothes (navy polo and khaki slacks) except the footwear--currently wearing flip-flops. I didn't feel like changing into a shirt that I'm only going to wear for 5 hours in my apartment, and as I've mentioned before, I hate shoes.
Anyway, I also get to walk around with a box cutter. From the 15-minute safety and instruction video we had to watch for it, I would have thought it would cost more than this. I would have thought it would be at least as expensive as my DVD player was.
I'm also lucky enough to have the locker that is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. Of course, this means I want to get that book even more now.
I'll be working at the North Ames Wal-Mart as a "sales associate" in the Pets, Paper, and Household Chemical (and possibly even Hardware) Departments. My schedule for this week and the next two weeks (weeks in this case ending on Friday) is pretty simple: 4-8 pm on days starting with T, and 2-6 pm on days starting with S. Unfortunately, this does mean I'll be missing Salt for the next 3 weeks.
I'm currently still in my work clothes (navy polo and khaki slacks) except the footwear--currently wearing flip-flops. I didn't feel like changing into a shirt that I'm only going to wear for 5 hours in my apartment, and as I've mentioned before, I hate shoes.
Anyway, I also get to walk around with a box cutter. From the 15-minute safety and instruction video we had to watch for it, I would have thought it would cost more than this. I would have thought it would be at least as expensive as my DVD player was.
I'm also lucky enough to have the locker that is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. Of course, this means I want to get that book even more now.
28 May 2010
I am job
Looks like I'm going to be working soon. Tuesday, I go in for the final step, which is giving them the full information so they can run a background check, and a drug test. From what the guy said, this should take about a week or two, maybe less, but I don't believe I have anything that would cause me to not get this job.
It'll be a little job at the north Wal-Mart on the sales floor.
(and if you're wondering about the rent for June, my dad was willing--and able--to float me some money)
I feel bad that I doubted the words of Jeremiah 29:11. I'm also incredibly excited.
On an unrelated topic, I won't be in Ames for the next few days. I'm heading up to Sioux City with my mom for the weekend.
It'll be a little job at the north Wal-Mart on the sales floor.
(and if you're wondering about the rent for June, my dad was willing--and able--to float me some money)
I feel bad that I doubted the words of Jeremiah 29:11. I'm also incredibly excited.
On an unrelated topic, I won't be in Ames for the next few days. I'm heading up to Sioux City with my mom for the weekend.
25 May 2010
Time has run out
So, my birthday is in just under a week--it's Monday--and all I want to do for my birthday is avoid people. As I said in a post earlier this month, I don't like parties that center around me.
But that's not the big thing. The big thing is money. I have about $50 to my name--and about half of that is going to buy groceries tomorrow. Rent is due on the first, but if I pay before the 6th, I don't have to pay a late fee--would be a $40 fee on the $410 rent. That still means I almost needed to get a full time job starting yesterday to pay it without a fee.
That makes me want to just stay at home feeling sorry for myself, or if I have a job by then, to work all day. And the American part of me--you know, the "if I can't make it on my own, I shouldn't make it" part--abhors the thought of being a sort of charity case, so I have been extremely reluctant to ask for help, and I'm having a hard time not simply deleting this post before publishing it.
All this combines to make my birthday something that I don't want to celebrate. It might even be my worst birthday ever. We'll have to wait and see if it tops my 17th--waking up early on a Saturday, putting on nice clothes, passing by protesters, walking across a stage in front of thousands of people, then going home to a "party" when all I wanted to do was nap.
But that's not the big thing. The big thing is money. I have about $50 to my name--and about half of that is going to buy groceries tomorrow. Rent is due on the first, but if I pay before the 6th, I don't have to pay a late fee--would be a $40 fee on the $410 rent. That still means I almost needed to get a full time job starting yesterday to pay it without a fee.
That makes me want to just stay at home feeling sorry for myself, or if I have a job by then, to work all day. And the American part of me--you know, the "if I can't make it on my own, I shouldn't make it" part--abhors the thought of being a sort of charity case, so I have been extremely reluctant to ask for help, and I'm having a hard time not simply deleting this post before publishing it.
All this combines to make my birthday something that I don't want to celebrate. It might even be my worst birthday ever. We'll have to wait and see if it tops my 17th--waking up early on a Saturday, putting on nice clothes, passing by protesters, walking across a stage in front of thousands of people, then going home to a "party" when all I wanted to do was nap.
17 May 2010
The Animatrix
In case you've been waiting to find out about the Animatrix since I posted this morning, no it's not as bad as people make it out to be. It's much worse. When I went to watch it, I expected from hearing what others said that it would be bad enough where no one would buy it unless it were offered as a set with the other three Matrix films. My expectations were still too high.
If you can ignore the occasional robot POV shot of a guy getting his head crushed--complete with his brain being squeezed out of his skull toward camera--the frequent scenes that are sometimes borderline, sometimes out-and-out pornographic and the poor (at best) animation, it's still a horrible movie. Okay, if you watch parts 2 & 3, you can get a little more background information on the war, but you have to get through all the problems I mentioned already and you don't really learn much, you just get to actually see it.
I will not be watching it again. Now before you get all "your standard for movies may be too high", let me tell you this. I LOVE Godzilla movies--the Japanese ones, not the one set in New York, that one is NOT a Godzilla movie. I like Star Trek: The Motion Picture, even though there's no real battle scene, the first 10 minutes are almost completely in Klingon and Vulcan, the first 100 seconds is just a black screen with music, and there's a 5-minute scene of flying around the Enterprise with no dialogue. I've also tried multiple times to watch the Star Wars Holiday Special, but failed because I couldn't breathe from laughing too hard--I've only made it about a fifth of the way through.
If you can ignore the occasional robot POV shot of a guy getting his head crushed--complete with his brain being squeezed out of his skull toward camera--the frequent scenes that are sometimes borderline, sometimes out-and-out pornographic and the poor (at best) animation, it's still a horrible movie. Okay, if you watch parts 2 & 3, you can get a little more background information on the war, but you have to get through all the problems I mentioned already and you don't really learn much, you just get to actually see it.
I will not be watching it again. Now before you get all "your standard for movies may be too high", let me tell you this. I LOVE Godzilla movies--the Japanese ones, not the one set in New York, that one is NOT a Godzilla movie. I like Star Trek: The Motion Picture, even though there's no real battle scene, the first 10 minutes are almost completely in Klingon and Vulcan, the first 100 seconds is just a black screen with music, and there's a 5-minute scene of flying around the Enterprise with no dialogue. I've also tried multiple times to watch the Star Wars Holiday Special, but failed because I couldn't breathe from laughing too hard--I've only made it about a fifth of the way through.
Good Weekend
I had an awesome weekend. Firstly, and most insignificantly, I saw Iron Man 2 last night. That makes 4 out of the last 5 films I've seen in theaters (not counting the dollar theater, or IMAX films) sequels--Iron Man 2, X2, Star Wars Episode II, and Matrix Reloaded, with the non-sequel being Timeline. As you may have guessed, I don't go to theaters much. After the movie, I stopped in at Target to refill my phone--and waste some time since the bus wouldn't be coming for an hour, since it was the last Blue North of the night--and I saw that I could get all three Matrix films (plus the Animatrix) for $10. Who could pass up on that, unless you already had the films? Not me.
Secondly, and still only mildly important, I've reached my weight goal. That's right, when I stepped on the scale on Saturday, I saw 199. However, with my height I'm still obese according to BMI guidelines (yes, I know BMI is very hard to go by...I've sent an angry email after reading about a study saying that most High School football players are obese that only used BMI). I'm still about 45 pounds away from a "healthy" weight by their guidelines. Now, just because I've reached MY first goal does not mean I'm going to try to stay at this weight. I intend to keep going and see how low I can go. And with 91 pounds lost already, who knows how far this will continue?
Anyway, most importantly, I got a job. Okay, it was only for a day, but it was $11 an hour to stand around, tell kids when they could/could not get on the inflatable structures, and have parents make me feel like the biggest jerk in the world when I wouldn't let their precious little one break the rules. Oh, and getting a mild sunburn on my face and neck, which seems to have already healed (told you my body heals fast). That's one of the two downsides to that job--the other was I hurt my shoulder a little while celebrating.
Anyway, I've already watched 2 of the three Matrix films since getting home after Iron Man, and I intend to watch the third, and maybe even see if the Animatrix is as bad as people make it out to be.
Secondly, and still only mildly important, I've reached my weight goal. That's right, when I stepped on the scale on Saturday, I saw 199. However, with my height I'm still obese according to BMI guidelines (yes, I know BMI is very hard to go by...I've sent an angry email after reading about a study saying that most High School football players are obese that only used BMI). I'm still about 45 pounds away from a "healthy" weight by their guidelines. Now, just because I've reached MY first goal does not mean I'm going to try to stay at this weight. I intend to keep going and see how low I can go. And with 91 pounds lost already, who knows how far this will continue?
Anyway, most importantly, I got a job. Okay, it was only for a day, but it was $11 an hour to stand around, tell kids when they could/could not get on the inflatable structures, and have parents make me feel like the biggest jerk in the world when I wouldn't let their precious little one break the rules. Oh, and getting a mild sunburn on my face and neck, which seems to have already healed (told you my body heals fast). That's one of the two downsides to that job--the other was I hurt my shoulder a little while celebrating.
Anyway, I've already watched 2 of the three Matrix films since getting home after Iron Man, and I intend to watch the third, and maybe even see if the Animatrix is as bad as people make it out to be.
11 May 2010
Oh Well
Buying groceries today, I noticed that on the meat I buy for sandwiches, it says to use within a week of opening. I tend to take about 3 weeks to go through a package (I have two open at once, and I use 1/16 of a package for each sandwich). Oops. I wondered if I should change my habits with this for a little bit, but decided not to worry about it. I haven't gotten sick from it yet, and it's not like I'm going with this philosophy.
I think this may be a good reason for me to not have kids--it's kind of a "hey, it hasn't killed them yet, let them keep playing in the street" strategy. We can add that to the list.....what all is on that list, anyway? I know some of the people that read this know a few reasons.....
I think this may be a good reason for me to not have kids--it's kind of a "hey, it hasn't killed them yet, let them keep playing in the street" strategy. We can add that to the list.....what all is on that list, anyway? I know some of the people that read this know a few reasons.....
07 May 2010
The city is emptying
...and I'm not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, I'm glad that very few people will be around for my birthday, but on the other hand, I won't see most of these people for a long time--possibly never again.
I'm glad about no on being around for my birthday because I hate gatherings centered around me. I don't like being the center of attention--it's very uncomfortable. It also makes my standard party-leaving very hard. If you have been to a gathering with me, you may have noticed that at some point during the evening, I'm simply not there anymore. I'm awkward when it comes to good-byes, so I leave by one of two methods--stay until everyone else is leaving, or disappear. You can't disappear when you're the center of attention, so I'd be forced to stay until the end, which sometimes ends up with awkward moments. Besides, I haven't had a birthday party--other than family get-togethers where it's also the "birthday" of two of my cousins--since 5th grade, and I'm not eager to change that.
However, it is upsetting that people are leaving. My friends seem to be all scattering to the four winds. Some won't be back until Fall--which is precisely when I'm leaving--and some won't be back until Spring. I might not see a lot of these people ever again, and that makes me sad. But that's what happens when you follow God--momentary sadness followed by eternal joy. I am excited for Iowa City, and starting up a church with a bunch of cool people.
I'm glad about no on being around for my birthday because I hate gatherings centered around me. I don't like being the center of attention--it's very uncomfortable. It also makes my standard party-leaving very hard. If you have been to a gathering with me, you may have noticed that at some point during the evening, I'm simply not there anymore. I'm awkward when it comes to good-byes, so I leave by one of two methods--stay until everyone else is leaving, or disappear. You can't disappear when you're the center of attention, so I'd be forced to stay until the end, which sometimes ends up with awkward moments. Besides, I haven't had a birthday party--other than family get-togethers where it's also the "birthday" of two of my cousins--since 5th grade, and I'm not eager to change that.
However, it is upsetting that people are leaving. My friends seem to be all scattering to the four winds. Some won't be back until Fall--which is precisely when I'm leaving--and some won't be back until Spring. I might not see a lot of these people ever again, and that makes me sad. But that's what happens when you follow God--momentary sadness followed by eternal joy. I am excited for Iowa City, and starting up a church with a bunch of cool people.
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