Cube Wars

This little unit is what we affectionately call a cube. It is a poor excuse of a computer that they use in one of the labs at work. I admit the idea of the silly things is kinda cool. It's small. It only takes up a few inches of space on a desk. The rats nest of cables that seem to be growing out of these things is terrible but other than that the idea in and of itself is kinda cool. On the flip side something that doesn't work isn't worth having. These little buggers are a pain in my butt. Last month I worked on these good for nothing suckers almost everyday. One day I was considering whether a hacksaw, sledgehammer, or death by fire would be appropriate for one of these miserable contraptions when I had an apostrophe (epiphany). Lightning struck my brain (and it didn't hurt). I got to looking at the thing and realized: How much power is this thing getting? It's using the equivalent of a laptop power supply. I look at the power cable to find that it's getting 65 watts of power. Ok. I start doing the math of the many things plugged into it demanding power verses the power it is able to give. The answer was very much in the negative numbers.

So with a stroke of genius I was able to recommend getting some powered USB hubs for the 5,000 watts of power needed (I'm obviously exaggerating but that's really not that far off as to what demands verses ability to provide was). They got the things I plugged them in and heard nothing more for about a month.

So yesterday I get an email wanting me to come look at the silly thing again because it's not working. I put it off a few hours just delaying the inevitable, but I eventually go and look at the thing. It doesn't work? That is an NSS (No $#!+ Sherlock!) statement! When I get there the monitor is unplugged, almost everything is unplugged, and the external hard drive (because the internal one wasn't big enough for windows) containing windows was unplugged. Gee I wonder why the worthless thing doesn't turn on?! I plug everything back in and away it went. Everything worked. These are scientists using the computer but I definitely wouldn't recommend they try and diagnose their own IT problems. Today I get to add MORE things to the silly cubes. (4 printers to be precise.) They do have the powered USB ports so it shouldn't be a problem anymore.

The Check's in the Mail.

So a few months ago when I was looking for a job I was sending my resume out like crazy to postings on KSL and a few other places. There was one posting that replied back asking for my name and address and they would send me what I needed to get started. I figured it wasn't my social security number so ok. I sent them my name and mailing address and the next thing they sent me was an attachment the I needed to sign as well as a sheet that had a VERY vague rundown of what I was supposed to do. The wheels start turning in my head as I begin to wonder: They don't seem to care where I am. They are supposedly based out of SLC and I'm 300 miles away. How am I supposed to work for them if I'm not even in the same valley? They mentioned benefits but never said what they were. I'm supposed to buy my own software to use? Who does that? These and a few more are rolling around in my head so I email back and tell them I want more info before I sign ANYTHING. He sends me a number that looks odd. I Google it and find it's a land line in Connecticut? Things aren't matching up. I email him back and ask if they are based out of Connecticut or what? The reply was that they are not. The number was to someone with "A wealth of information" who could assist me with my questions. Why would I call long distance for something that is supposed to be at least in the same state? I don't think so. So I asked my questions and got more vague answers. One thing they did answer clearly was that I would be paid by cashiers check. Who does that? There are plenty of scams with those no thank you. I couldn't quite figure out the angle they were working with but none the less I knew there had to be a crocodile lurking in the water somewhere and that's enough to make me look elsewhere. They asked if I wanted to proceed and I told them no.

Well we took off for the weekend and when we came back there was a package on our doorstep from New Jersey (see above). I look up the address on Google (Google and I are pretty tight by now) and it turns out to be a legit address and a legit business but I've never done anything to deserve anything from them. I open the package and out comes a cashier's check for $3,680.00.

Looking at the addresses on here the check is from a legit credit union with a legit address in Texas, but it's from someone in Arizona? I now have three different addresses with a handful of different names and nothing seems to be lining up right. The only thing I could figure this check came from was the bunch of hosers that offered me the "job". I may be crazy, but I'm no fool. There is no way I'm gonna cash this thing.

My Job

So I thought I'd just blabber for a little bit about my job. First thing I'd like to say is that I LOVE it. It's been quite a change to get paid to do something I enjoy for a change. Right now I'm still trying to figure out what's going on and exactly what it is I'm supposed to be doing sometimes but all in all it's been things I enjoy doing. Fixing computers and just different things here and there and maintaining things. It's the first job I've ever had that my opinion seems to be taken seriously much less actually followed sometimes. (Guess that degree is finally accounting for SOMETHING). I might even be creating the logo and website for the company. (The one that's there now is kinda sad to tell you the truth.) I'm no whiz at websites but I'm fairly confident that I could make something that at least looks decent(Stay tuned on that one.) I have my own desk. I've never had a work space before. I think it's cool anyway. I think I work with some of the coolest people ever. I actually feel appreciated and like I do something around the place that makes a difference. (Not that I wasn't at other jobs, but they were all the same daily grind and really easily replaced). I look forward to getting things figured out and helping out.

Background Music

So I've decided that life would be so much better if I had a symphony to follow me around in my life and play the appropriate music when it was called for. We've all watched a good movie or two and honestly it's the music that makes half the movie. When something is exciting you get some thunderous bass and a quick beat. When it's sad you get the sad slow music. I'd like to have the music and use it for guidance. If it sounded freaky I'd know NOT to go in that room. I don't need anything strangling me or eating my face. Life just seems so anticlimactic sometimes. You feel like you've done something good during the day but there is no music to let you know that. You go do something crazy there's no AC/DC following you around singing "Back in Black". Maybe when life flashes before our eyes that will be added. There has to be some editing somewhere. I've watched home movies before and they can only be so entertaining for so long. Think how much sappier things would be if you went on a date and there was a mini orchestra to back you up? Wouldn't that be epic? I wouldn't want anything following me around as I'm doing something stupid or wrong. I don't want Sir Robin's minstrels following me around, just once I think it'd be cool to have something come on cue.

Behold! The Blessings!

So today was one of those days that I just don't even really know what to say. I feel like I've been spinning my wheels going nowhere for the past month. I've been applying for jobs day after day to no avail. I burn gas going to a job that I love but doesn't pay anything but experience, which is dandy other than I kinda need money to live. Money just keeps bleeding out of the accounts and I feel like I'm on a sinking ship. Today all of that changed. I had sent in my application to a company called IT Sources. I had missed a call from them and they left a message saying they would like to interview me. From my other couple of interviews one drilled me pretty good and made me feel retarded and the other one I felt went well but then they dropped off the face of the earth and even when I walked into the building I couldn't get ahold of anyone. So what's one more? I called them back the next morning and left a message for the same person that called me. I called them back around noon and got ahold of the person that called me. I talked to her for a bit and then scheduled an interview for the following morning (today).This morning I went to the interview and felt like it went really well. I had listed Dale as a reference. He is the one over me for my internship and as of about 7PM tonight is my mom's husband :) He called me a little later in the day and told me that they had called him and that they were trying to decide between me and one other guy.

The rest of the day I was holding on to my phone like my life depended on it. For those of you who know me well know I NEVER do that because I don't care for the phone generally. I was looking at the clock every few minutes. I knew they were making a decision today and that they closed at 5PM. So as it neared 5 I was constantly looking at the clock. Every time it rang I would look and it was either my mom or Dale requesting assistance. I was driving home and lo and behold it rang and it was a number that wasn't in my phone. I answered and heard the voice of the guy that interviewed me. Glory be and hallelujah! I got the job. I started crying on the phone but was able to maintain my voice as if I was alright by some miracle. I finally found a job with some epically awesome benefits. Full benefits and then some. After 90 days I've the chance for my first upgrade and raise. I'm so bloody excited I don't even know what to do with myself. Now we can finally look around for a place to stay and support ourselves. On top of that my mom got married to an awesome guy. It's a nice change to have a good day and feel relief and happiness rather than feeling like we're going down with the money boat. There were a lot of prayers said over the past little while and I'm ecstatic that they were answered better than I expected. I start Monday and I can't wait. It'll be nice to work doing something I love rather than something I enjoy for awhile and then end up hating the last little while I'm there. The best part being I can get paid for it too! :D It's been a 1 Nephi 11:17 day :)

The Blue Streak Takes a Hit....The Second Verse.

So the Blue Streak (My Honda Civic Si) took another hit this week. I blame it on the construction. I was rolling along the other day at the usual Provo speeds (25 - 30 MPH above the speed limit) When I happened upon a wonderful hole. I heard a loud BANG! but didn't see any parts flying so I went on my merry way. (I don't want to sound like I beat my car to death. It's my ride and I love it to death and protect it what I can) A few days later I got out of the car and looked at the left rear wheel and noticed it was slightly lower than the rest of the car. By slightly I mean like 6 inches or so. The poor thing looked like it was a tripod. I looked at the tire and noted that it only cleared the body of the car by oh say half a centimeter or so. None the less I figured I could make it back to my mom's with it. So I called my mom to figure out where her mechanic was and got an appointment with them. Looking around I noticed there was a visual difference between the left and right springs and figured the left strut was broken. I was wondering when this had occurred when the little crunch from the other day came to mind. I made it back alright but I'm sure I got some interesting looks. I rolled in and had my wife pick me up. 24 hours and $956.11 later I had a car again. It was dang near three bills for the two backs struts alone. Then they monkied with the height and it needed an oil change and an alignment. Then there was the oil sensor that was leaking oil. They replaced that for me for a mere $70. Dump all the labor on top of that and you get the pile of cash for a total that I mentioned earlier. Dang I wish I had a job. The savings took a hit too. I should be good to go for a little while though now. It's higher than it's ever been. It's where the average car is and that means the tires will wear evenly now rather than just on the inside so they'll last longer. I just hope nothing else costs that much until we can actually afford it and have income!

I'm a BSer!

Well I gradumawaited yesterday. I'm officially good enough at BSing that I got a degree out of it. What does it mean now? Well everyone asks me what I'm going to do now. Answer: Look for a job like I've been doing for the past couple of months. As stated in the previous entry the problem being experience so somehow I'll have to come up with something for that. I'll be moving up to Salt Lake to look around and Natalie will hang around at granny's place until I've got something that can pay bills. I now have a piece of paper stating that I've forked over enough cash and hung on long enough that I deserve something better than minimum wage!