Guilty As Charged

First off, I am a completely secure heterosexual male. Now that that's been established, tonight's episode of Laguna Beach was pretty damn good. Seriously, good for L.C. for realizing that bastard Jason is...well...a bastard. She deserves better. Like me. I'd treat her pretty well.

This whole daylight savings time thing is really messing me up. The day goes by really slowly, and I feel like I have all night to make the most of things. But come 9:00, everything goes double time, and before I know it, it's midnight.

I think I'm going to be taking a drive down to Georgetown a weekend before Thanksgiving, to get the living situation straightened out. I'd really prefer living on my own, but part of me wants to get a roommate or something down there.

I got nothing else. Tomorrow begins November- here's to hoping it's slightly better and more productive than October.

Home Is A Comfortable Bore

Today was pretty much a family day- after checking out a few stores, I went over to Northville and Farmington Hills to visit with some family, including an aunt who is my biggest supporter and by far the hardest working woman I have ever known. I admire the hell out of her.

And I guess it's beginning now- everyone in the family asking me if I have a girlfriend, or anyone in particular that I care about. And my answer's the same: "I'm tired of it, I don't want to force things to happen, and if something does, well then, great." Geez, 21 is still a few months off, why the rush about girls? The family gossip well must be running dry.

Quick shot here: Ben Lee, "Catch My Disease." Good song, very catchy.

They're really making progress on the Canton IKEA. The bright blue sheeting went up, and wow, is that an eyesore. It really manages to stick out, but I guess that's the point. I'm not looking forward to all the traffic that's going to come through town. I read in the paper that the Bolingbrook, Ill. grand opening had over 20,000 people on the first day-- and that's with the larger IKEA 40 miles away in Schaumberg. I don't even want to think about how many are going to show up here.

Part of me still doesn't believe this whole Toyota thing is happening. I'm just waiting for it to get pulled from underneath me. I mean, God forbid it, but it just doesn't seem like I should be the one getting this job. I couldn't have been the most qualified. Ha, who knows.

Hard to believe October's pretty much over. Few more weeks til Thanksgiving, and after that, only a few weeks until I leave for India for a week. I'm really looking forward to that, I haven't been there since 4th grade. So many cousins I have never met. Can't wait.

Home for the weekend

I decided to come home this weekend, mostly because our fridge was completely empty. That, and to see Saw II, which I highly recommend to anyone who wants to get freaked out by what nightmarish things the human mind is capable of concocting. Jesus, that movie was even more twisted than the first. I still don't know if the sequel is better than the first.

After the movie we took a quick trip over to Ypsi to check out a little Halloween party at Kyle's new digs. Nice place, but the party was a little lacking, so we left pretty early.

This weekend is basically going to be a "gather up as much food as possible and visit with family" weekend. Maybe get a little work in, but probably not. It's 1am, but I'll be honest; it's hard getting to sleep after seeing such a sick movie. I can't wait for the DVD.

This can't be good

Ever get the feeling like you just want to get absolutely piss drunk?


....I don't feel that way, someone else does. Ah, time for class. Glorious.

It's So Hard To Get Up

Especially when it's pitch black at 730 in the morning. That's always fun.

It was nice going into today knowing that I have something cool to look forward to in January. But, there are a few things I've been thinking about.

1. I'm going to India for Christmas break- I won't be back until the 31st or 1st, not sure which one. Toyota wants me to start on January 2. Not gonna happen.
2. I think I'm going to get a dog. It'd be nice to have one to come home to after a long day- of course, there's the issue of what I'd do with him once I was done in Kentucky. Maybe I'll get a gecko instead.
3. I need to look for an apartment. Since Georgetown is a bit of a small college town, I'm guessing rent is kind of expensive, so I might try and look for one in Lexington, which is like 20 minutes out.
4. It's really going to suck monkey balls that I'll be "celebrating" my 21st birthday by myself. Hopefully I can start work the week after or something. It's not like I plan on getting piss drunk, I'd just want to hang out with some friends.
   

Oh yeah, and I guess there's this whole school thing I have to worry about. I have to make sure I keep my grades up for this semester, otherwise Toyota could yank the co-op and I'd be incredibly screwed. That's the last thing I want.

I do know that once I get down there, I'm going to treat it like a fresh start. No one down there will know who I am, so at least I'll have that going for me.

Great News....Now What Do I Do?

Well, I somehow managed to get one of the jobs at Toyota. And yes, I'm incredibly excited. Never in a million years did I think I would be selected for something as great as a co-op at Toyota.

As ecstatic as I am, I still don't know what to do. Obviously, 80% of me wants to take the job, live in another state for 6 months (possibly more), and have a great experience. But there's that 20% that says, "Play it safe, stay here, take your classes, be close to your friends and family." There's so many things I have to take care of if I do take the job: I have to find a way to pay the rent here while paying the rent wherever I end up living (sure, the parents will cover it, but that's a ridiculous burden), there's the question of moving everything and furniture and of course, classes. This co-op would put me at least a semester behind graduation, and I guess that's one of the big things. It'd be cool to graduate with the people I entered college with, but if that ends up not being the case, then so be it.

This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I'd be stupid to pass it up... Right?

Dear Comedy Central....

Please stop airing the Blue Collar Comedy Tour 18 hours a day. Please stop airing the Blue Collar Comedy Tour at all. In fact, please stop airing anything related to any of those guys.

Thank you.

And What I Give To You...

Decent, uneventful weekend. If you haven't figured it by now, I'm not the average college student. I don't go out every weekend and get piss drunk.

Today we went back to Abbott Pointe to check out a couple more units there, and we decided to set up an appointment to sign a lease on Tuesday. It's a bit further out, but 2 bedrooms and plenty of space, not to mention a huge balcony, are definitely nice. And for the same price? Can't beat it.

The Lions somehow managed to squeeze out a win today; I didn't get a chance to watch the whole game since I was at the CSE lab for close to 5 hours, but I'm glad we won. Strangely, a 3-3 record is still decent in the pathetic NFC North.

Andy came up for the weekend, which always a decent (and honestly, challenging) time. Of course, he forgot something, this time, his history notes. This means I'm waking up early tomorrow morning to meet him halfway. It'd suck for him to drive all the way back here again.

This week shouldn't be too bad, I'm just looking forward to hitting my stride and getting things to go the way they should.

It's Good To Be Home

The flight back was good, it was raining in Erlanger, but just dry and chilly here. The day went alright, and I'm glad it's over. It's out of my hands now, and I guess I'll find out in a couple weeks.

I actually had only two interviews at Toyota, one at 9:00 with Production Engineering, and the second and final one at 12, with Simultaneous Engineering. As far as the actual interviews, I thought they went well. There were a couple times I stumbled on my responses, but I think I may a decent impression overall. The guys from Simultaneous definitely seemed a lot more interesting and travel a lot, which is always cool. Plus, the fact that they're the bridge between Design and Engineering is exactly where I'd want to be. I hope I get a call back from them, but if not, I guess I move on and forward. But Toyota seems like a great place to work- everyone I saw there was relatively young, and there is always something going on.

Overall, not a bad experience. Toyota foots the bill, I meet some cool new people, and I come back more confident and aware of what I need to do in the future. Good Night- I am completely exhausted.

Erlanger is.....

Pretty boring. So far. Flight was good, except for the customary turbulence. I'm sitting in the hotel now, wondering what I'm going to eat- it's a little harder not having any cash on me or a car. Idea: take the hotel shuttle back to the airport, hit the ATM there, and even have dinner at the food court. Who knows, I'll figure something out. That bed is looking pretty inviting.

There's another guy here from MSU, and he's a senior. So obviously he's got a bit more experience than me academics-wise. At least there's someone else here to hang out with though, as much as I enjoy flying solo.

The rest of the night I'm just going to review my interview strategy and get as prepared as possible for tomorrow morning. It's going to suck waking up at 7am.

I Woke Up Too Early

I don't have class until 8:30. But for some reason, I didn't change my alarm and woke up at 7am. I went back to sleep, but still woke up at 7:30. So I've just been sitting here, foamy toothbrush in mouth, watching the sky change colors as the sun rises. Right now it's a streaky purple and orange red. Kind of reminds me of that Trix yogurt, the Raspberry Rainbow flavor.

After I get back from class, I'm going to finish packing my stuff up, print out my boarding pass, and end up leaving for the airport around 12. I've never flown out of Lansing before, so I don't know the security protocol there. Last thing I want to do is get manhandled by security guards for trying to bring a Mach 3 on board.

I'll post again when I get to Erlanger, and fill you in on the exciting sights and sounds of Northern Kentucky.

Arrested Development = Hilarious

Seriously, it's a funny show. Watch it.

Pretty dreary day today. Cold, a little rainy, and just overall tiring. Go figure, it's a Monday. I've got my Econ midterm Wednesday, so tomorrow will mostly be devoted to studying for that.

I decided to get my haircut before going to Kentucky- I was going to grow it longer, but maybe after the interview. And oddly enough, we've run out of food again. Everytime we go to Meijer, we never seem to buy the actual stuff we need, and when we get back, it's like "Shit. We forgot to get stuff we can actually eat as a meal." Oreos and Ruffles just don't cut it anymore.

Tuesday should be fun.

It's Going To Be A Good Week

You know how I know? I just do. I have that feeling. After a weekend filled with losing (Spartans and Lions), there's been plenty to feel good about too. I got most of my C++ project done today, which is always cause for celebration. This coming week may have an Econ test right in the middle of it, but I'm just ready to go to Kentucky.

I'll be leaving Thursday afternoon at 1:45, and the interview won't be until Friday morning from 8-12:30. I'm giving myself plenty of time to get there, get settled in, clear my mind, and prepare for whatever the Toyota managers have got for me. After the interviews, I'll be hanging out at the airport for more than a few hours, since my flight does not leave until 7:45. Obviously I'll be taking something to read.

Today I went to the shop to work on the mini-baja cars, but since a large number of new materials hadn't come in yet, we got a minimal number of things done, mainly replacing the safety harnesses and cutting some spacers. And then the fun came. We took a couple of the cars out to the proving grounds and went crazy on the course. Of course, it was a good amount of fun. What a rush- it's always better to work on something after having experienced it firsthand.

If I'm going to have a good week, it's only fair I hope you do too. Good night.

I Just Want to Pass the Hell Out

The 5k went pretty well today, I think I could've done at least a minute better, but I had no idea what the route was until I got to the registration area. Ah well, I'll settle with a 20:51. I know I can do better than that. Congrats to Andrea, who ran her first 5k well under the 30 minutes she thought she'd finish in.

Ever since the race, I have felt completely sluggish and out of it. Every time I've sat down to do homework, I've gotten back up and just let my eyes glaze over. Yes, while standing up.

I just don't know what to do with myself- part of me wants to sleep, but the other part of me wants to do something productive.

I Might Have Made a Mistake

Tomorrow's the Pi Mile, and I don't know why I'm still up. I have to be over at Akers by 9am. I'll manage.

I ended up studying calc for no reason, seeing as how we didn't have a quiz today. Exciting stuff, I know. I haven't been out in what seems like a while. Every weekend has been the same. I'm tired of the sameness, but at the same time, there's not much I can do about it. People always tell me about how they know about so many parties, but they never take the extra step to actually invite me. It's alright, I don't need it.

And now the mistake. I wasn't in the greatest mood earlier, and after penting it up inside for close to two weeks, I let it all spill- in an online IM, while she was away. Wonderful. Quite possibly the worst way to do things, but I was never taught the proper way to deal with my emotions. It came down to this way because I was just tired of being ignored, tired of the way things had been going. So I just gave up and said it. Will I regret it? Maybe, for a bit, but I just don't care anymore. I'm better than that, and I, much less anyone else, don't deserve to go through that.

It's Already the Weekend (Almost)

Yes, it is Thursday night. Go ahead, make your assumption that I'm a loser for staying in on a Thursday night. Unfortunately, I, unlike 85% of the students at this school, have class on Fridays. And there's an Econ review session in the morning I'll probably drag myself to.

This weekend has not got much in store for me, so far. There is the Phi Sigma Pi 5k on Saturday morning, which should be fun. I went for a run this evening after getting back from Stats, and honestly, it was probably one of the best runs I ever had. I never felt so strong, and I felt like I could have gone another few miles.

Besides the 5k, this weekend is going to be a cleanup weekend, a sports weekend, and a bit of a studying weekend. I've also got to continue learning about Toyota- the last thing I want to do is fly down there and look like an idiot when I have no idea what they're talking about. Check out their newest technology, the Hybrid Synergy Drive, currently being used in the Prius hybrid vehicles.

My priorities have definitely changed in the past few months. It only took me two years to realize that college is not a cakewalk, and that if I expect to do well, I've got to study a little bit. My family is still important to me, as are the few but strong relationships I have with my friends. As much as I'd like to have fun and enjoy the college experience, I've only got a year and a half left, two, tops. This is where we really start growing up and growing apart. I've got to start looking out for my best interests, regardless of the consequences. I've always been more mature than most people my age, but I was never more motivated. That's changed.

Wednesday Was Slightly Better

Granted, it's only 11 and there's still an hour left where everything could go wrong and ruin my title, but I doubt it.

I've finally come to terms with a couple things:

1. I'm short. There's no way around it, and if I lose out on something because of it, I'm better off. I don't need shallow people around me, and like I always say, it could be worse. At least I'm healthy and semi-good looking.
2. As Jim Carrey's character Joel says in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,

   "Why do I fall in love with every woman I see who shows me the least bit of attention?"

   Now, I don't fall in love, I think enamored is more the term. It's not like cute girls talk to me all the time, and so when one does, I have no idea how to handle it. It's completely foreign to me. I guess I've just got to deal with that fact.

I got an email from the kind folks at GM, inviting me to go on to round 2 of their interview process. As much as I'd like to work in another state for Toyota, there's some things holding me back. If I were to start working for Toyota next semester, it'd be the chance of a lifetime, that's for sure. And apparently I have a great shot; there are 10 people being interviewed for 6 spots. I'm obviously going to try my hardest to get one of these spots, but if I don't, I won't be completely disappointed. GM would just be better timing wise, as I wouldn't have to sacrifice paying for an apartment I'm not even living in.

I guess we'll see. All I know is that things are on the up and up, and as long as I stay positive and motivated, there's no reason it can't continue.

Wednesday Should Be Better

I usually come up with a title before I type all this stuff out. Not today. I really have no direction with this entry.

Had my first Stats midterm today- went alright, I only guessed on 1 out of the 20, so I think that's pretty good.

Got my new watches today too: a Nike Triax Speed 50 Kenya , and a Kenneth Cole Reaction. Both are pretty nice, and it's about time I replaced my watches that either drowned or were dealt away.

And now for a little rant- the way our apartment complex is laid out, the third and fourth floor are 2 story apartments. We live on the second floor. Not a day has gone by where we haven't heard what sounds like a Sasquatch pounding up and down the stairs. And it's not like this happens once or even five times a day- it's more like 10 or 20 times an hour. Easy. It's getting more than a bit annoying.

Rant #2: I hate being led on. Don't tease me with something I see as promising, only to take it away from me at your leisure.

Now that that's out of the way, I have a feeling Wednesday will be a halfway decent day. Like a 6/10 on the old scale. We'll see.

Quiet Night

Pretty uneventful Monday. Nothing out of the ordinary, just more of the same. Went to Econ, went to Calc, and oh yeah, spent 6 hours at the Engineering Building working on my weekly project. I did say I wouldn't procrastinate, but sure enough, I did- again. But the important thing is I got the project done. If you're even slightly interested in what took me 6 hours to do, click here. Be warned.

Quite a sports night for a Monday. Chargers playing the Steelers, Wings losing to the Canucks, Angels beating the Yankees to move on to the ALCS. That means that both the Red Sox and Yankees (and Braves) made early exits this year. Wow.

And now I don't have a lot to say. Hmm. Ummmm........maybe I'll just call it a night. Geez I'm pathetic. Hard to believe I'll be 21 in a few months.

I Realize I'm Only Writing This For Myself

-> A duck on the Red Cedar
------------------------------------------------------------------
And that's fine, I've got a terrible memory and writing/typing out the stuff that happens to me won't let me forget it as easily.

I'm home for the weekend, for the first time in more than a month. Last year at this time, I would've already been home 3 or 4 times. Ridiculous, I know. This time around, it feels weird to be home, like I'm a guest in my own bedroom. But at the same time, coming home is refreshing, it lets me get away from however little drama may be in my life.

This whole interview thing has given me a new level of confidence, and I'm not afraid to take risks anymore. What do I have to lose? Nothing, but I've got plenty to gain. Right now, girls are the least of my worries, yet there's one right now I just can't let go of. I've got two choices: 1) Lay it on the line, tell her how I really feel, or 2) Suppress it, hope the feeling goes away, and move on.

I'm debating whether to cut my hair to its usual short almost-buzz cut, or grow it out a bit. With the cold months coming up, it'd make sense to grow it out. But since when I do anything that makes sense? The answer is never.

Nix the Road Trip

Apparently Toyota is going to be paying for my airfare, hotel, and food. As much as I'd like to drive down there, it's just so much more convenient to fly. Plus, it'll make me feel pretty damn important, which is nice. I still haven't set any reservations, but I'll most likely be leaving Thursday evening and coming back Friday evening.

There's so much I have to prepare for: I'm going to be interviewed by 4 or 5 different hiring department managers from the San Antonio, Indiana, Erlanger, and Georgetown facilities. Each interview is going to last around 30 minutes, consisting of a "behavioral interviewing" style. That makes me a little nervous, but I've got two weeks to get ready for whatever they might possibly ask me.

I'm seriously excited- I can finally put my dress clothes to good use, and get new ones. I've finally got an excuse to get new dress shoes. Wonder if Toyota will cover that...

I'm Going To Kentucky

Erlanger, Kentucky, to be exact. And what is in Erlanger, you ask? I'll tell you what- Toyota's Operations and Planning Center, which I will be interviewing at in 2 weeks. This is honestly the best news I've had in the past 3 years. If I have a good interview with the managers from Indiana, San Antonio, and Erlanger, I'll be invited to co-op with them next semester. How cool would that be? Not only would I be getting out of East Lansing and Michigan for 5 months, I'd be getting great experience with a leading automotive company.

The talent recruiter in Erlanger called me today around 4:30, and after a brief 15 minute interview, invited me down to Kentucky on October 21. Flying was a possibility, but that was before I saw the prices for a roundtrip ticket to Cincinnati (anywhere from $400 to $1,000). I do not have that kind of money- maybe if I was guaranteed a job, I'd fly, but this is an interview, no matter how promising it may seem. So instead of flying, I'm going to make a road trip out of it. Erlanger is only 20 miles south of Cincy, which from what I've heard is a great city. I'll leave Thursday evening, skip stats, get a hotel for the night, meet with the Toyota folks Friday morning, hang out all Friday, and get back Friday night or even Saturday morning.

It's a halfway decent time to be me.

I Never Get Stressed

I get worried, yes, but never stressed. Crappy grade on a test? Ah well, I'll get 'em next time. Project due in half an hour? I work great under pressure! Don't have an internship yet? I'm sure I'll find one, I'm not an idiot (right?). Girl that was seemingly interested in me suddenly isn't? Well, that one is never reason for stress, unless you're one of those people that gets rejected once and think you'll never meet anyone else.

Yesterday I went to the Career Gallery at the Breslin Center. Here's a few tips:

• Dress professionally
• Know something about the companies you're going to talk to
• Bring plenty of resumés
• Be enthusiastic
• Bring something to the table that no one else can

I try and follow most of these tips. At least 80 or 90 companies were there, and I made it a point to talk to the big companies as well as the small ones. I spoke to recruiters from GM, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Toyota, Owens Corning, Caterpillar, Bobcat, and Boeing. I think I made the biggest impact on the recruiter from GM, so hopefully I hear back from them. As great as it would be to intern at DaimlerChrysler (and Jesus Christ, my dad is just pushing hard for it too), I'll take an internship anywhere.

Josh is going home tonight since he's getting his wisdom teeth taken out tomorrow morning. I've got a calc test tomorrow that I'll be able to study for, and a C++ project to get started on. I'll more than likely be going home Friday, since there's no reason for me to stay here for the weekend. Plus, who knows how much pain Josh will be in? It'll be good to be home, I haven't been back in like 6 or 7 weeks. So good riddance to the drama and stupidity of East Lansing for a couple days.

Here's A Rant

You know what I'm tired of? I'm tired of girls saying guys suck, that they're assholes, that they deserve to be treated better. Well no shit. Girls do deserve to be treated better, but when they say all they want is a caring guy, that couldn't be more of a lie. Think about it- the nice guys would always get the girls, and the pricks that usually get them would be lying face down in a ditch somewhere, if the world were perfect.

Unfortunately, it isn't, and girls care about more than just kindness. Good looks can take people far these days, and it's a shame that not much has changed since the high school scene. Most people are still immature, unrealistic, and so self absorbed it's hard to make any progress with a new relationship.

So I say screw it, I'm a good guy and I know it. Sorry if I matured too fast and realized some things in life are more important than getting wasted, laid, or high.

I had a C++ midterm today, and I'd like to think I did alright on it. My stats exam was scheduled for Thursday, but got pushed to next Tuesday. I've got a Calc test Friday, and the big Career Gallery at the Breslin Center is tomorrow. I'll be there for more than a few hours tomorrow hoping that someone will take a chance on me and give me an internship. How do I convey on a resumé that I'm incredibly motivated and driven to do well in a professional environment? I may not have the greatest grades or fifteen million extracurricular activities, but when it comes to work, I take it seriously. Tell me, how do I illustrate that short of just coming out and yelling it?

What A Funk

If you know me at all, you know that I'm generally in a good mood most of the time. A lot of stuff does not get me down. These past few days though, I've just been in a strange place. I'll get over it in time, but at the same time, I'm not even sure if I'm disappointed about the right thing.

Obviously, it comes down to a girl. Thing is, I'd get over it in an instant, if it weren't for the simple fact that I don't meet girls very often. So that's all I'm going to say about that.

2 weeks until the Phi Sigma 5k race. I started my running back up today, and will run every day for the next 14 days, until I feel comfortable enough to run 3.1 miles. I know I can do it regardless of whether I run right now, but I'd like to finish at a faster time than my last 5k, which I think was somewhere around 21:32.

I went to the shop today to work with the MSU Mini Baja guys. That's definitely something I'm going to be getting more into this year. I disassembled the engine/transmission assembly from the #23 car, and helped fabricate a new bracket and gusset to realign the transmission. Good stuff, along with learning more about the shop.

Son of A Bitch

Fuck Michigan. Pardon my language, but there's no reason State shouldn't have won the game. Just goes to show that without Michael Hart, Michigan is screwed. A lot of questionable calls in that game. I'm not going to be in a great mood the rest of the day. Ah well, let's go 2 for 2 and see the Lions get crushed tomorrow too.