For those of you who believe that a picture is worth 1,000 words....
Here are 149,000 words about my weekend in Seattle.
More to follow. After I get my life back in order....and find my deodorant and phone charger.
-M
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Free and Easy Down the Road I Go....
More adventures for you -----
Adventures in Work
For those who are interested, my project is starting to near the final phases. (Or for those of you who are fans of the RUP -- The "transition" phase...see the picture)
My project is alive and well, and my work these days consists of tying up all of the loose ends everywhere on the site and then documenting EVERYTHING (and your mother). Basically, when I leave, not only are they going to have a huge document of code to read through, but also well over 50 pages of documentation with which they can assemble manuals for the different users of this site.
I'm starting to feel very accomplished at the work I'm doing and I love it more and more everday. (Perhaps this is because it's almost done?? Not sure.)
Anyways, it's almost complete -- I'm at a great spot because originally I was worried I wouldn't be able to accomplish the huge task set before me in May. Not only do I have it almost completed, there have also been many unanticipated additions and setbacks with this project that have been taken in stride.
Adventures in National Holidays
So Saturday was the 4th of July. I have loved the 4th of July for a long time. It's one of those underestimated holidays that I really appreciate. Anyway, to celebrate -- I worked on Friday (see below) and then spent Saturday in town with Damien.
Arcata loves their "festivals". I use the term "festival" loosely, however. We aren't talking like the Milwaukee festivals. Rather, "festival" = excuse to block off the town square and get schwasted. Needless to say, I'm game to go watch.
We get into town and check out a lot of the vendors and such. I find some trinkets for various people. I won't go into too much detail because I don't want to ruin any surprises. But I found some very cool, yet local things to buy people.
After this adventure in town, we decided that a grilling of processed meats was to be in order for the afternoon. I mean, how else can you celebrate America's Birthday? We found some brats at the Safeway and all of the necessary accessories. I'm not going to lie -- that grilled piece of processed meat was just what I needed. It was just a little taste of home and for us, that was enough.
Later that night, we decided that we would go into town and watch the fireworks. Now let me give you some lay of the land here. Damien and I live in the side of a hill (we'll call it Hill A). South of us is another hill (Hill B? Yes.). Okay, the south side at the bottom of Hill B is where they shoot the fireworks from.
While this doesn't make sense at first, you have to remember that the spot where they want you to watch from actually makes this a PERFECT spot to shoot off fireworks.
Okay, so our plan is to walk to the top of Hill B and watch the fireworks from there. On our way there, at the valley of Hill A and Hill B, we run into my supervisor Jeremy and his fiance shooting off their fireworks. We decide to stay and watch, enjoying the fountains and sparklers. (Morning Glory's ... they are more environmentally and kid friendly. :-) )
After we are done, Damien and I decide that because we haven't seen or heard fireworks going on behind us that we will continue our trek up Hill B....only to discover a MOB OF PEOPLE walking THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. Naturally, as it turns out, we missed the entire 7-minute show while doing the sparklers. The best part, we saw nothing. heard nothing. We rationalize this by saying that obviously they couldn't have been much to look at.
(This story is such a perfect indicator for my life...a day late and a dollar short. haha.)
Adventures in Spirituality
One thing that I take heavily forgranted going to Marquette is easy access to every ministry-related resource I could ever get my hands on. It's something that has become part of my being.
Enter Arcata, CA. Well....there really isn't a bounty of churches here, none of which are Catholic. That being said, I haven't noticed how much this frustrates me until lately. (well -- last week) I've been coming up with my own ways to try to make this happen, and it's worked, but I when I reflect on my experience of faith outside of the realms of the church -- I realize that I really enjoy it.
As most of us know, I had a bit of problem with the Catholic Church last semester. Hmmm...I take that back. A rather large, deal-breaker type of problem. I won't go into the gory details, but let's just say that I was on "hiatus" for a long time.
You know how when you get into a fight with a good friend...and you reconcile your differences, but you still need that extra little time apart? That is where I'm at right now. I kind of like it. It's given me a lot of freedom in exploring this part of my life. But I'm ready to return -- keeping my freedom, but giving it another try at the formalities of faith.
Adventures in Travel
I'm going to Seattle this weekend to visit Tim. :-)
I'm not going to lie -- I'm pretty excited.
Details and pictures will follow.
Until later,
M
Adventures in Work
For those who are interested, my project is starting to near the final phases. (Or for those of you who are fans of the RUP -- The "transition" phase...see the picture)
My project is alive and well, and my work these days consists of tying up all of the loose ends everywhere on the site and then documenting EVERYTHING (and your mother). Basically, when I leave, not only are they going to have a huge document of code to read through, but also well over 50 pages of documentation with which they can assemble manuals for the different users of this site.
I'm starting to feel very accomplished at the work I'm doing and I love it more and more everday. (Perhaps this is because it's almost done?? Not sure.)
Anyways, it's almost complete -- I'm at a great spot because originally I was worried I wouldn't be able to accomplish the huge task set before me in May. Not only do I have it almost completed, there have also been many unanticipated additions and setbacks with this project that have been taken in stride.
Adventures in National Holidays
So Saturday was the 4th of July. I have loved the 4th of July for a long time. It's one of those underestimated holidays that I really appreciate. Anyway, to celebrate -- I worked on Friday (see below) and then spent Saturday in town with Damien.
Arcata loves their "festivals". I use the term "festival" loosely, however. We aren't talking like the Milwaukee festivals. Rather, "festival" = excuse to block off the town square and get schwasted. Needless to say, I'm game to go watch.
We get into town and check out a lot of the vendors and such. I find some trinkets for various people. I won't go into too much detail because I don't want to ruin any surprises. But I found some very cool, yet local things to buy people.
After this adventure in town, we decided that a grilling of processed meats was to be in order for the afternoon. I mean, how else can you celebrate America's Birthday? We found some brats at the Safeway and all of the necessary accessories. I'm not going to lie -- that grilled piece of processed meat was just what I needed. It was just a little taste of home and for us, that was enough.
Later that night, we decided that we would go into town and watch the fireworks. Now let me give you some lay of the land here. Damien and I live in the side of a hill (we'll call it Hill A). South of us is another hill (Hill B? Yes.). Okay, the south side at the bottom of Hill B is where they shoot the fireworks from.
While this doesn't make sense at first, you have to remember that the spot where they want you to watch from actually makes this a PERFECT spot to shoot off fireworks.
Okay, so our plan is to walk to the top of Hill B and watch the fireworks from there. On our way there, at the valley of Hill A and Hill B, we run into my supervisor Jeremy and his fiance shooting off their fireworks. We decide to stay and watch, enjoying the fountains and sparklers. (Morning Glory's ... they are more environmentally and kid friendly. :-) )
After we are done, Damien and I decide that because we haven't seen or heard fireworks going on behind us that we will continue our trek up Hill B....only to discover a MOB OF PEOPLE walking THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. Naturally, as it turns out, we missed the entire 7-minute show while doing the sparklers. The best part, we saw nothing. heard nothing. We rationalize this by saying that obviously they couldn't have been much to look at.
(This story is such a perfect indicator for my life...a day late and a dollar short. haha.)
Adventures in Spirituality
One thing that I take heavily forgranted going to Marquette is easy access to every ministry-related resource I could ever get my hands on. It's something that has become part of my being.
Enter Arcata, CA. Well....there really isn't a bounty of churches here, none of which are Catholic. That being said, I haven't noticed how much this frustrates me until lately. (well -- last week) I've been coming up with my own ways to try to make this happen, and it's worked, but I when I reflect on my experience of faith outside of the realms of the church -- I realize that I really enjoy it.
As most of us know, I had a bit of problem with the Catholic Church last semester. Hmmm...I take that back. A rather large, deal-breaker type of problem. I won't go into the gory details, but let's just say that I was on "hiatus" for a long time.
You know how when you get into a fight with a good friend...and you reconcile your differences, but you still need that extra little time apart? That is where I'm at right now. I kind of like it. It's given me a lot of freedom in exploring this part of my life. But I'm ready to return -- keeping my freedom, but giving it another try at the formalities of faith.
Adventures in Travel
I'm going to Seattle this weekend to visit Tim. :-)
I'm not going to lie -- I'm pretty excited.
Details and pictures will follow.
Until later,
M
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The Moleskine Playlist
For those of you who are looking for a life update from me:
I'm doing well. Working hard and living the good life in the 60's and sun. Not a whole lot has changed and I've been really taking advantage of the area. I don't have any really exciting adventures to report, but I do have some reflections to relay to you.
(6/30/2009)
I think it's time to write some more of my words into this notebook. Another playlist later, here's what we have. I originally started this to give myself a space to keep track of what inspires me. Inspires me to grow, to learn, to become better, to inspire others.
What resulted is nothing but awesomeness for my inspiration. Everyday, I carry a backpack, and every day since starting this project, this notebook has come along for the ride with me. Not only does it help me with keeping track of what inspires me, but it also gives me an awesome resource right there for me to open up to.
After a few months of keeping track of things, I noticed that I had a healthy amount of song lyrics that inspired me. This became the beginnings of a new personal project of mine.
I don't remember when I created the first Moleskine Playlist...but it's still on my iPod -- a testament to it's staying power. Looking over these quotes has now turned into a musical experience that allows me to reflect and re-energize at the same time.
As a matter of stupidity, I hardly ever date my stuff .. but I only write in the order of the pages. Here's what I do know -- from the period of time from 11/29/2009 to the end of the Spring 2009 Semester, there is a definite theme in my quotes, and therefore, the playlist.
STRENGTH.
I was inspired by things, people, and music that gave strength. Whether that be Dead Poets Society, Fleetwood Mac or T.I. -- almost everything was about strength. And I think that this is an appropriate way to gauge what I needed through that time as well. Being possibly some of the most doubt-filled (and therefore ranking in the "crappy" category) time of my life. It makes sense.
But what happened at the end of Spring 2009 to change the tone to something else I removed myself from the entire situation. Not only did I move out, I moved on. I moved to the middle of nowhere and what did I find there? ...That too can be tracked through the Moleskine.
As I share the 2nd round of my Moleskine playlist, I've found that a different theme has emerged onto the field. A theme that makes this group of songs actually enjoyable to listen to, but a theme that can be just as reflective.
PASSION.
Passion for others, passion for self, passion for life. The songs and quotes from the month of June 2009 have been about finding and sustaining passion. Passion -- not things that inspire you but rather sustain the inspiration and encourage you to pass it on. Most of the songs are about love. Loving others and loving yourself. Discovering what you love and continuing on that path.
The quotes have also start to take on a much more external approach. An encouragement to reach out beyond yourself. And promoting an idea of one-ness. Maybe an insinuation that I feel like I'm a part of something, that I have a further understanding of the concept of community and that of being a global citizen.
The best part about the past month is the fact that it has validated what I thought my passion was -- Student Affairs. After last semester and everything I experienced, I had my doubts. After being at Humboldt and seeing how it can be (and how it is) elsewhere -- I've become inspired to have no qualms about my entry into this field in a year.
Maybe it was necessary for me to have this reaffirmation here and now in this experience. But it was definitely not a coincidence. Are there more lessons to be learned? Most Assuredly. But I doubt that anything I experience in the next 3 1/2 weeks can top what has happened already -- but maybe it will.
For those of you who would like these playlists for your own use: here they are. Bring a CD or a flash drive to me, and the mp3s can be yours as well. I hope they inspire you as much as they have inspired me.
The (Original) Moleskine Playlist:
Moleskine Playlist (Version 2.0)
Peace,
Matt
I'm doing well. Working hard and living the good life in the 60's and sun. Not a whole lot has changed and I've been really taking advantage of the area. I don't have any really exciting adventures to report, but I do have some reflections to relay to you.
(6/30/2009)
I think it's time to write some more of my words into this notebook. Another playlist later, here's what we have. I originally started this to give myself a space to keep track of what inspires me. Inspires me to grow, to learn, to become better, to inspire others.
What resulted is nothing but awesomeness for my inspiration. Everyday, I carry a backpack, and every day since starting this project, this notebook has come along for the ride with me. Not only does it help me with keeping track of what inspires me, but it also gives me an awesome resource right there for me to open up to.
After a few months of keeping track of things, I noticed that I had a healthy amount of song lyrics that inspired me. This became the beginnings of a new personal project of mine.
I don't remember when I created the first Moleskine Playlist...but it's still on my iPod -- a testament to it's staying power. Looking over these quotes has now turned into a musical experience that allows me to reflect and re-energize at the same time.
As a matter of stupidity, I hardly ever date my stuff .. but I only write in the order of the pages. Here's what I do know -- from the period of time from 11/29/2009 to the end of the Spring 2009 Semester, there is a definite theme in my quotes, and therefore, the playlist.
STRENGTH.
I was inspired by things, people, and music that gave strength. Whether that be Dead Poets Society, Fleetwood Mac or T.I. -- almost everything was about strength. And I think that this is an appropriate way to gauge what I needed through that time as well. Being possibly some of the most doubt-filled (and therefore ranking in the "crappy" category) time of my life. It makes sense.
But what happened at the end of Spring 2009 to change the tone to something else I removed myself from the entire situation. Not only did I move out, I moved on. I moved to the middle of nowhere and what did I find there? ...That too can be tracked through the Moleskine.
As I share the 2nd round of my Moleskine playlist, I've found that a different theme has emerged onto the field. A theme that makes this group of songs actually enjoyable to listen to, but a theme that can be just as reflective.
PASSION.
Passion for others, passion for self, passion for life. The songs and quotes from the month of June 2009 have been about finding and sustaining passion. Passion -- not things that inspire you but rather sustain the inspiration and encourage you to pass it on. Most of the songs are about love. Loving others and loving yourself. Discovering what you love and continuing on that path.
The quotes have also start to take on a much more external approach. An encouragement to reach out beyond yourself. And promoting an idea of one-ness. Maybe an insinuation that I feel like I'm a part of something, that I have a further understanding of the concept of community and that of being a global citizen.
The best part about the past month is the fact that it has validated what I thought my passion was -- Student Affairs. After last semester and everything I experienced, I had my doubts. After being at Humboldt and seeing how it can be (and how it is) elsewhere -- I've become inspired to have no qualms about my entry into this field in a year.
Maybe it was necessary for me to have this reaffirmation here and now in this experience. But it was definitely not a coincidence. Are there more lessons to be learned? Most Assuredly. But I doubt that anything I experience in the next 3 1/2 weeks can top what has happened already -- but maybe it will.
For those of you who would like these playlists for your own use: here they are. Bring a CD or a flash drive to me, and the mp3s can be yours as well. I hope they inspire you as much as they have inspired me.
The (Original) Moleskine Playlist:
Moleskine Playlist (Version 2.0)
Peace,
Matt
Monday, June 22, 2009
Reflections in the Waves Spark My Memory...
It's been a week. I am still alive...I promise. It's been a busy week here and I finally was able to collect my thoughts and get them on typed up. :-)
Adventures in Work
The last week has been pretty chill yet very short-term goal driven at work. I'm almost halfway done with my internship -- which I find amazing and quite shocking actually. Arcata now feels like home. I have established myself here to a point of comfort with my surroundings. It will be weird leaving in a little over 30 days.
A couple of things have changed about this project -- I'm finally on a real SERVER. I haven't migrated my project over yet, but will be soon, and I'm pretty darn excited. It only took HSU's IT 5 weeks to get their lives together to get my accounts setup. Happiness ensued.
However, we have encountered our first relatively large obstacle in this process. Humboldt's IR Submission forms are done through this system called SMIRF. -- Simple Mailing Incident Report Form. I think that is what it stands for, but I always reach straight for the popular cartoon characters. Anyways, this system has been in place for many years and frankly, it is way out of date. Now, Humboldt is switching their ResLife Computer Systems over in the coming year and the new one will have IR support.
(For those of you who don't speak ResLife, IR = Incident Report. An IR is filed to formally document any happenings in the hall regarding conduct. You find alcohol, you write an IR. You smell drugs...you call Public Safety, THEN you write an IR. The IR becomes THE main way through which student judicial cases happen. Needless to say, it is VITAL to any residence life system to have an IR process in place.)
Okay, SMIRF needs to move because it is old, clunky, and won't be able to run on the new server. Craptastic. Big problems....what do we do in the mean time? Oh, I love creative problem solving. Do you write a new SMIRF, only to have to train all of your staff in a system you will use for a semester or a year? Do you try to keep the current SMIRF alive? Interesting questions, we'll see where that goes.
(And yes, I know this is a SMURF and not a SMIRF, but sounds the same -- is the same.)
Adventures in Oysters
Saturday was Oyster Fest. Oyster Fest is a big deal around here. It's right up there with organic food, general liberalism, and environmental sustainability. Every year, right around this time of year, there is an amazing abundance of oyster in this area. And like most seafood, oysters have .... well...umm. ZERO shelflife. So a quick and effective way is to obviously celebrate the abundance by getting completely trashed in the town square while eating them. (It's oddly tribal...minus the whole drinking thing.)
So I decided that I would a) have to go to the festival and b) have to do it up right and try an oyster or two. I mean afterall, they come prepared in every way imaginable at the festival. All of the local eateries come out and cook oysters in the style of their restaurant. Japanese, Italian, French, Barbecued, "American", Mexican, Chinese...you name it, they've got it.
a) was easy. The festival was on the plaza - which was blocked off and made into a giant beer garden. Yes, my friends, the local version of Summerfest. Live bands, beer tents and drunk 40 somethings. GLORIOUS. I loved it. My camera would not do this event justice, so there are no pictures. But I can assure you it was a sight to see.
On the other hand, b) was a much more interesting task. I'm not going to go into the details of my oyster experience because it's a much better story to hear in person. (Ask me about it sometime.) But I did survive three relatively large oysters and two barbecued fish tacos. (Yes, you read that correctly.)
After that, I decided to call it quits for the day. I had more than my fill. Truly a memorable experience...and I won't be having oyster again anytime soon.
Adventures in Crabs
Sunday, Damien and I decided to check out the Crabs game. It was his first time, my second. After catching some serious sun .... again. the crabs called it a winning day, and Damien and I both looked like the team's mascot. As usual the "Crab Grass Band" was up to their usual antics. 3 Blind Mice, The Grinch, Crazy Train (complete with audience participation of the Ay! Ay! Ay! part), Crazy, and even some appearances by The Killers. I thoroughly enjoyed that.
What amazes me about Crabs games is how community oriented the atmosphere is. I thought the team I grew up on -- The Beloit Snappers -- was very much like that, but the Crabs have them beat by a long shot. It's quite the place to watch a ballgame, and I always leave a little more burnt than I came, but having had a great afternoon cheering on the team with the world's oddest mascot.
I'll try to update again before next Monday!! Hopefully, I will have done something amazing and noteworthy by then.... :-)
Peace,
M
Adventures in Work
The last week has been pretty chill yet very short-term goal driven at work. I'm almost halfway done with my internship -- which I find amazing and quite shocking actually. Arcata now feels like home. I have established myself here to a point of comfort with my surroundings. It will be weird leaving in a little over 30 days.
A couple of things have changed about this project -- I'm finally on a real SERVER. I haven't migrated my project over yet, but will be soon, and I'm pretty darn excited. It only took HSU's IT 5 weeks to get their lives together to get my accounts setup. Happiness ensued.
However, we have encountered our first relatively large obstacle in this process. Humboldt's IR Submission forms are done through this system called SMIRF. -- Simple Mailing Incident Report Form. I think that is what it stands for, but I always reach straight for the popular cartoon characters. Anyways, this system has been in place for many years and frankly, it is way out of date. Now, Humboldt is switching their ResLife Computer Systems over in the coming year and the new one will have IR support.
(For those of you who don't speak ResLife, IR = Incident Report. An IR is filed to formally document any happenings in the hall regarding conduct. You find alcohol, you write an IR. You smell drugs...you call Public Safety, THEN you write an IR. The IR becomes THE main way through which student judicial cases happen. Needless to say, it is VITAL to any residence life system to have an IR process in place.)
Okay, SMIRF needs to move because it is old, clunky, and won't be able to run on the new server. Craptastic. Big problems....what do we do in the mean time? Oh, I love creative problem solving. Do you write a new SMIRF, only to have to train all of your staff in a system you will use for a semester or a year? Do you try to keep the current SMIRF alive? Interesting questions, we'll see where that goes.
(And yes, I know this is a SMURF and not a SMIRF, but sounds the same -- is the same.)
Adventures in Oysters
Saturday was Oyster Fest. Oyster Fest is a big deal around here. It's right up there with organic food, general liberalism, and environmental sustainability. Every year, right around this time of year, there is an amazing abundance of oyster in this area. And like most seafood, oysters have .... well...umm. ZERO shelflife. So a quick and effective way is to obviously celebrate the abundance by getting completely trashed in the town square while eating them. (It's oddly tribal...minus the whole drinking thing.)
So I decided that I would a) have to go to the festival and b) have to do it up right and try an oyster or two. I mean afterall, they come prepared in every way imaginable at the festival. All of the local eateries come out and cook oysters in the style of their restaurant. Japanese, Italian, French, Barbecued, "American", Mexican, Chinese...you name it, they've got it.
a) was easy. The festival was on the plaza - which was blocked off and made into a giant beer garden. Yes, my friends, the local version of Summerfest. Live bands, beer tents and drunk 40 somethings. GLORIOUS. I loved it. My camera would not do this event justice, so there are no pictures. But I can assure you it was a sight to see.
On the other hand, b) was a much more interesting task. I'm not going to go into the details of my oyster experience because it's a much better story to hear in person. (Ask me about it sometime.) But I did survive three relatively large oysters and two barbecued fish tacos. (Yes, you read that correctly.)
After that, I decided to call it quits for the day. I had more than my fill. Truly a memorable experience...and I won't be having oyster again anytime soon.
Adventures in Crabs
Sunday, Damien and I decided to check out the Crabs game. It was his first time, my second. After catching some serious sun .... again. the crabs called it a winning day, and Damien and I both looked like the team's mascot. As usual the "Crab Grass Band" was up to their usual antics. 3 Blind Mice, The Grinch, Crazy Train (complete with audience participation of the Ay! Ay! Ay! part), Crazy, and even some appearances by The Killers. I thoroughly enjoyed that.
What amazes me about Crabs games is how community oriented the atmosphere is. I thought the team I grew up on -- The Beloit Snappers -- was very much like that, but the Crabs have them beat by a long shot. It's quite the place to watch a ballgame, and I always leave a little more burnt than I came, but having had a great afternoon cheering on the team with the world's oddest mascot.
I'll try to update again before next Monday!! Hopefully, I will have done something amazing and noteworthy by then.... :-)
Peace,
M
Monday, June 15, 2009
You haven't seen any Ewoks in here...have you?!?!
Just as I stop feeling like a tourist -- my camera becomes permanently attached to my hand again.
I've got some more adventures for you...
Adventures in Trees.
Saturday, Damien's parents offered to take us to the Avenue of the Giants. Without hesitation agreed because one thing that I VOWED I would see while I was here are the Redwoods.
Words will never do this experience justice. So here's some pictures!
It is something that you truly have to see to believe, and even then the belief is still questionable. The trees are INCREDIBLE. I'm pretty sure that I had my head fully outside of the car window for a full 15 minutes before we stopped, and then again after we started to go through groves.
Let me explain a little bit....along the Avenue of the Giants, there are many groves of trees that line the road. Most of the groves contain paths that allow visitors to walk through (with relative ease) and experience the trees. We stopped at two different groves and walked through. I have never felt so small in my life. But at the same time, there is something very spiritual about that place. I felt very connected to God my time in the forest. (insert your deity of choice into that sentence....)
We got to see the immortal tree which has survived lightning, floods, fires, and all sorts of Mother Nature's wrath, and we got to see a tree that was alive for longer than the Catholic Church. Pretty impressive if I do say so myself.
All in all, truly a memorable trip with some great Kodak moments. (product placement?? come on, kid's gotta make money somehow!) Even though I won't be forgetting that trip anytime soon.
(Also, many of the scenes involving the Ewoks from Return of the Jedi were filmed in the Redwoods...along with the Made-for-TV movies Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor ...hence the references...and that second picture I "took".)
Adventures in Sand.
Sunday, Damien and I went to check out the Community Sand Sculpting Competition. At Manila Beach, over 25 teams of people (roughly 100 participants) had come together to create these beautiful works of art in the Sand. The pieces ranged from turtles to a Titanic to a totally awesome sandcastle and everything in between. The beach it was at was BEAUTIFUL. I distinctly remember my first trip to the Pacific Beach not being as enjoyable as this one. I'm sure I'll be returning before the end of my time here.
While I did not take part in any of the building, I was able to get pictures of almost everything, but again the pictures hardly do this stuff justice. I was thoroughly impressed with this event and recommend it to anyone coming into the area.
Adventures in Eats.
Today was the unofficial opening of the HSU Dining Center -- affectionately known as "The J". I eat for free, three meals a day. Needless to say, I will be taking full advantage. Right now, there is a band camp here -- those kids are INTENSE. Even when at the table eating, they are talking about what they need to practice, what they've played, etc. etc. I could never do it.
I will report back on food quality as it deems necessary.
Adventures in Cauly-Forn-E-Ah.
I spend most of today working on a refreshed look for the NRHH website at Humboldt. Bringing their OTM submission forms up to national standards and getting things prepared for moving to the new system...as soon as I get server space. Oh, institutional redtape...how I loathe thee.
Other than that, the budget crisis is still ongoing. (The link is for people who have been living under a ROCK lately...) And people are starting to get nervous that things are going to start shutting down. It's sad that they can't figure this thing out. It affects every single person in the state and it's a shame these problems still haven't been solved. I mean, come on, California, your GOVERNOR is TURBOMAN for crying out loud.
Put the cookie down, beat the nemesis Dementor and the Demon Team and let's put this to bed.
That's all I've got for now...more to follow.
Until next time,
Matt
I've got some more adventures for you...
Adventures in Trees.
Saturday, Damien's parents offered to take us to the Avenue of the Giants. Without hesitation agreed because one thing that I VOWED I would see while I was here are the Redwoods.
Words will never do this experience justice. So here's some pictures!
It is something that you truly have to see to believe, and even then the belief is still questionable. The trees are INCREDIBLE. I'm pretty sure that I had my head fully outside of the car window for a full 15 minutes before we stopped, and then again after we started to go through groves.
Let me explain a little bit....along the Avenue of the Giants, there are many groves of trees that line the road. Most of the groves contain paths that allow visitors to walk through (with relative ease) and experience the trees. We stopped at two different groves and walked through. I have never felt so small in my life. But at the same time, there is something very spiritual about that place. I felt very connected to God my time in the forest. (insert your deity of choice into that sentence....)
We got to see the immortal tree which has survived lightning, floods, fires, and all sorts of Mother Nature's wrath, and we got to see a tree that was alive for longer than the Catholic Church. Pretty impressive if I do say so myself.
All in all, truly a memorable trip with some great Kodak moments. (product placement?? come on, kid's gotta make money somehow!) Even though I won't be forgetting that trip anytime soon.
(Also, many of the scenes involving the Ewoks from Return of the Jedi were filmed in the Redwoods...along with the Made-for-TV movies Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor ...hence the references...and that second picture I "took".)
Adventures in Sand.
Sunday, Damien and I went to check out the Community Sand Sculpting Competition. At Manila Beach, over 25 teams of people (roughly 100 participants) had come together to create these beautiful works of art in the Sand. The pieces ranged from turtles to a Titanic to a totally awesome sandcastle and everything in between. The beach it was at was BEAUTIFUL. I distinctly remember my first trip to the Pacific Beach not being as enjoyable as this one. I'm sure I'll be returning before the end of my time here.
While I did not take part in any of the building, I was able to get pictures of almost everything, but again the pictures hardly do this stuff justice. I was thoroughly impressed with this event and recommend it to anyone coming into the area.
Adventures in Eats.
Today was the unofficial opening of the HSU Dining Center -- affectionately known as "The J". I eat for free, three meals a day. Needless to say, I will be taking full advantage. Right now, there is a band camp here -- those kids are INTENSE. Even when at the table eating, they are talking about what they need to practice, what they've played, etc. etc. I could never do it.
I will report back on food quality as it deems necessary.
Adventures in Cauly-Forn-E-Ah.
I spend most of today working on a refreshed look for the NRHH website at Humboldt. Bringing their OTM submission forms up to national standards and getting things prepared for moving to the new system...as soon as I get server space. Oh, institutional redtape...how I loathe thee.
Other than that, the budget crisis is still ongoing. (The link is for people who have been living under a ROCK lately...) And people are starting to get nervous that things are going to start shutting down. It's sad that they can't figure this thing out. It affects every single person in the state and it's a shame these problems still haven't been solved. I mean, come on, California, your GOVERNOR is TURBOMAN for crying out loud.
Put the cookie down, beat the nemesis Dementor and the Demon Team and let's put this to bed.
That's all I've got for now...more to follow.
Until next time,
Matt
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Wait...there's ICE CREAM?!?!?!?
Adventures in Work:
Work as been fun this week. Pretty laid back week, but I've been getting a lot of work done. Right now, a program can be iterated through the entire process on the site, and there is a working search function on the site as well.
Jeremy and I were talking today about the sense of accomplishment I have from working on this project. It is already really neat to see so much of this come together. He described it kind of as art...we had a dream of what they wanted, and now it's my job to create. Especially on the searching part of the site, I'm still very proud of that portion. It's one of those things that I knew sort of why it worked but I never thought about how that process would look. Now I know. And if I've learned something -- about myself, about technology, then that is a successful day at the office for me.
Tomorrow I will implementing some more features involving the fluidity of this site. Basically, it's ResLife. People come and people go. Their website should be built around that principle. So with that in mind, I will be building portions of their site that will allow users to add, edit, and delete things in the database...ultimately, this will probably be one of the most important "extras" in the system.
Adventures in Roommates:
My roommate is here. Not only does he exist...he is a fun guy. His name is Damien, he's from Iowa and just finished his first year of grad work at Ohio University. His parents are in town to check out the scene here, so it is nice getting to know them and experience a little bit of Arcata with them.
I think it is a sign that I'm starting to feel like I live here when we are going places and I'm the one that is looked to for directions. I'm starting to feel very confident in my abilities to navigate around town and the area. It's a pretty great feeling -- I've got my bearings.
(For those of you who are interested, Damien is now in-the-know about Two-For-Lunch, and it adamant about trying out the various Chinese places in Humboldt County....it will be like Fox News. We Report. You Decide. Fair and Balanced (with No MSG))
Adventures in Ice Cream:
So there is a new ice cream place in town and it is PHENOMENAL. They make it fresh every day, along with making their cones fresh every day. It's pretty awesome. It's not Kopp's, but it's damn close. I have been there twice now...the first time I got a HUGE scoop of Coffee flavored ice cream (oh the coffee here....mmmmm) and the girl claimed it was like drinking two huge cups. I agreed.
Tonight I got a half-and-half scoop of Green Tea and Peanut Butter Chip. The green tea ice cream was surprisingly tasty and healthy for you? (Ok, not quite...but it's gotta count for SOMETHING!) The PBChip was great too. Damien and I have already decided that there will have to be limits on the amount of times we are allowed to visit. Let's hope we aren't too restrictive of ourselves.
On tap for the weekend:
REDWOODS // Avenue of the Giants.
Crabs? I hope so.
Until later,
M
Work as been fun this week. Pretty laid back week, but I've been getting a lot of work done. Right now, a program can be iterated through the entire process on the site, and there is a working search function on the site as well.
Jeremy and I were talking today about the sense of accomplishment I have from working on this project. It is already really neat to see so much of this come together. He described it kind of as art...we had a dream of what they wanted, and now it's my job to create. Especially on the searching part of the site, I'm still very proud of that portion. It's one of those things that I knew sort of why it worked but I never thought about how that process would look. Now I know. And if I've learned something -- about myself, about technology, then that is a successful day at the office for me.
Tomorrow I will implementing some more features involving the fluidity of this site. Basically, it's ResLife. People come and people go. Their website should be built around that principle. So with that in mind, I will be building portions of their site that will allow users to add, edit, and delete things in the database...ultimately, this will probably be one of the most important "extras" in the system.
Adventures in Roommates:
My roommate is here. Not only does he exist...he is a fun guy. His name is Damien, he's from Iowa and just finished his first year of grad work at Ohio University. His parents are in town to check out the scene here, so it is nice getting to know them and experience a little bit of Arcata with them.
I think it is a sign that I'm starting to feel like I live here when we are going places and I'm the one that is looked to for directions. I'm starting to feel very confident in my abilities to navigate around town and the area. It's a pretty great feeling -- I've got my bearings.
(For those of you who are interested, Damien is now in-the-know about Two-For-Lunch, and it adamant about trying out the various Chinese places in Humboldt County....it will be like Fox News. We Report. You Decide. Fair and Balanced (with No MSG))
Adventures in Ice Cream:
So there is a new ice cream place in town and it is PHENOMENAL. They make it fresh every day, along with making their cones fresh every day. It's pretty awesome. It's not Kopp's, but it's damn close. I have been there twice now...the first time I got a HUGE scoop of Coffee flavored ice cream (oh the coffee here....mmmmm) and the girl claimed it was like drinking two huge cups. I agreed.
Tonight I got a half-and-half scoop of Green Tea and Peanut Butter Chip. The green tea ice cream was surprisingly tasty and healthy for you? (Ok, not quite...but it's gotta count for SOMETHING!) The PBChip was great too. Damien and I have already decided that there will have to be limits on the amount of times we are allowed to visit. Let's hope we aren't too restrictive of ourselves.
On tap for the weekend:
REDWOODS // Avenue of the Giants.
Crabs? I hope so.
Until later,
M
The Humboldt Crabs on Jay Leno
The Crabs on Leno
I think my favorite quote is...
Have a great day!
-M
I think my favorite quote is...
Everyone asks me how my crabs are...and I tell them that they itch and we move on with the conversation. What are you gonna do? I like to think that I have them for two months out of the year and then they go away on their own.
Have a great day!
-M
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