ishantil

01:04 am: Figure it's time.
I recently decided that I could no longer stand NOT having Nanoha figures from ALTER.

I ordered myself some figures from HLJ:

Signum (Knight Clothes version)
Vita
Teana

Several other figures are following this summer (which I pre-ordered), including an totally awesome sculpt of Fate, and Subaru Nakajima. 

I'm currently planning my Japan trip for this year.  I want to be in Japan when the second issue of Nyantype comes out, so I have to be there by July 30.  So I figure I'll probably be going July 29th through August 14th.  Staying with my Japanese teacher in Kyoto.  Although we're going to take a trip to Tokyo, and Osaka.  I'm not sure where else. 

Oh, and I've made it my mission to travel to the Kyoto Animation studio.  And pay homage!

In other news, I should go to bed.  Really.


Tags: japan, mahou shoujo lyrical nanoha, vacation, zomg

01:20 am: Of Ends and Beginnings
Today was a day unlike any other day. And also like every other day. A beginning, a middle, an end. And a beginning.

Today, I paid off all of my debts. My credit card balances are all zero. My car is paid off. My obligations are settled.

It's been a long time coming. I've planned for it. I've saved, I've sacrificed. I've worked hard. I had even projected the middle of June, as my target. I'm a month ahead of schedule.

So today, I am beholden to no one. Tomorrow, in a way, is the first day of freedom.

Tags: freedom

11:09 pm: Of Sayings
The path of damnation is paved by the footfalls of the misguided.
--me, 2009.

Tags: humanity, politics

03:37 pm: In a conversation that I had with Jenn:

Jennifer: *sigh* how did that ' get in there.... bad ' going where it's not needed!'

me: ' is like a ninja
always gone when it's supposed to be there, always there when you think it shouldn't be.

Jennifer: man... ' IS a ninja!! :-O

Tags: funny

10:32 pm: Sitrep!
So I've stated going to the gym.  I go to the lifetime fitness place near AOL.  It's the size of a Wal-mart.  A two story one.

In any event, on the ground floor they have pools.  You may not know this, but I was on a swim team for many years.  I am actually quite adept in the water.  Blows the mind, ne?

So for a few weeks now, I've been going swimming.  I swim back and forth and back and forth and back and...well, you get the idea.  It's pretty boring.  One of the things that you cannot really do is hear things when you are swimming.  Or SO I THOUGHT.

Recently, I decided to ask the Internet a question.  Has anyone come up with a way to make MP3 players waterproof?  And if so, how about some waterproof headphones, while we're on the subject?

So  read some reviews.  One guys was like, "yeah, the interface on this sucks.  And...well, also, the rest of it sucks.  So...yeah, don't buy it.  So I didn't!

I eventually came across two products that are "submersible cases for your mp3 player!"  The first was a hard case with a soft vinyl window you could use the touchscreen/clickywheel/doohickey through.  It's also one hundred dollars.  The second one was the Aquapac.  It's a vinyl bag with a strap that has a standard 1/8" stereo jack inside and a watertight locking mechanism.  It's eighty-five bucks with a pair of waterproof headphones.  So I bought one.  And I bought Mr. Carper's old iPod (gen 3!) for a small sum.  I needed a low-tech MP3 player that did not have any sort of wireless and such.  I also wanted it cheap. 

So last week it finally arrived in the mail (I ordered it weeks ago).  I took it with me swimming tonight.  Not only did it work as advertised (hey, underwater and music!), but it worked really well.  The headphones are 100% waterproof.  They fell out of my ears once and were completely submerged in pool water.  Blew them off, stuck them back in my ears, and kept swimming.  It was amazing.  

The sweet sounds of KOTOKO allowed me to swim without concentrating on how tired I was. 

I also got some odd looks in the pool, which I enjoyed.

Modern technology, helping to make my ass less fat.  Huzzah.



Tags: less of a fatass, things that are awesome, victory

08:59 pm: Of Troubleshooting and Victory
So I started seriously playing with John's computer recently.  I started troubleshooting and found that upon turning it on, it would no longer boot.  ::blink::  

Okay, so now it's actually worse than it was.  I a took everything out of the case except the video card.  Then I even put another video card in there and tested it.  No love.  

My dad says, "processor?"  We mull it over some more and boot it a few more times.  Wait, it's getting past post, so it's not the chip and not the RAM and probably not the motherboard.  "Well, we swapped video cards, the only thing left is...the hard drive."  Aha.  

So I disconnected the shiny new WD Velociraptor drive and connected the terrabyte WD Caviar Black drive.  I then proceeded to load Windows on it without a hithc.  So I loaded the motherboard drivers, and such.  Ran some tests, rebooted it like 10 times.  Hrm, seems stable.  So I'm like...how can I hammer this thing?  So I load Folding@home and run it for 72 hours straight.  Solid.  No probelms.  I think we have a winner.

I have since RMA'd the defective drive.  Soon, I can deliver the computer, collect my pay, and get the system bench ready for the next project.  :)

In other news, I've started writing my own Witch Hunters codex updates.  Hehe.



Tags: victory

11:03 pm: Another Day, Another Security Thing
So...today.  I waited a lot.  Then I went to the customer site and met some people.  And I signed more forms that say "I will not talk about stuff evar." 

Then, my team lead said, "you can go."
And I said, "Go where?"
And then she said, "Home.  We don't have anything for you to do today.  Just put eight hours.  See you tomorrow."
And I said, "Er...okay.  Thanks!"

It was weird.  One of the guys said in regards to my business casual dress, "You're allowed to dress like that the first week.  Then, we expect you to be casual!  Unless you are meeting the customer.  In which case, dress appropriately."

So, tomorrow, jeans and a polo.  Also, tennis shoes.

Tags: i could tell you but i'd have to kill yo, new job, things that are weird

01:05 am: Wisdom of the Ages
Ah, wisdom.  So tonight, my dad and I had a minor spat over a misunderstanding.  We both are kinda hot-headed and stubborn.  Go figure, right?

But tonight, instead of us both sort of leaving on a sour note, he came back into my room, and we hashed it out, and discussed the situation like rational adults.  Bizarre, I know.  And we ended up having a great conversation about lost friendships and regained friendships, and some asshole that lived in our old-old neighborhood who threatened to kill my dad one day.  He was a Grade A flaming nutbar prick, apparently. 

However, throughout it all, I realized something about myself this evening.  The whole snap-judgments thing.  I tend to make these, and then hold on to them for dear life to the detriment of others and most certainly myself.  I know, you all are probably going "well, duh, we've been telling you this for years."  I realized that it's something I need to work on, something that needs to be realized and corrected for, if I'm to become a better person.  And I'd really like to become a better person.  

Still, there is hope for me yet, right?

Tags: realization, wisdom

11:49 am: Without a Doubt
So.  Today I went to see my eye doctor.  My left eye has a cyst on one of the sweat glands.  I will need some minor surgery to take care of it, scheduled on the 30th of this month.  The doctor thinks that this might be a result of my previous surgery, which was a blocked oil duct. 

Dad and I are going shooting today. I'll finally get to shoot my 9mm.  Huzzah.

Big News

The recruiter at Harris corporation just called, I am ready to be briefed on the job and read on for my SCI!  My start date is now officially Monday, the 23rd of March.  VICTORY IS MINE.



Tags: guns, medical problems, new job, victory

10:58 am: To The Last...
(...I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee.)

So here I am, sitting about two hours before my last moments here at [deleted].  I have mixed feelings on the matter.  First off, a somewhat bittersweet feeling to those who are here who have done me right.  Those people I will miss.

However, mainly, I feel victorious.  I feel that I've accomplished something great, I've gotten a job that promises to be nearly everything I want in a job.  It's close by, it's interesting, it pays well, and it involves a high-end security clearance.  I feel that I've been working towards this point since so long ago, when I took my very first "technical" job at Sitel Corporation doing "technical" support for DirecTV.  

But since I have not received a firm start date, I also feel a sense of unease.  My new job is entirely dependent on a new clearance.  Yet, by accomplishing so much, the inner pessimist in me is waiting for the other shoe to drop.  The pessimist within thinks that since things are going well, it seems like I should be blindsided by something terrible at any moment.  I've been trying for years to get that guy to shut the hell up.  But his voice is loud and quite shrill.  Often, it is difficult not to listen. 

Tags: doubts, new job, to the last, victory

10:32 am: Cleaning Up
So today, I am tasked with cleaning out my ticket inbox and catching up on all the paperwork.  Blech. 

On the other hand, it'll be a nice low stress day with no real work to be done.  Tomorrow I'll probably ship out mid-day.

I figure I'll clean out my inbox and write a few procedures for them and call it a day.

Japanese class tonight.  ^^

Tags: job search 2009, to the last, work

04:52 pm: Taken
I know this movie has been out for a while, but I am going to go see it Friday.  If anyone is interested in seeing it with me, please let me know.

Cheers.

12:06 pm: Nyanoha?
So, after contacting the fine folks at j-list, they have secured access to Nyantype magazine, which debuts on April 30.  And with that, the new Nanoha story will be MINE.

And I'll share it with Lena, of course.  ^^

Tags: mahou shoujo lyrical nanoha, nyantype magazine, victory

03:11 pm: Fortune?
So today I ordered Chinese food with my co-worker, D-rok.  This, in itself, is pretty good.  I like Chinese food.  But that's not the reason I'm posting. 

The fortune cookies reports, "Success is on its way to you."

Perhaps I should bow to the cookie's superior wisdom. 

Tags: cookies!

11:17 am: TWO WEEKS!!!!
So today, I turned in my two weeks notice.  In three weeks, my SCI will clear.  So I'll have a week off to take care of random stuffs.   And do lots of chillin'

After playing Dawn of War II...I might want to start a Tyranid army.  <_<

Tags: new job, things that are awesome

10:03 am: Steak and Bread...for VICTORY
Well, Chris and I both got new jobs.  What say we plan some sort of celebratory type thing?

Who's in?

Tags: streak and bread, victory

02:26 pm: VICTORY!
I got it.  I should have an offer letter by the end of the week.


More interesting work:  check
Shorter commute:  check
Higher clearance:  check
More money:  check

YES.



Tags: job search 2009, project goldmine 2.0, things that are awesome, victory

12:03 pm: Grinder Pumps and Waiting
So, I'm back here at work.  Bah.  What a silly place this is. 

Our grinder pump died (for our septic field) at 2330 last night.  So after that, we couldn't use the water in the house for more than a few toilet flushes.  Of course, I was also doing laundry at the time, so we had to use the manual override for the water.  Which meant carrying buckets of water out and throwing them off of the deck until 0100.  So I'm tired.  :(

In other news, I'm waiting, waiting, waiting.  I'm hoping to follow up Mr. Yates' new position with one of my own.  After Wendesday, I'll either have a new job, or be highly motivated to look.  My current boss found out (he asked me directly, and seriously, so I told him), and instead of being annoyed, he encouraged me.  So I have that amount of understanding.  He'd rather I move on than be unhappy here.  Which is why he's an awesome boss.  :D

I actually like working for him, I just hate my commute and find the job exceedingly boring.  Too bad, really, he's a great dude.

But all that goes through my mind are the two scenarios, I Get The Job Woohooo, and Goddamn It I Have To Go Look Hardcore.  I think I'll be happier knowing one way or the other.  Soon.  

Here's to hoping that I get the job.  Now, all I need to do is wait.  Right?



Tags: job search 2009, things that are annoying

05:09 pm: Shadow of a Doubt
So I got some news back from Harris.  They said that they will be wrapping up the interviews on Tuesday and a decision will be made on Wednesday of next week.  The recruiter from Harris said "[the interviewer] said that he thought the interview went well."

Looks like I've got a pretty good shot.  It's sort of nerve-wracking, though.  Perhaps a new job for the Wolf?

But it's just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes
'Cause I'm Mr Brightside


Tags: job search 2009; doubts, zomg

01:49 pm: The Dawn of a New Age of Matt
It was the Third Age of Matt.  An age beyond childhood, beyond young adult in into professional.  Whispers of the past still linger in his mind as he strives for a better life beyond the career that has sidelined his skills.  But the future, ever bright, shines on the horizon, giving the light of hope to his fellow Mattkind. 

Would he prosper at a new job that was better in every way, or would he languish in mediocrity?  As in many things, it all came down to a decision by a guy named Tim.  Does Tim hold the future of Mattkind in his grasp?  Or will destiny deviate once again around him and divulge its secrets only to those few who can make the choice?

Find out, in next week's episode of:  Matt:  Third Age

Tags: job search 2009, matt: third age