The Kitchen sink...

So I come home and there is a hole in my wall
The kitchen sink sits propped up against my wall
My cabinets are off the wall
Why?
Because of a leak from above

At first we thought that the leak was coming from us
But it was not
It was from above
A broken pipe

Luckily I can still take a shower
Thank The Gods for that
I thought at first I could not
Turned out I was wrong

So now I have to be without a kitchen for a few days
I hope it is done by Sunday
I think they are going to fix the leak Today
So at least the other people can use their sinks

I wonder where the two gentlemen went
I wonder if they are upstairs fixing the leak
I wonder if they are out getting the supplies
Oh I hope that they at least fix the leak today

I can just imagine someone using their sink
And me watching water gush out the wall
Oh how that would not be fun
People are people
And being that they are fickle creatures

Someone will probably do it
I hope not before they put the new pipe in
Let us hope for the best
For I do not want to come home to a house full of water

Thursday...

Today is the big day for me
When I get to see if I got what was promised
You see I made my first big purchase
Well, first big one for me
I bought a camera

A camera you say?
Yes, a camera
A DSLR
Canon XTi
With two lenses

A week's worth of working bought me that
Before my biggest purchase was a iMac for my Dad
It was worth it to repay him back for all the years
And to show my appreciation to him and my Mom
She uses it too but it was mainly for him

I should buy my mom something one day
I had an idea for her birthday but I couldn't do it then
I had bad information and thought she wouldn't want it
Now I know better
Christmas maybe or maybe sooner

So Saturday I go home to get my camera
I sent it home because I did want anything bad to happen
We are not home during the day
I am work and she's at school and work
So safer to send it home

I feel a disconnect at times with people
With people my own age
I feel as if I am older
That I am further ahead
Not in life or in success

But I feel that I am ahead in my position in life
I know that contradicts what I said above
But I cannot really explain it without risking insult
I know I am only 24/25 and just and intern
But personal life wise I feel further ahead

Part of it is the fact that I am no longer in college
That I work with people older than me
I am the second youngest at the office
With the other turning 21 this year
Closest in age to me are those that are 28/29

Strangely I feel closer to them mentally then people my age
I guess my mental stage is more of theirs
I am more concerned with starting a life
Then going out to parties and clubs every weekend
Just not my thing anymore there is way more to life


I think I even felt that way a year or two ago
I just do not see why people spend so much time on image
Especially when you are in college
I mean take it seriously
Ya you can have fun but not at the sake of your education

I learned that one the hard way my first years in college
If I could I would start the first 3 years over again
Take it more seriously and not brush it off
Not hold the material things on such a high plain
And take the educational things more importantly

I know I cannot change the past but maybe others can learn from my mistakes
Granted I have a degree but my GPA was not great
My aspirations of going to Graduate school are so/so due to that
A MS in GIS might be possible due to my work experience
But one in Planning would be hard due to my GPA

I know I know do not worry about Grad school
But I do because it is something that I want
I want it because I feel that Undergraduate does not focus enough on what is important in work
I wish that we could have focused more
But sadly half your college career is spent on "well-rounding" you

Wow I went from a camera to feeling out of touch to college

I see all the pictures of people partying, drinking, etc
Theses are their profile pictures
What does that say about you?
Is that the message you are trying to convey
That you are a party animal, a drinker

There is nothing wrong with that
But if you are like in your late 20's early 30's still doing that
Something is wrong with you...seriously
You pick a profile picture that portrays you
A picture of you passed out is something that you should not do

Nor am I advocating one of you studying
Or one of you working in the office
I am just saying that at my age, our age
We should pick something different
This is part of my disconnect

Note: I am not trying to sound high and mighty

I look around and still see people acting like it is high school
It is not
No this is not directed at certain people
I see this among my peers


Granted I go out on Fridays and have a few drinks with the co-workers
We have a good time
But it is not till 1-2 in the morning
It's not every week
It's on payday actually...lol

But that does not define me
It is not what I find memorable about that week
It is not the main part of my conversations with people
My week does not fall apart if there is no party or bar to go to
God I sound like an asshole

Again this is hard for me to explain

I am sure there are others that feel this way
You look around and see others all obsessed with their material and image wealth
And you are thinking "When will they wake up and realize that in the real world no one cares"
What matters is how good of a worker are you
How can you apply what you know to what you are doing

Being the frat boy or sorority girl
The jock
The party prince or princess
The beer king or queen
Is not cool anymore

But maybe I am just naive and not as grown up as I think
Maybe my aspirations to have a good life is wrong
To save for the future is ill advised
To want to have a good life for us and any additions is futile
Maybe it is like they say, live by the sword and die by the sword

Super Tuesday...the aftermath

Vote!Vote!Vote!
That is what we all have been told
But how many of you actually did?

I know I did
I voted for
Can you guess it?
OBA-not

I voted for Clinton
Yes Clinton
Are you surprised?

I know that since I am young
I am supposedly supposed to vote for Obama
He is for our generation right?

Yes he has star power
Yes he can talk up a crowd
But then again so
Hitler could too

No I am not saying that
He is no Hitler
More like a MLK

MLK could talk
He reminds me of him when I see his speeches
But talk is cheap
Action is not

At this point in time
What we need is someone who can lead now
Get us out of this mess now

We need someone who knows the Washington game
You need the know the game to play the game
You need to know it to get things done
He says the Game is bad but that is how it is

He has just begun the game
He does not know enough yet
In four years I would vote for him

But for now
No
Clinton is better for this time
This situation

I would like to see a Clinton-Obama ticket
That would be great
But is our country ready for it?

No, I don't think so
I do not think the country would vote for that
Not yet
Sadly

Holidays

So I came home this Christmas

It is good to be home every now and then

Saw family and friends

Had cheer with the near and dear

I Graduated from CSU Sacramento

That was fun

Not what I was expecting

Still has not sunk in yet

I now start working full-time at County

I am still an intern and can stay for one year

I do not know if I would like to stay there

Maybe for a couple years

I would like to experience GIS in other fields

Planing would be primo

City use would be too

I want to see what else it is used for

My knowledge is little

I know how to use it for Drainage

But how to use it in a planning sense

This I do not know

I've been applying

Have heard from none

How many applications must I send

Until I hear from one?

Maybe this is how it goes

I know my experience is next to none

So if I stay longer

Have more time there

Maybe I will hear back from more

Stay for 6 more months?

Start applying again in 6 months?

Oh what to do what to do

Coffee Shop

So it is late
Well for some maybe not
But for me it is as of late
I think most of us in University
Can relate to this feeling
Especially once we get toward the end

I swear it does not feel that long
5 years in college
Feels like I just moved up here yesterday
And now it may all end
Am I ready?

This I do not know
For part of me is not
I like going to class
Seeing familiar faces
Professors that I like

To enter the real world is scary
Being a intern has prepared me a bit
But not as much as I'll need
I am scared
I do not want to fail

I am on the hunt
Looking for jobs
Applying to jobs
Waiting and wishing
Hoping and Praying that I'll get the call

That call to come on down
Go in the game
To collect my prize
To get my just due
To start anew again

But so far nothing
Just waiting
And waiting
And worrying
Will I be wanted?

My skills are limited
I know the basics
But is that enough
Some want more
Some are vague

I hope that I will get that call
I will get that chance
That someone finds me worthy
Worthy of working for them
I hope I hope

The Casual Update...

So as of late I have not really had time to write
I write here and there but I am getting more into it
Writing is a way to release ones self
A way to put onto paper or in this case
Electronic “paper” your thoughts and feelings

I had been applying to jobs and have heard nothing yet
This is to be expected seeing as how most are public sector jobs
I expect them to take a week or two until I heard anything
But the ones that are private sector I heard nothing
Why worry right?

I figure private sector jobs would be faster in response
But again I may just be in patient in my pursuit
One must wait but I do not want to end up a college grad
With no real job prospects

I can stay at County for a bit after I graduate
But I do not want to stay forever as an intern
My job prospects there are small
There are no current offerings in my field
Though I have applied for 3 other that I may be able to do

I have sent about eight to ten applications out
Most to local or state government
Some to consultant firms
Still waiting
Waiting…waiting…waiting

I find other job prospects out of state
But they are that
Out of state
I cannot just up and move at this point in time

Would I want is the next question
Expensive to move
Renting a place on the blind
New city…well that I do not mind
But again expenses that I have no money for at the moment

I prefer to stay in state and in Northern California for the time being
Out of state job would have to be pretty interesting to me
Or it will be due to lack of prospects here
But again…
Expenses

I like to California too much
I saw a job in Honolulu
Paid moving expenses
45k-60k a year

Hawai’i
How could I pass this up?
Easy answer
Simple really
Love

If it is there in 3-4 months from now
And I still have nothing found
Then I will go for it
Paradise for a while

How can I pass it up then
2500 miles away from family
But near family I hardly know
New family to connect with
New Memories to make

Again…would I want to go?
This I do not know

-------- ------ -------- ---

I have a surprise for Thanksgiving
It is a “small” surprise
But what first comes to mind is not that
Nor will it ever be
For the foreseeable future

But a surprise I have
One that will be a whopper
Only Me, Myself and I know what it is
It starts with a C

-------- ------ -------- ---

So I looked at a iMac yesterday
If you buy it now
It does not come with Leopard installed
But they give you the CD to do it

Bah!
I do not want to do it myself
Why should I?
I know I know
But my dad said the same thing

So I’ll do like him and wait till it comes with it already installed
I knowing doing it yourself is not a big deal
But eh…
You never know what you can mess up

And I would want to play with it right away
Not sit and wait for hours for it to install
I like my iBook
But I want a desktop as well
Something more up to date

My iBook is great for school
And for traveling
She does me good
And I love her for that

But you know
Once you go Mac you never go back
A desktop would be nice
Got to have one of each
Laptop and Desktop

-------- ------ -------- ---

The fight on obesity...

This fight has gotten very ridiculous
I was watching the news from yesterday
NBC Nightly News to be exact
And they had a story on how some school are banning
Now get this
Cupcakes!

This girl was making cupcakes for her class birthday party
Now when we were kids
Who did not bring in cupcakes
Or some delicious treats
But to ban them at certain schools...

I mean come on
It's only a cupcake
The line has to be drawn
And I am drawing it
------------------------
Boo yah!

Yes I agree that some foods should be limited
Yes I agree that kids are not getting the exercise they need
Yes I agree food nowadays has become this fast on the go type
But parents and knowledgeable kids must take some responsibility

Do not feed your kids McDonalds or some variant of that
I do not care how long your day may have been
It is your responsibility as a parent
To do right by your kid

Also...
Kids also need to take some responsibility
By the time you are in Middle or High school
You should know what you should or should not eat
It is not that hard to realize that fast food everyday is not good

But this is a reflection of our nation
A nation that has become lazy and fat
Lazy due to the technology we have
Fat due to the money we have

People never talk to one another anymore
No, it is so much easier to do that over the Internet
To people we do not know
To people we can be someone different with

No one does hard work anymore
Why do it when you do not have to?
When you can hire someone to do it
That seems to be the ever prevalent attitude today

We would rather sit in front of a computer or tv playing video games
Playing games that you could go outside and play
I find it absolutely absurd that one plays football or basketball video games
When you can just walk outside and play for real

Ok so I have gone off on another tangent
One that is linked in a way but is not
My gripe was with how absurd this war
War on Obesity has become

Yes we need to do more to curb the weight problem
That this country is going trough
But somethings just should not be touched
Should be left in place

For goodness sake
It is just a cupcake