Accountable Infinity However (Letters to Myself)
29 oct 2008
Blake's Making Me... a Meme!
If you want me to:
a) Tell you why I befriended you.
b) Associate you with something -- a fandom, song, color, photo, etc.
c) Tell you something I like about you.
d) Tell you a memory I have of you.
e) Ask you something I've wanted to know about you
f) Tell you my favorite userpic from your profile.
g) In return, you need to post this on your own
Comment in the comments. ¶ 23:21 0 comments
If you want me to:
a) Tell you why I befriended you.
b) Associate you with something -- a fandom, song, color, photo, etc.
c) Tell you something I like about you.
d) Tell you a memory I have of you.
e) Ask you something I've wanted to know about you
f) Tell you my favorite userpic from your profile.
g) In return, you need to post this on your own
Comment in the comments. ¶ 23:21 0 comments
27 oct 2008
i got a job!
i got a job, and... i'm so excited, i can't even describe it. i'm going to be a Geothermal Mudlogging Geologist, more commonly known as a (lowly, according to Sarah Andrews) Mudlogger. A mudlogger is one who describes rocks (lithology of) as they are cored out of the earth. It's at a small company in California, and i start exactly two weeks from today.
So. i do want to make it clear before the conversation goes much further that i am not doing oil, as much as it may sound similar, because if i was doing oil i'd be both 1. getting 1/3 more money and 2. inconsolable. But the oil-train-of-thought-that-everyone-suggests-to-me was not completely fruitless, because i started thinking about how if i did end up doing oil, it wouldn't be so bad, given the experience i'd get, especially considering the fact that if EGS is going to happen, a lot of the skills used in oil are going to be needed (i.e., drilling rates, dealing with liquids at high temperatures, lithology, et. cetera), and a little lateral thinking later it occurred to me that there probably already are companies who have the oil (read: drilling/geo) experience but are trying it at sites that i'd want to be at. A fairly exhaustive search (that i've already complained about plenty, i'm sure) and a few phone calls later, and i have a starting date in November.
The weirdest thing to me at this point is how fast this is happening. i literally called them a Friday ago, and got an offer the next Friday. It's funny, because i finally know a few people here in Bellingham, and of course now i'm leaving... but somehow i knew that would happen. i gave my two weeks' notice to my boss at the printing company today, he didn't care at all, but i do i think i may actually miss some of my coworkers there... but not the mail machine or anything else. Because the main perk to that job was the coffee, and pretty sure there'll be coffee in Cali!
So, job in Bakersfield... a city which i'd never heard of a week ago. It is, apparently, an old oil boom town that forgot to stop growing when the oil stopped being discovered, but that's probably L.A.'s fault. It's also, alas, the third best place to hear country music in the country and has the third worst air quality in the country... ug. (Though, i should have realized the country-connection when my mom started singing Buck Owens (see below) to me.) Believe you me, Brenda has found this whole thing quite amusing: Not only do i have to get steel-toed boots and carharts (which are lesbian outfits, according to her) for my new job, i may just have to learn to honky-tonk. But: mudlogging is not exactly a 9-to-5 sort of thing; i have a room in a trailer on-site, and i'm going to get a laptop & a car before i think about an apartment.
Which has, of course, made this week even more crazy than it already was. We're (Brenda+me+Kendall) moving on Thursday to Brenda's Apartment-Home of Dreams, and now i'm not just packing for that, i'm packing for moving away too. Moving twice in two weeks seems a bit excessive, even to me.
i'm really excited to live in California in general--right after i got the interview for that job, i realized i knew nothing about California. Nothing. For example, is San Francisco north or south of L.A.? Couldn't have told you last week. Now, however, i have a trip to San Francisco planned with RGE for the spring (OMG OCEAN ORGAN AND MUSEUM OF FRICKIN DREAMS!!!!! and just because it's goofy, a Segway tour!), my new goal is to visit every national park in AZ & CA, and (this didn't even occur to me until a conversation with Alexis) i'm going to learn to surf!
Hmmmm.... well, i was suppossed to go to Seattle this past weekend, but Sam got called into work, which is probably just as well, 'cause i needed to pack and google things and such, and i'm going next weekend instead!
Street of Bakersfield....
But youtube has Cat Power too! Yes!
And for some reason, the bikes make one of my favorite songs even better:
Because i'm going to live in a different city soon.
Oh! gotta go, going collecting clams tonight! ¶ 17:37 0 comments
i got a job, and... i'm so excited, i can't even describe it. i'm going to be a Geothermal Mudlogging Geologist, more commonly known as a (lowly, according to Sarah Andrews) Mudlogger. A mudlogger is one who describes rocks (lithology of) as they are cored out of the earth. It's at a small company in California, and i start exactly two weeks from today.
So. i do want to make it clear before the conversation goes much further that i am not doing oil, as much as it may sound similar, because if i was doing oil i'd be both 1. getting 1/3 more money and 2. inconsolable. But the oil-train-of-thought-that-everyone-suggests-to-me was not completely fruitless, because i started thinking about how if i did end up doing oil, it wouldn't be so bad, given the experience i'd get, especially considering the fact that if EGS is going to happen, a lot of the skills used in oil are going to be needed (i.e., drilling rates, dealing with liquids at high temperatures, lithology, et. cetera), and a little lateral thinking later it occurred to me that there probably already are companies who have the oil (read: drilling/geo) experience but are trying it at sites that i'd want to be at. A fairly exhaustive search (that i've already complained about plenty, i'm sure) and a few phone calls later, and i have a starting date in November.
The weirdest thing to me at this point is how fast this is happening. i literally called them a Friday ago, and got an offer the next Friday. It's funny, because i finally know a few people here in Bellingham, and of course now i'm leaving... but somehow i knew that would happen. i gave my two weeks' notice to my boss at the printing company today, he didn't care at all, but i do i think i may actually miss some of my coworkers there... but not the mail machine or anything else. Because the main perk to that job was the coffee, and pretty sure there'll be coffee in Cali!
So, job in Bakersfield... a city which i'd never heard of a week ago. It is, apparently, an old oil boom town that forgot to stop growing when the oil stopped being discovered, but that's probably L.A.'s fault. It's also, alas, the third best place to hear country music in the country and has the third worst air quality in the country... ug. (Though, i should have realized the country-connection when my mom started singing Buck Owens (see below) to me.) Believe you me, Brenda has found this whole thing quite amusing: Not only do i have to get steel-toed boots and carharts (which are lesbian outfits, according to her) for my new job, i may just have to learn to honky-tonk. But: mudlogging is not exactly a 9-to-5 sort of thing; i have a room in a trailer on-site, and i'm going to get a laptop & a car before i think about an apartment.
Which has, of course, made this week even more crazy than it already was. We're (Brenda+me+Kendall) moving on Thursday to Brenda's Apartment-Home of Dreams, and now i'm not just packing for that, i'm packing for moving away too. Moving twice in two weeks seems a bit excessive, even to me.
i'm really excited to live in California in general--right after i got the interview for that job, i realized i knew nothing about California. Nothing. For example, is San Francisco north or south of L.A.? Couldn't have told you last week. Now, however, i have a trip to San Francisco planned with RGE for the spring (OMG OCEAN ORGAN AND MUSEUM OF FRICKIN DREAMS!!!!! and just because it's goofy, a Segway tour!), my new goal is to visit every national park in AZ & CA, and (this didn't even occur to me until a conversation with Alexis) i'm going to learn to surf!
Hmmmm.... well, i was suppossed to go to Seattle this past weekend, but Sam got called into work, which is probably just as well, 'cause i needed to pack and google things and such, and i'm going next weekend instead!
Street of Bakersfield....
But youtube has Cat Power too! Yes!
And for some reason, the bikes make one of my favorite songs even better:
Because i'm going to live in a different city soon.
Oh! gotta go, going collecting clams tonight! ¶ 17:37 0 comments
23 oct 2008
My favorites from youtube recently:
the best intro to the large hadron collider:
This series looks really promising:
This video...! Yes we can:
Ian's obsessed with this video, and now i am too:
¶ 21:34 0 comments
the best intro to the large hadron collider:
This series looks really promising:
This video...! Yes we can:
Ian's obsessed with this video, and now i am too:
¶ 21:34 0 comments
17 oct 2008
let's remember that it's got to get better
Another day, another dollar... as they say. My job is incredibly boring, and i'm completely overwhelmed with the ongoing job search. It may be so that "Functionally, there's no unemployment of geoscientists right now," but that clearly only applies if you have a master's. The obvious choice would be to go get myself a master's, but i can't even handle the thought of not doing anything until next August. That's a long time, and two years ago i knew what grad school would be like, and i can't see it that way anymore. i'm probably in the process of changing my mynd on what i want to go for, but i can't make that decision without knowing if Plan B is actually a decent plan, and i can't know that without job experience. i'd need a master's to do hydro, remediation, consulting, or even oil. Christ on a cracker, betty.
Honestly... this is craziness, and i can't do anything else in my life until i get a job. Not to beat the dead horse, but i really just want to go a whole month knowing what city i'll be the next month. That really shouldn't be too much to ask.
As for the current situation, Brenda, Kendall & i are going to be moving into our new apartment November 1st. The place is cute, and i'm going to stay there until January, at which point i will either have a job or have completely given up. Kendall's B's coworker, and is really awesome... because i don't think i've mentioned her before.
Oye. Too tired....
Let's conclude with a Philosophy Joke, shall we?
Q: Is this, epistemologically speaking, a question?
A: If this is an answer.
Thanks to my co-worker, Nathan, whose constant conversation is the only thing that keeps the printing factory from completely sucking my brains out. ¶ 00:41 0 comments
Another day, another dollar... as they say. My job is incredibly boring, and i'm completely overwhelmed with the ongoing job search. It may be so that "Functionally, there's no unemployment of geoscientists right now," but that clearly only applies if you have a master's. The obvious choice would be to go get myself a master's, but i can't even handle the thought of not doing anything until next August. That's a long time, and two years ago i knew what grad school would be like, and i can't see it that way anymore. i'm probably in the process of changing my mynd on what i want to go for, but i can't make that decision without knowing if Plan B is actually a decent plan, and i can't know that without job experience. i'd need a master's to do hydro, remediation, consulting, or even oil. Christ on a cracker, betty.
Honestly... this is craziness, and i can't do anything else in my life until i get a job. Not to beat the dead horse, but i really just want to go a whole month knowing what city i'll be the next month. That really shouldn't be too much to ask.
As for the current situation, Brenda, Kendall & i are going to be moving into our new apartment November 1st. The place is cute, and i'm going to stay there until January, at which point i will either have a job or have completely given up. Kendall's B's coworker, and is really awesome... because i don't think i've mentioned her before.
Oye. Too tired....
Let's conclude with a Philosophy Joke, shall we?
Q: Is this, epistemologically speaking, a question?
A: If this is an answer.
Thanks to my co-worker, Nathan, whose constant conversation is the only thing that keeps the printing factory from completely sucking my brains out. ¶ 00:41 0 comments
14 oct 2008
Where on (Google) Earth? 147!
So! My new favorite thing to do on the internets is WoGE, and since i found #146 on the China/Vietnam border yesterday, i'm hosting #147:
(larger image here)
Assignment: Find the location, and say something interesting about its geology.
Schott rule in effect in case there's another newbie out there trying to keep up with the pros! ¶ 16:58 4 comments
So! My new favorite thing to do on the internets is WoGE, and since i found #146 on the China/Vietnam border yesterday, i'm hosting #147:
(larger image here)
Assignment: Find the location, and say something interesting about its geology.
Schott rule in effect in case there's another newbie out there trying to keep up with the pros! ¶ 16:58 4 comments
12 oct 2008
not gonna lie
i've been fantasizing (maybe even hallucinating) about the things i will spend my money on once i finally have a job:
in order of which i buy them:
1. New Clothes. i only own 1 pair of pants with no holes, and pretty sure that won't work in a professional environment. i picture a shopping extravaganza day with Elyse or Ratty, though i have no idea how that would actually work, just that it would pretty much make their lives.
2. Nice Laptop. This whole no Word thing kills me every day; i'd really like to be able to download stuff without worrying about Brenda's computer; and i can't think of anything more fun than sitting in a coffee shop with Google Earth and hot chocolate all day.
3. A motorcycle. i have no desire for a real car, but transport of some sort would probably be useful.
4. Checks to my mother.
5. Rent for my own place.
6. Furniture for this hypothetical "place."
7. Pay off student loans.
8. Books. Surprise, Surprise.
i've been pretty good on no money though. i pretty much buy:
1. Food
2. Rent (250/month)
3. Bus pass (20/month)
4. Keeping up with half my student loans. (90/month)
5. Books (library book sale, a few at Value Village the other week)
6. Sanity trips (Eugene, Seattle soon?)
With those items, it's almost a mystery to me how anyone could actually live on my 'salaray.' At least i have hope this will end someday.
And OMG i love Jenny Lewis. How could i have forgotten?
i've been fantasizing (maybe even hallucinating) about the things i will spend my money on once i finally have a job:
in order of which i buy them:
1. New Clothes. i only own 1 pair of pants with no holes, and pretty sure that won't work in a professional environment. i picture a shopping extravaganza day with Elyse or Ratty, though i have no idea how that would actually work, just that it would pretty much make their lives.
2. Nice Laptop. This whole no Word thing kills me every day; i'd really like to be able to download stuff without worrying about Brenda's computer; and i can't think of anything more fun than sitting in a coffee shop with Google Earth and hot chocolate all day.
3. A motorcycle. i have no desire for a real car, but transport of some sort would probably be useful.
4. Checks to my mother.
5. Rent for my own place.
6. Furniture for this hypothetical "place."
7. Pay off student loans.
8. Books. Surprise, Surprise.
i've been pretty good on no money though. i pretty much buy:
1. Food
2. Rent (250/month)
3. Bus pass (20/month)
4. Keeping up with half my student loans. (90/month)
5. Books (library book sale, a few at Value Village the other week)
6. Sanity trips (Eugene, Seattle soon?)
With those items, it's almost a mystery to me how anyone could actually live on my 'salaray.' At least i have hope this will end someday.
And OMG i love Jenny Lewis. How could i have forgotten?
Etiquetas: Money
¶ 12:54 0 comments
9 oct 2008
Googling "Science Podcast" was one of the best decisions of my life.
¶ 22:59 0 comments
4 oct 2008
3 oct 2008
biking in the rain
...literally. And it, of course, put Ani's "Slide" into my head, though i was practically in the opposite of moods from that song. That's right, kids, i was cheerful today and everything! RGE may be rubbing off on me?
It's been a pretty good, if outstandingly boring (with the notable exception of my co-worker Nathan's anti-String Theory Rant, which was probably one the funniest conversations i've ever had), week. Work, other work, applying for jobs, all that jazz, but i got a callback from one that might be okay, and i really can't stress out all the time... i'll get a job eventually, and all will be well. Brenda edited my cover letter, and i'm trying a few different things on the job search, and have more ideas up my sleeve.. to do once i 1. have time during the workday or 2. a fully functional computer (because this one, though its internet is LOVELY, lacks Word/Adobe Reader/et cetera). The boat cleaning job ends next week, and then (2.) shall be in full force. Hells yeah!
--------------------------------------------
So.
i really, really, really miss: Ratchel, Elyse, Tony, Barbie, Dave, Justin O., Shane, Bryan, Donna, Kirk, Damian, Nik, Jon, Johnnie A., Joe M., Joe D., Jason R., Allison, MaRy, my mom, and pretty much everyone i've ever known. i'm horrible at spending this much time alone, but i'm reluctant to call people 1. in the middle of the night back east for no particular reason or 2. for no particular reason in general. Oh well, this week at least, i've managed to keep myself busy enough to not actually freak out when one of those inevitable 'i wish [person X] were here so i could tell them/ask them [random thought Y]' events occurs.
Because:
You know that episode of Buffy, at the end of the second season, where she has to kill Angelus to stop that Apocalypse? Picture the scene if you will:
*general fighting, Angelus corners Buffy*
Angelus: No weapons... no friends... no hope. Take all that away and what's left?
Buffy: Me.
*grabs his sword and fucking clears the floor*
(and if you can't picture the scene, you really ought to watch more Buffy)
So, No money... few friends... no hope. Take all that away and what's left?
Me
Which is: outstandingly creative, fairly intelligent, extremely versatile (really, who else could have a real conversation with everyone from Richard Dawkins to the crack dude on the street corner?), resilient to almost any turmoil (with the obvious exceptions of 1. loneliness and 2. careerlessness), compassionate (and compassion, of course, is the crux of the issue), forgiving (or at least working on that one), decent at science, interested in all sorts of actually interesting things and... stuff. i'm an exceedingly great person in almost every way, and if that's snobbish, whatever. Really? i'm pretty awesome, and i'm at least somewhat aware of my flaws (neediness, overweight, et cetera). As long as i keep in mynd that lack of career does not have to mean lack of purpose and lots of alone time does not mean no one loves me, i'm in a good mood. And staying in a good mood by 1. actively job searching 2. scheming new activities 3. collage (of course) and 4. letting RGE rant about how terribly fabulous every aspect of her life is, and appreciating the amount of joy there can be in the world.
my world will change for me ¶ 22:15 1 comments
...literally. And it, of course, put Ani's "Slide" into my head, though i was practically in the opposite of moods from that song. That's right, kids, i was cheerful today and everything! RGE may be rubbing off on me?
It's been a pretty good, if outstandingly boring (with the notable exception of my co-worker Nathan's anti-String Theory Rant, which was probably one the funniest conversations i've ever had), week. Work, other work, applying for jobs, all that jazz, but i got a callback from one that might be okay, and i really can't stress out all the time... i'll get a job eventually, and all will be well. Brenda edited my cover letter, and i'm trying a few different things on the job search, and have more ideas up my sleeve.. to do once i 1. have time during the workday or 2. a fully functional computer (because this one, though its internet is LOVELY, lacks Word/Adobe Reader/et cetera). The boat cleaning job ends next week, and then (2.) shall be in full force. Hells yeah!
--------------------------------------------
So.
i really, really, really miss: Ratchel, Elyse, Tony, Barbie, Dave, Justin O., Shane, Bryan, Donna, Kirk, Damian, Nik, Jon, Johnnie A., Joe M., Joe D., Jason R., Allison, MaRy, my mom, and pretty much everyone i've ever known. i'm horrible at spending this much time alone, but i'm reluctant to call people 1. in the middle of the night back east for no particular reason or 2. for no particular reason in general. Oh well, this week at least, i've managed to keep myself busy enough to not actually freak out when one of those inevitable 'i wish [person X] were here so i could tell them/ask them [random thought Y]' events occurs.
Because:
You know that episode of Buffy, at the end of the second season, where she has to kill Angelus to stop that Apocalypse? Picture the scene if you will:
*general fighting, Angelus corners Buffy*
Angelus: No weapons... no friends... no hope. Take all that away and what's left?
Buffy: Me.
*grabs his sword and fucking clears the floor*
(and if you can't picture the scene, you really ought to watch more Buffy)
So, No money... few friends... no hope. Take all that away and what's left?
Me
Which is: outstandingly creative, fairly intelligent, extremely versatile (really, who else could have a real conversation with everyone from Richard Dawkins to the crack dude on the street corner?), resilient to almost any turmoil (with the obvious exceptions of 1. loneliness and 2. careerlessness), compassionate (and compassion, of course, is the crux of the issue), forgiving (or at least working on that one), decent at science, interested in all sorts of actually interesting things and... stuff. i'm an exceedingly great person in almost every way, and if that's snobbish, whatever. Really? i'm pretty awesome, and i'm at least somewhat aware of my flaws (neediness, overweight, et cetera). As long as i keep in mynd that lack of career does not have to mean lack of purpose and lots of alone time does not mean no one loves me, i'm in a good mood. And staying in a good mood by 1. actively job searching 2. scheming new activities 3. collage (of course) and 4. letting RGE rant about how terribly fabulous every aspect of her life is, and appreciating the amount of joy there can be in the world.
my world will change for me ¶ 22:15 1 comments
