July 2002 2002-07-31 - Weird Noises Where Workish. What Ok, we'll just do this the delayed way. I got to work a bit earlier today which is good. Either way its rare if I don't beat my boss in, so as long as I keep doing that its all good. So Anyway, I think I should revamp this journal, but to do so would require effort and an internet connection, neither of those are working very well for me. I got online when I got to work just quick enough to find an empty email box and watch the connection fade away. Oh wow, its back now, so I could actually start working again. Ok, well, this'll only take a sec. It's Wednesday, which means bible study night. I'm leading tonight, so I probably shouldn't skip, eh? :). It should be good times, we're going swimming afterwards, assuming its not raining and people are interested. The H.I. for today is 105, as in heat index. But thats ok, we get a new A/C at home, I think my dad decided not to wait for the old one to quit working, as it's showing signs of struggle, or rather it's making noises of struggle! Generally speaking weird noises + A/C = very bad. Have you ever, nah, I'm just weird, nevermind :) Ok, fine, you talked me into it. Have you ever told yourself you're doing too much reading? Well, I did last night. I think I spent almost an hour cruising around other people's journals. I mean, not like I was getting into stuff I shouldn't have, they are public online journals after all. However its one of those 'oh my gosh, I just spent an hour doing that!' type of things. However it definitly was more entertaining than most hour long TV shows, with the exception of MacGyver, he's cool. I noticed an interesting trend thou, most journals started very vague and go more and more detail as peoples opened up more to the online masses. Almost forgot, the whole point of this journal entry. So my cube is right up next to the windows, at least as close as you can get and still be in a cube. There's a walkway inbetween, so that the pleasure of the windows isn't reserved only for those lucky (read: management). Ironically, my manager is not by the windows and I am, go figure. Anyway, sorry, be back in a sec. Ok, was being blinded by the light, so I had to go turn the shades so it wasn't pointing downward. Thes windows make weird noises. Well, not the windows, but the window ledge. When it gets hot it cracks, well not physically cracks, rather it creeks. That's the right word. Oddly it usually does it 3 in a row. It does it in a pattern remindimg me of someone doing the 3 finger salute (That's ctrl+alt+del for those non techies). It's a tad loud for that, but plausable for someone who is realy upset and banging away at their keyboard. Either way, its eerie 'cause I keep thinking 'who'se over there working on a computer?' I never claimed to be 100% sane. Ok, my minute is up, back to work. When 9:05 a.m. 2002-07-27 - Life becomes busy Where Home. What Wow, so you can tell work got bussier, as I haven't posted an update from work in quite a while. I've actually had stuff to do most all the time. If not actual work stuff, I've had stuff to do to get ready for school for next year. Wow, other than that, gee. I got stuff for my (read Al's) guitar, so now I can haul it back to AZ without any problems, and new strings but I need to make some adjustments. I need to practice more. I've gotten pretty good at some of the songs on the piano, site reading skills have improved a lot, but still a long way to go. I've been spending time scanning in old photos from photo albums, so far I've gone thru 7 photo albums, still have lots left to do. It's a lot of fun gonig back and seeing all the old photos, and hopefully I'll be able to keep them good by having a digital copy of them. My car needs some attention, it's oil wants to be changed. I may do that here in a bit, or maybe wait until tomorrow, we'll see. I'm leading bible study next wednesday, so I need to take time and prepare a bit for that. Ok, enough rambling from me for now. When 3:57 p.m. 2002-07-09 - Visitors from the desert Where At work. What So this has been a very boring week so far, and just 2 days into it. My boss is out today, so I've not had anything to do. Usually he at least comes up with something every day to keep me occupied for 30 min. or so. This past weekend was really cool. Tim & Peggy came up from AZ to a state that's not burning up (literally) and also to be able to shoot off fireworks (for the first time no less). We did all sorts of stuff, and they could've stayed 10 times as long and there still would've been stuff to do and things to see, guess I hadn't realized how much cool places and things you acquire living in the same town for 20 years. I was sad to see them leave, but it was good that they could come. My guitar skills are improving, but piano skills are probably improving more rapidly. Still have a lot to relearn there. Part of my problem was I learned how to read music so that I could hear the music, and after I had heard the music I just memorized it and played by ear, with the music as a reference. So while I used to be able to read music, I never learned to play from sheet music. Anyway, I'm doing the same thing again, but I have to relearn how to read it and whatnot, but I'm getting there. On the guitar I'm still working on the basic chords, tried an F and got it once (must've been luck). I'm trying to go back and perfect those first chords more first, now that I have a better feel for things. Seems to be a popular thing to put a "things I've learned from..." deal up, so I'm working on my list for this summer. No, not because its the popular thing but because I think its interesting! When 3:05 p.m.