Travel Again, maybe?

As I have been waiting for a while to hear about the various positions that I have applied for, I came up with the solution for my lack of something to do over the next month.

Ever since my first visit to Europe about 9 years ago, I have been fascinated with the continient. Even to the extent that on many an occasion, I don't really feel American. I don't care about many of the things Americans do, I prefer the atmosphere of the outdoor shops and pubs, rather then the flourescent rigid structures you see in the majority of the United States.

Now, with a little time to spare, and a shockingly low travel cost (750 dollars round trip to Europe rather then 450 dollars round trip to Minnesota. I just might be ready to go back. You may be wondering if this is wise, considering it is in the "off" season. But in fact, that is exactly why I am going. I want to visit the people, as much as the places. In the off season, I will have the chance to get the real perspective of what europe is like, without having to battle the crowds.

Now cost may seem like an issue, but it really is not. I will be couchsurfing the entire time. My rail pass is going to be unlimited travel for 1 month, so even if i decide to change itineraries, it wont affect my cost, and because it is the off season, it will be incredibly cheaper.

I plan to keep a weblog of the entire journey, so you should see way more posts across the next month. Until then, happy reading.

Last post, Continued...

I didn't have enough time, or desire to jot everything down from the last few months all at once, but I have a few min so here is the update, part 2.

I got the droid for Xmas, yay. That's mostly it, a few nice things from my niece and nephew, and my sister pitched in for some nice suits a while back, but I must say.... best gift ever.(at least this time around) I am practically obsessed with this phone, to the extent of boasting as if I were the phone myself. It has lead me to the conclusion, however, that I need to seriously be working on my Contacts overhaul. I am through A and B, and have over 1000 contacts to go through left. It's going to take a while.

On a completely unrelated note, Before the winter break, I made a stuffed animal bear for the unborn daughter of a family I work for. They didn't seem to think that I made it, and still refer to it as "the bear TJ 'CLAIMS' he made." Their beautiful daughter was born right before my break. She was a little early, but had hair about 4 inches long already.

On a somewhat tangentially related note, I have begun working with yet another family to teach their kids various things. For lack of a better term, I refer to it as being a 'Universal Tutor.' For the first day, we even built a paper machee volcano, and learned about geometry, plate tektonics, volcanoes themselves, a bit of history(read:pompeii) and a bit about arts... it has been going well so far, but I will be leaving in a few weeks to go on Co-op so Monday will be my last day. ;(

This next note isn't even on the same sheet of paper. I have officially begun my application process for the Peace Corp. It takes at least a year to complete, and even then it is not a guaranteed. I think I will really enjoy doing that, however. Even if its not right now. My goal is to head over the great big ocean to Thailand (that is the Pacific for those of you needing a refresher on your geography) although I really am not that picky, other then not wanting to go to Africa because of the dry weather. I really don't want to go someplace that is frigid over half the year either. As I was looking up on youtube the MTV Cribs equivalent of PC volunteers' homes, I really started to see in perspective. I am quite ashamed now of what I see in my own room. I have so much crap, that it overflows into other rooms in the house. I am slowly working on trimming that back, so I don't feel so over consuming.

There are quite a few things going on with my future now so I had to do some serious planning.

So basically the breakdown is this:
If I have a full time job established before I graduate, I will go and do that.
If I get a job in california, I am going to try and get my masters at stanford.
If I get a job elsewhere, I am going to try and get my teaching degree also.
If I do not get a good, solid job, then I will work hard to try and get into the peace corp, and do that for 24-27 months.

I should mention, that this is just a tentative outline, and may in no way resemble what I end up doing. Just saying.

So that pretty much catches all of you up to date. I know I've said this before, but I will try to write more often. Maybe, just maybe, I will even get some followers?

I just can't stop

Ambition should be my middle name. I have the desire to learn everything, to understand everything, and to be apart of everything. Sometimes this comes at a cost. This time, it came at the cost of my barely existent sanity. My marbles have been officially lost this time.(probably on ebay already) Here's a breakdown of the first two quarters of school:

Fall Quarter:
I started off the school year sick as a dog, i had flu-like symptoms for nearly a month covering week -2,-1,1,2,and even part of week three. During this time, I moved into a place with a very nice Jamaican lady and her two boys. Although they were a nice family, It was just too far and two expensive for me to stay there. I quickly found a new place that was about twice as close with an interesting feller named Joe. Hes a local, born and raised, and its worked out GREAT so far. (we'll see about the next 3 weeks) I spent the better part of fall quarter catching up, and trying to get my club back up and running after being away for over 6 months. Now about week 6, I decided I needed a bit of a change. It just so happened as I was walking past the post board and thinking how cool it would be to start a fraternity, (although realizing that I knew absolutely nothing about how to start one) I saw one post out of thousands, that simply said "Interested in starting a fraternity?"

This story tumbles out of control from there. I became one of the seven founding fathers of the Sigma Chi Omega Colony(to be named later) and have been woring hard at it ever since. I did go home for Winter break, which was a welcome relief from school, and the major stress it brings me. Cody and I enjoyed a few movies, Beat the new super mario brothers game on my parents new wii in 2 days, and just relaxed most of the time.

Winter Quarter:
The new quarter marked a beginning of the huge effort to get the numbers we needed to file for our DOI, (and currently our phase 1). Fraternity Life, more so planning and events and the like, has become a huge part of my contributions to the RIT community. I have continued still as the president of my club, working hard to take it to w whole new level, recruiting a ton of people (being that we lost quit a few) and making an effort to improve the overall structure of the club. New things to come:

Trips and tours to local companies, speeches by famous people, more projects and finishing old ones, formal documentation and an online presence, funding!!!!, and maybe even a trip to CES next year!

As recruitment chair I have spent a good chunk of my time trying to find new members, which is harder then it seems during week 8, winter quarter. We still have a few events coming up, yay, and I sincerely hope we can get the numbers of good, moral men for the betterment of the brotherhood.

So that is where I am at right now, nearly 6 months away from the last time I wrote, but it was worth the wait wasn't it?

Well, going to be getting up early, so I will continue the new as of late tomorrow. Heres a hint, Peace Corp, Universal Tutor, a baby, and the droid.

Hard at Work, Hard at Play

Summer has flown by. It seemed only a few days ago, I was getting dressed up to go to my interview. Now, after 12 weeks of work, I sit and wonder... Did I have a good summer.

Most of average day was spent trying to design pneumatic systems, developing processes, and solving problems. During the occasional break from work, I also got to know many good people. The do-it-yourselfer, the tech guy, the high energy inspector, and the casually sarcastic guy (among many others.)

So what else did I do besides work?

Well, the summer started off hot with an all to quick tramp through the Appalachian Mountains. I ushered a group of boys across the rocky terrain. It was amazing to see many of the same sites nearly a decade later. Most had not changed, but it did seem to change the boys. There experience was a positive one.

The following day, it was back to work.

I shared many weekends with Cody, showing him what the world has to offer.

I also, (thanks in part to an understanding boss, and a wonderful camp director), was able to zip up to camp for a weekend. I had the opportunity to shoot my new bow, and whipped the archery bunker back into shape. (non-archery counselors should not be put in charge) Alas, two days is definitely not enough time and the irrational side of me wanted to stay there. (Who needs a job anyway, right?) Unfortunately, logic won over and I made my way back down to home.

One other major event, that I am covering out of chronological order, was "the big move." My parents had talked about moving for a while. To a smaller place, closer to the action. read: Jimmy's Pizza. Well, that move occurred mid July. Amidst the great upheaval of our our "possessions", We really worked at trimming down the non-essentials.

So, the question remains: Did I have a good summer.

I would have to say, no.... I had a great summer. I just need to make the best of the rest of it.

Oh, Where to Go?

The trip planning is going well so far. All the mailers were sent out, and I already have at least one confirmed traveler. The route is set (as you can see by the map below) and all I need to do know is wait. I am expecting about 4 boys to go and one other adult. I will have more updates, and a separate blog dedicated to this trip, set up soon! For now, Take a look at our long journey planned.

The Blackberry Storms No More

My recent acquisition of a Blackberry storm was exuberant. I finally bit the bullet and got into the "business phone" market. My first experience, however, was tainted with a sluggish and often non-responsive interface. Technology of this sort, especially at a 200$ price tag, should do all be wipe my... nose. I was drawn to it by quite a few nice features. It posses a gigantic (in relative terms) screen that also happens to be touch sensitive; a 3.2 mega pixel camera can be used to take pictures while "on the go"; and with aGPS (the "a" stands for assisted, google it if you don't believe me) and geotagging capabilities (also something i recommend googling).


I realized one thing. When the controls are that slow, and often times requires too many "screen click"s to make it worthwhile, then they just add to the price markup and not much else. Three other quick notes before I go, off to replace it with a more solid Blackberry format: the entire screen clicks for every button press(no i do not like this); it cannot sync my GMail contacts properly, and even deleted a few; and I recommend waiting to pick on of these up, if you feel so inclined, until AFTER the software update filters out many of the glitches.

WORD OF THE WEEK
Omnia-
Latin for containing all, everything

The Samsung Omnia was another possible choice but also failed my brief test. Apparently I have strick standards?!

New Year, And Already Planning for the Future

About 28 min and 46 seconds ago, the new year rang in and I was already planning. Planning for the things I will accomplish, the things i will not forget to do, and planning for the places I will go. I have spent the better part of the last 3 hours trying to determine the best route, quickest trek, and ways to overcome the many hurdles of a trip to the Appalachians. If you are not familiar, it is a range of mountains that extend from Georgia, all the way to Maine. My destination, which is neither near Maine, nor Georgia is smack dab in the middle of the trail. There is a well know park reserve entitled Shenandoah National Park. It is a wondrous landscape marked with ancient boulders that seeming fell from the sky. It boast a view that warrants many photographs, the one below was taken by a man name Bruce(although I do not know him personally) more photos can be seen HERE




My goal for this trip is twofold. I want to enjoy the times doing something I love, and share that experience with some close, albeit younger, friends of mine. There is still much planning, and convincing that is needed to make this trip happen properly. Already one potential member of this expedition into the wilderness has declined in favor of other activities. I hope, with careful planning, and strong determination to make this happen for the rest of us.

One thing I have yet to mention is that I have undertaken this trek before. I was only 12 at the time and to me, it was ACTUALLY a life changing experience. I realized what this world can offer to those who open their eyes to it. I respect this spinning orb more then ever because of my former trip.

This is what I have so far:

Day 1.
Leave from Minnesota
Stop somewhere in Indiana near Indianapolis for the night

Day 2.
Leave from Indiana
Make it to Waynesboro, VA (about a 9hr drive)
Pitch tent at Rockfish Gap

Day 3-7.
Leave from out first camping spot at Rochfish Gap
Camp at locations on the way
Arrive at Front Royal, VA (about 130 miles in total)

Day 7.
Last overnight before we head home

Day 8.
Leave from Front Royal,VA
Arrive in Indiana again (probably the same location as before)

Day 9.
Leave Indiana
Arrive safe and sound in Minnesota once again.


Although this is just a rough itinerary, I do have plans for how to get the vehicle from point A to B as well, and many other aspects of this journey.

I just hope things work out well enough to take this trip!

WORD OF THE WEEK
Peregrinate
To walk over, especially by foot;travers, travel, journey

Pronounced--
pear-i-grin-ate