Sunday, March 30, 2008

Only in Horseshoes and Hand-grenades...

This upcoming week should be full of resolutions.  First, I should find out if I have an apartment.  It is the $395 /mo place.  It sounds like I may be able to start moving things in next week. I hope I get it before the semester ends so that I am able to move my friends furniture that he is giving me into the apartment when he graduates next month.

The other big thing happening this week is that my contract should be ready for me to sign.  The contract was all typed up Friday and was given to the Dean of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.  It should eventually make it to Dr. Moore, the head of the Geology Department.  When he gets it, then I will sign it.  That means I should be getting my building keys, ID card, and office.  That'll be exciting.

My roommate is also leaving this week.  He is going on a two week cruise to the Caribbean.  I'm really not jealous.  I get to go on a Geology field trip to Hawaii July 27th to August 5th.  We'll be going to the active lava flows on the big island.  We'll also collect lots of great samples for personal and academic purposes.  The black beach sand as well as the green beach sand.  I'm really excited.  I was thinking that if Dad covered the fees, then that'll count for the cruise he says he owes me.

PS. I do have a girlfriend.  Don't get too excited.  The thought of marriage hasn't entered our minds, well not seriously yet.  Well, at least my mind.  Her name is Lacey.  She is from Bemidji, Minnesota which is next to Bagley, Minnesota.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Still looking

Things have been getting busy around here. I've been preparing to teach next semester. I have my power point presentations. I need to practice with them. The paperwork isn't done yet. The administration should finish writing up my contract sometime next week.

I got a job this week in the Geology Department. I tried earlier to get a job with them, but they could hire me. After talking with the head of the department, Dr. Moore, he figured a way how to hire me. I am a project-based temporary employee. There are several little jobs that need to be done around the geology department. I am right now working on two. I'm helping with making some educational posters that will be put up around the building. The posters display information about different rocks and how they form. It is designed to be supplemental information for those in introductory geology courses.

Another project I am working on is the rearrangement of the rock and mineral samples in our labs. We are moving all igneous and metamorphic rocks into one lab along with all the mineral samples. Our large lab will have all the sedimentary rocks and paleontology samples. Most of these samples are in drawers, so I'm swapping drawers. We run into drawers full of rocks that no one knew we had. Any miscellaneous samples we find have to be integrated into our other collections. I enjoy working in the department. I occasionally help out the struggling freshmen. I really enjoy teaching. The pay is great. Most campus jobs for students are around $7 hr, but I'm getting payed $12.40. I have also been given a faculty parking permit which I really enjoy.

Wednesday morning, my roommate and I helped out with baptisms for the dead in the Rexburg temple. It was fun, except that it was a 6am. I was the recorder the whole time. But after we finished, I was asked if I wanted to be baptized. Since I had already brought another change of clothing, I said yes. I was baptized for five Englishmen by my roommate. Almost every time I went down, I hit my knee on the stairs. I was fine, but I thought it was funny.

I'm heading to Jackson Hole today. One of my friends flies out of there today at 3pm. Someone he's related to passed away. The earliest flight he could find was a direct flight from Jackson to Chicago. Apparently flying out of IF was already full. I'm bringing a few friends along to make the trip more enjoyable.

My band, Madeline Walks, made it into Guitars Unplugged again. This is my 5th Guitars Unplugged. We are doing a cover of "First Date" by the band Blink-182. It will be fun.

It's still a little cold here. Its been getting in the single digits at night. There is still a lot snow. I probably should take a picture. I've also been busy looking for an apartment. I found a place that I'm hoping to get. It is $395 /mo but that doesn't include gas or electricity. It doesn't have cable, but I really don't care about that. There is no dishwasher or laundry. It is probably the cheapest place around that isn't literally falling apart. The average price people pay around here, according to the college, is $550. I know of a place that is $500 and includes everything. I'm hoping to get either one. All the other places I've found are too expensive. They are either $500 with no utilities or they are $600+. I just wish I could stay in student housing because its cheap and it has everything included.