Oh well, I am sure I will get informed at the last possible second. I’ll post again later tonight with news of my spectacular failure in the competition.

* Edit *

Okay, so I ended up not being as monumental a failure as I originally intended to be. I ended up getting 2nd place in the Cable Jeapordy competition, and 1st place in Meter Reading. I blew the other participants way out of the water in Meter Reading, and I knew it after I had finished. The next closest person to be 100% correct was over a minute slower than me. We had 5 minutes to complete the task, and I was done in under 90 seconds. Booyah!

I thought that I had made a good showing with those two awards, but seeing a couple of the other guys get 3 or 4 medals in the individual events caused me to discount myself as a possible contender in the “Overall” category. It was surreal when they announced my name as 1st place overall. I was blindsided, didn’t expect it at all. I am now in the running to receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Philadelphia for the national SCTE Expo and accompanied Cable Games. It’s not a sure thing yet, but there are a total of 4 of these competitions in this district. I have won 1st place overall in 2 of them so far, lol. They will compare my scores with the overall winners from the remaining 2 competitions to determine who gets to go to the expo. I hope that I get selected, it would be a fun trip.

That’s it for this post, I just wanted to get the information out there.

Interestingly enough, I have been accepted to George Fox University against all my prior expectations. I am awaiting some correspondence from the university that should get the ball rolling. Currently, the ball is moving at a glacial pace. I was beginning to become concerned about my application status, but a quick email to my admissions adviser resulted in a phone call from the same informing of my acceptance status. Good news, to be sure. (I wonder if my email resulted in a review of my application or if it was just some happy coincidence that the two happened nearly simultaneously?) I would be daft if I said I was not excited. Knowing that my time here is now on “limited” status is appealing to say the least.

Working for Comcast has been a financial boon for me, but I hate the job. No really, I do. I am hesitant to state this due to the possibility that someone might come across this and my career would be ended shortly. I feel like I need to get this off my chest though and my family has heard enough from me, I am sure. I don’t want to sound like a whiner as I know most people hate their jobs as well, but the endless promises of change with resulting total inaction from superiors is depressing at the least and maddening at the most. We are constantly reminded not to get overtime if at all possible, and yet are expected to complete 8 or more hours of work (as estimated by Comcast itself!) in 6 hours or less. If we get off of work on time, chances are that we haven’t done 8 hours worth of work. If we complete 8 hours of work, chances are that we got overtime. It’s a frustrating circle to be a part of. Both situations can result in a comment or two from supervisors or a full-blown “coaching” in an office with the door closed.

A quick note, I am currently working on a few small projects. I have purchased and built a small computer to act as a media center. I have it working right now, but not with all the features I eventually want. I still have to install the TV tuner card and tweak a few things in order for it to become the DVR/Media PC of my imagination. I also just ordered a slew of things to construct an electronics workshop of sorts. I am getting a new soldering iron, flux, solder, and various cleaning materials to begin experimentation and dabbling in electronics. I will probably start with some pre-made kits to get the ball rolling and move on from there. If anyone has any ideas, feel free to suggest in the comments.

Yes folks, put down your crack pipes and beer bongs and pay attention. It’s Robot Party Week.

First off, a quick automobile update. The Hachi is doing fine. The same problems still exist including the gauge lights in the dash not working when the headlights are turned on. I attribute this to a faulty switch or connection inside the dash, but I have neither the tools nor the time to attempt a repair job on my own. At first, I could smack the dash a few times and the gauge lights would come back on, however now the problem seems permanent. I haven’t been able to get the gauge cluster to light up in weeks. I still can’t down-shift into second gear without the car having been warmed up for about 10 minutes first. Apart from a myriad of cosmetic challenges, the car is in remarkably good shape considering the circumstances. She is still mechanically sound. I have few doubts about the performance of the car itself, it just looks like the ultimate rice-mobile going down the road. At least, that’s how it feels when I drive it. I have created a user on Craigslist, haven’t used it yet. I have thought extensively about comments made by SlowTEC in the past. I may put the car up for sale with a starting price of $7000 and see if anyone bites. I bought the car for $5000, so there must be some other crazy fools out there that would do the same thing for a car that physically isn’t worth $500. I have poured over $2000 into it just to get it running well and legally, so I think the price jump is justified.

On to computer stuff. This computer I have built is straight from Hell. I am currently awaiting the fourth RMA replacement board. Yes folks, the 680i boards have flimsy memory controllers, and apparently I run them straight into the ground. It’s nice that EVGA has been pretty good about it, but I am getting tired of repeatedly rebuilding my entire computer from the ground up every few weeks. If it happens again, I will be demanding a board upgrade. There is no reason why I should be continually punished for using the board and listed compatible memory to its fullest.

Job stuff next. I went to Sacramento on Comcast’s dime last week. Unfortunately, it was because a big storm had rolled through and they had massive amounts of trouble calls building up. I was sent along with 8 other techs from the south valley to assist for 3 days. We were put up in hotels, each person with their own room, which was nice. All the food during the trip that I bought will be reimbursed to me with the issuance of my next paycheck. Honestly, it was some of the easiest work I’ve had while working for Comcast. I ended up locking out (customer was not home) or canceling well over half the jobs I got every day. After that, I just ran around helping the other techs from south valley. I haven’t been trained for internet trouble calls, but I was given only those type of jobs for the entire 3 days. Someone messed up somewhere, haha.

Now here is where I explain the title of this post. I keep having these urges (not that kind) to do something creative, create a movie or some music, design a web page, etc. I keep trying to find ways, unconsciously, to combine my affinity for technology with my desire to create something other people will find useful, interesting, or exceptional. The problem is that I have no artistic talent, or any other talents for that matter. You know the phrase “Jack of all trades, Master of none”? Well, that’s me. Except in my case, I am neither Master nor Jack of any trades at all. I usually have just enough knowledge about something to make a total boob of myself when I bring it up in conversation or try to put it to some use. It’s irritating at the very least and I fear I may be like this the rest of my life, containing vast amounts of knowledge about absolutely nothing.

That’s about it. I don’t do anything interesting, so this blog rarely gets updated. Comment if you wish.

… and so I told them exactly where they could stick that freaking thing, that’s what.

But, I digress.

Every time I talk with you Brad, I get all excited about school again, damn you.

You suck.

But thanks, I need a push every now and then, even if it’s something that I already know that I want. I become complacent, just floating along, hoping my destiny comes to me. If I want something to happen, I need to make it happen or at least give it the best try I’ve got. I feel like I’m going nowhere fast.

My financial debts are slowly fading, slowed by my insatiable techno-lust. As much as I love this new monitor, I could have put the money to a more constructive use. I have a clear goal in mind about this new computer I have built, aiming for a sort of all-in-one entertainment center and schoolwork aid. I love the monitor, and it has a clear advantage with games and video, but another reason I decided to get it instead of, say, a second monitor reaching for a dual-screen setup is with CAD programs. The vastly increased pixel real-estate will be VERY helpful during the design process. And yes, I plan on using my computer at least some of the time for this purpose even though the school will most likely have computer labs expressly for engineering projects. I get a very confined feeling while in those boring, dreary labs. I need music or TV or something to keep the ADD part of my brain occupied while I wrest away what precious few CPU cycles it can spare for schoolwork. The worst way of studying I can possibly imagine is silently in a hard chair with white walls.

I have the ability to “hyper”-focus, if you will. I can only describe it as tunnel vision for the mind. I get on one track, with one goal in mind. Inevitably, this goal shifts often so it feels like I never get anywhere. I can spend hours trying to move a picture in a web page I wrote from scratch, 3 hours earlier using CSS layout techniques, 1 pixel to the left and not even notice it. I got the study materials for a recent work-related competition nearly 23 hours in advance. 40 pages of unadulterated cable trivia that no person in their sane mind would know just for fun and I had 1 night to study it all. I don’t brag (usually I prefer the humble route) but I got roughly 80% of the points for my team of 5 guys. My name was being thrown around afterwards to possibly join the winning team (not mine, we got second) for the district competition. I was the only one that was even close to the right answer on the final question, and it was only for lack of time that I didn’t get the exact answer. I answered “40 miles” since my team was pretty much a bunch of dunderheads about this question (save for one), but the correct answer was “39.28″ miles. I mean c’mon, I was close, I knew it! The other teams were throwing out trash answers like “6 kilometers” (we were supposed to convert a calculated distance in kilometers to miles) and “4.6 miles”. At another friendly cable competition, I got first place overall. I got first place in events I literally had never done before. Sure, I saw someone do it once, but come on. There were maintenance guys competing with me, they are supposed to do this every day! That competition entitles me to a trip to another city on Comcast’s dime to compete again. I get paid for that day to do nothing but have fun, how cool is that? I don’t think it quite makes up for the myriad of other issues I have with this job, but it certainly helps to break up the monotony. I don’t see why I am one of few who volunteer for things like this.

Where was I going with this? Eff, I don’t know. Point is, sometimes I feel like I have (possibly) an elevated level of intelligence, and other times, like with events of past regarding douche-bags named “Derek”, I feel like a huge, embarrassing failure. Sometimes I feel like a nut, and sometimes I don’t.

Did I mention that my monitor kicks some major ass? It’s my new TV, the last major step towards making my system the entertainment powerhouse I wanted it to be.

I’m running out of blogging steam. I’ll try to post a little more often, Brad. I know you are the only one that reads this thing anyways…

As for life stuff, I qualified as a pole climber for Comcast today. The exam consisted of an unharnessed 20 foot climb up a telephone pole using gaffs (the spikes on our feet that we use to climb). Once I had climbed up, I had to belt off and do a few maneuvers to prove I wasn’t a frozen burrito mentally when 20 feet off the ground clinging to the side of a pole like some kind of deranged street cat. It was easy, but some of my other, well, more “significantly-sized” classmates seemed to struggle with this part of training. After this it is smooth sailing with actual cable system training.

I’m off to go wring a little birds neck (shut up!), talk to you later.

Work is going well, training just started, there will be 6 weeks of it total. Got my first check in excess of $700.

Bought an Xbox360, it works, it’s rad.

Redesigning my website again in the few hours I have at night after work. Sneak preview here.

Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters is less than 2 weeks away, I can’t wait. Blades of Glory was hilarious and everyone should go out and see it.

That’s it for now. Cheers, all.

I also saw Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade at a theater here. Yes, I said “theater”. Pretty much, it was all I could have ever hoped an original reel of the film could deliver in both character and feeling. Yes, the film was not in as good of shape is it could have been, and the audio was obviously read from the film and not from a DTS disc or the like, but I think those things added to the overall experience. If given the chance, I probably would have paid money to touch the film itself (and cut a frame or two to take home and frame). Oh well, all I can hope at this point is that the new Indiana Jones movie does well enough that a re-release of the previous three would prove to be financially advantageous.

Keep your distance, Chewie, but don’t look like your trying to keep your distance.
Rawr-rar?!
I don’t know, fly casual!

Anyway, I also purchased a new keyboard and mouse today, both are fantastic so far. They should be though, I spent about $180 on both. Logitech makes kick-ass stuff. My headphones/mic, speakers (THX certified!), keyboard, and mouse are all Logitech. I am very happy with them. I picked up the G5 gaming mouse with the weight insert, 2000dpi resolution, oooo. The keyboard is the G15 gaming keyboard. Macro keys (18!), media controls, and a flip-up LCD screen to report such things as the song I am listening to in iTunes, date/time, resources (CPU, memory), and other things when I am in a game. It recognizes when you start a game and adjusts your keyboard macros and settings accordingly. Pretty sweet, if you ask me.

I have also gotten a new job, FINALLY. Comcast was kind enough to give me an interview. It was the classic hardcore interview, 3 managers at one end of a long table, me on the other. I had a phone call with an offer before I even got home (I had to call back, haha). Good pay, benefits, 401k, free cable TV (all the movie channels, too!) and internet, etc. As long as I pass a background check (not an issue) I will then be made official. I should start training somewhere around March the 12th.

Are things turning around for me?

Maybe, but let’s not count our chickens before the eggs are even laid…

“Hey Frylock… ass.”
“Meatwad, you watch your mouth.”

Some pictures of my computer gaming setup -

Hello, I am your new friend and counselor! Now, let us play a fun little game to help us learn each ah-thers names!

But seriously, it’s been a while, I know. These days though, I have little to blog about. I do nothing, I see no one, and I have yet to get a job. I’ve found plenty, and applied at over 40 of them. I don’t know what else to do. I’ve gone and applied at places like burger King (I worked there in the past) without so much as a titter from them. It’s a little depressing.

Okay, it’s ALOT depressing.

Apart from that, I have begun moving forward where my education is concerned. I have applied to CSU Fresno and George Fox University. I have not heard whether or not I am accepted yet, but I only applied about a week ago. If the GFU thing works out, I will probably go there and live with Brad. CSUF is sorta like a backup at this point. I am really sick of Visalia now, so moving away from here is appealing at the moment.

I think often these days, about stuff. The other day, I realized that this is how it’s going to be for the rest of my life. Isn’t it? This feeling that never goes away, a mixture of inadequacy, despair, and mediocrity. It’s an understanding that has settled over me during the past few years, that I am not destined for something great. How can I be? Those who are destined to be great do not take 6 years to obtain a 2 year degree from a community college while earning lackluster grades, for example. That childhood dream we are all indoctrinated with about us being special is a farce, and I think that is what I have come to realize. I no longer have dreams of the future. I no longer aspire to be anything. Daydreams about having a decent house and a running car and a steady job have gone out the window.

I have no idea what the future holds, why set myself up for failure?