Back to Black. And Some Blue Too.

I changed my template back to black. That blue was driving me crazy.

I guess a lot has happened, but I can't think of more than a few things. First of all...wait for it...I got a macbook. I've been opposed to macs for most of my existence, but my pc crashed after the power outage of two weeks ago and I needed something fast. I'd been thinking about it for a while now--especially after roommate #2 got one at the University bookstore a few months ago--so it wasn't entirely an impulse buy. The nice thing about macs are that they start up in about 10 seconds, everything else loads up fast (like mu-zac), it's really thin and pretty, they're cheap, no viruses and no virus protection needed, and apparently they're very good for designing graphicky things. Mine was especially nice as it came with a free canon printer and an ipod. It came with the 4 GB, but I already have one and instead upgraded to an 80 GB. It all came to just barely over 1.7 thou. The main thing is getting used to it coming from a pc mentality. I'm already pretty good at using macs luckily, because all of the computers at the Marriott Library are macs, and I've been using them for 4+ years now--*sigh*. It's sad when you take the 8 year plan for college and don't end up a doctor at the end of it.

That same day I got my computer Worm came with me to buy fish after we donated plasma. Scratch that--he came with me to buy a computer, to lug my printer home, and THEN to buy fish with me after we donated plasma first thing in the morning. He's pretty much been my form of transportation since my car died, as he lives within comfortable walking distance, which is saying a lot in this heat. What's with this weather lately? Then we went to the movies and to Spag Fac with Duckling. If I had a penny for everything I love about the two of them, I'd have many pennies.

Back to the fish: we spent a good hour at least trying to decide what kind to get. I called #2 to see if she had any preferences, but unfortunately she had every confidence in my ability to choose them. I was trying to decide between tropical ones, which are all colorful and pretty but otherwise dull, and semi aggressive, which I felt would have more distinct personalities but were unfortunately lacking in color. Most were blackish, whitish, grayish. I went with semi aggressive...I know, quite the shock to you all. I got an angel fish with these two long whisker-like projections from it's mouth area, a catfish with whiskers--that have nothing "like" about them, two bulgies (?)--budgies maybe? which are striped and apparently more school oriented, and a shark. It's more of a wanna-be shark, since it looks nothing like the picture you have in your head. He's little more than an inch, thin and long (as long as you can be when you're an inch), and black with red fins in all of the spots where one has fins. I LOVE him. I also got a pretty ugly fish for Devin to keep in our tank, and it's greenish-orange? It's slightly bigger than the two striped, and it follows them around like it thinks it's their family. I think it too is a more school oriented fish, but I didn't really think of whether it would get lonely or not, like I did the others, because it wasn't my choice. He needs a friend, so I suppose I'll soon have two ugly fish in my tank. Getting the fish seriously give me as much joy as did the computer, which is kind of sad. Which goes to show that I love the fish a lot, not that I don't like my computer as much as I could or should--because I do. I also bought some fake plants and stuff. Maybe I'll post pics of my fish later...cuz I'm a nerd like that.

Multifarious Happenings

So I made my template blue. I don't know how I feel about this decision quite yet. Anyway, I decided it was about time I put down a new post that was actually new. And so I now get to write about stuff that's going on or went on before I got lazy and busy and stopped writing on this. So without further ado:

#1) I finally got the internet. That means I have no excuse not to post more often anymore. With that we also got cable. I don't so much watch it, but sometimes I do. I rather enjoy the cooking channel and Animal Planet. Are there anything animals can't do? The answer is yes by the way, but they're still pretty amazing.

#2) R.I.P. my dear beloved Eve. You were my first car, and my last--until I get a new one. You were passed on down the family until you met your untimely demise in my hands. I don't think anyone was surprised, but it still wasn't how you deserved to go.

#3) I got a bike. I don't really fancy the idea of buying a new car any time soon, because I'm far from rich and have been trying to save up money for various things for quite some time no, plus I'm a terrible driver to boot--and no one needs to deal with that right now. Actually I'm not sure if my license is even still valid at this point. I haven't heard otherwise, but I wouldn't be surprised to find that to be the case. Thus I will be riding my bike to work for as long as I can stand it. Before when I tried this little experiment I only made it two days, then borrowed my parents' van, and then my little sis's car...but I recently figured out how to change the gears, so I'll be trying again. I figure I'll be okay once I become less lazy. My particular bike at the moment was given to me by my supervisor at work, Scooter. It was his wife's and he really is such a nice guy. As you can see by the picture enclosed, it's from about the 70's, it's pink, it has a stand holding thing attached to the back, the bars curve, (those last two things were essential on the list of what my bike must have), and I put a bell on it. I'll probably hook a basket onto the back pretty soon. I'm not very particular, so it will do. If I get more into biking in the future I'll get a nicer bike, but for now, as I've already said, it'll do.

Sheidi and I rode down on bikes to the Farmers Market my last Saturday off, and for some reason it wasn't as bad as riding to work. I still walked when we got to the monster hill between 9th and 13th East, but it was bloody hot and not nearly as painful. It was a fun little excursion anyway, and I bought a lot of food-stuffs while I was there. I rather enjoy food markets. Now I just have to take up cooking again.

#4) I was tricked into signing up for a half-marathon in Moab in October. Actually that's a lie, I let myself be coerced, and I don't quite regret it. It'll make me start running again for starters. I wasn't horribly pleased to find out that the last 5 miles are uphill, but it won't kill me I suppose.

#5) I've taken up rock climbing more seriously (that's a lie at this point), or at least I intend to (that's not a lie). I went a few times with Aaron, Brett and Clark last year, but I'd like to go more. This is because my good friend at work (who coerced me into the half-marathon) works part time at a climbing gym and is certified when it comes to teaching people how to climb. She gets all sorts of climbing gear for free, and she's the nicest person pretty much ever, and she gave me her current climbing shoes so I wouldn't have to get my own. As you can tell she's one of those naturally athletic people who's very outdoorsey and is ardently engaged in such activities at all times. We're going to go climbing the day before the half-marathon down in Moab, and I've already gone with her and Sheidi up Little Cottonwood to climb. It was a lot of fun, she gave me tips and help while there, and I think it'd be an excellent hobby to pick up. So the next time you guys go rock climbing Aaron, you'd better call me.

#6) My roommates and I are getting fish. I really want a fresh water shark, and my little bro-in-law says I need to get a chinese something or another (it's supposed to keep tanks clean, but doesn't get too big), something with stripes, and I want some sort of angelfish. I already accomplished the rather massive task of cleaning out the tank he and my little sis gave me (it's a 29 gallon), washed the rocks that go in the bottom after they spent the winter and fall in my parents back yard in a bucket, and filled it with water in pots and pans with the help from roommate #2 and her boyfriend. We had a bit of trouble figuring out how the filter works, and because we didn't know what we were doing it made a delightful grinding noise at first. Now it makes normal, quiet, gurgling noises, and we've already added some water conditioner, so the tank is ready for fish. I've already decided on some names, and now I just have to find fish to fit them.

#7) Roommate #1 finally got married and moved out. I still see her because she's one of my London girls, but I'll miss her, even though we're never all home at the same time anyway. Rather than calling my new roommate #1 now, I've decided just to call her roommate #3, and if any more come along I'll just continue to move down the line of numbers.

#8) I'm in summer school, or bummer school as I like to call it. That's actually the first time I've ever called it that, but it definitely fits so I'm keeping it. I'm taking a psychology class (which I rather enjoy, but I may have already screwed it up with not having enough diligence for an online course), and statistics (which I don't really enjoy all that much on account of it being pretty basic and boring). My friend Worm is in my Stats class with me, which is good because it's from 730-9 pm, and I need someone to keep me awake. It's also good because it's in Murray and I don't have a car. He moved recently to about a block away from my house, so we can carpool, only it's not really that because I don't contribute and thus it doesn't precisely fit under that category. Anyway, we sit in the back drinking sugary beverages and sniggering at everything and anything. We're much too much sarcasm for two people to contain, so that works in our mutual favor/disadvantage. My professor also happens to be a 3rd grade teacher, and his method of teaching us does anything but ensconce that fact. I don't study for that class, so it's little inconvenience, and I'm doing just fine.

#9) I got into the Med Tech program in school for the fall. I don't remember if I've mentioned this on here already, but there you go. I also got a promotion and a raise, and another raise, so I'm going to try to work out my schedule to keep working in my same section for the fall. I don't know if it will work, but I think it'd be just as hard for them to have a brand new person doing my job than having me for less and odder hours. Ultimately it's about what's best for them, so if I have to move on I will, sad as it would be. I really enjoy my job at the moment, and all of the people I work with, so hopefully it'll work out. I'll talk to Scooter on Monday. However, I really need to start going into work on time from now on. That will be my goal this coming week. Night school and Ultimate on Thursdays makes it difficult, but I think I can do it if I discipline myself into getting more sleep. Of course, I need to start running again, so I'm not sure where this spare time to sleep will come from. Arrrrrrgh. That's the problem with my fall schedule I'm coming upon as well.

So these are the things that have been happening. That puts me semi-up-to-date, at least as far as the things I can remember go. Maybe I'll go back and look through my pictures and remember more things I can write about, since they're a more accurate representation of what happens in my life, but I'll probably forget before I get to that point anyway.