Where did the time go?

It's a bit ironic and amusing to me. A month ago, I had told myself that since I was done with classes for the summer, I would spend all my free time at the beach and/or posting articles. I managed to go to the beach a mere three days this month. As for articles, I managed (counting this one) a mere six posts this month. Way off my usual twelve to fifteen. It isn't for the lack of ideas that I'm not posting, rather the lack of time sitting in front of a computer connected to the internet.

Of course, there is also the second job I've taken on to help make ends meet and build up my experience in the engineering field. In fact, since the seventeenth, I have worked consecutively for fourteen straight days. With no end in sight. With this second job, I am currently in the manufacturing portion of the company learning every process that leads up to the position I will soon be trained on and working at for the next year or two.

(The funny thing about that comment is that I said the same thing about my last real job, where I ended up toiling away for four and a half long years. I hope that this company treats me with more respect than the last one did.)

Unfortunately, because I am in this section, I still haven't been assigned a computer yet. In fact, I think I've lost a bunch of weight in that hot sweaty section. We have to wear smocks and aprons over our regular clothes, and because of the many corrosive chemicals, the room isn't air conditioned. I'm a mere fifteen pounds away from my target weight.

But, I digress. So, as I was saying, I haven't posted much and I blame it partly on this new job, but also on the fact that I've been house sitting, doing the chores at two homes which includes watering the unsprinklered lawn, and walking the dog. Not to mention a wedding I am attending (as a guest) this weekend. (Can we say ouch on the price tag of a tuxedo? I spent $500 on one. At least I own it now.) I've turned around and realized that this entire month has disappeared in a flash.

Supposedly time flies when you're having fun. At this moment, I can say time flew, but did I have fun? I'm not so sure. I have certainly learned a bunch of new things, so in my own geeky way, I suppose I was having fun. How about that?

All about the new job

I wanted to wait on commenting on my newly found job until after I had worked there for a week. This way, that rosy tinted feeling of getting a new job wouldn't color my feelings and thoughts on the way I felt about working for this new company. So, what do I have to say?

First, a bit of background. This company makes prototypes and small run products for many big name defense contractors. Unfortunately, because of these same clients, I am not at liberty to say much more. I can, however, speak of my experiences while working for this company.

After working the week, I can say that some of the things I have learned to do and the machinery that I am working with is fascinating. I guess it's that same feeling little boys have when watching some mechanical toy do something all on its own. Since this job is something I have never done before, I find every thing I do to be interesting. There is no tired feeling of having done this process before for too long a time.

Some things that I am doing, they make me feel like I am a wash woman living in the 19th century when washing clothes had to be done by hand. I've found myself scrubbing certain parts in a slop sink with a hand brush and then rinsing them off before hanging them out to dry. I get a quiet chuckle over the thought of myself wearing a plastic apron, standing in front of that sink, scrubbing away.

At other moments, I feel like I am in a high speed photo development lab as I walk into a room very similar to a dark room with thousands of film masks that are exposed with a high intensity light, then putting the exposed "film" onto a conveyor belt where it is developed. This machine runs various chemicals onto these parts before rinsing them off. Watching the parts moving through the little port holes in the side of the machine is still somewhat novel to me. If I didn't have to catch the parts at the other end of the conveyor belt, I'd probably stand there staring into those little windows.

Some things that I've learned about include the difference between the "ideal" product and what the product is in reality. Part of that learning process has brought home that I haven't learned enough about the exponential increase in costs as part of producing perfect (precise would probably be a better word) products. I suppose that if I were the engineer designing this product, I would be upset with the number of ways the parts can get contaminated or damaged during the production process until I remind myself that these are merely prototypes. So long as these prototypes do what is expected, the production versions will be designed to work around those remaining issues.

As I said earlier, we produce prototypes, which means that I work with a lot of industrial chemicals. Sulfuric acid (think battery acid) and hydrochloric acid (think highly concentrated bleach) for the most part. I've already discovered how corrosive these acids are after finding a hole in my protective glove that I wear while dipping parts into the vat of acid. I caught it soon enough that it only attacked the outer layer of skin on several fingers. I found it amusing (after washing and scrubbing my entire hand down) that the acids worked just as well as an exfoliant. Then again, I am not sure I would want hydrochloric acid on my face or anywhere else for that matter.

In all, it appears to be an interesting and dangerous work environment that I find myself in. I am learning new things and still finding new items to be impressed about. Best of all, I will know more about being an engineer by working this job than I would ever learn in the classroom.

Opportunity knocks!

It's amazing how the unexpected opportunity can brighten up your day when it falls into your lap. When things had been going smoothly, but with its small share of disappointments, to have some opportunity insert itself into your life and change things up as only good news can, you can't help but being happy.

Today, I accepted a position at an engineering firm that does microwave (high frequency, that is) circuit development. It was one of those positions I applied for way back when as things started going wrong for me. At the time, they told me that the position required dedicated training during the day when I attended classes. Now, because I am on summer vacation they can get me started on the training without interruptions.

I start on Monday. With this job, I am actually part of the industry that I'll be working in once I graduate. Best of all, it's a part time position that is flexible and allows me to continue going to classes during the day.

Alone at last

Today, I was struck by a sense of melancholy as I tried to find a dinner partner. I had just gotten off of work (I was called in on an emergency) and I was hungry because I had been too busy to get something to eat. More likely, it had to do with my co-worker's desire to share his relationship troubles with me.

Instead of feeling positive about being paid and receiving a generous tip from our client, I felt down and couldn't get over the feeling that something was wrong in my life. Listening to my over-sharing co-worker, I began to think that having a partner couldn't be all that bad. I tried to offer suggestions that might help things, and it became clear that even my feeble attempts at suggestions had already been considered, attempted and found lacking.

Also crystalized in his sharing was the reality that this girl he was dating had few virtues and far too many flaws. She took him for granted, didn't assign her undivided attention to him when he conversed with her, and was mildly antagonistic to him. He also was kind enough to call her while on speaker phone so I hear how poorly she devoted her attention to him. Not that I really wanted to be dragged into their relationship and its sundry issues.

As for virtues, sadly, they all centered around her physical attractiveness. Since I had never met the woman that vexed him so, I can't comment on that. I could easily see that his issue wasn't with her, but with himself and his inability to recognize how little they had in common. Worst of all, while he had "broken up" with this person, he was still hanging out with her.

I gently suggested that he consider letting her go and finding someone what was more of a partner instead of a-- I wanted to say leech, but obviously I am not in a position to know if that's true or not. I managed to put what I meant in a more euphemistic way; that this girl was in a less commited state and wasn't ready to dive in feet first into this relationship because she wasn't at the same level of maturity.

So, as I called friend after friend, looking for a willing dinner companion and became increasingly unsuccessful, I was struck by this melancholy and another realization. The true reason why he was still with this girl in their lopsided relationship is because he didn't want to be alone. And as I began to recognize that I would be dining alone tonight, I truly understood.

In other news, I found out early yesterday that the our team had been unable to compete because we didn't have the requisite three female players. Ah well. Perhaps next year.

Regaining lost coordination?

This week, I have to regain my swing for a arc-pitch softball tournament that I've been invited to. I haven't lifted up my softball bat in over a year (Memorial day 2005 to be exact). I'll be hitting the batting cages this week spending money I probably shouldn't, but I need to do something during my days off. So, why not hitting a smallish leather ball around?

No doubt my fielding skills have atrophied away. I won't have a chance to practice that because I've been working on the weekends, and I have missed all the practices. I guess I can still play outfield. Lol.

Despite the likely loss of coordination, I am still excited to play. The tournament is this Saturday, and I've taken the weekend off to be well rested. I wonder if all this working out will translate to hitting harder and farther.

*grin* I can hardly wait to find out. I'm off to find that winning swing.

I'm back... I think.

Finally have the computer assembled. I've been testing it by catching up with all the blogs I usually read which started at 9 am this morning. I've finally gotten to August, though I haven't made any attempts to comment. All I have to say is: Wow.

A lot of things have happened lately for everyone. I am amazed at all the things going on in their lives. Good thing everyone puts it in writing so I can catch up by reading up.

Soon, I will again start sharing my two cents on everyone else's posts. Until then, keep writing... What am I saying? I'm still five days behind!