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TKD day something-or-other
Had a very good class tonight. Got a stripe on my belt signifying I've mastered the form and other stuff I've been working on (white belt curriculum). The nice thing is that as a student with prior experience, they are going to teach me as much as I can learn, and then test me on all of it when I'm ready. So I'll probably hopscotch a few belts and wind up somewhere in the middle.

I definitely need to regain stamina, as I find myself short of breath trying to go as hard as I used to at Khan's. And my flexibility is back at pre-Khan's levels as well. Bleh.

But still, a good night.

Current Mood: accomplished

A WoW W00t!
( I'm asking you, right this second, how much do you love me? )

Current Mood: ecstatic

New job update
So, I promised some people that I would post about the new job, and lo, I shall deliver.

I'm working on base at Camp Pendleton, doing pretty much what I did before, testing stuff for the Marine Corps. Only this time it's software and not big vehicles and weapons systems. Because of the nature of the system, I work in a controlled-access facility with no electronics allowed, which means I have to leave even my cell phone "outside the wire". The lack of connectivity grates, especially at times when we're helping load a new build of the software and all there is to do is watch bars creep across a screen.

MCTSSA, the facility where I am working, is within walking distance of the ocean, and in fact some people enjoy going running on the beach during their lunch hours. It can be a little chilly and overcast in the morning, but the afternoons are generally glorious. Of course, I'm going to be stuck inside a windowless operations center for the majority of this test...

So far, getting through the gate has been an adventure in bureaucracy and annoyance. I drove to the main gate of CamPen early Monday last week, figuring I'd give myself plenty of time to get through, get to MCTSSA, and get set up there. But then the people at the main gate told me "yeah, all contractors have to check in through the Pulgas gate". For those of you not conversant with SoCal geography, the gate at Las Pulgas (which is Spanish for 'the fleas') is about 8 miles north of the main gate on I-5. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere, and it's a single lane gate, as opposed to the 3-4 lanes at the main gate. Not to mention that I'm going 8 miles north to U-turn and go south through some windy roads to get to where I need to be.

They also informed me of a program called RAPIDGate, or as I've taken to calling it, "RACKETGate". Basically, you can get a business pass, which allows you access through Las Pulgas, San Luis Rey (which is actually closer to me than the main gate, but it involves going up a long stretch of stop lights, and then meandering my way through Camp Pendleton to get out to the beach where I am), or San Onofre (which is even farther north than Las Pulgas, up near the nuclear power plant).

(ASIDE: Mispronounced Spanish really grates on me. A lot of uneducated Marines pronounce San Onofre "San AHN-oh-fre", when it is in fact "San Oh-NOH-fre". Accent on the second syllable, and the first syllable is not pronounced like the position on a light switch.)

(ASIDE TO ASIDE: First person to make a "Byoo-na Vista" joke gets punched in the face. Yes, I'm looking at you, Crockett.)

The alternative to using one of three fairly inconvenient gates is RAPIDGate, where your company pays to get you a pass that the gate guards can scan at any gate. This is theoretically supposed to decrease wait times at gates and increase efficiency. It being the US government, what actually happens is the MPs at the gates fumble the scanner, then have to try and scan the badge several times before getting frustrated and just letting the person through. Plus it's not like the main gate isn't -already- overcrowded with people coming into work around 0700 anyway. So what it really boils down to is paying for the privilege of using the main gate as a contractor, which my company has elected not to do, since it takes 3-4 weeks to get into the system, and the test is only running through the end of August.

But lack of connectivity and gate access headaches aside, I'm enjoying my job. The very first day I had a "oh, THIS is why they hired me" moment wherein I told that little negative voice inside me that likes to tell me I'm not good enough to sit down and shut the goddamn hell up. We were introducing ourselves around a table, and one of the guy was going on about some stuff about the test, slinging a few acronyms like KPPs and TIRs. The other government person was like "They don't know what KPPs and TIRs are yet, Patrick." To which I responded "Um, Key Performance Parameters and Test Incident Reports?" At which point all the heads snapped to me, and she said "Oh, -you're- the one with testing experience!" So yeah, that first day was a good one right off the bat.

Lastly, the Guitar Hero guy. So, my cousin Nathaniel has a PS2 and several of the Guitar Hero games. Parties at his place generally devolve into beer pong in the backyard for those so inclined, and Guitar Hero in the living room for everyone else. Nate's pretty good, and generally wipes the floor with most of the rest of us in multiplayer.

So yesterday I came in and was relating the story of the birthday party over the weekend (for Jonathan, Nate's youngest brother), wherein we played Guitar Hero. She then said "I gotta introduce you to this guy", and took me down to another office. And the guy there has a smallish TV in his office, a PS2, and this. At which point he loaded up Guitar Hero Rocks the 80s, handed me his axe, and let me play a song. I played "18 And Life" by Skid Row on Easy, and then he showed me "(Bang Your Head) Metal Health" on Expert. So now he lets me come in on the lunch hour and play Career mode on Medium. I played my first set today, doing okay, as Medium is kind of a stretch for me, but I have finished all the songs so far. I was getting three and four stars. At the end of my first set, the audience requested an encore, which was "18 And Life". And I got five stars on it. \m/

So yeah, I'm pretty much in training now, so I can sandbag Nate the next time we're over at his place. :)

And that is my new job in a nutshell. The people are nice, the pay is good, and it feels good to not be scraping by on unemployment anymore.

Go team me!
I am made of 50% win, 50% LOL, and 50% pwn.

Yes, that's 150%, motherf***ers.

Karen was feeling a little bleh, and wanting dinner, but bemoaning our lack of finances. I decided to check my bank account, and lo and behold, my almost $400 of tax return has cleared!

And now, dinner out!

Second class at the new place
Didn't bruise the crap out of my toe, which is a plus. Picked up most of a form, and some combinations. Trying to learn the little things right off the bat, where exactly to put my feet and so forth. Went maybe a little harder than I should have, because I was completely out of breath after. Chugged down a large Gatorade on the way home. All in all, I feel pretty good.

Current Mood: accomplished

First day
Nervous, excited, and all kinds of frantic.

Wish me luck.

Poll
So, I've been considering making a therapy filter wherein I talk about my therapy sessions, both solo and the group that I have joined. I've been sort of mum on this journal for a while, but I think I should start writing more about what's going on. So, with that, a poll.

Poll #1168731 Therapy filter?
Open to: All, results viewable to: All

Do you want to be on my therapy filter?

View Answers

Yes
23 (100.0%)

No
0 (0.0%)

Tickybox?

View Answers

Tickybox.
1 (5.6%)

Tickybox!
1 (5.6%)

Tickybox?
1 (5.6%)

TICKYBOX!!!!!111!!!!eleven!
9 (50.0%)

This is me totally opting out of these 'tickybox' shenanigans of yours.
6 (33.3%)

I drink from the keg of glory!
job offer cat

Current Mood: accomplished

Posting because I can
It occurs to me that I have commented today, but not posted. So here you go, this is me "betraying fandom".

Updates 'n stuff
O hai.

Gracie has been picked up and gone back to live with her real person. I kinda miss having a fuzzy "person" around the house, though it wouldn't have been fair to keep Gracie. Maybe ifwhen I get a job we can get a kitty of our own.

I played Easter Bunny for my sister and dropped off some candy my parents sent, plus some cupcakes that Karen and I made. She liked it a lot. Plus I got to say hi to Kai for a little bit.

Went to a security clearance job fair today. Got lots of random swag (best part of job fairs). Tomorrow will likely be spent following up with all the places I gave resumes to.

In WoW news, Chipotle hit 70 a while back (I have a screenshot that I might post at some point when I do a

heinous_bitca-esque WoW image dump. And Mattias has an epic flying mount! OMG SO FAST. Have started the Netherwing grind, because I wants me a big mofo flying dragon.

More later. Bedtime now.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Slainte!

Karen and I made homemade corned beef hash for dinner tonight. It was super yummy. And then she went to TKD, and when she came back, we watched Remy get tossed out an airlock. :)

Current Mood: amused

In lieu of content, meme.
"Everyone has things they blog about. Everyone has things they don't blog about. Challenge me out of my comfort zone by telling me something I don't blog about, but you'd like to hear about, and I'll write a post about it. Ask for anything: latest movie watched, last book read, political leanings, thoughts on yaoi, favorite type of underwear, graphic techniques, etc. Repost in your own journal so that we can all learn more about each other."

And now, off to the interview.

Current Mood: anxious

Interview tomorrow
I am waiting for a lady to call me back to schedule an interview tomorrow with SAIC.

This is the part where Matt goes and has a freakout.

Edit: Interview is set for tomorrow at 3PM. Is it okay that I'm scared out of my farking gourd?

Current Mood: nervous

Puppy and kitty pictures
Okay, so my sister is currently dogsitting a small lab/terrier mix puppy named Kai for a friend of hers for about a month or so. Last week, she asked if I could stop by her apartment occasionally during the day in order to visit Kai and play with him a bit. Kai is super-cute, and a somewhat rambunctious little fuzzball who enjoys sitting in laps. Have visited him a couple times (am actually visiting right now and posting from teh laptop!) and had a good time.

Also, Karen and I are currently catsitting a cat named Gracie for the time being. Gracie has taken very quickly to the apartment, staking her claim to all she surveys in typical cat fashion.

Due to the surfeit of cute animals suddenly invading my life, I have been asked to supply pictures of said animals. Sadly, the only photographical device I have is my cell phone, so apology for the smallness and graininess of the photos.

( Pictures behind a cut and LOLcatted for your amusement... )

Current Mood: artistic

UGH UGH UGH TERMITES IN THE KITCHEN SO GROSSED OUT.

I found Jesus. He was in my sofa cushions.
Karen: http://www.journalfen.net/community/fandom_lounge/668572.html
Saw THIS coming.

me: Raise your hand if you DIDN'T.
But I imagine that Anne, when she said "my book about the lord", it was more like "my book about THE LORD!!!!!!111!!!!one!"
With jazz hands.

Karen: ded

me: And bolded and italicized and stuff.
In like 48-point font.

Current Mood: amused

GIP!
Because

erindubitably is awesome. Me hugging my stuffed Piglet.

Meme from erindubitably
Because I am kinda bored, though I have accomplished good stuff today! Job stuff as well as doing laundry.

1. Name:
2. Birthday:
3. Where do you live:
4: What are you studying/What are you working as:
5. What makes you happy:
6. What are you listening to now/have listened to last:
7. What is particularly good/bad about my LJ:
8. An interesting fact about you:
9. Are you in love/do you have a crush at the moment:
10. Favorite place to be:
11. Favorite lyric:
12. Best time of the year:
13. Weirdest food you like:

RECOMMEND
1. A film:
2. A book:
3. A song:
4: A band:

PLUS
1. One thing you like about me:
2. Two things you like about yourself:
3. Put this in your lj so I can tell you what I think of you.

Some WoW haiku
Because I am in a silly mood.

Corki's lost again
Trapped in some ogre cages
That f*cking shortbus

Skyguard Prisoner
I rescue you every day
You're worse than Corki

Sweet-looking goggles
O-M-G GYROCOPTER
Engineering love

Pally epic mount
Armored warhorse of the Light
NOT A UNICORN.

One is a pastry
Other is "lol" in Orcish
Pie > kek.

Current Mood: silly