Day 123, 13th Vocational Trade Day -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was thinking about the man made machinery I've been working on and I suppose they did get at least one thing right; they are definitely durable enough to maneuver and manipulate all kinds of material for over half a century!
Anyway, my dad sent me a new pair of welding gloves the other day, and I got to use them for the first time on a saw horse we're making. They're REALLY nice, fit perfectly, and my instructor said he was jealous. :-) Of course I don't know anything about brands of work gear but apparently Daddy does. Whoo, go Daddy!
There wasn't a whole lot going on in trade because we were waiting for parts. We had a "tool safety" class earlier in the day for Heavy Equip Rep, Heavy Equip Op, Carpentry, and Brick Masonry. A Hilti Coperation sales representative came and did a presentation for the students and instructors on Hilti tools. Boring at first, then he started to bust out some really impressive products. The statistics he spat out VS other companies were very convincing, and the instructors who have had experiences with other models were obviously sold. They were asking about prices and availability and catalogues. One of the Carpentry instructors even bought a tool right there on the spot. I personally was impressed, but because I haven't any experience with other models, or even very many tools in general, I can't say I hold an opinion.
Other than that we didn't really do much. Jamie, McGee, and I spent about 3 hours "sweeping". Mostly BS-ing but there was some sweeping involved. Hey, what can I say? We had to extend it somehow so we wouldn't get bored. :-)
Friday, January 7, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Machinery Confusion
Day 122, 12th Vocational Trade Day----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I just finished installing the hydraulic control valve and the hydraulic filter in the Grove crane, with help from some of the boys of course. This crane was built somewhere in the 1960's and it still surprises me how it still runs. Another thing that I am astonished by is not only how extremely complicated and inefficient it is to work on these machines, but also that through out the years, no one has come up with a better idea on how they should be manufactured. Not to mention that not one piece of machinery is exactly like another. A friend told me that these machines were built to be easily assembled, not to easily maintained. It doesn't seem to be very logical, but then again, they were man made. :-)
Other than that things are going alright. I'm learning A LOT and one of the counselors even said that I was very bright and she hopes to see me enroll in the Job Corps College Program. I've been considering it. Maybe I will do that after advanced training and get my AA degree. Then if I still want to, I can go into the coast guard and become an officer. :-) I think I'd do well in college.
P.S.
My social life is a little rocky right now in case any of you were wondering. But I'm doing my best to work things out. And if I'm careful and considerate, things might turn out the way I hoped after all.
I just finished installing the hydraulic control valve and the hydraulic filter in the Grove crane, with help from some of the boys of course. This crane was built somewhere in the 1960's and it still surprises me how it still runs. Another thing that I am astonished by is not only how extremely complicated and inefficient it is to work on these machines, but also that through out the years, no one has come up with a better idea on how they should be manufactured. Not to mention that not one piece of machinery is exactly like another. A friend told me that these machines were built to be easily assembled, not to easily maintained. It doesn't seem to be very logical, but then again, they were man made. :-)
Other than that things are going alright. I'm learning A LOT and one of the counselors even said that I was very bright and she hopes to see me enroll in the Job Corps College Program. I've been considering it. Maybe I will do that after advanced training and get my AA degree. Then if I still want to, I can go into the coast guard and become an officer. :-) I think I'd do well in college.
P.S.
My social life is a little rocky right now in case any of you were wondering. But I'm doing my best to work things out. And if I'm careful and considerate, things might turn out the way I hoped after all.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Home sweet... Job Corps?
Day 119--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So I'm finally back at Job Corps. And first thing I realized once I started unpacking is that some clothes were missing from the ones I left here. Some Sequim sweatpants, my football sweatshirt, double kneed carhartts, Mom's snowflake pj's she sent me a while back, and some assorted sports/ work out clothing. A little bummed but I'll have to live.
I'm almost kind of relieved to be back. At home I struggled to find a purpose to my life. Like there was nothing for me to want, need, or pursue. I moped around on the couch most of the time and I didn't get to see all the people I wanted to see which I'm a little disappointed but that's what happens when you can't drive legally. At least here at Job Corps, I don't have to find something to do to be busy. I just always have something that needs to be done, even if I'm at a constant high stress level. I need to find a median...
I must have been a pretty different person when I came home. Mom, her caregiver, and even my friends noticed a change. Whether it's good or bad I'm not sure. But hopefully I've brought a little bit of the home me back into my life to stay because for a minute there I almost completely lost myself. I don't like the person I become here; anxious, high strung, and pessimistic, just to name a few. I just keep prayin for a little bit more strength.
It was good to be home but it didn't really feel like my home anymore. I felt like I was staying as a guest in my mom's house. Everything is different. The house is remodeled, there are new hardwood floors, my room has new furniture, the chickens aren't even the ones I raised (all but one was eaten and mom got new ones). All these things are good changes. And I'm happy for Mom because I know that she's very excited about it. But it's different for me. Then again, I never really knew the house anyway. We'd moved in April, so I only lived there like 4 or 5 months before I came to Job Corps.
Not only the house, but my friends and even town itself is different. My stepsister Mikayla is living with her boyfriend, Ryan moved, Zach lives with Jeremy, Monica is back in Sequim while her husband, Nathan, is in texas doing Airforce stuff. There's a new Taco Bell, and Ross is comin in along with Bargain Market. They built all new buildings right downtown and they've added an entirely new apartment complex between 101 Diner and Walgreens. I was only gone 3 1/2 months! All different from the Sequim I called home...
So for now I kind of feel like I'm floating around, waiting for my place in this world to be known to me so I may feel right again. I guess that's what happens when you grow up. You can't really appreciate all the warmth and comfort and security your childhood brought until it's not there anymore. I wish that I could go back sometimes. Maybe to the second or third grade, when you're so busy enjoying living that you don't have time to worry if you're living the right way.
The last weekend before coming back to Job Corps, I decided to go visit Jamie in Ellensburg. I'd had enough playing house and I was anxious to be back with a friendly face (sorry Mom, I love you, but you don't count). The Greyhound sucked, I hate the city and the bus was an hour late. I was nervous because I'd never ridden Greayhound before and I've heard some bad stories, but I met some nice people from Tennesee and they helped me out and gave me some coaching. I ended up getting to Ellensburg with me and my bags in one piece.
So Jamie and I spent the last three days... well, doing pretty much nothing, but at least I was doing nothing with someone. I got Jamie a new sweatshirt and some Caterpillar keys for Christmas. Now before you ask or wonder, the answer is no, he didn't get me anything. I don't really mind because that's not what Christmas is about. Besides, I had a good amount of money and nothing really to spend it on, so I spent most of it on gifts for my friends and family.
We didn't do anything for the New Year, just stayed up watching movies and watched some fireworks from the window. I do have New Year's Resolutions though. It's to relax, believe in myself and others, and not worry about so much all the time. It seems I'm going to have to write it on my forehead and stick it to my back so people can remind me what they are. I've only been here a few hours and I'm already stressin' out. I have a hard time remembering that even if things don't turn out they way I carefully and painstakingly planned, it's not the end of the world and the sky will not fall. I'm always worried I'm going to bother the people around me because I'm such a pessimist, but maybe if I didn't worry about it so much, people wouldn't think I was pessimistic. Funny how a cycle like that is so easy to start, and so much harder to break. Good news is, they go hand in hand and if you get rid of one negetivity, you'll get rid of the other.
Anyway, Jamie and I made it on the bus to head back here at 1530 today and ironically, it was the shortest bus ride of my life. When you think about it, I wasn't leaving anything behind. My old life is already gone.
So I'm finally back at Job Corps. And first thing I realized once I started unpacking is that some clothes were missing from the ones I left here. Some Sequim sweatpants, my football sweatshirt, double kneed carhartts, Mom's snowflake pj's she sent me a while back, and some assorted sports/ work out clothing. A little bummed but I'll have to live.
I'm almost kind of relieved to be back. At home I struggled to find a purpose to my life. Like there was nothing for me to want, need, or pursue. I moped around on the couch most of the time and I didn't get to see all the people I wanted to see which I'm a little disappointed but that's what happens when you can't drive legally. At least here at Job Corps, I don't have to find something to do to be busy. I just always have something that needs to be done, even if I'm at a constant high stress level. I need to find a median...
I must have been a pretty different person when I came home. Mom, her caregiver, and even my friends noticed a change. Whether it's good or bad I'm not sure. But hopefully I've brought a little bit of the home me back into my life to stay because for a minute there I almost completely lost myself. I don't like the person I become here; anxious, high strung, and pessimistic, just to name a few. I just keep prayin for a little bit more strength.
It was good to be home but it didn't really feel like my home anymore. I felt like I was staying as a guest in my mom's house. Everything is different. The house is remodeled, there are new hardwood floors, my room has new furniture, the chickens aren't even the ones I raised (all but one was eaten and mom got new ones). All these things are good changes. And I'm happy for Mom because I know that she's very excited about it. But it's different for me. Then again, I never really knew the house anyway. We'd moved in April, so I only lived there like 4 or 5 months before I came to Job Corps.
Not only the house, but my friends and even town itself is different. My stepsister Mikayla is living with her boyfriend, Ryan moved, Zach lives with Jeremy, Monica is back in Sequim while her husband, Nathan, is in texas doing Airforce stuff. There's a new Taco Bell, and Ross is comin in along with Bargain Market. They built all new buildings right downtown and they've added an entirely new apartment complex between 101 Diner and Walgreens. I was only gone 3 1/2 months! All different from the Sequim I called home...
So for now I kind of feel like I'm floating around, waiting for my place in this world to be known to me so I may feel right again. I guess that's what happens when you grow up. You can't really appreciate all the warmth and comfort and security your childhood brought until it's not there anymore. I wish that I could go back sometimes. Maybe to the second or third grade, when you're so busy enjoying living that you don't have time to worry if you're living the right way.
The last weekend before coming back to Job Corps, I decided to go visit Jamie in Ellensburg. I'd had enough playing house and I was anxious to be back with a friendly face (sorry Mom, I love you, but you don't count). The Greyhound sucked, I hate the city and the bus was an hour late. I was nervous because I'd never ridden Greayhound before and I've heard some bad stories, but I met some nice people from Tennesee and they helped me out and gave me some coaching. I ended up getting to Ellensburg with me and my bags in one piece.
So Jamie and I spent the last three days... well, doing pretty much nothing, but at least I was doing nothing with someone. I got Jamie a new sweatshirt and some Caterpillar keys for Christmas. Now before you ask or wonder, the answer is no, he didn't get me anything. I don't really mind because that's not what Christmas is about. Besides, I had a good amount of money and nothing really to spend it on, so I spent most of it on gifts for my friends and family.
We didn't do anything for the New Year, just stayed up watching movies and watched some fireworks from the window. I do have New Year's Resolutions though. It's to relax, believe in myself and others, and not worry about so much all the time. It seems I'm going to have to write it on my forehead and stick it to my back so people can remind me what they are. I've only been here a few hours and I'm already stressin' out. I have a hard time remembering that even if things don't turn out they way I carefully and painstakingly planned, it's not the end of the world and the sky will not fall. I'm always worried I'm going to bother the people around me because I'm such a pessimist, but maybe if I didn't worry about it so much, people wouldn't think I was pessimistic. Funny how a cycle like that is so easy to start, and so much harder to break. Good news is, they go hand in hand and if you get rid of one negetivity, you'll get rid of the other.
Anyway, Jamie and I made it on the bus to head back here at 1530 today and ironically, it was the shortest bus ride of my life. When you think about it, I wasn't leaving anything behind. My old life is already gone.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Highway Ride
Day 102-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally going home.
Finally going home.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Jingle Bell Festival
Day 100------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They call the week before we leave Hell Week. It got it's name because all week we have to clean everything. Under our beds, the walls, the corners of the ceiling, the cracks in the tile, etc, before we can leave for break. I heard that they've held the busses because a dorm couldn't pass inspection. I guess we're supposed to deep clean all week, but since our dorm passed the room inspections yesterday, our staff has been pretty lax. I'm glad, I've been packed since sunday, but this gives me time to repack a few times to make sure everything I need is in my suitcase. I'm bringing a lot of stuff home and leaving it becuase I want to bring a whole bunch of other things back. :-P
That reminds me, I really need to hit the stores. I haven't done any Christmas shopping, including the Secret Santa gifts our family give every year. Not only do I have absolutely no idea what to get, but I have a million people to get gifts for, and it's not like I can go to the store whenever I want. I've tried to make gifts, but that takes me so long because I'm a little OCD about projects. I hate last minute shopping, so I think I'm going to order a lot of things online.
Anyway to get on to the topic of my story, today, as break from Hell Week, we had a half day for trade today. Once we got released and at lunch, I came back to the dorm, showered, changed, and then Karlee and I went out to meet Kevin and Jamie. The four of us then walked down to the Jingle Bell Festival at Rec (even if we didn't want to go, we didn't have a choice). While standing outside in the cold wind for 15 min, we got tired of waiting for the staff to open the doors and let us all in, so our crew walked down to the HER building to BS with mine, and the boy's instructors a bit.
After having a few laughs (Karlee's pretty shy so she didn't say one word, but she was a good sport), we walked back up to Rec and all the students had already been ushered inside and we also rushed in to get out of the cold. There was a raffle that we all put our names in when we walked in the door. The inside of the building was very beautiful, they had set up an electric fireplace with painted bricks to make it look like a chimney. There were pictures with Santa (who was Steve Gardiner), and lots of mini games where you had a chance to win lots of prizes. I didn't win anything, I'm not very good with my hand eye coordination (unless it's darts). So I was getting a little discouraged... then I won an i-Pod! I'm going to go home and put audio books on it and save my purple one that I already have for music. :-) It's a good day in the life of Eli.
They call the week before we leave Hell Week. It got it's name because all week we have to clean everything. Under our beds, the walls, the corners of the ceiling, the cracks in the tile, etc, before we can leave for break. I heard that they've held the busses because a dorm couldn't pass inspection. I guess we're supposed to deep clean all week, but since our dorm passed the room inspections yesterday, our staff has been pretty lax. I'm glad, I've been packed since sunday, but this gives me time to repack a few times to make sure everything I need is in my suitcase. I'm bringing a lot of stuff home and leaving it becuase I want to bring a whole bunch of other things back. :-P
That reminds me, I really need to hit the stores. I haven't done any Christmas shopping, including the Secret Santa gifts our family give every year. Not only do I have absolutely no idea what to get, but I have a million people to get gifts for, and it's not like I can go to the store whenever I want. I've tried to make gifts, but that takes me so long because I'm a little OCD about projects. I hate last minute shopping, so I think I'm going to order a lot of things online.
Anyway to get on to the topic of my story, today, as break from Hell Week, we had a half day for trade today. Once we got released and at lunch, I came back to the dorm, showered, changed, and then Karlee and I went out to meet Kevin and Jamie. The four of us then walked down to the Jingle Bell Festival at Rec (even if we didn't want to go, we didn't have a choice). While standing outside in the cold wind for 15 min, we got tired of waiting for the staff to open the doors and let us all in, so our crew walked down to the HER building to BS with mine, and the boy's instructors a bit.
After having a few laughs (Karlee's pretty shy so she didn't say one word, but she was a good sport), we walked back up to Rec and all the students had already been ushered inside and we also rushed in to get out of the cold. There was a raffle that we all put our names in when we walked in the door. The inside of the building was very beautiful, they had set up an electric fireplace with painted bricks to make it look like a chimney. There were pictures with Santa (who was Steve Gardiner), and lots of mini games where you had a chance to win lots of prizes. I didn't win anything, I'm not very good with my hand eye coordination (unless it's darts). So I was getting a little discouraged... then I won an i-Pod! I'm going to go home and put audio books on it and save my purple one that I already have for music. :-) It's a good day in the life of Eli.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Kevin and Karlee
Day 97------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All the 9 inches of snow we got yesterday has almost completely melted. YAY!
I figure it's well about time to tell you about my two closest friends here at Job Corps, Kevin and Karlee.
First off, Kevin is my foreman in trade and he's also Jamie's best friend. He's a pretty big guy, 6ft 5in, very broad, but he's more or less a teddy bear. Just don't piss him off. He's protective and a loyal friend. I look at him like an older brother. I think part of that is because he helped me get into trade. I was so worried that I wouldn't get in, I was even making plans for what would happen if I didn't. But he calmed me down and reassured me over and over again. He was very patient, and I'm grateful he was there.
Karlee used to hate me. Like really hate me. We used to butt heads and I'm pretty sure she used to talk about me behind my back, I sure heard that she did. But then once I got to know her, I kinda started to like her. I was cautious though. I didn't tell her too much becuase I was afraid she might use it against me, you know how girls are. So I got to know her at an arms length. Then she started opening up to me more and more, so I figured it was okay to share some of my life back. Now I've learned we have a lot in common and she's a lot of fun. You almost never see one without the other. I always sit with her and Kevin, sometimes accompanied by Jamie when he shows up for meals. Whenever Kevin isn't around and he's off doing guy things with Jamie, Karlee and I usually hang out together. We talk about everything. Whenever she needs a friend she calls for me, and whenever I need to talk I call for her. I think it's ironic how we started out as enemies, now we're like two peas in a pod. :-)
All the 9 inches of snow we got yesterday has almost completely melted. YAY!
I figure it's well about time to tell you about my two closest friends here at Job Corps, Kevin and Karlee.
First off, Kevin is my foreman in trade and he's also Jamie's best friend. He's a pretty big guy, 6ft 5in, very broad, but he's more or less a teddy bear. Just don't piss him off. He's protective and a loyal friend. I look at him like an older brother. I think part of that is because he helped me get into trade. I was so worried that I wouldn't get in, I was even making plans for what would happen if I didn't. But he calmed me down and reassured me over and over again. He was very patient, and I'm grateful he was there.
Karlee used to hate me. Like really hate me. We used to butt heads and I'm pretty sure she used to talk about me behind my back, I sure heard that she did. But then once I got to know her, I kinda started to like her. I was cautious though. I didn't tell her too much becuase I was afraid she might use it against me, you know how girls are. So I got to know her at an arms length. Then she started opening up to me more and more, so I figured it was okay to share some of my life back. Now I've learned we have a lot in common and she's a lot of fun. You almost never see one without the other. I always sit with her and Kevin, sometimes accompanied by Jamie when he shows up for meals. Whenever Kevin isn't around and he's off doing guy things with Jamie, Karlee and I usually hang out together. We talk about everything. Whenever she needs a friend she calls for me, and whenever I need to talk I call for her. I think it's ironic how we started out as enemies, now we're like two peas in a pod. :-)
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Poopy Weather
Day 96----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I had just started to get my hopes up because it has been raining and the snow had melted. But I guess I spoke too soon because it started snowing around 1000 and now we have over 3.5 inches out there and it's still comin' down. I was supposed to meet my uncle, Tom, in town at Miners but they cancelled day pass. I was looking forward to seeing him (and not just because he owes me $20 for the Apple Cup bet that I won (I'm still pretty proud of it, I've never really gambled like that before)). He's fun and really good company. It would have been nice to speak to someone I look up to rather than someone I'm forced to listen to. Hear his opinion from the outside.
6 days until I come home. I think the only people I'll really miss over break are Kevin and Karlee (I still need to write a blog about them) and Jamie, but I'm still looking forward to not having a schedule. This place is so repetitious. Get up, make my bed, put my trade clothes on, go to breakfast, come back, do dorm job, grad trade supplies, go to trade. Then after the work day it's go to the dorm, shower, put sweats and a tank top on, go to account, meet Karlee, Kevin, and sometimes Jamie, for dinner, come back to the dorm, put a coat on, go to Rec, workout, come back to the dorm again, shower again, put pajamas on, go back outside to hang out with Jamie, then come in for account and go to bed. EVERY DAY. It's exhausting having a set routine.
I had just started to get my hopes up because it has been raining and the snow had melted. But I guess I spoke too soon because it started snowing around 1000 and now we have over 3.5 inches out there and it's still comin' down. I was supposed to meet my uncle, Tom, in town at Miners but they cancelled day pass. I was looking forward to seeing him (and not just because he owes me $20 for the Apple Cup bet that I won (I'm still pretty proud of it, I've never really gambled like that before)). He's fun and really good company. It would have been nice to speak to someone I look up to rather than someone I'm forced to listen to. Hear his opinion from the outside.
6 days until I come home. I think the only people I'll really miss over break are Kevin and Karlee (I still need to write a blog about them) and Jamie, but I'm still looking forward to not having a schedule. This place is so repetitious. Get up, make my bed, put my trade clothes on, go to breakfast, come back, do dorm job, grad trade supplies, go to trade. Then after the work day it's go to the dorm, shower, put sweats and a tank top on, go to account, meet Karlee, Kevin, and sometimes Jamie, for dinner, come back to the dorm, put a coat on, go to Rec, workout, come back to the dorm again, shower again, put pajamas on, go back outside to hang out with Jamie, then come in for account and go to bed. EVERY DAY. It's exhausting having a set routine.
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