Blog | Admin | Archives

MVIS

Life is pretty good. My last Blockbuster shift is tomorrow, its midnight and I’m tired, Math final went well, I was 8th at BCC int eh AMATYC test, Photo Finals went decently, and life is pretty good. TRC is getting lots of money, but so far its mostly internal. We really need external donors. Enter Kent Chaplin, who gave em the names and numbers of representitives of GM, VW, and Subaru in the US. This weeekend, I get to come up with an action lan for talking to them about big time sponsorship of the TRC.

Like I said, I’m tried. Night.

Graduation vs. Steel Conflcit

Today was my first day oif work at Microvision. I filled out a lot of paperwork, took the tour, and actually did some testing. Found a problem too, but due to NDA’s galore, I don’t think I’m going to tell you anything more about that. Things went well overall.

Tomorrow, I’m spending most of the day in the photo lab printing up my final project.

And now, on to the title piece. My brother’s graduation from college and Steel Conflict are the same weekend. I almost gave up the graduation to attend the battlebot-like event, but I talked to Tim today, who is heading the battle bot project, and thought some more, and so I will go to my brother’s graduation and miss the first half of the competition.

The math midterm indeed did not go well – I got another 77. I can still pull an A- in the class by doing 140 or better out of 150 on the final. I plan on it.

Keeping it short and simple, since so much is going on.

Cracked

While photographizing with Dan on Saturday night, I was drivng in the Saturn on eastgate way under the BCC overpass when a water baloon hit the windshield. It culprits got away, despite our calling of 911, and the windsheilf got cracked badly. I continued to photographize, just not in that same location.

“An armed society is a polite society”

USP or 1911 + Night Vision are on the shopping list

Next time, those punks better worry about more than leaving before the cops get there

BB, PSBC, TRC, BCC, UW, and MV

According to JD, the Blockbuster District leader over my store, Blockbuster employees are not allowed to let anyone else use the videos that we check out on our account. I say to that phooey! If its on my account, I’m still responsible for any late and missing movies, and how is it any of Blockbuster’s business what I do with the movies I rent after I walk out of the store? As a customer said, I could spin it like a top if I wanted. Of course, Jon pointed out that it is an employee benefit, so Blockbuster can determine the conditions of the benefit. On the other hand, I don’t get much benefit out of it unless I can allow my friends to use my rentals… In fact, JD’s last meeting with our store really left me with a bad taste in my mouth about Blockbuster in general. Lakemont has been identified as a “SWAT” store, which basically means a lot of stuff, gets stolen from us. And since 70% of theft is internal, we’re all being treated like suspects, getting new background checks (although I just had my hiring criminal background check two weeks ago…), and having to sign zero-tolerance theft paperwork, which I technically violated by letting a friend use one of my rentals. And I do feel a little bad about that, because it was not a thing of integrity. The honest thing to do would be to refuse to sign the new theft policy paperwork given my new understanding of the regulations. Of course, this was before Microvision hired me, and I did the rental thing after I got hired. It’s amazing how much job security changes one’s outlook.

I went to the Puget Sound Blood center today, since they called me a few days ago to schedule an appointment. It turns out they were off by nine days, since I’m not eligible to donate again until the 22nd. It was a fun drive, since it is such a beautiful day, and I was singing in the truck most of the way there. On the Trip, I also came up with an idea for my final project for photography. I’m thinking of doing either Night Shots or a combination of day and nighttime shots. Then I will mount them on white and black paper or cloth. In fact, I think I’ll start taking the day pictures now, in case I decide to use them.

The TRC is getting some great news as a result of winning the PNW regional. Sponsors seem to be coming out of the woodwork. Well, not entirely, but the ASB suddenly gave $5,000 unexpectedly, and a map software company looking for name recognition may do the same. At Chaplin’s, I’m going to ask him to talk to Subaru and Volkswagen about corporate sponsorships for the Club or FIRST in general. Things are looking good for us. And nationals are right around the corner. As is my brother’s graduation, Steel Conflict, and lots of school.

Speaking of school, I got this really good idea recently. One of my classmates in my Math class is doing some independent study of a math class not normally offered at BCC. I’m going to talk to her to figure out how she accomplished that, then ask my current professor, who I like a lot, if he might be willing to guide me through independent study of linear algebra (not being offered next quarter), and differential equations (being offered, but I’ve heard bad things about the professor). And maybe there’s some more math I can learn in the meantime. Then my scheduled classes will be tennis and soccer, and maybe photography’ still have to figure that one out. Dan is taking Photography II through BCC’s continuing education program, which reportedly has access to a much nicer darkroom. I figure I might as well get my art electives out of the way so I can take “real” classes (that is, toward a technical degree to be determined) once I get to the UW (knock on wood).

And that brings me to the final subject (I think), which is this Microvision Internship. For Larry, a mentor of mine, it was an internship that got him motivated enough to make most of his classes a breeze. He actually realized he was better at what he did than most of the people already in the field, and everything came pretty easy after that. I’m hoping for a similar experience here. But even if I don’t like the work, it will be valuable information for me to use in my search for what the heck I’m going to do with my life.

No so hot

The Math midterm didn’t go so well… I ran out of time because I didn’t know how to do everything immediately. Given some time to take the practice tests, I probally would have done a lot better, as Rich did. Its an unfortunate way to end such an incredible week, but then I can’t have everything work out. And I have a week to get things pulled together for the final, and I think I might still be able to eek out an A in the class. In photography, I have to figure out if I’m going to take Photo 3 next quarter… my photo 1 teacher thinks that I am good enough.

Kevin, from my Bellevue Club days, gave me a call today. It was good to hear from him again. He’s now working at Met Life and he’s putting together a soccer team that I may be part of, and holding some seminars that I’m invited to. Add that to the list of things I’m doing in April. Exciting times.

Sleep is Good

I slept from about 6:00 pm last night to about 8:30 this morning…. thats over 14 hours. It was wonderful. Now I’m just going to eat breakfast, do some last minute studying for my calculus midterm, and then go ace that bad boy at 10:30…

I haven’t had much music recently recause the firewire cable to my external harddrive with all my tunes is being loaned to someone for DV editing purposes. I may have to invest in another. Also, I need to finish transitioning to oasis as silverfir. Right now that is a stalled project.

So much good stuff to do!

Microvision Internship and soooooo Tired

I interviewed today for the Software Test Intern position at Microvision. About an hour ago, I recieved a call with the good news that they were offering me the job. I start Monday and I am very excited. I will be working in the Flic division, which are portable wireless barcode scanners and application, testing out the scanners in pretty much every concievable manner possible.

I am terribly tired, and I think I need to sleep if I am going to think normally ever again, which would be useful for the calculus midterm I have tomorrow.