How I fared from my "firsts"

Flask of blinding light

Example

Well as I mentioned last time I met this project head on. And it floored me at first. Then I wrangled it and wrestled into sumbission and now I'm owning it. My on-the-spot thinking has so far gotten me a great start to designing the plumbing and support structure for an air system. Without going into too many details this job is definitely intended for a more experienced employee, but I have a good relationship with the shop guys (after only a week here) as well as the people in my group. This has really been a challenge and while I am nowhere near done, I am much closer than I was the first day I got here. So work is really keeping me nice and busy, I've gotten some quality challenges and kept my head above water. In another twist I have presented my progress in 3 meetings and was actually the leader of another one. I can feel my confidence growing in the workplace, although I hear myself say things that make me seem overly shy and/or lacking in confidence... so gonna keep working on that.

In LOST news shit is really cooking now! (spoilers ahead for those who are waiting for it all to come to DVD). My thoughts on an interesting time-continuum paradox seem to still be alive and well, the "not penny's ship" folk are as annoyingly mysterious as the others were (are?). I want to get an update from never-aging richard and his posee at "the temple." My currrent theory and answers follow: Michael/Walt is Ben's outside contact on the ship, the oceanic 6=Jake, Kate, Hurley, Sayiid, Claire and her baby, there is a time difference between the ship and the island, the island is working off a different time scale (or spacing) than the rest of the world, Dahrma discovered this interesting time-travelish thing and Ben (via Sayiid) is trying to protect it from bad people (competition) once they are off the island, oh and the freaky guy that is after Hurley is the leader of the anti-dahrma group. Thanks all I can think of for now, post any questions or thoughts u got on the LOST theories.

In WoW news, Sarah got a chance to raid last week with a PUG, I tagged along and got to help down one boss in kara (Curator). No luck on any new loot for me, but Sarah got like 4 (5?) pieces and looks completely epiced out. There was some drama surrounding the impromptu raiding, but the bottom line is that next week we will be going as an organized group to kara and really start on having our guild raid group taking those next awesome steps into end-game content. Still have to go thru the hassle of keying and gearing other people, but I'm gonna try to see this as more of a group endeavor than "what can I get gear-wise and how do I get what I want outta this?" My only hope is that the group has the same mentality.

Studying is going slow for the EIT exam, I tend to have spurts of chapters accomplished in my textbook and I think that there is another one on the way this weekend (and maybe a redmill veggiburger reward?)

V-day was nice, very chill. I got sarah a flower and made us a pizza and salad dinner. My pizza making skills are improving and I really enjoyed the time in the kitchen. Sarah and I got a chance to talk about everything and relax and watch some fun stuff on TV. She's worried about grad school actually becoming a reality and the bottom line is that I will gladly force her to go. She is doing great work at the crisis line right now, and her day job is fine and all, but she really can accomplish a great deal. That being said, there is no timer on success. the matter of 3 months (or even a year for that matter) at our age shouldn't feel like such a make or break decision. All things in good time and the wheels and motivation are definitely in motion for both me and Sarah. Here's to 80 more years on this earth with which to do what we want on it. I got your back, Sars. Alright well that should have every1 caught up, hope you all have a gerat week and for those of you that get that day off you can think of me in my cubicle coughing up a lung of recirculated air while I stare at a screen and spin objects around and around and around and around......
peace

The next step

Well it sounds like this upcoming week will be full of firsts for me:
- I've gotten word of a temporary relocation so I'll be working in Seattle (Tukwila really) for about 2 weeks (throw on a factor of 2 for that, says my lead). It will be my first time working for a new group and first time I'm expected to have some sort of competency in my field.
- In turn this will be the first time I don't shy away from the unknown by saying things like "as long as I have help with this" or "I can try but I'm not familiar with it." Instead I will go head on and so far have been all go-gettim attitude, then when/if I hit a road block I will directly ask questions and get the clarification I need. No more pussyfooting around work assignments!
- Last weekend had my first gardenburger at Red Mill. This vegetarian this is soooooo easy, I'm happy I waited till the world became competent in making delicious alternatives.
- In WoW news last week I became keyed and sometime this week (maybe today) I will run my first 10-man raid. Sarah's geared, I'm geared and we are ready to take it to the next level!!!
-On Friday I will do my first post-watch of LOST this season, because I am dedicated to junto and will mis thursdays episode. Thanks you ABC for being part of the 2000's and putting recent episodes on your website. NO ONE TELL ME ANYTHING!!!
-I will go to Sarah's first 25th birthday on Saturday (I'm sure there are more to come), sounds like a great time and a nice mix of the sofisticated and the immature.
-Just found out also that I'm gonna have my first change in lead (direct higher-up at work), its going to be a peer bumped up to a leadership role. Gonna miss my current one, especially since I see zero leadership from my co-worker, but who knows... maybe it'll be a reason to stay in Tukwila.
-Also saw the first/worst lack of communication with the promoting of the lead. My manager kept putting off telling him till everyone here knew about it and there were even shop-guys congratulating him and then finally he is being told officially (as I type this). Kinda messy way of doing it, he seemed pretty annoyed (even though he unnofficially knew for a day or so) and its just not the way to do these things. Basically I'd just expect more from this company and don't think its so much to ask that there aren't rumors and gossip surrounding a guy that they wnat to accept the offer. call me old fashioned I guess.
-First time asking my readers how to I make it so when someone posts a new blog post I can get word of it via my email. anyone?
-First time making a list of firsts on the blog, its tougher than I thought. Later.