The circumstances and the feelings

The cumstances behind my visit were strange. My mom called me to get a ticket for her and then asked me to get another for myself so she wouldn't be alone. I'm really just here for moral support. I just feel like a third wheel though, in the way. I don't want to be a burden while they're tending to my grandmother. I'm not doing much of anything but I'm trying to wash dishes, mop, etc. I just don't feel like it's enough. Oh well, I'll keep keeping them company and trying to do some housework.

Trouble in Paradise

Let me start with the fact that I jumped into a new project a few days ago called iTalk iPhone as a web developer until my new job starts. I got about 2 days into it and created a Cydia repo for them and I'm working on an auction system. It's for free because I feel I should be coding for fun as well as profit. Never just one or the other.

Anyway, the reason I only got about 2 days into it is that we got a phone call saying my grandmother is doing very poorly. My mom was worried but she had already said she wouldn't visit again. She flew out last October when my grandmother's condition deteriorated and everybody expected her to die. She paid her respects, they all said their goodbyes but came to the agreement she wouldn't make the trek again.

It seems my grandmother asked for my mom specifically on this past Thusday or so. She asked me to buy her a plane ticket while she was at work. I called her back and told her she'd fly out the next day, then she asked me to buy a second ticket and go with her. We arrived and looking at my grandmother is just sad. I'm not sure how my mom or my aunts do it and take care of her. I don't think I'm strong enough.

It's a bit of a family reunion, I haven't been here in 4 years. I love coming here, though clearly not under these circumstances. Some people think of Colombia and the first thought in their mind is cocaine and drug dealers. I look around and I see beauty and think "home". This is where I grew up for the first 3 years of my life. I don't really remember much of it but clearly it was enough to evoke nostalgia 20 years later.

The town we live in here is far from luxurious - hell, there's no hot water - but sometimes it's simplicity we need. It's poor, but most certainly not lacking. There's always food on the table, a roof over your head, and I'm always welcome. I miss this.

I'll post later. I'll be coming home next Sunday but I'll most likely post before then.

What happens now?

I made a few phone calls today and I may have a job or two lined up. We'll see how this goes.

I got back from my friend's lake house in PA on Tuesday. I spent the whole of Memorial Day weekend up there and got a nice tan. I was in pain until last night due to tubing behind a jet ski. I was holding on for dear life but I enjoyed every minute of it.

Wish me luck! I may take that trip before my new job. I'll try to keep you guys posted if anything new and interesting goes on.

String of luck (bad? not sure yet)

Let me give you guys some backstory.  I started my new job and all seemed to be peachy.  I impressed them by actually working on stuff day 2.  They expected the first week to be me just getting used to the system.

End of week 1 I already had features working and ready to be put live.  They were happy that everything was going so smoothly.  Soon enough I ran out of work and they threw a whole new project at me.  They gave me a broad overview of what they wanted.  We sat down for a few meetings for the planning phase.  After meeting #2 I didn't hear from anybody.  Specifics were nowhere to be found and my time was spent twiddling my thumbs.  They gave me a few little things here and there, nothing major.  I sent out emails reminding people of what I still needed from them, but to no avail.

3 weeks ago I was given a project that had been talked about but no information had ever come in until then.  I was to modify their ticket system to store HVAC information.  It took all of 4 days, not long at all.

Here's where it gets interesting...

I made a budget 2 weeks ago Thursday so that instead of financially floundering about I would actually make headway on my credit card debt and student loans.  I got into a car accident the next day...awesome.  Nothing major, just paint and a missing mirror.  Some lady sideswiped me.

It gets better...

I had planned to go out the following week with my friends to the city to celebrate my birthday.  I got a phonecall that Wednesday saying Friday would be my last day at the company due to lack of work.  My birthday party turned into a birthday/unemployment party.

Where am I now?  I spent the last 4 days or so at my uncle's house for lack of anything to do with myself and knowing they needed the help.  His wife is insane and treats his kids like dirt.  I'm not saying they don't deserve it on occasion, they are teenagers after all, but I maintain that she's insane.  I'm just glad I was able to smooth things over for all of them for a few days.

I filed for unemployment and I've called/emailed recruiters left and right.  My family is pushing me to take a trip instead.  They say I should take the unemployment money and take a vacation, which I haven't done in years.  It might be good for me.  I was hesitant at first but they're starting to get to me.  For the past few years when I've had the money I haven't had the time, and when I have the time, I don't have the money...why not live a little while I'm still in my early 20s?

Long time

It's been a while and I'm still trying to make sense of this month.
I'll fill you guys in soon

Playing Catch-Up

I haven't posted in quite some time.  Sorry about that.  Let me try to get you guys all caught up.

My last day of work was kinda sad.  I didn't want to leave.  I was fine all day but when 5:30 came I realized I wouldn't be coming back on Monday.  Luckily I had the next week off.  I went to Naples, FL and had lots of fun.  It was beautiful there, almost surreal.  It's crazy how perfect life can seem down there.  I got a sun burn during my last 2-3 hours in Florida which totally sucks but it went away quickly.  I'm still peeling though.

I came back 2 weeks ago Saturday and started work that Monday.  It was a great first day.  They were expecting me to take the whole first week to figure out the system.  I was implementing new features my second day and analyzing and offering suggestions on the first day.  They seem to be fairly impressed and I'm happy to be there.  They pay for breakfast and lunch most times.  It's pretty cool and laid back.  Nobody's hassling me, which I guess is worse because I'm my own worst critic anyway.  I can work from home at will, and have been for the past 2 days and will again tomorrow because my boss wouldn't be there Wednesday-Friday.  No reason to be there if I can save the gas by doing the same work from home.  We have each-other's phone numbers anyway.

Yesterday I installed Windows 7 Beta 64 bit build 7000.  It's not as fun as I expected but it does seem to run a lot better than Vista.  Today I found a torrent of build 7057 and upgraded to that.  Not a huge difference that I can make out yet.  A bit disappointing that I can't run Virtual Box on physical drives though.  I can only create images and use those as virtual drives.  Apparently this was a change they put into Vista and it's still in 7 as well.

That seems to be about it.  If I think of anything else I'll post it.  Hopefully you've all been doing well.  Leave me a comment, let me know.

Breakfast Battlescars and Linux Too

What a day. Let me back up a bit and mention that I was at my uncle's place this weekend and there was a nice snow storm on Sunday night through Monday afternoon. No work for me because I couldn't get anywhere and didn't have my laptop to even work from home. I played Xbox 360 all day with my cousin. Good times.

I woke up this morning to get ready for work, took a shower, got dressed and then proceeded to help my uncle with breakfast. It wasn't complicated, it was ham, egg, and cheese on a bagel. Stupid me got the idea to put he cheese on the bagel while it was in the toaster oven so it would melt a bit only I touched the top of a toaster oven that had just turned off mere seconds earlier. I've got a nice burn on my hand. My "breakfast battlescar."

I got home after work and started fiddling, as I tend to do, because my parents got me a cable box for my room. I had given up on TV because I couldn't fit one if I wanted to fit my desk in my room. I got a Hauppauge HD-PVR last week (I shouldn't have because now I'm broke but that's besides the point) and now I can watch TV using my computer and even record it! Well, that was the idea anyway. I had installed Kubuntu Intrepid Ibex (8.10) a few weeks ago and I've loved it. Today, however, I'm hating it. I'll probably love it again when I get this working but so far I've been messing with it for 3 and a half hours trying to get it to compile correctly.

I love computers, I swear. It's just a love-hate thing.