Random Drivel

After today’s stock market closing (Google says the Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8579.19, -678.91 points today, (-7.33% change in value) as of  Oct 9 4:07pm ET), my 401(k) is now -36.7% YTD with a net market change of -$8,825.40.

The part that stinks the most for me, however, is that barely 2 and a half years ago, I was walking across the stage accepting my college diploma, having never seen $8,825.40 all at once, ever, in my life. My first paycheck after that (two weeks pay!) was for more money than I had ever made in a calender year.

This sucks. I am 25 years old. I would freak out if I dropped a $10 bill.

I was watching the SNL “Thursday Weekend Update” tonight, and the Keenan Thompson sketch where he plays an economic advisor who screams over and over to “FIX IT! FIX IT! FIX IT!” Is exactly how I felt. I feel sick to the stomach about this. I know its not much money, and I know I’m young and there is plenty of time, and I’m not supposed to touch this money for 40 years anyway. But I feel sick about this.

I am now the Facilities Maintenance Team Leader, or, the manager in charge of the Facilities mechanics, at work. Role transition with the previous Team Leader starts, well, today really. I’ve been working for almost two years now, since graduating in May ‘06. This new job will be good for my development, so we’ll see where it takes me.

I went in to work tonight to support a project startup. As soon as I left my apartment, I knew it was going to be a rough drive. I usually park in front of the apartment complex, about 50-75 feet in front of my building, and I couldn’t see my car. The fog was that thick. As I got into the truck and started driving, I realized that even with the headlights, I couldn’t see further than 25-30 feet or so in front of my car. Its a good thing I’ve driven this route hundreds of times, because I couldn’t even see stoplights that I knew were there! For the whole 30 minute drive (both ways), I pretty much stuck to the lines in the road.

On the way back, I stopped at a gas station to fill up. One thing I noticed about the night: It was deathly silent. Not a sound could be heard in the street.

Hopefully this fog lifts by the time I’m on my way to work tomorrow morning. Unless I sleep in late, of course. One of the perks of working the weekends.

Well, now that I’ve pretty much decided to only post once every two weeks or so…

I was filling out a project status sheet earlier this week for our staff meeting, and was flipping through my files to make sure I had them all listed. When I realized that I was in charge of about a dozen projects, and that they had budgets totalling almost $1,000,000, that’s when it hit me. This is for real.

I have decided that I’m in the market for a house. I’m looking toward March or April to close on it, so I’ve gotta get my ducks in a row first. Find out what I’m approved for, get a realtor, and start shopping.

If only I could take that cool million from my projects to buy my house!

Today, for the first time, I actually felt confident in my abilities to do my job. Of course, I probably wont be fully settled into it for two years (at which point they’ll move me to a different position), but at least today I felt like I was doing something right.

Last Monday, I found out what my official role with the company for the next few years will be. I will be the new Projects Engineer, which is in the Technical Services group as opposed to the Manufacturing group. Because of this, the Projects role is luckily enough a first shift role, so I don’t have to go a few years working the night shift. Not that I wont respect that, because I will probably have to work many nights and weekends, but thats not as bad as it sounds. I think the first project they’re putting me in charge is a $250,000 one, but I’m not sure, who knows. I start Monday. With any luck, I wont have a project going on during homecoming weekend, and I’ll get to hang out in the Haute with all my friends. Plus, this way I get to actually use my degree from that engineering school that I went to. I already forgot its name. Something-Hulman Institute of Technology, I think. There was an acronym that went along with that.

So I’ve been working for about 9 weeks now, and I’m just now finishing training? Wow. Its been almost like going back to school. Every day, we learned a new aspect of the business. We know everything about the supply chain from the potatoes coming into the plant all the way to the bags getting put on the shelves at the store. Its eye-opening.

Life is nothing but a continuous learning experience. I don’t think a day has gone by in my life where I haven’t learned something, no matter how insignificant. I went through pre-school, grade school, high school, college. I’m a graduate now, and I’m still learning. If I go back and get my MBA, thats probably some more learning I’ll have to do. And I’ll be learning right up to the day I retire. And then I’ll have to learn how to be retired. Its a good experience though, and finally I’m at the point in my life where I am being paid to do the learning as opposed to being the one paying. I think I will love my job, and I’m glad to have it.

The last two weeks have been full of interviews. I’ve been to Indy, Missouri, California, and Chicago. Several of those companies have gotten back to me, but one of those companies, Frito-Lay in Bakersfield, CA, offered me the job I want. And I am going to accept.

I absolutely loved everything about Bakersfield, and they showed me a great time while I was down there. And in a few months, I am going to love living there. The job meets all of my job requirements that I set for myself:

• Its a new state that I haven’t lived in yet
• Terrific opportunities for career advancement
• Excellent pay and compensation package
• Great size of the city, perfect for living on my own for the first time
• Excellent company that is stable, plenty of opportunity
• Great people
• Fun job
• Not engineering

I am going to absolutely love it.

I think I’ve discovered the secret to being an adult. The secret: The Meeting.

The meeting is a time-honored tradition for those who have become college students, and those who have entered the workplace. Meetings can happen anywhere; meetings can happen anytime. Most of the time, nothing gets accomplished. But every now and then, a meeting will be a terrific use of time spent! Something will get accomplished. Some work will get done.

Everyone over the age of 18 (especially Seniors) and anyone in the workplace that has a manager knows what a meeting is. So the question is, how many meetings have you had this week?

Another quarter ends, and finals week is back. Jesus, we have to do this 12 times before we graduate?

Well, the question remains. What to do after graduation? Last week, I had an office trip to Chicago and a few rounds of interviews, and I have to sign up for some more interviews. Maybe I’ll still take the LSAT, even though I decided not to. February? We’ll see. Its not like its going to be hard.

My dad came for a visit last weekend for Dad’s Day, and we went to the football game and the play that night (which was funny). My sister went on a retreat the same weekend, the same retreat that I did my senior year of High School. I haven’t been on one of those since… well, I guess when I went to that one. Got me all nostaligic, maybe I should go on one again. Perhaps that would be good for my soul, as well? I’m prett sure I still have one of those, somewhere. It might be a little bit dusty.

Going to Tulsa for thanksgiving.

I think that a week and a half off of school will be good for me. I’ve become entirely complacent to everything school related. There are some good things on the horizon, and I’ll be looking forward to those when they come around. I’ve got my eye on a few things.

No less than 5 minutes after previous post, I got a callback. Best news ever.

Did I mention how much I like Chicago?