Recruiting the Youth of America, Part Deux

New front elevation of the library:


Bridge that connects library and Fisher (note: I was told that the bridge is closed during the winter because the engineering firm didn't take the load from the snow into account. I *really* hope that's not true):


I had a great time and I wish I was able to stay longer. Can't wait 'til next year!!

Recruiting the Youth of America

Last week, I (and 12 others)represented Ford at Career Day on campus. Words can not describe how much I wish I could stay at Tech forever. The people, the surroundings and slow-paced, simple lifstyle are what make it so wonderful. I interviewed 8 candidates for summer intern & co-op positions; 4 made it to the next round of interviews. If things go as planned, a summer intern and a co-op will be hired by the spring.

I made a very important observation last week. Either the fishbowls got a hell of a lot smaller or the amount of alcohol has decreased. Point being - I drank 3 fishbowls and 5 Captain & Cokes. I'M STILL LIVING TO TELL ABOUT IT!!!! If I drank 2 while I was in school, I was piss ass drunk and guaranteed booting all over the place. Nope. Not this time. Yes, I was tipsy but I felt good the next morning. A little dusty but not even a headache. That's scary......Below are some pics:

Ripley - Still beautiful as ever




Homecoming was last weekend. How did I know??? Well, it was easy to tell when I saw this:




Our letters look funky:




If anyone can guess what this is a picture of, then you're good:

On a happier note.....

....I'm leaving for Tech on Sunday morning for Career Day. I am one of 13 members of the recruiting team representing Ford Motor Company. YIPPPEEE

Who's going up?!

The company is giving me a car to drive for the week - either a Mustang Shelby (I will pee my pants) or a Ford Edge (our new crossover vehicle coming out in November). If I had to bet, I'd say I'm getting the Edge. I don't care which vehicle I get...I'm going to Tech, baby!!

I should arrive around 5pm on Sunday. Ford Night is at 6pm that evening. The team plans on meeting for breakfast at Suomi Restaurant (I love their sweet bread). I present to a junior-level class later that morning and then that night we are to set up the display. Tuesday is Career Day, so I'll be speaking to students from 9am - 4pm. The team will meet for dinner that night at North Shore (is it new, I've never heard of the place????). Wednesday and Thursday are interview days. Yuck. Ford's interview process sucks the big one. Very rigid. Oh well.....hopefully I'll be able to hit Quarters on Thursday night. TROUBLE!! Ugly things happen when you can get a tray of beer (13 of them) for $2.25.....Too bad JD's Boathouse no longer exists. I'd stay one additional night for pitchers. I CAN'T WAIT! Especially after the wonderful night I had w/ my fabulous husband (see previous post). I need some time in Houghton to regain some perspective. I'll be sure to post some pictures when I get back. The colors are supposed to peak next week. I love the fall season.

Dennis Leary is Correct

Asshole. Unfortunately, on my husband's birthday, that is the only word I can think of when I look at him tonight.

Remember that kick ass snowmobile I bought him a month ago (well 50% of it anyway - we still owe the remaining 50%)? Well, he seems to have forgotten the "grateful" part of that deal. The downhill slide started with this comment:

"Jason, the snowmobile payment is due on the 13th. Don't forget to take money out of your ING account to pay for it." Before I knew it, we were in a huge arguement about money. Now, there is NO REASON for us to be arguing about money. Our combined income is well beyond what we need to survive. Somehow the conversation got turned around on why I have a 2K credit card balance. My explanation (albeit not a good reason) - if I didn't save 4k for the stupid ass snowmobile, I wouldn't have a credit card balance. I can't save money for the snowmobile AND pay off my credit card in the same month. I don't make that much money. So, I chose to save for the snowmobile last month and pay off my credit card this month. I didn't think it was that big of a deal. Wow, wrong answer. All of a sudden I was supposedly insinuating that it wasn't alright for him to spend money, but it was alright for me to. Where did that come from?

Comments like "why did you charge your plane ticket to NYC?" and "why did you spend $300 on clothes?" were directed at me. Response #1: well, it's basically the only way to purchase a plane ticket these days - plus I used my DEBIT card NOT my CREDIT card....try again asshole. Response #2: I hate shopping. I shop for myself MAYBE twice a year. I went to the mall one day and bought 4 outfits for work (not even casual or bar clothes) and a necklace to go w/ one of the outfits. Sorry, but there is a dress code at work. The last time I went shopping for myself was when I went to Minneapolis last summer/fall before Heather Kentala had Carter. Thank you very much.

Now I'm ready to torch the fucking snowmobile and be done with it. NEVER again will I sacrifice to do something that I know will make him happy. I'm pissed.

OH MY GOD.....

WARNING - Grey's Anatomy S3, Ep1 information

.......Addison had the black underwear!!! Not only did Addison have the black underwear, but she *DELIBERATELY AND METICULOUSLY* washed them, folded them and stuck them in a plastic bag. Then at the end of the episode, Addison tacks them up on the bulletin board. HOLY SHIZ.

I loved the flashback thing going on. It was great to get more background information on each character. Can you believe Burke was such an A$% to Christina at the mixer??? I LOVED how McDreamy booted Addison out in the rain. Oh, and I always thought that Ellis dumped the Chief - not the other way around.....hmmmmm

The dialogue between George and Derek made me tear up for a split second. Then what made me cry like a baby was what Derek said to Meredith at the end. Why can't guys be that romantic? Actually they are until you start boinking then romance is totally out the window......Anyway - Meredith has a lot of thinking to do. By her reaction to Derek's confession, she's gonna choose him. SHE BETTER!!

He's Never Disappointed Me Yet

The Jimmy Buffett (JB) concert was last night and he's still got it. Despite the fact that it rained the entire 3 1/2 hours we were there, the concert rocked. What I love most about JB concerts (and his music) is his sound. He sounds EXACTLY the same live as he does on his records. NO JOKE. I love it.

Some highlights of the night:

JB walked on stage at 8pm with a faded yellow t-shirt, khaki-style shorts, bare feet and his signature wrist bands. He carried an umbrella made out of balloons and started with "Singing in the Rain". How appropriate.....I'm sure he was trying to lighten the mood since everyone in the lawn area was going to be soaked to the bone by the end of the night.

He played some oldies - Floridays, One Particular Harbour (my fav) and, of course Margaritaville. He also played some newbies off of the Hoot soundtrack and his new record coming out October 10. He actually produced the movie so check it out!!! He's a conservationist, so the storyline is parallel to his lifestyle.

He ended the night with Southern Cross (which I'm not too fond of re-makes, but his rendition is very good) and Fins.

Although I didn't have an ounce of alcohol (I drove the 2 hours home and I HAD to come into work today) it was an awesome night. So what if it rained steadily for 3 1/2 hours, I didn't have a dry article of clothing on me and I wasn't smart enough to wear contacts.....For that short span of time, I was on a beach off the southern tip of Key West.

Good to Bad to Worse to Good

Despite the title of this post, I really did have a good day today.

Work went extremely well today. I was contacted by a customer that I did work for a few months ago. He asked if he could use some images that I put into a report for an SAE paper. Excellent. That was basically the highlight of my day.

Left work around 3:30pm because Jason and I are going to check out the local YMCA together. His gym membership expires tomorrow. Well, at about 4:03pm things weren't so great. My front LH tire went flat. That's not the bad part. I've changed flat tires before....once at 2am in a gas station parking lot when I was 21 and once in January of 2005 at 6am, on my way to work, in the freezing F'ing cold, in a gas station parking lot. I got my last flat tire by hitting a pothole (unbeknownst to me it was a DEEP pothole) going 30 mph. Not only did my tire go flat instantly, but my rim bent, too. I took my car to Belle Tire on 15150 Michigan Avenue in Dearborn (subliminal message: don't ever go there) to have the rim replaced. I should have been observant when I picked up my car because one lug nut on that tire was not the lug nut that was on it when I dropped off the car. FAST FORWARD TO TODAY: I pull off to the side of the highway and start jacking up my car. A super nice (and incredibly HOT) man asked if I needed help and I declined. He looked at me, smiled and said, "bullshit". Then proceeded to loosen my lug nuts (M-E-O-W). He got to the mutant lug nut from Belle Tire and couldn't loosen it. It didn't fit the socket. In fact, it didn't fit ANY socket that he had in his toolbox. In the meantime (and this is about 1/2 hour later), two MI State troopers and MDOT Courtesy Patrol pulled up. We explained what the issue was with the lug nut. The MDOT guy (David Dawson) said that he had a compression socket that he would try. Heaven opened up and angels began to sing because it worked. Chris (the incredibly HOT guy) said that he was going to take off since there was nothing else he could do. I thanked him and he left. The funniest part of the story is that I left my cellphone at home today. I couldn't get a hold of Jason to let him know that I was going to be late. I used Chris' phone to ask Jason to pick me up (at that point MDOT David hadn't shown up). After my tire was changed, the MI State Trooper said that he didn't want me to stay on the highway for Jason since it was so dangerous. I thanked MDOT David by slapping him with $40 and a quick hug. I told the trooper that I'd exit off the highway and call Jason from a payphone. How archaic. I wasn't able to get a hold of Jason, so I left him a message to turn around and come home. When I got home I figured out why Jason didn't answer his phone. He left it at home. I need to go to the gym and blow off some steam......Thanks to all who stopped to help a girl in need - MDOT David, Hot-guy Chris, and the two MI State troopers.