Not Your Average Guy

… No more nerds or shitty cooks.

Looking back at the events of the past few months, I realize that I am stuck in a rut: a routine. I wake up at the same time to take the same route, to the same building, to greet the same professors, to sit in the same classrooms, to hear the same lectures… then to eat the same food, at the same cafeteria, to see the same people, to have the same conversation, to… I think you get the picture. Currently, my life is predictable.

As a result, I am really losing that motivation and that drive to continue through until graduation, which is five months around the corner. You would think graduation is enough motivation to get me through the same routine. You would also think that after four years of a similar routine, I would be used to predicting the events of my day and things would be easier… It’s not.

I dislike routines. I belive school is the only routine I have ever commited myself to. Many times I find myself searching for new and exciting things to do when work or fun activities become routine.

I wonder how I would be in a relationship. Maybe that is why I have always been noncommittal and turned off by even considering getting into a relationship with another person. If things were to become boring or routine, I would probably leave or find something ‘ new and exciting.’ Maybe same-sex marriage being illegal in California is a good thing for me. By it being illigal, the state prevents me from making a decision I would most likely break. What am I talking about?! I know someday I will get married (when it is legal) and I would love to be stuck in a rut with the one I love.

This has nothing to do with the fact that Texans were shuffling across campus with their umbrellas in hand while mist was barely falling from the sky. Or that fact that I spent all day in the same wet clothes walking from my dorm to the engineering building on the opposite side of campus.

Actually, I want to share one of the top reasons why I love the fall season. That reason is that fall leads right into the holiday season. For some the Holiday season begins on Thanksgiving, my second most favorite holiday of the year. For me, the holiday season begins when the stores begin to carry eggnog: that silky smooth, cinnamon laced, fruity tasting drink. Every year around this time I scurry from one grocery store to another searching for a carton of that spicy goodness.

I have many memories of throwing temper tantrums as a child, begging my mom to drive me to the store and buy me eggnog. I used to sit on the couch, wrapped in a flannel blanket, sipping my seasonal eggnog and watching Power Rangers. These days I sit in my room wrapped in my wool blanket and watch reruns of television shows. All this while sipping on my eggnog.

So, as I sit and sip on my whiskey-spiked eggnog (I can wish), smelling the sweet aromas of special Christmas blend coffee, and eating candy canes for the next six weeks, I want to officially welcome you to the beginning of the Holiday season.

We did it America… We fucking did it! Obama won the presidency and I could not be any happier.

This election is by far the first election that I was actually engaged in. I did my research. I informed myself of the candidates’ platform and their views on social and political isssues.

On the other hand, I am very disappointed in the citizens of California. For the first time in my life I am not proud of my state. The passing of Proposition 8 stirs a lot of mixed feeling inside of me. I mean, who gave anybody the right to make decisions for other individuals… or couples. I understand marriage is a big deal to this in the Christian community. But outside the Christian community, what does marriage mean?

I understand that marriage is between two people who share a love for each other that can not be expressed toward another person. By taking this right away from people who are different, the state of California is not living up to its standard of moving into the future and providing equal treatment for all California citizens.

California, you have some thinking to do.

I have not posted in about a week. Currently my life consists of homework, difficult exams, and projects. Life of an undergraduate engineering student is… well… unexistant.

Ten weeks! Wow! Time has flown by extremely fast. Only, like… 22 weeks of my academic career left. I am considering putting one of those countdowns on the sidebar, but then I would just feel like the page is cluttered.

All the procrastination is starting to creep up on me and my mind is going crazy just thinking about what the next six weeks hold for me. I predict busy weekends and a lot of time watching ‘The OC’ reruns on DVD with my roommate.

I want to expound on the fact that I happened to finally be placed with a roommate who I believe is the best one since my first day of college. If he were gay, we would totally be compatible with each other. Unfortunately he is woman crazy and had a terrible relationship with his last girllfriend. As a result he has lost faith in relationships and is on the rebound.

We’ve been able to open up to each other. Only a matter of time until one day I lay my biggest secret on him. His brother is gay, so I am sure the second time around will be much easier. I will keep my fingers crossed.

He says “jeepers” alot and I laugh and joke about it all the time. He is fun to joke around with. Just tonight at dinner me and some of the other guys on the floor were playing with his mind. Just the mention of seeing some ‘good-looking chick’ made his head turn. What a charachter, that guy. Too bad I could not have met him four years ago.

For the next three days I will be at Baylor University in Waco, Texas attending a conference. The topic is “Bottom- Up Approaches to Global Poverty: Appropriate Technology, Social Entrepreneurship, and the Church.”

So far, the presentations have been interesting and relevant to the engineering field and providing means to assist the undeveloped world with solutions that meet there needs as THEY see then, rather than how we see them.

In a way, I feel like more of an engineering being involved in such a conference. I am presenting along with a team member of mine on Saturday. Wish me luck.

… I have finally found a roommate that I like.

And I am happy for that.

My room has this never ending aroma of coffee… I love it.

Every time I walk into my room and my nose opens up to that familiar smell, I am reminded of a cold winter morning back in the San Francisco Bay Area. I imagine myself walking through the city sipping on a warm eggnog latte from Peet’s: the bright lights, white and gold trees, the colorful decorations. I imagine being at home watching reruns of Dawson’s Creek while sipping on a freshly brewed cup of Sumatra.

I am not an addict… I am a lover.

My education has officially taken over my life. All the lectures, coursework, lab work, and project work takes up approximately 14 hours of my day. that leaves 10 hours for eating, sleeping, and research for my project.

I have been fearing these days for the past three years. For the past three years I have been preparing myself mentally, physically, and emotionally for the issues, stress, and lack of sleep that I am now facing. I am so glad that life after college will not consist of homework.

I may have my ideas wrong, but a year from now I see my self walking into my apartment after work, loosen the top button of my shirt, drop trou, and sit on my couch with a beer in one hand and the remote in another.

You’re stranded on a Desert Island:

1. What one person would you wish was stranded there with you?
I am not too sure about this one. I would have to say my buddy Pete. He might be faster than me, but I have more endurance. In the case we encounter an aboriginal tribe, I will be able to out-run him and make off the island while they village sacrifices him to their gods.

2. What one tool would you want to have?
Does a snowboard count as a tool? I would want that so I can board on the sand hills.

3. What one food do you wish you would have an unlimited supply of?
Cheerios please!

4. What one luxury item would you wish for?
Coffee

5. What one book would you want to have with you to read and re-read?
The Kite Runner. I am sure I will still not have finished reading the book. I’ve been reading it since June.

6. You have one piece of paper, a pencil and one bottle ~ who is the message going to be written to?
Write? I would McGyver that shit and my snowboard into a boat.

7. What skill would serve you best while on the island?
I have the ability to fall into a coma on demand. Seriously, when I sleep nothing can wake me up.

8. How long do you think you could last before needing rescue?
An island surrounded by nothing but water = a lot of beach time for me. I can last a few years.

9. What one island animal would become your pet?
A chimpanzee… He can get bananas for me and we would speak to each other in chimp.

10. Your island is unknown to you, and you need to give it a name - - what would it be?
I would name the island “My Island” since it would be my island.

11. What would you do to pass the weeks, days, and hours?
I would Swiss Family Robinson for bit. Eventually I will have discover electricity and physics and engineer a new civilization.

12. You’ve been rescued! What is the first thing you’re going to do when you get back home?
Dine at In-N-Out Burger.