Ryan the Intern (Week 3)

Week 3 is all about the Roof!
I worked with a very small crew... one guy (Carry) plus me!
This was really great because I got to have one on one attention and the opportunity to get hands on experience!

Day 1: We started on a day with not much to do, so we worked on a project that had been put off because it was a low priority. We were cutting bad caulk out of the stairs on the south west side of the Kimball Tower(because it was leaking into the basement). It was not a very exciting day again, but there was a promise of an exciting project on the horizon! More details to come.

Day 2: We prepared for the aforementioned project, working on the roof of the Maeser Building! The only problem was that it rained... and we got a call for an emergency leak in the basement of the Kimball Tower. (fortunately not the area we were working on!) It was a lot of investigatory work. Good to learn how to do that!

Day 3: Another day of investigating and working hard to fix the problems in Kimball Tower. Before the work, we got to check out some contractor work! One thing we got to see was the new broadcasting building! It is going to be Awesome!!!! Also, we got to go on top of the Marriott Center!! They are re-doing the roof, so we had to check it out! it was Awesome!!!!

The rest of the week I was off, because Carry left for the weekend... so I got a long weekend!!!

I really enjoyed the week... it was full of cool experiences and a good chance to pick someone's brain about their job rather than just leaning from 5 different people...

Ryan the Intern (Week 2)

Well, here we are at week 2 already, it seems like the time will fly doing this interning business.

This week I was on the rotation to spend time with the BYU Grounds department! (yeah, I know it sounds like a lot of weeding and mowing lawns... but it was more fun than that!)

Day 1: I had to wake up early, (6 am) in order to be there in time for the crew I was working with... kinda sad. I worked with the on-campus shrub pruning crew. I spent the first two hours with the foreman on the crew just giving me an orientation. Then we had to go help pull tarps at the softball field because it was raining.... (I really enjoyed that and now I have been on 3 of the major playing fields on campus, baseball football and basketball.) Then I spent a while pruning around the Eyring Science Center.

Day 2: Tuesday I worked with the Landscape Development crew on campus. They are currently building a new "water feature" south of campus on the hill where the nature walk trail used to be. It is basically a man-made stream. We got to work with a guy who drives a front loader, and we helped position the rocks below the Grant building, we did the west end of the area, and I was able to use a dirt compactor... (like a big powered pogo stick with a big foot on it.) It was hard work, but it should last for a while and I can say that I helped create it.

Day 3: Wednesday I was able to work with the Arborist and his crew, which was fun! There was a dead tree on the North end of the Morris Center. The tree was really close to the building, so we had to pull it down away from the building. Two people had to climb up the tree and cut down the branches hanging over the building. At the end we tied a rope around one of the thick trunks and pulled while one guy cut down the main part of the trunk with a chain saw. I felt pretty accomplished at the end of the day.

Day 4: Thursday I was back on the shrub pruning crew, (fortunately a different crew which started at 8). We pruned at the MTC, which was fun! I had good memories of the Mission :D (For those of you who have been to the MTC we were working at building 4, the Woodruff Building, which is the main one with the cafeteria).

Day 5: Friday I worked with the grounds crew that take care of Heritage Halls (where I lived as a freshman...) I just did some edging and used a weed whacker. Nothing too exciting... but every day doesn't have to be exciting.

Well, was a good week, it was interesting to work in the rain outdoors, but totally worth it! I had some awesome experiences through the week!

Ryan the Intern (Week 1)

so, I am doing an internship, and because I want to remember what I have done, I decided to chronicle some of my more awesome comings and goings from each week.

So, in week 1, I worked with the Mechanical shop at BYU campus.

Day 1: didn't seem promising for the beginning of my internship, I spent most of the morning working in the shop with the other students, filing down some pieces that would be used to help construct bathroom stalls... it was a pretty bad way to start off the internship.

Day 2: Fortunately today was better for my internship, I was able to see more of the things that the Mechanical Shop does. We worked in the Clark Building putting in a new HVAC system (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) in the Kennedy International Studies entry lobby, we got up the section of ducting that connected into the rest of the building's system. More to come on this project later.

Day 3: Today I got to spend the morning with the plumbers, who are also part of the mechanical shop. We unclogged a sink in the girl's bathroom of the McDonald building (the one on campus, south of the MARB). After that, I went back to the Clark bldg. where we put up the center piece of the HVAC system.

Day 4: Thursday, we put the insulation on the system to keep it from having any problems, nothing else too special.

Day 5: The last day of my first week! I spent the day with the plumbers again, this time we were working on a retro-fit for the Fletcher building. I got to hang some pipe, use a hammer drill, and drive a BYU truck! (it was awesome!) The other cool thing I was able to do was work in the MTC testing some valves... which was fun to go back after so long.
We took a break at the CONE and I was able to see Whitney! I hadn't seen her in a while... it was fun!

So, my first week was not too bad! I learned a lot and was able to have some cool experiences! (only 7 more weeks to go!)

Business Socks

So, I wore my black socks with my gym shorts (like I do sometimes on sunday...because it's comfortable).
I wore it to ward prayer, and made an announcement.

Everyone Judged Me.
I'm sad.

My Childhood

So, I totally put this on my Facebook, but I really felt like elaborating here.

With the help of my good friend Jon, I was able to download Zelda: The Ocarina of Time on my Wii.
Ok, this game was probably the favorite one of my entire youth. I remember playing this and FFX late into the night, probably one of my favorite video gaming memories was one night at about 2 AM I was in the basement running through the Gerudo Desert while listening to Desert Rose by Sting on the radio (the sound was off on the TV so as not to disturb anyone). I was probably between 10 and 16. Now anytime I hear that song I think of that dark basement and that night playing that game.

kinda weird, but I spent my days being social and my nights being a nerd.

The beat of my slowly failing heart

so,
over the last few weeks, the only thing that keeps me sane is the constant knowledge that I will be able to play about 6 hours of rockband per week...
this is sad you say?
well, I'd rather play rock band twice a week and be sane than the alternative.
you say that you are insane to play that much rockband?

no, my friend, YOU are the one that is insane for thinking that.

Blessings

With my aunt in the hospital after her surgery, I have been really thinking about how blessed I am and thanking Heavenly Father for the blessings that I have. Also, I have really enjoyed the visits that I have had with my aunt and grandma in the hospital.
It's funny how something that I would normally not "have time" for, like visiting family all of a sudden become much more important when someone is in the hospital.
I hope I can take that time even when there is nothing going wrong.

Resolution

Well, it is a new year, and I am a year older... so I am gonna try again to be more consistent with updating this blog added to my other resolutions.

Let's see how it goes...