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...

Tonight's Gonna Be a Good Night

True Dat!

(that was the song playing on the radio when I opened my blog... just thought i'd share)

I don't post much

well, I fail at updating this thing.

(just so you know)

Growing Up

The sad truth is, this year might be the first (barring my mission) that I do not see my family on Easter. . . (probably something that I am going to need to get used to if I ever plan on getting married or moving out of state. . .)

I guess I am just sort of a family man. . . 

(not that I am horribly sad, this is just a recognition that I am finally growing up a little. . .)

School: you cramp my style

I realized yesterday, that I have not done anything really spontaneous or exciting in a while. . .
I blame school.
My blog would be so much more exciting if I wasn't writing papers about Eva Peron, or why I am going to read all my life, or the like.

I WANT MY LIFE BACK STUPID SCHOOL!!!

Hunger

This is not going to be a very philosophical post:
I am STARVING!!! (I hate when people call in sick to work)
also I am Hungry for this semester to end and to do some fun stuff such as hiking and volleyball and jogging and the like. . .

just insatiable hunger.

ps I really do love life, I am just hungry right now and that changes the way I feel about things like life... :)

Funny how we are so spoiled

It is so interesting that we are spoiled enough that something as inconvenient as trying to watch part of a basketball game over the internet or playing a game online against someone who lives across town or even in another city (which is obviously amazing! I mean real time video from across the country?!?!) and yet when it gets a little glitch-y or jumpy or anything else people fly off the handle about how stupid it is.  I mean come on! It is still really cool that you can hear it right as it's happening! 

anyway, I am not talking about anyone in particular; just saying in general.

sometimes I have been like that; but then I step back and realize that I am just being stupid, even when I can't get the internet in one of my classes I get frustrated. . .  (like today for about 15 minutes).

Let's not be stupid!

Fin.

What Dreams are Coming

Recently I have been having really weird dreams, mixes of movies or other stuff like that, stuff that I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about those things. . . 

1. Last week I had a dream that was a mix of Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia. . . I think I was in a mixed role of Aragorn and Peter. . .  it was pretty cool, but definitely weird.

2. Still last week, I had a dream about Peter Pan, (without the flying sadly) and a mix of the sci fi genre (a city of ember feel, but before I saw the movie) and a mob flick (mostly drug related).

anyway, yeah, my dreams have been weird  recently.

fin.

What is wrong with me?!?

I can't figure it out . . . maybe I am getting sick, but the past week, I have been getting more sleep than normal, and I am still Horribly tired and sleepy.

I have fallen asleep more this week in class and while watching TV than I even did when I was working two jobs and 10-14 hours a day. 

There has got to be something wrong with that, and although I can blame a little bit of it on the daylight savings time change, I have never had this magnitude of a problem with daylight savings time before. . . 

maybe I am mutating into a superhero. . .  that would be pretty sweet!

People are like Demetors.

During this school year I have become acquainted with different people who have left me with distinct impressions and I have finally realized what it is that makes them such unique characters in the story of my life, let me divulge the knowledge I have come to.

Last Semester when I got my marching band parka, I went to a friend's apartment with it on and walked in the door only to say "I'm a Dementor" and then leave . . . this instance, (combined with an email I wrote in response to another friend's jokingly mean email) made me think to myself. I thought, "Self, what is a dementor?" and of course the obvious answer: a soul sucker! (yes that is not completely true . . .  but true enough for my metaphor).  So how do souls sucking harbingers of darkness factor into my aquainting people this year?  now we shall weave these many thought strands together into a chord of pure awesomeness!!!

People are like Dementors, there are certain people in the world who just suck something out of you; something that you do not want to give up . . .

Examples!

1. I play in the band at BYU, and one of my directors is a Dementor of Fun. (not Bro. Mac) I don't know how she does it . . . but seriously, she can make anything become un-fun.

2. I have another band director (still not Bro. Mac) who is a Dementor of Energy, after a little while in there I don't want to do anything; it's sad, because I like music.

3. My Grandpa was a Dementor of Doubt, every time that I would be in a situation where I felt unsure of the direction my life was heading in, he would be there to assure me I was on the right path or help steer me in a more suitable direction.

Just a few thoughts, but for all you Harry Potter fans . . .  Dementors are REAL!

fin.

I am Antsy...

I really really really want to perform on my guitar, I don't know why but for the last 2 weeks I have wanted to play and sing in front of an audience... i have found like 4 songs that I just want to get a drummer and a bass player and just have at it... that is what is so frustrating about school... it keeps me from doing cool and fun things like that.

speaking of cool and fun things... I have had the itch to go hiking for about a week now. 

I can't wait until summer!

fin.

Rock The Homework!!!

I woke up this morning with no intention of finishing all my homework, due to the fact that I procrastinated it all weekend . . .  and then, I woke up this morning (later than I should have) and got it done!  (I'll admit I didn't do all my reading, but I got the important stuff!)

So, for once procrastination paid!!! I got to do everything I wanted this weekend and still got all my homework done before class with minimal stress! Who says procrastination can't pay off?

Fin.

oh, and those are the Rocky Mountains?!?!? That John Denver is full of crap!!!!!!

Business Finance

I am glad that I am not a business major anymore.

Business Finance is a little bit rough-er than I would have expected... then again, I should have realized that because people need to predict the future in order to make good business decisions... 

I can handle finances pretty well (and I'm humble too...)  but all this EBIT and OIROI stuff is spinning my head... it's not natural!!!

so, I'm pretty much saying I'm glad that I am here in my new major.