The Life I Lead

4 Day Weekend

2005-05-27T11:39:00.000-04:00

Today starts my big four day weekend. If someone wants to do something then give me a call. Otherwise I'll be at the firehouse cooking on the new grill.

Runaway Truck

2005-05-26T10:52:00.000-04:00

I was at the salvage yard yesterday looking at one of our cars, a trans am actually when the most spectacular thing happened. Let me set up the story first though. The trans am I was looking at was missing its hood which the auto shop has seemed to misplaced so I was going through the car making sure they didn't steal (misplace) anything else. I asked the fork lift driver to move the car out of the mud for me so I could do a more thorough look, he obliged and moved it five feet over. I then proceeded to get in the car and rummage through the pile of parts in the back seat. Crash! A flat bed tow truck drove straight into the fence where the trans am had been not five minutes before. I look up to see there is no driver in the truck as a pile of more car parts fly through the air and the metal fence is being pushed fifteen feet into the neighboring property's car.

15 Days

2005-05-24T14:16:00.000-04:00

My suspension started yesterday. For the next two weeks I can not legally drive. Other than that both school and work are going great.

Nothing of Interest

2005-05-21T16:22:00.000-04:00

So lately I haven't really done anything of merit to write down on my blog. I'll admit it, for the time being I am leading a terribly boring life. I could spend time listing my plans for the near and far future but not even I am all that interested. In other words, for a while at least my blogging will slow down a bit.

Like A Good Neighbor...

2005-05-19T12:14:00.000-04:00

I started my job at State Farm on Monday. It has been good so far. I am a summer intern in the Centralized Total Loss Unit. I deal with all the cars we salvage and sell at auctions. Ultimately, my goal is to make a survey to see what the buyers are looking for, where and when. Then I'll work with the IT department to develop a model that will help predict such factors so State Farm can make more money.

The Tip Jar

2005-05-15T19:08:00.000-04:00

Sitting here at work I have come up with an ingenius idea. The tip jar! It is so simple to implement I am suprised no one has ever came up with it before. I took an ordinary translucent plastic cup and wrote TIPS with a permenant marker on one side. Then, wherever I am sitting I place the cup in front of me. I will do this at all times even if I am not doing anything to merit a monetary reward. So far I've collected 10 cents!

Burn Tower

2005-05-15T19:00:00.000-04:00

The crew went over to the Montgomery County Fire Academy for our Live Burn. I had a lot of fun. We all went through four evolutions and called it a day. It went by quick. Usually the instructors will go over every last detail and stretch the day out until 4 or 5 in the evening. These guys were cool though. Also, I decided if I were to leave my fire company I would join 69, another truck company who we've been taking the class with. They all seem like good, fun loving people and I think I would fit in well. They also have ambulances which is what I eventually want to get into doing. At my house though, there is so much childish behavior and backstabbing from a select few members that I feel like I am in highschool again. On a whole, Reliance isn't all that bad.

Goals for Life

2005-05-14T18:48:00.000-04:00

Every now and then I like to write down a list of goals to see what direction my life is heading. As of now these things are those I find of most importance to me. The dates I hope to achieve these feats are also written below.

Fitness Goals

Lose 20 to 30 pounds of fat tissue 9/19/05
Run an eight minute mile 10/6/05
Chest 1 1/2 times bigger than my stomach 12/25/05

Educational

Get my EMT Certification 12/31/05
Become a massage therapist 6/1/06
Graduate Neumann Magna Cum Laude 5/14/08

Financial

Buy a Jeep Wrangler 12/25/06
Have it paid off 5/14/08
Move out of moms house 1/1/09

Pay it Forward

2005-05-12T16:07:00.000-04:00

Not only is this a good movie it is a nice philosophy to live by. Just think about the concept for a moment. I help three people who then in order to repay me for my kindness must "pay it forward" to three others. And so forth. By the fourth generation a total of 39 people will have been helped and it will only increase exponentially after that. Think of the impact that could have. I would love to implement this theology into my own life.

Looking for Work

2005-05-11T11:21:00.000-04:00

I need a job for the summer. My mother wants me to take the job a State Farm where she works but I really am not looking forward to that. I would rather work somewhere like Lauren's House which is a place that takes care of mentally challenged children. Anything somewhat medical in nature would be good though. Wish me luck in my search. Any ideas welcome too.

School is Out!

2005-05-07T14:36:00.000-04:00

Finished my second semester at Neumann. I am waiting for the grades to come out. I want to see how I did. I am not so confident in a couple of classes. My summer semester starts soon too and I still have to apply for my loan.

The Honor System

2005-05-04T10:19:00.000-04:00

I didn't know it still existed but it was there today. I decided to try this diner by the school for the first time this morning before my chemistry final. They had some good food which I was completely ready to pay for. I gave them my card and swipe, it was denied. Then a second card, denied. At this point they explained sometimes their machine makes erros like this. So I give the waitress a third, final card; denied. Knowing I didn't have any cash on me she just asked me to write my name on the receipt and come back later. That was it, she didn't ask to see my liscense or any form of I.D. I could have written any name on that scrap of paper and never shown up again. I've done stuff like this before but only after I was a regular customer, this was my first time ever walking in the door. I was pleasently suprised.

The story turns out as such. At about 10 o'clock I paid them cash after visiting my bank. Also turns out it was not their machine on the fritz it is my finances. The one card had only seven dollars left on the balance, the other has been suspended because I forgot to mail my payment last month and my bank account had a negative balance in it. I deposited a paycheck and withdrew money.

I'm a Finalist

2005-05-03T15:27:00.000-04:00

I got a call today from none other than Publisher's Clearing House. It turns out I am a finalist, I have been entered to win a whole bunch of stuff. Although I know the likelihood of make actually winning is negligable it still made me happy. The phone conversation couldn't just end there though. The representative then tells me I will get a free watch with diamonds and other doo dads that make it great. How can I pass up the opportunity, sure I want the free watch. Then she tells me I get not one but three free magazine subscriptions. By this time I am elated, I got a free watch out of the deal. Next she offers me another magazine from a wide selection. I choose the TV Guide even though none truly interest me. She says "thank you" and begins to end the conversation when she drops the weekly payment of $3.49 for the TV Guide subscription. I thought it was free so I kindly told her I no longer wanted it. She laughed, can you believe that. Then she goes on to tell me without my weekly $3.49 I can't get my free watch. At this point I was a little upset, so I informed her I no longer wish to continue this conversation. So she says goodbye and then has the nerve to try to implicate I may not be able to win the sweepstakes if I don't subscribe. I then went on a rant using some mildly colorful language that I shall not repeat in case there are any ladies reading this and finished with NO PURCHASE NECCASARY TO WIN. Click.

The Difference Between Potentially & Realistically

2005-05-03T15:26:00.000-04:00

"A young boy went up to his father and asked him, 'Dad, what is the difference between potentially and realistically?' The father thought for a moment, then answered, 'Go ask your mother if she would sleep with Brad Pitt for a million dollars. Then ask your sister if she would sleep with Brad Pitt for a million dollars, and then, ask your brother if he'd sleep with Brad Pitt for a million dollars. Come back and tell me what you learn from that.'

So the boy went to his mother and asked, 'Would you sleep with Brad Pitt for a million dollars?' The mother replied, 'Of course I would! We could really use that money to fix up the house and send you kids to a great University!' The boy then went to his sister and asked, 'Would you sleep with Brad Pitt for a million dollars?' The girl replied, 'Oh my God! I LOVE Brad Pitt I would sleep with him in a heartbeat, are you nuts?!?!?!' The boy then went to his brother and asked, 'Would you sleep with Brad Pitt for a million dollars?' 'Of course,' the brother replied. 'Do you know how much a million bucks would buy.'

The boy pondered the answers for a few days, then went back to his dad. His father asked him, 'Did you find out the difference between potentially and realistically? 'The boy replied, 'Yes... Potentially, you and I are sitting on Three> >Million Dollars.............. but Realistically,......... we're living with two Sluts and a Queer"

Social Drinker

2005-05-02T16:11:00.000-04:00

In my ever contuinuing pursuit to lose weight and get healthy I have decided to no longer consume the vast amount of soda that I do now. I can cut the carbonbated goodness from my diet all together so I will limit it to social settings like when I am out to dinner. I still have a liter left in my kitchen so after that is gone I say farewell to another long time companion. What brought about this revelation you ask? Last night at work I drank two cans of Pepsi and saw I drank three hundred calories. Three hundred isn't bad but these calories had no nutritonal value at all. Also, I want to try to prevent any future diabetes and with all the sugar I consume it only increses the risk. The disease runs on my father's side.

Farewell Friend

2005-04-29T19:36:00.000-04:00

I spent most of the day at the funeral for a fellow firefighter and friend, Steve "Tater" Powers. It was a beautiful service. The percession was spectactular, it looked like thirty or so trucks showed up. A farewell worthy of such a man. You will be missed.

Sisters of St. Francis House of Prostitution

2005-04-28T22:04:00.000-04:00

Since I go to a a Franciscan school with the sisters just across the street I thought I would share this little anecdote with you.

"A man is driving down a deserted stretch of highway when he notices a sign out of the corner of his eye... It reads:
SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS
HOUSE OF PROSTITUTION
10 MILES

He thinks it was a figment of his imagination and drives on without a second thought... Soon he sees another sign, which says:
SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS
HOUSE OF PROSTITUTION
5 MILES

Suddenly, he begins to realize that these signs are for real... Then he drives past a third sign saying:
SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS
HOUSE OF PROSTITUTION
NEXT RIGHT

His curiosity gets the best of him and he pulls into the drive... On the far side of the parking lot is a stone building with a small sign next to the door reading:
SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS

He climbs the steps and rings the bell. The door is answered by a nun in a long black habit who asks, 'What may we do for you, my son?'

He answers, 'I saw your signs along the highway, and was interested in possibly doing business.'

'Very well, my son. Please follow me.' He is led through many winding passages and is soon quite disoriented. The nun stops at a closed door and tells the man, 'Please knock on this door.'

He does as he is told and another nun in a long habit, holding a tin cup answers the door. This nun instructs, 'Please place $100 in the cup, then go through the large wooden door at the end of this way.'

He gets $100 out of his wallet and places it in the second nuns cup. He trots eagerly down the hall and slips through the door, pulling it shut behind him. As the door locks behind him, he finds himself back in the parking lot, facing another small sign:

GO IN PEACE.
YOU HAVE JUST BEEN SCREWED
BY THE SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS.

PayPal is Your Friend

2005-04-28T19:01:00.000-04:00

I recently joined PayPal. This was originally in preperation for the instance where I may have actually bought anything off of EBay. Looking around though, I discovered the site does many other things, such as accept donations. I couldn't resist the possiblility I might actually recieve money for my blog. You can donate by the button off to the side bar below my clock.

Commencement of Commentary

2005-04-27T15:43:00.000-04:00

This entry is the start of all my ramblings. I really do not know where to start. I lead an ordinary life for any other middle class 20 year old. I am currently attending college at Neumann in hopes of earning my bachelor's degree in my selected major, nursing. While attempting to achieve that goal I also volunteer at Reliance Hook and Ladder Fire Co. and work part time. Needless to say, I have omitted sleep from my schedule. I suppose though, you could probably read this in my profile.

Beyond that, all I need to say is I believe the little moments are what make life worth living. Many times I will write what I have done during the day a will explain one particular event in great detail because although insignificant it was interesting and/or humorous.