This Blog Entry = The Product Of A Bored Mind

Well here I am again, posting on my blog when I'm at work! Yeah I know what y'all are thinking, what a slacker! Partly true, I've been distracted much more since I finished writing and editing a report mid-week, but I've also been reading up on the recommendations database big-time as well, so at least I'm trying NOT to do nothing!

So, my engine light is back on again. Yes, the blue rocket just won't stop crying and complaining these days, so I guess I'm gonna have to sink ANOTHER couple hundred bucks into her!

On the good side of things, the weekend's here again. Probably gonna go out to a different bar than I did two weekends ago, thinking about the Cavern Club on South 1st Street this time. $1 Pabst Blue Ribbon!!

TGIF everybody!

Reporting In From Work...

Short post today, as I'm just about ready to take off for the day. I just finished editing a huge report here at work, going through all 65 pages looking for anything that smacks of wordiness, or anything that doesn't make sense. A little tedious, but that's report writing for you! I can't wait to get out at a job site, which is coming up next Tuesday. I'll be going to a place called Webberville, MI, which is in Central Michigan around Flint.

As for my life outside of my corner window cubicle, I got my car fixed the other day. The engine light came on last week as I was commuting home, so I took it in to make sure the engine wasn't about to explode. It turned out to be a transient (the light went out on Monday morning) defect in the heating system; aside from that, the engine is working fine! The fan belt problem that has been getting worse over the past few weeks was fixed, so that issue is also out of the way!

In better news, I got U of Michigan hockey tickets on Monday. I'll be sitting in the Michigan offensive zone behind the net, 7 rows up in the stands. Based on what everyone's been saying about the atmosphere at Wolverine games, it should be completely off the hook!

Watching the clock 'till it strikes 5, this is James Shannon reporting...!

2 Weeks In, And It's Looking Rather Good. The Car Just Can't Get With The Program However...

I was really busy with work this week, hence the reason for little activity here on the blog front. I tackled my first project as an intern this week, doing ergonomic analysis on video taken from a job site by the consultant I was working with. He's a really cool laidback guy, so it's been a easy transition into some of the real heavy stuff around my place of work.

I also met the CEO of my company this week. He flew in from Iowa (I think) to attend some meetings here in Ann Arbor. He was the second person I saw when I came in Tuesday morning, so it caught me off guard, to say the least. He was a easy-going fella however, which drew sharp relief to the formalities that I was putting forth in order to not make a bad first impression.

Out of all the reasons to like being at Humantech though, the relaxed corporate culture has to be among my favourites thus far. No rigidity, no overt office politics, things have gone very well two weeks in. I just have to keep working hard and interacting positively with people at work, and I believe that things will turn out just fine for me!

As for other news, things weren't all good this week. My engine light came on Thursday, so I gotta take it in to the shop Monday morning to get it looked at. Hopefully it's nothing too serious!

As for pics from the trip and from here in Ann Arbor, the film is down to its last 5 pics, so it should be ready for development fairly soon. I'll scan it shortly thereafter, and then they will be posted on here for all to see!

Hope everyone's having a wicked weekend!

Busy Busy Busy

Hey everyone, sorry about the lack of posts recently, but I have been so occupied with work and training, as well as familarizing myself with Ann Arbor and my new housemates, that I haven't had much time for anything else!

Work has gone well, with various consultants on staff training me in various aspects of the job over this week. From drafting to using many of their ergonomic assessment tools, I have had my plate full from the get-go on Monday! I can't complain though, as I have quickly realized that this is what I what to do for a career, and they are paying a decent salary for an intern, so it's not like I have to do this for free...

Back-tracking a little, I had a quiet New Year's this year (I hope the rest of you had rowdier time than I did), as I quite simply had no clue what to do or where to go. Quite the difference from last year, where we blew the roof off Trooper's place, and I subsequently paid for it the next morning (let my experience be a lesson to the rest of you: don't binge drink with dark red beer!)

As for tonight, I probably will be heading out to the bars in this town for the first time since I've been here. I'm undecided between the Cavern Club or Rick's American Cafe, but since I know nothing of the bar scene around here, I don't think it will matter either way.

Cheers!

James' American Adventure: The Journey

Well, I finally made it to Michigan! I've got alot of stories to tell, from taking on Nature, to seemingly mundane observations along the road. Pictures will follow in the coming weeks as I finish off the film and get it developed.

But for now, the travel journal entries (listed below in reverse chronological order)...