Females and fists....

This weekend, it was alright. Friday night went to Northgate. I really don't like drinking beer and have realzied that Long Islands are my drink of choice. It was a game weekend and was I excited? Not really. I'm not the biggest football fan and add some heat and standing to the mix and you got a bad mood Aggie. Saturday night it was back to Northgate.

Alcohol can make people do different things. It can make people be obnoxious, makes people talk louder, and can even give guys and girls confidence to approach the opposite sex. It can also make people do stuff out of the ordinary. So here I am going to a bathroom in a trough for two. Theres me on one side, and theres a girl on the other side squatting. She really had to go and wasn't about to wait in the girl's line. I felt bad for her, here she was finished and can't find any toilet paper. One guy offered her some newspaper, but it fell to the urinated beer soaked floor. I can't explain how disguting the bathrooms along Northgate are and how desparte we all become to use one.

Alcohol can also make people angry, and fights can errupt. I don't know how it happened, but all of a sudden punches were being thrown pretty close to my friends and I. People scattered and immediately some guys jumped in to try and break it up. More people started throwing fists and the fight moved a bit closer. Instead of getting out of the way, I wanted to help break things up. One guy came running and my instinct was just to grab his arm. Picture a deer in tailights. Thats what I looked like. For one full second I was staring at this guy's eyes and the my only thought was so this is going to hurt when I get decked. He said something like your right, knowing that I wasn't in the mood to see a fight yet alone become part of one.

Best Buy still has my computer and I hate them even more.

Technological glitches and crappy customer service.

Nature. I love it and try to embrace it. I also am very well aware that I live in a modern world where I have to have a car, be able to watch TV, and talk on a cell phone. Alas I am middle class American with a background in suburbia. Nothing to be ashamed of, but it can allow you to forget how fortunate you are. When something is no longer there whether it be a friend, relationship, or material position you realize how much it can can affect you. I am very dependent on a box with some components that move, beep and even light up now and then. Its a computer and something that in the last two decades has found itself in common households throughout the US.

Basically my computer has stopped functioning. It turns on and thats about all it does. Teasing me with the desktop icons that appear but don't open. A task bar at that bottom that can do no task. Is it broken because its an Acer, its sort of old, or that sweat shop labor wasn't up to par that day? I'm not for sure, thats why I am having it worked on. By the way, the last one was a joke and sweat shop labor is something that shouldn't have ever existed in the past and by no means should exist now. Well this whirling mechanical machine has my college life on it. Everything I've ever typed, downloaded, or scanned. Its all there within the grey metalic confines. I hate thinking how much I depend on computers, but in the end I do and that is just a fact of my so called life.

Best Buy has now had it for almost a week. I could write many paragraphs on this subject alone, but I won't. Im about to hop in the car and the public would be better off with one less road rage induced driver. To sum it off they have crappy customer service and don't seem to be know what they are doing and do an even better job of not telling me whats going on.

Trying to one up Pee Wee.

Everyone should have a big adventure now and then. A big adventure doesn't mean going abroad or packing up the Volkswagen Minibus and heading for the California coastline. A big adventure to me is doing something you've always wanted to do. A yearly dosage of big adventure leads to a life of no regrets. Starting to sound like an infomercial.

I have been fortunate in the sense that I have had the opportunity to do an incredible amount of things(I'm trying to think of a better word). I've seen most of the US and after Europe, I have now been to about 16 countries. I've gotten to ski in the Alps, to white water rapid in the Rockies, snorkle in the Grand Caymans and hitch hiked in Seattle once. All big adventures, all great memories. There is a list I have created that says "To do before I die." It is possible that I could die tonight in a freak car accident and it is because of this that I will try to cross the things off the list sooner rather than later. While not on the list because of its longer term commitment, it is still a desire and one I am now seriously contemplating.

Growing up in Montana you begin to appreciate nature and the cycle's in which it goes through. My favorite stretch...winter. True when its cold you're miserable, while driving you constantly have your hands on the 10 and 2 and your eyes on the road for you are fearful that next patch of ice will take you off road. Winter however brings snow skiing. Some of my happiest memories are me on the mountain whether with friends or on some desolate trail all alone. I've always wanted the ski bum lifestyle. Living in some crappy apartment with a bunch of roommates and the only thing on the floor besides half empty pizza boxes is GoreTex and puddles from melting snow. Depending on the job I land(and this saying I land one, which I think I should) it is my hope that they tell me training will begin in June. Now I'm not for sure how many corporations work this way, but I do know a few like to wait to train once the May graduates have finished their courses as well. So to my future interviewer or recruiter, I want to work for you, I will give it my 110% minus 10% on Fridays but if you let me have December till May I might just be a happier person. I should also have for you a few extra stories to tell around the fabeled water cooler.

In the land of corporate backdrops and color coordinated polos.

Today was a long a day. A day I spent 12 hours away from the apartment. Days like these make me wonder about the long hours I will have to put into work. I'm going to die. I realized something though, I want one more adventure while Im in my 20s. Some can see starting a career as an adventure, and I do have to admit to a certain degree it is. However its not the adventure I have in my mind. I want to head to the mountains. Be a ski lift operator. In New Zealand. Now that would be ideal, but I would like to trade in the dress shoes for a pair of flip flops or ski boots. So if any corporations are reading this. 22 Male marketing major seeks major corporation. Enjoys bonsues, high starting salary, vacations, and creative work. Dislikes egos, long hours, and cubicles. Willing to commit, but not till June.

I went to the engineering career fair today. Alas I am a marketing major, but as I have learned many times its all about networking. I observed a few things at that career fair that struck me as amusing. They say there isn't much diversity on our campus. Well there is, and it comes in the form of engineers. I feel sorry for those male students who are engineers because well its almost all males. Now those who are girls have the pick of the litter. Lots of options. Resumes I believe should look professional and at the same time unique. Engineers I believe do have a different thought process for the most part, one that emphasizes structure over creativity. Which makes sense for the line of work that they are involved in. It shows up in other places such as their resumes. I honestly saw just a handful that weren't Microsoft templates. So I guess ol Microsoft deserves a pat on the back. Engineers really dont have the best social skills. Realize I am not saying everyone, but the vast majority. They also don't have the best business fashion. I was surprised how many didn't even dress up. The ones that do fall under two categories. Those who wear their father's clothing from the 70's and those who are horribly color blind. Social skills is a lot more than dressing up so I would listen to them talk to recruiters. None of them seemed enthusiastic or knew how to sell themselves. I have a ways to go, but when the guy in front of me starts talking to me about Encino Man out of the blue I figure I'm a little further than others. I managed to talk to several companies. Me fake smiling, them returning the fake smile. They'd all have the same engineer joke, engineers are smarter or something along those lines. I'd be sarcastic right back and point to my GPA and with a real grin say yeah I'm pretty smart too. So some took my resume and said they would forward it in the right direction, most gave me a corporate website to go to. I really had more I wanted to say about the career fair, but the thoughts have escaped me.

The classes in Maastricht don't have grades for them yet and now I wish it would stay that way. Today I started the process and was happy with the A in marketing, but got a B for EC law. I explained my reasoning for why I deserve an A, but he is pretty adamant that it stays a B. Im sure it won't move. I guess it was the only thorn for the day. Blooming roses for the most part.

Later on, early evening I suppose, I went to the BCG presentation. Its a company I would love to work for. Its also a company that chances are slim to none. Try hiring 50 students total from about 30 universities. I'll still try, its worth a shot. But talking to some of the recruiters one already has deferred entrance to Harvard. How does that work? Hey I want to go your grad school, but in a couple years. Harvard says, "Sure no problem, you're on the list." Must be nice. However I did get to hang out with Jessica, and got a free dinner out of it. So I can't complain. Jessica and I are going to start are own company once we come up the perfect idea. Anyone else want in on this start up drop me a line, we'll do lunch.....

Dreams and why they shouldn't be interpreted.

I have come to realize how bizarre dreams can be. Now and then they do relate to something I am going through or tie into an event or something I saw that day. Last night doesn't fit into one of the two categories.

I was at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean. The Titanic had sunk and the ocean was to be my final resting place along with thousands of others. Here's what they don't tell you in the documentaries about this catastrophe. Since the Titanic was so large it displaced a lot of water and created a huge dome of air over the wreckage. No longer did we have mere moments before our death, but more or less 10 to 15 minutes. People took out their frustrations at the bottom of the big ocean, many were being killed merely for sport. Then for some reason everyone settles down. There was a plethora of blankets and sleeping bags and I decided to go ahead and lie down. I'm laying around joking with people I do not recognize and we are talking about our immediate fate. Then all of sudden everyone stands up. There's a submarine(picture the one in Disney Worlds 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea with a lot of windows). Now I didn't think about this all that much last night, but no one decided to get on it. In fact the people that were on it had come off to die the slow death with us. I am now wondering how the submarine got into our air bubble. Now I guess these people on the submarine were like the good ol boys, everyone stands up and applauds them. A football team coming home for a ticker tape parade type of an event. People settle down. I am laying on my sleeping bag struggling to breathe but perfectly ok with the idea of dying. Right as I take my last breath I wake up. Dreams are most bizarre.

Older kids, still the same playground.

Here it is, 10 AM and I am at work. I'm pretty impressed that I am able to make it to work at 8am everday. I guess this will only train me for the next few decades of a career. So I'm sitting at my desk, it not mine per se, but hell I sit it in everyday I'm calling it mine now. My work load has been pretty light. I've been doing a lot of database entry, but now the new director isn't so sure how helpful it is. He feels no new companies really needed to be added and after inputing data for over a thousand I lean more on the tend to agree side of the continuum. Right now I'm at my desk shifting papers around, have a serious look on my face as if I'm lost in the assignment. Truth be told I'm lost in thought......the thought being nothing.

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is office gossip. Everywhere I work people talk behind others backs. They want to know what is going on, why is that person being an ass or bitch, depending on gender of course. The thought can't but help cross your mind, what do others say about you. It's better to go through life and not worry so much about this, but be yourself. One of the assistant directors brought me into her office to talk about somethings the director shared with her about her work. I can't help but feel uncomfortable. The director is a couple doors down, its your supervisor and here you are going off on him. We are all adults, but when you look at how we act we still are very much the same kids hanging around the swing set talking about the latest happenings. I'd rather be the kid on the swing without a care in the world.

Dave thinking...."you know what its time to start writing in this again."

This is my last semester at Texas A&M as an undergraduate and most likey forever. I call it my half victory lap. I am taking 9 hours, and while I no longer have the dream Tuesday and Thursday only schedule I have amazing professors. I am able to pay attention and more importantly want to pay attention to what they have to say. I still have a class with 300 plus students, helps me remember that A&M still considers you to be income for the most part.

Since I will be graduating in December, this is the semester where I try to find a full time position. Good luck with that. I have the credentials, lack the motivation. But at the same time I am on the ball and have been researching companies and dropping my resumes for companies coming to the Career Center. There's many companies that I just don't care for. Do I really want to sell plumbing fixtures to businesses? Nope. Do I want to be a store manager at the Buckle? Not at all.

I realize you get more out of something if you pursue it. You see the challenge and take it on with your own two hands and it is you that accomplishes a task. I'd prefer a job just handed to me.

It's really crazy for me to think about that in three months I will most likely know where my first job in the so called real world will begin. Now working in the automobile industry in Boston isn't even possible, but thats what I want. Next best thing would be a job in the automobile industry or working in Boston. Somehow I see myself starting off in Houston. As long as I don't have to rely on I-10 to get to and from I should be alright. The four seasons, the crispness of fall, the snow shoveling of driveways, and the other joys might have to wait.