RyanHarne.com

Not that I’m complaining, but my job is still a bit lackluster. My counter would be that I’m enjoying it much more. Meeting the people one step further does, in fact, initiate a stronger feeling of comfort within the workplace. The last few days have been a consolidation of large group effort rather than isolated mowing and trimming. While I’m still noticing ‘protons and negatrons’ to this job, I can consistently remind myself of a common phrase to me, “hey, it’s a job.”

Gas prices are funny. While most of you are paying two or more dollars per gallon, I’m still paying about a $1.60 for my equivalent gallon. Diesel Jettas rule the world. After filling up our mowing tanks today and filling up the F-250, we spent $110 on gas. Woah.

I’ve done my best to disregard next week’s finale, but several events today brought before me the facts of life. Next Friday is my birthday. Throughout my years, at least recent years, this time is always rather somber for me; I don’t like recognition for something as base as a birthday. I find such things avoidable in my case. However, I enjoy celebrating other people’s birthdays and spending extra time with them. I don’t know of any way in which this ’special’ day for me could be better than for it to be totally average and end with me drinking a latté at Starbucks. Perhaps, though, I need one good birthday to change things; or maybe the status quo is indeed the best for me. We shall see.

Tomorrow is Friday and I will rejoice. Friday evening plans would be good too. Let’s hope I can stay awake; these work hours are killing my ability to stay up late. Nine-o-clock seems like midnight to me.

Anyways, enjoy your week-ending. Ima go check my mail.

This new job has begun. And in sum, it will inevitably change my life.

For those not current on the dealings of me, I am now employed and working at Centra Health, or more specifically at Virginia Baptist Hospital. I work as a part of the groundscrew. Mowing, trimming, leaf blowing, trash picking-upping, manual labor. The being outside all day isn’t that bad; really, I’ve just been applying liberal amounts of sun-screen to counteract the severe effects of UV. However, the hours and atmosphere of the job have an ominous outlook to my summer’s future and potential.

Most noticably would be my internal clock shift. I work from 6AM to 2:30PM. Quite a change. In order for me to be alert enough in the morning, at those hours, I need 8 full hours of sleep. Meaning I am in bed around 8-8:30 at night (I am slow in the morning and need ample time to wake up before driving). Then I get home and feel the weights of exhaustion creep over me. After a quick shower, I fall asleep desperately trying to stay awake and read. This nap lasts about an hour when I likely wake up again not long before dinner. I eat and rest for a few minutes before heading to our lower level for a workout. After that, I have a few minutes online or for etc and then I shower and go to bed. The next morning repeats this cycle. The dominant effect of this is my apparent lack of time after work. Since my body needs a nap before I can function again, I wake up with only 3 hours max to do anything else. This is very taxing. Already my mind reels.

There is another facet to this job that has determinately began eating away at me, yet this shall not be hereby discussed at this time. Let’s just say I need Latin textbooks, now!, to keep my mind moving normally. Plus I haven’t shaved in…a few days.

Anyways, it has been a long two days. Another 50 or so to go.

And why not; I’m tired, if anything this will just produce an honest self.

2 Years Ago I: was in a locally popular band; did not like school; was ready to be a senior; was still missing the LiveWire intensely; experienced my first prom….meh…

1 Year Ago I: was ready to graduate; only wore collared shirts; just bought my Telecaster; didn’t take my vitamins; hadn’t heard of Ben Kweller or OKGo

Yesterday I: started my new job; mowed the Child Care Center at VBH; learned what VBH stood for; really missed Abigail; wanted some Starbucks

Today I: mowed a service strip on Rivermont Ave.; found a nice parking spot, a niice parking spot; really really missed Abigail; forced myself to get through my workout; re-ripped a cd

Five Items I Have Brand Loyalty To: Apple, Fender, Starbucks (is that really brand loyalty or obsession? …); Volkwagen; Kroger (seriously, why shop anywhere else? it’s the only place I’ll go for food)

Five Songs I Know All The Words To Without the Music: that’s a negative, I don’t have the capability to remember lyrics apart from their melodic rhythms

Top Five Locations I’d Like To Run Away To: total seclusion; Switzerland; San Diego; an autobahn; a beach…a Virginian beach

Five People I Can Always Count On: (if this were people I can actually meet up with, then this would be almost no one; life seems to really separate us all, but still) Jeremiah; Abigail; Rianna; Tabitha (& Allison); Courtney

Five Places I’d Love to Be: Virginia Beach; Virginia Tech; driving; an Apple Store; Washington Music Center

Five Things I Regret Doing: not getting Matt’s contact info; my lack of effort during my first semester; all of my inconsistencies of thought; not trying to completely excel throughout school; ‘totalling’ the truck

Five Things To Stay Away From: Dietrick (I think it’s odd that the word ‘diet’ is found in Dietrick); video games of any sort; V8 or any of its counterparts; Windows; people who squint when they drive

There. It’s done.

As always, Lynchburg is Lynchburg. Friday and Saturday nights pose endless barriers to youth-targetted enjoyment. Yet somehow, week after week, I am able to locate something to do, either solo or as a group.

Saturday I caught up with Rianna. We grabbed some coffee from B&N and chatted for a while, catching up with each others’ latest. Good times with the reunion of sorts. Leaving our depth of chatter, we headed over to the $theater to see Big Fish. It was my second time (back to back actually) and her first viewing. Once again I enjoyed it immensely. Such a great film.

Today was Allison’s birthday party while her actual birthday was yesterday ::Happy Birthday!:: Apparently, she didn’t know I was in town so I was a surprise. The whole group etc had a great time I would suspect. And I must complement whoever prepared the hamburgers; very nice. I had a nice afternoon there.

Yet my summer begins tomorrow. My job starts at 6AM and continues to 2:30PM. This pattern will last me 40 hours every week up until I leave again for Tech. Fun stuff. But I am hopeful.

I got my semester grades today. My goal this semester was to pull myself up to a 3.5 post my lesser first semester of 3.08. My semester GPA for the spring ended up as a 3.93, thus my combined is now a 3.49. I am accomplished and satisfied But next semester will be the true test of endurance. And I look forward to that as well.

So much to get done this week. So much time. That’s the Lynchburg way.

These past few days have been intense in a non-violent, anesthetic way. Without appearing to be exhausting, these past 60-ish hours have crept into my sleep and robbed me of the rest that I so desperately need after exams.

Wednesday I obviously moved out. It was rough. Next year I will move out on the last day in the early morning to avoid the catastrophic traffic and waits. But it ended all that night and I was done. Yet I was then separated from Abigail. No good.

And Thursday was a marathon in itself. I headed over to Manpower in the morning to take care of business. I was then assigned more things to take care of the following day, today. From Manpower I went to Sonic to meet up with Tabitha after getting text-ed [pronounced tex-ted]. Then to B&N for an easy latté and BestBuy for personal interests and Rack Room for personal needs and Dick’s Sporting Goods for personal improvement. Tiring. Somehow.

Today was errand day. Although my unremitting pace was interrupted when I saw a ‘62 Studebaker Gran Turismo at Wachovia. Woah.. That was hott. But besides that, my day was uneventful.

Tonight I went to the dollar theater to see Big Fish. Incredible film. I needs me it on DVD. After the film has ended I found out that Anna and Jessica were sitting in front of me and so we decided to go to V&T Grill. They called Ashley and I called Tabitha. So it was a group ordeal. Ah my little sophomores aren’t sophomores anymore

At V&T’s I met up with John Dief, Emilia, and Britney C. We chatted about college and such. It’s always good to see people again, and I think that was good tonight. So the previous group of us talked ourselves and just randomly discussed whatnot. And that was that.

While I’m thinking about it…or rather typing it. I’d like to get a wireless keyboard/mouse setup. If anyone has a recommendation then please email me your experience.

Also Colonial House? Didn’t The Simpson’s make a satirical spoof of reality tv with this exact plot schema? Whatever. It likely won’t last past one season.

My first year of college is over. About two hours ago I completed my EF exam and last night was my MultiVar final. This semester has been an improvement entirely. A consummate improvement over the more so slackness of the previous. I am very proud.

Thus my freshman Virginia Tech experience closes and reaches its finis. This is about the time when sentimentality reaches a peak, further still, hope is often stimulated by culmination. I prefer to blog a little more sentimental-like for the moment. Here following is my ascertained knowledge from my first two semesters of VATech. Enjoy.

It takes 10.25 minutes to walk from my room to McBryde at a healthy pace, 10 to walk back.
Dietrick is to be avoided at all costs (with the exception of luaus), especially when they are serving a special Mexican dinner.
Bollo’s thrice a week keeps all aggrivation away. (Starbucks next semester[s]).
Four laps around the NRV mall equals one mile.
I will forever be a poor college student, or at least really cheap.
Chicken Diablo has no resemblance to its Macado’s quesadilla counterpart; in fact Owen’s Dining Hall version of chicken diablo is no more than fried chicken soaked in nacho cheese. Yeah.
James Glanville was made to do prominent, highly-involved chemical research in total isolation, not tp teach chemistry to freshmen engineering students.
Roger Chang was once as angel and sacrificed himself to teach physics to freshmen; his relinquishment of power will forever be honored. He is also the smartest human being ever.
Bread bowls at Owen’s are so worth the 50 cents. “Come give them a hug.”
If Virginia Tech students were made of wind power turbines for one year, the combined energy produced would keep Vegas rolling for decades.
Mocking anything related to VT or its mascot calls for immediate action and discipline, even if you are a guest musician performing at Burrus Hall.
Radford is ghetto. Or at least a wannabe.
The Math Emporium is indescribably unfortunate. While it is composed of 505 iMacs, they are only used to help students complete their online math courses. Thus the place is loathed, even though I like being around all of the Macs
Fires don’t make the fire alarms go off; dorm pranks do.
Revenge is a dish best served cold. ‘Nough said.
Finals produce headaches, junkfood appetites, and a desire for Starbucks ice cream (which I would not quickly associate with junk food, thus it is separate from the earlier category).
Only the cool people workout at McComas in the early morning. I am cool.

I could go on, but I need to pack. But let me jump back.

After I turned in my EF exam, Prof. Waldron offered me a grading job for the fall semester for her EF classes. Pay is nice for easy work. I might accept. But I must consider my 22 hours of work (19 credits) and my mentor position as well. Although…this would be really nice. Anyways.

And following the morning exam, Abigail and I went to Gillie’s for a last breakfast. T’was wonderful and vegetarian.

I’ll miss Abigail. Looks like lots of beach trips though

Last night’s study was nearly a bust. My brain was already fried. Fried like those refried beans that got overfried…on the second time around…::sigh:: I think there were some adverse side effects.

But I woke up with our celestial microwave oven for my 7:45AM Comm exam. I had studied for about 7-8 hours prior beginning early last week. I actually even read all of the material too; if you knew how hideous that book was you too would find that amazing, I’m talking about spelling errors left and right and entire phrases or words omitted. Anyways.

The comm exam was fine. I then made my way to Torgersen bridge for some physics studying. Since I took my comm “exam” in only thirty-five minutes, I had nearly three hours to sit down and do monotonous physics problems. With the help of a strawberry Nutri Grain bar and a doubleshot, I reviewed the entire course during that period. I left with some nice early bird time to get a seat. The exam started at 11:05; I was out of there at 12:05. In sixty minutes I completed the final that has worried my soul for weeks now (neow). I’m not exactly sure how I finished it so quickly (doubleshot…it’s likely) but everyone single one of my answers perfectly matched up with a choice offered. So yeah.

Now multiVar and EF. MultiVar tomorrow night and EF the morning before I leave.

“before I leave.” Woah. It’s certainly been adventure so far. Sadly, there naturally a time of separation adjacent to a time of proximity.