Capitol Train to Berkely - Aaron and I get a chance to see the world!

DOWNTOWN SAN FRANSICO

The Way Home - or, What happened to Sunday?

It was really quite simple. The plan-- Sunday morning, wake up and get on the 9:15 Bus. What was supposed to be easy trip turned out a lot harder then I thought. Though it challenged me both physically and mentally, I was able to turn it into a blessing.

With a jolt, I was woken at 8:56 by my bodies cry of protest in sleeping past sunrise. Scrambling around aarons dorm room, I collected what few belongs I have and sprint out the door. Running now, I was trying to catch a 9:00 bus that would take me to the 9:15 train. 58, 59, 00… There’s the bus stop corner - I am overjoyed at seeing other people waiting as well. Tension eases, the uncertainty in my figure passes away completely before seeing the oncoming bus, spewing condensation and mist into the frigid morning air. As you’ll learn later, I had used all my cash the day before in touring San Francisco and was now waiting for the bus, drop dead poor. The horror of the situation dawned on me as I stepped up the stairs and plaintively stated my case to the driver. He said, "No." In that moment I knew I could not make it in time. I was going to miss the ride home because of this buses, cash-only fee and no amount of conjouling or begging was going to get me on that bus. I felt like a leper, an outcast -- people were staring at me yet no one offering to help out. Only silence. It was a haunting, one filled with anger and dread. Knowing the nex train was not until 8PM I decided to visit my aunt and after 2 hours of buses, trains and trolley's, I was upon my aunts doorstep. It was a wonderful time, Zoe and I, relaxing on a sunday afternoon. We went out to eat, watched tv, and even took a walk. This was a peaceful time which helped me focus my thoughts about the weekend. I have enjoyed the weekend and will try to visit again soon.

Trains Buses and Automobiles...

10PM - 3PM - A quiet ride

GOLDEN GATE PARK AQUARIUM

Looking Up from Below Aquarium

Jelly Fish

Tropical Jungle Arboretum

Looking Down in the the fish tank. Big sharks and wild creatures!

This week we went on a tour of Ernie Ball Guitars. Much like Taylor Guitars, both in the manufating processes and the price per part.

The only thing that was truly amazing was Buffy. Buffy is a autonomous robot which uses RFID tags to distiguish between guitar body shapes and then buffs the each piece smooth. Buffy knows over 250 coded systems... all of them programed by IME cal poly graduates! Sweet!

CAL POLY INFORMATION and UPDATES: http://ceng.calpoly.edu/annual-reports/2009/

Also, last weekend Cec Chafin and Alex, graciously hosted me for almost the entire weekend. One which I will remember for quite a while. Fun, Fast and Floppy... How did we fit so much in one weekend? Hmmm, and the Home Cooked Food! So GOod!

Well, thats all for now folks! Sorry for not posting more these last two weeks... Midterms really got to me but since the last one was today I'll try to post more on Sunday. Keep your eyes up for the latest updates.

Question: fgadfgjas;fdlgkja;dflkgjalkfdgj;alkfdjglkajs;dgklja;dflkgjdlkjfgad

Answer: Find gold and diamonds for giving Jonathan a silly funny dumb laughing gift. Keeping Jonathan's accordian doesn't fall lightly. Kendra gives Jordan a little kingdom for doing good. Jordan and Levi kayak far down Jason's gorge liking killing antelope. Jordan says dawn glows. Kindly laugh, Jonathan, and dance for lifting kayaks glibly. JD likes kelp. Jump far going always down.

Anonymous said...

For God's awesome day, for glorious joy and simplicity; for days living God's kingdom jetting around; don't forget love, kindness, goodness, joy, and lavishing kind forgiveness. Do go jumping; and live karefully, for days jam, gears lock. Keep at Jesus' side; Do good. Keep lax. Jam accasionally; Don't fight like kids going jeepers. Dance loud. King Jesus forever glorified. Amen. Ditto.

I am speechless. Good Job!

Rain Day - Introducing a Job Fair

This year it rained. This year companies feigned. But this year, there was something I gained.

Day One: A total of 63 companies advertised here at the Cal Poly job fair! Out of the sixteen or so thousand students, only about 200 will have the opportunity to get a job or internship. Thats not a good chance. It reminds me of a day like today, when the rain comes down in torrents, the clouds darken the skies, and a chilling moisture reaches out to everything… leaving nothing dry or untouched. During the past two years little has improved for the job markets and especially for careers in manufacturing, when so many companies are moving there manufacturing plants overseas. Brian, a graduating senior had a ‘my glass is half empty’ mentality. His comments were short and distracted; “I might go back to farming,” he said. I understand the frustration and uncertainty for those in such a situation but I also know that we can make whatever we want of this world by doing whatever it takes. Tomorrow I look forward to showing my resume to companies and experiencing the interview process. Who knows, the darkest side of our world is always the next to get a beam of light, so why not expect a new beginning, a fresh start, an unknown opportunity!

Day Two: I returned with resume printed, suit ironed, and interviews rehearsed. My smile beamed as I strode into the job fair like a knight on a horse. All these employers were looking for ME, waiting for ME, they wanted to hire ME! I was so full of pride at where I was and the experiences I’ve had. Ah, Boeing, let me start there first! “You can do it”, I said to myself. Paper in hand I walked up and offered a hand out in confidence. Like a dream I state my name and my interest in airplanes and engineering. The conversation is general but then we hit on the topic of my private pilot's license. Oh, what excitement effused from this middle aged business manager. Her stories and words of advice went on and on… Finally, exchanging contact cards and moving on, I felt a new confidence and moved on to the next booth. "MHHMMmm, YUM, Dryers Ice Cream!" I exclaimed. “I had no idea you guys did manufacturing!”. Only it was too late to take back my undignified and uneducated introduction. This time there seemed to be short answers for my inquires and I left feeling very foolish indeed.

AHHA! Solar Turbines, now here was a company with which I had knowledge and personal contacts. I walked up, introduced myself and had a wonderful talk with the general manager of the manufacturing facilities site. I could go on about the different people and companies I spoke with, both on a personal and professional level; Apple, Microsoft, Air Force, Phillips, and Boston Scientific. Some seemed promising while others had budget crisis, but all gave me something to think over when I left that room. Free stuff was a major bonus! I even divided it up among my roommates who were excited too. This was an excellent first job fair and I look forward to more in the coming years.

On Tuesday, my IME class went on a tour of 'Spice Center' and we talked about production of this seasonal packaging company. The linear production systems started at one side of the building with the measuring out of material and the mixing of this recipe before packaging. Next it is passed into a completely automated conveyor belt where each can was filled, sealed, and labeled. 40,000/Day! Finally, a team of inspectors measured weight to check if each bottle was within specification.

One Manufacturing task was the study of the least effort required to transport and inspect each product. Also, minimizing repetitive processes like the washing or mixing of the spices. Finally, the engineers are always working on machines and simple time saving devices like the bulk shifter below.

We also learned about perato charts, which are graphs of causes and trends and can be used to pinpoint problems within the system. The techniques in human demographics is a major planning process as they never want one person doing the same job all day. Then there are inspections and trying to get a check as close to the situations as is economically worth while. This was probably the most boring as all it involved was cost estimation and guessing at how much a process is worth.

Over all, I felt good about the small business atmosphere and the focus on lean production. Although this may be suited for an Industrial engineer I did enjoy seeing how they build machines to do all sorts of jobs. This is in fact what I grew up doing... This tour brought back memories about when our family pulled apart used machines and ripped out pneumatics lines just to get a single part to sell or use. I look forward to visiting again, and possibly getting a part time job there.

Surfing with Students

On a warm Friday afternoon, 12 Cal Poly students piled into a four door Chevy and a small rental Sedan. The trunks were loaded with food, clothes, sleeping bags, camping stoves, and most importantly, surfboards! With no time wasted, the car set off, northbound, for the secluded shores of Big Sur and Monterey, passing Hearst Castle, Sea Lion Cove, Los Osos NP, Willow Creek and so on... On and on, for 140 miles those tires drove north. White beaches changed to rocky coves, while flat oak covered hills grew into towering mountains of pines...

The sun set slowly and as the cars pulled into the campgrounds all worries were driven away by the sheer beauty of the beach. People tumbled out, gasping, tasting the fresh smells of the pines and salty air in the warm fall breeze. Yelps of joy and wonder spread throughout the group as expressions of awe were heard, "Dude its so awesome!"and "Whoa!", "Living in the moment.

A group of calculating judges stood atop a cliff as if passing sentence upon the cove and all within. Precariously positioned, the sandy cliff dropped off below them, out of sight far down into the cove. Surf broke upon the reef in a never ending beat and impatience struck two surfers who quickly submerged in the water. Suddenly a startled shout from one of the clifftop observers caught our attention, "Shark!" he cried. All eyes strained to see what this new development could be, but there was nothing. The excitement of this threat stirred up questions about what it might have been, all the while each person kept their eyes peeled for the mystery to be repeated. Then, along the face of a wave, a smooth black fin pierced the surface. Excited now, all eyes were locked upon this flashing animal. It came within a few yards of the surfers, causing fear amongst them, but then disappeared again beneath the surface, never to be seen again. While it was agreed that the mystery animal was probably a dolphin, the excitement and thrill of that moment made the next days surf only more gnarly and thrilling.

Dude, Saturday surfing was "Buttery". Which means good and tired in surfer lingo. The midday siesta and pasta dinner were perfect conclusions to the days activities and as the happy campers sat about the fire, as joyous and content spirit welled up within the group. Songs were sung, slam poetry read, and stories told. Life in the present was good. But was it worth the drive to get away from such a crazy life style of school and social communities? Thats for you to decide. Come on out and try it, maybe your life will be changed...

1) Vise President Campaign Failed
2) Math Test Aced
3) Meeting with English teacher a success
4) 5 Mile Run with Michael, Time -1hr

These are what makes up the fun and exciting days at Cal Poly. I am becoming more skilled at time management and the completing tasks in good time. This is more difficult then it sounds. Our only gauge for time spent studying is 2hrs/credit/ class week. It is not easy to divide homework up into reasonable segments since one problem may take anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes; Maybe longer if your not careful...

Two things that would work to balance this. a. find a study partner. b. Set deadlines and Start up times:

Pre Read (10) - State Objectives (5)- Do Problems (45) - Break (15) - Finish Problems (20)

Both the Teaching Company and Cal Poly Seminars are great recourses for study skills and I am taking full advantage of these. I highly recommend that you, dear reader, should get practice in the many methods of saving time. Which in turn will leave you more time to cook! Like I did last night for my neighbors.

"The way to a 'friends' heart is through their stomach."

Weekend Excitement

So on saturday afternoon, I joined the Cal Poly Wheelman in one of the cycling races against Berkly, SDSU and several other schools to test my skills. Mostly, I was able to keep up with a good group of riders but after we hit a downhill run of a mile or so I fell behind; I didn't feel crazy enough to jeopardize my health in the first two weeks of school. So as for placement, I came in last; except for the people who crashed, blew out tires, or bent their wheels far enough to resemble a cereal bowl!

It was a fun day and I really enjoyed talking with the more experienced riders about bikes and trails near cal poly. I look forward to taking friends and family out when you come and visit me. (Thats an assignment! Don't procrastinate or I will give you a bad grade!)

A TASTE OF KNOWLEDGE

Alright so although I have been busy I wanted to tell you a little something I learned about today.

"Always be proactive."

1) In listening to a professor: try to guess what hes going to say next. Listen Actively!

2) When your reading a book: Think about whats coming up and how it relates to the last page.

3) If your machining a part and fail to correctly measure... Try to adapt and find alternative solution.

This happened to me when we were turning diameters on the lathe. I miscalculated a cut and ended up with a part off by 0.110". (Eleven Hundredths) Since we were going to use a tap to thread this 1/2 diameter I had some issues... (For those non Mechanical types; .385" is alot smaller then .495", at least in reference to threads.) Anyway, the point is I successfully cut it down to .375, found a 3/8 tap, and finally presented it to the Professor. Frankly, he was so impressed he didn't even ask my to rewrite my calcuations after so much adjusting. I feel I made a good impression on Mr Hoaldey with my ingenious yet simple fix.

I recommend you as readers find similar experiences and practice this problem solving skills which I am finding are so necessary in life... not to mention school!

In the weeks prior to school I spent a good amount of time talking to different people about the challenges of College. The expectations, the Community Struggles, the Commitment of Time and Energy. In all the advice and encouragement I did receive, there was but one thing that made me stop and question... It was a comment made by my SM on the danger of self-help books and study habit tips. As I understood it, there was a tremendous chance that I would not succeed at planning deadlines and fixing events. And now, I know he was right! The first few assignments for classes were but childes play, but what I found was because they were so simple I could not keep them in track.

Twice, Yesterday and Today, I have been furiously writing and sketching over my dinner because my class was in 15 minutes! Simple things too! Like writing a letter to ones self or copying definitions from the book! It was with anger and guilt that I walked into class, knowing I was late because of a simple yet aggravating assignment!!! (AHH... DEEP BREATH, Let it out...)

I walked back from class with Jimmy, a transfer student, and we talked about this issue I have. He didn't have much to say but he assured me it was just something people get over...

I got home and though about something I read from Cec Chafin last week; "Plan everything, time slot your study hours, schedule in for activities..." At the time it seemed extreme but after today I am beginning to realize that College is something way more then the Human Mind can handle. We can get by when our teachers tell us to do this now, that later, but what happens when you add Friends, Family, Work, Relationships both present and past, Clubs, Activities, Basic house hold duties, Dumpster diving, Bible studies, Community Elections, and all sorts of crazy everyday living nessesities! I had no idea life could be so complicated and circus like...

Here is what I'd like you to take away from this post:

0)Plan out every detail to the minute! "Life offers so much opportunity, its up to us to remember where to find it."

1) "I've come a long way since being SPL in scouts and worrying about Friday meetings..."

2) Technology today increases productivity and success ten folds then with out! Learn to Use it! Dont let it use you!*

3) "Dont Work Hard, Work Smart" -R G Leoturneo (This means, study when your awake! And always give feedback when actively reading. Dont be a muffin head)

4) Practice Makes Perfect; You can read all you want about ProE but until you spend the next quarter millieleum down in the Lab..."*

“When you are not practicing, remember, someone somewhere is practicing, and when you meet him he will win”

*Ive seen so many kids playing iPhone games during class that I wonder why the teachers even allow phones!?

This is Monday morning at the cool and hot city of San Luis Obispo! I had four classes today and really enjoy them all! Good information and fair amount of HomeWork. Looking forward to this week!

Sunday in the Sand

Two weeks ago, Johnathan Kilmer told me the best part of his weekend was VolleyBall at the Beach. I had such an opportunity, today, to do so and enjoyed it with complete satisfaction! After a Multi-generational church service, complete with choir and benedictions, the college group carpooled down to Pismo Beach where we played volleyball, went swimming and attempted to skim board! (My bloody knee is such a testament! Totally knarly!) I must warn my family and friends at home, the water is no longer at bathing temperature but instead a mind numbing 55! I came in shivering and had to hop-scotch jelly fish, crabs, and the occasional BLUE WHALE! (Sorry, that was poor sarcasm.)

All in all it was a relaxing day and I am ready for classes. I know next week will be alot harder but at least Im comfortable with the community! Sadly, some people are not so lucky. My room mate, for example, spent the entire day doing home work... Agreed he is taking biology, physics, and Calc 2, not to mention, english 134, which is not native language! Let us pray our Chinese american friends don't decide to leave the US and work in China. Its is a future no of us wish to consider...