Finals: Day 2...summary

Day's Stats

Finals: 0 (ish...take home requires attention)

Hrs. of sleep: 8 (ish... it's a Christmas miracle)

I basically spent my day working on my take home final for Advanced Econ. 9:30 to approximately 4 (except for lunch... I nuked soup and made a grilled cheese for those concerned about my nutrition during this difficult time). Put a good dent in it. Should be able to wrap it up tomorrow. This evening was all about SIM with Ed. I worry our model is too simple but then I remember it's possibly because our class models were SO CRAZY. Whatever. We've committed. It'll be fine.

Next maneuver: Go to bed. Again at a decent hour...unless Conan gets good. Finals week sucks but somehow I'm working in more sleep... how does that happen?

Tomorrow's plan: Get to school by 9ish and just start annihilating that econ final. Go team!

Chi-ca-GO!

We arrived in Chicago this morning after touring ArmaLite on the way in (they make rifles...damn good ones!). We drove all night so I needed a shower and a nap like nobody's business but we couldn't check in to our rooms until 3 so we had to kill an hour. We walked down to Navy Pier just to look around and then came back for said naps and showers. Oh and before we did anything we ate at Hot Doug's. Amazing hot dog place. Go there. Seriously. North side of Chicago. Do it.

Next up on the agenda is the Hancock building and then dinner at (I think) Gino's East (I could be mistaken but I guess if I am I could just lie to you). Probably play it a bit low key this evening so we can enjoy the trade show tomorrow but I guess we'll see...

The greatest day of the week...the day off.

Today I slept in until 9. I probably could have slept a little more but I didn't want to waste too much of the day and since I'd gone to bed at 11 I felt like 9 was reasonable. Don't judge me for going to bed at 11, I was TIRED PANTS after that stupid coil tubing job.

Like I said, I slept in, and when I got up and turned on the TV guess what was on. Yup. Jurassic Park. And it had just started a little before I got there. This is a great omen for my day. When I finally left the apartment a little after 11 I went to Target for a few odds and ends and then I got Slim Chickens (if you recall it is a place that I have a bittersweet relationship with; sweet because I LOVE it so and bitter because it's only in Arkansas). After that I made up my mind that I would get a pedicure to celebrate the end of our official field time. I may have to go out again before we leave but maybe not. And my feet needed it after 40 hours in my boots. I took magazines and the nice little lady let me read in peace while she rubbed, filed, scrubbed and polished the yuck out of my poor little feeties. Bless her for that. It was like nirvana.

Anjelica caught a ride in from the field early today with a guy who had to come back for food that fit his heart friendly diet (you have to have a GOOD reason like a heart attack to get to leave a job) so when she got showered up we went to celebrate the end of coil tubing at Los 3 Potrillos. It was way good. But I am STUFFED. Like me and the couch are besties, stuffed. I'll be eating my dinner for a couple more meals too which I'm not upset about. Oh and today was PAYDAY!!!! All in all it was a good day.

Tomorrow we have a "class day" with Sharron, which at this point means she doesn't have a detailed plan but we're going to talk about our projects, and what we've learned and questions we have. We're starting at eight which means I'm going to have to ask nice if she'll let me go in time to catch mass. Hopefully she'll be down with that. As always, I'll keep you posted.

Maintain!

So NyQuil commercials imply that the stuff will make you have a peaceful sleep such that you have never experienced. I think it's a lie. I have not had such stressful sleep...ever that I recall. I had crazy dreams about having to get things done (connected, pumped, mixed...I don't know) in spite of the fact that I knew I was sleeping in the apartment. I tossed and turned. It was crazy. I woke up feeling awful but I had some tea and took some Advil and long story short I feel much better.

Today we got a call to come in and help out in maintenance. Everyone's been telling us to try to avoid doing any time in maintenance but I don't think there's a way around it. By the time they called us and we made it in, the maintenance crew had headed out for lunch so we just sat around for a good 40 minutes waiting for someone to come get us and tell us what to do or where to go. Finally one of the cementing supervisors happened by and saw us sitting like bumps on a log and told us to go help his crew work on one of the pump trucks. We spent the day helping them replace the part that attaches the goose neck to the truck and regulates the recirculation and addition of cement. Actually there were too many cooks in that particular kitchen so we mostly watched and handed them things. Anjelica and I did get to repaint some of the iron on the truck (the 4 foot pipes, valves, and chicsens--the u-shaped swivels that allow you to change direction and level with your piping...that I have no idea how to spell correctly so that's my best guess). It was fun to hang with those guys today. They're good guys. Jay is one of my favorites. He randomly took me on a "tour" of the pump truck quizzing me on the parts and what they do so that I would learn more about the process. Jay also calls me Red which is kinda funny.

Tomorrow we'll start in regular maintenance with the mechanics. This is the part they suggested we should call in sick for. I'm sure it won't be as bad as they say. At least I hope.

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I'm sick. I can only deny it for so long. It started pecking away on Friday and when I woke up today it meant business. I took more Dayquil and went to church anyway (no hand shaking!!!) and I'm so glad I did. I needed that. The visiting Monseigneur was the funniest little old mad. I loved him. The music wasn't bad either. It was a great start to what looked like a crappy day. I had hope. Hope that was doused when I got in my car and found a message that I was do report for a yard day...5 minutes ago.

I went in late (turns out it didn't really matter) and helped by standing around a lot. At one point we had to clean trash out of the cabs of the cementing trucks (don't touch a frack truck! that's THEIR mess!..and they're pigs!) and unfortunately, though the mess only filled one little trash bag, the mess what nasty. My bag ripped at one point and oozed brown liquid on my coveralls. Yep... spitter... Since I already felt like hell I did the only reasonable thing, I gagged a bit and then said "I'm OUT!" No one protested. I think they knew I'd had it. I did check before leaving that I wouldn't be shunned for it but again, they seemed to understand. That and I explained that I felt like hell.

I came home for another shower and then I 1/2 cooked 1/2 slept on the couch. After I ate I 1/1 slept on the couch through the world cup finals. Lulled by the vuvuzelas I suppose... I hate being sick. It's worse when you're alone. No one pats you on the head and give you juice (Mommie!). Le sigh. I'll live but I'm gonna be crabby about it at least the rest of the day.