Everthings alright

Haven’t been active here in quite awhile. Oh well. Living life is more important sometimes than trying to document in online. Plus not everything needs to be posted.

Other than that everything is going well. Got hired in at Gentex and it looks to be a company that I could work at for life or at least a long time. There is plenty of growth opportunity there if one wants it. Hopefully, that will happen in my case sooner than the last place I work. Actually, it never happened, which is a reason that I wanted to leave there in the first place. So getting laid off from there was actually a blessing.

So in short life is just chillin at the moment. Mostly getting invested in my hobby of genealogy lately and making good progress. Until next time, whenever that will be.

A smarter vision

My search for a job has ended as of about 10 days ago. So that whole unemployment thing only lasted for a week, which is quite awesome when you think about it. What is the new job? Well I took another production job at Gentex Corporation in Zeeland, MI. It all happened so fast that it kind of sacred me too.

I literally applied there, wrote and email to and HR representative I knew of, and the next day had an interview lined up for the following day with an assessment day after that. Then all of last week I had orientation where they mainly showed the repetitive nature of the work to be done. Cool thing in all of this is that I will be in somewhat familiar territory as my last job. I will be in the EA department, or Electronics Assembly. It is a highly automated and clean multiple line department that constructs all the circuit cards for features in automobile mirrors. Oh, but this time I will not be coating circuit boards, yay!

What sucks in all of this is that I will be on 2nd shift, but if you want a job you have to do somethings you may never have done or want to. I have to be grateful for the fact that I do have a job, and getting one so quick after losing the first one. What is awesome is the the potential to move up to bigger and better things. This company has it together in their structure; something I think my old employer was not to good at mainly due to size.

If you have a car with a LCD screen in for rear viewing or something simple as a directional display in the mirror, think of me working away on those mirrors. Hope this company is a great fit in my future. Well I guess I know it will. Oh, and now its real good that I bought that new Jetta, eh?

Laid off and Looking for Work

So last week Thursday was my last day at work. It was unexpected, but not entirely surprising given a few facts. I am a little distappointed that I was one of the 130 choosen to be laid off, but what can you do the economy sucks and wars do not last forever.

I guess I should have seen this coming. Things were really busy for awhile and we were doing lots of overtime. But when only a certain amount of units are needed, it should have been clear that after a time there would be cuts on orders. I think when I first started I had looked it up  how many units the customer was given by the US Army and it only was enough for a year, if we had continued at the pace we were going. And guess what, not even a year later I am back where I started, jobless.

So I was paying off student loans primarily with the income I was making, but now I have to go on unemployment and might have to defer some of those loans, we shall see. so that sucks. Oh and from my last post you will find that I (kind of stupidly) bought a new car too. So great.

Anyway, I am looking for work again because I cannot wait from them to call me back, if that even ever happens. I am a college graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a concentration in electrical and computer. I enjoy electrical hardware and electronics from the design to the testing of. So if you know of and can help me in any way with getting into the electrical engineering field that would be awesome!

So here is  a link to my resume should you need it to pass along or in the event that the company you work at is hiring. Here is it is: here. Thanks for all your help!

Volkswagen Jetta!

So about a month and a half ago I decided it was high time that I bought myself a car. I wanted a new car too. New cars are expensive, but heck I need something that will last me a few years if not longer. So I really did not have any clue of what I wanted at first. I considered Toyotas, Hondas, Chevrolets, and Volkswagens as my main focal points.

But you know what? I went an looked at some new and used cars of all those brands, but never really started to deeply consider any until I made it to the Volkswagen dealer. I have always loved Volkswagens, mainly due to the Beetle, but otherwise for no apparent reason than they look really good. Oh and the German engineering is top notch.

So at the end of August I went to the dealer and test drove a Jetta, and loved everything about it. The salesperson was very knowledgeable about the car and did not seem to be pulling me along like many dealers have a reputation for doing.  Also, I was really impressed with Betten Imports for modeling themselves after a lot of European car dealers in that they offer quality service and support for your automobile. After that test drive I went home and considered the financing of a new Jetta. Turned out I could fit it in with all the other loans I am paying and I pretty much said to myself that was going to happen.

What helped the whole process even more was that there was 0% interest on the loan from VW Credit, thus making it free money. I don’t know about you, but that is awesome! So within a week of going to go check out a Jetta I was suddenly owning one.

Thus far the car has been an awesome buy and I do not regret buying it at all. Even if it does not have every feature possible, I really do not need them all either. German’s sure know how to make awesome automobiles. Here is a picture of my sweet new ride:

My new Volkswagen Jetta!

Alright thats about it for now. More adventures to come with this new ride in the future.

Scary stuff is happening on here

Apparently, that last post was rather looked at by a lot of what I assume to be fellow employees and even some of the new company too. Yeah, I know it was not really totally right of me to write a post about  the new change over, but hey that’s the biggest thing to happen in my life right now and usually such things can be very big deals to those who are involved.

But I also want to reiterate the fact that I am not worried about this new partnership, in fact I welcome it. I see it as a opening to bigger possible futures. Maybe someday people where I work can transfer to other locations if they deem it needed. Also, the company would have to approve that kind of thing anyway. On that note, I wouldn’t mind transferring to Australia or the Netherlands, wink wink.

Hopefully, I am not going to get in trouble, but hey we shall see. But this blog does seem to be attracting a lot of traffic for people trying to find out more about ABT now. Thanks anyway for giving me record traffic on here though. Now I wonder what else I can write about that would attract more people? We shall see and I shall see what happens with all you viewers.

Android and HTC EVO!

So its been awhile since the last post yet again. I think its time to stop apologizing all the time for not posting all the time.

But this post is going to be short because I am writing it all on my new cell phone, the HTC EVO from Sprint. You know how I was ranting about how the iPhone sucks and I wanted a Nexus One, well this phone is the result of waiting and still believing I don’t want the iPhone.

I was hoping that the Nexus One would have come to Sprint or Verizon, but they never did, so I read up on other Android devices coming out this year. The EVO stuck out to me so I figure I would get it instead of others like the Incredible or the Hero.

What I love most about this phone is not the actual phone app, but how the apps all integrate really well together. This is especially true for most if not all the Google apps and most social networking sites. It so easy too. All you do is login with your Google account!

The iPhone definitely needs to do more in integration and Android will only get better at the rest of the apps and stuff that iPhone does great.

LOST reflection

Well it seems that one of the major shows of my life is now over (I know its sad that 6 years is a good chunk of my life). LOST was perhaps the biggest and arguably the most influential drama in the the scif-fi genre on tv yet. Back in 2004 when it started, I remember that the promos sure did look interesting and immediately wanting to check it out.

I was a very strong fan of the show for about the whole run of 6 years, but toward the end it definitely needed to end. I can’t really imagine it going on any further either, especially with the given ending that the creators gave us as viewers. Mostly, I watched the show for the story, believing all along that the story only was relevant to understand the show. And for a show it had plenty of story to tell, which left its viewers with tons and tons of questions about how and why things were happening.

But I was apparently wrong about how to watch the show, because the ending is not about the story, its about the characters that are effected by the story. While I did find the characters intriguing throughout the show, I usually am an action type guy and don’t really pay attention to feelings and possible thoughts of characters. Well it seems that in the end none of the story really mattered because everyone died, but also everyone lived in the end too. Apparently, the island was just a means to an end. And end with the ones the characters loved. And really what way could you possible end a crazy show that seemed to have no direction (probably very little) in what the story actually it actually was telling.

Supposedly, a lot of questions were answered in this final season, but most people will say they weren’t. I don’t blame them. But really from my point of view it now doesn’t even matter at all! All that matters is the fact that most of the characters ended up with the ones they found love in or loved all along. So it was about love, which is a worthy quality. Was it worthy it, who knows really, but it sure was a good crazy show.

Overall I approve of the ending. It ended the show with a good message, and that to me is better than trying to please all the fans and viewers by answering all the questions that arise. Maybe it was a cop-out of some kind or a giant con, but sometimes shows are taken too seriously (as I often did with this show at first). Its called sci-fi for a reason and in that genre often questions go unanswered.

Well anyway, I think it ended on a good note and didn’t really expect anything to begin with. If you never have seen the show then I would still recommend watching it, but be prepared to either be very unhappy with the end or completely ok with it.

It sure has been awhile

Wow. A month of no posts of any kind. now that is just down right ridiculous! I mean this is isn’t a first priority thing to do, but I sure thought that I would be writing here more.

I guess it is all just as well though, because really there is nothing new and exciting to write about anyway. There has been no new changes in work life or home life. Although, I do have to work the “off” Fridays at work now because they are mandatory due to ramp up in production. I guess the military really wants those weapons! But really thats not even a change because I have been working all the Fridays for the past 3 to 4 months anyway. What sucks is now you need to use vacation or personal time to take those off and being I had 2 wedding s to go to on Fridays, that sucks majorly. Oh well, roll with the punches of life.

I wouldn’t say I hate my job, but I definitely don’t love it. The company is really nice and most of the people there are awesome as well. As a bonus for working those extra Fridays they give us gift cards to Meijer, which is pretty sweet. But I would really like to be doing something different there or in my life in general. I don’t know why, but I have a strong sense that I want to somehow have a job that incorporates travel, probably lots of it. Also, my desire to at least go to Australia and New Zealand is starting to really grow too. Dang, why can’t I just win the lottery and just do whatever the heck I want? For that matter why is it the the root of most of these problems is because you need money.

Ah, money, you made up idea on which we somehow place value in. I think it is stupid, but necessary. But I think we all wish it was a little easier to just do things that relate to money usage. Oh well, thats the way the world works.

Now I don’t know when the next post shall be, but hopefully not in June. Probably, and I say that with great hesitation, the next post will be about the show Chuck. Yes, yet again. I know most people don’t watch the show or know anything about it, but I want to to come back for a 4th season and right now its on the bubble of being canceled at NBC. But who really knows. All I know is that the Lost has well, lost me as a crazy fan mainly due its sheer craziness in this last season. But Chuck has become my favorite and it needs some help. Well so does NBC with most of their shows not doing too awesome. Well the next time I post may be around the 17th, because thats when they tell if shows are coming back offialcially.

Until that time, have a wonderful start to May and midspring!

Big Bang Theory

Recently, I have been acquiring new shows to my viewing eyes. One of the most recent ones is Big Bang Theory on CBS. I had mentioned before (I think I did on here) that I had an interest in watching the show.

Well when I was over hanging out at my friend Chris’s, I finally got the hook. He let me borrow the first season on DVD and I pretty much had to limit myself to one or two a night for like a week or I would have watched all 17 episodes right away. Ok, maybe not that serious, but I do really like the show now.

It might be just a new wave of shows, but doesn’t seem that there a lot of geek/nerd shows out there right now? Well this is definitely one of them. There are 5 main characters and 3 of them are physicists, 1 an engineer, and 1 an aspiring actress. The show starts off with Penny moving in across the hall from Leonard and Sheldon. Leonard immediately becomes attracted to Penny and its all basically beauty and the geek from there. Now Leonard and Sheldon have two friends, Howard and Rhaj, who are just as geeky and nerdy as the other two. Sheldon is supper smart knowledge-wise, but lacks any social capacities. Leonard is just fixated on Penny and trying to date her. Rhaj can’t talk to women with being drunk or drinking alcohol, and Howard is just really awkward and kind of a perv.

Basically, the show revolves around Leonard trying to get he beautiful Penny. But to me thats not why you should watch. Sheldon is really the character that anchors this show. Jim Parsons’, the actor, ability to rattle off random facts and just be antisocial  is amazingly fun to watch. Although, the whole cast is rather good together and the comedic timing is awesome!

So watch Big Bang Theory! Oh, and Chuck because that show has not been renewed for a 4th season yet!

New computer

Dang, it has certainly been awhile hasn’t it? I know. I suck at this whole blog thing, but believe me this one at least is a better attempt than my first blog on Blogger. That poor sucker didn’t see any action for like 2 years after I started it.

Anyway, part of the reason it has been so long is my most recent purchase has landed me a new computer. Yay me! I figured it was time to replace to old Dell Inspiron 6000 with something fresh. I had a good experience with that computer…mostly. Other than trying to install other OSes and ruining previous ones that is. But those moments all provided learning experiences…or at least I am going to call them that.

So I went and bought another Dell. This time I got a 17″ Studio, instead of 15″. Bigger is better right? Well, I also got it because I wanted more of a desktop replacement type computer that still had some mobility.

So far I absolutely love the new computer and have already ditched the old one. Now this new laptop has Windows 7, and not Windows XP. This was at first a reservation of mine because I had seen how Vista operated and really didn’t like it. Also, I had really gotten to know XP by now and liked that alot. But so far it has been really no different and even where there are differences they are positive. Sometimes its just the little tweaks that make things better. Like you can “snap” 2 two windows next to each other by just dragging and you can full screen a window by just dragging it to the top of the screen.

Oh, and this thing has the Intel Core i3 processor, so that actually means 4 processors at 2.13GHz. I don’t know about you, but that is just awesome. This thing pretty much can handle all intensive tasks that I throw at it. Although, I really haven’t gotten into all that much high graphics type stuff yet. Hopefully, I’ll get a few games or something to play and see how it likes those. This processor did make the computer more money and I could have went with a better one yet, but price still mattered and I am no gamer.

Anyway, I am really impressed so far with Microsoft for creating a really good new OS and especially like the new features and the new taskbar that allows pinning of programs. And the 64-bit OS is just awesome! Well, I hope to write a post again tomorrow, but we shall see. It has to do with the big bang…