Random updates...

Again it has been awhile since my last update. Alot has happened in the last few weeks. Buckle up, this might be a little bit longer than my normal entry.

PetSmart is going great! My managers are a blast to work with. The Inventory manager (my immediate boss) took the stock crew out to Sonny's BBQ today. He said it was in appreciation for all the hard work we have done. It was great. I start my first full day on the register tomorrow. Nothing new, just a little bit different. Everybody has their own way of doing things, Petsmart is no different.

I'm still enjoying Southerners. It's hard to believe that we are already nearly halfway through the season. Time sure does seem to fly. I FINALLY got my chops back this week. I can now play high and loud without getting immediately wore out.


Being in Southerners again has also slapped me in the face. (In a good way). I have seen a few people I was rookies with in '03, and they are already graduated and teaching or in their careers. I'm something like a 6th year freshman. So I did some soul searching about what I want to do with my life. I have always wanted to do musical instrument repair, but there are just not any jobs. Even if I managed to find an apprenticeship somewhere I still would not be getting the pay I want/need. I still would like to pursue instrument repair as a hobbyist not profession.

So after I decided that a career in Instrument repair is a little too risky financially for me I sis more soul searching. I tossed around several ideas. Everything from the Air Force to staying in retail the rest of my life. Needless to say, the air force idea was in my head for all of 30 seconds and the retail idea stuck around until I went back to work for a day(don't get me wrong, I LOVE petsmart, but in order to make decent money in retail, you have to climb the corporate ladder. In order to climb the ladder you have to sleep, eat, and breath retail. The money I'm making now is ok but not what I want to be making the rest of my life.)

Then after lots of crazy cockamamie schemes and other ideas, I came up with something I think I might have come up with something I will enjoy. I'm looking into becoming a Recreational Leadership Major. Don't ask me why I chose to look into this because I honestly can't tell you.

To add to all of the soul searching I have been doing, Amy has been doing a bit of her own. She went from wanting to go to Florida State for grad school, to wanting to go to St. Andrews University in Scotland. SAU has a prestigious Environmental Science program and it would also satisfy her inner need to visit Europe. SAU would only take one year as opposed to 2 years here in the states. So our plan as of now is for her to go over there after she graduates JSU. I will stay state side and focus on getting my degree.

So as of 6:00pm on 10-7-2008 our plan is for Amy to finish up her bachelors at JSU. After She finishes that up she will go over to Scotland for Grad school. I am going to try and start school at JSU next semester. In order to finance that I am dusting the french horn off and I hope to get a music scholarship. That means a few more years of marching(that could be good or bad). After Amy moves across the pond for a year, I plan on moving back in with the parents as to conserve some money. I will finish up my degree at UNA. I will also try to get a music scholarship at tUNA. That means I would have to march POD. Fun Fun... I'm also thinking about trying to get a job at a YMCA or a gym or rec center, so I can make sure I would enjoy a career in that Field.


So there is my long update! Goodnight!

Random updates...

Again, it has been a while since I updated but not a whole lot has happened.

Work is going GREAT! My managers are great to work for/with. Last Friday the GM took the new stocking crew out to eat at Long Horn Steak House. Petsmart has been good to me. They take time to properly train people (unike McDs). It helps the I have worked in a pet store before, but they still have their way of doing things. The ONLY thing I don't like about it is it's location. Amy and I are wanting to move closer to J'ville, and Petsmart is nearly 25 miles away. Other than that it's perfect.

Southerners is going good. We went to our last away futbawl game last night in Chattanooga. (Unless the team makes the playoffs.) We had an AMAZING post game show. I was wore out though. I had to wake up at 2:45AM for work. I then put out cat litter and dog/cat food (all heavy), and then hoped on a bus going to the futbawl game. We got home around 12:30AM. Needless to say it was a long day, but It was a good day. (BTW, JSU won 31-3.)

Well, more to come later.

My new job...

It's been a while since updating my blog-thing but alot has happened.

I FINALLY got a job. Me and Jordan were at McDonald's when I got a telephone call. I did not recognize the number and I was about to not answer. But I answered anyway. It was the manager at Petsmart. He called me in for an interview the next day. I went in and had a job before I left. I am starting out as a stocker. I plan on moving up until I can get the Animal Manager position. So far, from what I have seen, Petsmart is a great company that has their ducks in a row. They are not afraid to invest in a little bit of payroll and trust their employees to get stuff done.

I am still confused on what i want to do with my life. I have recently been throwing the idea of moving up at Petsmart and work retail. Not my number 1 pick but it is an option. Time will tell.

Marching is going well. The show is amazing. I forgot how much I enjoyed marching. This has been a good experience. The memories I am making now will stay with me the rest of my life. Good Times, Good Times...

Good night all...

The JSU/GT trip.

Yesterday was a fun and crazy day. Despite a few minor setbacks the trip went very well. I had forgotten how much I love and hate bus trips. Alot of the time, the bus ride is the funnest part of the trip. Jordan and I rode on the mellophone/sax bus. The trip was fairly uneventful until our bus driver forgot how to use his Garman satellite navigation GPS system (and apparently he forgot how to follow the 7 OTHER buses). We took a 45 min tour of Atlanta. Our little detour made us late getting to our parking area where there was ONE catering truck from the varsity. (The varsity had AMAZING food. But the ONE truck had ONE window with ONE person taking SINGLE orders.) So when the Southerners arrived, all 400 of us (staff and students) had to wait A LOONG time to get food. So after we got food we RAN back to the buses got changed and RAN to the stadium. Most of us did not get to warm up. GT had a very good crowd. It was the biggest crowd I had ever been part of. GT ticket office reported that there were over 45,000 people in attendance. It was Amazing. The half time show went good until the last page of drill. we were supposed to mesh forms. We smushed forms. But nobody really noticed. On the great gate section of music, the entire home side of the stadium was on their feet. It was great.

This game reminded me of how much I love marching. This year is the best year to go out on. I get to march with my brother, and I get to march a great show. Great memories have been made.

A Very Good Sunday.

Today was a good day. Me and Jordan got up and went to church. (Amy was at home is Muscle Shoals visiting and wedding dress shopping with her friends over the weekend). After church we ate at Western Sizzling Buffet. We both ate ALOT more than we should have, but I was having steak withdrawls and I could not pass up all you can eat, flame kissed, medium rare, STEAK. It was Fantastic. After gorging ourselves we went home and passed out while watching TV. I played on Face book for a while, then dozed again. It was a good relaxing, Sunday afternoon. After I woke up from a mini nap, I wrote a letter to Talladega City school system about a teachers aid position they have open. I'm praying to hear something good back from that tomorrow. After I sent the letter, Jordan and I went back to church and had a good time at the youth devo. We got home and crashed. Amy got back from her shopping weekend with her girlfriends safely. I was able to catch up with one of my cousins over facebook chat. It was good to hear from her. Right now it is raining outside. It's the leftovers from tropical storm Fay. If only every day could be as nice as this one!

another good week.

Well, I survived another week of camp. I was a good week overall. I got a good bit of music memorized and we have all the drill learned. (nearly 70 pages) I never knew how much i missed playing until now. After not playing ever since leaving JSU after spring '04 i haven't played much at all. I'm looking forward to getting into a career in music.

As much as I enjoyed camp, I'm Very glad its almost over. I haven't got to spend much time with Amy at all. Luckily, she understands that marching is very important to me, although she thinks it a waste of time. I can't wait to spend more time with her.

I wrote a letter to Gadsden Music today inquiring about an apprenticeship. I hope and pray they have something open. I don't know how much longer I can stomach the idea of working these dead end, piddly, meaningless jobs. As much as I love JSU and Amy getting her degree , a small part of me wishes that we could have stayed in Muscle Shoals. That way I could apprentice at Shoals Band Instrument Repair. I miss the days that I spent the mornings there, then went to Stanfeilds or Petco at night. Good Times, Good Times.

The Southerners are packing up and going to Georgia Tech on Thursday. I am VERY excited about this football season....

That's it for tonight. Goodnight.

It has been a good week.

Wow. It has been a crazy week. After 5 years of not marching this has been a very tiring week. I needed this though. It has taken alot of stress off my mind. I have enjoyed meeting new people and old friends. This years show is simply amazing. Everything from the intense music to the awesome drill is going to be awesome. I decided to march with one of the school owned horns. It is easier to tune with the rest of the section that way.

The job hunt is at a standstill right now. No one seems to be hiring right now. I'm not too worried about it right now. I have 2 more weeks of band camp left. But after that is over I will be VERY pressed to get a job. I'm hoping Gasden Music will be wanting to hire an apprentice. I REALLY want to get my career going. But things are going slow.

Other than band camp, there hasn't been a whole lot going on.

I did it.

Well, I called McD's on Friday and told them I wouldn't be coming back. I am very relived about it. I would rather have no job than to work there again. Its not because I am lazy or anything. It is because of the lack of training and how serious a few people were. For instance; I was jumped on for using the chicken spatula on the hamburger patty's. I had no Idea there was a difference. I told him that I did not know he just got on to me again. EVERYTHING was like that. I had no Idea I was doing something against McD's policy until I had a fat 40 year old, who thought he was God's gift to burger making because he had on a blue manager shirt, was right on top of me. The same thing happened when I didn't lay the pattys on the grill in the right order, or when drained all the grease off the pattys after they were done, or the way I swept the floor (YES, McD's has a authorized way to sweep the floor! atleast that one does), or when I ACCIDENTALLY put 1.5 pickles instead of 1 pickle on the cheeseburger, and the list could go on forever. /end rant

Any way, all that is behind me. I am SUPER excited about band camp starting tomorrow! There are roughly 30 Mello's trying out for 22 spots. The main thing I'm looking forward to is playing "Salvation" again with the Southerners. I have my mellophone almost ready. All I have left is the inner bell area. It is good enough to use at band camp but I would like to get it a little nicer before the first game. Chances are I will use a school owned horn if there are enough, if I make the line. That way the whole section will match. I don't have any problem using my horn if I have to though. I would probably prefer it.

This years show is super hard. I have never seen so many 16th note runs on one page. This is going to be an amazing year. You can listen to a midi file of the opener on the Southerners website at http://www.marchingsoutherners.org. The drill has been written for 360 instrumentalist. So there will probably be over 400 people on the field.

I'm still hunting for another job. I called Dick's and they are not hiring at the moment. Right now my conditions are 1) I don't have to shave my beard EVER again and 2) It is NOT fast food. Right now I am looking for retail jobs. Working at Stanfield's RUINED me. I hope I will be able to work for a company as good as Stanfield's. A company that respected their workers. A company were I was more that a name on a time card. What makes Stanfield's so great is the sense of Family. I have never missed a job so much. I know I only worked there for 3 months, but I will always miss it.

On a fun and good note, Phantom Regiment won the 2008 DCI Championship! Phantom has always been my favorite corps. The dark and rich sound they make is remarkable. They definitely have a trademark sound. Congrats Phantom!

I rode my commuter bike around a bit today while the Mrs was out hanging out with her Friends. I just rode up the rode and back but it was FUN. I am STILL waiting to get a helmet before I go for a longer ride. I am itching to go on the Ladagia Trail in J'ville. The trail starts in Anniston and goes for 33 miles to the Georgia line. There it connects to Georgia's Silver comet trail. It goes all the way to Atlanta. I am looking forward to riding the whole thing. I want to make a tour out of it. Stopping for one or two nights along the way.

Well, That's about all I have tonight.

I Quit.

Well, today was a day that I would rather not repeat. Atleast the morning anyway. I was scheduled to be at work at 5:00AM. At 1:00AM I was (to put it politely) occupied by intense bodily functions, till nearly 3:30AM. I decided to call in. I figured the sickness was caused by stress because I felt amazingly better after I told Mcd's that I was not coming in today. I don't think I have hated a job quite so much. I enjoyed Toys R Us more than this. (And that is saying something.)

Anyway. Amy and I have decided that since I won't be working for the next two and a half weeks due to band camp, that I should just quit McD's and find a new job after camp. Another deciding factor is that I will only be getting 15-20hrs a week. (not the 40hrs I need). I was going through a small patch of depression over this job. I know I need a paycheck, but $175 every two weeks ain't worth my time or even gas to get to work. I plan on calling tomorrow and telling them that I won't ever be coming back. I don't want/need to be stressing out over a minimum wage, part time, meaningless job.

On the bright side, I went up to Dicks Sporting Goods, and they seem to be hiring. I have an application in and I will be calling the manager tomorrow to try to get an interview. I'm hoping that all my merchandising experience will help me get in the door. (because I'm not what I would consider "athletic". Not yet anyway!)

I know that God will take care of us. He always has, and I have faith he always will. Grandma has always told me, "This too shall pass." She is usually right about that kind of thing.

On a completely different subject, Rookie camp starts tomorrow for Jordan. We're both excited for this to start. The show is going to be amazing this year. It will be a good one to end on! I'm probably even more excited about football season starting! JSU got an AMAZING transfer at QB in Ryan P. We even have several SEC and Div 1-A transfers that will help ALOT. Playoffs look like a possibility this year! Our first game will be in Atlanta vs. Georgia Tech.

Even more randomness... Amy and I are planning on moving to Florida in the next two years or so. Amy found a real good graduate school program at Florida State that she wants to go too. I'm all for it. I have family in Tallahassee and Amy has family alittle further south. We have both loved the beach and Florida is a good place for cycling (its fairly flat!). I'm still undecided on what I want to do as a career. But I'm fairly certain I can do anything I want to in Florida just as well as I can in Alabama. I am looking forward to getting into a legitimate career. I'm TIRED of these piddly retail jobs.

I'll close tonight's blog/rant with a quote from my uncle.

"Pray like everything depends on God, and work like everything depends on you."

Another good day.

Today was a good one. It started out with me and Amy sleeping in. Then we went and paid a few bills and stoped in at a bike shop that I did not know about. I have found my new bike shop! The owner was super friendly and very helpful. He went out of his way to talk to us even though we told him that we were just looking around. I plan on taking my bianchi to him when i can get alittle money together. Hopefully I will be able to afford one of the bikes I picked out one of these days. Even Amy has one picked out. I think that biking will be a fun activity that we can enjoy together.

It was also a good day because I did not have to go to McD's! I'm hunting for a new job after one day! The work is not hard...I just don't speak Spanish! I feel alone and confused even though there are tons of people around me. Oh well, it's a paycheck.

Another Day, Another Dollar.

Another uneventful day. I went in for my first day of work today. All I have to say is... it's McDonald's, what do you expect? The kitchen was super clean and the people were nice but VERY quite. There was no training to speak of (unless you consider watching someone who did not speak english, training.) I don't like the fact that I can't have water in the kitchen either. I sweat alot and I when I work I like to have access to water all the time. But other than those few things, things went well. They have already talked to me about manager training after this school semester.

I am ready to get started in school again. I don't know what I want to "major" in but I do know that I am going to be taking some musical instrument repair classes online next semester. The mellophone that I redid is looking good. Just a coat or two more of the silver stuff and it will look schwanke. (that means good). I'll post some before and after pics later.

I'm still waiting to ride until I can get a helmet. That will prolly be after my first paycheck. Until then I'll just put a good spit shine on the bike and wait until I can ride.

7-30-2008

Well, today was another uneventful day. I went to orientation for my new job, and me & Amy went to church. I piddled around on my mellophone polishing it up and getting it ready for marching season.

The majority of my day was sitting wondering about what I want to do as a career. I KNOW that I don't want to work at McDonald's all my life. And the crazy thing about it is, is that I just can't go down to JSU to get a degree in the Fields that I'm interested in. My #1 choice is musical instrument repair. Oh well. I'll figure it out.

Not much happening, but its a start.

Well, I haven't been able to take a ride here in Anniston yet. (I have to get a better helmet.) But I have been working on the bikes a little bit. I have sanded down the fenders I'm putting on my commuter and plan on painting/installing them tomorrow. Things are looking good.

On a more personal note, today has been a great day. It was Amy's B-day and we had a great day. We went to the movies, had a great fish dinner and just hung out all day. Amy also got a call today, from someone offering a job! She is now a child care teacher once again!



This s me by my Bianchi.

I also posted a tread over at BikeForums.com

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=447137

3:00am ponderings.

My wife, Amy, set this blog-thing up for me yesterday. And seeing as I can't sleep I figured I would enter a "blog" or some such thing. So here it goes my first step into the blogging arena.

I plan on using this page to help me keep up with my cycling rides. I think this will add another fun spin on a sport that I have gotten extremely addicted to. I am getting back into cycling mainly for my health. I also think it is a cool "alternate energy source" and it is a lot cheaper to fill up than my car! The pros DEFINITELY outweigh the cons. It will be neat to look back a year or more from now and see how I was progressing in the sport (miles rode, speed, general agony I was in post ride, etc.) I am planning on commuting to work. (4.8 miles one way). The only thing that will stop me is the bike storage situation. I don't think there is anywhere to lock it up outside, and I don't know if they will let me lock it up inside. (That and I still have to get in better shape before I will be able to ride 5 miles then be on my feet for 8-9 hrs then have another 5 mile ride then go to marching band rehearsal for 2 hrs).

My Bicycles:

My fun road bike is an older Bianchi I found under my house in Tuscumbia. It was left there by the previous owner. I called him up and told him that he left a nice bike and he told me to keep it. So I did. I have enjoyed it ALOT.

My general commuter/work horse is a old no-name mountain bike that I pulled out of a neighbors trash heap when I was in the 6th grade. When i found it it was just a frame. I re-built it out of parts from other bikes i had laying around and rode the devil out of it. I wouldn't take a million dollars for it. I'm in the process of making it a little more commuter friendly by putting street tires, fenders, racks, lights, and LOTS of reflective tape.


My wife has been very supportive of my cycling endeavors. She has always been accepting of my obsessions at the time (like reef aquariums and musical instrument repair, both of witch I still enjoy and spend time doing). But this is something that we can enjoy together and help each other get healthier.


Well there it is. My first "Blog".