my IPod mysteriously turned on today hmmmm

I actually used numbers for my job for the first time last week. It didn't get more exotic than division. But that's the closest I have gotten to what you expect from an engineer. I have been learning a lot about the IPD engine though ... I just haven't been doing the analysis. A couple people at work were shocked that I was wearing a skirt Friday. Mom thinks they are just trying to figure me out. I didn't think it would be unexpected.

Last night I burned the roof of my mouth really bad. It didn't hurt at first so I was surprised when I was done eating that the skin was dangling. It doesn't hurt today but it tastes bad. I think I'm going to buy a set of table and chairs from a coworker. It isn't my dream furniture but I don't think I want to put the work into finding what I really want. I was thinking that it would be really cool to have a set that looked like it came from a 50's diner. The one from my coworker is black iron and has a glass top. the chairs have red pads so that would go with my kitchen.

My IPod broke yesterday ... rock.

I had a pretty bad day yesterday

yet another business trip

Last week was a busy week. I went to Stennis Space Center to help out with IPD testing and I got to watch RS-68 testing too. They both happened on the same day. If I could have stayed, I would have watched the SSME show firing the next day. I don't know what I can and can't talk about as far as the IPD testing goes so I'll just say that I was in the control room helping watch the data coming in. I got to see it on the monitors and the building was shaking as it fired. At edwards the control rooms are closer but built more like bunkers. It was mostly successful and they have a good idea about what to do to make it better. We went out to the test stand as soon as it was safe to check out the hardware. Parts of it were still covered in ice and dripping everywhere. There might be another test as early as next week so I might be making another trip soon.

While they were preparing the IPD test, Steve threw the keys at me and said "go watch the 68 test." I got quick directions because I forgot where it was and drove out there. I wasn't out of the car two minutes when it started firing. The day before I got a tour of the test stand they are using for the RS-68 and got to get up close and see the engine. The stand is huge. It was kinda cool to be in open air that high up. At edwards the stands hang off the edges of cliffs so they don't have to be so tall (but still have a great view off one side). The engine was covered up by the test stand but you could still see a lot of fire and a HUGE plume. It was loud! I felt it in my chest and it shook my pants. I could only get to the gate so I was pretty far away.

Steve and I went to Burbon Street one night last week. We ate at a pretty nice restaurant and walked around stopping into the bars for drinks and to watch the bands. There weren't many people out with New Orleans as empty as it is. It should have been shoulder to shoulder in some places. I can't remember the name of the bar now ... patty o'brians... some bar famous for hurricanes, isn't even open mondays and tuesdays. A lot of the restaurants closed early evening. I saw a lot of the landmarks mom and dad took pictures of on their trip. I believe that it will take way over ten years to re-build New Orleans. Just looking out from the highways you can see areas that are completely deserted and wreaked. I guess they haven't turned power on in huge sections of the city because they have condemned it. I got turned around a couple of times getting back to the airport. One of the exits I turned around at was completely empty and the street lights weren't even on. There were piles of trash in strip mall parking lots and I saw a boat in another lot. At Stennis there were a lot of fallen trees but that's all that I noticed. I stayed in Slidell and had to pay higher than usual. Some of the hotels haven't re-opened yet because they are still fixing them up and I guess service has taken a nose dive. I know my hotel was a shit hole I could go on about that for a whole blog entry!

I think I am going to try to run today. I didn't get a chance last week and I want to keep this up.

i miss my cat

I just saw a commercial for bail bondsmen ... just thought i'd share

I saw a GREAT commercial on TBS too. They have been showing commercials for the lord of the rings trilogy and they have this one with scenes with frodo and sam that show their strong friendship ... you know what I mean. Then if you listen the music in the backround it's talking about a secret love ... teehee.

nerd party night ... but not for me!

This is my new computer bag. I have been taking it to class with me and I took it on my business trip. I am taking Lab 101 from AFIT. It's about AFRL; organization and the way stuff gets done. I am also taking Acquisition 101 and I got a small business innovative research project to help watch and another assignment to find information about some stuff (i don't remember what i am doing but it's written down somewhere and i have a contact number and deadline) and I am learning about the IPD project and doing stuff for the hydrocarbon boost project. Whew! We are trying to name the hydrocarbon boost thing ... i'll give you some descriptive words for the project and you guys help out with the acronym!
operable
reusable
liquid oxygen
hydrocarbon
it'll have a quarter million pound thrust (scalable to a mil)
there's more info on fed biz ops ... we have an RFI out that says more

Back ... bet you didn't know i was gone

Monday my boss sprang a last minute business trip on me. We had a really big important meeting in LA on wendesday morning so I stayed the night in LA tuesday. I wasn't planning on going down early for the meeting until I planned the red-eye wednesday night. So Wednesday night I flew to Huntsville Alabama to go to NASA Marshall and spend the day there Thursday and Friday. I flew home friday alone 'cause my boss drove from huntsvill to florida for family stuff. I didn't tell people i was going to be gone until i was on my way to the airport. Justin knew because we talked during monday-guild-night in warcraft. I had to rent a car last minute to get back to Lancaster because I had just been catching rides everywhere with my boss. I have to turn that in today. My shoulders really need a good rub. Next time I take a red eye I am going to take some medicine to knock me out.