Crash and Burned

Well my first checkout was yesterday. YIKES. I felt totally prepared to talk about and answer questions regarding the Command and Data Handling system(a related system to me this semester, but last semester it was our own system). I should have known things would be bad when Tarik and I couldn't find a room in which to conduct the checkout; we had to do it in our office. Not a good idea. I just knew people would come in and join in and/or watch. Not cool.

Tarik begins the checkout, and I'm feeling good. I know what a CVT is. I know how the computer network architecture is laid out in tiers. I'm feeling really good; these are easy questions. Then he starts asking questions which I KNOW I have seen/read the answers, but they just aren't coming to me. At this point I am standing up in the room beside a dry-erase board, as I am diagramming all the processors and I/O cards contained in a Station MDM(just a computer, really). I should say "trying" to diagram these things. My mind is just running blank. Not good at all.

Then, Anne comes in about to ask Tarik a question. Anne sees that we're in the middle of the checkout and DECIDEDS TO STAY. How nice. I happen to answer the next question wrong, and Anne starts going on about the right answer. THEN...Nat walks in. I like Nat; he's a good guy. Anyway, he notices too that I'm in the middle of something, and he decides that he would love to observe as well. The next question required more drawing of schematics on the board, and there aren't many things worse than trying to think of the answer to something, trying to write it on a board(legibly), and having 3 people(who know the answer) burn holes in you from looking. But there are some things that are worse. Like having the FOURTH person walk in; granted, he works in the office, but I'm not a big fan of him. He's kinda A.D.D., and he has a very condescending tone to me all the time. So he walks in, and he begins to watch with the rest of them. At this point, I'm not too comfortable. I have realized that I don't know the material as well as I thought I did, and it feels as if the Roman Inquisition is being conducted on me.

So yeh. That whole half-hour sucked ass.

Thankfully, not too many questions remained, and I was able to finish it. The group slowly left the office. I in no way passed this checkout; rather, the contrary was true. I had much to still learn, evidently. I was given what are called "lookups," which are basically just the things I missed. I have time to look over them, and my next checkout on this system will be Monday or Tuesday. I shall be prepared that time, and we WILL have it in a private office somewhere.

In much better news...

I have a place to live next semester! That is right, folks. The Dynamic Duo is once again forming: Trevor and I will be roomates. Trevor got out of his current living arrangement, and he and I have already made a deposit at the new apartments. We will be living at the Avalon Apartment complex. Here's the site for some info...

LINK TO AVALON APARTMENTS

It's supposedly very vice from what my friends tell me. It's a few miles from campus, but I can deal with that. Best of all, this place has a sand volleyball court!! I cannot wait for the weather to warm up in the spring because some serious volleyballin' will be going on.

Early tomorrow morning I am going to the Houston ALS Chapter Walk to D'Feet ALS walk. I'm pretty excited about participating. It's a fantastic idea.

After I return from the walk, I'm going to shower up, change clothes, and get going. Colin, Eric, and I are headed to D-town for the MLS Cup game. I think we may be going to see a comedian Saturday night, but I'm not sure. Eric is from Dallas, so he has some stuff planned. We will obviously try to see some football at a bar somewhere. The soccer game is on Sunday. It's on ABC at 2:30 central. Look for me, as I will be sporting my RED Red Sox jersey. We will be about 20 rows up from midfield. We may even be wearing some crazy face/body paint or some wacky wigs, so make sure to tune in and look for me!!

Mallory will kill me; I completely misquoted The Wizard of Oz the other day. Eric and I were talking, and the conversation somehow turned to Scooby-Doo. He mentioned how the kids always found the bad guy. Here's what I said...

"Yeh, and the villian always blamed the kids. 'I would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for you kids...and your little dog too.' "

At that point, Eric and I both realized what happened. I had combined a Scooby-Doo quote with The Wicked Witch of the West. I mean, wow. I was WAY OFF.

I'm hungry. I am going to venture to the kitchen...

-Henry