On The School Front
Things got off to a bit of a rough start this semester as I juggled school and a heightened workload. At times school suffered as an expense of working given that this is the most important time of the year with Tucson and such occurring I needed to strike while the iron was hot and do what needed doing for Rocks & Relics and I did. I feel like I'm regaining control in school as a result of reapplying myself and perhaps regaining a bit of perspective. When one feels down about something it is easy to be overly pessimistic and fail to see the big picture. Semester classes (in contrast to quarter classes) are more of a marathon and not so much a sprint. Therefore compensation for short-term setbacks can be easily achieved. At present I am on track for at best three A's and one B but more likely will achieve a split of A's and B's which is actually just fine. I am also on track to graduate this May from Cuesta College with an associate of arts degree. Even if I do accomplish this goal I will continue to take more classes at Cuesta until Fall 2014 when I hope to enroll at Cal Poly although that is not final by any means. I have also applied for local grants this semester for the first time.
On The Work Front
This Tuesday I shall be attending my first ever job fair at Cuesta College main campus where 35 employers will be interviewing people. I look forward to this but need to compose my first ever resume this weekend in anticipation of this new experience for me. I already have one part-time job opening up for me that allows me to work online for a friend I have known for a number of years who just started up a company of his own after working for someone in a similar endeavor until that owner died in an accident last year. I also have another friend having offered me some part-time work last year that will open up this spring. I am excited at all these opportunities and grateful to have them.
On The Estranged Friend Front
As stated previously I am on hiatus working for my friend following three years of working together. This status is pending some necessary and healthy changes. I certainly hope there is reconciliation and restoration for our friendship. The future of our working arrangement is secondary to our friendship as far as I'm concerned as that is the true priority. The ball is in his court for now though and I'm content to let the dust settle and him work things out at his pace. I wish him well and do not begrudge him now that he knows where I stand on things after airing my grievances. Unfortunately, to date what little communication I have received from him has been wholly unacceptable. I even received a demand from him that I remove from this blog all references to this disagreement. This attempt at censorship brought to my mind the following funny meme:
On The Health Front
I've ballooned a bit this winter due to a combination of factors running the gamut from the necessity to spend little if any time preparing food given both my legitimate time constraints as well as my poor time management at times. Also, I have needed to eat food stuffs that provide immediate gratification for energy for work and school which has meant a great deal of processed food. I have also done my fair share of comfort eating as a result of my mild to moderate annual S.A.D. issues not to mention comfort eating to make me feel better about some of the aforementioned work-related stress. It is rather remarkable how people can transfer their own stress and and unhappiness and unhealthiness to others who themselves then become similarly-afflicted. Perhaps most significantly contributing to my weight gain this winter has been my failure to walk and hike like I need to do and was doing in the first half of last year. Major healthy changes are taking place in my life as I reassert control of my life through my healthier choices and behaviors. This has already begun for me this week with more walking and less eating and healthier eating.
I Don't Get S.A.D. From Daylight Savings Time
I am so very happy that we are into mid-March and Daylight Savings Time even if it comes a little earlier than seems necessary. As those of you who follow this blog know by now I have a recurring struggle with mild to moderate Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) so needless to say November to February is my least favorite time of year. Throughout any given year I notice every subtle change of the sun's intensity and angle and amount of time in the sky. This year as in most years nowadays the Central Coast of California broke out into Spring a month or so before the advent of astronomic spring on March 20th and now landscaping is exploding with growth and neighborhoods teem with landscapers coming and going about their spring yard cleanup. The trees are in full bloom or have already peaked out blooming and the last vestiges of winter have exited the state of seasons. I am already taking advantage of the additional hours of light every day by walking more frequently this week.
On The Tax Front
If one does not pay taxes AND vote then one has not right to complain about the state of affairs in our land. I voted last November and apparently I will be paying over a grand in taxes to the federal government my poverty notwithstanding. This is due to a convergence of factors what were not present in the past recent years. Fortunately, I have the option to inform the I.R.S. that I am too poor to pay at present and they will let me pay later on when I have a career and the interest amount will be small so I plan to opt for that plan.
On The Family Front
There was supposed to be a Noyes Family get-together last week at Grandma Martha's place in Fremont, CA, but it did not work out as a result of my brother's significant other severely breaking her ankle. Hopefully, this will result in a postponement and not ultimately a cancellation.
On The Mental Health First Aid Front
A week from this Friday I shall complete the Cuesta College Mental Health Workshop at the main campus with my dear friend Erin who invited me to participate. Upon completion I shall be certified for Mental Health First Aid. This will augment my Red Cross certification for physical first aid and CPR. I shall be doing this none too soon in light of the fact one of my best friends is currently embroiled in a mental and spiritual health crisis which has already cost him his job and caused his guns to be removed from his house. I hope I can be of use to him in hopefully seeking help.
On the Paso Rock Show Front
I am the chairman of this year's rock show in Paso Robles (22nd Annual Rockhound Roundup) once again but we have moved it to the first weekend in May (this year that will be May 4-5). To my surprise it is not going just like it did last year. One would assume that since it's the same show as before that there would be the same things to do from year to year and up to a point that is true. However, I have recently marveled at how many things are different this year than last year. It makes me wonder how much is random about putting on these events as in how arbitrary from year to year are the requirements by the various parties with whom we must coordinate. Perhaps this is a case of perception-as-reality. However, my dealer chair agrees with me on this so it's not only I who have noticed this. Despite this the show plans must go on and they are and I am excited about this show much more than even last year's event which was beset with hot weather but otherwise went quite well.
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