Comments are disabled site-wide. Too much spam filling up my inbox finally got to me. I doubt I will be saying much else here for quite a while, if ever. Those of you who want to email have one of my addresses already, or can find it through Rose.
Crappy couple of weeks at work? check. (bright side, I have a job)
Money tight? check. (thank God for Chunsun's job)
Other people's legal issues becoming our problem by forcing us to find a new place to live? suck, and check.
Sleep schedule ruined by stress from above? you betcha.
On one hand, I want this week over. On the other, that would cut into time we don't have to spare at the moment.
Grrrr.
It's one thing to know you've done something stupid and put yoursef in a difficult situation that won't be easy to make right. It's another thing when events you have no control over give you a day that kicks you in the rear, repeatedly. When those two happen at the same time, crawling into bed and waiting for it to be over is so tempting, but there's still that matter of things that are your fault, must be fixed, and aren't going away until you do.
Calling an end to the day and driving home to finish up that night, only to find you've left your laptop's power adapter at work, and that you can't get back in until tomorrow really just tops it all off.
UPDATE: Thanks to backing up substantial amounts of work on thumbdrives, I managed to get the largest part of my workload done on my desktop, then turned on the laptop and quickly got the most important stuff done before my battery begged for mercy. The rest can be pickup tasks tomorrow when I have a power cord again. USB is my friend.
Up good. Go see.
Belief O' Matic says I match:
1. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (100%)
2. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (89%)
3. Eastern Orthodox (81%)
4. Roman Catholic (81%)
5. Seventh Day Adventist (77%)
6. Orthodox Quaker (76%)
7. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (72%)
8. Jehovah's Witness (71%)
9. Orthodox Judaism (63%)
10. Baha'i Faith (60%)
11. Islam (57%)
12. Sikhism (49%)
13. Liberal Quakers (47%)
14. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (47%)
15. Reform Judaism (43%)
16. Hinduism (36%)
17. Theravada Buddhism (30%)
18. Unitarian Universalism (29%)
19. Mahayana Buddhism (29%)
20. Jainism (26%)
21. New Thought (25%)
22. Scientology (22%)
23. Nontheist (20%)
24. Neo-Pagan (19%)
25. Taoism (17%)
26. New Age (11%)
27. Secular Humanism (9%)
I expected 1, 3, and 4, but 2 came out of left field. I think de-emphasizing salvation by works[1] was what pushed down Eastern Orthodox and Catholicism.
[1] I don't mind light discussion, but in a serious theological argument I am very closed to unarmed, so please don't ask for an in-depth and thorough explanation of every single thing I believe.
Thinking about saving a copy of this for my records, then wiping the whole thing and starting over. My interests have changed over the years, as is normal for someone with my attention span. I've also learned the hard way about many of the mistakes amd missteps I've made in my adult life, and don't wish to be reminded of them by these archives.
Opinions and priorities change, sometime like a weathervane, other times more slowly, and often not at all, except in appearance. I actually don't even know if I will ever go back and look at most of this again. It may be better left in dust. If I get together the motivation to do anything with this site, a thorough cleaning is in order. I'm not even sure it matters; having been dormant so long, I doubt this even has an audience. This is just whistling in the dark amidst the ghosts.
--I'm getting worse with the typos. Dratted wireless keys.
Not only do Jason and I have a couple of mutual friends, but also he took time to help the Lost Creek Conservation Club in a lawsuit over noise at their outdoor range near Terre Haute. He is a stand-up guy, as are many of the other rifle team members I (and more than a few of you readers out there) have been friends with. Rose-Hulman has a long tradition of rifle shooting, and I don't want to see it end while I can do something. Money is tight right now for pretty much everyone, but if you can help in any way, please do.
Rose Rifle UpdateTo members of Keep Varsity Rifle at Rose-Hulman
Jason LaBellaMarch 4 at 8:09am
This weekend, our Board of Trustees met and voted to support the decision made by the administration of end our program. Much of the argument as it was relayed to me was based around making cuts that will not affect scholarships and our faculty staffing levels. This translates to: We understand that we may lose some recruits because of this decision, but the level of engineering education we provide to the rest of those who do come will suffer. With this decision, I am being blocked from obtaining the list of all our team alumni, and any communication with them will have to go through the same administration that cut us for review before being sent. Now that the season is over, I will be organizing a fundraising campaign, probably centered around a worldwide (yes, WORLD wide) raffle and donation drive. If anyone has an item to donate for the drive, it would be tax deductible, as are all monatary donations. I challenge that if you care about this team's existence, you will do at least 1 thing: pass this along to others who would care about our cause.
“Of course we must fear evil men, but there is another evil that we must fear more… and that is the indifference of good men.”
Lead, follow, or get out of the way. The time is now. Let me know how you can help us.
-Jason
The previous bit of news about this follows:
As you have heard, Rose-Hulman is cutting our rifle program citing budget issues. We have petitioned the administration and today have gained approval to continue through the 09-10 season with zero funding from our school and using our own money, but will be pushed to a club level team after that season concludes. We will be starting a fundraising campaign and further pressing the institution to let us continue at the NCAA level under own power until the budget opens back up. Please pass this along to any and all networks you desire. If you wish show your support, here are the people to contact:President Gerald Jakubowski gerald.jakubowski@rose-hulman.edu
VP Student Affairs Pete Gustafson gustadso@rose-hulman.eduIf you do contact these gentlemen, please thank them for allowing us to continue for one more season and pose the question of what it would take to continue for more.
I have already received some offers of donations. If you are able and willing to make such a contribution, please send checks made out to the team to my snail mail directly and I will file them accordingly with the school.
I am convinced that this is not the end of our program, simply a new chapter in its excellent existence.
Truly Yours In Shooting,
Jason LaBella
BS Mechanical Engineering, 2004
Head Rifle Coach
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
CM 41
5500 Wabash Avenue
Terre Haute, IN 47803
Typing from new apartment (actually duplex). Much bigger space, similar rent, need to get insurance and some window coverings today. All utilities are now working; internet was last. Yay new job and new place. Lots of self-paced training to do this week. More later.
Good news: I have a new job - especially good, since my last day at the old one is in a week.
Bad news: I had to take a pay cut that is going to hurt but was not unexpected.
Need help: We have to move. This is the list of requirements, and I don't know how they will all be met:
1) cost $500-$600/mo (this is pretty firm until we both have jobs)
2) must be within 30 miles of Indy - will be traveling in and around the city almost every day
3) at least 2 bedrooms (have to accomodate a home office separate from everything else)
4) has to get high-speed internet (job requirement)
5) has to be in an area safe enough for FedEx to drop off and pick up unattended packages
6) must be in livable condition
To all active and former members of the United States Military:
Thank you.
Is anyone who reads this planning on being at homecoming this year? I always see people I know, but the number tapers off each year.
