Larissa's "when she feels like writing stuff" page

Baseboard for my spare bedroom (room I'm going to be renting), has been put in. I spent Sunday afternoon measuring, cutting and painting baseboard. Mario brought his 25 gal compressor over this evening to install it. Woo! I have to do some touch-ups and caulking, but then?! One room done!

Next? Closet doors! Do you have ANY idea how difficult it has been to find non-extremely expensive 6 panel 96"H x 80"W sliding closet doors? Reg. joints like Lowes, Home Depot doesn't carry 6 panel that size AND cannot custom make them that size. Other places? Quotes like $440, $620?!?! This is ONE closet folks! So next steps? MAYBE do 3 doors (which means triple track) OR do a mirrored, but really I don't' want a mirror closet door!

I have Direct TV now installed in the spare room. THe room is all painted and once I get those closet doors all ready for, um, my new roommate. Yes, I know, I'm sad! I LOVE LOVE LOVE not having a roommate! But, as of Sept.1st I will have one. What does this mean? I have to re-do my kitchen cabinets. I currently have NO room for another person's food! I have a small kitched and very little cabinet space, so I will be installing one in the garage for all those hardly use items (paper plates, paper towels, foreman grill, etc.) .

I really need to figure my garage! In the current condition I have little space. One side is consumed by my bikes, lawnmower and Mario's quad. The other side is snowboards, ladders, toolchest and my car. I need to organize stuff, hang stuff and pack stuff. Soon enough...

Statistics! Interesting.... can make your head hurt, but interesting. I think I actually like this class! The instructor does an amazing job at associating the subject to something we already know. You know, so you go OH yea, I get it now. I've heard this is REALLy good to have in statics class!

Ok, I MUST go to bed!

Ok, about to go to sleep... I'm so tired. Man I need to stop typing . since my damn period key busted! I'm great at busting keys! I don't think I'm one of those banger typers either!

We had a bi soccer game today! Good, I don't think I've calmed down from last game!! I went to Taco Tuesday and enjoyed some mmm tacos. Not a mmm chevala, but something none the less.

I started a new class yesterday, Research and Evaluation. I think this class (and Research Evaluation II) will be really benefical. I didn't realize how much I use statistics at work! Case load/amount, satisfaction surveys, budgeting... beneficial! I'm all about learning something I can immediately apply and use throughout my career! Unfortunately this class has more team assignments than individual. I definitely learn more with individual assignments.

My Mom's bday was on Friday, so we BBQ'ed at my house on Sunday. We BBQ'ed mmm cambodian kabobs from Chez Sovan. If you like ginger and lemongrass? You will love these! I bought freaken 75 since my Uncle Greg, his family (8 total), my Aunt Becca , her family (5 total), my folks, my bro, his heina and Mar came over. I still have TONS left! I think I'm kabobed out though. Actually, I may be down to only 8 or so left. You want a kabob?

I just completed cleaning up my house from the BBQ. 9 kids= mess! Fortunately they weren't THAT bad, but the dining and kitchen floors were icktified! I will be having another BBQ at my house in a few weeks when we send my good friend Tristian away to So. Ca. Tristian is getting married and moving away :(.

Woo I have massage tomorrow! AND get to see my love! Early day, early out, relax, then come home and clean some more...

Class Stuff, Levels of measurement in research->
Nominal- items are grouped (no specific relation)
Ordinal- items are grouped by order/rank
Interval- items are grouped in equal segments
Ratio- items are grouped by common scales/measurement associated with a ratio.

Eh, ok, something a little more useful... what is good research? When there is a CLEAR problem/issue identifed, boundaries are set, procedures are defined and are objective, issues/flaws encountered are noted, data researched/found is relevant (hey, go figure) and conclusion produced us supported by data researched. Maybe a little more useful?

Tuesday, summer- soccer. I started playing soccer with National Semiconductors this year. For the last 6 years I've been playing with Cisco, BUT this year they stopped grass soccer. Why? Because too many people were injuring themselves on the soccer field! I sprained my ankle 2 years ago... Last year they spent the year draining the grass out, I *think* this year they'll start replacing the soil. *think* and *hope*.

Soccer at National- it's a men's league- unoffically, as there are no females that play. Cisco? Was co-ed, but has been only 2-3 females in the league because, well, females in the Silicon Valley don't want to play sports. So, technically I've been paying on an unofficial men's league with Cisco for the last few years AND playing with the same guys, on the same team for the last 6 years. I noticed since I started playing at National, that they rotate me a lot. At first I thought, ok, well there are not a lot of subs, so, that's fine. Today? I noticed they're playing with me and NOT playing soccer.

I subbed (a word?) a guy during the last half. We have 45 min halves and he probably played the first 7 min. or so. We swapped. I was in for about 10 min. Then was swapped back out with the SAME guy. I told the guy (who doesn't play well) , "why the hell are you subbing us? I just went in for HIM!" He said were rotating people. I said, " Rotate SOMEONE else! I JUST switched with him!" He shut-up and I think realized wth I was talking about. 7-10 min. later he swapped me again then kept me in the rest of the game. After the game 3 diff. guys said good job, you played the game well, good going... I was thinking the whole time, well yea, if the freaken play me I CAN play well. I was livid! Bastards!

Another guy, who seems to be the BIG head of the team, NEVER passes to me. Regardless if I'm open, near him or have no one else to pass the ball too. I quickly realized what a jerkish ass he is! In the 1st half there was a time (he's playing right wing fwd, I'm playing right wing half) where he had me open, right behind him. I yell at him, "Behind you, I'm open". What does he do? Kicks the ball up to the center, right to about 3 defenders who took the ball away. I yell out, "Well that was a dumb ass move." During half time he discusses the problems he has seen in the first half. He looks at me and says, "Larissa you're doing well at being first to the ball on your side, continue..bla bla bla." No shit?!! So pass me the damn ball! This was probably the first time in a LONG time I felt discriminated.

Now, what I have noticed playing with this team, I've been WAY too passive for LARISSA. I am soo not this passive, but for some reason have decided to be. I realized in this league, with this team, I need to be more aggressive. I guess I have to SHOW myself to this team. Stupid, if I was a guy would they treat me the same? Probably not...

So a few minutes ago I had to take my trash cans out (wed= trash day). I decided to hang out in the backyard for a few... the sky is so clear in Morgan Hill. No lights ruining the view. I finally, as a lay on my new lawn chairs, soaked in a gratifying enjoyment of purchasing this house. Now, I've done so in many other ways, but this time I did with the appreciation of seeing the sky and listening to nothing, but a nearby cricket (who is always seems to be singing each night). I'm so very grateful for what I have. I have had incredible opportunities that have changed my life, allowed me to grow, and brought even bigger opportunities my way. I've got a lot to be thankful for!

Now tomorrow? I go into work early, get off early and get to see my hubby :). BBQ Wednesday!

Class time-> identify the ROOT problem, not the surface problems. What is the REAL caus eof this... so situation at work.... I'm so not going to get into this, guess, well, I don't feel like it. However, I want to note-> after working through many excercises, spending countless hours of data entry, analyzing, writing, etc... I've figured out (ok, well I knew this awhile ago, but it is much more evident now)-> the root cause? We've got an employee who is not happy doing what he is doing now and is slacking off. Fix? Get a replacement. SLA AIN'T going to fix it!

:)

I ain't even going to say it cause you know and I know.

I just finished my 4th? upper division class? Oh boy, what a difference! Not only is it directly applicable, but the instructors actually instruct! I've learned a lot about presenting, writing and communicating in these last 4 classes (actually 3 classes) the 1st one had a scatter brain. It's been real beneficial. It is so much more interesting and motivating.

So one thing that one of the recent instructors said was that the difference between Univ. of Phx. was that there are no in class labs like in a traditional school. Our labs are our workplace, our home, our personal life (primarily our workplace). I thought, that's interesting. As much as I have been applying my weekly learnings, I haven't thought of it this way. So what does this mean? I'm going to be more observant on applying my fresh new skills to my daily work life. I'm going to ensure I apply one each day (eventually I should apply these without any real thought).

I'm close to finishing up soccer and softball. Woo, I'll have 2 more nights a week! What will I do with it all? School work and house work. Sadly I've been falling behind in house work. Don't get me wrong, my place is not a pig sty, but laundry? Good thing I have a big closet, cause I have 2 loads of new laundry needing to be folded. Shoot, I think I have another one in the dryer!

I installed a drip system for my trees. Ooh, so time consuming! 1 day, once a week for 2 hours! Not 7xs a week for 4 hours. I was using a hose this whole time....

This past weekend I planted some herbs and added lines to my drip system. Eventually the plants will be on their own system, but for now I've added them to my tree line. I'm just running that daily for a few minutes though....

I did my 60k tuneup on my car on Sunday. It is NOT fun nor quick swapping spark plugs on a boxer engine. 1.5 hrs to swap 4 spark plugs? I had to remove the battery, the engine protector and the window washer reservoir. Good thing Mario has real tools :P He's got every wrench, elbow, socket you'll need. These helped!

So 2 weird things-> I went to replace the fuel filter and um, I couldn't find it! I did some research online and identifed the location it is SUPPOSE to be, but it TOTALLy isn't there! I did see that in 2005 they changed the location to the gas tank; however, I have a 2004 that was built in June of 2003! So, yea, weird. I need to do more research.

2nd weird thing.... I changed my coolant. This is the 2nd time I've done this before; however, the first was 30k miles ago. I don't remember the capacity of the coolant system, so dumped as much as I could in. I was sure to squeeze the hose to create a suction so there were no air gaps and completely fill the system. 1 gallon? That's all... ok... I was done with my tune-up and started to leave. My car was running for ~5 min (ensure I haven't damaged anything :P) before I left. I take off and I'm down the block- I noticed my engine temp rising. Um, I have NEVER seen the gauge actually move, usually it is really subtle. Shoot, I'm nearing HIGH. I call Mar then run back to his house, fortunately without over heating. So we wait till the engine cools down so we can remove the caps. We then squeeze the hose and coolant disappears! Um, I DID that... The engine takes another .75 gallons! Stupid thing! There was air in the hose and I somehow couldn't get rid of it I guess. Next time? I remember the capacity :) and squeeze squeeze!

I still haven't sorted out my oil problem. I didn't have time to see if it is leaking into the intercooler, but losing abotu 1 qt. every 800-1k miles? Somethign AIN'T right!

So about 3 wks ago I purchased the BH&G Home Designer Suite. I haven't had a chance to play with it, but think I will have loads of fun! I have many things I want to do, so designing with this? Very cool!

Ok, I'm about to knock out. I havne't caught up on my sleep from Sat night... I went to Julie and Frank's (aka Bob) wedding at Thomas Fogarty Winery. Very pretty! Fantastic views! And beautiful weather! Ellen's son, Michael and I took the hummer limo to the winery from the hotel. That was cool. The hummer was all tricked out in a playing card theme. Flashy lights, dark colors and jacks! Wedding was short and sweet...

bed...

Oh, one thing I learned tonight? Talk Manager Talk-> what do THEY want to hear?