2000-10-11 - 17:25:48

Hmmm, a long day at work. I'd write at home tonight, but this is about the only day this week I have at home and I plan to take that long bath recommended by a good good friend.

I'm in the middle of writing a report predicting a thing called "carriage water". Carriage water is a buzz word used to describe the additional water required to offset negative environmental impacts caused by pumping water to Southern CA. On the Sacramento River it is a big deal, because Sac water passes near Martinez (the ocean) and it mixes enough to bring poor water do the pumps. Nobody wants this at all.

My study focuses on the smaller San Joaquin River. The results are actually boring, because the carriage water at the key environmental locations for this study is ZIPPO.

Thank the maker for small favours.

This has been a busy work: relationships, family trip is being planned ... my grandfather is dying slowly, but it will mean a lot to my mother if I go see him ... I'm not emotionally ready for this. I don't talk much about my grandparents, because I don't feel too close to them. Part distance, part personalities.

Work and my exam have been rough too. I got in last night at 9:30 PM. Bleck.

OK, so while setting up an outline for my next report, I decided to go back and reread my old reports.

[Asside: It has been months since I listened to the Mission ... weee, I put God's Own Medicine On, it is such a great album, to steal a quote: "I still believe in God, but God no longer believes in me." I'll get to this another day, I really think it describes my thoughts on religion and life.]

Wow. Many of the senior engineers like it when I actually write reports. Today my boss told me that I'll be in charge of the 2001 Annual Report. I did the 2000 report and lots of people liked it. I changed the format and have it online (though it is firewalled ... which sucks). This is good, I enjoy technical writing more than anything else in the world. Not exactly true, I like music and writing in general.

So I am looking at my old reports and I have a working outline for my next one in my mind. It is funny, but in 10 months I see an evolution in my writing skills. I've gotten better by pratice over and over. I have text and html samples.

It kinda is a pick me up. Anyway, tomorrow morning I'm going to consolidate all my old papers and see if I can archive them. In Janurary I'll clean my files, burn them onto a CD and have a library. I'm also going to consider in my spare time to make a report writing process guide and general format for this section ... yes, I write a few process and instructional guides. I need studies to learn, but I love teaching. I wonder if I'm in the wrong profession.

I wish I could share my reports with my friends. Redwood has seen some.

As an undergraduate I remember how in the lab classes I would be my team's report writer and presentation guy. Always. And I also would in my free time go to the computer lab and help my friends with their papers and reports. I guess this is why in my early twenties I didn't have a girlfriend ... my social life was spent just helping friends free their time. It was an odd mix of intervert / extrovert. Hard to describe.

Well, I've got an outline to start. (Funny, I'm going to use work to distract me ... this might work ... I pray it does.)

Goodnight,

-=-

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