2001-03-31 - 3:03 a.m.

Rivets can cry too!

Or I Bane used to joke, "you hurt my only feeling". I just can't believe the amount of emotional and work related stress I've been under in the past few weeks. I told myself it couldn't get worse, but today at work I was nearly in tears over work.

Saving the Delta with bad engineering

Currently I'm working on a multi-year series of computer simulations that will tell us the hydrodynamics (water flow), salinity, and organic loads based on a proposal to flood some islands in the Sacramento - San Joaquin Delta. The delta is one of the largest deltas in the United States and is certainly the center point of most of California's environmental research.

The problem is that a private engineering firm came up with some proposed operations of these flooded islands (island reservoirs actually), but they either didn't give me enough information or they made a minor mistake that has made my life hell!

Think of it like this, they are using two different types of units, but when you convert their units they don't match one another. Where is the mistake?

Private Sector

This is why I always advocate that the private sector has serious problems. There is little doubt in my mind that the firm that did the study wanted positive results for more studies, hence they rushed. In the process of rushing they came out with what really is bad science. Not just because they have minor math errors, but they have some operational assumptions that I disagree with and their estimates for water quality impacts are so grossly understated that they will be very ashamed when my report comes out.

Rerun Again, Again, and Again

So for a week I've been trying to come up with some logical rules to program into a spreadsheet that would follow the spirit of their original study, but eliminate the errors. I thought I had it figured out at least 3 times, but I kept having to rerun my studies (which means a day's setback).

Even though I went to the concert on Tuesday, I have been working in the office until 6 or 7:30 PM each day (tonight included). When Stompy, my boss, came in and found an error in my results (one I didn't catch), I just wanted to cry.

I'm so critical of Shortround and GSC because frankly they both are reckless engineers and don't carry their weight in the office. And here I made a classic Shortround mistake. The difference is I didn't claim I was right, and when I saw the difference I immediately took blame and fixed it. So instead of wasting 3 or more people's weeks in classic Shortround style I agreed to go to work on Sunday. :(

I don't want to do this.

Bye, Bye Turkey

Well, I ran into Cloud after getting home around 7 PM. His group decided to scrub the Turkey project. :( FUCK I was looking forward to getting away. The money. The papers. The work and reputation. The trip to Turkey ... and a distraction from people. I am not going to have that chance.

Assimilate

Earlier I mentioned that the Bound tickets were no longer on pre sale. Instead of being $10, then went to $15. That is when I decided that I've had a shitty few weeks ... instead of club hopping I'd buy Icon of Coil / Stromkern tickets.

Musica and Mixer need the support. As of tonight, they've sold only 62 ticktets! That is nothing, and Musica was a wreck tonight.

Speaking of Musica, on Tuesday she made a point to ask me to go to Assimilate. With an invite and knowing that she is just as stressed as me (her boyfriend dumped her not long ago, she started dating another guy who didn't dump his girlfriend until after they spent time together ... and that is a big no-no in her book, and the low ticket sales). Musica needed lots of hugs and a friend.

Conveniently so did I. In fact, Musica put me to work at her CD table and got me buzzed! :) She drinks strong, but sweat flavoured stuff ... and she kept giving it to me. Yes, I still did the puppy face "bleck", but she liked it.

Anyhow it was good talking with her. We did talk about relationships. In fact, not only is Musica just out of a relationship, but one of her best friends got dumped too. Basically there were a lot of broken hearts at Assimilate, and it actually was healthy for me to see and talk to these people. We all sounded sad, but determined to not hide (OK, Mixer you were right ... I would try and hide).

So Musica asked me to come and work with her tomorrow night too.

Other positive notes: Bats and Halo and Switchblade all showed up at Assimilate too. Now that was a total surprise. Halo was in the back room most of the night, but I spent a lot of time with Bats. I don't know why, but he always makes me happy. He is just so nice and full of interesting stories. Tonight he talked about a new band he is forming ... and it sounds like they are going to actually make it happen (and ROCK!).

Oh, you'd better believe that I'm going to see Dreams of the Fall play at their last show after my Professional Engineer's exam.

Oh, I also got a free CD tonight. They were giving them out. That is fun, but I've not listened to it. Musica and others said it probably wasn't good. And Musica's tastes parallel my own.

So Sunday I have to go to work. And I need to call Cricket. She hurt her back somehow and is in massive pain. :( Cricket, relax. If I was nearby I'd just drop everything I could and pamper you. I am worried about her, I just need to remember the time difference so I can call her.

-=-

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