Starbucks and RSXs

There is something to be said about removing oneself from one's usual environment, even for a short period of time. You never realize until youre out of it how much your environment holds sawy over your thoughts, emotions, and overall state of mind.
At the moment I am gladly outside the Antelope Valley where I've lived for over fiftenn years. Even though Northridge is only a canyon run and a freeway skip away, it nonetheless provides the breath of fresh air that comes with a period of fresh faces and places.
I suppose one of the interesting things about California, particularly Southern California is that youre never really outside your comfort zone, assuming youre comfortable with Southern California culture. Even though this town may be different and fresh compared to the last town, there is still a Starbucks around the corner and still a slammed RSX down the street (crazy asians). So you truly get the best of both worlds.
Ok, I think I'm done rambling now, it's easier to drink my Starbucks coffee if I'm not typing.

Fall 2009 First Impressions.

Statistics: My teacher is INSANE but the class seems easy enough.
Geology: Professor is out to change the world but there are worse things.
Sociology: I don't even know what to think.
Speech: I'm just happy I was able to crash this class, by the skin of my teeth that is.

This semester has a good feeling to it. It really feels like a fresh start.

Ressurecting GSRs and pre-class nerves

I'm constantly re-learning a valuable lesson when it comes to working on/building cars. That lesson is that whatever you do, regardless of what it is, there will always be that one little last thing you have to figure out for it to work. After about 10 hours or so of finishing putting together an Integra GSR motor into a 1993 Civic EG Hatch, the motor would turn over but not actually start up. Talk about an extremely frustrating experience...
While this is something in the back of my mind, the beginning of my next semester and my continuation of my job at Lockheed are in the forefront of my thoughts. I'm excited for tomorrow. Cheers.

Pipe and thoughts.

I just finished enjoying a great smoke out of my pipe, a nice relaxing Captain Blend from a local tobacconist. I'd been thinking about that smoke all day and I finally got to get to it about an hour ago. I find I always do my best thinking while enjoying a pipe.
Maybe it could be from my mom because she seems to have a similar problem, but unfortunately when I think about upcoming events or due dates or other important things I have to take care of, I get this extremely uncomfortable anxiety. I have absolutely no idea why, but the pipe seems to help with that.
On the school front, things are looking up. Then again, it's easy for things to look up when coming from such a low spot. I start fall classes in two days, which I'm not particularly looking forward to, but it remains to be something I must do. Every semester I reserve my thoughts to making that semester a perfect semester where I do every little thing I'm supposed to do, and based on my past experiences of failure with that particular mindset, I think I'm going to avoid worrying about it and just take it in stride.
On the women side of life, everything's going smoothly. I'm still thoroughly enjoying my lovely girlfriend, something I haven't had in quite some time.
I hope I find more time for my pipe and this blog, which could either become more or less likely with the on-set of fall classes. I suppose we'll see. Cheers.

I miss You.

ugh

Most of the time we, as people, are coasting along the surface of life, content in our views, dogmas, families, and friends. Nothing is really that awful and things in general are good. Sometimes reality comes knocking on the door of our state of semi-ignorance induced bliss. This happened to me personally recently.
A friend I've had for a few years slipped and fell and did some significant damage to his head. I heard the news and went to visit him in the hospital.
The best way to describe my experience there is...saddening. This friend is one of those people who are just full of life. They take every opportunity to seize the day
and enjoy the night. He taught me how to drive the canyons, now one of my favorite things to do.
Now he's responsive but not quite there %100. It's painful to see. All I can do is hope with every fiber in my being that he'll make a full recovery.