An update.

So, I realize that it has been an entire month since my last tid-bits. And so an update may be appropriate. Mind you, most of the immediate fam has seen me in the last couple of weeks, as I had a factory shut-down break from work.

Alas, as we all continue our semi/psuedo busy schedules, it behooves us to write. And so I do.

Firstly, work: I've been dipping in and out with stranger hours as I realize what tasks need to be done. I don't like it when I have nothing to do - so I try to create and plan ahead. Today, for example, I finished defining a test matrix that we will run in about a week. It will confirm some of the correlations that I've been working on in the past two months. Bungee stretches and bar bends. Also, I designed something out of 1018 alloy steel (heat-treated and cooled to Rockwell 50 hardness) which I tenderly call a "hook release". Our bungee sled had been released with a ball-bearing a groove (like an air-hose), but that would slip on occasion, and scare the daylights out of us. We have blocks in place for such an occasion, but we wanted to re-design the release - in a way that we could view the fatigue of the steel. Anyway, that became my errand, and it's getting priced and fabbed this week. I'm guessing it'll run them $2000-$3000, but I could be off. Other than that, I've just been doing some analysis of the data we get, and a few cosmetics of it so we can present it to the big wigs.

This is called an MDB (Movable Deformable Barrier) impact. This picture is actually for a curtain airbag - but you get the idea.

Secondly, school: I'm still debating whether to plan for an escape this December with my bachelor's (technically it'll be a bachelor's of Mechanical Engineering with a Computational Emphasis and a minor in Mathematics) or to continue on to a master's. I think it will most likely be a decision I make this upcoming semester. Which means, I better study and take the darn GRE. I've nearly completed my FAFSA, and I'm wondering how much school I can afford, since I've spent more this summer not living at home.

Big Blue the Aggie.

Thirdly, spending: I just bought a digital keyboard (not for a computer, but a digial piano keyboard) so I can keep up my fun. I know there was talk of snagging one for my birthday - but since I already have one coming, scratch that. I wouldn't mind a cheap printer, however. So there's a tip.

This is the one I have coming. I think it'll work alright for me.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product?sku=706117V

Fourthly, wife: I was recently hounded by my bishop - who also happens to be the institute director, about dating girls just so they know that there are good guys out there. I think nearly every card has been played to try to motivate me into a marriage. I'm not dating anyone at the moment, mind you I'll be taking a damsel to listen to Elder Hales this weekend. The funny thing is, one of my buddies called me up the other day, just to catch up - and he gave the typical casual nonsense topics, which at the college level include the topic of dating/marriage, and he seemed to think that I sounded like it won't be long for me. Weird. Mamma Sweet says this is the year of the ring for me as well. We'll see.

I'd have to die my hair.

That being said, I figure you know enough of what's going on with me.