Last night as I was blogging the previous entry, I initially started by saying "Here are a few updates:" and proceeded to write brief paragraphs about the random different thoughts I've had over the week. But then I realized that writing in that way doesn't really allow me to add details about the various things that are going on, so I'll try to update more often with more focus, while not trying to cover everything in one go. Hopefully this will spur me on to write more often and with more thought.
So for this post, I'm listing the things I want to accomplish while I'm here in Louisville (things that are unrelated to my walk with Jesus and my work at GE - I'll cover those things in different posts).
- Learn how to cook. I just finished lunch: grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup (which is also what I ate last night). I know it's disappointing, but I am really horrible in the kitchen. Hopefully having full control over the food that I buy and eat will challenge me to try making new dishes and at least gain some common sense in the kitchen that I severely lack. At least I found a Korean/Asian market nearby (I need to buy some chopsticks).
- On that note: eat healthier. I've decided that for the next four months, no soft drinks, no candy, no chips. Chocolate is the exception, but with the condition that I'm not allowed to buy any for myself more than once a month. If someone offers, then it's okay. Hopefully I won't always be offered fudge brownies or Hershey's Almond Kisses or chocolate chip cookies.
- I want to be wiser about how I'll use the money that I'll be making this semester. This past year I feel as though I did or spent however I liked without much thought or prayer, and as a result, my credit card debt is larger than I'd like. Especially when it comes to eating out. I want to eliminate eating out completely, but I know that's unreasonable, especially since food seems to be the one universal thing through which people develop relationships whether at church or at work. Praying that God will give me the wisdom to decide carefully on when and where to spend what He provides.
- Exercise. There isn't a BJJ gym close by unfortunately (sorry Teddy!), but I can't let that be my excuse for not keeping myself in shape. There is a fitness center at work in one of the main buildings that doesn't cost much at all, so I plan on joining. I really should go check it out tomorrow.
- Learn to dress better, more my age, and yes, more like a woman than a guy. I can't be surprised when people think I'm a scruffy 19-year-old if I'm always walking around wearing jeans and t-shirts. Work will help with that since I'm always dressing up. I have to get used to it sometime, right? No makeup though. Still want to avoid that as much as possible.
That's it on my list for now. Feel free to ask if I've been following these goals. =]
Sunday, August 21, 2011
GE Week One
Work has certainly been an interesting change of pace. I'm not used to working 8-hour days, and I'm certainly not used to dressing up for work. I didn't dress up for anything when I was back in Chicago. But it's odd; business casual for my team ranges from dress shirt/slacks to polo shirt/khakis. I'll be wearing the former, and yet using power tools in the lab.
But work has also been really cool. I guess I expected to have people check up on me to see what I'm doing and how I'm spending my time, but it's not like that at all. I manage my own time and other than the team meetings I have to go to, I'm free to do whatever I'd like whenever. If I have nothing to do, I can wander off and go see what my friends are working on, or go see what happens in the other buildings. I can take 30 minutes out of my day to drive to the other side of the facility to pick up my new badge or my first paycheck, and nobody will care.
But they do also see me as a part of the team, and they want me to learn as much as I can. My boss and the engineers have said they'll help me to get whatever experience they can give me, and I know that it's work that still of importance to them. For example, they often outsource their CAD work because it's a waste to have one of our lead engineers working on that, but if it's something that I want to learn or practice, they'll give me the work instead. I'm excited to get started on some of these projects, and I want to be productive, someone who'll be of use to them, instead of a co-op student who'll cruise through the internship getting paid more than they're worth.
Other things:
- It's been cool to see how the stuff I learned in school are used practically in the design and production of basic things like home appliances. I find this stuff really interesting, which I guess confirms that mechanical engineering is for me, and that I would really like going into design.
- GE Appliance Park (which is where I work) is crazy huge. Our parking lot has traffic lights and the speed limit is 25 mph. We have our own zip code. Looking at Google Maps showed me it was big, but seeing with my own eyes was still a bit shocking.
- There's still an overwhelmingly unbalanced ratio of guys to girls in the engineering department, but that's not surprising at all.
Looking forward to my second week of work. Should be a lot more interesting than the first.
But work has also been really cool. I guess I expected to have people check up on me to see what I'm doing and how I'm spending my time, but it's not like that at all. I manage my own time and other than the team meetings I have to go to, I'm free to do whatever I'd like whenever. If I have nothing to do, I can wander off and go see what my friends are working on, or go see what happens in the other buildings. I can take 30 minutes out of my day to drive to the other side of the facility to pick up my new badge or my first paycheck, and nobody will care.
But they do also see me as a part of the team, and they want me to learn as much as I can. My boss and the engineers have said they'll help me to get whatever experience they can give me, and I know that it's work that still of importance to them. For example, they often outsource their CAD work because it's a waste to have one of our lead engineers working on that, but if it's something that I want to learn or practice, they'll give me the work instead. I'm excited to get started on some of these projects, and I want to be productive, someone who'll be of use to them, instead of a co-op student who'll cruise through the internship getting paid more than they're worth.
Other things:
- It's been cool to see how the stuff I learned in school are used practically in the design and production of basic things like home appliances. I find this stuff really interesting, which I guess confirms that mechanical engineering is for me, and that I would really like going into design.
- GE Appliance Park (which is where I work) is crazy huge. Our parking lot has traffic lights and the speed limit is 25 mph. We have our own zip code. Looking at Google Maps showed me it was big, but seeing with my own eyes was still a bit shocking.
- There's still an overwhelmingly unbalanced ratio of guys to girls in the engineering department, but that's not surprising at all.
Looking forward to my second week of work. Should be a lot more interesting than the first.
Monday, August 15, 2011
in louisville, finally.
So I'm in Louisville, KY for a co-op internship at GE Appliances.
It's been a while since I blogged, but I'll try to start again. Nothing big right now, I'm so tired, for reasons I'll explain in the next entry.
Until then, I want to share a song that I was really blessed by at church this Sunday. Hope your week is full of blessings and grace.
It's been a while since I blogged, but I'll try to start again. Nothing big right now, I'm so tired, for reasons I'll explain in the next entry.
Until then, I want to share a song that I was really blessed by at church this Sunday. Hope your week is full of blessings and grace.
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