The parable of the Puzzle

As u know, I like to hang puzzles up without glue. Here is the tale.

Once upon a time there was a puzzle hanging on the wall. He heard from the other puzzles by him that a little boy was going to come stay in their room for a couple of days. "How old is he?! Does he know anything about puzzles? Will he leave us alone or will he ruin our beautiful pictures?". The other puzzles didn't know and advised the poor worried puzzle to wait and see... all could turn out OK. Instead the poor puzzle began to stress. What would he do if he was pulled apart? How could he live a life shut up in a box again? Hanging up straight and tall on the wall was hard work but....

Finally the day came. The child spent very little time in the room, and the rest of the puzzles relaxed when they saw how short he was and that he was always supervised by loving relatives. However, this poor puzzle stressed even more. The child was so young and the potential for disaster was great! Finally after 5 days the puzzle could handle it no longer even though the child had actually left the premises. The stress overcame him and parts of him started falling to the ground below. "Give up, there is no reason to go on. All is lost!" he told the other puzzles. But they took no heed to him and stood up straight and tall.

The End.

(I could go on about the Puzzle-putter-togetherer coming and helping him to put himself back together, but the story writer got bored....)

I ask you... why else in so many months of hanging peacefully on the wall would a puzzle suddenly take it into his head to fall?

Testing jitters

I was asked to write a little about my testing jitters. On October 24th I will be taking an 8hr test so I can become a Professional Engineer (PE). I get a stamp (yes, an actual stamp with my name on it and sealed by the State of Nevada, but I have to get my own stamp pad :-)) and will be registered with Nevada as a licensed Civil Engineer. This means I can authorize any civil or structural plans and calculations in Nevada. In passing this exam, I can also apply for reciprocity in the surrounding states including Utah and Arizona. (California does their own thing because of the high potential of structures experiencing an earthquake. If I applied and passed the test there I would have reciprocity throughout almost the whole west... But who cares about earthquakes anyways?)

Unfortunately I am not experiencing testing jitters. True, my career depends on the this test and if I fail to pass:

1. I will feel incredibly dumb,
2. I will be out 300$ (company will reimburse if I pass),
3. The inevitable raise will have to be put off for another year,
4. And I won't be able to blame anyone but myself.

However, I have always had a high opinion of myself because I am a good test taker so I feel confident. This presents a problem cuz I don't get to studying like I should. It's like the pride cycle. The Lord blesses me by helping me be a good tester. I get prideful and think it's all me and so I don't study... then I fail. Then I decide that was the exception that proves the rule and I will certainly do better next time because I'm so wonderful! Hello, look at my parents! (shameless flattery) and so it goes... perhaps its more of a prideful slippery slope than a cycle.

Maybe this time it won't happen that way and I will be blessed in my wickedness.

OK.. so I've taken a class, tried to participate in a study group (NOT HELPFUL!!), gathered lots of material, suckered material off of Melissa who bought the books, and cracked open some practice questions once or twice for an hr or so. But that really isn't going to cut it.

I have many wonderful friends who help perpetuate the cycle. "You'll do great!" "Your so smart!". "Yup," I reply, "smart is my middle name".

Plastic and Hot Vegas Sun Don't Mix

It is hot here in Vegas. Just thought I'd point that out in case you have never been here.

This is the results of the hot.

This is what the blinds are supposed to look like.

I put a blanket up to keep it cooler in my room because when the evening sun hits that west window the heat gets trapped inside. It also kept my room very dark in the mornings. The blanket worked very well. Too well. Those are the blinds all melted and curled. Have u ever seen anything like that before? Sigh..
The good news is now I get to buy new blinds! Oh wait, I'm renting.
I miss my New Mexico sun. Hot in the sun, but cool in the shade. The air is warm, but not like an oven, and when the breeze comes through, it actually cools you off! Here its like blow drying your hair.... if I actually ever did that. I've never really understood blow drying your hair, especially in the desert.... just go outside! Why waste time, energy, and the power bill on something that will happen in an hr without any help?
There was one situation where I think it was appropriate to use a blow dryer. A friend of mine (whom shall remain nameless to protect the innocent, but if u figure out who it is from the story... I'm still telling the story) was going to go out to boat at Lake Mead with her future spouse and family. In the morning after a bike ride, she didn't want to show up smelly so she showered. Then she didn't want them to know she had showered before going out to play in an dirty, icky lake so she used a blow dryer to dry and fluff. This I understand. All woman understand. If you don't understand, ask a woman.

The Dangers of Cool Weather and Living Alone

The other night while getting ready for bed, I realized I might have a bit of a problem. Now that it is cooler, I open the house and cool it down with fans. (I use the term "house" loosely... townhome is more appropriate). This requires opening blinds for the air to come through. As I gazed out my bedroom window across our adjacent courtyards into my neighbors window (whose blinds were down... luckily) I suddenly felt rather exposed.

See... with it being so warm in Vegas and living alone, I don't see the need to be fully dressed all the time. Don't get me wrong.... I am never naked (forgetting ur underclothes after a shower and retrieveing them from the bedroom doesn't count), but lets just say.... No layers. As Mormons, like woman, we have extra padding against the cold. I don't think I need to be anymore specific.

Is it worth it to cool down the house if you have to wear more to bed? Perhaps I just need to remember some things can only be removed under the cover of darkness.

I have had this type of problem before. Big bushy shrubs used to cover the view of my door from the street. The homeowners association or whoever is in charge of my neighborhood front lawns decided to cut them down. Forgetting this, the next night I stepped out to turn the soaker hose off from the facet next to my door and looked up to see a car driving down the street and a few children loitering in the park across the street. I'm sure all they saw was a flash of white (if they were even looking), but this taught me a lesson. Look at all angles before following through. Hence the window gazing.

For all my paranoia of seeing people naked, u'd think I wouldn't have this problem. Uh oh.. I just had a thought.... Vegas is rubbing off on me!! AHH!!!! Somebody save me!

Conference Time!

I love Conference. I LOVE CONFERENCE! No teaching responsibilities, not too much responsibility in looking nice, just basking in the spirit with really not much effort on your part.

Mm... I think I understand why people like preachers. No work for them! They just go (have a little smoke on the doorstep before going into the church)... listen... and go home to watch football. They can get out of it whatever they want... no effort.

I also feel perfectly justified in crocheting while watching. I don't think crocheting at church is appropriate, but it's OK during conference and firesides. It helps me concentrate, much like people taking notes. I used to have Conference projects that took a couple years to get done because I only worked on them during Conference... 8hrs twice a year doesn't get you very far on an afgan. Now that I don't do afgans, (who wants a big warm blanket on them when its 95 degrees outside?) I can get lots done. Last conference I got together all the half finished booties I had and got them ready to give away. I think this time I will start another baby blanket... either to do edging or an actual crocheted blanket. Baby blankets are so wonderful to crochet! By the time your bored with the pattern, your almost done and the excitement to finish carries you through to the end! I don't think I'll ever go back to full afgans.

Anyway, YA FOR CONFERENCE! I can't wait to hear from the General Authorities, even the ones that kinda scare me (I won't tell u which ones and why cuz it might prejudice u against them). I am so ready to be spiritually filled. We need a conference cheer.

Conference Conference Come one and all!
Listen to the prophets voice so u don't fall!

Perhaps it needs a little work. Any ideas?

Seasons in Vegas

Yesterday, October 1st was the start of fall for Las Vegas. Yes, you might think fall starts with the September equinox on September 22 of this year (2008)... but in Las Vegas, they dance to a different drummer. And I have proof.
Ta-Da!

This sign was found at one of the Red Rock hiking areas. (Thank you Birgit for the picture) I was reminded again of this fact while hiking in Red Rock with Jared and Amy.

So.. Happy Fall!

I was wondering why they put Fall and Spring in larger fonts. Winter is the earliest closing date... so why not make those dates the largest? Things to ponder.

Work Field Trip

I'm going on a field trip for work! It just so happens that the sights we are seeing are in Reno and we'll have to fly out there and back in one day. I get to go to the opening ceremony for the V&T Railroad tunnels and get to ride on the train!! (My father is totally jealous!) Here's the low down.

Back many moons ago I helped design the extension and reconstruction up of a tunnel on the original Railroad line up in Reno. I'm not sure if it was called the V&T rail line then, but that's what it's called now. I then designed the Substructure (abutment, pier, footings) for the railroad passing over the freeway below Reno. That was quite the adventure with high abutments and not much right-of-way (property owned by the railroad for building on). The reason I was only doing the substructure is because NDOT had donated 2 spans of a steel railroad bridge replaced a couple years ago. Actually.. I think I have some pictures for those who might be interested.

There are actually 2 tunnels, but I'm not sure which pictures belong to each.

Here is my favorite picture of a hole.. (Someone else took all the pictures for us)

A roof

I think this is the other tunnel

This is them working on it. The construction company sent us these pictures because of a question about the welded pins attaching the concrete to the metal roof.
Did you see the guy standing on top of the roof directing the pump? Gives you some idea of the scale.

And here is the picture of the second span of the bridge we used... As u can see it was just sitting out in the middle of a field. I'm sure NDOT was happy to get rid of it!

For those of u who care, the beams sitting on the deck will be used to put the thing back together. You can see where they go on the far left of the picture.

Here is a shot of the other end of the other span.

OK.. I won't bore u anymore with random information. I'm an engineer! I think its way interesting.

PS. Ken (the Transportation Lead) told me to remember to bring a jacket (he's told me 3 times now. I think he's more excited to ride on the train than I am!). Us hot weather people have hard times with coldness. While Jared and Amy were here, I was shivering under my blankets in the morning while they woke up sweating.

PPS... Forgot to mention that it's October 15th.... still 2 weeks away