Hello all. I know it's been awhile since I have posted anything, but it's for good reason. You see, Shade and I just got an apartment, so I've been quite busy lately. My job situation is also in flux, but I'll write about that later. As the title suggests, this is about my hometown NBA team, the Hawks.

The Hawks started the season with a lot of promise. A pair of lottery draft picks, and a pretty good looking team on paper fueled new hope for a playoff contender. And then, the season started. Wins over Dallas and Phoenix got the team off to a good start. However, a string of losses dropped the team to 3-7, before getting hot again and getting to 15-12. After that stretch, it seems that the proverbial wheels have fallen off.

Wins have been few and far between, and losses have been all too common. The inability to win away from Philips Arena has been appalling, with only 7 road victories to date. The trade for Mike Bibby raised some eyebrows, but the team is only 3-8 since acquiring him. Despite all of this, the Hawks are only a game out of a tie for the last playoff spot in the incredibly weak Eastern Conference.

The team is only 2.5 games better this season than they were at this point a year ago. So what's the deal?? Let's start at the top. For those who don't know, the ownership situation is a soap opera, which has to be a distraction for those attempting to run the team. The general manager has made several poor personnel decisions, passing on several players that turned out to be stars. And yet, in spite of that, he has assembled a competitive, if not incomplete team. Still waiting on a good center, so that Al Horford can move to power forward...

The head coach is another story. He plays his starters too much, tiring them out in the process. The bench players are not used effectively as a result. Players like Salim Stoudamire and Mario West have performed well in limited minutes, so why not give them more playing time? The team struggles in the halfcourt game, and doesn't play enough of the running style that has proven to be successful for them.

The contracts of both the head coach and the general manager expire at the end of June. If this team does not make the playoffs, both of them should be sent packing. There are no excuses this year. We have a lineup that matches up favorably against most other teams. Injuries have not been as bad as in previous seasons. So the only thing left to do is get it done. Let's go Hawks!!

Hello all. As yet another year comes to a close, I feel the need to recap it. You know, take a look back at what went right, and what went wrong. The number one thing that went right this year: I finished my Bachelor's Degree. Which made my momma proud, so it must be a good thing . Even as I rejoice in this accomplishment, I know that my educational journey is just beginning. I have to distinguish myself from the thousands of other people competing for jobs in my field. There are more skills to add to my toolbox (reflected on paper as my resume). And yeah, I'm still going to Grad School. My goal is to start in the fall, so I need to start preparing for that now...

Financially, this year has been interesting. I have had to take on more and more bills on essentially the same salary, though some extra money always seemed to come right on time . I don't mind having the additional bills at all; it's all a part of me growing up. However, I would like to be able to handle them without taking from Peter to pay Paul.

My first major resolution for 2008 is to simplify my finances. I need to rid myself of loans and accounts that have been lingering, and thus, been a drag on my finances. I've done the math, and I will seek to pay off 2 credit cards and 2 loans as soon as possible going into the New Year. Doing so will allow me to take on looming challenges such as my student loans without going into the poor house. Accomplishing this goal may require that I take a second job, even while I am seeking more stable Full-time employment. Something that I was trying to avoid, but I'll take my proverbial medicine until I can afford to do better.

"You can't help others until you can help yourself." We've all heard some variation of this saying, but it will be one of my mantras going into the New Year. Why? Shade is moving here in the very near future, and I want her process of relocating to be as painless as possible. That will require time and money on my part, so I have to manage both resources more effectively in the New Year.

"You won't know where you're going until you know where you came from..." This statement applies to me in many ways. My next major resolution for 2008 is to get to know my family better. To this point, I have had knowledge that I have other siblings that I am not acquainted with. I spoke with my older sister for the first time (that I can remember) on Father's Day. It's not that I don't want to meet her. I just keep missing her when she comes to visit. We have the same last name, but we know very little about each other. It's like a part of me is missing, but I will address that in the coming year...Well, that about covers it for now. Everyone be safe, and have a Happy New Year from yours truly

ResidentX

Hello all. With all of the drama surrounding my Falcons this season, you know I had to speak on it right?? I've held my tongue for 11 weeks, for various reasons. Trivial stuff, mostly, like trying to graduate from college :P But seriously, and without further ado, I humbly offer my...

Blogging Points

• The real reason the Falcons are losing this year, and what I would do about it...
• All I want for Xmas is a real football coach...

The Falcons faced an uphill battle before the start of the first game. Most of their bad luck has centered around the quarterback position. You know, the one position where you want the most stability?? It all began with the trade of Matt Schaub to the Texans. I was not wild about that move, because I was no longer completely sold on Mike Vick at the time. Speaking of Vick, his penchant for fighting dogs will set the franchise back at least 2 years. This season is a disaster, and next season will be salary cap hell if when they decide to cut Vick. That's right, no big name free agents and the bar for players deemed too expensive to keep will have to be lowered for a year.

Oh, but it gets better. You see, the People's Choice for QB, DJ Shockley, went down on a freak play in a meaningless preseason game. So that left us Falcons fans with Joey Harrington as the starter. I could deal with that. After all, he had a decent season with the Dolphins last year. And he didn't have a great team around him in Detroit, so I can even give him a pass for his record there. So the season begins, and the Falcons are absolutely atrocious on offense. The offense didn't really show up until Week 3 against the Panthers. Eliminate a meltdown by DeAngelo Hall, and the Falcons should have won that one.

So why are the Falcons losing this year?? Don't blame the defense, as they are even better than last year. They would be the toast of the town if the Falcons had a better record. Bet you didn't know that they have allowed one TD or less 7 times this year...and that Michael Boley is one of the league's leading tacklers. Special teams hasn't been spectacular, but Jerious Norwood is good for an explosive play once or twice a game.

So what is it then?? One word...Coaching. One of the real head-scratchers for me this past offseason was the decision to hire Bobby Petrino from the Louisville Cardinals. In my opinion, there were better candidates out there that were overlooked. But we were sold the Bobby Petrino offense by the Powers that Be. I grudgingly accepted that at the time. Flash forward 10 months or so, and I haven't seen much to get excited about. I've seen an offense that has yet to score 30 points in a game. I've seen an offense that is ridiculously horrible in the Red Zone. I've seen an offense that has been conservative when it should have been aggressive.

I'm not sure what planet Coach Petrino is from, but he has made several several questionable coaching decisions. For example, Week 3 against the Panthers, he decided to leave DeAngelo Hall in the game while he was clearly acting a fool. The penalties that resulted essentially gift-wrapped a TD for Carolina, and swung the momentum of the game in their favor. Week 5 against the Titans, he waited too long to replace Harrington at QB. It would have made much more sense to make the switch at halftime and give Leftwich a better chance to get into a groove. And in today's game, he started Leftwich even though the team had won 2 straight under Harrington. So what happens?? Leftwich looked out of sync with his receivers, and the Falcons got destroyed, primarily because of turnovers. And to cap it off, Coach waited too late to bring Harrington into the game.

You could hide behind the whole "hindsight is 20/20" thing, but hold on a second. In each of the examples above, the right decision was right in front of Coach Petrino, and he just didn't make it. It makes you wonder if the NFL is where Petrino really needs to be. Right now, I sure can't tell. Hopefully, the Falcons will be able to have success at some point under Petrino. Right now, though, it doesn't look good. Take care all, and I'll keep the opinions coming as the season unfolds.

ResidentX

Hello all. As the subject line suggests, your humble blogger has gotten the proverbial itch again. So just where the hell have I been all this time?? A little bit of everywhere, to be honest. I could tell you now, but it would spoil my (wait for it...)

Blogging Points

• What I've been up to (may take awhile)
• Major Announcements (may also take awhile)

So what has your humble blogger been up to in the year and some change since he last posted?? A whole lot, thank you very much. First and foremost, that degree I was working on when I last posted has been officially completed. All I'm waiting on is my diploma to come in the mail (Stay classy lol). I haven't attended commencement yet; that will happen in the Summer of next year I believe (very fluid situation ). As for now, I use my newly found free time waiting for a 45k job to fall into my lap. No such luck yet, but I'll keep you updated...

Major announcement# 2: A new Car! That's right. A brand new one. No second or third hand transportation for me lol (not that there's anything wrong with that...). In late January, I took delivery of a 2007 Saturn Aura XE. Mine is Black Onyx with  all the basic necessities: leather, a sunroof, and the upgraded stereo. How much??? Too damn much, if you ask me lol, but it drives like a dream and I get nothing but compliments on it. While I wasn't planning on replacing the Jetta until like now, it had other ideas. It had a transmission problem, plus other little annoyances that led me to part ways with it before I really wanted to. I'll miss that little car, but I absolutely love what I have now. It gets decent gas mileage on the highway (I'd rather not discuss city mileage if that's ok), and it gets me where I need to go in style, like work, Walmart, and occasional trips to South Florida (how was that segue...oh well, I tried lol)...

So what's in South Florida?? None other than major announcement #3: my lady. We've been dating for over a year, and all is well. She's met the parents and the whole 9. I always follow my own rules on my blog, which clearly state that any female companion of mine must have an alias. Ok then, let's call her Shade. It works on many levels, so I'll roll with it...By the way, whatever happened to Sunshine anyway?? We talked things over, and we're good friends now. She's even in my Top 8 on my MySpace page lol. I don't bestow that distinction on just anybody, just so you know...

What about a canine friend?? Glad you asked, since that leads me to major announcement #4: he's a medium sized border collie mix and his name is Max. My sister and I adopted him from an animal shelter a year and some months ago. He is a strange creature, but I wouldn't have him any other way lol...

I'll finish up with some minor announcements...I have embraced Ubuntu 7.10 as my OS of choice. It's more stable and much cooler than Windows. It suits my geeky/dorky side without being too difficult to use...Oh yeah, and I finally bought a flat-screen TV. Unfortunately, my Xbox died the same day. Oh well, such is life...you're not updated, but you're getting there lol. Till next time....

ResidentX

Hello all. In light of all of the recent happenings with my Atlanta professional sports franchises, I figured it was time to put my two cents in it. And so, without further adieu, today's blogging points:

Blogging Points

• Memo to the the Braves: YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!! And how I would fix things...
• The Landlord sets up shop in Atlanta: Brilliant gambit or Brilliant disaster?

Nothing in the world compares to an update to the Big Blog by ResidentX on a Thursday Evening. IT. BEGINS. NOW!!

June has been a difficult month for Braves fans. The team has had a historically bad run, with only 5 victories against 21 losses for the month. So what's happening here? The most obvious answer is pitching. The Braves have sorely missed pitching guru Leo Mazzone this year. Don't believe me?? Check our ERA versus other teams in the National League, and compare it last year's numbers. It is true that the pithcing staff has been riddled with injuries, but from what I can see, pitching performances in general are not what we are accustomed to seeing from years past. Pitchers in the bullpen are unsure of their roles. There has been a revolving door at the closer position for most of the season. However, that is simply a consequence of the team's failure to keep Kyle Farnsworth or acquire another closer to replace him. How hard would it have been to step up and show one of the premier free agents the money?? The Mets did it, so why couldn't we follow suit?

Hitting has also been a problem this month. A pitching staff that gives up more runs per game requires a high-powered offense to pick up the slack. The Braves' hitters have done the exact opposite this month. Runs per game are down from May, and our performance with runners in scoring position is down as well. As a result, our record for one-run games is dismal. You could chalk it all up to the team being in a slump, but there is more to it than that. The current lineup is stacked with young, aggressive hitters who often swing at the first pitch no matter what. The Braves no longer have a true leadoff hitter. Marcus Giles is probably a good guy and he definitely plays with a lot of heart, but he is not a leadoff hitter. Compare his on-base percentage to say, Rafael Furcal and see if you don't agree.

With all of this being said, what of the run of consecutive division championships? My knee-jerk reaction is that it's probably over. The Mets are managing their affairs the right way, and the Braves are not keeping up. At the very least, they have attempted to address any needs that they had. They needed a starting pitcher, and they brokered the deal to get one. We have yet to see the front office pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat to address the needs of the bullpen, in particular. The trade deadline is about a month away, and it usually takes time to ascertain who the buyers and sellers will be. Perhaps the Braves will make that move to bring in a player or two to provide a spark for a team that some would describe as dead in the water.

The NBA Draft was last night, and the Hawks made official what I figured would happen: they drafted Shelden Williams of Duke. Contrary to what many people believe, I like this pick. The Hawks have plenty of raw talent at Shooting Guard and Small Forward. The lack of depth at the Center and Power Forward positions was a major issue that should be addressed with the addition of Williams. Williams is different in that he is not a project like Marvin Williams or Josh Smith; he is more mature and ready to play right now. If Williams plays the way that he did at Duke, the Hawks will have realized a significant upgrade in terms of interior defense. Also, Zaza Pachulia will not have to play as many minutes per game, which should make him more effective. The Hawks also drafted Solomon Jones, a Forward from South Florida. Frankly, I've never heard of him, but SEC and ACC basketball are the toasts of this town, so that shouldn't be a surprise. From what I have read, he was pretty good in the Big East, with 3.1 blocks per game last season. He is an unknown quantity, but if I had to guess, I'd say he'll be coming off the bench this season.

All of that is great, but the Hawks still need a Point Guard. Joe Johnson is a shooter, as is Salim Stoudamire. Tyronn Lue is a Point Guard, but he contributes better from the bench. The addition of a solid Point Guard will make this young group of guys complete. The Hawks have no excuses. They are not in salary cap hell like the Knicks or the Nets. They need to use their resources to acquire the one piece of the puzzle that will make the team complete. Maybe then, Hawks Basketball will be exciting again...Well peeps, that's how I see it. For those watching the World Cup, I'll put Brazil up against anybody in the Final. Oh, and Viva Itaila! I'm OUT!!!

Peace!

ResidentX

Hello all. I am experimenting with a new way to introduce my blog posts. Here goes:

Blogging Points:

• I am in the midst of a dry spell worse than a double dip recession, and what I plan to do about it.
• It's official: my beloved dog is the latest resident of the Big Doghouse in the Sky. Where to go from here?

Nothing in the universe compares to a new blog post by ResidentX on a Sunday Morning...HERE! WE! COME!!!

Sunshine finally gave me some insight into what became of us, and why. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I am glad that I did. The truth hurts, but there is no substitute for it. I like to learn all that I can from failed relationships, but I can't do that if the other party involved is more concerned with not hurting me or having to deal with my reaction to what is said. So what happened, you ask?? Start with lack of sexual attraction and lack of understanding of my financial situation. Apparently, I'm a momma's boy with a lack of chivalry as well. Harsh. Oh well, I'd be the first to tell you that I'm not for everybody...

I could sit here and spout off about how "she's not perfect either" and stuff like that, but the fact of the matter is that we were looking to get different things out of the relationship and the way she conducted her business didn't mesh too well with mine. Communication was an issue, since certain issues could have been corrected in short order had I only known that they existed in the first place. The "ground rules" existed, as they do in all relationships, but there were never explicitly discussed. At times, it seemed that she was stepping outside of herself to accommodate me, almost as if she was "playing the role" of my lady friend at the time. Don't do that! Make your expectations known, and then go from there. I am a perceptive person, but not a mind reader. Previous women that I have dated tended to be insecure about the relationship, and that would irritate the crap out of me. But at least the issue was in the open and could be discussed. That makes a huge difference.

This latest situation is the most recent component of a dry spell that has persisted for two years now. My last substantive relationship ended almost exactly two years ago (She's studying at Princeton now), and I have yet to experience anything on that level since then. So what's the problem?? All of the women that I date are beautiful and intelligent. That's just par for the course. However, to find a better match, apparently I will have to go deeper than that. In order to understand what to look for, I have to understand myself. Here are a few points that I have come up with:

I'm opinionated, but I live and let live: Politically, I am rather moderate. On some issues, I fall on the conservative side, and on others, I am either liberal or I could care less. I don't feel the need to have everyone think exactly like me, because my unique world view makes me who I am.

I love passionately and intensely: For this reason, I refuse to deal with women with commitment issues. If you are a runner or tend to leave a lot of unfinished business wherever you go, don't waste my time. This is also why I tend to max protect in the formative stages of a relationship. I have a bleeding heart, and if I let you in, the only possible results are intoxicating joy or devastating sadness. If I like you and it's "like that", I want you to stick around until that's no longer the case.

I don't like conflict, because I love to argue: Don't ever tell me I'm wrong unless you've packed a lunch. Really. We'll be there all day, or at least until I'm tired of talking. For this reason, I generally avoid most minor conflicts.

I know what I want out of life, and I want it yesterday: When it comes to accomplishing goals, the sooner the better. If I could graduate tomorrow, and get a real job the next day, I would without batting an eyelash. Women who don't know what they want out of life irritates the sh** out of me. I'm working to get myself together, and I expect the same from whoever I choose the be affiliated wilth. At my core, I'm a spoiled suburban prep school kid, and struggling unnecessarily is not my thing. That being said, I will go through the fire, as long as there is gold on the other side. Relationships are the same way. I will endure the hardships as long as there is a common goal in sight.

Hands off or micromanager, pick one: By default, I am a laid back, hands off kind of guy. However, the second I get a major project or a worthwhile endeavour, the perfectionist comes out to play. I sweat details that don't even register on most people's radar. I agonize over things that other people would just let go. Being a perfectionist is very draining, so I only get that way when I deem it absolutely necessary.

There is much more that I could add, and I reserve the right to do so at any time if it's a significant revelation. In other news, I was able to confirm that my dog Scottie has passed away. His body was found roughly a mile and a half from my house outside of a construction development. Obviously, this saddens me and I am going to miss the little guy. I will probably get another dog soon, since I miss having a four-legged companion around. But he or she will never replace Scottie...Well, that's it and that's all for this update. Take care!

Peace!!

ResidentX

Hello all. Yeah, I know it's been awhile since I last posted, but I going to defer to my standard issue response for this one. My school schedule is no joke this quarter, with both my online class and my traditional class serving up homework like nobody's business. I am trying my best to keep up, which leaves less time to blog, of course. There is quite a bit to update you on, so let's get started.

June has to be my favorite month of the year. The weather's nice, school is winding down, and oh yeah, isn't my BIRTHDAY coming up?? Yes friends, I officially enter my mid-to-late twenties this coming Saturday. Good grief, I'm gettin' old. But I'm not alone, as I using the current sentence to send shouts out to Caramel, JD, KB, Sunshine, and my uncle from KC, who all celebrate birthdays this month. Yeah, you right...Geminis rule!!

The situation at the office has changed drastically since the last update. It all started when I came in one Monday and discovered that my office had been totally reconfigured. The old scanning equipment was taken out and the space used for our many computers. I like the new setup because it makes better use of the space available, though it did take some getting used to. It is still a work in progress, so I expect more changes to be made...

But if you thought the changes stopped there, you'd be incorrect. You see, my co-worker finally got the promotion that she has worked so hard for, so she's changing shifts. That leaves me as the most experienced PT Supervisor in the office, the "go-to guy" if you will. I am currently training her replacement, who comes to us from the Training Department. The irony here is that the person I am training helped to train me as a loader when I joined the company 3.5 years ago. I have pondered my new role in the office, and I realized that it is basically history repeating itself. You see, whenever I take a job, I always seem to work my way into some form of leadership, be it formal or informal. That being said, I accept the challenge that lies ahead of me, and I am interested to see how this will turn out.

Finally, what's that subject line all about?? Well, I am sad to report that my dog ran away this past Friday. The guy that does our yard did not secure the gate properly when he finished last week, and the little guy took full advantage of the situation. He has always been a mischevious little thing, but on the rare instances that he did escape the friendly confines of my backyard, he would always come back when he was done exploring or he got hungry, whichever came first. He is a rather mature dog, but he has a cough (he was being treated for heartworms) and arthritis in one of his hind legs. That is why I am hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. Needless to say, I'll miss him, but what can you do??...Well peeps, you're not exactly caught up, but you are more informed than you would have been. Take care, and I'll see if I can't do better next time.

Peace!

ResidentX

Hello all. Making sense of the randomness of life can be interesting sometimes. For example, I went to hang out with  Don Mac (my best friend) yesterday. I hadn't seen him in over a year, and the first thing he said to me (after 'what's up', of course) was 'You've gotten bigger since I last saw you'. What?? Apparently, my semi-cushy office job is taking a noticeble toll on my body. I should really think about doing something about that. I know that I've gained at least 15 pounds since I took the job over a year ago, and I've been tossing about the idea of joining a health club for a while now. I'm not overweight or anything, but it would be nice to tone up and raise my energy level, which has been down lately. Perhaps it's time to move that plan off of the backburner...

Your humble blogger has a new nickname, courtesy of our housekeeping guy at the office. For some reason, he started calling me Iceman a few weeks ago. I think he told me that I remind him of one of his favorite recording artists from back in the day, but I don't remember the story exactly. Whatever the origin, I kinda like it. Iceman...it has a nice ring to it...

I was sitting at my computer at the office the other night, and out of nowhere, a cool business concept popped into my head. I won't go into details about it for obvious reasons, but it has to do with a new spin on computer stores. I may run the idea by some of my friends who have businesses to get some feedback. Who knows?? It may be a worthwhile endeavour after all. I have yet to ponder the costs of starting such a venture, which is important since it will determine when or if it will be feasible to proceed...Well peeps, that concludes my brain dump for today. Stay tuned, since I never know when I'll have to urge to write. Take care!

Peace!
ResidentX

Hello all. I have a few things to update you on. First and foremost, Sunshine and I are no longer dating. While the decision was not mutual, I wish her the best. I will not go into details here because I am a firm believer that discretion is the better part of valor. Said another way, I will not air any dirty laundry in this post. So where does that leave your humble blogger?? Single, but not quite ready to mingle. Not to worry peeps; just give me the requisite time for my bruised heart to heal and for my head to process lessons learned, and I'll be back in the saddle in due time...

So what else is going on? My favorite uncle from Kansas City is in town this week. I like him because he is a straight shooter and things tend to get done when he's around. Plus, I can never forget his birthday, because it is the same day as mine. How was that preface...Nice?? Ok good. He got in town on the Saturday before Easter, so we went to Mass on Easter Sunday. I also performed a full service consultation on his computer, resulting in several major upgrades. We also did some much-needed cleanup around the house. I am a little disappointed because I recieved news that he was coming one week AFTER I went on vacation. Had I known in advance, I would have pushed back my vacation to coincide with his being here. Oh well, communication never has been a strong point in my family...

I have been doing some self-evaluation lately, and I have come to the conclusion that my social life is in a major rut. This has nothing to do with my recent change in dating status either. You see, my social life (or lack thereof, as it were) has always been tied in to my workplace. When I worked at Six Flags as a teenager, I amassed a large group of friends that I went out with at intervals (usually after work), and a similar phenomemon occurred when I worked at Rich's (now known as Macy's) in my early twenties. However, at my current workplace, this has not happened, and my social life has suffered as a result. One reason for this is the nature of my position at my job. I work in an interior office mostly isolated from all of the madness that goes on every night. That makes me an outsider in many ways. Of course, I am very well acquainted with the two other people that work with me in the office, and we do things together every once in awhile, such as having breakfast after work. But that's it. Beyond that, everyone else in the building is treated as a passing acquaintance at best, though there are a few exceptions.

So how do I solve this little problem of mine? I will have to adapt to my world as it is now to realize my desired result, instead of behaving as I did in previous permutations of it. I can start by making an extra effort to reach out to my friends a little more. Being the raging introvert that I am, this is something that will take some getting used to. But it is necessary if I want to break this cycle of the mundane that has perpetuated itself for well over a year now...Well peeps, that's all I have for you this time around. Stay tuned, though. The Atlanta International Auto Show starts at the end of next week, and I plan to attend, just like I do every year. I will post my impressions here, just as I did last year (visit 'My Original Blog' if you don't remember). Until then, take care.

Peace!
ResidentX

Hello all.  Before I get started, I would like to wish two of my best friends, Don Mac and JV, the happiest of birthdays.  Yes, you are getting old, but what can I say--I'm less than four months behind you, so what does that make me?? Second thought, don't answer that...Just a quick recap of the month this time around, so let's begin...

The month has been fairly eventful this far.  I completed my income taxes and recieved all of the $$ that Uncle Sam owes me.  It's mostly gone now, but at least I can say that I tried to spend it wisely.  I paid off one of my credit cards, put a much-needed set of tires on the Jetta, and got an Internet phone line.  Both of my computers recieved upgrades that were long overdue.  The laptop recieved a 1GB memory upgrade, bringing it to a total of 1.5 GB.  Why do I need all of this memory??  Install Oracle on your computer and you'll find out in short order.  The desktop machine recieved an even better upgrade: a 300GB beast of a hard drive with all of the goodies (SATA, NCQ, 16MB cache).  I found out AFTER making the long trip to Fry's that I needed a new power supply to make the hard drive work, so I ended up going  back the next day and getting a new 500W model with updated connectors.  It was a necessary upgrade, since I plan on upgrading the motherboard and CPU sometime soon.

School is going pretty good.  I was dropped from one of my classes this quarter, but I didn't stress too much over it since I was not charged for the class.  Worry not--I will make it up by taking an extra class next quarter.  I should still be on track for graduating in Spring 2007.  I had my midterm last week in my Wednesday class.  I feel pretty good about how I did, and hopefully, my grade will reflect that.

Work is what it is these days.  There are a lot of full-time management openings at my location, so I expect a lot of moves to be made sooner than later.  My PT co-worker in my office my be up for one of the positions, and I hope she gets it because she has been trying for so long for this opportunity.  Sure, it will break up the band, but I'll adapt like I always do.  Besides, her promotion would be an opportunity for me to shine, especially in light of the fact that I will be seeking a promotion this year, either as a Specialist or as a Technician.  Well peeps, that's been my month to this point.  More monumental than mundane, for a change.  Take care!

Peace to all,

ResidentX