So last week we talked about changes right? Well, today I was reminded that some things never change.
I went to visit a career counselor at Grand Valley today, and she really thought that I ought to stay in my degree field and not pursue a completely new degree. Now, it's been almost three years since college graduation and anyone who knows me knows just what my job search results have been in those three years. Seeing her response and recommendation, I was left feeling a little befuddled. She recommened sites that I had already used in the past with less than satisfactory results, or one's I am currently using. Insanity can be described as trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Hmmm...
After our conversation I am however really considering taking steps to get either an MBA or an MPA (Master's in Public Administration). I would like to see what opportunities are out there for me if I decide to pursue grad school, as I see a pretty weak playing field as it stands right now with just my bachelor's.
I don't mean to keep this so short, but it's all that's been on my mind along with a couple others things I won't get into.
Have a great Monday night!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
With a New Computer Come Changes
Well, as you might have guessed my old Dell kicked shortly after I made my last post on here. It gave me 7 1/2 faitful years of service but alas it's diagnosis was terminal. So last night I finally procured a new desktop computer, things run a lot faster on it needless to say.
With the new computer, the following week has brought about changes in my life. My daily routines will be different, my thinking will be different. I realized that certain parts of my life had to change in order for me to better focus and persue my professional goals.
I need to become a bit more selfish in order to achieve what I am capable of. This necessity directly affects others in my personal life in a sizeable way, but in no means is meant to in a negative way. The move is in fact supported and encouraged by those parties who are affected.
This hourney is a personal journey in many ways, other than professional. I would like to find a better connection between myself and faith. I have long put the measure off, but I think the time has come for me to fully acknowledge my faith.
Change is hard for many people because they become comfortable in the status quo. Change is scary, because very few know what lies on the other side. Any journey that is worth the effort and discomfort can not be put off.
With the new computer, the following week has brought about changes in my life. My daily routines will be different, my thinking will be different. I realized that certain parts of my life had to change in order for me to better focus and persue my professional goals.
I need to become a bit more selfish in order to achieve what I am capable of. This necessity directly affects others in my personal life in a sizeable way, but in no means is meant to in a negative way. The move is in fact supported and encouraged by those parties who are affected.
This hourney is a personal journey in many ways, other than professional. I would like to find a better connection between myself and faith. I have long put the measure off, but I think the time has come for me to fully acknowledge my faith.
Change is hard for many people because they become comfortable in the status quo. Change is scary, because very few know what lies on the other side. Any journey that is worth the effort and discomfort can not be put off.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
A Dark, Snowy Night...
On such a night, one has time to reflect. Especially when one does not have to be at work until noon the next day. It occurs to me, "Oh Shit!, I haven't been here since last week!" Now, it would assume that the weekend would have afforded plenty of opportunities to update, but nooooo, I was apparently too good for that.
To review, I had an awsome tme at a $1 Beer Griffins game Friday night with friends, and a great SuperBowl Sunday with friends as well. Saturday...I vegged. Sue me.
So tonight, Fat Tuesday we have "Snowmageddon"...according to the sensationalist local news stations. "Biggest snow storm in two months!"...Umm, we're only supposed to get 8 inches...DC just got 25". THAT'S a snowstorm. Period.
My point?
THIS IS MICHIGAN!!! It's February!!! Go play intermurals brother! Eight inches is simply a nice backdrop in the mitten. If you can't handle it, move to Florida. You've seen it before, stop crying wolf.
I'd enjoy a snowday tommorow, but that is doubtful. The last snowstorm in GR, GRPS was the only district to NOT close. I won't get my hopes up. Detroit-area districts have aleady closed, as well as outlying GR districts.
Well, I'm done ranting for tonight. Tommorow will bring what it will.
Goodnight!
To review, I had an awsome tme at a $1 Beer Griffins game Friday night with friends, and a great SuperBowl Sunday with friends as well. Saturday...I vegged. Sue me.
So tonight, Fat Tuesday we have "Snowmageddon"...according to the sensationalist local news stations. "Biggest snow storm in two months!"...Umm, we're only supposed to get 8 inches...DC just got 25". THAT'S a snowstorm. Period.
My point?
THIS IS MICHIGAN!!! It's February!!! Go play intermurals brother! Eight inches is simply a nice backdrop in the mitten. If you can't handle it, move to Florida. You've seen it before, stop crying wolf.
I'd enjoy a snowday tommorow, but that is doubtful. The last snowstorm in GR, GRPS was the only district to NOT close. I won't get my hopes up. Detroit-area districts have aleady closed, as well as outlying GR districts.
Well, I'm done ranting for tonight. Tommorow will bring what it will.
Goodnight!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Beer Review: Keweenaw Widow Maker Black Ale
Hello again beer review readers. Found something new, at least new to me, from the Kenweenaw Brewery in Houghton, MI last week. It's called Widow Maker Black Ale, and I'm guessing it's a Porter. Let's find out!
A- Pours a deep, dark black, with a little light on the edges. This one looks like a porter. Lightly off-white head rised to finger width, then quickly falls.
S- Yup, this one's a porter. I'm smelling roasted coffee beans, a little espresso and dark breads. More wafts reveal an almondy scent, maybe toffee?
T- Not as great as the smell, this one is a bit thin. I still get some light coffee notes, as well as some pumpernickel bread taste. This one still has a roasty character, but it really is seemingly short on taste. I get a small zing at the end, maybe hops? Roasted malts for sure, but it feels almost as if this one was made to intimidate as few people as possible. When you do that, your product isn't going anywhere.
M- Very thing, very light and really watered down from what I was expecting. No real impact at all.
D- Very easy, it almost feels like I'm drinking a mass-produced lager with a hair of roasted flavor.
I don't know what to say, KBC is one of my favorite breweries but this one is an epic fail. Maybe it's far better on tap...who knows.
A- Pours a deep, dark black, with a little light on the edges. This one looks like a porter. Lightly off-white head rised to finger width, then quickly falls.
S- Yup, this one's a porter. I'm smelling roasted coffee beans, a little espresso and dark breads. More wafts reveal an almondy scent, maybe toffee?
T- Not as great as the smell, this one is a bit thin. I still get some light coffee notes, as well as some pumpernickel bread taste. This one still has a roasty character, but it really is seemingly short on taste. I get a small zing at the end, maybe hops? Roasted malts for sure, but it feels almost as if this one was made to intimidate as few people as possible. When you do that, your product isn't going anywhere.
M- Very thing, very light and really watered down from what I was expecting. No real impact at all.
D- Very easy, it almost feels like I'm drinking a mass-produced lager with a hair of roasted flavor.
I don't know what to say, KBC is one of my favorite breweries but this one is an epic fail. Maybe it's far better on tap...who knows.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Beer Review: Bell's Hopslam
Well hello once again. As you know I went beer hunting last week and I got my hands of a few fun brews. I've got a real limited, special Michigan brew for you tonight. Bell's Hopslam is around five years old in existance, and is only brewed in a small batch in the middle of winter every year. As the name suggests, this one is a hop IED! Buckle up and get the weaklings out of the room.
A- Deep golden color with some hints of amber. The beer is quite clear, it almost looks like a pale ale. Oohh how wrong you would be! A white head rises to 3/4 inch and sloowly falls.
S- Here is where the truth comes out. When I get a whiff of the beer it's as if I have thrust my nose into a grapefruit! The citrus powers here are unreal, but below that grapefruity scent there's a bed of grassiness that's almost real enough to go rolling around in. All hops, all the time with this one.
T- Deep breath...it hits you like a rouge wave broadsides a ship the nano-second it hits your tounge. Daaayyyuumm!!! This beer is so full of hop resin that you would swear you were chewing on one. The harsh (or amazing) plant's taste is there start to finish. She's a shape shifter; one second citrus...grapefruit, then grass and earth and back! The citrus elements steal the show here, they show up on regions of the pallet, quite a floral flavor.
M- Mouthcoating is putting it nicely, shnikeys! You really have to have an appreciation for the hop if you want to enjoy this beer, otherwise you'll be overwhelmed. The sheer magnitude of the hop resin is what I take away from this one.
D- Ummm, yeah. I know that's not the proper way to start a sentence but this isn't your everyday beer. This one smashed right through AP and APA writing requirements and into the land so far beyond that only a select few have a priviledge of tagging along. To answer the question, one is all you need. Sip, savor and thank God for the hop flower.
** I haven't had this beer in over two years, if you can't tell. I'm enjoying it thoroughly, but it really is a wake-up call to my senses. Proceed with caution, and if you respect it, it will be wonderful.
A- Deep golden color with some hints of amber. The beer is quite clear, it almost looks like a pale ale. Oohh how wrong you would be! A white head rises to 3/4 inch and sloowly falls.
S- Here is where the truth comes out. When I get a whiff of the beer it's as if I have thrust my nose into a grapefruit! The citrus powers here are unreal, but below that grapefruity scent there's a bed of grassiness that's almost real enough to go rolling around in. All hops, all the time with this one.
T- Deep breath...it hits you like a rouge wave broadsides a ship the nano-second it hits your tounge. Daaayyyuumm!!! This beer is so full of hop resin that you would swear you were chewing on one. The harsh (or amazing) plant's taste is there start to finish. She's a shape shifter; one second citrus...grapefruit, then grass and earth and back! The citrus elements steal the show here, they show up on regions of the pallet, quite a floral flavor.
M- Mouthcoating is putting it nicely, shnikeys! You really have to have an appreciation for the hop if you want to enjoy this beer, otherwise you'll be overwhelmed. The sheer magnitude of the hop resin is what I take away from this one.
D- Ummm, yeah. I know that's not the proper way to start a sentence but this isn't your everyday beer. This one smashed right through AP and APA writing requirements and into the land so far beyond that only a select few have a priviledge of tagging along. To answer the question, one is all you need. Sip, savor and thank God for the hop flower.
** I haven't had this beer in over two years, if you can't tell. I'm enjoying it thoroughly, but it really is a wake-up call to my senses. Proceed with caution, and if you respect it, it will be wonderful.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Beer Review: Dragonmead's Erik the Red
Happy Sunday Evening to all enjoying their last hours of freedom before work calls again in the morning. We've got another beer to review and this one's brand new to me. It's from the Dragonmead brewery in metro-Detroit. The name Erik the Red symbolizes this is an american amber ale. Alright, let's go!
A- Pours a dark amber color, slight haziness which is always a plus with me. White head rises to a half inch and then falls. No real lacing.
S- I'm smelling a lot of malts, very characteristic for this style. I'm putting this one up against my experiences with Bell's Amber, which I consider the best out there. There is simply loads of graininess in the nose, with maybe a splash of honey?
T- This one is very smooth but you can definitly get a firm hold on that malt content quickly. I get breadiness with a little yeast. No hoppiness detected anywhere, although I know it's there. This one really tastes like it could be from England it's so mild, I wonder how this one would taste from a hand-pull cask?
M- Pleasant, this one really doesn't pile on the chewiness, which is good. It's got a clean texture and is no where as mouth-coating as a big american IPA.
D- Sessionable for sure. This one won't wreck your taste buds if your having it with food. This one would actually be a great introductory beer to someone curious about trying a craft beer who never has tried one before. It's mild enough where it wouldn't offend someone not used to it.
A- Pours a dark amber color, slight haziness which is always a plus with me. White head rises to a half inch and then falls. No real lacing.
S- I'm smelling a lot of malts, very characteristic for this style. I'm putting this one up against my experiences with Bell's Amber, which I consider the best out there. There is simply loads of graininess in the nose, with maybe a splash of honey?
T- This one is very smooth but you can definitly get a firm hold on that malt content quickly. I get breadiness with a little yeast. No hoppiness detected anywhere, although I know it's there. This one really tastes like it could be from England it's so mild, I wonder how this one would taste from a hand-pull cask?
M- Pleasant, this one really doesn't pile on the chewiness, which is good. It's got a clean texture and is no where as mouth-coating as a big american IPA.
D- Sessionable for sure. This one won't wreck your taste buds if your having it with food. This one would actually be a great introductory beer to someone curious about trying a craft beer who never has tried one before. It's mild enough where it wouldn't offend someone not used to it.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Beer Review: Southern Tier Choklat
Evening All! Since it's my birthday next week I decided to treat myself early. I picked up a bottle of some rare and intense beer tonight. The beer is called Choklat, it's brewed by Southern Tier in Western New York state. It's part fo their limited Imperiel BlackWater series. Choklat is a big Imperial Stout brewed with pure chocolate resulting a beer so rich you'll think you just poured Hersey's syrup in a glass. This one is dangerous, it's 11% ABV.
A- Dark black, very little to no light coming through the edges at all. A small, creamy off white head forms about a finger thick and falls.
S- This is where it starts to hit you. Your first sniff, "woah!" Hersey's all up in the nose like it's never been before. There's so much cocoa in the nose you can't really detect any other scents!
T- I dare you...I'm waiting...BAM! Smooth, rich creamy chocolate hits you right up front. Then the richness of the beer rears it's beautiful head. It's slightly overwhelming to the taste buds. The sweetness is almost unbelievable, how can this even be a beer?! This is the third time I've had this beer (third ever release of it) and it never ceases to impress me. There is a slight bittering on the back of the tongue, but it's mostly bitter chocolates, only a little roasted cocoa bean. Most stouts have roasty everything, this one is puuuure chocolate, unbalanced as ever.
M- Very smooth, very rich and extemely coating. This one envelopes your mouth like drinking molases almost. Guiness isn't even in the same spaceship as this one.
D- Umm, share this beer with company as an after dinner drink or dessert accompaniment. If you want to try to go toe-to-toe with the whole 650 ml. bottle on your own, good luck. Drink lots of water with it!
This is the third ever release of this beer, it's been around for three years now. I must say that as powerful as this beer is, a lot of people have been saying it seems as though Southern Tier pulled back the throttles on this years batch from what it was the last two years. Having now tried this year's batch, I think I'm going to have to agree. It's still unmatched, but lacks that absolute knock-you-to-the-floor ability as the last two.
It runs about $7.89 a bottle, and only comes in bomber form (650 ml.). Try some!
A- Dark black, very little to no light coming through the edges at all. A small, creamy off white head forms about a finger thick and falls.
S- This is where it starts to hit you. Your first sniff, "woah!" Hersey's all up in the nose like it's never been before. There's so much cocoa in the nose you can't really detect any other scents!
T- I dare you...I'm waiting...BAM! Smooth, rich creamy chocolate hits you right up front. Then the richness of the beer rears it's beautiful head. It's slightly overwhelming to the taste buds. The sweetness is almost unbelievable, how can this even be a beer?! This is the third time I've had this beer (third ever release of it) and it never ceases to impress me. There is a slight bittering on the back of the tongue, but it's mostly bitter chocolates, only a little roasted cocoa bean. Most stouts have roasty everything, this one is puuuure chocolate, unbalanced as ever.
M- Very smooth, very rich and extemely coating. This one envelopes your mouth like drinking molases almost. Guiness isn't even in the same spaceship as this one.
D- Umm, share this beer with company as an after dinner drink or dessert accompaniment. If you want to try to go toe-to-toe with the whole 650 ml. bottle on your own, good luck. Drink lots of water with it!
This is the third ever release of this beer, it's been around for three years now. I must say that as powerful as this beer is, a lot of people have been saying it seems as though Southern Tier pulled back the throttles on this years batch from what it was the last two years. Having now tried this year's batch, I think I'm going to have to agree. It's still unmatched, but lacks that absolute knock-you-to-the-floor ability as the last two.
It runs about $7.89 a bottle, and only comes in bomber form (650 ml.). Try some!
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