28

I had my latest birthday yesterday, turning 28, and just now got to blogging. I haven't really wrapped my head around being this old. A decade ago I was getting ready to start my senior year of high school. The highlight of that time of my life was being 2nd on the cross country team at the league meet and also staying up to watch SNL, even when I knew it was a repeat. Not really has changed much since then. I run a bit slower and its harder to stay awake that late usually to watch TV. Five years ago I was starting what would become my last year of college life. I only had one quarter to actually finish up and graduate, but decided to hang around and get some more science classes on my resume. I also apparently wanted to gain nearly 50 pounds from drinking and eating like an idiot. Only two short years from now I will be an official three decades old.

In other news, I am pouring a concrete pad and will have a patio soon enough. My parents bought new patio furniture and are giving me the old stuff. All I have to do is repair a chair or two, and I'll have a shady place to lounge in the evenings. I may eventually need to get myself a plug and a light out that direction so I can listen to a radio and so forth out there, but having the concrete pad needs to be more official. I had the form ready for more than a week now, but Dad kept putting off helping me. He said last week that getting the concrete delivered and poured would be more than I want to pay. But after giving that ideal some thought, I put all the pros and cons together and decided that I was willing to pay what they wanted. Dad wants to spend all day mixing and moving things by hand, and I don't want to work that hard as hot as it is outside. I want to pour it all at once, and move my thoughts to finishing up my grad program. Dad accused me of being lazy, but I like to think I should be working smarter, not harder.

Speaking of which, I have turned in my final paper. I doubt the version I submitted will be quite right the first time. I have learned to use the system to my advantage and submit things, get feedback on what I need to do to pass, do those things, and then resubmit. All I have left to do now is  a short powerpoint and one other form. After that I have an hour long phone interview in defense of my work. I had held off renewing my license in the hopes that I can get everythign done and have a fresh license that has two certifications on it. I may have to go ahead and pay the fee to get the license renewed anyways, school is coming up and I am not sure if I can sub without a current license. Even though I primarily only work in two districts, I should get that done before september rolls around and I have consistent work.  

The tobacco season is looking to be a real bear also. We don't have any amigos as of this writing. The bosses seem to think that my brothers and me are going to be enough help. I suggested that I put an ad on craigslist looking for any help, but the bossman didn't like that idea. He thought I would spend to much time answering calls. I would much rather spend time ansewring calls than working my butt off to get the tobacco in. Especially when I can take labor wages off on my taxes. Why should I have to work twice as hard when I can hire someone to ease my burden? The bosses are crazy if they think I am going to not hire any help to put in my tobacco. We may be able to get away with that for grandpas three somethign acres, but that business is not happening for my six acres. I will work as much as I can or am able to, but harvesting tobacco is really a numbers game. The more help we can throw at it, the faster we can get done. We don't even need good qualified help. All you have to do is show up if you ask me, preferrably all week and on time.

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