andy reagan only the interesting stuff

It's a New Year!

Like always, it's been a long time since my last post haha, might as well start with the same sentence everytime. I think twitter, which I have heard called micro-blogging, has taken the place of my this online journal I call a blog. Anyway...

I've made one for-sure resolution for 2010, and for good hopefully:
-No soda!
It's pretty simple, and I've kept it for 8 days now. Haven't really been too tempted yet, but the reasons for the resolution are pretty simple: there's no good reasons TO drink it, and I'm not going to miss the fake sugar (HFCS). I think I may be a little healthier in the long run, and since I don't drink coffee, looks like the only way I can get a caffeine fix is tea now haha, but I don't need that stuff.

The past couple day's I've worked really hard and thought a lot about my Bike and Build trip this coming summer, and with every thought and every converstaion I am just getting more excited! The big news are:
-I've finished (with help) an awesome flyer: andyreagan.com/files/flyer.pdf, definitely check it out and I hope to be hanging it up everywhere!!
-I'm going to have an article in the next issue (Wed, 1/13) of the Eagle Observer, our local paper! I'll definitely post the link once it is up.
-I've been training! I'm really training for the upcoming racing season, but it's all the same!
-I've got $200 raised! A huge thanks to those who have donated! ($3800 to go!) Upon a review of my personal finances, I plan to be donating $1288, the total amount of the $4000 that would go to support the trip itself. This way, all of the money that others donate will be directly to support the affordable housing groups Bike and Build works with, without paying for me biking!

Work has been going very well this break too, I feel like I've actually been getting a lot of work done for IT at OBG (work that otherwise wouldn't be done) and been getting a better feel for what it's like to work there as a Chemical Engineer from talking to the ChemE's there. And also importantly I have been making money that will be going to pay for my bike and build trip donation, and books and spending money for this spring all of my Junior year.

I've also spent some time updating my Four-Year-Plan, which is really just my class schedule for the next two and a half years. The good news: I'm taking the classes I need to be this spring. Also good news: Assuming I don't fail anything, I'll have >171 credits and at least two DEGREES after four years! I may be making some grand assumptions, but it's really not too unreasonable. Oh man, how easy my schedule would me if I dropped ChemE and only did Math/Chemistry...now I'm just dreaming haha I can handle it so I better stick with it. That engineering degree is going to be able to get me a job if I need it. I'm not sure when I'll need to start looking more seriously at grad school, aka what I want to study in grad school and if I really want to go (right now, I do!)...
And oh yeah, the whole plan is accessible at: andyreagan.com/files/fyp.pdf
I did look into undergraduate research, and getting into honors program just for the priority class registration, but I just can't do it, too much...
Other good news I may have forgot to mention, after this spring I will have finished my math minor if I choose to stop there in Math (6 more classes for the major, 6 very hard classes, that is) and with only two additional classes (ES helps) I can pick up a Green Engineering minor. Sean McGinnis, who is in charge of the whole minor, is one of our ES teachers and he is awesome. The biggest focus of the minor appears to be LCA (Life Cycle Analysis), a practical tool for evaluting the impacts of anything (good, services, choices) which informs decisions that effect the environment! That reminds me...ES will be coming to end after this semester, which is quite sad ...I'm going to miss it.

I haven't eaten since work (and had to stare at food while serving lunch at the Rescue Mission today for two hours) and I smell that my dad's super-nachos are done, so that's all for now!!

Well they're not done quite yet haha...so here's some more fun facts about my life I guess lol:
-I'm really excited to go to SU game tomorrow, should be pretty awesome
-I found a 18-Gallon Rubbermaid in the basement, and quickly filled it with stuff. That's all I'm going to have to pack in (sleeping bag and thermarest pad included) for the whole summer...
-Tully's tenders are unbeatable, and I can't eat enough of them
-We almost got Dinosaur's #1-in-the-nation BBQ for lunch today, but didn't, bummer
-I learned how to throw playing cards at like 80mph, from an article in men's health...I don't know when or where, but I can't wait to unexpectedly crank some cards
-Avatar in 3D was excellent, but I still like Fight Club better (just watched both). I can name all 8 rules, in order. I dare someone to ask. And I just saw Inglorius Basterds last night, we had it on Blu-Ray and I was all excited for it on the 1080P projector, had Zdanowski and Anne over, and was somewhat dissappointed
-This semester in college should just be AWESOME, there are sooooo many things going on with sustainability and getting ready for B&B and taking plently of hard classes, the ES action project coming to fruition, RACING SEASON...I could go on, but:

"Bro, your nachos are done"

Peace