May 06, 2009

7:33 p.m.

Thursday Is the New Friday

I figured out that Tuesday night must be my hump day, if I don't work Friday.

Today was also fun, though I looked at the clock more. I did get to do some unchaperoned soldering. Some of the components are square or rectangular things with lots of pins and they don't snap in or bend on the other side. So I would solder maybe one pin just to keep it in place while I continue to work on the board. Whee, I'm soldering! I thought to myself. Melinda has no idea this is the first workday I've ever done this! Hee hee. Then I noticed that one part I'd soldered in had a wiggy pin and I'd have to take it out and replace it. Oops. Now I know there's this stuff called soldering wick, that you use to mop up solder so you can remove something. You press it into the joint with the soldering iron and the solder melts into it. I found some on Marc's table and tried using it the way I'd seen it used on the YouTube soldering video. It didn't seem to be working, but somehow I got the part loose and put in a good one. I'll have to ask him to go over that with me.

I had one gravitational experience when my tray of very large, pretty full boards overturned onto the floor by accident. It made a terrible racket. Some of the corners got slightly dinged. I went and told Marc right away and he said the corners didn't matter, since they would be inside something else anyway and no one would see them. When it became apparent that only ONE capacitor had popped out, he complimented my wire-bending skills. As stressful as this job is for him (and I know because I've heard him talk about it at home), he is very patient and good natured with others when things go awry. And things often go awry.

I listened to some This American Life episodes on my little iPod station, and some music. I made sure to have some times of silence too, in case Melinda doesn't care for the music I listen to. I don't know her well enough yet to know what her preferences are.

However, I am clear on MY preferences. My preferences are: being employed, getting approved for a mortgage, paying off my car, buying my sweet old house... loving my family, hanging out with animals, drinking red wine in celebration of everything and smelling my jasmine, which is blooming lushly again.

I'm sure I have other preferences but I can't think of them. I only know I have a Netflix to watch and it's only 8pm, so I have time. Life is so good.