Update

1. I've come to terms with going to Delaware. I'm set to go October 12, and I'm set to come back November 12. It should be good for me to get away, and I should be able to get around and see some things while I'm there. I'm close to Philadelphia and Baltimore and New York - so there will be opportunity.

2. As far as school goes, my professor told me that there was a chance this could work out. According to tonight's class, our second class should be right before I leave. If timing holds, I might not miss another exam. I'm actually going to miss five labs, and I'm not sure if he'll be okay with that. But I let him know that I'm willing to work with him, and he seemed like it wasn't impossible. He's also making me sit through two more weeks of class...so hopefully he won't screw me over and tell me it won't work.

3. Sports-wise, I'm going to miss a lot. I'm gonna miss the Stars' opener and a bunch of their first games. If the Rangers make it passed the first round of the playoffs, I will miss all their home games. I'll obviously be gone for any Cowboys' games. And, as far as TCU goes, I'm going to miss a lot. I'll be gone for four games. Among them are the three biggest games left on the schedule - BYU, Air Force, and Utah. Utah's on the road, but I'll be watching it alone in Delaware unless I can find some TCU folk. Air Force and BYU are at home, and I've inquired about my own ability to fly home for a weekend to see one of them - it isn't economical or reasonable to try and get home for both. I'm thinking Homecoming for Air Force is my best bet, but we'll see if it's allowed. Either way, I'm going to miss a lot.

4. All in all, I think things are going to be okay. The hotel has free wi-fi, and Tucker says that I might be able to borrow his slingbox. So there's a chance things could work out...we'll just have to see.

5. I haven't mentioned an update on my car situation. Well, I probably won't...since I bought a new car and it was totaled on Friday. A kid made a big mistake and almost killed me, and now I have to go through more insurance company BS. And when I get back (or maybe before I go), I'm going to have to get another car. It really sucks.

6. I bought tickets to see the Heat play the Mavs in November. I had to buy tickets to two other games, but it should be fun to see them play. Even though I hate them.

7. The Rangers won the AL West. The Cowboys finally won their first game and might have turned things around. And TCU is 4-0. Things is good.

Delaware

Everything was going according to plan. I had the new job upstairs, and I was already winding down my work. Everyone was told that I was leaving, and everyone seemed happy and/or jealous. Then my boss comes up to me.

"I hear you'll be leaving us."

"Yes, I will."

"And I hear you'll get a nice trip to Delaware. That will be fun."

Oh crap. Delaware.

I'd completely forgotten about it. And this wasn't a shock to me because I had been told about it. As soon as I heard about the job, I was told that it required training in Delaware. There was no tricking involved whatsoever - I'd just forgotten.

The job requires four weeks of training in Delaware. I would start the job around October 7, and training in Delaware would begin October 12. So, in less than a month, I'm going to have to be in Delaware.

The problem? I have a lot of things that I have to do here. TCU will play two home games during the four weeks I'm supposed to be gone - against BYU and Air Force - the two biggest in-conference home games...and it isn't even close.

The Stars, of which I'm also a season ticket holder, will have played four home games during the time I'm gone - including their home opener against Mike Modano and the Red Wings.

And last but certainly not least, I'm taking biology at Brookhaven right now, and I'd have to miss three or four weeks of school. Enough that I'd have to seriously consider dropping the class.

My heart literally fell of my chest. This job movement was something I was excited about, as I illustrated last blog. It was something I'd wanted and hoped for. And I'd completely forgotten about this particular catch.

Because I don't necessarily have a problem with a trip to Delaware. Sure, it's in the middle of nowhere, but I'd be living 8-year-old Drew's fantasy of living out of a hotel. I'd get out to meet new people, and I'd be a short train ride away from Philadelphia. I also called our friend Shep about potentially meeting up in Baltimore, which is also only about 70 miles away. I might even get to go to New York City, which is only about 120 miles away.

But there's so much to do here. I don't want to miss BYU or Air Force. I don't want to miss seeing Mike Modano show back up in Dallas in the hated sweater of the Red Wings.

But mostly, I don't want to have to drop this class. I was originally set to take two classes this semester - Biology and Chemistry II. My chemistry class was cancelled because not enough people signed up. I was a little worried about falling behind because I'd only be taking one. This would be even worse.

Because the goal is to get these classes done as soon as possible and get into a master's program. I don't want to waste time, and this would be wasted time, for sure.

So the plan is to go and talk to the new boss tomorrow night and see what can be done. I'm going to lay it all out and see if he can help me out. If it can be avoided entirely, that's the goal. If not, then I'd look to be there the minimum amount of time. He told me that it'd be three or four weeks. If I can negotiate down to two, that might be okay.

Either way, step two would be to talk to my biology professor. See if there's anything he can do to help me. I don't know if there's makeup labs that I can do or extra credit I can try and get. I'm willing to read the book while I'm gone so I don't fall behind, and I'm willing to do whatever I can before and after to make sure that I get full credit for the class.

But if it's four weeks, that's going to be hard to do. That's four weeks where I'd miss labs, lecture, quizzes, lab practicals, and exams. It's almost more trouble to make it up than to just retake the class. Two weeks would be better but maybe even impossible there.

So we'll see. If I have to go, I have to go. Whether I like it or not, this job has to be my main priority. It funds my life and pays for all of the stuff I'm doing right now, including class. They're taking a risk on me, and I have to make good on it. It's both the right and the responsible thing to do. And sometimes, you just can't have your cake and eat it too.

And I can make it work. Maybe I can travel a bit on the weekends. Maybe I'll meet some cool people and shake myself out of the routine we all get in. Maybe I can fly back to catch one of the games as a treat to myself for going. And maybe I can get a slingbox hooked up so I can watch anything important on my laptop at the hotel.

So I can make it work. But if I can have my cake and eat it too, I'd like to do that.

Escape

Let's be honest. I've alluded to it several times here, and most of my friends are pretty sure of it. And that's that my job is...challenging. And I don't mean the work itself. There are factors that are tied to my job that make things more difficult than they need to be. And because of that, I haven't necessarily been happy where I am.

Well, a couple of weeks ago, I heard about an opening in my building. It would be working for the guys that hired me originally, and it'd be a similar job to what I'm doing. In fact, the job is basically the same.

But from what I've heard, it will be better. I know a guy who made the same movement, and he said it was a good idea for me. Less of the things that I dislike about my current job are present, and more of the things that I like about the job (freedom, I suppose) are.

I'm going to miss the people. Most of these people have been work-close with me for almost three years now. The weird thing about the people you work with is that you spend more time with them than most of the people in your life. Whether you like them or not, you're around them a lot. So while I don't spend much time outside of work with them, I do spend a lot of time with and around them.

And, for the most part, the people are the best part of the job. There are some people there that I'd probably be pretty good friends with outside of work, and they're fun to joke around with.

But at the end of the day, I had to make this move. I'm on my way out of the business, but I still have a lot of time left. And I don't want it to be horrible for the next year or two.

And when it became official, I was happy. I think that was the key thing to me. You find out about the decisions you make when they come to a head - and I felt happy when mine did.

A lot of things in my life are new. A new car, a new laptop, and a new job. I'm hoping that more new things will come, but that's something I'll have to keep working on.

Ugh...College Football Predictions*

1. Boise State will win out and go to the BCS National Championship

2. Kellen Moore will break the NCAA record for passing yards and passing touchdowns.

3. Kellen Moore will win the Heisman Trophy

4. Boise State will win the BCS National Championship

* Because this is what would make me the most upset.

Reasons for Optimism

1. I got a new car. It is used (a shade under 40,000 miles), but it's basically the same car I had. In fact, it's actually a bit nicer than the car I had. I have a lower payment and will pay it off in about the same time. And, yes, I'm covered way better in case of another theft. I'm happy things mostly have worked out.

2. Football season is about to start but baseball is still going. The Rangers are still in first place, TCU is ranked #6 in college football, and the Cowboys are one of the favorites to go to the Super Bowl. I'm excited about football but still in a baseball mode. It's been a really long time since that's happened, and it's pretty cool. Usually football saves the day. This year, I'm actually not ready for it.

3. School started again. I'm one step closer to being done with my job.

4. I'm learning a bit. I decided to go for the steak instead of hoping it's delivered to me. And I'm much more accepting of a nice hamburger.

5. For the longest time, there were no choices. Now there are. I'm not saying my odds are any better, but choices are better than no choices.

6. We finally made money on the lottery. I thought we'd made $3, but we made $9. Now if we can just start adding zeroes.

7. I saw a double rainbow...all the way across the sky!!!