No Name

This post is going to be a lot about nothing.  Just stuff going through my head.  Nothing specific.

It wasn't too long ago that I lived in Tulsa.  Lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma!?  Yeah!  And you know what?  I miss it.  Well, I miss my old job, my friends, our old apartment our old church... but its better here (?).  It really is.

I've don't a lot.  I guess I mean in my life but I'm just thinking over the past year.  Random stuff too.  One thing that I think is pretty cool is that I helped make a movie in 24 hours.  Remember?  

The Terror Within from Mike Petrucci on Vimeo.

TJ, Erin, Doug, that was a lot of fun.  Thanks for making me do it!

I want this flashlight, Duracell makes it, freaking awesome! [gizmodo]

From my days of directing (Sophomore year at ORU in Telenews!)

My senior schedule at ORU.  Josh and Cassidy are very familiar with these.

I don't care what you say but this is the definition of cozy.  After a Michelina's microwave dinner and half of a keylime pie... oh, don't forget an episode of That 70's Show and maybe some bootleg movies... oh and Second Life and Halo... Josh knows what I'm talking about.

Speaking of Josh, why am I holding his hand!?  Or is HE holding MY hand?!

Looking for a clean public restroom in NYC?  Use Diaroogle!

The tallest skyscraper in the world (almost). [gizmodo]

Right now I'm sitting in bed.  Jenni is asleep although it's not really bed time but she fell asleep while we were watching TV.  I'm listening to Pandora and using only semi soft stuff.  Templeton is asleep too and guess what?!  He started barking and growling in his sleep!  It's sad actually.  We thought he was having a bad dream because he sounded scared but is that possible?  Oh well, he's cute.

I don't know what I want to do when I grow up.  Yeah, I know that sounds weird but I don't.  I used to just want to be a video editor and photographer (video).  Then that evolved into web/online stuff.  Now it's evolving again but I don't know where I want to end up.

You know what?  Maybe be a consultant!  Those guys don't have to do anything except offer their opinion right?  I have opinions!  Ask my friend Matt.  We share (used to a lot more though) projects and ask for input.  He very bluntly tells me that I used a jump cut and I very bluntly tell him his font choice makes my eyes bleed.  But there are no hard feelings and I love that.

I want to save that topic for another post though.  This is too short for that.  I have to walk Templeton so I'll see you later!

Conservation

I'm not really the tree hugger type, though I do like to do my part when I can.  Is that bad?  No, I don't think so... if you do what you can when you can, I think that's good enough.  Not many people are able to go out and buy the new Honda Civic NGV (natural gas) or use solar panels or wind turbines, especially if they rent... but buying weather stripping for your windows and switching to CFL's is a nice start.

So, with that said, let me tell you about my latest project.  Conserving energy and reducing my carbon footprint. 

About the carbon footprint thing, that doesn't mean that I'm going to crazy and make sure I do every little thing no matter how expensive; like I saw this website where you can buy carbon credits or something that will offset your lifestyle and how much carbon you use.

Like, you type in your cars miles per gallon and miles per year... your house or apartment size... stuff like that and it calculates how much you should buy.  Well, I did that and I have to pay a little over $600 to offset everything.  Yeah, that's what I said.  Also, who does that go to?  I don't know!  Someone could have just made a nice website with a PayPal donate button!

I also may have said this before, but I do the normal stuff... like buy a pair of "green" eco friendly Simple shoes*, recycle my glass and plastic bottles (I don't use a lot of paper), and turn off lights when I leave the room.

*See, I'll only buy a pair of shoes, not like a whole wardrobe change!

But now that we moved and we are at a place that is super close to my work, (about half a mile) I can walk or ride my bike.  I also bought some CFL's and put them around the house.  There are also some lights in the hallway and living room that have dimmers, so I have just been keeping them off or on low.

I'm also trying a new thing of turning off my electronics when I leave or I'm not using them.  I'd like to know how much power they use when I'm not using them.  Like my XBOX, my speakers (small) my TV (only 32 inch LCD).... stuff like that.  You know that your stuff is still using power if its plugged in right?  Yeah, you have to turn either unplug them or turn the power strip off.

How much does all of this help?  Am I really helping the environment or am I just helping my wallet?  I think a little of both.

What I would love to do is setup some solar panels on the roof or my windows that could power my TV and other entertainment items as well as keep a battery charge for when the sun isn't shining.

I don't think that will really work, not for now at least.  We don't have direct light except for the light in the morning.  Plus I bet it's expensive.

Though I did see an ad for Radio Shack on the back of my Popular Mechanics that showed some guy made a solar charger for his iPod on the back of his backpack.  How much did that cost?  I'd love to make one for mine!  

You know?  Hmm... yeah, it may work... what if I built something with solar panels that would be able to charge/power my laptop as well as my cell phone and iPod?  I wonder how much it would cost... I'd also have to get a soldering iron I bet...  

So how much do you do to "save" the environment?  Do you carpool?  Do you just turn off lights around the house when you aren't using them?  Do you have a natural gas or hybrid vehicle?  I'd like to hear about it.

Apartment & Google Sketchup

I messed around with Google Sketchup a little while ago trying to model my apartment. I really just did this in one day without even leaving the apartment so proportions are a little off but it's not too bad if you ask me!

I'm tired of making up titles!

Yes, I know everyone is mad at me for not updating you on everything, but in my defense, it has all been moving at a million miles per hour. I graduated, got married, got a job, and got a dog in like 4 days! Not really, but it felt like that.

I hope you enjoyed the video of the apartment, feel free to watch the tour if you missed it.

Married life is great. And I'm sure (I hope so) Jenni would say so too. It's great having your own place. You get to decorate how you want, eat what you want, light candles (at ORU we couldn't have candles), and more!

I'm actually more fit now than I was before I got married. I knew it would be like that too because I was too busy with homework and stuff to workout before. Now, I just work all day (which I love) and come home, eat dinner and either go for a bike ride with Jenni or a jog with Jenni, or a walk with Jenni and Templeton...

Oh, you haven't met? Templeton is our dog. He is a terrier mix from the SPCA. He is probably the most personable dog I have ever met. He's smart, he loves to be pet and rubbed, he's energetic, he doesn't shed, he barely barks, he doesn't smell... he's just great!

Changing lanes... for those of you that don't know, I'm an editor for the OklaTravelNet. Actually, I believe the real title is "Craft Editor." I do a lot of clean up, not full edits, and I'll upload the videos to the website, prepare them for uploading... a good mixture of stuff.

I really, really enjoy my job. There are great people at work and it's also very interesting stuff. The OklaTravelNet(.com) is a broadband online show about travel and tourism in Oklahoma. We have a live show everyday, but enough archived video to keep you busy all day.

I just want to say that I am, and Jenni... I guess I'll just say that we are both, just so blessed. I mean, we had a great wedding, great honeymoon, a great apartment, a great dog, I have a great job, we got new bikes, and just so much other stuff.

We want to thank everyone for everything they did for us and our marriage. With the wedding money, we bought new bikes, a great full set of living room furniture (love seat, sofa, 2 glass end tables, glass coffee table, and 2 lamps), graduation money got me a brand new HDTV... just so much stuff!

More on being blessed... I also found a coupon in the back of the "Apartment Guide" book that said $300 off our first months rent! That brought rent down to $270 for our first month! What a blessing! Also, I got a new cell phone, for work mostly, that they pay for most of it! It's really cool, it's the Helio Ocean. I just got it yesterday. But see what I'm talking about! God is so good!

I have to say that this really comes from tithing with a good heart. Jenni has taught me to be a good tither and there is something in that that just makes all the difference in the world! There have been some really great sermons at Church On The Move that reminded me a lot of what my Dad has talked about in the past that helped me to understand tithing.

I am also blessed to have such a great family. Both immediate and extended. My parents have taught me many things and the number one thing has always been, trust in God. My Dad gave me some Bible verses that I have been meditating on over and over. Here they are:
- Proverbs 14:12: There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death.
- Proverbs 16:3: Commit the LORD whatever you do and your plans will succeed.
- Proverbs 16:9: In his heart a man plans his course but the LORD determines his steps.

Wow.

I promise that if you go over those verses, new things will open up to you. The Bible also says that you are to be in the world and not part of it and I notice that that is my main witness. I don't just jump in peoples faces and say I'm a Christian, but already, people at work know there is something different about me. I don't drink, I don't curse, and I let that be my witness. I don't condemn people for doing those things either.

But I have noticed that when I put the Lord first, and my wife second, great things happen. Really amazing things.

Well! I hope that was long enough for you! As a treat for reading the whole thing, enjoy these pictures! Take care!

Apartment Tour Video

Mini post...

Hey everyone. Here I am in Tulsa. It was a nice Saturday. Anyway, I tried YouTube's direct upload thing. It's a little pixelated and there is no audio, but watch the video below and you'll get to see some of my apartment.

Enjoy!

Another small update...

Hey my people! As you saw from the post right below this one, I have been working on a project in my 3D class. I also posted a screen capture of the project I am working on. Well, I just finished rendering a frame from that and here it is:

















I still need to work on lighting and texturing but it's coming along pretty well!

Just two more days of classes left. In my whole college career! Wow! I can't believe it!

Also, I don't have classes on Friday's so I guess its only 1 day of classes left.

I am going to miss dorm life, but I am excited (which is an understatement) about making the transition into married life.

We are just about to finalize the apartment deal so that's something else I'm crossing off the list. Actually, I have a picture of it. Here you go!

It's the upstairs one. It is a 2 bedroom, one bath, 1,095 sq. feet, wood burning fireplace, the complex has two pools, and one of them is right behind us and the mail and laundry facility is right behind us as well. We have washer and dryer connections, so we'll probably get some used ones so we can do laundry in the apartment.






























We are just so excited! I have a job, an apartment, and I'll soon have a wife!

Well, thats about it for now, I better get going. I have some stuff to do before the year ends! Take care!

Apartment Hunting

About two weeks ago, I looked at some apartments, four of them to be exact. I thought they were ok, but one really stood out. I went over to Josh's apartment to share my findings with him and also see if he had any info on other apartments.

I told him that I was planning on going to some other apartments, and he pretty much told me what his thoughts on them were. He just did this whole apartment search and looked at all of them too. I really narrowed my field down, to 2.

Both are 2 bedroom 1 bath. Both are close to ORU and friends. Both are in similar price ranges (one is just a little higher). Although, the one that costs a little more is a little bigger (100 sq. ft.).

Jenni like one more than the other, which is good because I like that one better too. We mostly like it because it has a lot of room, a large living room, a wood burning fireplace, and it's a gated community. There are many other perks, but these are the main ones.

So we pretty much settled on one place, assuming that we are staying in Tulsa (stay tuned for big update...). I some job interviews coming up that could prove promising.

So that's the latest on our apartment search. Maybe I'll post some pictures...

Have some advice? Leave a comment!

**UPDATE***
On the bar on the right of the screen, at the bottom, is a thing called a Flickr photo badge. Click on it and it will take you to all the pics from our apartment.