This is the short version.

Since mid January I've been getting only 8 hours a week of work at a store other then the one I am hired at. The reason being that they don't have the hours to spare at my store and the manager of the other store can squeeze me in. Store only get X amount of hours to split among its employees.

My position in the store at this time is non sales, I was originally hired for sales, long story. I was told when this happened that I could still be sales, I just couldn't focus on them. Recently I found out that where I live I can apply for unemployment because of loss of hours. I've started the paperwork for that last week.

This week in response to my weekly text to my manager to see if I have any hours I was told not this week and that he work call me on Sunday to talk. Well he called today. Apparently Corp is not pleased that I am making sales. I have been given the choice of quit or be terminated.

If i quit I have no health, no dental, and no chance at unemployment but they might hire me for a few months around Christmas. If I am terminated I might not have a chance at health or dental I should be able to get unemployment but I can never work at this company again.

The only thing is I really haven't had issues working for this company and would like to keep the option for working for them again open. Being that I haven't been able to find another job while working for them. My boss is a good guy and one of the few people that I've met that is doing a good job as a parent. He says that there are projects out side of work that he might be able to use me for.

All I have is my tax return, no savings. I had set that aside to take care of some dental work now its the only money I have. My parents and I rent an apartment So I won't be going homeless. They'll just be complaining that I can't come up with my part of the rent. Handing over the last of my money so that they can help me keep a budget is not an option.

I am thinking that I have no choice but to tell my manager to terminate me.

What are your thoughts?

... and have no Netflix A side from watching several streams I've been checking out video's on these sites.

http://www.sixtysymbols.com/ A slew of videos on physics and astronomy

http://www.numberphile.com/ Math trivia revolving around a number or concept. I am thinking of suggesting the number 196 to them.

http://www.raspberrypi.org/ $25 and $35 dollar Linux computer board that's *finally* on the market. I've been waiting months.

- Check updates on: http://blog.makezine.com/ and http://hackaday.com/


Other things I've done when I was bored.

- Tried my hand at making a computer like this in a digital circuit simulator. http://www.homebrewcpu.org/ I never have confidence in my branching circuits.

- worked out these equations for whole integers:

is zero = (abs(n+.5)+ n+.5)*(abs(n-.5) - (n-.5))
is one = (abs(n)+ n)*(abs(n-2) - (n-2))/4
is less then zero = (cos((abs(n+.5)+ n+.5)*pi)+1)/2
is greater then zero = (cos((abs(n-.5) - (n-.5))*pi)+1)/2
is even = (cos(n*pi)+1)/2

Also AND, OR, XOR and NOT

Things I am not bored enough to do.

- Read my copy of Euclid's Elements.
- Work more on mt led scrolling sign.

https://youtu.be/Bmfi5lZXoHc

http://www.instructables.com/id/Ani.....onic-Cat-Ears/

The controls are push button based. While this isn't the same as the mind controlled version that was made in Japan a while back it still something that would be fun to have.



Edit: ok how do you get youtube links to work?

A couple of furs I know have come into a hard time please commission and help them if you can:

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3197250/

At work we are now carrying some low wattage solar panels. Its been dead slow so i've been thinking of differnt power comfigurations. I've worked out how to set up 3 dpdt swithes so that I can swap 4 panels between 4x1, 2x2 and 1x4. This would let me choice the best configuration for power.

The other thing i stumbled upon was a post on how to setup a lead acid battery to charge from one panel. The guy ran into an issue that the diode he used to prevent the battery from discharging into the solar cell didn't let the battery fullr charge. I looked up and found a latching relay that would replace the diode for about 7.50.

Now that i've typed this i need something else to do.

When I was in 5th grade maybe 4th I worked out lucid dreaming. I was actually pretty good. I would lay down and have dreams before going to sleep instead of during sleep.

I grew out of it after a while but I never really started dreaming while I slept. I mean there were time where I would wake up recalling that i had a dream that night but that would only happened every month or two. This went on till 3 or 4 years ago. I started to have more regular dreams or at least remembering that I had a dream during sleep.

Back then and even now I am more of an observer of what going on in the dream then an active participant. Part of this is because the more I force things in the dream the more likely I am to wake up. I just roll over and go back to sleep.

My dreams for the most part are bland. Its like every day life except with diffident locations and people evolved. When I have a nightmare I don't get an emotional reaction, yo anxiety, fear, or panic nothing.

I have a several dreams the past week or so. The last few nights though things have been different. One of the dreams I've had recently had a giant Burmese python, its head was the size of a US 1 gallon milk jug. And after noticing that I was fully awake as if I had not slept at all. It was like I closed my eyes and thought, "How big would a snake have to be to swallow an adult pig whole", and then opened them again. To me seeing a snake that large is not a nightmare. So its odd to wake up like that. This happened with a few dreams. I think its because the melatonin i have been taking trying to fix my sleep schedule. Its not really helping me to get to sleep any fast.

So I've now been to my first Sci-Fi convention with friends. The theme was the end of the world with a focus on zombies. I didn't really do much there I joined in with some of the games they were doing. I did catch a panel on the end of the shuttle program and the future of space exploration. Which was pretty cool. A lot of time was spent meeting and talking with my friend's friends from Virginia.

I did meet a couple of furries, though I was to shy to admit to being one myself. Ironically I was wearing the symbol for being an age player. There was one fur suiter there. I got a photo of them. just like any other form of art its looks better live.

Out side of being in the con we went to a really good Asian food buffet. I got to try Sushi for the first time. I only did ones with crab in it, they were ok. I also got to walk around a stand of bamboo. Its just a foreign environment. :) We had a saw with us so i cut a few chunks of a fallen tree(?). I think I might make cups out of it.

Other then that before the con we walked on the beach. It was freezing in Columbus and I was walking in the surf barefoot :)

Hopefully I will get a chance to go again next year.

Edit One odd thing that did happen at the con was at night between midnight and 1 am I was hanging around the hotel lobby and thinking I could use a pizza. Moments later a drunk guy sets down a couple of pizzas down on the table for any one. The next night the same thing happened again.

:)

Just because my last journal was not a happy one I thought I would throw this up.

One summer my mother and I went to northern New York. One of the things we did up there was check out a few garage sales. At one I managed to get a couple of good chief knives cheap and a bear foot stool. What was funny about it was it was made in Ohio. So we returned it back to the state it was made in.

It had some fun at college. The bear was stuck in some ones office after a few threats of "I will stick a black bear in your office." It didn't surprise the person when they came in. But it did keep out the maintenance guys at night. The bear stayed in there for a few weeks until we found what people would pay for ugly versions of it.

After college me and the bear moved up to northern New York for a bit looking for a good job. That didn't go through so I ended up back in Ohio.

So this bear since birth has been migrating between Ohio and New York.

This is the first time in 10 years I made it through New Years and the Christmas season with out the usual depression. I also went through Halloween just fine to.

Yea for small victories.

Way back when I was in middle school, it may have even been before my parents got divorced, a few weeks before Christmas a large box arrived at our house. It was from my only uncle on my mother's side of the family. This was unique because growing up we really weren't close to her side of the family. It wasn't like there was some tiff that kept us apart is was just the closest of them was over 5 hours way any my father didn't like driving that. They didn't travel that much themselves. So a gift for our family was something special.

What he had sent to us was a box of oranges and grapefruit. It was quite the treat for us. I remember for the next week or maybe even longer I had a grapefruit for breakfast, then coming home from school I would have an orange for a snack. This became a yearly gift.

I think its been five years since my uncle passed on. My mother was actually surprised as Just before Christmas like in years past a large box of fruit was delivered. My Aunt continued his tradition and has done so every year since.

When ever I have an orange or a grape fruit I think of my uncle and the few times that I did get to meet him.

Who I am is in flux again, this has happened a few times in my life. Whole new set of priorities and thought processes. Something that used to be a major part of my life has kind of shrunk to nothing. Its not a bad thing. I feel like part of me has healed. I still can't seem to bring my self to socialize.

Today i am not able to escape the store I work at for black Friday 4am to 9pm with some long breaks. I need to post a happy thought to keep going so here it is.

I walk a 1/2 mile to the closeest grocery store where I live. Its a nice walk all the houses on the way are 100+ years old. A couple of years ago while walking back home a kitten ran off its porch and up to me and began rubbing against myn legs like cats do. It let me reach down and pet it a bit before running back to its porch. It was like it was saying "Hi I'm new here. I'm fluffy. Nice to meet you. bye"

Ever since if it sees me walking passed it will run up to me for attention. I've caught it a few times several houses over if i gesture towards its house and tell it to go home it'll held home :)

The folks behind Desert Bus for hope are doing it again (http://desertbus.org) This is last day of their 5th marathon and they have already reached a substantial increase over last years $207,540 USD, currently they sit at $288,261 in donations. They have reach a life time donation total of 1/2 million dollars and are rapidly are closing in on 3/4 of a million dollars.

Every penny of the money they have raised goes directly Child's Play charity (http://www.childsplaycharity.org/) Which supplies toy games and dvds to children's hospitals nation wide.

Please join in the fun of live stream and help these sleep deprived folks though their last day of this 6 day marathon. Any donations even as small as $5 dollars helps. If you can't donate please spread the word.

The 5th annual Desert Bus for Hope marathon is starting 9 pm est Friday. All money raised goes to http://www.childsplaycharity.org/ a non profit organization started by Penny Arcade that provides Gaming consoles, games, DVDs, and toys to children's hospitals world wide, Last years marathon they where able to raise over $200,000 USD.

The quickest description of this even is a group of sleep deprived Canadian's let themselves be Torture by the internet "For the children." The more money that gets donated the longer this goes desert bus 4 went for 5 days 5 hours.

For more info on the Marathon and how to join in:: http://desertbus.org/

For information on Child's play charity:http://www.childsplaycharity.org/


I caught desert bus for hope 2 and it has become something that I look forward to every year since. There is no real way to explain all that happens. You really do have to watch the stream for a while to understand. It a great event helping out a great cause. If you can not donate please spread the word.

Yes as in the writting instrument. Wow, ok so first we walk into a small dealers room. Every table seemed to be selling the same thing Parker 51 fountain pens. On the low end these cost $100 each. Then we started to notice pens that have custom styled bodies. These where very intercit designs. It was pretty cool.

We left that room and there were some merchants in the hall. This is when we found we had been in small room there were a lot more merchants with many more styles and makes of pens.

Talking with more people we learned about differnt types of nibs. One vender had a setup where you could used the 100+ pens, they kind of insisted on it.

So Starry and I tried a few of them out the vender talk wth us about them and talking about how she would use them. We really did not come to buy, really. Well she fell in love with a flexable nib pen from the late 20's. The vender gave Starrt a really good discount on it because she did a small art peice and was planning on using the pen for such.

We ended up joining the after show dinner and talked with the collecters for a bit :)

Was going with an artist friend of mine to work on art at the local zoo... Ended up seeing "Ohio pen show." sooo... many... quality... pens...

Short of it is a group of artists, 14 so far, are auctioning off commissions where the proceeds go to Animal Humane Society

Full information here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2871188/

The place I worked at today has unique little feature. The back door faces mostly west to the setting sun. A few hours before the sun sets its light projects through the doors peep hole and puts a a round rainbow on a door. As the sun get lower the circle creeps up the door.

Today work was slow, so I taped up some paper up and tracked the circle as the sun went down. I marked the door roughly every 5 minutes. We now of a crude sundial on on the door. It covers from 3:55 local to 6:20. The trail go for close to 14 inches.

Because of the rainbow effect its kind of accurate. The width from the edge of red to the end of blue is just shy of the amount it moves in 5 minutes. So if red cross the mark its +1 minute, orange +2 minutes, etc. So for one, maybe two days its going to be accurate to the minute or so.

Since we now know the path I am going to try to make a better version. :)

Edit:
Here is an image of that suns Trail and the rainbow circle that i am following.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6631599/

You know how sometimes you go to draw art. You gather up your supplies, sit down and lay out a clean sheet of paper, Then nothing. Sometimes you can’t think of what to draw other times you have to many ideas. You just need a direction to get started

This is what my life is like right now Stalled out. I've been in the same retail job. Its not for lack of education or skills. The summer after I graduated high school I was given a choice go to college or continue work IT with a small retail company (200+ stores) where the task of pricing out and setting up a 2nd data center encase something would happen to there main offices. I chose to get a few degrees instead.

Back then I could just ride the wind and it would take me. The wind doesn't blow like it used to. Now I have to find the way under my own power. The times I am up to it and describe a vague direction to go, people tell me its a prefect plan. Going "that way" will not really get me anywhere. I need a compass and a heading.

 EssPhox is making some sculpted furry ornament.. Check out the examples here:

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6326594/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6372899/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6372928/

I did the personality test that's been floating around. (http://www.signalpatterns.com/psych_central/) Its more or less accurate. some of the questions they asked are both like me and not me at the same time. Ex: I am organised and neat at work but not at home.

Solitary

You are a private person, not very comfortable in a big group, and view excessive socializing as a waste of time
.
You not prefer hanging out with others to spending time alone; you do not tend to feel at home in a crowded room, club, stadium, or auditorium.

Really don't want to be. I learned how not to be notices as a defense.I don't lurk through life because I want to, its just hard to be social

Aesthetic

You appreciate art, beauty, and design; you know that they are not superficial but absolutely crucial to living the good life. You have good taste, and you're proud of it. Those with a high score on the "aesthetic" trait are often employed in literary or artistic professions, enjoy domestic activities — doing things around the house — and are enthusiastic about the arts, reading, and travel.

You don't think it's pretentious to be moved by art and beauty. You're not one of those who believe it doesn't matter what something looks like as long as it does its job.

I think this goes unsaid on this site.

Creative

You are good at solving problems, coming up with original ideas, and seeing connections between things, connections that most other people miss. People with a high score on the "creative" trait often are employed in such fields as finance and scientific research, and enjoy avant garde and classical music as well as literary fiction and scholarly non-fiction.

You do not shun abstractions and concepts in favor of the concrete and tangible.

Yep

Intellectual

You are thoughtful, rational, and comfortable in the world of ideas. People find you interesting to talk to. You're the living embodiment of the saying "You learn something new every day." In general, those with a high score on the "intellectual" trait are employed in such fields as teaching and research, and are enthusiastic about reading, foreign films, and classical music.

You do not avoid abstract conversation, experimenting with new ideas, or studying new things. It bores you to stick to the straight and narrow of what you already know.

Check

Assertive

You behave in a confident and forceful manner, take charge of the situation, raise your hand in class, stand up for what you think is right, and lead others. Among those who have a high score on the "assertive" trait, many have jobs in which they are valued for their organizational skills as well as their talent for supervising others.

Sort of I am take change only if no else will or they need help.

You are not interested in fading into the woodwork, leaving everything to fate, taking more time than necessary to accomplish a task, or avoiding confrontation.

I guess

Astute

You are a quick study. You generally don't need to have things explained to you more than once. When presented with a problem, you will often have an instant understanding of where to look for the solution.

You do not take your sweet time when presented with a new task to complete or problem to solve. You don't avoid assignments that require you to learn new skills.

Yep

Organized

You like to think a task through before you embark on it. If it's the slightest bit complicated, you make a list (even if it's only in your mind) and methodically work your way through it. When you have a goal in mind, you're not satisfied until you
reach it.

You are not one of those people who ignore the details, and you don't understand how anyone can get anything accomplished without thoughtful planning ahead of time.

Nope I, "shoot from the hip." Even the simplest of my plans seem to get mucked up.

Prudent

You look before you leap, think before you act, consider what you're about to say before you open your mouth to speak; that's why you rarely have to eat your words.

You usually don't get excited easily or blurt out the first thing that comes to mind without considering the consequences.

With talking with people yeah this is true. With life decisions well... I've quit my current job three times without having another one lined up or savings.

Calm

You rarely become irritated, generally accept people as they are, take things as they come, and feel relaxed in most situations.

You do not let a minor annoyance escalate to a confrontation. You don't regularly snap at those around you or fly off the handle with little provocation.

Mellow to a fault

Competent

You strive to master everything you undertake. You tend to learn quickly and do not shy away from challenges.

You are not a "que sera sera" type of person, nor do you go easy on yourself when attempting to master a new skill or get a job done.

...nor do I let sleep stop me

No, not mine. Two people who have traveled a long path in search of love both of which claimed after tried it once that they would never marry again have now been joined in marriage. Its is now official and in the books my mother and step father are as of 11:00 am Eastern married.

My friend  starytraveler has finally started to use her account here on FA. This is the person that let me just hop in on her last trip to Virginia and the same one that I help move most of this past spring. She does a lot of traditional art and sculpture along with her habit of making things from what ever's laying about.

Her pen and ink stuff is pretty cool, I have watched her do scale by scale drawling of a friends iguana.

When you the moment check her out. / bug her about soy sauce art :)

http://www.furaffinity.net/user/starytraveler/

Had A bit of fun this weekend with some friends Friday night we went the opening of a park they had had a few inflatable games setup. I still have really good balance. We mainly just relaxed. My one friend did her animal interp thing with her savanna monitor. Nothing like to look on peoples faces when they walk past. She's real good at animal education most ever one after getting over their initial shock at least touched it once. Kids are always interested.

Saturday we went out to a Asian festival. Its was pretty cool it proved to be a good test ground for my friends new phone, it failed. I got to show off my Nokia's power when we caught they were doing a parade. I kicked on streaming and I was doing a live video feed of it to the net. We posted the link to both our face books and had a few people watch live. I did a little over an hour of video on one battery.

I got to try out more Vegan food. The only thing I can remember the name of was the Sweet and sour tofu. It tasted like some of the best sweet and sour pork I've had. Hard to believe there was no meat in it.

We will be streaming more events in the future so keep an eye. I have two batteries for my phone so I can do 2 hours with out a charge. I can practicaly build a mobile charger in my sleep


*Geek stuff*

I didn't sleep well friday night though, I had a beer at the park Alcohol has bad effect on me it slows my thought processes down. Ironically that means I have more focus I spent the rest of the evening designing things to fix issues around their apartment. By the time they went to sleep I settled down to working out a design for a switch/led panel to mimic old microcomputers and micro controller trainers. I kept walking back and forth to my phone looking up parts and various electronics sites.
What I worked out 8 7-segs, 32 other leds, 13 switches, 2 push buttons and a 4x4 keyboard matrix all feeding from different shift registers. I'm trying to do it with a 3.3v microcontroller that I have. Even though I found some nice led controllers I still can't stand the 3 volt world.

I'm thinking USB/rs-232 interface I can feed it updates for the LEDs with a 2 byte command (Display number 0-16) (data value) and 3 bytes for switch states. The thought of grabbing an old single board computer from ebay and having it and the display in one encloser has crossed my mind. Just have it load a simulator at boot and off we go.