The Real World

Wow. I realized it's been all of four months since I've posted on this blog. That's reprehensible. The only thing I can say in my defense is to refer to the subtitle of the blog...when it says, "my crazy life", I wasn't joking!

So, a lot has happened in the last four months...a LOT. First and most importantly from a career standpoint: I am currently finishing up the last five weeks of my internship with NASA at Langley Research Center (LaRC) in Hampton, Virginia. Yeah, remember how I was sharing last time about how encouraged I was at the career fair because everyone was so positive? Well, God provided yet again...with the king of internships at NASA! I applied to the program earlier in the year and totally forgot about it until the notification showed up in my inbox.

The program is called the Undergraduate Student Research Project (USRP). It's a fairly good program as far as internships go, although definitely not co-op level. The USRP pays $9,000 for the semester (less in the summer), not including travel costs each way. Obviously the financial benefits aren't too shabby, but the real value is in the experience. I have been working this semester in the Space Mission Analysis Branch of the Systems Analysis and Concepts Directorate (SACD) of LaRC. Some of what I do is sensitive, but I in essence assist with developing and refining tools used for, well, space mission analysis! =)

It's starting to look like I'll probably be here for the summer as well. There's another internship program called Langley Aerospace Research Summer Scholars (LARSS) that I was selected for...the program managers are just waiting for the funding before they offer me the position. If all goes well, I'll be working with the Aeroelasticity Branch of the Research and Technology Directorate (RTD). I contacted my future mentor through the program office earlier this semester and expressed interest in working with him. I tell you what, connections like that are invaluable. He basically guaranteed me the position before anyone else's applications had gone out!

In any case, I'm really looking forward to this summer. I've had some substantial analysis experience now here in the SACD and I should get some experimental experience in the RTD. After this summer, I should be able to make an informed decision about what I want to do permanently. This experience has opened my eyes to the fact that I really don't understand the real difference between theoretical, applied, and experimental physics. I need to find the differences and determine what I want to pursue in order to better plan for my future.

So that's the career side of things. In other news, my grandfather very generously gave me his truck! It's a 2004 Nissan Frontier, but it looks absolutely brand-new. It had all of 4,687 miles on it when I got it...I think he drove it to the feed store a few times per month and that was about it! In any case, he didn't want me to drive my old Jetta all the way to Virginia and back (probably a valid concern), so he decided to gift me the truck now instead of leaving it to me in his inheritance. I was absolutely blown away by the surprise gift...what a blessing! It's by far the nicest car I've ever owned. I put a new stereo in it recently and that was a nice commodity as well. Like I said, that truck has been a huge blessing for me.

In yet other news (not so great this time), my knee has been a real pain (literally, ha!) recently. I injured it for the first time not too long after my last post on this blog. I was playing an intramural soccer game, was playing above my limits (and knew it too), and ended up getting hurt. The first time it happened, I don't know if I've ever felt anything so painful. Yes, I say the first time...I have since re-injured it three times. Ugh. I went to the ERAU nurse for it, but she didn't really have anything to say, so I just kinda shrugged it off. I had nearly full mobility again in about a month...but promptly killed it again. This has continued for the last four months until I finally got sick of it, obtained health insurance, and made an appointment with a Sports Medicine specialist. My friend Stephen (who's played soccer pretty much all his life and knows firsthand about knee injuries) thinks it's the meniscus. In any case, I just hope it's not super-expensive to fix (if it even needs fixing...maybe I just need physical therapy) and that it doesn't involve a long recovery time.

This knee injury has frustrated me to no end because I haven't been able to do really anything active. I injured it the last time by throwing a football. Just that little amount of twist was enough to pop it out. That kills me...I'm a very active guy and not being able to do anything is really frustrating. I'm also in pretty much the worst shape of my life for the same reason. I just hope I don't have any permanent damage and can get back to my active lifestyle. I don't think I'll ever take mobility for granted again!

As far as church life goes, the Sovereign Grace Church here in Chesapeake is great! I just wish it was a bit closer (and maybe just a bit smaller). It's about an hour's drive south of me from Yorktown, where I'm currently living. It took me a while to get to know people, but once I did, they're very nice and very friendly. I find that the same Spirit that is in Daytona is in Chesapeake.

Nevertheless, this has been hands-down one of the darkest times of my life spiritually. This is really the first time I haven't had a circle of support around me during the week. At home, I have my family...at school, I have my friends. Here, I have no one. Yeah, there's church and church friends on Sunday, praise the Lord! But during the week, it's pretty dark. I get dragged down as the week goes on, typically becoming less and less Christ-like and more and more like the world. It's a relief to go to church on Sunday, wash all that off, and get a breath of fresh air.

I'm coming to realize that I rely too much on others for my spiritual well-being....I need to learn to rely on God for that and to supplement my own relationship with Him. My quiet time has been nearly non-existant and I haven't memorized Scripture in a long time. See what I mean? Everyone needs accountability, don't get me wrong...that's a main thing I'm lacking here! But I really find that I need to learn the spiritual disciplines on my own too....because at times like this when I have no encouragement, I have to work extra hard at the relationship. If I haven't built the discipline, the strength isn't there.

So, that's my life in a nutshell right now. Career = better than ever, with more opportunities than I'd ever dreamed I would have at this point. Finances = not bad at all, although not great...but transportation is now not an issue, thanks to Grumpa. Spiritual life = probably one of the darkest times ever, although I am actively trying to find ways to hook up with believers during the week for encouragement, accountability, etc. I could definitely use your prayers for that last issue.

Life. What a challenge! But what a blessing too. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away...blessed be the name of the Lord! =)