My other good news.

I got promoted at work!!! Which means more money for me. I've been waiting for this for a long time. I would have been promoted a year ago, but I didn't have student status at the time. I'll be a Consultant Support Specialist. This means I'll be helping the lab consultants when they need it, and making sure they don't do things they're not supposed to. I'll also be recruiting people to cover shifts, and other stuff like that.

Here's the official job description:

Assist STConsulting professional staff in administering the consulting program by providing immediate on-site support of front line consultants and participating in STC activities regarding organizing consulting services and overseeing daily scheduling and informational needs of consultants.

Ensuring all assigned consulting staff receive and follow all applicable procedures and policies.
Ensuring all assigned consultant shifts are staffed.
Monitoring and responding to questions and emergency needs of consultants.
Ensuring highest level of skills and conduct from the consulting staff by providing individualized and group trainings, observing consultants while on shift and providing directions/corrections and praise as appropriate.
Maintaining an appropriate academic environment in the student computing labs by assisting the consulting staff with difficult customer issues.
Email communication to the consultant group.
Monitoring the consultants' use of appropriate reporting mechanisms (timesheets, software and hardware reporting, etc.).
Assisting the Administrative Team in maintaining support tools and web pages.
Ensuring all labs are prepared for customers and classes.
Ensuring all labs are opened, secured, and closed according to pre-determined policies and procedures.
Providing the other members of the Support Staff with daily lab updates and consultant observation information in the form of shift reports.
Providing a conduit for information between consultants, customers, STC staff and other appropriate UITS/IUPUI staff, as needed.
Performing other duties as assigned by the STC Administrative Team.

Man it's been a good week and it just started.

So, I have finally beat the Half-Life series and Portal. Now I have to wait patiently for episode three of Half-Life to be released; which has no release date set. There aren't even any rumors. That's how Valve works, but they make incredible games, so I forgive them. It's worth the wait. I highly recommend playing these games. They're incredible. Best first person shooter ever. The plot is intricate, and the game play is amazing. It looks amazing, and the physics engine is incredible. It's also realistic (I mean as realistic as you can get). Your suit doesn't recharge like in Halo, and sometimes you'll go a long time without finding a health pack. But it's not impossible get through. Sometimes I would die like a million times, but, at least for me, I would be like, "I have to figure out how to get through this." It takes a lot of paying attention, and figuring out puzzles. That's part of what is so neat. It's not just a run around and shoot aliens game, you actually have to figure out how to turn on electricity, so you can open a door, or start an elevator, or something like that.

So, everybody play Half-Life and Portal.

Now I actually have to start packing instead of sitting and playing video games and thinking, "I'll start packing after this chapter". We move on Saturday and I've only packed up one closet and a couple of bookshelves. Ohh!!! I got my stimulus check today. Woohoo.

I also have some other big news that I'll be able to tell you later.

Background.

I made this desktop background because I couldn't find any backgrounds that are for widescreen computers. My iMac has a ridiculous resolution (1680x1050). If you want the background feel free to take it.

Another edition of Stupid Parking!

Today we see a blue Trailblazer with awesome chrome rims!!!


This is not a parking space:



This is:



They are not even close to being in the space.  It's sad.

Good food in Indianapolis.

Here are some places that Greg and I like to eat.



Buca di Beppo- Family style Italian.  Big portions that everyone shares and the prices are too bad.  I think there are three locations in Indianapolis.




Chipotle Mexican Grill- My favorite place to get burritos.  




Yat's- Really good, inexpensive cajun food.  When I say inexpensive I mean it; their food is like 6 bucks for a big plate.


India Garden- Inexpensive buffet, but expensive if you eat after 2pm.  Their lunch buffet is 5.95 per person.



Naked Tchopstix- Really good Japanese food including sushi.  It's on the expensive side, but worth a visit when you have the money.

The Meditteranean Grill- Greek restaurant in Avon.  Awesome gyro sandwiches, that's probably the least expensive entree at 7.95.  The hummus is amazing. (I couldn't find a picture.)



Cairo Cafe-  They offer African, Vegan, and Middle-Eastern/Turkish food buffet style.  I've never actually been here, but I've heard from reliable sources that it is very good.

That's just a handful of places, and I'm sure there are more interesting places to eat.

       

More than bars in Indianapolis.

I was inspired to write this blog post after watching a friend say that there is more for him in Plymouth than Indianapolis, which is probably true for him. Since most of his friends are in Plymouth. Then he went on to say something that kind of got me thinking (and I have to admit I was a little offended, I think it was the tone of voice, but he didn't mean any harm by it. People can come off that way sometimes), "I'm not a party-er. I'm not going to go to a concert every night. [I'm not] going to bars." This makes me think that people have the idea that those are the only things you can do in Indianapolis. In fact it is quite the opposite. There are a lot of things to see and do. I'll list some free things today. Tomorrow I'll list some things that cost money and some really good restaurants.

The Circle Monument:


The Artsgarden

Indiana Historical Society

The Indiana War Memorial:


Union Station:


State Capital Tours:


And my personal favorite the IMA: