MA/ Dirt Corps/ Crime Declaration

The Manufacturing Program changed, and instead of being introduced to composites, welding and CNC, I'm going to enter into a 5 week manufacturing internship.

To say the least, the change is annoying. It's not what I signed up?!
But I can't complain too much, this program is still giving me a lot.

I'm attending this program to get a hands-on introduction to Welding, Composites and CNC, and now, it's not going to happen. This program is being geared to apprenticeship seekers, and I just can't commit to an apprenticeship without knowing what I am signing up for first.

On another note, I've really enjoyed being back in school. It's been easy to acquire friends, and in the machine shop, I've really enjoyed problem solving.

My class is diverse, outspoken and generally unemployed. I've been shocked by the racial, gender and educational diversity of the class. I've been learning that a good idea can come from anywhere, almost randomly, and that it is a real trick to get everybody to share their ideas equally.

By being in this class, it is becoming obvious that I want more schooling. But I don't want just theoretical training, I want hands-on experience, and I want to work people who have unusual ideas.

The Dirt Corps program is going well. We have gone on a lot of tours, and I'm excited for the day, when we get our hands dirty, doing restoration work. I really think people in this program would benefit from a tour of the Elwha region, but developing a tour is complicated because the people in Dirt Corps have other jobs.

In Dirt Corps, there has been a language barrier, and I think the only way to overcome it, is for me to learn a little Spanish.Which is ok, I'll do my best to get talking to people.

On a sidebar, I've been getting to know a guy on my lunch break.

 On the first day of Manufacturing Academy, I sat at his table during lunch and started asking questions about him. Unfortunately, it turns out that he is a registered sex offender and told me because the school has to publicize it. I'm a little sad to know he's a sex offender.

On one hand, it protects me from having bad judgement  and being alone with him. However on the other side, it's been hard for me to develop any trust with him because all I know about him is that he is a sex offender, he's gone through hormone therapy, a guy was murdered on the floor above his, he likes biking and that his parole officer is itching to get him back in jail.

If he told me, he was in prison, I wouldn't think that much on it. However, by making him declare his crime, it leads to questions about him. I'm sure I've worked with murders before, but murders don't have to declare their crime in the same way. ...so it enables them to get more of  fresh start. I feel bad for the guy, but then again, I don't. I don't really know him.

I encouraged him to go hiking because he seems he'd benefit from it. He is going to Mt Rainier this weekend with a buddy. He has insinuated that we should go hiking, and my thoughts on it has been that I won't go hiking with him, unless it is with a very large group, such as the Mountaineers..but then I'm worried about releasing him on the Mountaineers...I don't know, I'll just have to see what he does next.

Though it is exciting that this guy will have a change of scenery.