I like Chips

My job is often glamorous.  Don't believe me?  Read THIS and THIS.  Today, my uber-glam job sent me 20 miles outside of Salem to Christmas Tree Farm Country to inspect... wait for it...  ASPHALT.

We have a project that requires weekly monitoring trips to assess the state of the asphalt for approximately 3 miles of roadway.  I have been trying to time my trips so I don't have to assess in the rain.  So far so good.

So today I was on my way back to work from another riveting monitoring session, when I began following a Frito-Lay truck.  I could have passed it, but I was secretly I was hoping the back of the truck would pop open and I would be showered in bags of potato chips.  Because I LOVES me some chips!!  And it was near lunch-time so I was hungry.

But the stupid latch stayed shut for the whole drive.  Damn you Frito-lay.  It's ok because I doubt a truck load of chips is in my diet plan.  Neither was the McDonald's I ate last night.  So sue me!  I ran 4 miles last night so I thought it was a wash.

Also, I was listening to soothing music during my drive through the county as I saw fawns lunching on the side of the road.  A little Dave, John Mayer, and Carbon.  And then O.M.G. by Usher came on.  Needless to say, it changed the mood in the car - from calm and reflective to bump and grind.  It was awkward since I was alone.  Of course it would have been even more awkward if I hadn't been alone.  Say... if my brother/uncle/father/coworker were in the car with me.  Maybe I should just take my "I'm too embarrassed for anyone to know I listen to it" music off of my regular circulation playlist.

Don't be jealous of my job.  I am sure your's is cool too.  :)

Thankful for Asphalt Monkey Work

Having a rough day. I can't and don't really want to get into it on a blog.

As for asphalt...

I have been working on an asphalt design for a project for a while. I made this huge Excel spreadsheet as a way to analyze the depths needed. I am actually pretty proud of my spreadsheet. Only problem is you have to use SOLVER about a billion times, once for each section of the road. This means I got to spend a lot of time punching keys like a monkey.

Now I have to make some modifications to the design which means I have to do it ALL. OVER. AGAIN. More monkey work for me.

But on a day like today, where I am feeling BLUE and have already cried while watching an old episode of The Practice (which I have already seen), I am so grateful for my monkey work. I will be able to zone out with some music playing and type type type away.

Love, Mrs. Janney