Cooling down and random notes

I have found a decent solution to my overheating problem for both Ubuntu and Windows. For Windows I downloaded this little program that has allowed me to manually dictate at what temperature and to what speed my fan should kick on. I had noticed that before my computer overheated the fan still wasn't hitting "Hi" speed. Now it kicks on earlier and goes up to high speed at 65 C. I've been running the CPU at maximum capacity and while it's still heating up (up to 95 C), the higher fan speed is keeping the overheating in check. Now I'm just hoping the thermostat is accurate and I'm not still frying my CPU! For Ubuntu I've discovered several ways to reprogram it as well as complied programs to control it. However, I've yet to play around with them, since my high heat applications are mostly Windows-based thus far.

Also some other notes: we are SO EXCITED to be heading out this week to Utah and then Oregon! This will most likely be our "Christmas" visit for the year. We are so grateful for our families and are really excited to be spending time with them. I also spent a couple of days this week at my new assistantship learning the ropes. It's been pretty mind blowing, and I'm sure it will prove to be throughout my time there. I'll be working with an early intervention program in Lubbock. "Early" means 2 month old babies and up! My first few minutes involved feeding a bottle to a little boy no older than Daylin! I'm there to offer mental health services to the families of the kids and do whatever I can to help out the teachers and whoever else in times when things are slow for me . I got a feel for the population and their situation as my friend who I am taking over for was pointing out things like "that little boy was born with fetal achohol syndrom... she was born with complications from drugs... and she has shaken baby syndrome". I'm both sobered and excited to get going and already I'm brainstorming up ideas to engage the typically mistrustful families.

Finally, I'm looking forward to the week after our vacation; Kate will be staying for a week in Enta with her family and I will be back here with lot of projects to acomplish! Here is just a short list of what to expect progress posts on: rebuilding the kitchen cabinets and painting them. Tearing down the indoor shop and rebuilding it as a walk-in pantry. Sheetrocking the fireplace in preparation for a mantel and tiling. Cleaning out the gravel in the back yard and prepping in for grass and maybe a sprinkler system. Plastering over the exposed brick wall in the sun room. Priming the pink bedroom. And also redoing some aspects of our hall bathroom. So far we've managed to not spend much money while being able to make a lot of changes (All the credit is due to Kate, she is our master financial planner), and we're planing on continuing the trend. So in a nutshell, I'll have lots to do and I'm really looking forward to it!

And finally a shot of what you all wish you were doing right now: