06.07.08
Eagan, MN – Prelude
I didn’t really come up with the idea to log my experience here in Minnesota until today, but I will write about the happenings yesterday. As I do not have broadband access (and I will not succumb to the horror of dialup), my entries will probably be infrequent (depending on how Panera feels 
).
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The last two days were pretty insane. I feel like I could have done more, but I’m happy with the amount of things I accomplished before leaving for Minnesota. For the unknowing, I will be a software engineer intern for Lockheed Martin Transportation and Security Solutions in Eagan, MN. I start June 9th, will be working 9 hour days (but I have every other Friday off) and I won’t be back until August.
I was to leave Thursday but my employment package did not come. I postponed leaving until about 6:40pm on Friday, which was a blessing and a curse. Spending some time in my freshly cleaned apartment was great, but then of course I had to leave it only to drive 3 hours and 20 minutes or so. I drove it in one sitting since I was not hungry, I didn’t have to go to the bathroom, and I wasn’t tired. Even the weather was good. So instead of ruining my groove I just did the driving in one fell swoop.
The place I live is great (minus the fact that is lacks broadband internet). I’m trying to view the lack of internet as a good thing since it means when I leave the place that has internet, I will be cutting my computer connection with the world. This should leave me more time for reading, sleeping, and offline activity (Panera is my wireless hub of choice, but they close at 9pm). I also live just down the road from a park, so I’m hoping to get back into exercising.
Eagan is a great place. It ranked #12 on Money’s list of top 100 cities to live in in 2006 (Apple Valley ranked high in 2007, and it is just a ways to the south). I am located in between St. Paul and Minneapolis, just across the lakes from both the international airport and the Mall of America. I’m guessing this is how Cedar Falls will look when it gets up to ~60k people. Every road is four lanes with turning lanes, and its easy to get everywhere because the roads are easy to follow (and the speed limit is 45 everywhere it seems). That said, Yankee Doodle road will take me to WalMart, Kohls, and a slew of other shops on its south side, and on the north side is another plaza with my Panera that I plan to visit regularly. Target isn’t far away either. There is a lot of culture and a thousand possible things to do (not to mention the possibilities for entertainment that the twin cities present).
I don’t plan to take advantage of the entertainment too much though. I will go on intern outings, but other then that I plan to get into a nice routine of sleeping a lot, running, eating a good breakfast, working, interneting/dinnering, and then returning home for some peace and quiet. But not too quiet. I miss having my fans, but I live next to many busy high ways and the airport, so there is plenty (but not too much!) background noise to keep me happy.