While we were out walking in our winter wonderland today I captured this lovely sight at long last (after having a good laugh about seeing so many people doing this and not having my camera handy) -















FAIL! Chains for a Ford Excursion go on the BACK wheels. Sing with me Homer... "I am so smart, S-M-R-T!"

Ok, ok, so I've been wretched about posting. My camera is on the fritz and I guess I was waiting to resolve that before posting. You know, pictures make the post. :) Ah, who am I kidding? I'm lazy. I let myself get caught up with other things and then the only person that bugs me about the blog is my mom - and we chat on the phone at least once a week. Let's see if I can dig up a good photo...

Nice double rainbow from the view from my apt. If I were aiming the camera a bit west you could see a fabulous view of the city.

(Imagine it zoomed... I liked the overall effect once you ignore my inability to take a good shot and the construction.)

Forgive me, I can't ever seem to get the spacing right with posting photos on blogger.

Ok, work tomorrow (yeah!) so I'll try to be clever in a post later.

Oh, one last thing for my sis, here's a pic of the bike (not mine, but it is the same model):

I totally didn't try but it is in Cougar colors anyway! =D Eventually I'll get a pic of mine with all my stuff on it. I'm terrified of getting hit by a car on my way to work so I look like a day-glo reflection ad for safety. But if I'm blinking my own AND reflecting their lights they'll see me twice as much right?!?!

I GOT A JOB!!!!

Yes, at long last, I am employed. Sigh. Haven't had much to post being a sad, unemployed girl. Now I have three great things: a lovely new man, fabulous new apartment, and a super dooper new job! :D I can't tell you about what I work on because of IP - you know the ol "I'd tell you but then I'd have to kill you" bit.

YEAH!!!!!!!

Kara got hitched!
















Congratulations!!! The chapel was gorgeous and the reception hall hotter than ... but we had a great time. :)

Backpacking trip!

I finally got to use all the neato backpack camping stuff I've been purchasing slowly over the past couple of years. It was a fantastic trip covering a few hot spots on the Olympic Peninsula. We saw so many wild animals including: sea lions, raccoons, bald eagles, sea otters, deer, and lots of itty bitty tide pool creatures!

Started off at Lake Ozette with the Cape Alava trail where we camped within barking distance of sea lions, a very bold raccoon and some pesky ravens. Then we were off down the beach to Sand Point for a more picturesque campsite and the cutest otters eating out on the water. So smart using rocks on their tummies to smash open their food. Throw some bald eagles in for good measure and it was quite the nature hike. The only downer was that I managed to leave my insoles for my hiking boots in my grubby tennis shoes back home so I used Kelly's super stinky running shoe insoles instead. I now call them his WMDs as I think they are the reason we didn't have more bug problems...

Third day had us moving on to Sol Duc which was like a luxury hotel at the car camping site in comparison to the "privy" available at the backcountry sites. Holy moly it was wretched. I only used it twice before I gave up and went for the exposed bushes instead. Egads it was awful. But Sol Duc... we went to the wrong hot springs. We were hoping for the ones that you hike into and are natural. Instead we were at the $11 per person swimming pool with sulfurous smelling water piped into it. We passed. Relaxed that night and then went to Sol Duc Falls the next day where we met a celebrity, Art Wolfe nature photographer extrodanaire, who was leading a class. Snapped a couple of pics along the trail and then my batteries died. :( The falls were big and beautiful though so it will definitely be a required stop for the next time.

We took the road passed Lake Crescent on the way home and WOW. Gorgeous lake. I even decided to throw caution to the wind and deal with my irrational fear of kayaks. My super fabulous rain pants kept me dry on the inside while Kelly sat and shivered in his cotton shorts. hehe lake water is chilly.

Back to civilization to be pampered with crepes from former pastry chef Leah and the vacation came to an end. Sigh.

Now to plan the Yellowstone trip!

Very successful day today! :)

Did all my exercises like a good little PT patient, went on a light hike, sat and stared at a beach and the waves, did most of 4 miles jogging at the trail by the Sculpture Park and ate a Dick's deluxe and chocolate shake. Could it get any better? Oh yeah, the weather was GORGEOUS! At long last. {contented sigh}

Yay! It's pretty!

I spent forever trying to make the header and while I still don't know html I understand photoshop a whole lot more. :) Hopefully mom is satisfied. I am.

Today I have discovered something: I do not want to go to law school and become a lawyer.

While disappointing (it kinda sounded like fun), I think it is a positive step forward in my life. I have struggled with finding a career that seemed to match my interests and future goals. My main issue is this: at what level do your hobbies and interests need to play into your job? Is it way enough to work a job for the cash and live on the side? It seems that if this is the case there is a lot of time spent not living. Or can I find happiness in a job well done regardless of the type of work; is that satisfaction enough?

Here's what I know:
1. I ~less than three~ learning. My mind has to be intrigued and occupied.
2. My life must be organized and my brain functions analytically.
3. I need to be able to support myself; I do not like to rely on others for basic needs.
4. I want to have a family in the next ten years. Big window, I know.
5. I have no idea what I want to do with a career. So far I am checking things off that I don't want to do which I feel is a step in the right direction, even if I don't know where that leads.

On other job fronts...
I let the deadline go buy for the teaching assistant in Spain dealio. I felt that I couldn't commit to a year overseas that goes from Jan to Jan (assuming of course that they would pick me). I think it would be difficult for me to find a job that would allow either for that temporary state of employment until departure, or for a lapse of a year and come back. Maybe there is a different program that I could work with, but I'm not sure that I'm cut out for teaching. I don't know that I could deal well with apathetic students and there are always apathetic students.

Until I come up with a better plan the path of least resistence will likely win out in the end. This path seems unfavorable whenever I am dealing with a jerk manager/co-worker or am not working. There will always be at least one jerk so that isn't the industry's fault. I don't think biotech has a higher proportions of jerks than any other arena. And being unemployed without another source of money is depressing and lame. Maybe the job isn't the problem.

ponder, ponder, ponder

Ok, ok, I'm posting!

Given the current circumstances I don't have a lot to post about. I am in the middle of packing to move in with some friends. I'm actually excited about it because we all really like to cook. Should be interesting what we come up with. But moving is a horrid chore and I hate it. The new home has a rat (cute pet, not vermin) so miss Sugar has to go on holiday to mom's. I think she likes it because she can harass Cleo and has more room to be lazy.

I've got two weddings coming up in May and one in July so that is exciting. Unfortunately both the May weddings are on the same weekend so I wll be driving all over the state to get to both of them. Also coming up I have tickets to see Cirque du Soleil!!! I've always wanted to go to a show and Ticketmaster was having a special so I got discounted tickets for me and my friends!!! I want to get all dressed up even if it is supposed to be a casual thing. I have this fun, peacock turquoise colored dress (yes, that color somehow does work for me) that I think I'll wear. So fun!

I learned about tire pressure the other day. Seems you are supposed to check it once a month. I think I've only checked mine once or twice in my life and that was on my other car. I think what must have happened is that the people that changed my oil checked and filled for me. That hasn't happened on my latest car and it turns out that the air pressure was so low that I wore the sidewalls bare on the front two. Oops. So I bought a gauge thingy (did you know you can spell it gage too?) and looked up the correct pressure, 30 psi. Mine registered ~19. Oops. I did find a nice man at the gas station though. I asked if I could buy something to get cash back for quarters for the machine (I never carry cash and you aren't supposed to drive more than two miles so the air in the tires is cold) and he just went out, reset the compressor and filled them for me! Seems there are some nice people still out there. :)

So then I got new tires. $150 and that was considered cheap!!! And I drive away and the alignment is all screwy. If the wheel is straight the car goes left. Grrrr. They didn't have time to deal with it then so I have to go back! I was trying to be nice and throw some business at my mechanic from where we grew up (I was in the area anyway that day) and now I have to drive ~100 miles round trip, again. I am soooo not paying for a re-alignment.

So that's the latest. Still looking for a dream job. I think NC sounds nice though. I just won't go outside in summer. :D

Babies galore!

Sissy brings in baby number three and now my step-sister is due in October! Glad they're taking the pressure off me for this type of performance. Keep 'em coming girls!

Raleigh, North Carolina has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

π Day!

It will be great in another 7 years :)

Apparently not enough fingers were crossed... I got the axe last Friday, but they cut so many of us they have to pay us for 60 days. HA! You can't get rid of me THAT easily!!! Ok, instead of crossed fingers, think happy interview thoughts.

D-day (yes, again) is in 2 or 5 days depending on who you ask... keep your fingers crossed for me!

So I've changed the look of my site and all my previous posts now look hideous... will have to blog more to push all the posts down a bit. :)

Nerd Alert!

So today's date is for math geeks.

2 to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd power => 02/04/08

Updated:

Reasons my co-workers have used to miss work:

1. The Department of Homeland Security wants my fingerprints.

2. I am missing two goats.

3. I need to go home and read the latest Harry Potter novel.

4. I am writing a novel no one will ever read.

5. I've checked myself into the hospital for:
a) dehyrdation
b) in labor

6. There is an injured opossum living in my basement.

I can't make this stuff up! Can't stop giggling about the goats either... that was just this morning. :D