I'm writing this entry from a hotel in Arcata, CA, home of Humboldt State (supposedly the most pot-addled student body in the country - a supposition which has been confirmed over and over again as we meet and observe people in the area... and by the consistently long lines at the Taco Bell). It's the last night of our spring break trip, which has been spent mostly in California. We left on Friday morning, and drove literally all day to Berkeley. We spent the next day hanging out with Mark's friends in Berkeley and drinking wine, and spent Sunday in San Francisco. I made Mark drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, and he took me to Crissy Field, and a beach on the west coast, where we saw the sun set over the pacific ocean. Abbey also played in sand for what seemed like the very first time. She would very cautiously step across it, but then would take off and stop to dig intensely. Mark coaxed her to walk towards the ocean as the waves rolled out, but as they rolled back in, Abbey barked ferociously at them! It was adorable. Monday was spent driving from Palo Alto (where we had stayed with David Long) to Pismo Beach via "The 1" aka the Pacific Coast Highway. We stopped in Santa Cruz to visit our friend Eva, went through agricultural Salinas, then Monterey and Carmel. Then- Big Sur. I don't even have anything to write about it, other than it was amazing. It's indescribable and should be seen by everyone.
The next day, we spent the morning at the beach, explored nearby San Luis Obispo, and went wine tasting in Paso Robles. Wednesday was more of the same, and we drove back up to Palo Alto that evening. On the way we went through the "Artichoke Capital of the World" where I got a four pound jar of marinated artichoke hearts to make Amerigo's artichoke dip that I frequently crave. Thursday found us back in San Francisco, Berkeley, and then on the way to Sonoma for more wine tasting. We were actually more impressed by Healdsburg than Sonoma, although both were essentially mission-style versions of Canton, Mississippi, down to the types of stores around. And last night, we made it to Arcata.
Today we saw some giant coast redwoods, and again, there's little I can say about them but "wow." They're truly awe-inspiring, and the only negative about today's trip was that Abbey was not allowed on the trails, and it was raining heavily, so we didn't get to spend as much time exploring as I would have like. Oh, and I was about 40 feet from a herd of elk. That rocked.
Anyway, tomorrow is the long haul back to Seattle, and then right into my busy quarter. I'd better get some sleep.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Tomorrow is Daylight Savings Time, something I've been looking forward to since it started getting dark at 4:30 in December. Things are beautiful in Seattle right now... the daffodils and crocus started coming out last week and are now in full bloom, and I had no idea how many of the trees in Seattle are flowering. I've been so surprised by the weather... Since February, we've seen more sunny days than not!
My entire concept of good weather is changing... Now, if it's 50 degrees and sunny, I want to run outside and play. I wouldn't have gotten out of bed for weather like that in Alabama or Mississippi.
So, I've started this new job at the National Wildlife Federation. Mostly I'm just researching and compiling information about climate policy, to be used this summer in preparing a climate policy approach for the Western Climate Initiative (a proposed cap-and-trade based system in which many western states and areas of canada and mexico will participate. ) I'm inundated with climate policy and it seems like every other day I switch from thinking we can make a difference and halt the worst effects of climate change to thinking we're screwed.
Otherwise, my job is still not very concrete in a lot of ways. I just show up and they tell me what needs to be done. Some days, that's writing a letter to the editor of the Seattle P-I. Other days, I'm editing letters and proposals, or researching, or meeting with legislators.
But I'll have a real job next quarter, a research assistantship within the College of Forest Resources (and the US Forest Service) that relieves me of my out-of-state financial commitment for the semester, which is a huge relief. I'm going to try and hold on to my NWF position while working 20 hours/week for my RA, which will be about 30 hrs/week plus tutoring with Kaplan and in addition to school. But, I'm taking the smallest class load I can (something I've NEVER done.... I think overloading on classes is something more people should exploit!) and hope to find a way through the week.
Abbey dog has learned some new tricks (and if you search channel: abbeymonster on youtube, you can see a vid).... she can now do sit, up (beg), stand, dance, down, shake, and has just learned roll over. We started working on "speak" today. Unfortunately, she doesn't know "no" or "get down".
Mark and I are going to California for spring break! It should be a reasonably priced trip (though gas may be prohibitive!). We'll go down to the bay area to see friends, and then San Luis Obispo for beaching and wining. Abbey dog is coming with us!
I am so tired of elections. I was very intensely interested in it all through February (at least until our caucuses)... and now I'm to the point that I'm sick of listening to everyone, even my favorite candidate. I will say one thing, if John McCain wins, I am leaving the country as soon as possible (after grad school?) I can't be an American if it means supporting war and torture, abandoning our poor and our children, and not taking responsibility for the environmental damages it causes. It's not that I think that all Republicans believe that these things are okay (though some of them must have had to in order to keep Bush in for another term), it's that the Republicans who are currently in office (or will be if McCain is elected) are MONSTERS who have their own financial interests at stake and not the well-being of the country. I actually liked John McCain up until the primary season (even though he's a racist) because he stood for environmental protection (to a point) and had real military experience. But he's thrown his old ideals out the window to kowtow to the big names in the party, and now promises to be nothing more than another Bush. I won't stick around for it.
Anyway, that's the long and short of my life. The month of February flew by, and I can't believe it's almost spring break!!! The 10 week quarter system is much too short, though I'm glad for the break.
My entire concept of good weather is changing... Now, if it's 50 degrees and sunny, I want to run outside and play. I wouldn't have gotten out of bed for weather like that in Alabama or Mississippi.
So, I've started this new job at the National Wildlife Federation. Mostly I'm just researching and compiling information about climate policy, to be used this summer in preparing a climate policy approach for the Western Climate Initiative (a proposed cap-and-trade based system in which many western states and areas of canada and mexico will participate. ) I'm inundated with climate policy and it seems like every other day I switch from thinking we can make a difference and halt the worst effects of climate change to thinking we're screwed.
Otherwise, my job is still not very concrete in a lot of ways. I just show up and they tell me what needs to be done. Some days, that's writing a letter to the editor of the Seattle P-I. Other days, I'm editing letters and proposals, or researching, or meeting with legislators.
But I'll have a real job next quarter, a research assistantship within the College of Forest Resources (and the US Forest Service) that relieves me of my out-of-state financial commitment for the semester, which is a huge relief. I'm going to try and hold on to my NWF position while working 20 hours/week for my RA, which will be about 30 hrs/week plus tutoring with Kaplan and in addition to school. But, I'm taking the smallest class load I can (something I've NEVER done.... I think overloading on classes is something more people should exploit!) and hope to find a way through the week.
Abbey dog has learned some new tricks (and if you search channel: abbeymonster on youtube, you can see a vid).... she can now do sit, up (beg), stand, dance, down, shake, and has just learned roll over. We started working on "speak" today. Unfortunately, she doesn't know "no" or "get down".
Mark and I are going to California for spring break! It should be a reasonably priced trip (though gas may be prohibitive!). We'll go down to the bay area to see friends, and then San Luis Obispo for beaching and wining. Abbey dog is coming with us!
I am so tired of elections. I was very intensely interested in it all through February (at least until our caucuses)... and now I'm to the point that I'm sick of listening to everyone, even my favorite candidate. I will say one thing, if John McCain wins, I am leaving the country as soon as possible (after grad school?) I can't be an American if it means supporting war and torture, abandoning our poor and our children, and not taking responsibility for the environmental damages it causes. It's not that I think that all Republicans believe that these things are okay (though some of them must have had to in order to keep Bush in for another term), it's that the Republicans who are currently in office (or will be if McCain is elected) are MONSTERS who have their own financial interests at stake and not the well-being of the country. I actually liked John McCain up until the primary season (even though he's a racist) because he stood for environmental protection (to a point) and had real military experience. But he's thrown his old ideals out the window to kowtow to the big names in the party, and now promises to be nothing more than another Bush. I won't stick around for it.
Anyway, that's the long and short of my life. The month of February flew by, and I can't believe it's almost spring break!!! The 10 week quarter system is much too short, though I'm glad for the break.
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