Emotions...

I just recalled that I used to have an imood indicator on this page. It's back. Woot

Oh, and Happy Day-of-going-door-to-door-to-hunt-for-sweets.

Rustle, Rustle? Boo!

I am sitting here listing to the sound of my computer humming, the coffee maker puttering out my tea-water, and silence. The sound of silence really is deafening. Noone else in the house is home right now…

I had just started typing this entry, had a whole bunch of things to say, and was contemplating the emptiness of house and discombobulation of my thoughts when my phone rang. I just changed my ring-tone too. My phone now plays the Super Mario Brothers theme song. Bu bu bu, bu-bu BUH bu….do do do, du do do do…Well, you get the idea. Off goes the phone and I sat here and sort of imaginary-bopped my way though the beginning of board one until I decided I really should answer my phone instead of letting the board play through to Voicemail. Not only am I a geek, but I’m now in a totally different mindset that when I started this post. It was Katie on the phone, and we were discussing this evening’s entertainment. I believe it will involve some tea or hot cocoa (it’s a hard call, but if we’re baking cookies and/or eating cake, it may have to be tea to cut the sweatness). There will also be the watching of that wonderful Halloween tale - Hocus Pocus. I just love that movie. One of these days Katie, me, and one other female will have to be those three sisters for Halloween. I want to be the one who bounces around sing/saying ‘amuck amuck amuck…” Good fun.

That will have to be some other Halloween though. This year we were characters from InuYasha. I was Kagome, and Katie was Kikyo. I will add a nice picture of the two of us in all our splendid glory. We had two Halloween parties. Friday night was to go to, and Saturday night was here. Both successful I think. Katie and I took live bows as part of our costumes, and many people were impressed. I think, though, that the bows helped to confuse people as to who I was. Katie looked her part in her Hakama and Kimono, and so not many people confused her even if they didn’t know what she was supposed to be. I, however, was called Xena, Legolas, Robin Hood, and Zelda before the night was over. Only a few people recognized me as Kagome, or as someone from an Anime. I was also called Sailor Moon once, so at least that person had the right genre. Still, everyone applauded our costumes. Saturday night at our house we were joined by Miroku (aka Lance). All we needed was an InuYasha, a Sango, and a Shippo and we would have been set. I think we did just fine on our own though.

I’ll have to write more about our Halloween party here and such later. I just realized that I’m quite hungry. I am going to go get a bowl of cereal before Katie and Chris get back and then change my laundry.

Kikyo and Kagome get ready to shoot demons. In the house? Working together? Something is obviously not right here...

Here's Miroku making a play for Kikyo (don't let InuYasha see you trying that!) Kagome is holding onto Kirara for Sango, who's off finding a very big rock to hit Miroku over the head with. She's a bit jealous, you know. 

I went outside just now and it was snowing. SNOW!

I'm going to bed.

I walked outside just now, and it was snowing. SNOW!

I'm going to bed.

This past week I have been absent from classes at the U. The reason? My training as an Emergency Responder-technician level. It's a 40 hour class that covers everything from PPE (personal protective equipment) to Air monitoring, to the rules governing hazmat in general industry - namely one 20 CFR 1910.120, to the laws passed in our illustrious country such as CERCLA, SARA, RCRA, etc. No, I will not spell out said acronyms, look them up. Monday was all lecture, and as it was 95% review of what I've learned in the last year during my IH classes it was quite a challenge to stay alert to catch that nugget of information I may not have gleaned. Tuesday we got to move around some, and wednesday even more. Wednesday we practiced "Decon", or the process of un-messifying a person before they get out of their protective gear, so as not to re-messify their much more sensitive skin and lung bits once out of the 'hot zone'. So off we went to don our PPE, some in fully encapsulated level A - full hazmat suit, SCBA (read SCUBA for those of us needing to breath clean air on terra firma), and nonslip, chemical resistant boots; some in level B - tyvek (cool material, except that it doesn't breath, so you get really hot) suit, double gloves, same type of boots, full face respirator and that wonderful SCBA -and duct tape which plays the vital role of shutting up seams in the suit; there were level Cs - same as B but with an air purifying respirator instead of a cumbersome air tank on their back; and then some level Ds - those in normal work attire. We set up our scene, including make believe spill out of 5 gallon bucket. The scenario was those in level A went out to survey the scene, but were unable to fix said spill by themselves (our bucket was really a metaphor for something much bigger) so they call for help. Our backup team in B (who should have been in A but were playing in B for varieties (and material scarsity's sake) went in with tools to help. They contain said spill, and then head to decon, where those in C clean them with water and scrub brushes, and then get out of said suits.

Let me say, being scrubbed on whilst in (I was in B) clothes by others is an odd feeling, and makes you laugh. Getting out of your suit is also fun. Today there was a much smaller group of us, so we played in level A suits in the afternoon after spending the morning doing air monitoring labs. We had great fun. We played with an actual drum full of chemical (H2O) and patched a hole and then put it into a much bigger drum. The drum weighs about 200 lbs, and I think my partner and I were maybe 260 together, 300 if you add the tanks of air and suits which really only hinder...so maybe that is 220 as a negative effect? Anyway, we had trouble just tipping our leaking drum on it's side to get it into the nice bigger drum. But, we are stubborn, and we figured a way. After which, we all (mostly) had some air left, so we played catch in our level A's to get used to moving and trying to communicate. We did this til our warning bell went off indicating low air. Let me tell you, if you have never gone SCUBA diving or been in an SCBA, you probably won't be able to appreciate the anxiety of hearing that bell, feeling the vibration saying 'you have maybe 5 min of air left'. Recall than in a level A we are fully encapsulated, and the only way out is if someone else lets you out. Talk about trust. You put your arms up like you are under arrest, then grab your buddy and go to decon, hoping to have enough air left to make it though decon so you don't die of chemical exposure instead of lack of air. It's good to go through that warning bell situation in practice though...it can get the heart going, and it is good to know if you can handle that stress before there are chemicals added to the mixture.

Tomorrow is the last day of that class, and then I'm going to head back to GB with Katie and Chris for the weekend. I'm exhausted. I just finished my biostats online exam, I'm going to pack, read a bit, and go to bed. I'll probably sleep all the way home if I don't end up driving.

Looking for a housemate...

Jenny found a house to buy, so I'm in the process of finding a roommate from now until at least June 1 of next year. Possibly longer, if I get a job around here, or if I have to finish thesis work, etc. Believe me, it's an interesting game. I had two people come and look at the place last night, and they were both very nice. Unfortunately, I'm not sure either will work. One only needs the place until Mid-January, and the other just might not be a good fit. I placed another ad to Craig's List and I've responded to another post there this morning. It's only the seventh so I don't feel like I have to take the first person to respond to me. After all, I'll have to live with this person for the next 7 months.

If I can't find anyone, I guess I'll have to start looking for efficiencies or 1 br apts in the area. I really don't want to do that at all. I like it here. So, anyone know anyone who is looking for housing in the Twin Cities area, I have a bedroom available at my place! My only hardcore requirement is that the person be a non-smoker as I'm hugely allergic to cig. smoke.

Bleah.

Overbid...

I decided not to buy the car. It was a really hard decision, but now that I have made it, I don't regret it. That may be the biggest indication that it was the correct choice. I loved it, and will probably get one just like it when I'm graduated at have a real job and my Super Saturn breaths her last gas fumes, but it just wasn't feasible right now. The estimate on financing game back too high.

The gentleman called me again today to tell me that the car was still available for a test drive, should I want to. Why? Why would I want to go reaquaint myself with the car I cannot have. And I do know that. If they were willing to adjust the financing, perhaps we could do a deal. They are not. I told him I'd keep him in mind when I do decide to buy a new car. I will keep his card, but I don't feel any particular loyalty to him. After all, he was just doing his job.

Now, on to more pressing things. Like homework and makeup and daydreaming. NOT in that order.

…A NEW CAR!!!!!

Why is it when I think of my actions in the last two to three days, I am reminded of Wheel of Fortune? I wish that were the case, and the car I’m thinking about was free. It would be such an easier decision then.

It is noon on Monday. Today is the day I decide if I buy the car I ‘sort of bought’ on Saturday(pictured here). To explain: Saturday Katie and I went to the Saturn dealership to get the oil changed in our cars. We were not first in line. So we turned over our keys and went out onto the lot to take a peak at the used cars. Out came the salesman. I got talking with him about what I was looking for in a “new car”. New to me, you understand, not necessarily a brand new with no miles on it. So, there I was, explaining what I wanted and out from his mouth comes the ‘perfect’ solution. The 2005 Vue with all these options and this great pricing…So I take one for a test drive and I like it and I have my old car appraised for trade in and do some preliminary financing and tell them I’m definitely interested. They will hold the car through Monday at the end of business for me. At this point I still don’t know if I want the car for sure. I mean, I love the car, but do I need a new car right this minute? Wouldn’t it be easier to wait until I’m out of grad school to have a car payment? Shouldn’t I start saving for a house and not worry about a new car on top of everything else? I called the insurance people. The new car would cost a grand total of 17 dollars more per 6 months. That is not the issue. Mom and Dad are leery, but they say this is ultimately my decision. It would be so much easier on me if they just said yes or no, or if they gave me a really good reason to say yes or no. They brought up some things I didn’t think about, such: What if I don’t find a job right away? What about the fact that I don’t have a garage? Do I really want to be spending that money on a car payment, or would I rather use it for something else? The thing is, my car has about 2 years left in it…maybe more. I could finish school, get a job, and then buy a car. A new 2006 or 2007 car, or even buy a hybrid car. Do I really need to do this now?

It’s now 1:22 on Monday. I’ve talked with Saturn, they are applying for the car loan for me. It’s not necessary that I buy the car yet; I’m trying to determine my financing. What will my payments be? In the interim, I was talking with Cliff and he told me Missy is looking for a new car, and what will I sell mine for? I tell him blue book, and then tell him about my random electrical gremlin, and give him a price. He calls Missy. He calls me back. They will look at it tonight at 6PM. What they will give me is more than trade in value. Mom is looking for the Title for my current car. It’s still not a for sure yes. If I do sell it to Missy rather than trade it the amount of my down payment goes up. The Saturn Financier knows that I may do the trade in, or I may do simply cash down. He’s pricing both options for me. I still don’t know if I am ready for this. I know I can afford it, but is that the point? I want it, but is that the point?

Why is this so hard for me? I should be able to make the decision. Saturday night I was so gung-ho. Sunday I talked with Mom and Dad and had some doubts thrown in. I talked with my friends some more and was about 50/50. Today I have to make the decision. Now I know my old car could help a friend who needs a vehicle, and I could still have my new car. I had anxiety dreams last night. I feel like this is going too fast. I have til 9PM today. I can still say no. I can still keep the Super Saturn until she dies. Still, the new car is essentially half off, and will most likely never be this good of a deal again. So much to think about, and I don’t have so long. I am tempted to say, put it back out on the lot. I’ll think about it a bit more, and call a credit union or two. If it sells before I call you back, it was not meant to be. Is that the answer, or is that just hedging the decision.

Here I thought I had gotten better at being assertive, and at decision-making. If this is what I’m like today, how bad was I in the past? How will I be at buying a house? In this case I even know the car I want. It’s not like I am trying to decide whether or not to buy and what to buy. The longer I think, the more I think I should wait. But will I wait or take the plunge? Who knows. I don’t. I hope to by 9PM tonight.

I am going to go do homework and encourage a 7^th grader. That is from 3-5:30…but in reality from 2:30 to 6 (with drive time). At 6 I’ll have Cliff and Missy and I take my car for a test drive. They can decide if they like it. At 6:45 I’ll be headed to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead. So by 6:45 I have to call Saturn back and say yes or no. I really should decide before I let Missy drive my car. If she likes it, and then I say…but I’m not selling, that would be cruel (though it would answer the question about if she likes Saturn’s…) I have homework to do, I should not be doing this. I really need to not get my oil changed at the Saturn dealership. See what happens when you are not first in line???

My 2nd Northshore Inline Marathon

I had three goals for my 2nd marathon...I met 1 of them. I managed to finish. I didn't finish faster than last year (by 7 seconds), and I didn't manage to not fall down. If you take a peak at the picture below, you will see me sporting a new pair of elbow accessories. I fell twice. The first time I bruised my left hip and took some skin off my left elbow. The second fall was straight onto my tailbone/lower back and took the skin off my right elbow (and a little more on my left elbow. I looked up my condition on WebMD and have what is politely termed, "a high energy fall onto the buttocks". There is a nice purple bruise forming there (no picture included). All in all, I have a very bruised bottom and lower back, and sitting is a pain in the ass. I can't lay on my back in bed either, I have to choose the stomach or side options. Still, I'm getting better each day, and the marathon was still fun, even though I crashed and burned twice. I'm looking forward to next year when I will kick the races butt, and manage to finish faster than 1:47.

Our team probably took 2nd (the team results aren't posted yet). Karin went with me and was also a bit dissapointed in her race/finish, but we're confident in next year's race hopes. Tessa (Lance's older sister)talked about doing it; we should hold her to that.

Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to sit through class tomorrow...maybe I'll bring a fleece sweatshirt just to sit on :) I think I'll ride the bus standing as well.



Me after the race. Notice the nice new elbow decorations I've aquired? Yeah, oops. At least they gave me a wheeled version of an albatross to wear around my neck. My very own 10th year Anniversary Wheel for the NSIM.

Five members of the MPCA Inline Skate Team. We Roll! 

Another year had been and gone.

Yesterday I celebrated my 25th b-day with a whole bunch of friends. It was so great! I figured if you are going to turn a quarter of a century old (or young) you should throw a bash. We went to Olive Garden for food, they have the all you can eat pasta bowl thing going on right now. Good food, slow service. We got there about 7, but they didn't have a table ready. By the time we sat down, ate, and left it was 10 PM. We came back to my place and I got some really cool cards and presents from people...including the InuYasha movie 3...Just wait til that shows up in the mail. Then there will be a watching party for all interested in the genre. (Lance, Katie and I for sure...any other takers?) I also got a most wonderful gift certificate to B&N...now the question is, what do I get there? There are so many options! After all that we ate the cake - a most delicious ice cream cake for Dairy Queen. Between the 16 of us here, we still didn't manage to finish it, but that means there are leftovers for me for today. Yay! Then there was some random games of the trivia persuasion, and then people had to leave.

Over all, it was one of the best B-days I've had in ages. I was surrounded by people who are great friends, and had a great time. Thanks all! Now, the only b-day present I have to buy myself is a new Eeyore. My 9 year old Eeyore has had a stuffing hemmorage that was (and is) unfixable with stiches. Anyone want to go to the Disney Store with me and help me to pick out another Eeyore to love?

Here we all are at Olive Garden celebrating my 25th. All but Amanda, who is behind the camera. Good food but slow service. We kept ourselves from getting bored by chatting and playing Telephone. 

Lee, Elyssa, and Amanda. They all live together next door to where Chris used to live (and Lee used to live as well). Amanda took the nice group picture. 

Here is the wonderful b-day cake in question. Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cakes rock. Oh, and so does haveingt Strawberry Shortcake as the decoration. 

Just one week left

I have one week until I do my second inline marathon. The Northshore Inline Marathon is set for next saturday (so by now I'd be done) at 7:30 AM. Of course, since you don't do loops, that means loading a bus no later than 6:30 AM in order to reach the starting point for the 7:30 start. I'm really looking forward to it, but I'm just a trifle scared as well. Part of me is convinced that I'm not in the same shape I was last year, which means I'll so worse, and then I'll be grumpy. Hell, just to finish two years in a row will be an accomplishment in my book. I just finished rotating my wheels and cleaning and oiling my bearings in preparation for said race. My hands feel milky soft now from the cleanser and oil. Hehe, I also smell like citrus cleaner.

I'm house sitting again this weekend. So nice, as it has decided to turn hot, and this house has A/C. I'm very medicated, watching the puppies requires oodles of allergy meds during the ragweed season, but they are fun too. We went for a walk this afternoon, first Addy and I for a half hour and then Dylan and I for about 15 minutes. He is a puppy, and still learning the finess of walking. Mostly he jumps at the leash. By the last five minutes he was doing really good, so I decided to end on a high note.

Tonight Katie and I are going to chill. I'll do homework tomorrow!

Back to School

Here we go, back to school again. I started my two at-school classes today, but haven't yet looked at the content of my online class. I know I should, but I think that is a project for after dinner. I just finished rollerblading, and it was one of the least rewarding experiences I have had in the sport in awhile. I probably did 10 miles, and it took me a whole hour (very slow for me), and the whole time I was doing it nothing felt right. I think I will have to rotate and clean my wheels tonight and give it another go tomorrow. On the drive back from the trail my car turned off its cruise control by itself (maybe it felt ignored if I wasn't pushing the pedal) and then did the random gages-going-to-zero-and-then-resetting-themselves-trick (she really likes that one). I am about to eat some pizza and hopefully make my grumpyness go away. And then I'll take a shower and make my smelliness go away. And then I'll get into the grind of schoolwork. Doesn't that sound like barrels of fun? I think I'll make some tea too.

This weekend was really cool. Karin and I went to Door County and did much winery tours. I came back with a case of wine. All different sorts. I am excited to drink them as well - I got a cool toy to keep the wine fresh. It is called a vacuvin and it pulls the air out of the bottle to keep the wine fresh with it's specially designed 'cork'.

I am thining th ebeginning of this semester will be a breeze, and the end will suck. Personally I am a bit afraid of what might happen. More on that later. I haven't posted pictures in a while, maybe I'll get around to that later tonight as well.

Parting is such sweet sorrow

This Friday is my last day at work. I can't really believe that almost 3 years have passed since I began this job. I am sad to go, because I will miss the people. The work - well, it's "student work" and as such rather boring 90% of the time. Still, the time has come to pursue a different avenue of thought, and a new adventure.

That adventure will be named "Master's Thesis". Many such endeavors have been undertaken by Master's students throughout time. Peruse your local University Library thesis section if you should like some examples of the Works That Have Gone Before. My Work will be done on the crucial topic of decontamination of methamphetamine in HVAC systems in meth labs, and the air sampling that goes along with it. No, that is not its current title. The current working title (on the Work Plan anyway) is: Sampling for Methamphetamine Contamination in Air and HVAC Systems in Former Meth Labs. It’s just about as long and bulky as the description listed above. As I really detest long trumped up academic titles, I am currently in the market for a nickname for my project. Should you have any ideas, please contact me. I fully intend to use the winning nickname as the title of my Master’s Oral Defense. The Oral is the Final Exam of All Final Exams that I will need to pass in order to gain my degree. I am determined that it will be a fun and low key affair, as the topic is already weighty. I intend to bring powdered sugar covered donuts, and maybe even rock candy, and soda as a snack, and name it after the nick name, and have a great time with it.

School begins September 6th, as does my Thesis Work. I will be working mostly from home, with some time at school and some time in the ‘field’ (read: busted meth labs). I hope to finish the data collection by December and the writing of the thesis by March. I think I’ll be making a poster for the AIHce conference in May. It’s in Chicago this year. Anyone want to go to Chicago w/ me?

On a side note – pun intended – I have added a few new blog links to my Friend’s Blogs links in the sidebar. My friend Chris’s Blog, Canyons of the Deep, and my friend Lee’s Blog, Dinosaur in Trouble; my apologies Chris and Lee for taking so bloody long to link you. I am not so good at remembering to make template changes.

::Sniff, sniff:: “A-choo!”

Bloody allergies. Seriously. They are terrible right now. I finished my house/dog sitting and thought perhaps it would get better. After all, even though there are still house allergies and outside allergies, there are no more pet allergies. Still, no luck. Katie has it worse than me though. She never really had allergies until she moved to MN. I’m so used to them; I can’t remember a time without them.

I’m in the home stretch for my ‘day job’. Soon (sometime next week) I’ll leave the office in favor of a research assistantship with the U. It will count as my field experience, my project, and my job for the next one or two semesters. I have a whole bunch of stuff to finish at work before I can leave for good though. I didn’t quite realize everything I did here. I have my hand in many proverbial cookie jars, and need to write out what I do for each. Then there’s the mundane cleaning of the desk, and packing of personal shite. Oh, and training the new worker. I think he’ll work out good for my Unit. Oh yeah, I also have to make sure my files are complete when I leave and take some info with me. It’s rather bittersweet. Heh.

Jenni and Chad have most wonderfully found out that Chad got the job he wanted. They are working on moving this weekend and I’m thinking I may go up and baby sit during the festivities. Other friends are going to the Renaissance Festival during the day. I also need to clean and organize my room sometime before Labor Day so that I can fit my new desk (when I buy one) in there and buy a bookshelf so that I have room for all my books and plants. I also want a flat screen monitor.

School starts just after Labor Day, and the Fair ends then. Today marks the beginning of that Get-together. Luckily the weather was threatening rain so traffic wasn’t so bad this morning when I left home. As Fair progresses, though, it will only get worse. Still, I love where I live. The two weeks of the Fair are the only downside.

::sniffle, cough:: Right now the plan is to find someone who won’t mind my stealing a bag of tea, as I forgot mine. Tea helps allergies, I’m convinced. If not, at least it will sooth my scratchy throat.