Yikes - I'm back in the Midwest

I'm back in Michigan. Don't I seem thrilled.

My road trip was a success, with a whopping 6,000 miles and two oil changes in two weeks, bald tires, and an empty wallet. Sleep deprived and slightly delusional, but overall highly satisfying. I will write all about it in a separate journal - I kept a travelogue for most of the trip.

Time to find a job. Use that mountain bike I bought but never used this summer. Hit the indoor climbing gym. Get rid of my pack-rat cache of crap. Sell Focus. I'm a little torn about getting rid of her - I mean, I picked everything out, had her built, and she acted so wonderfully on the road trip that I feel bad thinking of trading her in for something with more clearance and 4x4. I could always get the suspension raised... HAHA! Wouldn't that just look stupid.

Apparently I am an insomniac after 2 weeks of poor sleep. That, or I'm a vampire. Tired during the day, awake all night. Maybe the fact that I am anxious and fidgity already by being back at home. But at least I can finally watch some quality Red Wings hockey!

The Road Trip Countdown!

The countdown begins!

Tomorrow is my last day here at Rocky. It's really quite sad, and a bizarre mix of emotions. I hate to sound corny, but this whole summer really was about self-discovery and adventure! It is such a strange feeling, to live somewhere for half a year, see the seasons come and go, fall in love, and have to leave. Forcefully, too. They aren't even giving me 24 hrs to pack and leave. I do love Colorado! I may end up back here in a few months, before I journey on to Montana for grad school (probably). Not even much time to say goodbye to my friends, who are going to every corner of the US.

BUT IT'S ROAD TRIP TIME, BABY!

Yeah, it's intimidating going on a road trip by yourself. And I sure hope Focus holds up. I'm not worried, it seems the kinks are finally worked out of it. I'll probably sell her when I am done with the trip though. ;)  Wanna know the plan?

Leave here preferably Fri, probably Sat, and head to Arches Nat. Park (Moab, UT). That's a 6 hr stint, not too bad. From there, to Zion National Park, another 7 hrs. From Zion to Red Rocks, NV (Las Vegas). From there, maybe to Death Valley? Then to Yosemite to visit Jon, who is with the hotshots there. Then up to Redwood NP, then up to Oregon somewhere, maybe just straight to Portland to stay with Bill.  From there, I'm off to Seattle to visit Brian! That will be a good time. By that point I probably won't want to drive any more. But I must! I'm hoping to head east, hit Montana State at Bozeman, Badlands in SD and head home thru da' U.P. I think I am being overly ambitious but I'm excited! I might cut out everything between Arches and Yosemite, since that adds quite a bit of distance. That's the pre-plan though, so wish me luck! I'll send plenty of postcards!

I'm a Bum!

Didn't get the Westminster job. Awe shucks. That's ok, I didn't want it anyways. Seriously. In 3 days I will be happily homeless and unemployed. In good news, looks like I may have an advisor AND a project at Montana State for the fall! I mean, I can be admitted for Jan, but won't have funding until August. I'm excited. I'd like to live in CO just because well it's awesome, and I have a lot of friends here... but I'll take Montana any day! Maria may also go to MSU, and Brent said he's probably going to move back, so I'll have some rockin' people to hang out with still.

Umm people suck. Just because we are in the last week together and may never see eachother again, seems to bring out a totally rotten selfish side of some people. I'll be happy to get away from one specific person. Too much bloody drama!

I felt terrible this morning, so I went home sick and then got a haircut = all better now. So I think Fri or Sat I'm going to take off for Montana to talk to my potential advisor, then maybe just truck along the northern states, thru da' U.P., then back down to Noville. That, or I may just visit BRIAN in Seattle, park my car there, and take refuge in Alaska for a while. I don't have anything going on, why not?! ;)

Next week and it's over

I had the forestry interview today. Let me back up... I got called about the Westminster forestry job, took their exam, passed, then had the interview today. Went well... should know by the end of this week if they liked me. If so, then looks like I'll be moving to Boulder, have about 1-2 weeks to find a place to live, go back to MI and pick up my scheiss, then start working again. Craziness! Don't really want to do that, actually hoping for a few other things:

Waiting to hear from Colorado State and Montana State for grad school in January. Probably can't do it without funding... and probably won't get funding. My other hope is that I might get a seasonal job here for the winter (probably wont happen) on the fire/fuels crew, or this one day a week with benefits air monitoring job. Not crossing my fingers...

Last option, is to enjoy the love of unemployment. I want to stay out here, and I think I can live off of unemployment for a few weeks without worrying... so hopefully by november I will have returned from either A. my roadtrip up california, up thru oregon and washington, across to montana and down wyoming, back to CO or B. up north in michigan. too much! can't figure out what to do. but it's all good.

had a great weekend, went out on the wild and crazy town (sarcasm) of estes park and raged at their finest (not) bars all night, played shuffle puck and foosball (poorly). went out to eat at cavanaugh's, did some running, yadda yadda yadda. good times had by all! oh, and remember my "world class runner" friend? He went to that world race in Alaska this past weekend and did AMAZING - 2nd for the US, and umm 22nd or something overall. Which is unbelieveable. Hats off to Bill!

that's all that's new with me. now it's dinner time!

Go Lions!

I had an interesting weekend. One night I went to Jeremy's for a bonfire and met his crazy boondocks friend. This dude was a character, all I remember is his thick 'bama accent and some story about a butt-raping swamp donkey. Go figure. Had a boy hit on me that I haven't talked to all summer. It was funny and all together bizarre... stayed up til 5 am.

Went to Westminster to check out my potential employment site. It was like a hilly version of southeast Michigan. While I was out there I picked up another Incubus CD that I am currently listening to. It's pretty good, but I definitely like Morningview and  Make Yourself more. Neil is hooking me up with Fungus Among Us. Apparently I really like incubus. ;) Coincidentally, they had a sweet incubus t-shirt half price - $8!! Very cool.

Saturday was Scott's b-day, so a bunch of us took him out for pizza. Unfortunately, Neil was having a party in Fort Collins that night, so I had to take off after dinner and make the hour drive down. I was a bit intimidated because I knew NOBODY there besides Neil, but everybody was chill and good to talk to. Some people started doing things that I have no interest in, so I went to sleep to avoid them. ;) In the morning, Neil had to work early so he left, and I was there alone with people I didn't know. This is when the real fun began!

I decide to try and sneak out thru the back door to avoid dealing with people i didnt know, and it figures they are sitting on the back porch. These two guys are all tanked up still (6:30 am!) and need a ride home. this one guy, who owns his own landscape company, asks what i'm doing with myself. i tell him about restoration ecology, and he just lets loose about how HUGE that is! I need to be entreprenurial and start a business with him and Neil, apparently, and once Neil and I "talk about it and form a business plan in restoration ecology" then he will float some money and go in as business partners... it was the funniest thing i've seen and heard all summer!! and since he was yapping so much, he kept giving me wrong directions and made me turn around 3-4 times. Finally got to his house and he just kept shaking my hand! i had to drive away to get him to stop. ;)