tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308033092012-02-16T04:28:26.771-06:00Every blade of grass has its angel that bends over it and whispers, "Grow, grow." The Talmudabove|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.comBlogger1521100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-29038449064974081092010-02-27T00:42:00.002-06:002010-02-27T00:46:31.777-06:00

I had the coolest day ever.  Not for any specific reason, just because. It's getting to the end of winter, and the snow is still on the ground, but the days are much warmer, especially when the sun is out.  I was still at the cabin this morning, and spent a good chunk of time writing a little reminiscence of childhood.  I got a bit of a late start on my walk, but it was a good one!  I walked

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-39809398936856208642010-02-21T01:08:00.001-06:002010-02-21T01:12:40.904-06:00

I can't stop thinking of that song, by REO Speedwagon no less, that goes, "Riding the storm out," or something similar.  I'm thinking of the song because a question popped into my head earlier, one of those ambiguously gay blog-type vaguely rhetorical questions, it being: If you get into a bad rut (or out of a good routine), how do you deal with it?  Do you just ride it out (this is where the bad

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-49312282368026060992010-02-13T22:26:00.000-06:002010-02-13T22:26:01.889-06:00

I'm freezing!  I'm offshore, probably going back to the beach tomorrow, and it's winter!  Even in the Gulf of Mexico!  My tootsies are so cold and have those little spots where there's just a complete absence of feeling.  I am not fond of that feeling, but I have only a few more hours til I retire to my room for my nightly hot shower before bed.  For some reason today I was ravenous for meat, and

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-61227007409724748952010-02-05T19:25:00.000-06:002010-02-05T19:25:06.863-06:00

So, where's the line between being convincing, and being manipulative?  Between assertive and competitive?  Working in this industry sometimes taxes my brain in ways I can't begin to understand.  It's worse at times like these, when I'm working in the yard, and closer to the office, and closer to the politics. I went in to talk about my current situation with the Offshore Personnel Manager today

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-19831217800064108982010-02-02T20:52:00.000-06:002010-02-02T20:52:41.448-06:00

I'm getting back to my roots, the roots of the dabbler.  I have a burning desire, since my last hitch on the Clear Leader, where I met an eager beaver by the name of Kevin, whose alter ego is a pro MMA fighter.  I've actually been thinking about it for a while, I don't know exactly why, it just strikes me as something really engaging and fun. I went back to the shop today.  I am resigned to

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-17418184844728201352010-02-01T22:12:00.000-06:002010-02-01T22:12:12.718-06:00

I've returned from my Caribbean cruise with the family.  There was no internet, and no phone available on the ship (well, there was, but the cost was exorbitant), which was actually really, really nice.  I can't say I've been without since last year when I was on a wee work boat for a week.  Although, internet would have been welcome in that instance, it was a pretty poopy hitch.  In any case, it

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-71247021845953013652010-01-23T21:30:00.000-06:002010-01-23T21:30:43.957-06:00

Long. Ass. Day.  It's never a good idea to go without sleep, and I've done it a few too many times in the past month.  I worry it will catch up with me at some point!  But mostly I think it's mind over matter, so I don't worry too much about it.  It's a bit uncomfortable though.  It would be better if I didn't drink when I've not slept, this is certain.  Drinking under normal circumstances is

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-50016938545481604442010-01-23T00:28:00.000-06:002010-01-23T00:28:02.454-06:00

I leave for the airport in a matter of hours.  I arrive tomorrow in Fort Lauderdale, in time for a bit of decorating, the groom's dinner; then Sunday, the early morning preparations for my brother's wedding, then we set sail.  Overall I'm really excited for the trip, surprising considering I spend most of my time on boats and rigs for work.  Nonetheless, it will be fun to spend the time with my

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-39212794346652486562010-01-11T13:04:00.001-06:002010-01-11T13:04:53.160-06:00

I'm making a quick experiment today, nothing terribly exciting, just adding a blog entry via email. I arrived on board the Discoverer Clear Leader today, a TransOcean drill ship.  The ship is new, only having arrived in the Gulf a few months ago, I think.  I'm working with a few former Boa Sub C guys, which is good.  I like being around guys who know what it's like on my regular boat.  The

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-48938664636445638212010-01-08T23:54:00.000-06:002010-01-08T23:54:25.043-06:00

I came across a really good quote today, reading The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron.  I'd read bits of another book of hers, The Right to Write, but this other title was specifically recommended to me, and it seems to be her more seminal work.  I picked it up tonight and was struck by this within the first few pages: And now either I can't find what I was looking for, or the quote that was so

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-49597430367393209312010-01-07T23:15:00.001-06:002010-01-07T23:17:23.338-06:00

I started thinking about writing in my blog again, maybe because I'm on the verge of doing something again. The next big thing, or something like that. What if the next big thing is to go back to the exact place where I started? It's sort of novel, this idea, actually. Because somehow, in the past 3.5 years, *normalcy has become novel to me. Novel enough, in fact, that I crave it, that I covet it

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-81601942025585911852008-12-03T09:34:00.002-06:002008-12-03T11:20:07.837-06:00

I had one of those lovely MN moments yesterday. I was in a small coffee shop in Pequot Lakes, visiting with a dearest friend and her new babe. The day's special was veggie chili, which, depending on the ingredients, had the potential to do some damage to my system. It's funny how easy it can be to assimilate mediocrity into one's life; for example, when it began to appear that Obama was going

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-36068055447945591022008-11-20T12:20:00.002-06:002008-11-20T13:06:18.938-06:00

2 more days and I drive away from Louisiana. At least for a few weeks, which nicely coincides with that lovely holiday of no obligations, save eating too much and being immobile for hours in front of the television: Thanksgiving. I'm not sure where Christmastime will find me, but I'm pretty excited to be back in Minne for turkey!I'm in the last 2 days of ROV training with Oceaneering. The

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-28201244034954867542008-10-11T09:18:00.002-05:002008-10-11T10:31:07.350-05:00

Just a quick note. I'm in Florida this weekend! Gary invited a couple of us back to hang out at his place for the weekend, and to head out overnight on his boat. Unspeakable joy is my basic sentiment at this point, not to be spending another weekend in Morgan City. I was remembering a story instructor Geoff told us once about how, when he was working offshore, he would come back from a long

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-40255175590386248952008-10-05T18:43:00.003-05:002008-10-05T19:03:35.564-05:00

Here are some good things about being in Morgan City:1. Oceaneering: is an amazing company that really, really takes care of its employees.2. Gary & Will Ferrell (real name, Christopher): are 2 amazing guys in my class. Gary is ex-Air Force, originally from Michigan, lives in Ft. Walton Beach with his wife and son. We go to the gym weekday mornings at 6. Chris is ex-Navy (but only sort of),

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-9062735394437173412008-10-03T22:23:00.001-05:002008-10-05T18:43:51.802-05:00

I've become a complete recluse, but in the best possible way.I arrived safely in Morgan City, just over 2 weeks ago. The drive from MN took a bit longer than I had anticipated, but I arrived in plenty of time. My first stop in LA was to empty out my storage unit in Robert, where everything was dry and untouched by Gustav and Ike. Everything I own here fits nicely in the bed of my baby truck,

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-18047476209701718052008-09-16T08:18:00.007-05:002008-09-16T08:34:01.186-05:00

I'm increasingly impressed with the rest stops I've been finding along my route. I may have mentioned in a previous post that, during the drive up from Louisiana a few months back, I stumbled upon a rest area in Mississippi with a 24-hour security kiosk allowing rest stoppers to sleep in their cars, without fear of being mungled by ill-doers or harangled by the po-po. Today, an even awesomer

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-11664850397450085232008-09-14T14:49:00.005-05:002008-09-14T16:25:19.424-05:00

My eye has started twitching. Just today, or maybe yesterday, but it's twitching regardless, which is never a super-duper positive sign, because my eye only twitches when I'm stressed, agitated, etc. It's funny, because the past couple weeks have been some of the most emotionally draining I've experienced, and yet the twitching only commences now that the worst is past. Do you know what's

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-85252471195012824172008-08-31T00:20:00.003-05:002008-08-31T00:33:13.617-05:00

I've been reading up a little on Gustav and Katrina. I'm a little in awe that, on the 3rd anniversary of Katrina, which came ashore as a Category 3 hurricane, and claimed 1,800 American lives (1,500+ in Louisiana alone), the state is again declaring a state of emergency and calling for mandatory evacuations. Gustav is scheduled to arrive Monday morning as a Cat 4, and this time, not even the

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-21597436966506568912008-08-25T22:08:00.003-05:002008-08-25T23:08:22.453-05:00

I just started reading "Eat, Pray, Love" by a lovely woman whose name escapes me right now, and I'm too lazy to go grab the book out of the other room, because god knows I'd probably get distracted and end up not entering an entry into my bliggity blog. And we all know how hard it is for me to get to this point in the first place, so let's not push it, shall we? Anyhoodle, about a million people

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-28115412317706043392008-08-12T17:02:00.002-05:002008-08-13T11:00:14.426-05:00

A few pictures to share, from the weekend:Michaela & Paul, wedded.the bridesmaids.rockstars ;)One of the best things about the wedding was meeting and getting to spend time with some of the people I've heard Mic talk about for so many years: Beth (above, with her fiance Tim and yours truly) and her sister, Lisa, both from Baltimore, were amongst my faves. Because it stands to reason that someone

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-61563716035805343642008-08-04T11:30:00.002-05:002008-08-04T11:57:46.250-05:00

Ha! It's been almost 2 months since my last entry. I guess I was taking a summer vacay from my bliggity-blog. Not that it's all that stressful, but I did have some stuff I was trying to figure out, and that kind of introspection is never really conducive to writing, at least not publicly.I think I mentioned that I went back to Cali for a long-weekend type visit in early June. While visiting

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-42464570551984214842008-06-19T13:08:00.002-05:002008-06-19T14:13:46.309-05:00

It's been a weird couple of days out here on the DB16.We're getting close to the end, so the momentum has increased a bit, and we've been working a ton. We've had a few 18-hour days, to expedite what remains to be done, but also because, due to equipment failure, the divers aren't diving, and we're trying to make up for work they would normally be doing. The days of work aren't terribly

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-28752051724586466302008-06-13T13:10:00.002-05:002008-06-13T20:50:25.484-05:00

I'm back out on the DB16, after a lovely break. I went back to Santa Barbara for a visit, and to mail some packages I'd left when I moved. It was good to be back, good to be in a place so beautiful again. Chris and I went for a good hike on Sunday. On the way back down from an amazing vista, I kept slipping and sliding on the scree on the path. I was laughing at myself, and remembering how

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-69308377502888659502008-06-03T20:27:00.002-05:002008-06-03T21:33:14.252-05:00

I was going to name this post something to do with patterns, or maybe just simply, "patterns," because patterns have been on my mind these past weeks, specifically my own patterns, drawn out and perfected in these 32 years. The idea that no matter where you go, there you are. The word patina came to mind though, and it sounds so much lovelier to my ears, that I decided on it instead, not really

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-11838309442409250022008-05-21T18:20:00.004-05:002008-05-21T18:40:59.947-05:00

Don't feel like writing at the moment, but thanks for continuing to check in. I'm back on the DB16. Nothing much is happening right now, nothing worth mentioning anyway.But here are some pics for you to look at, from NO and my visit to MN while back on the beach:enjoying Mr. Stevie Wonder with the masses, at JazzFest.with my beautiful little niece, Emily, on our way tocatch poppies (aka fish).

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-41122861102621110932008-04-30T21:49:00.002-05:002008-06-03T20:26:46.060-05:00

2 things of note in the past few days: my supervisor almost lost the ROV yesterday, and we're heading back to the beach tonight, late.We moved to a new rig the other day, due to weather and also, I think, because we weren't really getting anywhere with that particular portion of this job, and the higher-ups were getting antsy. We arrived at the new site early yesterday morning, and were awakened

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-48875136960188811622008-04-26T05:27:00.006-05:002008-04-26T06:27:30.697-05:00

For some reason of cosmic non-understanding, we've been roused from our beds the past few mornings to get the ROV in the water. Yesterday, the time was 7:30, but this morning it was 4:30. Too early, I say.My new supervisor is a good guy. He's a bit more abrasive and cavalier than the last one, but overall, the conservative-politics, slightly-cynical kind of guy I've become accustomed to having

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-62403991397599276362008-04-24T20:54:00.002-05:002008-04-24T21:08:12.605-05:00

Crew change today. The supervisor I've been working with for the past 2 weeks headed back to the beach, and a new guy came out. My buddy, Rob, also went back to the beach, leaving me without the safety blanket I've had in place since we came out. It's actually not so bothersome, I've gotten to know a few of the guys out here pretty well, so I'll be far from alone. It does leave me without any

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-9887802545178658432008-04-23T22:38:00.002-05:002008-04-23T22:57:22.987-05:00

I've now experienced the first relational victim to life offshore: the boy broke up with me via email tonight. Doubtful it will be the last time. It's almost like a badge one wears out here, as most have experienced it at one time or another. I'm upset, of course, but not exactly surprised. We've broken up before, after all. Though this time is undoubtedly the last.

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-15294438014461885002008-04-22T20:34:00.002-05:002008-04-22T21:04:48.591-05:00

I would never have guessed it, but taco night makes the divers drool. The food here is basically cafeteria style, and considering the limitations of an offshore kitchen, it's pretty tasty, with some pretty good options, and even some grilled meats from time to time. There are always desserts and sweets available, all hours of the day, which both pleases and frustrates the crew, who can be heard

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-75180318996353014242008-04-16T22:59:00.002-05:002008-04-19T21:33:31.313-05:00

The ROV’s been out of the water since yesterday afternoon, due to thruster failure on the barge.Here’s some (very simplistic) info on the vessel I’m currently calling home. The DB in the name DB16 stands for derrick barge. A derrick barge is quite large, and pretty useful for lots of different operations. This particular barge is navigated by use of Dynamic Positioning (DP) meaning that

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-63160389038823480282008-04-13T20:10:00.005-05:002008-04-13T20:53:43.871-05:00

I'm not sure if it's being on the open water like we are, or the too-much crappy coffee I drank this morning, but I've been feeling only so-so all day today. It could also be the heat + air con, and the constantly going back and forth between the two. Most likely it's just a mild case of sea-sickness, nothing to worry about (but let's never mention it again, shall we? But speaking of which,

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-34810902711251005192008-04-12T22:30:00.000-05:002008-04-13T07:31:56.708-05:00

Last night, at the dock, I braved the twilight mosquitoes to talk on the phone for the last time until we return in a few weeks. Today I discovered a million lovely dragonflies on deck.We shoved off today at noon and, despite having been out to sea for a scant 10 hours, somehow I’ve already lost track of time.We had a busy day, organizing the shack, and arranging our equipment on deck. We

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-35690685037429276532008-04-11T23:00:00.002-05:002008-04-19T21:34:48.106-05:00

After a few days of chaos and uncertainty at the shop, we finally left today for the DB 16 job (DB stands for Derrick Barge, the type of vessel we're on). It’s pretty commonplace for details to shift, and dates to migrate in this business, so the state of craziness in the shop this week was simply another part of the learning curve. Because this job is longer term (60-90 days), and because the

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-67356150310396037622008-04-08T21:31:00.003-05:002008-04-09T22:14:07.541-05:00

Sometimes I marvel how different one existence can be from another, like how opposite my life here is from my life in California.I'm waiting to go out on my first longer-term job, which should last 3 weeks. Originally, we were slated to go out early this morning, then it was moved back to Friday. Today we learned that we'll be leaving Saturday, at the earliest. Since I don't quite have my own

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-76660895229970165822008-04-06T01:28:00.005-05:002008-04-06T02:05:23.846-05:00

I may have to start sending out care packages for all those who've visited NO, and miss this or that about the place. Ya'll love this place. When I have my own apartment, please come visit. We'll find some crawdaddy chips, or a crawfish boil, or a wall to paint a mural, or au laits and beignets in the qua'ta.Almost a month now since I've been here. This past week felt a bit dramatic, inwardly

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-45374352864594864852008-03-25T20:06:00.020-05:002008-03-26T21:25:27.366-05:00

If the trouble in Santa Barbara was cost of living, the problem in New Orleans is finding decent quality. I've been looking for a car for the past week, and keep running across decent cars with major mechanical issues, especially where CV axles are concerned. After driving the city for only a few weeks, this comes as no real surprise (the roads here are terrible-more potholes than MN after the

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-65564769839754992662008-03-21T17:52:00.002-05:002008-03-21T21:46:20.211-05:00

I guess I wasn't quite clear in my last entry. The helicopter simulator videos were similar exercises to the ones we performed in class this week. Underwater helicopter egress is necessary because crew is sometimes transported to the rigs/ worksite via helicopter, and in the event of a controlled or semi-controlled emergency landing, I'd need to escape, which I'd be able to do, having completed

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-9708334259933553562008-03-18T19:14:00.005-05:002008-03-19T15:53:21.504-05:00

Did I forget to mention I got a job?Actually, I didn't forget, I just wasn't ready to make mention of it. I didn't want to jinx it, or just wanted to get comfortable with the idea, and celebrated it a bit myself before I shared it with anyone. I'll be working for a little ROV company called SeaTrepid. I've gotten some mixed reviews, but mostly no one's ever heard of them down here. I like the

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-14923187370381591742008-03-14T19:53:00.001-05:002008-03-15T10:37:00.092-05:00

I was just thinking that it's not even been a week since I left Santa Barbara. My first couple of days in New Orleans were a bit jarring, but I'm slowly coming around. I'd been here once before- for Mardi Gras 1998, for a long weekend. But most of what I saw then was seen whilst a bit tipsy, or in the dark, so I actually didn't see a whole lot. I'm certainly seeing a whole lot now.I've been

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-5221308800049558382008-03-11T18:48:00.002-05:002008-03-11T18:50:58.855-05:00

Happy to say I've arrived in New Orleans, safe and sound. Everything went well with the train and luggage and getting picked up at the station. I have lodging for however long I need, a car to use for the next month, and some cash in my pocket. This is definitely a change from SB.

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-43008953811071831912008-03-11T18:46:00.002-05:002008-03-11T18:48:51.797-05:00

My train chronicle, from Sunday leaving Santa Barbara, til Tuesday nearing New Orleans. I.On the train now, running parallel to my favorite stretch of the PCH. I’ve driven it a hundred times, but have never seen it by train. The scenery’s not much different, it’s just that I’m not driving, as is usually the case.Long week, this past. Finished working my temp job a week and a half ago, then

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-87915742849052588372008-02-26T23:55:00.004-06:002008-02-27T23:34:26.750-06:00

I've been mute lately. For good reason: I've been trying to figure out what to do with myself. The plan all along has been to get to the gulf to get to work. When my car died, though, I had to reconfigure the plans.So, here it is, the run down. I'll be brief, because my mind has little room for fluff and sentence formulation.1. I'm kind of liking not having a car. I like not having to worry

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-85841699730907885202008-02-12T00:03:00.000-06:002008-02-12T00:49:39.741-06:00

I've been known to become quite attached to my vehicles. Not this one, however:The go-kart, in Death Valley.I can't say exactly why, it just never weasled its way into my heart the way the Saab 900, or even the Toyota wagon did. It was a less sexy, only mildly evil cousin of that rat-bastard Saab 9000 I drove- something was always wrong, but never so wrong I was actually forced to fix it. It

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-32413823793088210082008-01-23T22:28:00.000-06:002008-01-23T23:10:38.631-06:00

Freedom is sort of intoxicating, though not conducive to writing entries in my blog, apparently.I don't have tons to say, or maybe I have tons to say, but can't/won't/don't want to begin? Here's one thing: I'm still very much freaked out about figuring out what's next, about simply accepting what's next, about moving on to what's next. Like being stuck in the present, a classic image of the

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-11052298545201358632008-01-06T19:28:00.000-06:002008-01-06T20:01:44.785-06:00

Back in SB now. I've decided to extend my stay in Cali into February, staying in my apartment until sometime mid- to late-Feb. I hesitated to make the decision, having wanted to leave here mid-January, but I realize a bit of time to get my life in order, to actually feel somewhat prepared when I leave, will be welcome. It feels right.If I didn't have the opportunity to see while I was in the

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-72898796154674037672007-12-31T20:58:00.000-06:002007-12-31T22:30:38.623-06:00

Happy Holidays to all, and Happy New Year too ;)tree = christmas spirit.I love coming back to MN for the holidays because it actually feels like Christmas here, unlike the surreality of the holiday season in CA, or tropical areas. It's usually pretty cold and blustery and this year, finally, there was a decent amount of snow on the ground and regularly falling throughout the days. christmas

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-60201591804801984202007-12-12T18:39:00.000-06:002007-12-13T00:48:41.301-06:00

I'm exhausted. I've also had just about enough of myself complaining (even though it still feels sort of necessary, in that way that habits have of working their way back to you, babe.). I find myself happily, blissfully near the end of my training at MDT, but am also feeling that familiar twinge of nervosity at the prosepect of what might be next, and the bittersweetness of leaving my stinky

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-61814764123086958872007-12-03T01:29:00.000-06:002007-12-03T02:07:11.820-06:00

Have you ever had one of those times in your life where you think of something you think might be a good thing to do, or have happen, and all of a sudden you're on track for that something to happen, without even being sure you want to do that thing, or have that thing happen, but suddenly the way is opening up before you? Do you have any idea what I'm rambling about? Actually, I'm not even

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-1608060023634897922007-11-26T13:55:00.000-06:002007-11-26T14:41:52.001-06:00

Yes, I said no posts. Gone til December, I said, or something along those lines. But I'm procrastinating, so I'm extra contemplative.Good, relaxing Thanksgiving. I chose to celebrate the day by myself, talking briefly with fam by phone, eating lots of food I made, watching a Hitchcock marathon on AMC. It was awesome and restful and fantastic. Just the sort of day I'd wanted, to unwind. As

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-4790607811736972782007-11-19T00:57:00.000-06:002007-11-19T01:01:39.141-06:00

I like this. How cool is it that he *recently learned to tap dance*???75-year-old tap-dancer shimmies his way across Golden Gate BridgeMichael Grbich wore some snazzy, if worn, red and white tap shoes on his trek across the Golden Gate Bridge. He just recently learned to tap dance. Michael Grbich enjoyed his 1.7-mile dance across the Golden Gate Bridge, even bringing his own music and jump

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-77661946016388506572007-11-17T00:38:00.000-06:002007-11-17T00:49:48.476-06:00

School and work and homework have caught up with me again, so rather than feeling guilty about not fitting writing into my schedule, I'm just going to 'fess up: I don't plan to write again until school is over. I'd really love to keep you all abreast of all that's happening, but I can't make the time right now to do it well. Check back periodically, because of course one always finds time after

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-57814322059875381352007-10-30T21:34:00.001-05:002007-10-30T22:01:43.492-05:00

Before I forget all detail, and am left only with the pure shiny beautiful-ness that was my trip to Italy, I'm going to try to do the trip justice by jotting down some of the good and not-so-good moments. I'll try to be succinct ;) and if you don't care so much for words, but just want to see pics, Venice pics are up on my flickr account (soon to be labeled)- working to get more up soon.Travel

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-70907777305689960972007-10-30T20:36:00.001-05:002007-11-01T14:41:11.524-05:00

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it here in this particular space (though I'm sure it's come out in conversations with some), but one of my favorite and most regularly visited websites is the daily puppy. It's like crack for people who love dogs, as evidenced here, here, and here, and... here. The pictures are good for a daily dosage of pure cuteness, but I also love the narrative for each dog,

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-7692436790993306222007-10-23T03:33:00.000-05:002007-10-23T03:43:37.661-05:00

It always seems so quiet when I get home after a trip. Maybe it's the contrast between the din of an airplane cabin and the rattles of my car, but somehow entering my own room always feels so quiet and serene upon return.Home from the trip, back to school tomorrow. Everything in Italy was amazing- Lucca, Pisa, Florence, Venice, and Cinque Terre (my favorite day of the trip!). Traveling to and

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-78984933978174199542007-10-12T00:45:00.000-05:002007-10-12T21:33:07.694-05:00

I know you can't see me, but I'm doing that backward wave thing, so commonly attributed to the Italians. Some of the things I'm saying goodbye to for the week:Desks and textbooks and manuals and timekeeping devices, computers, phones and work. To the devil with you (for the next 8 days)!In the upper right you'll see a few photos, something I've been using like a visualization, to help make the

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-10946526909701925852007-10-10T22:46:00.000-05:002007-10-10T22:56:55.659-05:00

2 tests down, 1 to go. Today I finished my Surface Supplied Ocean Diving final, and my welding final. 1 more day of class/lab, 1 quiz, and my mixed gas diving final and I'm finished with the first half of my (hopefully) last semester at Marine Tech. I cannot believe it's already half over. There's a part of me that's so excited, and ready for a change, so hungry to earn a living again, but

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-58596378107032772442007-10-09T16:46:00.000-05:002007-10-09T16:55:35.793-05:00

I'm taking all my finals this week, a week early. I'm really, really agitated, stressed, a little scared, preoccupied, plus many other adverbs (are they adverbs? i think they're adverbs) which describe my present mental state. Outwardly I think I seem ok, but on the inside it's like... it's like if you took a chihuahua, and fed it some caffeine-coated jumping beans, washed it down with a red

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-17988320945318595592007-10-06T12:57:00.000-05:002007-10-08T21:32:55.524-05:00

Today is a day off. It wasn't meant to be, but circumstances have colluded so that here I sit, with no plans, and no work to go to until much, much later. I slept 11 hours last night, waking up this morning just shy of 11am. I know studies have shown you can't make up for lost sleep, but I think I disagree with them. I was pretty damn tired last night, and it felt really good not to set my

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-47388385355771062102007-10-05T00:56:00.000-05:002007-10-05T02:10:53.039-05:00

My favorite possession is my passport, which I relinquished to the man a few months ago, in order to be issued a new one. One of the things I'm proudest of in my whole life was a day a few years back, coming back into Kuala Lumpur with my beau of the moment after a splendiferously lovely and tumultuous (my relationship with this particular beau seemed to thrive on arguing and alienation,

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-23020364649117249982007-10-03T01:40:00.001-05:002007-10-03T02:16:40.372-05:00

Back from my weekend excursion on the boat. A few pics from the weekend:"D" dock.Night dive.sunrise.work attire.view from the swim step (kind of like my office).The trip was fun, and pretty grueling. The itinerary/my work schedule shaped up to look something like:Fri. 9pm, underway to Anacapa Is.Sat. 12am, divers diving @ Anacapa2am, underway to Santa Cruz Is.3am, divers diving @ Santa Cruz Is

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-8000006682478070772007-09-27T18:00:00.001-05:002007-09-27T18:15:09.843-05:00

Quick updates today.I'm feeling much better this week. The love of family & friends helped tons (thank you! much, much love to all of you- even anonymous love...), but also, as often happens, sometimes a good ol' utter and complete breakdown is necessary to clear out the emotional cobwebs to get everything back to normal. And actually, as also often happens, normal this side of breakdown feels

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-70655357100450851572007-09-20T00:48:00.001-05:002007-09-20T01:16:49.020-05:00

If your life was a movie, what kind of movie would it be?I was walking away from work tonight, at the restaurant, passing by the patio at Don's neighborhood dive bar, and a song was playing. I don't know what the song was, but it was something classic rock-y, sort of drifting out across the parking lot. As I was walking, I watched a woman leaned over her car trunk, fishing for something way in

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-7256021711221741452007-09-14T00:38:00.000-05:002007-09-14T01:18:58.075-05:00

Mixed gas diving today. First dive on helium.The focus of 90% of MDT classes is on the diving, but, and here I'll relay to you by far the favorite quote of instructors in the MDT facility:"The title of Diver is not a panacea for the skills or knowledge youlack. It merely entitles you to a unique form of transportation."This quote finds its way into everything. It can be seen on walls, various

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-46182806862110075522007-09-13T01:05:00.000-05:002007-09-13T01:07:36.021-05:00

My second day of welding wasn't as awe-inspiring as my first- but still fun. School's starting to kick in. I'm busy, stressed, a bit frazzled. I like the idea of graduating at the end of this semester for a few reasons, primarily because I'm so tired of being stressed about money. Somehow this place is like a vortex of financial stress. I don't know what it is, it's as though I'm creating my

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-32304185056520683722007-09-06T00:00:00.000-05:002007-09-06T00:11:53.317-05:00

If you can ever, possibly believe it to be true, I had the coolest day ever at school today.I might have mentioned I was not extremely excited to begin a certain class this year, a certain class known as Underwater Welding. Some of the primary causes for my lack of excitement about this class included that 1. welding underwater seems foolish and ill-advised, and 2. I'm not the world's most

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-16545314940610721252007-09-03T20:38:00.001-05:002007-09-03T23:17:07.903-05:00

Some good cliche statements are running through my head at the moment: this hurts me more than it hurts you, and breaking up is hard to do. Both true for me at present.I broke up with someone a few weeks ago. Someone I'd been dating for the better part of 5 months, which is a decent run for me. We got along really well. In some ways. In other ways, we couldn't have been further apart. I

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-587836176797520852007-09-01T14:12:00.000-05:002007-09-01T14:35:35.415-05:00

Awesome news (engagements!) in the past few weeks for a few awesome ladies I know: new roommate Claudia, old high school friend Jan, and, most recently, ballsy Bennie roomie, Meghan. But one of these things is not like the other (as in, not the traditional mode of becoming affianced), as made obvious in the email poem I received from her yesterday entitled, "fishing for the big one."So one day a

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-65163470672182880882007-08-30T16:45:00.000-05:002007-08-30T16:53:22.611-05:00

I'd forgotten how hard it is to spend all day, 3 days in a row, with all boys. All, all, all boys.Time for a snooze.

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-87562316791419764822007-08-28T17:23:00.001-05:002007-08-28T18:48:33.965-05:00

The oaths of a woman I inscribe on water. ~Sophocles It's funny lately, someone will make some little statement, the most minor suggestion, which I'll initially reject, only shortly later to find myself doing that exact thing. Por ejemplo, a few weeks ago, Deckhand Aaron suggested I should sneak in a day of diving before heading back to school, which I countered with the most obvious reason

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-6507936272368189132007-08-27T20:55:00.000-05:002007-08-27T21:32:46.279-05:00

School starts again tomorrow. I've been scurrying around, attempting to get everything done in time. Of course, everything always gets done on time, even if it's not the timeline I'd envisioned.I've registered for classes, I've even been declared a resident of the great state of California in the eyes of Santa Barbara City College, a distinction that carries with it a significant reduction in

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-69858622533620988102007-08-21T03:00:00.000-05:002007-08-21T03:09:19.681-05:00

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-76262618816321078502007-08-19T22:49:00.000-05:002007-08-21T02:42:37.045-05:00

Today is the day: 1 year ago today, after 2500+ miles and 4 days on the road, I drove into Santa Barbara with a carload of my most important belongings. I drove around (having forgotten to mapquest its location in advance, of course) until I found my new abode, getting plenty lost and frustrated in the process. I'm reliving it now... the late afternoon sun shining, inching down the street as

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-32796384500054585382007-08-18T01:02:00.000-05:002007-08-18T01:43:10.173-05:00

If you listen closely, you might hear a sigh of relief, coming from way down, deep inside of my person.Tonight is the first night I've had to myself since I returned to Santa Barbara. I read something somewhere about how salespeople, upon returning from vacation, should overbook themselves, as a way to get their selling mojo back to operational. It made sense to me somehow, and so I

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-46906239855429629532007-08-14T09:42:00.000-05:002007-08-16T11:36:54.590-05:00

Back at LAX now, waiting for the bus to take me back to Santa Barbara. The weeks in Minnesota were too busy to reflect much on coming back, and even now, knowing I have so, so much to do in the next few weeks, I still don't have much time to think much about how I'm feeling or what I'm thinking. Increasingly, I think this is the best way for me- enough time to relax a bit, but I think I'm

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-11881225128475845052007-08-13T23:59:00.000-05:002007-08-16T11:35:31.445-05:00

Here's an old song to think about: "It never rains in California," by Albert Hammond. You may not recognize the artist, but my guess is that you could probably sing along to the chorus, because those words, combined with a simple poppy-folksy hook, will stay firmly planted in your mind for hours after hearing, or even thinking about the song. It's not true, of course. It does rain in California

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-33134301710397818142007-07-16T23:25:00.000-05:002007-07-17T00:07:38.294-05:00

Goodness bless antibiotics, and vicodin, and whatever else the doc gave whilst in tears at the clinic. Friday night was as blissful as I've felt in forever, and for sure about a gazillion times better than I'd felt all week, what with a tonsil the size of Delaware bearing down on my throat at all hours and impeding my ability to swallow saliva, let alone food or bev. A bit more detail on last

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-52752079526993297242007-07-13T21:42:00.000-05:002007-07-13T22:06:26.661-05:00

I have an abscess on my left tonsil. I have no idea how it got there, but I can tell you that it is a mightily painful thing to have on one's tonsil. It makes swallowing exceptionally uncomfortable and painful. Fortunately today, day 5 of the tonsil abscess's foreign and unwelcome presence in my throat, I finally went to the doctor, who gave me drugs which promise to seek and destroy. The

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-34789865116304685682007-07-09T13:05:00.000-05:002007-07-09T13:50:39.494-05:00

Lots of change lately. Not necessarily changes on the physical plane, but tons of ideas and thoughts and feelings running through my mind. I think this is actually the biggest deterrent to getting any writing done, simply the fact that I keep changing my mind and my outlook, to the extent that I don't really have a handle on what I'm thinking or feeling (except that right now I have a strong

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-74415238374057418722007-06-14T16:01:00.001-05:002007-06-14T16:51:50.280-05:00

Times have been a bit lean in the past months, one of those periods where I really start to believe the statement "Santa Barbara is such an expensive place to live." Granted, it's true for the most part, but there are certainly ways of getting around the pricey ticket items, and keeping life simple and maintainable, modeling my behavior and spending habits after SB's working class. I've been

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-11950007883471689002007-06-13T00:43:00.000-05:002007-06-13T01:20:35.911-05:00

The rest of my weekend was amazing, and relatively uneventful. I had a magnificently bad town car run, that I won't bother to outline, for lack of interest in perpetuating the horror of its memory. Strangely, Monday was the day life took a grandiose turn for the awesome. I got called by Sam (the Marine Mammal Vet and the organization's co-founder with wife, Ruth) of CIMWI to help with a rescue

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-7658294667948434562007-06-12T22:38:00.000-05:002007-06-13T00:47:03.691-05:00

Funny how sometimes, when you say something, that very thing, very shortly thereafter, can come true.One of the last statements of my last entry was "Actually, I'm pretty sure something amazing is on its way!" which I basically included as an effort to lift my spirits, and to get myself back to seeing things in a positive light. Happily, it was most effective. Shortly after publishing that

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-72937355013840387812007-06-07T19:23:00.000-05:002007-06-08T03:58:59.198-05:00

I was having a conversation with someone recently, during which I made mention of my age-old supposition that eventually, after living in a place for a while, I'd freak out and run away as quickly as possible. My friend offered a different perspective, that perhaps I'm just in need of change every so often (which, as you might have gathered, may be a bit more often than the average Jane.). It's

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-91137851527831282502007-05-21T10:50:00.000-05:002007-05-22T12:32:17.312-05:00

I've been super laze about writing of late. Actually, strike that. I've not been super laze. I've been thinking about writing, and have been meaning to write, and more than all this, I've actually been wanting to write. The past few months have been somewhat antithetical to this, though, and so while there has been sufficiently interesting happenings to report, my mental state has not been

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-30674188692299298812007-04-12T11:55:00.000-05:002007-04-12T13:14:38.271-05:00

I have a friend whose birthday is in January. Maybe it's residual frustration from having a birthday so near to the winter holidays, and hence, having her birthday folded in with the likes of New Year's and Christmas, rather than the separate entity most people experience. Maybe now that she's an adult, she's making up for all those lost and forgotten birthdays. Whatever the reason, January,

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-51754794106855474002007-04-12T10:50:00.000-05:002007-04-12T13:04:27.721-05:00

Did anyone ever watch the Great Space Coaster?There was a segment on the program called "The Gary Gnu Show," the opening line of which was always "No g-news is good g-news." I seem to remember watching this show most mornings during my years-long daily captivity at this or that home-based childcare provider, though I can't remember the name of the specific provider (Bev, Arlene? It's hard to

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-21491551114297308652007-03-11T12:47:00.000-05:002007-03-11T21:48:25.559-05:00

Something about living out here has helped me to really, really appreciate time spent in other people's homes. For example, I work one day a week at a home-based office. The pay is ok, the work is easy, but what keeps me coming back is working from Karen's house. I love the feeling of walking into the house, I love the feeling of working in the house. It's soothing somehow, comforting to be

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-32130985594928368322007-03-07T15:31:00.000-06:002007-03-07T16:02:21.213-06:00

It's amazing how debilitating internet service outages can feel. I love to boast to anyone who'll listen that I don't have a television, but I fail to mention how much time I spend on my computer researching, browsing, postulating, organizing, reading, shopping, et cetera, et cetera. So as you might imagine, when the internet mysteriously disappears over the course of several days, I'm a bit

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-23134801669119177582007-02-26T22:25:00.000-06:002007-02-26T23:23:00.306-06:00

It's not that I don't want to write, it's just that every time I sit down to write, I get all blocked and my mind becomes completely blank. So perhaps just quick updates here and there, until I'm feeling back up to blogger snuff.I'm finally feeling healthy again, and am no longer sleeping all my days away. Classes continue to go well. Last Tuesday was the last in-pool session for the scuba

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-30247102154790084982007-02-19T20:25:00.000-06:002007-02-19T21:13:42.223-06:00

My body is still doing battle with some kinda somethin, and I'm not yet sure who's winning. I started taking antibiotics last week, and felt good enough to actually do stuff all weekend, but yesterday and today I feel super tired again, like maybe the mean bugs ravaging my sinuses came back stronger after a brief respite. I can't say I've ever really had sinus issues before, but I have a world

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-89715583480212191322007-02-16T01:22:00.000-06:002007-02-16T01:39:25.547-06:00

It's been a rough couple of weeks. Rough in the way that a person can sort of make it rough on oneself, as in becoming too attached to possibilities, but I've also continued to be sick, and that hasn't helped much. I don't get sick very often, but it tends to get pretty ugly and quite dramatic when I do. The cough and cold that presented itself a few weeks back has escalated into some kind of

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-47066560129578638102007-02-08T21:01:00.000-06:002007-01-30T22:21:24.977-06:00

No matter where it happens, winter is winter. The days are short, the overall health of the general public isn't so great, temps are lower, clouds more frequent. Winter is winter is winter is winter. I'm not at my best during the winter season. I've been sick for weeks and weeks, it seems like. Actually it's been about a week, but it feels like forever and ever. What makes it worse is that

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-19440047462119898582007-01-30T00:54:00.000-06:002007-01-30T22:21:25.007-06:00

Admittedly, I am not the tidiest person in the world. As in all things, my cleaning habits tend to ebb and flow, now the apartment is unfit for human occupancy, now you could eat off the floor. Ok, you can never really eat off the floor because, if you did, it would be coated with the hair I've shed over the past several months that no vacuum cleaner could tear from its imbeddedness in the

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-47820675940248454112007-01-26T00:36:00.000-06:002007-01-26T11:45:01.913-06:00

The beauty of this semester, beyond that I'm diving, is that I have class only 2 days a week. Never mind that one of those days is 12 hours long for the next 3 weeks, or that class time the other day spans 6 hours, it's lovely to have scheduled class time only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.Today's class and lab combo was Intro to Commercial Dive Equipment. Eventually, I'll be diving

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-41300370343576042142007-01-23T21:34:00.000-06:002007-01-23T23:41:50.775-06:00

First day of classes today.When I returned from my 2-week holiday visit to the upper midwest, I assumed I'd have oodles of time to myself: for library visits and reading, for hanging out with friends, for sleeping, for biking, for outings of uncertain intent with my crush, for preparing for the swim eval, for researching possible career paths, for registering at school. Time passed all too

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-53619680915926969232007-01-17T15:41:00.000-06:002007-01-17T16:46:25.255-06:00

Prior to the blog of a few days ago, I hadn't made much mention of the swim eval, mostly to appease my highly superstitious nature. But the swim eval was today, 17 January, beginning 8 am. To recap all the exercises necessary to pass, in order of performance:- 75-ft. underwater swim, without surfacing for air;- 150-ft. underwater swim, surfacing no more than 3 times for air;- 50-ft.

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-14155583810841450552007-01-16T01:38:00.000-06:002007-01-16T02:36:30.364-06:00

Happy MLK day. I didn't realize it was MLK day until this evening, when the mail, generally late in arriving anyway, showed up not at all. Then I remembered it was MLK day, and a verse of the song "Happy Birthday" by Stevie Wonder popped into my head. A funny story about that song, which I'll note here (as this entry proves to be of the random free-form variety, rather than the planned

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-59874482246368965092007-01-10T21:47:00.000-06:002007-01-11T01:32:03.357-06:00

While checking my mail just now, I spied the word of the day. It hovered above my inbox in the space usually occupied by links to such informative sites as www.areyouaslackermom.com, or www.coffeefool.com (A shocking secret coffee co's don't want you to know!), and DeclutterFast.com (How To Declutter In Only One Day! When You're Serious About Clutter). The word of today was: nascent \NAS-uhnt;

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30803309.post-92162058774859521922007-01-03T18:04:00.000-06:002007-01-03T21:21:41.173-06:00

A day full of automobiles, planes and buses, et voila! I find myself right back where I started from, just over 2 weeks ago.I've just returned to my home in Santa Barbara, and was pleased to find a few of my daily standards in stock: crunchy natural peanut butter and rice cakes. A few weeks' worth of binge holiday eating and plenty revelrous drinking has landed me what feels and looks to be a

above|below.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07579874363198488820noreply@blogger.com0