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School: Finally made some progress on the portfolio, and just in time as the quarter will be starting soon. Next step is to contact my professors to see if I can get copies of some of the big papers they never returned to me.  I’m in contact with two of my new professors, and have checked out copies of all four text  books out of the library.   I’ve also found syllabuses for two of my classes from last year, so I can get an idea of what the workflow will be like.

I’m ready to go back.

Home: I’ve given up on trying to set up  a desk downstairs. It’s clear we don’t have the space. The craft table  becomes a landing  space for random things as we come home, and as much as  I try its just not going to work. So I’m cleanign out the nook in the kitchen, getting a power adapter so I can plug in both computers and the spearkers that sit there and setting up some decorative boxes to hold my office supplies. Beyond that house stuff is pretty  much the same.

Oh, except we’re thinking the zuchinni we got from territorial is mutant. We ordered a bush baby zuchinni, which is supposed to be small. Well the plants were pertty big, not bushy and the zuchnni are much more like a green winter squash instead of zuchinni.

Work: I’m working. Bidding hours for fall term, plotting out my schedule carefully. I must say the current shift bid is easier then any of the previous ones.

Crafting . Anothing Daring Kitchen challenge completed.  Stitch and Pitch attended with Barb. (We had a fun time)  I’ve got a small office supply project in the works, somethig for the start of the school year.  I also finished one of Leah’s socks and am working on the second one.

Family : Miss Bit has been gone a month and a half now and I’m looking forward to her coming back. Aron Leah and Jasmine are out in Eugene this weekend with Sunnie for Fairie Worlds. I’m a little remorseful that I didn’t go, no so much for the event but for the travel. It looks like June’s trip to Black Sheep gathering is all that I get

Social business: Cancelled my Mamma Mia movie night due to lack of interest. Looking into a venue to host a party, but am unsure if  folks will actually come.  Scheduled drinks with my favorite classmates, trying to plan a spa trip before the quarter begins.

Relaxation: Still playing Ikariam and Second life, drowning in library books. I picked up WoW again and have decided that I will buy. I’ll set up a log in on my laptop for it, and set parental controls as a reminder to have a WoW life balance.

And that is September 1st. What are you all up to?

Two recent events have me thinking about who I am, and how I got here.
First it was explaining a new friend why I don’t drive. See, driving has come up in conversation a lot lately. One friend getting his learners permit, another friend talking about her significant others lack of drivers license. The teenagers in my life reaching the point where they can start learning

Second was the appearance of a former classmate, someone I went to elementary school with. Reading over her profile I saw the milestones she had hit and did mental comparisons and calculated the differences. (Wow she’s a pediatrician now, I’m a…. student. Hmm)

It’s easy to compare your path with those around you. As you wander the path of, it’s too easy to measure up your accomplishments with the monolithic milestones bordering the path. We even have events dedicated towards these milestones, where we celebrate our friends and family reaching these goals and silently compare our own progress to these goals. Seriously don’t you sit at a wedding or graduation and think about your own experience with the event?

Whether there is value in comparing your path with those milestones or the path of others is debatable. I do find it valuable to look at where my deviations have occurred, and how I got where I am. After all, if my path was straight and narrow would I be me?
In 1987 Mom had her stroke. I was 12 in 7th grade, she was 33. This is where my big course deviation began. Despite support from friends and family, life would never be the same. Her stroke was debilitating, she never walked again, had trouble speaking, could not manage personal care and by no means could she manage the household. My step father did his best, but while he could manage small things, he didn’t know how to raise a 12 year old girl. Eventually it became clear that dreams of college, going to ISU were going to be shelved. Normal experiences of dates and prom, big birthdays and driving were different for me. A running household, proper care and therapy for mom was more important.

I was encouraged to work. My step-aunt suggested I might work at McDonalds, after all with enough work and training, I might become a manager! So I worked, worked during the summer, worked during the school year. I even skipped out on half of my senior year in order to work 2 jobs. This adherence to work and domestic responsibility made me practical. I valued money more then I valued milestone experiences. Instead of prom I went on a weekend away with my boyfriend. Saved money, you know?

When it came time for Drivers Ed, I attended. You had to pass to graduate. But when it came time to get behind the wheel and practice, my stepfather found it difficult to guide me, was freaked out when I hit a curve and made it clear that helping me learn was beyond his skill set.

So I developed my independence in other ways. I took the train to work. I went into the city to explore. In the bus dead zone where I lived I walked a lot. 5-10 miles in a day was nothing new. I had a fiancée who helped some, didn’t seem to mind driving me around (I guess it was one of the tradeoffs he made in our relationship. ) I also learned to take cabs. I got to know the drivers and the dispatchers, and felt completely comfortable hopping in for a quick ride.
In the end my path has deviated. I didn’t go to ISU become a teacher, get married, have babies , end up with a picket fence and a golden retriever.

What I have in return is more rewarding.
I have a strong work ethic with the confidence that I can learn any job.
I have a strong independent streak and am self reliant when it comes to transportation.
I am domestically skilled, able to run a household competently, ensuring the domestic pleasure of the inhabitants.
I have maturity in approaching my education. My experiences have enriched my studies and made them more valuable.

Finally, I’m me. My path may differ from my peers, but in the end I’m happy with who I am, and isn’t that what’s important?

So tell me, how has your path deviated?

School: On Hiatus. I was going to do a project with one of my professors this quarter, but despite my best effort I was not able to schedule to be available when the other student was. (I changed my schedule twice for him, and it still didn’t work)

I still need to get my portfolio together and online, and finish my readings on sustainability.

My Peer Mentoring project continues, I am going to be on campus speaking to more incoming students as of tomorrow.

Home: We’ve done some clean up downstairs and we are looking good.We’ll see how sustainable our set up is once i go back to school and Miss Bit returns. For two of us, its easy to maintain, but as we get busier and add Miss Bit….

The garden is going well enough as is. I consider that I am more then getting my return on the amount of effort I put in. I didnt do much work  in planting and i don’t weed, but I’ve been able to eat and share lettuce, snap peas and some baby tomatoes. Next year I’ll construct a net to cover the garden and keep the debris out. Perhaps start as a plastic cold frame then switch to netting. I will also stake the snap peas, and order more then 4 of the baby tomato plants. I’m love the tomatoes, but want more.

Work: I’m working nearly full time at UW Technology. It provides its own rewards and challenges. I enjoy the chance to work on training documentation at this point. One or two of the email lead positions has become available and while I could apply, I don’t think I’m ready for it at this time.

Crafting I’ve done some needle felting, and enjoyed it. I’ve also picked up on my cooking and am trying to cook more creativly. To that end I’ve joined the Daring Kitchen and am posting about my exploits. I also attended the Urban Craft Uprising today, and had a fabulous time. In part because of the company.

Family : Miss Bit has been gone a month and a half now and I’m looking forward to her coming back. Aron Leah and Jasmine are out in Eugene this weekend with Sunnie for Fairie Worlds. I’m a little remorseful that I didn’t go, no so much for the event but for the travel. It looks like June’s trip to Black Sheep gathering is all that I get

Social business: Another month and a half and school start for me again. In the meantime I’m still indulging in social activity. Melissa and I are meeting regularly for lunch and nights out. I meet with Allison every other week or so for lunch at the office. I’m doing some geek girl networking, with the Digital Eves mailing list. I’m hoping to meet with one  of the girls for lunch in the tower next week as well.

Oh and Katie and Debbie? Margaritas. Some time soon.

Relaxation: So at the beginning of the summer I thought I would buy a new “game of the summer” instead I’m playing this free roman civilizations  game called Ikariam. I’m also spending time in second life, dancing , going to concerts and  chatting with friends. I’m doing a little building, looking into clothing design and exploring the different builds. I found a great Seattle the other night, with a Space Needle and all.

And that is August 1st my friends. Oh and a brief to do list before next month.

To do :

• Publish my online portfolio of school work
• Finish at least 2 of my readings for my sustainability class.
• Schedule another coffee certification class
• Drinks with Katie and Debbie.

One of the concepts that  my favorite professor reiterated this quarter was “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants” She used it in correlation to being inspired by artwork, in relation to studying scientific papers, and in relation to observing scientific research.

I’m proud to say that i stand on the shoulders of giants all the time. Not scientists, celebrities and artists. My inspiration comes from giants who are a bit closer. I’ve talked in the past about different men and  women in my life who are inspiring. Those who have taken charge of their lives, those who have made dramatic life changes, moved across country, left solid jobs to pursue their education. Those that set personal goals then knock them down like milk bottles at a county fair. Within my circle of friends there are a few writers who’ve had great success lately. I swear, I’m looking at the next great science fiction/fantasy writers. Right in my back yard.

I take inspiration from their accomplishments, and I too make bold moves to develop the life i want to live.  Yesterday I sat in on a new incoming IAS student orientation, much like I attended last year.  I looked back at journal entries around that time, and it’s pretty clear how far I’ve come. At this time last year I was about 2 weeks out from learning that I was accepted to the program.At that point I flipped my life upside down. I quit my full time job, I did childcare over the summer and focused on my schoolwork like never before. I remained unemployed for a good 6 months. The longest stretch of unemployment since I was 16.  I altered my schedule , and i mindfully  work to prioritize school responsibilities over the opportunity to get more hours at work.

I get tunnel vision sometimes.  It’s really easy to get stuck in the day to day. I’m focused on the next paper due, or the next class I want to take. It’s nice to take some time to reflect on the longer journey , reminiscing about the road behind, while building excitement for the road ahead.

I’m nose down in homework at this point. Studying the impact of cicadas on their ecosystem, the benefits of GMOs and the threat to their ecosystem, and the beauty that is the restoration of Llandover woods .

It’s a great quarter. The diversity of my work keeps it interesting, and the connectivity keeps it relevant for me.

I have to share this.. it may mean I’m a geek girl.. but… I’m really stoked. I emailed the author of a paper on cicada herbivory on  plants and asked for a copy of his raw data. He was nice enough to share and asked why I chose his paper.  The ability to contact those working int he field and have positive interactions makes me giddy.

Anyway I’m still here.. There will be an update soon sharing details of a fancy dinner and a spa day.

(Yes I’m a little late)

School: I’ve made a good connection with the professor of two of my classes. She’ll be out spring quarter, but i look forward to reconnecting with her next year. I’m hovering on a decision between to different concentrations in my program, either the Science Technology and Environment program that I am in, or Environmental Studies. Thus far I’m able to straddle the requirements for both. The student council class I’m in is less exciting then I had hoped it would be. I’ll be surprised if we are able to pull off a project by the end of the quarter. I have become involved with the mentoring program for our department, and will be able to help sustain that next year.
Otherwise my classes are challenging but enjoyable.  I’ll do well in Restoration Ecology, I’m challenged in The Visual Art of Biology and Science Methods and Practices.
 
Home: My schedule  has made things at home a little crazy. I’m out 3 nights a week, and always seem to be on the run. The downstairs living space could use a good cleaning and I’m hoping to get a shelving unit or two to help with storage.  Otherwise things are chugging along. I’m ordering seeds in the next week to do some gardening in containers and am turning my thoughts to what the summer might be like. As far as I can tell I will not be taking any classes but will just be doing Miss Bitt care and working. Not a bad life. 

Work: I’m enjoying my job. We’ve recently lost one lead and gained a new one. This leaves me as one of the oldest folks in our support crew, but I think at this point I’ve established my credibility. (and in fact at least one coworker comes to me first with questions.) Otherwise, it’s still interesting to be a student worker vs a full time worker. I don’t have the concerns, but I also don’t get the benefits. Potlucks and Parties aren’t meant for us but there are always treats left in our fishbowl area for us.
The best part? At the end of my shift I leave and don’t think about it again until I get back there for my next shift.  

Church: Not a lot to say here, Beyond committing to a financial contribution  and serving as worship leader not a lot has happened.  I did go to a Mustard Seed Associates lecture about Cooperatives , and bought the book, but it wasn’t anything too exciting.  The Mustard Seed Associates house was nice to go to, I think I’ll keep an eye on their calendar and try to go as topics interest me,

Crafts: Craft swap is planned! March 12th! Mosaic Coffeehouse. Bring your unloved craft stuff, share it, barter it , trade it, give it away! I plan on destashing my yarn, some of my soapmaking books and some of my stamping supplies. Wanna come? Let me know and I’ll get you the details. (And Mosaic is totally kid friendly so feel free to bring your kids along too.)

It’s Makeda day. Have I mentioned how much I like Makeda day?

From Blog Photos

Dear Miss Bit,
A year ago yesterday you moved up into our household and took over residence in my heart. In that year I learned about e-pets and ponyville. We’ve had trips to museums and aquariums and even the ER. I’ve worried when you are sick, been driven crazy when you’re hyper and delighted when you are well behaved. I’ve seen you learn to tie your shoes, improve your table manners  and learn to read. I’ve seen you for the drama queen you are, and been charmed and chagrined at your love of the spotlight. Your honesty and faith humanity worries me every time you talk to strangers, but pleases me when you offer to help, or make friends swiftly.
As the rule goes, I’m looking forward to the next year to see what adventures we can get into.

Happy Anniversary.

From Missbit2009

School: Grades came in and I was happy. At this point I’m still contemplating if I want to email the director of my program about the “Touching Butt in the Woods of Monroe ” class. I’m looking forward to the challenge of new classes though I am a bit apprehensive about the wacky schedule I’ve given myself. I’m taking “Intro to Restoration Ecology”  “The Visual Art of Biology” “Science Methods and Practice” and “Interdisciplinary Arts and Science Council” for a total of 18 credits.

Work: Work progresses. I’m comfortable on the phones and know how to handle about 75% of the calls we get. I still need to get training on the voice mail system  and occasionally need to figure out where calls should go.  Most of the time it’s ok that I can’t answer the question, I just need to know where to escalate the call.  Losing time from the Seattle Snow storm gave me a quiet week at home and a lighter pay check in January. It was nice to realize that as a student worker it wasnt that big of a deal that I couldnt make it in. Its nice not being old reliable for once.

Home: The Christmas tree was rustic. Paper chains and salt dough ornaments cut and painted by Miss Bit. A small box of vintage ornaments were brought out and they joined the handmade ornaments on the prelit tree. Tiffa doesnt eat the ornaments like Conner used to, but she did try to climb the tree more then once. Christmas dinner and New Years were both quiet  nights at home with friends and family. I’m blessed with my home and family.

Church :I’ve gotten my schedule for worship leader and coffee hour host for the New Year and have that scheduled. Now to get into the swing of attending University as well as Broadview and I’ll be good to go. Sadly my winter schedule means not Taize service.  I pleged my time to Broadview as part of the pledge drive. I still need to write a proposal for the church to explain my hesitation on church blogging and how that should be approached by the congregation.

SCA:I’ve been working on some weaving on my inkle loom and have a few ideas for my next loom project.

Crafts: Christmas cards just didnt happen. A couple of cards were done but I just never got into the swing of things. On the other hand, cookies did get made, Miss Bit and I did make Christmas ornaments and paper chains for the tree. I’ve gotten the Needle felting supplies and just need to get a block of foam. I’m working on a set of socks for Leah, and am still making plans for Madrona Fiber Arts in February.

And thats me for this month. See you next month with another recap!

Tonight is not only the first day of the new year (well for another 30 minutes or so)  but it is also the anniversary of my first date with Aron. 7 years ago.  (We’d gone to coffee prior but there’s a heated debate as to the date worthiness of it.)  Seven years. I’m glad to have him in my life. I’ve learned a lot and my life is enriched from our relationship. I think he knows me better then most anyone in the world. 

With the New Year I’ve been contemplating resolutions. In general I’m not a resolution person.  I think the false start of the new year when combined with mass marketing only leads to heartache during early spring. Yet I aslo know there is room for personal improvement in my life.  Looking back at my history, I can see that I hadn’t made any resolutions  last year. In fact between 2002 -2008 I only did “resolutions” once. 2007, and all of those were related to returning to school. At least those wrapped themselves up nicely. 

I won’t do resolutions because while I have goals I want to meet, and personal changes I want to make, I’m not tied to this day of the year to make them. The cattle call of resolutions tossed around at the new year ,new  resolves embarked upon without much thought of how you are going to get there.  Not that I don’t value my friends who do make resolutions. There are a number of you that I am watching closely. You do such a good job of setting personal goals and tackling  that it’s inspirational. I inspires me  me to see you tackle your goals with stamina and grace. Instead I’ll carefully plot the territory of the new year with a handful of projects guaranteed to lead to a happy new year.

Cooking projects, crafting projects and household projects all. Much closer to my friend Kim’s 100 things tackled in 1001 days. Things like improving my cooking skills and cooking with more diversity. So I’m pursuing cooking with game meats by trying to cook something new and different each month. The rest of my projects unfold similarly giving me small chunks of enriching activities that could be percieved as part of a larger resolve but in reality are as much about the enrichment as they are the end goal.

Happy 2009.