Musings of a born again college student

So, as you three or four people who actually read this blog know, I started school again this semester on a quest for a career change. Becoming a student again has been, above all else, Fun. The first day on campus was surreal. Turns out college hasn't changed much in the last six years. People were still riding bikes through those walking with purpose, some wearing patterned pjs or sweat pants, others new jeans and tops. There was the obviously hung-over guy in the back of the room holding his head and oozing of the aromas from the night before and the overly anxious student in the front poised with erect posture ever ready to chime in with some bit of her wisdom or knowledge. It was fantastic.

A fact I found amusing is that 3 of my professors were regular customers at the Grapevine. I was absorbing lectures about child development from the polite Chardonnay sipper, statistics from chatty pinot buyer, and Physics from the occasional IPA drinker. It was fun knowing them on a slightly different level than most of my previous professors (well there was that wildlife professor that a group of other college women and I had skinny dipped with in the middle of the frank church wilderness that ended up being my prof the following semester, but that kind of stuff was typical in the college of natural resources)

It was a fantastic semester, and I look forward to the next few years of being a student. I love having a goal to work towards again. Anatomy and Physiology is fascinating and there is even a sadistic side of me that likes working through the physics problems. Particularly long 2 page problems are like playing Zelda without the magic and swords.. kind of. I think of all my experiments in career changes in the past few years, I finally made the right decision. I just had to stop trying to take the short cuts.

So I didn't ONLY go to school here are some pics to sum up fall.

This was the first snow of the year and Marley was just Itching to get out.
So we went up high so he could play in it. The thing about going high is the views.

Fall hike with Marley, Obi wan, Buddy (the parents lab), Bear and Daisy, my friends dogs. Daisy was found emaciated in the middle of nowhere in the sagebrush by my friend who works in the middle of nowhere in the sagebrush. She is a lucky dog that found a much better life

This is the night our two good friends and their THREE dogs stayed with Stacey and me in our little house. It was fun and crowded. Five dogs + four people + little space = fun chaos.
From Left: Obi Wan, Marley (in back) Madison, Dutch, and Star.. oh and Sarra

Cheesy I know, But Stacey LOVES superheroes (his childhood comic book collection lives in his moms house because it would literally take up half of ours) and I must give him credit for being so supportive during my crazy stressed out mood during my 7 finals. He is a great guy

Aestivate: computer death: Changes, well, yes again.

The past few months have been filled to the brim with excitement, disappointment, reflection and change. The moon is adjusting the tide, and the ebb and flow of my life is moving ever so slowly towards a completely new uncharted horizon. It is exciting! I have officially decided to cast my wildlife career overboard and am setting the course for a new career in Physical Therapy.

I know, I know the last few blogs I was very enthusiastic about continuing my wildlife career and getting back into the field. I was, and would be if there were a real career path to take in that field. But truth be told, it falls into the "dream job" category for many people. What that means is that many people will work for basically nothing and get treated poorly because, wow, they get to work outside. Plain and simply, I love wildlife and at one point it may have been my dream career, but as I get older the romance of the gypsy life has worn off and I seek stability over living out of my Subaru and moving around from job to job.

I was originally hired for an environmental consulting company that was going to pay me quit well ,by wildlife standards, and was very excited for the opportunity. However, as it got closer to my starting date, the lack of details I was getting about my job worried me. Then I got a call from my boss telling me that they didn't get any of the three contracts they actually hired me for, and that I could fill in and get about "one weekend a month of work." I was very angry, upset, and started to remember the BS ,like that, that goes on all the time in the wildlife field. That was not the first time that exact situation had happened to me.

The next day Idaho Fish and Game called me and wanted to hire me to do some seasonal bird work outside of Pocatello. Great! I accepted that position. They called three days later to tell me that the Poky project was really easy and that my skills would be better suited on an Idaho Falls project that required more skill. Basically they flattered me into it. They assured me that housing would be provided in Idaho Falls. I wasn't too excited about having to be out of town during the week, but Idaho Falls is not that far and Stacey could easily come up. I go to the Idaho Falls Fish and Game office for my first day of work and was told my housing would actually be another 50 miles north in Ashton. The red flags started to fly. I go up to my housing at the Ashton fish hatchery to find it was literally a tin shed. The walls rattled with the gale force winds that area hosts on a regular basis and the rain sounded like bullets going through the ceiling. Not to mention the freezing temperatures cut through the uninsulated walls. To cap things off I was told that I would have to use my own vehicle and gas to drive to Ashton every week. I was originally told I would pick my truck up in Idaho Falls. Basically everything I was originally told kept changing for their benefit at the expense of mine.

My work required the typical drive on dirt roads in the middle of nowhere by myself, then return "home" to the depressing shack to spend the rest of the evening yet again alone. I spent most of my time off either on the phone with Stacey or my parent bawling. I was miserable. I decided to quit that awful job and considered it the nail in the coffin of my wildlife career. I remembered why I got away from the field to begin with and started doing some serious self reflection on what I really want out of life, what kind of career would be good for me, what kind of lifestyle I want for myself. It all culminated into Physical Therapy. The future is never certain, but the classes I am taking this next year will better set me up for a variety of graduate programs if physical therapy, for some reason, does not work out. I have decided that grad school is in my future. As of now it is in Physical Therapy.

So that is an update on my life so far. Oddly the day I signed up for school my six year old laptop computer crashed. I was forced to get a very pretty sleek new one, as a reliable computer is key for college in the twenty first century. I love it.

My new pretty Mac in its box.

My old friend Becky Larson was visiting from NYC.

We took a girls trip to Sun Valley and stayed in her

parents condo. This is the top of Baldy Mountain.

One of the benefits of taking a summer off. Freedom!

Thought I should include a pic of Stacey with of course

Obi-wan never too far away from him.

He is always so supportive of me and my decisions.

What a cutie.

The wind picked up, the fire spread, the Grapevine scene is left for dead.

Today is my last day of work at the little wine and beer shop where I have worked for three years.

I have written and erased about three paragraphs now. I started writing this hoping to come out with what the Grapevine has been for me. What is has given me personally and why I maybe should be a little sad to leave that part of my life behind. The truth is, I am just not sad. I am excited to move forward and the prospect of a new more lucrative career. Turns out I actually missed wildlife during my "I am so over wildlife phase" and am so excited to be studying birds this summer. I needed that break to realize that and really get driven to move forward. I think the excitement is holding any potential sadness at bay. I guess that right there would be something Grapevine has given. A much needed break time of personal reflection.

Some of my best most amazing friends were met at Grapevine. True friends that you know would do anything for you. While my mom was in the Huntzman Cancer Hospital, I was so stressed out about her health and also how I was going to pay my mortgage that month after not working for three weeks. Turns out those friends, who had previously work at the grapevine, filled in for my shifts and told my boss to pay me for their hours worked and not them. They worked for free. That meant the world to me and makes me a little emotional talking about it now. True kindness, generosity, and unselfishness was shown through those great people who I would have never met if I didn't work at the Grapevine.

With a lift and a sniff of Cabernet Sauvignon, my nose detects black cherries, a hint of bell pepper and the tiniest nuance of campfire smoke. Placing the red nectar over my tongue, my palate forces the cherries forward but mixed with a little current and ends on a very distinct earthy chocolate flavor. Three years ago this cab would have tasted like a plain and simple "wine". The Grapevine has unlocked the secret of the real life everlasting gobstopper that lies in a good bottle of wine. It is a puzzle that is delightful to unlock, although a little snooty I must admit. The Grapevine has shown me the fun and entertainment that has been brought about by wine for centuries.

Overall the Grapevine has given me time, friends and wine knowledge. All fantastic things I would not want to throw away. However, like Elliot in "Pete's Dragon" it is time for the Grapevine to recruit someone else who may need it in their lives. I am now painting the lighthouse in my new life and will only look back with fond memories. I am looking forward to my Razzle Dazzle days ahead.

Birthday Blog 2010

Wow, I am entering the last, yes LAST year in my twenties. It is odd to think that It is has been ten years since I felt like I was an adult. That strange little fact has facilitated some pondering on how I have changed in those ten adult years. What do I do now that is "more adult" than I did when I was 19. Here is some of what I have come up with.

"grown-up" habits, behaviors, and thoughts I did not have ten years ago but do now.

* Wash my car regularly.
* Buy stuff at Home Depot
* Cook real meals
* Use a coaster
* Make bed MORE regularly
* Get excited to go to a gourmet kitchen store
* Thought the other day "wow I don't think I will get another piercing ever"
* Took eyebrow ring out
* Would rather go to a quiet lounge with the ability to actually talk and hear friends than a noisy bar. Well unless some killer band is playing.
* Think the teenagers these days dress ridiculous! Skinny Jeans are UGLY.
* The idea of having a roommate besides Stacey now sounds very unappealing.
* I'm more excited for my garden this summer than the new CD about to come out by my favorite band
* Adult swim on cartoon network. Not as funny as I remember
* Tend to watch food network over cartoon network
* LOVE food network
* I have TV (still don't watch that much though, just a few things here and there. I like it that way)
* Find my friends young children actually cute and not loud screaming stinky presence in the room.
* I make plans
* I make a grocery list
* Workout not only for looks, but health too
* More health conscious of my food
* Take vitamins
* Enjoy my adult friends wine and food parties over any keg party
* This last year I have had friends who have turned 21, turned 30, turned 40, turned 60 graduated college, been married, became parents, became grandparents, and got divorced.

Moving on up

Well, there is a change in the wind and I once again am adjusting my sails. I spent the last three, yes three, years pushing wine, beer, coffee and tea with only one break for a field job. I started a graphic arts program that turned out to be folly besides meeting my wonderful partner. I also dabbled into teaching, which I realized was an absolute ludicrous idea after sitting in on a friends middle school science class. Seriously, what was I thinking! After all that career wandering, I came to realize that I actually missed natural resources. I missed being around scientist who are constantly exploring the natural world and actually challenging my brain. So I started to move forward again and looking into graduate schools and applying for jobs in my field.

After about two months of serious applying, I got an interview with an environmental consulting company here in Poky. I was surprised to get an interview as these kind of companies typically want a masters degree. Then was even more surprised when they offered me the position. I am going to be an Ecologist for them! I am officially some kind of ologist.. wahoo! I will likely be working on a large scale plant survey project for the Caribou/Targhee National Forest (one of my favs =c)this summer. However, they told me one of the reasons they really were impressed with my resume is my wide variety of jobs(about time someone took note of that :). He went on saying I obviously am open to learning a variety of skills so they may have me cross training on three or four different projects. I will be doing the field work for them in the summer, then writing reports in the winter. I am very excited and still a little shell shocked. The pay is actually an adult wage and significantly more than I have ever made (much more than any state job would pay at my level). I start the last week in April!

As always, it can be a bit scary closing a chapter. I don't know what to expect exactly at this new job. They are excited about my writing skills, but I haven't written scientifically for awhile. I hope it is like writing a bike.. =c). Also, The Grapevine has been very good to me despite my complaining about it, and they just barely gave me a raise. I feel a little guilty about abandoning them. However, it is most definitely time to move on. I just hope I am moving in the right direction. Feels right.