the travelin' train & elections

I'm loving my job, I do like to travel, but honestly it's starting to wear me out. Gone two weeks, back one. Gone 2 1/2 weeks, back one. Gone 10 days, back one week. Gone five days, back five days, gone four days, back a month, gone a week. This has been my schedule since September and will go through the new year. It's too much! And I work for a conservation organization concerned with low-impact practices, not to mention my own mission to reduce my "eco-footprint" on the world. So here I am, the last full day on the east coast for a while, planning out my next year, with a new goal to reduce the amount of traveling I do. Step one: stop doing trainings all over the country. When at all possible, I need to be able to train in Seattle, or at least much closer to home. Not always possible, but as long as I have the control over this, why not try?

In other news, it's been hard to be on the east coast away from friends and family during this historic election. I keep wanting to cry when I think of the possibilities. But I have to remember that I got swept up in this election - until fairly recently I felt that Obama and McCain were really just "different sides of the same coin." Which still remains to be proven wrong. But what if it's true? What if my parents can finally get affordable health insurance that doesn't force them to continue working when they should really get to enjoy a long-deserved retirement? What if my friends and family finally get legal rights to marry and have kids? Even with recent losses, I believe it is possible during this next administration.

I'm excited to have these conversations tomorrow night with my friends & family, back on my turf, with my husband, in our apartment. Home is indeed where the heart is.

back to Seattle plan

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Here's my plan so far to drive back to Seattle after our cruise. Stop to see Joy & Tom perform, maybe stop to see Tana, but otherwise straight up to Seattle. Should be a bit tiring!

back on the blogger train

SO glad to be home. I was at the Grand Canyon for the past two weeks running corps member training. What an amazing place, a ton of work, and inspiration. Too tired to write now but hopefully will get back on this blogger train.

Oh, and I'm off to go on my honeymoon in less than a week! Too excited - a road trip from Seattle to San Diego, visiting friends and amazing places along the way, then going on a cruise - yep a cruise. To Mexico, and I'm actually pretty damn excited about it.

new plan - WATER

Riparian Ecology

- work in streams, rivers, lakes - basically freshwater focus
- OSU has a water conflict management and transformation graduate certificate
- somehow work out youth/water/teaching. what about starting up a regional SCA program?
- border ecology, not as much salmon restoration (but maybe)

resources:
water.oregonstate.edu/projects/waterconflict.htm
www.wsu.edu/swwrc/SalmonIndex.html
http://www.treesfoundation.org/affiliates/specific-20

east coast travelin'

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This is where I've been since last Friday: Boston-Providence, RI-Pomfret, CT-Middletown, CT-Boston, MA>Charlestown, NH-Concord, MA-HOME

I started out in Boston, getting there Friday night and stayed at a youth hostel - it was not great, just a bed to sleep in. The next morning I got out of there by 8am and headed to Providence, RI (I had some time to kill). Turns out the Providence Pride parade was happening, although I got there too early so I just got breakfast and sat in the park watching everyone set up their booths.

Sat: Then on to Pomfret, CT, where I hooked up with Joy & Tom, who were performing at the Vanilla Bean Cafe there that evening. We hung out all day, went to the show (which was great - I always love seeing them play!), then we went and camped at a nearby campground. It was great to see the two of them - I probably spent more quality time with the two of them in CT than I have over the last year or two in Seattle (which was ridiculous since we lived quite close to each other). Camping was great! Strange camping occurances: there were weird animal moaning noises in the woods as we sat at the campfire - Joy was convinced they were zombies and I was sure it was a bear. At one point we practically tripped over each other trying to run to the bus, afraid the zombies/bear were sure to get us. Then there was a mammoth and gorgeous moth flying around the lantern - I took lots of pictures, then left it alone, only a few minutes later it jumped in the fire and commited suicide. It was crazy to watch - the wings just sort of melted and there was no trace of it just a few minutes later.

Sun: The next morning I headed to see my cousin Katherine and her family in Middletown, CT. It was great to see them - I haven't really spent time with her since we were in high school, even though we essentially grew up together. It was fun - we went for a bike ride, got caught in a terrential downpour/thunderstorm (I miss thunderstorms!), Mike then made us lunch, then I had to go to meet my boss in Boston. Not enough time but it was still great to see them.

Sun - Wed: Onto Boston, where I met up with my boss, then drove with him to Charlestown, NH, SCA headquarters. We spent three days there, meeting with various staff to get ready for Fall teams and the coming year. All in all it was a really beneficial visit, and I feel like I know a little more about how to do my job correctly.

Wed - Thurs: We came to Concord to meet up with one of my SCA summer teams. I wish I had more time here - Concord/Lexington is hugely historic and I have hardly seen a thing. Walden Pond is only 4 miles away and I won't even have seen it. I got sick this morning and ended up staying at the hotel today, while my boss went to work in the field with the team and then went kayaking. Damn! Can't catch a break, although I'm glad I stayed to sleep.

Tomorrow is Friday and I leave to go back home. It feels like months since I was home last.

Sunshine Moments

One week in Long Island for corps member training - check.
Three days in the Tri-Cities visiting all my in-laws - check.
A stolen moment hanging out with my husband on the beach - finally, check.

greenhouse research

I'm researching greenhouses - I'm home alone this weekend so that explains my numerous posts today. Anyway I'm researching and I found a link to dome greenhouses (link on the right). Sounds good, looks pretty cool, don't know the cost yet but I found this picture and I'm sold! Notice the little sitting area in the back. Amazing. And I can't wait.

Another really cute greenhouse is from Marston & Langinger - easy to google.
Another link: http://www.igcusa.com/hobby-greenhouse-pride-of-the-pacific.html

get junk food out of schools

Another fund-raiser - write a letter (the kid writes it, if they wish) stating why it would be important to switch to healthier vending machines at school. Ask for money to support this - how much will it cost to buy one of these? See if the school will match any of it, and send the letter to every parent in the school. Maybe it'll work!

http://www.shapingyouth.org/blog/?p=877

connecting kids to charitable giving

I love having this blog - and the computer from work that makes me able to add something here almost whenever I want to. This might end up being the website that I've wanted for so long. A place to post resources, websites, all the things that I don't want to forget. It's fabulous!

But onto the subject title: I just read something in Domino magazine that gave me an idea. They suggested having your kid save up to donate money to a wildlife organization. The kid sends $25 to a wildlife foundation for Africa and receives a "plush toy" in return.

A way to make this better: bring your kid to the zoo - possibly do your own research into your local zoo. The one in Seattle does a decent job at educating their visitors with signs that include many details on the animals, their domain, and usually reasons as to why they are in danger. So your kid connects to a particular animal, decides he/she wants to help feed or house (or pay for good staff that will take care of the animal), donates x amount of dollars, and gets the satisfaction of sharing some of her/his good fortune to help others. This can be done with any type of organization, really - not just for wildlife. In fact - how about they designate $25 every year to go toward an organization of their choice? And the kid can write a letter about what the money is for, why it was raised, etc.

The hope is that from a very young age your children have a connection and compassion for all living things, and also the idea that we're all part of the earth cycle - we all depend on each other for something, whether it be clean air, subsistence, or a little extra cash.

road tripping

We're going on a cruise to mexico for our honeymoon in october. i really want to make it a road-trip to get down there, so I've come up with this:

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travel itch is a bitch

I've been itching to travel lately. Even move away from Seattle. It's spring, so it's not totally unusual for me to be in this mood, but I keep being reminded of road trips, and how much I'd like to be on one. But what about C's job? He won't take a month to go on a road trip with me. Then we're talking about having a baby - I might be pregnant next summer. (!) So when will I get to go on a road trip? I still think it'd be amazing to drive down to San Diego before we go on the honeymoon cruise that Molly gave us. I'd love to take a week to get down there.

Then there's work, which I should be doing now. Speaking of...

Healthy Choices 2008

It's Thursday - I started my Healthy Choices 2008 commitment today - eating pretty well and drinking MUCH more water. I gave up coffee on Tuesday and replaced it with green tea. It's working out! I'm not exhausted, and it feels good to not be tied to the coffee pot. Oh! And big change - I convinced Cristopher to toss out our TV. We still have a little one but it's not hooked up to the cable, so only DVDs can be watched. And now nothing but a stereo (well, and a computer) are in our living room. Funny - tonight we were making dinner and when I thought of the fact that we weren't going to set up in the living room and watch something while we ate, I actually panicked. What will we DO? So we sat at our table which we rarely do, ate some delicious pork tacos then got up to do other things.

nostalgia & my first rock crush

Yep! I saw Duran Duran last night. So much fun! They played lots of new stuff and some fantastic oldies, which made me so happy. One of their newer songs (OK, it came out in '95, but it seems new to me) has gotten me in a trance of sorts - it's Ordinary World. The lyrics are heart-wrenching.

starlings

I run in this well spinning spinning fast in circles up the wall, falling to the dirt floor when momentum fails me. Starting over again not giving up four years now, smoothing the brick so my path isn't so bumpy. A rope & bucket - was it here before? I grab hold and climb - the circle of sky is expanding Light hits my face and I nearly fall from the shock of it. My feet are on thick green grass and I run. Cartwheels! Like I didn't have legs before now. So long since I've seen these spirits I swoop them all up and we all run together Up trees, on rocks in rivers, examining worldpools and laughing at the poetry of it all.

Something yellow is up the road - starry light explosion propelling the golden beast that I now realize is a bus. I chase it like a puppy thrilled with this game - singing loud to the music surrounding me. I am out of breath and lay down in the lush grass to listen to the music, the wonders around me warming me from within as the bus gets smaller and smaller until it disappears in the sun.

On different same journeys.

your girl

They're Coming to Your Town

I found Julia Sweeney's blog yesterday. It was one of the spotlighted blogs on my main blogger page. It was interesting! She's an environmentalist, her mom lives in Spokane, she's in LA doing a comedy (i assume?) show with Jill Sobule...I don't know who she is but I went to her blog and found her link of the day: They're Coming to Your Town

Really? What people spend their time on...

motivationally challenged

1. remove big TV from home - no TV this summer!
2. count-down till May 1st: 22 days (!)
3. admire stylish green clothing designs (see right)

carkeek stroll

I got distracted by taking pictures today and almost got blocked in by the rising tide (and ended up landing on my already-broken knees as I slid on slimy rocks while trying to race the water). Lesson #1 in reclaiming my love for the outdoors: Pay Attention!

Boise & Babies

It's Friday night and I just got back from project leader training in Boise. I met all six of my project leaders for my program, and I'm left feeling exhilarated. It's the dream job I was hoping for, with so much possibility. There's been lots of shit over the last four months, but meeting everyone - all the pls, plus the boise and charlestown staff was great. Everyone is so nice, and it's great to have faces to all the people I have been talking with all this time.

I'm going to be learning to lead better by encouraging others to lead better. I'm so excited - not to mention how much I'm absorbing and learning as I go. I'm inspired - I want to do the best jop and be fantastic support for these people. And I already feel like I've learned from them as well. They are going to teach me how to be a better leader, while they look to me to do the same. How cool is that?

I'm liking traveling too, but tonight's flight SUCKED. It was really bumpy the whole way - I get so ridiculous - I felt like I was going to die, kept mantras going like "smooth," and "I'm on a train, the tracks are bumpy," trying to remember the Chicago trains I rode when I commuted. I was next to an older man from Madrid - he's the VP of Nicklaus Something or Other, Jack Nicklaus the golfer's companies. He also owns two golf courses, too, one in the South of Spain and one on an island in the mediterranean. Crazy. He was nice though, and helped me get through the rough flight.

I had a great walk in Boise along the greenbelt - a path behind the hotel along the snake river. You walk out of the hotel in the back, and if you turn left and walk 45 minutes on the paved path you are in downtown Boise. To the right is almost immediately a dirt/sand path, very windy with frequent small sandy and rock beaches. It was so pretty - very peaceful. It inspired me to walk more. I'm also really thinking about having kids in the Fall, so I'm especially getting motivated to get my body in shape for carrying a child.

Speaking of babies, Becky is pregnant! She's due in November - Matt called me today. I'm so happy for them both. Jenny's also due any day now - the 16th I believe. New babies in the family!

m