Big News

Really? I haven't posted since June? Wow. Well I bet I know why I haven't posted, it is because I have been working on my thesis and I am pleased to announce it is finished!!!

After many days glued to my chair, chained to my computer and much badgering by loved ones, the thesis, Planned Unit Developments, Public Participation and Planning: The Case of Spring Mountain, is complete. (Should you ever want to read it, and I am not sure why you would it can be found at the UNR library)

I must admit that I am sort of proud of myself. There were moments of serious doubt if I was going to be able to finish this and it feels really good to know that I did. Who knows maybe one day I'll go back to school again . . . not any time soon.

Other good news includes Samy. He has completed his PhD and is officially Dr. Samy. What, what we have a doctor and a master. Celebrate!

Two things . . .

Alright two things that are worthy of blogging about:

1. I got my camera fixed
2. I baked bread

Yeah, yeah, I know, not the most exciting thing to blog about but to me it is exciting.

With that I present to the world photos of the bread:


This bread is the first of many loaves that I intend to bake. It is sort of special in two different ways. The first is that Samy gave me this awesome baking stone and amazing bread baking book for Christmas that I have only now got around to using. The second is that the bread was made for a silent auction fundraiser for a co-worker who is very sick. The bread was part of a basket that included five different kinds of homemade jams (all made with Montana plums and pears) and three loaves of herb bread (made with organic and Montana ingredients).

I have to toot my own horn here, I didn't think the basket would be bid on when I showed up with it as there were some amazing items, but it sold for $45! I am glad that someone purchased it and the money is going to a good cause.

Now that I have my camera back and in working order here are a few more pictures of the bread and one of the lovely San Juan Islands at sunset.

Return

Back from the land of Zion and I have a mission (get it?). Can you guess what it is?

Thesis Completion.

I made a promise that I have to keep and this promise is keeping me up at night, writing and thinking. I am in a serious pinch, sort on time and stressing, but yet strangely calm.

Strange post for strange times.

Let The Fun Begin!

Dateline: March 25, 2009 approximately 6:00pm at the Playfair Park.

It was snowing literally on the verge of a white out and I am on my way to play in the opening game of Spring League Ultimate. That's how we roll in the Big Sky: Rain, snow, sleet, or shine we play.

We are team Evel Knievel! We have no fear, we drink beer, and cheer. Yeah that's right a rhyme.

I honestly don't recall the last time I played in an opening game of Spring League where it felt like I was playing inside a snow globe. It was perhaps one of the funnest games that I have played in. That may be a direct result of the team I am playing with. We have a great mix of skill levels and enthusiasm. Besides, how much more fun can it get when you play on a team named in honor of one of Montana's best? Oh that's right: Capes-yep we have capes. Red, white and blue baby!

Thus far we are 1-0. I will try to keep folks up to date on the ultimate happenings but for now. . .

Butte, Butte, its where we make our home, Evel Knievel broke thirty-seven bones (Repeat to full vocal loudness then go play ultimate).

Tale of the Office Chair

Once upon a time a young woman went to work in an office. She found her desk, sat in her chair, familiarized herself with her surroundings. The young lady went diligently to work producing documents, typing, helping the public and a variety of other tasks. As the weeks went by she slipped into a routine that included sitting at her desk in her chair. She began to notice that her shoulders hurt every day during and after work. She tried to adjust her work space, but no relief could she find.

One day she asked the office manager about ergonomic assessments for the work place. The young lady had heard somewhere in the office that they were available. These assessments seemed to be all the rage throughout the work world so she figured she'd try one on for size in an attempt to easy the pain in her shoulders. The office manager scoffed and made snide remarks but finally relinquished the information about getting an assessment. Forward thinking as the young lady was she made the mistake of asking about replacing chairs or purchasing her own. The office manager again laughed and scowled as she responded that the chairs for the upstairs office must match all the others. It was a blatant no that the young professional could not purchase her own chair for fear the public would notice that it did not match the others.

Contemplating her next move the young woman, mulled over her options, jumped through the hoops of bureaucracy to receive her ergonomic assessment, but when the day finally came, the young woman had two days before switched offices, desks, and chairs. Nothing was the same, nor was the situation better. The assessment was given, but no real answers for relief were divulged. Having enough of the run around the young woman did her own research on chairs; she found what appeared to be the answer to her pain.

With the new chair purchased, she brought it to work one day. Eyes and skeptical looks followed her as she walked in with the chair. She ignored them all, went to her desk and started work as usual. When the day came to an end, she assembled her new chair, tried it out and went home. As the week progressed the young woman heard murmurs and chatter about the new chair. She ignored them, wanting only to do her work. Finally a fellow office worker approached her and asked her about the chair and the young woman simply replied that she had solved her shoulder pain problem and found a chair that allowed her to stretch and work on her posture. More questions followed, more skepticism; eventually the murmurs quieted, people left her alone and life returned to normal.

The young woman thought to herself about the strange occurrences and realized:

• Office people are bored and find anything not routine vastly interesting.
• Challenging the long term office manager makes for good personal as well as office entertainment.
• Does it really matter what you sit on as long as you are getting your work done and not in pain?

Moral of the story - A simple chair can cause quite a ruckus in your work place. You have been warned.

What's Going On In The Neighborhood

Economic recession, be lucky you have a job. Common phrase that you hear almost everyday one the news on at work around the water cooler. I wasn't really concerned about it until just the other week. Montana is-was predicted to be a few months behind the curve on all these national down turns (housing, recession, job loss) and that seemed to be holding true until about a month ago that is when the local papers started running stories about the few local employers who provide good living wages, started laying people off. Add to this a recent walk around downtown, but let me premise this: Missoula has a pretty solid and thriving main street filled with small independently owned businesses. In the last few weeks I have seen a few stores close their doors. Not a good sign, but a sign.

The up side of these businesses closing or moving locations (some of whom have) is that it opens up the spaces for new business, if folks can afford to take the risk. One area of business that could use some competition is restaurants. Indian, Persian, Greek, anything ethnic and not taco or pizza related or chain oriented would be very much appreciated in this community. Seriously folks we don't have an Indian restaurant here and I am dying for some naan and good spicy food. Not sure why we don't have one of any of the aforementioned ethnic eateries or why we have like 15 taco places in town (really-taco oriented food this far north?) I would settle for a good Norwegian or German place at this point, something to break up the monotony.

With that I am scheming up a plan to convince my boyfriend to move here and open up a world food restaurant that would cater to these varieties (more likely what we can cook: Persian, Thai, Italian, bread and sweets) and just be different. For some reason folks in this town like to eat out and when they do, they enjoy themselves. Good mix right?

Realistically it is probably better that another generation gets to experience the economic crunch in the hopes that it will put things in perspective. Let's hope. I know that what I learned from growing up on the tail end of the 1980s and the early 1990s is that you should save your money, put it in safe (conservative), good returning rate accounts and be happy with what you have.

I think it is time to get with it folks and realize that you can not, no matter how good the deal looks, live above your means.

The soap box is officially put away.
I have dismounted the high horse.
Recognition that I don't know it all, recognized.

One More Day

I have to admit that I have been giddy all weekend long, why you may ask? Because on January 20, 2009 America gets her new president and a batch of new hope. This is an amazing time to be experiencing.

Things are going to change in this country, but only if only all of us get together and make it happen. We have to be willing to put time and effort in that it is going to take to make change happen. I think we have a great leader at the helm and many, many new faces who are not going to stand by and let things continue the way they have for the past eight years. There is a new generation of motivated, educated, and willing people to see this through. Let us all continue the momentum that was started with the primaries, carried through the election and now into the future.

For a touch of inspiration take a listen to Wil.i.am's new video:



Great sound track for the many days of change that are ahead.

Obama, Obama, Obama!

Happy New Year - Let's Hope its a good one.

Another year has begun and man what a way to start it off. I was fortunate enough to sneak in an adventure before and after this New Year started by driving to Spokane, Washington on a one lane road over Lookout Pass in what has to be the crappiest road conditions ever-packed snow and ice on the road and semis-ponder this for a moment-yep it sucked, but was exhilarating at the same time.

During this fun little adventure I came to the conclusion that Montana has only one snow plow for the entire western half of the state. I counted one; yes one, plow truck during my drive to and from Spokane. For contrast, in Idaho (you have to drive through the panhandle of Idaho and then in to Washington) as soon as you come off of the summit of Lookout on the Idaho side I saw three snowplow trucks spraying deicer, this was just on the way to Spokane. On the return trip from Spokane to Missoula, I saw seven; count them seven plow trucks in Idaho keeping the roads free and clear of snow and ice. Guess how many I saw in Montana, none until I was about 35 minutes outside of Missoula. Nuts, but on the bright side my winter driving skills are improving significantly.

The rest of the New Year adventure was spent living it up in Whitefish, Montana skiing, drinking beer, and hanging in good company: Sarah and Samy, oh yeah and Brown and Yellow dog. The skiing was epic! I mean how does it get any better than thigh deep untouched powder all day long (mind you I am a wuss and only skied half day, then took my self to the lodge bar)? And to top it off cross country skiing in Glacier National Park the next day under blue bird skies.

I can't think of a better way to start the New Year than spending it outside and with good friends. Cheers to 2009!