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!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
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!
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!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Its Snowing . . . Its Time To Travel
Tis the season for snow and traveling. The holiday celebrations are only a few days away and I am getting ready to embark on the fun adventure that is holiday airplane travel. The best part about this adventure is that it is snowing. It has been snowing all weekend long and it has continued to snow today. More snow is on the way, which is great for Missoula, as we don't really get all that much snow in the valley (Missoula is known as the Banana Belt of Montana).
I am head back to the holy land of the intermountain west to visit family and to ski. Oh to ski in the beautiful sugar snow of the Utah Mountains again.
There is however one thing I am not looking forward to, but am trying to keep a positive attitude about: Airplane travel during the holidays. Usually I don't mind flying, but since I have moved to Montana, flying is a bit different. The planes are way smaller, which means no real overhead storage space = everything pretty much has to be checked = expensive.
It is all about the journey and the destination. Have a great holiday season and I promise to post pictures soon!
I am head back to the holy land of the intermountain west to visit family and to ski. Oh to ski in the beautiful sugar snow of the Utah Mountains again.
There is however one thing I am not looking forward to, but am trying to keep a positive attitude about: Airplane travel during the holidays. Usually I don't mind flying, but since I have moved to Montana, flying is a bit different. The planes are way smaller, which means no real overhead storage space = everything pretty much has to be checked = expensive.
It is all about the journey and the destination. Have a great holiday season and I promise to post pictures soon!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
My Morning Run: Now an evening run
It is offical, it gets dark in the Big Sky at 5:00 p.m. Crazy. This means one of two things: you run in the dark in the morning or you run in the dark in the evening. I opted for the latter. Fortunatley I have a running partner who motivates me and vice versus - when we both guilty each other in to going.
It is strange running here though, because in Reno I never felt in danger or scared, but here I do, especially at night. Why you ask, while it is because there are these things called bears and deer. In the local park there have been bear sightings, black all be it, but bear none the less. Bears are big, fast moving when pissed, and can hurt you. Luckily, it is almost time for them to go to sleep for a few months.
Deer on the other hand are still around. Deer are not the brightest animals as demonstrated by the start-stop motion, fake out the drive routine that usually ends up with the poor animal dead on the side of the road. Deer do the same thing when spooked by runners on the trail. They don't really know which way to run. Sometimes they will run toward you, to the side of you, or away from you. Either way they are big and have sharp hooves that can hurt you.
With that I have decided to do one of two things: Join a gym or go running on my lunch hour. I a thinking that the gym will come later in the season when it get to cold to run outside. For now I think I will take my chances with the deer and the bears.
It is strange running here though, because in Reno I never felt in danger or scared, but here I do, especially at night. Why you ask, while it is because there are these things called bears and deer. In the local park there have been bear sightings, black all be it, but bear none the less. Bears are big, fast moving when pissed, and can hurt you. Luckily, it is almost time for them to go to sleep for a few months.
Deer on the other hand are still around. Deer are not the brightest animals as demonstrated by the start-stop motion, fake out the drive routine that usually ends up with the poor animal dead on the side of the road. Deer do the same thing when spooked by runners on the trail. They don't really know which way to run. Sometimes they will run toward you, to the side of you, or away from you. Either way they are big and have sharp hooves that can hurt you.
With that I have decided to do one of two things: Join a gym or go running on my lunch hour. I a thinking that the gym will come later in the season when it get to cold to run outside. For now I think I will take my chances with the deer and the bears.
How Funny
Oh man, life is so funny. Have you ever gone to work and just removed your self from all the drama and politics and just observed your co-workers? It is one of my favorite things to do. People, especially in the office, are funny. We all do some seriously silly shit.
One example: If you had walked in to the office around 4:00 p.m. today you would have seen four, count them four, planners all gathered around a building permit, not speaking, and all looking at one another very confused. Then you would have seen a sudden eruption of chatter as we all once again tried to talk our way out of this permit predicament.
You might ask, "What was all the confusion over?" It was over how to calculate parking or better yet how to interpret the language that is the county code. What fun.
Yes, yes, I know this may not be funny to all, but hey when you work in my field, in MY office, one has to find humor in the littlest things other wise you will go crazy.
Now I know why there are two hit series of the same show, one British and one American, can you guess which show? The Office. No wonder it has been so successful, so many people can relate. Cheers and don't forget to observe the office wildlife sometime, it will be sure to entertain, astound, and perhaps educate you.
One example: If you had walked in to the office around 4:00 p.m. today you would have seen four, count them four, planners all gathered around a building permit, not speaking, and all looking at one another very confused. Then you would have seen a sudden eruption of chatter as we all once again tried to talk our way out of this permit predicament.
You might ask, "What was all the confusion over?" It was over how to calculate parking or better yet how to interpret the language that is the county code. What fun.
Yes, yes, I know this may not be funny to all, but hey when you work in my field, in MY office, one has to find humor in the littlest things other wise you will go crazy.
Now I know why there are two hit series of the same show, one British and one American, can you guess which show? The Office. No wonder it has been so successful, so many people can relate. Cheers and don't forget to observe the office wildlife sometime, it will be sure to entertain, astound, and perhaps educate you.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Real Life - Adjustments or Things I have learned while in Montana
Yes it has been a while since I've posted, largely in part due to the fact that I have to occasionally poach internet and that I can't blog while at work (looks bad when you are still trying to impress the new bosses.)
I am still in Big Sky and it is a mighty beautiful place to be, but it does have some funny quirks about it.
The People:
What I have learned thus far, you are either native Montanan or your from somewhere else and never will be. Sounds a whole lot like Nevada and Alaska. Personally it doesn't matter to me where you are from as long as you share some of the same values or at least are sensitive to the local way of living. But here is the kicker, never ever ever admit or mention that you are from or try to defend California. It is according to so many people here, the worst thing possible. Understandable to some extent, but at the same time everyone comes from somewhere and the honest truth is, they bring money to the local economic. More on this later. A few things on the positive side, the people are very friendly, they are very independent, and very into hunting and sharing of the kill. Hurray for elk meat!
The landscape:
No complaints here. It is an amazing place. There are plenty of lakes, rivers, mountains, and valleys to satisfy even the pickiest of people. By coming back to a place that is surrounded by mountains on all sides, I think I finally figured out what I was missing so bad in the Biggest Little City, valley living. True valley living. I have grown up in valleys my whole life and I love the physical imposition and reminder that it provides. It is very humbling to wake up each morning and look up at some very large and close mountains. Not quite as dramatic as Logan or Ogden, but it does the job.
My career choice:
Rather than term this "the job" I think it is better to examine it from the career perspective. Or perhaps I should just call it "the real world." Okay, we are all warned at some point in our lives about what it will be like when we enter the real world. It will be nothing like home, it will definitely not be like college and we are never truly prepared for it. I agree but beg to differ on this by just one aspect: GRADUATE SCHOOL. The real world is very much like graduate school: politics, people from a wide range of disciplines, deadlines, self motivation, hoops to jump through, new things to learn. I have to say that graduate school is one of the best preparation tools for "the real world." Granted I have yet to finish my thesis (yes I see the irony of deadlines, self motivation, etc) but I am more motivated to do it now than ever. Perspective is all I can say.
Don't get me wrong, I like it out here in the real world, but there are some things can could be improved in the career area of the real world. First negativity. When did it become a rule that you have to be bitter and negative all the time in the work place? I am constantly surrounded by it, but some how I am managing to stay positive. Perhaps it is because I was selective in what I wanted to do with my life, for my career. Or it is the fact that I am passionate about what I do, yes a person can be passionate about planning. Either way I refuse to let the burnt out folks get me down. I am not going to tuck tail just yet.
Secondly, when did/do adults revert back to being six year olds? This comment is a result of all the nit picky crap that goes on in the office. Others may know this as office politics, but seriously, why do people hold grudges over the dumbest things? I understand that in a place like Missoula where good paying jobs are few and far between, and that when there are few opportunities to advance, people try to make themselves look as good as possible, but it is completely irresponsible and very unprofessional for one employee to blame another for mistakes they didn't make or have control over or for that matter to tattle on one another. Come on folks we are all adults. If you have something to say say it and make sure you do it in a way that is correct.
I am still in Big Sky and it is a mighty beautiful place to be, but it does have some funny quirks about it.
The People:
What I have learned thus far, you are either native Montanan or your from somewhere else and never will be. Sounds a whole lot like Nevada and Alaska. Personally it doesn't matter to me where you are from as long as you share some of the same values or at least are sensitive to the local way of living. But here is the kicker, never ever ever admit or mention that you are from or try to defend California. It is according to so many people here, the worst thing possible. Understandable to some extent, but at the same time everyone comes from somewhere and the honest truth is, they bring money to the local economic. More on this later. A few things on the positive side, the people are very friendly, they are very independent, and very into hunting and sharing of the kill. Hurray for elk meat!
The landscape:
No complaints here. It is an amazing place. There are plenty of lakes, rivers, mountains, and valleys to satisfy even the pickiest of people. By coming back to a place that is surrounded by mountains on all sides, I think I finally figured out what I was missing so bad in the Biggest Little City, valley living. True valley living. I have grown up in valleys my whole life and I love the physical imposition and reminder that it provides. It is very humbling to wake up each morning and look up at some very large and close mountains. Not quite as dramatic as Logan or Ogden, but it does the job.
My career choice:
Rather than term this "the job" I think it is better to examine it from the career perspective. Or perhaps I should just call it "the real world." Okay, we are all warned at some point in our lives about what it will be like when we enter the real world. It will be nothing like home, it will definitely not be like college and we are never truly prepared for it. I agree but beg to differ on this by just one aspect: GRADUATE SCHOOL. The real world is very much like graduate school: politics, people from a wide range of disciplines, deadlines, self motivation, hoops to jump through, new things to learn. I have to say that graduate school is one of the best preparation tools for "the real world." Granted I have yet to finish my thesis (yes I see the irony of deadlines, self motivation, etc) but I am more motivated to do it now than ever. Perspective is all I can say.
Don't get me wrong, I like it out here in the real world, but there are some things can could be improved in the career area of the real world. First negativity. When did it become a rule that you have to be bitter and negative all the time in the work place? I am constantly surrounded by it, but some how I am managing to stay positive. Perhaps it is because I was selective in what I wanted to do with my life, for my career. Or it is the fact that I am passionate about what I do, yes a person can be passionate about planning. Either way I refuse to let the burnt out folks get me down. I am not going to tuck tail just yet.
Secondly, when did/do adults revert back to being six year olds? This comment is a result of all the nit picky crap that goes on in the office. Others may know this as office politics, but seriously, why do people hold grudges over the dumbest things? I understand that in a place like Missoula where good paying jobs are few and far between, and that when there are few opportunities to advance, people try to make themselves look as good as possible, but it is completely irresponsible and very unprofessional for one employee to blame another for mistakes they didn't make or have control over or for that matter to tattle on one another. Come on folks we are all adults. If you have something to say say it and make sure you do it in a way that is correct.
On that line of thought the other big lesson that I have learned....
Boundaries:All I can say is know your own, know the political dance and moves boundaries, and be mindful of what and to whom you say it (see the above digest on six year olds in the office.) I am learning that it is by far better to keep you personal life, political views, general comments, and anything else that might jostle the pecking order to your self.
One last thought on what I have learned:
Staying positive is the best thing you can do when entering a new job or space. Remember to be conscious of your actions and reactions. Take care of your body while working an office job as it is completely possible to cause serious damage to your self by sitting on your arse and slouching everyday of the week.
Oh and have a few good friends on speed dial that you can call and say, "Want to get a beer after work?" This will be essential to maintaining your sanity.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
It Happened One Day
Amazing things are happening here in Big Sky: Cold temperatures and snow. Yep you read that right, snow. This morning's commute to work revealed an fantastic view, the top of Lolo Peak covered in the first snow. What a great sight to complement the chilly bite in the air that announced Fall's arrival.
Most of the folks that I work with are complaining and bemoaning the fact that summer has left the valley and that Fall, and soon Winter, will be settling in for a while. But to me I am overjoyed with this fact as Fall and Winter are two of my favorite seasons. I especially love the transitions between them. The best part about this time of year is the fact that you get to pull all of your warm woolly sweaters out of the storage bins and romp around in them (until mid afternoon, then it is to warm to wear wool).
I cannot wait till the winter snows reach the valley floor! Happy Fall everyone!
Most of the folks that I work with are complaining and bemoaning the fact that summer has left the valley and that Fall, and soon Winter, will be settling in for a while. But to me I am overjoyed with this fact as Fall and Winter are two of my favorite seasons. I especially love the transitions between them. The best part about this time of year is the fact that you get to pull all of your warm woolly sweaters out of the storage bins and romp around in them (until mid afternoon, then it is to warm to wear wool).
I cannot wait till the winter snows reach the valley floor! Happy Fall everyone!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)