Oops, well, it has been forever since I have written. Honestly, I just don't remember that I have a blog because I talk to people so much now and I don't feel as much of a need to write stuff down. Most of my family and friends already know what i am up to for the most part. But anyway, that is never quite true.

I am in Billings, MT, visiting Will. It has been tons of fun, but I unfortunately fly out tomorrow morning at 6am, and then head straight to work. Oh well, it will be fine. I flew into Billings last Thursday night (after a nice 2 hour delay in Denver, so it was really Friday morning). Then we got up early on Friday and went rafting with Will's mom Karen, Will's stepsister Erica, and Will's step grandma, Marion. It was a lot of fun and exciting, and kinda wet. Then Will and I took off and headed straight to Bozeman, where we immediately left and headed up to Will's step mom's cabin in the Seeley Lake area. It was so beautiful! The house is literally right on the lake and it a very nice place with all amenities and such. We went hiking, went out on the lake, played games, watched movies, and I got bit by bugs. I don't know if anyone else did, but Will didn't! What can I say, bugs like me. Monday morning we headed back to Bozeman, and then Will and I played golf for my very first time!! It was fun and I learned a ton. I guess I didn't do too badly for my first time, but still. I can't believe that people play so much farther and so many more holes than we did. We only did 6 holes and my hands were killing me. Oh, and I got a hat. :)
So, then we headed out to Billings and we had a nice dinner and a movie last night. By the way, "Failure to Launch" was not a good movie. Ugh.

Anyway, I had better go take advantage of my time here!

First Day of Work

Hi, sorry it has been awhile.

Today was my first day at Prometheus Energy. It went well. I met people... there are going to be 8 or 9 summer interns who are all about my age, and I think there are 6 of us now (more coming in June). I was shown around and saw the warehouse where they build things, etc. Very interesting stuff, and really a very good company. They seem to have strong values and are building toward what I consider to be a noble goal (renewable energy from waste gas).
I am learning about active magnetic regenerative refrigeration, and then I will be numerically solving partial differential equations to test some ideas out, I think. It is all exciting, though I have a LOT to learn yet.

As many of you already know and I am relearning, working for 9 hours with a 45 min to hour long commute on each end of the day doesn't leave much time for anything else if I want to get enough sleep to make it through the next day. And since I am training for the marathon this October (for which I am officially registered), I have to run or cross train every evening. One thing that is VERY lucky is that Mom and Elroy make dinner a lot of the time (though I will certainly help out... mostly with dishes). I clearly need to learn how to get by on less sleep if I want to do anything else with my life besides work and running!

Leading the blind...

I have to take a shuttle from U Maryland to the College Park metro, which is nice and free. I have noticed recently that if I get on the shuttle almost immediately after my last class, two blind people are usually on the shuttle also. I have also noticed that the older guy gets along pretty well and the younger girl probably does too, but she usually has people around helping her. People often help the guy too. One time I helped the girl make her way onto the shuttle (her dog doesn't seem to help her a whole lot). Today a girl was there and helped her get on the shuttle, but then must have had something else to do and didn't get on the shuttle. A lot of times when the blind girl (her name is Olivia) gets on the shuttle, people considerately move out of the way so that she can sit right in front in the (aptly named) disabled sitting. Today everyone just kind of looked at her. So, she slowly made her way down the shuttle, feeling the seats. One girl moved out of the way, but SILENTLY, so Olivia had no way of knowing that someone was moving for her. She finally sat down next to a guy (who also didn't attempt to help her). Yes, you are right, I didn't do anything either, but I was at the back of the bus. I was getting ready to help her when she sat down. Then, people were getting off the shuttle at the metro and everyone just passed right by her. One girl stopped and admired her dog, but didn't offer to help. Now one thought I might have had was that she has probably been blind for awhile and can take care of herself, maybe would even RATHER take care of herself. But she was clearly bumbling around hoping for someone to help her out.
Anyway, I went back and helped her and we had a nice conversation on the metro ride till she went off her way.
Now, I understand fence-sitting all too well. I can see both sides of every situation quite well, and often have a tough time committing to one side. I consider this situation to be a type of fence-sitting because people weren't being rude by any means, but weren't willing to speak up and do anything to help. BUT, when a person is literally in front of you and needs help, I can't imagine that your first thought isn't to help them.

Anyone Out There?

Well. I don't even really know if people read this anymore, or if they ever did, but especially now since I have been bad about updating it.

Anyway, perhaps I will write for myself. Not sure why, but perhaps I will.

So. These are the last two weeks of classes, with my first final next Thursday. Then I have one at 8am on Saturday, and then on the following Wednesday. I would like to emphasize the one at 8 am on Saturday morning. That is mean for anyone, but in particular for me since I will have to leave my place around 6:45am to safely get there in time. Ack.

Jen moved out last Wednesday into her own cute little studio in Foggy Bottom. I look forward to how she will decorate it because she is so good at things like that. It is already cute with these really nice sheets on her bed. It has inspired me to have nicer looking household things... but, I am about to move, so all this inspiration will have to be put on hold until next fall. And by then it will be gone.

David visited this weekend and it was lots of fun. We toured lots and went to a number of places I hadn't been, or at least hadn't been for 10 years. We went to the American History museum, the Archives, and other places. All the basics plus some bonuses. It was great to catch up and talk about stuff. Really just stuff. I have noticed that I really like talking with my Whitman friends. I don't know whether it is because I know them better than other people I end up talking with, but in any case, Whitties are really smart and good for discussing things with. I find it very enjoyable and I think I am finding that people in general don't have that skill. Whitties also tend to be nicer and more considerate. But I'm not biased or anything.


On another note, marathon training started yesterday. It's not like I was sitting on my butt until yesterday, but it is a definite change in mentality for me. Previously, I would try to run regularly and mostly succeed, but with no specific goal in mind other than health, etc. Now, I have a training schedule and I am hoping to follow it religiously. At least I have so far (2 days)! Oh, the marathon I am training for is the Marine Corps Marathon, October 29th. It will be my first marathon, though I have many years of running and what they call ultra running under my belt. Ooo, I sound hardcore.

Summer News

Let's see, in the last month, Mom and Elroy have visited, Will's mom and step dad visited, and Jen is currently living with us while she finds an apartment. So, visits alone have kept us fairly busy, but it has been so much fun to see everyone!

In other news, I found a job for this summer in Seattle. I will be a Jr. Scientist for Prometheus Energy in South Seattle. The company takes waste methane gas, such as is found in landfills and abandoned wells, and converts it into useful liquid natural gas which can be used in place of diesel if the vehicle is converted. I will be working on something related I think. I am very excited about all of this for lots of reasons, but a big reason is the fact that I will get to be a part of a company that is actually DOING something to help the environment in a meaningful, tangible way. Not only is this energy source renewable, but in making it, it actually helps reduce pollution because it is made from pollution. Also, I will be using my physics and math skills. So. Very exciting.

It has also come to my attention that I need to start training for the Marine Corps Marathon (October 29th) very soon. The first week of May. I mean, I already run pretty regularly, but that is when I HAVE to run. Also need to be training for the Epic around Mt. Hood anyway.

Spring Break

I think it has been awhile since the last time I wrote, but there is not a whole lot to report.

Jen came and visited and that was fun! She was looking for an apartment and taking in DC once again. She will be coming back out at the beginning of April to move out here. We will have lots o' fun, no doubt!

I have had a cold for awhile now and it sucks! I thought it was really bad allergies at first, but now I know it is a cold and it sure it dragging out. I am tired of blowing my nose, that is for sure.

Now I am officially on spring break. Right before, I had a test in Numerical Analysis that I don't think went very well. I was very lucky because apparently one of the four questions had the answer in the question and so he ended up throwing it out, but not until way into the test. I am lucky because I hadn't wasted any time on that question and because if he hadn't messed up that question I probably wouldn't have gotten to it anyway. I used to be really good at taking tests, but now I get all stressed out and they are pretty tough.
As for break, I don't really have any plans. I am hoping to finish some homework ahead of time because Mom and Elroy are coming to visit at the end of this week, and I don't want to have homework to do while they are here. I am sure I will find some actually fun things to do also!

The Notebook...

... is so sad!! It took me this long to see what apparently every other girl in the world has already seen. It took Netflix. But anyway, wow. Very emotional. Now my eyeballs hurt.

First Midterms Finished

I had a test in two of my classes on Thursday, marking the occasion of my first tests in graduate school. It was unfortunate that they were on the same day, one immediately after the other, but such is life I suppose. I studied like crazy and got all stressed out beforehand, but I have high hopes that I did well. One test was entirely homework problems, so that one went pretty well, I think. The other I am not as sure about, but I did average at least. I have the first test in my third class in two weeks, and then I will have a better idea of how classes are going this semester.

Needless to say, this weekend is feeling way more free than the last few have felt, having taken care of a few big burdens on my shoulders. But, homework calls even yet! Later!