Pima Air Museum Trip

I've promised I'd write about my time in Tucson, and I've been very lazy getting the details of the trip out and to my public!  But as I sit here I am filled with warmth just remember the sunshine that we were fortunate to soak up.  Cuz, in Seattle, there's not much sunshine to be soaking. At least not until July 5th - for those non Seattle type folks, the standing joke in Seattle is the sun comes out the day after the 4th of July. That's when summer starts. Supposedly.

Right, back to the air museum. 

On my "bucket list" for lack of a better cliche to use, has been to visit the airplane graveyard in Tucson.  We've driven past it a number of times, and I always want to shout "STOP the car." and jump out to shoot these amazing old airplane set out to pasture.  If you're a child of the 80's and you watched the movie Can't Buy me Love, this graveyard is in the move.  Anyhow, in all the years I've been going to Tucson, I've never had a chance to go see it.

This was the year. The graveyard is connected to the Pima Air & Space Museum, so we decided that would be close enough since we didn't have clearance to get into the graveyard.

Upon entering the museum we were greeted by the local squirrels - I think they were called Round Tail ground squirrels or prairie dogs or something like that.

They didn't seem at all afraid of humans.  I could have stood there and shot a bunch of photos of this creature, but I had planes to see.

The museum has several hangers that house some WWII planes and then some other really cool planes. SSIL went off to do the walking tour of the WWII planes, while BigBro and I started our photography adventure.

We didn't start at the Tomcat fighter, but it was definitely one of my favorites. Besides BigBro being BigBro - it was awesome to get up close and see the insides of this fighter.  You really have to be a small person to fit into these planes.

My favorite plane of all times was on display there. The Lockheed SR71 Blackbird! Woof.  I have some fond memories of my younger years in LandScatter, CA of the SR71 being test flown over our little town. So sleek, so powerful.  Unfortunately, it was hard to get a good photo of it being that we couldn't get above it.

Outside the hangers was where the real fun began. 300 airplanes and helicopters on display.  We saw them all. AND we got on the tram and had a nice veteran tell us all about the airplanes on the lot.  Here are a few of my favorites.

The NASA SuperGuppy Cargo

The plane the Iran hostages came home on.



The rest of my photos are here if you feel so inclined to see a bunch of cool planes.

One Year Ago Today

How life changes? A year ago today I was let go...okay let's say it... gulp...fired...from my job.  I wasn't miserable. I wasn't sad. I wasn't afraid of what was ahead of me. Instead I was relieved.  It was because I lacked all those other emotions that I knew it was the cosmic shove I needed to move on.

While I'll never agree with their reasoning or their logic, I actually am glad they did move me out of there.  I'm in such a better place now. I work in a team that I adore, right down to the fierce chinchilla.  This team values me and what I bring to the table.  I feel welcomed and smart and with it almost every day.

Still I look back and wonder how different life would have been for me if I had stayed.  Would I have ever gotten the courage to move on? Would I have ever made more $$? (Unlikely) I certainly wouldn't have learned as much about myself as I have in the last year.  So I guess indirectly I should thank the Vampires for releasing me from their grip.

And now I'm facing 100 days off to fulfill the contract obligations for Hotel Californiasoft.  And as I get closer to those days off I find I'm excited about them.  I'm not worried financially...I've planned for it after all...though I will have to pull out and dust off my frugal hat...if I even have one.  I've started making a list of all the things I want to do in those 100 days.  The FC (Fierce Chinchilla) gave me some GREAT advice today and recommended I take full advantage of this StayCation. "How often in our adult lives do we get summer off?" she asked.  And she's right.

Here are a few things I plan on doing. If you have any suggestions, please share them with me.

1. Organize and categorize photos
2. Re-organize scrapbook paper
3. Scrapbook...get caught up
4. Photography. Photography. Photography.
5. Take a couple of day trips and see the Seattle area (assuming gas prices will allow for this).
6. Paint the downstairs bathroom.
7. Clean out the garage (its mostly clean)
8. Go through clothes and give to goodwill
9. Take photos of household items for renters insurance purposes
10. Organize and work on all my new recipes
11. Read and study some marketing books.
12. Read

and the list goes on...

I did just spend last weekend in Tucson and I plan on sharing with you my adventures and photos.  Maybe tomorrow I'll get around to it. In the meantime you can enjoy this photo of Count Beau of Hershey and his obsession.

The Sound of Sunshine....

Officially, in 45 days I will begin my 100 day break. I won't make you do the math, that's June 3rd. That'll be my last day on the job for 100 days then I get to come back to the same job. Woohoo! I am putting together a list of things to do and read for 100 days. And I gotta tell ya, I may need more than 100 days. There's a lot to get done.

Other exciting news is Blueberry turned a year older. Yesterday was her real birthday, but we all celebrated on Saturday at Chez Jenn's. A great group of people showed up in their best cowboy outfits (well some of them). 

You can take the girl out of the country....but you can't take the country out of the girl.  Blueberry doesn't look a day older than 39...though she is by a couple of years!

I'm addicted to making cupcakes for birthdays etc. They're easier and way cuter than a cake. The them was Hoedown so I found me some cowboy boot candles.  I thought they were so darn cute.  

I don't know what happens to people at my house. They get crazy. Must be something in the water.

Left to Right: Me, Claudia, BigBro, Packing Laurie, Seattle SIL, Blueberry, The Family, SuzyMooney and the Fiance. Nuts, the whole lot of them.

After the adventure of Blueberry's birthday, which, BTW, everyone was gone by 9:15pm - it's like we're getting old or something - I took a photography class on Sunday morning.

I've been shooting photos for years. Seriously shooting for about 10 years. In 2000 I took a photography refresh course. The guy who taught it looked JUST like Santa Claus..no lie. I decided recently I was tired of the "lucky" shot and wanted to get involved with my actual shooting. Seriously thinking about what I was trying to take a photo of and set up the shot like a real photographer. LivingSocial had a coupon for 1/2 off a photo class that was designed about getting to know your camera. So I jumped on it.

Last Sunday I headed out to find this rather sketchy building with a photography studio tucked inside. The instructor has been shooting photos for 25 years and had I not seen some of his photos I might not have bought the class.  It was a GREAT class. A nice refresher course about aperture and shutter speed. And believe it or not, I actually had a few "a-ha" moments. I found this button on my camera called the "depth of field preview" which allows you to see how much of your shot will be in focus.  Hallelujah!

After the class, I met Packing Laurie for a photo shoot at the Conservatory in Volunteer Park in Seattle (after we had a good brunch at Easy Joe's first).  We spent about 2 hours wondering through and shooting photos of flowers, cactus, and other misc plants we didn't know what they were.

I was trying to really think about what I was shooting and composing each shot instead of randomly shooting. I would, frequently, fall into the "just keep shooting" thought and would drag myself back. I did pretty good. I had a few focus issues and a few depth of field missteps, but I think I did okay. You can see them all here, but I've put my favorites below.

In other exciting news, I head to Tucson on Thursday night with BigBro and SSIL. We're off to help celebrated dad's birthday on Saturday. It'll be nice to get some vitamin D ...they have this thing down there called the "sun". I can't wait to see what that's all about. We don't have that here in the great Northwest.

100 Days of Vacation

Many of you know, but some of you don’t, that I’ll be taking 100 days off work here very soon. Why 100 days you ask? Well sit back and let me tell you a tale.

In the 90’s Hotel Californiasoft got sued by a few contract employees who, apparently, forgot they were “contract”. They claimed they were working for YEARS on a contract and were not getting any of the Hotel Californiasoft benefits. Class action lawsuit followed and Hotel Californiasoft lost (well we all lost really). So to avoid this all contract employees of a certain identity (we call them a dash) must take 100 days off after completing a 365 day contract.

And so, my 365 is coming up very soon. The bosses asked me if I’d consider taking the 100day break a month earlier than planned so I could return earlier.

Wait. Go back.

Did you read that?

So. I. Could. RETURN!!!

Yes that’s right, they’ve asked me to come back and work for them again. You can’t see it but I’m doing the happy dance.

Right, so what this means for my future is I need to come up with something to do with myself for 100 days. In typical project management fashion, I started a list. That list will be put to a schedule of some sort.



While I’m not financially looking for to having 100 days without pay (other than unemployment), I’m THRILLED that I get to come back to this job. It feels good to be in a place that values you and because of that you want to work harder and do better. A big sigh of relief considering where I was just a year ago.

The down side to taking the 100 day break before the original plan throws a wrench in the financially planning. Still it’s doable and it’ll teach me how to be a bit more frugal. And *gasp* I might have to eat leftovers.

In other exciting Jenn news, the cookbooks made it in! They are beautiful. One typo found already, but who cares. I ordered 200 cookbooks and have only 73 left, so if you want your cookbook (and you’ve not already contacted me) you’d better contact me. I’m selling them for a minimum donation of $10. And let me tell you they are worth that and more. Much more!

Let's see what else?

Last Sunday was Sunday Dinner. I decided it would be fun to die Easter eggs so I asked folks to bring eggs and their creativity. Which really meant just us girls in the kitchen dying Easter eggs and generally giggling a lot. Quite the fun was had by all.

The little chickens, I mean eggs before. You'll notice the one has a crack already in it. By the end of the night, he'd have company.

The prep work. Getting all our cups in a row for the filling of dye.

So colorful. I'm happy to report that not very much of the dye ended up on the floor, on my hands or on my clothing.

Some of the finished products. We're clever aren't we?

My rabbit ear wouldn't stay up. It was so sad.

Ahhh...such beautiful eggs.

I think they must have drank the Kool-aid.

Back row: Larissa (Niece's GF), Niece, HikerGirl, SSIL, Blueberry

Front row: Me (barely), BigBro, Mrs. Braspir, Mr. Braspir, ChickenLady

I know him by heart

So dating update. It’ll be brief. Sadly.

I was going to cancel my eHarmony account. I missed the cancellation date by one day and they will not refund my money. I should have read the Terms & Conditions a bit closer.  Lesson learned.

I decided since I paid for it, I might as well just stick with it. Prior to the account renewing I was getting one or two – maybe – new matches a week. Sad. And unfortunate considering how much $$ eHarmony cost. And of those matches, very few were "matches" if you know what I mean.

The day AFTER my renewal I got 67 new matches. Sixty-seven? Really. That many “new” guys signed up? I think not. I think eHarmony controls the # of matches you get and they hook you in with the hope that comes along with getting a new match – or 67 new matches.

And so, I approached this new set of matches with a different eye. A cynical eye maybe, but different. I approached it statistically instead of emotionally. I figured, statistically speaking, if I sent my “questions” to get the communication started to all 67, odds were in my favor that one, just one would respond. At least one. And if I didn't I'd just stick my head in the ground and never ever come out again.

I couldn’t, in good conscious, just randomly send my questions though. That would be unfair and misleading. I had to put some limit on it. So if the match was taller than 5’6” then he got my questions.

I sent 58.

That was two days ago.

I got two responses.

One guy in SeaTac sent me an “icebreaker” then apparently cancelled it and closed the match because I couldn’t see/do anything with it. Which was fine because SeaTac is a bit far from me.

The second guy answered my questions reasonably well AND provided me his questions. So we shall see.

ll this to really got to the point of this blog post. I know I’m no different than any girl out there in that as I grew up I had dreams and expectations of what the significant other would be like. For example, when I was 7, he had to look and sing like Shawn Cassidy. When I was in college, he had a bit more preppy spin to him. In the end, though, the “person” I’ve created in my heart and mind, I know. And if I were to meet him someday, I would know him.

Yes, I have a list. But its more than that. The emotional imagination isn't something you can write down.

This song I heard years ago while watching Ally McBeal. It’s always stayed with me. I turn to it when I’m feeling a little less than successful in the dating arena. Which is often.

There's a secret path I follow
To a place no one can find
Where I meet my perfect someone
I've kept hidden in my mind
Where my heart makes my decisions
'Till my dream becomes a vision
And the love I feel
Makes him real someday

Cause I know he's out there somewhere
Just beyond my reach
Though I've never really touched him
Or ever heard him speak
Though we've never been together
We've never been apart
No we've never met
Haven't found him yet
But I know him by heart

Am I living an illusion?
Wanting something I can't see
If I compromise, I'd be living lies
Pretending love's not meant to be
Cause I know my heart's worth saving
And I know that he'll be waiting
So I'll hold on and I'll stay strong 'till then

Cause I know he's out there somewhere
Just beyond my reach
Though I've never really touched him
Or ever heard him speak
Though we've never been together
We've never been apart
No we've never met
Haven't found him yet
But I know him by heart
No we've never met
Haven't found him yet
But I know him by heart

Get THEE to a Nunnery

Back in high school a group of us decided to give ourselves holy names. My good friend Mike became Jesus Christ (aka JC), Dean was God, I was Mary Magdalene. Anyhow, I used to joke with JC that I was going to join a convent. He’d quickly point out I’d have to give a vow of silence…and well, we all know how well that’d turn out.

JC used to say to me on a regular basis, “Get Thee to a nunnery.” We’d be leaving study hall and he’d hug me and say, “Get thee to a nunnery.” We’d be sitting in class and he’d pass me a note after I got an answer wrong that would say, ”Get thee to a nunnery.” We’d be at dinner in the dining hall and he’d yell across the crowed hall, “WRASPIR – GET THEE TO A NUNNERY!” It was very endearing.

Years have passed since I used to hear that on a regular basis. I gave up my plans, albeit joking plans, to join a convent. I knew I couldn’t give the vow of silence, chastity and poverty. Whom am I kidding? And let’s not forget, I’m not Catholic.

There’s a point to that story, I promise.

You all know that I’ve been playing the gambling game on eHarmony. And I’ve not had a good experience yet. In fact, I was getting so few that I thought maybe I should just cancel the subscription - which I planned to do. Then got side tracked and didn’t. ONE day late in cancelling and they charged my credit card and won’t refund me.
I figured, “Fine! I’ll just stick it out for another 3 long months.”
The DAY after I renewed I got 67 matches.

67 matches! Wow. The odds are pretty good that in those 67 I could find a date. You’d think?

So I responded to about half of those 67 matches. Removing anyone who couldn’t be bothered to even write what they were looking for in a relationship or a woman. I mean really, if you’re going to join at least put something in those boxes indicating that you may not know yet, but are thinking about it. Putting, something like, “breathing” isn’t exactly attractive. Amusing, maybe, but not something that makes me want to send a note. Although at this rate, my requirements for a date may just be “breathing”.

So I sent questions to 30+ matches. Not one response.

Let me say that again, “not ONE response.”

None.


Nada.


Nothing.


Zip.

And so discouraged I’ve got the yellow pages open looking up convents. Maybe there’s a convent for Mustang driving nuns? Actually, if – er I mean when – I get my convertible, the habit would keep my hair from getting messy. And I look good in black and white. Slimming color black.