For Crying Out Loud...Post Something Already!!

Alright, it has officially been too long to try to explain why we (I) haven't posted anything since Oct. 19th. The burden of job hunting, tending to a sick dog, hiking, running, climbing, and exploring a lot, and generally just forgetting about the importance of connecting with my family and friends...oops, sorry!

Over the past month and a half, Lindsay and I have certainly learned a lot about ourselves. The first thing we learned is that we can't be away from the East Coast for more than 3 or 4 mos. before we start going mad. Thus our decision to come back to our beloved state of VT at the end of this month. Yes, we were planning on skipping out on winter for one year, but the lure of familiarity, the necessity of friends, and my (Chris') wanting to get back to the job and co-workers I love so much facilited a decision to move back sooner than later. This decision, however, is not a direct reflection or measurement of the fun we've had thus far. We've had the opportunity to visit the Oregon Coast, Smith Rock (more times than both of us are willing to share!), farms, hidden lakes, waterfalls, publics markets, concerts, etc, etc.

Our trip back East will, no doubt, be a more expediant one, as we both are trying to get home to start work immediately following the new year. So, barring anything crazy (bigfoot, alien abductions, eruptions of megavolcanoes), we will be leaving on the 25th and arriving back in VT on the 30th. 5 days to drive a lot, visit minimally, and rack up more miles on our car...lovely.


See you back east, and happy travels!

Repudiate, Repudiate, Repudiate!

How many times did that Monkey, McCain use that word in one sentence during his weak debate with Senator Obama the other night...four or five times?

Anyway, it's been a while since either one of of us posted an update...truth is, nothing really monumental has happened. And that's not necessarily a negative thing, though, getting a job would've been reason enough to post. But alas, I am still waiting in the stale wind of Eugene's negative job market turbine. Really folks, how many jobs must a person apply to before he/she elicits even the slightest response...40, 50 job applications?! I've lowered my standards greatly in search of this elusive jackal called "job", and the fact is, I think employers think I'm joking or something when they receive my resume. In all seriousness, I am willing to shovel shit, or pick up trash, and wear a monkey suit for some corporation (e.g. Starbucks, PetSmart) in exchange for a non-liveable wage. Perhaps it is a joke, perhaps I have deep-seeded desires to see how much diginity and pride I will swallow in order make a buck...ha, the almighty buck. Being over-qualified and non-employable is a real impetus, folks...like having a terminal illness.

In other news, we've begun going to Bikram's Yoga. Hot Yoga...105 degrees of hot, sweaty and slick yoga. I think we're hooked, but I also think we're being duped by the almight yogi.

The weather has taken the initial turn toward what is "regular fall weather" here in Eugene--damp, overcast, chilly, rainy. Kinda reminds us of New England, though we don't feel as at home here.

Mabel has eaten another one of her beds, which has left her with nothing to sleep on again. A gentleman we met the other day at Terwilliger Hot Springs mentioned that our little girl might have some anxiety around attachment. YOU THINK?! She cries like a sheep getting slaughtered anytime we leave, and she sticks to us like glue anytime she thinks we're about to go somewhere.

Time for yoga, more later...

Eugene...finally

So we're here in Eugene, and all is well, except I haven't found a job...yet. I won't harp a lot about it, but the jobn market out here isn't so good. Substitute teaching will begin soon, but there is some red tape that needs to be handled before I begin.

The new Sacred Heart Hospital that Lindsay is employed at is pretty freakin' phenomenal. It was just built, and from what we heard, $10 million dollars was spent to make this place far surpass anyone's expectations of what a nice facility should look like. The place looks like a ski resort, no joke.

Anyway, before we arrived in Eugene, we spent a nice long week down on the southern Oregon coast soaking up some sun (and a little rain), relaxing on the beach, making S'mores over a campfire, and sleeping under the stars.

Check out the link below for the pictures from that week.

http://picasaweb.google.com/chrisduca34/OregonCoast#

Veggies of Unusual Size

Had it not been for work, I don't think Lindsay and would have returned today from Oregon. It was that good.

Last Thursday, Lindsay and I piled our usual assortment of gear, clothes, food, and some odds-and-ends into our Subaru and traveled the 5.5 hours down to Bend, Oregon for a few days of climbing with Drew the Cougar Hunter, laughing, R&R, and some good ol' fashion farm work on Jim and Jessi's farm--Big Star Farm.

Minutes after we arrived on Thursday evening, we helped pick veggies for their CSA members. Friday was spent chasing the shade and climbing some amazing trad routes on the backside of Smith Rock. Saturday, we awoke, climbed at Smith again, then headed back to Jim and Jessi's for the 2nd annual Big Star Farm Harvest Party. Adult beverages were swilled, loud noises were made, Gandalf the Grey made an appearance, veggies of unusual size were raffled off, and a dance party ensued as a pretty heavy East Coast contingent was very present. Sunday--recovery from Saturday's activities, plus a short float down the Deschutes River through Bend. And Monday we drove home, packed up the rest of our home-on-wheels, made dinner, then walked Lindsay to work.

News Flash!! "Only 3 days left in Tacoma, then we're off to Eugene, Oregon for another 3 months!!"

Talk about winter destinations has begun...ideas and rumors are afloat about living in a state that has tried numerous times to secede from the union...hmmm...

Check out the cornucopia of pictures from the long weekend by clicking on the link below:
http://picasaweb.google.com/chrisduca34/BigStarFarmHarvestParty2008#

Nurses gone wild!!

Check out what the paparazzi caught on film while two nurses visited Vancouver, BC last weekend!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/chrisduca34/VancouverBC#

Tacoma Slideshow

Click the link below for some random pics of some random things I found around Tacoma the other day.

http://picasaweb.google.com/chrisduca34/TacomaWAAndOurApartment#

Good Things to Come

Just sitting here at the One Heart Cafe in Tacoma, enjoying our last week or so, absorbing what remains to be absorbed of thi town of concrete, pulp mills, and eccentricity. We have mixed emotions about our stay here. Mostly, we are glad to be leaving what has become the very anti-thesis of us. Getting anywhere is a hassle, and our Vermonter attitudes have been majorly compromised and masked. However, we've met a group of people in our little apartment complex that have truly helped this otherworldly transition. They and their dogs have been nothing less than warm and friendly, humorous and sincere. Funny that we've found a small slice of the Vermont we love right here in an apartment living atmosphere.
Lindsay is ready for a change of work venue. In the three months at TG, she hasn't really found anyone (save for one person, I think?) that she can totally relate to. I think the consensus is, there are many people who aren't too friendly in the Tacoma healthcare industry.

Realizing we're moving to a much smaller town with a different progressive slant on things, we're hoping for a better experience. One that offers Lindsay a fresher outlook on nursing, and one that enlivens the travel bugs in our shoes.

Pictures will be posted later today...