The Ramblings of Austgen

Update 1…so far, I’ve survived. Wednesday was spent mostly in the stratosphere. Cramped planes, as usual. Kati’s bag that she had in DC managed to stay in Charlotte instead of coming to StL, so started the trip as a bummer. But, once we got to San Fran, things did change. Was supposed to fly Alaska Air north from San Fran to Portland, but they wanted people to fly to Seattle first, then to Portland on a commuter plane. So, took that…got a voucher for a round trip ticket anywhere Alaska flies. So, Chicago to Anchorage, I’m thinking…that should make up for the trip. Also, on the way from Seattle to Portland, I got a great look at the mountains…Hood, Ranier, and St. Helens. Man, that one was impressive. When they talk about it blowing its top….wow. Also, the northern face is still a wasteland….about a mile of nothing. The clifface north of that is all chewed up. Of all the power that man believes that he’s got. Then you see the power of God/Mother Nature…..they’ll get you anytime. Onward….got into Portland at 8pm here….get a Malibu (wicked cool) and off to the hotel…for a bit, as we had to run and get replacements for Kati’s stuff. And that’s where we saw the really cool shit….Target with TWO FLOORS!!! And the best things…they had an escilator…FOR THE CARTS!!! Wicked awesome (n’stuff). Then food and sleep.

Thursday morning was calm…answered bunch of email, then did a bit of work on the grant, and sitting around. Managed to have internet in the room (when they said we wouldn’t) so good there. Went to a mall west of here, and went to pottery barn for the first time (yeah, well, it was exciting for me). Also had chow at “The Cheesecake Factory”…good food, good cheesecake. Met two of Kati’s friends from OSU, which was good. And managed to eat myself stupid…stupid cheesecake.

Today we’re off to Corvallis to see OSU, then I’m working a bit more on the grant. And Germany and Argentina are in penalty kicks…

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I have freckles….that pretty much it for the title.

So, been working on a grant here…and for some reason (which I can’t figure), I’m actually looking forward to finding and reading various papers that are needed (or not) for this grant. Does this mean that i’m actually pressing forward with my graduate education??!?!? Perhaps, but the end is in sight. I’m looking to graduate either in May or in August, depending on what grants we do/don’t get.

So, last Friday, I went and saw that there musical “Godspell”…of all the glorious words in the English language that I could use to describe it, I think I would go with…….Kooky. I’ve never seen it before, and really didn’t know much about it going in…only that it was the “70’s styling” whatever that happened to be. Anyways, it was done by one of the community theater groups and it wasn’t to bad. Jesus and Judus were played by rather good characters, but some of the esemble was weak. Also, the mics that where used were pretty much junk. I could either here the people that had good pipes or not here them at all. One girl’s mic kept failing, so her song would go in and out like a bad drive-thru speaker. But, take away the hippie clothes and werid set, and you’ve got a great way to teach the parables to kids. So, good in my book…7/10

Also, much to many’s dismay, I’ve started playing world of warcraft….or warcrack, as Dana Sedai likes to call it. Well, crack be damn, cause I’m not addicted. I seem to manage not playing every day (ROOMIE PRIME can have difficulty with that) and I’m doing pretty good in the game itself. But, it’s still cheaper to play that then go to the bars.

Going the Pacific Northwest for the first time wednesday…I’ll give a report this weekend.

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