I'm baaaackkkk....

Hello bouys and gulls!

After a considerable time away, I am returning to my blog. I know you're excited, too. I finally broke down and decided to pay to get internet. I have had it for a few weeks now, and I am still not used to it.

Sailing season has begun! I am all out of classes to take and still not up to taking a boat out on my own, so I am going to really try to take advantage of the club sails and hopefully, Bill will ask me to skipper a couple times.

Every day that I walk out my front door, I am greeted by purple and/or yellow pansies, daffodils, and hyacinth. And guess what? The lilac has started to bloom! It took quite a beating from the crazy snow (just several weeks ago - can you believe it?), but is rallying. I remember in Maine that when you walk outside the smell of lilac was so pungent it could knock you out. Thanks to my parents, the house is so much better than when I left off in the summer. (Hi, Mom!) I am really enjoying having a yard. I planted a bunch of seeds in little pots inside, and they are all coming up - sometime in the next few weeks my dad is going to make a couple of little raised beds, and I will plant them! Let me know if you want some heirloom tomatoes! I also started a compost pile - I just dumped a bunch of stuff in there tonight - I am worried it is going to attract rodents before it is going to fertilize my lawn. Any tips, blogoshere?

I think I need to join EA - exclamation points anonymous. !

Did I tell you I am in training for a half marathon? A friend convinced me to go to the Hoover Dam half marathon with her - she is doing the full marathon. It isn't until Oct 30 - so I have plenty of time, but I have been nursing some low level foot issue for the last three weeks. It doesn't really hurt or anything, but I just don't want it to get bad. Also, I am excited to be meeting Mel in CT in a month for a 5.5 mi race - hope my foot is feeling better by then.

OK, I think that is a good intro back into my blog. Congrats to all my friends that have given birth in the last several months - Kirsten, Chris, and new Oliver; Sam, Jason, and little Griffin; and congrats, too, to Molly and Andy - can't wait to meet the little one! I also have 2 weddings, a shower, and 2 graduations parties in the next couple of months. Sheesh!

Take care, my friends.

Live from the MODIS Science Team Meeting

I am liveblogging from the MODIS Science Team Meeting. Yesterday, I gave a brief summary of the state of the instruments - it went fairly well, and I think I was successful in relating that both instruments are in pretty good shape, but the consensus is that I came accross as quite nervous.

There are some plans in the works that might allow me to keep this blog updated much better - I don't want to get anyone's hopes up in case it doesn't work out, but stay tuned!

I DARE you not to smile.

This is what I want to be when I grow up. Pure joy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6Akkmwz38M

PS - Sorry for the busted link - hopefully I corrected it.

I'm from New Jersey

I just heard this song sung by John Gorka on Heartland Public Radio (out of MN). Brilliant! I definitely recommend downloading, or at least a good listen. But beware, non-Jersey folk - only Jersey boys and girls are allowed to pick on our home state, kind of like picking on your little brother.

I'm from New Jersey
I don't expect too much
If the world ended today
I would adjust

I'm from New Jersey
No I don't talk that way
I watched too much TV
When I was young

I'm from New Jersey
My mom's Italian
I've read those mafia books
We don't belong

There are girls from New Jersey
Who have that great big hair
They're found in shopping malls
I will take you there

I'm from New Jersey
It's not like Texas
There is no mystery
I can't pretend

I'm from New Jersey
It's like Ohio
But even more so
Imagine that

I know which exit
And where I'm bound
The tolls on the parkway
They will slow you down

New Jersey people
They will surprise you
Cause they're not expected
To do too much

They will try harder
They may go further
Cause they never think
That they are good enough

I'm from New Jersey
I don't expect too much
If the world ended today
I would adjust
I would adjust
I would adjust

I know postings have been few and far between, but I am finally going to break down and try to get internet at home, so stay tuned!

In the EOS cave

Hi! I have been completely without internet for several months now, although since I got my iPhone a month or so ago, it has been more bearable. I am observing a calibration over at GSFC today that has long breaks, so I am able to avail myself of the free and speedy wifi to catch up on some things. I can get internet at home, but I more or less haven't gotten around to it yet. One more thing to do.

I have been well, though. We made the transition to Sigma Space in August and everything has been pretty smooth since then. The word is that we will move to our new office space at the beginning of Dec. I am excited because there is a really nice bike path that goes almost directly from my house to the new office, although it is about an 8 mile ride, so it is more something I would do on the weekend than during the week (especially since I would be sweaty all day long).

I am *really* looking forward to the long weekend! My long suffering, but completely wonderful and saintly, parents have come down the last two weekends to work on my house, and as a result, we almost have the family room done! Well, we still have to paint the walls, lay most of the floor, finish the electrical, grout the hearth, reposition the wood stove, replace the window, and move the furniture in, but, you know, except for that! It is SO exciting to be getting closer to done in that room. We replaced 80% of the drywall (which my dad decided to take down, as there wasn't any insulation behind the walls!), redid all the electrical including adding in an outside motion detecting light, covered the disgusting popcorn ceiling with new 3/8 in drywall, replaced the sliding door with a window, redid the two doorways, leveled the old slanted garage floor (after ripping up all the old parquet flooring - I hurt for three days after that), replaced the sketchy hearth, and fixed the defunct air vent. OK, when I say "we", I really mean my dad did everything with me and mom helping when possible. One room almost down, 7+ rooms to go! At some point, I will post pictures, whenever I get my act together.

In VERY happy news, Cat is coming to visit one night with her family - I can't wait to meet her cutie patootie kids! My house is still a hot mess, but I can't wait to see them and just hope that they forget their glasses...

At the end of October (the 25th) I am running the affiliated 10k at the Marine Corps Marathon. Brave and superfit Clare is running the whole marathon, though! Sheesh! I am super nervous - I still haven't run that many miles in a row yet, although I will before the day, I hope. I have been having motivation issues this week, coupled with the early night it is is a killer. So any positive vibes you'd like to throw my way, I would be most appreciative! If you would like to come, let me know and I can advise about where to be to see Clare...

My work colleague of 1.5 years, Ben, is leaving in a week - we will miss him, but I know he has been itching to move on for a while now, so it is for the best. Good Luck, Ben! Have fun in sunny LA!

I am happy to see the cooler weather here. It was a bit chilly last night even under the medium weight blanket. Pretty soon, I will have to break out the down comforter! Yay!

A bunch of random people from HS FB'ed me recently - people that couldn't have cared less about me in HS, or even went out of their way to make a point of not liking me. I am happy to report that I eventually accepted their request, but couldn't really care less about them either way. Complete ambivalence. Fabulous!

My aunt (from B'more) got married this past weekend, or more precisely had a vow renewal. It was more low key than I expected, and I got to see 2 sets of aunts and uncles that I haven't seen in many years, so that was really nice. A good excuse to put a dress on!

I am really liking my new community. I feel like MD is very much a suburban wasteland for the most part, but Bowie is a bit more established and community oriented. My neighbors are all really nice. Just this past weekend, one of my neighbors went around distributing home grown zinnias, which are colorful and beautiful in my construction zone home.

Hope this holds you until the next update! I do plan on getting broadband sometime soon, maybe before winter sets in...

Panera: Internet Central

I have been nursing my medium iced coffee here at Panera for about the last 3.5 hours. Their connection is S-L-O-W. But I did get some things accomplished - I found a pair of work shoes that I was in dire need of, changed the address on my multiple magazine subscriptions (thanks, Clare and Chanda!), and learned that no, I cannot ssh into my work server from Panera. Apparently, Panera is not an approved NASA remote access point - who would have thunk it!

Yesterday, I went to a Nats game with Sara, who I know through my friend from MN/Boston, Sam. She is interning with a Congressperson (or Senator? - Eek!) from Iowa, and the Iowa State Society got group tickets. We hung out with the Iowans beforehand, and even though I have never been to the state, I had my upper midwestern MN street cred to fall back on, so I was OK. The game ended up being rain delayed the moment we sat down, but it was fun to watch the lightning from the stadium. Can you believe they stuck around and won 13-1 against the Padres after a 3 hour delay? I didn't know it until just now - I thought it would have been cancelled!

It was more or less a relaxing weekend, except for earlier today when I was called into work unexpectedly for an Aqua Late Change - which never happens! Then when I got into the office, they were transitioning the servers over to Sigma, so I couldn't get onto my computer, so I had to go on into Goddard. Not that bad, though, now that I live so much closer! I got the lawn mowed and lots of housework done, which was in bad need of doing, as I was in Boston last weekend.

Speaking of last weekend, I had a really good time - it ended up being less camping and more pedicuring, although we did spend a lot of time outside and it was BEAUTIFUL weather. Thank you so much to Sam for putting me up and showing me such a great time!

I can't believe it is already the end of the weekend. Sigh. This will be my last week as an employee of SSAI - I have already accepted the offer at Sigma, but even so, I don't like the idea of being formally laid off. We will still have the same offices for a while, though, so that is good at least! I have done enough moving for a while.

OK, time to head back home to finish up some chores before it's time for Masterpiece Theater!

Stay Cool! (At least the AC is one thing that I don't need to fix up at the house!)

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Still Alive!

I am sorry to say that I won't really have reliable access to the internet for a while - I can't steal any in my new house and I am NOT paying 40+ $ per month for something I can get free at the library. That does mean, however, that my online activities will be slightly curtailed until I get my iPhone in August. I hope that AT&T will allow tethering soon and that it won't be crazy spendy. Ugh!

In my latest crazes, I am hooked on Rescue Me. I am up to season 4 - which I rent out of my library for FREE!

The house is coming along. I sway between feeling like I am camping out in a house and feeling some elusive house pride. There is a LONG way yet to go, when I get back on the net at some point I will post pics!

In case you didn't know, my employer is changing - I just got my offer letter yesterday. My job will be the same, but our office will move and so will all my benis, etc. It is annoying in the short term, but will probably be good for me in the long term, as the new company is an Optics Instrumentation Co. Yay! I hope to be able to transition over at some point in the future! Also, I am getting 20 PTO days/yr! I don't know what I will do with them all, though, as I am putting every spare penny into the house!

I have been sailing a bit! Tomorrow!

Too many exclamation points in this post!