Just Checking In

Do you guys like my semi-redone blog page? I was looking for a picture of a scientist or a microscope or a lab, but came across King Leonidas instead. I had to add it. Have you ever imagined yourself being a ripped warrior, trained since infancy for battle, courageous, strong, feared and respected by all? Me neither. Just asking.

I can't stand being indoors on days like today. My lab has a huge window overlooking all the activities outside. There's a fence that borders the west side of the parking lot and I see kids walking on top of the dirt mounds on the other side of the fence and I just want to run over there and play. Some construction is going on on the south side and there's a huge backhoe excavator that I long to operate. I'm this close (like a millimeter) to going over there and asking for a operating lesson. How could they say no to me?! I'm so damn adorable.

I've started eating my lunch outside again. It's a nice escape from the confines of the lab. We can't even crack a window in there because of particulates, contamination and organics. Sometimes it feels so stale in my workspace. I think the place is aching for a breath of fresh air. Back to the lunch thing. I enjoy going out to the picnic tables and reading a book. Sometimes my lunches are a bit long because I can't bring myself to get back inside. It's a real internal struggle. I won't give you the full dialogue of the struggle, but in the end the responsible part of me tells my irresponsible self to get up or get kicked in the chucks. Because my irresponsible counterpart is male, of course. Actually, I just wanted to include chuck kicking in my blog today. It never gets old. For me, at least.

Does punk music remind you of summer? It does for me. I even put some on at times and imagine that it's super warm outside and start actually believing it, and then go outside without a jacket and freeze my chucks off--if I had them. It's crazy how music can recall so many memories. In the summer of 2004 I lived with Sarah Vanderhoef up in Ogden. We spend a ton of time with Blake, Kevin, Crook, Juan and Joe. Hiking, tubing down the Weber river, swimming, BBQing, playing pool, trying to trap a hawk, camping, longboarding, playing Mike Tyson's Punchout and every other fun thing. We always rode in Blake's Subaru and I swear the only thing in his CD player the entire summer was Simple Plan: No Pads, No Helmets, Just Balls. That CD will always represent a super fun summer to me now. Just like Ridin' Dirty will always remind me of Lake Powell with Natalie. That and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. How could I forget waking up to that during that glorious week? I look handsome. I look smart. I am a walking work of art! Oh, OH! AND, Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy! I can't overlook that gem of a song. I'm drowning in nostalgia.

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT get the lean ground beef that's on sale at Macey's on this very day. Blech. But I will allow you to get their cinnamon raisin bagels. Sublime. I'm salivating just thinking about them.