Last (?) post of 2008

This year can't get over soon enough if'n you ask me...although the holidays haven't been too bad so far.

Slow day at work; I'm listening to the Sun Bowl, hoping to be able to celebrate a Beaver victory much as my numerous Duck in-laws were celebrating Oregon's exciting win over Oklahoma State - I got a phone call from a very excited Rosemary Harper last night, and, having attended a Holiday Bowl with Cheryl and her folks a few years ago, I think they might just be getting home by now. Escaping that stadium is a time-consuming affair.

I was looking for a party to crash tonight, but it looks like a no-go, since I have little in the way of friends up here anymore, so tonight will probably be just me and the kitties, bowl games, World of Warcraft and probably a bottle of cheap red wine. I've had worse NYE celebrations - let me tell you about the woman I dated before Cheryl and I reconnected some time. Or not.

Here's to a better 2009 for everyone.

Half way through the holidays

I will be very glad when I no longer have to drive from my current abode to visit families and friends in Oregon, and not just because of the distance. On a good summer day, I can make it from Moscow to Bend in just a hair over six hours, to Albany in about eight.

These are not good summer days.

With news of impending snow coming in, I made a last minute change of plans, figuring that one trip over the passes was better than two, and decided to go straight to Casa Harper for Christmas Eve and Day, then over to Mom & Dad's.

The drive through Washington wasn't bad. The Gorge, however, was as horrible as I've ever seen it, but the Subaru is a tank and handled it fine. Portland was okay, but between there and Salem, numerous accidents had things slowed down, and there was a small fortune in thrown chains and cables on the sides of the road. A little over ten hours (!) later, I finally rolled into Albany, the only place in Oregon that doesn't have snow, 'twould seem.

This holiday has gone a lot better than Thanksgiving so far. The only time I've gotten a little emotional so far was when Rose Mary gave out a present to all of us; picture frames of Cheryl and Samantha together. That kinda got me. Otherwise, I've done a decent job of holding it together, I think.

I'm here in Bend for the next few days, then it's back through the snow to the Palouse. Oh boy. Moving in January may suck, but I can't wait until I can end this cross-state commute once and for all.

I am man, hear me roar

Well, it took longer than the three minutes Tim said it would, what with wearing snow gloves and all, but I have successfully put a new battery in the Subaru and it is working, so far as I can tell, just fine. A new first for man-dom! Now I must go slay a bear!

If one believed in omens...

So, my holiday plans are to drive down to Bend on Wednesday, then drive over to visit the Harper side of the family on Christmas Day, spend the rest of the weekend in Bend and return to the Palouse on Sunday.

Anybody following the weather knows that it's going to be ugly as of Wednesday. Even more ugly than now. Normally, I love snow in any way, shape or form, but this is not that time.

Having been unable to sell Cheryl's Subaru as of yet, I am planning to drive that down to Oregon. Last night, I bought some just-in-case chains, put them in the trunk...

...and realized the battery was dead. I'm guessing the last person who took it out for a test drive, who was fiddling with every gadget in the car, left something on and it drained the battery.

Oh bother.

So, I haul out the jumper cables and try to give the battery a start.

Did I mention this is the original battery to the car? About six years old? Dead as a doornail?

But, I do live right next door to a Les Schwab, so I'll just walk over and have them put in a new battery, okay?

Sold out?

You'd almost think someone was trying to tell me something...

So, I'm in possession of a brand new battery from NAPA, and this afternoon will be attempting something I've never tried before; changing a battery in a car.

I'll let you all know if I manage to avoid electrocution, or get to drive to central Oregon in a Honda with fairly old tires.

The weather outside is frightful

In the past 24 hours, I think we've had about six-odd inches of snow dropped on us here in the Palouse, with plenty more to come, courtesy of yon Arctic cold front. I'm taking a work break, watching crazy college students play a spirited game of tackle football outside my office (seriously, some of these guys are catching the ball better than most people on the football team).

Now, being of Scandahoovian and eastern Oregon descent, I love snow in just about any way, shape or form. I even love driving in the stuff, and am considered on of the Ten Finest Snow Drivers In The Free World. Now, these idiotic Idahoans should not be trusted on the roads in most any situation, but me - I know what I'm doing, although my drive down to Oregon for the holidays could be...interesting.

After four long years of resisting, friends finally pulled me into World of Warcraft. And I'm hooked. On the bright side, it is giving me something to do in the evenings that is somewhat social, but my body is telling me that staying up until one in the a.m. is something we really shouldn't be doing anymore.

Nonetheless, a weekend of game play, sipping hot toddies and trying to level up my troll hunter while watching the snow fall outside with the cats sounds like a decent waste of time.

Oh, and the job front: I did get an interview scheduled for the office assistant job, although I'm not sure how that's going to fit with the idea of a new position just for me...but I'm sure I'll find out soon. Hopefully the snow will be melted by then.

UPDATE: So I just spoke to the Director of Services for Students with Disabilities at COCC, and she said that while they are very much wanting to create a position for me, when and if that happens is contingent upon funding, of which there is very little at COCC, and any work they had right now would be on an as-needed-no-benefits. However, once that position did open, it would be easy to slide me over from the office assistant position, and should definitely plan to come in for the interview, which would be in two weeks.

And, not to jinx it, given that the director really wants me there, probably in any capacity - I like my chances. Fingers and toes crossed, people!

Do Want!

Those struggling with ideas for Xmas gifts for yours truly could do worse than this doodad:



Yes, do want!

Cheryl's degree, and news on the job front

Today was winter commencement, so I braved the newly-snow-covered roads - and, of course, horrible Idaho drivers; seriously, they're terrible - and picked up Cheryl's M.A. degree. Well, Vanessa was kind enough to pick it up (happy berfday Vanessie!), I just stood in the bleachers. Vanessa had tickets to go see the Portland showing of "My Name is Bruce," starring your hero and mine, Bruce Campbell, complete with Q&A after the movie with the man himself, but the nasty weather from here to Portland put the kibosh on that. I'm no Bruce Campbell but at least I sprung for lunch.

Cheryl's folks were going to try and make it for the event, but they, too, were put off by the gawd-awful weather we're having. I think they're calling for 6-10" of snow tonight, followed by a week of high temperatures in the single digits.

Oh, yeah, I got good news on the job front (and, again, I hope I ain't jinxing it): I had an application in for an admin assistant at Central Oregon Community College's Students with Disabilities department - a job for which I am extremely qualified - but Friday, I got a call from the department director, essentially offering me an entirely new position that they would create specifically for me! When I dropped off my resume last time I was in town, they were very impressed in the SSD department, and have been needing to upgrade in the assistive technology department, so it looks like they're going to hire me soon! When exactly? Not sure. And it's only part-time, but (in the Even More Good News Department), it sounds like there might be some need for a part-time writing instructor, so I could easily cobble together a full-time Franken-job, and to work at COCC would honestly more than I could hope for (I could go play basketball at lunch at the gym with guys I've hooped it up with for nearly 20 years now).

So, keep your collective fingers crossed, 'cause it looks like I might be Bend-bound sooner than later!

Yeesh, way to rub it in

As has been mentioned previously, The Amazing Race was one of Cheryl's favorite shows, and I had promised her that when she got better, we'd try out for it.

Last night was this season's finale, and where do they have it? Portland! City of my birth! City both of us are very very familiar with! And there was even a roadblock at Bridge of the Gods, which Cheryl, being a Hood River-ite, knew quite well (how little Miss Dreadfully Afraid of Heights would have handled the cross-river zip line, however, who knows).

Bother.

In other less-mildly-ironic news, I may have potentially good news on the job front, but shall refrain from jinxing it until further notice. But watch this space for more info in the near future.

Friday cat blogging