Thursday, April 26, 2012

In Which I Recount How Busy I Am

I am official flyer maker at work.  Luckily I'm quick and efficient at doing so and enjoy it.

My parents visited last weekend and it was so wonderful to see them again!  My Dad is skinnier than I ever remember him being.  We discussed how his waste is smaller than mine, but then discovered that we measure very different areas.  I measure my real waste, at the belly button and he measures below the beer belly.

We also went on a Segway tour of Nashville.  If you ever get a chance to take a Segway tour of a city...do it!  It was amazing.  My dad got on that segway and owned it...like he'd been driving one forever.  I got on it and nearly killed myself.  By the end though, everyone was a master.  My dad, a person who actively avoids cities at all cost, wants to go to cities now to go on more segway tours.  He also wants a Hipster electric scooter to drive into town.

On Saturday we had some time so Josh and I took my parents to REI, the hiking and camping store.  Boy did they like that!  I was able to get a new shirt that is very very similar in style, quality, and fabric of my current favorite shirt!  Score.  Apparently REI has a scratch and dent sale for it's members once a month, and that sale was the same day we went.  We didn't know until we got there.  It's where REI re-sells everything that was returned to them, and they list on the tag what's wrong with the item.  It's a great way to get slightly used and much cheaper camping gear.  Josh found me a pair of Vasque all leather mens 7.5 hiking shoes for $3.84.  They are a little big on me, not good for hiking, but perfect for camping, short walks, and working in the yard.  But, wait you say?  I don't have a yard?  Of course I don't.  Not now.  But someday I will and these shoes at full price are between $200 and $300!  Priced like that, they are sure going to last me the rest of my life.  I'm going to be buried in those shoes. 

Then they left, and there was a void in my life.  Ackbar on the other hand, has never been so snuggly.  He loves it when people leave.  Too bad for him, this weekend is the Chena Invasion 2012.  This is where 5 of my friends will travel in one day from Grand Rapids to Nashvegas in one Aztec.  Upon arriving we will proceed to wheeze, recap our recaps of the past, fight Sauron in the Batman building using all the copious amounts of big hair as defense,  and invisible inflatable artillery as offense.  Some of use will not eat wheat, some of us will not eat milk, eggs or meat, and some of us will eat very very little.  Also, we will recreate Survivor in my apartment....Ackbar and I have already formed a secret alliance, but I don't trust him one bit.  He'll support the person with the most Tuna, he has no respect for handshakes as he has no hands.

On Monday my friends will depart back to Michigan and I will travel east to Cherokee, NC.  There I will spend 4 days learning about Fish and Wildlife with another friend!  I will also get to tour a fish hatchery.  You dont' know how excited I am for that.  I will learn how they procreate the fish!  Bet you've never been to a fish hatchery!  If you have, tell me!

Then the week after that, I will be in the office and will leave with Josh Friday night.  He and I are going to Seneca Nation (Niagara Falls, US side) for the week.  We are going to stop and explore Cincinnati on the way (which seems to be a pretty cool place, despite the fact it's located in Ohio), and then go to the Canadian side to see the falls.  I will be spending one week there helping with teh Tribal Utility Summit that is being hosted by USET and planned by a coworker.  I will be giving my watershed presentation there.  Then when I get back, I leave Sunday for Marksville, LA to the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe for the USET Semi-Annual Meeting.  I will be giving a presentation there as well and helping out the Natural Resources Committee.

And then May is over.  Life experience has shown me that every year, May is the busiest month of all.

I was looking for the meme picture of Sauron's eye in the batman building, but instead I found this:

http://tgs.gargoyles-fans.org/cr/archive/2001/11-03-2001.html

Go there.