Springtime Update March 13, 2010

Hello everybody!  I thought it was time to give a little update on our lives down here in Tucson.

I got a job!  Yay!  I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and we can once again breathe easy.  Due to a social networking-contract that I signed I am not going to say exactly where I work, but I will tell you that I am working as a front desk/receptionist for a spa at a national resort chain.  It is a gorgeous location in the foothills and only about 10 minutes from our apartment, so it has been really convenient for juggling both of our, now, busy schedules with one car.  It feels good to be busy and to have a more concrete schedule again.  Before this job, I had all the time in the world and yet I spent most of my time doing nothing.  Going back to work really allows me to appreciate my time at home with Owen and Loki, and really utilize my free time.  I think this job will be a great fit for me for the time being- lots of hours, but flexible enough to allow me to go back to school!  The only complaint that I really have so far is that I am working 40 hours a week and not eligible for health insurance…boo. (but that’s life)

I am still interning for the Tucson Museum of Art, which has been a really fun experience for me.  We just launched the brand new Andy Warhol exhibit at the end of February and the gallery has some amazing pieces in it from the Bank of America Collection.  It has been really good for me to experience some of the local and historical works of the Southwest as well and expand my knowledge on art.  You really learn to appreciate lesser known types of art by experiencing them first hand.  Somethings you just can’t learn from a book.  With the spring semester well underway, there are more and more opportunities for me to get involved and volunteer, so I am learning to walk the line between the work and the internship.

Owen is doing really well with school and has settled into his work at the University.  He has chosen the lab in which he will spend the remainder of his time researching in, so that is very exciting.  The focus of his work will be, and I quote: “to use mass spectrometry to search for bio-markers for Type-II Diabetes”!  Sounds exciting to me!

This past months have been a whirlwind of new license plates, health, auto, and renter’s insurance, job applications, taxes, and loan applications…grown up stuff…gross!  But we have definitely come out on top and just received a school loan that will allow us to purchase a second car (hopefully in the next few days) and Owen went out and finally treated himself to a new tv…so in the end, I am all for grown-up means to reach a few fun-stuff ends!

I think that is it for now… not terribly exciting to read about but it has been a crazy ride for us!

100 quick facts about me February 13, 2010

1. I have a nose piercing.
2. I hate people who eat to noisely.
3. I chose art history originally because I wanted to be like Indiana Jones…I still kind of do.
4. I have never been in a car accident
5. I have a tattoo
6. I love Dr. Pepper
7. I hate running but secretly wish I had the stamina.
8. I still have my baby blanket.
9. I am obsessed with latin music and flamenco guitar.
10. I wish I would have learned to play the violin.
11. I have never sang outloud to another person with my real singing voice.
12. I love reading Harry Potter fanfiction.
13. I hate hate hate sea food…its a texture thing.
14. I play piano.
15. I really like the Zelda games for nintendo.
16. I loved high school band but sucked real bad at the flute.
17. I love the 24/7 christmas music on the radio during the season.
18. I have never been to a dance club.
19. I used to play tennis.
20. I hate country music.
21. I love going to museums.
22. I like to debate the question of “what constitutes art”.
23. I have some weird skin pigment on my back and stomach so when I tan, I get polka dotted.
24. I over-use commas in my writing.
25. I have never really understood the point of poetry.
26. I love onions.
27. I played and completed Assassins Creed 2.
28. I would like to someday maybe write a book.
29. I hate vomit, people vomiting, smell of vomit, sound of vomit, look of vomit…if you are sick stay away from me.
30. I love baseball.
31. I watch the same movie over and over and over again.
32. I like browsing the clearance section at Barnes and Noble for over-sized books on art, cultures, and architecture.
33. I have only been on the ski slopes twice in my life…kind of sad for a MN native.
34. I played softball from age 5 through college.
35. I would take a stormy day over a sunny day any day.
36. I am attempting to learn french via a pirated version of Rosetta Stone.
37. I can’t point my toes for some odd reason…my dance teacher used to get mad at me for this.
38. I hate awkwardness.
39. I once was employed by a company for only 3 days…I voluntarily quit fyi.
40. I am watching the 2010 Winter Olympic opening ceremonies right now.
41. I have never broken a bone.
42. I have been to a Yanni concert.
43. I hate mascots and clowns.
44. I hate when people post a vague status on facebook that begs for someone to ask what happened.
45. I love Hitchcock movies.
46. I need a haircut.
47. My only trip to the casino- I won 25 dollars on my last nickel on the I Dream of Genie slot machine.
48. I want to learn to ballroom dance.
49. I love camping and hiking.
50. Nothing personal…I just think it is weird when guys shave their legs.
51. I am a dog person but I love my cat.
52. I like Celtic music.
53. Random thought: No offense Duggars but if you have 19 kids somethings got to give…
54. I wish I could cook as easily as they make it look on the Food Network.
55. I wanted a pony when I was a little girl…I still want one today.
56. I don’t know how I functioned before my iPhone.
57. I really want to go to Italy and Greece.
58. I hate using public bathrooms.
59. I am decidedly undecided on Ugg boots.
60. I want to go scuba diving sometime.
61. I do not have a green thumb.
62. I like to fish.
63. I enjoy drawing and sketching.
64. I wonder sometimes how many teachers became teachers just to be able to write on whiteboards and use overheads.
65. I play the Sims 2 and 3
66. I dress my cat in shirts and sweaters.
67. I like white wine.
68. I played shortstop in softball.
69. I rarely brush my hair.
70. I wear glasses and contacts occasionally.
71. I don’t agree with how much professional athletes get paid.
72. My favorite color is purple.
73. I have had mono.
74. My big toe is in the process of losing its nail.
75. I like heights.
76. I officially hate scorpions more than spiders.
77. I wish I had chosen a major in the science field.
78. I hate people who don’t signal while changing lanes.
79. I took a softball to the face during intramural softball and my lip explode (according to the doctor)…while in tears in the ER the doctor asked if I was alright and I responded with, “No, I am embarrassed because I am on the f***ing varsity softball team and I just caught the ball with my face!”…I must have still been in shock or something…I don’t talk like that.
80. I am not scared about what comes after this life.
81. I like the scent of lavender.
82. I am trying to learn to golf.
83. One of my favorite memories in high school was being chosen as a drum major for the marching band.
84. I hate getting up in the morning.
85. I love playing board games.
86. I will never live in a place without a dishwasher ever again.
87. I hate smokers.
88. I am learning to eat tomatoes.
89. I don’t mind getting hurt as long as I have a decent bruise to show off.
90. I had to wear headgear through junior high.
91. I am interested in interior design.
92. My favorite class in college was Medieval European History.
93. I have marched in a Presidential Inauguration parade…too bad it was for Bush.
94. I want to learn to snowboard.
95. I hate writing cover letters for a resume.
96. I like scarves.
97. I hate wearing a bathing suit.
98. I like hardwood floors.
99. I stay up late sometimes just because it feels like the longer I stay awake the long it will be until morning comes.
100. I used to take dance lessons and I still tap every once in a while.

Why my cat would whip you in a fist fight January 27, 2010

So as many of you know, Owen and I adopted a little fuzzy friend back in October.  We had the intentions of raising a pleasant little buddy…little did we know our tiny kitten was a ninja assassin in disguise.

A few factoids about our little monster for your brain to feed on:

Meet Loki!

1.  After much debate and consideration we named the little guy Loki, after the Norse god of trickery.  When put to a vote on facebook, everyone had wanted us to name him Kirby…I said no.  I knew even after just the five minutes that we played with him at the shelter that this cat was going to be a little shit (excuse my french) and Kirby was definitely not the right fit.  No, when Kirby comes to mind I think of a baseball legend and his touching 7th inning video that they used to play at the dome, as well as a little tiny pink marsh mellow-shaped video game character…much too tame.  Owen and I, having both read the Ever World series, narrowed the names down to Loki and Thor (both Norse Gods).  I mean, divine rulers of a savage and brutal viking people…or number 34 from the Minnesota Twins…Whatever you agree with, we ended up with Loki.  Loki is a much less predictable than Thor and almost literally meant this cat was going to be up to no good (plus, I thought that a four letter name ending with “i” was endearing).  As a side note, Owen really never had a chance at choosing a name for Loki…he surrendered that chance when his first choice was The Hulk followed by his second, Dr. Bruce Banner.  Don’t be too sad for Owen though, because being the loving and caring wife that I am I allowed his official name to be… Loki Thor Bruce Banner Hulk…although thats a wee bit too much of a mouthful to have to yell when he is in trouble, so I just stick to Loki-Thor!

2. He is about 7.5 pounds, has a very long tail, and a very tiny head in proportion to his body.

3. He has huge eyes… and when the pupils dilate you have about a half a second before he mauls your face.

4. He will sleep anywhere and in any position.

5. Weird tendency #1: obsessed with flushing toilets.  He will sit outside the door while you use the bathroom and howl until you open the door for him to watch the toilet flush.

6. He likes to wear sweaters and we like it when he wears them.  Let me set up a few analogies for you Loki is addicted to speed and the sweater is his anti-drug…or Loki is to psychopath as sweater is to straight jacket.  If you don’t believe me, come stay with us one night and we will let you share a room with naked Loki for an hour.

7. Weird tendency #2: we made the mistake of allowing him to sleep in our room…he now refuses to sleep anywhere but on my pillow…even if my head is still on it.  I usually wake up several times during the night due to either being shoved off the pillow or having been smothered to the point of strangulation by cat hair in my face.  Give him an inch and he takes a mile.

8. He likes Meow Mix…haha

9. Favorite activities (in no particular order):

• climbing all the way to the top of our patio screen door
• clawing your butt through the back of the couch
• shoving all his toys underneath the stove in the kitchen and then whining until you get them out
• unrolling and shredding all the toilet paper
• knocking shampoo bottles into the tub
• darting in and out between your legs while you try to walk
• parkouring off the walls and furniture

10. weird tendency #3: If you don’t pay attention to him he will climb you literally.  I have many scars on my body from him climbing all the way up to my shoulders…this was cute as a little 2 pound kitty but now its dagger claws through your jeans.  We are attempting to repress this behavior…however…

11.  He thinks the squirt bottle is a game not a punishment.

12. weird tendency #4: For long periods of time throughout the day, you might find him sitting at his water bowl in contemplation.  He then continuously paws at the water and flicks it around as though he has never seen anything like it in his life.  He also compares it to the contents of his food bowl.  If only I knew what he was thinking…there is some sort of scientific process going on there…or maybe not enough is going on up there.

13. He plays fetch

14. He talks back to you

15. He fails to engage fight or flight.  Or something like that…a normal reaction to a door closing would be to get out of the way-go either in or out.  Loki on the other hand doesn’t move or will purposely stick his head in.  He likes to poke his head inside the fridge if I am trying to grab something and he has ended up locked inside the fridge because as the door closed instead of back out he walked in.  He is either very confident in himself or very stupid.

16. He loves people.  This may not seem like anything special but he seriously loves people and hates to be left alone.  Most cats I have encountered keep to themselves and spend their time lying around our hiding under beds.  Loki greets people at the door and follows guests around all night (usually involves a fair amount of toe biting).  If we lock him in the guest room where all his things are he whines and whines until you go get him.  He would rather be in someones lap than in his own cat bed.  And if you are alone with him, he will follow you from room to room.  He thinks he is a little fuzzy person.

17. It turns out that his fascination with the water in his bowl has expanded to any liquid in any container.  If you have an open glass of anything anywhere its pretty darn probable that a paw has already inspected it.  Use caution when drinking red wine…he will flick it at you.

Well thats it for now…and don’t bother with the your obsessed or crazy cat lady comments cuz I already know it and you would not have read the blog if you weren’t a little bit curious.  Night!

My Life: As Bailey January 22, 2010

*meow*

Please forgive me, it has been many months since my last confession… or something like that (I am not Catholic).  But in reality, it has been a long time since I last blogged and it has not been for lack of time or simple forgetfulness.  Rather, I just have not had a whole lot to say because not much has changed.  At first, I was hesitant to admit this but now I feel like I better own it.  And the stagnant periods of activity in my life the last few months have been met with tiny, scattered victories along the way.  So let’s see where I am at…

I still do not have a job.  It has been called to my attention that I do a lot more searching than I do applying, which obviously does nothing to get oneself from point A to point B (but it does sometimes provide me with a small amount of false accomplishment).  There are several reasons for my lack of application, the first being that I am a stubborn, starry-eyed college graduate with big dreams and a small concept of reality… I just want to have a job worthy of a college degree so that I know that four years worth of hard work and money were not all blown to smithereens so that I can go back to waiting tables.  Secondly, I hate awkward situations and having to say “thank you for opportunity but I am going to have to decline your offer for such-and-such position at your company”, or “I am sorry but this job really is not working out for me but thank you for the opportunity”.  Awkward.  And I have had to do that several times.  I do not want to put myself in those kinds of situations so I often find myself second-guessing jobs that I could apply for. This all needs to stop.  I need to stop thinking so much and just follow the advice my mother gave me in high school when I wanted a date for prom…”Bailey, you just gotta put yourself out there!”  I have been afraid to search and apply for jobs that might not be the “dream” job for me in the fear that the moment I settle for any job, the perfect job will come along and I will have missed out.  However, the longer I continue to wait and hold off, the more I second guess myself and lose confidence.  I am willing to wait for that perfect job or career opportunity, but that does not mean I can’t wait tables in the mean time.  Moreover, if I want to keep the option of grad school open in the near future, I am going to need to start saving.  Going back to waiting tables may not be ideal for me right now, but it might give me the confidence boost I need to “put myself out there” and lets me get back to something I loved to do and was good at (not to mention a little extra shopping money!)

One of my little victories in the last month or so was that I received an internship with the Tucson Museum of Art.  Recently, I have been strongly considering going back to school for my teaching license, so I applied for an internship with the education department at the museum.  This way I kill to birds with one stone, getting both museum and education experience.  Every Wednesday from 11-4 I am required to be at the museum.  My main duties have to do with assisting the Davis program, which is an after-school art program with little kids from a nearby elementary.  For an hour and a half every Wednesday we tour the gallery and do art projects associated with current exhibitions.  Currently, we are still planning lessons and weekly themes, but the kid’s first day will be Feb. 3.  My other major project is to independently design some sort of advertisement/poster for birthday parties at the museum.  The education department is always looking for ways to increase revenue and they have recently begun to try hosting kids’ birthday parties without much success.  So I will be working a little bit with the museum’s graphic designer on that project.  In addition, they want me to help brainstorm and develop activities that can be done during the parties that incorporate current exhibitions.  Currently, the main temporary exhibit is Ansel Adams, which is phenomenal.  However, towards the February, we are bringing in an Andy Warhol exhibit (including atleast one Marilyn and one Campbell’s soup can!!), which I think will really interest a lot of people and inspire a lot of fun projects for the kids.  The museum is also bring in work by Mexican-muralist David Tineo, as well as work by Phoenix artist Ed Mell who features western landscape in his painting and sculptures.  The museum is like nothing I have been to before because it is located on the historic block in downtown Tucson.  What they have done is place two of their permanent collections featuring pre-Columbian, Latin-American, and western American art within two historic houses, so it is a much more intimate setting and experience.  The entire block seems to encapsulate southwestern art and history with its adobe architecture, mosaic art, and flowing fountains…its perfect for Tucson.

Anyway, I think that is all I will add for tonight.  I am hoping to blog to you all about my fabulous new job that I plan to get in near future, so cross your fingers for me!  I also want to dedicate this blog to Owen for all of his patience, understanding, and encouragement!  Until next time!

PS: Long live Conan

Trail and error September 28, 2009

Who: recently married, overly optimistic college grad

What: job seeking

Why: $$$, obligation, seeking a challenge

What do you do as a person fitting qualifications like this?

In my last post, I talked about my most recent pursuit of an entry-level position with a marketing company.  When I read their post on job search sites, I just had a special feeling about it…this was going to be the one.  This was a great oppportunity to start fresh and find something that I can grow in.  I got the call for a first round interview last monday, interviewed on Tuesday, and got a call-back that night for the second-round interview and job shadow day.  Wednesday came and after learning a little bit more about the company, I was hired right on the spot and by Thursday I was in uniform and on the job.

I thought I was on top of the world.  Finally, things had started to come together.  I was good at the work I was doing and the people I was spending my day with were outstanding.  We spent the first couple hours of the day prepping for the work out in the field and then spent the rest of the day promoting and pitching our campaign’s product to the general public.  I thought…”great!  I am not sitting behind a desk, and better yet, I spend the better part of my day outside!”  As I drove from the office after my first full day, though, reality started to kick in.  It was 7:30 at night and I had been there since 9 am that morning.  To top it off, I had also learned that we work every Saturday as well.  So let’s do some math…

24 hours in a day

7 days in a week

= 168 hours a week;

11 hours a day working (average)

6 days a week spent working

=66 hours a week at work; (but let’s not stop here)

24 hours in a day

7 hours spent sleeping

1.333 hours spent on travel

=15.7 hours conscious in the day

I mean, I am by no means a math whiz but I am pretty sure that 15.7 – 11 = 4.7 hours in the day in which I am neither unconscious nor at work… and this time is not usually spent just lallygagging around.  This time is split before and after work so two meals are usually involved, along with a shower, maybe some ironing, dishes, laundry, and on special occasions, a battle royale with a scorpion (whatever, no big deal).  And to some people this maybe is not so bad, and probably think that I am a whiner and should shut my trap because nothing worth having comes easy right?  I totally stand by that statement, however, I don’t think that all happiness has to be abandoned in order to receive a paycheck.  And believe me, this paycheck was not worth it…broken down, it was less than five dollars an hour.

So I quit- three days after being hired.  I feel good.  But I don’t want to totally knock this company because for the exact, perfect person this would be the exact, perfect job for them.  So here are the exact reasons why I quit and what I have learned from this experience:

1. Number one most obvious reason: umm…I enjoy having some semblance of a life outside of work.  My boss made a point to tell us at the beginning of every day why he was with this company and why he worked so hard.  And I quote: “I work my ass off now so that I can enjoy my 30′s and 40′s”.  I looked around the room at all my co-workers smiling and nodding enthusiastically at this idea…meanwhile I have a huge warning siren screaming inside my head- WTF?  Seriously, he openly admits that he is excited to flush ten years down the toilet in order to be more financially sound in his later years.  Thanks but no thanks… I want to enjoy my 20′s, 30′s and 40′s! (Side note: my boss is only 23)

2.  I was guaranteed to be promoted within the next 6-9 months to a managing position or even to an office head running my own campaign.  This sounds great right?  That’s what I thought.  The only problem is that because the company is so small you end up doing the same work that all the entry-level positions do, on top of managerial duties for a marginal increase in salary.  Again, no thanks…

3.  Everyday my boss reminded us of why he was here and what his motivation behind his work ethic was…he has a 10-year plan to own his own commercial realty business (and this marketing company is in no way, shape or form even slightly related to the realting field).  I’m sorry but when one of the guys near the top of a company doesn’t see an end in his career path for himself in that company… what is there to look forward to in this company for me?

4.  Pay was partially based on commission.  And that’s not always bad.  I think it creates a conflict in interest though when the company promotes itself as a marketing company but runs itself based on sales…if that makes any sense.  They basically told us: “its not about the sales, we are just out here to get the word out to the public about this product- yattah, yattah, yattah”…bullshit.  My mentality was definitely not “yeah, I know my pay and my ability support Owen and I is based on how much of the product I sell, but really all I care about at the end of the day is that one more person in the world knows this product exists…”

5.  My boss openly mocked a college education.  I mean thats fine if you don’t require employees to have a college degree.  Some of the most successful people in the world never set foot in a university.  However, I worked hard for my degree and I think that a completed education says something about a persons character- ya know we weren’t just handed a diploma- thats 4 years of intense work that I have completed.  Show a little respect.

6.  In my boss’ opinion, people who work 40 hours a week and work until their mid-sixties and seventies- are weak individuals.  This offends me.  Both my parents are extremely hard-working individuals and enjoy what they do for a living.  Yeah, they aren’t retired at 40 but they have genuine passion for what they do.  This guy seems to place all happiness and success in life on the amount of money a person acquires in the shortest amount of time.  This is not my definition of the human condition.

7.  He is a die-hard yankees fan…enough said

8.  Like I said before, for the right person this company might be viewed as a wonderful opportunity to build yourself up from the bottom to a leadership role in a company.  However, I am not interested in owning my own business and I want to be able to enjoy life right now regardless of how a job pays.  I don’t think that you have to be miserable in order to get anywhere in life, and for the right reasons and the right career I will be willing to make sacrifices.  But it is too early in the game to get bogged down in a JOB like this, when I am looking for a CAREER better fit for me.  Life is too short.

In the end, even though it was an unsuccessful endeavor in marketing, I learned a lot about myself and about what I want to do with my life.  You can’t just make a career out of great work ethic…you have to have passion.  I want a job where I come home at the end of the day feeling fulfilled and excited to go back the next day.  Listen to yourself and what your gut tells you when making a decision because you alone know what’s best for you in your life.  Define for yourself what happiness means because it’s different for everyone.  I think when you can define such basic things as those, you are more prepared to go out and find a career that fits you.  And don’t feel rushed…good things take time.  Things have a way of working themselves out. Learn from your mistakes (and all those other wise statements).  Life is about trial and error and learning about yourself along the way.

back to the drawing board…

And fall begins… September 23, 2009

I have to admit I do not really have anything tremendously interesting to add to this blog as of yet, but I thought I would do a little catching up.  Owen and I have just recently returned from a short trip back to Minnesota for Mel’s wedding.  I was home from wednesday to monday morning so that I could be there for all of the pre-wedding festivities.  Time flew by so fast that I did not really have time to take a chance to think about the fact that I was actually back.

After my whirl wind of a weekend I had expected to return home to my usual routine of laundry, dishes, job search, and pool- however, that was not the case.  At about 5 pm on Monday I got a call about an interview (finally!) for an entry-level marketing position for the next morning at 8 am (eww and yikes!).  When I hung up the phone my initial reaction was “holy shit I have a job interview tomorrow morning!” and the second thought was “damn…I don’t have anything to wear!”.  So I dragged Owen out on the town to find me something suitable to wear for my first ever professional interview.

The interview was short and sweet.  I felt pretty good about it.  I was obviously one of the youngest applicants but the company is more hip and modern so I felt that my age would not be a hinderance.  At about 4 pm today I got a call back for a second interview tomorrow at 10…so cross your fingers for me.

To be honest, up until now I had never seen myself doing anything related to marketing.  I thought that my years working with stubborn customers in the food and beverage industry had ruined any appreciation I might have had for working with people.  However, I have really come to realize that I miss it- not so much the crabby guy who, because his drink was not poured to his satisfaction, decides that you are the one responsible for everything that has gone wrong with his life up until that point- but I do miss the simple everyday communication with people.  I think that that is what drew me to this job.

It has been tough to try and find a job down here.  I realize that it is this way for a lot of people all over and of all ages so I have learned to accept that things will happen the way they were intended to.  As a recent college graduate with no professional work experience and a degree in a somewhat obscure area of study, I sometimes wonder what I was thinking when I switched from the sciences to the arts.  Art history was something that came easily to me and was something that I had always had an interest in.  However, because it is a much more narrow field many people and employers do not fully understand the skills that art historians possess.  Many people think that art history means you are going to be either a) Indiana Jones b) a teacher or c) museum curator- which are all awesome career choices if I do say so myself.  In reality, the skills obtained in an art history program can be applied to many other fields, many of which are completely unrelated to the arts, but this is not well advertised.  The down side to this is that when an employer sees a resume, you have a very small window of opportunity in which to make a first impression and so if they see something that maybe seems too focused, vague, or perplexing, they are probably not going to look too much into it.  My biggest obstacle is getting an interview because I am not able to fully explain the advantages of my studies in art history and philosophy, and so I have just been hoping that some company will take a chance on me.

So I am interviewing for a marketing position…with no marketing experience.  Marketing companies are hired by  other companies to help promote their products.  So in a way, I have to think of myself as my own marketing company and go in their and market myself.  Even if this job does not work out, I am atleast grateful for the opportunity to go through the interviewing process.  However, even if the job is something I have no experience in, I feel if I am able to market myself to a marketing company I might just have landed myself where I am supposed to be right now.

p.s. other interesting fact…first scorpion encounter occurred today while I was home alone…after a brief panic attack I delt with the little bugger…I might as well get used to it…welcome to Tucson!

Beauties and Beasts of Tucson September 2, 2009

So after my last entry, “Things I have  learned about Tucson”, I decided to delve more into the strange creatures that are native to the area.  Like I said previously, I have not yet laid witness to the more dangerous and venemous of these animals, but it can’t hurt to be prepared…right?  So here it is…a list of a few of the most interesting monsters and creatures of this region…and a few reasons as to why I check under the sheets before I climb into bed and sleep a little less soundly at night.  I intermixed a few more pleasant and pleasing animals because they are present in Tucson too and are a relief from the nightmarish ones Plus I love hummingbirds.

*Disclaimer: all these images are “Googled” and attached through their URL…and I do not claim to know anything about these animals…so wikipedia them or something if you want to know more

Brown Recluse Spider (very venomous)

For some very gruesome images of recluse bites follow this link…http://www.ascendedhealth.com/brown-recluse/bite-picture.htm…ouch

Bobcat

Gila Monster (HEE-la and also venomous)

Black Widow (venomous…duh)

Gray Fox

Western Banded Gecko

Greater Roadrunner

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (very venomous)

Click the link below to hear the rattle:

The Rattler Sound

Tarantula (not very venomous but still hurts like a bugger)

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Coral Snake (venomous)

Antelope Jackrabbit

Gambel’s Quail

Sidewinder (venomous)

Giant Hairy Scorpion (yes that’s the official name and it’s venomous)

Javelina (I giggled when I first saw this animal)

Giant Crab Spider (eww…)

Turkey Vulture

Ringtail

Green Lynx Spider

Giant Desert Centipede (venemous)

Costa’s Hummingbird

Lesser Southern Long-Nosed Bat

Wolf Spider

Mountain Lion

Sound link:

Meow!

Things that I have learned about Tucson…- August 22, 2009

In the first few weeks after our move down here, I have already discovered quite a few quirks about this desert city.  I am not sure if they are all bad, good, or just weird.  I will rate each of them as good, bad, or weird, and then I will see what you guys think.

1. The average temperature at lunch time here is about 100 degrees…rating: seemingly good

-this causes greasy food to sound unappetizing causing better eating habits and increases the intake of water  which is good all around.  However, while traveling on the freeway the most common roadside debris is shredded tires caused from the road and tire friction in combination with the natural heat of the surrounding atmosphere.  The heat also causes people to be in a perpetual state of sweat even when in the lowest state of activity which can have the effect of making you look like a hot mess no matter how much time you spend on hair and make-up.

2. The traffic commission plays a cruel trick on daily commuters because green left-turn arrows follow the green light…most of the time…rating: weird and dangerous.

-Let me explain this a little more clearly.  In Minnesota and every other place I have been the green arrow comes first and then all the lights turn green causing drivers who had the green arrow to now yield to oncoming traffic from the other direction.  In Tucson, drivers in the left turn lane must first yield to oncoming traffic and then when straight lanes receive the red light the green arrow appears.  Initially, this seems like a genius idea…this way people waiting to turn left are not left stranded in the middle of an intersection when the light turns red.  However, the danger becomes evident when one realizes that this is not true of every intersection in Tucson, and this is usually only realized through first-hand experience.  The other dangerous element involved is that even though people coming in the opposite direction know that a red light is coming and that people will be turning left, the yellow light still reads as “speed up” and the first 3 seconds of red light are only optional.  So when drivers receive the green arrow, it is never a guarantee that they won’t be t-boned in the middle of an intersection by a jack-ass going 60 miles per hour.  Drive at your own risk.

3. I see people on a daily basis dressed in pants and long-sleeved shirts…rating: weird

-no explanation needed

4. The sun is completely down by 7 pm…rating: good

-relief from the heat and blazing sun…good time to go out and get things done.  Only down side…makes you feel like going to bed at 9pm.  This makes Tucson an ideal location for retirement communities.

5. In order to get your Arizona plates your car has to be inspected…rating: good

-they rate your car’s environmental impact which is awesome and all states should increase there laws regarding emissions and such.

6. Geckos can’t swim…rating: weird

-Owen and I discovered this on our own when we found one drowned in the pool.  Poor little bugger.  Its cruel to have to live in such a dry/hot environment and not be able to engage in fun activities like swimming.

7.  Top four most dangerous animals in Tucson and surrounding area:

-brown recluse spider

-black widow

-gila monster…awesome

-diamondback

…I have yet to see any of these and I find this a bit troubling…rating: bad/good

8. I killed my first outdoor potted plant by overwatering…rating: wierd/bad and extremely pathetic on my part

9. Palm trees + cactii = awesomeness

10. Cops don’t patrol every road in Tucson…instead they have photo enforced zones…rating: good/bad/weird

weird: cops are lazy

good: that question “where’s a cop when you need one?” is used more sparingly

bad: the photo-enforced zones use a flash that leaves you temperarily blinded and makes you an even bigger danger to yourself and other drivers on the road…not that I know this from experience.

11.  Tinted windows are not just used for looks or style down here…rating: good

- you can actually get sunburned while driving with the windows up for a short amount of time

12.  rocks= grass…can’t wait to play in the yard!…rating: weird

13. house spiders are huge…rating: bad

14. For most of the year rivers= dried up beds scattered thoughout the city.  However, during the rainy or monsoon season, the rain from the mountain floods down toward the city.  Apparently, the city has given up trying to deal with drivers who forge the road that become inundated and now just post signs saying “don’t use when flooded”…rating: bad

-the bad thing about this is that you can’t tell the road is flooded until you drive on it.

15. All the bridges have icing warnings posted on them…rating: weird

16. Monsoon season…rating: good

-this is awesome

17. There are no Noodles and Co. here…rating: bad

18. There are Jack-in-the-Box and Waffle Houses…rating: weird

19. There are Wendy’s, Arby’s, Jamba Juice, Sonic, and Quiznos here… rating: fantastic

Thats it for now but I will prolly add more later!

Under the Tucson Sun… August 8, 2009

Forgive me if there are some errors or typos throughout this entry…I am exhausted from the events of the last week.  Owen and I got married last friday, the 31st.  It was a wonderful day, but it flew by so quickly that sometimes I need to remind myself that it really happened.  We packed our belongings and headed out on the road on Tuesday morning and after some tearful goodbyes, were soon on the road to Arizona.  Owen and I drove my little ’99 Saturn (more fondly referred to as Stewart) and Owen’s dad and brother followed us in a minivan crammed full of our junk.  It was a 26 hour trip in total, which we did without stopping.  We stopped in Omaha to see Owen’s friend Courtland who just moved out there to start a teaching job.  This was when my shift of driving began and I was lucky enough to drive all the way across the belly of Nebraska which was god-awful boring.  Not sure how I made it out of there…thank you god for the GPS!  The only issue that we had during the entire trip was when we got into Denver at about 1:00 am and the fuel light came on in the van.  The GPS must be set to a default that searches for the most sketchy points-of-interests in the entire city because the gas station we were brought to featured old fashioned gas pumps and a man carrying a breifcase while wearing a trench coat without any pants on.  But we soon made it out of there with a full tank of gas.  We arrived in Tucson at about 2:30 on Wednesday and it was a scorching 108 degrees!  It was also at this time that we decided to unload the van and the car and carry everything up to the second storey.  By the time we were done we had lost about 40 pounds of water between the 4 of us.  Hello Tucson!  Dry heat my ass!

The area we are in is amazing!  We are on the city limits of Tucson in a residential area.  The road that leads up to the apartment entrance is incredibly scenic and the mountains tower over us to the north.  Saguaro cacti litter the landscape with scattered palm trees in the valley.  There is rarely a cloud in the sky so it is always beautiful.  We live in the northeastern part of the city near Sabino Canyon, so we are at a higher level of elevation.  The city itself has height restrictions on the buildings  so it has developed itself outward rather than upward.  That way the mountains are visible from anywhere in the city.  The sun sets very rapidly at about 8 pm which works fine for people around here anyway since during the summer season most people stay inside during the main chunk of the day.  It makes me want to go to bed at about 9 pm so I feel old.

Owen and I have been working all week to try to finish furnishing the apartment and unpacking all of our boxes.  The result of this is an entire room filled completely from floor to ceiling with boxes and plastic wrap.  We purchased our couch and bed frame from ikea in Tempe and our entertainment center, end tables, lamps, dishes, etc from target.  We were able to find a really nice wooden folding table from wallmart that will serve as our dinner table.  We just need to find chairs for it.  We still have a lot left to do before we can officially call it our home but the apartment is shaping up nicely.  I will post pictures once things come together a little better.

Lots of changes…this next week I need to apply for jobs like our lives depended on it (cuz it kind of does), we have to get new licenses and plates for the Saturn, I have to get a new ss card, and change my name on all of my bank and credit cards.  We have to transfer our car insurance down here and also get the car into a shop because the engine has been overheating (can’t say that I can blame it in this weather).  Even though there is a lot to do, we are both taking it in stride and enjoying every minute of it.  We plan to take full advantage of pool this afternoon which I can not wait for.  Living in Tucson is going to be a great adventure for us and we plan not to take a moment for granted.

Hello world! June 21, 2009

I actually decided to create this blog because Owen was talking about doing it and so I decided to run with his idea.  We think that it would be cool for us to have a place to keep people up to date with everything that is going on with us as we embark on our wedding and our move down to Arizona.  I don’t know how much people will actually take an interest in this but I am sure at least our mothers will appreciate it! (hi Renae and Mary Jo!)

Owen and I just finished our undergraduate degrees at University of Minnesota, Morris this spring.  I majored in Art history and minored in philosophy, while Owen majored in Biochemistry and minored in chemistry (I think…did I get that right?? haha).  I hope to one day work behind-the-scenes in a museum doing work with preservation and restoration of art work and artifacts, but for now I am looking for any job that will get me some experience in the field.  Owen on the other hand is attending graduate school down at the University of Arizona in Tucson, thus the big move immediately after the wedding.  He was accepted into the Pharmacology and Toxicology program in Feb/March after flying down for an interview mid-Februrary.  The program is a doctorate program so we will be down there a minimum of four years, and hopefully, when he is finished in Tucson he will be Dr. Owen Kinsky.

The wedding is on the 31st of July, and things are starting to come together as the time is flying by.  I just finished with my last bridal shower this weekend, and it was wonderful.  Last weekend, I had my first shower with Owen’s side of the family which was hosted by his mother’s best friend and between the two weekends we received a ton of fabulous gifts to help us start our life together.  It was fun to meet new people and get together with old friends and family.  As much as I do not like being the center of attention, I think I could get used to the whole present receiving aspect of being a bride-to-be!  Haha!

I had my first fitting for my dress this weekend and I will go down in a few weeks for a second.  While I was there, I also picked out a beaded headband and veil.  It is definitely starting to sink in now!  I got the bridesmaid dresses shipped to me a week or two ago and all but one has been delivered to the girls (Ashley…I will get it to you ASAP)  and they look lovely on all of my beautiful friends!  Owen has had most of the groomsmen in for their fittings for tuxes so they should be well on their way to having those ready.  Our main color is a deep teal to match our overall peacock color theme.  I hope it all comes together.

The last couple of things we have left are the cake and the flowers.  I love all flowers and so I am not very picky about what we use in the wedding, and so I have left it until the end (which I have a tendency to do with everything in my life).  However, this week I think we will go down to the Minneapolis flower market to check out their supply and vendors.  If I can get some beautiful flowers while supporting local growers and also being cost-effective…I will be a very happy girl.  Cake cake cake, I love cake!  We have an appointment next saturday at the Farmington Bakery to eat some cake!  I am slightly excited about this if you cannot tell.  I don’t have any plans for the cake as of yet except that I want it to be superbly delicioso!

We are in the process of receiving rsvp’s from our invites.  Invitations…guest lists…I had no idea how difficult it would be to decide who would be invited and who would not.  I wish that we could have invited everyone we wanted, but alas, money does not grow on trees.  So to anyone not receiving an invite…it is not because we do not love you, it is because weddings require a budget.

Anyway, I think that is all I dare include for today because if I continue I might not be able to stop!  If anyone is looking for a laugh, you should watch Bridezillas on We TV on Sunday nights!

-Thanks for reading!