Day 20 - Motivation...?

So I have been having a bit of a hard time convincing myself to keep working on packing my stuff up when I have so much homework to keep on top of, so I decided that my best course of action was to post a picture of how it looks in the study currently - the last few times this has helped motivate me to make it better (so that the next time I take a picture of it, it at least has improved).  So I am hoping that this inspires me to make some progress this weekend and make it cleaner and easier to deal with!

Till tomorrow!

Day 19 - Present....

So one of the requirements for my senior project is to give a 15 min presentation.  This is probably the part I am most worried about since everyone else is presenting in group, and I am a solo project.  However, I have put together my presentation, and this is the first slide.  I think it's going to help me kick butt, so I am pretty excited about it.  I give the presentation for the first time on Friday, so wish me luck!

Till tomorrow!

Day 18 - Book work

So I started trying to put sound effects and music into my senior project today, and was so glad that I just happened to have this book lying around.  It has very explicit instructions on how to do almost everything I need to do with it, and it also has suggestions for where to look for the parts that I don't know.  This is the first time that I actually had any help with this project, so it was nice for a change to have something work first time, instead of having to struggle through and make it work in some other way.  This book is also a great thing for two more reasons - firstly it gave me some ideas for things that will improve the project, and secondly because I still have it, even though I never used it for the class I bought it for. Lucky, no?

Till tomorrow!

Day 17 - Doggy dog

So Tuesday in lab, we had a genetics lab, and one of the tasks was to pretend to breed dogs and see if you could get the dog you wanted after 3 generations.  We set our dog to have mostly recessive traits, partly because it made an awesome dog, and partly because it was more of a challenge.  We still managed to get the dog we wanted out of the end, which was exciting.  Here are our results, although I am not sure you can read them!

Till tomorrow!

Day 16 - Colorful, innit?

In our mad dash to pack things up and move, we have realized that we are going to need help remembering which box contains what.  Since I am a poor, starving college kid, and Katie is supporting me, we decided that the best option was to go to the local liqueur stores and get free boxes from them (they always have some).  However, the problem with liqueur boxes is that they tend to be very colorful, leaving very little space to write where each box goes.  Since that writing on the boxes doesn't work, we decided to use colored duct tape (gaffer tape for my British fans) and put a little strip on every box - then we should at least remember where things go, even if we cannot remember what is in each box.  However, I am a little bit brainless sometimes and so started trying to use the tape and then promptly forgot which color meant what - so I made up this handy color chart to let me know.  I thought it was brilliant at least, and now I know what color means what room, so I can pack better now!

Till tomorrow!

Day 15 - Glitter

So Katie and I have been busy packing in anticipation of our move, and today we cleaned out under our bathroom sink.  We found lots of interesting things that we had forgotten about, and did not find what we initially went looking for (which was lame).  However, we did find some Wyoming support stickers, which I am proudly displaying here.  I think it makes me look pretty, don't you?  Unfortunately we did not have a game to go to, so I took it off after this picture, but they tell me that it is the thought that counts, right?

Till tomorrow!

Day 14 - Weekly Affairs

I have been busy organizing things all day Saturday, so I felt that this picture of our calendar seemed appropriate.  We have an awesome calendar that has space to write things for each person in the house, and has stickers to label things that are happening (such as "no school" or "important!").  It certainly has been helping make life a little easier, and now that we are getting good at keeping on top of keeping it up to date it is helping even more.

Till tomorrow!

Day 13 - Menus

So we have taken to keeping our menu on the fridge.  The fact that we have been planning our menu is a good sign.  It is nice to have a good idea of what we are making for the week, and it is prompting me to make new recipes as well.  This is expanding our repertoire while also ensuring that we have good healthy meals, and that we do not have way too much food in the pantry (a problem we used to suffer from).

I had very little else to talk about Friday, so I went to this instead!  Look forward to more creative posts like this as homework starts to overwhelm my life!

Till tomorrow!

Day 12 - Who Put That Curb There?

So normally at this time of year we are having massive snow storms and it is usually difficult to see the sidewalk.  This little corner in our parking lot was covered with snow and ice last year until May.  So imagine my surprise when the snow is almost all gone from everywhere, even this spot that gets almost no sun and so takes forever to clear.  While I am definitely enjoying having nicer weather, it is really screwing with my head.  I keep feeling like it is the end of April/early May and that I should be graduating in a short while...instead I have more than a month to go.  Keeping my brain focused is taking more energy than the homework I am trying to focus on!  Either way it is not for much longer and if I can just push through I will be there...Wish me luck!

Till tomorrow!

Day 11 - Little Box of Horrors

This here is a view into my box of torture.  Inside are all the wonderful study materials that prevent me from getting enough sleep at night.  Individually they are not so bad, but mixed together they make one potent cocktail that seems to believe that I should have less than no free time on my hands.  I am managing the work, but some days it just feels like more of a burden than others!  However, this box has a lid that makes it double as an ottoman, which is super nice to rest my feet on.  Either way, only a few more weeks and I will be done, so I think I can (and will) manage.

Till tomorrow!

Day 10 - Spring Activated

Today just so happens to be the Vernal Equinox - more commonly termed the first day of Spring.  With Easter just around the corner, I figured it fell to me to put up some of our decorations.  Our Winter wreath has been hanging on the door since sometime last November I think, and so it was definitely time to change it out.  In the process of retrieving the wreath, I stumbled upon our old Easter banner, and felt that should go up too!  So now we have a nicely decorated house - well the front door at least.  Unfortunately with us both being super busy, and with the move coming up, I don't think there will be much more in the way of decorations, except possibly some window stickies.  Either way, however, our house feels more festive, even if it is still cold outside right now (it should warm up soon though).  Also, Happy Spring everyone!

Till tomorrow!

Day 9 - No Joke

Monday's I have a meeting with my senior project adviser.  This week I started meeting her in her lab again (I used to be doing a project in there all the time).  As I left I noticed this again.  It always makes me laugh.  I know that it means no messing around or trouble making since there are some dangerous experiments going on behind that door.  But every time I feel like it means that you are not allowed to make any jokes in the lab.  Then I wonder what would happen if someone were to make a joke, and since it is in the engineering building I like to imagine that it would cause a massive rift in time and space.  Also, a day back and my brain is already working oddly.

Till tomorrow!

Day 8 - What now?

So this got put up on campus sometime in the last couple of weeks, and Katie and I went to find it on Sunday.  I have no idea what it is, or what it is meant to be or represent.  Unfortunately, the thing next to it that looks like a sign is just a blank sheet of metal, which is ridiculously unhelpful.  I kind of want thoughts on it, since I am kind of stumped.  The only idea i had was that it was a plant turned on its head (so the rocks are the ground and the plants are growing out of it).  However that seems simplistic, and so anyone who has ideas, please post!

In other news, classes start at noon on Monday, so super fun there!  I just hope the teachers give us a break and don't assign too much homework this week.

Till tomorrow!

Day 7 - How Sweet

So Saturday Katie and I went for a walk downtown, since it was super nice out.  We figured we should take advantage of us both having time off during a nice weather spell when we could!  We ended up at Sweet Melissa's, our favorite restaurant.  I took this picture, partly so that we could remember the place.  Unfortunately this is a hole in the wall place that exists only in Laramie, WY, and is one of two restaurants we will dearly miss.  I certainly hope that there will be super nice places where we wind up, but I predict that we will make a few excuses to wind up back in Laramie in the future, just to visit these restaurants!

Till tomorrow!

Day 6 - Pasties

So I introduced Katie to pasties when we were in England a few years ago.  Since we don't really make them here in America, we figured out a recipe (with gratuitous help from the internets), and made them first a while ago.  Today I decided to make some more for Katie, and was quite happy at how well they came out this time (last time they were WAY to big to be a normal pasty).  The veggies in it were very well done if I do say so myself - good enough that I ate some of the left over by itself.

Till tomorrow!

Day 5 - Organizational

Finally for the first time since last calendar year I managed to get my closet sorted out.  I finally have all the clothes put in their place.  It is a great feeling.  I like making progress on my room, because it feels like I am getting one step closer to finishing my degree!  I am definitely ready to move on to the next phase of life.  Seeing the progress that I can make is helping me believe that I can make the leap successfully as well, which is nice and empowering.

The rest of my room is progressing well - it is all boxed up and waiting to be sorted...I might actually finally get my stuff all organized for the first time in my life!

Till tomorrow!

Day 4 - Bluecherry Pi

So today, in American date, was 3.14, or more commonly (among geeks and mathematicians) known as Pi Day.  In celebration of Pi Day, Katie and I made a pie.  The one problem we could not decide on was whether to have a blueberry pie, or cherry pie (I was, naturally, in favor of cherry 'cause it's the best!).  Then we realized that our recipe called for two cans of berries, and came to a perfect solution - pour blueberries in one half, and cherries in the other!  It worked really well, and we both got exactly the pie we wanted in the first place.  I even coined a word to describe the pie "bluecherry".  I feel it is accurate and descriptive...and naming it definitely made it taste better!  In this picture the top half of the pie is the blueberry, the bottom half is cherry.  For those who don't believe me (or are just interested in such things) I have included a picture of the pie just before I put the top crust on bellow.  See, one half blueberries, one half the far superior cherries (I am really glad that Katie prefers the blueberry side because it means more cherry pie for me!).  However, despite my prejudice, I must admit that whichever way you cut it, it still tastes amazing (oh yes, I did).

Till tomorrow!

Day 3 - Progress!

So today (Tuesday) I began working on cleaning up the mess that was my room (and now is our study).  Although it is not obvious, I cleaned up the bags, suitcases, and blankets that were all over the floor, and now it is possible to walk in the room!  I feel really productive for having made so much progress, and am super excited to finish cleaning everything up and getting things packed up.  Part of why I am pushing so hard this week to get the room cleaned (other than it is Spring Break and it seems like a good time to do so), is because we just finished figuring out how to move our stuff!  I am really excited about getting to move, and want to pack everything up right now in the hopes that it will be moving day sooner (of course that is silly since it will not make time go faster, but a guy can dream, right?).  Look forward to some more updates on the room, since I will definitely be working on it!

Till tomorrow!

Day 2 - Experimental

So one of my Day Zero list items was to open a cookbook to a random page and make the recipe on it.  I took the "The Starving Students' Vegetarian Cookbook" and opened it to a random page.  It told me to make "Easy Stroganoff".  I complied and this is what it looked like - and it tasted simply amazing!  I think we have found a new recipe to add to our repertoire!  Also, I totally recommend the cookbook - great tasting ideas that are cheap and easy to make...anyone can benefit, not just starving college kids!

Till tomorrow!

Day 1 - More of the same!

So yesterday (Saturday) we went to Fort Collins and had lunch at Panera.  I got a chicken salad sandwich and BBQ chicken salad salad.  It was incredible.  We pretty much always seem to go to Panera when we are in big cities, and every time I remember why, because the food is always so good!  Also, It was nice to get out of Laramie and go some where, even if it was just for a little while.

Till tomorrow!

Day 0 Part 2 - I fail!

Hey guys!  So I got really, really sick for the month of February, getting the flu, pneumonia, strep throat, and tonsillitis all spread out.  As a result I am both really far behind in my posts, and I also believe that I missed a couple of days worth of pictures.  Because of this, I am restarting my challenge from March 11th - and will do my best to not get sick again so I can stay on top of my posts!

Till tomorrow!

Day 29 - Early Morning Snow

Today as I left for work I was the first person to disturb the snow in our parking lot, so the snow was fresh, perfect, and untouched.  It made me feel better since I was going to work with a sore throat.  However, that was not enough to heal me, and after working my shift, I went straight to the student clinic on campus.  Turns out, I got pneumonia for the second time in two years, which kind of sucks a lot.  I wound up at home running a nearly 103°F (about 40°C), which I can assure you is not pleasant.  Probably should have gone to the hospital, but I am stubborn, and did not want to disturb Katie (or summon an ambulance), so I just stuck through it.  I do not like feeling like this!

Till tomorrow!

Day 28 - Egg-cited

Today I had a craving for a Sunday scrambled egg, but did not want to take the 5-10 minutes it takes to cook it the old fashioned way, so I looked up microwave scrambled egg recipes.  It looks pretty odd, especially when it is dumped out (it keeps its shape), but it actually tastes really good.  I am going to work on perfecting it, but I think I have found how to cook eggs from now on!  Message me in the comments if you want a link to the recipe (or for me to post my customizations).

Till tomorrow!

Day 27 - Progression Time

Today was the first time where Katie had to work, and I only had homework.  It was an odd feeling, though I enjoyed having the opportunity to get a head on my homework.  I did not make quite as much progress as I wanted, but I still made some!  I enjoy making progress like this, especially since it means that when Katie gets home I can actually spend some time with here.  Here is to being on top of things!

Till tomorrow!

Day 26 - Wilting

I bought these flowers towards the start of the month for Katie - they were purple striped tulips when we got them (I must admit buying them as a Day Zero list item too...).  Now they are several days older, and finally on their last legs.  However, I thought that the curled and wilting forms of the petals was really pretty and wanted to try to capture the moment wit a picture...it wasn't perfect, but I think that I am improving at my moment capturing prowess!

Till tomorrow!

Day 25 - Drip, drip goes the Clock

Thursday rolls around and the snow that we have been (finally) receiving has started to melt, and we are getting some sweet icicles.  I was walking home from classes, and I passed this and had to stop and photograph it while it was still there.  I was worried that someone would kick them or they would melt off, so I stopped to capture the moment.  I just thought that the appearance was so beautiful and it was just a great moment because I felt pretty good about the week being almost over and everything.

Till tomorrow!

Day 24 - Return to the Street

Today was Katie's first day of work.  She is working a clinic type job, that she seems to be excited about.  Most of all, however, she is taking some pressure off of me, which I appreciate more than I can express, since now I can focus on my homework, and do not have to worry about money as much, which I am super happy about (and very, very appreciative about).

As a thank you to Katie, I made these Disney cookies for Katie - they were one of her Valentines day presents from yesterday, but I felt that they might be better appreciated after a long day's work (I do not seem to be wrong about my assumption either, so hurray for saving you and me from the proverbial donkey)!

Till tomorrow!

Day 23 - Love is in the Air

Tuesday, and Valentines Day!  Such a good day.  I got Katie a card, and a chocolate covered strawberry (and some cookies that we didn't make).  She got me a list of reasons she loves me...it was so amazing and sweet and just made my day better!  We went to the store to get some things and noticed that they had some small boxes of chocolates.  I learned that Katie likes being surprised by the chocolates (since they are not labeled), so we decided to get some for each other...I think it is the first time I have received Valentine's day chocolates in a long time, made me happy!

Till tomorrow!

Day 22 - Snow Way!

So Monday, I manage to actually post a post in time!  This is mostly because this picture came to me so early in the day (like 5pm, haha).  I thought it was really pretty with the sky and the snow everywhere.  This is why I am going to miss Laramie when I leave.  Because it looks like this a few times every winter.  I will not miss the extremely icy paths (which you can't tell by looking they are icy, but I assure you they are), the wind that provides chill factors of up to 40F, or the fact that winter lasts from late September until late April.  But the moments like this more or less make up for them - I thought it looked like the ceramic villages people have at Christmas time (and yes, I totally want one).   Ah well, I am sure I will be bitter at the weather again by mid-day tomorrow, so I might as well enjoy it now while I can!

Till tomorrow!

Day 21 - So Corky!

So Sunday we continue the unofficial tour of the house that I started a few posts ago.  I figured this was kind of interesting.  It is the cork board in our kitchen, where Katie keeps things that are mostly to do with our relationship, as well as coupons (so that we actually remember to use them).  There are two letters to Katie from me, my schedule (in two forms), and some pictures of us, among the rest of the stuff there.  We felt so awesome when we thought of putting this board up, and it has been pretty useful (plus it makes the kitchen just feel complete).

Till tomorrow!

Day 20 - Kicking Back

This is the view from where I have been sat most of the last week.  You can see the pile of blanket and pillows that I was using to keep me warm (and still do on nights when the temp drops too quickly).  I was totally drawing a blank on Saturday as to what to photograph, since I spent the whole day working on one silly homework.  I still have not figured out how to finish the homework, but I decided to just take the partial credit and figure it out later if it is important.  Hence why I was on the couch so long today.  Fortunately after this weekend things should slow down a very small amount for a while - especially if I keep on top of my work (which I am actually doing fairly well so far this semester).

Till tomorrow!

Day 19 - The Wall

Visible here is a cool calendar that we got from our favorite Chinese restaurant (The Great Wall).  It is printed on a faux bamboo mat, and has both a calendar and the restaurants menu.  We have had it a while, but Friday was a sort of quiet day and so I thought I might post this instead.  This is currently hanging in our living room, being all awesome and stuff.

Till tomorrow!

Day 18 - Mediform

Though you cannot really read the form to the left, it is something like a "Durable Power of Attorney" or something similar.  Basically it is a legal expression of what I want to happen should I become incapacitated or be near death.  Some people call it a living will, I call it long winded.  So many questions!   This is what I did with myself for most of Thursday - riveting, I know.  It is mostly done now though, so that is good at least!

In other news, I have wasted a number of hours building a Sims 3 house over the last couple of days - it is a really impressive house, it just takes so damn long to get everything just so.  I feel sorry for real builders and architects everywhere.

Till tomorrow!

Day 17 - Back-pain

Wednesday was a great day for work.  This is a look inside my backpack (after I had already removed the computer).  I swear the whole thing weighed 50lbs or more.  Good workout for my back, I suppose, and it sure explains why my back hurts all the time.  I will be glad when the semester is over and I can start carrying less stuff everywhere!  We went to the emergency medical center in town (so Katie could get a physical for work), and it was different than I expected.  I had expected more ER, not the doctor's office we got.  I just wish I had brought some homework - we had to sit there for more than an hour before they could see Katie!  Instead I learned a lot more about tanks than I ever wanted to know, which I suppose is something.

Till tomorrow!

Day 16 - Bio-fill

Tuesday was a great day for biology.  While my first two classes were not biology related, they were short.  Then I had my first biology test followed by yet another biology lab.  I would have taken a picture of the lab, but I am not allowed to use my cellphone in lab, so instead you get a picture of the super creepy frog on the front of my biology textbook (while the light definitely is not helping, I assure you that normally it is just as creepy).  Our lab was to figure out how much water was flowing into bags filled with sugar solution - super interesting (not).

Either way, I am glad that it is over because biology should become less chemistry and more biology for the rest of the semester.

Till tomorrow!

[Edit: Thanks to Katie for  catching my typo!]

Day 15 - Comfort Arrangement

So Monday was another day of minimal progress on things or being less boring.  I was still pretty sick (enough that going to work was not going to happen), so I stayed home for all but the 3 hours I was in class.  I shoved the couches like this for several reasons.  Firstly, it lets me sit closer to Katie - I sit on the love seat on the left of the photo, and she sits on the left end of the full couch in the right of the photo.  Normally there is a 3 foot gap between the couches.  Also, it puts me closer to all the plugs, and angles me better to see the TV.  I don't know why, but Katie doesn't like letting me leave the couches like this, even though I think it makes the place feel more homey.  Perhaps I am just a little off?  Either way, it has been nice to get to stay at home, sleep in, and get caught up on work (even if I can't really do much physical exertion before getting short of breath).

Till tomorrow!

Day 14 - Dripping of Time

So we woke up this morning (Sunday) to find these icicles sitting outside our window.  I thought they looked really cool, and were fairly impressive, so I took a picture of them.  More importantly, it marks the return of winter to Wyoming.  I feel like last winter there were icicles in this spot from November clear through till the end of March.  This is the first time I have seen real icicles up there so far.  In other news, the "Safeway Pile" is back, and taking up a couple of parking spaces like always, so I feel a little better about life.  It is definitely helping my brain to focus, which is nice, but would be nicer if everything wasn't due during the next week!  Needless to say, stress and illness combined are delaying these posts!

Till tomorrow!

Day 13 - Floral Post

Being sick makes me both boring, and lazy apparently.  I took this photo of these flowers on Saturday for the post and am only just now getting around to posting it.  Shame on me!

I bought the flowers for Katie, since they are her favorite.  I like having flowers in the house, it makes it feel warmer.  I suppose that I should buy them more often, but they always seem so expensive.  Hopefully that will be different soon!

Other than these flowers, not a lot happened on Saturday.  I focused on trying to get caught up on my homework, even though I was still not feeling well.  Hence taking a picture of the flowers!

Till tomorrow!

Day 12 - Footprints in the Snow

So I would first like to apologize for the lateness of both of these pictures...they were actually taken on the correct day, but I have been sick for the last several days, so every time I sit down to write up a new post, I fall asleep before I get there.  Which means that your Saturday could be blessed by 3 new posts, instead of the regularly scheduled 1.  This is Fridays post:

So Katie received a packet of information that needed to be filled out today, and since I was not feeling well and was home for the day, I naturally helped her get everything done. So when she had to go get some things faxed and mailed off, I went with her.  As we were walking to get in the car, we noticed a bunch of squirrel tracks in the snow.  So finally, just before they disappeared into the tree that you can see in the bottom left of the above image.  I just thought it was a really interesting image and thought I would share (I am sure there is some sort of deep philosophical meaning, especially with the snow and my foot print next to the squirrels, but I figured you guys should have some fun with the picture).

Till tomorrow!

Day 11 - What a Steal

So we went to Bath and Body works today (Thursday), and had coupons and discounts galore.  I snapped a picture of our haul.  We got enough soap to last us until the end of the semester at least, and a candle with votive holder.  The best part was that we got everything for less than the cost of 5 individual soaps because of our mad couponing skills!  We are pretty happy about that!

Till tomorrow!

Day 10 - I'm so proud

So this picture is in celebration of Washington's newly voted in bill providing marriage equality!  I thought it was super exciting, but unfortunately did not really get to hear the proceedings.  However it is good to know that my prime nomination for living has gotten on board with the whole equality thing...now if only Wyoming would actually start living up to it's nickname (and I don't count the women being able to vote thing...it was just a ploy by the original legislature to get enough votes to make the area a state).

Instead of sitting at home listening to the proceedings, I took Katie out to dinner at a local restaurant, Sweet Melissa's, and bought both of us dinner.  It was just as good as I remembered.  It is our favorite place in town (where we had our first date), and we used to go there all the time.  However, the last few months we have felt a little more strapped for cash, so we haven't been there anywhere near as much as we would like.  Afterwards we went to the store to get somethings, and happened through the baby section.  This is a particularly cruel kind of torture for Katie, since she really wants kids, and sooner rather than later, but she knows that we have to wait.  I was pretty impressed because the only thing she actually asked to buy was a combination furniture thing that has a crib that converts to a bed and a changing table that converts to a small dresser.  The two pieces were only $200, and were quite nice (and would last one child until they were about 18, unless they inherited my destructive genes).  Needless to say we did not actually buy the set, but it was tempting.  Someday, but not yet - but it is nice to know there are nice things out there for decent prices.

Otherwise, I am now roughly half-way through my week, and feel like I have a lot of work to do this weekend to be all caught up for next week.  Anyway, it is definitely bed time.

Till tomorrow!

Day 9 - Lights Out

Today I did not really do much.  I went to class, spent sometime with my wife, and worked.  It was an alright day, but I didn't really accomplish much.  I couldn't think of anything interesting to post, so instead I thought I might go artsy.


This is a picture of the lights framing our window.  I like the way the lights hit the wall, it makes interesting patterns.  Especially after getting reflected by the tinsel wrapped in the lights.  I thought it was really pretty, and strangely reflective (haha, get it?) of my day...a colorful blur.  My main concern is that normally when this happens, I "wake up" several weeks later and am failing my classes.  Fingers crossed I can prevent that this time!

Till tomorrow!

Day 8 - Fakin' Dinner

Today my brain broke.  More specifically I think my brain might have finally fried out over the weekend.  Talk to any college student (who has been in college for more than one semester) and they will be able to confirm that there comes a point at which your brain just stops for a bit.  I am trying to get it back in gear, but I figured that in the mean time I would make the most of it.

So today I made Chicken Parmesan for Katie - she deserves a break every now and again, and I thought today would be a great day to help out.  She seemed to enjoy it, and I think I like the new bread crumbs we used (they were rice based and absorbed the sauce in a nice way).

I figured that seemed better than trying to figure out statistical problems on a Monday night.

Till tomorrow!

Day 7 - Thunderbolt and Lightning

This somewhat garish sight is the view through the door way into what used to be my room (and is now formally called the study).  Although I must admit that I was playing with the camera angle a little, and so this looks worst than it is - there is a pathway in the middle that the angle is hiding - this is what I get to work with.  At the back are all the pretty boxes lined up and ready to be sorted through, at the front are all the things that really just need to be boxed up.  Cleaning up my room is always a process, partly because I have always been a terrible pack rat.  So the goal right now is to just box everything up, so that I can go through one box at a time.  As I go through boxes I will sort things into piles; trash, donate, and keep, and then I will rebox to ensure that things are ready to go by May.  With something like 96 days to go, this seems like an awful lot of things to get through.  I figure if I post a progress update like this every time I get somewhere, maybe I can feel productive!

In other news, the Day 0 list tracker page seems to have posted alright!  I strongly suggest checking it out - I will do my best to note when it is updated, but you can look at it whenever you feel the urge!

Till tomorrow!

Day 6 - Compressed

Yesterday I went to a First Aid and CPR/AED class to learn how to know the required info to be a certified card holder.  Mostly because Katie wants kids, and wants to make sure I can fix them up when they injure themselves.  It was a long class, but fortunately for everyone I already knew a large portion of the material that was presented and covered.  I learned some neat things, like you use a credit card to remove the poison sack and stinger from a bee, or that they have invented a moldable foam brace for splinting broken and injured arms and legs (particularly when one is out camping or hiking and is a long way from medical support).  I just hope that now I have this knowledge that I only have to use the most basic parts (like cleaning cuts or making insect bites hurt less).

We had to wake up at about 6:00 in the morning to get to the 8:30 class, and then didn't back home until something like 6:30pm, so I was pretty darn tired.  That meant I fell asleep almost as soon as we got in the door, and so I apologize for the "lateness" of this Day 6 post.  I will still post a Day 7 post later today, just as soon as I figure out what I intend to take a picture of.

In other, less related news, I am working on creating a page to document my progress through my Day Zero List.  I hope to have it up and running by tonight, but I will provide an update with tonight's post.

Till Tomorrow (/later today)!

Day 5 - Orangutan Shavings

Today I got my hairs cut (yes, multiple hairs were cut as can be seen).  It has not even been a full month since my last haircut so this is impressive...but what my trimmings are usually like.  Katie says it looks like I murdered an orangutan.  Poor fella didn't even see it coming.

Tomorrow I get to wake up early to go to first aid and CPR classes.  I elected to go to classes on the weekend.  I am not sure how I feel about this.  This seems good since I wish to continue learning after graduation, but surely I currently have enough classwork?  Ah well, tis life sometimes.

Till tomorrow!

Day 4 - Lights and Chains

   Today I bring you a picture of our kitchen...but more importantly the paper chain that now frames our kitchen.  It has 99 links today, and is counting down the number of days until I am supposed to graduate.  I got home and Katie had made it for me...it is a little weird to see how long it looks in multicolored paper links.  It replaced the Christmas lights that were there.  It adds a nice touch of spring, which warms up the house nicely. T-99 and counting till the next major life milestone.  Wish me luck!

Now, as an added bonus, for the first time I present a second photo! I already had today's picture taken, when this appeared outside our window.  I felt compelled to capture it because of how beautiful and eery it looked.  I am lucky to have caught it, 2 minutes later when I arrived with a better camera it was already gone.  I think it feels like an eery omen in a movie, and should be accompanied with epic music.

Till tomorrow!

Day 3 - Tea!

Today marked the first day I have ever worked 14 hours solid.  It was super exhausting, but I need to get used to it since I suspect it will not be the only time this ever happens.  I was almost falling asleep on the walk home.

Then I got home and Katie was super nice to me and made me an awesome cup of tea.  Tea is the perfect cure for everything, but today it was exactly what I wanted.  The only bad part?  I don't know how to tell her that she made my day 100% better with such a simple gesture.

Either way, I strongly recommend a cup of chamomile tea the next time you get home after a super long day and just feel like crap.  It melts most of the problems away and makes things better!

Also, note the awesome Christmas lights in the background...yeah we still have those up because it makes us feel better.

Till tomorrow!

Day 2 - Snow?

This morning as I walked to work, it was snowing a little.  It started really snowing while I was at work, and by the time I had finished the snow had stopped.  Considering I am currently in Wyoming, that is actually quite normal.  Snow is the order of the day for nine months out of the year for the most part.  In fact, where we are here, there is usually a 5-6 foot tall snow drift sitting in the local Safeway parking lot from October until May (I seriously wish I was kidding here).

What is unusual, and why I bring this up, is that the picture above was when I walked home, barely four hours later.  The snow that you can see?  Most of it was there this morning before the snow had started.  The road had cleared in almost no time, which is really weird.   Also, I would post a picture of the giant snow pile, but it doesn't exist right now.  I personally am freaking out about this, since it is so abnormal.  I am particularly worried that the weather is going to realize it has forgotten to snow enough here and dump it all down on us in a couple of days...right at the end of the semester when I am trying to move.  Irrational, perhaps...but true nonetheless.

Till tomorrow!