The Life and Times of Tori

Acadia National Park

2009-04-01T21:05:30Z

So, yesterday was my first day at work at Acadia National Park. It was a pretty good day, nothing really super special, but it was still excellent. Myself and my roommate and fellow intern, Cindy, were plesently surprised to find muffins, flowers, and a desk for each of us in the office. We even got brand new NPS volunteer hats (which can now replace my US Fish and Wildlife Service volunteer hat). We got a grand tour of Bar Harbor (which of course looks like a ghost town at the moment) and we got a very entertaining tour of Southwest Harbor, which even included a chance to get out and hike around a bit.
I'm doing my best to maintain a positive outlook on this intership position, and to not get too nervous about messing up or doing something wrong. I feel like this is a big chance for me, and i need to not screw it up. I've had so many issues with bosses over the years, and i find myself waiting for another such issue...

The house i'm staying in is about three minutes from downtown Bar Harbor, it's a beautiful, big old house right on route 3. I'm not so thrilled about being in a twin bed again, but i'm sure i'll get over it! Since i was the first person to arrive, i of course picked the biggest room (out of 4), the only one with a desk in it as well. The kitchen is huge, i've never seen so much counter space! we've got a brand new stove, which is great becuase it is CLEAN and in perfect running order. The whole house was perfectly clean, a HUGE step up from most staff housing i've stayed in in the past. I did not have to chase a fox or a raccoon out of my room in order to make my bed and un pack my stuff.

Today went well also, more 'training', we went over a program that they run in the local schools, a fairly simple and fun and easy to run program. And after that, and after we ate lunch, we went over some basic group dynamics stuff, tips with dealing with kids, and multiple intelligences work. A lot of stuff i've already learned about and applied. Both Cindy and i will have no proglem doing anything that this department asks us to do.

Last night i got the chance to chat briefly with Josh (we don't have internet at the house but we found wi fi and parked in front of a bar...), he's busy as hell this week, but i did get to enjoy a simply fantastic video about a mutha fuckin' boat...simply superb, a great feat of human talent. LOL
I still get butterflies when i talk to him, and i sound like a friggin idiot when i go to leave a phone message...i get too nervous, talk too fast and sound retarded. Needless to say, i'm patient enough to wait till he's free again and waiting will make seeing him again all the more worth while ^_^

I'm going to leave it at that, sorry about being so vague, it's been a long couple of days...i'll go into more detail later.

Tori

moving

2009-03-30T11:52:35Z

I had an amazing week. AMAZING I TELL YOU!

Gosh, he's gorgeous AND he can cook. what could be better??

Needless to say i enjoy spending time with him and i look forward to seeing him again. I'm cautious to move too quickly into anything serious, i don't want to ruin this, but i can say that i wouldn't mind seeing a lot more of him... a lot.

I got home yesterday afternoon, i needed to pack for Bar Harbor, do some dishes and just get some general stuff done. I was about to put my computer away, so it would be all packed for today, but i decided that i would check my email first.

An old friend was killed the other day in an accident out in California. I hadn't seen him in ages, probably not since my sophomore year in college, but the funny thing was is that i was just thinking about him the other day, wondering what he was up to. For once i can say i'm thankful for facebook, because if Alex hadn't sent me a message there, i don't think i would've found out for months. I'm heading down to Portland on Friday night, staying at Alex's and we're going to the Memorial Service on Saturday morning. I hear that most of the original crew will be there. I haven't seen most of them in ages, it sucks that something like this is the thing that ends up bringing all of us together again.

So although the news was terrible to hear and it has really bummed me out, i'm still looking forward to starting my internship tomorrow and thinking of Josh still has me walking in the clouds.

See some of you on Saturday.

Snow? are you for cereal??

2009-03-24T12:48:08Z

It's snowing.

As much as i love snow and all that it brings, it already brought it and now it can leave!! It's not going to accumulate to anything, but at the same time, it still dares to fall from the sky...O_o

It's been an uneventful past couple of days. I've gone to fetch the mail, i have opened said mail, i have called parents about any mail that looked important. woo.

But i did have a bit of a freak out about money the other day. I haven't been working since Christmas, my job at Beans ended and i moved back home in an attempt to find something else till i could land something with the park service. I applied to EVERYTHING in Ellsworth, a few in Columbia and everything in Milbridge. But no luck, people just were not hiring. In the meanwhile, i was also continuing to apply for park jobs, at least 10 a week. And i finally landed my Education Internship that i start on Monday. That job only pays $100 a week, it's not a lot, but i can make it work for two months. And so my mom finally said, fuck it, stop applying for jobs, we'll lend you some money and you can watch the house and come visit us for a while out west. And that's what i did. And on the day i was flying back to Maine from Phoenix, i get a call and am offered a full time seasonal position at Acadia at a GS 05 level. That job starts in mid June, a week after my intership ends.

So here's the issue.

I've not been working, and thus have had no income. My parents did leave me a bit of money that was supposed to last me till April, but it didn't. There were some unforseen issues that left me with a lot less money than i should have right now. Needless to say, i am not a big spender, i have always been extremely thrifty with my money and have always put myself on a budget. I hate asking to borrow money from my parents, and they were NOT happy when i told them that the money they gave me didn't last as long as they thought it would. They didn't confirm that they would lend me anything when i called, which led me to have a little melt down about what i could do to keep myself afloat for another two months. I do have a tendency to overreact at first, running through the whole, well i could sell my lap top or get rod of my car...scenarios. I know this about myself, which is why i never move on my first thoughts. Thankfully, Josh was in a sensible state and was able to talk me down and get me thinking again. oh man, i felt like an idiot after, having been in tears, but Josh made me laugh, cause he's that awesome, and i felt much much better. ^_^
i went back through my spending for the past three months, and found nothing that was excessive or unnecessary. There were just a few unforseen things that were not taken into account when my parents lent me the money: $125 in a parking fee when i left my car in Bangor, my car insurence kicked in again at $80 a month, without health insureence, my Rx costs me $60 (which is NOT going to stay that way, holy fuck)

My parents must have done the same thing, and realized as i did, and called the other day and said they would help me out.

The worse part about all of this, is the fact that in June, with my JOB, i'll be making about $600 a WEEK, A WEEK!!! the most frustrating part is just hanging on till then!!

ugh.

I'm heading to Bangor on Thursday to spend the weekend with Josh, ohman, it needs to be Thursday already...like right now...O_o
Even with the meltdown this week, i'm still feeling pretty damn good about life right now, i think i would even still be feeling pretty damn good if i didn't even have any money at all! yeah, Josh seems to have that effect on me. ^_~

whoa, Nelly!

2009-03-17T19:11:21Z

So

Like i said, my date last Saturday went well. VERY well, i had an AWESOME time ^_^

And of course i've been swooning ever since, and online all the time with Josh chatting and such. and i had ordered a web cam (mad crazy deal off o ebay, free headset, free shipping). The thing finally came on Saturday morning and i hooked it all up with relative ease...and POOF! i haz a webcam!

and so instead of chatting with Josh, i can actually talk with him on skype ^_^ which is basically what we did all day Saturday.

and then, around 8:30, Josh says, 'how long would it take me to get there?'
'about 45 minutes'
'ok'

and i say, i'll meet you in Ellsworth and you can follow me back so you don't get lost!'

And so right after that, grabbed my keys, threw on some boots and was out the door before i even realized what i was doing. Of course i call Misty, who i wake up and give a quick 'HOLY FUCK GUESS WHAT I"M DOING' before i let her go cause i felt bad about waking her up...

So we met in Ellsworth and drove back to the middle of nowhere.

and he brought me flowers and beer! really nice little purple flowers in a pot so they won't just die and a pack of Sam Adams White Ale which turned out to be awesome as well.

And so my Saturday night was awesome...all night...i run the risk of being explicit, so i'll just stop...right now.

Sunday, i gave him a tour of the Schoodic section of Acadia, it was a perfect day, clear and sunny, the perfect time to head to Acadia. And after i made lunch and we hung around till he had to head back to get more work done.

I haven't been this floored in YEARS, things are really looking up for me and i'm super pumped about it. For the first time in about 5 years, i'm not worrying about 100 things, i'm not all anxious all the time, and i'm feeling great about myself and where i'm at. Maybe i won't die of ulcers by the time I'm 30 like my advisor prophecized! heh, i should really call him...

Today, i'm filling out paperwork for the park jobs, watching Dune, and making a list of stuff i need to bring with me to Bar Harbor.

and trying not to bug Josh cause he's trying to get his work for his presentation done by Friday so i can head down there for the weekend. I'm looking forward to doing a lot of cooking (i'm thinking something with scallops is in order...and maybe a cake!), cuddling and maybe some adventure!!

Also, i think i'm heading to Machias on Thursday for a lil get together and i'm hoping i can get fingerprinted for my job while i'm there.

Heard from my parents today, they're in Zion, they're thinking they'll be back by the end of April.

bears? Cause that would be AWESOME

2009-03-12T16:29:09Z

In an attempt to attract wildlife, i cut up half a dozen old apples and threw the chunks all over the snow near the side porch of my house. I'm hoping for something like a moose or a bear, but i would be just as happy with the squirrels and the porcupines.

Now i keep looking out my window.

in other news, upon returning from getting the mail, i slipped and fell on my butt. landing on the ice and in a nice deep puddle of ice water. Needless to say, i am no longer wearing pants and my butt is still kinda cold...O_O

Next time i'll try to be more careful.

Tori

Walking without rythem...

2009-03-11T12:46:47Z

So

Saturday

WAS AWESOME.

I was so nervous on my way to Bangor, i mean, we're talking sweaty palms and talkin' to myself and everything. He had to get his car fixed that morning, so i actually met him at the car repair place, (hee, romantic, right?) i was wicked nervous, but the instant i walked through that door, i knew who he was, and I was just put at ease. Not to say that i didn't get nervous again here and there and blush like a little school girl...i'm not gonna lie, he is cute as hell, as far as i'm concerned, he's got dark hair, a bit of well placed facial hair, he's a little chubby (god i love that) and you can tell by the way he stands and carries himself that he's quite solid and balanced. i won't go on about it anymore, but dear lord, he's gorgeous. (i'm such a freak, lol)

We started talking...and it was funny as hell, he has some great stories, and the voices he does with them kill me. I know only one decent joke...but i do have some funny stories about this that and the other thing! Once he found out how long his car was going to be, we walked down the street to get some coffee and donuts. What a gorgeous day out, too! We could not have picked a more perfect day, sunny, clear, and perfect temperature. We got coffee, sat down and somehow got onto the topic of religion, before we realized the guy next to us was talking to an older couple about it too...we decided we should go somewhere else. Now anyone who knows me knows that i could get lost in a cardboard box, the only reason i got to where we were supposed to meet is cause of my cool GPS thingy. I definitely did not have any opinion about where to go next. So, we ended up actually going into this place that was a lot like Mardens (lol) we walked around there for a good while, and we both got sucked into buying a few things of spices...mmm, spice!

His car was ready after that, so we headed downtown, browsed a used bookstore for a while, the smell of a used bookstore is definitely on my list of things that should be bottled and made into a colgone...we have mostly the same taste in books, a few here and there that are on the opposite ends of the spectrum, but i think we were able to give eachother at least some recommendations. I mean, we're both huge fans of Dune, but i never knew his son actually FINISHED the series...O_O, yeah, i'm reading the first ender, Hunters of Dune right now...

And of course across the street there had to be a comic book store...i'm so far behind in my Wolverine comics it's not even FUNNY. but i did end up picking up the first in the Magneto: Testament series. it was pretty good.

after comics, we ended up driving back to his place for tea. I got to meet his fish, which was nice because he talks about him all the time, and i got to browse his pretty impressive cd collection. I think except for the bluegrass, we like most of the same things, i don't know if he doesn't like bluegrass, or just hasn't tried it...
and we talked a whole lot more, till we got hungry. We went out for Thai food in Old Town, it was wonderful, i haven't had Thai food in forever! we talked about food and cooking, we both enjoy cooking, and eating!
After that, he took me to the UMO campus for a bit of a tour, and he had to grab something from the lab, so i got to see that too! crazy science stuff!!
at this point it's about 5 or 6, we went back to the apartment for that cup of tea he promised, and mused about this and that. needless to say, i could've stayed there for hours, but due to some extenuating circumstances, i did have to leave and get back to Corea. I finally left at around 7:30ish, after a few very very nice kisses goodbye.

i swooned my whole way home and have been swooning ever since. *swoon* <<is such a cool word

He's got a lot of work to do for a presentation he's got to do near the end of this month, so i don't think i'll get to see him again for a little while, but we still talk all the time, and i'm still swooning...lol

I can't wait to see him again ^_^

Home Sweet Home

2009-03-06T15:20:15Z

I finally returned from the great Southwest at around 3 am on the 4th. It was about 8 degrees when i arrived in Bangor.

The rest of the trip was amazing, had an AWESOME time in Quartzite (think Old Orchard Beach on crack), i made a bunch of jewelery, i got somewhat of a tan, and I got a call from the National Park Service at Acadia offering me a full time temporary position for the the summer. The guy called while i was on my way to the airport, he had gotten two great recomendations from the people who i've applied for and gotten internships from there, and he loved my resume. He called and offered me the job right on the spot,no interview or anything. I'll be the campground caretaker at Sewall (i think that's how it's spelled) campground out by Southwest Harbor starting on June 16th, just a few days after my internship there ends.

Things are finally looking up ^_^ there looking so up that the day after i got home, i received a call from Joshua Tree National Park, who also offered me a ranger position...i have not even ever applied to this park and the lady was willing to give me the job right then and there. I told her i had taken a job at acadia, but that it ended at the end of September. She said to call back then and she could posibly work me into a caretaker position starting Oct 1st. O_O
You know how long i've been trying to get a job with the park service?? YEARS. and now, all of the sudden, i've got them eating out of my hand.

right after that, i call my parents. I had never even heard of Joshua Tree National Park, i had to look it up and find out that it's a desert park located in southern california. and guess where my parents are staying for the next three nights? Joshua Tree. wtf.

It would be perfect if i could get a job out there, work in California in the desert during the winters, and be in Acadia over the summers.

I can't wait to head to Acadia, only a few more weeks to go ^_^

On another note. I've started communicating with a guy from Bangor. i'm not going to go into details in how i met him, but we've talked online and over the phone ever since, it's been awesome, and we have a date set up for Saturday. if i die, i appologise ^_^ he's going to Orono for his masters degree in molecular genetics...which i know nothing about admitidly, but it seems like we have a lot in common, he's funny as hell, and he loved Dune, so how bad can he be??

it's raining here...hopefully that will help clear up the huge amount of snow that has accumulated on my porch and steps while i was gone that i'm too damn lazy to shovel...not that i think i even could if i tried at this point.

things are looking up ^_^

But it's a DRY heat

2009-02-25T21:27:32Z

So

I left for Texas on the 13th...Friday the 13th. I got to Bangor about 2 hours early, basically because i'm a bit obsessive compulsive when it comes to being early. I checked in, got my boarding pass (it was about 12 degrees outside) and got easilly through security and found a seat where i could wait for my plane to arrive.

My flight was scheduled for 1:30 to Newark. and then from Newark (ariving at 3:30) departing for Houston at 4:30 so Nikkie, my brother's wife can pick me up there and take me back to Killean.

But shit happens.

My flight from Bangor was delayed till 3:30, so before i even left the ground, i knew i was going to miss my flight to Texas from Newark. So i went back down to the front desk, bitched a whole lot to some stupid lady at the counter who had no idea what she was doing. I managed to get a flight from Newark to San Antonio, where my parents could pick me up on their way out, meaning that i wouldn't get to see Ben.

So after a million hours of waiting, i ended up on a plane to Newark. Once at Newark, i had to wait for about 5 hours to leave for San Antonio. I had the worst chinese food ever and did a million crossword puzzles. I managed to find cell reception to call my mom, she booked me a hotel room in SA and told me Nikkie was going t pick me up there at around 8 in the morning and take me back to Killean from there so i could still see Ben.

So finally i get to San Antonio at around 2 in the morning, crashed in a hotel (a nice hotel, i even go cookies for free). I got to sleep for a little while and was up and ready and waiting when Nikkie showed up at around 7:45ish. We drove back to Killean, which is a shitty ass town btw. I got to see Ben, my parents showed up at around 12, we all went out for Texas BBQ.

Then we had to leave. Ben had to get back to Sargent something class and my dad forgot an expensive rv accesory at the place they stayed at the night before, so they had to go back and get it.

blah blah

Texas wasn't too bad, not my favorite place though, bbq is ok, but i don't like red meat that much...though i will say that the brisket from Rudy's at Leon Springs was AWESOME.
Also, my grandmother and her uh 'roommate', John, know a guy who lives in 'THE DOMINION' a super classy super rich gated community, he as a HUGE house, right next to George Strait! it was pretty cool.

We left Texas, eventually, and ended up in New Mexico. Bought an awesomely huge belt buckle with a cattle skull on it ^_^.
saw alot of Thrush Jays and Blue Grosbeaks...AWESOME.
and alot of jack rabbits.

I've taken a huge interest in birds out here. I've always been interested, but now i'm paying alot more attention than i ever have before.

Now we're in Arizona. It's about 85 degrees here on a regular basis. which is friggin hot, but it's true that it's a dry heat, which just means that your sweat evaporates off y before you notice that it was even there.
We stayed at Kartchner Caverns State Park, which was awesome. Went to the Caverns, the first caves i had ever been in. they were fantastic, and so was the whole story surrounding the caves and the park. It was discovered in the 70s by a couple of guys. They found the cave enterence, and kept it a secret while they explored the caverns. Only after about 4 years, they finally told the landowners. then they ALL kept the secret for another 14 years. then they decided that in order to protect the caves, they needed the state's help to make them a state park. but they still wanted to keep it a secret. it was a lot of 'hey, we've got this thing, that you need and should make a park...but we can't tell you what it is...' they convinced them to make it a park. But the secret was still kept from the public while they finalized plans and researched how best to not only protect the caves, but also open them up to the public.

all the secrecy was worth it. the caves are amazing, the trail system and the tours are great. and they have a pressed penny machine. a huge plus.

after that, we ended up in the place we are now, which is in Tucson. Which means we have entered the realm (even more so) of mexican food. not like we didn't eat at every mexican place from Texas to New Mexico or anything...). But my parents know this city very well and my dad has his favortite eateries and my mom has her favorite margarita places.

Today, we went to the Sonoran Desert Museum, a place i went to the last time i was here, about 5 year ago. It's actually a zoo, an amazing zoo, with everything from bob cats and wolves to rattlesnakes and otters. it's a very nice place, really out in the desert and in the natural habitat.

Lots of cactus. I am now a cactus expert...
Saguaro, ocotillo, cholla, barrel, pipe organ, yucca, agave...all the other spiky things

This morning, my dad and i took Millie, our aussie, out for a walk along some trails out in the desert. at one point, Millie starts yelping, and i see she's stepped on some cactus spikey things the size f golf balls, and while my dad is holding her so i can get the things off, he discovers she's already tried, and now has a golf ball sized cactus bit in the roof of her mouth. needless to say i ended up stabbing my fingers with needles getting it out and the ones off her paws.

good times

next time she will be wearing booties.

and i will bring gloves!

Now, my parents are off shopping for a sink..i think..and i opted to stay and hang out with the dog (who is perfectly fine now).

I'm not looking forward to shoveling the two feet of snow we got back home.

boo

i am looking forward to more mexican food tonight.

and tomorrow

and the next day!!

Be back in Maine on the 3rd.

Tori

coastalcorean @ 2009-02-10T10:51:00

2009-02-10T16:05:16Z

Last night, i went up to bed at about 10, a little early for me, but i usually read for a while before actually turning out the lights and call it a night. Just at about 11, i turned out the lights and the phone rang. Now when the phone rings at that hour i always expect the worse, cause why the hell else would anyone call me at 11 o clock on a Monday night?? So when i answer the phone, it's a relief to find out that it's just Ben, and i'm thinking he just can't remember the time difference. He sounded really upset, wanted to know how to reach my parents, i told him by their cell phones, but he said the cell phones were off. He sounded really worried, i asked him what was wrong, and he said that he couldn't sleep. This isn't new to me, my brother has never been able to sleep when he has something on his mind. and then he says

I saw my platoon leader in the kitchen tonight.

His platoon leader was shot and killed during an ambush in the first month of his deployment in Iraq.

My brother just recently got back from Iraq, he and his wife, just a few weeks ago. They're both stationed in Texas, this was his first tour and her second.

He said that he had been in the kitchen because he couldn't sleep, and he felt someone behind him, and when he turned around, his platoon leader was standing their, but before he really had time to react, he was gone. He said that he wasn't shot up or anything, and still had his arm, which had been blasted away when he was killed, that he was just in his regular uniform, just standing there.

I asked him if he sensed anything malicious about it, but he said no, he said it just felt like he was checking in.

But he was still extremely freaked out. understandably so.

We chatted a bit more, i tried to get his min off of it and to something else. we talked about his Sargent class and how that was going, he told me he might not be able to get time off to see any of us this weekend. which would suck. (i'm heading out there to meet him and my parents on Friday)

He finally said he was going to go and try to get some sleep and we both hung up.

My brother and i have not been close these last five or six years or so, but i'm still worried about all of this and i hope he can find someone out there to talk to about all of it. i'm hoping he can get over all of this, though i know he'll always be a different person than we was before he went to war.

oh Lord hear that wind blow!

2009-02-08T14:46:17Z

Right before i went to bed last night the wind started blowing and the barometric pressure started headin' down. It gets very windy here very quickly, it always surprises me how the wind really blows through this area, and when it really gets going i always think it's going to take the house down. But it doesn't. The wind seems to have carried with it pretty mild and overcast weather, it's about 40 degrees outside, i heat wave. I'm hoping that the temperature will hang around for a little while, i could really use it's help in getting rid of the snow i couldn't shovel because of the thick layer of ice that formed over it during the last storm.

This week i am heading up to Machias once again, this time for Omicron Delta Pi's Spring 2009 rush. I'm looking forward to it, i love seeing my pirates and i've already promised not to diss the KAKs as much as i didn't think i did last time. I am especially looking forward to a twister tournament, thankfully someone let me know that this was happening before i left, so i can bring pants with me that my backside won't fall out of during a serious bout. I am very curious to see what kind of pledge class there will be this spring, i'm hoping that our numbers will be as high as they were last semester and that we can keep our position as the biggest greek organization on campus with the most active members.

Today i plan to keep my eyes open for the squirrels, paint another six wine glasses (i did six last night) and get them in the oven, and i need to do a bit of cleaning (ie some laundry, run the dish washer, scrub a few pans from last night).

Now that i look outside, it's raining, just lightly, but enough for me to see it falling from the sky from where i'm sitting. So if the squirrels are smart, they'll skitter back to their homes, stay dry, and wait for the sun to come out before they come and entertain me again. But they're already back, barking in the christmas tree by their feeder. and if they think i'm going to refill it in this weather they better think again.

I am so not a squirrel master.

2009-02-07T21:27:07Z

What did i do today? I tried to bend the local squirrels to my will using only a dish towel and my awesome intelligence. We have two bird feeders at my house, but only one is a BIRD feeder. The other was taken over by the squirrels immediately, which is fine because then each the two species don't have to fight each other. So the Squirrel feeder is right by the side porch sliding door, on a wire feeder hanger next to our Christmas tree, the feeder itself is supposedly a 'squirrel proof' feeder, a mason jar contraption surrounded by a type of metal cage, but that doesn't keep them out, they slip right through the holes and have a gran old time. The bird feeder, hangs off the back side of the house, off the porch wall by the door to no where (cause it's not finished yet) over about a 20 foot drop. The birds love it because their tree is right by it and they can all wait in line there.

But this morning i noticed a squirrel in the bird feeder (the feeder for the birds). for a minute, i was just stunned that he actually could get there, there's no tree within jumping distance, and there's not a whole lot to cling to on the porch wall. So i went to scare the squirrel out of the feeder, i opened the door to nowhere and told him the go away. He kinda looked at me, got the hint and actually jumped onto the window's screen next to the feeder and scrambled down under the porch overhang. I filled the feeder and left it alone. But five minutes later, not even, the squirrel was back. so this time i grabbed a dish towel and proceeded to shoo him away again.

but he came BACK

I figured the only reason he was able to get to the feeder was because of the screening on the window, so i took it out. Sure enough, he came back, and i watched him try to scramble up the window again, but he couldn't, cause there's no screen! He was truly stunned by this change, but he still managed to climb along the wood by the window and reach the feeder. I watched all this happen.

I felt really bad about this next part...for like a minute. I opened the door, yelled at the squirrel, which of course freaked him out. He jumped toward the window, not remembering the screen was gone, hit it and fell...down...to the ground which was about a 20 foot drop.
and then he ran away. I he had not been able to run away i would've cried. but he came back 20 seconds later.

so i said fuck it, let him get real fat, then he won't be able to get to it.

The funny thing? it didn't really bother the birds after a while, they just stayed on the opposite side that the squirrel was on.

I love the squirrels here , they're awesome.

I manged to paint two wine glasses today. The first one i liked. the second one i hated. So i stopped before i messed anymore of them up. Lately i've been in an artistic funk, i can't seem to make anything come out the way i want it to. blah.

I watched Kung Fu Panda today. AWESOME.

Next time that squirrel comes back i'm just gonna catch him. with my hands. and then let him go. I used to do that with mice at a summer camp i worked at a while ago...

Roll if i fall...

2009-02-04T01:01:12Z

So.

It's been about a week since my parents left for their vacation. The house hasn't burned down, but i did manage to lose the heat for a few days (no worries, i've got backup and it's fixed now), and i've managed to keep myself fairly occupied.

I have filled most of my time observing red squirrels. they're everywhere up here, and since they were getting into the bird feeder, my mom decided that they (the squirrels) needed their own. so now i feed the birds from their feeder (black oil sunflower seeds) and i feed the squirrels from their feeder, which in fact happens to be a 'squirrel proof' feeder, but that does not stop them AT ALL, but it probably has to do with the fact that we hung it on the porch pretty low. The squirrels LOVE it, they're all over it, and they drop seeds everywhere, so the blue jays are everywhere too. I like watching them, they are very cute.

And now, we have additional wildlife...cats. The other day, i was watching tv and all of the sudden i heard this hiddeous yowling, sounded like someone was drowning a baby...but anyway, i get up, look out the window, and there is a pair of cats back behind the house, one tabby and one black and white, standing off at eachother. But these weren't just any cats, they were HUGE, some of the biggest cats i've ever seen, they were obviously not any type of wildcat, but they were some pretty beastly house cats. They didn't even stop yowling at eachother till i started to throw snow at them, and even then, i was more throwing it in their direction and they just kinda looked at me till i kicked it up and started to aim for them. They are the first cats i've seen in this area, people don't usually let them outside because their are a ton of coyoteys, but maybe these cats were so vicious they beat off the coyoteys...i'd believe it.

I'm afraid that they are going to eat my squirrels! So i've been keeping my eyes open for the cats, just in case they come back, and since it's snowing, i've got plenty of more ammunition, at least till Millie comes back, then she can do all the work.

I applied for another job at Acadia today, a full time seasonal position for the summer. Hopefully after the spring internship, i can just slide into a summer job.

I'm heading out to Texas to meet Ben in a week or so when my parents get there, and then i'm heading out to Arizona with them for a few weeks. I'm pretty excited, it'll be nice to see some real sun again!

Things are going well.

also

Dean Koontz's, "The Face" was an awesome book.

Bouncin' round the room

2009-01-25T13:03:46Z

So it's been a busy couple of weeks.

I had my phone interview for the Acadia Internship position, it went well, alot of pacing and a lot of questions...you know, like an interview.

A few days after that i started getting emails from some of my references saying that they had gotten calls from Acadia and that they're 'interviews' about me went well too.

And then i got the job. which rocks cause now i can breathe and not have to worry about what the hell i'm going to do about my life, at least for a moment. I start over there on March 28.

Also, last night was my father's retirement party, it was fun, lots of dancing and lots of funny speeches.

Today, i'm heading back to Corea, to an empty house, which will be nice i think.

I'm flying out to meet my parents and Ben in Killeen, Texas in three weeks, then i'm driving out to Arizona with the rents for a few weeks, i'll be back in time to still have a good month of freedom before my work starts.

for the first time in a long time, i now have at least a plan of action that's working out right now.

awesome

and as a bonus? it's warm enough to spin poi in AZ/TX which is even awesome-er

Hey you, with the face!

2009-01-09T13:55:28Z

I've got my first phone interview of the job searching season in 11 minutes.

I'm trying not to rip my face off.

Hopefully this will go well, the call is about an education interpretation internship at Acadia National Park for the months of March, April, May and part of June. It's a great opportunity to get my foot in the door (finally) with the Park Service. The bad news? the key word to remember about this position is 'internship' which means if i get this, i'll only be making $100 a week for about 60 hours of work...yay!!! at least it's a uniform job, and i get a stipend for that, means i don't have to go buy any new threads or something. I've never been so excited about wearing a uniform in my life.

I also applied for a job taking care of lab mice.

i need to do something, i'm going stir crazy!

off for my phone call

waking up to changes in the weather

2008-12-28T04:14:08Z

And alas, the weather is not in fine form this evening at all. actually, the weather has been a little bit of nearly everything in the past couple of days.
At the house in Corea, the wind has a tendency to really rip through and really get going, but one night last week, it was the loudest and craziest i've ever heard it, though we didn't even lose power till sometime early in the morning, which is surprising cause you could poke this place with a stick and we'd lose power.

I'm looking forward to spending some time up here, i really love the area and i love the house, and i would absolutly love to find a job up here doing something i enjoy that would allow me to stick around at least for a little while. i need to figure things out and get myself straightened out financially and mentaly.

I plan to start looking for jobs on Monday.

And so it begins...again.

2008-12-27T03:57:03Z

I've decided to turn over a new leaf.

My old LJ is no longer going to be used (not that it ever really was) and since i've graduated and am trying to start a new life, i decided i better keep track of it with a new thingamahoosit as well.

So

I've finally managed to graduate from the University of Maine at Machias with a degree in Recreation and Tourism Management, specializing in Park Management and Interpretation. I say finally, but it really didn't take any longer than i expected and it seems to have gone by so fast that i'm still reeling from the speed of it.
more on school and graduating and such to come.

But now, i'm back home, currently unemployed, looking for something in the area for an income, and looking forward to 'house sitting' for my parents when they leave on their RV trip for a few months.

I'm currently keeping myself both entertained and occupied by teaching myself how to play the guitar, spin poi (but it's really getting too cold out for that...), painting glassware and getting back into shape.

A more thorough introduction and history will come shortly, i figured i had time enough to get the thing up and running before i came off of my Christmas sugar rush.

I look forward to at least documenting my success, or lack there of, in life for at least the next few months while i know i'll have internet.