Some bird analogies for you.

Days, really a collection of moments, until I embark on my trip, and I get another email from my renter's company saying there are more forms to fill out before I can be paid. I'm getting impatient and frustrated at the amount of geese I'm being made to chase for this. The idea for me to work with her company was to alleviate these types of frustrations, but no, it has been a big mess so far. Thankfully Dan's house is equipped with the necessary technology to squelch their vicious thirst for documentation, and I can hope that soon the necessary funds will be dropped electronically into my world.

I also had a conversation with a home-owner in Juneau that is looking to rent out rooms for drivers. He wasn't opposed to having cats, but said that can be discussed in a later conversation. He was currently occupied in a meeting, but perhaps later tonight or tomorrow I can go to Juneau knowing I have a place to stay once I get there! With how things have been going, I'm not counting any eggs before they've hatched.

USBC!!!

Today is the final round of the United States Barista Championship. Cara, Joe, and I were watching it in the shop in between tornado warnings and picking up pieces of the building that were flying about. Ya' know. Just another day in Illinois.

I just finished watching the last performer, Mike Phillips, a Intelly member from Chicago, and he put together an awesome routine, again. There are two people from the Great Lakes Region, Mike P. and Scott Lucey.

20 minutes until the winner is announced!

Look! I'm excited!

Back on.

I spoke with my bro. Alaska is back on! He reassured me that I would be of much help to him, Jessie, and in general, whenever I was available to give it. He told me the schedule for all of the family to visit, both pre- and postpartum. Seems like they will be fully staffed for quite sometime. Baby days are in my future!

I'll probably come back to IL earlier than I had planned to help relieve stress and do what I can to keep Ben occupied. I offered to be hands too, for walking Payton, grocery shopping, whatever. He said that was awesome. I'm still thinking seriously about moving to Champaign when I get back. But who knows what will be going on in the coffee world, the economic world, my world, Dan's world, etc. One big mystery!


Tonight I said goodbye to some familiar faces at Medici's Wednesday Warrior night. Had dinner with Kristy and Ashley (who took this picture, one silly one of many, I assure you.), then did the rounds with the usual folks. Chris Longton made me feel like a princess at the end, charging down the back run of the bar and swooping me up to give me a giant hug. I don't know when I'll ever see him again. He and Amanda are moving to either Oregon or Arizona before I get back, and that is both exciting and sad. He wrote to me while he was in Alaska last year, and I don't see any reason why I won't write him, but no more "Miss Ariel's" in person, or silly jokes with my beer. He made my time with Medici a little easier, and I'm glad he's my friend.

But, the adventure is on again, and that means no more pussy-footing around some stuff. I have just a few details to align before being set for launch, and beginning my trek on March 15th. Yay!

Here's another silly picture, just for good measure.

Auntie Ariel x2

Miah and Jessie are having their second baby, sometime in the beginning of September!

This makes me want to hang around and be here for the delivery. Things change so fast. So fast! One second I want to be three thousand miles away, and the next I want to stay put.

I got to be in the room when Jessie was in labor with Benjamin, and then stayed in the room in the hospital those first days to help, run for needed things, and help entertain Jessie's mom. I was honored to be allowed to witness those first parenting moments. It made me love my brother, be so proud of him, knowing that he was going to be an amazing father. And he is! And Jessie is so good with Ben. Consistent, encouraging, and loving. That kid is lucky to have them. Now someone else will grow with that warm love and environment!

I've been a far too distant auntie for Ben. Of all the people that want to be around them, I'm the closest and I've been occupied for most of it with time consuming jobs and excuses. I don't want that anymore. Maybe I should move to Champaigne now that I have the chance and be there to help. Maybe this won't be a blog about going to Alaska.

Life can be however I want it. Right now. I get to choose.

This is me holding Ben a few hours after he was born.


















And again last fall.

Decaf coffee is like kissing your sister.

The USBC is this weekend in Portland. The list of competitors is awesome. I want to go so bad! I'm excited to see the growth of the competition, even in just the last two years. I can't help but wonder what they'll be like when I get back into competing.

I just took a turn through all of the job postings on coffee.com and got ancy. I could move to Oregon, Edmondton, or where ever else! I want to get back in a shop where the owners and baristas have something to teach, and are passionate about teaching. Or at least are curious and experimental. For me, like with playing the guitar, being around baristas that are better than I am makes it interesting, helps me retain information. I feel like I can get my foot in the door at any of these places, but it's not quite right. The idea of me starting something new to take into the long-term without Dan seems hollow. It's good then that I don't have to.

Getting organized

Yeah, until I actually do something exciting, this blog is going to have a lot of cat pictures in it.

Went to the Hyundai dealership this morning to have my passenger airbag replaced. They were nice enough to send a purple post card informing me of the recall. I will sleep soundly tonight knowing that my future passengers will be protected. Sorry to all you who rode with me and unknowingly risked your life. See I'm an adventure! Just riding in my car was risking your life!

Hyundai was also nice enough to tell me my car needs attention. One thing on the list sounded legit, and I'll go to my guy/call my dad to get the scoop on tie rods, but the other stuff is all suspicious.

I was sitting in the waiting room writing in my journal, making lists, listening to the Today show. There was a Mom and son throwing toys into the toy chest, dumping them out and doing it all again. A dude was reading the newspaper. A woman in beige pumps was glaring at a spot on the carpet. Ms. Beige Pumps was there just after I sat down, just getting an oil change. Renee, the brain of the shop reception desk, came in and listed off some technical jargon that Ms. Beige frowned to, which boiled down to the transmission fluid was old and too acidic, and it should be changed - flushed rather (because I found out that is $90 dollars more to clean the lines too). It would take about 30 minutes. Beige agreed to it reluctantly.

I would hate to be Renee. Everyone skeptical of what she says. Trying to help, trying to make money for the shop, trying to sound unbiased. Renee didn't come to talk to me about my list of "needed attention." A man named John did. John must be new. John gave me all the prices for the service (which they've never done for me before, even when I ask) and when I looked at him and said everything seemed more expensive than it should, he agreed. I said I would take his quote with me, thank you, and I'll be on my way.

Tomorrow will be car repair day, part 2, in which I get my oil changed, tires rotated and aligned. Exciting!

Like I said, the most interesting thing about this blog will be cat pictures for a little while.

March 1st. The above picture is my life now: two duffel bags, a guitar (that my good friend Chuck agreed to take care of for me), two cats, and a bag of maps.


The cats have taken to Alex's house quite well. Baxter was fully settled about 14 minutes after walking into the house, while Kodak is still anxious about almost everything. The happy moment was when they discovered stairs for the first time. I swear I could see their little kitty lips smiling every time they ran up and down and up, and down, and up and down, and up. Alex also has many more areas for napping and perching, like this one,






<------- And this one.

I'm pretty sure B and K would stay with Alex forever this place is so great. I'm going to Chicago for a few days next week, and I'm sure Alex is going to use the four days to cement his spot as King of their universe.

Tonight is L Word with the ladies. I hear pizza and beer are offered. As if being annoyed with the amount of Jenny shenanigans the show cooks up isn't enough to go! Plus, I am hoping Kristy will be up for recounting her side of the Drag Show. Her last number was Mr. Roboto, full out with silver paint from head to toe.

14 Days and counting!