Unload the camera

I haven't been taking very many pictures lately, but here are some that have been on my camera for awhile.

Kristy sent me an awesome care package. In it was this pin. Roar

This is Sarah Ramano. She has worked for Allen Marine all summer as a dock rep. Today is her last day. I'm so jealous she is going home tomorrow.


And this is when we went out a few weeks ago.

Friday

Had my first day as a dispatcher today. It was great!

I got to see how the other side works: the crazy radio calls that constantly come in, the random changes, tour counts going up and down depending on peoples' feelings on rain, drivers making decisions that they think are correct when in fact they make the lives of others more complicated, and meeting a ton of great people. I liked it. I got a lot of positive feedback. I got kudos from all three shore excursion managers that came off the ships today, and overall, I didn't suck. Next week is going to be even better now that I know what I'm doing!

Tomorrow, instead of working dock side with a radio and clip board, I'll be in the office with a radio and a white board of drama. I'm more nervous about tomorrow than I was about today. I have to fix all the problems tomorrow, where as today I just told Lev about them, and he fixed them.

To add to tomorrow's stress, the draft for my fantasy football league is at 7pm. I've been making my lists tonight. It feels like I getting ready for a test and I'm making a cheat sheet. Overall it will be fun - trash talking and beer with football as the catalyst. How can it be bad?

And I apologize for the schizophrenic blog design. I can't rearrange the furniture, so this is the next best thing.

Cecilia!!!

Benjamin holding my new niece, Cecilia.

I can't wait to meet her!

Pantalón de lluvia

Today it rained .43 inches. It felt like so much more. It was fluctuating between drizzle and power wash mode. Or maybe I was in a washing machine? I don't know. It all happened in a blur.

But I now own rain pants, and I'm pretty sure I'll be wearing them everyday until I go home. After thinking about the overall mental clarity they will provide, along with warmth, I went out and got them. Plus, is $1.75/day all that much to pay for my remaining time here? I think not. And now I can ride my hypothetical motorcycle home if it starts to drizzle. And they make a nice swishy sound. Very good.

All evening I've either had Kodak perched on my chest while I read, or I've watched him keep a vigil at the entrance to my room keeping Bruce from coming in. He owns me. I didn't realize just how protective he has become until tonight. Even now, typing up a storm, he can't be bothered to leave my lap. My left elbow is resting somewhat uncomfortably on his bum.

Speaking of reading, Linda sent me a new book, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. So far, an entertaining read. There are some scenes that are a bit uncomfortable, but the main female character is wonderfully original, and the story is starting to get juicy. Two thumbs up so far. I just saw the follow up book at Costco last week. My first impression is that it has great cover art.

The other fun thing that is starting soon is this season's fantasy football draft. It's taking place this Saturday, and through the Superbowl, I'll have one more reason to enjoy watching football on Sundays - watching for my player's stats and (hopefully) winning in the end. Even if I don't win, I love football Sundays. Waking up with coffee and a bowl of cereal, and listing to those silly talking heads blab about who will be amazing in the upcoming games. I'm a sucker for highlight reels, and really, there isn't anything quite like a solid connection between a quarterback and his wide receiver. So excited!

That reminds me of when I knew Sarah and I would be friends: I heard her shouting from down the hallway, some wild obscenities, and when I walked down to see if she was ok, all I saw was her sitting on her couch in her dorm room, screaming at the television. Someone was doing something stupid in the sports world. The next time I heard it, I just walked in and watched it with her. Done. Friends ever since.

And just for fun...

Aww. Isn't it cute?

Monday - Five weeks left!

Five weeks until I leave Juneau! Unfortunately, these last five weeks will probably be nonstop rain and cold. I have a huge aversion to going out and buying rain pants with the end so near, but I'll go and do it. Today was so cold! So freaking cold! Dan made the scale tip in favor of the shopping trip: I said I couldn't justify the purchase, and he said that if I had a motorcycle later I would use them. Justified!

Dan is back in Carbondale finally. With him spending so much time in the air lately, it feels good to know he'll be on the ground for quite a while. On the ground in our apartment! He'll be busy getting moved in while also trying to get his reading done for class. Five weeks, and I'll be on my way there!

Sometimes I'm such a girl.

Care package!

I came home today to one of my favorite things: mail! There was a care package sitting in the foyer from my dear friend Kristy, and ripping it open made me so happy. And I needed a boost. I am firmly in the dregs of a post-Dan visit. I'm tired all the time, I don't want to tour, I don't want to be here, I don't care about much of anything. Lauren has posted a count down chain in her office, like the paper chains we used to make to count down to Christmas. Staring September first, there will be so much joy in watching her rip off a paper ring.

People are dropping like flies, slowly dwindling down the driver list as people go home. It's raining all the time. I'm cold all the time. I'm trying to not think about much of anything. I'm reading a lot. I'm sleeping a lot. That is me at the moment.

Jacque and Bruce have moved back in the house while Carrie is off to Boston to visit her mom. Kodak is back on the defensive, and the sounds of WoW have returned. I'm back in the blue room.