OK... starting to see a trend

OK, so this trend isn't a good one, basically it is during school I suck at creating clever and timely blog posts. So I am planning on working on this, of course it's great that I only have a few weeks left and than it will be summertime baby! So, I figured I could give everyone a heads up of what I've been doing and a future look into my summer plans:

Currently, I am elbow deep in complete lab assignments for my advanced GIS class and my digital cartography class (aka how to make really pretty maps, like the one below)

In this map I learned how to create a whitewash effect and create a color elevation bar (kinda cool rather that just using the layer symbology). For my advanced GIS class I am creating different spatial surface interpolation maps about max ozone levels in southern California (the neatness and professionalism of this map doesn't count for points hence it isn't my finest example...)

As for the summer I shall (for now) being staying on Corvallis, except for a week to visit my parent's and rest of my family in Ohio for the 4th of July (yeah fireworks!) and the following week I will be attending the ESRI International User Conference as one of their student helpers (cool...it like my version of Google choosing me for the opportunity). Otherwise we will just have to wait and see!

Spring Break Visit from my parents

Sorry folks for such the late post. My parents came up to visit during our spring break at the end of March between Winter and Spring term. I was wonderful to see them! Can you believe that this was the first time my parent's had to travel to see just David and I? (This translates directly into time spent cleaning...).

We spent time up in Portland for their one truly sunny day...

We traveled to the coast...

        

A winery...         

And a non-profit carousel builder...? (WHAT??)

As far as I can tell everyone had a great time, David and I definitely appreciate their visit and hope they will come back next year... although maybe a little bit more in Spring so they can see all the flowers in bloom!

Return from Hibernation

Hello again everyone!

I'm back from my winter term hibernation (I blame it on the cold, wet weather as well as the heavy course load). Spring term has started and currently it's sunny and the flowers and the trees are all in bloom. Unfortuanltly, I'm stuck in my classroom for my Ocean Law class right now. Don't get me wrong, I am actually enjoying learning the in's and out's surrounding the ocean legal system and framework, but I would much rather be outside in the field. But since I am in class (don't worry we are in a break right now) this will be a very short blog posting, but I just wanted to let everyone out in cyberspace know I am alive and I haven't forgotten about my blog.

Keep your eyes open for upcomng blogs, I still need to post my parents spring break visit as well as some upcoming professional events. I will also be talking about classes and thus far classes are going well and things are shaping up to be a busy term (surprised? I'm not...). And I will hopefully by the end of this term be able to properly articulate my masters thesis work, so keep posted, I know everyone is dying to know what I will be studying, and so am I!

Winter Hibernation

Sorry, all my (few) followers. What can I say, it's cold and I've been living in Texas for too long? I wish that was a worthy excuse, but I have been negligent with my blog postings due to multiple "speed bumps" along my way this term. Shall I give a few examples?

1. My major advisor announced that she had accepted a job position and will be leave in September
2. My thesis project fell though due to the lack of a new federal budget, thus when this fell through so did my summer funding and I lost a committee member for my graduate committee

Trust me there is more, but these were the main issues that kind of bummed me out this term, and thus my enthusiasm for graduate school has been dampened (no pun intended with this wet rainy weather either). I know quite a few of my followers have been through a similar process. Any advice for a greenhorn like me? How did you pull yourself out of educational slumps? 

Road Trip!

Man, it sure does seem that since I moved to Oregon I appear to be going on a lot more road trips. This weekend I went with some friends to the coast to recharge my ocean batteries, since I have been seriously saltwater deprived since I moved here. We went to a fabulous local brewery, Rogue Brewery, which served some fabulous microbrews (aren't you jealous?), not to mention that the food was darn good also.

It was a great day, and a good break before I really have to dive into my course work this semester as well as start writing my proposal for my thesis (insert some ominous music here).

My first, get my feet wet, proposal project is due Friday, and after talking to my advisor today, I apparently need to get it done sooner than this since she wants to proofread it.... so back to work for me.

Although its hard to focus when its snowing...

Meet Norbert!

Happy Holidays to all! This past week has been filled with Christmas Spirit here in Oregon, now that I am officially done with classes this term, David and I have begun to fill our condo with christmas cheer! Cookies have been baked, presents are being delivered and wrapped, the stockings have been hung by the chimney with care, and we had our first official "christmas tree day" of our relationship.

What is Christmas tree day you ask? Well basically its when you get your Christmas tree, specifically a live one that you cut down yourself. This wasn't an option when we lived in Texas, which is why it was our first christmas tree day. So we grabbed the car and drove to the christmas tree farm that I run by in the mornings. There we tromped through the farm until we found our tree.

Some trees were too big!

Some trees were too small!

But then we found our perfect tree! A 4 1/2 foot Nordman Fir, which of course we (and by we I mean myself) chose to name Norbert.

We brought Norbert home, went out and bought a tree stand, and set him up in our living space. Lilly and Norbert quickly became friends, she especially loves to cuddle up in the tree skirt.

Fast Friends!

We finished putting all the decorations on Norbert on Thursday when David was off from work. Lilly still enjoys sending time with Norbert, although I do worry when she is going to try to chew the lights on the tree. We hope everyone is having a great Holiday season and want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Oregon!

Mini wave in celebrate of me!

Woohooo! I'm done, one term down and 5 to go! (insert happy dance here)! I'm done, I'm done, I'm done!!! And there is no one to celebrate with (since its 11am and no one is here on campus today!). Oh well, I will no go celebrate by returning my 17 some borrowed books to the library and follow it up with a nice long nap with my cat!

Don't worry I really will celebrate. Its planned for tomorrow evening, drinks with my fellow grad students!