the Ashland update

Some have been asking for more detail about the move to the great northwest, so here goes. Last week while I was there interviewing I was offered and accepted the job that I really wanted, found a place to live and negotiated the start date to be October 8th. This allows time to make a weekend trip back to IA to see Gram before heading west so I am very happy about that. It will be a bit more of a challenge getting around from Ashland and the snow has already started to fly so I plan to hole up there, get settled a bit and enjoy some travel free time for a few months. I will be driving out there next week and plan to stop in ID to see A. Becky and the gang. I'm really looking forward to that as well. I should be in Ashland by next Thursday - WOW!

I hired movers to take the stuff from storage. Oddly enough it will end up costing me a bit less to have someone else move it than if I did it myself. I am ticked about that because I was dreading moving all the crap out of storage and driving a U-Haul cross country. The movers will be here tomorrow and I'll see them out in OR sometime in the next 2-1/2 weeks.

I found a place to live that is about 5 blocks from downtown and work. I will be working downtown and am looking forward to being back in the mix. I was lucky and found a decent sized apartment in a house that has been divived into 3 units. I am glad that I will get to live alone and in a house - best of both words. There is a big yard too so I'll have lots of chances to dig in the dirt, sit outside, bb-q, etc. It is in the neighborhood / area that I really wanted to be in too so I'll get to walk and ride my towny bike everywhere - woohoo!

Now, about the job. I will be working at a small landscape architecture firm called Covey Pardee that focuses on urban design and public works projects. Some of it will be new (the urban design, commercial type projects), but some if it will be old hat (the public sector parks, streetscapes, marketing, proposals, getting cut sheets set up, etc.) It should be a good mix and I am looking forward to the opportunity. I feel very fortunate to have found a good paying job with long term potential (quite possibly partnership if things go well), in an office that focuses on the work that I love to do and in a town that I want to live in :)! When I get there I will be working on a couple of school projects, creating a web site, and putting together marketing material. I'm not a big fan of chasing work, but since I love to talk and my new boss is a bit more laid back...looks like I'll be hammering the phone and making some contacts in neighboring communities. I am really excited to get started and back to "reality".

More really cool stuff about Ashland - I can mountain bike and trail run from my front door, skiing is 20 miles away, there are 3 organic grocery stores in town, there is a reservoir running distance away for a hot afternoon cool off swim, there is a ton of amazing road riding, there's salsa dancing twice a week at one of the local restaraunts, there is a lot of art and theatre, its only 5 hrs from San Fran and 7.5 hrs to Seattle. I will keep updating this list as I discover more.

I can't even begin to describe how I feel about this change. It feels so right and so natural and I am glad I was able to be open to it. Thanks for all the support so many of you have given me throughout this past year. It means the world to me!

I have a home!

I am happy to report that I have decided on Ashland. It's a great little town and I look forward to growing some roots. More later - it has been a very long week of intense interviewing and I am beat.

Ashland for the week

I am thrilled to be leaving for Ashland, OR this am. I have an interview this afternoon, one tomorrow and two on Wednesday, and am hoping to meet up with one more firm on Friday. It's going to be a crazy week, but hopefully when it is all said and done I will have a job and a place to live. I am so excited to move out of my car!

back to D town

I have been back in Denver for two days now and I can't seem to shake the nausea. It started when I saw the 50 miles to Denver sign on I-70 and progressed into an unescapable sensation of complete and utter anxiety. This can't be healthy. Due to the stomach situation, I can't say that it's good to be back, but it's good to see friends and to be out of the car for the time being. I am looking forward to getting settled and back into a routine, work and "normal" life. I am leaning more towards Ashland so I am going out there next week to interview and to find a place to live. I will keep you all posted on the happenings.

good times at the OK corral

good times out on the ranch

I met with Lauren in Tulsa and we headed out to see Alice and Glen in Leedey. We had a great time with them. We had some girly time with Alice, who is an amazing quilter. She has one of those fancy quilting machines so we went to her new shop to check it out. Glen took us out to do the boy things - we shot guns and went bass fishing. It was a great time!

Oklahoma...hi y'all

I picked up Lauren in Tulsa yesterday and now we are out in boonies watching the wind blow. Alice took us on a locals tour today and we met this very interesting couple who live close by. Joe, the man we met, makes all sorts of sculptures out of old farm tools and horse shoes. I would post a picture, but I screwed up and deleted all my pictures from my camera (thinking they had been down loaded - oops!) I lost a few weeks worth of photos so I am annoyed with myself. Honestly, most of the pictures I've taken in the past few weeks have just plain sucked because it has been so humid and as a result, hazey. There was one that I really wanted though - it was a street sign that said "Welcome Home".

Anyway - Lauren will be with me on the trip back to Denver. I am glad to have some company and to be a short 9 hrs away from a 2+ week break from the car.