'Round and About
We’re already a few thousand miles into 2012, and so far, it’s been a smooth road!
It’s been awhile since I last updated. A lot has happened, such as a friend’s wedding, friends visiting, a few conventions, visits to ICUs, and worse-case veterinary medical scenarios becoming best-case scenarios-many ups, and few downs, ultimately. Which is kind of what 2011 was like on the whole. There were many amazing experiences, and equally as many near-catastrophes that served to keep us on our toes, I guess. Overall, I have no regrets, I’m happy and whole, which is really all I want, year-to-year.
I feel inspired and excited about the next few months, as everything on my plate work-wise suits my pallet just fine. All signs point to 2012 as a year of change, and I’m pretty sure I can roll with the punches. Bring on the end of the world!
Late December of 2011, we packed up the car and drove southwest for New Years in Las Vegas. This is the second time we’ve ushered in the New Year with friends and family among the glitz and lights of Vegas, and it was equally as awesome as 2009-2010. I happened to win a fair amount of money on a Coyote Moon penny slot of all things. Usually those accursed Coyote machines take all my money, so I avoid them like the plague. However, the whim struck me to hit “max bet, max bet,” and for once, the Coyote Moon and I got to laugh together, rather Coyote laughing at me. ;]
Since my mom came up for New Years, we caught the last showing of The Lion King in Vegas. She’d never seen it, and while she was skeptical at first (musical theater!), she kept talking excitedly about it the rest of the trip.
After Las Vegas, we had time to kill before FurtherConfusion in San Jose. I had never been north of Sacramento in California, so we made it our plan to camp for a few days. We picked our way northwest through Death Valley and the Sierras, until we reached the redwoods, the ocean, and the mountains, and slept beside all three. I drove through a tree, and was bitten by a radioactive spider. It was all pretty awesome.
We spent a night in Death Valley at 200ft below Sea Level.
Neither of us had been through there before. I really want to go back now when we have a bit more time (and my off-road tires.) There's about a billion 4x4 roads that look awesome--the park is huge, around 3,000 square miles. I want to explore all of it.
Night in the redwoods, in Big Basin. The yellow light is from a truck's headlights while some other campers set up. I forgot my tripod for this trip, so I had to use a bench to hold the camera for the long exposure. It came out alright! :]
Avenue of the Giants
Like I said, I drove through a tree! I've always wanted to do that.
Anyhow, we ended up in the middle of nowhere in the Mendocino National Forest, atop some mountains and over dirt roads. The air was fresh, the sunset unforgettable, and the stars magnificent.
The dogs got to romp around a meadow in the last light of day.
We eventually ran out of California and found Oregon, so we returned south to the Bay. We stayed with awesome friends, got some work done and last minute con-prep out of the way, and had relaxing "outside of the convention" dinners with Bay-area friends.
Delicious peppers from the farmer's market.
Then there was FurtherConfusion. I enjoy this con very much, and I like their new set-up in the convention center. It’s laid out very conveniently for a dealer/artist, and the staff, both convention staff and Marriott hotel staff, were helpful and considerate. Since we were in the area for a few days before hand, we got to hang out with local friends at our ease, which made the whole social-side of the convention way less stressful, and we got to see more people...though it seems like there’s still never enough time to get to do everything, and see everyone. Next year! FC has a great theme for 2013, too-Furbidden Planet!
Anyhow, we left California a couple days after the convention and motored along east into New Mexico. After visiting family, we made the final leg home into Colorado and here we are, home again.
It’s been awhile since I last updated. A lot has happened, such as a friend’s wedding, friends visiting, a few conventions, visits to ICUs, and worse-case veterinary medical scenarios becoming best-case scenarios-many ups, and few downs, ultimately. Which is kind of what 2011 was like on the whole. There were many amazing experiences, and equally as many near-catastrophes that served to keep us on our toes, I guess. Overall, I have no regrets, I’m happy and whole, which is really all I want, year-to-year.
I feel inspired and excited about the next few months, as everything on my plate work-wise suits my pallet just fine. All signs point to 2012 as a year of change, and I’m pretty sure I can roll with the punches. Bring on the end of the world!
Late December of 2011, we packed up the car and drove southwest for New Years in Las Vegas. This is the second time we’ve ushered in the New Year with friends and family among the glitz and lights of Vegas, and it was equally as awesome as 2009-2010. I happened to win a fair amount of money on a Coyote Moon penny slot of all things. Usually those accursed Coyote machines take all my money, so I avoid them like the plague. However, the whim struck me to hit “max bet, max bet,” and for once, the Coyote Moon and I got to laugh together, rather Coyote laughing at me. ;]
Since my mom came up for New Years, we caught the last showing of The Lion King in Vegas. She’d never seen it, and while she was skeptical at first (musical theater!), she kept talking excitedly about it the rest of the trip.
After Las Vegas, we had time to kill before FurtherConfusion in San Jose. I had never been north of Sacramento in California, so we made it our plan to camp for a few days. We picked our way northwest through Death Valley and the Sierras, until we reached the redwoods, the ocean, and the mountains, and slept beside all three. I drove through a tree, and was bitten by a radioactive spider. It was all pretty awesome.
We spent a night in Death Valley at 200ft below Sea Level.
Neither of us had been through there before. I really want to go back now when we have a bit more time (and my off-road tires.) There's about a billion 4x4 roads that look awesome--the park is huge, around 3,000 square miles. I want to explore all of it.
Night in the redwoods, in Big Basin. The yellow light is from a truck's headlights while some other campers set up. I forgot my tripod for this trip, so I had to use a bench to hold the camera for the long exposure. It came out alright! :]
Avenue of the Giants
Like I said, I drove through a tree! I've always wanted to do that.
Anyhow, we ended up in the middle of nowhere in the Mendocino National Forest, atop some mountains and over dirt roads. The air was fresh, the sunset unforgettable, and the stars magnificent.
The dogs got to romp around a meadow in the last light of day.
We eventually ran out of California and found Oregon, so we returned south to the Bay. We stayed with awesome friends, got some work done and last minute con-prep out of the way, and had relaxing "outside of the convention" dinners with Bay-area friends.
Delicious peppers from the farmer's market.
Then there was FurtherConfusion. I enjoy this con very much, and I like their new set-up in the convention center. It’s laid out very conveniently for a dealer/artist, and the staff, both convention staff and Marriott hotel staff, were helpful and considerate. Since we were in the area for a few days before hand, we got to hang out with local friends at our ease, which made the whole social-side of the convention way less stressful, and we got to see more people...though it seems like there’s still never enough time to get to do everything, and see everyone. Next year! FC has a great theme for 2013, too-Furbidden Planet!
Anyhow, we left California a couple days after the convention and motored along east into New Mexico. After visiting family, we made the final leg home into Colorado and here we are, home again.