Prodigal
Yes, prodigal as opposed to prodigious...
I have been slacking on here mightily. I barely updated while on Spring break out in the pacific northwest where I had a fantastic time seeing friends, getting some photos, and getting some of my grief concerning my grandpa off my mind. It was a sorely needed get-away that was not involved with family and such...
Last post I had just got to Olympia and was staying with my friend John. I then drove down there where I stayed with my Facebook friends Greg and Scott. Greg is a fellow NC native, a year younger than I am and we had sort of hit it off like a house afire. Scott is actually a NC native too, though really grew up in Kansas. Anyway, Greg is an artist, Scott installs mega industrial saws around North America, they live in the woods just east of Vancouver, Washington, and could not have been nicer, seeing as we had never met. I got to then travel into Oregon from there where I could get to the coast as well as up the Columbia River Gorge. I also got to meet a few other longtime online friends in Portland, but unfortunately badgerpdx and I were not able to make our schedules mesh.
Scott and Greg left-to-right - I did not take this photo. In fact, I hate I did not get one photo of them the entire weekend...
Eagle flying in the Columbia River Gorge
Canon Beach, Oregon
After south Washington, I drove north to Everett where i spent an evening with Laura, my best girlfriend from college, and got to meet her family including her quite precocious 8-year-old, Declan. I woke up the next morning to snow. I drove into Seattle where i visited the gallery near Pioneer Square of another online friend, Michael Tolleson. The gallery has works primarily who live with autism, aspergers, or other mental disorders - and there are some fantastic pieces there. Michael was gracious enough to give me a tour of the works there, filling me in on details about the artists, the mediums they use, etc. It was an great way to fill the afternoon before I met up with Joe later.
Michael...
So, I turned in the rental car, took the train back up to the SODO station and met up with Joe. I am really glad that in 2009 I decided to make the day trip to Palm Springs during my last visit to San Diego so we could meet up for lunch, and glad he decided that tagging along on a drive through Joshua Tree would be a good thing as well. We chatted about continuously through that day and it is pretty much like that every time we have got together since. I think it is great when you meet people in your life where there is a near instant connection on many levels, and I am happy to say that many of those I have met from LJ have wound up that way. Not all by any means, but I think a high percentage - better than other social networking sites I have used for certain. Anyway, it was a good few days of seeing the city again, doing some photography together, eating some good food, having a few drinks (me more than a few one night) and enjoying each other's company. Better too that Ken was able to join us one evening to have some good German food and tour the dockland area of West Seattle.
Seattle Area Photos...
Mt. Rainier is to the right side partially in view...
One more of Joe - after we had a fantastic lunch beside the sound in West Seattle...
So upon arrival back in Dallas, things have turned a bit sour in many respects, particularly financially. I was hit with a tremendous tax bill this year, so am in need of work, NOW. I am beating the bushes trying to find a job as my old company has told me they will not hire me back, contrary to what they told me when I left them. Bastards. No matter - I have hopes of getting a position with an environmental engineering firm that would work me nearly full-time most of the summer. I am also looking for a part time job to supplement my income as well and am trying Costco, Starbucks and a few other retail-type places for that kind of work. In the meantime, the combination of stress and working out a lot to keep the endorphins flowing means I have recently lost 12 pounds. I am no thin thing yet, but am getting leaner slowly in the appendages at least...
I have been slacking on here mightily. I barely updated while on Spring break out in the pacific northwest where I had a fantastic time seeing friends, getting some photos, and getting some of my grief concerning my grandpa off my mind. It was a sorely needed get-away that was not involved with family and such...
Last post I had just got to Olympia and was staying with my friend John. I then drove down there where I stayed with my Facebook friends Greg and Scott. Greg is a fellow NC native, a year younger than I am and we had sort of hit it off like a house afire. Scott is actually a NC native too, though really grew up in Kansas. Anyway, Greg is an artist, Scott installs mega industrial saws around North America, they live in the woods just east of Vancouver, Washington, and could not have been nicer, seeing as we had never met. I got to then travel into Oregon from there where I could get to the coast as well as up the Columbia River Gorge. I also got to meet a few other longtime online friends in Portland, but unfortunately badgerpdx and I were not able to make our schedules mesh.
Scott and Greg left-to-right - I did not take this photo. In fact, I hate I did not get one photo of them the entire weekend...
Eagle flying in the Columbia River Gorge
Canon Beach, Oregon
After south Washington, I drove north to Everett where i spent an evening with Laura, my best girlfriend from college, and got to meet her family including her quite precocious 8-year-old, Declan. I woke up the next morning to snow. I drove into Seattle where i visited the gallery near Pioneer Square of another online friend, Michael Tolleson. The gallery has works primarily who live with autism, aspergers, or other mental disorders - and there are some fantastic pieces there. Michael was gracious enough to give me a tour of the works there, filling me in on details about the artists, the mediums they use, etc. It was an great way to fill the afternoon before I met up with Joe later.
Michael...
So, I turned in the rental car, took the train back up to the SODO station and met up with Joe. I am really glad that in 2009 I decided to make the day trip to Palm Springs during my last visit to San Diego so we could meet up for lunch, and glad he decided that tagging along on a drive through Joshua Tree would be a good thing as well. We chatted about continuously through that day and it is pretty much like that every time we have got together since. I think it is great when you meet people in your life where there is a near instant connection on many levels, and I am happy to say that many of those I have met from LJ have wound up that way. Not all by any means, but I think a high percentage - better than other social networking sites I have used for certain. Anyway, it was a good few days of seeing the city again, doing some photography together, eating some good food, having a few drinks (me more than a few one night) and enjoying each other's company. Better too that Ken was able to join us one evening to have some good German food and tour the dockland area of West Seattle.
Seattle Area Photos...
Mt. Rainier is to the right side partially in view...
One more of Joe - after we had a fantastic lunch beside the sound in West Seattle...
So upon arrival back in Dallas, things have turned a bit sour in many respects, particularly financially. I was hit with a tremendous tax bill this year, so am in need of work, NOW. I am beating the bushes trying to find a job as my old company has told me they will not hire me back, contrary to what they told me when I left them. Bastards. No matter - I have hopes of getting a position with an environmental engineering firm that would work me nearly full-time most of the summer. I am also looking for a part time job to supplement my income as well and am trying Costco, Starbucks and a few other retail-type places for that kind of work. In the meantime, the combination of stress and working out a lot to keep the endorphins flowing means I have recently lost 12 pounds. I am no thin thing yet, but am getting leaner slowly in the appendages at least...