creature stuck in things

Creature likes to get stuck in things. Please enjoy this random sampler.

Sometimes Creature gets stuck (like, really stuck) in the corner behind our file cabinet. We always pull her out.

Eventually.

a downer, but with ducks

Public Service Announcement: This post is probably going to be a big ol' downer. In recognition of that fact, I've decided to include a picture of baby ducks at the end. Choosing to skip the written post to go straight to the smorgasbord of cuteness at the end is a completely valid option. 


Today was bleak. Yesterday was kind of bleak, too. Let's get some things out of the way: Ross is fine and our relationship is fine. Our jobs are both fixed firmly in the "okay" category and the finances are surprisingly good. Everything is good, actually, except one tiny huge thing: Zoo Camp began on Monday and I am not there. I realize this may sound childish. After all, we're here in DC, notably away from Zoo Camp and all the other things we love, because of me and my professorial dreams. This is the choice we made, and I get that. I do. And yet.

Here is a sad truth of my life. Up until about three years ago, I was absolutely wretched at making or keeping friends. I'm not entirely sure why this is, although I have a couple of guesses that would be self-indulgent to go into now (look who's worried about being self-indulgent all of a sudden! Don't worry... there are ducks!). The point is simply that I can literally count the number of lasting friends I had amassed before about 2008 on one hand. And then, gradually, everything started to change.

Not all of this had to do with the zoo (meeting Ross, and the wonderful people he knew, like this girl, also made a big difference). But a lot of it did. This probably sounds so corny, but I was really-truly-aw-shucks the happiest I've ever been when I was working at the zoo, especially this last year. Really. And that's because of the zoo itself, sure, and because of the work I did, but mostly it's because of Miss Amanda. And Mr. Chris. And Jessica. And Miss Anna and Miss Lauren and Miss Jo. And Kathayoon and Kendall and Krist. And everybody (and I really mean everybody) else. Because of how much I love these people, and because of the way these people made me feel like I was worth being around. Like I was capable, and important, and lovable, and ooooookay, Miss Haylie. That's enough sharing for now.

But really, Zeta Chi. Really. You were my home for four years and my life is less brightly colored (and certainly less covered in marker) without you.

Behold! The promised pick-me-up ducks. Discovered Memorial Day at the Mall. Nothing says "Get Over It!" like baby ducks. Am I right? 

confirmation of here-ness and southern adventure

Hey guys.

We're still here, I promise. Between finals and training for my new job, it's been remarkably hard to sit down and blog, which is a bummer because we've been having some adventures and I have lots of cool things to share. Soooo... yeah. We're back.

By the way, props to both Ross' and my moms for finally getting me to do this. Moms. Gotta love them.

So, without any further ado, here's an adventure! About a month ago Ross and I took a road trip South. We started in Charleston, SC, where we mostly admired the architecture:

Psst! Super important note: If you'd like to see these pictures in their full glory, click to make bigger. The end. 

Also, while we were in Charleston we decided that our destiny involves big ol' porches.

We were trying to keep our lodging budget small, so we stayed with people we found on airbnb. I was nervous about it, but it was great. Our hosts in Charleston loaned us bikes, and we rode to the beach. This was exceptionally brave of me, by the way, given my bike phobia and overall uselessness with two wheels.

The beach was lovely and warm, by the way. We're not in Oregon anymore. We also went hiking in a bona fide swamp in a state park, where we were bitten demolished blitzkrieged by mosquitos...

...and I got to cross an animal off of my "To See In The Wild" Lifetime List.

Thanks, American Alligator. The coolest thing about this hike (just kidding... obviously, the alligators - plural! - were the coolest thing) A cool thing about this hike was that we didn't see a single other person the entire hour and a half we were out. That was probably because of the mosquitos, and because we're idiot Yankees who don't know to avoid swamps in the summer, but it was still rad to be all by ourselves.

Other notable flora and fauna:

The baby bird was sitting in a tree right on the main path. We saw a lot of other baby birds of the same species, also in conspicuous places. Those mother birds suck. Also, that flower is the most freaking ridiculous thing I've ever seen.

This isn't chronologically relevant, but we also ate a lot of really good food, including deep fried peanuts and coke, which has changed my life forever.

On our way out of Charleston and to Savannah we stopped at the angel oak, which my pictures utterly fail to do justice.

Finally we made it to Savannah, where I fantasized about staging a coup of this building...

... and I read Flannery O'Connor (because I'm a huge nerd and she's from Savannah) and we discovered the best drain pipe in the world.

Clearly, a good time was had by all. Especially the mosquitos.

Seriously. We were unprepared.