What I've Been Up To Lately

You can tell I am supposed to be studying by the fact that I'm doing the things I normally put off, like cleaning and updating my blog. Here are a few of the highlights from the last couple of months.

My Birthday:

Keegan and James bought and decorated a cake for me, I almost cried it was so nice.

It coincided with a beer-tasting party, which was tasty! I brought Maudite and Fin du Monde.

School:

Marc and I looking like a vine's worst nightmare.

The lab for my "Viticultural Practices" class is usually out in the campus vineyard pruning and training vines. It's my favorite class, I love being out there.

Keg Parties:

It wouldn't be college without the occasional keg-stand

Sightseeing:

I had a great day exploring San Fran. This is the Palace of Fine Arts

Coit Tower, just one of many sights I can show people when the come visit (that's a not-so-subliminal message)

Devo:

I've been busy with our student organization, helping make fundraising t-shirts and stuff. I volunteered to help plan our student trip to France this summer, which is very exciting. I'm having memories of the Hale trip to Spain!

Multi-tasking at the Craft Center on campus.

Immersion Trips:

Twice a year DEVO plans long-weekend trips to wine regions. We visit 2-3 wineries/vineyards each day and usually get to meet the winemakers. This picture is from Navarro, which is pretty much my favorite place ever.

Bonterra Vineyards

Strange and Sad

Katie was telling me the other day that she heard a couple of months ago about a Calgary cyclist who had been killed. She thought I might have met him through Jon but couldn't remember his name. I remembered the conversation last night so I did some research and discovered it indeed was someone I knew. He had been a really good friend of Jon's and I'd hung out with him a few times. He had been shot and his house was burned down. They've charged a business acquaintance of his with murder.

It was really weird to see all of this at once last night. I hadn't heard anything about it on the news. For some reason there hadn't been a whole lot of coverage. I got most of the details from a blog that one of his friends set up to share information with family and friends. Along with the shock of all that, I had to see pictures of Jon and his wife that were on the site. It was a little difficult but I think it may have given me some of the much-needed closure I've been looking for.

Sad Sad News

I went over to the Burger Inn for dinner tonight (oh, the shame!) and while waiting for my food I was reading the posters on the bulletin board. Front and center was a flyer for a lost cat. To my horror and intense sadness, it was Johnny Mullet! I had noticed I hadn't seen him around for a while, but I'm kinda slow so forgot about it. The flyer says he's been missing since July 15th. It breaks my heart. He was such a tiny little cutey. I loved the way he drooled when I petted him. Perhaps he is in heaven with Omar. He will be sorely missed.

Take This Job

And shove it! I ain't working here no more!

I officially quit my job this morning. I have been unhappy for 2 of the 2.5 years I've worked here, and extremely unhappy for the last 6 months or so. I was hoping to come back from my trip refreshed and invigorated, ready to tackle the job with a new outlook on life. Well, needless to say, that didn't happen. I came back refreshed and invigorated, but after two days back at work I felt like I was sucked down into depression again. Friday was a low point, so I made the tough decision to pack it in.

I've got a few leads already so hopefully it won't be long until I find something new.