penn

Best-worst gift

I'm loving the post at Planting Our Pennies today about the Best-Worst Present ever. In the post, both Mr. and Mrs. PoP describe the best present they've ever received that seemed awful at the time.

My story isn't quite as extreme as theirs, but I do remember one present that disappointed me but has since become something I adore. As a college graduation present, one of our family friends gave me an electric tea kettle with some loose leaf tea. I wasn't super sure about the gift; I drank tea, but I didn't do so often.

I was headed off to college, and I proudly brought my little pot (enclosed coils, so it was allowed in the dorm) to show I was a grown-up. Then, I promptly became jealous because everyone else had open hot pots, so they could cook noodle, make soup, etc. I was limited to heating up water, which was definitely not as flexible.

Since I liked my friend, I hung on to that electric tea kettle. It moved with me a variety of places, including across the country to Michigan. And then it came with me to Minnesota, where I met Matt. One of our regular traditions in the winter has been enjoying a cup of tea or cocoa as we wind down for the evening. We have frequently used this electric tea kettle over the last several years. Every time, I have fond memories of my family friend. I'm so glad I own the tea kettle, and I look forward to more years of warm beverages.

What about you? What's the best-worst present you've ever received?

Winter approaching

It's been quite cold here this week. Even though it's supposed to warm up again soon, we have been having a cold snap worthy of a Lake Wobegon mention. All year, we've had strange and unpredictable weather. Minnesota just doesn't know what month it is.

We have radiator heat in our apartment. Even though it dries out the air, I like the radiator better than the forced air I grew up with; the heat is warmer and less drafty. Lucy, our cat, spends most of her days lolling on top of the radiator covers. She didn't have this luxury in our last apartment, as our radiators were uncovered and thus uncomfortably warm. This apartment had families before we moved in, so all our radiators are covered.

For some of my students, this is the first time they've seen snow. We have had a few dustings. Several are complaining of the cold already. Seasoned veterans keep reminding them: it's going to get a lot colder.

For my part, I'm ready. I have put away my summer clothes, and I pulled the hats and gloves out of storage. My ski jacket is hanging up in the hall. All I need to bring on winter is some measurable snow so I have a reason to pull out snow boots for some wonderful winter walks. In the meantime, I'm hunkering down with warm blankets and some hot chocolate.

Remember

Today, I remember my grandfather, who served in Hawai'i in World War II. While blessed to have arrived after Pearl Harbor, he nevertheless lived in an area that was an active war zone. He's in the middle here, standing up with his arm around another guy.

I remember Matt's grandfather, who served in the Aleutian islands building runways but still ran into Japanese soldiers who had holed up.

I honor my brother, who served in two tours in Iraq and a tour in Afghanistan as a marine then turned around, got work with the Pentagon, and went back to Afghanistan again.

I honor my friend Nick, who has now done two long tours in Afghanistan with the army. He no longer flies, which he loves, but still heads up a battalion. He was one of my best friends in high school, and I'm still proud of how far he has come.

I remember the countless veterans I knew from church in Kirkland. Names escape me at the moment, but I had such a wonderful time sitting around with them on Sunday mornings just listening to their collected wisdom. Frank Gaskill, George Harris, and many more.

I honor my many friends who have served for our country. While I don't like war, I still value those who are willing to put their lives on the line to defend our way of life. Thank you for your time, effort, and lives.

Grateful

As November is the month of giving thanks, I have a few things I'd like to give thanks for on this Sunday afternoon:

1. my lovely cat, whom we adopted from a shelter. She apparently sat around for a number of months, and we got her on sale. I'm glad the shelter kept her around, and I am grateful we found her. She's definitely a cat with her own moods and opinions, but she is still a wonderful companion. We are lucky to have her in our lives.

2. clean water, a luxury many don't have. We use a Brita filter mostly because we chill our water in the fridge. Our water is completely safe out of the tap, and I'm glad for that. Not everyone, even in the United States, can say that about their water.

3. libraries full of books. No need to purchase (and find bookshelf space for) tons of books with our wonderful local libraries. I can get books from our school library and from our town library, and we're both connected to a large library cooperative. I still own plenty of books -- mostly ones that are hard to find or I read often -- but I would need many more without the library.

What are you grateful for today?

Getting back in the Groove

Last winter, Matt and I did a great job working out. We are blessed to have free access to a high-quality weight room with an indoor track, and we do our best to take advantage. In the spring, with the business of my job, we fell off the bandwagon. Summer moving and the start of the school year didn't help.

Today, we finally got back in the weight room. Getting active again felt awesome! I have a back injury from ages ago, and being sedentary really amplifies the symptoms (spasms, sore hip flexors, etc). I took time to do some upper-body weights and some back exercises.

I find it always takes me a bit to work back into a routine. We're going to try to head in most days, excluding the ones where we each have evening commitments. The one thing I do know is that, somehow, having the physical space of the weight room as a place to go helps me work out much more than trying to do exercise at home ever has.

What have you been doing to work out recently? Do you like hitting the gym?

Ever a student

While I did get my teaching license a year and a half ago, I left with two classes to go to my MAT (Masters of Arts in Teaching). I'd really like to get that done at some point. This fall, I decided there was no time like the present!

I also coached the volleyball team in September and October, so I had a really busy start to the school year. My life is slowly settling down now that volleyball is done, but this grad class keeps me on my toes.My work is interesting, but it takes a lot of time. Thankfully, I can manage it, but some weeks get quite busy.

This class is studying research design. I thought I knew a lot about this, given my background in science and research. Little did I know! There is so much variability possible in educational research. You can go quantitative (numbers based) or qualitative (by doing interviews). You can do correlation studies, experimental studies with control and experiment groups, or even just observation studies. So many possibilities!

I really wish I had a class like this in my ecology MS. It would have been nice to step through various experimental designs, how they've been used, and how to plan your own. This seemed like something my professor just expected me to know, and I realize now that I was lacking.

On the bright side, I know more than many students in my class. I value being able to be a resource and hone my own knowledge through explaining to others. There are a few social scientists in the class, so they help me understand the non-experimental, more qualitative work.

One thing is for sure: I really value getting to continue my learning. I always mean to do work on my own, but I am much more focused with a class. My subjects may change, but I will always love being a student.

Throwback Thursday

Wherein I check out an old photograph . . .

This is a picture from spring of 2002. The lovely lady is a friend who was studying abroad at my college that term. We met formally after a few weeks of smiling in the communal bathroom. She asked for help with an English assignment: "what are you doing for spring break?" I tried to explain, then said, "heck, why not come with me? Then you can see for yourself!" It was all over; we became fast friends.

She went with me on spring break, which included a medieval recreation, sailing on a yacht in Lake Washington (cold!), hiking, and spending time with my family and friends. Fall semester, she returned to my university, and we roomed together.

I haven't seen her in years, but we still keep in touch via Facebook. This picture reminds me of all the happy times we spent together.

Chipotle at home

As a kid, my family ate a lot of fajitas. Especially during my teen years, that was a popular go-to meal that everyone enjoyed. We each took a part in preparing the meal, so it was a great way to bond in the evening as well.

I fell off the fajita bandwagon when living alone. Cooking meat for one is no fun, and I couldn't justify paying restaurant prices for fajitas when it was just as easy (and tastier) to make them myself at home.

Since getting together with Matt, we've made fajitas from time to time. My favorite ever was when we had been dating for three months. I sent Matt to the store for beef before a double-date night with friends. He bought a pricy steak. Most delicious fajitas ever.

The title comes in with my recent experiences with Chipotle and at-home cooking adventures. I had never really liked eating at Chipotle; giant burritos stuffed with rice and beans aren't my thing. I'm not a fan of beans, and I also don't like to feel overstuffed after eating. However, this year, I've eaten at Chipotle more than ever before. One of my activities at school was being a volleyball coach. We had a lot of away games, and the girls loved to stop at Chipotle for dinner on the way home. Thankfully, I discovered the soft taco.

The soft taco took some finessing for me. It was still too burrito-like, even when I asked for no beans. I finally had the brain wave to ask for no rice, no beans, and extra veggies, thus making the soft taco into more of a fajita. Delicious!

The volleyball season is done. But we had extra steak the other night, so I ran out for tortillas. And, delightfully, all the veggies I want with no rice or beans to mar the beauty of the fajita. Takes me back to my teen years in Washington state!

First snow!

November 5th in Minnesota. For some of my students, this is their first time seeing snow.

Tuesday Two-fer

A gorgeous butterfly from my sushi dinner the other night:

Part of a Halloween costume I saw -- she was dressed up as a squirrel with the appropriate accessory: