This morning I got the final signatures to ensure my status as a graduate, which may be better than the actual ceremony tomorrow night! After 7 years and 3 degrees I'm finally done...today. I have nothing left to do. Just show up tomorrow to walk across a stage. That's it.

Life isn't exactly dull right now. Interviewing is exhausting. I've been home 2 days in the last 8 with long flights and early mornings mixed in. We still don't know where we're going but we've started accumulating boxes to pack up the house. At any rate, Sunday night is the big part-A. Feel free to send your congratulations, gifts and cash to Matt C/O......just kidding.

The Yard

Now that we're going to have to sell our house I thought I'd finally include the pictures of the "completed" yard (and by completed I mean including Dana in her robe on the porch...sorry honey!)

The sky is falling

I take offense to all the climate change talk that is suddenly headlining every media outlet. Let me preface by saying that I'm no climatologist and I don't pretend to have studied the science (and I do believe it is science) of changing global climate. I am educated and with the sword of logic I feel the need to tap into the fight - though clearly only to be heard in my local circle.

We've been tracking and recording climate change for around 100 years which in my opinion makes it impossible to predict future events with any accuracy having no knowledge of climate cycling. For example, I've heard that we may be in the middle of warming trend that melts polar ice caps to a critical level, lowering ocean temperatures, which in turn leads to colder average temperatures and the reformation of the ice caps. This may or may not be true but I think its worth consideration.

Secondly, I think the scare tactic that the poor will starve because of SUVs is pitiful. If you've followed the course of the headlines over the past few months you'll see that every new counsel, organization or whatever makes a greater apocalyptic forecast. First off, water does not vanish into space. I understand that small (very small) amounts are bound up and form another molecules but realistically if one place is in a drought, another is being flooded. It is just basic science.

What we have are people who risk ruining global economies (which would truly lead to starvation) to add another signature to the Kyoto protocol.

Looking for work

We (as in me) are still looking for a job. Prospects include: Florida, Virginia, S. Carolina and Ireland. Where should we go??? The idea of starting out in my field in a place that does things in a completely different way than I've been trained is admittedly scary, but it is exciting to apply everything I've been learning the last 2 years. I'll put a new poll to see where we'd get the most visitors if we move then we can know what to expect (and where to avoid!).

USA Blanks Mexico...again!

Kick-off


US goalie deflects Mexican cross.


Landon Donovan hits the corner to Jimmy Conrad


GOOOOOAAALLL!!!!!

War is Bad!

There is a lot of debate about the military these days. My personal opinion is that it is obviously harmful to our young men as it can lead to this.

Strange white...stuff

Better late than never right? Well here are the pictures of our yard after the "big snow." If you haven't seen snow in the desert (and you probably haven't) save these pictures. It'll be a while before it happens again!

Caption Contest

What is this cat thinking? The best caption wins...uh, nothing really but my respect and admiration.

Best of luck!

Pet-peeve #19

I know this is a phenomenon familiar to most people but I just need to reiterate one of my (many) pet-peeves. I have often thought of making a bumper-sticker that is a play on the "I brake for (insert your favorite critter/cause here)." Mine will go something like, "I brake for no apparent reason." This is an endless cause for frustration on the road. I can't figure out what initiates the firing of the nerve that tells the right foot to apply the brake when there is no cause for slowing. One piece of advice, if the light is green look at the crosswalk sign. If it still says walk, the light is not about to turn red...don't brake!

Put a lid on it!

This is why I love the lid. I know the lid is often shunned as a child's drink accessory but really it has so many qualities that to drink with out the lid is a chance I'm not willing to take. We'll move beyond the obvious advantage of not spilling your drink as readily. I know everyone has the memory of that Jack in the Box cup falling on the floor of your car when you hit the breaks and only seeing a small drop of sticky soda reaching the carpeted floor mats. This is clearly an advantage to the lid that can't be down played but I'll name just a few more.

I hate guessing where my straw is going to be and I don't want to have to chase it around the cup. That's just silly. Not only does the lid keep your drink in, but it keeps all those nasty sneeze germs OUT! Think about all the yuckies that can and probably do get into your cup. SICK! Lids have little tabs that allow you to identify the contents of cup. And we can't for get about the additional insulation your lid adds to the warmth or coldness of that tasty beverage.

Lid, I salute you.

New Year's Eve

Grow up, would you?

It seems that being a kid just got a little more dangerous. Just ask 2 elementary school children (ages 4 and 5) who were written up for sexual harassment. The first hugged a school aid and rubbed his face in her chest. The second punched a female classmate in the buttocks in the school hallway. Needless to say, both boys' parents were aghast that their kids would now have sexual misconduct written on their school files.

Did anyone ever think that maybe they were just being kids?

Leaving for Iraq

The war feels a little different when you know someone going over to fight. I friend of mine leaves Wednesday morning for a 3 month stint as a navigator on the EC130. He is excited to do what he's been training to do and I hope he makes it back soon.

Where have I been?

It has been a long couple of weeks. Work has been busy, I had a new class start and Dana was gone for 2 weeks and I worked on the back yard a little. Hopefully I'll get some pictures soon so that you can see what I've been up to.

Pictures of the week

The Heavens

Defensively offensive

Bill Clinton's tantrum seen here is a reminder of the roots of failure in fighting terrorism. The blame game is pathetic. There is documented evidence of terrorist activity aimed at American interests every year from 1993-2000 with limited if any response. It's time to admit it...you messed up.

Justin King - Solo Guitar

Amazing acoustic guitar solo

CD Review: Continuum

Let me start by saying that I was worried about this album. John Mayer has set the bar so high for himself that I thought this, his third studio album would be a huge disappointment. Every reviewer has pegged this as his "most soulful" album yet, which I didn't understand until I listened to the whole thing straight through. He deals with the usual issues of love, past and present (I'm Gonna Find Another You, Slow Dancing In A Burning Room), growth and change (In Repair, Dreaming With A Broken Heart), and his everpresent problem of growing older (Stop This Train). He includes Gravity and Vultures off of his live Trio album and a Hendrix cover Bold As Love. I was worried I would miss the "Pop" side of Mayer's songs but I don't. The depth is just where you would expect from a guy who has played with the likes of Clapton, BB King, Scoffield and Buddy Guy. The songs are all introspective and his personal thoughts are human enough to make us remember that he's just a guy named John.

Sympathy breaking

Ever wander where those phrases come from that you mutter from time to time? Well this one came from me. You know when you're driving down the road in the middle lane and someone on either side goes to turn or break, causing others in that lane to break and for some reason the person in front of you brakes as well?...that is sympathy braking. It drives me crazy. Don't be a sympathy breaker!

1-0-0

It's not often that anyone gets excited about being undefeated after the first game of the season, but then again it's been a long time since the University of Arizona football team has been 1 and 0 with out that 1 being some cupcake team. It wasn't a show of offensive beauty but we won a close game against a quality team. Good enough for me.