Take a drink...

Sunday found us and a few friends at Oneonta Gorge for a splash in the falls. Good times had by all. The water was at an invigoratingly low temperature. Nothing to make you feel alive like your heart fighting hypothermia. Okay, maybe that's a bit extreme.

Back to the routine...

We've been back from vacation for a few days now and it's never easy getting back to the grind. I'm definitely the sort that needs something lingering in the near future to incent me to keep on keeping on. Right now, I guess that's Labor Day weekend. It's also amusing how much life can be a transitional period and a monotonous routine at the same time. Case in point: Katie will start student teaching within a few weeks, we're still inside of a month of the community house, I'll be starting a post-bac class at Portland State in a month and we just got back from a week off. Despite all this, the days all seem to bleed into one another. I'm not really complaining, it's just amazing to me how fast "adult" time seems to fly by. This is the first year that I haven't had some sort of significant time off during the summer. It really makes time slip away. The rain clouds are slowly starting to gather in the PDX for the fall and we're coming up on our one-year anniversary here already. Hard to believe.

In other news: We're really digging the whole community house thing. It felt more like "home" coming back to the house and the housemates after a week away. It really has seemed like the best of both worlds so far. If we need it, we can easily have "alone" time or, like the night before last, we can spend all night together. Karli made some awesome tortellini, which was followed by some of Katie's (and Toll House's) chocolate chip cookies and a chat on the deck. Wrap all that up with an episode of Six Feet Under and you've got a well-rounded evening. It's also been a great experience for Katie and I to live with a couple who are experiencing the joys and trials of pregnancy for the first time. I can't think of a better way for us to get a realistic perspective on what to expect. Karli's really starting to show and it's pretty rad to think there's a little guy or gal growing in there. We'll know which one it'll be soon enough.

Well, unfortunately, I gotta run. I'm dropping into the office for a few hours to play catch up. More of adult life...joy! Have a good Saturday!

we're back. starting school and work tomorrow and Thursday. we had a great time relaxing, biking, eating amazing Italian food, and enjoying the cabin (thanks stanley's). love katie

working at Noah's bagels is done for the summer. Michael is done for a week. My baby brother Danny is heading to college tomorrow in Missouri- how it is a monumental occasion!!! Our little nephew Paul is turning 7 Friday. I start school for the fall the 25th. But for now, a week in Tahoe. Single digit gambling, mountain hiking, sleeping, eating, sleeping, and more sleeping. rest and relaxation- here we come. Love to my fans- (just kidding- just living my famous stage actress life- sorry) katie
p.s. have fun dan.

Wired

I'm sitting here with some good 'ole caffeine, a touch or sugar and the powebook. Yes, after a lenghthy and late visit from our friendly cable installer, the house is wirelessly wired. We're good to go.

It's been so long that I hardly know where to start. Quite a bit has happened since the last installment, but as I actually need to leave for work soon, I'll cut to a couple high points and quick observations:

-It's nice to have a little more space, a deck and a yard. It's somehow good for the heart not to be shoved into a huge apartment complex that feels more like those old card catalogs at the library.

-I could really use a vacation from work...and I get one starting next week!

-My wife is the coolest person I know.

-Coming home after a very long and challenging day at work to a house full of good people really helps to keep things in perspective. Life is less stressful when you let a few more people share the burden.

-It's been two weeks in the house and, so far, it's proven to be one of the most ineresting and enjoyable things we've ever done. No complaints at all, it feels quite natural. The strange thing is, I'm anxious for it to get more complicated, if it even will. One of my friends at church simply reminded me to, "Look forward to the conflict, because then you'll really get to know and respect each other." I suppose that's what it's all about.

-One thing I've learned: pipe tobacco tastes good in hand-rolled cigarettes. The only thing you need to be cautious of is going into a tobacco shop and buying only rolling papers and a lighter. They'll suspect other things...and ask to see some ID.

-Six episodes in to the first season of Six Feet Under and I'm slowing becoming addicted.

Okay, I gotta go. I'll write more this weekend. Happy Friday!

A weekend with nothing to do...

...could be the best thing ever. After the marathon moving event that comprised last Thursday through Monday, a weekend without an agenda seems too good to be true. The only downside is that I won't see Katie too much. She's been on a four-week hiatus from school and, after a short while off, she got so bored that she went back to the bagel shop to pick up some hours. The new housemates and I have been promised free bagels and coffee if we stop by, which persuaded me to make one single plan for the weekend. Other than that, it's wide open.

That's it for now. Not much time to blog at work. We'll be more consistent next week when our wi-fi kicks in at the house. Until then...