Sunday, January 22
Puppy Porn
We got Shimu from our neighbors and one of Shimu's litter mates recently had puppies. This is his nephew. It was a little difficult getting anything in focus with this little guy running around incessantly and trying to steal Shimu's toys and blanket. It's hard to believe Shimu used to be that size.
Friday, January 20
Post School, Work, & Wolverine
It's an odd feeling being back home and done with school. Suddenly the timeline for all my plans is so much longer. Career goals, savings, personal projects, and other things concerning life now extend for, well, forever. There's no significant foreseeable interruption (God forbid I go back for a Ph.D.) and it's a new feeling. I took a look around my house and found some pictures of myself from my childhood. It's an interesting thing to be able to see how much I've changed both outwardly and inwardly. These are a few photographs from the early '90's:
If it isn't clear, I'm the littler one in the first picture with my older brother. I appear to be wearing some awesome looking boat shoes and some sweet corduroy overalls. As I got older I went through some pretty embarrassing phases (let's all of us forget the long AZN bangs period). It's only been very recently that I've felt as though my personality has stabilized somewhat into a state where I can build and grow on a foundation of sense and willingness to change. As much as I dread, if facetiously, getting older, I look forward to opportunities to challenge myself and become more of a complete human being.
Speaking of entering real adult life, I recently accepted a position at a prominent development consulting firm. I really like the company and the work they do and it's encouraging to be going into a job knowing that I want to be with them for the long haul. I haven't started yet though, so how it will actually play out remains to be seen.
On another note, I recently picked up a pair of Wolverine's 1000 Mile Bradford Oxford. It took me a long time to track down a pair in my size (they were a one season release back in 2010). They are fantastic. They're made with Horween Chromexcel (like the Oak Street Trail Oxfords) and it smells and feels so good, it probably wouldn't take much convincing for me to eat them... Or, you know... I'll just wear them. I'm totally sold on Wolverine now though. Once I start getting paid again, I may have to pick up a pair of 1000 Mile boots.
If it isn't clear, I'm the littler one in the first picture with my older brother. I appear to be wearing some awesome looking boat shoes and some sweet corduroy overalls. As I got older I went through some pretty embarrassing phases (let's all of us forget the long AZN bangs period). It's only been very recently that I've felt as though my personality has stabilized somewhat into a state where I can build and grow on a foundation of sense and willingness to change. As much as I dread, if facetiously, getting older, I look forward to opportunities to challenge myself and become more of a complete human being.
Speaking of entering real adult life, I recently accepted a position at a prominent development consulting firm. I really like the company and the work they do and it's encouraging to be going into a job knowing that I want to be with them for the long haul. I haven't started yet though, so how it will actually play out remains to be seen.
On another note, I recently picked up a pair of Wolverine's 1000 Mile Bradford Oxford. It took me a long time to track down a pair in my size (they were a one season release back in 2010). They are fantastic. They're made with Horween Chromexcel (like the Oak Street Trail Oxfords) and it smells and feels so good, it probably wouldn't take much convincing for me to eat them... Or, you know... I'll just wear them. I'm totally sold on Wolverine now though. Once I start getting paid again, I may have to pick up a pair of 1000 Mile boots.
Monday, January 2
2011 Retrospective
2011 was a good year. Some firsts, some lasts. Traveled. Good friends. Finished school. I've put together a handful of shots I've taken this year of memorable moments:
Unfortunately, it kind of cuts off right after the summer. I haven't had much opportunity to take my camera out very often this last semester or be very active on here. Here's hoping I'll have a lot more to share here in 2012.
So, I've finished graduate school with a Masters in Global Development Economics and the job hunt is underway. I'll refrain from any speculation or moaning on that subject for a while.
On a more personal note, I've mentioned that I've learned a not insignificant amount about myself through my time in grad. school. I think I've changed a good bit for the better, but have also stagnated in some other areas that could do with some improvement. That's a bit cryptic, but suffice it to say I plan on taking greater initiative in being deliberately mindful about some areas of my life that I've not given as much thought to as I have in the past (...that's not any less cryptic.) If nothing else, I think I may at least be a little less tightly wound. Maybe...
I hope everyone had a great New Years and has a happy, healthy, and adventure-filled 2012.
Unfortunately, it kind of cuts off right after the summer. I haven't had much opportunity to take my camera out very often this last semester or be very active on here. Here's hoping I'll have a lot more to share here in 2012.
So, I've finished graduate school with a Masters in Global Development Economics and the job hunt is underway. I'll refrain from any speculation or moaning on that subject for a while.
On a more personal note, I've mentioned that I've learned a not insignificant amount about myself through my time in grad. school. I think I've changed a good bit for the better, but have also stagnated in some other areas that could do with some improvement. That's a bit cryptic, but suffice it to say I plan on taking greater initiative in being deliberately mindful about some areas of my life that I've not given as much thought to as I have in the past (...that's not any less cryptic.) If nothing else, I think I may at least be a little less tightly wound. Maybe...
I hope everyone had a great New Years and has a happy, healthy, and adventure-filled 2012.
Thursday, November 24
Poor, College Thanksgiving
I waited a little too long to book a flight home this year and they got a little too expensive. So I opted to stay in Boston, seeing as how I'll be home for good next month anyway. I also have a decent amount of work to do, but I will likely designate a few days to do absolutely nothing. See below, my plans for today: leftover Bon Chon, play Skyrim, catch up on non-school reading, and I just downloaded 50/50 and Warrior. I am also going to do my laundry. Tomorrow, while everyone is shopping, I think I will go see The Muppets and/or Hugo.
I'm thankful for whatever it is in me that hopes beyond hope that someday I might do something of worth for the good of the world. As contradictory as my life is, it's been a subtle, but galvanizing and self-correcting force in my life and I don't think I'd like where I'd be without it. Friends and family too, probably.
Four more weeks of school and I'm done forever.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends.
I'm thankful for whatever it is in me that hopes beyond hope that someday I might do something of worth for the good of the world. As contradictory as my life is, it's been a subtle, but galvanizing and self-correcting force in my life and I don't think I'd like where I'd be without it. Friends and family too, probably.
Four more weeks of school and I'm done forever.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends.
Wednesday, November 16
October Frost
I spent the majority of this past weekend at the library writing a paper. Saturday evening, I took a break to grab a slice of pizza across the street with a friend. It was a warm evening, unseasonably so for this time of year, and the air smelled sweetly of decaying leaves. It was dark as we were walking back to the library and our work. On the way, there was a small group huddled around a dark mound wedged in between the curb and a car. As we got closer, we noticed a concerned, elderly woman standing just outside the group with her hands clasped tightly in front of her chest. Her husband had fallen into the small space at the base of the curb and a number of passers-by were attempting to help him out and up.
Our pace slowed, watching to see if we could offer our assistance. After some doing, the gentleman was on his feet, so we continued back across Comm. Ave. to the library. Comm. Ave. is a large, busy two way road divided by the T tracks. When we got to the median, I looked back to see that the elderly couple were beginning to cross. We waited for them to reach the median safely and continued ahead by a few steps, just in case. Once they were across safely, the woman approached us to ask if we knew where a particular conference hall was, where an Amnesty International event was being held. We did and we escorted them to the building in question, which was just a couple of blocks down. While walking, we learned that they had been married for over 50 years. The wife was born October Callum, but goes by Toby. Her husband is Wesley Frost. That makes her October Frost and that is just the prettiest name.
She told us about the time she drove from Boston to Alaska and how she'd like, one day, to drive across America and write about the names of places. I told her about my cross-country trips and we shared stories from the road. Before too long, we saw them back to their car and we parted ways as they effused thank-yous. My friend and I made our way back to the library and I sunk my evening in one of my last assignments ever, hopefully. It was a pleasant diversion and I imagined what it would be like not only to have lived such a long life as happily as they have, but to have gone the majority of it with someone you love.
Our pace slowed, watching to see if we could offer our assistance. After some doing, the gentleman was on his feet, so we continued back across Comm. Ave. to the library. Comm. Ave. is a large, busy two way road divided by the T tracks. When we got to the median, I looked back to see that the elderly couple were beginning to cross. We waited for them to reach the median safely and continued ahead by a few steps, just in case. Once they were across safely, the woman approached us to ask if we knew where a particular conference hall was, where an Amnesty International event was being held. We did and we escorted them to the building in question, which was just a couple of blocks down. While walking, we learned that they had been married for over 50 years. The wife was born October Callum, but goes by Toby. Her husband is Wesley Frost. That makes her October Frost and that is just the prettiest name.
She told us about the time she drove from Boston to Alaska and how she'd like, one day, to drive across America and write about the names of places. I told her about my cross-country trips and we shared stories from the road. Before too long, we saw them back to their car and we parted ways as they effused thank-yous. My friend and I made our way back to the library and I sunk my evening in one of my last assignments ever, hopefully. It was a pleasant diversion and I imagined what it would be like not only to have lived such a long life as happily as they have, but to have gone the majority of it with someone you love.
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