Custom Neckware for the Soon Unemployed

They let us know this week that the project at work is winding down and that depending on the decisions by higher-ups they may terminate my team in 1-3 months--sigh. There is a slight chance I'll be kept on as on for other projects as I am one of the most senior members but we'll see. The important thing is I'll always have this dry-erase mural of this job to remember it by.

You'll find me in the center with my stylish short beard. This mural has been in progress for over a month but it was just barely finished to include the whole office--well what is left of us. Mirielle drew most of them and a co-worker started giving them teeth, red lips, and blue eyes. Once that co-worker left to dental school I took over and even drew one of the portraits--Ramsey, the man with a big beard.

I also started a new project this week which will perhaps transform into a hobby. My friend June offered her help and taught me how to make bow-ties. This is the result:

I felt a little like a Chippendale dancer while taking this picture.

I'm happy with how it turned out and have the fabric for two more: a yellow honeycomb, and a red with white polka-dot. June helped me considerably with this one so we'll see how two and three turn out; once I master the bow-tie I'll try my hand at full neckties.

Florida and Back Again

As some of you know my parents had recently decided to move away from Florida and into a home on Center Street in Provo. This last week was when the sale became final on my childhood home and in exchange for helping my parents driving a moving truck cross county they flew me down to say good bye.

It was eerie to be back in Florida for so long; seeing my old haunt brought back many memories that otherwise would have never come up. Packing the house took most of my two days but I was able to drive around and eat dim-sum lunch with a few friends whom I rarely see. 

We hit the beach on Sunday before church to say farewell to the Atlantic. Church was a strange mix of the familiar and strangers; a few people there I had known for years but there were many whom I have never seen. My parents both spoke and both cried and later that day there was a farewell party open house in which I knew very little people.

On Monday we started to drive. Florida had terribly narrow roads and mixing that with us still learning to handle the thirty-foot truck equaled to terror. As we came into Georgia I was dumbstruck with how beautiful it was--this feeling continued to intensify as we came into Tennessee the next day and drove past serene lakes flanked by dramatic cliff faces and southern greenery all gently blanketed in just enough mist to create a sense of magic.

We continued through  Kentucky and Illinois where we stopped in the town of Metropolis, IL--the self proclaimed home of Superman. We ate a delightfully mid-western meal with wonder-bread and all.

We continued through Missouri and had a slight delay due to the truck engine but it was sorted out quickly and we pushed through Kansas and into Denver the following day.

St. Louis Gateway Arch from I-70

We spent the next day with family in Denver as everyone was present save one brother and his family. I also got to finally meet my new sister-in-law, Jen, as she married into the family about a week ago.

Then on Friday my mother and I did the final leg through Wyoming and on to Utah. We unloaded the whole truck into storage units since my parents don't close on their new house for a few weeks and I finally was home and excited to get back onto a normal schedule.

I may not know what I want to do with my life but I do know that its not being a trucker.

Rooftops and Stuff

In Provo, the first Friday of every month during the Summer is host to the Provo Rooftop Concert Series. It is outside (avoiding the stink), free, and yet still manages to get some great bands out. The most memorable concert for me was last year when they did a tribute concert to Tom Petty in which several local band-members (including the singer of Neon Trees) took turns singing various Tom Petty songs--climaxing in "Free Fallin" which somehow the singers all forgot the lyrics and skipped half the song.

This is mostly a filler post. I have a second interview with Provo City on Monday for a part time position in the IT department which I'm hoping to get. I'm going to Florida on the 9th and helping my parents drive out to Provo so here's hoping something fun will happen. At the very least I'll be going to a couple temples on the way.