Dinner at the Governor's Mansion

I've been looking forward to dinner at the Governor's Mansion for about two weeks. Tonight was the night and I enjoyed being there every bit as much as I thought I would!


My room-mate and I drove to a Representative's condo, where we chatted with her while waiting for our ride, the good Senator from our area. We enjoyed visiting and relaxing with her a few minutes before he arrived. I was glad we rode together, not because we couldn't have followed, but because of the conversation in the car and the fact that I didn't have to walk across a dark parking lot, with ice and snow, and high heels on.

After being driven through the gates of this former American Legion Park, we were dropped off at the door of the Formal Home of the Governor and his wife. The first thing we noticed was "The First Cat of Wyoming." This playful guy walked us to the door, stopping at each of our feet and looking up with a cry in greeting.


Along with a 12-year-old Lhasa Apso, these two mingled with the crowd all night long. When nearly everyone had left, a calico kitty showed itself, but she was camera shy, just like the puppy!

After hanging my coat, I found the door to the ladies "powder" room hidden in the wall.


A few moments alone afforded me the time to snap a few silly pictures of myself and the crazy powder room!


Every piece of paper was embossed. From the place cards and menus...


All the way to the pile of paper towels in the powder room!


We were blessed to listen to a fellow intern (a homeschooled High School Junior from Cheyenne) as she tinkled the ivories tonight...


Even waiting for our ride became a bit silly this evening at this interesting place!

Capitol Exhaustion

I *really* did mean to write you each and every day,


but I have been working crazy-long-exhausting hours.


And sleeping whenever I can.


I hope you enjoy these pictures from last week.


You can see I am working literally from sun-up, to sun-down.


Time for some sleep before the 5am alarm tomorrow!

least sleep - ever - first ticket

yesterday after 4 hours sleep, around 2,000 steps during 9 hours of running about, a dead car battery, the new battery not starting, and pure exhaustion, I neglected to hang the parking tag in my window. this morning I came down to my first ever ticket, from the college campus police, for $60. now I must find the time (and person) to show my pass to to prove I had it and get the ticket pardoned.

3.5 hours sleep last night. a record low for me.

tonight I am going to get 7!!! yeah!

Exciting, Exhilarating Energies

I ran on adrenaline all day today (with another 4 hour night, and tonight looking like it will have fewer than 6 hours in it). Much as I want to keep you informed, I am limited in what I may share AND I am writing for 3-5 hours each night to report to my professor, so, I find myself completely brain-dead by the time I can write you.

Tonight, I even made a Montage of scenes from the opening day of the 60th Wyoming Legislative Session, however, we are still trying to hammer out the logistics of even this and what I may share photography wise and with whom... perhaps soon you will get to SEE some of what I am seeing... I hope, I hope, I hope!

That Was Fast!

Today was to be a day of rest. While I didn't sleep in late (up at seven, with eight hours sleep), I did rest and relax this morning. I spent the afternoon running errands (there are quite a few things to do and buy in order to make the dorms more comfortable). The evening included studying the Orientation Manual, a bit of cleaning, and chatting with my roommate.

And then.

Then, I started my report.

Oh boy!

Five hours and twelve single space pages later, I've submitted the first report from my first day at the Legislature. How will I ever work all day, in the evenings, AND write these reports?

As busy as Saturday was, and as future days are sure to be, and as thorough as I like to be, it will be a great challenge to write thorough, edited reports each evening AND get a full night's (8 hours sleep) rest - not to mention evening events, eating, and laundry. While I was feeling more rested earlier today, I have stayed up far too late working on the monstrosity of a report I just sent over.

I think I will try to journal as I go during the day, at least typing what is happening during the day, then adding my observations during the evening.

Exhausted.

Again.

Now it is time for rest. I may get four hours sleep. :P

Orientation

Sunrise this morning from my Dorm Room Window

After such a long week I'll keep this brief, but pause to let you know that after just 5 hours sleep last night I never felt tired during orientation.

My dorm-mate, Bobbi, and I about to head into the Capitol

During our nine hour orientation, there was SO MUCH information thrown at us! I am excited to get started on Monday, but looking forward to relaxing tomorrow.

Departures and Arrivals

Well, I've left them, for a whole month, I've left them. So far so good on the tear front, though I know it may not last, I've only cried once this morning, in bed before leaving, and twice prior this week (actually, it was once with each member of my household).

I had a GREAT drive across Wyoming to arrive in Cheyenne at 5pm. 45 minutes + 4 Target shopping carts unloaded my Professor's Car (generously loaned to me for the month). Dinner with an RA in the Dorms at the Dining Hall, and then meeting my roommate (and her daughter - who's also a student at LCCC) while we all three unpacked into our rooms. Yes, I said roomS with and "S"... that would be the best surprise of the day. When the Dorm Manager walked me to my room, she said that since there wasn't an occupant for the second suite, we would each have our own room (and bathroom) with just a shared living area between the two.

I'm beat, but looking forward to a great day at Legislative Intern Orientation tomorrow.

Now, it's time for a quick note to my professor, wardrobe choices and a snack, then to sleep (by 10:20?)

I intend to begin posting pictures by Sunday (for tomorrow's sure to be another full day!)

PS: I'm sitting here listening to Spanish Radio because it's the only station I can receive besides talk radio... either I'll ask Tom to bring my CD's next weekend, or I'll be living on internet radio! ;)

Getting my Feet Wet

Tonight I got dressed up and had Tom drop me off (he and the boys went to Taekwondo) at a Legislative Reception. Turns out it was hosted by the three local school entities (two school districts and the Community College). In addition to meeting seven members of the Legislature (Representatives and Senators), I met several members of the College Board of Directors, including the President. Should I be worried that the President of the College knew my name? I don't think so...

Going to Cheyenne in exactly three weeks will be very interesting....

Adobe Photoshop Skills - Photomerge & Collage

Today I learned how to create a panoramic image (using Photomerge). This image was made (very easily) using 11 images.


I thought this would lend itself to a web banner. My cousin wants to create a blog, so I threw some text on it that might suit her.


I also made a true "collage", though I realize I've been picking up the skills used in this all semester.


Although Jack wanted to see more of himself, so I made another version...


What do you think? Which do you like?

I loved making both sets!

Adjectives & Adverbs from A Trip

After four days "in the field", on a bus, and without family or showers, I've just cleanup up, cuddled and filled my belly. Here is a "quick" list of words describing my school trip.

1. Great.
2. Fun.
3. Relaxing.
4. Exhausting.
5. Stimulating.
6. Thought provoking.
7. Inspiring.
8. Awesome.
9. Ponderous.
10. Bewilderment.
11. Aching.
12. Hot.
13. Cold.
14. Stinky.
15. Hungry.
16. Windy.
17. Gleeful.
18. Silly.
19. Joking.
20. Laughter.
21. Irreverent.
22. Goofy.
23. Cleavages.
    
24. Informative.
25. Sharing.
26. Valuable.
27. Assertive.
28. Accountable.
29. Counting.
30. Deduction.
31. Reason.
32. Observation.

I will follow this with pictures soon. :D

Crazy Busy Times and Jack

I keep telling myself that I can handle what I have "taken on". But this week, all things seem to be intersecting! Visiting friends, school photos, a four day Field Trip, PTO volunteer work. Everything has to happen NOW!!!


I decided to pause and share a few quick Smile-Inducing-Photos of Jack...

Last week I went by for a Study Group in my Geology Lab. While we waited for the other students, my Professor sat down and chatted with Jack (for 30 minutes!) about Jack's rocks. Here, Jack is doing a "streak test" of Pyrite on a piece of porcelain.


In the end, Jack tried to trade rocks with the Professor, but Dr. Love gave Jack two rocks to add to his collection, and Jack started pulling new rocks out and properly identifying them. :D


Jack and dirt go hand-in-hand.


Here, he's waiting for Frank at school and I'm testing out my new Telephoto Lens (compliments of who else but Keith!)


This is a series of photos I took just before sunset last week.


Jack had such character about him this day.


From his clothes to his expressions,


This photo shoot was just All Jack!

Here's lookin' at you!


:D

T Minus Six Days and Counting

Me on a bus filled with ~50 college "kids".

College Field Trip
Physical Geology Science Lab

No hubby.
No children.
No cell phone.

Four days, three nights.
Camping.
Me with "ONE bag the size of a Paper Grocery Sack" (and a sleeping bag).
...This I've GOT to see!!!

Wind River Mountain Range.
South Pass.
Lander.
Thermopolis Hot Springs.
Damn on a Fault Line.
Cody.
...Snow?
Yellowstone National Park.
...Bears?
Grand Tetons.
...Fall colors?

WHEEE!!!

School Numbers

I feel so much better about myself going back to school! Already, I feel like I'm getting a grip on the work load (though I do have to stay right on top of it!)

What's interesting to me is that since people are hearing that I've gone back to school, strangers, acquaintances, and friends alike are all asking if I'm going to be a teacher. It's odd because my original major was Elementary Education, though few people now know that.

Right now, I was just intending to get an Associates and see what happened next, but maybe I will finish my Bachelors... it seems like someone/thing is trying to tell me something because I am hearing "are you going to be a teacher" all.the.time!

I even noticed a poster for a distance program from University of Wyoming to spread the two year program out over three! This is a special program UofW is doing to help people get their teaching degree while balancing life. Seeing the poster and thinking of doing the program just "feels right" inside. The timing coincides with how long we were planning to stay in this town, so, perhaps next Fall, after getting use to school, and suddenly having both my babies being school age, I can put myself to the task of finishing that long-ago dream. :D

-------------------------------

By the way... this is my 365th Post. Of course, it took two years nine months to get here... I guess that means I've posted about once every three days.

Okay. I LOVE numbers and math. I just went and checked. I started the blog September 16, 2006, which means this is day 1,001 for the blog. Kinda funny... exactly a year's worth of posts on the freaky number like 1001. That also happens to be Frank's birthday written out... October 1st... or 10-01.

Little things like this literally make me smile.

I know. I'm weird about numbers. But you should know that too, because I've told you about it before!

Where Did All My Free Time Go?

I don't think I really realized how much Free Time I've had. It's like that with most things in life, isn't it? You don't really appreciate what you've got until it's gone.

In case you ever think of returning to College after more than a Decade's Hiatus, I can now tell you that, while I encourage the endeavor, I would recommend you start on a different term than the Summer one. Here I thought I could "ease" back into school, nice-n-easy, by taking a "low-pressure" summer class. I also thought it would be a "good idea" to take a class that I wasn't really fond of, to "get it out of the way". What was I thinking?!?!

What I've now learned is that I'm spending ALL of my time - not just my "free" time - ALL of my time with my nose in a book or my eyes blurring over a computer screen. Cramming a whole semester's work into eight weeks. Those same eight weeks, which happen to be the only "nice" weather here in Wyoming. So, instead of enjoying the beautiful days, I'm reading and studying and going bleary-eyed. I now question the sanity of my decision to start back to school during a Summer Term as a way of "easing" into it.

Since I want to enjoy the summer, I've now started getting up at 5:00 am again.

Okay.

You caught me.

Not really on the getting up at 5:00 am.

Yesterday was the first day the radio turned on at 5. I got up at 5:45 and literally dragged myself to the gym. Today I woke at 5:45, but instead of studying, I cuddled with Jack and baked bread. Give me a couple more days to get my body use to the early rising again and I'll start doing the following:

Monday - 5-7am - Study
Tuesday - 5-7am - Gym; 9-noon - Study on Campus (with boys in Children's Center)
Wednesday - 5-7am - Study
Thursday - 5-7am - Gym; 9-noon - Study on Campus (with boys in Children's Center)
Friday - 5-7am - Yoga at Gym; 10:00-11:30 - Playgroup
Weekends - Hike, Fish, Camp with Family

So. That's my plan and my goal, hopefully, by next week I'll be fully implementing it, so that with ten dedicated hours of study time I can enjoy the days, nights, and weekends with my family.

The Hero Factory - Incredible or Fancy?

I just took a break between reading my College Text Book and taking my first online quiz. I was catching up on Celise's Blog and saw this "Coolio" link to create a Super Hero. Here I am:


Which character do you prefer?

Okay. Enough playing all ready! Back to the books / tests / net for this online Political Science Class I'm taking. Just like Celise predicted, you can spend WAY too much time goofin'!