long time, no write

It's been forever since I've posted. We're in Richfield (have been since May 20-somethingth) for another month and a half or so, and life is good! It's hot, but it's July...what are you gonna do?

We went backpacking last weekend in Escalante with some good friends from school (Tucker and Lauren, represent!), and man, was it awesome! There's something so empowering about getting into the middle of nowhere entirely on your own power and bringing everything you need in on your back. :) It's such an awesome hike and campsite, too: fresh, cold, delicious springwater, Anasazi Indian ruins and carvings, a huge echoing wall, a natural arch, a natural bridge, a beaver-dammed river you cross a jillion times, desert, greenery, etc. etc. etc. We're planning on reprising the trip in August with my family. I'm so stoked.

We also got a new car! (I should post pictures, huh?) Scott's trusty old Camry died last month, so we put out the word to friends & family we were looking for new transportation. Scott's grandpa & his nephew (what is that...Scott's second cousin? I have no idea) found a rebuilt Alero for a steal. It's a comfy, fancy-pants looking car that runs awesome, and the mileage is low so it's got a long life ahead. The gas mileage isn't stellar and it's a two-door, but for now it gets us from A to B just great. Besides, we don't use it in town very much: both of us ride our bikes to work and such.

Speaking of work: Scott's doing great at his job. I get to see a lot of the maps he makes, and it makes me so proud of him! What a smartie pants. I think it gets a little tedious for him sometimes, but he loves the people he works with.

I, on the other hand, am just settling in to a new job this week. I did work at Wal-mart for about a month (yes, Wal-mart) as a checker; the job itself wasn't too bad, but the schedule was miserable. I'm doing (or trying to do...) three classes online right now (which amounts to about 18 credits for summer term...yikes!), so I kept telling them I only wanted 16 or 20 hours a week, no weekends, no nights, etc. etc. After 4 weeks of wrangling, I was still being scheduled for 35+ hour weeks with unpredictable 9-hour shifts...so I told them I was through. Now I'm trying a stint at this phone surveys place. Everyone there is friendly and the schedule is consistent and not very many hours, so I'm optimistic. It's taking a while to get trained on all the different projects so I haven't put in very many hours yet. We shall see how it all works out.

Oh, school. I'm so behind on these classes. For a while I could blame it on my crazy work schedule, but it really boils down to me being super unmotivated. Online classes, I have learned, take all the fun out of school: no classmates, no insightful lectures, no discussions...just homework, homework, homework. Bleh! I've just gotta plow through and get it done, though! If I stay on track, I'll be done with all classes forever (barring the possibility of grad school in the unforseeable future) come the middle of December. Woo hoo!

Ergo, I should stop blogging and start writing some essayage. Next up: a two-pager on Gerard Manley Hopkins' "The Windhover." Piece of cake, right?

I think I'll go have a popsicle.