Hello once again,
I apologize as a recently realized only half of the list got the last update. It was a small error on my part I like to call "getting distracted". I'm going to try to do better this time.
The past month since I visited home has flown by! I was SO happy to see so many of you when I visited. We should really have weddings and 50th anniversaries more often! I'm already planning my next trip for January. Keep your fingers crossed that the snow stays in the mountains where it belongs so my travel plans don't turn into me sleeping in any airports. :) Speaking of trips...when are you coming to Utah? :)
Life here in Utah is well. I'm really enjoying having Dr. Eric Heiden (http://intermountainhealthcare.org/xp/public/tosh/aboutus/news/article6.xml)
and Dr. Max Testa (http://intermountainhealthcare.org/xp/public/tosh/aboutus/news/article5.xml)
around here at TOSH. It makes things much busier in the physiology lab, which is a welcome sight. I walked into the lab today where Max was doing a bike fit for an athlete to the greeting "What's up boss?" complete with thick Italian accent. Let's just say he's very personable and welcomes all the help he can get.
Eric seems great as well. We did a motion analysis session with him a few weeks ago to explore the possibilities with cycling in the biomechanics lab. That guy is in phenomenal shape! There was also some discussion of me owing him a case of beer after removing some leg hair along with the removal of the sticky-backed motion analysis markers. Oops. ;) At least he has a good sense of humor.
I'm getting to be a little more lab-savy. It's taking some time since Steve travels like a mad-man, but we're making progress. With any luck, I'll be a biomechanice lab pro in say 10 years. :) (OK...not that bad...maybe in a couple more months). My first yearly job review is coming up in a week or two, hopefully I'll have some more insight soon about where my position is headed.
I'm gearing up to apply to grad school(s). Most likely I'll stay here and go to the U of U. It seems like a no-brainer of sorts, since my job will pay a bunch of my tuition, I can do my thesis using the resources of TOSH, and keep working to boot! No cost of moving...no brand new city...I think I can handle Utah for another couple of years...then again ask me tomorrow ;)
I've switched up my routine and joined the morning workout crowd. I realized that I felt sad and dragging a lot lately and realized not working out probably had something to do with it, so now I'm hitting the gym at 7am. It's a good time of day since I can't really make the excuses that I did at the end of a work day. Basically I role my butt out of bed, get dressed and then wake up mid-way through my stretching warm-up wondering how I got to the gym :). Good times.
I have no plans for Halloween, but I'm already eating the candy. Darn those sales at Target! A big thanks to Miss Kahler for bringing the "black cat punching cat pen" into my life just in time for Halloween. I can't explain this nifty writing instrument adequately via e-mail, but let's say it's a real hit with the kids at work (and most of my co-workers as well.) Nice job Sarah!
I hope this e-mail finds everyone doing very well. I also hope I hear back from every single on of you! I know these aren't very personal, but I do my best to reply back to anyone who e-mails me :)
Take Care!!
Steph~
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Short and Sweet September
It looks like trying to write at the beginning of the month didn't work out as planned...since it's already the 17th! Where is September going??
I thought I'd send a quick update to let you know I'll be home in WI from September 22nd-October 1st for anyone who might be available for a visit. I'll mostly be around Reedsburg, but may be attempting some day trips (to LaX for sure) and we'll see about where else. I'd love to know who's going to be around and/or would like to see me :)
So we've gotten our first cold snap of the season. Today it is cloudy and there was some rain/sleet earlier...the high temp will be around 50. We got our first snowfall in the mountains last night. They were talking about snow above 8000 feet, but I can't tell how true that was by just looking at them. The ski bums are starting to get antsy so it must be fall. Temps should rebound into the mid to upper 60's by midweek so this snow won't stick for long. Good weather for jeans, sweatpants, and hoodies...so I guess I'll be happy as well ;)
Work continues as usual. We're finally making some progress in teaching me how to use the motion analysis system, so my job should become increasingly interesting (hopefully in the near future). I'm now working with Steve (research stuff) most mornings, and all day Tues/Thurs. We're also going to start serving as the sports medicine provider for USA cycling, so we're seeing new athletes all the time. Monday I'm helping with more physiology testing in the lab, and it's only a 4 day week for me this week so it should go fast.
Sorry to be so boring, but not much else is new to report. Hopefully I'll be seeing a lot of you VERY soon. Do e-mail and be in touch!
Steph~
I thought I'd send a quick update to let you know I'll be home in WI from September 22nd-October 1st for anyone who might be available for a visit. I'll mostly be around Reedsburg, but may be attempting some day trips (to LaX for sure) and we'll see about where else. I'd love to know who's going to be around and/or would like to see me :)
So we've gotten our first cold snap of the season. Today it is cloudy and there was some rain/sleet earlier...the high temp will be around 50. We got our first snowfall in the mountains last night. They were talking about snow above 8000 feet, but I can't tell how true that was by just looking at them. The ski bums are starting to get antsy so it must be fall. Temps should rebound into the mid to upper 60's by midweek so this snow won't stick for long. Good weather for jeans, sweatpants, and hoodies...so I guess I'll be happy as well ;)
Work continues as usual. We're finally making some progress in teaching me how to use the motion analysis system, so my job should become increasingly interesting (hopefully in the near future). I'm now working with Steve (research stuff) most mornings, and all day Tues/Thurs. We're also going to start serving as the sports medicine provider for USA cycling, so we're seeing new athletes all the time. Monday I'm helping with more physiology testing in the lab, and it's only a 4 day week for me this week so it should go fast.
Sorry to be so boring, but not much else is new to report. Hopefully I'll be seeing a lot of you VERY soon. Do e-mail and be in touch!
Steph~
Sunday, August 6, 2006
Back to August
Hello once Again!
It's August, and I'm sort of back to where I started....well almost. I'm fast approaching one year spent living in Utah (August 22nd). So to answer the question from this time last year "Are you going to stay in Utah?"...it looks like for at least the time being...yes.
News as of lately. Jason and I broke up around 4th of July...chalk it up to different backgrounds and being in different relationship stages. I've had my share of ups and downs since then. I apologize to those I neglected to call at all, and thank those who let me call and be hysterical. I still think he's an amazing guy I wish everyone could have met him. Hopefully some day we can be friends. The only downside is now I'm back to trying to meet new people outside of work, and here in Utah that's harder than one might imagine! It will get better with time. I keep reminding myself it took me the better part of 23 years to build the amazing group of people I know from back home, so for only being here a year I'm doing ok.
On a brighter note, my job continues to be amazing! If not for that I think I would have moved to Colorado by now. (Why Colorado? From what I hear they still have mountains and the LDS church is much less involved in running the state.) ;) Recently we had two new doctors start at TOSH...Dr. Eric Heiden and Dr. Max Testa. (Yes, Eric Heiden from speedingskating in the 80's). Dr. Testa is heavily involved in the cycling community, and both are very interested in research. If I play my cards right I'll be doing way more lab stuff in the not so distant future, hopefully alongside Dr. Testa and Dr. Heiden.
Last week I spent the day Friday helping do exercise testing for 6 paraolympic nordic skiers on the big skating/sking treadmill at the Olympic Oval. Those are some amazing people! It was a very long day in the 62 degree ice shed (as I lovingly call it), but it was a good break from the normal routine. They are busy putting down the ice for the season. It's quite a complex process. While I was there they were busy painting the decals and lines into the lower layers of the ice, before they add more layers on top. Very cool and very interesting.
I made a short trip home the weekend July 22nd and although I was SO thankful to see friends and family, it was the most nightmareish travel experience I've had thus far. Summary of a long day...Chicago was all messed up and I got home 6 hours later than anticipated after sitting and waiting on the plane, back in the airport, and then on the runway at O'Hare. It could have been much worse I know...but on the flight back the Russian dance troupe that wouldn't stay seated and didn't speak English...or quietly...topped it all off. I've already purchased my Dramamine for the next trip home...which is fast approaching on September 22nd! It cannot come fast enough! I'll let you know when it gets closer, but I'm hoping to do some more visiting and see as many people as possible!
Speaking of which, I've been to WI twice in the last year...how many times have YOU been to Utah? :) Time for a visit I do believe ;) Don't worry about gas prices...it's only $2.75 here, and you can fill up before you head back home. Ok, I will settle for e-mails, phonecalls, letters....whatever I can get ;) It would keep me from missing all of you (which I do) and remind me there is life outside of Utah (or "Mormainia" as cousin Steven deemed it). Be in touch and I hope you're well!
Steph~
PS. (the congrats, good luck, and threat section)
Congrats to Cousin Steven and Mary on their new little girl!!
Good Luck to Jesse and Carrie, and Krisy and Zach on their upcoming weddings!!
Congrats to Leah and Krista on their new jobs (Leah...it's about time!)
Good Luck to Ironman Andy! (wish I could be there)
And finally "threats" to all of you I haven't heard from in way too long! You know who you are, and so help me, when I get back to WI I better not have to hire a private investigator to track you down!
Later! S.~
It's August, and I'm sort of back to where I started....well almost. I'm fast approaching one year spent living in Utah (August 22nd). So to answer the question from this time last year "Are you going to stay in Utah?"...it looks like for at least the time being...yes.
News as of lately. Jason and I broke up around 4th of July...chalk it up to different backgrounds and being in different relationship stages. I've had my share of ups and downs since then. I apologize to those I neglected to call at all, and thank those who let me call and be hysterical. I still think he's an amazing guy I wish everyone could have met him. Hopefully some day we can be friends. The only downside is now I'm back to trying to meet new people outside of work, and here in Utah that's harder than one might imagine! It will get better with time. I keep reminding myself it took me the better part of 23 years to build the amazing group of people I know from back home, so for only being here a year I'm doing ok.
On a brighter note, my job continues to be amazing! If not for that I think I would have moved to Colorado by now. (Why Colorado? From what I hear they still have mountains and the LDS church is much less involved in running the state.) ;) Recently we had two new doctors start at TOSH...Dr. Eric Heiden and Dr. Max Testa. (Yes, Eric Heiden from speedingskating in the 80's). Dr. Testa is heavily involved in the cycling community, and both are very interested in research. If I play my cards right I'll be doing way more lab stuff in the not so distant future, hopefully alongside Dr. Testa and Dr. Heiden.
Last week I spent the day Friday helping do exercise testing for 6 paraolympic nordic skiers on the big skating/sking treadmill at the Olympic Oval. Those are some amazing people! It was a very long day in the 62 degree ice shed (as I lovingly call it), but it was a good break from the normal routine. They are busy putting down the ice for the season. It's quite a complex process. While I was there they were busy painting the decals and lines into the lower layers of the ice, before they add more layers on top. Very cool and very interesting.
I made a short trip home the weekend July 22nd and although I was SO thankful to see friends and family, it was the most nightmareish travel experience I've had thus far. Summary of a long day...Chicago was all messed up and I got home 6 hours later than anticipated after sitting and waiting on the plane, back in the airport, and then on the runway at O'Hare. It could have been much worse I know...but on the flight back the Russian dance troupe that wouldn't stay seated and didn't speak English...or quietly...topped it all off. I've already purchased my Dramamine for the next trip home...which is fast approaching on September 22nd! It cannot come fast enough! I'll let you know when it gets closer, but I'm hoping to do some more visiting and see as many people as possible!
Speaking of which, I've been to WI twice in the last year...how many times have YOU been to Utah? :) Time for a visit I do believe ;) Don't worry about gas prices...it's only $2.75 here, and you can fill up before you head back home. Ok, I will settle for e-mails, phonecalls, letters....whatever I can get ;) It would keep me from missing all of you (which I do) and remind me there is life outside of Utah (or "Mormainia" as cousin Steven deemed it). Be in touch and I hope you're well!
Steph~
PS. (the congrats, good luck, and threat section)
Congrats to Cousin Steven and Mary on their new little girl!!
Good Luck to Jesse and Carrie, and Krisy and Zach on their upcoming weddings!!
Congrats to Leah and Krista on their new jobs (Leah...it's about time!)
Good Luck to Ironman Andy! (wish I could be there)
And finally "threats" to all of you I haven't heard from in way too long! You know who you are, and so help me, when I get back to WI I better not have to hire a private investigator to track you down!
Later! S.~
Sunday, July 2, 2006
Happy 4th of July
Hello once again,
It seems lately I have more pieces of news than actual news, but I've decided if I keep waiting for actual news it may be a long time coming.
After surgery and lots of time, my knee is doing much better. After being lazy in the name of rehab for some time now I had my first semi-official workout at 100% on Friday. Being sore has never felt so nice! Looks like my legs are good going to do well but my lungs have forgotten how to work, so that will take awhile.
Last I wrote my wallet had been stolen. The good news is they seemingly stopped using it after writing just one check, the bad news is they were never caught...and some more people have lost wallets/cash/etc at work in the coming weeks. Fingers are starting to point to a few creepy cleaning people...the only ones with access to some of the behind desk areas. I hope they catch whomever it is.
My job as a trainer is going well, I enjoy the kids and find it to be a very stress free situation. Come fall this may all change, as there has been some discussion of changing me over to a full-time research position...which is great for the experience, but slightly more stressful than training 12 year olds ;). I hope more stress=more money, but we'll see. Summer has been hectic, so at least for the time being it looks like I'll continue training athletes and goofing around with Mike and Chris.
Jason and I are well and went to Arches National Park last weekend for two days of hiking and camping. We slept out on cots under the stars in the middle of nowhere (when i say middle of nowhere I'm not joking!) It was about 98 degrees at Arches, but thanks to tons of drinking water, and SPF 50, the weekend was a lot of fun. In the upcoming weeks we are trying to plan a trip to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.
After being green for at least a month, the mountains and most of the landscape is starting to brown as we hit the dry season. It's been unusually warm (even for Utah) although right now the low 90's we're having for daytime highs are about average. At least it's dry heat and none of the forest fires are in my neighborhood!
I'm planning on being home from September 22nd through October 1st. With any luck Jason will be coming along for a few days as well. I'm really looking forward to visiting home, as I've found that almost 9 months is a long time to go without seeing the family.
No huge 4th of July plans. Jason spent the weekend hiking up around his grandparents' house, but I had to work Saturday so I stayed home and got some cleaning done. Tomorrow night we're having dinner...hopefully there will be some fireworks to see on Tuesday.
I hope everyone is doing very well! Happy 4th of July and do be in touch!
Steph~
P.S. I'm going to send some pictures very soon!
It seems lately I have more pieces of news than actual news, but I've decided if I keep waiting for actual news it may be a long time coming.
After surgery and lots of time, my knee is doing much better. After being lazy in the name of rehab for some time now I had my first semi-official workout at 100% on Friday. Being sore has never felt so nice! Looks like my legs are good going to do well but my lungs have forgotten how to work, so that will take awhile.
Last I wrote my wallet had been stolen. The good news is they seemingly stopped using it after writing just one check, the bad news is they were never caught...and some more people have lost wallets/cash/etc at work in the coming weeks. Fingers are starting to point to a few creepy cleaning people...the only ones with access to some of the behind desk areas. I hope they catch whomever it is.
My job as a trainer is going well, I enjoy the kids and find it to be a very stress free situation. Come fall this may all change, as there has been some discussion of changing me over to a full-time research position...which is great for the experience, but slightly more stressful than training 12 year olds ;). I hope more stress=more money, but we'll see. Summer has been hectic, so at least for the time being it looks like I'll continue training athletes and goofing around with Mike and Chris.
Jason and I are well and went to Arches National Park last weekend for two days of hiking and camping. We slept out on cots under the stars in the middle of nowhere (when i say middle of nowhere I'm not joking!) It was about 98 degrees at Arches, but thanks to tons of drinking water, and SPF 50, the weekend was a lot of fun. In the upcoming weeks we are trying to plan a trip to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.
After being green for at least a month, the mountains and most of the landscape is starting to brown as we hit the dry season. It's been unusually warm (even for Utah) although right now the low 90's we're having for daytime highs are about average. At least it's dry heat and none of the forest fires are in my neighborhood!
I'm planning on being home from September 22nd through October 1st. With any luck Jason will be coming along for a few days as well. I'm really looking forward to visiting home, as I've found that almost 9 months is a long time to go without seeing the family.
No huge 4th of July plans. Jason spent the weekend hiking up around his grandparents' house, but I had to work Saturday so I stayed home and got some cleaning done. Tomorrow night we're having dinner...hopefully there will be some fireworks to see on Tuesday.
I hope everyone is doing very well! Happy 4th of July and do be in touch!
Steph~
P.S. I'm going to send some pictures very soon!
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
An Update for May
Hello.
Things have been good here. :) At least for a few days that is. I cannot tell a lie, it's been a rough few weeks. The story thus far....
On April 20th I had surgery to fix the cartilage in my knee. An athroscopic debridement is what it was officially called. It went well, but put me on my back for a few days (partly my fault...the pain meds I was taking "just in case" put me into a foggy coma for about 2 hours every time I took one). Having the scope done was easy, however the anethisia made me sick, and then I got an allergic reaction to the glue the used for the tape strips to close the incisions. So no pain, but I was itching like mad for the better part of a week or two! The only bright side was Jason stayed the weekend and took care of me, and I was able to behave myself well enough to get back to work on Monday. The surgery found that the medial plica in my knee was sort of jacked, and I had a flap of cartiladge behind my kneecap that shouldn't have been there. They removed all of the above and I'm now going up and down stairs again without any obnoxious clicking. The doctor said I should have a very good summer. I figure he knows what he's talking about because he's one of the team orthopods for the US Skiers and Speedskaters....those kids can mess up their knees way worse than I can.
A week to the day after my surgery, my wallet was stolen out of the office at work. This threw me into a state of crisis for the better part of a week, as I needed proof of who I was overnighted from WI in order to even get to my bank accounts. Thankfully, I knew which cards I had and managed to close everything pretty quickly. Now I'm dealing with one stray credit card charge (for a tank of gas not put in MY car) and so far only one fraudulent check (written to DI...the Utah equivalent of Goodwill). It looks like an act of desperation at this point, but it made for a really long week, and probably some additional headache to come. A note to everyone...take your wallet/purse out right now and make a list of EVERYTHING in it, including the 1-800 #'s for all of your cards. In hindsight a backup credit card and photo ID kept seperate from my wallet would have been a big help....Just FYI.
No major crisis last week other than the notice from my bank that someone wrote one of my checks. It seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back, but I have had better luck since then.
This week I'm working another 60 hour week putting in some long research assistant hours. I like the hours, but some days are frustrating. The morning we had a no-show at 7am, and our 8:30 appointment is now 20 minutes late and just arrived. We've had our share of no-shows, but usally not two people back to back. Good research subjects are so hard to find!
On the Acceleration training side of things, I still really like what I'm doing. It's becomming more and more hectic as we get closer to summer, and there are hours where it's tough to even get the chance to run to the restroom or grab a snack...but I sort of like the craziness. It's also been interesting lately because we've hired a few new part-time "fill-in" people that we are training, and we're getting a batch of 2 or 3 new interns for the summer. The new faces are nice, but it has also solidified Chris and I as the "afternoon team" (since occasionally we find all the new people to be a big pain). We're having great fun at work. Thank goodness once again he has a great sense of humor!
Jason and I are doing well. It was just 4 months, but between me moving, having surgery, and having my wallet stolen, he's been through more than most any boyfriend should go through in say the first year. I think he'll manage to stay around for awhile :) We're planning on getting out and doing some hiking as soon as my knee heals up. It's a slow progression since I'm trying to keep the swelling down, and I'm pretty hard on it at work. Last weekend we just went for a walk around the park, next we're going to find a hill, and then we'll eventually head to the mountains.
It's a beautiful time of year here. It's been dry and around 70 degrees for at least a week or two. The mountains are snowcapped, and becomming green at lower elevations, and in town we have lots of flowers and fresh-cut grass. I have started a small container garden on my balcony...nothing more than peas and a tomato plant, but I thought I would give it a shot.
So that's the news. I hope everyone is well. I'm hoping you e-mail me, because I'd love to know how life is in your neighborhood! Take Care and Be in Touch!
Steph~
Things have been good here. :) At least for a few days that is. I cannot tell a lie, it's been a rough few weeks. The story thus far....
On April 20th I had surgery to fix the cartilage in my knee. An athroscopic debridement is what it was officially called. It went well, but put me on my back for a few days (partly my fault...the pain meds I was taking "just in case" put me into a foggy coma for about 2 hours every time I took one). Having the scope done was easy, however the anethisia made me sick, and then I got an allergic reaction to the glue the used for the tape strips to close the incisions. So no pain, but I was itching like mad for the better part of a week or two! The only bright side was Jason stayed the weekend and took care of me, and I was able to behave myself well enough to get back to work on Monday. The surgery found that the medial plica in my knee was sort of jacked, and I had a flap of cartiladge behind my kneecap that shouldn't have been there. They removed all of the above and I'm now going up and down stairs again without any obnoxious clicking. The doctor said I should have a very good summer. I figure he knows what he's talking about because he's one of the team orthopods for the US Skiers and Speedskaters....those kids can mess up their knees way worse than I can.
A week to the day after my surgery, my wallet was stolen out of the office at work. This threw me into a state of crisis for the better part of a week, as I needed proof of who I was overnighted from WI in order to even get to my bank accounts. Thankfully, I knew which cards I had and managed to close everything pretty quickly. Now I'm dealing with one stray credit card charge (for a tank of gas not put in MY car) and so far only one fraudulent check (written to DI...the Utah equivalent of Goodwill). It looks like an act of desperation at this point, but it made for a really long week, and probably some additional headache to come. A note to everyone...take your wallet/purse out right now and make a list of EVERYTHING in it, including the 1-800 #'s for all of your cards. In hindsight a backup credit card and photo ID kept seperate from my wallet would have been a big help....Just FYI.
No major crisis last week other than the notice from my bank that someone wrote one of my checks. It seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back, but I have had better luck since then.
This week I'm working another 60 hour week putting in some long research assistant hours. I like the hours, but some days are frustrating. The morning we had a no-show at 7am, and our 8:30 appointment is now 20 minutes late and just arrived. We've had our share of no-shows, but usally not two people back to back. Good research subjects are so hard to find!
On the Acceleration training side of things, I still really like what I'm doing. It's becomming more and more hectic as we get closer to summer, and there are hours where it's tough to even get the chance to run to the restroom or grab a snack...but I sort of like the craziness. It's also been interesting lately because we've hired a few new part-time "fill-in" people that we are training, and we're getting a batch of 2 or 3 new interns for the summer. The new faces are nice, but it has also solidified Chris and I as the "afternoon team" (since occasionally we find all the new people to be a big pain). We're having great fun at work. Thank goodness once again he has a great sense of humor!
Jason and I are doing well. It was just 4 months, but between me moving, having surgery, and having my wallet stolen, he's been through more than most any boyfriend should go through in say the first year. I think he'll manage to stay around for awhile :) We're planning on getting out and doing some hiking as soon as my knee heals up. It's a slow progression since I'm trying to keep the swelling down, and I'm pretty hard on it at work. Last weekend we just went for a walk around the park, next we're going to find a hill, and then we'll eventually head to the mountains.
It's a beautiful time of year here. It's been dry and around 70 degrees for at least a week or two. The mountains are snowcapped, and becomming green at lower elevations, and in town we have lots of flowers and fresh-cut grass. I have started a small container garden on my balcony...nothing more than peas and a tomato plant, but I thought I would give it a shot.
So that's the news. I hope everyone is well. I'm hoping you e-mail me, because I'd love to know how life is in your neighborhood! Take Care and Be in Touch!
Steph~
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Life in Utah and Chocolate Covered Eggs
Hello,
It's been awhile since I have sat down and written. I thought I'd send a note to wish you a happy easter and give the update from Utah.
Everything at work has been going wonderfully. I'm getting enough hours, and this week I was helping with a research study involving runners with low back pain, so I put in an extra 20 hours....mostly between the hours of 6am and 10am...what a change that was!
My knee is still not up to par, so I'll be having it scoped next Thursday. I do think it's been getting better, but it's been 4 months of just working, without so much as a trip to the gym that's been driving me crazy. Having a scope done is supposed to be relatively easy. If anyone wants to give me a call next Thursday through Sunday, I'll probably be sitting around my apartment with cable TV and a bag of ice.
Jason and I are doing well. It's been around 3 months and this weekend I'm going to meet his parents and grandparents at Easter. He told me a free meal would be involved so I'm all in.
The weather here has been pretty good. We've gotten a lot of rain, and a lot of extra snow in the mountains, so they are a bit worried about spring flooding when all that snow melts. On sunny days it's been clear and in the mid-seventies....on the rainy days it's still only topping out in the 40's or low 50's, but the sunny days make up for it. I bought some peas, and a cherry tomato plant and am trying to have a container garden of sorts on my balcony. No peas yet, but hopefully soon ;)
I love my apartment! Two months after moving in, the goldfish and I are finally feeling like it's homey. I bought some plants, which helped a bunch...and got all of my things from WI settled. It was fun having my brother and Bendall come visit in March, and Krista will be here in about a week. If anyone else would like to visit or will be in town, let me know and I'll send directions!
I think that's the update for now. I'd love to hear from everyone. Put in a good word for me next Thursday when I have my knee scoped. Take Care!
Steph~
It's been awhile since I have sat down and written. I thought I'd send a note to wish you a happy easter and give the update from Utah.
Everything at work has been going wonderfully. I'm getting enough hours, and this week I was helping with a research study involving runners with low back pain, so I put in an extra 20 hours....mostly between the hours of 6am and 10am...what a change that was!
My knee is still not up to par, so I'll be having it scoped next Thursday. I do think it's been getting better, but it's been 4 months of just working, without so much as a trip to the gym that's been driving me crazy. Having a scope done is supposed to be relatively easy. If anyone wants to give me a call next Thursday through Sunday, I'll probably be sitting around my apartment with cable TV and a bag of ice.
Jason and I are doing well. It's been around 3 months and this weekend I'm going to meet his parents and grandparents at Easter. He told me a free meal would be involved so I'm all in.
The weather here has been pretty good. We've gotten a lot of rain, and a lot of extra snow in the mountains, so they are a bit worried about spring flooding when all that snow melts. On sunny days it's been clear and in the mid-seventies....on the rainy days it's still only topping out in the 40's or low 50's, but the sunny days make up for it. I bought some peas, and a cherry tomato plant and am trying to have a container garden of sorts on my balcony. No peas yet, but hopefully soon ;)
I love my apartment! Two months after moving in, the goldfish and I are finally feeling like it's homey. I bought some plants, which helped a bunch...and got all of my things from WI settled. It was fun having my brother and Bendall come visit in March, and Krista will be here in about a week. If anyone else would like to visit or will be in town, let me know and I'll send directions!
I think that's the update for now. I'd love to hear from everyone. Put in a good word for me next Thursday when I have my knee scoped. Take Care!
Steph~
Monday, February 27, 2006
News!
Hey There!
I thought since I said I'd write later I really should take care of that. As you may have guessed I MOVED! Yay! Why is this such a good thing? Well I am now officially 3 miles from work instead of 15 for starters. I'm also not living with the unpredictable roommate and her new semi-live-in...I hesistate to say boyfriend (since last I knew they didn't have a title). It wouldn't have been so bad if they could have remembered to at least shut their door...you get the picture. Another plus is that in 2 weeks my brother and bendall (his freshman year roommate) are coming to visit for spring break and bringing the rest of my stuff from storage in WI, which I now have room (and need) for!
On the downside, my rent is more expensive and I miss the cat. That's about the only downsides I've come up with so far. So I guess that's not too bad :) This morning I reported a maintenance issue and the guy was here in 15 minutes....this is far better than the old place where we complained for over a month that the hot water heater was dying before we finally resigned ourselves to luke-warm showers.
It was my first moving experience so far from home, but lots of folks from work volunteered to lend a hand (or vehicle) if need be. I messed up my knee a bit a few weeks back and I am still making it better so Jason did most of the heavy lifting. We also used his roommate's SUV to move the bigger things....without that help I would have been SOL.
Enough about that.
The olympics are over...*tear*...it will be interesting to hear the inside opinions of how everyone did when they return in upcoming days. Our nutritionist spent almost a month in Torino cooking for the team. She couldn't drive there so she ended up lugging whatever groceries she could carry back and forth to where she was staying. I'm sure with the number of athletes she was cooking for she made about a million trips on foot. If you knew Nanna...or know Nanna you might be able to better imagine.
Work is going well. Some hours Chris and I think we should be considered babysitters, and sometimes we really feel like trainers. It's been crazy busy lately. It picked up quite a bit after christmas, and word on the street is it will continue to do this until next fall. Bad news is, right now 98% of our athletes can only come between 3 and 7 since they come after school, and Mike left us during the afternoons for softball season (he coaches at a local HS) leaving Chris and I to fend for ourselves. We get by...some days are better than others. Today I was pegged with tennis ball and warned the kid who threw it that his next training session with me was going to be rough. If Chris didn't have a good sense of humor I think the days would be a lot longer.
It's been really warm the last few days (mid 50's or 60's), and our snow has all melted. We might get some rain in the valley this weekend when it cools down and a foot of snow in the mountains. Ski season is far from over, although with my knee bugging me I don't think I'll be on skis anytime soon.
That's the biggest news from around here. I work during the week, hang out with Jason on the weekends, spend way too much time shopping, and am generally enjoying life in Utah. :) I hope all is well wherever you call home. Be in touch!
Steph~
I thought since I said I'd write later I really should take care of that. As you may have guessed I MOVED! Yay! Why is this such a good thing? Well I am now officially 3 miles from work instead of 15 for starters. I'm also not living with the unpredictable roommate and her new semi-live-in...I hesistate to say boyfriend (since last I knew they didn't have a title). It wouldn't have been so bad if they could have remembered to at least shut their door...you get the picture. Another plus is that in 2 weeks my brother and bendall (his freshman year roommate) are coming to visit for spring break and bringing the rest of my stuff from storage in WI, which I now have room (and need) for!
On the downside, my rent is more expensive and I miss the cat. That's about the only downsides I've come up with so far. So I guess that's not too bad :) This morning I reported a maintenance issue and the guy was here in 15 minutes....this is far better than the old place where we complained for over a month that the hot water heater was dying before we finally resigned ourselves to luke-warm showers.
It was my first moving experience so far from home, but lots of folks from work volunteered to lend a hand (or vehicle) if need be. I messed up my knee a bit a few weeks back and I am still making it better so Jason did most of the heavy lifting. We also used his roommate's SUV to move the bigger things....without that help I would have been SOL.
Enough about that.
The olympics are over...*tear*...it will be interesting to hear the inside opinions of how everyone did when they return in upcoming days. Our nutritionist spent almost a month in Torino cooking for the team. She couldn't drive there so she ended up lugging whatever groceries she could carry back and forth to where she was staying. I'm sure with the number of athletes she was cooking for she made about a million trips on foot. If you knew Nanna...or know Nanna you might be able to better imagine.
Work is going well. Some hours Chris and I think we should be considered babysitters, and sometimes we really feel like trainers. It's been crazy busy lately. It picked up quite a bit after christmas, and word on the street is it will continue to do this until next fall. Bad news is, right now 98% of our athletes can only come between 3 and 7 since they come after school, and Mike left us during the afternoons for softball season (he coaches at a local HS) leaving Chris and I to fend for ourselves. We get by...some days are better than others. Today I was pegged with tennis ball and warned the kid who threw it that his next training session with me was going to be rough. If Chris didn't have a good sense of humor I think the days would be a lot longer.
It's been really warm the last few days (mid 50's or 60's), and our snow has all melted. We might get some rain in the valley this weekend when it cools down and a foot of snow in the mountains. Ski season is far from over, although with my knee bugging me I don't think I'll be on skis anytime soon.
That's the biggest news from around here. I work during the week, hang out with Jason on the weekends, spend way too much time shopping, and am generally enjoying life in Utah. :) I hope all is well wherever you call home. Be in touch!
Steph~
Sunday, January 8, 2006
Something Witty Should be Written Here
I thought I'd send out a quick note before I get carried away with work and life and what have you. So it's a week past due, but welcome to 2006! I think it's going to be a very good year. I'm back in Utah, it looks like I'll be working at least enough to pay the bills, and spring is getting a little closer each day. Not that I can complain about the weather. We've had 50's and sunshine for most of this past week which is quite a bit above normal even for Utah in winter. Some places in the mountains got over 6 feet of snow in the week after Christmas though, so it's not like skiing has been hampered at all.
It was great to see so many of you during the time I was home! It was a bit sad leaving, but once I got back to Utah I remembered there were things I missed here too...like the mountains, my coworkers, and Gidget our cat. For my first time flying alone I don't have any horror stories to share. My luggage showed up wherever I was and my buses/planes were on time. Oddly I was less motion sick during the flight back to Utah (which reminded me of riding down a bumpy country road in a school bus), than I was during the smooth flight to WI.
Something about getting back into working this week was rough. I felt like I had the most disorganized week of my life. Every time I turned around I lost something, and on more than one occasion I headed out to do something, and forgot what I was doing before I got there. I figure this is either a direct result of having two weeks off, or early onset Alzheimer's. Here's hoping it clears up next week.
I've been subbing for Acceleration out at the Olympic Oval a bit more than I'd anticipated. It's cool (literally) and I get home and shiver for about an hour. It's fun though since we're getting so close to the Olympics and there is a lot of excitement in the air everywhere in Salt Lake...and especially at the Oval. Evenings of training are guaranteeing me enough hours to get by, and research stuff is picking up.
I broke down and did something I never thought I'd do...I gave plasma. I decided if I were looking for the extra cash I might as well give it a try. It went really smooth on my first try (yesterday), but if it's anything like my experiences giving blood I'll be a degree too warm, or my hematocrit will be a point too low the next time I try to give. If anyone can tell me how to cheat on a hematocrit test I'd be interested in the information. For being a young, healthy, individual I sure do have a hard time passing the dumb screening test. No fail though, they'll always take the blood/plasma from the person I'm sitting next to in the waiting room who is either coughing up a lung and/or looks like they haven't slept in weeks. Jerks. In any case, for a couple hundred extra a month figure it can't hurt to try. :)
My roommate was entertaining this week. Bless her heart, she reminded me yet again why you shouldn't drink in excess, after coming home with her tongue pierced. She's been eating a lot of ice cream and talks like she's got a mouth full of marbles. It hasn't prompted me to be interested in piercing my tongue anytime soon.
I apologize for the lack of exciting news...but I'll try to get out there and do something crazy before my next update ;) Take care and have a very good beginning of 2006!
Steph~
P.S. If you could all do me a favor and send me your current addresses and birthdays I'm going to do my best to send more real mail to people this year. It's one of several loosely organized New Years resolutions I made. I know I'm missing at least a few addresses, and probably most everyone's birthdays. I'm going to try to be better about that.
P.S.S. Speaking of birthdays, if anyone is interested I'll be turning 24 on the 25th of January and you're all invited for cake :) Please let me know when I should pick you up at the airport.
It was great to see so many of you during the time I was home! It was a bit sad leaving, but once I got back to Utah I remembered there were things I missed here too...like the mountains, my coworkers, and Gidget our cat. For my first time flying alone I don't have any horror stories to share. My luggage showed up wherever I was and my buses/planes were on time. Oddly I was less motion sick during the flight back to Utah (which reminded me of riding down a bumpy country road in a school bus), than I was during the smooth flight to WI.
Something about getting back into working this week was rough. I felt like I had the most disorganized week of my life. Every time I turned around I lost something, and on more than one occasion I headed out to do something, and forgot what I was doing before I got there. I figure this is either a direct result of having two weeks off, or early onset Alzheimer's. Here's hoping it clears up next week.
I've been subbing for Acceleration out at the Olympic Oval a bit more than I'd anticipated. It's cool (literally) and I get home and shiver for about an hour. It's fun though since we're getting so close to the Olympics and there is a lot of excitement in the air everywhere in Salt Lake...and especially at the Oval. Evenings of training are guaranteeing me enough hours to get by, and research stuff is picking up.
I broke down and did something I never thought I'd do...I gave plasma. I decided if I were looking for the extra cash I might as well give it a try. It went really smooth on my first try (yesterday), but if it's anything like my experiences giving blood I'll be a degree too warm, or my hematocrit will be a point too low the next time I try to give. If anyone can tell me how to cheat on a hematocrit test I'd be interested in the information. For being a young, healthy, individual I sure do have a hard time passing the dumb screening test. No fail though, they'll always take the blood/plasma from the person I'm sitting next to in the waiting room who is either coughing up a lung and/or looks like they haven't slept in weeks. Jerks. In any case, for a couple hundred extra a month figure it can't hurt to try. :)
My roommate was entertaining this week. Bless her heart, she reminded me yet again why you shouldn't drink in excess, after coming home with her tongue pierced. She's been eating a lot of ice cream and talks like she's got a mouth full of marbles. It hasn't prompted me to be interested in piercing my tongue anytime soon.
I apologize for the lack of exciting news...but I'll try to get out there and do something crazy before my next update ;) Take care and have a very good beginning of 2006!
Steph~
P.S. If you could all do me a favor and send me your current addresses and birthdays I'm going to do my best to send more real mail to people this year. It's one of several loosely organized New Years resolutions I made. I know I'm missing at least a few addresses, and probably most everyone's birthdays. I'm going to try to be better about that.
P.S.S. Speaking of birthdays, if anyone is interested I'll be turning 24 on the 25th of January and you're all invited for cake :) Please let me know when I should pick you up at the airport.
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