Ughhhh Tillamook!

So I have just a minor rant. 

a) Why does all of Tillamook shut down on Sunday's????? No library, no coffee shops, I am sitting in a freaking Starbucks in the Fred Meyer. Ughh.

b) Why does Starbucks hate the world? No option for a "for here" mug? I need the cup, lid, and sleeve while I never leave the store? I hope that isn't practice in all Starbucks. I am not a Starbucks goer, from working at Espresso Royale in Madison I loathed the people that came in and asked for venti/ginormous/whatever the stupid sizes are, I mean C'mon. Small, Medium, Large, and a for here cup please, thanks. And OOOOO the cups are made with 10% post-consumer recycled paper, well I'm guessing the liner they put in it isn't recyclable... so lets all jump back to the landfill!

What my days are filled with

Ridiculous Bookmarks available at the library

Uggh. I just want the library open so I can sneak my own coffee in and study in peace. 

Keep On Keepin' On

Small waterfall in the Tillamook State Forest

Life is changing quickly. Andrew has been in the Gulf for two weeks already, still no loon captures! He is becoming more frustrated... but it will get better soon, I'm sure. I accepted another seasonal job here in Tillamook for the summer. I will be working on screw traps capturing juvenile salmonids. It should be really fun, and give me more experience with fish ID. I didn't get the permanent position in Astoria, they interviewed the gentleman that had been doing the job as seasonal work for the past four years, so naturally he got it. This means more long distance for Andrew and I, for another 5 or so months. I am moving a bit further north in a town called Wheeler, to decrease the distance between us. We will be an hour apart, so it shouldn't be too bad! My new apartment is adorable, has a great view, and I can have a kitty there! That should make living alone doable (not that I really want to be a cat lady... but it will have to do).

I have been passing the time with crafts... I am working on two gifts (I will post pictures once they are given!) and I made a pillow case for my body pillow. I had never sewn anything like this, my sewing has been limited to patching... so I was pretty impressed with myself!

Next week I head home to Wisconsin, I can't wait to see all my friends and family. It will be a great vacation!

Gotta Get Outta that Funk

Tillamook State Forest, Oregon

Unemployment, boyfriend 2,711 miles away (4, 363 km), and living alone really don’t suit me. I have struggled through this week I won’t lie to you. And yes, it has only been technically 22 days of unemployment and 4 days since Andrew left and me living alone… what can I say, I am not a loner. School should keep me busy, but it isn’t a fun busy, so it doesn’t really help. To put my life in perspective though, there are thousands of military spouses that go days/weeks/months/years without hearing from their spouses, or even knowing if they are alive. I am lucky enough to talk to or text with Andrew everyday, so I need to just stop complaining!

My friends here on the coast have been awesome, visiting with me, drinking with me, and taking me sturgeon fishing! You folks keep me sane J.

Sturgeon fishing with Mike, Jon, and Robin! 1/22/11

So my main goal is to stay positive and stay busy. Tomorrow is the great Packer/Bear game, and Monday is my interview for a permanent job in Astoria, so keeping busy should be no problem for the next couple days!

Hope you are all staying positive and staying busy!

xoxo

Astoria, Oregon....doesn't it just sound wonderful?

Well, big news on job front for Andrew! He is now down in New Orleans chasing oiled birds from the BP spill. He has two bases that he works out of, one in Port Sulphur, Louisiana and the other in Mississippi (not sure of the town yet). In Port Sulphur he has a dorm that he is in with around 6 other people, he isn't really sure how many people are there yet as he just got there yesterday! At the dorm lunch and dinner are catered! Which would be great for normal people, but Andrew loves to cook... so we shall see how long it takes before he becomes the caterer :)

He also got the cormorant capture job up in Astoria starting on March 15th. So he will leave the gulf and go right there, so I am hoping I will already be there (fingers crossed). With the cormie job it is mandatory to live in the provided housing, so we wouldn't live together, but we would be near each other!!
For me, I am just plucking up the courage to call the Astoria job and see where things are, I am always so awkward at that! But the three classes I am taking online are really filling up my time! I am hoping to have life a little more figured out at the end of this week... but then again, who knows.



I am super excited to be home in Wisconsin for a
week in February, I am looking forward to seeing all of your smiling faces!



Well, everyone keep thinking Astoria!

Lot of Irons in the Fire

"Lot of Irons in the Fire" a quote from friend Mike in reference to Andrew and my "problems" as of late. Andrew has two job opportunities that he is attempting to juggle, and I have three... these are good problems to have... but they are giving us a bit of stress!

Andrew Job #1: Oiled Loons in the Gulf: this job opportunity came through a professor of his from Northland, the company would fly him down to the Gulf for a 10 week position beginning on Jan 18th.
Andrew Job #2: Cormorants in Astoria, OR: Starts March 15th (NO LATER) and goes through the summer.
Ideally, he will be able to do both, but if he can't leave the Gulf 2 weeks early to start the Astoria job, he most likely won't take the Gulf job. We will hopefully find out what is happening on Monday.

Locales of the Jobs (except the Gulf...I assume you know where that is...)

Jess Job #1: Tillamook, OR--Life Cycle Monitoring through ODFW... this doesn't start until march, and ends the end of June. I would then be able to come back to my Chinook job in August... which would be awesome.
Jess Job#2: Coos Bay, OR.... verrry far south on the coast of oregon. I would be working for a logging company doing spotted owl, marbled murrelet, fish, and habitat surveys. I think this may be a crew lead position... Interview on Tuesday....
Jess Job #3: Permanent (YEP, PERMANENT) job in Astoria... doing a rotation of things from juvenile snorkel surveys, to coho spawning surveys, to land owner contacts, etc.  Interview on the week of Jan 17th.


Decisions decisions..... Lets all root for Astoria for the both of us!!!

Another Chapter

Working up a fish with Ben

Cutting the tail off so we don't sample it again later

The boats we used for surveys

All geared up to go survey!

So the Chinook season is over :(  and now my unemployment kick begins (hopefully not for long). I had my first day of Fisheries Management Graduate Certificate classes online through Oregon State University, and it will be a lot of reading, but it is extremely interesting so far. I am taking two classes, Environmental Politics and Policy and Stock Assessment for Managers, should be exciting!

A choice blurb from my reading for this week: "Resource problems are not really environmental problems: They are human problems that we have created at many times in many places, under a variety of political, social, and economic systems" (Ludwig et al 1993).

I will try and give some quotes from my readings each week! It will probably help me study!

Christmas at home with 4 generations!

 Andrew and I went to Eastern Oregon to visit his sister and her boyfriend, and we got a little skiing in as well!

Anthony Lakes Ski Resort near La Grande, OR

Andrew and I all geared up to ski!