Following Edge

I keep thinking that I'm just being lazy about not writing anything here or planning a blogger get-together, but after making dinner and and enjoying an evening with David and his girlfriend, I realized it's not laziness... I'm really busy.

You see, I have recently taken on training (well, not really training, but orienting, I suppose) a fellow at work. I spend about three days a week on this, and still have my usual work to do. Of course, I expect it to work out well in the longer term, but simple logic can now reassure me that I'm not just being a slacker here.

So, Following Edge and writing, and any of you visitors who are remaining will have to endure on the crumbs I can occasionally toss. In hopes, perhaps, of something better when I have a bit more time.

Lauren arrived back yesterday at the Eugene Airport from her trip to Hawaii. It had been a red-eye flight, so I arranged to work at home yesterday, but, despite only 4 hours of sleep on the plane, Lauren had plenty of energy for the day and required only a couple hour nap.

Lauren's grandmother reports that Lauren was a very good traveler. Not only did she cope well with the trip, but it sounds like she helped remember what section to return the rental car to (even memorizing the rental car's license number), helped locate ATMs, kept track of luggage, etc, etc.

It was a bit of adjustment for her returning from her fun trip to the routine here in Oregon. She had trouble getting to sleep, sobbing (literally) "I miss Maui"! With a return to school and our usual routine today, we're all back in the swing of things.

Now, when am I going to Hawaii?!? 

Evidently, as much as a curse the hype around the Oscars, the Academy does have something worth telling me. Today, mostly based on its recent awards, Anne Marie and I drove to Springfield to watch Crash at the really cheap theater ($3.00 for both of us, with extra savings based on my pockets being stuffed with treats).

I honestly think this is the best movie I've ever seen. I am spending time thinking of previous favorites to see if any top this one, but so far I can't think of one.

The film was full very cleverly written, realistic and believable. It also drew me in emotionally, giving me a real connection to the characters. I spent a good part of the movie crying. Lots of well-known actors in this film as well, not that I care to see a movie based on the actors, but rather that you could really tell that there was serious acting talent involved.

The best part for me was that the message that the movie offers reflects my philosophy about humanity. Basically, while the world is good or bad in many ways, and things aren't always what you expect, everyone shares the same basic goals and good intentions. The movie really reflects on how people can do wrong things because they are broken and dysfunctional, even though their basic intentions are good. The good things that happen to the people in this movie come from selflessly connecting to the people close to them.

See this movie!

Lauren leaves early tomorrow morning for Hawaii. Hey! It seems like I just finished not taking a vacation, and now I'm not taking another. Lauren's grandmother (that would be my mother) goes each year and we're all excited that she'll be taking Lauren this year.

It's a nice break to get a little "alone" time for 8 days, but it's also a bit trying since Lauren really provides a lot of the fun and structure to my life these days. And I haven't been feeling to upbeat the last week...

Not that you've heard about my non-upbeatness. I was just telling Kinsey today that I hadn't posted for 2 weeks. I had been waiting to answer the questions about how long I could avoid posting and if I would ever post again. I decided tonight I should say something, so I guess that answers both the questions. As it turns out, it's only been 10 days since my last post, so 2 weeks was really an overstatement. Sorry, Kinsey.

Anne Marie and I did a few more activities with Lauren this weekend in preparation for her vacation. Yesterday, we went to the Museum of Natural History. Lauren also helped me get a half yard of gravel to patch potholes in our driveway. That was fun!?

Then, today I was looking for a GeoCache to find and saw a new feature on their website about finding survey markers.  Sounds kind of lame, but it appealed to me in some way and we were able to find one buried under just a few inches of soil next to a road in Eugene. You can see pictures here of Lauren with her digging tools next to our find and a close-up of the marker itself.

It's curious to find something that's been there unnoticed for 60 years. Reading the history for this and other markers in the National Geological Survey database really reminds one how things change over time. In 1945, this was a spot on a gravel road in a pasture near the river. Now, it's next to a road in a new housing development near a shopping center near a freeway.

I'm thinking about going out to find one near Veneta that has been around since 1903 and hasn't been checked on for 70 years. That could be cool.  If you're into that kind of thing.