Ugh.

Ok, so after four hours of hours in the Picket office, my lower back is a bit sore (only when I turn it the wrong way) and I’m real, real tired.

And this afternoon? While vacuuming in a dark corner where furniture was blocking the light of day?

I found a dead mouse.

Being the tough chick I am, I got a plastic bag and flipped that little varmint inside and disposed of it.

I’m beginning to see just how big of an undertaking this is. I still have a list of things I need facilities to come take care of once we get everything back in order. But it will be soooo worth it!

A little too ambitious

I get a little ambitious sometimes. I’ve noticed over the years that I like to have a “personal project” of sorts. Whether it’s working towards a major purchase or redoing something in my space that needs fixed or rearranged, I like staying busy.

Example: When I bought my first Mac, I lived on Apple’s Web site building and rebuilding my eMac before finally purchasing it. And when I got the notion to get rid of the eMac? I spent hours and days figuring ways to swap them out by finagling with the journalism teacher at the high school to sell my eMac to go toward the purchase price.

A few months ago, when the reality of me possibly becoming editor of The Picket seemed to be possible, I mentioned painting the office. I continued to mention it until it finally became a reality and in the past couple weeks, I’ve met with painters, recruited my business manager to help clean out some of the old junk that has been sitting around and moved desks all on my own.

Last night I went in to vacuum and move the furniture back to where it needs to go so I can move all the boxes filled with our office stuff from the second room to prepare for more painting. The room hadn’t been vacuumed in years so it was a transformation to get that done and finally get into all the nooks and crannies to get all the trash out of the corners.

I started moving the large desks that still had computers on them and about half way into the project, I knew I couldn’t do the rest on my own. I called a friend and fellow Picket staffer in for reinforcements. I also have learned my limits over the years and know that sometimes, I get a little ambitious and need a second opinion.

With his help, we finished moving the desks, the bookshelf and then the boxes I had packed and stuffed in the other room.

Already I’m so excited about what these changes will mean in the office. I’m looking forward to filling the walls and adding lighting and other small touches to make this a more effective working environment.

I can’t wait to see the look of shock when the staff sees it in the fall. It’s completely different.

Here is the office back in February. And Here are pictures of the office while all the stuff was piled up. I’ll be taking some after photos as well.

Tid bits

1. Last night a fellow Communications major stopped by my apartment and we swapped internship stories for nearly an hour. She is interning at Wolf Trap and I may, may be going to see her next month to see Guster and Pete Yorn. Can you say e-x-c-i-t-e-d??
2. I found out at the end of last week that I’m going to be flying for the first time next month; to Texas. I’m also psyched about this because ever since I saw the Astronaut Farmer back in March, I’ve been wanting to go. It will be a four day trip to see my step-brother graduate from boot camp for the Air National Guard.
3. This morning I was sitting at my desk writing a story on Summer Day Camps (my fourth story on workshops for kids) when I was sent out to cover a bomb threat. Yesterday I contributed to a story on a woman who jumped off a bridge in Shepherdstown because I knew the eyewitness. My reporting days are getting more exciting.
4. My social calendar for the week is filling up which is a good thing since my room mate is home for the week since her summer classes are over until Monday.

Becoming domesticated

Last night I was in a domestic mood.

So domestic in fact, that I did laundry, cleaned off my camera from the weekend (hey, this too is a household chore) and made banana bread with cinnamon and chocolate chips while watching American Beauty.

American Beauty is one of the films on my “movies-I-haven’t-seen-but-must” list that I made up at the beginning of the summer with the help of a friend and fellow Picket staffer. He didn’t believe me when I said I made a list until I actually rented two of the movies off of it. Tonight I’m watching Casablanca.

But back to the domestic part.

The part where I baked for the first time in, oh, who knows. I found a recipe on Orangette a week or so ago and decided to try it out. The results were a party for my mouth. My room mate and I enjoyed a slice of it right out of the oven with a glass of milk and it oh was it good.

I made a salad last night as well for lunch today. It was an adaption of a California Cobb Salad; without the chicken, corn or cheese. I put avocado, bacon, hard boiled egg and tomato and it was fabulous. So good that I stopped on the way home and got more spinach greens to make another.

While at home this weekend I found another recipe I plan on trying, for “Chicken Curry in a Hurry.” The kitchen intimidated me at first but lately it’s become enjoyable and easy. I love trying new things.

Oh the joy of feeding a camel out of your hand

PICT5997.jpg, originally uploaded by jkesner732.

The photos from the petting zoo are up. Seeing Gabe run, jump, squeal and point out every new thing was so cool to watch. And did you know, an ostrich isn’t an ostrich – it’s a “BIG geese!!”

What a revelation for a 2 year old.

For more pictures, click here.

The best way to spend a weekend

Today, despite the fact that I was already tired from a long week (which was my own fault), I wore myself out even more. The kind of wearing out that comes from being outside, running around being excited over the smallest things – just like a little kid.

This afternoon we had arranged to spend time with my two year old nephew, whose father is currently at basic training for the Air Guard. I hadn’t seen him for at least a couple months and marveled at how advanced he was in communicating. He is talking and calls me by name and is making complete thoughts which is so cool to watch.

We picked him up at his mom’s house and he avoided me at first but finally warmed up to me. He told me he was driking Gatorade and was dead set on seeing animals when we mentioned going to the petting zoo.

I haven’t been to a petting zoo in ages and enjoyed seeing the camels, monkeys and zebra as much as he did (but especially the monkeys). We ran, we laughed, we fed the animals and I took lots of pictures. (To be uploaded soon!)

Afterwards, we went to Cracker Barrel at the request of my stepsister and myself. I had been craving their grilled chicken and turnip greens and their lemonade feeds a need like no other. Next stop was the park (!!) at the campus of Shenandoah University. It’s a regular stop for us. Today we tackled the swings, which by the looks of it, Gabe had never done.

Gabe, Tat (my step-brother in law) and myself ran around that playground till I thought I wouldn’t go anymore. I went down the slide with him after Tat got shocked by the static electricity that he opted out. And do you know how long it’s been since I went down a closed-in tunnel slide?

Too long. I was impressed I actually fit in there, but it was fun.

I sat on the swing next to Gabe and it was fun to just swing (it hasn’t been as long since I’ve done that – only since my freshman year of college).

By the end of the day, my feet were filthy from the playground and my eyelids were heavy. I don’t think I’ve been that honest to goodness tired from being outside in a while but it was worth it. I felt like a kid again sitting on the picnic tables taking a break with an ice cream cone. Everyone should do that once in a while, just to remember the innocence and joy that kids enjoy every day.

Tid-bits

1. I just bought house plants. Ahh! I want to put them on our counter that separates the kitchen/living room. Hopefully I won’t kill them and they’ll have a long life in my space. I’ll take photos once I get them home. Being at the greenhouse made me want a shady backyard patio with a small garden pond and lots of greenery.
2. This week consisted of several late nights in a row and getting up earlier than usual. I could seriously take a nap.
3. I came across this story when I got online to check email. Talk about bizarre! (Jeff, you’ll enjoy this.)