…me sitting nervously for 45 minutes in the waiting room of Geoff’s oral surgeon as his wisdom teeth finally met their fate, and the way he looked in the recovery room…all gauzed up like a disheveled chipmunk. Being hit by a sudden wave of intense nurturing at the sight of my massacred chipmunk, and of how I wanted nothing more than to take him home, and follow the doctor’s orders impeccably.

…sitting around a campfire on the tip of the Oregon coast with friends and family, idly chatting away into the evening as we wait to catch a glimpse of a space station in the skies. The way the conversations abruptly ended at first sight of the tiny arcing spec in the sky, and how everyone instinctively huddled closer together. Me leaning against Geoff…all quiet except for the cackle of the campfire…both staring up in awe.

…me smiling for two days straight as I steadfastly followed the brightly colored U-Haul in my yellow Beetle as we covered the nearly 1,500 miles to our new home and new life here in Eugene. Staring at the various U-Haul pricing on the back of that truck, I was content to know that my entire little life could fit into that tiny 14-foot truck. Geoff and the two cats in the cab, our meager belongs in the back. I just couldn’t wait to arrive in our new home and finally be planted somewhere. To set some roots, start some traditions. I can still see and feel myself excitedly pressing on the gas pedal of my old beetle as we neared the state line to Oregon. I had wanted to cross it together, me in the passing lane with Geoff in the other, and share that experience together. To this day, I can still hear that familiar sound of my faithful Beetle responding to the touch of my foot, as I easily pulled next to Geoff as we were flying down that highway together. Our windows were down, my hair wildly whipping around my face, the summer heat thick in Eastern Oregon, as we smiled to each other from our driver’s seat. The sound of my car horn permeates this memory, and echos as this now bittersweet memory fades away and is replaced by a new one…

…I’ve learned a lot about life and death alongside Geoff. I’ve held his hand as grief and loss touched his family, and also when his family welcomed new life. At the time when I first met Geoff, I was coping with tremendous loss. Geoff was patient. He listened. He taught me how to go on living despite such tragedy. He made me smile again, and kept me smiling the entire 6 years. Every single day. Except for the past three weeks…

Dear reader, I could share my memories for days, but for now I promise to keep the rest to myself. This website really has been our story anyway. Should you want more, read away. For me, this will sadly be my last post here at geoffandcarley. Not being able to write the rest of our journey is something I’m still trying to wrap my mind around. I will always wonder what would have been written? What more was in store for us.

I can see that I need to begin the journey of finding myself again and where I fit in this new world. Should you wish to continue to follow me and to see what the next chapter holds, I can be found here: www.oregoniangal.wordpress.com

This is C-Monkey signing off,

I haven’t been myself these days.

I haven’t seen a glimpse of the person I knew in weeks.

Not in the mirror; not in him.

Within these familiar walls, trapped in tremendous grief.

I wonder,

when picking up the pieces won’t feel so overwhelming

how something that is supposedly right feels so completely and undeniably wrong

I wonder…

what would happen if I finally gave in and ripped that sign out of the lawn and threw it over the fence?

As taken from an Oregon.gov website:
Adoption: A Step-by-Step Guide:

Adoption-who can apply
It may take from four to six months for the training, homestudy (family assessment) and criminal history check to be completed. The timeframe from initial inquiry before a child is placed with you may take up to a year, possibly longer, depending on your personal circumstances and the child you are seeking to adopt. Families waiting for a younger child will typically wait longer than families open to older children, sibling groups, or children with disabilities.

STEP 1: Find out more

The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) and private agencies with the Special Needs Adoption Coalition (SNAC) offer opportunities for you to talk with staff or attend an informational meeting to ask questions and learn more. For more information or scheduled orientations, please contact 1.800.331.0503 or SNAC member agency.

STEP 2: Make the decision to adopt

Becoming an adoptive parent will bring major changes to your life. Because of that, it is important every member of your household considers what that will mean to them. The following is a list of questions that can help you make the right decision with your family:

* Does everyone in our family believe that adoption is right for us?
* Do we have friends or family that will support us in this decision?
* Do we have space in our home for a child? Can we take siblings?
* Is there an age group or gender that would work best with our family?
* Are there special needs a child may have that we would not be comfortable taking on?

STEP 3: Attend training

The training provided by DHS will prepare you for transitioning a child into your family and parenting children who may have been abused or neglected and have experienced disruptions in their life. Topics include:

* The children and their special needs
* The process to adoption
* Where to get support and resources

STEP 4: Complete an application

After deciding to adopt, you will need to complete an application and asked for 4 to 5 references. A background check that includes criminal history and child abuse reports will be done. You will be asked to provide a physical and medical history check to be sure that you are in good health and have the ability to care for a child.

STEP 5: Homestudy

After an application is accepted, the homestudy process begins with your assigned worker. This is a very thoughtful process consisting of a series of interviews, home visits, safety/fire inspections and sometimes medical information from your doctor.

STEP 6: Wait for a match

Once a family has an approved homestudy and the criminal background check is completed, the family will be ready for a placement. The family works with their caseworker to find a waiting child who best matches the interests and strengths of their family. At the same time, the child’s caseworker is looking for a family who can best meet the needs of the child.

In Oregon, the decision on placing the child with a family normally rests with an adoption committee. For each child, the committee assesses the child’s needs and tries to make the best possible match with a family. The adoption committee reviews applications from several families and evaluates the relevant strengths and skills of each. The child is matched with the family that will be the best for that child.

Families may undergo certification and acquire a foster care license while waiting for finalization of their adoption.

Transition – Preparing a child for transition from foster care into your family is a slow and thoughtful process. It involves teamwork by many people who have been involved in the child’s life. The new adoptive parents will receive full disclosure on the child’s medical history and assessments. A plan will be made for each child to adjust to his/her new family. Visits typically start as short meetings and increase in length as you and the child get to know each other. These visits may go on for weeks or possibly months until the child can fully transition into living in your home.

STEP 7: Supervision

After a child is placed with you, the worker will schedule visits with you and the child at least once a month. This visit will occur in the family home at a minimum of every 60 days. He or she will want separate time with the child during these visits. Post placement supervision lasts for at least 6 months. If the child or adoptive family needs support, the caseworker will help find services as needed.

Adoption finalization – After a child has been placed in a home for the purpose of adoption, and the family and professionals agree that it is time to do so, the legal action of finalization occurs.

A judge will issue a final decree of adoption. At this point the child is legally part of the adoptive family and the adoptive family has permanent, legal parental rights and responsibilities. Once an adoption is finalized, the adoptive parents receive a birth certificate with their name(s) listed as the parent(s).

Now what if?…

Procreation: A Step-by-Step Guide:

Procreation-who can apply
It may take from four to six months for the training, homestudy (family assessment) and criminal history check to be completed. The timeframe from initial inquiry before you can have a child may take up to a year, possibly longer, depending on your personal circumstances.

STEP 1: Find out more

The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) and private agencies with the Special Needs Coalition (SNC) offer opportunities for you to talk with staff or attend an informational meeting to ask questions and learn more. For more information or scheduled orientations, please contact 1.800.331.0503 or SNC member agency.

STEP 2: Make the decision to procreate

Becoming a parent will bring major changes to your life. Because of that, it is important every member of your household considers what that will mean to them. The following is a list of questions that can help you make the right decision with your family:

* Does everyone in our family believe that having a child is right for us?
* Do we have friends or family that will support us in this decision?
* Do we have space in our home for a child?
* If the child has special needs would we be able to handle them?

STEP 3: Attend training

The training provided by DHS will prepare you for transitioning a child into your family and parenting children. Topics include:

* Children and the developmental process
* Effective parenting methods
* Where to get support and resources

STEP 4: Complete an application

After deciding to procreate, you will need to complete an application and asked for 4 to 5 references. A background check that includes criminal history and child abuse reports will be done. You will be asked to provide a physical and medical history check to be sure that you are in good health and have the ability to care for a child.

STEP 5: Homestudy

After an application is accepted, the homestudy process begins with your assigned worker. This is a very thoughtful process consisting of a series of interviews, home visits, safety/fire inspections and sometimes medical information from your doctor.

STEP 6: Procreate

Once a family has an approved homestudy and the criminal background check is completed, the family will be ready for pregnancy. For each embryo, God assesses the potential child’s needs and tries to make the best possible match with a family. God reviews several potential families that are in the procreation stage and evaluates the relevant strengths and skills of each. The embryo forms with the family that will be the best for that child.

Families may undergo certification and acquire a parenting license while waiting for finalization of their pregnancy.

Transition – Preparing a family for transitioning the new family member into your home is a slow and thoughtful process. It involves teamwork by many people who have been involved in the new parents lives. A plan will be made for the parents to adjust to their new life. Visits typically start as short meetings and increase in length as the child gets older. These visits may go on for weeks or possibly months until the parents can fully transition into their new roles and responsibilities.

STEP 7: Supervision

After bringing the infant home, the worker will schedule visits with you and the child at least once a month. This visit will occur in the family home at a minimum of every 60 days. He or she will want separate time with the child during these visits. Post placement supervision lasts for at least 6 months. If the child or family needs support, the caseworker will help find services as needed.

Procreation finalization – After a child has been placed in a home, and the family and professionals agree that it is time to do so, the legal action of finalization occurs.

A judge will issue a final decree of successful procreation. At this point the child is legally part of the family and the new parents have permanent, legal parental rights and responsibilities. Once a successful procreation is finalized, the parents receive a birth certificate with their name(s) listed as the parent(s).

Don’t take this wrong- I loved the movie. I would watch it again if it weren’t so damned expensive to see in 3D.  This brings me to my first point.  If you have the option, see it in 3D.  The glasses look like cheap sunglasses and are pretty comfortable. They’re a huge step up from the old red/blue paper ones.  These things are great. The 3D experience was really impressive if for nothing less than its unobtrusive nature. While watching the movie, you’re just watching it, not dodging the special effects that were included just to flaunt the capabilities of the system.While the story is completely predictable, the presentation is stellar.  The set design, special effects, characters, colors, and lighting are all excellent. Cameron’s crew has created and even perfected brand new technology that makes a person completely forget that you are watching a digital representation of a person rather than an actual person.  It’s difficult to put into words just how complete and perfect the translation is.  It’s amazing.

The most impressive thing for me wasn’t even the 3D.  The fact that a movie nearly three hours long didn’t seem any longer than a “normal” movie. I never looked at my watch wondering when it was going to be over. I sat through 162 minutes of a movie and never once got impatient or bored.  The story moved along at the perfect pace for the entire length of the film.

To recap- this is a LONG movie and 3D is pricey. Those two drawbacks do nothing to offset the beauty of the film and the talent of the actors.  If you haven’t seen it and you have a chance, I highly recommend it.  Do it before it is out of the theater and see it in 3D if you have the chance.  And do it quick because Alice in Wonderland, Percy something, and several other 3D films are coming out soon and Avatar will be bounced out of the the theaters.  This film is worth the time and money.

The only framed picture that I keep on my desk. Of all of the snapshots that we have gathered over the years, it is my favorite one. Geoff and Bella smiling contentedly at me from behind the glass frame. A sunny day on the coast, Geoff is wearing sunglasses. Carefully perched next to my phone, by now I must have glanced at this picture nearly thousands of times. It was morning and I had just finished signing and sealing an official high school transcript for another college-bound student, working steadfastly to get through my list of to dos when it caught my eye. The picture was nearly buried in the midst of my organized chaos that I like to maintain. Just the corner of the photo could be seen, the rest had been claimed by my paperwork. Bella’s pointy black ear against beach sand.

Right then and there it hit me. A spontaneous weekend getaway to the coast was in order. Clearing away the debris from around the photograph, I made my resolve. Of course! What a brilliant idea. It really had been quite awhile since we had made a trip out to the ocean, and besides, I had a severe case of the mid-year blues. I needed re-energized. I wanted to explore new hiking trails with Geoff and Bella and then sip coffee from a cozy hotel room while it pelted rained outside. An overnight stay at a coastal hotel would clearly do the trick. After some consultation over lunch with a trusted friend who has always had excellent recommendations, I had devised a plan and by that evening I was notifying the rest of the family of our retreat. All parties were a go.

Spontaneity is hard to achieve when it comes to hotel reservations and weekend obligations such as chaperoning school dances. So, I spontaneously marked my calendar for two weekends away and began counting down the days.

Beach weekend getaway turned out to be a huge hit. I was pleased as I watched the originally skeptical Geoff begin to unwind and enjoy himself thoroughly. Turns out he may have needed the reprieve as well. We explored. We laughed. We engaged in real estate fantasies. We ate PBJ sandwiches brought from home and ice cream cones from the local shops. We sat side by side watching the crashing waves. Sometimes in silence. Sometimes while talking idly to one another. It’s comfortable like that. When it finally came time for the sunset, the show was spectacular. Truly a stunning, living, breathing work of art as Geoff and I watched on from a radiant rock on what felt like the edge of the world.

Because Windows Live Movie Maker is awesome.

I’ve been a band nerd all my life, and really, with parents like mine, there was no escaping it. My dad held a masters degree in music education, (in addition to a ministerial masters degree from the Iliff School of Theology in Denver). Essentially, he was either a high school band teacher or a Methodist minister, or usually some combination of the two when I was growing up. My mom, an accomplished pianist/part-time piano instructor/organist for the churches dad worked at/RN/mother. I know that when you think back on your childhood, it’s common for you to see your memories as a sort of mini-movie playing out on the back of your mind like it’s some sort of movie screen. But when I do this, I also hear a soundtrack along with the visual experience of my flashbacks. It’s a very choppy soundtrack, played randomly like the images in the back of my mind….One of my mom’s favorite records, The Carpenters, playing loudly on the record player while she vacuums around me on the floor…The sound of the church choir practicing on a Saturday afternoon in the sanctuary…piano notes painstakingly being pecked out awkwardly by one of mom’s students while Paul and I play with Legos quietly in the next room over…the staccato sound of my brother practicing the snare drum with my dad…my own “honking goose” sound from my clarinet as my dad patiently introduces me to the beauty of woodwinds…Somewhere between my memories of our spontaneous weekend visits to Seaside beach and my brother picking on me, the familiar notes of Rhapsody in Blue being played on a grand piano can be heard. The list can go on and on, but I will stop here for fear I may lose you dear reader.

The point is, I was born to be a band nerd. I couldn’t have avoided it even if I tried to. And actually, I doing remember trying. I guess being my mother’s only daughter, being placed in front of those 88 black and white keys was inevitable. Sitting high up on that piano bench, I remember a feeling of excitement flowing through me now that I was the one sitting next to my mother instead of one of those strange students. However, that feeling quickly dissipated once the lesson began. I was dumbfounded by the concept of having to read two lines of music simultaneously, and having to cross my hands over one another to reach the other octaves? What was that about? Not to mention those three mysterious pedals at my feet. I didn’t get much farther than learning middle C and maybe Hot Cross Buns and a song I can still play to this day, From a Wigwam. I had given up learning piano lessons and lessons before my mom eventually gave up as well. I think the conflict of interest is what really did us in. She was my mom, and I didn’t feel the pressure to practice as much because of that. Besides, there was no way I was going to read two lines of music at once. Sheesh.

Not long after the piano fiasco, I found myself with a violin. Our basements were always a fun place to explore for my brother and I. We moved a lot growing up, and therefore our family always had tons of cardboard boxes full of unpacked stuff in our basements lined up along the walls, laying in the middle of the concrete floor partially opened, etc. Whenever boredom would creep in on a weekend, my brother and I could be found rummaging through the old stuff in the basement. One day, I came across dad’s musical instrument collection. I remember a flute. A trombone or two. (My dad’s instrument of choice) A clarinet. And a violin. I opened all of the cases, looked, smelled and touched. The trombones smelled musty. The violin bow appealed to me because it looked like horse hair, and I liked horses. (I was probably 8 at the time.) And that’s how my violin years started. And then the music program at my elementary school introduced us to band instruments, and that was the end of string instruments for me. I traded my violin in for the clarinet in our downstairs music shop and it was official. I had become a band nerd.

I played through the rest of my elementary school years learning the basics from a very eccentric and strange teacher who only went by the name Dr. S. Thankfully, my lessons at school were supplemented by my dad’s instruction in his home office. Middle school brought better music and marching band, all-city. High school brought pep band, jazz band, all-state, solo & ensemble, more all-city, musicals and more marching band. College brought 1 semester of concert band on my freshman year transcript at the University of Northern Colorado, and then…I transferred to another college, chose a major and dropped playing. I missed it kind of like you would miss someone who passes away. At first, a little bit. And then, the longer it goes since you’ve seen them, more and more. Sometimes, I would pull out some old music I still had and play. An old solo, or a few measures I surprisingly still had memorized from my marching days. Just to see if I still could. Having played so well before, it was strange to think maybe I couldn’t play anymore. Someone once told me it’s like riding a bike. You never really forget how. And truthfully, I never did, but my embouchure sure got sloppy, and so did my sound. I needed something to get me playing again. I asked the local music shops if there were any community bands I could participate in, but there were none. I could take private lessons. I took a card, but I never called.

Then, I moved to Eugene. I started sticking around after work at the high school I worked at on game days to play with the high school pep band occasionally. (What can I say? Louie, Louie just never gets old for me). I asked the local music shop if there were any community band opportunities, and was given multiple options. I quickly joined the summer Springfield Community Band as well as the summer Eugene Symphonic Band. And now summer community band has led me to participating year-round in the local community bands, and finally I’ve gotten back to my band nerd roots and I couldn’t be happier about it. Each Monday night you can now find me excitedly hurrying out of work in order to make the drive to the beautiful University of Oregon campus, where I get to spend two glorious hours in one of the band practice rooms in the school of music with the ESB. Surrounded by other “band nerds” like myself, playing music. It makes for a very long Monday as practice doesn’t get out until 8:30, and then I need to make the 30 minute drive home but it’s well worth it. Walking along the path outside of the school of music to my car after practice the other night, the notes of a trumpet were wafting down out of an open window from a music room on the second floor, and I couldn’t have been happier as I silently thanked my parents for the inevitable love of music that they instilled in me.

In fact, lately all this band nonsense has really gotten me to thinking about my college major all those years ago. What if…?

I love New Years Eve. Everything about it from the corny sunglasses, to the “Best Of” countdowns on the various television show networks broadcast during the week leading up to New Years. I love the ball dropping, the anticipation, counting down the last ten seconds of the year while being surrounded by friends and family, looking at one another excitedly and with bated breath as we enter into a new year together, or in this case a new decade. I just love the energy. There is always a heightened level of reflection that is brought on around this time of year, and that is where I found myself after all of our guests had gone home for the evening…

…It was a little after 1 in the morning and I found myself on confetti clean up duty in the living room, while Geoff was on kitchen detail. (The three pack of confetti cannons sounded like a great idea at the time in the party store earlier that day, but I was quickly beginning to second guess that decision as I worked steadfastly to remove the colorful mess coating our living room floor, utilizing whatever tool I could to make the process go a little smoother from the household broom and dustpan to the vacuum cleaner. It was when Geoff caught me seriously considering using Bella as a sort of animal hoover vac to help assist in cleaning up the remaining thin layer of bits and pieces that clung stubbornly to our floor and furniture that he rescued us all with his ingenious idea of employing the gigantic Shop Vac that he keeps in the garage.)

However, when I was in the thick of the clean up I found myself looking past the confetti and reflecting back on the past decade. Where I was, where I’ve been. What I’ve learned. Where I am today. The sounds of the dishes clinking in the sink as Geoff washed them faded away as I began thinking about just how much stuff has happened in my life in what seems like now, such a short time span.

Education. I’ve sat in many lecture halls. I’ve diligently poured over a multitude of textbooks. Dutifully taking notes while clutching a neon yellow highlighter pen. I’ve been to a lot of graduations, and I’ve been in a lot of graduations. I’ve worn a lot of cap and gowns; high school, undergrad, grad school. I sat in the stands and watched my younger brother graduate. I’ve found myself in the stands often, waving the oncoming summer heat away from me with numerous graduation programs. Change. In ten years, I’ve had 7 different addresses. 5 apartments, my first house, 1 dorm, and my mother’s house. (Not in that exact order.) I’ve moved a lot. I’ve helped a lot of others move. Cardboard boxes fear me. I’m quite an expert at packing up a life and moving on. But then again, I had a lot of training for that even before this past decade. I think I’m done moving for awhile. I’m home. And really, for the first time in a long time I can say that. Loss. Thinking back on the past ten years, I thought of all of the people who were there in my life in 1999 but who aren’t here to begin a new decade with. Some left bigger gaps than others, but all are missed. Learning how to cope with loss was without a doubt the most difficult life lesson of the decade for me. Love. I’ve been loved, and I’ve been in love. In the past ten busy years, somewhere in the midst of it all between the grief and the years of schooling, odd jobs held and packing tape, I learned about love. When it’s right. When it isn’t.

For me, 1999 to 2009 was quite a journey. Some days were harder than others, and some I never wanted to end. Truthfully though, I know that without the bitter, the sweet just ain’t as sweet…

…Finally, all of the dishes had been put away and the final strands of confetti had been plucked from the couch cushions. Only a few noisemakers and a couple of gawdy New Years party hats were left on the table to indicate that we had a celebration of any kind. We set about our nightly routine of letting Bella out one more time, turning out the lights and locking up the house. Glancing over my shoulder I checked the digital readout on the clock on the kitchen stove before heading to bed. Finding a green 1:57, I hit the lights and walked expertly through the darkness. Nearly two hours already into 2010, I stifled a yawn and could only wonder what this next decade will bring.

Work sucks.  That’s part of the definition, I think.  Here’s what dictionary.com says (a few excerpts  actually- my emphases)

1. exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.
4. employment, as in some form of industry, esp. as a means of earning one’s livelihood

We’ve been lazy as a country for a long time now.  A vast portion of our income is essentially gambling winnings and artificial money created by manipulating credit/interest flows and leveraging assets against other assets.  Our production and manufacturing jobs are flowing out of the country and because our money isn’t based on anything real, there’s no way to verify that our money is actually worth anything at all.  The sad part is, this isn’t even the crux of our country’s problem.  The problem is our unwillingness to take the steps to solve the problem.

When you break a bone, the bone has to be set to heal correctly.  This HURTS.  It hurts far less than spending your life crippled because you decided to not let the doctor set the bone correctly, but it hurts.  Our economy is broken and it needs to be set in order to heal it.  But we are collectively sissies.  We are more likely to limp around on crutches, degrade to a wheelchair, and finally become bedridden than we are to endure the short period of pain now to ensure real healing and growth to come.

Enough of the analogies.  Let me preface this by saying I’m not an economist.  I have an above-average grasp of these things but a grasp far below that required to actually make these sweeping changes.  When I’m elected, I’ll be sure to have the most brilliant minds on the subject that I can find to ensure these things are done right.  Here is my cursory look into what needs to change.

First- gold (or perhaps silver or something else tangible) base for the currency.  No more making money out of thin air as that only leads to continued inflation.  Money needs to mean something and the monopoly money we have here is not cutting it.

Second-  LOTS AND LOTS of new regulation and limitations.  On the government. 12 years combined as term limits for elected federal office below VP.  All federal employees’ income will be capped at 150% of the median income of their constituents. No more pensions.  All federal employees will have access to public 401(k)/403(b) retirement plans that the rest of the populace uses.  Same for insurance- Federal Employees (including the president) will use private insurance companies like everybody else.  Being elected to office should not be a golden ticket.  When I am president, it won’t be.

Third- When I am elected president, the level of political correctness will go down drastically. Our president is and always has been a human being.  We call him Mr. President.  There is no honorific in the title because he is one of us.  Our government is of/for/by the people… he’s a person and the idea that he (or she) should be perfect is stupid.  My campaign is built on the concept of honesty and I will be honest about my flaws- chief among them is my penchant for foul language and crass generalization.

Fourth- True capitalism will be reinstated.  There is no such thing as “too big to fail.”  This recent series of bailouts has taken money from those who are careful with their assets and used that money to prop up failing companies.  In other words, money is being taken from the people smart enough to save it and given to those too careless to do so.  This stops.  I sincerely hope it will have been done away with before I am allowed to run for office (2016, kids) but I have little faith in our current administration to do… anything really.

Fifth- You can build schools or you can build prisons.  Whichever you build will fill up.  This country’s education system needs a complete overhaul and  we need to realize that spending money on education is not throwing it away.  From a corporate standpoint, spending money on education is ensuring future gains.  If your applicant pool is full of idiots, your company cannot continue to flourish.  If you outsource all of your jobs, there will be nobody with money here to buy your product.  The list goes on but it should be pretty clear that money spent on a sound educational system is not money wasted but a sound long-term investment.  Moreover, our education system needs something other than money- it needs common sense.  Schools and teachers need to be able to cater to the students- not to some generalized test.  High school graduates of today are brilliant at passing tests and horrible at almost anything else.  This has to stop.

Sixth (and final for today’s post)- Laws and Bills must stand on their own.  No more riders.  No more attachments. If your bill cannot stand on its own merit, attaching something unrelated to get people to vote on it will be prohibited.  IE- all those education bills that get passed because there are defense contracts attached to them or healthcare bills passing with oil bills as riders… none of that should be allowed.  Our legal system does not need that clutter and does not benefit from it.  It has to stop.

Stay tuned for more reasons I will be an awesome president and you should vote for me.  Also feel free to ask questions.

And so Geoff and I piled all of our old Colorado winter gear together on the kitchen table and took stock. We had decided to go explore Willamette Pass located an hour and a half east of us in the Cascade mountain range and see what kind of sledding adventures could be had there. Bella seemed to like this idea as she pranced excitedly around at our feet, her prized Christmas Wubba surprisingly sitting dejectedly in a corner.

I took driver’s seat and navigated the Rav slowly out of the dense Willamette valley Christmas fog that surrounded us on all sides. As we made our way out of Eugene and down highway 58, we commented on the light traffic. You could feel that everyone was exactly where they should be at that very moment.

As we began our ascent, winding our way up the mountain, the fog took on a bluish hue for one brief second, and then it was gone and suddenly we could see again. It was as if someone had turned on the lights, and in a way, that’s exactly what had happened. A quick glance at the rear view mirror confirmed that we had simply burst out of the cloud, which I could see now was quickly receding behind us. Looking forward again, I flipped down the sun visor and reached for my sunglasses. I wondered briefly if there could be anyone out there that actually disagrees with the weather-mood theory. That there is a correlation between weather patterns and moods. Cause if there indeed is someone who argues against that theory, I’d love to bring them to that exact line we had just crossed.

Feeling perkier and full of optimism brought on by the sunlight, we continued our trek up the mountain, watching the signs go by outside indicating 1,000 feet, 2,000, 3,000 all the way up to 5,000 feet in altitude and yawning all along the way to keep our ears “popped”. Finally, we reached our destination, and here is what ensued:

I love starting new traditions, and I think Christmas Day Sledding Adventures will become one of ours. Geoff drove us all home that day and after meticulously licking the ice blocks off of her paws, Bella slept soundly in the backseat of the car for the entire ride home and for the rest of the night. Sitting in the passenger seat in the dark as we came back down off of that mountain all I could think about was getting home and curling up in our new blanket Geoff’s grandmother had sent us and having some hot chocolate from our Cocomotion (it heats and stirs to hot chocolately perfection!).

Just then, we slipped back into our cloud.

#10:
Because places like these:
From Random Pictures from 2004-2008

From Best of 2009

are only 40 minutes away at any given time

#9:
Because I get the opportunity to play in not one, but two count them, two community bands. The Eugene Symphonic Band and the Springfield Community Band.

http://www.eugenesymphonicband.org/

#8:
It is a runner’s paradise, with miles and miles of trails to choose from. Do you prefer bark chip running trails? We’ve got that. Do you crave scenery? You wont be disappointed along the Eugene bike trail. Home of the Eugene Marathon, birthplace of a little company you might have heard of Nike, there is history here and you can feel it on any given rainy day while running in the footsteps of legends such as Steve Prefontaine out on Pre’s trail.

#7:
No sales tax.
Enough said.

#6:
Mild winters. I think the majority of Oregonians would have a hard time identifying a car ice scraper. There is just no purpose for them here.

#5:
Ultimate Frisbee. A sport we definitely wouldn’t have picked up if we hadn’t moved here, but which I am glad we did. Go Bandits!

#4:
You don’t have to pump your own gas. Seriously. (But you do have to park on the right side so that your gas tank lines up with the pumps. For some reason I have a hard time with this one.)

#3:
Because I Love My Ducks!

#2:
It’s bicycle friendly. Here, see for yourself:
Eugene Bike Trail Map

…and the number one reason why I love Eugene…

#1:
I’ve been a vegetarian now for over ten years. For the first seven of those years, I lived in culinary misery in Colorado. Forced to eat whatever meager vegetarian option that was listed as an afterthought on the back of menus whenever I ventured out to eat. Upon relocating to Eugene though I have rediscovered what it means to “dine out”. Eating at places like Mucho Gusto, Cafe Yumm!, Pizza Schmizza and my new favorite, Viva! Vegetarian Grill. I don’t think I have eaten so well in a long time, which is why Eugene’s unique vegetarian friendly culture is my number one reason why I love Eugene.