Simply, My LIfe

Friday, June 11, 2010

Portland Farmers Markets

One of my favorite summer pastimes is to visit the farmers market and peruse the aisles of fresh food, ultimately supporting local farmers as I can't leave without buying something. In Portland, we are blessed to have a market in each quadrant (SE, NE, SW & NW). You can pretty much hit up a farmers market any day of the week.

My bounty from the market in SE last night. The snap peas were picked at 10:00 a.m. that morning!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Sasquatch 2010

The annual 3 day music festival that is Sasquatch was not only the 1st music festival I've ever been to but also quite an amazing one. I lounged with good friends all weekend long...camping, learning to play hacky sack and listening to talented bands play their hits with one of the most beautiful backdrops I've seen for a music venue. The 3 hour wait in line on Friday night to get to our campsite was totally worth it.

The Main Stage with an amazing view

Josh directing proper blanket placement or also possibly raising the roof

Our very comfortable camp of 4 nights

A beautiful sunset on our walk back to camp one night

My new favorite hat

Monday, May 10, 2010

2nd Annual Mt. St. Helens Mothers Day Climb

I often wonder if climbing a mountain is comparable to race day for professional athletes. You wake up early, you feel a keen sense of anticipation from the moment you open your eyes and you know in that moment that without a doubt, you are going to expend every bit of energy you have that day trying to succeed.

This was the case with 23 climbers on a beautiful Saturday morning last weekend on Mt. St. Helens, as we all set out for the long 6000' climb to the crater rim. We talked, we laughed, we focused, our heartrates accelerated and some of us struggled more than others but after approximately 6 hours of taking step after step, we all made it! And in following a mountain tradition, every single one of us wore a dress to celebrate our moms.

Our lofty goal

Making our way up to and past 5000'

A very happy crew of dressed up climbers on the crater rim at 8200'

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Friday, April 30, 2010

Springtime Softball

It's that time again! Team Box Knockers is well into their 3rd season with their 4th game this upcoming Sunday. I have only had the chance to play one game so far, but it was a doozy and tons of fun. Who knew I'd love softball so much?!?

My chin after getting hit in the face by a ball in game #1
Yes, I cried
Yes, I went back out there and kept playing
And yes, I may have scared all my colleagues in Denmark

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

DK

As part of my new job with Vestas, I have been in Denmark for the last week and a half for some training with my new server team. During the week, I have been staying up north in a small town called Randers but this weekend, I made a solo 3 1/2hour drive to Copenhagen.

Copenhagen is a beautiful city full of copper spires and even some canals. During my short time there, I ate some yummy food, toured the palace where the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are supposed to live and took a boat tour (something I always regretted not doing in Amsterdam).

Now I'm back at work and happy that the airports in Denmark are finally opening up tomorrow after the long closure due to the Iclandic volcano ash cloud. I fly out Friday and am hoping no further closures or long delays keep me from getting home.

A famous canal with lots of life and energy, as well as multiple modes of transportation

Amalienborg, the palaces of the royal family but broken down looks like a name out of a sci-fi movie

They get to wear the coolest hats in Amalienborg

Evening silhouettes

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

1st Vestas Business Trip: Pueblo, CO

Last weekend, my new Vestas colleagues and I made our way to Pueblo, Colorado to do some after hours IT work. We were only there overnight and the work took place at an 800 acre site used by Vestas to build towers for the wind turbines.

The goal:
Facilitate the move of a 1000 lb server rack to the new server room.

Though fraught with logistical issues (culminating in a call to an electrician at 10:00 at night), it felt so good to be doing real IT work again, brainstorming for solutions and thinking with a technical perspective. Hopefully, my numerous and neverending round of meetings that I experienced at W+K are a thing of the past.

In the end and despite the unexpected long hours, my team and I stayed positive and got the job done, learning a few things along the way.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Glorious Guatemala

For the past week, I have had the good fortune to travel about Guatemala, and I must say that I had an amazing adventure.

From previous travels in Central/South America, I expected that:: As a rich tourist by Guatemalan standards, someone would try to rip me off (happened at least once); There would be a multitude of stray dogs, shoe shiners and utterances of "No Gracias" on my part; Local men would get all googly-eyed, say "Hola" or whistle when females pass, as is the culture
What I didn't expect was:: The friendliness of the people as smiles and greetings of "Buenas Dias" were so easily given and received in Antigua; Almost everything I did, whether it be yoga, camping or simply walking down the street, would be within view of 1 or more of Guatemala's 30+ volcanoes; I would get to see the city of Antigua transformed as celebrations for Semana Santa (Holy Week) got underway