eptivity

Remember that one time a little over a month ago when I posted about the horrible injustice of working a 40-hour week? That was before I worked a 70-hour week to do all of the desktop publishing and 70+ graphics for a proposal. While I was sick. So that was pretty awesome. Two weeks later, I have recovered enough to return to blogging.

To sum up my absence:

Super Stupendous Camping 2007! Our annual camping trip with Eric, Cenaida, and Tony. Sometimes we let other people come too. This year, we went to Lower Falls Campground on the Lewis River, and I would venture to say it was our best location yet (others: Cape Lookout, Fort Stevens, Wallowa Lake, Memaloose, Silver Falls, Cape Disappointment). The campground is in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, way out of cell phone range. We drove around to the north side of Mount St. Helens and up to Windy Ridge. We went walking along the Lewis River, and Eric disobeyed some sternly worded signs and dove into the (completely undangerous) pool of glacierlike water at the top of some dangerous falls. No pictures from me, but Stephan just got a new camera, and here is what it does.

Temporary and Accidental Dissolution of Library Boycott This one was completely out of my control. Way back on Labor Day weekend, we went to Walla Walla for my grandpa’s birthday, and while we were there we visited some friends and had a great time geocaching and playing games. When we were leaving their house, the conversation turned to a book that I should borrow and read, a retelling of The Phantom of the Opera by Susan Kay. Only I’d never read the original book, seen any of the movies, or attended a performance of the highest-grossing entertainment event of all time. So after I finished the borrowed, retold book, I had to borrow the original from the library. Clearly, this whole ordeal is all Ethan’s fault for loaning me the book in the first place. But then he (and/or his wife, who, truth be told, did most of the work) brought an adorable child named Oliver into the world less than a week ago, so I guess we’ll let this one slide.

Obscure Film Festival We’ve already done the Star Wars and Lord of the Rings (extended) festivals, so this time we decided to pick a theme and make other people than me bring food when it’s their turn to bring the movie. So far, so awesome: Keeping Mum (Matt’s) and Clue (mine).

Geocaching and General Frivolity We had my mom, dad, and brother over for an excellent lunch that my mom made a few weeks ago. We’ve also taken my dad geocaching a couple times–we’ve ended up in some cool places that we otherwise would not have ever thought to go, but somehow this is always preceded by stomping around in a random gully in Marquam Nature Park or Forest Park in a futile search for cache that is somewhere completely different because we entered some numbers incorrectly. It is then that we really appreciate my dad’s presence because he will boldly go where we just don’t want to.

Not Cooking Dinner This has also been the month for eating out. Not only did we make a new rule that I don’t have to cook if I work more than 9 hours in a day, but in this last month, Stephan’s employer sold most of his business, Stephan’s MBA class met for dinner with some professors, and my boss relocated to Boise. So there have been plenty of excuses to go out and celebrate (business sale, MBA) or not (boss relocation).

Other, Secret News No, we are not pregnant.