Movin on Up....

More Florida Vehicular Weirdness

2009-02-06T16:20:00.001-06:00

Florida man issued 50 tickets by police in one day.

Inauguration

2009-01-20T11:21:00.002-06:00

I'm watching President Obama's swearing-in and speech on a big screen in a meeting room at work. It is so exciting to be a small part of history.

He's probably one of the greatest orators of our generation.

Month by Month Update

2009-01-16T13:49:00.002-06:00

I can't figure out a better way to squish several months of updates into one posting, so here we go: a list. Voila.

October: got noise pierced; went to Bozeman, Montana. (Not related, although I needed the week to recover from getting yet another hole in my head.)
November: Drove to St. Louis for Turkey Day to visit family. Brought sweaters. Drove for 16 hours. Stayed over for a work meeting, got to stay in a hotel right across the street from the new Busch Stadium.
December: Had a nice quiet Christmas in Tampa. The Nunezes adopted us for Christmas Day and had us over for some special Dominican Republic plantain lasagne. Nearly blow a gasket because it's so incredibly good.
January: Had a 35-person party squished into our house for New Year's. Bandit was ecstatic the entire night, waiting for food to fall from reveler's hands. Played foosball in the dining room, Rock Band in the living room, and made s'mores by the firepit. All three of us slept for two days afterwards (we're not used to staying up past 10:30 p.m. on the weekends.)
January 8: Got Jane's Christmas card; laughed the entire way through it. (Hello Ciara!)
January 16: Got a promotion at work; I'm now officially a Senior Manager. Whee!
The rest of January 2009 - December 2009: work, commute, hang out with Bandit and Jas, ride motorcycles...

Love, M.

Nice article on the St. Charles Public Library

2008-12-09T08:31:00.002-06:00

From the Kane County Chronicle. I was sorry to hear that the building project has been put on hold for now.

Quiet for awhile

2008-12-08T14:18:00.002-06:00

Hello folks - the blog was silent for awhile, due to high travel times. My high travel times, that is... been to Montana, Dallas and St. Louis in the past little while. Montana was for fun, Dallas for work, and St. Louis was fun/work. We finally put up a few pictures of Montana, although this is no where near the 4 zillion that we actually took (drat that limitation on the free Flickr site!). Montana was absolutely breathtaking (sometimes literally when we hiked up a mountainside). I got to see the St. Louis office while on break for Thanksgiving...extended my time there with a work meeting the week after Turkey Day. It was absolutely fantastic to be back on our home turf and see family.

Jason's doing well, pretty much business as usual. He's on break from his Tuesday night Bible study for now. In a few weeks, we'll have a Masonite intern (Cami) coming to stay with us for a couple of weeks while she gains knowledge of the business world. We're very excited to meet her!

Otherwise, we finally decided on a new car: a Scion TC. It is silver and extremely cute. I gave myself an unexpected shower yesterday by engaging the windshield wiper fluid while the sunroof was open. Yep, I laughed at myself too.

Love ya'll,
M

O-ba-ma! O-ba-ma!

2008-10-21T11:07:00.001-05:00

Played hooky from work and went over to the Obama Rally across the street. Here's the photographic evidence.

Only 2 weeks to go!

Library Bliss

2008-10-10T09:16:00.002-05:00

Stopped by our local public library to browse for some Montana-themed books for a bit of destination reading. Unfortunately, and perhaps logically, most of the books set in Montana are Westerns, not my favorite genre. So I skipped past those and figured that a visit to the Bozeman Public Library would fulfill my need to intersect place and literature.

The bliss part happened when I was steaming through the books on CD section and noticed "Barr" on a call number label. It was Nevada Barr's new book, Winter Study. Even better, Barbara Rosenblatt continues to narrate the books as the voice of park ranger Anna Pigeon. Barbara is the voice of Anna; when she narrates outside of this series, it's difficult and confusing to hear her voice as another character. I'm finishing up with Bill Bryson's trek through the Appalachian Trail in A Walk in the Woods, and eagerly anticipating Anna's new adventure.

(A huge thanks to SueP for introducing me to the writings of Nevada Barr.)

Montana or Bust!

2008-10-05T18:53:00.001-05:00

We're heading up to Bozeman, Montana in the next few weeks, with side trips to Yellowstone. I've never seen Old Faithful and am super excited. Other activities on the very loose schedule are horseback riding for me and fly fishing for Jason. Otherwise, we're going to sleep in and admire the mountains from our rental cabin. After a very busy summer, this will give us the chance to reconnect and relax. The only drawback about the trip is that Bandito can't join us, and so will have to wait another few months to experience colder weather. We'll post some pictures (maybe of wildlife, I hope?) once we return. Until then, westward ho!

Love,
M.

Weird Florida News

2008-09-18T16:01:00.001-05:00

Giant Lizards Invade Florida Town

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/09/18/dnt.fl.iguana.invasion.wpbf

6 Miles & A Splatter of Rain

2008-08-27T11:23:00.002-05:00

To explain the title:

I was at a training conference in Chicago this past week, and was talking to another participant, Somer, during the lunch. She mentioned that she was training for a marathon. When I asked her how long her run was the next day, she chirped, "Six miles! Want to join me?"

Um.

Well, sure, why not? Even though I hadn't run six miles (or five, or four) in one fell swoop since my time in Track & Field at Edwardsville Junior High School (Go Wildcats!), I decided to give it a go.

We met at 5:30 to run along the lake. It actually was not as painful as I imagined it to be, mostly because I was propped up by my pride (didn't want to die in front of someone I just met), encouragement from the other 500 healthy people running/biking/swimming alongside us, and the fact that if I stopped, I would have to take a taxi home and I had only $3 stuffed into my sportsbra.

The next day wasn't too atrocious. My right knee was groaning, but that's the price of getting older. That part stinks.

So I'm taking my running shoes and clothes everywhere I travel. I've found it's a fantastic way to see a city up-close (trust me, I don't run so fast as to miss the sights) and gets the lead out after sitting in a room all day. Haven't noticed a fabulous weight loss or major toning yet, but it does make me feel happy. (When it's all over.)

So.. the splatter part. TS Fay was bearing down on Tampa Bay when I left for Chicago last week. In fact, I rearranged my flight to get out of Tampa before it was supposed to hit. So after worrying that I'd return to a roofless house, Jason called to assure me that the week had been completely sunny and clear. So much for Fay.

Next up: Tropical Storm Gustav. Stay tuned.

Batten Down the Hatches

2008-08-18T07:18:00.003-05:00

Tropical Storm Fay is on its way! It's headed straight for Tampa Bay by way of Cuba, and should make landfall on Tuesday. IF.. it doesn't peter out somewhere along the way.

I'm supposed to fly out to Chicago on Tuesday AM. At the moment it's sunny and clear, which gives me hope that it might still happen.

However we're packing up the hurricane kits (food, water, cage for Bandit, emergency toliet paper) anyway just to be sure.

We'll keep you posted.

Eating Healthy is No Fun

2008-08-12T15:51:00.002-05:00

Friends from Morningstar Church have embarked upon the Six Pack Abs program, a healthy eating/exercise initiative. Jason and I have gotten sucked into the foray, and decided that we should change some of our rather junky eating habits. Not that we're chowing down on Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzards every night (we wish), but we could do with some changes. Due to our desk jobs and creeping ages, we've noticed a bit more of the squish. "Squish" is what I call areas of the body that aren't hooked up with your metabolism anymore.

More fresh fruits and veggies have made their way into our house. I'm generally eating 2 vegetarian meals a day, with chicken or fish thrown in for dinner, for protein. Our grocery bill has skyrocketed with the cost of fresh foods, but it's cheaper than a hospital bill due to heart disease or diabetes, yes?

The hardest part for me has been cutting out sweets. Oh how I love you, 3 Musketeers. How I miss you, York Peppermint Patty. With a few "cut me some slack" moments, I've managed to stave off processed sugar.

A colleague at work pointed me to a terrific calorie and nutrition tracking site (free, bonus!) called Nutrition Data. This week I'm shifting my meal tracking from a notebook to this site.

With this has been a pretty hefty exercise routine. I've started doing an athelete "boot camp" on Saturday mornings, which kicks my butt from here to the moon. Jas is running nearly a 5k every other day (to the public library and back) and his legs look great! I'm puffing through 2 miles of run/walk in addition to weight lifting. So far I haven't noticed quite the physical change that Jas is experiencing, dang that testosterone! It's so unfair.

So, as long as we can keep it going, it'll become a habit. I know we're feeling more energized and sleeping better at night. It's all worth it in the end.

Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading?

2008-07-29T07:16:00.000-05:00

New York Times article on internet vs. book literacy.

Series description:
The Future of Reading: Digital Versus Print
This is the first in a series of articles that will look at how the Internet and other technological and social forces are changing the way people read.

Rest in Peace, sweet kitty

2008-07-28T09:24:00.002-05:00

It's with a heavy heart that I type... our 16-year-old orange kitty, Ziggy, passed away about two months ago. I've dreaded putting it out on the blog, since that seems to make it more of a reality somehow. We were able to give him two more weeks through use of medication for his kidney failure, but at the end we knew it was time to let him go gracefully and peacefully.

He was our "travellin' kitty" and accompanied me, and then Jason, on every relocation that we made. He went from the farm bully to a fuzzy lapcat during his lifetime. Ziggy was my live heating pad while I read; he loved to curl up on Jason's chest at night. We never minded the marmalade "tumblefur" that invaded our house and our noses. Ziggy was Jason's comfort and good buddy when the two of them made the move to St. Charles, three months before I did. He was quiet (except for feeding time), dignified, and truly a family member.

We miss you, Zig.

Rocket... Family

2008-06-15T18:23:00.003-05:00

Jason's parents were in town for his b-day (his 25th :) ), which was super cool. One of the highlights of the trip was driving across FLO to see the Discovery shuttle launch. This was the second launch that we've seen (the first was a nighttime), but far better to share it with family.

Last weekend, we went to our friends' wedding in Orlando. Rather, it was outside of Orlando (thankfully; the whole Mickey Mouse thing creeps me out) at a wonderful resort with a lazy river. We took full advantage of being lazy and just enjoyed the weekend. Here's us after the wedding, under the bride and groom's chuppa. We're pretending to get hitched again, Jewish-style.

So that's the big update. Otherwise I've been reading lots and hanging out with Bandito. Work is going better than it has with my transition to the new emphasis on the learning & training role.

Hope all is well~

Conference Fun

2008-04-23T18:47:00.002-05:00

I'm so jazzed up... got into a spot in the She Speaks Conference, sponsored by Proverbs 31 Ministries. I saw it a year ago on their website, but when I checked again the site reported that the conference was full. Lo and behold, spots open up on the waiting list and I got in!! I'm taking the writer's track so I can learn how to write for magazines... my goal is to be published in a Christian women's magazine in the next year.

Jas has been incredibly encouraging about me going, despite the cost and the fact that it may take away from our vacation time together... I'm very fortunate that he's been supporting me in my effort in the last two years to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. This conference is one small step towards doing the things I want to do as opposed to baking in a cubicle all day.

I'm excited to see what God has in store for me at the conference....

As a side note, one of my favorite verses in the Bible is from Proverbs 31. I wrote it on a post-it when I first started my job a year ago to give me perspective through the difficult days:

"She is clothed in strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." - Proverbs 31:25

Almost Sliced Bread

2008-04-23T18:31:00.002-05:00

I know this site isn't new to most of you, but I am in love with CraigsList.com. We had our first experience with Craig's List when we put the Jeep Wrangler up for sale a few months back. Well I'll be darned if we didn't have 11 people call us within the first several hours of the posting. The second guy bought it for nearly asking price.

So now I'm on to scouring the classified ads site for lanai (patio) furniture and a picnic table. The joy of Craig's List is its simplicity and free posting status. Yeah, there's lots of junk, but I've never let that deter me from a good resale shop or flea market.

Don't get me wrong; I still have affection for eBay. Craig's List has just captured my fickle little heart for the time being.

Welcome Spring! .... Oh, Nevermind.

2008-04-07T08:28:00.003-05:00

We had about 16 hours of Spring and then *poof* right into Summer. Some of you may dislike me intensely for saying this, but I do miss seeing the emergence of green shoots and Spring flowers after a long winter. Not that I long for the 6 months of cold and snow beforehand.

Jas and I have been out and about lately. About a month ago we took a mini-vacation to the land of the mouse, Orlando. One of my favorite bands, Third Day, was playing at the House of Blues. It was a fantastic concert and we both burned about 500 calories jumping around and waving our hands in the air. The second night that we were there, we had the opportunity to snag the last 2 tickets to Cirque de Soleil. It was amazing!

We were able to easily resist the Mouse activities mainly through sticker shock. It seems that families either have to use their home equity or their children's college funds to vacation in Orlando.

Otherwise, we're gearing up for attending a couple of weddings this summer. We already went to a beautiful one for our friends Kelly and Daniel at the Ybor City Museum.

I took a day of vacation last week and headed to the beach. I still can't believe the beach is a mere 20 miles away, as opposed to 1,000. It's a very odd feeling for a native, land-lubber Illinoisan to take one day off (as opposed to seven) and find myself with sand between my toes. One of my favorite beaches here is the relatively undeveloped Honeymoon Island.

Jas has been travelling quite a bit this month - to Chicago, Boston and Texas. His Texas adventure is at a hunting ranch that can't be located on Mapquest. (It's a sales meeting/good ol' boy retreat. I'm very, very frightened. I told Jas to run the other direction if he sees an orange hunting vest in the wild.)

So that's our lives in a nutshell here recently. Love to ya'll (as they say in Texas.)

The Passing of Miss Buns, aka "Chuck"

2008-02-27T11:30:00.002-06:00

I am sad to report that Miss Buns, aka "Chuck", has passed into Bunny Heaven. She was a crazy little rabbit, although we loved her for her spirit and conviction that no human would ever hold her down. (Or, simply hold her.)

When we moved to Florida, we made the decision to rent, rather than buy, a home. Since Miss Bun's favorite pasttime was pulling up carpet with her teeth, we knew that we couldn't move her into a home that someone else owned. Through Jason's dad, we secured her a new, loving home on a farm. We quickly received reports that Miss Buns (renamed "Chuck" at this point by one of the daughters) was happily romping on the farm and had made friends with a duck.

A year and half of bunny bliss passes...we put her picture on our refridge to remind us of the interesting times that we had with Miss Buns... and then, we hear that she has passed. Miss Buns caught pneumonia. Any sickness can be deadly to bunnies, as their systems are very delicate. She rallied for a while, but then passed away.

While we're very sad to hear of the end of her life, she did live a good six years - which is quite a bit for a rabbit. She had free reign on the farm to run and play with the rest of the menagerie. And we'll always have fond, and sometimes a bit scary, memories of Miss Buns.

A Few Good Books

2008-02-13T06:42:00.003-06:00

Jason is out of town this week at the International Builders Show, so I'm having a read-a-thon. Here's what I've read lately or am in process of reading:

Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil by Deborah Rodriguez
The story of a Michigan beautician and a few Afghan women who strive to make their lives better despite oppressive circumstances. (J picked this one out for me at the Library - I keep teasing him that he's an honorary Librarian.)

Lineage of Grace Series by Francine Rivers
Five fiction books illuminating women of the Bible, in Christ's lineage.

If you need more suggestions of books to read, check out the new St. Charles Public Library Readers' Services blog - it's fantastic!

Fewer People Moving to Florida

2008-01-16T10:22:00.000-06:00

... which is good news, according to one of my favorite authors, Carl Hiaasen. To quote:

"The mad stampede of new residents into Florida is finally slowing down, the inevitable result of high taxes, miserable traffic, overcrowded classrooms and other unappealing urban problems."

Beautifully summed up, Carl. The recent Sunshine State survey also reported that 1/3 of the respondents said they can't wait to pack up a U-Haul and make tracks for another state with a few less problems.

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T15:31:00.000-06:00

Here's to a healthy, prosperous New Year!

Palm Tree Christmas

2007-12-02T17:14:00.001-06:00

We've spent the past two weekends decorating the exterior and interior of the house for Christmas.

In shorts and t-shirts.

How odd, huh?

It is very strange to sweat while wrapping colorful lights around the base of a palm tree. The typical M.O. of Florida yards is to put out every single light that can be obtained at Lowe's, add a dash of inflatable Snowman, and of course, dig out the plastic Santa. Our neighborhood yards look like Christmas threw up.

I think Floridians try to make up for the lack of snow with an abundance of decorations. And we are slowing getting sucked into that mentally... we found some spare lights today, so we hastily put them around the doorway, just in case our across-the-street neighbor wasn't impressed yet.
Seriously, it is such a great feeling to finally decorate for the season. For the past decade we've gone out of town, so it hasn't made sense to buy a tree and put up lights. This year, the Caulk household is Christmas Central. My folks are coming down from Arkie, my aunt from the middle of Illinois, and hopefully Jason's parents as well. My sister, her husband, three kids and dog may also make the trip from Ft. Lauderdale. It will be a completely full household, and I can't think of a better way to spend Christmas.

I'm sure we'll post pictures of the lighted masterpiece that is our house soon.

Love to ya'll,
Michelle

A Bunny that doesn't chew, poop or bite!

2007-10-31T13:30:00.000-05:00

From Yahoo Tech:

Nabaztag is a Wi-Fi enabled bunny that can gather information from around the Internet, and reads it for you. If you want to know what's happening on your favorite blogs, you simply go to Nabaztag.com, add your favorite RSS feeds to your Nabcasts feeds, and it'll read the latest headlines every 20 minutes (you can change the frequency). The latest version has a microphone on its navel so you can talk to your rabbit. Anytime you press a button between its ears, and give him a command such as "weather", it's quick to respond. You can send voice messages to other Nabaztag owners by speaking into its navel, as well.

Since the bunny has speakers, you can easily stream music or play podcasts you find on the Web for an unlimited time. It also has an audio output on his back so you can connect headphones or speakers, depending on your situation. If you're at work, you might want to keep him plugged to your headphones, but if you keep it at home, you can set it anywhere in the house so it can keep you updated on incoming email, weather, stocks, or news headlines.

I am so adding to my Christmas list.

Surrounded by Books

2007-10-26T17:35:00.000-05:00

I am in NY for a work meeting, and the hotel closest to the office is... the Library Hotel. (That's right, everybody scream in excitement!) For those of you who are not in the library loop (and if you aren't, why the heck not?), the Library Hotel names and decorates its rooms after the Dewey Decimal System. I just spent a half hour running around all 12 floors of the hotel, looking for my favorites. (Yes, literature IS on the 8th floor. I had to check.) My room is Native American Religions, and the bookshelves are full of well-loved books on pretty much everything Native American. I appreciate that they stocked the shelves with books more likely seen in a yard sale box then those fakey "leather"-bound buy-it-off-the-shelf libraries.

*Sigh* A haven for bibliophiles in a very busy city. I'd get out to adventure more tonight, but it's rainy and cold. At least I have about 10,000 books at my disposal right here in the hotel.

'Night,
M.

Save the Planet and Buy a Sportscar

2007-10-20T18:54:00.000-05:00

Hello friends - well, I should have put a comma in between in the title, since these two aren't exactly related. Unless you consider the gas mileage and emissions of a Humvee...

My girlfriend Lisa told me about these fab little Envirosax that you can take with you to the grocery store. These fab little reusable, and fashionable, bags are my new way of helping reduce our footprint (in this case, not carbon but trashy!) on the world. Lisa will call herself "granola" for using these, but in reality, it's smart. Just imagine, your pantry will be clean of all those annoying little plastic bags that seem to reproduce overnight....

On to the sportscar reference: J & I have spent much of the last two weekends hunting down a new car. Since it is our mission in life to drive the most impractical cars out there, we are continuing the tradition by looking at a Nissan 350 Z, Mini Cooper S, Infiniti G35, and an Audi TT. I am leaning more towards the Mini (since it is an adorable, and fast, little convertible) and Jason likes the Audi and the Infiniti. Weigh in and let us know your preference. We sure aren't moving too fast on making a decision, but that could be partly because of the sentimental attachment to the Toyota MR2 that we currently have.

Otherwise, I'll be traveling up a storm this next week. I'm heading to Chi-town to give a training to new hires (ah, so impressionable), New York again for a strategy meeting, and to Monterey, CA for the Internet Librarian conference. I am ecstatic about the IL conference, since I see it as a time of professional development/spiritual & God realignment/relaxation. It's impossible to go to Monterey and not feel some reawakening of the soul, it's so beautiful.

Enough ramblings for the night. Hope all is well with you and be sure to shoot us an email or phone call soon.

xoxoxo,
Michelle

Welcome to fall

2007-09-29T18:21:00.000-05:00

It's a chilly 75 degrees outside and the wind is whipping around like there's a hurricane on the horizon. None yet, thankfully.

Since Jason last posted sometime back in 1993, you are stuck with my one-sided account of how things are going. I will bug him to exercise his creative writing skills for the blog soon.

An update since the Labor Day/we-adopted-an-Aussie-momentarily post. First, I was offered the manager position at work and have decided to take it. What this basically means is that a) my boss was able to guilt me into acquiring a Blackberry; b) the Blackberry is turned off after 5 p.m. M-F and is quiet in my purse all weekend; c) I will get to do more project and people management and d) it's great fodder for the ol' resume.

On a personal note, I just returned from visiting Lisa, Jeff and Baby Jeli in California. They had the baby shower, and to my joy, I was able to spend the weekend with them. Email and IM are decent ways to keep up with long-distance friends, but there's nothing like seeing an old "flush buddy" in person. The time we spent together was such a blessing, and it's wonderful to see them anticipating the birth of their little girl with such happiness and gratitude to God.

Jennie and Eric (Jason's sister and brother-in-law) are coming to visit next weekend. We have a full agenda planned, topped by crablegs and the Museum of Science and Industry. I hope they remember their swimming suits...

Love to all,
M.

Hello Sabbatical

2007-09-12T11:49:00.000-05:00

That's it, I'm taking a leave of absence and touring the most beautiful libraries of the world.

Look for a postcard from me.

Good for breakfast, lunch or dinner...

2007-09-04T16:46:00.000-05:00

Jason usually makes both of us lunch on the weekends (well, he makes all of the meals on weekends when we don't go out). Those of you who are familiar with my eating habits know that I will blindly grab anything from the pantry that doesn't require slicing, dicing, julienneing, or for that matter, heating, and call it a meal. It is not unknown for Jason to go on a business trip and for me to consider a decent dinner a plateful of Triscuits, mini gerhkins, some cheese and a brownie.

But, hold on to your cookbooks. I have a suggestion for a quick, easy, and nutritious sandwich. I can't take credit for the creation, because a restaurant in Urbana, IL was the originator. Here you go:

Monkey Sandwich
2 slices whole-wheat bread
1 banana
1-2 tablespoons peanut butter (extra crunchy is the PB of Champions)
Some coconut flakes
Drizzle of honey
Sliced almonds (optional)

Take pieces of bread and put on a plate. Spread PB. Slice banana and squish gently into peanut butter. Sprinkle coconut flakes, then drizzle honey. Take second slice of bread and place onto masterpiece. Gently push almonds into top of bread slice. (Toasting of the bread is optional, but don't bet on keeping the almonds on top afterwards.)

Trust me, it's GOOD.

Loads o' updates

2007-08-26T16:40:00.000-05:00

Hello from the Humid State!

Where do I begin? It's been a hectic month of August. I've been traveling like crazy - to New York (twice), Atlanta, Ft. Lauderdale, St. Charles/Chicago, Philadelphia and Orlando. Lots of training classes and website redesign meetings for work, but also fun trips to see friends in StC and Stacy in on the other side of FLO.

I hadn't been back to St. Charles in a full year - in fact, we moved the third week of August 2006. I admit that I cried when the plane touched down at Midway (and it wasn't from a fear of teetering off the runway, as some planes have done in the past at that crapshoot of an airport.) Got to spend tons of time with friends and library colleagues, as well as giving myself a tour of the outside of the old house on 6th St. Strangely enough, it hasn't been occupied for the past year, and looks almost exactly as it was when we left it. With the addition of several more weeds.

It was cold and rainy along the Fox River, so I actually bought a sweater for the first time in a year. (!) An excuse to stop by H&M, really....

A visit to Christ Community Church was also on the list. They're building a second addition to the Kids' World, and it looks amazing. Pastor Jim was still on summer sabbatical (bummer) but it was great to see old friends anyway.

Another major event in the Caulk household is that we were doggie parents of an Australian Shepherd for a few days. Our dog walker, Jim, noticed him on our portico when he came to walk Bandit. The Aussie followed him into the house like he owned the place, and proceeded to follow Jim and Bandit on their Wednesday walk. Not knowing what else to do, Jim put the new dog in the backyard. Jason found out from the vet that the Aussie (now dubbed Hobbes at this point) had a microchip and was registered, but the owner never called.

Unfortunately it was a no-go for Bandit, who wondered rather verbally who this interloper was. After a pretty intense session of growling and bared teeth, it was obvious that Mr. Spoiled wasn't going to allow another dog in the house. Understandable, considering that Bandit has spent the last nine years as Head Dog.

So, we were able to turn him over to the local Aussie rescue foster group, where he was adopted. Hobbes is enjoying his new life as one part of a pair, and loves his new family. So a good ending, although it was tough to let him go. (Check out the video to see why - dog eyebrows just kill me.)

Jas is transitioning to his new role as the director of product management for the interior door line. I have no doubt that he'll do a great job. Our jobs have really been stretching us like a bunch of Gumbys in terms of new experiences and challenges. I find out at the beginning of next month whether or not I will progress to the manager level. That is a positive step, as long as Blackberry ownership isn't required. :)

After a summer break, both of our Bible study groups start back up next week. Jason is doing one with a group of 20 & 30 somethings from our church, and I'm leading a women's group through Bible Study Fellowship. We're studying Matthew this semester, which I'm looking forward to.

Happy Labor Day! Hope you all are able to kick back and relax.

Love,
Michelle

Library Tribute from Garrison Keillor

2007-07-05T07:14:00.001-05:00

Garrison Keillor writes a love letter to public libraries in "The Liberating Silence of the Library."

(If the article doesn't appear right away on the screen, go to the 90-day archive and click on 6/26/2007.)

"The library is the temple of freedom. Growing up, we kids were aware of how much of our lives was a performance for adults. In school, at church, in Scouts, adults were watching, cueing you, coaching, encouraging, commenting, but in the library, you didn't have to perform for the librarian. She simply presided over an orderly world in which you had the freedom of your own imagination. The silence was not repressive but liberating: to allow your imagination to play, uninhibited by others. "

Chopin, Mozart, and Caulk....

2007-07-04T10:29:00.000-05:00

Hello all,

Enough fan mail has arrived calling for my return that I've decided to break Michelle's string of rants so as to share a post of my own.

Things here on the surface of the Sun are going well. I'm certain I'm the last one in the family to adjust to the Florida summer weather. Heck, Bandit stays outside longer than I do and he's got 3 inches of fur, black fur at that. Course, my devotion to keeping the albino complexion in vogue keeps me from bronzing up like Michelle does. I'm convinced that if I spent as much time in the sun as Michelle does I would simply catch on fire.

As a result of my desire to find productive things to do - indoors - we recently made the decision to acquire a new noise maker. After years of looking (and saving) I finally convinced myself to purchase a piano. A digital piano at that. Little did I realize that the next Yamaha I would buy would be one with keys and chords instead of wheels and a motor. As for any buyer's remorse, it's the furthest thing from my mind. I'm convinced the money was well spent and my free time from here on out will never be the same. The instrument is sophisticated enough to not only teach one how to play but can connect to the internet wirelessly and has a super cool karaoke function. You should hear Michelle belt out a tune or two... It's so rewarding to see her live her faith out loud by following God's command to make a joyful noise. Sadly the animals don't share my appreciation. Bandit does like to howl along though.

Hopefully you're all doing well too. Please know that you always have an open invite to visit. Just remember to bring a song on your next visit. Hope to see you soon...

Until next time.
Jas

'Twas the Night Before the Fourth....

2007-07-03T20:38:00.000-05:00

...the neighbors were shooting off bottle rockets and the cat was snug under the bed, eyes as large as saucers...

Fireworks are legal in Florida (as well as concealed weapons, but that's another story) so no longer do we have to cross the border to MO or IN to procure a little pyrotechnics!

Update on assorted stuff:

For those of you who are curious how Bandit deals with the brutal heat and humidity, here's the answer: he blows his coat (sheds) and then regrows it twice as fluffy and soft. Yeah, we don't get it either. However, never fear, because the little guy wanders out to the pool deck and flops down in the direct sun for 20-minute naps. (The theory is, he's working on his tan, although we can't see it under the massive fur.)

Work is speeding right along. I'm still getting adjusted to the corporate life, although the transition has smoothed out somewhat. I have half-formed ideas bouncing around in my head regarding writing an article about making the career switch from public libraries to corporate. Just need a few isolated hours to get it onto the hard drive.

The new motorcycle has been an absolute blast for both Jason and me. I'm planning to get a "Ride 2 Live" tattoo this weekend to celebrate the new biker lifestyle. (Just kidding, Mom. Keep breathing.)

We've made some very good friends through work and church. That's the toughest part about moving and getting resettled. People always talk about chemistry in dating relationships, but it's also true for friendships. Some fizzle out pretty quickly, and some naturally click. We're getting to that clicking stage.

And finally, I'm back to volunteering. I lead a Month of Community Service event through work; the team of very dedicated volunteers performed assorted projects for the local homeless shelter/food bank, Metropolitan Ministries. We stuffed hundreds of pencil cases for a school supply drive, packed food boxes for families and helped out in the thrift store. And last Wednesday I went with church friends to the Hope Lodge, which provides housing for patients and families who are enduring cancer treatments. It was tough to see the difficulties the families were facing, but we all had a moment of joy with free hot dogs and sparklers. It really doesn't take much.

So, Happy 4th to you all! Enjoy your freedom and find a soldier to thank.

Love,

Michelle

The Total Weirdness that is Florida

2007-06-28T06:52:00.000-05:00

A Florida man awoke with a severe headache and asked his wife to drive him to a hospital, where doctors found a bullet lodged behind his right ear, sheriff's deputies said. [Link to Full Story.]

Here's the thing about this article: it's not surprising. Odd stuff like this happens all the time in Florida.

The question that's been bugging me about this story - is the couple still together? Will the husband check his soup for poison every dinner? Does he sleep in the guest bedroom now?

A Loss and An Addition

2007-06-25T07:14:00.000-05:00

The Florida Caulk contingent has experienced both a loss and an addition.

I'm sad to report that Mr. Fish passed away two weeks ago. He was quite the trooper, as far as goldfish go. Mr. Fish started life in a small bowl with a compatriot named Chekov. (Mr. Fish started life as "Tolstoy", but once Chekov passed, it didn't seem to make as much sense. He seemed content either way.) During our journey from St. Charles to Tampa, he sloshed around in a red thermos, which had its lid popped for air. There were several close calls, but a pinch of salt later, he made it safely to the new house and a deluxe tank. Unfortunately, the lifespan of the common household goldfish isn't very long, and he went to the great sea in the sky after 2 years. We were always glad to have him as a member of our animal menagerie.

The more uplifting news is that we took the plunge and bought a new motorcycle! It is a gorgeous 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 650, silver with red. I've been using it mainly for trips to the library and grocery store, although I plan to ride it to work as well. It has been over a year since I obtained my motorcycle license during a very soggy, cold April weekend.

Of course, the bike wouldn't be part of the family without a proper name. The new ride has been dubbed "Studs." Here's the story: Jason and I were walking Bandit one evening, and I casually mentioned that our five-year anniversary is approaching in November. I also casually mentioned that it would be great to be surprised with diamond earrings to celebrate the day. He stopped in the middle of the street, looked at me patiently, and said, "Babe, your diamond studs have an engine, two wheels and they're parked in the garage."

Oh. Okay then, let's ride!

(You can't wear earrings underneath a helmet, anyway.)

~M.

Life in the Normal Lane

2007-05-21T06:33:00.000-05:00

...which in Tampa, is the far-right lane. A morning in traffic here gets the blood flowing, as there's a mix of caffiene-crazed, wild-eyed commuters, white-haired snowbirds going 30 miles under the speed limit, and those of us who just want to make it to work alive.

So what's new with us? Well, we found a church that we like quite a bit - Morningstar. It is 7 years old and meets in a local high school. It is quite a change from Christ Community, with its 3,000+ members - Morningstar has only 150 members. What stood out to us about Morningstar (after visiting at least six different churches) was the passion of the people and the solid teaching of the pastor. We're already seeking ways to get involved through a Bible study and serving opportunities. It's great to finally have a church home.

And while we're on the topic of churchy things, I was asked to be a group discussion leader in the Fall for the Bible Study Fellowship. BSF is an extremely intensive 7-year Bible study, with one book of the Bible covered per year. When we first moved here, I thought I'd take a break from leadership - goes to show how well my own plans stand up to God's. :)

We also resigned our rental agreement on the house - yay, no packing and no moving hassle! Although there are several other homes in our neighborhood for rent, I was stressing about where our roof would be come the end of August. Of course, with the hurricane season, our roof may literally end up down the block anyway.

Speaking of hurricane season (which begins June 1), we're all in the midst of preparing. Every time we go to the grocery store, we stock up on bottled water and things that require a can opener. If we are forced to evacuate, we also need to consider what to do with the zoo - Mr. Fish, Bandit and Ziggy. Thankfully, one of the local high schools will allow a limited number of crated animals. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Hope all is well with you.

Love,
M.

Travel Bug

2007-04-16T10:32:00.000-05:00

I've been traveling quite a bit lately, mostly for work. In the fall, I had the opportunity visit Monterey for the Internet Librarian conference. Last Friday, I flew into Chicago to give a presentation for work on company search strategies. (That was a roundabout day - flew in at 10 a.m. to Midway and flew out six hours later from O'Hare.) Today I'm at the Computers in Libraries conference in Arlington, VA (land of large, tan-colored buildings.) Next weekend, Jason and I are heading to the live music capital of the United States - Austin, Texas. It will be great to have a little break, as we've both been working too much. J is averaging 60+ hours a week, and I'm hovering somewhere around 45 - 50. For the time being, this schedule is fine, but we agree that it shouldn't last forever. There are way too many dog parks to explore with Bandit, too many great books to spend time in, and too many days that go by outside of the confines of our office buildings. What do you think we should be when we grow up? What do you want to be? Let me know!

Peeps Special for Easter

2007-04-03T08:07:00.000-05:00

Yeah, yeah, I know Easter isn't all about the candy and cute bunnies. But, can we take a moment and focus on those awful marshmalllowy confections called Peeps? No longer are they confined to just Easter - there are gingerbread Peeps, snowman Peeps, black cat Peeps... the list goes on and on. In honor of Peeps (although, as my family can tell you, I detest the little things), here are a few of the more creative ways people have used Peeps:

Peeps in a Microwave (we did this once to a gingerbread Peep over Thanksgiving. Healthy family fun!)
Lord of the Peeps - The Fellowship of the Peeps
Peeps Doing Research at Milikin University

You, too, can join the Peep fanclub.

Happy Peepin' Easter!

Signs It's Spring in Florida

2007-04-03T07:38:00.000-05:00

1. Those oh-so-wintery brown and black flip-flops are rotated to the back of the closet in preference of the hot pink and bright orange ones.
2. Floridians stop shivering in their long-sleeve t-shirts and gleefully move on to tank tops.
3. It rained. For a day.
4. Convertible tops retreat after a month of being exposed.
5. Allergies resurface (after all, we do live in a moldy swamp.)

Happy Spring! I hope it isn't snowing where you are. If it is, remember that Casa Caulk is open year-round for visitors - we'll even feed you chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast.

The Joy of Corporate-Speak

2007-03-08T12:33:00.000-06:00

Every industry has a language of its own. Common language creates a sense of identity and belonging. Public libraries, for instance, are notorious for the TLAs, or Three Letter Acronyms. I have noticed the same dynamic in the corporate world, although the words themselves tend to change faster than hurricane season in Florida, sweeping through the executive peoples, then down to the minions.

Some examples, their definitions, and uses (or abuses):

Leverage: to utilize a skill, talent or experience. "We will leverage the tax team to create a brochure titled, Taxes and You: Without Both, There Would Be No Roads." I once counted the number of times a Head Cheese used "leverage" in his half-hour speech: 10 times. Please, for the love of all things linguistic, use a thesaurus.

Talk Offline (or Take It Offline): when it's in the best interest not to discuss an issue in a meeting or conference call. "That's really a topic that's of interest to no one here but you, Phil, so let's talk offline."

Bandwidth: the availability to take on a new project. "This project needs to be done by yesterday. Check Michelle's bandwidth and see if she can finish it."

Town Hall: a meeting between senior management and the little people. "We have to go to another Town Hall to hear about the company's strategy. If they make us drink the Kool-Aid this time, I'm so outta there."

Oligopoly: when two or three major companies dominate market share. Ok, so this isn't a corporate cliché; I just love the word. It sounds like one of the Muppets. "Big Bird and Mr. Oligopoly went on a field trip to the zoo, where they were shocked - just shocked - to see the bars on the cages."

Want more? Go to The Office Life.

Book on CD Overload

2007-03-02T09:52:00.000-06:00

Since my commute is about 30 minutes each way, I've run rampant through the library's books on CD collection. Some of my latest picks:

The entire Sue Grafton Kinsey Millhone series (fabulous narrator)
Girl, 15, Charming But Insane (British YA humor from Sue Limb)
Fandom of the Operator by weirdo Robert Rankin (author of Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse.)
Dana Stabenow's Kate Shugak series (akin to Nevada Barr and her National Park mystery series, although Kate remains in one park in Alaska. Brrrr.)

I'm hooked on mysteries now. Someone please send me some suggestions, 'cause I'm nearly to the end of the library's smallish collection.

A Broken Door

2007-02-21T07:31:00.000-06:00

It has taken me almost a month and a half to sort out and reassemble into thoughts a frightening intrusion that happened to Jason and me...here are the details:

I came home on Monday during the early evening to find a police officer and our neighbor Chris standing in our driveway. As if that wasn't alarming enough, the double front doors of the house were standing wide open. The police officer reported that someone had kicked in the front doors and taken several items from the office and our bedroom. I ran through each room, seeing drawers pulled open and papers thrown everywhere. Ziggy was hiding under the bed, eyes as wide as saucers. In my blind panic, I realized that Bandit had escaped.

Chris quickly informed me that our neighbors next door (bless them) had noticed a dog running around the neighborhood for about an hour before he planted himself in their front yard. They realized that the husky was ours and put him safely in their backyard. My theory is that Bandit had a blissful taste of freedom before becoming completely confused about where his new house was ... he tired out, ended up in the proximity and waited for further direction!

An inventory of the items missing reveled that the theives had taken our flat screen computer monitor, my MP3 player, a laptop, and unfortunately much of my jewelry. Most of the jewelry pieces were costume, with the exception of a necklace Jason had given me as a gift. Although they got into our small safe, no personal documents were taken. I do keep reasoning that it could have been much worse, which is certainly true.

Our beloved pets are safe and so are we. That's what counts. We have reassessed our personal safety measures within the house, and activated an alarm system. I slept with a baseball bat next to the bed for several weeks. The doors are fixed and reinforced. For the moment, that's all we can do to assure it won't happen again. The feeling of of being unsafe in the place that is supposed to provide solice and comfort - our home - is slowly easing over time.

For the friends and family who knew about it, thanks for your prayers and encouraging words. As I've talked to people about it, I've come to realize that this type of event is exceedingly common. It is difficult to understand why someone would believe breaking into a home is an acceptable behavior, but that's the way it is, simply put. It's not our place to feel bitter or angry over the long-term as a result of the crime, but to forgive and move on.

Love to all,
M.

Yum, Links!

2007-01-12T14:27:00.000-06:00

I started a del.icio.us collection. Gee almighty, do I feel hip.

Enjoy.

...And Happy New Year, Too

2007-01-05T07:20:00.000-06:00

We made it through airport security and back out again (Chapstick intact) during the Christmas vacation to St. Louis. I nearly cried when we landed in Missouri, homesickness hitting me in one big wave. Then we went outside in the 35-degree weather and I realized that I never want to live north of, say, Alabama, again. Funny how wimpy I've gotten in just four months.

That aside, it was wonderful to see family and friends. We spent a few laid-back days ripping into presents, eating cookies, chatting, eating more cookies... Then a road-trip up to Springfield, IL to visit the new Lincoln Library & Museum. The Museum was highly interactive and very well presented - it's worth the trip to Springfield just to spend a few hours discovering what made Lincoln's presidency so history-changing.

J and I were motivated by high holiday cookie consumption to jump back into the weight-lifting routine. The first day after was brutal - even lifting a can of Diet Coke was torture. However, we've recovered from sore muscles and are striving for three sessions a week. Bandit sits with us on the padded mat, acting as our personal trainer. (Actually, he mainly sleeps, which reminds us of what we'd rather be doing at the moment.)

So, has anyone made any resolutions? I heard somewhere that diet/exercise is the most popular resolution, followed by purchasing a motorcycle. Oh, wait, that's mine!

Happy New Year, all!

With love,
~M

Merry Christmas to All!

2006-12-22T08:27:00.000-06:00

We are heading home to St. Louis for the Christmas holiday. Presents are (almost) packed, sweaters have been found, and the pet sitter has been called in. I'm almost giddy about seeing my breath in the air for the first time; finally, I will know it's Christmas!

During the rush of buying presents, plane tickets and wool socks, I've found it easy to disregard the real meaning of Christmas - simply that we should celebrate the birth of Jesus and the promises that He brought with Him.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Have a wonderful Christmas and a promising New Year.

Love,
Michelle

Comparisonitis

2006-11-16T13:44:00.000-06:00

Once the excitement of living in a new place dies down a bit, it's natural to start the comparisons between the "before life" and the "after life". I try hard not to do it on a daily basis, because as the Sara Groves song says, you can't go back to the way things were, and well, they weren't always as great as you think they were anyway.

All that aside, here are the differences between there and here:

I miss friends most of all
Walking to downtown St. Charles for the Scarecrow Festival and Geneva for dinner with Jason and Jenna
My colleagues at STCPL
Our church, Christ Community Church, and its amazing leader, Pastor Jim
Having Mondays off to take Bandit to the dog park
Feeling a part of a smaller, very devoted community

But, here:

Much more cultural diversity
The sunshine, the sunshine, the sunshine
New friends who I've met and haven't met yet
New opportunities to make our impressions on the community surrounding us - be it Tampa, a church or a non-profit organization
The ability to try new things - sea kayaking, swimming in the ocean, feeding pelicans

One of the biggest challenges has been finding a church that fits right. Christ Community in St. Charles was well-established and had around 3,000 members. The church we've frequented here has about 100 people, meets in a middle school, and has been around for a year. Big difference, eh?

The thing that we've been holding onto very tightly these past three months is that God has brought us here for a purpose. The changes may be uncomfortable at best and heart-wrenching at worst, but we grip to the belief that the time here isn't wasted.

What I Do

2006-11-02T09:29:00.000-06:00

Some people have asked what I do now that I'm in my new role with a corporate library. In the bigger scheme of things, it's very much the same as what I used to do at STCPL. The main differences are that I don't see my patrons face to face, and the depth of the research has increased.

I've become the wiki guru for the department as we look at ways to communicate better. So I'm still in my techielibrarian role, which is fine with me!

My group of librarians are all being assigned particular industries to specialize in. I was handed an industry that I never expected - the CIPS, or consumer & industrial products & services. Basically it means that I provide research support to my colleagues who deal with industries such as paper & packaging, automotive, utilities & energy, manufacturers, etc. Someone else already had the retail industry. :)

Since the company is so geographically diverse, we accept incoming requests via an online submission form (for you STCPLers, think a version of QuestionPoint.) Once I get a following, people will start to call and email requests directly. It makes for some creative reference interviews when it's all via computer or voice.

Some of the questions I've been working on:

Processing costs from start to finish of calcium carbonate
Legislation on the new FCC VOIP 911 order
Examples of user-generated advertising campaigns

Overall, I feel as if I'm flexing my research muscles a bit more with the new role. The questions are much more diverse and interesting than I had anticipated, and it's been great fun learning all of the new snazzy databases. I'm continually amazed at the amount of information that people have thought to organize into a database.

To get my public library fix, J and I go to the local branch almost every weekend. It makes me happy to see how well used it is - people buzzing away on their laptops, kids running around with books spilling out of their arms, teenagers reading the current Seventeen issue... I believe we OD'd last time we were there, because we have 30-something items currently checked out. Wheee!

Weird Things About Florida, Part II

2006-10-31T09:36:00.000-06:00

This is a sign that's posted outside on the patio of the staff cafeteria at my new work. If that doesn't make you want to run screaming back inside, I don't know what would.

Monterey for a Few Days

2006-10-22T22:21:00.000-05:00

I'm here in Monterey, CA for the Internet Librarian conference. I've wanted to attend for several years now and have the fortune to attend after only a month at my new job. (Maybe my boss is trying to tell me something?!). It's my first time visiting here, and I have the urge to send for J, Ziggy, Bandit, Mr Fish and a few belongings and stay for awhile. The weather is gorgeous (70 and sunny) and the sea lions are loud. I had some time to visit the Aquarium, which was quite a treat - the otters are so charming.

Otherwise, I attended a preconference today with several esteemed speakers, including Mary Ellen Bates (who I've decided I want to be when I grow up), Chris Sherman, Greg Notess and Gary Price. IL is a conference of about 1,000 people and has been in existence for 10 years. It is quite cutting edge for the library world, but useful in application. It's also one of the most unique mixes of librarians at a conference that I've seen. At ALA, it's mostly public and academic librarians, SLA is specials, AALL for law, etc. Today at lunch, our table was comprised of a vendor for an M&A database, a public librarian, one academic and two corporates. I like the mix of conversation that results when we all bring very different experiences to the literal table.

Lots of fun websites were mentioned at the session today; here are just a few for your surfing pleasure: Zillow, LibraryThing.com, Clusty (search engine that clusters results), Farecast (predicts airline ticket prices), Kayak, SeatGuru, MyHeritage (facial recognition meets genealogy) and Corkd.com (wine recommendations). I would link to all of these, but Blogger seems to be having issues at the moment. Finally, for a good laugh, fire up Google and type in "answer to life, the universe and everything" and see what the Google calculator spits back. For Douglas Adams fans, it's a riot. Ask me later what the number means if you're not sure.

Well, it's 8:25 here, but feels like 11:25, Tampa Time. I also walked 3 miles this evening for a Chipotle burrito so I am feeling quite wiped out. ("Hello, my name is Michelle and I am addicted to Chipotle.")

On a final note, I'm asking for your suggestions of books that you've read lately that you loved - or hated, so I can avoid them like the plague. With the new job, I don't get to read Library Journal or Booklist anymore; I am out of the loop of new book reviews and really missing it. One of these days I'm going to set up a paperback book exchange for the research group. So please, email me your suggestions!

Goodnight all,
Michelle

Seasonal Confusion

2006-09-28T12:15:00.000-05:00

Getting used to the seasonal change (or lack thereof) will be a challenge. The sweaters and wool jackets have appeared suddenly in the stores, but it's difficult to take them seriously when the average temperature is still 89 degrees and holding.

Native Floridians look at the seasons much differently than those who are imports do. I found this out while talking to a lifetime resident of Dunedin, FL. I commented to her how strange it was to see the fall fashions out in force. After a quizzical look, she said, "Why? It's September already!" Ah, now I understand: Floridians judge the seasons by the calendar, while the rest of us know fall by the leaves changing color, the crispness in the air, and the cool temperatures at night.

Otherwise, we've spent several wonderful evenings on the Clearwater beach, watching the sunsets.

Pictures of Bandit, just because he's cute

2006-09-15T15:06:00.000-05:00

Oh my, I am one of those sick people that forces their photographs of their dogs on unwitting friends. But to my defense, I just signed up for a Flickr account and I want to test it. So there. Enjoy all the fuzzy cuteness.

Hi ho, hi ho...

2006-09-14T20:33:00.000-05:00

..it's off to the commute I go. It's now about 35-45 minutes travel time to get to work, depending on if I leave at 7:10 or 7:20. I hadn't seen the sun rise in quite some time before this, and the Florida sun strikes me as different. It's just so happy to be there, making the citrus crops grow and warming up the wet grass from the previous night's rain.

The positive part about the commute (besides developing a deep relationship with the brake pedal) is that I get to listen to long blocks of books on CD. Sarah Vowell is currently residing in the player, reading her book Assassination Vacation. Sarah is a guest on NPR's This American Life fairly frequently, but she is probably more well-known for her voice as Violet (I think, but it's too late at night to fact-check the name) in The Incredibles movie. Sarah has an oddly appealing, squeaky-girl voice that makes a funny juxtaposition with the topic of the book: her pilgrimmage to visit sites around the US that have to do with the assassinations of Lincoln, Garfield and Kennedy. It sounds morbid, but somehow Sarah strikes just the right balance between fascinating historical facts and quirky stories about her childhood and current paranoias (driving a car and heights, among others). While the print version is certainly worthwhile, take the time to listen to the audio. Also on audio is Sarah's The Partly Cloudy Patriot. I'm waiting for her other one, Pass the Cannoli, to be released, but I might not hold my breath.

Time for sleep. Those sunny mornings come early these days.

~m

Weird Things About Florida, Part I

2006-09-14T20:25:00.000-05:00

1. Pink houses. They're all over the place...not to mention the ones accented in bright cheery teal. To a born and bred Midwesterner, this is taking some getting used to.

2. Rent-to-own wheel places. Yes, you can rent hubcabs with the potential to buy after a certain lease time. There are three of these stores on my way to work, so it's obviously quite the popular plan.

More later, I'm sure.

Blast off...

2006-09-09T12:16:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends,

M and I headed over to the coast this morning. We packed up the Jeep with beach towels, waters, sunscreen, and of course Bandit. After a short commute we arrived at Honeymoon Island. Honeymoon Is. is a medium sized key about 15 miles due West from our place. It's known locally for it's free standing porch swings that are pre-positioned to take in the unobstructed view of the sunset. We haven't had a chance to view the sunset there yet but it's on the list.

Also on the list is to migrate over to the East coast to see a shuttle launch first hand. We were able to see the vapor trail from the launch this morning. It was amazing to see just how fast that thing is traveling as it rockets out of the Earth's gravitational grips.

This evening we're headed over to Ybor City (pronounced Eebor City). Ybor is located near the heart of Tampa and is known for it's Cuban-influenced restaurants, clubs, shops, and of course cigar stores.

Hope all is well with you. Our phone still isn't up and running (don't ask), but of course you can always email us to keep in touch.

Where the Wild Things Are

2006-09-03T16:20:00.000-05:00

The wildlife of FL is certainly different from the midwest. It's been fun getting to know all the common wild things around us. Most prevalent (besides the "palmetto bugs", but we won't get into that) are the small lizards that dart around everywhere. They shoot across the sidewalk, cling to the sides of the house and climb up the lanai screen. The Florida variety of lizards aren't the push-ups Southwest lizards; they're smaller and lower to the ground, often with sleek brown racing stripes.

We've also spotted several egrets (close cousin to the regret, of course) fishing in the pond in our backyard. Egrets are enormous white birds with long orange beaks, and they look quite regal standing by the edge of the water.

Chiggers are common in the South, as my parents can vouch (they live on the big rock known as Arkansas). Warning: Don't click on the link if you're squimish about bug/human relations. You really can avoid chiggers if you never, ever go off of paved surfaces.

We haven't seen any alligators yet, although I am warily keeping an eye out when I walk Bandit. I don't want them emerging from the many large pools of water that surround our house and munching on our ankles.

For more info about the wildlife of Florida, go to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's website. Or read one of Carl Hiaasen's books.

~mc

Need a box or two, or 50?

2006-09-03T15:10:00.000-05:00

Hello all,

It's with much joy I'm writing this post from my own desk. Over the last 7 days we've laughed several times at the withdrawal symptoms we've gone through not having access to the web. It's surprising how quickly we become dependant on a technology only to realize that dependency once denied access to said indulgence. Fortunately the tremors and night sweats weren't too bad. I think we'd have simply lost it if we hadn't had access to the cell phone... How people moved before cell phones, e-mail, and the web is beyond me.

We've spent the last three days unpacking the house. At this point we're through about 3/4 of the boxes. The delivery day was this past Friday. Our moving truck arrived at 9:00 and pulled out at 2:15. Unfortunately it rained the whole time we were unloading. Outside of the rain, the unloading was fairly uneventful. Only a couple things were broken or scarred. Thankfully, Michelle's library cabinet made it without issue. That was the one piece I was most concerned with.

Friday afternoon and most of Saturday we were both a buzz with excitement and energy. It was kind of like Christmas morning but without the true surprise as to what was behind the clear packing tape and reams of packing paper. Friday night we called it quits around 7 and headed out for some hot wings with some friends from my office.

Friday didn't come off completely without a hitch. As the rain came down I realized mid storm that the roofers who had put on a new roof the day before didn't properly connect the downspout by the front door. Unfortunately, the waterfall from the roof didn't completely stay outside. Before I could get out there to correct the problem several gallons managed to get in between the wall and the dining room window. As the wet stuff found its way to the lowest point that turned out to be in the middle of the dinning room. So, as the unloading carried on, we realized that the front room really began to smell like wet carpet (or worse). Several phone calls later, one trip to the local Publix for a Rug Doctor rental, and finally a run to Home Depot for a carpet drying fan we've begun the drying process. Thankfully, this morning the carpet and pad were dry and the smell had all but gone.

Saturday of course had a bump or two. Thinking we had passed the half-way point last night we decided to take a walk up to the local strip mall for a frozen yogurt treat at the TCBY. With Bandit leading the charge we forged our way through the swamp err'... I mean subdivision. Things were going fine until we headed back home. We made it about 2 blocks and Bandit put on the brakes. He simply stopped walking. At first we thought he was just tired, so we slowed down and waited for him. That didn't work. He had given up. It must have just been too hot for him. (it was 9:00 at night mind you) So thinking something was really wrong, I ran the mile or so back to the house to get the truck. Michelle stayed with Bandit. When I returned to where I left them, they weren't there. Fortunately, I caught them in the corner of my eye a block and a half further back down the trail. (Closer to the TCBY). Backing up to where they were I thought Michelle had just walked him in circles until I returned. As she loaded him in the cab it became apparent that wasn't the case. His harness was on sideways and Michelle looked like she had seen a ghost. Apparently right after I took off running, Bandit decided he really didn't want to go any further and started to pull on his leash, backwards. In doing so he managed to slip out of his harness. According to Michelle, he then made a 180 and took off running at full tilt straight back toward the 6 lane main drag. Darting into traffic, stopping one car, and about to run into more, a fellow walker saw what was going on and called to him. Being the people lover he is, he ran right to him. Thankfully he was able to grab his scruff and hold him until Michelle could catch up. All this in the 3:45 min it takes me to run a mile.. Riiight.. ok it was probably more like 8 minutes. Anyway, thankfully we got him back unharmed.

Needless to say getting back to the mundane unpacking routine today has been a nice change of pace given the roller coaster of events from the last couple days.

This evening we're headed out to check out a new church. Hopefully it's a connection the first time around. We've only been away from Christ Community and we both already miss it.

I'll cut this one off here for now. We need to get ready to head out.

Hope you all have a great labor day weekend.
Your friend,
J

On Things You Need When You Move

2006-08-31T09:40:00.000-05:00

Some recommendations for items to take with you if you ever move across the country and won't have access to your stuff for a week:

~ Something sharp. (Scissors, knife, leatherman, whatever). Otherwise, it's a pain to get boxes open and you feel like you're back in kindergarten with those annoying blunt-edged scissors.

~ A table and chairs. We've been sitting on the kitchen island to eat. Not fun.

~ Walkie-talkies for the drive down. We bought a couple of 12-mile walkie-talkies and they were extremely useful for the Noah's ark caravan that we had going on.

~ Snacks for when you get to the house at 7 p.m. We were starving and split a granola bar. Then we ordered a big pizza.

~ Plastic cups. These have come in handy for just about everything - cleaning the fish's bowl, drinking out of (not the same cups), watering half-dead plants.

There are lists all over the internet that helped, but these are things we found especially helpful.

Tampa or Bust

2006-08-31T09:27:00.000-05:00

We made it safely to Tampa on Tuesday night. Ernesto was here in small force to greet us - but thankfully, we didn't need to stop for a generator and Vienna sausages at the local grocery store. For the last few days, it's been the Slightly Cloudy With a Chance of Rain State instead of the Sunshine State. That hasn't stopped us from getting in the pool, though.

Is it hot? Yes, but it's bearable. Is it humid? Ask my white-girl 'fro. I've used a bottle of gel already. Ah the joys of frizzy hair...

Jason and I just signed up for our Hillsborough County Library cards. A joyous moment! I was waiting on pins and needles for the "official piece of business mail" that we could use to prove that we wouldn't spirit away any library materials back to Illinois. Our internet service won't be hooked up to the house until Sunday, so we're using the Upper Tampa Bay Regional Public Library to get our fix. The UTBRPL is a new, bright local branch library with about 25 books on CD. I hope the Hold shelf knows what's coming.

Yesterday we spent exploring the local shopping complexes. There's something to be said for the spread of common stores across the US - we were able to find fish filters and Ziggy's brand of food at the Petsmart down the street, and the Publix (grocery) carries the right brand of chocolate milk. I guess it's comforting to see the Tarjay right down the street!

Otherwise, we'll be exploring Ybor City, the parks system, and hopefully get down to the Keys sometime. At the moment we're just hoping our furniture arrives here safely tomorrow.

Macon our way South.... Macon GA. that is.

2006-08-28T18:07:00.000-05:00

Hello friends,

Michelle and I have now made it to Macon GA. We decided to make the trip from Edwardsville a three day route as opposed to two as originally planned. The second leg was just going to be too much windshield time. Not to mention that we wanted an additional 24 hours to see where Ernesto was going to end up. It appears that our (my) concerns of encountering a hurricane are about to be addressed with the ole` fashion emersion technique. As I type this, it appears that we'll be in the house for about 20 hours before Ernetso blows through. Thankfully, it doesn't appear he'll have too much umph.

It's been a real gas traveling with three animals, two cars, and one wife. Fortunately, the wife can drive one of the cars. Just kidding, Michelle. Little did I realize that stopping at a rest stop would turn into a half hour long exercise worthy of a degree in Event Planning. It wouldn't be so bad if we didn't have to worry about keeping the cars cool for traveling farm. I'm sure you can imagine the dance that lunch stops have become. All in all, it's been a breeze. Hopefully tomorrow will be more of the same.

JC

On Our Way

2006-08-27T08:17:00.000-05:00

We've stopped over in Edwardsville for the night. Yesterday, the Caulk side of the family plus my aunt plus friends from high school came over to the park to celebrate and see us off. Gotta love the parties! It was wonderful to see everyone and we were touched that everyone made the effort to give us the big bon voyage.

It was interesting to see how the packers and movers work on Thursday and Friday. They even packed the Jeep into the semi-trailer. It's very strange to see the whole of your belongings packed by strangers and loaded into a truck that you won't see for another week. But, I'm glad we didn't have to do it ourselves. Probably I would have ended up rocking away in a corner from all of the stress!

Ziggy (the cat), Bandit (the dog), Mr. Fish (the fish) and Miss Buns (the bunny) did just fine as we were traveling from St Charles to Edwardsville. We put Mr. Fish into a thermos and popped the lid open so he could breathe. He seems to like his new minimalist home. Ziggy mostly slept, as is his nature. Bandit was treated to his very own Culver's butterburger - heaven on earth for the pups.

It's time to shove off for the drive to Chattanooga. We've decided to stop in Macon, GA for a night and then continue on to Tampa. It was just too far from Choo-Choo to Tampa.

Hopefully we can find a wireless spot in either TN or GA. Until then, know that we miss you all!

~mc

Moving Resource

2006-08-22T13:45:00.000-05:00

A friend recently gave me the book After the Boxes are Unpacked by Susan Miller. I've just started it, but it seems like a great resource for dealing with the highs and lows of relocation. She also has a web site with a list of classes called "Moving On After Moving In". I'm definitely going to check those out.

-mc

Sat Picnic Recap

2006-08-21T19:02:00.000-05:00

Sat afternoon was yet another lovely and bittersweet marker as we continue the countdown to Move day. Around 3:00 or so we headed over to Baker park (the park just two houses North of us) to lay out the picnic spread. With a late invite we were please to learn that anyone could join us. Over the next few hours we shared some pretty decent grub, some good wiffle ball, and even better laughs with friends. We mingled at the park until just before dark. I don't think either Michelle or I could have asked for a better afternoon. We were just pleased to see so many friends take some time out of the day to stop by and wish us well in our up coming journey.

Once we got back to the house we did the ole' kitchen hang out with the Walsh's for another hour or so. Shortly after they left there was just enough time to clean up, and crash on the couch. Nothing like a day of fresh air and romping around the play ground with a couple of our favorite 2 year olds to wipe a guy out.

Again, thanks to you all for stopping by. We really appreciate the effort.

J

Thanks for the Memories

2006-08-20T13:31:00.000-05:00

If you ever need to keep a secret, a secret... tell a librarian. As a final send-off, I was treated to a complete surprise party by my friends and colleagues from the Library on Friday evening. I thought a small group of us were going out for Mexican food and margaritas, but to my delight the whole crew was present to help celebrate. If you ask Jane nicely, perhaps she will do a rendition of her original song, Don't Cry for Her, Melville Dewey. It will go down in history as perhaps one of the most original, and hilarious, renditions of an Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice song sung at a Library going-away party.

So my final day at the Library was Friday. It was with both sadness and a grateful heart that I packed my two boxes and said good-bye. (Personally, I can't believe everything fit into just two boxes. My apologies to our maintenance person, who will discover the recycle bins on Monday.) To put it lightly, I have grown incredibly in the past six years. I've learned how to provide customer service to people that perhaps should consider picking up their meds again... how to show an impatient teenager that there's life beyond Google... and how public libraries contain within them some of the most dedicated, intelligent people I'll ever come across.

On Saturday morning, one of the first things Jason said to me was, "So, how does it feel to be unemployed?" Yes, it's true, at least for the next two weeks. I'm grateful for the time that we'll have to transition to our new life. I'm grateful that I get to take the dog for long walks around the neighborhood for a few last times. Things are just ebbing and flowing around us, to-do lists growing shorter as the time to leave town draws closer.

I can't thank God enough for His calming presence in our lives these past few months! - mc

Caulk's Road Show

2006-08-17T19:53:00.000-05:00

Thursday August 17th:

To bring you all up to speed... This past June Michelle and I decided to accept an invitation from my employer Masonite to relocate to Tampa Florida. Since then Michelle has found what appears to be an awesome opportunity at Price Waterhouse Coopers as a Sr. Business Researcher. She's decided to depart from the traditional librarian role to explore more indepth research projects in the corporate world. I'll be taking on a new role within Masonite as the Director of Product and Data Management.

As the definition of both new roles firmed up in late July we headed South to find a house. We used the weekend of August 4th through the 8th to locate the next spot we'll drop anchor. In just 4 days we toured what seemed like a thousand homes for sale, only to decide that renting was the best way for us to go in the short term. We're not sure we'll like owning a pool... riiiight.

The house we ended up finding turned out to be a dream come true. It's a 4 bedroom / 2 bath / 2 car garage / with a pool and fenced in back yard. How could we pass that up....

Tuesday the 8th we signed the lease 2 hours before we had to get back on the plane for Chicago.

That night (the 8th) we met with our Realtor team and finally decided to sell our beloved house here in St Charles. Suzanne and Tim the realtors gave us a little to do list to tackle before we listed. Starting that night we began the transformation. Over the next 5 days we packed up half the house, repainted the kitchen, tore up carpet in the second bedroom, re-arranged the basement, and last but not least finished and installed a new front door.

(The pictures I've attached are the fruits of our efforts.)

This last Tuesday we met with Suzanne to get the house listed. Tuesday afternoon the house went live in the MLS system and by noon the next day we had an offer!!! Talk about an answered prayer. God is so good!

So now you know the background. From here on out we'll use this site to update and post comments and pictures from our journey South. Hopefully you'll join us for the ride and eventually come visit!

Jas