The Pittmeister's Parade Around America

Friday HodgePodge

2012-02-10T08:42:00.002-07:00

Okay, I've decided to answer the HodgePodge questions this week, but I'm doing it on Friday, not Wednesday like everyone else.

Here we go!

1. What is something that you're loving right now?

Hmm... There quite a few things I'm loving right now, but I can't say my temporary return to bachelorhood is oneof them. I'm loving the very mild winter we're having in 1.5 Mile High City this winter. We haven't had any significant snowfall for quite some time and each day is sunny and warm (for February).

2. Paris, Venice, New York City, and Rome are considered four of the most romantic cities in the world. Which one would you like to visit?

Well, having been to Paris and Rome in July I can say there is very little romantic about the heat and humidity the permeates those cities. I'm not a big fan of boats pushed by creepy Italian guys, so I'm going to have to say New York City.

3. Are you a romantic?

I would have to say no, but I like to think I'm more romantic than my wife. She got me an "Eazy Feet" foot washer for my birthday last year.

4. What's Your Favorite Love Story Made for the Big Screen?

I would have to say the "Man from Snowy River" movies. If you haven't seen them, go watch them.

5. Everyone loves Pooh Bear and Friends. Which character are you most alike and why?

I'm Pooh Bear! I'm cuddly, I like Honey, and I'm stuffed with fluff.

6. What's the best "Chocolate Something" You've Ever Eaten?

I like everything chocolate.

Thursday's Thoughts

2012-02-09T19:17:00.001-07:00

1. I have just returned from the local Basha's grocery store. I spent $110 on groceries, mostly canned food, because I am planning to use this cook book given me by my sister, The Pac-12 Groupie, when I was a bachelor. It's called "A Man, A Can, and A Plan", is written by "Men's Health" magazine, and is chock full of recipes men can supposedly make using canned food, because as well know, men are simple-minded creatures who want to eat quickly when we're hungry. Well, I bought all this food, looked at the cook book, and realized I don't know what to make...AARGH!!!

2. The other day in a little trailer home "neighborhood", if you can call it that, I saw a Cadillac Escalade parked next to shabby looking trailer home. I think someone has their priorities backward...

3. In my latest effort to get fit, I've taken to wearing contour t-shirts as undershirts on some days. These are great because they are tight against me body, making me believe my clothes are tighter than they are. They're also great in case I go to the gym for a spin class and need something "athletic" to wear while lifting or riding.

4. So far, my pledge to be caffein free has been working okay. I haven't had any coffee and I've been able to limit my soda intake significantly to the point of when I want a soda, I usually just pass it off. However, now I still can't sleep at night, but at least I'm not in a haze most of the day.

2012-02-08T22:00:00.001-07:00

I know today is Wednesday and that is supposed to be "HodgePodge Day", but I've previewed the questions for this week (sorry for not posting for awhile) and I didn't like them, so I didn't post them. :-P

Mrs. Pitt left to go back to J-Land for 21 days. I'm currently in my 4th day of a short return to my bachelorhood. So far I've succeeded in piling up dishes by the dishwasher but not actually putting them in, leaving dirty pans on the stove to wash 2-3 days later or whenever I need to use them again, and forgetting to turn on the exterior lights on if I'm coming home after dark, but forgetting to turn them off when I go to bed. I guess the electric bill is going to be a little high this month (we haven't actually gotten one yet...)

Since Mrs. Pitt is not here and I have no friends to speak of, I've been spending my evenings at the YMCA lifting weights or going to Spin class. I think I've gained enough "happy weight" since I got married. Why do they call it "happy weight"? I'm not happy about it and neither is Mrs. Pitt. After I get home from the Y, I spend the evening after dinner watching movies on Netflix...yeah, I have no life! Currently it's "Superman: The Movie". How many times can I stand to watch "Jarhead"? I don't know but I think we're gonna find out....bleh!

New Year Hodgepodge

2012-01-11T22:01:00.001-07:00

Happy New Year Everybody! I'm finally back and ready for this week's HodgePodge questions. So let's get started!

1. Lake Superior University has once again published a list of words/phrases they think should be banished from the Queen's English in 2012: amazing, baby bump, shared sacrifice, occupy, blowback, man cave, the new normal, pet parent, trickeration, ginormous, and thank you in advance.

Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech?

I really hate the words "ginormous" and "trickeration" if for no other reason than my spell checker underlines them in red because it does not recognize them. How many more words do we need that mean "immense in size" or "trickery"? Get rid of them and go back to using the words "immense" and "chicanery".

2. Are you easily embarrassed?

Umm, this is a hard one. It depends on the situation, circumstances, and how seriously I'm taking myself at the time. I would say usually no, but there are exceptions.

3. What is your go to snack?

Umm... I would have to say either Cheetoh's or Dorito's. I like them both.

4. Have you ever been to Washington D.C.? If not, do you have any desire to go? What site/attraction would you most want to see? If you have been, what's your favorite site/attraction?

I've been to D.C. twice and I would have to say that my favorite attraction is the Holocaust Museum.

5. Sit-ups, planks, lunges, squats. Which do you hate the least?

I hate them all. None of them have very much frequency in my workout routine.

6. What's a small act of kindness you were shown that you've never forgotten?

I was in my 2nd or 3rd week of being in Japan and was trying to finalize my first keitai (cell phone) contract, but was having a hard time understanding what the sales woman was trying to tell me. Thankfully in the store that day was a woman who spoke English who sat with me and helped explain the final details of the contract. I'll never forget that.

7. Have you ever been a blood donor?

I have A- blood type, which matches only an estimated 6% of the U.S. population so I do try to give blood on a regular basis and by regular, I mean once a year. I first gave blood in high school and it knocked me down the rest of the afternoon. In college I attempted to give blood again, but was advised against it after telling them I'd spent 6 months living in Europe in 1995 due to a fear of me having Mad Cow Disease (those of you who know me probably believe I'm already a mad cow...). So I didn't donate for a long long time. Only last year I gave blood again during a church blood drive for no other reason at all than to try and win a new car.

Saturday Sardines

2011-11-26T17:24:00.001-07:00

1. I've been in my job about a month now and it's been an interesting, but fun learning experience. On Wednesday I took a trip with a co-worker to Prescott, AZ to visit some two other well-run group homes. On the trip, we talked a lot about a plethora of different things and one of the things I asked him about was the next step, professionally, in this field called "behavioral health". What I found out was that I entered near the top and thus do not have much upward mobility. My supervisor's position would be the next logical professional advancement opportunity in the field, but for that I would need a MSW (Master's in Social Work) and numerous licensures that are enough to make my head spin. It was either that or I open my own house and free-lance group home treatment for consumer's of other agencies. That sounds intriguing, but something I am not considering at this point.

2. I also asked my co-worker how long people stay in the field, giving the example of the world of Student Affairs in which people tend to stay in a job 2-4 years, especially early on in their career. What he said surprised me. He said 1 of 3 things would happen to me:

I would have a massive freak-out and leave in 6 months declaring I couldn't handle the mental field and become a monk somewhere while recovering from the trauma.
I would burn myself out in 2-3 years and seek greener pastures or a career field change.
I would fall in love w/ people like a current resident and stay in the field forever, thus the advancement opportunity of opening my own house or series of houses and becoming a tycoon of sorts...

3. This trip also helped me realize that even though we're experiencing some particular difficulties w/ a particular resident, that the residents I currently have in house are cupcakes compared to the ones who will surely come along down the road. When I informed one of my staff members of this fact (the one who is as new as I am), she didn't sound too enthused about it. I however am ready for the challenge...

4. In effort to deal with the stress of my new position, I've taken of the aerobic activity of Spinning by joining the local YMCA and going to Spin classes 3x per week, including once on Saturdays. Now, I don't need to tell you that I'm the fattest guy in the room, but I am trying to encourage my other portly comrades to join me in this endeavor. Needless to say, I don't have too many takers. I guess I'm just the rare breed of fat guy who likes rigorous exercise...

5. Management as you know carries with it more responsibility as I have had to cover the shifts of 2 different employees this week as they are taking the holiday off to be with their family. Now I am not complaining because I have a GREAT staff who works hard and they enjoy the time off. Also, as a new employee, I have not accrued any time off nor could I take it until my 90 days of probationary status are completed.

6. Mrs. Pitt has expressed a desire to return to Japan again, this time in Jan/Feb for a class reunion, the likes will not be seen again for another 20 years. I'm inclined to let her go on the condition that another e/q doesn't happen and she pay for 1/2 the ticket from her wages and tips. Last night we found a Delta flight for $949 (We're focusing on Delta now that we're SkyMiles members w/ an AMEX card to earn more miles), but this morning that same flight had jumped to $1,004. Now what would make Delta want to increase a ticket $55 overnight? Are fuel prices really the volatile or do you just feel like screwing us?

7. The countdown to Momma Pitt & The Professor to finally move out. I think they're planning on being out by the middle of next month.

FINAL THOUGHT:

(Psst...it's blank for a reason... :-P)

Sunday Starters

2011-11-20T18:27:00.001-07:00

Mrs. Pitt continues to experience culture shock even after more than two years living in the U.S. This is not all together surprising as I continue to get punches on my "gaijin" card while living in Japan. I constantly must remind myself that Mrs. Pitt has lived in the U.S. Her latest experience is actually humorous. We've recently purchased a membership to the local YMCA so I can take part in Spin classes and Mrs. Pitt can do stretch, yoga, and pilates classes. Well, the other day Mrs. Pitt was in the locker room and saw a woman go into one of the stalls. Later she heard some, well let's just say it was grunting coming from the stall. Needless to say she was a little shocked by the grunting.

Hodge Podge Saturday

2011-10-15T05:20:00.002-07:00

I am a little bit late with this week's Hodge Podge entry, but since I'm up at this ungodly hour of 5AM on a Saturday morning and I'm using the parentals computer that allows split screen viewing, I thought I'd post an entry.

1. Have you ever been "asked" to report for jury duty? Were you chosen to serve? If not, were you happy or disappointed?

I have been called for municipal traffic court jury duty, bu never actually had to go. The night before I was summoned, I would call to make sure I still had to attend and everytime it had been canceled. The last time I forgot to go and have not received a summons since. I know of no warrants out for my arrest either. Every now and then I get letters from the County Court of Coconino County to complete questionairres to be a potential juror, but nothing ever comes of those either...

2. On a scale of 1-10, how mechanically inclined are you? Give an example to back up your answer.

I have the mechanical skills of a gerbil and I blame it on my father. The Professor grew up on a rural farm in Montana, but apparently did not learn or inherit any of the mechanical skills needed to be a farmer and he sure didn't pass any along to me. I take my car to get the oil changed and of course any other required maitenance. I can't really fix stuff. The best repairman I know is on speed dial.

3. Beets-Cabbage-cauliflower-butternut squash. Of the four, which is your favorite vegetable?

I don't have a favorite vegetable...I hate them all! But, if I have to choose one from this list, I would have to choose Cabbage.

4. What do you recommend to overcome self-pity?

Wow! what do I recommend to overcome self-pity? Well, extended unemployment does much to increase self-pity because self-pity leads to depression and other nasty things. My best recommendation to overcoming it is to find a hobby you enjoy doing and stick to it. That's what my cycling this summer was all about...overcoming the self-pity and the depression caused by it & unemployment. It was a time when I could be alone with my thoughts while also building self-confidence.

5. Do you enjoy classical music?

Unfortunately I do enjoy classical music. Growing up my dad collected cassette tapes (remember those?) and CD's of classical music to play in the car on long road trips. I appreciate it, but I don't listen to much any more.

6. October is National Book Month. What's on your reading list this month?

To prepare for my new job, sections of the DSM IV are on my reading list.

7. What is your idea of cute?

I don't really have a definition or idea of cute. Cute seems to be Mrs. Pitt's favorite word. Guys don't use the word "cute". We use other words...

Sunday Serendipity

2011-10-09T07:29:00.001-07:00

1. It's been interesting week here in the Pitt house. On Monday, which was also Mrs. Pitt's 40th birthday, I was offered a full-time job with the mental health agency I've been temping at for the past 5 months. It will not be in data submission like I have been doing. Rather I will be managing one of their group homes. A place where people classified as SMI (Severely Mentally Ill) live for a period of 3-6 months as part of a transition to living independently. I've been told many are coming out of the state hospitals and so this is a half-way house of sorts as they adjust and develop to independent living. Currently there are 3 people living in the house, with a capacity for 8. I've been told by people I currently work with that when the home was first opened, they took the 8 craziest people from the state mental hospital and put them all together in the house. Apparently it was chaos, but things have gotten better and many, not all, of the people they recruit to live in the house are calmer.

2. Naturally with the offer of a professional, full-time job with a salary and benefits, talk of babies, children, and more pets have come into the discussion with a more serious demeanor. We'll finally have insurance so we can have a baby, something Mrs. Pitt has been patiently waiting for during the past 4 years. I want kids too, but I also want a dog. I can't take my cat Bustopher for a walk or for runs out into the forest on my bike and I can't take a baby out there too. This past Friday, during my afternoon off, I went to the Humane Society and saw 2 beautiful huskies. They're not brothers, but I think would make great pets. Mrs. Pitt and I talked about it, but unfortunately since we don't plan on staying in this house very long (maybe another year) and like condo living, having 2 dogs would limit our options and be a burden if we wanted to travel back to J-Land or anywhere else. I guess dogs will have to wait...

3. I think we're going to be in for a long, cold winter again this year. Last night I lit a fire in the wood stove, which is earliest I can remember doing so. We had snow on the "peaks" on Thursday & Friday, very early as well. Trading in Mrs. Pitt's old Honda Accord might be an option this year for a more winter worthy car...Personally I want a used Toyota 4Runner so I can go off-roading.

October HodgePodge

2011-10-05T19:12:00.003-07:00

1. What's your favorite food to serve on a chilly, autumn evening?

Well, I think it would be Sloppy Joe's! Mrs. Pitt has never had Sloppy Joe's, but I'm thinkin' she's going to be initiated here soon enough.

2. Are you a creature of habit? Explain?

Yes, I am a creature of habit. I have a very strict morning routine and the slightest disruption can put me off for the rest of the day. I usually rise between 6:15-6:20 in the morning, take my vitamin, shower, and get dressed. I am upstairs by 6:40, have breakfast at 6:55, make my lunch at 7:15, and then I am out the door by 7:35-7:40.

3. What food product (no longer readily available) do you remember and miss from days gone by?

Again, I'm a creature of habit, so pretty everything I ate while growing up is still available.

4. What's something you've lost that you've never been able to find? Any theories as to what happened?

I've lost a lot of things that I've never been able to find. Recently I've lost a beanie, some gloves, and the car adapter for my GPS unit.

5. Zoo~circus~ carnival...your favorite?

I would have say the zoo. I've always loved animals.

6. What song makes you feel instantly happy?

I love Christmas songs and the song that makes me instantly happy is "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"

7. To what extent are you an argumentative person?

Very. I will argue, argue, and argue until you finally see that I'm right. Being an argumentative person is how you survive in my family, though most arguments are fickle and easily forgotten.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm going to Phoenix on Saturday w/ Mrs. Pitt. We're going to be be in warmer weather and to shop at the Dillard's Clearance stores.

Saturday's Sardines

2011-10-01T19:50:00.001-07:00

Life is funny some times. You never know what can happen.

Yesterday I was at the company picnic for Mental Health Center where I've been temping for the past 5 months and I won the adult "Seed Spitting Contest", for which I won $10 gift certificate to Buffalo Wild Wings. Immediately after and while celebrating my victory, a woman with whom I interview for a position a few weeks came up to me to ask if I was still interested in the position (which I responded "yes!) and to meet her on Monday morning at 8:30. I don't know for what reason. She did not say it was a 2nd interview. I don't want to speculate, but a part of me is hoping that my year-long plus job search may finally be over and that makes me kinda of excited.

It would be a great opportunity for me. I would be managing a residential facility that houses severely mentally ill patients in order to help them develop and transition to taking care of themselves independently, which is very similar to the position I've been trying to get in this job search: a hall directorship. I would supervise a team of behavioral health technicians who are responsible for working more 1-on-1 with the residents. All of the experience would transfer as if I was a RHD, but would it's on a much small scale and is not live-in either, so I still keep my own space. Let's hope after Monday I have some good news.

End of Summer Hodge Podge

2011-09-28T21:21:00.001-07:00

1. It is officially fall here in North America...I realize not everyone who participates in the Hodgepodge lives in North America but if you do, what's your favorite memory of Summer 2011? If you're not in North America, what's your favorite memory of the season just ending on your side of the world?

My favorite memory of the summer of 2011 was going to Newport, CA with my parents, sister, sister's b/f, and reuniting with Mrs. Pitt after her 4 month ordeal in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami. While our marriage is still feeling the effects of the long & traumatic separation, I think we're making progress and hopefully I'll be professionally employed soon and we'll be on our way to starting a family.

2. What's your favorite nut? (You know, the edible kind...)

For me, it's a tie between an almond and a pistachio. Both are good for you. I've seen lots of t.v. advertisements for pistachios lately touting them as the lowest fat nut. Nuts have a lot of fat, but people keep saying it's good fat. Hopefully someday we'll figure out this nutrition problem.

3. What activity puts your sense of balance to the test?

Tall, fat guys are supposed to have good balance and I'm guilty of that. However, the activities that best put my balance to the test would be snowboarding & mountain biking. It's take a lot of balance to stay on a snowboard and since I'm top-heavy, it takes me more than most. Riding a bike is easy, but it takes balance to mountain bike. I love to take corners fast, jump over rocks in the trail, and do other fun stuff while I'm out on a ride.

4. How would you describe your sense of humor?

I'm pretty cheesy, goofy, and corny. I love to use puns, sing silly songs, quote 80's movies, stuff like that. Often though, when I'm joking around, people think I'm serious and they take offense. I think this question is better answered by people who know me...

5. September 28th is National Ask a Stupid Question Day. What's your stupid question?

I have asked a lot of stupid questions in my life time. Though one notably still sticks out in my mind. Back in college, one night my fraternity brothers and I were hanging out, having some beers, and watching the movie "Top Gun". After the scene in the hanger bay when Charlie figures out that Maverick is the famous MiG insulter, I ask the guy sitting next to me..."So she was the one flying the MiG?".

6. Roller Skates / Hula Hoop / Jump Rope. Which activity would you most enjoy (Yes you have to pick one...)

Well, I can't roller skate. Just ask my cousin in OK how good I am at that. I can't Hula Hoop because I get 2 twists and the dang thing falls down. Which I guess leaves jump roping, even though that's only something boxers & little kids do anymore. For my birthday last year, Mrs. Pitt bought me a virtual jump rope to try and encourage me to exercise more...it's still sitting in the bag she gave it to me in.

7. What's your most sentimental possession?

It would be tie between the cowboy hat I got after my grandfather died or the wool blanket my aunt gave me that used to belong to my grandmother. I got the blanket after she died.

8. Insert your own random thought here:

I love pictures of sunsets. This one was taken on the big island of Hawaii when Mrs. Pitt and I went there for vacation in December 2009. I wish I could watch sunsets like there year-round.

Saturday's Sardines

2011-09-17T06:38:00.001-07:00

1. The low intelligence of Stupid Cat continues to astound me. Yesterday I came home from work at 1pm (Fridays are Early Release days) and Mrs. Pitt told me the kitties were outside. So I walk out onto the deck and I see Stupid Cat in the garden, meowing like she wants to come in. So I walk down the stairs to get her, but instead she runs into a nearby bush. I open up a downstairs door and walk behind the bush to flush her out. She runs back onto the lawn, meows like she's lost, then runs upstairs from whence I came. I can't wait to be rid of her.

2. Mrs. Pitt and I had our date night at Pita Jungle last night. It's a great place to go for cheap, relatively healthy food. Mrs. Pitt had an observation that I had no answer for: "Why are restaurant servers almost always white? There are native Americans & hispanics who live in Flagstaff too, but servers are almost always white. Why?" I honestly had no answers...

3. I had a job interview this week for a house manager position with the mental health facility I've been temping at for the past 4 months. I hope I get it!

4. The monsoon rains have been staying a little later than usual this year, but with no rain yesterday, perhaps they are finally waning. Hopefully they stay away long enough today for me to take a recommended mountain bike ride I read about in the local newspaper on Thursday. Hopefully I will see some elk!

5. It's only 6:35 in the morning on a Saturday. What am I doing up? I'm going back to bed now...

Return of Hump Day Hodge Podge

2011-09-08T07:26:00.003-07:00

1. What is one piece of advice would you give to a "just turning 21 year old adult"? Just because you're 21, does not mean all of sudden make you qualified to drink. Take it slow and don't think you have to drink until you're unconscious.

2. Besides cooler weather ( or warmer weather depending on your hemisphere) what is one thing you're looking forward to this fall? Going to NAU football games and see what the newly renovated Skydome looks like.

3. What sounds lull you to sleep? I'm a person who needs complete quiet and darkness in order to fall asleep. There really is no sound that lulls me to sleep. I need to put my mind and body in a relaxing situation so I can relax and fall asleep. Mrs. Pitt says I have a special ability to fall asleep in under 60 seconds if I really set my mind to falling asleep.

4. How has your blog changed since you started blogging? Or has it? My blog has changed. Being a professional who is currently in a job search, I need to be more cognizant about what I post and my opinion on things since it can reflect poorly on me if I take too much a sarcastic slant on things. Don't get me wrong, I still do that occasionally, but less so. My Japan blog was an outlet for using advanced English since I had to use basic English with my students and co-workers.

5. September is National Preparedness Month. Does your family have an emergency "kit" or disaster plan in place? No, but after the Japanese tsunami I've been intending to put one together that will include 3 gallons of water, non-perishable instant food such as oatmeal, beef jerky, & canned goods, my Coleman propane cook stove with 3-4 bottles of propane, flashlight/lantern, & a .357 magnum revolver to keep the "vultures" away...

The End of Another Summer

2011-09-04T16:04:00.003-07:00

This weekend is Labor Day weekend, which signifies the end of summer in many places. Summer is bookended by Memorial Day in May and Labor Day in September.

Another summer is ending in 1.5 Mile High City. The days are getting shorter, the mornings are getting cooler, the monsoon is in it's death throes, and the County Fair is here until tomorrow. I love the mild summers here. The temperature rarely reaches 90 and the nights often cool off to the mid-50's at night. We don't use A/C in the homes because a nice sized box fan will create enough circulation to keep a home cool. My one regret is we don't get the benefit of DST and so it gets dark ~8pm.

Another sign the end of summer is coming a squirrel that has decided to make our yard its home, has been eating green pine cones the way I used to eat miniature 100 Grand candy bars, and for the same reason... to fatten up for winter. I don't have a problem with a squirrel eating green pine cones because they need to eat, but it's the location where it has chosen to eat the pine cones: on a tree branch over the front porch. For those of who may not know, squirrels are very messy pine cone eaters. Not being a biologist, I don't know what part of the pine cone they eat, but the majority of the pine cone seems to fall on or around the front port and at least once a day one must go outside and sweep off the porch. I would like to find a way to keep him away, but I'm worried that if I scared him off using a natural technique, he might not get the food he needs and not survive the winter.

Fall comes early in the high country. Usually by mid-September the breezes are cooler and the colors have started to change on the nearby San Francisco Peaks. The late afternoon light reminds of when I was a child and playing 2-on-2 football in the street of my baby sitter's house until my parents came to pick me up. Tailgating in October at the university football games can be challenging due to the windy conditions and light jackets or sweatshirts are often required attire. Momma Pitt & The Professor will not have their season tickets this year, but Kozue and I have still been invited to participate in the tailgating with other university faculty & staff.

I feel as though I worked a "summer job" this year since my responsibilities at mental health center will likely be coming to an end soon. My duties are being moved to another department and another person will be trained on data submission. Part of me is disappointed by this development. When I accepted their offer, I was told 2 things: there was a chance this could become permanent and my director only wanted to train one person who do the job I do. I acknowledge it wasn't a promise of permanence, but with those words ringing in my ears I focused myself more on the work requirements and less on searching in an effort to prove I could do the job and not bail if another opportunity came along. I hold no ill will because there was no way my director could have foreseen what would transpire (she's not a Sith Lord after all).

A great positive that came out of this summer is the fact that I have developed a great hobby as a cyclist. I cycled 343 official miles this summer and probably more since I was cycling before I got a cycling computer. In about a month it will be time to bring the bike in on the trainer and start cycling indoors with occasional trips to Phoenix for outdoor riding time.

200th Post

2011-08-20T11:45:00.003-07:00

This will be my 200th post on this blog, the most of any blog I've ever done.

The Week In Review:

1. Last week, Mrs. Pitt's cousin and his son stayed with us. Mrs. Pitt took them to the Grand Canyon, and other sightseeing locales in the northern and central AZ area such as Slide Rock State Park in Sedona & Wild Safari outside of Camp Verde, AZ. The night before they left, we took them to a D-Backs game in Phoenix and the little boy got a baseball from one of the catchers in the bullpen. He couldn't wait to go home and show all of his friends! Afterward, Mrs. Pitt and I had brunch at P.F. Chang's and took the scenic road back to 1.5 Mile High City, stopping in Strawberry to see the one-room country school house they have there.

2. I've now ridden 320 miles. That's the distance from 1.5 Mile High City to Albuquerque, NM. And it only took me 2 months to do.

3. Yesterday afternoon I was watching episodes of this show "Heavy" on Netflix for some added motivation and to make myself feel good about my cycling. I can't believe how these people have let themselves go! Not surprisingly, the show is filmed in Texas, which has some of the fattest cities in the country, but is not the fattest state. That honor belongs to Mississippi. At the beginning of each episode, there is a que card that says 100 million Americans suffer from extreme obesity. That's 1/3 of the U.S.! That's unbelievable. 2 of the episodes I watched each had a man who weighed nearly 600 pounds! How do you let yourself get to be 600 pounds?!

4. I love the August monsoon in here in Arizona. It's awesome!

5. The public school year has started again. This means I need to watch out for new teenage drivers driving on the bike paths and sidewalks.

6. Momma Pitt & The Professor have returned from a week in Elgin, AZ fixing up their house. They did painting, mowing, trimming, and removing this ugly horse & cowboy wallpaper border. They came saying they couldn't believe how green it was down there from all the rain.

7. Random Photo:

Can you believe they let me drive a fire truck in Japan?

Friday Fritters

2011-08-05T16:46:00.001-07:00

1. As Momma Pitt and The Professor prepare for moving, they've found some interesting pieces of memorabilia. One of them was as wig The Professor wore while he was in the army when it was time to leave the barracks for some fun on the town.

Here some pics of Mrs. Pitt & I modeling it:

As you can see, she wears it better than I do.

Hump Day HodgePodge

2011-07-27T20:07:00.005-07:00

We'll start this post off with an amusing picture of my cat Bustopher sleeping:

And now for the HodgePodge!

July is National Ice Cream month...your favorite flavor? Soft served, hand dipped, or frozen yogurt...which do you prefer? And technically yogurt is not ice cream but its hot outside so I'll let that slide for today.

I have always liked Mint Chocolate Chip, but recently I've started to like other flavors like Southern Hospitality and Pistachio Almond by Blue Bell Ice Cream.

When you travel, do you tend to pack too much or too little?

I've always been a minimalist when it comes to packing for traveling or vacation and it has led to some uncomfortable situations, so now I probably pack too much. Mrs. Pitt might argue that I pack too little. Since working for Decker's I now pack at least 3 pairs of shoes in my luggage: My Teva slide sandals, closed toe sandals, and tennis shoes.

What's your favorite cleaning product?
A couple of years ago, I got suckered into buying to bottles of this concentrated, bio-degradable, eco-friendly cleaner. I can use it on everything: mirrors, carpet, floors, bathrooms. I love it and it's all I'm ever going to use.

What's the longest car trip you've taken by car?
Probably one of the yearly pilgrimages to Montana either when I was kid or last year.

Tennis-golf-canoeing-biking... pick one
Umm...it would have to be biking. That's my new hobby.

What sound drives you crazy?
Umm...the sound of a tennis ball being endlessly hit against a wall at the tennis courts behind our house.

Insert Random Thought here:

DON'T HAVE A COW MAN!!!

2011-07-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

Another week is in the books. No new progress on the professional job search. I was notified of an opening in what I consider to be the birthplace of rock n roll: Lubbock, TX. For those of who don't know, Lubbock was the home town of Buddy Holly and ever since I was notified of the position, I've been singing Buddy Holly hit songs such as "Rave On" & "That'll be the Day".

Momma Pitt told me that Lubbock is F-L-A-T! Very very flat!. She would know. She lived in Houston, TX for a year in the 1970's.

2011-07-17T06:01:00.002-07:00

Momma Pitt and The Professor have officially closed on their new house in southern Arizona. They have given the current occupants 30 days to vacate the premises and will take possession of the house on 8/12. Naturally they are very excited about moving and have begun cleaning out the current abode in 1.5 Mile High City and plan to be in their new house by early October.

Naturally this leaves Mrs. Pitt and I in limbo as my attempts to find professional employment outside of 1.5 Mile High City have been pretty fruitless. But for the last 2 months I've been working as a full-time temp in a local mental health agency as a Data Operations Specialist. While there is a chance this position can become a permanent position, the financial turmoil currently being experienced by the agency makes that possibility unlikely and the wage I am paid is not even a living wage for the community. Also, I was being trained a groomed to take over the position vacated by the previous person, but recent lay-offs and retirements have necessitated reassignments within the department and I now find myself more like the little Dutch boy who uses his fingers to fill in holes wherever needed.

Also, I have pretty much put my job search on hiatus. It is not because I believe I have found one, far from it actually, but because I spend 9 hours a day looking a computer screen doing data entry work and the last thing I want to do is come home after work and spend another 1-2 hours on the computer looking for positions or preparing applications. There are also feelings of hopelessness since I've worked so hard to find a professional position and come so close a couple of times only to lose out to prior experience or because nervousness affected my answers. Lastly, how long can a person live under constant hypotheticals? Living under constant "ifs" or hypothetical moves to far-flung locales is stressful and does not lend itself to normalcy. Yesterday, Mrs. Pitt and I went to breakfast at WildFlower Bread Company. We sat outside and ate and it was great to get out and have a date with my wife. I would love to have a routine like that, but when one is living under the constant possibility of moving away, how can one truly enjoy something like that? That's all I'm saying.

It's also a case of the Japanese proverb, "He who chases 2 rabbits catches none". If I'm always job searching and looking for something better, how do I fully learn and appreciate what I'm doing now? The answer is I can't because I'm thinking that I'm going to find something better and don't need to be fully invested in my current position. Granted my position at the mental health agency is considered temporary, but there is some permanence that exists because I'm needed in the long-term...I think.

There are 2 positions I have been intending to submit applications for. One is in Ocala, Florida & the other is in Hawaii. Both are tropical and don't have winter. I am going to prepare my applications this afternoon and hopefully something good will come of it since it appears the last application I submitted to a school in Tempe, AZ has gotten lost.

Monday Musings

2011-06-27T18:29:00.000-07:00

1. I've been a reader of TIME magazine since I was about 8 years old. My teachers used to complain to my parents because I'd never read the assigned fiction books in class, to which my parents would respond with, "okay, but he reads TIME at home." I love TIME magazine and was one of the things I missed in Japan. I had my parents send me some copies, but the cost to send them made it unrealistic. This week's issue is their 10th annual history issue and it covers the relevance of our constitution in relationship to some hot-topic issues going on in the country right now. My favorite was on immigration and the need for reform. It has a great quote too, "We need to make immigration easier: staple a green card to an engineering degree earned by a foreign born national." Amen!

2. Leave it to men to screw up a situation even bigger than it was. I came home today and The Retired Professor informed me that Mrs. Pitt's car won't start (we're letting the house sitter use it while we're gone). So we got the idea that would jump from his truck. However, the batteries were too far apart for the jumper cables to reach, so we thought we'd push out of the garage and try to jump it from my car. However, we got it outside the garage door and realized that my car was not going to fit in the space next to it, so we tried to push it back in closer to the truck. However, I put the car in park while we changed pushers and by the time my dad got back in the car, there wasn't enough juice left in the battery to pull the car out of park. So now the car sitting in the driveway, just out of the garage, at an angle, with a battery charger hooked up hoping it will charge the battery enough to start it and get it running. We're not sure... Let's hope there is not a late night run to Sears to get a new battery.

Friday Fritters

2011-06-24T13:20:00.000-07:00

1. I treated myself to lunch at Pizza Hut's All-You-Can-Eat lunch buffet today. I hadn't done something like that in over 10 years, but since I'm by myself (parentals left Wednesday and will be back Sunday), I thought it would be easy lunch. HOLY COW! I had no idea how many redneck & "blue collar" people frequent that place. My favorite character was this middle-aged man with a beer belly. He was wearing a gray tank top, black board shorts with a floral pattern, and what looked like TEVA sandals, but were probably a cheap knock-off. On the back of the tank top, was a picture of 2 cartoon dogs copulating in the doggy style position and the line underneath said "Bury the Bone!". Keep it classy Pizza Hut! My favorite part was when I was paying my bill and saw a poster that said, "Come enjoy our 5-star service!" Apparently 5-star service is lost on 1-star people...

2. Since Momma Pitt and The Retired Professor are gone this weekend, I get to use The Beast (The Professor's Ford F-150). I'm planning to use it to take my bike up to Hart Prairie Road and some biking on the road tomorrow. Should be fun. I'll take my camera so I can post pictures. I had thought about biking on Lake Mary Road, but the 55mph traffic and roads just aren't my thing. I like dirt roads where I can find some solitude and work harder pedaling. Pedaling on dirt roads versus paved roads is a lot like hiking versus walking. It's more effort and a lot of more fun.

3. The job at the mental health center is getting easier. I'm not convinced I totally enjoy it, but at least I'm starting to bond with the woman who works in the office next to mine. Yesterday she loaned me some CD's for the 7th Harry Potter audio book. That was fun to work while listening to it. I think I'm going t investigate how much the audio book costs... I just found them all on Amazon. The collection is nearly $300! I guess I've gotta save my money!

4. Mrs. Pitt comes back on Wednesday! It's been a long time coming! I talked with her last night. She's tired, but seemed to be good spirits. Summer has come to Japan and since we never expected her to be there this long, she doesn't have any summer clothes to wear, so the heat and humidity are pretty unbearable. I told her if she needs to buy some clothes, to feel free to use her AMEX card, but with only 5 days left, I think she's going to pass...

Hump Day Hodge Podge

2011-06-22T17:48:00.000-07:00

I'm back this week for hodge podge!

1. Summer is here. What's your favorite sight, sound, and smell associated with summer?

My favorite sight associated with summer is girls in bikinis. I buy mirrored sunglasses for this very purpose. This way I can head down to the pool, put on my sunglasses, and look at girls in bikinis without them knowing that I'm staring at them.

My favorite sound would probably have to be the sound silence as I tramping around the woods either on foot or more recently by bike. getting off the beaten path and having some solitude is great to do during summer.

My favorite smell would have to be the smell of barbequeing or grilling meat. Summer is the time for cooking outside and I love the smell.

2. Fireflies or lighting bugs. What are they called in your neck of the woods?

Even though we don't have them, I think fireflies is the dominant vernacular name in Arizona.

3. What is something from last week that reminded you of your childhood?

I'm drawing a blank. Sorry!

4. Define the "good life"

It's all about who you surround yourself with. I'd like to have good quality people around me who are worldly and cognizant of world events and what life is like in other parts of the world. Sadly, people like that in 1.5 Mile High City are hard to find...

5. Tell what we'd see if we took a snap shot of your desk/work space:

It's kinda messy right now, but I usually keep pretty neat and tidy.

6. Peaches or Watermelon?
Watermelon, but Peaches are a close second.

Monday Musings

2011-06-20T17:45:00.000-07:00

1. The countdown until Mrs. Pitt returns is less than 10 days from. Tuesday 29th I expect to see her walking out of customs & immigration. I know she's ready to come home. She called me this morning. She's exhausted and frustrated by people who don't understand the situation of the people on the coast... even people in her home country. She's ready to come home and I'm glad to hear that!

2. Work at the mental health facility is getting easier. Still lots of questions and unknown aspects, but after getting some decent trainer from my supervisor, it's getting easier. Still, working with data all day today made me tired. Probably won't go riding this evening.

3. All my parents talk about anymore is either their new house or their involvement in the Walk to Emmaus. I can't take it! Thank the Maker their leaving on Wednesday and will be gone until Sunday.

4. Didn't get the job at CSU-Pueblo. While disappointing, this wasn't all together surprising. I got the official letter today. It's too bad that I've not kept all of the one's I'd gotten. I would have made an impressive collection.

5. Summer is here in 1.5 Mile High City, but the wind is still vicious on some days.

2011-06-19T06:46:00.000-07:00

I don't usually post on the weekends, but since I haven't posted in nearly two weeks, I think it prudent to keep up my blog appearances. The honest answer to why I have not posted in nearly 2 weeks is because I'm trying to limit my internet time in exchange for more outdoor and productive activity time...that and there hasn't been much amusing happen. Well, there has been, but I couldn't find a funny angle to present it in...

1. I find it funny that a U.S. politician named Weiner, sent pictures of his own weener to women using TWITTER. The Governator cheated on his wife and produced a love child with a woman that looks like she could scare Godzilla back to Tokyo should he ever come here. Rick Santorum believes he can president when his home state voted him out of office after three terms in the senate.

2. I have yet to see any of the summer movies. I guess I'd better hurry if I want to see the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie, though I don't think it will be the same w/o Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightly. She was the real reason I saw all those films and continue to watch them when they come on TNT or TBS.

3. This is just hilarious!

Tuesday's Tidbits

2011-06-07T20:57:00.002-07:00

1. I've purchased and received a cycling computer to track my mileage and speed. Because of this development I've started a new blog entitled "The Biking Pittmeister". Check it out! The link is my Blogging Friends column under "My Cycling Blog"

Friday Fritters

2011-06-03T13:22:00.001-07:00

1. Mrs. Pitt told me a funny story last night. She, my mother in-law, my brother in-law's wife, and my two year old niece went shopping the other day. In the grocery store was a Pikachu arcade game with a phone. My niece picked up the phone and started talking. When my mother in-law asked who she was speaking to, she said me! Apparently I am the first and only person she has spoken to on the phone, so now she equates being able to talk on the phone with talking to me. I am sure that whenever I get to meet her, she will run away or hide behind her mother because that's what most kids do when they first meet me.

2. Momma Pitt & The Professor had to leave at 5am this morning to drive down to Elgin, AZ for an inspection of their current object of affection. It was my responsibility to turn on the slow cooker with spaghetti sauce and to boil the spaghetti for dinner. I'm having a little sampling of the sauce for lunch on top of my macaroni.

3. I'm really starting to get into cycling and I can tell my body shape is changing. I feel myself getting stronger because I'm able to ride up hills faster and in lower and lower gears. Last night I went riding for about an hour on an old dirt near my house and had it all to myself, with the exception of very polite dirt bike rider who slowed down when we passed each other. I didn't get to see any wild life like I was hoping to, but the summer is still young and animals are most active in the early morning & just before dark, not in the late afternoon. Or maybe the dirt biker had scared them all away!

4. I recently purchased a cycling computer so I can track the distances I cover. Since I'm going to be able to do that, I've decided I need to set some cycling goals and the rewards for meeting those goals

For every 200 miles I cycle, I reward myself by being able to buy a new DVD (this might change depending on how quickly I rack up miles).
At 500 miles I can purchase a cycling jersey and shorts on the condition that I've lost enough weight to actually look good in them.
At 1,000 miles I can consider a new bicycle, perhaps one that more suited to true road biking (if that's what I'm more interested in) and can start to planning and saving for a long distance cycling trip with America by Bicycle tours.

Hump Day Hodge Podge

2011-06-01T17:40:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been to the US capital-Washington DC? If so, what's your favorite site? If not, what would you most like to see on a visit to that city someday in the future? Is it even on your list of places to visit?

Yes, I have...twice. I went there once when I was 10 or 11 and again when I was in high school as part of a Close-Up trip. My favorite site of the two trips would have to be the Holocaust Museum. The thought and consideration in honoring victims of the world's worst mass genocide is unbelievable and anyone who goes will be changed forever.

When did you last attend a wedding? Are there any weddings on your summer calendar? Were you a summer bride? If you're single, is summer the season of your dream wedding?

The last time I attended a wedding, besides my own, was the wedding of my friend Matt to his wife Miki. They were married in Morioka in early August and the next day I left Kozue to come back to the U.S. for eight days. There are no weddings on my summer calendar because I'm past that age where my friends are getting married. I missed that time living in Japan. I'm now at the age where my friends are having babies and posting pictures of their pregnant bellies on Facebook and other social media outlets.

What is your favorite way to eat strawberries?
I don't really eat strawberries to be honest with you. I prefer blackberries. I don't have much of a taste for sour foods and I consider strawberries to be a sour fruit.
What is one thing you're looking forward to this summer?
I'm looking forward to the family trip to California at the end of this month. Momma Pitt shelled out some money for the whole family, including the Digger's significant other and Mrs. Pitt to have a family vacation in Newport Beach at a timeshare promotion trip. It's also the week we've designated for Mrs. Pitt to come back to the U.S. after nearly 4 months in Japan.
Do you use the self-checker at the grocery store?
I've used it in the past, but really didn't like it. I think it takes longer than having a professional checker do the deed.
Share a piece of common sense advice
As the comedian Gallagher once postulated: "Don't smoke dope when you're stoned cuz you don't get any higher just lower on dope."

Contentment

2011-05-30T10:22:00.000-07:00

A little over 2 weeks ago, my small group at church finished a series called Crown Financial Ministries. It was a 10 week study focused on how we as Christians should use the money & resources given to us by God more efficiently. One of the weekly themes was on contentment and how we should be content with what God gives us no matter how little or how much. As Sheryl Crow as sang: "It's not getting what you want, it's wanting what you've got."

Contentment is something I've been struggling with lately because for a long time I have felt a lot of malcontent and often find myself not feeling content about something then having to listen to whispers (another bible study) that I should be more content with what I have.

Here are somethings I am constantly reminding myself to be content with lately:

1. My job
Yes, I'm not doing what I'd like to be doing, but I'm doing something, which is better than nothing. Yes, I'm not working with students or even in the field of my schooling, but I'm working and earning money. Finding a way be content in a job God has given me is a daily struggle, but it is a lesson I need to learn. There are many people who cannot work at all and I'm reminding myself that by performing this job the best I can, I can show that I'm willing to work, learn, and perform even in an imperfect situation.

2. My Living Situation
Being a 31 year old married man living with his parents not our society's ideal living situation for this time of life. How I'm constantly reminding myself to be content with the fact that I have a roof over my head and food to eat. It shouldn't matter with whom I've living, but that I am living with people who care about my well-being.

3. My possessions
I often find myself believing that I need to buy or consider buying something new:

Shoes: I don't need any more shoes! but yet I've kept the websites for Decker's brands bookmarked. I have 2 pairs of Teva's, 2 pairs of Ahnu's, 1 pair of UGG Australia, 1 pair of Tsubo, and 1 pair of Simple Shoes. I am set for shoes for the next 5-10 years, yet I find myself regularly perusing the sites.
Bike: This is my most recent source of perceived malcontentment. I have a great bike that until recently I've hardly ridden and had considered selling. It's a hybrid bike, good for both street and groomed trail riding for either recreation or exercise. Now, somewhere in my mind, I'm considering purchasing another one for either more serious road biking or trekking, which I don't do either of right now. I find myself constantly checking out the website for Specialized & Trek bikes, checking to see what products are available and wanting to test ride them. Today I had to tell myself to stay out of the bike shops and I was successful at that.
Cars: Mrs. Pitt's car is a 14 year old Honda Accord that she only uses to get from home to work and back. We don't take it out of town or have a desire to go off-roading, yet I constantly find myself discontented with it and desiring to trade it in for something newer/bigger once we move. I keep having to remind myself that my care is only three years old and will last another 10-12 years. In short, I should be content!

Contentment is hardest lesson I'm having to learn, but once I learn it, I'm sure life will get better.

Have a happy holiday!

Monday Morning Musings

2011-05-30T06:37:00.002-07:00

1. Well, I've returned from another weekend in southern Arizona. The abode that I was showed was quite unique and definitely had a western flavor to it from the cowboy wall paper to the branded knotty pine cupboards with horseshoe handle hardware. It's endearing qualities are the lack of wasted space for hallways, the covered porch that runs the entire length of the north side, and the five acres of wind blown paradise. Offers and counter offers have been made which included a deep freeze and the "inheritance" if you will of two black German Shepherd canines to continue to roam the property in perpetual bliss. I for one would not minding having another couple of dogs, possibly relocated to 1.5 Mile High City if Momma Pitt and The Professor do not want them on the property. The issue being Mrs. Pitt's fear of strange canines. I think that point is still up for negotiation.

2. For the second straight weekend, I stayed in a Best Western hotel and I feel as though I'm becoming either a connoisseur of the brand or a devoted consumer. Upon checkout yesterday morning I helped myself to a Best Western hotel guide for Canada, the U.S., & Mexico to accompany the Hampton Inn hotel guide I already have in my possession. I must say, based on their guides, Best Western is doing a better job of wooing and informing customers on their locations, yet the Hampton Inn guide is much smaller and easier to pack. It's a toss up at this point. Still, I prefer my Lonely Planet guides for local, out of the way establishments such as the Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale Mississippi, which puts people up on old sharecropper cabins at the Hopson Plantation. Now, I don't know about you, but this places looks awesome!

3. On Friday, I found about a job opportunity in Finland three hours north of the capital Helsinki. I asked Mrs. Pitt about how she might feel about moving to Finland and I asked a friend of mine who has lived in Finland...both responses were positive. The application is due some time near the end of the week, so I don't have much time to work on it and submit it. I for one one would love to live in and experience Finland. It would be a return to Europe, even though it's brutally cold in the winter, but maybe I could vacation to Spain, Italy, or even Greece. The only issue would be what nationality would our children be?

Hump Day Happenings

2011-05-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

1. Mrs. Pitt received her first credit card solicitation today. That didn't take too long. See, Mrs. Pitt doesn't believe in credit cards, aka "deficit spending", and so has refused to get one. Before she went on her trip to the Motherland, I suggested we get an additional card for her one of my credit card accounts just in case an emergency happened. Well, an emergency did happen and she has been forced to use the card to purchase a few items. Well, today she received her first solicitation for a new card from BoA. Yeah, you guess where that went...right into the shredder!

2. I'm not doing any Hodge Podge today. The topic was on patriotism and what I love most about the U.S. Well, having lived abroad, I will say that I have a new appreciation for the diversity of this nation, but disdainful hatred for its politics. Also, there are people in country who've never left the country who walk around proclaiming that it's the greatest country on earth. And that is a little fuckin' obnoxious!

As Lewis Black put it: "What if someone in your work place walked in everyday and shouted, 'I'M THE GREATEST FUCKER HERE! AND YOU SNIVELING SHITS WOULD DIE WITHOUT ME! HA HA HA!' I guarantee would've killed him, and eaten him, just to try to possess his power.".

Every other industrialized nation on free health care to it's citizens and they are all healthier than the U.S., whose so obsessed about health, that we worry about it, and when you worry about your health, you're gonna get sick aren't you?

3. My job is tedious and I hate it. I need to get out of there, but it's hard to walk away from $12/hr.

Monday Musings

2011-05-23T20:55:00.000-07:00

1. My weekend in the Valley of the Sun was lovely. It was 95 degrees, so I got some color on my legs, arms, and face, so I now have a good farmer tan started. I did some shopping and bought 2 new suits that are light tan in color so great for a summer wardrobe, 4 new shirts in varying shades of red to go with the new suits, some Japanese snack foods, and some birthday gifts for my niece, who turned 2 last month, but with everything that's been going on in my life...I forgot. I didn't get to do any cycling while I was down there because my my bike would not fit in the back of the Decepticon and a bike rack cannot be put on the car...or so I'm told. Yesterday afternoon I went for a 1.5 hour ride on the FTS and back home on a paved bike path.

2. The hotel I stayed at was the Best Western at Dobson Ranch. I would recommend it as a great get-a-way destination for the budget minded traveler or those with children. The hot tub was large, the pool was larger, and despite all the children at the hotel, I did not a dirty diaper at the bottom of the pool like I did at the Residence Inn in Garden Grove, CA.

3. Momma Pitt and The Professor came back from their trip further south in love....with a house! For over a decade they've been scheming and plotting to build their "dream" house on a two acre plot of land with a garden and an orchard. Now, after the realization the building would be prohibitively expensive not to mention a stressful nightmare, they've found a house that's to their liking and came home raving about it. For some odd reason they want me to take a look at it next weekend and for some odder reason I agreed. So this coming Friday, I'll be heading down to a tiny town in southern AZ to look at a house that my opinion matters little on....

4. I'm learning lots of new stuff at work, like how to batch data. Yeah and the terminology makes no sense to me. The job is fine, but I miss having more human interaction. I really hope something develops with this job in CO.

5. I finally got to watch The Hangover. It wasn't as funny as I had it described to me. I think I'm gonna pass on the sequel, but I'm gonna try and see the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

Thursday's Thoughts

2011-05-19T19:20:00.001-07:00

1. Why do women today insist on wearing shirts with low plunging necklines that shows of their cleavage only to wear another unzipped shirt, sweater, or another article of clothing over the top of it to cover up their boobs? And why are they constantly do they shyly place that additional shirt over their boobs when it the presence of a man? I mean why not just wear something that doesn't cover your boobs then wear something to cover that shirt that completely covers your boobs so you won't have to worry about if somebody is looking at them? I don't just don't get the logic behind it. If you want to show your boobs off in a club or with your s/o, that's fine, but at work, please cover up and keep those necklines high.

2. The Diamondbacks are playing the Twins while I'll be in Mesa this weekend. I've considered going to the game, but going to a baseball by yourself is no fun unless a man is escaping from his wife for an afternoon. I'm not escaping and just thinking about the expense and the stress of driving from Mesa to the ball park makes me think I don't want to go the game.

3. Saturday is supposed to be the 2nd coming of Christ and people are going to raptured into the heaven on that date. Most Christians, including me, do not believe it, but if there is a great disappearance of people and you never hear from me again, then you know where I'll be.

Hump Day Happenings & HodgePodge

2011-05-18T18:34:00.000-07:00

1. It's May 18th, and right now the weather is 38 degrees and snowing in the 1.5 Mile High City. It is for this reason that I have decided to escape this weekend to The Valley of the Sun. I have not yet decided where I will stay or how long I will stay in The Valley of the Sun, but I'm thinking to truly enjoy a weekend down there, I need to leave Friday afternoon/evening and come back on Sunday. While I'm there down there, I plan to partake the following activities:

Shop for a new suit at the Dillard's Clearance Store in Metro Center Mall. Last year, Mrs. Pitt and I went down there and ended up buying two suits at 50% off their already discounted rate of 50% off retail because of a sale they were having that day. That means I received a total discount of 75% off the standard retail price. The two suits I purchased would have originally added up to $1,200 and I got them for $300. I hold no illusions of receiving such a discount this time around, but I would like to get a lighter colored suit more appropriate for summer & warm weather occasions.
Lay by the hotel pool (haven't decided which one yet) for a couple of hours, maybe sip some beer or some tropical drink with an umbrella in it, like a Mai Tai, and just enjoy the warm sunshine while trying to get some color.
Do some outdoor recreation. I'm not sure if my friend The Domn8or will be available for a cycling excursion, so I may try hiking Camelback Mountain by myself (something I've always wanted to do) or set on my own bicycle exploratory trip, if I decide to pack it down with me.
Visit The Heart Attack Grill. I don't really plan on eating there because of it's diet busting reputation, but I think it might be fun to visit what The Travel Channel calls "A shrine to junk food".

2. The Professor and Momma Pitt are also planning on being gone this weekend. They will travel to their designated retirement community in southern Arizona to look at the plot of land they've owned for the past 12 years and on which they intend to build their Retirement Home. They also are intent on looking at ready made homes they can live while they build or to simply escape 1.5 Mile High City's winter season this year, since it has been voiced that The Professor no longer wishes to be a year-round resident. Rumors have been floated they might keep the 1.5 MHC abode if Mrs. Pitt and I are still residing here when they decide to move.

3. Hump Day Hodge Podge:

What reveals more about a woman, her refrigerator or her purse?

I for one vote for the purse on this one. I know on the show "Cribs" people would always want to see what was a celebrity's refrigerator, but I think a purse tells me, as a guy, more about a woman's habits than what she has in her fridge. I say this because, a woman doesn't have to eat everything in her fridge, but she no doubt has a use for everything in her purse.

When was the last time you went the zoo? Where? And what's your favorite zoo animal?

The last time I was at a zoo was in July of 2006. It was the Ueno Park Zoo in Tokyo. I went there more as a way to kill time than to really enjoy the zoo because my purpose for going down there was to pick up Momma Pitt and The Professor who were coming to Japan for their two-week vacation. I don't really have a favorite animal, but if I had to pick the animal I spent the most time observing it was the pachyderms.

What social issue fires you up?

Do I really have to pick just one?

I would have say gay marriage (for it), educational spending & reform (we need it!), immigration (Mrs. Pitt is a foreign national), and governmental spending on wars rather than on health care.

Are you a coupon clipper? If so, are you "extreme"?

What's a coupon?

What is one of your favorite souvenirs brought back from your travels?

You know, I've been so many places in my, that it is hard to identify one special souvenir. However, I think it would have to be the hand-made Japanese kimono that Mrs. Pitt's mom had made for me. I have not had the opportunity to wear it yet, but one of these days, Mrs. Pitt and I are going out on the town in our kimono.

Lemon Meringue or Key Lime?

Neither! Coconut or Banana cream pie! Oh so delicious!

Tuesday's Tidbits

2011-05-17T20:29:00.001-07:00

1. I had yet another interview today. This time it was for an academic advisor position at a business school in Colorado. I decided that I wasn't going to worry about and stress out over "impressing" them. I was just going to be myself. My answers were very smooth and easy to come by. One of the questions asked why I was leaving my current position. A valid question to be sure and one I had not been asked yet.

2. Just when I was getting into a routine of cycling for an hour after work, the weather in Flagstaff has decided to revert back to being winter or early spring. It's been windy and cold the last 2-3 days and tonight there is a chance of snow showers. I think some times that God wants me to be fat because I could feel my body changing and my metabolism going up. I was eating better and had discovered my new favorite snack: blackberries.

3. I can't eat blackberries without thinking of the trip I took with my aunt and uncle to the Oregon coast is August of 1988. It was blackberry picking season and one night in the campground my aunt gave me a pale and told me to go pick blackberries and she would join me later. On her way to where I was she stepped on a hornets and got stung in the butt! I remember her shouting from the motor home bathroom: "Go get me some mud!!!"

4. Last night I bought an electric pencil sharpener for use in my office at work. I'm not sure why I did because honestly I use pens about 99% of the time. Yet, there were some unsharpened pencils I had inherited by the previous occupant that I felt needed proper sharpening. This particular model can "eat" a whole pencil if you continuously apply pressure to the pencil. I guess I got the "more power" pencil sharpener. I'd like to do some decorating, but I'm not sure how long I'm going to be there and I don't want to tote a bunch of stuff there, just to take it down after a few months. I'm not even sure if I'm allowed to decorate the space. I hate the chair I have to sit it. I feel like great big praying mantis.

5. I'm finally going to get to watch The Hangover. I got it on my Netflix today. I will probably watch it later this week.

Monday Musings

2011-05-16T17:39:00.002-07:00

1. I really have to hand it to the Accounting department at AMEX. They are really on top of things. On Friday I paid my AMEX bill directly from my bank account and on Saturday I received an email from them thanking me for my payment. Then, just 24 hours later, I receive another email from them reminding me to pay my bill, which was due on Friday.

2. I have a chance to move to Colorado. I'm interviewing with CSU-Pueblo tomorrow on the phone. Pueblo would be cool because it's a lot like Flagstaff, plus Colorado is one of the healthiest states in the nation with lots of outdoor activities.

3. My current favorite song & video is the "Fire Burnin'" by Sean Kingston. My obsession has less to do with the song or Sean himself, but with one of the dancers in the video (the one with the black and red lingerie outfit with black boots and red suspenders).

4. I've decided I don't need to commute to work via bicycle to be considered a biker. I just need to bike after work for about an hour.

5. It's really dry in Arizona right now. This morning I blew out my nose and got a nosebleed. Would somebody remind the weather that we need some rain & humidity.

6. I'm taking Sizzler of my list of places to eat. Last night I ordered the Steak with Unlimited Shrimp. The steak was something I would get at a college cafeteria and the shrimp portions were small. I paid 2.29 for a drink that was 75% ice! Never again Sizzler. Sorry.

Friday Fritters

2011-05-14T16:09:00.000-07:00

1. Well, I certainly have not posted this week. That's because the day after my job at the law office ended, a new one started at a local mental health facility and I've been busy doing all sorts of tasks they've been assigning me. So now it's Friday and I'm finally able to do some blogging.

2. I finally to to see "The King's Speech". Great movie and I'm looking forward to adding it to my permanent collection.

3. My job at the law office ended on Monday, but not to worry, I immediately started another one at the local mental health provider as part of their Quality Control team. It's a temp position which could possibly turn into something more permanent with benefits. After four days though, I'm not sure if the job is more for me. I'm too much of a social person to completely enjoy the duties, so I've decided to continue my job search.

4. Following up on the previous "fritter", I have an interview on Tuesday afternoon with a school in southern Colorado that is part of the CSU system. It's for an academic advisor position at their business school. Far enough away from Flagstaff, but still a long day's drive. Would be a great opportunity.

5. Last week I "won" a new bike helmet and a water bottle as part of a silent auction. I've since been carrying the water bottle with me wherever I go. It's made the company Camelback, which started out making water reservoirs you wear on your back for hiking or biking (I have one for biking). This bottle is quite advanced and does not allow water to drip out the top and there is a feature where you can turn a knob and no water will come even when squeezed. I've basically determined that this bottle amounts to nothing more than a sippy cup for adults.

6. Speaking of carrying of a water bottle with me where ever I go, I'm reminded of what Lewis Black said about people who carry bottles of water around with them: "There are people, in New York City, who leave their apartment every morning, carrying a liter bottle of water with them, in a sling, as if, it were a little baby...AS IF THEY WERE CROSSING THE GOD DAMN MOHAVE! What if I never see water again?"

7. Tomorrow is the start of Bike to Work Week and I'm planning on attending the "festivities" down town.

8. On Sunday, my bible study group will complete the Crown Financial Ministries series. I wonder what we'll focus on next....?

9. Mrs. Pitt will be happy to know that I finally broke down and bought a large bottle of lotion so I apply it to my elbows twice daily: at morning and at night.

10. Congratulations to all the NAU graduates this weekend. Our international student Chi is graduating and we took her out to dinner on Wednesday night. I was watching the Master's ceremony today and saw the people in that cohort, so congrats to those people as well.

Hump Day Happenings

2011-05-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

Let's get today started with some thought provoking questions from this week's HodgePodge questions:

1. Have you ever been served breakfast in bed? Do you enjoy that? If someone were serving you breakfast in bed this coming weekend what would you hope to see on the tray?

I can't say that I have been served breakfast in bed. Like many Americans, I'm a very messy eater and the table/tablecloth are usually covered with crumbs, so I think being served breakfast in bed for me would be a very messy affair and would require the cleaning of the sheets that same day.

However, I were to be served breakfast in bed, I would ask for a Belgian waffle, drowning in syrup, scrambled eggs, bacon, and blackberry yogurt.

2. What is one piece of advice you would give a new mother?

My experience with motherhood is limited to viewings of "Teen Mom" and the plethora of newborn baby shows on the Discovery and TLC channels. I don't think my advice would be well received either, so I'm going to bite my tongue on thsi one...

3. What is something people do in traffic that really bothers you?

I've been a victim of some recent traffic rudeness and close calls, so pardon me if I vent on them for awhile. On Sunday I was passed by a truck in the left-hand turn lane and then nearly had my front taken out by a wanker in white van. When I confronted the wanker, his response was "kiss my ass!" It was all I could do to not use the baseball bat in my car on hit head as batting practice. A simply apology would have been sufficient. Then this morning the Decepticon and I were nearly taken by a car-hauling semi-truck who pulled out from the Little America parking lot and wanted in my lane. Despite my persistant horn honking, he continued his path until I pulled ahead of him and into the intersection.

4. What do you do when people don't admit they're wrong?

I show them how they're wrong. When I was in the 5th grade, one of our spelling words was "granary", which is something that stores grain, but he was pronouncing with a short "a" rather than a long "a" sound. After arguing with him on this point for several minutes & defending my position on the grounds that if a place stores grain, in should be pronounced like grain-ary and that's what my farming relatives call them. He was having none of it. So, to prove I was right, I researched the word in dictionaries published back to 1952, copied the pages, and took them into class with me to prove he was wrong and I was right. He reluctantly agreed and apologized.

5. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word 'fun'?

Something involving travel....

Friday Fritters

2011-04-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

1. Thursday's post was a milestone of sorts for me and blogging. When I posted on Thursday, it was my 177th post on this post, which equals the number of posts on my Japan Blog. That blog was alive and kicking for just under two years. This blog was born over three years ago. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that I blogged more in Japan that I have here in U.S. This has notably been because I was busy with graduate school coursework and requirements and I have simply not found a way to make my life in the U.S. interesting...until now. I think my daily blogging titles are a good way to organize my thoughts and give you tidbits about what's going on here in the 1.5 Mile High City.

2. Keeping with theme of Friday Fritters, I brought in a dozen doughnuts to the office yesterday. Half of them were apple fritters. I love fritters! They're my favorite kind of doughnut! I've even turned Mrs. Pitt into a convert. Whenever we're near a particular grocery store, she wants to stop and buy a fritter at the bakery. However, her pronunciation of the word has been evolving and usually it sounds something like "fu-rii-taa!"

3. In my ever losing battle with the bulge, I've decided to rededicate myself to the Okinawa Plan eating plan beginning Sunday, May 1st and pair it with my bicycle commuting and recreational riding. The eating plan (Yes I said "eating plan" and not diet!) was the only thing I really liked, is well-rounded, and could stick to for the long term, especially with Mrs. Pitt's Asian-inspired culinary abilities. I'm starting tonight by making one of the dishes in the book for the family: Honey Mustard Chicken and Vegetables.

4. Bicycle commuting did not go over well this week. I only rode on Monday. Tuesday I got up too late, Wednesday was Momma Pitt's retirement dinner (& a prescribed fire burn), Thursday I slept too late because of the wine at the aforementioned dinner, and yesterday the winds were expected to be 25-40mph sustained with possible 55mph gusts. I don't care if you're Lance Armstrong, cycling in that kind of wind blows!

5. I'm still no closer to finding full time employment. In fact I've gotten some rejection letters in the past week or so. Apparently I'm not qualified to even be an academic advisor at a community college in the Portland, OR area.

That's about all I can think of today. Have a weekend. I'll be back on Monday.

Thursday Thoughts

2011-04-28T10:39:00.001-07:00

1. I need to stop watching so much "Lock-Up" & "When Animals Attack". Last night I had dreams where was a correctional officer for a small prison somewhere and a dream where two escaped tigers bivouacked themselves in our back yard. I was worried about my house cat, thinking maybe they'd eat him, but instead they became a small feline fraternity. I also caught the first episode of "Storage Wars" last night and realized how stupid the show really is. Unfortunately it's hard to turn away. I'm entranced by it. The great this it the NFL Draft starts tonight at 5pm.

2. I had a pretty good time at Momma Pitt's university retirement dinner last night. Many of the people there commented on a letter to the editor I had published recently. Surprisingly, not many of the retiring faculty came to the dinner, which was smaller than last year's gala. The university president only gave out 10 commemorative jewelry boxes. This morning, The Professor encouraged me to write another letter decrying potential cuts in vocational education at the high school levels. I don't think I'm going to touch that one, but I agree that vocational education courses are the prime reason why many kids who are not college bound attend high school and graduate. In my letter though, I did call for the specialization of high schools with a college prep high school and with a curriculum more devoted to the vocational and business education courses to better prepare kids for both courses in life.

3. I haven't been sleeping well and I think I may have figured out the cause: dehydration. I have been cycling, but not keeping up with my water intake, so in the middle of the night, my body is keeping me awake in order to find water. Yesterday I drank water like a thirsty camel and finally had a good sleep, not wanting to get until 6:30 or so. I'm about two bottles of water down already today and will continue to drink to my heart's content.

4. As mentioned in an earlier post about moving to Montana, I have found my dream Montana truck. It's a 2006 F-250 Crew Cab with a suspension lift and only 23,000 miles. It would be great for going out into the woods and driving through the pasture at my family ranch outside of Denton! Sadly, it's in Kalispell and there are no universities anywhere near Kalispell for me to be employed at. Kalispell is far away from where I've applied at and would take 4-5 hours to get even there from where I'd be employed. Another reason I would never be able to have this truck is because Mrs. Pitt would not let me get due to her struggle to even get in it. To see my dream Montana truck, click here.

Hump Day Happenings

2011-04-27T08:30:00.001-07:00

1. Tonight is the NAU retirement dinner party and I will be attending once again. This time it will be in support of Momma Pitt as her career as an Accounting Sr. Lecturer winds down. It's a chance to schmooze with faculty and drink free red wine.

2. HodgePodge

What is something that bothers you if it is not done perfectly? Mrs. Pitt gives me a hard time and says I'm too strict when it comes to making our bed. Now, I must preface this by saying that our bed almost never gets made unless we've stripped it and washed the sheets. I've never been one to make it every morning, just when it needs to be made. But, the bed is so big and the room it's currently is so small, that making it requires both of us to make it. I'm very particular about how tight I want the fitted sheet & and the height up the bed that I want the flat sheet and blanket. Finally, I want the bedspread to be in the perfect position.

What is one of your best childhood memories? I honestly can't pick just one. I have many great childhood memories. From helping my dad with his spring/summer garden planting to spending days at the country club pool with splash contests off the diving board, spending all day sledding at a big hill near our house with all the neighborhood kids. It was a great childhood.

Do you plan to watch the Royal Wedding and when was the last time you wore a hat? In a word, "no". I don't plan on watching the royal wedding. The commentary will be overly critical and will be nothing but a showcase of opulance and wealth. Still, I applaud the royal family for being more down to earth and accessible than they were 30 years ago. I've never worn a hat hat, but the last I wore a ballcap was probably some time when I needed to go out and had not showered or combed my yet.

Where do you fall in the birth order in your family? Do you think this has influenced your personality? I am the first-born and I exhibit a lot of first-born traits excluding the need to be an over-achiever. Anyone who knows me, knows that academic achievement and recognition is not one of my priorities. Somehow I have managed to earn a Master's degree though.

Dodge ball, freeze tag, kickball or jump rope? You have to pick one. I have to vote for Dodgeball, but the Dodgeball game I've always liked is Medic. It's Dodgeball with a person who can bring downed people back into the game, but if the medic gets hit, then the team is screwed.

3. Three years ago today, I blogged about the Death of the Iwate JET Programme. To read that post, click here.

Tuesday Tidbits

2011-04-26T12:37:00.000-07:00

1. On Friday, I was helping to answer the phones. Several of the calls I fielded were from a disgruntled defendant who was unhappy with the way he was being represented and wished to speak with the attorney's supervisor. He asked for my name and since I was under no obligation to give my real name, I told him my name was "Charles". When he asked for my last name, I told him "Schwab". He believed me and hung up the phone. I had other defendants and clients call throughout the day asking my name and each time I came with different names, such as "Edward Jones", "Franklin Templeton", and I my personal favorite "Chuck. E. Cheese".

2. Mrs. Pitt will be coming back state-side on 6/29. She officially reserved her tickets from Narita to L.A.

3. I have this bell on my bike that I use to make people aware of my presence if I'm coming up behind them.I don't use it as a horn, but as a safety precaution. I had to use it twice yesterday on my way home. The first time it was with 2 walking Navajos over the I-40 overpass who were walking two abreast. After passing them, one of them yelled that bikes needed to go with traffic, which is true unless doing so would be unreasonably dangerous or no bike lane exists, which is true in this case. The second time was further down the road to let a walking couple know I was coming up behind them & passing them of the left.

4. I can't believe how bonkers the American news media is going over the upcoming British royal wedding. I think it just goes to the show there is little going on in the U.S. worth reporting. Presidents' daughters' weddings don't get as much coverage as this wedding. As a guilty pleasure, I have watched and enjoyed the Lifetime movie "Will & Kate". The actors couldn't act, but were cast due to their resemblence to Will & Kate.

5. I've decided that Mrs. Pitt and I are going to try and make a trip to Oklahoma this July after the trip to Newport, CA. She has never met the family out there and she probably should. I've asked my cousin, Dr. Doolittle, if she can get some time off while we're there. We'll make a road trip of it, stopping at road side attractions such as El Morro National Monument, The Big Texan, Cadillac Ranch, and the Largest Cross in the Western Hemisphere. Eventually we'll end up in or around Okarche, OK, which is about an hour outside of Oklahoma City... just don't ask which direction.

6. I spent the morning in court today observing a hearing related to a murder trial that scheduled to start next month. Can't say much more than that. Very interesting and informative. The word of the day was "doors".

7. I brought my lunch today. Trying to eat better and avoid the eateries of downtown which are both expensive and unhealthy even though I'm a regular at the Thai restaurant Pato and the burrito/wrap establishment Black Bean. I made myself 2 ham sandwiches made with real spiral cut ham & wheat bread, remains of what was a coleslaw salad, and some blackberries to substitute for fries/chips. It's pretty good. I didn't cycle today because I woke up too late, so I sacrificed a lunch for the gas I used today. The ironic this I arrive earlier when I cycle than when I don't.

Monday Morning Musings

2011-04-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

1. I hope everyone had a Happy Easter. Here in 1.5 Mile High City it was windy and cold....as is typical of most Easters here when it doesn't snow. I went to church but didn't go to the service. I spent half of it drinking coffee and visiting with people before the "party" broke up and we all went home. Easter lunch was with Momma Pitt, The Professor and their friends at a local brew pub.

2. I was able to my friend The Doctor and his wife via Skype on Saturday morning. They live in Ichinoseki, Iwate in J-Land. His wife an English teacher and he teaches English at a school in Flower Box City...my old "hometown" in Japan. They're doing well, just busy. The earthquake forced the late start to school term this year and they have been working hard to catch up.

3. I tried to get in an extra ride this weekend, but gave up after about 3 miles after fighting a 25mph headwind and fighting for every inch of the road. The headwind was so strong, that after I turned about, I never had to pedal very hard to get home...

4. I haven't had a hair cut since before I went to Philadelphia for TPE and NASPA. I see no need for another one until Kozue returns (or an in-person job interview comes my way), which means I may start to look like this after 4 months of no haircut. Though I will never grow my hair to length I had it in high school or in imitation of another Iwate JET who did not cut his hair for 3 years and looked like the 2nd coming of Tarzan before he returned state-side.

5. I need to start taking pictures again. When I lived in Japan, my camera and I were Siamese twins...inseparable, joined at the belt loop! Of course, it helped that my mobile phones also had excellent cameras and an email option to boot. I need to start taking more pictures so I have some thing to post on the blog.

6. Monday Musings Picture:

Happy Times in Japan after doing Wanko Soba

Friday Fritters

2011-04-22T08:26:00.000-07:00

1. Have you ever wondered how TV stations can take even the most mundane and uninteresting jobs and make them exciting and watchable? A&E has 2-3 of my current favorite shows on TV right now.

One is "Parking Wars" which documents the daily lives of people who work for the Philadelphia Parking Authority. How they made a show about the lives of people who issue parking tickets is beyond me. People on that show have to play to the camera or there would be no show. I'd like talk to the producer who came up with the show, and smack him in the head with a shovel.
"Storage Wars" documents the lives of people who attend auctions for abandoned storage units and buy them. If focuses on four select people who all have different reasons for being in the "business" as they call it. The four they focus on have been quite successful with all of them driving Jags, Mercedes-Benz, or expensive Ford-250 pick-up trucks.
The last one is "The First 48", which documents the actions of homicide detectives in the first 48 hours after a murder has been reported. What I've learned from watching the show is to always get an attourney before questioning should I ever find myself a suspect in a murder case...

2. Today is quite possibly my last Friday at the law office, so I brought in donuts and Snicker's Mini's. The donuts were because everyone likes donuts on Fridays and the Snicker's were because I'd been eating quite a few of them in one of the support staff's bowl on her desk. I'm on the phones today since one of the people who normally answers phones is out.

3. I've submitted another letter to the editor and was told it will be appearing soon.

4. Should be a beautiful weekend for some road biking. Happy Easter everyone. I'll be back on Monday!

Thurday's Thoughts

2011-04-21T09:23:00.000-07:00

1. I've heard some Godly whispers this week. The first was earlier in the week when a co-workers car broke down. God whispered that I should offer to let her use Mrs. Pitt's idle Honda, but not knowing her well enough, I ignored the whisper. The second whisper concerned my on-going and frustrating job search. The whisper told me the reason why God had not allowed me to move yet was because of what he planned for me do regarding Japanese aid relief. I could not have done what I've done had I not had the network I have here in 1.5 Mile High City.

2. Of the positions that I've submitted applications for this week, three of them were at Christian institutions...something I had not considered before. Maybe that's where God is leading me...

3. I love this picture. I was taken over 3 years ago on one of the last weekends I was able to snowboard in Iwate before moving back to the U.S., but it was cracks me up!

4. This will likely be my last week at the law firm. I haven't done much this week since the person I was replacing is back in the office, but they kept me on through the week in case she needed to leave early or something, which has needed to do. However, my lack of meaningful contributions to the office probably means that I'm out after this week.

Hump Day Happenings

2011-04-20T12:20:00.001-07:00

1. Today is National Bike to Work Day and that's exactly what I did. I saw some people on the path this morning I had not seen before and for awhile there were 4 of us in a small convoy as we headed into downtown 1.5 Mile High City. It was awesome! After driving to work yesterday, here's what I've found I enjoy about riding the bike to work:

Less waiting: Fewer & shorter stops at stoplights. I almost never have to stop at some stop lights because the bike path just goes right by the light or by the time I get there, it's my turn to go.

Speed: I can go at my own pace. I don't have to worry about getting a speeding ticket for going too fast or being tailgated for going too slow. Being passed is not a good feeling, but I remind myself that I'm a beginner.

Focus: I'm not distracted by the radio. The only music I have is the song currently stuck in my head. This morning it was Toby Keith's "American Ride".

Efficiency: I get up earlier now, but I don't waste time getting ready in the morning, and I don't feel rushed either. It's a great feeling for life-balance.

Friendship: There's a camaraderie amongst cyclists. We nod, wave, and say good morning to each other as we pass. Try doing that while driving. You'll get shot, which isn't far flung exaggeration considering that Arizona is now an open-carry state.

Traveling light: Because I'm on the bike, I don't have to worry about hauling frivolous items to work. It's just me and the bike. I usually don't even take my lunch!

Exercise: Each day I get more exercise than the 60% of Americans who get none whatsoever. Even though I'm in the "obese" demographic, I'm still getting exercise.

2. HodgePodge Questions:

Besides Jesus, what one person from the Bible would you most like to meet and why? Well, I would have to say it would have to be Job. I would ask him how he kept his faith and optimism even after God sat on his head and said "I'm gonna take shit shit shit! Open your mouth, here's some more shit!".

What is one modern day convenience you didn't have as a child that was easy to live without? I know most people will say the mobile phone and I considered talking about that, but it's too much of an obvious choice. I'm going to say the GPS navigation device. Before the GPS navigation device, people actually used maps and mapped out a route to find their destination without having some voice say, "recalculating!". In my family, my mother was the flesh & blood GPS device on our road trips. My dad would plan out the route, then hand the map with his route to my mother and say "get me there!" One of my favorite family memories was when my dad decided to take a detour through Antwerp, Belgium on our way to Calais so he could go through a tunnel. We ended up lost in the city for over an hour with my mom in the backseat looking at a map trying to get us out of the city. Everytime she found a road to get us out, it was a one-way street that went in the opposite direction. There lots of "recalculating" phrases heard that day.

Cadbury Creme Eggs or Reese's Peanut Butter? Reese's! Hands down!

Who was your favorite cartoon character when you were a child? This is a hard question because there were lots of different cartoons I liked growing up. I liked He-Man, Voltron, Thundercats, Tiny Toon Adventures. I watched a lot of RoadRunner cartoons too. I don't have a favorite, but these are my favorites.

HodgePodge Photo for the Week:

3. I went to Marshall's last night to buy more stuff for Kamaishi Relief. I bought socks, underwear, and every shirt they had worth buying in size M or L that was $7 or less. The clerk to checked me out gave me an additional 10% off because I told her why I was buying all of that stuff. Now I have to figure how to send all that I bought over there. The totals were something like 60 pairs of socks, not sure about how many pairs of underwear, and about 10-15 shirts.

4. That's another thing! Last night at Marshall's, when I was in the Men's underwear department (b/c that's the only department I feel comfortable shopping for underwear in) trying find decently priced/valued stuff in the men's underwear section, it felt like I was shopping for gay porn! The images of well-hung men with washboard abs in tighty-whiteys is forever burned into my memory and now I am scarred for life.

5. I watched "Fiddler on the Roof" last night with Momma Pitt and The Professor. Okay, so I only watched the last hour of it. There were some good quotes in the last hour, but I forgot'em already. Classic film though. Definitely recommend it.

6. I'm looking for a cycling partner in 1.5 Mile High City. Before you consider applying, I do have some required to preferred criteria:

They have to be as fat or fatter than me. This way I won't get discouraged when I fall way behind while riding with them, but I can feel really good about myself when I'm way ahead of them.

They have to be willing to commit to rides at least 1 day out of the weekend for 1-2 hours each time.

They can't have a cooler bike than mine.

They have to be willing to consider a deeper committment to the sport, including equipment upgrades, matching team jerseys of my choosing, and competative distance races in Las Vegas, Phoenix, & Tucson in the middle of the summer.

7. I recently applied for a job at Pepperdine University in Malibu. If I get the job, Mrs. Pitt and I could not afford to live in Malibu on the salary they would pay. So, in the interest of saving a commute, we would either live "in a van down the river!" or in a Winnebago Class C Motorhome in the WaffleHouse parking lot.

8. I need to get out of 1.5 Mile High City some time this weekend. Anyone is Phoenix or Las Vegas up for a meet up?

Tuesday Tidbits

2011-04-19T10:12:00.000-07:00

1. I didn't bike this morning. After fighting yesterday's wind and reading the weather report for the day (9-18mph w/ gusts up to 30mph) I decided to drive in this morning. Man! What a different experience. I didn't realize how much time is wasted stopping at stop lights! When I'm cycling, I'm always moving.

2. Just put in an application at Pepperdine University in beautiful Malibu, CA. Do I think I have an honest shot? No, but a man can dream & fantasize right?

3. Had an interesting debate this morning about spaghetti & noodles with The Professor. Not really worth repeating, but that's how we roll in the Pitt House.

4. There's a trial going on today in Superior Court. I found this out by being told by somebody not to move my car today b/c I'll lose my spot. It's a DUI trial I'm told and is expected to last 2 days. Isn't this why we have dash cams in cruisers and BAC breathalizers? So people can't mount a defense? This what we should use on DUI offenders....

Monday Morning Musings

2011-04-18T10:15:00.001-07:00

1. On the ride in this morning, I fought a headwind the entire way, even having to pedal during the downhill portions and I couldn't get enough speed to take a rest while pedaling. At least I'll have a tailwind on my ride home. I really have not missed my car yet and with the cheapest gas in town at $3.69/gallon, I'm also not missing seeing my money expelled out the end of my tailpipe...

2. Tried to watch the NBA Playoffs and MLB Baseball this weekend, but neither really held my interest. Realized how addicting & distracting TV can really be...

3. I'm considering trading in Mrs. Pitt's Trek mountain bike for a more efficient hybrid bike, the Specialized Ariel. Of course I need her permission before I can do that and the cheaper option would be to simply change the tires on the bike to ones with less drag. Then we have ride together when she gets back to the U.S.

4. The person I've been covering for is back at the law office this morning. However, I've been told they're planning on keeping me through the week and possibly into next week for a few days.

5. For Christians, this is Holy Week. I've always been confused by the fact that in the period of one week, people could have turned against Jesus so passionately that they would have him crucified. That's more time than it took for the people of the U.S. to turn against George W. Bush and he started 2 wars!

Friday Fritters

2011-04-16T07:42:00.000-07:00

I wanted to call today's heading "Friday Fallacies", but I couldn't think of enough good lies to blog about. I know it's Saturday morning actually, but I didn't get a chance to post yesterday because they had me up at the front answering phones and 95% of them were from the county jail or some other detention facility. I also know that a fritter is a doughnut (my personal favorite), but I think that's awesome. It also has a double meaning, as to fritter the time away, which is what I do most of the time.

1. I'm starting to really love cycling. Yesterday I cycled to work for the 2nd day in a row (big whoop right?) and my leg muscles are sore due to lack of use, but it's fun and the endorphin rush I feel when I get to work is awesome. Looks like I'll be at the law office for another week and a half or so and I intend on cycling each one of those days. I've also started to shop for cycling jerseys to wear on potential workout rides or maybe even a race when I get into a good enough shape. So far I've settled on 2: one depicting a Japanese Zero war plane and another from the University of Pittsburgh with the word "PITT" across the front.

2. We had artichokes for dinner last night. After peeling off all the leaves, dipping them in butter, and eating the small edible piece of the leaf, all that was left was getting to the artichoke heart. That required cutting off the "hairy" part of the artichoke. While I was cutting it away, I found myself humming the melody to "My Heart Will Go On". When it was all done, I thought I had done a dissection on a tarantula.

Thursday's Thoughts

2011-04-14T13:31:00.001-07:00

1. I finally sucked it up and biked into work today. It was a smooth right that took 35-40min along the bike path that parallels R. 66, so I arrived at the office building 20min before anybody showed up. The hills were pretty manageable and my bike was very smooth going up the hills with very little struggle or difficulty. I definitely have to do it again tomorrow!

2. Pac-12 Groupie starts her tour of jury duty this morning. The trial is scheduled to last a month, so she's had to do some re-arranging of her class schedule and assignments in order to serve on the jury.

3. Went out for lunch today, but didn't go to the Thai restaurant Pato just down the street, which is extremely good btw. Instead I want to Beaver Street Brewery and it was awesome! Sticking with my goal to get health(ier), I ordered the Salmon BLT, but then ate ALL of the accompanying french fries. Oh well, in the words of Scarlett O'Hara, "Tomorrow is another day."

4. I seem to have become an unofficial spokesman for the Specialized bike brand. My bike is a Specialized Crosstail bought 3 years ago, my helmet is a Specialized helmet bought in 2001 when I bought a new bike at the time, and the bicycle pump I have is also a Specialized bike pump. Maybe I should write them and ask for a sponsorship so I can get paid for the advertising. Hmm....

5. Currently listening to: "Wheel in the Sky Keeps on Turnin'".

6. My parents, who have not rented a video in probably over a decade, asked me to get "Fiddler on the Roof" from my Netflix. So that's on it's way today and I had to waste the space for something for entertaining, like the classic "Dead Poets Society".

Hump Day Happenings

2011-04-13T15:28:00.001-07:00

I went to bed last night with the full and complete intention of cycling this morning. The weather has been warmer in the morning and I've noticed a lot of people cycling along Rt. 66 on the "bicycle lane" constucted between the road and railroad tracks. After I got home home last night, I dug out my bicycle helmet from behind a wall of empty boxes so diligently collected by Mrs. Pitt over the course of the year, and hung it on the handle bars. The part of my plan that did not work out was I went to bed too late last night, after watching the season premier of "Deadliest Catch" to be completely awake when my alarm went off and so I snoozed until 6:30 this morning, by then far too late to get ready in time to cycle to work.
A few of my blogging friends do something called "Hodgepodge Wednesdays". While I'm not really a fan of it, I'll attempt to answer some of the questions posed by my friend, Domestic Diva:

What objects do you remember from your parent's living room? Pretty much everything that was there when I was kid is still there today, including the non-working stereo, the wall units filled with books, mementos, and my dad's glass dog collection, and very dated encyclopedia set. The furniture is the same furniture they bought in the 1970's and it has aged well and because my parents are too cheap to buy new end tables and coffee tables.
Do you hog the bed? Steal the covers? Snore? I don't hog the bed, Mrs. Pitt does that. Despite the fact that we have a Cal King sized bed, I often find her sleeping right up next to me with her knees in my back or pressed so closely to me that I crush her when I try to roll over. I don't steal the covers, in fact I'm often freezing at night and have to steal them back. I do snore however, loudly. I've also been told I talk in my sleep, the funniest instance being when I blurted out, "I have no opinion!". One time I farted so loudly in my sleep that I woke up both myself and Mrs. Pitt.
As a child, how did people describe you? I think people would say I was a smart and overly expressive child. I was too smart for own good. Some of the things I'm more famous for in school were being banished to back of the classroom for the entire year in 4th grade because I could not behave in the "pod" format; pretending to smoke a cigarette (a piece of chalk rolled up in paper) during my D.A.R.E. class in 5th grade; having my name on the board everyday from 1st grade through 3rd grade because I refused to raise my hand to answer questions or I was always talking to my neighbor. In 6th grade I succeeded in getting the boys in social health kicked out b/c of a comment I made related to birth defects and hot tubs...
What do you complain about the most? I'm a firm believer that complaining doesn't help anybody or anything. All it does is build people into a frenzy. That being said, I probably complain most about my inability to find a job in this economy.

3. I admit it, I'm a choco-holic. I love chocolate candy! Last night I went to Target and bought way too much chocolate Easter candy. My favorite being the Reese's Peanut Butter and Chocolate nest eggs.

4. I need to go to Las Vegas for a weekend, but there's no one to go with it & and I have no money...shit!

5. I've decided to apply for a job in Great Falls, MT. When I told my parents this, I followed it up, "if I move there, I'll have to buy a big truck to go with the small, fuel efficient car I have now because everyone is Montana has those types of cars". Yeah, I want a big Ford F-250 with a lift!

6. The Humpty Dance: "First you limp to the side like you're leg was broken; shakin' and twitchin' kinda like I was smokin'; Crazy, whack, funky, people say you look MC Hammer on crack Humpty! That's alright cuz you're body's in motion; supposed to look like a fit or a convulsion..."

7. I had a great little conversation with one of my "co-workers" today after getting back from lunch. We compared and contrasted our favorite restaurants in Flagstaff and there are plenty of good ones. We both agreed that you can't live in Flagstaff, or Arizona for that matter, without being able to like Mexican food. We also agreed that to enjoy the food scene in Flagstaff, you must stay away from the chains and restaurants where managers have been arrested for peeping in the women's restrooms.

8. Currently listening to: "With or Without You" by U2 on the radio.

9. The Digger has officially been selected as a juror. I guess while she's doing that, I can officially change her alias to The Juror. She's happy to be of civil service, but being selected will require her to arrange some things around in her schedule.

Tuesday's Tidbits

2011-04-12T15:34:00.005-07:00

In my effort to blog more often on this blog, I'm coming with alliterational names for each days postings (Monday's Musings, Tuesday's Tidbits, Hump Day Happenings)...you get the idea!

1. Talked to Kozue last night for about 40 minutes. She mentioned that she's ready to come back to the U.S. Sounds like her "emergency adrenaline" is starting to wane and she's feeling very tired. We've set a tentative return date of 6/30. Momma Pitt has planned for a family vacation at timeshare weekend and Kozue can arrive in L.A. on the 1st day we're there.

2. Still at the law office this week. Sorry, can't tell about what's going on here due to privacy and confidentiality agreements. My claim to fame today: organizing some of their files so now you can actually find something. Even ended up with 2 empty filing drawers they can use at a later date. I also found some information in a criminal file the intern was unable to find last week. You can say it: I'm awesome!!!

3. Looks like my sister, The Digger aka The Pac-10 Groupie, has a good chance of serving on a jury in Alameda County. 5 people from her panel were dismissed from her group except for her and now they're interviewing 5 new people. This is all very stressful for her b/c she's very busy with school being in her 2nd year of her doctoral program.

4. I once again got in time this morning to cycle to work, but like the fat-ass that I am, I chickened out b/c of the cold. Maybe tomorrow....

5. I don't know what it is about my 5-layer dip, but it's giving me uber strong heartburn. Not making that stuff anymore.

6. There once was a man from Nantucket....

7. Gradually getting back into the swing of submitting job applications. Been out of the loop for awhile. Still having trouble finding the motivation to read them and submit application materials, but thanks to some bridge therapy I'm starting to get some confidence back. As I'm typing this part, Journey's "Don't stop believin'" is blaring on the radio.... Coincidence? Possibly. The fact that things in Japan are getting better for the people there is making me turn my attention and energies elsewhere.

8. Speaking of therapy, still searching for the words to tell Momma Pitt and The Retired Professor that I need help, mostly with the financial part of therapy.....

Monday Morning Musings

2011-04-11T11:58:00.001-07:00

Kozue called me during the weekend. She said they have plenty to eat (which she feels guilty about) and takes a bath every other day to conserve water and to fee less guilty about being able to bathe regularly. We've been very lucky in the face of this disaster and we continue to count our blessings. There was another 7.0 shaker in the region over night, but if what my friends in Iwate have confirmed, then it was little felt in the prefecture.

Kozue has expressed an interest in wanting to stay until a friend from NZ arrives in late May or June. While not a complete veto, I reminded her of our "plan" to have her come back by that time. I'm sure this is a topic we'll debate further.

I'd like to thank everyone at THUMC for their outpouring of support. I've picked up donated items, been told about people organizing food drives, people telling me they have clothes to donate, all while I"m dealing with some depression, but working on improving with the help of my graduate school advisor. Hopefully I can snap out of this "funk" I've been in since NASPA and TPE.

Another Earthquake in Japan.

2011-04-08T08:25:00.000-07:00

Kozue and her family were evacuated Thursday night due to another earthquake. The news calls it an "aftershock", but at a magnitude of 7.4, I would consider it another earthquake, not an aftershock. They were evacuated in the middle of the night to a temple on a hill out of the way of a possible tsunami which never came, thankfully. They are without power again. Power has in fact been knocked out to 5 prefectures. As if I wasn't stressed and depressed enough, now I have this new earthquake to worry about. Needless to say, I want her home. I don't want her in the region anymore. It's too dangerous.

Hump Day Happenings

2011-04-06T18:01:00.001-07:00

Well, it's Wednesday and while I refuse to "Hodgepodge Wednesday" like many of my blogging friends, here are some random thoughts for the week so far:

1. Kozue has told me they now have internet up and running in Kamaishi. On Monday she and I chatted via Skype for a few minutes before I ate my breakfast and went to my job. Things are starting to get better in Kamaishi. Kozue told me they have so many donated supplies that they are now forced to use a room in her dad's second cousin's house. God knows what they're going to have to do after people at THUMC start donating stuff after I gave "witness" on Sunday. It's warming up, but people are still without clothes.

2. Yes, I have a job, well nothing permanent, but for the next 2-3 weeks. I'm temping in the county Public Defenders office. It's an interesting experience. The language is not what you'd expect to hear from a professional law office (lots of profanity). Still, I'm doing the best I can to fill-in for the person who is out with a medical emergency. The people who work there though are very friendly and have accepted me as part of the team immediately. Work has been slow the last couple of days, but I'm sure it's going to pick up tomorrow and Friday and beyond.

3. I finally got my bike's rear wheel fixed over the weekend. After breaking spokes at least 4 times, I finally broke down and bought a stronger wheel with more spokes that will hopefully be more durable than the one on there previously. I also bought a softer seat b/c my ass was getting so sore. Now I'm ready to ride!

Care Packages Got Through & More on the Way

2011-03-30T19:07:00.001-07:00

Kozue called me last night from the emergency phone set up in Kamaishi. Told me they received all three boxes I sent last week, including the beef jerky which was not intercepted and taken out of the box. She's been busy helping her family with the local relief effort. Her job is to open boxes they are receiving and to catalog everything they receive and classify it. They're very busy and her dad spends a lot of time outside the house delivering supplies on his bicycle. She commented on the intense smell of death and decomposing bodies that have not been found yet. They also don't go out after it gets dark, around 6 or 6:30pm. The town is very dark, quiet, and spooky.

My church has given me $2,000 to use as I see fit on purchasing supplies and sending them to Japan. So yesterday I went and did some shopping. For food, I went to the new Super Wal-Mart, (something I swore I would never do) to buy food at discount prices. I nearly bought them out of their Bear Creek powdered soup mix and boxes of powdered milk. I bought more instant coffee, instant oatmeal, beef jerky, granola bars, peanut butter, tea bags, Gatorade mix, and 9 cans of mixed vegetables, and salt which was donated by friends of my parents. I said I only needed 10, but instead they gave me a case of 24 26-oz iodized salt containers. Much of the food that I bought has been repackaged into Zip-Lock bags for easier packaging and less waste upon arrive in a Japan. Something tells me the garbage trucks have other priorities.

I also went down to the local Saver's 2nd hand store. Kozue has mentioned they are in need of winter coats for the rescue workers but also general people. I was able to purchase nine coats for ~$100, roll them up with duct tape, and put them into 2 boxes to be shipped out today.

I know I should be more focused on my job search, but the people of Japan need my help more....

Going to the War Zone

2011-03-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

Kozue is leaving today with her cousins from Tokyo and heading up to the earthquake and tsunami hit area of Kamaishi. They don't know what they're going to find there, but they are taking some self-defense objects just in case they run into trouble. Kozue does not know when she's going to go back to Tokyo, apparently she is not planning on coming back with her cousins, but will stay in Kamaishi for awhile. I don't like this, but she does need to see her family and spend time with them.

Stressed Or Depressed

2011-03-24T09:02:00.001-07:00

I am either stressed or depressed, or both, caused by having to continue a fruitless job search while being concerned about the welfare of my Japanese relatives and trying to do something to help. Yesterday was a very emotional day for me, one where I spent 15-20 minutes during the morning in my bedroom experiencing an "emotional release", then later in the afternoon at a church executive council meeting trying to explain what I'd like for the church to do, but not finding words. I also experienced an "emotional release" while there too. This morning I slept until 8:30am, which I hardly ever do. I know that too much or too little sleep is a sign of stress & depression.

I have a meeting with my graduate advisor in about 90 minutes and he claims he's going to help me with my job search. According to him, we're going to develop a strategy. I have to bring my resume`, my Self-Directed Search results, and my Meyers-Briggs classification. I'm not sure why, but he wants me to. I've been told to not apply for anymore jobs until we have this meeting. Apparently he's going to lay on me some big secrets that will help me.

Kozue is going to try and head up to the quake/tsunami area this weekend with her cousins and bring supplies and relief stuff to the town. I hope they are successful.

2011-03-23T10:20:00.002-07:00

Elizabeth Taylor died today. Now all of her ex-husbands can stop paying her alimony.

Coats are Needed in Japan

2011-03-22T19:01:00.000-07:00

In addition to needing items included in my "care package", something that I'm told is also needed in the Japan where the tsunami hit are coats, specifically coats are that good in the rain, snow, and working outside (Carhart comes to mind...). If you have an old coat you'd like to donate, let me know and I can tell you where to send it.

Care Packages for Earthquake & Tsunami Victims

2011-03-22T12:21:00.000-07:00

I mailed out a care package for my Japanese in-laws today so they can have some food and share it with others. Since they are not living in a shelter, they are not currently eligible for assistance from the Japanese government.

It included:
10 packages of dried soup mix
7 packages of instant mashed potatoes
3 packages of Beef Jerky
2 jars of peanut butter
2 boxes of granola bars
2 packages of instant coffee
2 boxes of powdered milk
2 bags of mini Snickers bars
180 multivitamins.

I'm not sure when they will receive the boxes. They are still in need of coats.

If you'd like to know how you can help and where you can send stuff, let me know.

The Week in Review

2011-03-16T06:17:00.000-07:00

It's been a stressful week, but last night our family got some relief.

Kozue's dad was finally able to call and confirm that he, my M-i-L, brother in-law, niece, and BiL's wife are safe in Kamaishi City and that the house sustained little or no damage during the earthquake and tsunami, though the the tsunami did get very very close to the house. Kozue's return date will probably be delayed by up to a month now, but that's alright. I want her to be satisfied about everyones' safety and well-being before she comes back.
The NASPA conference ends today and it has been a good conference. Hopefully, 1 or 2 of the positions that I interviewed for during The Placement Exchange will pan out. Even though I'm not leaving until tomorrow, I can't wait to go home! I will have been away for 9 days, which isn't much, but I'm ready to stop living out of a hotel room and eating the same thing for breakfast. I won't be doing much sightseeing today b/c of the rain and because I need to pack up my hotel room.
Philadelphia has been a great city to spend a week in and I would definitely come back at a later date if given the opportunity.

Japanese Earthquake.

2011-03-12T07:33:00.000-07:00

My physical body is at an interview fair in Philly called a Placement Exchange, but my heart, my mind, and my emotions are in Japan with my friends, and family. Mrs. Pitt left on 3/1 to return Japan for one month, so she is there when the earthquake struck. She's fine, but we're waiting on news from her family, who lived in a city right on the coast, just north of the city of Sendai, called Kamaishi. Kamaishi was hit by an 18ft. tsunami wave and now my life is on hold until I hear about their status. I can't be here in Philly anymore, but i am scheduled to be here till 3/17.

2011-03-02T16:42:00.000-07:00

I went into work today, sat at my station for one hour and was told to go home. Business has really bottomed-out and seeing as I am leaving at the end of the week, they probably figured I'd be happy to go. Well, the truth is I was, still wanted more than one hour of work. Before I left though, I placed an order for another pair of Ahnu shoes. My last code and my last pair of shoes for, oh I don't know.....the next 5 years!

I leave for Philadelphia in six days for TPE (that's a job fair for those of you not in Student Affairs, it stands for The Placement Exchange). I have 4 interviews scheduled, which is 4x the amount I had scheduled going into last year and double the total number I had last year. Hopefully one or two will be promising.

Seeing as Mrs. Pitt is gone, I stopped by Sonic while I was today and had a snack of popcorn chicken and a cherry limeade. Both were mediocre. I wanted to be reminded of that fact.

Spent ~2hours in the library doing interview prep today, then the pressure of the library got to me and I had to leave. If I get sent home tomorrow too, I'll do the same thing.

A Month to Myself.

2011-02-27T18:39:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Pitt is leaving to go back to Japan tomorrow, well I'm driving with her to Phoenix, then she leaves on 3/1 and will be gone until 4/3. While there, she'll be visiting friends, family, and others. I hope she has a great time and comes home refreshed from her visit.

That being said...Here are somethings I'm looking forward to while she's gone:

A roll of toilet paper lasting longer than 3 days.
Being able to watch a sports game w/o any interruption
No more turning on my computer only see that the language typing option has been changed to Japanese.
No one bothering me to brush my teeth before I go to bed.

Mad at the World Right Now

2011-02-14T20:39:00.001-07:00

I have to admit, I am really getting really worn down and discouraged by the job search process. I have four interviews lined up in que (2 before TPE and 2 at TPE) and even though I'm hearing whispers from God on how to prepare my notes for the interviews, my motivation to sit down and prepare my notes for the interviews is ebbing right now. Originally I was scheduled to have two at 3pm & 4pm tomorrow, but the 3pm interview was rescheduled to next week. Both of the schools I'm interviewing with are the same two schools and the same two positions I applied and interviewed for at this same time last year. While I'm thankful for the opportunity and small belief that while they didn't hire me last year, but still like me, the belief I might actually be seriously considered for one of the positions b/c I lack res life experience is nearly non-existent, and at nearly 32 years old, I question my ability to be an effective RHD at any school.

I have 3 more weeks at my seasonal job before it ends. This week they are making the final decisions on who they will lay off and who they will keep after after the season. My chances of being picked to stay are slim and even I am picked to stay, I would not accept the offer because of my commitment to go to Philadelphia next month for the NASPA Placement Exchange & Annual Conference. I've missed out on the time frame to request the time off and the call center is aware of my disdain, not for the company, but for the position, I would say my chances of staying are next to nil. If I don't hear anything this week regarding my status, I've decided to put in my 2 weeks notice on 2/21 and I've notified the temp agency of my intentions as well.

We're still waiting for Mrs. Pitt's Green Card extension to be completed. On 2/3, we went to Phoenix to have her fingerprinted again, but are still waiting for her new card to be delivered. After receipt of new card, we're going to make plans for her to return to Japan for about a month or more to see family, friends, and generally refresh before coming back to the U.S. Ultimately we'd like to set up a savings plan that would allow her to visit Japan on a yearly basis and perhaps allow me to go as well, since I like visiting Japan and feel at home there, even though I've haven't been back in nearly 2 years.

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone out there. I spent my V-Day dinner with my parents at a steak house b/c Mrs. Pitt had to work. Too bad there wasn't more red wine available.

Whispers from God

2011-01-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

My church, Trinity Heights UMC, is doing a sermon and small group series call "The Power of a Whisper", which is all about listening to the little whispers from God in how we should live our life. I've been doing my best to take this seriously and not simply play lip service to the program and here are the whispers I heard this week:

1. I gave my discount code for Simple Shoes to the woman who cleans our house. I was out in the garage and a voice just spoke to me that said, "give Rosa a code", so I wrote it down on a piece of paper for her along with the web address, www.simpleshoes.com, and let her know know that she could get 75% off a purchase of 1 pair of shoes.

2. I woke up on Thursday morning singing "This is the Day that Lord has Made".

3. I have an interview tomorrow afternoon for a position at UW-Eau Claire and when I woke up yesterday morning, I actually had a genuine answer to the question, "why do you want to be an international student advisor".

2011-01-08T21:39:00.000-07:00

I've been really depressed lately.

The news from UK has definitely affected me in a way that I did not expect.

Since Wednesday when I found out that I didn't get the job, I've been pretty melancholy, bordering on being depressed.

I have little or no motivation to do my job at Decker's and I have experienced high levels of anxiety related to having to be on the phone.

9 times out of 10, people just have an honest question, but there's always that one person, like the one today, who calls up pissed off, won't let me get a word in or allow me to help them. They just want to bitch! The one this morning kinda ruined my mojo for the morning and then my computer got the H1N1 virus and quit working, so I moved to another workstation. When that person, came in at 11am, I had to move again.

I spent the last 1/2 of my lunch hour outside, propped up against the building, sitting in the sunshine in semi-catatonic state pondering the meaning of my existence. Sometimes I hope for a cop to come up to me so I can ignore him when he thinks I'm a vagrant and loitering.

I don't understand how someone can tell you "we thought you'd do a good job, but went with experience" and somehow think that can make you feel better. It makes me feel worse. To me, that's like saying "We wanted to buy a new baseball cleats, but bought them a 2nd hand store instead."

The definition of insanity is the repeating the same thing over and over expecting a different result. Am insane for thinking that I'll actually get one of these RD positions I apply and interview for? Or am I victim of "getting my hopes up", which is something my parents taught me never to do.

The Placement Exchange 2.0

2011-01-06T19:37:00.000-07:00

Last night I made my plans to attend the NASPA Placement Exchange in Philadelphia in March. This will be second time attending it and oddly enough, I am much less enthusiastic about it for the following reasons:

1. I know that 99% of the positions there will be for RD positions, of which I will have no chance of even getting a sniff of an interview b/c I lack Res Life experience.

2. I see some schools and positions that I applied and interviewed for last year. Seeing as I didn't get those positions (namely the one at the University of Hawaii), I'm even less motivated to apply for them this year, because why should they interview me again? They know who they'd be interviewing.

3. Maybe I'll just wait and apply for just the jobs employers encourage me to apply for, that may take some of the emotional sting out of the whole deal. I don't want to go barking up trees where there no chances to find doggie bones.

Disheartened, I'll go again and set myself up for disappointment. Still, maybe I'll be able to network at the conference since I'm staying for that this year.

2011-01-04T08:27:00.001-07:00

I still have not heard back from the UK regarding my status with them for the RD position. I'm hoping I hear something this week. On 12/31 I sent an email to my would be supervisor asking if there had been an update. In likelihood they went on break before a decision could be made. In the mean time, one of my mentors at NAU has suggested I apply for a RD position at Yavapai College in Prescott. At least it would be warmer and that much close to Phoenix.

We are submitting Kozue's petition to have her conditions of residence be removed today. It has to travel to California. We hope the life insurance policy, jointly filed tax return, RothIRA beneficiary form, and joint checking & savings account bank statements dating back to her arrival are sufficient proof our marriage is genuine.

Flagstaff is finally warming up! New Year's Eve the temperature downtown was -6 F and overnight temps were down to -30 F. I think the extreme cold ruined my windshield washers so if they're not working today, I'm going to take it and have Toyota look at it.

Today is the final day of the Retail Support Line at Deckers. Too bad I'm not there today since it's my day off today. When I go in tomorrow, it will be back to the regular customer service que. It was fun to have a different role this Christmas and to be given different responsibilities.

*****Update 1/16/2011******

I heard back from UK a couple of days after posting this and I didn't get the position. Turns they had offered to the other candidate before the new year and spent the next few days putting together a firmer offer. It took me about a week of mourning to feel good again.

You Really Have to Wonder....?

2011-01-03T19:12:00.000-07:00

You really have to wonder about an insurance company that sends a health care supplement and life insurance advertisement to someone who has been dead for 4 years.

We still get mail for my grandmother from time to time, but this time I think it's gone too far. Way to go America Benefit Limited! You're one sharp insurance company and you really inspire my confidence.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year!

I'm a little behind I know, but that seems to be the theme of my life.

We had a great New Year celebration. Unfortunately Kozue had to work that night, so The Retired Professor, Momma Pitt, The PAC-10 Groupie, and the Groupie's B/F had dinner together at one of the Downtown Flagstaff's fine Italian establishments, then spent time in a bar before going out the Pinecone Half Drop at 10pm before the real new year's at 12am. After the pine cone drop, we went to pick up Kozue at her job, but when we told Kozue it was -20C outside, she said she'd rather go home than stand outside for the 12am drop.

That's another thing: It's has been unbelievably cold these last 3-4 days! We had a snowstorm come in on Wednesday that delayed the arrival of PAC-10 Groupie and her b/f by about 24 hours because they had to stay in Camp Verde over night. It's been in the negatives every night since and never getting above freezing yesterday and probably today. We have frost and condensation on the doors and windows, very unusual for us but no doubt caused by the new humidifier bought a few weeks ago.

I think Lewis Black said best when he said:
"It's really special winter isn't it? If you're a f***in' moose?! If you've got fur on your nuts it's been a f***in' festival?!"

Happy New Year!

Some Dreams Should come true, While Others shouldn't

2010-12-21T04:20:00.000-07:00

Insomnia, oh how I hate you.

Okay, so it's not really insomnia, I think I've just turned into an extreme morning person. However, seeing as it's a day off, I think I'll go back to bed in about an hour.

Had some strange dreams the last 2 nights. On Sunday night I dreamed I was experiencing demonic possession from the hours of 2-6am and that I reminded myself I had to call Pastor Red Beard in the morning when I woke up for an exorcism. Most recently (this past dream), I dreamed I made a surprise visit to Lexington, KY to find they were going to offer me the job because there was a note on a board asking me if I was going to make a trip to Walt Disney World and would I be bringing my spouse. Sadly, I realized this was a dream when I woke up at 3:30am and had to look at the alarm clock.

The Pac-10 Groupie is back at home for the holidays. She flew in yesterday and Momma Pitt and Mrs. Pitt went down together to get her. While down there, they also did some shopping at Scottsdale Fashion Square. For those of you completely unfamiliar with the Phoenix area, Scottsdale and Scottsdale Fashion Square is the Ginza/Beverly Hills of what everyone in AZ calls "The Valley" (short for Valley of the Sun, aka Phoenix metropolis).

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-17T06:46:00.000-07:00

This year, Kozue and I finally got around to writing a Christmas letter and doing Christmas cards. Okay, I admit, it more Kozue constantly reminding me than I really taking the initiative. We printed off about 20 copies of the letter to send to our friends around the world. The letter isn't really much more than an amalgamation of the past events blogged about here throughout the year, so I guess you know what's going on.

I can't believe it's been nearly a month since my last post. I guess the job at Decker's has really kept me busy and away from the blog more than I expected. Kozue and I went to the company Christmas party last week. I won a 24" flat screen TV, which will be ideal for our future apartment. The Holiday Inventory Line is really cooking right now, and with a week to go until Christmas, I expect we'll be getting more and more calls. It's been a good way to cut my teeth with the company and if/when they move me back to the customer service call que, I'll be more ready than I was at the beginning, but I'll have to deal with more B/S.

On the job search front, I went to Lexington, KY earlier this week to interview for an open RD position.

The position is in an all-male, freshmen hall, which means I would be doing a lot of Marijuana and alcohol violations.
I especially liked talking with the hall's RA's and hearing them describe all the creative ways students attempt to get booze and girls into the hall. The girl in the suitcase and the keg in the laundry basket were my favorites!
Overall, I had a really great time and the people I met during my visit were awesome!
I was definitely less nervous than my visit to the University of Florida, but also had less time to prepare due to my full-time employment.
I should be hearing something in the next week or so, seeing as they want to fill the position before or just after the new year.

U.S. Airways should be taken out back behind the wood shed and put out of it's misery. I flew them from Flagstaff-Lexington and back and here is my list of complaints:

40 minute connections do not anyone (or their luggage) any good. Running through the Charlotte airport to make my connection to Lexington was all I could do to make it and of course my bag didn't. So one of the really nice RD's who picked me up, had to go back to airport to get my bag for me and missed dinner.
I've been delayed before with US Airways due to a flat front tire on the airplane, but this time we were delayed 90min because a row of seats were broken. Two words: routine maintenance.
Their Zone Boarding system has nothing to do with reality and is incredibly inefficient!
The way they handled the rebooking of passengers after the delay was inefficient and left many people in the dark with regard to their next flight.
Bottom Line: I am never willingly giving US Airways my business.

Well, I guess that's it for this post. Thanks for reading and keep checking back for more updates.

Special Forces

2010-11-21T07:02:00.001-07:00

The Retail Support team has been in existence at Decker's for 1 week now and while there were bugs to be worked out in the beginning, I think yesterday we hit our stride. We handled 110 calls yesterday in 10 hours, with only 3 of them being abandoned. I would 75-80% of them were from people living in New York City, with the occasional Chicago person thrown in the mix. After 5pm, the calls just stopped coming, but that may change after Thanksgiving.

The strangest call I've had was from a woman who wanted to purchase a $250 pair of water proof boots, just to wear in a barn. When she had trouble deciding on a color, my 1st thought was to say, "Get the dark brown ones b/c they'll go better with the shit you'll be stepping in" I didn't really say that, but I found it hard to believe that someone would pay that much for boots that are just going to get shit on them. My aunt, Wallaby Momma, theorized that she may have been a "horse person" and that "horse people" think differently.

For you Oprah fans out there, and there may not be many of them because Oprah people are not people I tend to associate with, the UGG Sparkle boot has hit the market. This is a boot with tiny sequins individually sewn onto the boot (oh those poor Chinese people) that is out for the holiday season and will be coming back for the Fall 2011 collection. It comes in Black, Gold, & Silver. If it came in red, it would could be used in a remake of "The Wizard of Oz".

5 Simple Things

2010-11-13T06:12:00.000-07:00

It's 5:45 in the morning and I can't sleep, so I thought I would get up and blog about what's been going lately.

1. I had intended to voluntarily participate in my own personal No Shave November, but that ended on Thursday night after only 11 days. I couldn't take how itchy my felt and the fact that my beard was coming in as thin as OJ Simpson's murder alibi, I decided it was better to shave and get it over with. I do like the feel of a few days stubble, but I couldn't take having a beard. Kinda makes me glad that I'm not a very hairy person after all.

2. I have been promoted at Decker's after only two weeks of training. I'm that good! J/K! Well, I wouldn't necessarily say promoted, but I've been moved from being a regular Customer Service Representative to being a member of an "elite" team that will have access to UGG Australia store's inventory and will communicate between the customers and the company stores so customers can find the boots & shoes they want, while having stores hold product for the customers until the end of the business day. I will also be able to place orders for customers if the store nearest them doesn't have what their looking for, we do have it in the warehouse. I also made my first two sales this week. Both were Teva products, which is convenient because my current workstation is located next to a wall of Teva shoes & sandals that I can just take down and play with while I'm on the phone.

3. Mrs. Pitt is housesitting again for her employers. It not so much housesitting as it is doggie babysitting since their little dog can't be left alone for more than four hours at a time. Normally I'm not spending the night here with Mrs. Pitt, but seeing that it's the weekend and I don't have to work this weekend, I decided to Friday & Saturday night here. This little dog knows when I get up in the morning to use the bathroom and barks nearly constantly until I came down stairs. Now, I don't mind it so much because I'm a morning person anyway and love to take naps in the middle of the day, but come on! 5:00AM?!!! It's latest "trick" is putting it's toy in the bottom of a TV stand and the wondering why it doesn't drop to the floor. I think Jeff Dunham was right when he said the size of the dog determines the size of its brain and intelligence. This only reaffirms my desire to a large Newfoundland dog once we get our own place.

4. I'm still on the Okinawa Program. Haven't weighed myself in awhile so I probably need to do that. I take walks around downtown Flagstaff after I eat my lunch, so that's been taking care of the exercise portion. I also take my lunch to work everyday instead of eating in the restaurants, that keeps the calories down and I can bank $50 a week...that's $200 per month! Last night Kozue and I went to eat dinner at Pita Jungle and I had salmon over "crushed" potatoes with spinach. We got a free sample of hummus too because I asked what it was and our waitress comp'ed our drinks...except my wine, which I understand.

5. After having an indian summer and late fall leave changing, winter finally arrived in northern Arizona this week. Each day was only around 40-45 degrees fahrenheit and the nights were below freezing. I love winters here! I love the morning chill with the sunshine! I can't wait for the snow! My only complain is it lasts too damn long. It's the middle to late June before it starts warming up for summer.

UnderEmployment Vs. UnEmployment

2010-11-05T07:03:00.000-07:00

Is it better to be underemployed than unemployed? I've been wrestling with this question all week during my training. Certainly I am not the only underemployed person in my training class. The guy who sits behind me takes online classes at Harvard and a middle-aged gentleman has an MBA and was a Computer Engineer. I like that I will have employment until mid-February, but each day when I hear about what I'll be dealing with, I'm not excited to be a customer service rep. With professional rejection continuing (nixed at Cornell), I'm happy I have something to spend my days doing something, but also each day my enthusiasm for doing it ebbs and flows.

Decker's

2010-11-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

I started my new job at Decker's today. It was just training and I'll be doing training "school" for 2 weeks. I like it, but a few words come to mind:

Shoes: People who work there really love'em and I guess you kinda have to. Decker's is the company that owns Teva, UGG Australia, Tsubo, Simple, and Ahnu shoe brands.

Fish: We had to watch that short film "Fish" about the people who work at the Pike's Street Fish Market in Seattle as part of our customer service training. I'd never seen the movie, but the book "The Four Agreements", which I have read, was based on the same locale and ideas.

Turnover: Many of the people I came into contact with were people who had not been there very long. For example, yy afternoon trainer had only been there for ~1 year. It may also be because the company is growing and the stock did a 3 for 1 split recently. Too bad I missed out on that one!

Discount: I get 75% off Decker's brand shoes after 1 month of working there. Can someone say UGG Australia boots for Christmas.

Coffee: They have a StarBucks coffee machine in the break room.

Successful First Week

2010-10-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

I would have to say that my first week on The Okinawa Program was a success. For the most part I was able to stick to the basics of the program.

I prepared many of my lunch and dinner meals recommended in the daily menu section using the recipes provided, including last night.
I walked 2.0 miles three times this week with 1 mile and 1.5 miles on 2 other days.
I did the aerobic step test to find out my fitness level, which is by the way very low.
I did the recommended number of Tai Chi sessions with the recommended movements.
I weighed myself this morning and weighed 146 kilograms. Now, I'm not going to say what that is in in pounds, but let's just say that I need to lose about 50-55 kilograms. I'm not sure how long that's going to take, but I'm looking at probably a year to 2 years.

Next week I start my new job at Decker's. I will be training for the first 2 weeks and will be in training from 8am-4:30pm, so my exercise time will need to be when I get home and I will have to be very careful about my meals. I already plan on taking my lunches, but will also need to prepare my mid-AM and mid-PM snacks as well to have during any breaks I might get.

NAU's Homecoming was this weekend and I ended up dining out on Thursday & Friday night and Saturday lunch. Thursday was with Kozue's colleagues at the sushi restaurant where she works and they all went out for wings at BWW's. Friday night was with my friend Anna from college who was coming back for Homecoming. Kozue and I had dinner with her and her husband Jereme. The lunch yesterday was with alumni of the Previews program; formerly NAU's new student orientation program. The people at the lunch were people who had been student leaders and counselors in the program. Unfortunately Anna and I were only ones from our "generation" as everyone else who attended were people who had served before us.

NAU lost their homecoming game by a score of 40-10, but the worst part was it was 34-0 at halftime. The players looked hungover and not ready to play. It probably wasn't from Tequila Sunrise, but from a heartbreaking loss to their nemesis, the University of Montana, the week before.

That's it for me this morning. I've been eating my breakfast of Life cereal, yogurt, and a banana as I've been typing this. I'll be going to church this morning to get my weekly dose of Jesus and his message.

Have a great Sunday!

Down Wind

2010-10-30T22:18:00.001-07:00

The Okinawa Program is working great. My body feels light & clean, my moods are better, and I feel like I have more natural energy. There is just one big drawback to the whole thing: I can't stop farting! I know it sounds gross, and it is, but whatever I'm doing, I'm passing the gas. Kozue says it's because I'm detoxing, I say it's all the vegetables and whole grains I'm eating. I don't know what to think, but I do recommend you stay down wind from me.

Day 3 of The Okinawa Program

2010-10-27T19:08:00.000-07:00

Today was my 3rd day integrating The Okinawa Program into my lifestyle. I plan to fully be on the plan by the beginning of next week.

Breakfast was my usual of a large bowl of Life cereal...not in the program, but I have a huge, double-bag box from Sam's Club to finish. This part of the diet and meal plan may have to wait a week or 2 more.

For lunch I ate one of the recommended meals of a whole wheat Tuna Sandwich w/ a slice of tomato, onion, and lettuce; low-fat yogurt (I like Activia Multiberry), and 3/4 cup of sugar-free cranberry juice. I was amazed at how full that small amount of food kept me until 5:30 when I had my mid-PM snack of dried apricots.

The professor made dinner, but I modified mine by having a generous portion of brown rice instead of white italian bread with margarine. I added a leafy green salad with fat-free Caesar dressing to the broccoli that was prepared. The meat was oven fried chicken breast. I had a small breast with a light helping of barbecue sauce on the top.

For exercise today, I was able to get in 1 mile on the treadmill instead of the 2 miles, but I did 2 miles Monday and Tuesday. I'm supposed to do my 2 mile walk 2-3 times in the first week and there are 4 more days left in the week for me to do the additional 2 miles.

I also did the 3 minute step test to test my aerobic level. What did was step up on an 8 inch step in a 4-count motion for 3 minutes. Won't tell you my score, but I am definitely out of shape for my age group. I think I'll do that test at the end of each week just to see how I'm improving.

I even got Kozue up on the treadmill for 1 mile until she felt dizzy and had to stop. Kinda worried about that, but hopefully she'll do better if she keeps doing it.

3 New Things for Today

2010-10-26T13:04:00.001-07:00

1.) Mrs. Pitt's Japanese computer finally died today. Well, we're not sure if it actually died, but what we do know is that the battery is critically low, that it won't charge, and the computer turns off 5 seconds after booting up telling us that it's critically low. Looks like it's time to upgrade to a MacBook. Also, never go to Best Buy, their customer service sucks!

2.) It's time for Mrs. Pitt to travel back to Japan for a visit. After living here for 2 years and not yet going back, we both think it's a good time for her to spend a month visiting. We have dates in mind for January-February and a flight in mind. Now we just need to get those dates approved and buy the flight ticket.

3.) Following the Okinawa Program, I got up this morning, did Tai Chi and walked 2 miles on Momma Pitt's treadmill.

2 New Rules

2010-10-25T06:29:00.002-07:00

Because my life has devolved into being a professional couch potato, I implemented 2 new rules for myself starting yesterday:

1. No TV during daylight hours or 8am-5pm, which comes first.

2. No recreational internet during daylight hours, or 8-5pm.

These rules for myself were put into affect because I am/was becoming a really bad couch potato and not getting anything done. Yesterday, because of these rules, I was able to accomplish the following:

1. Help The Professor stack our wood supply for the winter.

2. Get all the laundry done

3. Prepared a nutritious, yet satisfying meal of salmon, salad, and cabbage & potato salad for Kozue and I.

I wonder what I will accomplish or do today by following those rules......

5:25PM UPDATE:
Here's what I did today by following my rules:

1. Went to the PFS baseshop for a training.

2. Applied for 2 jobs; 1 at ASU & the other at Purdue University

3. Bought a book on the Okinawan lifestyle called The Okinawan Plan and I'm reading it now.

4. Following what I've read so far of The Okinawan Plan, I walked 2 miles in 42:42 and burned 200 calories in the process. Man I am out of shape (or I am in a shape that resembles a pear). Have not weighed myself yet, but will do that tonight and mark it on my calendar. Don't worry, I won't post that here on the blog.

Motivation, Persistence, & Perseverance

2010-10-20T11:38:00.001-07:00

Do you know what I have found to be the hardest part of job searching? Finding motivation to be persistent after getting so close to a position. If I had to measure my motivation for searching right now, it would down near empty. I think its easier on the ego to take rejection if no contact was ever made, either via phone or through an campus visit. For someone like me, who enjoys meeting and interacting with people, getting to meet the wonderful people who work at UF, then finding out that I didn't get the position was harder than applying for a job, then hearing nothing until an email follow-up informing me that another person was selected. Still, I have persevered this week and have applied for positions at Cornell and Northern Colorado universities.

I'm not really interested in any more NAU positions. I have not been impressed or happy with the way I've been treated by people I've interviewed with because of the fact that I received form rejection letters. It my belief, and one shared by my father, that people who are interviewed deserve a phone call, not a form letter. I did receive a call this morning from someone at NAU informing me of not getting the position I interviewed for.

So my motivation is kinda low now, so I've gone back to the temp agency at Performance Staffing. I had an informal interview yesterday at Decker's, which is a footwear company that markets the Teva and UGG brands. Should hear back by the end of the week, but hopefully today. Their training starts Monday.

Update: 10/21

Got the job at Decker's. Was 1 of 15 people who will be hired. Training starts 11/1 and the job will last until February. The search for a professional position continues because I don't want to be stuck at Decker's until February and then nothing.

Denied Entry to Gator Nation & My Next Moves

2010-10-16T22:14:00.000-07:00

My hope of being the newest member of the UF Gator Nation was dashed today at 9:50am when I received the call I had been waiting, but dreading for the past 10-14 days. The news that I was not being offered the position of Residence Director of Graduate & Family Housing at the University of Florida was disappointing to say the least. At first I thought was being offered the position, but because of the reception of my cell phone I was mistaken.

The simple probability of being offered the position could be calculated as a 33.33% chance of success. I do not know if I will cross paths again with any of the staff in the future, but I do consider the people that I met there professional colleagues and would recommend the University of Florida's Department of Housing & Residence Education to anyone interested in working for a quality department and professional development. I do take a small amount of comfort in the fact that I was told the decision was a difficult one because of the "well-balanced" candidates, but perhaps the disappointment stemmed from possibly getting my hopes up too high. My enthusiasm for possibly accepting the job had only grown since leaving Gainesville on 9.27, despite my initial reservations.

So now the question is, "what am I going to do now?"

With this job opportunity no longer a plausible possibility, I once again have the following options:

Focus on building my business with Primerica Financial Services.
Return to temping at the Temp Agency.

I was in Mesa, Arizona today for the quarterly recognition and building seminar known as "The Mastermind". The Mastermind is a gathering of a couple of the Primerica base shops in Arizona and is a time for highly performing reps to be recognized for their hard work and in some cases, give motivational speeches designed to spark the proverbial fire under one's proverbial ass. I decided today that I want to be recognized at the next Mastermind (considering that I'm still in AZ) when it comes around again. I'm currently a District Leader with the company.

My goals for the next Mastermind are:

To be recognized for being a top producer of life insurance premium in the state and,
Be promoted to the next contract level: Division Leader.

The Month in Review

2010-10-04T15:58:00.001-07:00

It has been a busy couple of weeks for me. Here's an update on what's been going on with The Pittmeister.

1. On 9/20 I interviewed with the University of Florida. On morning of 9/21 I had email in my box inviting me to campus to interview in person. I traveled to Gainesville, FL on 9/26 and interviewed on 9/27 for the position before flying back Monday night. I had a great time and learned a lot about the department and the position. I left there really wanting the job. I was told I would be hearing back by the end of this week; by 10/8.

2. Also last week I had 3 additional interviews for positions at NAU and tomorrow I have an interview with the University of Idaho. I guess when it rains, it pours. Because of all the interview prep I've been doing, I haven't much time to search for other positions.

3. Mrs. Pitt and I celebrated her birthday this past weekend by going up to Page, AZ to see Antelope Canyon. Mrs. Pitt had been pestering me for awhile about when we'd be going up to see it, so I thought I'd surprise her with a trip. She really enjoyed it and we got some good pictures of the canyon despite not having professional equipment or training. It was also "International Tourist" weekend due to the high volume of Chinese, German, and French tourist groups present.

4. Momma Pitt and The Professor finally got their new garage roof. Well, sort of...The roof has been replaced, but getting the new garage door and opener on have been taking longer than I expected and the workers are MIA yet we still have the Port-a-Potty sitting in our driveway.

5. Took Friday off and went hiking in Sedona. Mrs. Pitt and I hiked part of the West Fork Trail before eating Mexican food in Sedona.

6. Babies are still afraid of me. Last night at our Sunday night group meeting, the 1.5 year old children whose parents attend the group still shied away from me. Is this an omen of things to come with my children?

7. I finally upgraded my phone to a messaging phone with Verizon. Now I'm in trouble of going over my alotted text messages for the month. Funny how that happens eh?

8. Fall officially arrived in Flagstaff today. It's been breezy, cooler, and the pine needles are starting to fall off the trees. The house is much colder now too and it won't be long till we start burning wood in the wood stove. If UF offers me the position, I can't move fast enough! I have U-HAUL on bookmark and speed dial

9. Recently watched a movie I rented from Netflix. It was called "Into the Wild" and it starred Emile Hirsch. The movie was about a real guy who spent 2 years "tramping" around the U.S. in search of a life away from society. This person, named Chris McCandless, died in Alaska after eating some poison plants. It's a real interesting film and I would recommend it.

Reverse Blog Stalking

2010-09-07T17:01:00.000-07:00

When I lived in Japan I loved reading people's blogs. I would check them several times per day just to see if anything new had been posted. I also posted on my Japan blog quite frequently, but always wondered if people were reading my blog. Now, thanks to some new Blogger software, I can! I can find out how frequently my blog is viewed and what from what website. I can find out what words were used in a Google search that led people to view my blog. Thank you Blogger for giving me this information. I will use it to find out if anyone has found the blog by searching for my name i.e. a potential employer.

Blog Stalkers beware! Just Kidding. Thanks for checking out the blog and leave a comment if you like.

It's My Birthday

2010-08-31T06:49:00.002-07:00

It's my birthday today. 31 years old. That means it's my birthday's birthday, or something silly like that. All this month Mrs. Pitt has been asking me what I wanted for my birthday and my answer was always the same: a J-O-B! I don't really have any plans for my birthday. A few weeks ago when The Professor, Momma Pitt, and Mrs. Pitt asked me what I wanted to do on birthday, I said I wanted to drive to Amarillo, Texas to the Big Texan Steak Ranch and attempt to eat the Texas King Steak challenge, which is a 72OZ steak dinner with salad, bread rolls, and a shrimp cocktail. That idea was quickly vetoed!

The job search continues unabated. I have accepted the reality that the only way I am going to find a job in this economy is by using what my mentor calls "relationships", which by any other word is "networking".

In the mean time, I've decided to go back to work for Primerica Financial Services. It's a company that teaches people about money and how to save money in order to become financially independent. Part of the business requires I call people to make appointments in order to make money. The only problem is I get scared whenever I think of the prospect of doing so. I know it's because I don't know very much about the company and it's products, so I'm not very confident over the phone. When working in student services or other areas, I have no problem picking up the phone and calling people. One would think my counseling experience would serve me well in the appointment, but I get just as nervous doing that well. I think today, I'll go into the office and make my calls from the office phone. It will feel like I'm at work and doing something professional and productive.

Attention to Detail

2010-08-30T07:16:00.001-07:00

I received my diploma last week, but my name was misspelled, so I'm getting a new one printed. I love attention to detail.

Sleep Number Beds

2010-08-19T06:30:00.003-07:00

One year ago, Mrs. Pitt and I found ourselves sleeping on separate mattresses on the floor of what used to be the guest room of my parents house. While a practical idea, it was not ideal and my sleep acquisition was suffering because of it. So, we started looking for a more permanent solution, however this proved to be more difficult than normal because each of us like vastly different mattress firmness. Due to her lower back problems, Mrs. Pitt likes sleeping surfaces that are extremely hard. I on the other hand, like to experience a sinking feeling of the mattress. We realized that a Sleep Number bed would likely fit our needs. So, without any money to spend, we went to the Select Comfort store in the mall to "test drive" one.

For several months we received mailings from the company informing us of sales and special deals they were currently offering, but it was not until about October that we received notice a special edition bed at a price we could not pass up. So, we decided to order a Cal King sized bed.

This bed had been wonderful! I sleep through the night and wake up rested. I have some pretty crazy dreams too because the comfort and support of the bed allows me to drift into that deep REM sleep. I would recommend a Sleep Number bed to any of my friends in the market for a new bed. I love it.

First Temping Assignment

2010-08-16T07:56:00.003-07:00

I had my first temping assignment last week; nary 2 days after I went to the temp agency. The assignment was working as a receptionist for the Coconino County Superintendent of Schools and as a secretary/aide to the principal of the county school, Ponderosa High School. I received this assignment after the regularly scheduled programming was cut due to an emergency at home, which I found out later to be related to the flooding as an aftermath of the huge fire we had earlier this summer.

My job was to answer phones, answer any general questions that was able, and to forward calls to people as appropriate. A few interesting situations arose, but none that could not be handled by the return of the permanent employee today. At the end of the 4 days, the woman who was supervising me said they were glad to have me there because due to my experience and education, they didn't feel the need to "hover" around the desk to make sure I was okay and doing a good job. That's always nice to hear.

I'm off today, but still have projects I need to work on to complete my degree. Tomorrow morning I'm heading out to a trucking company to meet with 1 or 2 people about a temporary opening they have out there. Should be interesting.

Have a good week!

Temping

2010-08-05T19:05:00.003-07:00

I did something today I never thought I would do: I went to a temp agency.

I guess it's not a bad thing. It will provide me with work experience and experience working in many different environments and supervisors. Given my master's degree, I should be a hot commodity for employment, so as long I maintain notification of my availability. I guess it's just another step in the road to full-time, professional employment.

3 Chores Women Won't Do in a Marriage

2010-08-03T07:38:00.005-07:00

Despite the fact that marriages are evolving and the traditional roles of a man & a woman in the marriage no longer truly apply, I have come to the conclusion that no matter how much things change, the male will always need to perform the following tasks, no matter how easy, mundane, or essential to everyday life:

1. Emptying the ice cube trays

This task, which involves filling, waiting, and then twisting plastic ice cube trays is one women have a hard doing. My parents have been married for 36 years and in that time I have never seen Momma Pitt empty the ice cube trays. She would rather go without ice than empty ice cube trays that have been siting in the freezer for days on end.

The Professor usually performs this task in the morning soon after awaking and while consuming his first of eight cups of morning coffee. While this chore has seen its own evolution in the way it is performed, it has always been completed by my father. When I was younger and if my father had to be gone on an extended business trip, he would make sure the ice bucket was at capacity before departure so as to ensure my mother would not have chip or break nail twisting and turning those ice cube trays.

In my own marriage, when Mrs. Pitt and I were living together in Japan, the job of making tiny, Japanese-sized ice cubes and placing them in a bottom freezer came to me. The inventor of the automatic ice machine was either a woman or a man tired of making ice for his wife & daughters.

2. Replacing the toilet paper roll

I think women are taught how to avoid this task when they're young by their mother. As children growing up, The Digger and I shared a bathroom. It was during this time I learned that women do everything they can to avoid performing this task. Notably my sister, for example, would leave just a few squares on the roll, just so she could say "I didn't leave it empty!" and I would have to replace the role prior to use. Mrs. Pitt and I have had comedic debates on this topic and "training sessions" where I show her how easy and quick (~10 seconds) it is to replace the toilet paper roll. Yet, she seems to find satisfaction in simply using up the role on the spinner, then moving to a roll on the back of the toilet when the role runs out. Just this morning, in my grogginess, I had to replace an empty toilet paper roll yet again and place 2 empty rolls in trash that were sitting on the floor.

3. Taking out the garbage

This is a classic stereotype, but it's completely true. My mother hates taking out the trash, but she loves to sack it up and put it by the door. We have a rule in our house; "If there is something by the door that needs to be taken out, the next person to leave or go out takes the item."

This is not normally a problem, except when it comes to a sack of garbage. Last night after dinner, I noticed the refuse can was full, so I sacked up the garbage and prepared to place by the front door. However, knowing that Momma Pitt was going to be the next to leave and realizing that she would not take the sack of trash with her, I took the initiative and took it out to the can myself. Mrs. Pitt is the same way. During our six months in the Shiwa Pumpkin Curry apartment, bags of trash were left by the door and accompanied by a, "Brenden, goumi aru!" which of course is code for, "please take out the trash". I think Shel Silverstein was on to something when he wrote "Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out".

So there you have my three chores that women won't do. It's not meant to be sexist, just an expression of my own observations meant to be humorous. I hope you enjoyed reading it.

Summer Vacation

2010-08-01T20:17:00.001-07:00

July 12th: The first day of travel. We left our mountain outpost at around 10am on the morning. Our destination that day was the KOA campground in Richfield, Utah, a distance of ~360 miles. The KOA was a very familiar campground to the Pittmeister's family because during my youth and early adolescence it was our regular 1st night stop due to its possession of a pool the Digger and I dutifully enjoyed. It also had clean showers, a store, and it's share of ninja mosquitos that seemed to feed on The Pittmeister with a certain stealthiness.

The first night of camping involved excessive reliance on a trailer set-up checklist and led to the discovery that the water system in the nearly new tent trailer was not useable due to the fact that interior water hose attachments to an outdoor shower had broken off some time during the winter, causing the water to leak inside the trailer. It was also discovered that the Retired Professor and I, both being master electricians ~wink~ had connected the new battery incorrectly and thus no electricity was being conducted through the trailer's electrical system. This was remedied by deducing that all red cables went to positive while all black cables (or white cables with black tape on them) were meant to be secured to negative terminal. Then and only then did we have electricity. More on the discoveries involving the electrical system later.

July 13th: The destination on Day 2 was the Snake River RV Park and Campground in Idaho, Falls, Idaho; a distance again of ~350 miles. After a breakfast of coffee, zucchini bread, and a banana, the trailer was put down amid a tense episode of quasi-screaming and crankiness on behalf of certain members of the party. For me, the first 90 minutes on the road that morning involved me being on my mobile phone calling into my internship group supervision meeting. I must tell you that 90min on a cell phone in rural Utah is not very pleasant. Reception is iffy and my mobile's battery died, so I had to use one belonging to Mrs. Pitt. I even had to forgo a bathroom break at the fill-up stop in Nephi, Utah.

The day's route deviated greatly from the route I was used to taking as an adolescent. Instead of driving through SLC, the Retired Professor opted for a more scenic route through Provo Canyon, then looping back to the interstate at Ogden/Bringham City. This proved to be a great idea because on the return trip, I drove through the SLC area and nearly lost my sanity. At about 5pm that day we reached our destination in Idaho Falls. The campground used to be a KOA and we had stayed there before. The pool was still there, along with a hot tub, but this time the campground had an even better perk: an All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast for $3.50 from 8-9am!

July 14th: After sleeping through a chilly night, we stirred and got ready for the day. We took down the tent trailer before going to eat pancakes, which ate up about 30min of valuable pancake eating time. The soundtrack for our disassembly was an old complaining about the fact the ice maker in his motor home wasn't working. We didn't have much pity for him. After that, we ate pancakes and got our carbohydrate load for the day. The destination for this day would be The Matriarch's house in Denton, Montana.

July 15-18th: We stayed for 4 days in the Retired Professor's boyhood home. During that time, we showed Mrs. Pitt the family farmland, introduced her to dad's high school classmates, played a lot Gin Rummy, and relaxed in lawn chairs in the grass. Denton, MT is a town of only 300 people, so it's very quiet without a whole lot going on. There was no internet access except for at the library, no phone service unless you upon a hill outside of town (the landline is disconnected), no TV and radio, and a whole lot of spooky quiet.

July 19th-21st: We left Denton after 4 days and drove to Glacier NP on our way to visit my dad's cousin, who spends the summers on the shores of Flathead Lake. While there we did some boating on the lake, hiking on an island, and was shown Phil Jackson's summer home.

July 22-25: We left Flathead Lake and drove to Hebgen Lake and spent 2 nights at a campground right on the lake, outside of West Yellowstone, MT. It was here we discovered we need 20 and 30 watt breakers to fully use the electrical system in the tent trailer. We spent a day in driving around Yellowstone NP and were lucky enough to see a grizzly bear. After the 2nd night, we drove through to Old Faithful and south to Grand Teton NP, eventually spending the night at a KOA south of Jackson, WY. We drove to Richfield, UT on July 24th, then back to Flagstaff on July 25th.

Summer Vacation Pictures

2010-08-01T19:46:00.010-07:00

Kozue at Glen Canyon Dam with Lake Powell in the background

The tent trailer all set up at the campground in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

The Budweiser granaries near the Idaho-Montana border on I-15.

Kozue at the entrance to Montana

My late grandmother's house in Denton, MT. Looks like it's going to be used as a family retreat and vacation home for the foreseeable future.

Kozue at the entrance to Yellowstone from West Yellowstone, MT.

House Sitting

2010-07-07T22:16:00.003-07:00

Mrs. Pitt and I are currently housesitting for her employers while they are gone to Los Angeles for the weekend. Our primary responsibility is to watch over and care for their 1 year old Teacup Poodle named Mimi.

Personally I have never been a fan of dogs that are either:

A.) Shorter than my entire forearm or

B.) Smaller than my 13.5 pound cat Bustopher Jones

C.) Barks at her toys or when she "thinks" a door to the garage opens.

It also amusing to me how micromanaged this dog is:

Mrs. Pitt received explicit instructions not to scold the dog if it happens to pee or poop anywhere except the designated toilet pads for fear that it would completely stop peeing or pooping. It gets a treat as reinforcement if it successfully does its business on the toilet mats. Personally, I would rub it's nose in it and throw it outside.
It's allowed a 15 minute walk in the morning, but no more than that because it's still a puppy, despite the fact it is probably already full-grown.
The dog is allowed 10 minutes of toy play time a day, then we have to take the toys away.
We cannot leave it alone for more than 4 hours at a time.
A serving of dog food is a "handful". Well, if I'm the one feeding the dog it might be fed more than usual because my hand is larger than her owner's hand.

Today was also out 3rd wedding anniversary. We went to the teppenyaki restaurant "Sakura" this time. The food was good and it was a real mix of Asian styles with the decorations being Chinese, the food being Japanese, and the counter covering being Korean. Still, our service was better than at the place last year and we even received some items comp'ed because Mrs. Pitt knew our server.

The Professor's Last Day of Work......Ever!

2010-06-30T19:40:00.002-07:00

Today was The Professor's last day of work. Starting tomorrow he will be considered retired. At the age of 66, I think he has earned it. Momma Pitt and I are worried about him since, growing up on a farm, he has worked his whole life and work has been all he has known. I am worried he might experience some depression, but that is not at all unusual for recently retired persons to experience. I just hope it does not affect him too deeply.

The Pittmeister's Job Search 2010 continues. I applied for 3 job openings on Monday, and one yesterday. Many have been in the areas of International Education, Residence Life, and Academic Advising. Many of them are at smaller, out of the way schools, but the job I applied for yesterday was at the University of Michigan and it was referred to me by a UM alumnus and friend from J-Land who now lives in Pittsburgh. No jobs were applied for today, but tomorrow it back to the library to apply for 2 or more. I try to average 2-3 jobs per day applied for. Not sure if that's going to pay off, but people tell me my diligence and patience will eventually pay off. Let's pray they're right.

On Evacuation Alert

2010-06-19T21:30:00.004-07:00

Mrs. Pitt and I had some plans today, one being going downtown for a night out at the bars after taking some long naps this afternoon. However, a fire in the Flagstaff city limits caused the evacuation of nearby neighborhoods and our is still on evacuation alert and has been for about 4.5 hours now with little or no additional news for the past 3.5 hours. Our cars are still packed with family and personal keepsakes, but unless hurricane force winds come around, I doubt the fire is going to flare up and threaten our house.

6.20.2010

Update: At 5:30pm the "Hardy" fire was 30% contained and the standby evacuation was lifted.

However, we have another big fire burning uncontrolled in the Flagstaff area today. At 11:10 this morning, the "Schultz Fire" started on Mt. Elden and has burned an estimated 3,000 acres. The smoke plume looks like the mountain (an extinct volcano) was coming to life again and it looked like an ash cloud come out from the west side of the mountain. I'm in no danger and occasionally walk down the street for a good view of the fire.

Looking Forward to the Summer

2010-06-18T08:16:00.005-07:00

I am now transitioning from being a student to being an employee and in that transition I hope to be able to blog more. I have neglected this blog the past 2 years because of school and a lack of time and focus in being able to blog. My time was taken by reading research reports, dry text books and academic articles, writing papers, or having to respond to superfluous emails about nothing important. Granted, I did not have to read the 800 pages per week my sister has had to endure, but it still took up most of my time. Even though my degree has not posted yet, and it won't until I complete my 300 hour internship that I am currently working on, I am enjoying having a summer.

After school ended, I took a 2 week mini-vacation during which I traveled with The Professor, Momma Pitt, Mrs. Pitt, and Mrs. Pitt's parents. On May 24, I began a short, 3-week internship with NAU's Center for International Education. My role during this time was to assist the department of International Student and Scholar Services with a new student orientation for approximately 90 Saudi Arabian students. I would assist with student pick-up, check-in, campus tours, the immigration session, and other duties as assigned. What ended up happening was that no students needed pick-up or arrived at the pick-up locations during our official pick-up, so I ended up spending my time at the Amtrak train station waiting for students who weren't coming. I did not give any campus tours, and was only able to listen to international advising sections over the walls of the cubicle I was put into. The one project I did complete was an arrival guide for new students for the Director of Admissions.

I am now working on the indirect hours of my internship and this involves working for my mentor and working on a laundry/grocery list of projects that need to be done to improve the program. I am working on this with one other classmate who is doing her fieldwork because she had neglected to do it previously in the program. This part of the internship is much more unstructured and I can work from home if I wish. Our objective this week was to edit manuals for the fieldwork and internship experiences and write some new essay questions for the admission application. We have done that, so now we are waiting to see what our next task will be.

In the mean time, I am enjoying having a summer holiday for the first time in a long time. I never took a summer holiday in Japan and last summer I was taking summer all summer. The Professor generously paid for an upgrade in the HOA membership, so now Mrs. Pitt and I are able to use the recreational facilities such as the fitness center, tennis courts and pool. With it looking like a nice day today and Mrs. Pitt having the day off from her job as a server, we may try to play some tennis this afternoon for our aerobic activity. Mrs. Pitt and I will also travel to Montana this year along with The Professor and Momma Pitt. As a child, I used to go there every summer to visit my grandmother, who passed away 4 years ago. I have not been up there in 10 years and so I feel I need to go up there to pay my respects to my grandmother as well as just to see what has changed. It will also be a nice break from the environment of school.

The job search is back in full swing. I took a break from it while the Parental In-Laws were here, but I have been revving back up with the first half of my internship completed. It was depressing me for awhile, but since I've noticed a renewed energy toward it since I've been getting daily exercise. In the past week, I've applied for probably 5-6 positions. I have applied to Arizona State University, University of Washington, Brown University, and Baruch College. That's 4, but I think there were others. I've also had a resume` critique done and heard some good ideas for improvements and some formatting suggestions that I believe are trivial. The bottom line is I am expecting some interviews here any day now.

Well, I think that's all I have to say for now. I'm going to make it point to post an entry weekly for anyone who still reads this blog. Have a great weekend. I think I'm going to spend it at the bars.

Lame Duck

2010-04-07T08:12:00.003-07:00

You ever feel like a Lame Duck? I've never felt that feeling until now. Actually, I've kind of felt that feeling all year long at my assistantship due to the fact that I knew I would be graduating and not continuing in the role next year. The feeling has been exacerbated by a recent incident involving me, my emotions, and an email. I won't be continuing to work at EC this summer, mostly because I said I could work if they needed coverage. Well, enough current SW's are staying or former ones are coming back that they don't NEED me for Service Center coverage, so I'm the odd man out....again. This means that in addition to looking for a professional position after graduation, I will also need to start looking for a temporary, part-time summer position. I feel as though these last couple weeks are my Lame Duck period.

I'm Tired....

2010-04-02T13:58:00.004-07:00

I'm tired of apologizing to people.

I'm tired of people expecting me to conform to their definition of perfection.

I'm tired of only getting feedback when I screw up.

I'm tired of being responsible for other people's stupidity and mistakes.

I'm tired of being treated like child or someone who doesn't matter.

I'm tired of people only thinking about themselves and thinking the world revolved around them and only them.

I'm tired of having no credibility or people thinking I have no credibility.

I'm tired of being a messenger between my parents and my wife.

I'm tired of being reprimanded for attempting to be proactive.

I'm tired of the wankers who don't push their shopping carts back into the store and instead let them him my car instead.

I'm tired of being poor and reliant on others.

I'm tired of having no one to properly vent to.

I'm tired of carrying around 3 textbooks, a laptop, power cord, and a pen/pencil case everywhere I go.

I'm tired of people telling how wonderful I am, but stopping short of helping me when I need their help.

Lastly, I'm tired of looking at computer screens all day whether it's at work or doing homework.