palmer asian art gallery

So, a few weeks ago, we finally hung up a bunch of things we got in Japan. Here are some picts.
The calligraphy scroll is like 8 feet tall. I have no idea what it says. Any suggestions?

Spring Break

So technically, this next week is finals week, and then Spring break, and then the next quarter starts. But, we've decided to postpone our kayak plans until mid April, the weekend of the 11-12, because now that I am not teaching next quarter, it is all the same for me. So instead we're going on Miriam's spring break. And Adam's coming. So I am just working now, to play later. Still, with daylight savings we've finally been to the beach after school on a weekday. Saturday, went hiking with the Elder's quorum, went to a service project, and then, since there was a tiny swell, surfed for the first time in a few weeks. Oh, by the way, I've also finished a rough draft of my last chapter of my dissertation, so now it's just about rewriting, and formatting, and editing. If anyone wants to volunteer to read a chapter and give me some feedback, let me know.

More time to write my dissertation

So, I just heard back from the second of the two schools where I had campus visits, that I did not get the job. So, it looks like we will be in Socal until Dec. at earliest and maybe longer. Then we will be looking for some other kind of gainful employment. I would love to move back to Hawaii for a bit, but we'll see. I might also be able to pick up some classes here and move off campus. At any rate, I will have some more time to write my dissertation, which is a good thing, although I am pretty ready to be finished.

Malibu Getty

So we've been wanting to check it out for a while. Our friends were planning a museum day so we suggested this and all went.

Miriam was not sure what to make of all the nudity at first, but she bored by it all pretty quick.







Here's a nice shot Gwyn took, when she wasn't running around.

Overall, it was a nice mix of museum and architecture, so the kids could run around a little, enjoy the fountains and courtyards in between the museum. Finally, we stopped at the beach on the way home and I wished I'd brought my surfboard.

Campus visits and job talk

So, I just heard back from a second school inviting me out to for a campus visit, Denison U. in Ohio. It is a small, liberal arts college in a tiny south eastern Ohio town. I am very excited, although this means that I will have to finish up my job talk a week earlier than I expected. It was already going to be tight, so this means the next few weeks will be busy. My other campus visit is at SUNY Binghamton on Feb. 9.

nickles and cents

So Miriam got a note from school that her monetary counting skills are not up to turtle rock elementary school's high standards. The circled portion read "below average (needs to learn the identity and amount each coin is worth . . . and to learn how to count coins from the beginning)- daily (underlined 3x) practice is needed." I was sort of proud of her cluelessness about money, (except when she was giving it away to her friend who knew what it was worth) but I guess those days are over. So we spent some time counting coins and she paid me 23 cents for dinner.

On a related note, for the activity portion of FHE we played "Who's got the quarter?" or whatever you call it and it's funny to play with two kids, one of whom is totally without guile and the other who is not so much. Once when they raise their hands, Miriam forgets to close her hands and the quarter is in plain view. Bekah asks, "Gwyn, do you have the quarter?" She smiles like she can't keep a secret and nods her head. (She doesn't have it.)

bottom of the list

So, I was an advocate of the blogs listed by order of recent updates on the Palmer blog, since it seemed very user friendly. Now I realize, that when you are at the bottom of the list, it means you are the biggest blogslacker on there. My main excuse is no pictures. Let me think of some blogworthy news.

We are going to Hawaii for 10 days, from the 6th to 16th. I am very excited. I am going to try an help mom get her energy bill down. Should be a fun project. It would be nice to expand the solar water heater if possible, maybe swap some appliances for more efficient models, making sure all of the shower heads and lights low flow and fluorescent, respectively. I've thought installing rainbarrels would be good too. Her energy bill is insanely high, so stuff that wouldn't be cost effective for many people probably would for her. (Lots of people and Hawaii energy prices.) Any suggestions.

I am almost finished applying for jobs and actually kind of stoked to get working on my dissertation again. I mean, if I get a job, I'm going to need to have it finished this year, which seems doable, but I will be busy. I had my first phone interview. It went well, I thought.

We went kayaking again. We need to figure out some kid games, because they get pretty bored and don't like it anymore. I think we just need to give ourselves more time so we can stop, check out beaches, etc. We did see paddle out to a rock that we always seem from the beach, and realized that the back side is home to about 20 sea lions. They were all at home too. It was very cool.

We are going to Norcal for Thanksgiving to see Chris and Da, Sienna and Tony, Noel and Austin, and everyone else who I haven't seen in a long, long time. We are very excited. And, there is a BIG north swell due that weekend. Hopefully we will have picts to post soon. (We took some kayaking, but the are all out of focus for some reason.)