Tomorrow!

Hey, readers!

The post for today is going to be delayed until tomorrow night.  By then, we're really, really hoping we'll have some exciting news share (no jinx, no jinx, no jinx) which would make a much better blog post than what I'd come up with tonight.  Believe me.  I'm on heavy-duty pain meds right now (long story) and I just had a shot of Bailey's.  So, who knows what I'd actually write about?

See you tomorrow!
WR

Limbo.

The Metrics: 

18        =  The number of days left until we leave for Florida.

ERR#   =  The number of things to do before leaving for Florida.

2          =  The number of apartments we should have by August 1.

0          =  The number of confirmed apartments we have by August 1.

3.5       =  The average number of headaches had this week. 

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Hello, readers!  Currently, things at the RowStein house are in a slow, strange sort of limbo.  Lots of things are about to change for us... but haven't just yet.

 

First, off, I still haven't heard from the JET Program about my placement for next year.  It's no surprise really, as they usually notify later in May, or early June.  But the whole on-pins-and-needles thing makes logical thinking (and waiting) nearly impossible.  And it also means that I can't move forward on certain aspects of the move; clothes shopping, packing, trip planning, etc.

"I can haz placement?"

 

Second, we're working our last few weeks at our old jobs.  We've both put in our notice for the end of the month, so that we can spend June traveling about the country, visiting our family (before D starts school and I jaunt across the Pacific).  It's strange to still be working the day-to-day, knowing that our last hours at our respective jobs draw near.  In my case, I'm currently training my successor... which both makes me feel better and worse.  But, still.  We're looking forward to bigger and better things in the fall.

True, we're both sad to go but... FREEDOM!

Third, we've put in the moving notice for our current apartment and are fervently searching for a new place, closer and more convenient to the U.  With our move-out date creeping closer, but no suitable apartment confirmed... we're a little stressed about the situation.  But, we've got a back-up plan (sorta) and we're confident that everything will work out.

 

Possibly our new home...?

 

Lastly, we're SO looking forward to our upcoming June vacation (hello family, hello beach, hello free time!), but we've still got to get a lot of things in order.  We've got to finalize our travel dates, figure out where we're going to stay (for certain stops), get the apartment packed, get ourselves packed, get the car checked out (what with all the damn driving we'll be doing), and so many other stupid little things that I can't even list them out.  I just try to remember that, after all this work, I'll eventually get to lay on the beach with a book in one hand and a margarita in the other.  And how sweet it will be.

 

Here's a shot of the beach near the house in FL.

 

So pretty.

Thanks for reading, all!  Hope to have more news soon!

WR

Bad Blogger.

The Metrics: 

5      =  The number of Summit beers DW & WR tasted tonight (combined).

3      =  The number of raffle tickets we bought at work-related event.

0      =  The number of prizes won at the raffles.

0%   =  The percentage of surprise at not having won the raffles.

21    =  Hours it took me to realize I'd forgotten to write the blog.

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Whoops!  In the frenzy of weekend travels, apartment hunting, apartment showing, and Dan's finals week... I completely forgot about writing the blog.  Shame on me.

But to make up for it, I've posted one of my favorite videos ever: Yatta!  (happy sigh)  Bless you, Internet.  You grant us such strange and magical gifts.

 

Japan has been on my brain, as of late, since it'll be mere WEEKS until I find out my JET placement.  I can't tell you how excited I am to learn where I'll be spending next year.  Actually, I suppose I can.  Watch the video again!  And AGAIN!

That's all I have for you this evening.  Meager, I know.  But after a beer-centric work fund raiser, I think an early bedtime is in order.

Thanks for reading (despite my tardiness)!

WR

Pork & a... Pulitzer?

The Metrics:
20.5    =  Pounds of shredded meat (pre-cooked weight) made this week.
4 to 1  =  Ratio of predicted thunderstorms to actual thunderstorms.
10.16  =  The hours we've spent playing Mass Effect 3 this week.  (Yes, we're nerds.)
43       =  The number of overdue minutes we accidentally left our clothes in the dryer as we came up with this list.
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Nothing particularly grand or Earth-shattering happened this week, but life in the Casa de RowStein marched onward.

First minor thing of note: We committed to our Triathlon Sprint!  We're doing the Graniteman Triathlon on July 14th.  BAM.  Signed.  Done.  It's really happening.  A 0.46 mile swim, a 15 mile bike ride, and a 3.1 mile run.  Now, hopefully we can actually finish the dang thing.  We've been training pretty hard for a couple months now, 5 times a week, but Couch-to-Tri is never an easy transition.  Oh, well.  That's what makes victory taste all the more sweet!  R-right...?  Right?!

Rags, keeping our bikes in tip-top shape.

Second minor thing of note:  Many tasty foods were cooked, though (given the diet and Triathlon Training) we ate much smaller portions than we would have liked.  While visiting Dan's parents last weekend, he made one of his favorites, his famous "Rapture Pork."

Pork in progress.

The dish got it's name because:  1.) Dan first created the recipe on the predicted day of "Rapture."  2.) We were playing the video game Bioshock at the time, which takes place in an underwater city called "Rapture."  And 3.)  The pork is so unbelievably freaking good, the only word that can describe it is "rapture."

Pork, almost done on the grill!

After grilling and smoking, we shredded the pork, tossed it in a secret Dan-made spicy, vinegary sauce, and served it over made-from-scratch French bread buns.  And yes, Dan made those too.  He's so talented.

Look at that handsome Bread Man.

Other Odds & Ends:  So, what else is going on?  Well, Dan's preparing for his annual chorus audition with the Minnesota Opera.  He's hoping to continue to work with them, especially after participating in last year's  Pulitzer Prize Winning World Premier, "Silent Night."  Oh, what?  Did I stutter?  No, I typed that right.  PULITZER PRIZE WINNING OPERA.  Dan was in the premier production and recording of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize Winner for Music.  Ah-mah-zing!

Click here to read a wonderful NPR article and listen to the "Sleep Chorus" from the show.  Not only is this one of my very favorite songs from the show, but... at the very end, the voices slowly cut out, leaving only Dan and one other singer.  And it was played nationally over the radio! (Beaming with pride.)  If you're interested in hearing more, click here to listen to the ENTIRE opera for free.  Also on that link, you can see some of the production photos.  If you have the time, you should check it out.  It's really amazing.

Anything else happen this week?  Sure.  Probably lots of things.  But I can't remember them right now and I'd like to stop writing the blog.  So, I'll just end with a cat picture.

Puck, looking stoned after stealing the heating pad.

As always, thanks for reading!
WR