Lifelong Studentry

Let me tell you, I'm incredibly excited. My eternal quest for knowledge (but more recently, for work-related skills) has taken me to Kennesaw State University's Continuing Education Department. I'm not quite ready for a full-on master's, as I still am still too unsure about the MBA path suiting me. I like KSU's professional writing master's, but honestly, if I move to Decatur next spring, I sure as hell am not going to commute to Kennesaw, especially if I still have a full-time job.

There's also the fact that I have neither taken nor studied for the GRE.

Thus, online technical writing classes! I could have searched for a cheaper/better/thematically different class, but I decided that for now I need the highest return on my investment. While my classes will overlap, I'm going to take a new 6-week course each month until I finish the writing courses. So first is the Fundamentals class. I'm skipping the grammar refresher because, well, I could probably teach it.

I'm hoping that, in addition to providing me with more confidence, it'll help me freelance or get a part-time job! (And help me get to editing!)

But now I'm upset: All excited to start on last week's lesson, and I can't seem to log in. KSU doesn't recognize my password nor does it even email me a new password. I'm sure it's a glitch, but all I want to do is learn, learn, learn.

Thanks, Chester.

For the past month, I've been prescribing to a nutritional plan made popular by one Dr. Atkins, and today I have made an amazing discovery: Cheeto Puffs have one carb per puff.

What does this mean? If I don't steal your ice cream or fruit, I can still have Cheetos!

(And it is beside the point that fruit is bad and Cheetos are okay. This is a diet where bacon can be encouraged and I still lose weight.)

The Great American Moose Hunt, Day 3: Sunrise Safari

Bright and early all six of us rose to reconvene the Hunt on a sunrise safari.

Unawares, I stole Kevin's warm shower water for my amazing bath then scrambled together for the 6AM departure. Although I was staring at the mountains at 5:48, I didn't see the sun rise over the Tetons. Life is so hard.

5:59, Stepdad walked into the house, ready to go. 6:04, everyone piled in the respective van and SUV then commenced on the Sunrise Safari caravan.

By 6:10, Emily spotted the three elk on the hill. This is one of them:

Before 7 we spotted a group of people along the river. We saw the Sleeping Indian and an alleged moose. I think I saw an antler, but I was directed by a fellow moosehunter: "Look at the mountain, look down between the U in the bush" [note: it was a giant area of sage brush] "and see its antlers." Mind you, there is only so much that one can see against the blinding daybreak light, especially the differences between green-brown and moose antler brown. See my dilemma below with shadow, twigs, and sage as I label the "moose:"

Fanchon took us down a gravel road through a meadow called Antelope Flats (she, Kevin, and the GPS knew where we were -- I trusted it). We saw two herds of bison! Later we saw three lone buffalo roaming where the pika played along the most-photographed farm.

We were unsuccessful in finding wildlife in the Flats after that, so we deep into Grand Teton National Park in hopes of late rising moose and bears. We stopped by a lily pond, a favorite haunt of the moose for its delicious and tasty lily pads, but no avail.

Later, in a field of mule deer, we saw a cow, the female moose:

Although the moose were still quite elusive and too shy to model, we have proven ourselves great Hunters as having seen two of the most evasive animals of the Tetons. We will continue to affirm our worth as we anticipate many more along our Yellowstone adventure.

The Great American Moose Hunt, Day 2

Everyone arrived safely yesterday evening for the weeklong moosehunt. It was quite worrisome because the descent curved over the mountains and into the valley.

Navigating our way across the smallest airport in America took quite a moment (due to construction), but we found grounded plumbing and then our respective rental cars to find the beautiful mountain villa. There was a bit of a mixup at the check in where Boyfriend's mom and stepdad got the keys to the other upgraded villa and we had to reorganize. Three adult couples couldn't functionally stay in the four bedrooms consisting of king, queen, two twins, and one single bed, although the rustic antler and moose-shaped cabinet knobs were amazing. The three bedrooms with queen beds were much more suitable for the three brothers and the respective girlfriends. The sixteen-year-old stepbrother is currently crashing with us; we don't know how long it will last until he's back with bloodfamily, but I hope for good stepbrotherly bonding time. Also, the hot tub and big screen TVs don't hurt.

All we did yesterday was prepare for the jet lag and buy provisions.

Today, Day 2, the anniversary of our Independence from Britain, I woke up early, made bacon and eggs, bathed in my Euro-style bath, then ventured off with the oldest brother, respective girlfriend, and Boyfriend to Grand Teton National Park. We saw the Snake River, Jenny Lake, and of course, more views of the Tetons (as if the view from our backyard isn't enough). I saw my first glacier; although, I'm not sure what part was glacier and was mountain.

The most exciting part might have been the mink (or fisher, whichever weasel family it was) we saw along Jenny Lake. A real mink! With real fur! And it wasn't an accessory -- it was running along the rocks.

Despite the mink, the Least Chipmunks, and the pikas, there have still been no moose sightings for me. However, Fanchon and her boyfriend were successful in seeing a female moose chomping on trees along their crack-of-dawn safari. Since they are the experts, they will lead us as we wake up at 5AM to watch the sunrise along the Tetons then reconvene our hunt.

Tomorrow, expect a good result.

First, Miss A takes on Wyoming

Life adventures. That's what this is all about, and tomorrow, I'm going to Wyoming for a whole week with my amazing boyfriend and his family. We are going to hunt moose in Jackson Hole. Or, even better, hopefully we will ride the moose for the hunt: