Shout-Outs

Hello again! I'm not as disconnected as one may think all the way down here in the corner of the world, and I'd like to spend this blog focusing on the many people in my life doing wonderful things. I am surrounded by incredible people, even if it is currently a virtual circle.

First and foremost, family:

My mom: For gathering a fantastic care package, including a prescription that was a pain in her butt to get, FOUR BOXES of CheezIts, real salad dressing (ranch AND bleu cheese), chocolate chips, red pepper flakes, and other marvels. Two boxes of CheezIts have already met their match, and no, I did not share.
Anne, my older sister: For including in said care package the most delicious cookies ever, whose crumbs my friends and I ate with milk and a spoon once the larger pieces were gone. I am guarding three in the freezer.
Tessa, my younger sister: For recently getting a job as Belle at Disneyland Hong Kong! I never thought I'd visit China but now I just might have to.

Impressive accomplishments:

Jeremy Sharp: For recently completing the largest scale project of his life after years of planning and work, and resulting in what I can only assume (since he has as yet not sent me pictures, ahem) is a magnificent - and mammoth - art installation at the new Harborview hospital in Seattle.
Jacob Stone: For his ten-year anniversary with Punch Drunk Productions. He is my only and longest-running self-employed friend, and his company does great things.
John Salvo: For being the first of my friends to get promoted to a job with "senior" in the title.
Nathan Fowler: For being one step closer to getting his fantastic young adult novel published.

Friends going to graduate school in the fall:

Elizabeth Ruzzo: Duke in Durham, North Carolina to study Genetics and Genomics.
Mark Wehrenberg: University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin (his second UW, I love it) to study Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (and Sarah for going with him!)
Sean Schneider: University of Washington in Seattle to study Genome Science.
Evan Morrisey: Georgetown in Washington, D.C. for Security Studies (look for him on the presidential ballot in 2028).
Clare Brown: Evergreen in Olympia, Washington to study Environmental Studies, and specifically migratory birds of Patagonia.
Jacob Gaboury: who will be getting his PhD at NYU in NY, NY in Media Culture and Communication (ahhh, the arts).
(I have really smart friends, okay?? Don't ask me how a liberal arts girl got so many science-oriented friends. Even my liberal arts friends do annoyingly smart things like get their phDs. Let me say this now: I am just fine with my measly BA and have no plans of going back to school any time soon, but I do plan to live vicariously and visit all you crazies scattered around the country.)

Miscellany:

Nick Crimp: For staying in the best e-mail contact with me since I left, for starting the most recent interesting blog I read instead of doing work, and for staying sober (huzzah).
Amber Casali: For staying in amazing e-mail contact despite the fact that she lives in an electricity-free yurt on Orcas Island, which deserves a shout-out in and of itself.
Casey Sagisi: For staying in best IM contact, for making brave and bold decisions with his life, and for being "in my head."
Adam Munson: For trying to quit smoking! I hope it sticks, dude.
Meagan Demitz: For tirelessly helping me plan my vacation, and for making me laugh a lot. (She is also already in grad school, and will be living abroad next year. w00t.)
Robyn and Matt: For coming to South America to take a vacation with me, and for also tirelessly planning parts of the trip. I can't wait!

Last but not least:

Janet Eaton: This is a sadder shout-out, as a fellow teacher and friend of ours here, Lucas, had to leave early to go back to the Pacific Northwest (his parents live in Mukilteo) to be with his mother, Janet, who was recently diagnosed with colon cancer. Janet gets a shout-out for being one of the few to post a comment on my blog, and for keeping such an interesting and honest blog herself. I ask you all to send as much positive energy her way as possible.

I apologize if I left anyone out of the shout-out list. Please post comments with your own shout-outs! I hope all is well. Stay tuned for up-to-the-minute vacation details, and a final "best and worst of Chile" blog. Also, I promise to update Flickr, one of these days.