a change in tack

onward and upward, or just up and over

i got a new job. though it isn't creative or terribly exciting, it is hitting other important requirements, such as salary, benefits, travel, and zero widgets. i'd been in software and/or hardware since '92, purely by accident. and for the past few years now, i haven't been able to find my place. 
anyhoo, now i will work from boise, but travel to the bay office quite a bit

the dependents start acting wiggy when the valise comes out

1hr 45 to the office

my office is on the 8th floor of mission center, this giant block

the lobby

the view is a lot like boise

until you realize you're in silicon valley. hey intel, you're blocking my view

my new company is Advance Research Associates (ARA). this is their splashscreen

they do biostats and help keep clinical studies on track for pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers. it is small, privately owned. very casual and full of stats nerds. my job is the quality systems manager, making sure their docs are up to date and following fda regulations (among others) and hosting frequent audits from clients and govt agencies. as dry as that sounds, it's quite the active job, i'll have to bounce. i like that i understand it, and see how the work contributes directly to the company and how i can make improvements. since it is a process job, and i had tons of process improvement work in grad school, i'm pretty stoked to try it out for a bit.

graduation, finally

i got my master's degree finally in industrial engineering, the ceremony was cheesy and the commencement speaker called us the wrong university. hmmm. oh well. the best part was that lisa set up a great surprise pre-func with my bestest pals beforehand. what a treat.

 

i have so many to thank for getting through this insane adventure. my sis kept me going when i wanted to quit. i skipped several semesters due to the death of friends, work trips, changes in GRE requirements of the graduate program, limited courses at the 500 level (that I could do in boise)... my girlfriends and mentors kept me going

i love my new car decor

 the nephews make brunch for mom

 

the fam

NOLA

i was wrapped around the axle from finishing my thesis (nightmare), so i treated myself to a short trip with friends to new orleans jazzfest

 

jazzfest concert-goers use homemade flags to designate their location in the crowd

 this pilot said he was going to write a positive message in the sky every day

oldest pub in the states, the mules from carts stick their heads in the windows now and then 

my chicken-and-waffles waffle came from here

 fundraising by the local nofd

 my friend jon's friend's bar, claire's pourhouse

 these little ferns popped out of every crack

 flood victim, still tickin'

 post no bills

 spontaneous parade

 night shows were even more fun than festival shows - this was rockin' bowl, you bowl and get live music, what could be better?

 bowling with the crew

the tall things in the yard are decorated heads 

 lenny kravitz. yeah, lenny. i love you lenny. especially when you rock with trombone shorty

fab sculpture at the city park

beads, beads, everywhere

 at the howlin' wolf, this guy was amazing

 rock n' bowl powers, unite!

 house of blues, my favorite show, and run DMC

 hi lenny, i still love you, this shows his view of the crowd

 at tipatios

i met some great people from seattle