I'm official!

Well, I'm finally official...I got my UNR diploma in the mail this past weekend! Looks pretty sweet. Do you think it stuck up to hang/display my 2 diplomas on the wall in my office?

Presentation to the bigwigs

Last week I drove over to Menlo Park, CA (south of San Francisco...on the south end of the bay) to give a presentation at the USGS Western Water Science Center program review symposium. Basically, a few people from each of the western water offices were there to give the management and ground-water specialists a sampling of the work that is going on in their region. Somehow I was chosen as one of the presenters from the Carson City office. So...I had to prepare a 30 minute talk about the same field site I did my thesis on. Although I was quite familiar with the work I did for my thesis, I had to add in a bunch of chemistry and microbiology stuff that I'm not so smooth with. And of course I was the very last talk of the whole symposium. But all went well and I think I did myself a favor doing this talk because now the management knows the "baby hydrologist" can do some science. (Friends at the office have named me this...I guess I shouldn't feel bad because they just took it away from my boss who has been a hydrologist for over 25 years!) Here's a picture of the podium I gave my talk behind. Just a little intimidating. Oh and the flags are (from left to right) the U.S. flag, the California flag, the Department of the Interior flag and the USGS flag.

My Northland Dance Team goes to national competition!!

I've been trying to keep in touch with the dance team I formed with Maria at Northland to see how they've been doing. In doing so, I learned they are doing quite well! The NC Dance Team qualified for a national competition and competed against 6 other teams somewhere in Minnesota the last week of February. Here's the link to the pictures a professional photographer took before and during their routine.

http://www.davidbankstudios.net/photoshop/index.php?category=gallery/UPAAMERICUP/DANCE/northlandcollege

Outside USGS building pic

I forgot to post a pic I took of the outside of our new building. It's right along the Carson River, so there's lots of big cottonwood trees off to the left in this picture.

Happy St. Patty's Day!!

St. Patrick himself.

This is the one day a year I can say "it isn't easy being Green" and I get a grin or a chuckle out of people without them thinking I'm really lame. hahahaha Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone and like my Grandpap Green used to say (as is posted on my brother's blog too):

"May your glass be ever full. May the roof over your head be always strong. And may you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows you're dead."

USGS office move

Last week the packing of our office was finished and the moving began. We are now located out highway 50 East on the outskirts of town in a brand new building that was built-to-suit. It's been pretty chaotic around here and it's not over yet. Just a few pics to illustrate our move.

This is my old office and how the boxes were piled high down the hallway.

Here is my new office, complete with my name on the wall!! I still have some office wall space that needs to be filled with some pictures and such, but it's "home".

Guess where we're going?

Can you guess where Justin and I are going to kick back for a week in May?

Hint: Within the U.S.

Northland College Alumni Spotlight

This week Northland sent out this newsletter to perspective students. I'm the feature article as an alumni spotlight. hahahaha Check it out!

http://www.northland.edu/Northland/ProspectiveStudents/EVP/Alumni%20Spotlight.htm

Catholic wine rack

Two weekends ago Justin and I attended the St. Albert the Great's annual wine tasting and acution fundraiser. I've now been a member of St. Albert's for over a year. Well, having learned my lesson last year when I showed up in jeans and a sweater, we got all dressed up (me in a spaghetti strap dress...still waiting on the photo from the church) and went to drink some with the rest of the Catholics. Believe me, a lot of wine was drunk that night...and not just by me! Having a new job this time around, I actually bought the raffle tickets they sent out because the first prize was a cruise-for-two, second was a plasma TV and third was a $250 Visa card, and of course the proceeds go to St. Albert's. Although I did not win any of these great prizes, my friends Chris and Lisa, won a very nice wine rack...equipped with wine. Chris and Lisa, being fond of wine, took the bottles and allowed me to have the rack. So, here it is. Quite nice, really.

Following the auction was a DJ, and a very good one at that. It's a lot of fun to swing dance with a long flowy dress on!

Kitchen character

Check out my new olive oil and baslmic vinegar bottle!

Huntington Jewelers

I lied...one more picture from our Las Vegas trip. This is Justin in front of his Dad/family's jewelry store.

Enlarged pictures

FYI, I have learned how to make the pictures I post enlarge when clicked on. Hope this helps my loyal viewers to see some of the smaller pictures I post!

Red Rock Canyon

Ok, the final installment of my trip to Las Vegas. Justin and I went to Red Rock Canyon to hike around alittle. It's just west of Vegas. Although it was a cloudy day, the colors were still amazing.