The weather for the weekend was looking good so I decided to climb Smiley Mountain, a peak I have long planned to visit. A little birdy told me that John Platt was also interested so we made plans and met at 4:15am to begin the drive. Other than a detour due to US-93 being closed between Richfield and Carey, we had an uneventful trip.
Since this has been a wet and cool Spring in Idaho, everything was unusally green and beautiful. The lakes were all full and the streams running high; together all of this made for a great drive. We got to the trailhead around 8:30am and were off around 8:45am. Iron Bog Creek was running high so we had to take off our shoes and wade across. Once past there, we ascended the ridge and partook in the best ridgewalk of my hiking career.
John recently attempted Denali and kept a brisk pace, which was very successful in keeping me pushing upwards. We made the summit in just over 3 hours, taking in the tremendous summit vistas. Unfortunately our time on top was cut short due to some questionable looking clouds building (which turned out to be harmless). But we were far above treeline and caution was definitely in order.
Our descent was also very enjoyable as we cruised down the ridge. On the way home, John pioneered a shortcut over Fish Creek Summit which saved an hour on our return trip. The only negative of the whole day was that I forgot my camera (only the second time I've done that). A trip report can be seen at John's web site:
Smiley Mountain Trip Report
Trip statistics: 8.25 miles, 4300', just over 6 hours
Monday, June 29, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Ironside Mountain Hike
Early in the week, I made plans with Matt Durrant to climb Galena Peak in the Boulder Mountains. Rob Ronald also joined the trip. However, as the weekend approached the forecast for Idaho looked bad for the fourth straight weekend. On Friday we identified some probable good weather in Oregon and decided to head over there to hike Ironside Mountain.
After meeting at 4:30am, we headed west and were at the start of the hike just after 7:00am. I parked conservatively because I'd heard some concerning information about the road. The reality is that we probably could have driven to within a half mile of the summit instead of 5 miles away like we did. None of us were bothered by this though - I personally was happy to get the exercise!
The weather was better than we expected; partly cloudy and dry. We made great progress along the road - in fact, we were confined to the road due to private property postings all along the way. So much for taking shortcuts! We made it to the summit at 10am and had great 360° views of an unfamiliar Oregon landscape. There were a few clouds hanging around but they brought no precipitation and were seemingly just there to add some visual interest.
In summary, this was a great Spring hike - fitting for the last day of Spring. I got to meet two new hiking partners as well. Yet another fine day in the mountains!
Trip statistics: 10 miles, 3000' gain, 6 hours (including 1 hour spent on the summit)
Ironside Mountain Pictures!
After meeting at 4:30am, we headed west and were at the start of the hike just after 7:00am. I parked conservatively because I'd heard some concerning information about the road. The reality is that we probably could have driven to within a half mile of the summit instead of 5 miles away like we did. None of us were bothered by this though - I personally was happy to get the exercise!
The weather was better than we expected; partly cloudy and dry. We made great progress along the road - in fact, we were confined to the road due to private property postings all along the way. So much for taking shortcuts! We made it to the summit at 10am and had great 360° views of an unfamiliar Oregon landscape. There were a few clouds hanging around but they brought no precipitation and were seemingly just there to add some visual interest.
In summary, this was a great Spring hike - fitting for the last day of Spring. I got to meet two new hiking partners as well. Yet another fine day in the mountains!
Trip statistics: 10 miles, 3000' gain, 6 hours (including 1 hour spent on the summit)
Ironside Mountain Pictures!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Birdland
Auntie Margaret and Uncle Barry got us a "seed wreath" style bird feeder for Christmas. Since this area is pretty barren and birdless during the winter we didn't put it out until April. After we put it out it seemed to attract minimal interest for a couple of weeks. Some time in May it started to get attention and within a few days it went from half eaten to gone. We didn't actually see too many birds around it so we weren't sure if birds consumed it or if it suffered some other fate. Being at work all day sometimes obscures what's really going on with the bird feeder...
Based on the apparent growing interest, two weeks ago we decided to visit the local Wild Birds Unlimited and buy a "regular" bird feeder and some seed. We put it out, filled it with seed, and saw a few birds show up. However, when we were both home from work the next day, the seed was completely eaten but very few birds were around. This also seemed rather odd but we decided to refill the bird feeder for the next day. By the time we got home the seed was again gone but there was a half-dozen of birds hanging around eating the spillage from the feeder. At this point it was pretty clear the bird feeder was a hit!
Since then, the bird count has increased and it is not uncommon to see 12-15 birds hanging around at any one time (as long as there is food, of course...). I've really been amazed at the number of birds we've seen - it is motivation to get a birding book! The red-winged blackbird is the most distinctive bird we see, but we also see wrens, pigeons, and other birds we can't properly describe.
As a side effect, we now have a thick bed of sprouts beneath the bird feeder. Another landscaping challenge!
Swarm!
Based on the apparent growing interest, two weeks ago we decided to visit the local Wild Birds Unlimited and buy a "regular" bird feeder and some seed. We put it out, filled it with seed, and saw a few birds show up. However, when we were both home from work the next day, the seed was completely eaten but very few birds were around. This also seemed rather odd but we decided to refill the bird feeder for the next day. By the time we got home the seed was again gone but there was a half-dozen of birds hanging around eating the spillage from the feeder. At this point it was pretty clear the bird feeder was a hit!
Since then, the bird count has increased and it is not uncommon to see 12-15 birds hanging around at any one time (as long as there is food, of course...). I've really been amazed at the number of birds we've seen - it is motivation to get a birding book! The red-winged blackbird is the most distinctive bird we see, but we also see wrens, pigeons, and other birds we can't properly describe.
As a side effect, we now have a thick bed of sprouts beneath the bird feeder. Another landscaping challenge!
Swarm!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Another Exciting Installment of "Vickery World" News
Yes, that's right folks, it's time for Katie's 2nd blog post ever! I like to keep you waiting :-)
First things first - As of Thursday, I am officially 30+1. I had a great birthday (even though I had to work!), and then Zach & I went to a great sushi place here in Boise (yes, that's right, I said the words "great sushi" and "Boise" in the same sentence!). The restaurant is called Fujiyama, and we ended up getting an assortment of sushi rolls & a couple of pieces of salmon & spicy scallop sashimi, along with an appetizer of gyoza (potstickers, I guess, would be an equivalent). All of it was very good, and we enjoyed every bite! For a restaurant serving mostly seafood-based dishes, and being in such a dry, land-locked state, this restaurant had very good quality sushi - we were pleasantly surprised! After dinner we came back to the house & I opened all my wonderful & thoughtful presents & cards from everyone - so very generous of all of you! Thank you! Don't worry, Grandma, this is not the only thank you anyone will get from me! ;-) It was a great birthday, full of lots of love & good wishes...what more could a girl ask for?!
In other news, I got a new job today! It's still with the same company (NYK Line), but it's in a different department. As of July 7th, I will officially be a Sales Support Specialist for the West Coast of the US. It's a pretty exciting move for me, since a lot of this job will be completely new, but basically I'll be one of a team of Sales Support people, working with the Sales Reps (who go out to the customers & sign/extend service contracts), and our Corporate office to make sure the service contracts are filed correctly & to take care of fixing anything that is incorrectly filed. I've spent the last 1 1/2 years working as a Revenue Analyst, which required me to work closely with interpreting & applying the shipper's service contracts, in order to add rates & charges to bills, so now I'll be working on the other side of things - actually filing & following up on the service contracts.
The team I'm joining is made up of 6 other people from different departments within our office, so it will be interesting for us all to come at this position with such varied knowledge and experience in the shipping industry. I'm really excited about the move, mostly because I was getting very frustrated with the job I have been doing, as it's gotten pretty monotonous & downright annoying! This is a very welcome change!
Zach is planning a hike tomorrow, with a couple of guys, so as long as the weather in Eastern Oregon holds up alright, he should have a pretty nice trip. I'm planning on running errands & getting some reading done. On Sunday, we'll be heading over to Gary & Bonnie's for a barbeque, to celebrate Father's Day for Gary & also my birthday. It'll be a wonderful time with great food and company!
Have a wonderful weekend!
First things first - As of Thursday, I am officially 30+1. I had a great birthday (even though I had to work!), and then Zach & I went to a great sushi place here in Boise (yes, that's right, I said the words "great sushi" and "Boise" in the same sentence!). The restaurant is called Fujiyama, and we ended up getting an assortment of sushi rolls & a couple of pieces of salmon & spicy scallop sashimi, along with an appetizer of gyoza (potstickers, I guess, would be an equivalent). All of it was very good, and we enjoyed every bite! For a restaurant serving mostly seafood-based dishes, and being in such a dry, land-locked state, this restaurant had very good quality sushi - we were pleasantly surprised! After dinner we came back to the house & I opened all my wonderful & thoughtful presents & cards from everyone - so very generous of all of you! Thank you! Don't worry, Grandma, this is not the only thank you anyone will get from me! ;-) It was a great birthday, full of lots of love & good wishes...what more could a girl ask for?!
In other news, I got a new job today! It's still with the same company (NYK Line), but it's in a different department. As of July 7th, I will officially be a Sales Support Specialist for the West Coast of the US. It's a pretty exciting move for me, since a lot of this job will be completely new, but basically I'll be one of a team of Sales Support people, working with the Sales Reps (who go out to the customers & sign/extend service contracts), and our Corporate office to make sure the service contracts are filed correctly & to take care of fixing anything that is incorrectly filed. I've spent the last 1 1/2 years working as a Revenue Analyst, which required me to work closely with interpreting & applying the shipper's service contracts, in order to add rates & charges to bills, so now I'll be working on the other side of things - actually filing & following up on the service contracts.
The team I'm joining is made up of 6 other people from different departments within our office, so it will be interesting for us all to come at this position with such varied knowledge and experience in the shipping industry. I'm really excited about the move, mostly because I was getting very frustrated with the job I have been doing, as it's gotten pretty monotonous & downright annoying! This is a very welcome change!
Zach is planning a hike tomorrow, with a couple of guys, so as long as the weather in Eastern Oregon holds up alright, he should have a pretty nice trip. I'm planning on running errands & getting some reading done. On Sunday, we'll be heading over to Gary & Bonnie's for a barbeque, to celebrate Father's Day for Gary & also my birthday. It'll be a wonderful time with great food and company!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Long Weekend Recap
We had a nice, relaxing, and uneventful Memorial Day weekend. Friday night we got some grub at Rudy's before heading to the movie theater to watch Terminator: Salvation. We both enjoyed the movie - it was good with great action scenes, but the story and overall vibe are definitely not up to the standard of T2 which in my opinion is the best action movie ever made. Of course I like movies about quasi-sentient robots since they provoke metaphysical questions about humanity and possible future directions of human existence. But I digress...
Saturday we mostly ran errands; in particular we stopped at MacLife so I could look at the Macs since I suspect that might be my next computer purchase. It'll essentially be a choice between an iMac or a Wintel machine running Windows 7 (once that comes out). But it's good to have choices, right? Katie also got a haircut which she was happy with!
Sunday we had breakfast with Gary and Bonnie at Moon's Kitchen Cafe. I had the breakfast combo which included one of the biggest pancakes I've ever eaten (and I didn't even finish). Afterwards we did some grocery shopping too - another action-packed day!
Nothing too exciting occurred on Monday... mostly things like TiVo watching, reading, house cleaning, and mowing. Of course Tuesday was back to work but fortunately for only four days!
Saturday we mostly ran errands; in particular we stopped at MacLife so I could look at the Macs since I suspect that might be my next computer purchase. It'll essentially be a choice between an iMac or a Wintel machine running Windows 7 (once that comes out). But it's good to have choices, right? Katie also got a haircut which she was happy with!
Sunday we had breakfast with Gary and Bonnie at Moon's Kitchen Cafe. I had the breakfast combo which included one of the biggest pancakes I've ever eaten (and I didn't even finish). Afterwards we did some grocery shopping too - another action-packed day!
Nothing too exciting occurred on Monday... mostly things like TiVo watching, reading, house cleaning, and mowing. Of course Tuesday was back to work but fortunately for only four days!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Updates
Other than the previously blogged hikes, there hasn't been too much going on with us. We've seen movies for three straight weeks: State of Play, Fast & Furious, and Star Trek. We both enjoyed all of them - personally I found Star Trek the best and Fast & Furious the least memorable. Maybe we'll go see Wolverine this week?
I did start tweeting last week. It is arguably pointless but anyone that wants to know minute details of our lives can check that out.
Also, the Shepherds in Vancouver are fundraising for the Relay for Life in memory of Ian. Their team name is Flock of Sheep. Donations are of course welcome!
I did start tweeting last week. It is arguably pointless but anyone that wants to know minute details of our lives can check that out.
Also, the Shepherds in Vancouver are fundraising for the Relay for Life in memory of Ian. Their team name is Flock of Sheep. Donations are of course welcome!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Two Peaks, One Weekend
The weather in Boise has finally turned nice with highs in the 70s, lows in the 40s, and lots of daylight. Dan suggested we go for a hike on Saturday. We were constrained to an afternoon hike due to commitments with his daughter's softball team. We met at the softball field just before 1pm and headed out. Destination: Slacks Mountain in the Owyhees. Neither one of us were sure what to expect since we hadn't been to the area before. Of course the standard concerns apply in the Owyhees: ATVs, dirt bikes, private property, armed patrols, mining, overgrazing, etc.
On the way up we nearly collided with an out-of-control ATV before meeting with an Owyhee County Sheriff's Deputy who explained that the road over New York Summit was snowbound but we could get to within a mile or so of it. Perfect! We can get close enough to the peak without having lots of ATV through traffic in the area. Of course, the ATVs were still all over the place despite the snow situation.
We parked where the road became snowbound and started hiking at about 2:45pm. The going was easy and we enjoyed this surprisingly wet and forested area of the Owyhees. We made it to the summit around 5:30pm and enjoyed the expansive views of the Owyhees. It was actually quiet up there - always a pleasant surprise in this area! We soon headed back down at made it to the car just before 8pm. Due to the time, we scrapped our plan to make a quick ascent of nearby Bald Mountain.
On Sunday I decided to use the kayak again and ascend Grape Mountain. While unloading the kayak, I noticed a hole in the rubber outer hull. This was likely caused by having to drag it up 100' of rocky beach last time due to low water. I figured I might as well press on, so I got everything together and hit the water. Of course it became apparent immediately that things were not going well. The kayak was steering terribly, my bum was wet, and there was quickly a half inch or so of water in the bottom of the interior. As the melody from that Gordon Lightfoot song started to go through my head, I decided to turn around. While deflating the kayak, I managed to suck sand into the air pump which disabled it and of course added insult to injury. Despite this humiliating defeat, the kayak will be repaired and I will be back!
I couldn't simply go home after this fiasco; I had to bag a peak. I chose Shaw Mountain, a peak which was on the way home and not too big of a hike. Being a Grand Slam Peak, it was on my list for a Spring ascent anyway. It was also the first Idaho peak I climbed in May 2001 and therefore a sentimental favorite. I climbed from the Highland Valley Road and made an uneventful ascent up the road to the summit. This peak is best climbed before May 1st though because after that the road is open to vehicles, of which I saw quite a few. I always enjoy the view of Boise from this peak despite the typical haze.
Slacks Mountain Pictures! (Dan's Trip Report)
Shaw Mountain Pictures!
Trip stats:
Slacks Mountain: 10 miles, 2000' gain, 5 hours
Shaw Mountain: 10.6 miles, 2500' gain, 3.5 hours
On the way up we nearly collided with an out-of-control ATV before meeting with an Owyhee County Sheriff's Deputy who explained that the road over New York Summit was snowbound but we could get to within a mile or so of it. Perfect! We can get close enough to the peak without having lots of ATV through traffic in the area. Of course, the ATVs were still all over the place despite the snow situation.
We parked where the road became snowbound and started hiking at about 2:45pm. The going was easy and we enjoyed this surprisingly wet and forested area of the Owyhees. We made it to the summit around 5:30pm and enjoyed the expansive views of the Owyhees. It was actually quiet up there - always a pleasant surprise in this area! We soon headed back down at made it to the car just before 8pm. Due to the time, we scrapped our plan to make a quick ascent of nearby Bald Mountain.
On Sunday I decided to use the kayak again and ascend Grape Mountain. While unloading the kayak, I noticed a hole in the rubber outer hull. This was likely caused by having to drag it up 100' of rocky beach last time due to low water. I figured I might as well press on, so I got everything together and hit the water. Of course it became apparent immediately that things were not going well. The kayak was steering terribly, my bum was wet, and there was quickly a half inch or so of water in the bottom of the interior. As the melody from that Gordon Lightfoot song started to go through my head, I decided to turn around. While deflating the kayak, I managed to suck sand into the air pump which disabled it and of course added insult to injury. Despite this humiliating defeat, the kayak will be repaired and I will be back!
I couldn't simply go home after this fiasco; I had to bag a peak. I chose Shaw Mountain, a peak which was on the way home and not too big of a hike. Being a Grand Slam Peak, it was on my list for a Spring ascent anyway. It was also the first Idaho peak I climbed in May 2001 and therefore a sentimental favorite. I climbed from the Highland Valley Road and made an uneventful ascent up the road to the summit. This peak is best climbed before May 1st though because after that the road is open to vehicles, of which I saw quite a few. I always enjoy the view of Boise from this peak despite the typical haze.
Slacks Mountain Pictures! (Dan's Trip Report)
Shaw Mountain Pictures!
Trip stats:
Slacks Mountain: 10 miles, 2000' gain, 5 hours
Shaw Mountain: 10.6 miles, 2500' gain, 3.5 hours
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Kepros Mountain Kayak/Hike
On Sunday I enjoyed the gorgeous weather and partook in my first Spring hike up nearby Kepros Mountain. Rather than hike this peak in the usual manner (which I have done twice before), I decided to use my inflatable kayak to approach it from a nearby marina. Rather than a long hike from the south, I instead would experience a shorter (but steeper) hike along the peak's northwest ridge.
I slept in a little bit and didn't begin paddling until just after noon. The kayak portion went smoothly and after leaving the kayak on the shore I began the ascent of Kepros Mountain. Despite feeling a little out of shape during the ascent, I made steady progress and reached the summit around 2:25pm. This peak really does have a great 360° view of the mountains surrounding Boise! After the usual summit rituals I sent Katie a text message from the summit and then descended. The descent was uneventful and I returned to the marina just after 4pm.
This was really an ideal Spring hike; great weather, a "dual sport" ascent, some intensity (but not too much), good views, and the ability to see a new aspect of a familiar peak. Another kayak/hike to nearby Grape Mountain is planned!
Trip statistics: 1.25 miles kayaked, 5.5 miles hiked, 2500' gain, 4 hours.
Kepros Mountain Pictures!
I slept in a little bit and didn't begin paddling until just after noon. The kayak portion went smoothly and after leaving the kayak on the shore I began the ascent of Kepros Mountain. Despite feeling a little out of shape during the ascent, I made steady progress and reached the summit around 2:25pm. This peak really does have a great 360° view of the mountains surrounding Boise! After the usual summit rituals I sent Katie a text message from the summit and then descended. The descent was uneventful and I returned to the marina just after 4pm.
This was really an ideal Spring hike; great weather, a "dual sport" ascent, some intensity (but not too much), good views, and the ability to see a new aspect of a familiar peak. Another kayak/hike to nearby Grape Mountain is planned!
Trip statistics: 1.25 miles kayaked, 5.5 miles hiked, 2500' gain, 4 hours.
Kepros Mountain Pictures!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Updates
Last Tuesday, I drove back up to Vancouver to attend Ian's memorial service. Driving conditions were good and I traveled the 643 miles in approximately 10 hours and 35 minutes, a new record. The only real highlight of this trip was lunch at the Fatburger in Issaquah.
The service on Wednesday was very well done and concluded with a bagpiper playing 'Amazing Grace'. Approximately 330 people attended the service and the reception hall was completely filled with people. I got to meet many new members of the extended family, many of whom had been waiting a long time to meet Katie's husband! How many names I remember is of course questionable...
After dinner with the family on Wednesday we got up early Thursday to drive home. This drive was also uneventful and only took 10 hours and 50 minutes. Friday was back to work.. of course we were both ready for the weekend before we even showed up!
Saturday I decided it was time to mow the yard for the first time this year; always a bittersweet moment since it heralds the beginning of warm weather but also the beginning of a chore that will be with me until October or so. The weather has finally gotten warm which is most appreciated since the Spring weather up until recently has been lacking in that department. Sometime soon we will see about a patio cover and perhaps do a little rework of our sad looking flower beds. Saturday night we ate dinner with Gary and Bonnie at the Ruby River Steak House. I had a buffalo burger which was good and the 25oz Sam Adams Summer Ale really hit the spot!
Sunday I managed to get out for my first Spring hike (the subject of a future blog post). Other than that, we had a quiet day. Katie did make yummy pork chops for dinner!
Not much is planned for this week. I've set a goal to bike to work at least once sometime this week; we'll see if it actually happens!
The service on Wednesday was very well done and concluded with a bagpiper playing 'Amazing Grace'. Approximately 330 people attended the service and the reception hall was completely filled with people. I got to meet many new members of the extended family, many of whom had been waiting a long time to meet Katie's husband! How many names I remember is of course questionable...
After dinner with the family on Wednesday we got up early Thursday to drive home. This drive was also uneventful and only took 10 hours and 50 minutes. Friday was back to work.. of course we were both ready for the weekend before we even showed up!
Saturday I decided it was time to mow the yard for the first time this year; always a bittersweet moment since it heralds the beginning of warm weather but also the beginning of a chore that will be with me until October or so. The weather has finally gotten warm which is most appreciated since the Spring weather up until recently has been lacking in that department. Sometime soon we will see about a patio cover and perhaps do a little rework of our sad looking flower beds. Saturday night we ate dinner with Gary and Bonnie at the Ruby River Steak House. I had a buffalo burger which was good and the 25oz Sam Adams Summer Ale really hit the spot!
Sunday I managed to get out for my first Spring hike (the subject of a future blog post). Other than that, we had a quiet day. Katie did make yummy pork chops for dinner!
Not much is planned for this week. I've set a goal to bike to work at least once sometime this week; we'll see if it actually happens!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Rest In Peace Ian Shepherd
Katie and I both traveled to Vancouver on short notice last week to say our goodbyes to Katie's father Ian. After a very brief battle with pancreatic cancer, Ian passed away peacefully on April 2nd. Always enjoyable to be around, he was an all-around great man who taught me so much in a short time about such varied things as BC camping, verbal circumlocution, scotch drinking, and Canadian politics. You will be missed very much Ian!
Ian's memorial service will be held on April 15th at the Kerrisdale Presbyterian Church.
A few photos of Ian from the Vickery photo archive.
Ian's memorial service will be held on April 15th at the Kerrisdale Presbyterian Church.
A few photos of Ian from the Vickery photo archive.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Hockey Game
As the lack of recent blog posts attest, there hasn't been much going on with us. Yesterday we decided to go to an Idaho Steelheads hockey game since their season is almost over and we haven't been to one in two years. We ended up with second row seats and got a good view of the Steelheads defeating the Ontario Reign 3-0. The Steelheads are indeed wearing pink jerseys in the picture; this was part of a fundraiser for breast cancer treatment at the St. Luke's Tumor Institute. Before the game we had dinner at the Bitter Creek Ale House and of course I had to get a couple of beers, this time the Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout and the Sockeye Hell Diver. At the game I had a Long Hammer IPA which is surprisingly good for an arena offering.
Over the past month we've pretty much been working in between weekends. My job status is pretty much unchanged but Katie has been moved further into the world of outsourcing, which she isn't very fond of. We've watched a couple of movies recently, including The International and Watchmen. The International was a good action/thriller and Watchmen was entertaining despite being surprisingly graphic.
This weekend I will be attending the Boise Code Camp for a little bit of professional development. We might also check out the Idaho Fry Company which is opening this weekend. Maybe it will be comparable to Belgian Fries in Vancouver?
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Getting old...
I had a pleasant 30th birthday despite not being very excited about the occasion. I spent the bulk of the day at work and that was uneventful. However it was much better than last year when I had to spend the day training replacement workers. That was probably actually my worst birthday ever.
Katie and I had a nice dinner at the Bitter Creek Ale House. I got the stout battered trout and chips which were excellent. In addition, I chugged a couple of glasses of my new favorite beer, the nitrogen charged Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout. I also tried the Dogfather and Black Butte XX Porter, neither of which were as good but still worthy.
Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes and gifts!
Katie and I had a nice dinner at the Bitter Creek Ale House. I got the stout battered trout and chips which were excellent. In addition, I chugged a couple of glasses of my new favorite beer, the nitrogen charged Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout. I also tried the Dogfather and Black Butte XX Porter, neither of which were as good but still worthy.
Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes and gifts!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Alert the media! It's Katie's first blog post!
So, now that this blog has aged like a fine wine, I figured it was time for me to actually post on here. Zach has been amazing at keeping everyone in the loop, muuuuuuch better than I could ever do (obviously!). Given that my work environment is currently in in state of upheaval, I thought that would make an exciting first post!
So, here we go! I apologize in advance for the length & the rambling tone!
Zach mentioned in a previous post that all of the temporary people in my department were being let go, for cost-cutting reasons, and that by the end of February, all temps employed by all NYK offices in North American would be gone. We just found out on Monday that the final day had been pushed up, and that all temps will in fact be gone by this Friday! This will be a huge blow to our department, since it's basically 50% temps, 50% full time employees...by Monday morning, 8 people will be doing the work of 16. The idea of this is a tiny bit more manageable right now, given the fact that the shipping industry is quite slow, and our workload has decreased considerably over the last couple of months, but when the volume picks up again, this could prove problematic!
As background, and in seemingly unrelated news, our department has had 5 extra bodies helping us with our workload since October, in the form of NYK employees from our office in Manila, Phillipines. When they arrived, we were simply told that they would be helping us with production, since, at the time, we were slammed with work, and it was cheaper to bring employees from overseas to stay in hotels than it was to hire more temps locally. More on this development shortly...
Yesterday (Tuesday) the full-timers were pulled into a meeting with our management team & their boss. We were told that, due to the state of the economy, NYK would be outsourcing the documentation process (document creation & rate application) to the Manila Documentation team...some of whom have been helping us out since October. Additionally, the Regional Documentation offices in Chicago & Vancouver will be closing in May, leaving the Boise Documentation center (or centre, for our Canadian readers!) and the Toronto Documentation centre as the only Doc centers in North America. Apparently NYK is the last carrier (shipping company) to outsource the Documentation aspect of the process. Our job descriptions will be changing completely, and my understanding is that our main purpose will be liasing between the customers and the Manila Doc team.
So, the times, they are a-changing! This is the 2nd job I have had where my job has been outsources (when we lived in Tumwater, the medical billing company I worked for outsourced my job to India). I have definitely been lucky, since I haven't actually lost my job either time, I've just been "repositioned" to something different. In this particular situation, the outsourcers are at least of the same company, and are used to working with the same programs and procedures...hopefully this will make the transition a little smoother than Zach's experience with Micron.
I have yet to be told exactly what my new position will be, and will update when I find out. It's been a crazy couple of days, and I'm sure the next couple of months will be interesting (to say the least), but I'm just glad to be able to say that I have a job. In this economy, that's definitely something to be very thankful for! As Zach said, when I told him of the latest developments, "I guess we're the new American model - a two income household with both jobs having been outsourced in the span of a year". Sad but true...and like I said, at least we've both been lucky enough to keep our jobs (or find new, better ones, in Zach's case).
Well, after that lovely, uplifting blog post, I'm sure you'd all like me to never post again! My apologies for the length of the post...I'm not known for my conciseness! I will try very hard to be a more active blogger & help keep everyone informed.
I think that's about all the news to report from here!
Love,
Katie
So, here we go! I apologize in advance for the length & the rambling tone!
Zach mentioned in a previous post that all of the temporary people in my department were being let go, for cost-cutting reasons, and that by the end of February, all temps employed by all NYK offices in North American would be gone. We just found out on Monday that the final day had been pushed up, and that all temps will in fact be gone by this Friday! This will be a huge blow to our department, since it's basically 50% temps, 50% full time employees...by Monday morning, 8 people will be doing the work of 16. The idea of this is a tiny bit more manageable right now, given the fact that the shipping industry is quite slow, and our workload has decreased considerably over the last couple of months, but when the volume picks up again, this could prove problematic!
As background, and in seemingly unrelated news, our department has had 5 extra bodies helping us with our workload since October, in the form of NYK employees from our office in Manila, Phillipines. When they arrived, we were simply told that they would be helping us with production, since, at the time, we were slammed with work, and it was cheaper to bring employees from overseas to stay in hotels than it was to hire more temps locally. More on this development shortly...
Yesterday (Tuesday) the full-timers were pulled into a meeting with our management team & their boss. We were told that, due to the state of the economy, NYK would be outsourcing the documentation process (document creation & rate application) to the Manila Documentation team...some of whom have been helping us out since October. Additionally, the Regional Documentation offices in Chicago & Vancouver will be closing in May, leaving the Boise Documentation center (or centre, for our Canadian readers!) and the Toronto Documentation centre as the only Doc centers in North America. Apparently NYK is the last carrier (shipping company) to outsource the Documentation aspect of the process. Our job descriptions will be changing completely, and my understanding is that our main purpose will be liasing between the customers and the Manila Doc team.
So, the times, they are a-changing! This is the 2nd job I have had where my job has been outsources (when we lived in Tumwater, the medical billing company I worked for outsourced my job to India). I have definitely been lucky, since I haven't actually lost my job either time, I've just been "repositioned" to something different. In this particular situation, the outsourcers are at least of the same company, and are used to working with the same programs and procedures...hopefully this will make the transition a little smoother than Zach's experience with Micron.
I have yet to be told exactly what my new position will be, and will update when I find out. It's been a crazy couple of days, and I'm sure the next couple of months will be interesting (to say the least), but I'm just glad to be able to say that I have a job. In this economy, that's definitely something to be very thankful for! As Zach said, when I told him of the latest developments, "I guess we're the new American model - a two income household with both jobs having been outsourced in the span of a year". Sad but true...and like I said, at least we've both been lucky enough to keep our jobs (or find new, better ones, in Zach's case).
Well, after that lovely, uplifting blog post, I'm sure you'd all like me to never post again! My apologies for the length of the post...I'm not known for my conciseness! I will try very hard to be a more active blogger & help keep everyone informed.
I think that's about all the news to report from here!
Love,
Katie
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Squaw Butte Hike
The weather was supposed to be decent this weekend so I figured I would try to go on a solo hike somewhere close to home. I settled on Squaw Butte, a peak I climbed in 2003. I had never hiked its east side, so this choice even allowed seeing some new terrain. Of course I didn't read the weather reports well enough because on the drive over there it became apparent the peak was shrouded in fog. I didn't bring a map either because I figured I could see the peak from the road and easily find my way. Fortunately someone else was hiking the peak that day also, so I parked by his rig and just started hiking uphill.
From the drive over, it seemed clear that I would probably break out of the fog once I got high enough. Sure enough, that's what happened (right as I was starting to wonder if I was anywhere near the peak...). I ascended the southeast rib, the intended route which is popular due to class 3 rock climbing options it provides. I generally avoided the rock, though it was solid and made the route a little less boring. The entire ascent was uneventful, although up high it was rather slippery because above the clouds it was warm and the melting snow had turned much of the ground into mud.
The lookout on Squaw Butte isn't actually the highest point. The highest point (about 20' higher) is over two miles away on the ridge. Because I got such a late start (leaving the vehicle at about 11:40am) going over there was out of the question. I descended via a different ridge which was both less slippery and less rocky than the one used for ascent.
Despite being good exercise, this wasn't a very rewarding hike because much of the ground was muddy, the terrain was totally torn up by cow grazing, and the peak itself is covered in radio towers. I'm probably developing brain cancer as we speak!
Trip stats: 4.1 miles, 4.5 hours, 2200' gain
Squaw Butte Pictures!
From the drive over, it seemed clear that I would probably break out of the fog once I got high enough. Sure enough, that's what happened (right as I was starting to wonder if I was anywhere near the peak...). I ascended the southeast rib, the intended route which is popular due to class 3 rock climbing options it provides. I generally avoided the rock, though it was solid and made the route a little less boring. The entire ascent was uneventful, although up high it was rather slippery because above the clouds it was warm and the melting snow had turned much of the ground into mud.
The lookout on Squaw Butte isn't actually the highest point. The highest point (about 20' higher) is over two miles away on the ridge. Because I got such a late start (leaving the vehicle at about 11:40am) going over there was out of the question. I descended via a different ridge which was both less slippery and less rocky than the one used for ascent.
Despite being good exercise, this wasn't a very rewarding hike because much of the ground was muddy, the terrain was totally torn up by cow grazing, and the peak itself is covered in radio towers. I'm probably developing brain cancer as we speak!
Trip stats: 4.1 miles, 4.5 hours, 2200' gain
Squaw Butte Pictures!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Career Related Ramblings
Since a couple of people have asked for it, this post is a more detailed explanation of my current job - what the company does, what I do there, and what it's like working there.
In November 2008 I resigned as a software engineer at Micron Technology to take a position as a software engineer at Telemetric Corporation. Telemetric's business model is based around selling equipment and services to help utility companies wirelessly monitor equipment in power distribution networks. Because the company's products use the celluar network, they allow remote monitoring of substation equipment without the need for on-site personnel or physical communication lines. These products align the with the current smart grid initiatives, which are intended to make the power grid more fault tolerant, adaptable, and more easily managed.
Once a distribution system is equipped with Telemetric devices, a utility can manage intelligent electronic devices in their distribution network remotely. This means configuration changes can be initiated from the utility's control center rather than requiring a truck be sent out to a remote substation. A monitoring system called a SCADA System can be used to continuously monitor and control devices in the field over the wireless network. Alternately, Telemetric maintains a website for those customers who do not have a SCADA system so they too can monitor and control their devices in the field.
The engineering team has two main groups, a hardware group (which designs and builds the devices) and a smaller software team which maintains the software side (SCADA integration code and the web applications which allow remote monitoring and control). I'm in the software group; my main project to date have been writing software to automatically test the devices. I suspect that my future projects will include website enhancements and possibly also enhancements to the code used for SCADA integration.
So far, it has been a positive change for my career. The work has been interesting and Telemetric is a well-run profitable company with good people. With the economy being what it is, it's hard to feel too comfortable with any job but right now things seem to be as stable as they can be.
In November 2008 I resigned as a software engineer at Micron Technology to take a position as a software engineer at Telemetric Corporation. Telemetric's business model is based around selling equipment and services to help utility companies wirelessly monitor equipment in power distribution networks. Because the company's products use the celluar network, they allow remote monitoring of substation equipment without the need for on-site personnel or physical communication lines. These products align the with the current smart grid initiatives, which are intended to make the power grid more fault tolerant, adaptable, and more easily managed.
Once a distribution system is equipped with Telemetric devices, a utility can manage intelligent electronic devices in their distribution network remotely. This means configuration changes can be initiated from the utility's control center rather than requiring a truck be sent out to a remote substation. A monitoring system called a SCADA System can be used to continuously monitor and control devices in the field over the wireless network. Alternately, Telemetric maintains a website for those customers who do not have a SCADA system so they too can monitor and control their devices in the field.
The engineering team has two main groups, a hardware group (which designs and builds the devices) and a smaller software team which maintains the software side (SCADA integration code and the web applications which allow remote monitoring and control). I'm in the software group; my main project to date have been writing software to automatically test the devices. I suspect that my future projects will include website enhancements and possibly also enhancements to the code used for SCADA integration.
So far, it has been a positive change for my career. The work has been interesting and Telemetric is a well-run profitable company with good people. With the economy being what it is, it's hard to feel too comfortable with any job but right now things seem to be as stable as they can be.
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