Who are you?

Lately I have been thinking about what defines me.

So many people define themselves by their job, their lifestyle, their status. . .And I'm no longer a student, a vegetarian, an apartment-dweller, a tree hugger, a part-time employee, a volunteer. . .These are all things which defined me strongly for the past few years, and within a matter of months were all stripped away. Now, life has taken a complete turn.

I'm a full-time software QA engineer, I'm a homeowner, I'm still a wife, I'm still a tree-hugger but can no longer really term myself as an environmentalist because I work in the petroleum industry, and I'm really, really busy. . . .but. . .who am I? What part of me remains the same regardless of how my situation changes?

For that matter who are you?

What part of your life/personality defines you so strongly that when people talk about you they say, 'Oh, you know Yournamehere, she's/he's a ______'.

Think about it and fill in the blank when you leave a comment. I'll start:

'I'm a free spirit who brings beauty and life to those around me. '

Very Fun

Well, I was looking over some other blog spots, and found a link to this video.

Being a HUGE Star Trek TNG fan, I thought that I would post this clever video for the watching pleasure of my blog readers (all 4 of you!)

You can see it
here.

The Great Moth Slayer

With our new house, our sassy little cat, Cider, has found a whole new occupation. Zesty and full of life, I now can say for certain that apartment living didn't suit her one bit, but our house does seem to present her with many opportunities to keep boredom at bay.

Here in the early summers of Colorado, Miller Moths come out in DROVES to eat things, beat themselves senselessly against lights, and swarm through your house leaving strange red droppings in their wake. In our apartment on the 3rd floor, they weren't an issue. Here around our house, they congregate in alarming numbers. At first my husband and I were concerned about them....we had about 5 good sized moths flying through the house, smacking against our head when they weren't flailing madly against the ceiling.

And then Cider saw them.

All of the sudden, gravity seemed to release it's hold on my small cat. She lept, she twisted, she was incredibly clumsy for the first few nights, and not altogether successful. But as the weeks have passed she has turned into a ruthless killer. No moths can dwell in our house for more than a few minutes before she spots them, and her focus is rather impressive. Lamps, couches, artwork and the occasional wall can't hinder Cider as she pursues her prey. She's become so effective that I'll take her out to the front porch light with me, and in less than a minute she'll have one firmly grasped in her paws after yet another astonishing leap.

So in the end, as of this writing the moth season hasn't been that bad for us; a great source of happiness for Cider, and fabulous entertainment for us. I think we'll all be sad when it's over.

Except for maybe, the moths themselves.

A New House

Well, perhaps I can start with the blogging again. There's certainly plenty to write about. A new job, a new home, a new life in general and though the transition has been jarring (everything happening within a 2 week period - even closing on the house!) It's amazing to be here where we are.

The new house is on .25 acres, and so far my favorite thing has been my backyard. It's a huge field, with really big power lines spanning the space. Now, the power lines may not be the most beautiful things to look at, but they are protecting the view as the land is now a dedicated utility easement. In the end I would prefer to look at them than another gaudy subdivision (like the one I live in now!)

I've found it to be an unexpected experience to love the Eastern CO plains as much as I do. More of a mountain girl, I've found the wind rushing through the firs and aspens and a surging mountain stream sounds that I associate with comfort and peace. However camping trips are few and far between, and I often have felt disconnected with nature in general working in a concrete jungle downtown. The house has surprised me by bringing that same peace back into my life. The sounds of grass blowing in the wind, meadowlarks trilling from sun up to sun down, the hissing of blowing sand against my fence... I sit out on my back deck for hours and just soak it all in. Where I used to commune with nature on short walks and infrequent camping trips before, I can now come home every evening and tap into that same energy.

Now, my commute to work is about 45 minutes long. . .I arrive at 5:45 in the morning and leave around 2:30 to miss the bulk of traffic; and in the end, I wouldn't change a thing. It's peaceful, it's quiet, and it's magic in a too-sensible concrete world.