Unemployment: Another Cog in the Machine

Today marks the end of a second week unemployed (like countless others caught in this tide of layoffs).

I don’t want to rabbit on about sentiments we’ve all heard before, so all I will say is:

“It was a position that managed to blend my values and skill sets in a way where I fully intended to retire there.”

Now I’m in the process of landing another job and it’s…going.

  • 9 applications sent
  • 1 phone interview
  • 1 call from a recruiting branch

Do I feel I’ve done enough? No.

Am I very confident? Also no, but it’s slowly ticking up.

Compared to last time, so much has changed, yet so much hits exactly the same. To everyone searching I hope you snag that position you’re really aiming for (you know the one).

artist: @artoshtu

A Recipe: Mom’s Bone Broth

Ingredients:

  • Carrots (Fresh)
  • Garlic (Fresh)
  • Ginger (Fresh)
  • Onion (Fresh)
  • Beef Bones (Frozen)
  • Water

Preparation:

  1. Boil ingredients together for 6-8 hours
    • Try to keep the marrow inside the bones
  2. Filter everything out
  3. Push the marrow through the bones into the broth

Storage:

  1. Let cool
  2. Pour broth into ice trays
  3. Freeze over night
  4. Empty ice trays into freezer container

Daily Routine:

  1. Place 2-4 cubes in a cup
  2. Microwave until cubes melt
  3. Drink up!

P.S. My mom is a woman of brevity- particularly over text.

Trick or Treat

Prompt: If bloggers had their own Halloween and could go from blog to blog collecting “treats,” what would your blog hand out?

Oh! That’s easy. This blog would 100% hand out individual polar bear breads and candy corn.

I would like to clarify they would each be in their own wrapping…I am aware of the hate for candy corn. I may not agree, but I respect strong food opinions (as someone who doesn’t like chocolate or peanut butter).

artist: meikitefuka

The Ode to the Deceased

While cleaning out my desk I found a poetry project from eighth grade. That’s right. Eighth grade. Now I’d never say I’m a good poet and let me just say- I was definitely still in my teen angst phase. All in all, I wrote five poems of which one didn’t make me cringe.  

The Ode to the Deceased

When our dear loved ones move on
To what some believe to be another world,
They leave behind a part of themselves,
Whether it be material like money and jewelry,
Or memories such as a fine summer’s day.
They have completed their journey,

Finished the game
And now can finally rest
But with something up their sleeve no less.

For they are the ones who know the truth.
They now know that sacred secret.
They have seen the other part of life

The one thing that our instincts tell us to fear
They have embraced,
With or without that same fear

So raise up your candles
And bow your heads
In respect to the deceased,
For they have finished the deadly game
And they know all the means

P.S. It’s nice to know that even after fourteen years, the concept of death still hangs heavy on me.

Welcome Screen Pins: Glacier Bay

As an avid watcher of The Great North I knew once a location in Alaska popped up- I was going to make a post on it and here we are! I now present Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve!

Country: United States of America

State: Alaska

Region: Southeast

Nearest Town: Gustavus

UNESCO World Heritage Site

3.3 million acres

Things to Do

Bartlett Cove

  • Tlingit Trail: 1 mile, leads to Xunaa Shuká Hít
  • Xunaa Shuká Hít: a permanent clan house where you can learn about Huna Tlingit history and culture [Summer]
  • Interpretive Activities: learn about various topics from a tribal or park interpreter [Summer]
  • The Bartlett River Trail: 4 miles, intertidal lagoon/forest/estuary [Summer]
  • Glacier Bay Day Boat: a full day boat tour with lunch included [Summer]
  • Sea Kayaking: guided day kayaking

Gustavus

Places to Stay

  • Bear Track Inn: 100 acres, ground transportation & meals (packed lunch provided)included
  • Chinook Lodge: lodge feel, ground transportation & meals included

Photo by Rich Manalang on Unsplash

It can’t be just me: Morning Routines

After chatting with some coworkers it has come  to my attention that I may or may not have a strange morning routine. I personally don’t think so, but man oh man was I overruled. So! I decided to bring this to the masses to determine if it is weird or if it actually makes sense.

  1. Use Bathroom
  2. Fully dress from waist down (socks & footwear included)
  3. Brush teeth
  4. Wash face
  5. Apply toner
  6. Fully dress from waist up
  7. Finish skin care routine
  8. Apply deodorant

P.S. I asked my partner their opinion and apparently they get ready in a similar way…I am now convinced they rubbed off on me because I know for a fact this wasn’t my routine a few years ago.

Photo by Grace Kelly on Unsplash

Welcome Screen Pins: Kamishihoro

You know how when you boot up your pc there’ll be an image with little prompts before you log in? Well, yesterday when I was logging in at work I had a thought of: why not click the prompts and learn something new each day? (Aside from just thumbing up or down for similar images.)

Then I figured I could do a little deep dive, jot down some facts and things I’d like to do there, so I can start keeping a list of travel ideas/a bucket list.

Now it won’t be everyday of course, just the places that catch my eye (which will probably be most of them). Anyway, first up is the town of Kamishihoro, Japan!

Region: Hokkaido

Prefecture: Hokkaido

Subprefecture: Tokachi

District: Katō

Mascot: Horon-chan

A shy fairy of the sky and earth who pilots hot air balloons and loves to eat agricultural/livestock products of the town.

Things to Do

Places to Eat

Places to Stay

  • Mountain Inn Sankoso: Underground bath, bandit dinner served at hearth, specialty tofu, yukata
  • Nakamuraya: Lovely accommodation, open air bath, souvenirs

Photo by shawnanggg on Unsplash