Going Home (kind of)

I'm currently sitting in the airport, and am waiting for my flight.  It's been a very eventful last month.  I think I've done a lot of growing, and am certainly ready to have Shelli here with me.  I'll be arriving in Mesa this afternoon, and will definitely be missing the 74 degree weather here in Eugene.  I have made quite a few great friends since I have arrived, and all of which seem to be the long term kind of friends.

I have definitely been allocating my time here in a way that I didn't really miss much.  From working in a winery, to dancing at a gay bar; biking around the city, and drinking around a bonfire as an extra in an indie film;  learning how disc golf works, and exploring the local eateries...I pretty much got it all in there!  I really have to thank my housemates that I roomed with, because Adriene and Will really showed me a good time- I really owe it to them!

I'm excited to get back and see all my friends again before we head off into the sunset (or sunrise-whatever), and am trying to brace myself for the emotional roller-coaster that I'm about to jump on.  It'll be good to see everyone, though.  I've got three and a half days to get as much arizona in as possible, and then we are heading out!  It's pretty crazy for me to think about that, because it's actually a reality-not just an idea any more- I've been waiting to do this for a very, very long time.

This isn't the end of my journey though...I still have another 1300 miles to drive, and 6 weeks of Wine Harvest to report on.  More to come!

Getting broken in...

*Note*  This was supposed to be posted a while ago, but was saved as a draft instead...Better late than never :)

I've been working at the winery for a week now, and it's finally Friday night!  It's so nice to think about NOT working for two days.  This last week has been a real learning experience.  I have been working with the crew on getting last year's vintage into bottles.  We bottle about 35 pallets of cases of wine each day.  To put it into perspective, that equates to 60 bottles of wine per minute...That's a LOT of wine coming out of the bottling line- just as fast as you can imagine.  My main job has been putting the cases of freshly bottled wine onto pallets and wrapping them with shrink wrap...not very exciting, but it's still experience in a winery.

I've been meeting some really great people, and have been brushing up on my spotty Spanish.  There are about 5 out of 20 people that speak fluent English, so I'll be working on my Spanish in my free time.  I have been casually been getting to know the owner of the winery, and I think he likes me all right.  My direct boss, Chris, has been great at teaching by directing.  He doesn't really answer questions when I have them, but I think that's for the better, as I learn best by actually doing.  I've had a chance to use a lot of my warehouse experience, and it's been for the best.  I'm also pretty sure that I might be getting trained on the coveted forklift.  At the the end of the day today, Chris told me to go watch one of the other guys fill up the propane tank that fuels the forklift.  This is exciting, because it means I will be able to do more things around the winery during harvest :)

The Winery

So much happened today!  I don't really know where to begin, so I'll try to keep it in chronological order.  So, I didn't really head out of the house till about noon-ish, and made my way out to Monroe, where I'll be spending most of my summer.  It only took about 30 min to get there, which is nice.  It's pretty much a straight shot, and is a very pretty drive.  Outside of Eugene, it's mostly farmland, where they were harvesting this year's wheat crop.  I saw plenty of horses and cows grazing on the picturesque pastures.

Upon arriving at the winery, I was welcomed by 145 acres of rolling hills covered in miles and miles of rows of vines.  It was absolutely stunning.  I made my way to the tasting room, where there was a very pleasant woman named Ginger there to greet me.  We briefly chatted about the ins and outs of shipping wine to other states.  After our brief conversation, I met the head of the winery, Chris Mazepink, who showed me around the estate, and helped me get more familiar with where everything was.  He was filtering there estate Pino Grigio, It smelled FANTASTIC as small amounts spilled out onto the winery floor while pumping it out of the fermentation tank...I wanted to just stick my head in and breath in the aroma.  From there, he took me to where they store all the barrels that they have shipped in from france.  The barrels cost about $1000 each, and after about 8 vintages, they sell them to various companies for about $25 each.

I had to fill out a bit of paperwork, and did so in the laboratory.  In the lab, I met Kim.  Kim is an intern lab technician, who has a degree in forensic science.  She told me a little bit about her story, and I really look forward to learning some of the science behind the wine making process from her.  between her and Chris, I believe I have a LOT I can learn, and I really look forward to working and having some good chats with them both.

After touring the winery, I took a drive up the narrow gravel road through the actual vineyard.  The vines were being pruned by the workers and everything looked very well kept.  Upon reaching the top of the hill, I could see for MILES and MILES.  Chris mentioned that on a clear day, you can actually see the snow capped Cascade mountain ranges.  I examined some of the vines, and found that the grapes were still quite small (see picture below).  I was tempted to pick one to give it a taste, but I knew I would just get a mouth full of sour grape flavor- so I just let them be...Their days are numbered anyway.

Overall, this was the best day here in Oregon so far.  The thought of helping make something, that from vine to bottle only travels less than a mile, is very exciting to me.  I can't wait to get busy in that winery!

Here are some pictures of the sights I saw today, including some blueberry bushes on an organic blueberry farm just outside of town:

Looking down the hill of vines to the winery.

Baby Grapes

I think the vines bring out the color in my skin...

Day 3 in Oregon

Sorry I haven't updated sooner...I've been busy getting to know Eugene! I'm all settled in my room, and have been getting to know my room mates. I got pretty lucky with this house- I am sharing it with 3 other people. It's a pretty awesome dynamic going on here. Everyone here is a student of some sort, and each has a really interesting story. One of the girls is studying Arabic, and is going to Tunisia, Africa next month to study abroad, and is also fluent in French. Will has a business degree (I think), and is working as a personal assistant for a "Serial Entrepreneur" who has a newfound love for booking flights on private jets. The other girl is working on her master's degree in special education.

We went grocery shopping yesterday, and got a bunch of fresh produce. They pretty much share all the food in the house, so we just split the grocery bill three ways. Adrienne likes to cook, just as I do, and with the asian market less than a mile away, I'm sure we will be making some great dinners. We have talked about making a Thai dish soon, and I look forward to learning some new cooking techniques.

It's way green here, and the colors are pretty overwhelming coming from the most brown and dead state in the US. I was actually riding my bike, and saw on the asphalt what looked to be cherries. I thought at first that someone might have dropped their groceries, but after looking above me, I realized that they were growing from the tree above me. After sampling a fresh picked cherry, I realized that there weren't cherries at all- They were baby plumbs of some sort. I've never tasted anything so sweet and juicy!

I'm headed down to the winery today, and will be filling out some preliminary paperwork and getting a quick tour.  I'm pretty dang excited to check it out and meet the crew.  Maybe I can sneak in some fishing while I'm in Monroe... I hear that the river there has some decent trout fishing- We'll see.  I'll definitely be taking some pictures and possibly videos of the area up there, and I'll post them tonight or tomorrow for you guys to see :)

Well enough writing for now...I'll let some of the pictures I took do the talking.

Me under a tree (Literally)

The California Coast

Driving through the Redwood Forest

Yep...Those are Elk!

The City of Eugene

The garden in our back yard

I'll post more pictures as I take them, and I'm sure I'll have more stories to come!

Day 2 - San Francisco

It's 7:30am in San Francisco, and I just woke up.  I'm sipping my coffee in my hotel room and recollecting my thoughts from the day before.  The hostel I was planning on staying in was completely booked- which is okay because I got a better deal on a clean queen bed in a Marirott thanks to our friend who is an employee.  The hotel was a little farther than I wanted to drive, but I'm here, and I'm well.  I still feel a little tired from yesterday's drive, but i think this bold black potion might do the trick.

I left Phoenix yesterday morning at 6:00am.  With only one stop in Monterey Bay for dinner with my old friends Nick and Kat, I made it to SF by about 11:00pm.  Needless to say, I was tired from the long day of driving.  To make things more interesting, the night before I left I had the most restless sleep I think I have ever experienced.  I guess the excitement and anxiety really got the best of me.  On the bright side, the same excitement and anxiety kept me awake while I was driving...I felt like a zombie, but it worked to my advantage!

I saw lots of great scenery yesterday.  Quite an array of landscapes indeed!  From the deserts of Arizona, to the windmills in Indio, on to the vineyards of Paso Robles, and finally the Pacific coast (Monterey and San Francisco).  I have a few pictures for your viewing pleasure

I still have about 10 hours of driving, and I'm enjoying relaxing in the hotel room a little longer than I probably should.  I'll be driving up the Oregon coast today, and eventually landing in Eugene.  It's quite a ways away, but I'll be there soon enough.  On the way, I'll be passing through the Redwood Forest, and should have LOTS of pictures and videos to share soon enough.  

Oyster Point, San Francisco 

2 Days Left!!

It's Friday, and there are 2 days left before I depart.  I'm trying to keep on top of everything that needs to be done before I go, and today happens to be car day.  I replaced a tire on the Jeep, and am working on getting the Civic road ready.  The little red wagon is getting 2 new tires and an alignment...possibly more- we'll see what it needs.

We are all finished moving out of the house, and have all our stuff stored in Shelli's mom and dad's garage- Thanks Guy and Mary!  We had a huge crew of friends helping us get everything packed and moved last Sunday, and we actually got it all in one day.  I spent about 7 hours on Monday cleaning and getting the place ready for inspection by Freddie Mac.  Thanks to our diligent efforts, I was able to score a check for relocation assistance from the law firm- Also known as "Cash for Keys"---BONUS!!!

Now that it's coming down to the wire, best way I can describe how I feel is excitement mixed with a touch of nervousness.  I'm excited because its a huge change that we are both totally ready for.  I'm nervous because I really don't know what to expect when I get there.  I'm confident that everything will work out just fine, but the uncertainty is a bit of a killer.  I just hope I'm prepared for it.  I know I'm not the first one go through a cross country move without ever having been to the final destination, but it's still an interesting mix of emotions that I have never experienced.  Surreal.

I've been trying to spend what little time I have available with friends and family in these days before the journey.  It's been great hearing words of encouragement from our closest friends, and frankly it's the main thing that's been keeping me sane as I mentally prepare for this.

Thanks to everyone who has been there for us in this crazy time of our life.  Your support and encouragement are what reassure us that we can do this.  We really do have some fantastic friends, and I'm really going to be missing some people.  I just wish I had enough time to spend with everybody.  Sadness.

I'll be updating my blog frequently along my trip up north, and will be posting some pictures and messages "Social Network" style.  You can also keep track on my personal Facebook page.

Here's our dog Micah, all packed up and ready to move:

Well, we're in the middle of packing, and getting ready to get out of the house. Thank God! It's been a lot of work, but we are really kicking butt. We will be ready for exodus by this Saturday night/ Sunday morning. We are just about 3/4 of the way done packing everything into boxes, and should have everything but the big furniture in the garage by Friday.

I have my room lined up for the month that I'll be up in Eugene, and I'll be honest, I'm a little nervous about it. I'll be sharing the room with 2 other people that I don't know, so I hope we will get along. The landlord seems pretty nice, and has an english accent- Instant cool points. She lives just down the street, which is nice in case there's any problems. Here's a link to a map of the location: 12th Street and Polk

I'm leaving on July 25th, and will be stopping at a hostel called Pigeon Point Hostel. It's located about 50 miles south of San Francisco, and is right on the coast. They advertise falling asleep to the sound of waves crashing into the cliff walls just yards away from the facility. Check out the link here: http://www.norcalhostels.org/pigeon/

I'll then be traveling up the coast toward Eugene, and will hopefully arrive by the evening of the 26th. If all goes well, I should have some time to settle into my room, and check out the area. I'll be stopping by the Benton Lane Winery to fill out some paperwork, as well as looking at homes for me and Shelli to rent. I'll have my fishing pole and bike with me, so hopefully I'll be able to check out some trout fishing for at least one day. All in all, I'll have a little less than a week before I start bottling at the winery for 2 weeks. After that, I will have a week to find a rental.

I'll be taking lots of pictures, and will be updating the blog as much as I can along the way. I'm sure I'll have lots to report, since pretty much everything will be new to me there. Hopefully I'll have some evening time to check out some local breweries. I'll update on that too!

It's been a crazy last couple weeks! We have finally formulated a plan for moving to Eugene. My last day of work here in Arizona is July 24th. I'll then be packing up a few belongings and heading north for a month. It'll be fun, but I'll be alone while Shelli stays to wrap things up with her job- pretty sucky for both of us.

While I'm there, I'll be starting work at the Benton Lane Winery and helping to bottle last year's vintage. I'll have a little time before that begins and a little time after it's over to find a place for me and Shelli to live. I have been very busy looking for someone that would be able to rent a place to me, but am sure someone will pull through soon. Hopefully I'll meet someone that can give me an idea of which areas we might like to live in.

Another interesting development... I just turned 26. Holy Crap!! I know it's relatively young these days, but I can't help but to realize that I'm over a quarter of a century old. I have a lot to learn in the years to come, and am looking forward to some new and enriching experiences when we move to Oregon.

Enough depressing stuff. Now I'm going to make a suggestion for a movie to watch. Available on netflix's streaming video: 180 Degrees North. It's an inspiring documentary that takes you to Easter Island, Chile, and finally Patagonia. The guy who is narrating it is a surfer/climber, who is taking a trip to Patagonia to climb this really tall and impossible mountain. There's a little romance thrown in, which is sure to be a hit with the lady viewers. Bottom line: If you enjoy the outdoors, adventure, and extreme sports, you will probably like this movie.

That's all I can think of that's happening right now that is worth blogging about. Here's a picture of me practicing the guitar...its nice to have my fingers back in shape again- it's a lot more fun to play when you aren't in pain.

The results are in...The house went back to the bank! Don't worry for us, we've been waiting for this for a long time. I think we are even going to come out ahead after this whole situation is cleared up. We have been in this house without rent almost as long as we paid our mortgage, so it's about a wash.

We received a note on the garage door explaining that the house went back to the bank, and that we had options. After calling a guy named Mike who works for Freddie Mac, I was informed that I would actually be offered cash to give them our keys, and that we will have about 30 days after we are contacted to evict. He said that we should hear something in a couple weeks. Looks like another month and a half to find some work up in oregon...And some cash to help with the move.

Now for fun stuff...

So, I'm a nerd. A big nerd. But that works to my advantage. Like say, not really having to call anybody when my computer crashes, or perhaps being the first in line to get the new Iphone 4. Yes, that's right. I'm getting the new Iphone 4. One for myself and one for Shelli will be available to pick up on thursday June 24th (Just in time for my B-day). I'm not bragging, I'm just excited. Since high school, I have always had some sort of handheld device for managing daily tasks. Heres a few devices I can remember off the top of my head:

-Palm M100 (Junior Year, High School)

-Palm M150 (senior Year, High School, 1st year College)

-Handspring Visor (the green one, just started working)

-Moto Q (with really slow internet, but internet nonetheless- While designing kitchens for a few years)

-Various Laptops

-Iphone 3G

It should be a fun nerdy time at the apple store next thursday morning, And I'll load some pics up when I get back...Maybe even some 720p HD video taken from my new Iphone :)

Peace out homies, I'm off to work!

-AJ

I just have time for a quick update. Since my last post, not a whole lot has happened...Shelli is still looking for jobs, as the most prospective leads have dwindled. We are still gung-ho about going, just counting on her to find a somewhat full time job.

We are waiting to find the results of the auction that was on friday. We aren't sure if the house has been purchased by an individual buyer, or if it's gone back to the bank's possession. Either way, we only have a little while left to live here.

We've got a lot of events coming up... Shelli's mom's birthday celebration is tonight, then my dad's birthday and father's day (same day), then my birthday, and shortly after is my and Shelli's anniversary. Too much to think about right now!

Some side thoughts on the BP oil spill:

So with all the oil that's devastated Louisiana in recent months, I'm wondering what will happen next. I know they haven't completely contained the gushing oil yet, and even if they do I'm still concerned about something...Hurricanes. Not so much about the damage that you expect to hear about when one occurs, but with the oil that's in the water that'll be spinning around. Is it possible that a potential hurricane can lift the oil off the surface of the water and blow it all over the inland areas? This may or may not be possible, but concerns me nonetheless. Maybe I'm paranoid? We'll see how it pans out.

Later,

-AJ

When I first started this blog, it was with the intention of documenting my and Shelli's journey to Oregon. You have missed a lot up the the point where I started, so let me fill you in with the important parts you may not know.

First, Shelli and I have been looking to move out of state about 1 1/2 years after we were married. We flew to Denver to check out areas in Colorado, considered moving to Flagstaff in northern Arizona, and dreamed about moving to New Zealand. I even looked for jobs in Portland and Seattle a few times in 2007.

The only problem was, we were STUCK. We had bought a house, had decent jobs, and were overall content where we were for the time. That didn't mean that we didn't want to go, it just wasn't the right time.

Then my job as a kitchen designer kicked me in the ass a few times, pretty hard, frankly. After being laid off from my job in 2007, I resorted to serving tables at a local brewpub. There I learned about the wonders of beer, what foods it goes with, and how to interact with people on a different level...I mean when you are dealing with people's food, you are dealing with a serious emotion for some.

I was reluctant to begin a new position for another cabinet company, but it paid well...and it was a really neat project. It was a great position, with a high stress level and long commute attached to the paycheck. We knew it wouldn't be long before the company started cutting back, so we decided to start doing the same right away. We cut off the cable TV (highly recommended by the way), Sold one of our vehicles to buy and own an older one, and hunkered down for the storm.

We know we couldn't keep paying for our house for much longer, and once I finally was let go, we stopped paying, and I was back to serving. This time I found a serving job at a steak house, where I thought there would be better tips, but instead found a manager with the persona of Hitler, and an attitude of a spoiled trust fund college kid that had no regard for servers as humans. I had to get out, and when a job popped up for a kitchen designer again, I had to stop myself and think about it.

I knew if I applied for the job, that I might actually get it. I wasn't sure if I wanted to start all over again in another cabinet company. We were already talking about just up and leaving Arizona, but when I found out that the company was based out of Oregon, I decided that it was worth consideration...Like maybe I could, in time, be considered for a transfer. After much consideration, I decided to go in and drop off my resume in person. Less than a week after interviewing, I was back to designing and selling kitchens, but this time I was acutally getting physical and unloading trucks, lifting cabinets over my head, and working with two great guys, Jordan from Oregon, and my boss Mike.

I had decided that I would save every paycheck I got and had direct deposit set up linked to a savings account that we wouldn't touch except for certain circumstances. When we had enough money saved up, we were going to move. We figured that we would have the amount we needed by January, but it is 6 months later now, and we are finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

Now for the actual blog, and not just a bunch of history (believe me, there's more history):

I got the position as a Harvest Intern at the Benton-Lane Winery, and I'm supposed to start around September 21st! I am beyond excited, because it will put me 1/2 hour away from the school that I want to go to, and it applies to the fermentation science degree I'm going for. This is as new as news can get, so exactly what I am going to do next is unclear. Shelli will keep trying for jobs in the area, and we'll go from there. I will likely be helping with bottling for the first 2 weeks in August, but i'll need to find some work in the meantime...Maybe I'll go back to serving for a little while- Fun!

Stay posted, and enjoy this picture of my friend Jonathan and I having a deep conversation about wine while out at First Fridays in Phoenix, AZ:

Cheers,

-AJ

What a weekend so far!

Yo!

So, it's been a pretty busy weekend so far. I went to first fridays with my friends on friday, and had a blast. We talked to vegans, scientologists, saw street preachers, and people dressed up like animals. It's always a trip going, cause if you like people watching like me, it is a smorgasbord for the eyes!

We've been trying to enjoy as much of arizona as possible, since we know we won't be here all that much longer. The best part of enjoying the fun things to do, is the company of good friends. You can be anywhere, it doesn't matter...good friends make everything more fun. Beer also makes everything more fun...Especially with good friends.

So the job Shelli interviewed for in eugene called her to tell her that they weren't filling the position. Suckey. But there's a glimmer of hope as a couple of adoption related jobs opened up this weekend.

I have my second phone interview for the intern position at the Benton-Lane winery on Monday, so hopefully the cellar master will want me to come work for him this summer! Wish me luck...

We're going to a Diamondbacks baseball game today, so it should be a pretty fun afternoon. I not much into baseball, or any sports for that matter, but a little beer and some good friends should do the trick.

Not too many deep thoughts to blog about today, just regular life stuff, but as soon as i have a profound moment, I'll let ya know.

Till then...

Cheers,

-AJ

And so it begins...

Well, I guess the cool thing to do these days it start a blog. I'm cool, so I don't know why I haven't jumped on this band-wagon yet. For those of you who know me, I have a lot of things to talk about, so choosing one thing to focus on is impossible. That's why I decided to make this a kind of "Open-Journal". Since it's a journal, and not a published document, I might not always use correct grammar, punctuation, or words for THAT matter. What matters most is that I get a chance to use some great metaphors to convey my view of reality to you...my internet friends.

I may be cool, but I'm really nobody special. I just try to live life with a little vigor, and make things as interesting as possible. To some people, the way I do that might be a little weird, but I guess it's not cool to care, -so I won't worry about it too much :) (cool ppl use smiley faces when they type).

So now that you have a feel for what this thing is about, LETS GET STARTED!!!

I'm about to make some big changes in my life, but the crazy thing is- I have no idea at this point what exactly they are. We are moving to Oregon very soon, with the intention of starting a new life. We have never been there, and only know what we have heard and read about the places we are looking to move.

I am pursuing a degree in Fermentation Science to learn about the most under-appreciated life form on the planet: Yeast. "Why", you may ask? Well, since I started home-brewing beer as a hobby, I have become more and more fascinated with the science behind the beer making. I have always loved science, and only recently discovered my love for beer, so why not marry the two into a dynamic career of being a scientist and a brewer at the same time?

So this is what sparked my desire to move. Is it crazy? Yes, it most definitely is. But I think I can pull it off. I have a lot of very encouraging friends, and that encouragement has made me believe I can actually do it. It'll be a long ride, but I'm prepared for the adventure.

Here's some cool things that are happening right now, that I plan to follow up on in future blogs:

1. I just had a phone interview for a Harvest intern position with Chris from Benton-Lane Winery in Monroe Oregon, and have a second phone interview very soon with the Cellar Master. This will be ideal, because it is a hands on job in a highly regarded winery, that will put some experience under my belt in the world of brewing/fermenting.

2. Shelli has an interview with the Department of Human Services in Eugene tomorrow, that is 30 minutes away from the winery, and 1 hour away from Oregon State University, where my program of choice is located.

3. I just got a Macbook pro, so I'm ready to blog my ass off, in the hopes of entertaining some peeps after I leave my home state.

Well, that's all I have time for now, and I hope you'll stay tuned for updates. Till next time,

CHEERS!

-AJ