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