what your 'do can do for the country.

Thank you to everyone who gave their input on my 'do. I think the general consensus was 'go for it', which I will do and keep you posted. I recently had my hair trimmed, so I am going to wait until it grows out to a suitable length for donation.

And continuing on the topic of hair, I just found out that my hair salon, which prides itself on being organic and eco-friendly, donates all of the hair it cuts. Guess what the donated hair helps to do. CLEAN UP OIL SPILLS! How timely.

So while I am sitting, relaxing here:

my trimmings are going to help clean up this giant, heart-wrenching mess

It makes being pampered feel extra nice.

hair did

I think I want to give short hair a try. My hair has never been shorter than shoulders, so I am pretty certain it will be a very traumatic change. I can see myself in the future, trying to figure out how to style my new short hair, having a break down.

It will go something like this, "wahh Dan, I hate my hair, I want my long hair back, wahh I look so ugly, wahh I look like a boy, wahh my hair isn't growing fast enough." Despite this, I still want to try short hair at least once.

I have a hair appointment tomorrow, but I don't think I will do it quite yet. Nicole is getting married in a month, and if it truly looks terrible she, nor I, will be happy. So what do you think? Do I do it?
Leave your comments, or vote in the poll on the right. I would really like to hear your feedback- even if I don't know you, or even if I do know you and you read my blog secretly. Come out of the woodwork.

doppleganger, brothers?

does anyone else think dan and chris crosby could be related?

semi famous

In May I traveled to Phoenix to present at the American Solar Energy Society Conference. Last year I had done some group work with water trombe walls, a strategy for passive heating and cooling, and so two of us went to the conference to present our findings.

...and I almost made it into the newsletter. Below is a photo of all the UO students that attended. I had left by the time this photo was taken, but I did get a name mention boo-ya!

dan.

So being that it was Dan's birthday, I have been thinking of reasons he makes such a good esposo. I already mentioned he was selfless, but here's one exmaple:

He stays up late and wakes up early every morning with me...
and he gets up and walks me to class...
while carrying my bag, as well as his own...
and if I am late, and we have to bike? He rides with me to the front of the building, then takes my bike to park it.

He makes what would be a dreadful morning, special.

Besides myself and America, someone else recently celebrated a birthday- my one and only- Dan! And you know who shares a birthday with Dan? His lovely lovely grandma Joyce! This made for a fun-filled birthday weekend.

We spent Thursday and Friday in Ashland, OR, a charming town that is home to the Shakespeare Festival. While there we saw Hamlet and Pride & Prejudice. Dan's mom joined us, too bad Paul couldn't make it up. Though Paul did leave his love with some great presents hand picked by he: top of the line backpacking stove, headlamps, and vegan camping food. Dan's mom gave us home made plum jam and granola. Great presents!

Saturday we headed back to Eugene for the Oregon Country Fair (Disney Land on Acid). You can click here to see some photos (since uploading to blogger is a pain in the behind). The pictures really don't capture the fair, photos are too two dimensional. Imagine all this happening above, behind, and to the left and right of you. It's hippy craziness with a lot of nakedness and painted private parts (We remained clothed).

Here's the Birthday Boy!

...so handsome.

happy 4th!

I love the 4th of the July. We had a good one this year: picnic in the park while the symphony played, fireworks, good company..... And festive hats courtesy of moi:

*i had to photoshop kimberly's shirt because it was really green, and we can't have any green shirts on the fourth

Dan made sure to fold our blanket "american flag style". I am so lucky to be married to an eagle scout.

I hope you enjoyed your Fourth of July as well.

And i feel I should say, for those who don't already know, that America really gained its independence on July 2 (mis cumpleaños), it just wasn't signed until the fourth. Boo-yah!

birthday!!

I should preface this post by saying that 1) I never really look forward to my birthday. It's not that I dread getting older, it's just that I have a summer birthday, so I am used to non-birthday parties and don't expect much. And 2) I am very difficult to surprise (because I am a detective).

But my birthday today was incredible and full of surprises! I will give you the play by play recap.

7 am: wake up to a bowl of fresh berries (prepared by Dan) SURPRISE!

7 30 am: run over to watch the game. Surpise! Netherlands win!
9 am: come home and Dan makes oatmeal
10 am: walk to the eyeglass store to treat myself to a new pair of spectacles, courtesy of my Graduate Teaching Fellow insurance. 350$ glasses for, SURPRISE 85$!


11 am: came home and scheduled a facial at the Aveda salon for later in the day
12 noon: yoga
2:00: lunch
3:00: shopping
4:00: facial, and another SURPRISE: a seaweed body wrap and massage! (courtesy of Dan), which was incredible!
7:30: (yes it took 3.5 hours!) mosey home relaxed and frizzy-haired, to find a bunch of people in my living room..."SURPRISE!" Apparently Dan had been planning a surprise party for me all this week. How he did it without my knowledge, I have no idea, but I absolutely love him for it!

and for another surprise treat, Nick and Kaitlin bought me a new Lamy Pen (after I lost mine for real this time!)

10:30 pm: watch the Ghana v. Uruguay highlights...SURPRISE! Uruguay cheated and completely stole what should have been Ghana's.

So beside the Ghana let down, I would say today was just about perfecto.