May 29, 2009

vol 10 ed 1
May 29, 2009

A Word from the 226

Epic Outdoor Extravaganza

Me, Simon, and Bryce have a tradition of getting together about three times a year. The most recent gathering, the 10th Annual Extravaganza, just took place in PGH. Highlight reel - We watched a hockey game with my parents (no photo available).

We played an epic 3-day multiplayer game of Civ 4.

We explored a local cemetery and then visited some of my PGH friends for dinner.

Why, who is that with Jesus?

And we went camping in the briefest and most half-assed of ways, leaving at about 530 pm, getting there just in time to take a short walk.
We had rented a little lean-to that overlooked the creek, so no need for a tent or anything.

Then we burned a shameful number of logs and roasted hot dogs on comically short skewers.

Waking up to the giant fishing spider was a little bit creepy, but in an exciting-adventure kind of way.

Here is a souvenir from our camping trip -

On the way home we got a good greasy breakfast, and then I showed off Spore to Bryce. (ALERT - INTERNET NERD PARTY)
The next morning he left early, and we went to work zombies. Next time I'll have to remember to ask for a recovery day.

The other couple of photos we remembered to take are here.

And anyone who wants to come sleep on our couch for a while, we'd be glad to have you. Drop me a line.

May 26, 2009

JTG Status Update

Hello Tiki and Those of the Tasty Realm!

As requested, here is the latest from Jess the Great:

In the seven years that have elapsed since my last day at Denison, I moved to Arizona for a brief stint and somehow got myself into residential real estate (or what I call my temporary insanity period).

In 2004 (or really, 2005 as it was 6 PM on New Year's Eve 2004 when we arrived) we moved to Orlando, where it is always the Year of the Rat. However, I live Downtown where the real people live, so no Mickey for me. I ended up selling international real estate (this period is known as my plan old insanity period) and then I moved on to brokering business sales for foreign nationals who wished to immigrate to the US (don't ask yet, all will be better told in my shameless plug, next paragraph).

In late 2007, I left my old firm to open up my own small practice, American Business Group, LLC. Of course, by the time the office was open in last year, the recession was looming and 2008 turned out to be the not-so-much time to open a small business in the last 50+years. But I am proud to say that we have made it into year two. You can see what I've been up to at www.americanbusinessgroup.com and jessicathegreat.com and learn more about the company (that was the shameless plug. If you know anyone who wants to buy a Chinese restaurant that serves Indian food in Orlando, I'm your girl).

Work stuff aside, I am still with British Jon. We are still just as shocked as most. I have also become a total foodie as not having a microwave has been the best thing for me for the last seven years and I've learned to cook. Shameless plug number two: www.jtgcookbook.com. That's right, we're online.

Thanks to Denise/aka The Tiki for keeping us all together. Let me know if I can be of any help with the new site (not that I'm a rocket scientist when it comes to that stuff, but it's fun pretending).

All the very best (and let me know if any of your hit up Florida, you can totally crash at my hood),

Jessica the Great

May 18, 2009

Update from Erin

I am anti-Facebook, anti-MySpace, AND anti-Twitter. I have had the opportunity to fall off the map and enjoy it, mostly. I have been in contact with Jessica The Great. In case you need her contact info: jessica@americanbusinessgroup.com.

As some of you already know, I got married in 2007. Thank you for the gift, by the way. I've misplaced everyone's addresses and box of Thank You cards since the day of the wedding. It's quite possible it wondered off with someone else. I'm still trying to get my mother-in-law's cookie sheet back from whomever took it.

About a month after the wedding, Ramsay had lost his job. He was busy with school so I started pulling double shifts at the call center to get us by. Then, January 4, 2008 I got fired, called Ramsay and said "Happy Birthday, uh, I got fired." That really sucked because we were both without jobs.

I got hired on February 20, 2008 at Kroger. It's a grocery store chain. I actually work in the pharmacy as a technician. I get hired just before the legal cut-off, so to speak. Some of you may have heard of Emily's Law, which makes it difficult in the state of Ohio to become a pharmacy technician without prior certifications and schooling. See, I was trained on-the-job, but given the opportunity to get all my certifications while still working that job.

I just pretty much live paycheck to paycheck and struggle to get by. I now make 1 third the amount of money I used to make and it's been quite a problem adjusting.

I have a balcony container garden, I attend Columbus Crew soccer games on a pretty much regular basis, and I have plenty of photos to share. These will include photos from the wedding, my birthday last year at the zoo, when I was a bridesmaid in my friend Mandi's wedding at Ren Fest, damage from the windstorm (creepily, we were without power for 7 days, 7 hours, and 7 minutes), my husband band, my cat, and my garden.

Yes, without power for just over 7 days. Ramsay and I joked no more 7's tattooed on me.

And I quit smoking. Ok, I think that's all I have for an update. Hey, Geralyn found a job... in Korea! I haven't heard from her since the news but I'm excited for her. I'll try to get all of these pictures off to you.

- Erin

The Columbus Crew game opening, Go CREW!

The sign 2054 for our building flew off during the windstorm and slammed into our car.

The wind knocked out the glass in the lamp post and even took the lightbulb inside.

I gained 20 pounds when I quit smoking and ended up being the fat bridesmaid.
However, there were 3 others in the wedding party larger than me so I guess it was okay.

My husband was in the wedding party too, and it's the first time getting to see him in a kilt.

For our wedding cake, we had a pile of cinnamon rolls.
Instead of your normal cake topper we had Alien and Predator action figures.

Our cat Piccolo was rescued from a bottom of a trash can at about 2 or 3 weeks old. He could fit in the palm of your hand.
He's now about the size of a cocker spaniel and weighes around 15 pounds.
He's nearly all muscle, loves the hell out of Ramsay and uses me a chew toy.

These are from our trip to the zoo last year. Photography was always something I enjoyed, but I was afraid I was no good at it.
I love photographs rather than snapshots. I feel that these 2 can be considered photographs.

Uh, well my husband is in a band and plays bass, but most of you already knew that.
I took pictures of each member and then tried to put all the pictures together into 1 photograph.
From left to right is Jared (drums), Ramsay (bass & backing vocals), John (guitar), and Paul (lead vocals).

The next is my flowers from my garden. This is Princess Margareth Rose Gladiolus. I also have Hunting Song planted.
This year we added basic Marigolds and a Soprano. The Soprano looks like a purple daisy.
We also have tomatoes and will soon have radishes. Last year we planted onions and that worked pretty well.
I want to add a hummingbird feeder.

The first is at the end of the wedding ceremony with the whole "you may now kiss the bride" stuff.
It's one of my favorite pictures because I don't look so chunky.

The second is just a fun picture that was taken during sunset.
I only have a black and white version at the moment, can't seem to find the original.

We got married October 4, 2007. It was 15 years, to-the-day, of my mom's passing.

May 29, 2009

Heidi

How Jesus God, Tiki, how you have kept this little half-assed half-baked (who are we kidding...ALL-baked) idea floating for ten years is a god-damned mystery to me! Congratulations on being awesome!

Here's an update for the next issue:

Well, my biggest news, for anyone who doesn't yet know, is that I moved to Switzerland. I've been over here for about a year and a half, and am happily adjusting to a Continental lifestyle (which means bread, fruit, tea, and yoghurt for breakfast). After spending 5 years working for an engineering company (as a Marketing Coordinator) in San Diego, I decided I had had enough of that foolishness and it was time to make a new beginning. Thus, I up and moved to Heidi-land. (Seriously, there's a region here called Heidiland, although it's about an hour's drive from my apartment).

What with the new environment, I also changed careers. Instead of marketing engineering consulting services to public agencies, I'm now teaching adults how to speak English real good. I live in Zurich, but I teach in Zug, which is a smallish but surprisingly international town to the South. So far I've taught folks from Switzerland (obviously), Germany, Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Croatia, Bosnia, Turkey, Venezuela, Brazil, Poland, and Canada(!). I had the idea that moving closer to James Joyce's gravesite would inspire me to finish that novel I've been planning for a decade, but so far I've only written about two pages. Still working on it, though.

Um, I'll send a few photos in another email, but for those who want the whole shebang, I have a website documenting my experiences: http://web.mac.com/heidiroyal. Please note: while I am constantly reminding myself that I need to update it, I haven't actually posted anything new in about a year. I'll get around to it eventually.

In other news, the greatest irony in my life (to date) is that, after failing Buddhism in college, I'm now a Buddhist. I've been practicing Nichiren Buddhism for three years now, and I've never felt better. Nichiren Buddhism is a pretty far departure from most other forms of Buddhism (no monks, no meditation, no navel-gazing) and I love it.

I guess that's all I have for now. I'll send more when I have any news. That's pretty much it, in a nutshell. Oh yes, and if any of you are ever in Switzerland, holla at me and you can crash on my spare air mattress in my itty-bitty apartment.

**********************

two minutes later

Right, so here are a few shots from my first year "in der Schweiz":

Winter Photo: Sledding is Fun! (This was taken within a few weeks of my arrival in Switzerland)

Building Photo: The Capitol Building in Berne

Cemetery Photo: Pittsburgh cemeteries are big and old, but Swiss cemeteries are prettier. They ALL look like this.

Statue Photo: Freddie Mercury statue in Montreux, where they hold the famous Jazz Festival every year.

(Note: there are lots and lots and lots more photos on my website)

Love,

Heidi

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