I just accepted the job at Ft. Riley. Wow, my life is going to change a lot in the next month. I'm thinking about renting a place in Abilene during the week. Rent is pretty high in Junction City and Manhattan because of K State and the military base so someone suggested Abilene. If I end of staying there and anyone needs to do research at the Eisenhower Library, you can stay with me.

Does anyone else think it is interesting that as a supporter of nonviolence, I have spent a significant portion of professional career working on or planning to work on military bases? Well, I guess someone has to tell destructive people to leave the archaeological and historical sites alone. At least our government cares enough to have passed laws to protect America's heritage (and give archaeologists jobs!). Maybe we can discuss other people's heritage (i.e. Iraq) some other time.

Yesterday was eventful. In the evening I went to a Sheryl Crow concert. She really impressed me. I had heard her sing live on TV before and always thought her voice sounded weird and maybe a bit off pitch, but last night she was really good.

Earlier in the day I was offered a job I applied for at Ft. Riley, KS. I have a week to decide and I'm not sure what to do. I think it would be a great just-out-of-college archaeology job because I would be doing a variety of tasks doing fieldwork, in the lab, and writing government natural and cultural environmental review reports. The pay is mediocre, but I would not have to travel as much as if I worked for a private contract archaeology firm. The downside is that Ft. Riley is a little less than 2 hours from where I currently live. I would probably have to get an apartment in Junction City during the week and come home on the weekends. Really, though, if I want to do archaeology in Kansas this is probably my best option right now. Hmmm ... tough decisions.

Research Presentation

If anyone in the general Wichita area is interested, this Saturday at 10:30 am I will give a 15 minute presentation about my thesis research in Belize. It is part of an anthropology symposium being held on the WSU campus in Clinton Hall, Room 126.

I recently discovered I like cinnamon gum. I really used to hate cinnamon. I still don't like cinnamon scented stuff like candles and potpourri, but the gum thing is an exception. My favorite flavors are the sweeter offerings from Stride and Orbit over the "fire" types from brands like Dentyne and Trident.

Other than enjoying my new favorite gum flavor, I am trying to finish up school and searching for jobs. I had a phone interview yesterday for an archaeologist position at Ft. Riley. I am also trying to finish watching seasons 3 and 4 of "The Wire" (HBO series) so I can finally watch season 5, which I have been storing on my DVR. Everytime I view the list of recorded shows and movies "The Wire: Season 5" stares me in the face begging me to watch. But I painfully resist because I don't want certain plot lines to be spoiled. I already found out Omar died. Thank you Newsweek. How dare you report current news when I am not ready to hear it. It's not like anyone else reads your silly magazine. Somebody should sue them.

Celebration

Yippy skippy. I just defended my thesis and passed. Based on what my committee members said before today, I figured I would pass so it was no real surprise. It feels nice anyway. Now I have to change a few things based on their comments and take it over to the extremely anal retentive formatting lady to make sure everything fits specifications and then I'm done.

Canada

Those of you who don't know, I was in Vancouver, Canada last week to present at the Society for American Archaeology Conference. The presentation went really well (at least no one hackled me to my face!). I also attended some very interesting presentations about the first people in the Alaska/Beringia region. For those modmates who went shopping with me on Good Friday, I wore the black and white dress with the circle pattern, pseudo-wrappy waist, three-quarter length sleeves and the red band on the hem. When I put it on I couldn't believe how much I looked like a business woman. Strange.

I spent most of my time at the conference so I was not able to do much sight seeing. No X Files shooting location. The one day I did go out and walk around downtown, it was cold and snowy-rainy. I canceled my walk to the park, but I did run into a Ten Thousand Villages shop. Those Mennonites are everywhere. Another day I had a splendid lunch at a sushi bar. It was so crowded I sat at the bar next to a total stranger. We started chatting and I found out she used to be an architect, but now exercises race horses for only four hours in the morning and then spends the rest of the day eating sushi, tanning, walking around town and just doing whatever she fancies. What a kick ass job, eh. Yeah, she said "eh" all the time.