The Natural State

August 15, 2005

Well I am back in Michigan. Besides helping Lynette get settled in to her new place there have been some other things developing. So let’s rewind a bit.

August 2nd, I received an email from an old boss of mine from college, Gary Swyers. He decided to take a position in Arkansas at John Brown University as the Director of Experiential Learning for the Soderquist Center for Leadership and Ethics (hence opening up his old position at IWU so that Lynette could take it). Anyway, in this email he informs me that he is in a position “to hire a full time person to work as a lead facilitator, keeper of the details and overseer of the ropes course. Any interest?”

So that little email started a wild chain of events. I was planning on going back home in the middle of the week but instead I decided to stay at Lynette’s until the weekend. On the 13th, I headed down to Arkansas (had to go through St. Louis so that is why there is a picture of the skyline) to check out JBU and the ropes course. Fortunately for me, Rudy (yup she turned up again) was going to be in Arkansas to get the rest of her stuff and move it to Denver. (Rudy did her graduate work at John Brown. I know, can things be any more twisted?) So I stayed with her and some of her friends while she gave me a tour of the campus and the Soderquist Center. The next day I headed back to Indiana. And today I made it home to see my Aunt Crystal who is visiting from Florida.

The facilities at John Brown are incredible. If you would like to see some pictures or have no idea what a ropes course/challenge course is check out www.soderquist.org/facilities/basecamp/index.asp

Get Moving

August 7, 2005

Well, as I mentioned in my last entry, my roommate Lynette got a job working at IWU. Well because I am still without a job and have some time on my hands, I offered to help her move all of her stuff from to Wisconsin to Marion, IN. All I can say right now is that I am totally exhausted! Let me give you the play-by-play of the last couple of days….

Thursday, August 4th – I drove from home in Michigan down to Marion, IN which is about a 5 hour drive. Once I arrived, I met up with Lynette and we decided our course of action. She had already found a house to rent the day before so without delay, we hopped into her car and drove 5 hours up to Mukwonago, WI. Of course we had to stop at IKEA in Chicago (left) to pick up some stuff for her new place. Luckily Chicago traffic wasn’t too bad so we arrived at her camp house around 9pm.

Friday, August 5th – Woke up nice and early, had a quick breakfast, and got right to work packing. While I was packing, Lynette went and picked up the U-haul truck. Amazingly enough, we had everything packed and in the truck by 3 o’clock. Unable to leave because of hitting Chicago at rush hour, Olen (Lynette’s boss) took us out on the camp boat and Lynette got one last water skiing run in. 6 o’clock we pulled out and headed back to Marion. Well a U-haul truck pulling a car on the back can’t move quite as fast as we would have liked but considering that we made pretty good time. We pulled into the driveway of the Muchmore house (below) at 1:45am thinking of nothing but going to bed.

Saturday, August 6th – Woke up feeling rested but a little sore. No worries because some of the people from Student Development were going to come and help unload the truck at 9am. Well, at 9 no one arrived so we started taking a few things out of the truck while we waited. 9:45 and still no one came, so we decided it was just going to be the two of us. By the end of the day, not only was the truck completely empty but almost all the boxes were unpacked and the house partially decorated.

So now you see why I am totally exhausted today; and, as it turns out, it is Sunday – that wonderful day of rest.