Hester's Winter Coat

Hester is a lovely shade of midnight blue, but these days you wouldn't know it.

Ed's car is a bit more comfortable and better able to handle really rough road conditions, but since the roads weren't too bad last week we took her skiing and she hasn't recovered. The weather here has been pretty snowy, and that means wet, mucky roads. Poor Hester has been bombarded with grime each time I take her out, and so there seems to be little point in washing her. 

As something of a neat freak this is causing me no small amount of anxiety. Still, keeping her clean in winter would be a Sisyphean task. At least she won't rust, since the environmentalists in Boulder eschew road salt.

New Job, Sort Of

In the interest of keeping at least some of my savings in my savings account while I look for permanent work in Boulder, I've started a part-time job. It's not the most thrilling work I've ever done, nor does it pay particularly well, but I like the people a lot and it will do for now.

The offer came to me in a roundabout way. I was searching for volunteer opportunities and saw that an organization that provides resources for providers of scholarships was looking for someone to spend a few hours a week helping with administrative work. I liked the idea of working in a downtown office where I'd have the opportunity to meet some people, so I replied to the posting and they agreed to take me on. After my second day of volunteer work, they extended an offer to work for them part-time and I accepted.

I'm spending 20 hours a week here, and so far the job has, just like any other, it's pluses and minuses. On the positive side, I really like the people I work with and my boss allows me a great deal of flexibility in terms of working whenever I want to get in enough hours each week. It's hard to feel passionate about the work, however, which consists so far of compiling and combining spreadsheets and scouring the Internet for the email addresses of financial aid directors.

While this is hardly a dream job, it's proving to be a nice way to make a few dollars while I look for something a little more in line with my experience and training. And I'm looking forward to my first paycheck!