Lessons Learned in Philadelphia

1)  Patience is a virtue - If you wait around long enough, you'll finally get what you want.  I finally got a job!  (more on that to come)

2)  Life without an oven is difficult and often calls for desperate measures and creative cooking techniques.  (see #3)

3)  Frying cookies is a difficult endeavor (see pictures below)

4)  Talking with people can often lead to social situations outside of our apartment, which might possibly even lead to friendships.  

5)  Eagles Rule!! (not really, but we have to say it legally since we live here).  Also, giant inflatable eagle's players in your front yard makes a statement.  

6)  Green TV's lead one to miss the other primary and secondary colors, even if they are better for the environment.  

7)  Alcohol makes a 17% grade hill much easier to hike up, contrary to what one might believe.  

8)  Soapbox derbies are a dangerous and deadly endeavor, especially in the rain.

9)  Menonites can use electricity - hence the shocks given by touching their fences.  

10)  Giant burgers stuffed with peppers and onions, while delicious are too 

11)  "House husbands are the best!!  I haven't done laundry in two weeks!" - Libby

12)  "I'm bored" - Gregg "house husband" Williams

13)  Life is so much better with dishwashers.  Not having one is slowly driving us crazy.

We have been in Philadelphia almost 6 weeks, and the unthinkable has happened - I've gotten a job offer that I'm going to accept.  I will be working at a company which provides thermal oxidizer systems.  So if you're in need, let me know and I'll see about getting you a good price.  My official title will be an application engineer, but because the company is kind of small, I will at times play the role of a project manager, structural engineer, estimator, designer, or any other duty that needs to be filled at the time.  Needless to say I'm excited.  I'm ready to get out of the house every day and make a positive impact on society.  

Libby is doing well at school.  For only 3 weeks of classes, she has produced a staggering amount of work.  She has also found a direction that she might want to go towards with her artwork.  She's enjoying getting the chance to take the train downtown every morning, even if currently she does it while I'm sound asleep in bed. I can let her tell it to you better than I can.

Ahem... lets see, I'm loving having my own studio, an art space that I don't have to clean each time I finish working and worry about getting in someone else's way.  I've been working on a variety of things so far and am enjoying my classes, seminars and getting to know the other students in the program.  Here are some pictures I took of my studio on Satuday: