2010 So Far

Hi everyone,

I have to admit that this blog hasn't seen much action in the last year. The reason it hasn't is for several reasons: I spent a big chunk of 2009 weathering various crises, including working 60+ hours a week before being laid off, but for the most part, it's because Lauren and myself do most of our updating/communicating on our Facebook accounts now, so the blog has mostly been idled.

In a way, it makes sense. We originally started this blog as a way to keep in touch with our family and friends, and also document the goings-on in our lives, but we've discovered that using Facebook is a more immediate way of keeping in touch and communicating with everyone.

To be honest, there isn't too much to update everyone on, life-wise. I've been unemployed for awhile, but I keep job searching, and I've got an interview coming up on Monday. In the meantime, I've been blessed in that I have the time to learn how to be the best house husband that I can. Toward that, I've taken over pretty much all of the household chores and a big chunk of the cooking and meal planning. All told, I'd rather be working. However, given that Lauren's teaching/advising/group sponsoring gives her the equivalent of a 60-hour workweek, at least I've been able to take up the household stuff I couldn't do while working and commuting down to KC, freeing up her time.

Not working has also freed me up to do more living/activity work in the community. For example, I currently sing with the Nodaway Chorale, and we're gearing up to do a concert in mid-April to perform John Rutter's Requiem. Also, this last week, I got "volunteered" to become Senior Warden at our church (kind of like the head of a steering committee), due to people stepping down. It's a new leadership role, and we'll see how THAT turns out in a few months, especially after our yearly fundraiser chili supper for the local Family and Children Center.

Also coming up in April, Lauren and I are teaching a Thai cooking class for community ed at the local technical college. This will be my first year for doing this, while Lauren has done several of these before I moved down to Maryville.

Beyond that, we're hoping to take a trip this Spring back to St. Louis to see the Missouri Botanical Center again when it's warmer and things are in bloom. We saw it this winter when we were in St. Louis for New Years. Finally sometime, when Alex can get a weekend free without being on-call/on pager, we'll be able to entertain Robyn and Alex here in town when they come down for a weekend.

Did I say there wasn't too much to update everyone on? Looks like there was a bit.