It’s hard to believe, but Friday is my last day in the lab! After that, it’s off to California for the Holidays, and then back to Oregon, where I’ll teach CHEM 300 – The Art and Science of Brewing during Linfield’s January term (yes, I have an awesome job). Here are some top five lists – things I’ll miss, things I won’t miss, etc.
Top five things I’ll miss when my sabbatical is over
- Freedom. Definitely #1. Time to work on what I want to, when I want to. Time to read through the literature, or just read a good book. Time to walk around campus. Time off in the evenings. Time without committee work. Time to sight see. I guess you might get the idea that I really have enjoyed my time.
- Mexican Food. It isn’t surprising that Tucson has amazing Mexican food and McMinnville doesn’t. Mi Nidito, Guadalajara Grill, Casa Molina, Cafe Poca Cosa, … Sadly, I’m returning to a Mexican food desert.
- Jeanne’s Group. The Pemberton group is full of helpful, intelligent and motivated students. Anoma, Dallas, Angela, Colleen, Tracy, Matt, Goyce, Hui, and Lucinda. Undergrads Greg and Ben were great too. I hope that anyone going to graduate school or already there gets to work with a group like this.
- UA Volleyball. We made it to almost all of the home volleyball games. Best entertainment value in Tucson!
- Weather the last month or so. It was pretty hot from August – October. High 90’s if not over 100. So I was really happy when it cooled down. It’s been in the mid 70’s and sunny for quite a while now – perfect weather!
Top five things I won’t miss about sabbatical.
- No beer thirty. ‘Nuff said.
- Not being able to brew.
- Ok, there really isn’t anything else.
Top five things I’ll miss about Tucson.
- Mexican food. See above!
- Rillito River Walk. Tahoe and I have really enjoyed this, with great views of the Catalina and Rincon mountains.
- Saguaros. They’re awesome.
- Sam Hughes Neighborhood. Near the University, a great neighborhood. If we lived here, I’d want to live there, which would mean I’d need to have a pretty damn good salary.
- Sun. It’s been nice seeing you… See you again in June. I hope.
Top five things I won’t miss about Tucson
- The crackhood. We don’t live in the best neighborhood.
- Beer desert. This ain’t beervana. Nimbus and Barrio are good, as is Four Peaks, but it’s nothing like Oregon. Even McMinnville has better beer offerings than Tucson. Then there’s Portland…
- Lack of seasons. I like the sun and warmth, but I also like to see fall colors and (a little) snow. Tucson seasons: hot and warm.
- Brown. It’s a real desert, not just a beer desert.
- Tucson. I wouldn’t want to live here – feels like big box central. Tucson hasn’t done a good job of preserving it’s character. Or maybe it’s character is defined by strip malls and chain stores.
Top five things I’m looking forward to.
- Katie & her friends. It’s been rough for Katie, and she loves her friends. It’ll be good to see them together again.
- Our friends. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Sappy, I know.
- Brewing and Beer culture. I didn’t bring my brewing equipment with me. I need to brew. Soon. I also need some good NW beer.
- Linfield Students & Teaching. Yes, I missed it all. There’s a reason I went into this business. Of course, I’ll probably not miss it when the first stack of papers to grade appears.
- Seasons. Bummed we missed fall, my favorite season, but it’ll be nice to get back to a place where there are seasons.
Top five things I’m not looking forward to.
- Grading. I despise it. I wonder if it is a necessary evil, or just an evil.
- Committees. Yeah.
- Riding into the wind on a rainy day. I don’t mind wind or rain. I don’t appreciate the combination.
- Mexican Food. I think it’ll be awhile before we go out for this in Mac. It took us nearly 15 years to come down off the Tucson Mexican food high last time. Plus Indiana (not known for Mexican food), Massachusetts (not known for Mexican food) and South Carolina (surprisingly not known for Mexican food).
- Loss of free time. I have to get used to the idea that I have a job again.
Top five most enjoyable moments.
- Katie – Daddy days. While Dayna spent time with buddies from her past, Katie and I had a blast at volleyball games, mini-golf and frozen yogurt places.
- Tahoe at the dog park. He loves dog parks now. I hope Mac’s comes through.
- Renewing Acquaintances. Getting to know the Kurmes family, Millers, Henegars, and Suzy + kids again. Awesome families. Wish we could take all of them to Mac with us. They’d be a great addition, and all our friends back there would like them too.
- Visiting Grandma. She’s 98, and I don’t know how much longer she’ll be with us, so it was really great to have a chance to see her again.
- Walking around Campus. It’s always sunny and nice out, so it’s fun to walk around and see what has and hasn’t changed in 20 years.
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