Mono Lake and a ghost town (Sunday)

Bear Hug

Mono Lake

Bodie: the ghost town

They had Shell!

A fault line, Rock Creek, a rainstorm, some lakes, and hiking (Also known as Saturday)

Sam and I slept in on Saturday (a little) while the rest of the crew went fly fishing. We went shopping and visited a fault line in Mammoth.

There was a hollow tree. You kind of had to.

Don't fall in - although this sign made it look kind of fun.

Then we met the rest of the fam for lunch at Rock Creek. We will not be returning - they sold the pie we ordered right out from under us. It was traumatic for some of us.

Waiting for everyone else to arrive.

Grey day at Rock Creek

Rainstorm over Lake Crowley

But sunny up in Mammoth

The lakes of Mammoth Lakes

We went for a hike. The view from the top was awesome, but it was REALLY windy.

The Drive to Mammoth

Sam and I drove up to Mammoth this Friday evening after work. It was a fairly uneventful trip. Here are some photos. But sad times: the McCafe beverages haven't made it to the McDonald's in Bishop yet. At 9:45 pm after 5 hours of sitting in a car, that is sad, sad news.

Entering Red Rock Canyon. Sam's favorite part of the drive.

More Red Rock

Dusk

Graduation

Well, I did. Graduate that is. And my family surprised me by showing up in L.A. Wednesday night. It was a short trip but a fun one. Nice to see my sister's boys too. I, of course, took no pictures all weekend, because that's how I am, but here's a couple from graduation.


Update on the continual kitty-proofing of the apartment: our dining room chairs are the new target of Dexter's oral fixation. See photos below.



Consequently, this is what our dining room looks like now. He's persistent and I'm sure he will figure out how to get around this latest preventative measure in no time.

I passed!

Looks like Katie gets her Master's Degree! I just did my presentation today. I am so relieved. Now I have one more undergrad final on Wednesday. I better pass that or I don't get my Bachelor's degree. And I don't think that would work out - can't get the Master's without it. So back to studying. But I got to celebrate a little - I stopped for a celebratory starbucks beverage on my way home.

Who thought this was a good idea?

I don't know why I decided that a master's degree was necessary in life. All I have to show for it thus far is a year of debt (not a small amount), a year behind in making money at a salary job, and mounting insecurity and self-doubt as I await my grade for the comprehensive exam. It's a horrific exam where they ask you to compile at least a month's worth of work and about 50 pages of information into 25 pages and 6 days of work. I think the directors of the program are just sitting in their offices this week going, "Haha, suckers. See if you can beat this." For some degree concentrations, this may be practical, but for design, it's just plain mean. After you have answered all of the questions, if you're concise, you're left with about 8 pages to dedicate to your design. And haven't we learned that designs are evolving - a process involving making a design, getting critiqued, re-thinking, and redesigning and then starting the process all over again. There is no time for that in the comp. You get one shot at a design and if it sucks, (which I don't see how it couldn't on your first shot), you're forced to try to defend it in front of a panel that is expecting a good design rather than thinking about the unreasonable time and space constraints. Thanks USC, you're right, this has been a "captone experience." One I will always think back on with great distain.

I'll let you know next Tuesday if I passed.