Greetings Citizens. Today the advanced students cleaned the lad. They did a terrific job! No bitching, just working. So now the place is as clean as can be and we can get down to work. Barrett & me are going to mix up some cyanotype chemistry on Friday so that we can sensitize two sheets for murals on Tuesday.

My Indepenent Projects class lost a student today, Now I am worried that there won't be enough students in the class and that it will be cancelled. If that was to happen, I think I'd lose my benefits package and that would blow major chunks!

I worked my first football game of the season today. It was a 14-7 thriller! It got me focused for tomorrow's varsity game.

I tried to get an appointment to get Heidi a new rear tire, some new disc pads for the front brake and have her carbs adjusted but the guy never returned my call. So I think I'm going to search around a little more to see if I can find someone, like Steve, to work on her.

Right now, I'm waiting for the Macintosh technician from MLB.com to call me. We'll see if he can solve my problem about not being able to upload baseball game streaming from their website. Unfortunately, they use Windows Media Players exclusively. They used to give you a choice between them and RealPlayer but they stopped that this season. If they can't solve the problem, I'll cancel my subscription

Greeting Citizens. Wow! I nearly overslept today. I had forgotten to set my alarm last night and lucked out to wake up barely in time to get a cup of coffee and a shower. The kids built pinhole cameras today. The best part is watching them drill the large hole that the pinhole fits over. Good fun. Luckily, no one was hurt. There were some great cameras. As always, I can wait to see what they make. We're learning how to use the darkroom on Friday.

I also had my Independent Projects class tonight. A nice bunch of kids with the fun ideas for projects. I think the students have a difficult time reading me but they are trusting me enough to go along with my crazy ideas.

Tomorrow is my first football game of the season. A sophomore game in Smithfield. Friday I have a varsity game in Taylorsville which is a long ways away for a game assignment. But they are evaluating me so it's a small price to pay.

Greetings Citizens. Well, the first day of school went without a hitch. My Photo I class is full (as expected) but what is surprising is that all 20 students are female! Not one guy! Actually, there's one guy trying to get into the class. Today is the first day of 19C. Processes. My syllabus isn't completed yet. (I should be working on it instead of this posting). There's a better mix of boys & girls in that class. Hopefully, I can find a workstudy student in the bunch to work in the lab. And speaking of the lab, it's a pig sty! The advanced students are going to be busy cleaning things up on Wednesday & Thursday!

Had a football meeting last night. I ended up getting a football assignment for Friday night at Taylorsville. They have me working with a former Pac-10 official. I'm sure I am being evaluated for future assignments. It's a long ways to go for a football game but when you're the new kid on the block....

After class, I need to buy supplies for tomorrow's Photo I class. They'll be making pinhole cameras.

Greetings Citizens. I'm in the Promised Land all safe & sound. I got in last night. Donna helped me unpack and then we went to El Torro for dinner. When I got home I put the computer together. I'm pulling internet service from someone else. I should be getting my account hooked up today along with my cable TV. The most distressing thing I found out while unpacking is that I didn't bring my espresso machine! Me & Newton must have accidentally packed the box it was in by mistake. I also don't have my coffee grinder.

Today I'm going to work on my syllabi and relax. Maybe go watch some kiddie ball.

Greetings Citizens. Zim, Ji Soo & Big Mike are helping me move "the Big Shit" out of my apartment today! Yea! So, that means my computer desk is being broke down. Which means this is the last posting from Portland. Next entry will be from Logan. I'm supposed to be hooked up on Saturday. Until then.... adios amigos.

Greetings Citizens. Well, I didn't work double-time today but I did manage to start putting things in the storage shed. Space will be tight but I think I can get everything I want to get into it in to it. What concerns me is the amount of crap I'm thinking of stuffing into my truck! I need my computer stuff and photo stuff. But what about clothes & bedding? And cooking stuff and reference books? Hmmmm. Modifications may be in order. Still I think I'll be on schedule to go to Ma & Pa's on Tuesday to drop of the Porsche. Then I'll go home by train and leave the next morning. If I don't get everything out, I still have Labor Day weekend to work with.

I think I'll hit the hay early tomorrow. Ji Soo & Big Mike should be around to help move the "big stuff" tomorrow.

Greetings Citizens. Last night one of my photo students, Molly, came over and helped pack my photo books. I gave her a book I was going to give to R along with a few prints. She has a load of talent and I hope she continues with her photography without me. She's signed up for a class with the gal who got the PCC job but after seeing her work online she's thinking she might not take the class. I told her she should take the class in spite of the teacher's work.

I should have spent the day packing like a madman but I was a total slacker today. Sometimes I wonder about myself. I know I need to get this done and get the hell out of here but instead I sabotage my efforts by laying around doing nothing. Tomorrow is a new day. Maybe I'll be able to do double duty!

Greetings Citizens. Well, I guess I've upset Jon because I got the USU job. I'm sorry to get a job and put a friend out but so it goes. I've finished second.... which is "the same as last" more than my fair share of times so I know how he feels.

Here's a short story from my travels: I'm in Maine and decide to go to Acadia via Bangor. (I wanted to see a photo exhibit before making a cliche photo of sea & rocks). After viewing the photos, I'm in a parking lot looking at the atlas trying to find the best route to the coast. A guy pulls up on a Harley Davidson asking if I need help. I tell I'm okay. So we chat about motorcycles for a bit and, just as I am ready to go, I ask him if he knows of any anti-graffiti in town. Well, he does! And we proceed all about town... me making images and him telling me stories. It was great. I think I must have made about 20 images. (We'll know soon enough). So I left Bangor and made it to Acadia. I was walking around taking a few random snaps with my Diana. I figured I'd ask someone to make a picture of me for proof that I do, indeed, go to Maine on these trips. Well I see this couple walking along and ask if they'll take a picture of me. The woman responds that I've asked the right people because her husband is a trained professional. I'm thinking, "Sure, sure he is," as I had over the Diana. He takes one shot straight on and asks if he can make another. I say, "Why not," and I see him composing all artsy-fartsy like. He hands the camera back and says, "We used to use these in college when I was teaching." I respond, "Yeah? Where did you teach"? He says Columbia University in Chicago! We ended up talking about the state of Photography there in Acadia (one of the most beautiful places on earth!) for over an hour. It was a great conversation. After I left, I went and had a lobster dinner at a place I had eaten at years ago. I would say that it was my best day in Maine. And I think it was the day I was able to let go of my bitterness of not getting the PCC job and ruining my friendship with R.

Greetings Citizens. Was I missed? Well, it's good to be back home... if only for a short time. I will be here only long enough to fill another storage shed before I head down to Utah. That's right, this boy is heading back to the Promised Land. I've been given a temporary one-year teaching assignment at Utah State University. I'll be teaching full-time (with benefits). I'm so thrilled to have the opportunity! I have a week to pick up here and get down there! I left Heidi at a friend's house and flew home today. Tomorrow I'll find a storage shed, buy some boxes and start packing. I'll be taking my computer, some cooking stuff, camera gear and some bedding back down with me in Amos (my Bronco II with 235K on him).

The trip itself was great. I'll provide more details soon along with new images ( left my camera down in Logan).