The winner is...

something that will look completely unfamiliar.After getting feedback, and some kind of leaning toward 1 or 2, but with no real consensus, I took some advice from Bonnie. She suggested that feeling comfortable and well dressed might be worth splurging on something. I think the reason I needed voting in the first place was that none of the other options felt right for an interview.

So, my niece went with me and was my fashion consultant (she is available for hire if you happen to be in the Omaha area). The jacket fits well (better than the other options). It's open here so you can see the blouse. Some of you thought I should stick with the traditional collared blouse. After trying on a bunch that just didn't fit right, I remembered why the number of traditional blouses/shirts I've owned in my adulthood could be counted on both hands. There's no way I would have been comfortable wearing one to an interview.

Now all I need to do is finish my presentations and handouts. My interview is changed to Monday, 2-4pm mountain time, so well wishes and thoughts sent my way at that time are much appreciated. This means that I will have an extra day in Missoula, too. Woo hoo! I'll keep you all posted on the results. Thanks for all your comments and thoughts.

(Callie, as always, looks fantastic.)

The next voting adventure

because I can't be trusted to dress myself....at least for things that are important and at which you may be judged on appearance.

Okay, I am trying to figure out what to wear for a 2 hour interview at a public library. These are potential options. Any advice, suggestions, comments appreciated. The caveats are that since I'm paying to travel to the interview, I don't really have a budget for buying interview clothes. All of my suits & jackets are more appropriate to cooler weather.

This is my other question, though. So far, the weather forecast has the high for interview day in the lower to mid 70s. Is this still too hot for wool? Or would it look out of place in the summer? That could open up a few other options.

Option 1 - taken with flash so the colors are a bit off - is a short sleeve jacket too casual?

Option 2 - is a dress appropriate for an interview? (again taken with flash)

Option 3 - like option 1 but different skirt
Option 4 - Skirt from option 3, jacket from options 1, 2, 3, different untucked shirt

Option 5 - skirt from option 1 with the matching jacket. The jacket (and skirt) desparately need to be ironed. The jacket would need some sort of alteration, as it just seems too baggy/frumpy. The shirt underneath doesn't seem to work, either.

So, give me your thoughts and suggestions (email me or post comments on the blog). If none of these seem appropriate, let me know that, too, so I can develop Plan S. I can post pics of wooly things if necessary. Since it's 97 with 60+ percent humidity, wooly things only come out if everything here gets voted down. (temp also explains lack of anything done to hair)

Catching Up

Other than the usual applying for jobs, this is what I've been doing since I got back from Missoula.

We visited my aunt's house to see her gardens.

She has a cactus garden in a sunny bed next to the garage, and we were lucky enough to see them blooming.
blooming cactus (a bit closer)

closer

close!

I helped with vacation bible school. I was a crew leader for a group of 7-11 year old girls. After a week of activities, the kids do most of the church service on Sunday.

This is a blurry photo of them performing one of the songs that are still stuck in my head.

And my own personal favorite, this is the rendition of Get Down, with Todd sitting to the right, and one of the crew leader's arms on the left. Be sure to catch the little girl twirling with the flip flops on her hands...

Upcoming events are a trip to Montana for an in person interview at a public library (cross your fingers!), the Texas gang visiting, and 4th of July.

Growing

As a cooperative venture (and experiment), my nephew, brother, mother and I planted a small garden in a small neglected flower bed next to the house. We've discovered that some things (carrots, lettuce, zinnias) are not liking their new digs so well. On the other hand, tomatoes are loving it, as are beans and radishes. We have a few other things that are between the two extremes. Here are some evolution of the garden photos.

May 20th was planting day. These are the pepper and tomatoes, with the planting areas for beets, radishes, carrots, etc.

A tomato on May 20th, with the rosemary in front of it (this was moved to the center of the garden when it was pretty much buried by the tomato explosion.
The garden on June 5th - you can see the beans in the front, and the tomatoes toward the back.

Tomatoes on June 5th

Garden on June 16th

Tomato explosion on June 16th (with the radishes to the left)

Back in the (semi) Flatlands (Part 1)

I returned from Montana on Wednesday evening. I came back to Callie, family, a growing garden, and the promise of summer adventures. Sounds good, right? I have to admit, this leavetaking from Montana was one of the hardest so far. When I left to go to grad school, I had a mission and a deadline, and the hope that I'd be able to come back. This time, in leaving, I don't know where the future takes me, or if I'll be able to do more than come back here and there for visits. That thought, while flying away from the mountains, had me crying quietly on the plane, and sporadically since I've been back at my brother's.

I don't know what it is about Montana. Part of it is the mountains, part of it is the people, part of it is values that mesh with my own, and part of it just is, and I don't know how to explain it. Whatever the pull, it keeps my friends there struggling to eek out a living. It's both beautiful and hard, but something about it makes you willingly take your vow of poverty, trade the opportunity you could have elsewhere for its uncertainty and charm. I miss it more than I ever thought I would, and given the choice between financial security elsewhere and struggle in Montana, I would choose Montana. It may be crazy, but there you are.

So, here are pictures of what pulls at my heart - friends, mountains, the outdoors, beauty, humor.... one of the places on this earth where I feel I fit in.

Downtown Missoula from the Higgins St Bridge
Clark Fork River and mountains
The M from the pedestrian bridge under the Madison St bridge

Missoula from Waterworks Hill

Spring wildflowers

When surfing the Clark Fork at high water, it's best to bring a paddle

Boomer, on the retro tile in Craig's kitchen

Playing games at Fort Missoula (barbeque to celebrate Halen making it to state tennis)

Halen, me, Paul, Pam (Fort Missoula BBQ)

Mark, Halen, Colleen (Fort Missoula BBQ)

Fort Missoula BBQ

Playing a capture the shoe game at Fort Missoula

more shoe game

Adriana in a closet with a blacklight (probably best not to ask why...)

Halen playing tennis at the university

Anton playing tennis at the university

Harley and Gizmo appear less interested in watching tennis than they do watching for squirrels

Tom, Halen, and Anton playing tennis

Back in the (semi) Flatlands (Part 2) - More Montana Pics

Clark Fork Farmer's Market
Bookmobile at the farmer's market (!)
Denise, Dori, and Kat chat at the market
Lavender Lori selling.... lavender!

Keven and Becky logging a find on my first geocaching trip

Denise on Waterworks Hill

Becky far ahead on the trail

Keven on the trail

Becky works her way back to the trail and Denise

Finding a cache

Finding another cache

Good thing Keven was willing to go down to get it!

Trail art

Becky and I roll down the hill (and why did I think it was a good idea?)

Cassie and Stormy

Denise and Keven

Becky's puppet show at school