I rule!!

We just made it through a blizzard and we are now practicing head-stands in a warm house in Portland. It is nice to look at the world from a different point of view once in while. My GRE on Monday, flights??? Depends from snow!
This week passed fast!
Sunday and Monday I had the pleasure to meet Joanna, from Poland, and Paulo, from Portugal. I found them through Couch Surfing and I decided to drive few extra miles to meet them and crash on their couch. Couchsurfing is one of the best ideas ever. It has even recently been recognized as NGO. It helps connecting travelers with travelers, sharing culture and experiences between hosts and guests, making the world a smaller and friendlier place, a couch at the time. I LOVE having guests on the rock of course, but going out and visiting new people once in a while is great. I arrived to their house after a long stressful drive (and after crashing a Japanese barbecue while looking for their flat) and I was immediately welcome in the best European fashion… cheese and wine… felt like home instantaneously!
Through Joanna and Paulo I heard stories of other fellow travelers. This one I loved, especially because it proves that woman are more rationale than men and that they would not give their passport to a rubber the day before their flight. Woman logic is so indescribably straightforward that even the rubber decided it was just better to flee.
I had 2 wonderful priceless evening in full European fashion; very healthy indeed, it slows down my Americanizing process. Like eating cold meat, or filling my plate with first, second, starter and dessert (all on the same plate); this habitat is quite common in the States, but unexpected in Italy.
Joanna was so nice to also wake me up in the morning, prepare a wonderful breakfast, and drive me to work. She also picked me up and took me shopping. I repaid preparing fresh gnocchi with my favorite sage-mushroom-walnut sauce. I am so glad I met them!
I also have to mention that the ESRI “Building a geodatabase” training I attended was G.R.E.A.T and it is highly recommended to any GIS person.
The drive from Sacramento to San Francisco was very nice, a part the fact I missed one turn and I ended up downtown SFO… nice buildings, but it was heard asking for direction (even if you knock on people’s car windows from your car they would ignore you). For dinner, I met with SnowDave, down from Alaska for the AGU meeting. The world can be small indeed. I also loved to be in JB’s arms once before until… well, who knows?
Liz and Tom came to pick me up at the Portland airport and we drove straight south to Corvallis, another couple of hours, since a blizzard was coming… apparently it hasn’t stop ever since!!!
Thursday and Friday I had meeting with different EPA folks for my project…. In 2 days I collected so much information and meet so many people that I feel I have enough work to last for the rest of the year. I really got so much momentum going on, that my project feels to me like an accelerating body in absence on any opposite force…
And finally, the big news: Jane Lubchenco was appointed the head of NOAA! (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008543057_webobamafish.html)
I feel like I have been partying since I found out. She is one of the most amazing wonderful and inspiring women I ever met in my life, and she has all my support and trust. Good hopes for the future!