Ranger Mike wants to play outside right now

It's way too sunny and perfect today.

We've got a lot up on the Ranger Mike Friday blog (why do I sometimes write "we"?)




And I apologize for not writing on this blog more consistently. My roommate and I have been bumming off of the wireless internet from the girls that live below us, except that they graduated and left and took their internet with them. So I've resorted to coffee shops every other day. I'll get reconnected soon. Hopefully.

SO excited

Steve James, one of the maintenance staff members who works in the same office as me, is retiring next week. Yesterday he left an up-for-grabs pile of old uniform parts and I hit the motherload:


Not only does it fit me perfectly, but it's the most comfortable thing I've ever worn (perhaps it reminds me of the onesies we used to wear as toddlers?). Just look at these details:



This singular article of clothing is going to help me get through the cool, damp Washington winters. I can't wait.

Ranger Mike says it's officially Friday

Check it out folks:

The other two pages

Still in draft form, but you get the idea.

Some graphic design projects

Here are the logos I put up on the Ranger Mike blog, as well as the first page from a brochure/poster I'm working on. The superintendents of Washington's parks are meeting with PBS next week to try and create some documentaries in our parks. There's a big Ken Burns miniseries coming out next year that we're trying to use the momentum/public attention to our advantage.

Anyway, the supers wanted a handout to pass along to PBS that highlights all of Washington State's park units and their notable highlights but it turns out that we don't have said brochure. So that assignment landed on my desk last week and this is what I've come up with thus far (draft 1). As always, I'd love feedback.

I'd also like to briefly mention that this is another example of the many hats I get to wear at this job. Not only do I play graphic designer, but I also had to research and write the content for this handout. I'm realizing how rare it will be to receive a word document of text, a file folder filled with great images, and the assignment to be strictly design layout. Maybe this is a good thing- more opportunities to develop my writing and editing skills and all. My only frustration is that writing and design seem to occupy two separate hemispheres and that the transition from one side to another takes a bit of time. And caffeine.

Happy Father's Day!

I found these old photographs while digging through the digital image archive at Mount Rainier NP. Man, I wish I could have golfed on there back in the 20's...

Today on Ranger Mike Friday

A potluck of posts! The link to the blog can now be found on the upper right side -->

Aww

Finally, back in the art-making action. Here's a poster I designed to get fellow NPS-staff members to participate in the Ranger Mike blog.

Really?

So I just walked into downtown, hoping to spend the evening working at Cafe Italiano. It looked like a cool, locally owned place that, at 4 blocks away, is also the closest coffee shop from my apartment. But it closed at 3pm.

Fine, I'll just continue onwards to Starbucks, another 2 blocks further.

They close at 8:30!

What?! Seriously now, Bellingham, we've got to fix this. I find it hard to believe that in this college town, there are no coffee shops open late.

Mmm, breakfast

On those baguette slices, I have cream cheese, nutella, blueberry jam, and brie. What a perfect way to spend Sunday morning.

I do realize that I may cling to these rituals because, in a new environment with so many new experiences, I find familiarity in my habits.

Best wildlife photos EVER

As I was browsing the digital image library at Mount Rainier, I stumbled across these and burst out laughing. Click to get a better view of the owl's expression and suggest a caption for what the owl must be thinking.

Finally, sunshine.

You know you're in that awkward stage of early adulthood when...

...in an effort to clean your floor and lacking a vacuum cleaner...


...you wrap your feet in packaging tape and shuffle around.

Where I live

I love my new apartment, with the exception of the lack of heat. This may seem odd to those of you experiencing the heatwave in the midwest right now but seriously, we're dipping down to the mid-40s each night. I woke up this morning in the fetal position to conserve heat and a very cold nose. The first thing I did was turn on the stove top burners and warm my hands over the flames. No joke.

Also, no judging on the state of my bedroom. I've been living out of boxes for a month and am finally settling in and getting my life organized.

More pictures to be posted soon.