What do planners do?

My thesis has been submitted for binding. My Master's Degree in City and Regional Planning is now complete!!!!

Now that I've started working, people ask me what planners do. I'm still figuring that out. But, Dad found a great website highlighting the main concerns planners work towards addressing. Check out the side link "Planning Concerns".

Wingnut Experiments

New Release!
Results of two recent Wingnut experiments:

1) Household Raid (you know, the bug killing spray) works great on spiders and bugs. And plants! It is too soon to know about it's killing effects on humans

Details-
Hypothesis: AACK! There are bugs flying around my cute little kitchen plant.

Experiment: Spray Raid on plant to kill bugs.

Results: The bugs died instantly. The plant died slowly over the next week.

Analysis: Raid kills more than just bugs.

2) Landlords do get mad when you forget to pay rent.

Details-
Hypothesis: Get swept up in new life and not be on top of all adult responsibilities. Spend time having fun instead!

Experiment: Not send in rent check.

Results: Find "Notice of three days to pay rent or quit" on door. Pay $50 late fee + $35 fee for the effort of someone to post the notice on my door.

Analysis: Dough Dough Brains who can't remember to pay rent deserve to be penalized.

Who forgets to pay their rent? I feel ridiculous!

Explaining Women?

All my friend wants for his birthday is someone to explain women to him. Would someone please tell him this is impossible. What happened to "girls just wanna have fun"? Does that really need an explanation?

Requesting your patience

Wingnut has dived into a very busy three day work week, and requests your patience while she develops more amusing insights on life.

Upcoming in Wingnut's life: GRADUATION!!!! (this weekend)

"I'm not doing anything"

Why do people answer with "I'm not doing anything, so sure, I'll be there" when you invite them? What counts as "something" to be doing? We are always doing something. Whether it's sitting on the couch drooling over Emeril's latest creation, or cheering on our favorite Monarch's players at Arco Arena, we are always doing something. It's always nice to be invited, regardless of whether previous plans conflict. But, for some reason, we all worry about seeming uncool if we don't have plans, or we try to look over cool by making up plans.

I lean towards the latter. I love being invited to do things...but when asked if "I'm doing anything" I always have an answer. So if you give up on that part, I'll never know if you were going to invite me somewhere. Just because I had a plan, doesn't mean I won't move things around to accept an invitation. Does reading a good book, or finishing my thesis sound like concrete plans to you?

I prefer the more direct approach of being asked to a particular event, rather than being asked if "I'm already doing anything."

Thoughts from my readers?

More Disaster Stuff

Some say, it's just the risk we take by living in California. Others say we can prevent it. Did you hear about the latest landslide in Laguna Beach? The New York Times has a great slide show of the disaster. Thank goodness no one was seriously hurt in this one. One person complains about 21 years of work in the back yard down the drain. Another is concerned about his half million dollar surfboard collection.

Is it really worth getting this vested in private property? The American dream is to buy a home, make it yours, improve it, and watch the value rise, rise, rise. Then, one day, you end up on the crumbling street with only your wallet in your pocket (if your lucky). You can't even tell these people they shouldn't live on a hillside. Well, they shouldn't, but there are so many other potential natural catastrophes, that even we on flat lands are susceptible to an unforeseen event. Mother Nature will always win (if she wants to).

When I think about buying a house, these are the things I think about. Wouldn't it be more fun to live a simple life, with only the basics? Or is this just the more practical thing to do? Who says Americans have to be practical? We have tons of stuff and need huge houses to keep our stuff. Then, we're devastated when Mother Nature takes it all. Maybe we should be nicer to her. We tear up her hillsides, pollute her waters, and muddy up the air. In the end we're just hurting ourselves.

Hmmm.... Let's all try to do our part. Shall we?

Great Hiking Spot: Feather Falls, CA

It's not often that we take a day out of our lives to just enjoy being outside. When we do, though, it is a glorious thing. This past Sunday, without watches, time pieces, or other time tracking means (aside from the alarm to wake up) a friend and I headed to Feather Falls and spent the day on the trail. We didn't even watch the sun travel the sky. We just let the day take our minds and tired legs into the wilderness. Glamourous views, great conversation, perfect weather, and plenty of uphill hiking warrants that day as one of the best ever! Hiking is the best kind of exercise (the oreos along the trail helped keep our energy up).

Here's a picture of the falls: Feather Falls
I even saw the rainbow! The falls reminded me of Yosemite.

I was very pleased to see many other people experiencing the Feather Falls trail with us. I hope they had as much fun as I did. We should all take more time for enjoying the outdoors.

The best part: My brand new hiking boots didn't leave any blisters on my feet!