Shutting down and rebooting, part 2

Well, if part 1 was the 'shutting down' -- saying good-bye to school and friends and getting all nostalgic -- let this post be the 'rebooting' and beginning a new life, just to drag out the horrible nerd analogy.

So, what's next for me? Here's the general outlook for the next year or so:

2008
15 June: graduation
16 June: find a place/move in in Albuquerque for Sandia Labs internship (solar thermal electric power -- w00t!)
18 June: back in Palo Alto to chill
21 June: Sierra Camp
29 June: back in Albuquerque
30 June: first day of work in the Labs
5 September: last day of work in the Labs

(weird interim period, not sure what's happening -- surf trip? rice thresher stuff?)

22 September: first day in Thailand for Border Green Energy Team MAP fellowship with MEGAN KERINS!! (coolest, sweetest chica ever)
22 December: Thai visa expires

(another weird interim period -- the motherland/Okinawa? folks come visit?)

2009
(plans get a little vague here)
22 Jan: most likely back in Thailand
April-ish: Urumqi, Xianjian, P.R. China for internship with Goldwind
14 June: little sister graduates college
summer: finding an actual job (gasp! no!) in the States (or elsewhere?)

SO.

That's roughly what life looks like. As far as I can tell, only the next 11 weeks are solidly figured out. That's ok by me. I've got to work for Sandia for at least 10 weeks, and I have to start in Thailand on the 22nd. There's that weird interim period that I'm hoping to go to Myanmar to work with IDE|M on the rice thresher project some friends and I developed this year as part of a d.school class. But, with the Burmese visa situation being as complicated as it currently is, the chances I could go in September are slim right now. But, cross fingers! It would be really neat to go over and help bring our project into reality to help farmers have a successful first rice crop after the cyclone.

Anyway, the folks came for graduation and helped me pack my life into boxes (to be shipped to the homestead back East) and backpacks/roller duffels (to take on the plane). They came along to ABQ to help me find a place to live for the summer while I'm at Sandia. By the first day, we found a cute house with two other awesome students really close to UNM and the downtown, and a reasonable biking distance to the labs. It was great to spend a few days with them, but I think they got a little weepy when we went our separate ways in the Albuquerque airport ('scuse me, the sunport). Luckily, my little sister is coming back from her quarter in Paris today, so the folks can get their offspring fix with her. (Just kidding, mère et père. I miss youse guys, too.)

Since it didn't take very long to find a place, I'm back in town for a bit, just doing a whole lot of nothing. Tidying up messes left from end-of-quarter projects, chilling with friends, trying to just enjoy the present moment....and finally catching up on six years worth of sleep debt. Ha.

I'm off to Sierra Camp for the week tomorrow, so I probably won't write again until I'm settled back in ABQ. Then, dear readers, look forward to ten weeks of delightful nerd postings about the wonders of solar thermal electric power!