Where's that Sarah girl?

Hi Everyone!!!!!

Yes, I've been absent from the blogsphere for toooo long. And, just in case you don't remember, this is what I look like.

<--- Sarah (at last year's Hillside)

So I've been pretty busy for the last month or so (hardly on the thesis... but more on that later).

I'm working full time for the summer with the City of Guelph in the Waterworks Division. Specifically, I was hired for the Healthy Landscapes Program. Monday thru Thursday I work 11:30-7pm as a Landscape Adviser. I go to people's home for a 30-minute consultation about outdoor water efficiency and establishing a healthy, pesticide-free lawn and garden. Mostly I talk to people about how to keep their grass looking good, and selecting drought tolerant plants. Community Based Social Marketing at it's finest!

It's been pretty fun so far, and I've got to see some wonderful gardens... and some gardens that need a lot of attention. Fridays I'm in the office 8:30-4pm working on a separate project, an energy audit of the Waterworks facility. I'm basically putting together a Request For Proposal, and getting some of the preliminary work done for the assessment.

In other news, I have things lined up for September!!! I had a THIRD interview for a position at the OPA a few weeks ago. This time for a 1-year contract position in the department that runs the Standard Offer Program. And, I was hired ON THE SPOT! I'm very excited, and actually feel a lot more calm about everything. (It's relieving a bit to have a plan for the fall). I will be moving to TO in September, which I am very much looking forward too. Guelph has treated me very well for the past 6 years, but I feel it is time to move on.

IT'S TIME TO BUCKLE DOWN AND GET THIS THESIS FINISHED!!!
I have found it a bit difficult to focus on my thesis. However, now that I have a plan for the fall, it has given me considerable motivation to move forward. My goal is to have a full draft done by the end of July. To get started, here are a few things that I need to do in the short term (1-2weeks)...

• Fix my lit review so that it is decent enough to show to Ian for feedback (I'm not looking for perfection at this point... I just need to know I'm on the right track)

• Complete my methods section. I'm pretty happy with the way it has progressed... it just needs to be filled in.

• Put my interviews into logical summary tables.

• Organize my weather-adjusted data into a usable format.

I will make better effort to post here and keep in touch. I really really miss you girls!!!! Keep up the great work!!!