New Years Resolution: and only four days late

So, I finally got around to resolving to actually change my behavior. Funny thing is, I don't usually make any resolutions for the new year. I'm such a goal oriented person that, I am pretty much constantly making some sort of resolution. Am I going to run everywhere I go for a month? eat a strictly palio diet? train for a specific race- the Monument Ave 10K (some would argue the best race ever)? apply to a certain amount of jobs in a week? exercise x number of times in a week? Read a certain book? or what? I am always questing after these sort of things anyways. I have a basic "read every book you get from the library" policy, a current 3-5 days a week exercise schedule, and am a regular volunteer.

So, this year I decided to do some things that I should have done in the past year anyways. I want to be a tourist in my own city. I want to go back to or go for the first time to the iconic Portland things I haven't been to before. I started off my first year here on such a budget that even traveling to get to some of these places wasn't feasable. However, most of them are in the city and a lot of them are even free. Here's my list of places I want to go see and things I want to do.

1. Pittock Mansion

2. Portlandia

 Portlandia. I just went to see her today.

3. The International Rose Test Garden
4. Powells City of Books
5. Bike the East Bank Esplanade
6. Bagby Hot Springs
7. The Central Library

That's all I've got for now. All but one of them are in the city. Many of them are free. I think I should be good on this List. I'll keep you posted.
It's a constantly evolving

Zoobie doobie doooooo

Today was sadly enough Katelyn's last day in town. It was a wondrously, not too rainy day here in Portland. But, even better than the outstanding weather, it was free zoo day! So, we went to the zoo. 

We saw plenty of animals, most of them bipeds in small herds, wearing rain jackets, and pushing strollers. We did see more unusual species too. Some of our favorites were these bronze lions but we also spotted some tiny bronze elephants too. 

It's been nice having family around. We spent Christmas together, went hiking. She saw one of my favorite parks and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry while I worked. We got donuts, and made cookies, had many a quiet breakfast together and kept up a pretty good running regiment. We volunteered together, drank a beer together (or part of a beer depending on which one of us you were watching), tried some Portland specific foods, went to see a whole gaggle of cheap movies at second run theaters. We had a Harry Potter movie marathon to welcome in the new year and of course went to the zoo.

Of course, I'll be glad to have more space in my room as I'm sure Katelyn will be glad to sleep on a regular bed. But, mostly, I will miss hanging out.