Road trip!

I just realized that I have not left Washington State since I arrived last August. It is a little scary to me to think about how much time has passed (7+ months). Then again, only 8 months ago, I was living in California with a totally different job/career, and my relatives in Seattle seemed more like fond memories from my youth, rather than people living and working every day just like me. So, yes, I am definitely glad that I have come this far.

From At Mars Hill

But, now it is vacation time! On Tuesday, I am driving to California for two events: my Uncle Well's 80th birthday in San Diego, and the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. I will also be visiting my hometown (Sacramento), my Auntie Muriel and Uncle Ron (Fresno), and my old lab at Caltech (Los Angeles). I will be gone for a total of three weeks, but that includes a lot of driving, and the conference is a full week. Because of the timing, I will not get to see everyone. However, I hope to visit again in June.

From GDC 2008

This picture is from last year's conference. My friends are playing a game called "Witchhunt," also known as "Mafia."

Since I prefer driving long distances with company, I am driving with some people who answered my post on Craigslist's rideshare. (I also did this going from Minnesota to Seattle, and from Sacramento to Seattle. Both times it was great.)

From Pet store with Jubilee and family

Last weekend, I got to spend time with my cousin Chris, his wife Olivia, and their special baby, Jubilee. We went to a nearby pet store. Jubilee loves rabbits. (Or, I should say, "bunnies.")