About life in general

Updated Last: Dec. 2 2009 Wow, if it doesn't show we are really busy at CIMI. As much fun as it is things do get stressful from time to time. There is just so many fun things to do I barely have time to take care of my obligations, but I certainly ain't complaining. It's hard to believe I have been working at CIMI for a year and a half now! I still love it but certainly enjoy our winter breaks, and time to relax a little, spend time with my family, get some hunting in, and all sorts of things. We had a really fun fall season at CIMI, with lots of crazy adventures, including Las Vegas, and Joshua tree. I started dating an amazing women last spring, named Jennifer whom I work with on the island, she is from Connecticut, so I'll get to see her fairly often over our winter break. She is really fantastic, and one of the funnest, smartest people I've ever had the opportunity to spend time with. We've gone on 2 road trips now in my Deep fried rabbit mobile, one was through Central California (pictures can be found on My Picts page) and the other trip we drove across the country from California to Pennsylvania. She is the best road trip companion ever! Anyway, I am not sure what the future holds for me. I am definitely going back to CIMI for the spring season, but I may take a break this summer and see what my future holds.

July 17, 2008
Well lets see what has happened since the last update. I graduated from Unity College in May with my BS in Environmental Biology and a minor in Zoology, finished my 24 page thesis on using spot pattern recognition in spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) population studies. I got the job at Catalina Island Marine Institute in California as a marine science instructor (YEEHAW), and it's absolutely amazing out here. I've done so much and seen so much in just one month that its hard to even believe myself. Dolphins, sea lions, seal, sea slugs of all shapes, colors, and sizes, Mola molas, blue sharks, leopard sharks, shovelnose guitar fish, and lots of other really sweet marine life. Hiked lots of awesome trails, lots of kayaking, and lots of just all around having fun playing corn hole, foosball, basketball, and board games.
Working with the YMCA groups is fun too. Each group is different in the way they run things, their personality, and how much they actually relate their programs to Christ. For example last weeks group had some of the worst counselors yet who were swearing in front of the kids and just being overall idiots. This weeks group I think is the best so far in terms of organization and counselor quality. The kids of course also come in a variety of attitudes and from a variety of backgrounds, they make the week go so fast, and most of them are tons of fun. Then you have a few trouble makers but really I haven't had any "really bad" trouble makers yet (crossing fingers).
My amazing, wonderful girlfriend Ashley is going to be coming out during my break in mid August, I can't wait to see her face again, and feel her embrace! We are going to have lots of fun kayaking, camping, and snorkeling!
Needless to say I am really enjoying my job here at CIMI, but it is really hard being away from my family, and especially Ashley. Luckily I'll have 2 months off this winter that I will get to spend with everyone! Until my next update!

December 8, 2007
I am really glad I don't have a real blog, or else people would hate me for posting so irregularly. But when life gets crazy I just have to prioritize, and keeping my website up to date isn't super high on the priority list if you know I mean. So anyway quite a bit has happened since last October when I updated things last. Karen and I broke up over the summer, but we are still really good friends which is good. The summer went by quickly I worked at Installtech again, installing appliances, it was cool, learned lots of things, but definitely not what I would want to do for more then a year. I also had my fossil expedition business going again, and took a few groups fossil hunting, including a couple from Ohio, and a large group of scouts and their families. They all had a great time, and found lots of fossils, and learned about the paleontological history of the area. I got scuba certified in the fall, I loved it. It's really not much different then snorkeling which I have been doing since I was little. It does open up a whole other deeper water environment, with many new communities of organisms I haven't seen before.
This semester went very well, all my classes were a lot of fun even physics which didn't really excite me that much at first but turned into a rather fun class. I am expecting A's and maybe 1 B, but we'll see I still have finals this coming week. Next semester, my last semester is going to be incredible, I am taking tropical marine ecology, and Topics in professional writing: Writing the Sea. For those 2 classes we will be going on the field trip of a lifetime over spring break to the island of Dominica, in the West Indies!
Job wise I am still in the prospecting stage, I have applied to several jobs, including some federal jobs with the US forest service, the USDA, and others. One of the most promising places I have applied to so far is the Marine Science instructor position at Catalina Island Marine Institute, on Santa Catalina Island of the coast of California. They are a year round camp, that receives students 4-12th graders, they teach them many different marine topics, and also teach them snorkeling and such. It sounds like an incredible place, and right in line with what I have always wanted to do. So we'll see how it goes, I just had my first interview which I think went very well. Well, thats about it, sorry again for the delay in updates, if there are is anyone that actually still checks for updates!

October 31st, 2006
So um yea I have really been procrastinating on my website this year. I have good reason's though. I have the toughest schedule, and classes this semester then I have ever had yet. I have marine bio, cell bio, organic chem, american lit. and chorus. On top of working 12 hours a week, devoting time to my various clubs, and organizations. So yea needless to say I have been busy and still people keep coming and piling more stuff on me, I guess I should learn how to say no. Oh well its not to bad, I still manage to find time to hunt, and watch a movie now and then. I got my midterms the other day 3 B's and 2 A's, not as good as usual but hopefully I can bring them up by the end of the semester without killing myself. Preregistration for classes is next week, I was finally able to convince the college to offer a herpetology class. I plan on taking herpetology and also scuba diving next semester. Well until I find time to update this again, take care.

Feb. 27, 2006
Well it's been about 5 weeks since Christmas break, it was a welcome break, but it was hectic. I didn't really get to visit all the people I wanted to. So all of those people I didn't have time to say hi too or spend time with over break, Hi, and I'll see you when summer comes around.

So yea my classes this semester are pretty easy but lots of work. I think I've had more overall work this semester then any before, but thats good I guess, it keeps me out of trouble ;-) My grades last semester where my best so far. I got a 3.75 GPA, with 4 A's and a B, so I made the Dean's list again. I am still working about 12 hours a week as a peer tutor making minimum wage, but its money and I get to help people, and enforce my own knowledge as well.

Karen, Andy, about another 100 Maine College Republicans and I went down to Washington DC the other weekend for the Conservative Political Activists Convention. It was fun and I got to meet lots of really nice cool like minded people. I also met lots of stuck up people but that happens, where ever you go.

I am just about finished with my CoolClay's Fossil Expedition website. If you haven't heard I am going to try a little business venture this summer on top of my normal job, to raise money for college. Basically I figured I know of all these great places to go fossil hunting, why don't I just give tours/expeditions to them. This past summer a guy came all the way from Michigan, to hunt fern fossils. He didn't know where to go and found my website so I showed him where to go, and we went fossil hunting together. I just hope I can get enough interest to make it worth giving up my weekends, we'll see.

Well thats about all thats been happening lately. My girlfriend (Karen) and I are doing great. Well hope everyone else is doing good. Take care.

Dec. 15, 2005
Wahoo! Christmas break!! Only a few more days left and then we have a whole month for break. Of course the next few days are the worst of the year, with final exams, reports, and projects etc. But it'll be over soon enough and then I'll be home with nothing to do for a month. I think my grades should be good again, I'll hopefully make the Dean's list too again. I can't wait to see all my friends and family at home again, and celebrate Christmas, and then go down to Florida. It will be such a good time! Well until then!

Aug. 25, 2005
Hey everyone, sorry I haven't updated this lately. I am a professional procrastinator sometimes. My procrastination of this page started at the end of last school year when I had tons of projects, and essays, and other work, and then I came home and started working and never got around to updating this. I managed to pull off another 3.53 GPA my second semester even with tons of hard classes. Thanks to Karen and my other friends that have been nagging me, I decide it was time to update.

Well this summer I have been working for Nestlerode Building and Remodeling, doing construction. I work all week and have the weekends off. I went to Northwest Ontario on an awesome fishing trip. Karen came down for a week, we had a great time. I went up to Maine for the fishing derby, and to see Karen for a week.

Now summer's almost over, I'll be 20 yrs old in 2 days, and its almost time to go back up to school, Yea!

Feb. 8, 2005
Well I'm back in the school groove again. I finally have some tough classes this semester; comparative animal physiology, environmental geology, and perspectives on the environment. In perspectives on the environment we have to design, write, and perform a play on an environmental topic. Sounds like a lot of work and a lot of fun. I am in a new club, well actually I'm the Vice president of it. The Marine Biology Club. We plan on doing some fun things like taking trips to the Maine coast and exploring, going to a local aquarium, and getting more animals for the marine aquarium in the welcome center. In archery club we are having a Game Supper to raise money. Oh yea my room mate moved out to another dorm with his friend. Now I have a whole room to myself, yea! That's about it 'till next next.

Jan. 3, 2005
Well, the holidays are over what a relief. I got a bunch of good presents, shoes, pants, sleeping bag, knife set, Bass pro shop gift card, Gander mtn. gift cards, and radio shack card, and various other nicknacks.

I also just got my grades today, I made the Dean's list with a 3.53 GPA, I got an A in Biology 1, an A in College Composition, and A in Alg/Trig, a B in Unity Experience, and a C in Intro to Computers because my teacher teachs that class like we are computer majors or something. Not bad for my first semester if I can say so myself. I still have until the 22nd before I go back, so if you want to say hi that would be the time. Later, Clayton

Dec 10, 2004
I can't believe it, my first semester of college is almost over. I can see these next 4 years just flying by already. I've got a few end of the semester projects, I have to do a big computer project for computer class, and I have to write a 6-8 page essay for Composition. I still have no idea what to write my paper about it has to be informative, or argumentative, I know I want to do an informative paper but other than that I have no idea. As you probably already know I finally found a good deal on a domain name, $10 for 2 years, you can't beat that at all. Of course it is a .info, but thats alright it was a heck of a lot cheaper. Well thats all for now, ta ta.

Nov. 4 2004
Well the election's over finally and Pres. Bush is back in office thank God. The bear referendum in Maine failed thankfully as well. Unfortunately my friend Brett didn't win the house representative seat, he had lots of support however, and the final score was 63.2% to 36.8%. Rifle deer season has started up here, I've been out a few times no luck however we'll see what happens. My dad got me tickets to fly home on thanksgiving, I'm coming home Mon. 22, and leaving Tues. 30. Classes are still going good, I'm slacking off a little but not too much. We're having lots of fun doing stupid college things, just today we went kayaking down the stairs and through the hallways, great fun, (yes mom I was wearing a helmit). All this in a dry dorm, who said you need alcohol to act dumb and have fun! I talk to yall later.

Oct. 4, 2004
I love it up here it is great. The college is great along with most of the teachers. So far my classes are easy, but that�s just because I challenged myself in high school. I am really glad I took AP biology in high school, I am in biology 1 now and its so much easier than AP bio. I am also going to get credit for bio. 2 because I took AP bio. That means I can take all the classes that require bio 1 and bio 2 as prerequisites next semester. Making me a whole year ahead of other students, at least in the science field.

So far high school was more challenging just because I only had one day to do assignments now I have two or more and I also had much more work in high school. I have so much free time now, I used to have to do all my assignments, projects, and other stuff, and balance working almost full time. Now I only work 7 hours a week as a peer tutor, and I have lots more free time.

I am trying to keep myself involved and busy, I am in the archery club, the college republicans club, and helping my friend get elected for state house. The last couple weekends I have been pretty busy. I volunteered at a big dinner/auction to help raise money to fight the Bear referendum in Maine, I helped run a kids bow shooting stand at a sportsmen show, I volunteered when the President came to Bangor, I got to be backstage and all it was really cool. It was the biggest political rally ever in Maine, there were 10,000 people there, and I had to help park all of them. I have been helping my friend Brett Bowser get elected for state house, he has tons of support so he has a really good chance of winning.

I have made lots of friends and a couple enemies, but not many enemies there's just tons of "hippy" people up here that are completely against everything that is right and I believe in so they naturally don't like me but that�s alright. I have made some good friends, Julius, Tony, and Brett. Julius is a big bow shooter; he has won first in the Maine state bow championship like 4 times or so, and has gone to the world championships multiple times. Tony's alright but follows the crowd to much, and Brett is a really great hardworking farmer boy who wants to get into politics and has started off really well, we'll see in November.

I just moved into another dorm yesterday, my roommates where both a little out of the ordinary, but they were really nice. I moved because we had a threesome and it was really cramped. I don't really know my new roommate, but he seems cool so far.

I sorta miss home but not that much, this is like my new home and it is just really cool up here. Speaking of cool it's starting to get cold, last night (Oct. 3) it was around 38 degrees. It's not too bad (yet). Food's great, most of the time.