First week of school; where I live

So week one is in the bag, and most of all, it just felt wierd. I am the creepy old guy on campus and I felt totally out of sorts almost all the time. I don't remember what college students do all day (when they're not in class) and the first week is always 90% administrative BS anyway. I've been thinking and stressing out about this for so long that I had that feeling like there was something I needed to be doing pretty much all the time.

Also, they don`t exactly hold your hand through the process of admissions, acceptance, picking a graduate committee, drafting a formal study plan, etc... which doesn't help my stress level.  Fortunately I had a couple meetings this week where we talked about those things in a little more detail.

I'm working for Dr. Brian Dietterick, who oversees Cal Poly's ranch and forest in Davenport, which is how I got to know him back in 2004-5, so at least we have an existing relationship.  He has 5 grad students right now, 1 is graduating this quarter and three of us are brand-new.  All the other students seem cool which is great since we'll be working together on each other's projects and other miscellanea.

All in all, I'm feeling good - I'm here, things have started, there are concrete things I can do instead of just thinking and worrying.  But I'm sure the work will start piling on pretty soon so I can go back to being stressed out, which I predict is pretty much  going to be my natural state for the next 2-3 years.


OK, now, where I'm living, in case anyone is curious:
I live on the Baywood side of Los Osos, 13 miles due west of campus. Far enough to feel a little separated but not too far to drive every day, or hopefully ride my bike when I can get it down here, especially since apparently winter was called off this year.

I really like the house, it's a 2 story 3/2 pretty close to the water, which is the back bay of Morro Bay. I have 2 roomates we'll call Bert and Ernie (one of them is a lady which confirms my childhood suspicions), one of whom has a dog we'll call Rico because that's his name and dogs don't care about privacy.

Rico Suave, my new roomate

That's it for the roomates, now the house:

Here is what it looks like from the front:

And the back, with the setting sun providing terrible lens flare:

We have some lemon trees and a couple raised beds.  We're basically on a sand dune so I'm amazed anything grows at all. Here's a less lens-flare-y view of the back yard:

The view from the front, close to sunset. Stupid tree.

Finally, check out what's behind us:

A whole lot of nothing.  Los Osos is unincorporated and has no sewer, everyone is on septic which never should have been allowed since, like I said, it's one big sand dune.  So you can't build anything until the community services district gets their act together and builds a waste treatment plant which allegedly is going in right across the street, in  front of us.  I'm not concerned.  They started working on the plans when I was here as an undergrad circa 2001. No sign of anything happening yet.