Moving On
Life is change.
I’m at a change point in my life. My time here at Michigan State University is up. Fortunately, there is a next job in the offing. I am currently in the midst of packing to head south to Florida. I will be taking up a job at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) in St. Petersburg, Florida. It has been quite a while since I last worked for the State of Florida.
I will be working on various projects there to collect, collate, store, retrieve, and analyze wildlife research data. FWRI handles most of the research data that the state’s biologists collect on species like the critically endangered Florida panther, manatees, and many others.
Florida also happens to be where I was born, and where my family and Diane’s family reside. That part is a plus. My sister, Emily Kay, will be coming up here in about a week to help us with the end of the packing and loading up two trailers for the move south. Moving is always a chore, and we’ve moved our stuff from place to place about 11 times in the past 23 years. That part doesn’t really seem to get any better with time. Unfortunately, there is no moving allowance for the particular job at FWRI. If you feel like helping out, drop some change in the tip jar: look in the right sidebar for “Money Stuff” and the “Make a Donation” button there.
Update: My thanks to those who have contributed to the moving fund. That will be such a help over the next few weeks.
Congratulations! I hope you get to keep the hawks there.
I don’t see a problem there. We started our falconry activities in Florida. There’s only a couple of states that don’t do falconry permits (Hawaii and one of the northeastern states, IIRC. Update: the other one is Connecticut.).
The falconry issue was a factor in our decision in 1993 to go to grad school in Texas rather than Hawaii, though.
Fantastic! Stop by the Tavern at Bayboro (about a block north of the FWRI. Ask anyone, they all know where it is). I’m there most evenings. I’ll introduce you to Gabe Vargo, a former falconer and member of my thesis committee. You’ll fit in fine. I look forward to meeting you.
Feel free to send me an email if you would like more local info.
Mike at iamlabboy dot com.
Sounds like a plan. Hopefully, we’ll cross paths later this month or in September.
Congratulations! Hope the move goes painlessly, and that you enjoy your new job.
Best of luck to you, Wes. I look forward to reading of your future adventures….
Man, you are going to miss those El Azteco topopo salads!
It seems you are living my life in reverse. I moved to Lansing from Bradenton, where I spent most my school years.
If you keep this up:
Bad news…Your next move will be to Mobile. Good news…You should retire in France since that is where I was born as an Air Force brat.
At any rate, happy travels!
We’d have to figure out whether France allows falconry and imports of falconry birds.