The Mittelstaedt Monitor: Christmas 2023

  

 The Mittelstaedt Monitor

Christmas 2023

December's now here, and Jean at last said,

"Let's get this newsletter updatèd..."

Ted and Jean, 30th anniversary, August 7

Ch-ch-changes…and more

Ted had a big change this year. He closed his consulting company, Portlandia Cloud Services, and took a job as Director of Information Technology with CODA, Inc., a non-profit substance use treatment program. He oversees IT operations at the main office and at the various treatment and residential facilities around Oregon. He was ready for a change, and it has been a change! His work still involves some hands-on, but he is doing more with budgets and purchasing, equipment deployment, and personnel management. He's been there for six months now and is enjoying the work and his new colleagues. And he's actually taking days off now.  😊

I teach students about writing at Chemeketa Community College and at Linn-Benton Community College. Portland Community College. Fall term, just ended, I taught four writing classes and a First Year Seminar class. I'll have four classes for Winter term which begins in January. I also taught two classes of driver education last school year (see picture below) and will do one or two more in the spring/summer. I continue on Chemeketa’s Faculty Senate, where I maintain their Web site, among other duties.   

Mittelstaedts: The Next Generation

Ian turned 25 this year and just completed his program in the Automotive Service Technology program at the Sylvania Campus! We are very proud of him. He has been working part time for an auto shop in the area while finishing school and will begin working full time in January. He and his partner Ambrose live in an apartment close by with their two cats Morpheus and Freyja, so he is able to stop in occasionally for a hot dinner or to let Ruby out when we are out of town. He’s experiencing rent and budgeting and shopping and other Adulting topics and has become quite a good cook as well.   

Dorothy turned 21 recently, just before beginning her junior year at Seattle University. A mechanical engineering major, she's been taking math, physics, and engineering classes. She moved to an off-campus apartment (see pictures above and below) and is now able to grocery-shop and cook for herself. She loves life in Seattle and enjoys exploring the area around campus when not studying. Her favorite place to visit is Twice Sold Tales, a bookstore with cats, and she regularly checks in with the dogs at Cal Anderson Park. She enjoys riding the light rail and visiting the International District with her friends. She is enjoying time at home over Christmas break and will return to Seattle in January for winter term. 

Ruby is 16 now and has slowed down somewhat, but you wouldn’t know it when she's out on the beach at Seaside (see picture below).  She still loves chasing squirrels and anything that will run away from her, and she is not above looking thoroughly starving whenever people food appears. She loves going for walks and for car rides, especially if they result in a nice treat from an obliging gas station attendant. Most days are spent sleeping, but she does enjoy patrolling the local schoolyard to make sure it's kept free of food bit so that the little children and their parents don't have to worry.  😋

Life, the Universe, and Mittelstaedts

Our personal lives are not quite as busy as our professional lives, but we still make time for fun. We celebrated our 30th anniversary in August and spent a nice few days at the beach (see picture at the top of this post) I still sing with the Chancel Choir at Westminster Presbyterian, although sometimes my teaching schedule necessitates a hiatus. I ride my bike when I can. Ted took up running in late 2022 and this year ran a 10K in February (see picture below), a half-marathon in July, and another 10K with his brother in September. We also enjoy walking through our very walkable neighborhood and watching whichever streaming program we have time for.  This year we enjoyed Ahsoka, The Mandalorian, and Picard, and we're looking forward the the next season of All Creatures Great and Small in January. 

Our Seaside house has turned into a welcome and comfortable retreat that we enjoy visiting about once a month. We enjoyed Thanksgiving there and will be there for most of the Christmas break. It’s also proved popular with the vacation renters.   

And to all a good night...

                
Peace and love to all of our family and friends in 2024!