I can't believe I'm moving to Houston

I got my first real full time job!

In case you haven't heard the news. 

Here are the details:

I'm going to be a curate at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Houston TX. 

That's right, this Northerner is going South again!
(I am so going to miss the snow.)

I am moving next week and I have been learning first hand all the frustrations Sonic learned three years ago about moving to a new city by myself. Luckily I do have a few friends in the area and I have been, and continue to be, so very grateful for their help. 

Also, this is a great time for me to announce a new blog. Sonic and I have discussed this, so she has signed off on the deal. I am going to start a blog on which to put my sermons, religious adventures, and religious reflections on so that she does not get yoked into my religious views. Thus, this blog will still remain a place for personal adventures and scientific ideas, but my religious activities will move to: A Curious Curate (with credit to my father for the name). I have already put some old sermons and Allergy Friendly Church items there. (Wait for the campaign... its coming!)

I look forward to exploring Houston and starting my first full time job!

Jobs in the Water Industry? I'll get my floaties!

Http://scienceblogs.com/significantfigures/index.php/2013/02/14/smart-water-new-jobs/

We go for meta here. I write little articles about articles, which are usually about other articles. How far away from information can we get while still passing along information? I am not sure of the answer, but I do know that the article today was talking about the outcomes of different kinds of investment in sustainable water jobs. It seems that some investments are creating more jobs than others while still covering the necessary problems needing more work. The article of the article compares the same amount of monetary investment in alternative water supply projects which creates 10-15 jobs whereas that investment in storm water management projects creates anywhere from 10-70 jobs. It seems we need to have better accountability to where our money is going and what it is producing in the water industry. Water is such a precious commodity. My religious reflection this morning was from Deuteronomy where Moses is giving a speech to the Israelites who are about to enter the promised land. Moses reminds them that they best not forget what God has done for them because they could not have managed to do what God has done for them by themselves. It is a good reminder for all of us and it seems pertinent to the water situation we have in the world now. Well, to many situations we have in the world now. We did not always put ourselves in the situation we are in. That does not mean we should blame those who came before us. We can however change the parts of the situation which we can and be grateful for the parts of the situation that are good. The water industry takes care of something lots of people in the United States takes for granted, clean water in our homes. However most of the worlds population cannot take that for granted. Clean water in their home is a product of much work and see worry. Granted, we cannot care about everything all the time. However, money accountability is something we can ask for. Transparency and good investing.