Davis High Class of '98 Now!

Janelle Layman
Not quite sure how to do this whole blogging thing. Can move around a financial software program like a wiz, but this? Psshh…

Anyhow, after high school I attended three and half semesters at Weber. Finally figured out that I do not learn very well in a school environment so after talking to my aunt, submitted my resume to Merrill Lynch for a temporary assignment in Colorado. From there, I ended up enrolling in a different temp agency specializing in accounting and after a couple of assignments ended up in an advertising agency in Downtown Denver. After five and a half years and three company name changes later I was getting bored again. One of my best friends from childhood informed me that if I was willing to come out to Virginia I could stay with them for a little while so that I could get somewhat established there. That was summer of 2006 and I am still in Virginia. Currently working for the same temp agency (different office) but the pay is the same and offers health insurance. My assignment for the past six months has been at GE Water & Process Technology.
Besides my career, a few months after I moved to Colorado I signed up at a martial arts studio. There was no way I was going to live in a bigger city without being able to somewhat defend myself. Ended up training for five years in Shaolin Kemp and the last three of those years I taught the style to new students. My favorite was teaching the children. They get bored so fast, get frustrated because they aren’t progressing, and when they figure out that they get to learn new things when the current tasks are done correctly, they just shoot up the ranks! Plus we got to work with them on teaching when fighting is appropriate and when it was not. My least favorite was teaching men in their 20’s. Fun misconception that a woman should not be teaching them. Towards the end I earned my Black Belt in Lake Forest, CA in September of 2005. Eight hour test, sometimes in the sun, sometimes not. After awhile it felt like fighting in a swimming pool.
In January 2006, I adopted Galahad from the Denver Dumb Friends League and we have been together ever since. He has come with me to Virginia and will continue to move with me wherever I go. A Border Collie who is true to his nature who always needs to be engaged with someone. But usually as long as people are around he is well behaved. Any one can tell him to go lay down and he does. He even gives ‘high fives’! Thank heavens for Petsmart training classes.

And then the question always comes up about why I haven’t found a guy to marry yet. Well, it’s going to take a very strong, engaging, and patient man to ground me. And what scares me is that I think he found me (I haven’t been looking). We have been dating for five months, the last two of those months he has been in Iraq. But if you remember anything about me, I’m very independent. But by the way our conversations have been going as late; he may end getting me to commit to him. Oiy!

Well, I will not be able to make it to the reunion as I had already had my summer trip planned to visit my family. There have been some good events that happened this year and need to make an appearance. From the few posts that I’ve read so far people seem to be happy and that is what I hope for everyone. Sorry I don’t have more recent pictures but I’ve just never really had pictures taken of myself. Best wishes and hello! And as my favorite motto says, ‘Work hard, Play hard!’