So here we are on the cusp of a new decade. I realize that I have not updated much over the past year, and so here is my final entry. It has been a great year; the entirety of which was spent with a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful man. I started my first extensive backpacking trip. Maybe next year I will finish one. I have come to share my home with not only my best friend, but additionally two angelic cats (note: angels sometimes fall) and a very nice, well-trained Asian boy named Tony. I love my cats and my sweet, kind, intelligent, reasonable, funny man. He really has lightened my life; miraculously, whilst he has challenged me to be a better person. I am excited to see what the coming decade will bring. My lease will end in March. Rob and I plan to live together. I have been looking forward to this step for a while. Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself, but I wonder how long we should wait to have children; I wonder if Rob will want teenagers running about the house while he is in his sixties. I suppose I am apprehensive to ask him because I fear that he may not want to have children, though, through careful observation, I have become sure that he does. Rob is wonderful with children. He plays without inhibition. He plays like he were a kid himself and I truly admire it. Considering the qualities I would desire in the man who would father my child or children, I cannot think of a single one which Rob is lacking. I realize that this entry has become more about Rob than about the passing year, but I suppose he has been the highlight of it. School has passed uneventfully; my grades have been good and I have remained on the Dean’s list. Work is work. One job, two jobs; it’s all the same. I enjoy most of my coworkers both at Schmizza and at the Spa (by the way, I work at Ruby’s Spa now). If it weren’t for Rob, I would probably have sold my truck and bought an old van to live in through college. Though this would have done wonders for my finances, I am much happier with a kitchen and someone to cook for. I guess the point of all this is that I am happy. I have been asked often why I have chosen this odd path, and this is my answer. I am happy with what I have and I will be pleased with wherever this path takes me. I am not trying to say that falling in love with someone twenty years your senior, adopting two cats, learning how to cook well, and studying anthropology is a fail-safe road to happiness, but it has worked pretty well for me thus far. To a new and exciting decade: Cheers!
- Mood:
cheerful - Music:Bob Dylan
The new house is wonderful. There is just one problem; my cat hated it. When I brought her in she ran directly under the bed. I drug her out (litteraly) a couple times, but aside from that she stayed under the bed for two days! She only used the litter box once,and the one time she did eat, she threw up. Also, she hated CJ's cat. I don't know. I just don't think she is suited for a house full of college students. We ended up taking her back to my grandmother's house. She was very happy to return.
Anyway, on the way back home Kate, CJ, and I stopped at the animal shelter where I met Frannie. She is a beautiful gray tabby with big green eyes. She was a stray, so she is pretty small from malnutrition, but she is the friendliest cat I have ever had. As you probably already guessed, I brought her home. Her new name is Yum Kaax (Yoom Kaash). I named her after the Mayan god of the wood, wild nature, and the hunt. We call her Kash or Kashi for short.
She ended up having a bad upper respiratory infection. I spent one hundred dollars on medicine two days after I got her, though she was worth it. She's almost better now.
School News:
Last term ended fairly well, though I did poorly in Chemistry. This was solely due to the fact that I did not take the class seriously and failed to study at all until the week prior to the final. Oops. On the positive side, I did learn my lesson. Also, I am done with Chemistry...for good. I am taking biology next year to fulfil my science credit requirement. I also plan on taking botany, geology, and anatomy and physiology. I am realizing that there is a lot to know to be a good anthropology student. Speaking of anthropology, I want to move to New Mexico. UNM has an amazing anthro program, also CHACO CANYON! PUEBLO BONITA! EXCITEMENT! Don't get me wrong, I love the PSU anthro department. Bill is wonderful and I can't wait to be in Cameron's North American prehistory course this term, but PSU only has so much to offer. I may get to go to field school at Fort Vancouver this summer, and if I stuck around who knows... maybe I could work at Cathapotle? Paisley Cave? perhaps... but as far as course work goes, I think UNM is the place. By the time I could go there, I should know my concentration. So far it's archaeology, but as I read more and more I am begining to think ethnology might be right for me. I don't know. If I decide to do primatology (unlikely) I should stay at PSU. Natalie just finished teaching a field school in Florida and now she is off to the research project she is heading in Madagascar. Wouldn't that be a great job?! Speaking of adventure...
Adventure News:
Rob and I are getting closer to our trip. We have calculated that our total distance will be over 150miles. I am so excited. We bought our treking pants today. Two pairs each which is all we will have with us on the hike. One set of clothes on our backs, and one set in the packs. I also picked up treking poles, a buff, and rainpants. The rainpants won't be with us on the trail. They are for biking. By the way...in
Transportation news:
I am selling my truck. I just bought a really nice Kona Dew. From now on, I'm biking. I am tired of my truck breaking down. I am tired of pouring my money into that miserable hole of an engine. No more parts. No more gas. No more insurance. I'm done. And it feels SOOOO GOOOD! I have been riding around quite a bit and I love it. It just feels good to move. Also, this way I don't feel nearly as bad about working out less than I should. It makes me feel like a better hippy as well. Overall, bike=good.
Well, anyway, that is enough of an update. I really should update more often so I don't have to ramble on quite so much. Oh well, I guess. It is written and I am not reviewing it. I hope everyone had a good spring break.
- Mood: chipper
Otzi the Iceman
was not a very wise man.
He forged Copper out of Malachite,
ended up dying at a very great hight.
Arsenic in his hair was found.
To a dangerous trade he was bound.
Chased from his village North to the Alps
Seeking Italy for some help.
But alas 5,300 years ago,
he lay dead beside his bow.
(Think of the melody of Frosty the Snowman)
Back to archaeology: I don't know what to do about my project. I really want to forge a copper axe, but I have three dillemas:
1)Malachite is fucking expensive. (Though I could write it off on my taxes next year as an expense for school.)
2)I would need to fire a mold AND FAST! Which means that I need access to kiln. (This may be possible through the art department)
3)The only means of accurately measuring the concentration of aresenic in the air during the process (which will take place out in Jones Creek) is to inhale the arsenic myself and then have blood work done to measure the concentration of arsenic in my bloodstream. This I am perfectly fine with, however, I am not sure that my insurance would cover the test and I am afraid it might be a tad spendy.
(SHOUT OUT TO LIBBY!!!!! I miss you, babe. I keep trying to stop by when I am in town, but noone ever answers the door. I feel bad for not having spoken to you in so long. We need to grab some fondue...or subway....or anything really. Sushi? I don't care; I just miss your face and your witty humor.)
Well, I am signing off. It's almost time for archaeology. *Peace and Love* Tschuss!
::::EDIT:::: I have just realized that flint knapping may be the answer to all my problems. Anyone know where I can get some cheap obsidian or quarts. I am also seeking reccomendations for a hammerstone. Limestone or quartzite?
- Mood: grateful
On a more serious note, I made the Dean's list. I am quite happy bout that, as I really didn't expect myself to do as well as I did.
As great as that news is, I still find myslef in a bit of a dilema. I don't know what to get for Rob for Christmas. I know what I want to get him, but I just can't afford a $300 dollar knife. Not unless I pawn some of my stuff, which I am seriously concidering. The only problem is there is a chance he may buy it for himself before Christmas (In which case I would be royally fucked). I did get him a book that covers the PCT from Canada to California with very nice topographical maps. I was thinking of planing a trip for him instead. I thought we might hike section F which covers the McKenzie pass to HWY 35 near Barlow pass. We could make a stop at Breitenbush Hot Springs. There are also several camps where we could recieve supply drops. I think that this would mean a lot to him as we plan to someday hike the entire PCT(this would be training). Let me know what you all think.
Happy holidays!
http://richarddawkins.net/article,3405,I
Something to brighten my day before finals.
- Mood: amused
Friday morning Rob and I met up with Joff and his girlfriend for a delicious cuban breakfast. After which, Rob and I took Dog (yes, the dog's name is Dog) and set out for Timberline Lodge where we met Josh (Rob's cousin who manages Dawkin's site) and some of his friends. They were quite drunk when we arrived around 4pm. The drinking continued. The evening ended when Ben (one of Josh's friends) got 86'd for running around the lodge, banging on doors, and telling absolutely everyone that he was madly in love with them. He ended up riding home in the front with their driver, Shelly (who looks a lot like Sarah Palin), singing her a song entitled "shell-ay" and telling her that he loved her multiple, multiple times.
Rob and I ended up camping at Trillium Lake that night after having discovered the greatest diner ever! Pancakes the size of dinner plates, Never-ending breakfast, Delicious coffee, and it was all ridiculously cheap! (and AWESOME!) Saturday we went to Bagby Hot Springs. It was pretty busy once we got to the actual pools, but the hike in was magnificent. It made me realize just how much I want to kayak the upper Clackamas. *sigh*daydream*
Anyway, Saturday night we stopped in Harrisburg to visit Rob's friend, Laura. On the way from there to Waldport (where we ended up car-camping), I had to carry a dead fawn off to the side of the road. It was sad. We ended up stopping at the Safeway in Eugene so I could wash the blood off of my hands. We spent Sunday traveling up HWY101. We played fetch with the dog just about all day. It was great. I love that Rob loves animals and that he is happy to just hang out and play fetch or take the dog for a hike.
It was an awesome weekend, until I got home Sunday evening. After I dropped off Rob, I started to feel really sick to my stomach. When I got home (around 5:30-6:00) I proceeded to vomit. This continued (with intermittent bouts of sleep on the bathroom floor) until 4:00 in the morning. I went to the doctor monday and found out that I have a viral stomach flu. It's almost gone now, but I haven't gone to school yet this week, which is slightly stressful as finals are next week. Ugh.
Anyway, today was fairly productive, despite the terrible nausea. I basically covered all of the material for this term in Chemistry over the course of a few hours. I feel fairly confident about the second midterm tomorrow morning (which I don't actually need to take).
Well, I am off to bed! I hope you all had a wonderful holliday! Tschuss!
- Mood: cheerful
- Location:In the Dorm of Wonderment
- Mood: hopeful
- Music:Who Are You by The Who
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