June. You Have Been Kind.

I guess while we were gone, it was extremely hot. 115. Geez. It’s 108 right now, so I don’t know if that’s really any cooler…I think those 7 degrees serve as little to nothing. A friend of mine works at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, so we’re gonna go spend time in the pools there, and then tomorrow we head out to Madison.

It has been such an amazing week. I’m gonna pick up some work for my uncle while I’m in Wisconsin that should make up for the time I lost last week. You gotta love a come and go schedule. I don’t figure I’ll be able to get away with such for many more years – then again, if all goes as planned, I’ll work for myself or with someone else for ourselves and that’ll be that. But then there are those proverbial dues you have to pay in whatever you do. And I don’t know what my whatever is just yet.

My face is starting to get a little irritated. I don’t know if it was because of the altitude and dryness of the past week, but my skin isn’t cooperating at all. And next week it’s going to feel like the back of a sticker in Wisconsin, because of the humidity. Any humidity feels like extreme humidity to me. I can’t imagine what I’d do in New Orleans. Just wear a bandanna all the time.

I haven’t mentioned, but I think Maggie is going to talk to her parents about potentially coming to Fort Lewis College. I think she fell in love with it there, too. I don’t know if maybe she should wait until I leave, or allow me to help in the conversation while I’m there.

Time to go get a little sun on these zits, and enjoy some premium pools.

San Juan Mountain High, Colorado

We decided to keep our base here in Durango, but what a day, what a day…

I had to sit right down and offer a little something while Maggie is taking a shower.

So. Yesterday, right after I offered my morning post, we hit the road. Zipped up to the trail head for Engineer Mountain which was north toward Silverton. All things considered, it was a fairly easy hike through beautiful forests, then you emerge above the tree line and just have to stand in awe. It looks like the summit is right in front of you, and then 30 minutes later, you’re just hitting the heavy incline on the rock…then an hour later you’re still climbing. Perspective is an incredible thing.

I had never seen columbine in the wild until yesterday. So cool. We pushed to the summit. There was one little area that was somewhat scary. If you don’t like heights or exposure to open heights, then it wouldn’t be for you. I was a little worried about Mags, but she just said, “You go first so I can just keep my eyes on you and step where you step.” We had to climb one little chimney, but other than that, it was all on foot – maybe just a little hand here and there for balance.

We went from bottom to top to bottom in about 6 hours, taking time for lunch, then we jumped in the car and zipped on to Silverton. What a cool freakin’ town. Like right out of an old western. And the drive there – geez. Both terrifying and beautiful. I’m just not used to real mountain roads.

So, we spent the afternoon and early evening bumming around in and around Silverton. Met some cool folks, went driving on some of the mining access roads. Saw some abandoned mines, ghost towns – just cool stuff. Oh. Got a nice zit just below my eye where I think my sunglasses have been rubbing… It wouldn’t be a complete trip without a red shiner.

I’m Not a Fish

I’m clearly a land animal. Not a fish. It’s a good thing I was wearing a life jacket yesterday, or I would have been toast. Very wet, soggy toast. There was this one pass of rapids that is known as Smelter rapids…it’s like right in downtown Durango on the Animas River. I admit that seeing it from the bank, I thought nothing of it. A little different when you’re in the water and you realized that those waves are well over your head, and you’re going a lot faster than you realize.

I actually navigated that one pretty well. It wasn’t until further down river that I got into a little trouble, when Maggie got stuck where the water cycles over a rock below the surface to make a wave. She was literally stuck right sideways in front of the wave. We were the last two people in the group and I was coming in behind her. I decided I’d try to ram her and push her through and then just follow. Nope. I nailed her raft. She went cruising on. The next thing I know, I’m stuck, sideways in what it must be like in a washing machine. I was fighting with my paddle to get turned, but I didn’t know what the heck I was doing.

I went real hard trying to turn my kayak clockwise and the next thing I know, I’m underwater, out of the boat, with the sound of a thousand horse rumbling around my head. I opened my eyes and it was just white, then I felt upside down and heard and felt my helmet scraping across the river bed on rocks. This clearly happened fast, but felt like an eternity. Then I popped up, saw my raft and paddle cruising downstream, being stopped by the group as I swam to catch up.

So. What better way to celebrate. We’re off to climb Engineer Mountain today. A recommendation from a local.

 

Margaret

Maggie is here. Such a cool chick.

But. We’re not here. We’re there. Nope. Not Madison. Nope. Not in my zitty paradise…rather…when she got to town on Friday I decided we’d take a little trip. Because I keep rapping about Durango, and she’s never been. So. We’re in Durango. The drive really isn’t too terribly bad – only took us about 8 hours to get here – combined on Friday night and Saturday morning with the obligatory stop at Four Corners. She loves it here, and sees why this option trumped the rest. It is so beautiful here right now.

We’re going to go white water this afternoon in the little inflatable kayaks – actually right after I finish this – and tomorrow we’re going to do some hiking. We both wanna climb one of the mountains. We did a smaller hike here in town yesterday, but we’re going to head up towards Silverton tomorrow. I think we’ll probably crash out up there, explore and stuff. We’ve been camping to save on the funds–we figured it was some of our money well spent. I know. Real primitive KOA campground with wireless Internet and all.

We went to the college and had a walk around. She was able to meet some people in admissions, and talk to them about programs. She has signed up for a SOAR (student orientation and registration) at Wisconsin for late August…what they refer to as late SOAR. I feel for her. She is talking about taking the semester off, and then coming in with a laser focus in the winter. I say it’s 4 months difference, so why not. Anyway, we’ve got stuff to talk about better fit for one-on-one than one-on-Interwebs.

OK. Time to head to the river!

BTW, my face is doing OK in this here environment.

Oh my, a Slice of Heaven

I had the opportunity to drive a piece of heaven today. A 2011 Corvette ZR1 with the 750 ZR upgrade. To say the least, I like to go fast. This car was almost too fast. I’ve never been in anything with so much power, and at first, just rode as the passenger. It belonged to the best friend of the guy who owns the dealership that I work at. I’m kind of a favorite around the shop, because I just go about my business and work hard…today, I was rewarded.

We went out onto some development roads near Scottsdale, and there was literally nobody out there. He proceeded to put the fear of God in me, then asked, “You wanna drive her?” I thought he was kidding. He wasn’t. I’m not gonna lie, I got on that thing pretty good. At first I was scared to, then he said, “Aren’t you 18? Why are you driving a premium sports car like you’re 83?” I laid some track and showed him what I was capable of. That thing was like being on a roller coaster without the track. It blows my mind that something can handle like that, accelerate like that and stop like that.

My adrenalin let loose about 10 times during our outing, so I am expecting a little outbreak of zits over the next 48 hours. Anytime my nervous system goes to an 11 on a scale of 10, I can pretty much expect it within a day. That’s just the way it is. So, that’s nice. I’ll be nice and zitty for Maggie’s arrival.

Now, I’ve got to start building my budget for a ZR1. That’s a mere $110,300 to start. I can probably do without the 750ZR package, though that 755 HP might come in handy when making a quick run to the grocery store.

Light the Green Lantern on Fire

Not the worst superhero movie I have ever seen, but there’s something about Ryan Reynolds and his schtick that didn’t work for me. He can pull the card, and drop right into “heartfelt sincerity” but when he is going for comedy, you can predict everything he’s going to do. Don’t get me wrong, I like the guy, and enjoyed seeing the movie for $6 this morning, but it lacked a lot. Especially after seeing X-Men First Class and Super 8–two really fun films.

Blake Lively. Who would have thought after being on that steaming pile, Gossip Girl…but the girl has skills…if ya know what I’m saying.

It’s so nice to have a Monday off. I have worked every Monday since graduation, and sometimes it’s just nice to sleep in on a Monday. Crazy week ahead. Working Tuesday thru Thursday, Maggie comes on Friday. I’ll work the beginning of next week, the go back to Madison with her to enjoy the 4th of July and a few days. Speaking of Independence Day–are you familiar with a song by the Beach Boys called 4th of July? It was never on an album. Such a strange song of protest, or perhaps just of observation. Definitely one of my favorites of the boys–I recommend a listen.

My zits seem to be back under control. That ear job didn’t last too long. There is a little residual twinge, but I can dig around in there with a q-tip to get the water out. Just gotta stay on top of those things. I know working in a work shirt and jeans doesn’t really help the cause when you’re sweating like crazy and your skin can’t breathe, and that’s what I’m dealing with every time I go to work. I think I’m fortunate that I have had any issues on my shoulders, back or chest. There was one poor guy on our track team who always wore a t-shirt under our uniforms because his back and shoulders were so bad. I constantly felt sorry for him. I know that crap has to hurt.

On that note, I’m feeling a peanut butter jelly sandwich.

Zits. Dang. Again.

What. The. Heck.

I was standing in the kitchen today, and felt something strange on my hip. Like right where the waistline hits your hip bone. Well, just below that on the butt side, but not on the butt? You feel me? I thought I got bit by a spider or something, so I took a quick peek and there was a friggin’ zit right there. Un-freakin’-believable. Stay on the face, please, you bastards.

I couldn’t handle the thought of it, so I just took it out right there on the spot. It was ready to go. Needless to say that was a nice cue to take a shower. And I did. Take a shower. I scrubbed every dead skin cell off of my body. Time for a little renewal.

You know what’s kind of sad? When you blog, you’ve got these categories in which your posts somehow fit. One category that I developed on a particularly bad day a couple years ago was “High School Sucks.” Apparently, that day…it did. Serious suckage. As I was categorizing this post, I got excited to tap into the “When Zits Explode” category, but then I thought, “I’ll never have need for High School Sucks again…” Then I was really upset with myself. Am I missing high school? Already? Geez, Louise. I’ve been a graduate for less than a freakin’ month and I’m already a tad bit sad to say goodbye. I’m abnormal. Ab. Normal. Ab. Nor. Mal. Mal means bad in Spanish.

La arana loca es en mi calcetine.  The crazy spider is in my sock. There’s supposed to be a squiggly over the n in arana, so it’s pronounced aron-ya, but I don’t know how to do the squiggly.

I made a pie today. It’s time to take it out of the oven. That’s what I was doing in the kitchen when I discovered the hip zit. No, I didn’t…leave it out. I’m very sanitary when cooking. And yes, it’s from scratch. It may suck, but then, if it does, I’ll say it was store bought.

Zits. Dang.

You can probably figure the heavy days of my work schedule. I hit it hard on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Gettin’ stuff prepped for the bigger sales days of Thursday – Sunday.

I’m sure it’s difficult to wait for my posts when the world ceases to revolve (yeah, it still rotates) without them, but that’s my life. That’s…my life. I couldn’t sleep last night for crap, because of a zit in my ear. I’ve had these before. Don’t really know how to fight them off, other than clean my ears, which I do. These have to be due to some kind of funk in the body. I’m just certain of it. I literally couldn’t lie on my left side, and that’s the side that I prefer to sleep on!? I was lying on my side with my head turned toward the ceiling and I woke up feeling about 73. Dang it all to heck.

So, I took a shower, then got a Q-Tip and went Rambo on that summabish…Actually, when I did my regular Q-Tip activity to get the water out of my ears, it was a big ole mess. Yes. Don’t forget. This is why you come to this blog. So. At least I can hear out of my ear, but that sucker still hurts like the dickens.

Maggie is coming next week. Gonna stay through June and then we’re going back to Madison…I know I’ve mentioned that, but it’s worth repeating. The best part about the whole thing is that I’ll be back here for the MLB All-Star Game. Forget tickets, that ain’t happening, but my cousins from L.A. were telling me that the FanFest is pretty awesome. So, I’m really excited to go with my Dad and brother. Should be a good time.

In the meantime, I’m gonna go put some Apple Cider vinegar (why did I capitalize Apple Cider?) on a Q-Tip and stick it in my ear. I dare bacteria to challenge that all natural ass-kicker.

Little League’in…

The whole fam damily enjoyed Super 8. Especially the siblings. Since this is going to be the first post dedicated to one of them, I figured I’d offer a shout to both.

My little bro’s baseball season started. Admittedly, as much as I love him, I suppose you could say I’ve been a little selfish with my time since enjoying the freedom of driving. I used to ask him if he wanted me to come to his games, and he always said, “I don’t care.” Understandably, he was much younger then, and was out playing just to play. Now he’s really into the game. And he’s a teenager. And this morning he asked if I’d come to his game tonight. It’s weird, because it won’t be long before we’re able to have a conversation of a completely different dynamic.

Anyway, I went to his game, and the kid was pretty impressive – you know, he was REALLY impressive. I asked my day if he was giving it a little extra tonight, and he said no, that he’s always scrappy like that. The pitching in their league still isn’t incredible, but there were a couple of kids (one on each team) who could really hurl. My brother hit in the 3 spot, and played 3rd. He got on base in all three of his at bats and was like a dust devil in the field…he was all over the place. Diving. Spinning. Going after everything. A real scrapper.

Anyway, after the game, he took off his hat as they were talking with their coach – he’s always wearing a hat…my brother, not the coach – and I noticed that he’s showing some zits. I was such a proud big brother. Little bro following in my footsteps. It was weird to see him play like that. It wasn’t “little kid” anymore. And then I thought: It’s because he’s not a “little kid” anymore. The cool thing is that I’ll be done with college when he’s about to be a senior in high school, so I can come back around then, and impart my wisdom.

Super 8

Now I wanna buy a Super 8mm camera, and maybe something cool will happen to me. I’m such a bore. Yeah. It’s noonish. It was that much of a must see for me. In fact, I went by myself. My boys who were supposed to join me completely flaked, because they went to a party last night that apparently ended with a Denny’s breakfast this morning.

I almost made an appearance. I love throwing down, but when I venture into that territory I pay for it dearly with the extreme outbreaks of vicious zits. It’s like they feed off the fuel of the synergy in a party atmosphere. I do suppose they’re partying on my face.

Super 8. Did I like it? Let’s say I’m going again with the whole family tonight. After seeing it, I bought tickets for the whole gang. My Dad is going to wig out. It’s going to make him so nostalgic. I can already predict the post-viewing conversations on the way home. Same with my Mom. The siblings? I don’t know. Their tickets were cheaper than a babysitter, and this is my way of trying to allow them into my world. I think parts of it will probably scare the crap out of my little sister, but, it’s a ride worth going on.

I don’t want to say too much about it. Though I’m sure you’ve caught wind by now. I will just say that it is definitely worth seeing in the theater. The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced that I want to be involved in the entertainment industry in some way, shape or form. Either that or an astronaut who sacrifices life here on earth to just go as far as I can go into space as is possible in my lifetime left. Maybe I would find the theoretical wormhole and end up in another dimension or something. I just ripped off 2001: A Space Odyssey, didn’t I? I knew I had seen that before in my head. Dang.