Half-check

10. Do a canoe trip


Remembered that I never wrote this up. Three weeks ago, when I road-tripped to visit a college friend, we went canoeing. It wasn't an overnight trip. We didn't even pack a full meal. Had trail tapas instead. Small course here of mustard pickles and cheese. An apple there. Another fancy cheese course with delicious bread. Chips and salsa. I'm hungry now.

I'm even more excited about the idea of doing a long canoe trip now. But if it doesn't happen in the next 4.75 years, pictures to let me check it off my list.


See. This photo has the canoe in it. And a pretty bridge. (The other photos of the bridge are nicer, but they don't have the canoe.)

Going under this bridge was awesome. It was high enough that I didn't need to duck. I still did though.

It was a weekend for dads on the river. When this crew was getting in, I was nervous they would tip. But they got off fine.


See. Our canoe on the land beside them.


Ahh. Three weeks ago when it was still warm. Leaves were peak. And the birds were in flight.

Notes for when I'm stressed, among other things

Things to be aware of when I'm stressed:

• There are lots of times when I can handle crowds. Or groups. High-stress times, not so much.
• I have learned to be spontaneous. Or at least more last minute. But when I'm stressed, I need things planned.
  • But I need to not be the one planning everything.
  • Especially if someone else said they'd get back to me. It's in your hands then.
• When I'm stressed I'd rather stick to my plans with a group of people I don't know than do something spur-of-the-moment with a group I do know.
  • But it's more likely I'll end up home alone.
  • Though probably healthier for me to not be too antisocial for long.

~~~

It amazes me how some friends manage to amplify my stress while others diffuse it. And it's not consistent. Surely much to do with my mood. But feels like there's more than I understand. Good luck making sense of me.

~~~

So that's where I was mid-afternoon on Saturday. Which made it extra amazing when I called a friend to come with me to the trail I visited at the beginning of the month and she could join at the last minute.

The sun was well on its way down by the time we arrived. (But it was okay because I take the scenic drive past the crazy-rich houses.) Even the buildings were glowing in the light.


October has seen the span of fall here. Last time the leaves were a week or two away from peaking. There are a few left in the tree now, but more carpeting the trail than shading the sun.


Not that the sun was in position to be shaded.


We saw a herd of deer. (Pictures didn't turn out. Too far away for the flash to do anything. Too dark not to use it.) Wandered into the Halloween Hike--complete with luminaria and costumed employees doing skits educating us about nature. Debated whether that was a black squirrel or whether it was simply in the shadows.


Agreed we had perfect timing in leaving the trail.

Drove back home amazed at how much calmer I was.

~~~

In separate news, I needed a pair of black pumps, so I went shoe shopping. Came out with super-pointy yellow heels. Not so black, but D. says I can play fashionista.

Also got a pair of menswear-style high-heel lace-up oxfords. They're black. And heels. And I think I can go dancing in them. Plus they can also replace the black boots that I have that, really, I didn't even wear much last winter because the insole is sad and old and when I tried to add a schmancy Dr. Scholl's type one it crowded my foot.

I should probably throw those boots away. They're past the donate stage. Otherwise I'd still be wearing them.

~~~

A week from now, I'll be back from my first conference presentation. I'm excited for that.

More excited for the weekend crew reunion happening afterwards. Camp friends convince me time and again that friendship withstands distance, different lifepaths, and far too few visits. Remind me to talk about that in a future post.

Geek out

Sometimes I love the internet. Today's goody found from NotCot which got it thru Flavorwire which linked me to FlowTown. Think that's where it all started.

I definitely fit the description of a book geek.



Possibly qualify as a food geek.



With tech geek leanings? (I am writing this blog post on my Apple...)



That sounds about right. Find your geek identification at the full chart.

Growing cooler, not older

In middle school I thought it would be a sign of how out of it I was when I learned about new music from NPR. I'm choosing to think NPR is that much cooler now and submit the new All Songs 24/7 stream as evidence.

(Also, ever in love with the Current. Which, let's face it, has been a major source of new music for me since it was founded my sophomore year of college. [Is that right?] )

There's a draft of a Paper with my name on it for me to go over. In preparation for my Presentation, eep, next week.

Meanwhile I really need to get this midterm written. So the capital letters will wait while I work on the lowercase deadline.

Sign of getting older that no one ever talks about

I Facebook friended a guy I met swing dancing last night. He told me he was still in college, but it wasn't until I saw his birthday that I realized he's younger than some of my students.

Relating to him, totally peer.

Relating to them, mostly still in teacher mode.

It's crazy how we get cast into the roles we meet people in. I almost understand it, and then, shocked.

I have a fair number of friends older than me. Old enough to have been my teacher. Or baby-sitter. Even some who that baby-sitter is really when I was a baby. But I don't have many friend more than, say, 3 years younger than me. Those people were my sister's friends growing up. Or didn't overlap enough in college. Or I haven't run into in the "real world" yet.

But it's happening. And I'm excited for it.

From my kitchen

It's after midnight and I'm yawning and rubbing my eyes. Clearly I should go to bed. But I wanted to show off one of my afternoon projects first.

The wall in my kitchen felt empty. I'm not a decorator. At all. And when I do it's usually not in the best taste. I'm working on it. But I think today's craft is one I'll look back on in 5 or 10 years and still think is cool.



Even if this photo of it isn't.

Wall-hanging. Made from paper that was the camp craft when I was the craft hut lady. Because I'm sentimental and keep saving the paper when clearly it should be used.


The difficult part about this hanging is that the paper's on the fragile side. I didn't want the thread causing extra strain on the paper, so my trick was to cut up a ziplock bag to reinforce the paper at the knots/thread. Really hoping it works to keep this in decent condition for a while. Because, right now, I think it's pretty awesome.

I only took a closeup of the goldfinch. Not the crow or hummingbird.

Thread + Movie

Notcot promised " "3 petits points" tells the story of a dressmaker that repairs the world with thread and a knitting needle. A animated film directed by 6 students"

Not convinced that's what I got (thread and sewing needle more like it). But do like the story. Identify with the feeling more often than I like to admit.




Edit: I've made the embedded video super tiny because it doesn't seem to fit the width of the Blogger template otherwise. And I'm too lazy to try to figure out that code. Make it full screen (or go to YouTube) and it won't matter.

Not what I thought this post was going to be about

I'm still amazed at how much I like driving. Eight hours to visit a friend is
a) a good chance to listen to country radio
b) time to hear debates on talk radio
c) opportunity to rediscover old favorite cds
d) the perfect excuse to make a playlist of music to decide whether I like it or not
e) best spent with the windows rolled down
f) excellent alone time
g) a reason to call people in my phone's contact list who I haven't talked to in far to long
h) short enough to justify a long weekend trip
i) especially if I tell myself I can sleep in on Monday morning, since I end up not leaving until after an early dinner...

~~~

I failed the driving test 3 times. The first time I'd practiced the route with my instructor in the hour before I took the test. They changed it. Had a whole new procedure. Still not sure I'll ever pull my car off the road and then back up into my lane.

Second time it was parallel parking (there were potholes in the spot) that I thought I'd never really need to use, because I wasn't going to live in the city.

Mmmm... yeah...about that.

~~~

My first long solo car trip I stopped ever couple of hours at the beginning and every hour by the end.

Now I can start for 4 hours. Then I'm hungry.

Current favorite chains to eat at when I'm driving (and can't find a cute local spot from the interstate signs):
a) Culvers
b) Chic-fil-a
c) Olive Garden

The flowchart from last year, apparently doesn't jive with me.

~~~

My first driving experience post-getting my permit was on a stick. It was terrifying. Stalled out everywhere.

Eventually I figured it out though. It was that or only drive the minivan to school.

And now it's not fun to drive anything else.

Not sure what this means in a market where they're disappearing. Hybrid and manual don't go together as efficiently.

But that's okay. My car's only tipping 60 thou. Hope we have many more miles ahead of us.

Puddles on a Clear Day

Though here's proof that water was involved (for part of the day).


Some days I marvel at how much I've changed.

This evening's been a reflection at how much some things stay the same.

Listened to the new Belle and Sebastian album. (Thanks NPR!) Flashback to junior year. Writing a paper for Annette. Listening to their live concert as it streamed on NPR's website. Driving to the coast to talk to my parents' friend about her career. Hanging out with D. It's been a while since I listened to them on repeat. I didn't realize how much I still liked them.

I've listened to Ghost of Rockschool over 5 times now. (Probably over 10 times. It ends and I click over and start it again.) I'm pretty positive the song would have been my favorite five years ago too.

I've seen God in the sun
I've seen God in the street
God before bed and the promise of sleep
God in the puddles and the la-de-sum-eise
I've seen God shining up from her reflection

Feet are mine
The car is someone else's
Both photographed this afternoon

The years become a moment in the everchanging sand

Playlist for this post:
I Came to Hear the Music by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Leaves Don't Drop (They Just Let Go) by Carrie Newcomer
Written On The Breeze by Joel P West
Antebellum by Vienna Teng

~~~

Yesterday I looked out my window at a clear blue sky and just had to get out.

Walked to the waterfront and declared I was glad I'd emptied the trash so the excursion wasn't a total waste. It was the type of day that looks nice from the window, where you can't feel the wind.

~~~

I skipped church this morning. Didn't want to spread my cold germs to everyone on the bus. In the church. Walking around the street. The sheer exposure to people in the city astounds me when I stop to think about it.

But by lunch, I was restless. Online reviews pointed me to a trail that wasn't too crowded. I'd drive there, so I got over my guilt. Besides the sniffles and coughs are lessening.

~~~

Even as remnants of summer flowers greet me,


and some trees appear unchanged,


the woods welcome me to Autumn.

Looking up


and down


gives evidence of the shifting seasons.

As I wander, I keep a lookout for the little things.


Like these acorn tops. If I were a button designer, I'd find a way to master this pattern. It's perfect for woolen fall coats.

The way the sun shines through the leaves

and the blossoms, barely hanging on.


Leaving the trail


and returning to civilized-nation, I reflect on what it means.


Only to realize, I'm not sure what "it" is.