Peace Corps Update

I'm going to SENEGAL!!!

For those of you who have been following this saga, you know that I've been waiting for a really long time (since last February!) to find out where the Peace Corps was sending me. I was trying my best to be patient, but with my expected departure looming in March I was starting to get a bit concerned. That combined with the fact that I was planning on leaving for a two week Christmas vacation prompted me to send a polite little reminder to my placement officer, which resulted in me receiving my invitation at the last minute before we left for the cruise. So, for all of you who have been holding your breath with me, here are the particulars:

Country: Senegal
Program: Preventitive Health and Environmental Education
Job Title: Environmental Education Extension Agent
Dates of Service: May 2010-May 2012
Date of Departure: 12 March 2010

I don't really know what exactly I'll be doing because a lot of that depends on the specific needs of the village that I'm assigned to at the end of training, but I'll do my best to answer the most common questions that I've been getting from people. Some of these answers come straight from the info packet that came with my invitation.

Where the heck is Senegal?
On the Western coast of Africa, near Mali.

What languages do they speak over there?
French, Wolof, Pulaar, Mandinka, Sereer. I'll be brushing up on my French in the next few months but I won't know what local language I'll be learning until Pre Service Training.

Where will you be living?
"You probably will live in a hut in a Senegalese family compound, reasonably close to your work zone. The hut typically will be made of mud bricks or cement with a grass, wood or metal roof and a private latrine...in most cases you will have neither electricity nor running water."

What will you have to eat?
"Staple foods in rural Senegal are rice and millet or corn with vegetables and fresh or dried fish. Most water comes from wells, and it must be treated before drinking. Meat is a rarity."

Will you have internet?
I'll probably have fairly regular access to it during pre service training, but once I'm out at my site I probably won't even have electricity so internet is out. Unless somebody wants to hook me up with a solar charger for my laptop and satellite internet (hint hint). From what I've gathered people manage to get online once every month or two, so I'll try to update this blog as frequently as possible. Apparently I'll have some sort of mail service, so letters and care packages will always be appreciated.

Is there climbing in Senegal?
Not that I know of...but maybe I'll find somewhere to put up some first ascents! Since I'll be over there for two years I'll most likely take the opportunity to travel to Morocco, Mali and maybe even Europe. It might be tougher to find a climbing partner than it will be to find places to climb, but I'm going to bring my rack and rope and hope for the best!

Can people come visit you?
Absolutely! Although there are some time restrictions so it might be best to check with me instead of just showing up in Senegal ;) Consider this your opportunity to broaden your horizons!

Thats pretty much all the news for now. I'll keep updating as I find out more information. If this all comes as a complete shock to you and you're wondering what the heck I was thinking applying for the Peace Corps in the first place the answers to that question and more are in this post.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

We got the first real snow of the winter today! Perfect timing since we're leaving tomorrow for a 2 week cruise...Bring it on winter!

Pray Without Ceasing

On Friday my good friend and climbing partner Scott got into a pretty serious car accident. As of now he is still in a coma and there were some tense moments yesterday, but I have faith that he will pull through. If you have a spare second or two please pray for him to wake up and pray for strength for his family and friends. If you want to pray for something more specific his family has set up this website: prayforscott.org.

**UPDATE 12/15**

The past few weeks have been pretty tough. Scott's brain injury was a lot worse than they first led us to believe, and he hasn't come out of the coma just yet. There have been some baby steps toward recovery but nothing that the doctors are very excited about. Please continue to pray for a miracle, they are starting to talk about "long term" care and none of us want it to come to that.

Giving Thanks

Last Thanksgiving I cooked dinner for my parents at my apartment in Farmville. I spent about a week shopping, going over recipes and putting together a cooking schedule. It was a pretty big meal, but my favorite part was making bread from scratch and having it with apple butter from the Amish at the farmers market.

Last year I spent 4 hours cooking... this year I spent 4 hours driving. Due to a schedule change I had to work from 6pm-2am last night, so as soon as I finished my shift I drove straight up to New Jersey. I got home around 6am and went straight to the Turkey Row to watch my mom race. By the time I squeezed in a nap I had been awake for 24 hours! It was definitely worth the drive to get to come home and relax for a few days. At first I was pretty bummed about having to work the extra day, but really I'm thankful for the opportunity to work, especially in this economy.

Fashion Rewind

A few weeks ago Regina and I had the brilliant idea to pay tribute to the fabulous climbing styles of the 80s/early 90s, so we hit up the local thrift shop for some bargain hunting. Our goal was to put together the craziest outfits we could find and then proudly display them on a crowded day at Carderock. After weeks of weather watching and mental preparation we finally debuted our new style, affectionately referred to as "the get-up," and we even got Scott to play along. I couldn't find any lycra, but I still managed to put together the brightest outfit known to man.

I've got FRIENDS...

...and camalots and hexes and stoppers, OH MY!

I know I moved down here to try and make/save a little money before the Peace Corps, but when I saw 2 trad racks and some ice climbing gear come up on craigslist it was too good of a deal to turn down.

Here's just a sampling of the new goodies I have to play with:

2 - Grivel Rambo Ice tools with Hammer & Adze (1 bent & 1 straight shafts)
2 - Stubai Ice Ice tools with Hammer & Adze (+ spares)
1 - Pair Black Diamond Saber Tooth Dual Front Point adjustable Crampons
1 - Pair Grivel Rambo Dual Front Point adjustable Crampons
1 - Black Diamond (BD) Spectra Quick Place Ice Piton

12 - Black Diamond Quick Draws

2 - Trad Racks, w/ 2 sets BD Wire Stoppers, 8 SMC Friends / Camming devices, 8 Wild Things Hex Chocks, 6 Nautilus Chock Stoppers, 1 BD ATC & 1 Stitch Plate Belay Devices
12 - Assorthed Ice Screws & Ice Pitons

On top of that I've got 3 ropes, 2 pairs of shoes, some harnesses, a helmet and a whole bunch of biners and runners. A couple of the stoppers and one of the cams need to be retired, and the hexes need new cord, but other than that everything is in good working order. I had it checked out buy a guy at REI just for peace of mind and he agreed that it was a great find. Now, if only the weather would stay warm long enough for me to get some good use out of this stuff before the winter that would be splendid.

This is my intimidating face

Ok, so it needs a bit of work. Thankfully I haven't needed to intimidate anyone so far on this job...mostly I just patrol around or sit in my car at the entrance. I'm almost halfway through a 12 hour shift right now and the sunny 60 degree weather is torturing me with the temptation to run away and go climbing. Must. be. responsible! Since I can't be on the rock today I'm getting my climbing fix watching The Sharp End in between patrols.

A Great Experiment

I hate money. Let me rephrase that…I hate the way money (or lack thereof) affects almost every aspect of your life. I don’t ever want to be a slave to the almighty dollar, but it’s a struggle for me to keep it off the top of my priority list in life. The Saturday I moved back down to Virginia Pastor Mark preached a sermon on tithing that was unlike anything else I had ever heard on that topic. Typically I check out mentally when the church starts talking about money, because it always seems like those sermons come around just before some frivolous new stained glass window shows up in the building. One thing about the messages at National Community Church is they're anything but typical. For once tithing was presented as an opportunity, not an obligation. God sure as heck doesn't need my money, but I need his blessing. God says "Bring the whole tithe into my storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." (Malachai 3:10).

I've been supporting a compassion child for the past three years, and since I didn't really have a home church I was content to consider that my financial sacrifice. Sure, I would drop a few dollars into the plate on occasion, perhaps a few more if the offering was specifically for missions, but actually tithing 10% of my income just didn't cross my mind. God said to call Him out on his promise, so I figured I would commit to giving the full tithe while I'm living down here and see what happens. Two weeks into this experiment I'm already seeing big returns. Money hasn't fallen from the sky, strangers haven't handed me $20 bills for no reason, and I haven't become an instant millionaire...but God sure has been providing.

Right after I moved here I put an ad on NCC's message board offering to do peoples undesirable odd jobs. You know...cleaning toilets, raking leaves, painting houses. I didn't think much would come of it, but two days later I was asked to clean out an overgrown backyard. That one job (which paid a very respectable sum in itself) led to me being recommended to someone else, which led to three more days of well-paid housekeeping work. During the same time I was also offered a part-time babysitting position. All this on top of my security job, which also gave me 8 more hours of work last week than I was originally promised. I never feel comfortable taking hand outs, so opportunities to make money through an honest days work are right up my alley as far as blessings are concerned. I can't wait to see what happens next week!

Decision Confirmed

Apparently making decisions in haste isn't always a bad thing. I just found out that the New York Sports Clubs I was working for is going out of business in December, so I would have been left without a job anyway. I guess life rewards those who chase their passions...that or I just got incredibly lucky...

Back to the New

The New River Gorge holds a lot of firsts for me. It is the first place I ever went climbing outdoors, the first place I ever climbed on lead, the first climbing festival I ever went to, and after this weekend the first place I flashed a 10a outdoors. When we woke up Friday morning the forecast had taken a turn for the worst, so we didn't get in quite as much climbing as I had hoped, but it was still a fantastic weekend.
Thanks to Chipotle and a detour to some non-existent hot springs we didn't get to Rogers until sunset on Friday, so even though the weather was beautiful the only climbing we got in was a tree at the visitors center. Saturday we headed out to Summersville lake and we were each able to get one climb in before the rain really started to come down. We climbed two more routes in the rain and then scrambled around near the water until we were thoroughly soaked through and ready for some Pies and Pints.The rain continued to pour all Saturday night so we took our time getting started on Sunday, figuring everything was going to be wet anyway. After consulting Roger we abandoned our plan to go to Bubba City and decided to make for Rico Suave instead since it was the most likely to be dry. We lounged around while we spoiled some stray kittens with a can of tuna and fried up some pancakes with our leftover Halloween candy, then packed up most of our stuff and hiked out along with a group of people from Ohio.
This was definitely one of the best days climbing I've had in a while as far as performance goes. We "warmed up" on Grit & Bear it, a 5.11a with a heinous run out at the top. I had played around on this route last time I was at the new with Kevin and Jen and I was only able to get up to just below the third bolt. I didn't finish it this time, but I got up to the 5th bolt on my first and only try, and I think if I had done it again I would have been able to get to the anchors. It definitely felt good to see some proof of progress and I'm stoked to get back down there and try it again. After a while we switched ropes with our friends from Ohio and we worked Rico Suave, a classic 5.10a, on top rope. By this point the sun had gone past the mountain and we were getting pretty chilly. I struggled a little with cold hands, but managed to flash the route no problem first try and I feel pretty confident that in warmer conditions I could flash it on lead. I finished up the day by running up Cuddle Monkey (5.7) to have a little fun and switch out our anchors. By the end of the day I was feeling pretty stoked, and more than a little sad that we would be leaving that night.
Turns out the climbing gods weren't too happy about us leaving either. We ended up with a flat tire that took 2 hours to change, then we missed our turn and had to go home through Seneca which added another 2.5 hours to our drive. To top it all off we stopped at a Chinese Buffet for dinner that only succeeded in making us all slightly ill. Definitely an epic ride home if there ever was one.

Happy Halloween!

I think this year's pumpkin is rather fitting considering this is what I'll be doing on the 31st! Headed to New River tomorrow with Regina and Scott.

Passion Before Paycheck

I love spontaneity on a daily level, but when it comes to big decisions I’m a serious over thinker. I like to weigh all of my options, look at the pros and cons and sleep on it…preferably for several nights. Even shopping, a seemingly simple task for most Americans, is a highly calculated process for me. No matter how small the price tag I will carry the object in question around the store with me for at least 20 minutes trying to justify the purchase, and I’ll most likely end up putting it back. I have long since come to terms with my glacial paced decision making process…which is why I am slightly surprised to find myself blogging from my new room in Stafford, Virginia. Let me rewind...

Last week I had an epiphany. I realized that not only was I not making any money, I was also absolutely miserable. It wasn’t all bad…I liked my coworkers and I genuinely enjoyed getting to know some of the regulars…but to be honest most of the time whenever I thought about work I got slightly ill. I promised myself a few years back that I would never stay in a job I hated just because it paid well, and I would never turn down a job I loved just because it didn’t pay a lot. So it seems that what to do about a low-paying job that I hated would be a no brainer. Of course you just can’t up and quit a job without having some sort of alternative plan, and finding someone willing to hire me knowing I was leaving with the Peace Corps and needed two weeks off at Christmas would be nearly impossible. So I called a friend in Virginia who owns a security company to see if he had any temporary work available, and as soon as he said he could help me out I up and quit my job. I wish I had dramatically walked out of the gym never to return, but in reality I gave them my weeks notice and quietly finished out a few more shifts. No sense in burning any bridges.

Last Saturday I packed everything I would need to live for the next four months into my car and said goodbye to New Jersey. It still feels very strange to be here. I’m not one to make rash decisions, so I can’t help but wonder if it was the right one. I suppose only time will tell. One thing is for sure, I have friends down here and a lot more chances to climb. If nothing else comes of it, at least I will have had the opportunity to do what I love a few more times before the winter sets in. Part of me doesn’t even really want a job and would rather just have as many adventures as possible between now and when I leave in March. Between family vacation at Christmas and taking a few weeks off prior to departure to pack and tie up loose ends, I actually don’t have that much time left to work, but I suppose I should be responsible with my finances and try and save as much as possible.

Either way, look for some interesting updates in the future as I figure out what I’m actually doing here. As a side note I made an interesting observation as I was packing. My trunk and backseat are full of climbing and camping gear, and all of my clothes fit into a milk crate. What does that say about me?

Seneca in Pictures

This weekend I got out to do a little climbing at Seneca Rocks, WV with Regina, Scott and Dave. I figured rather than bore you with words I would post the best pictures from the weekend (click to enlarge). Here goes...






































































"Seneca Slop": carrots, potatos, 2 types of baked beans,
spaghetti sauce and 3 packets of chunk tuna. Heat in
tin foil bowl on open flame and serve over spaghetti.























Scott crushing it on The Threat (5.11d?)
I made it to a hare lower than where he is
in this picture, which pleasantly surprised me.

Ringing Rocks Park

Today I made a little side trip on the way home from dropping Jen and Kevin off at the Airport in Philly. I figured while I was over there I might as well make use of my $4 toll and spend a few hours at Ringing Rocks Park in Pottstown, PA. It's basically a seven acre open space covered 10 feet think in big boulders, and when you hit them just right they ring like bells. Don't believe me? Check out this video:


When you strike the rock it creates a series of tones at frequencies lower that the human ear can hear, but when they interact with each other it creates a sound high-pitched enough to be audible. We know how they ring, but no one really knows why. Scientists suspect it has something to do with stress within the rocks.

I was secretly hoping to find something large enough to boulder, but since all the big rocks are half buried by smaller ones nothing really has any decent height to it. The only thing I found was a little three move problem that was easy even for me in tennis shoes. Still I managed to entertain myself with a little rock hopping and I discovered some features on my camera to take a few cool pictures. Mostly I just relaxed in the sun until the clouds rolled back in and forced me home.

Sew...a needle pulling thread

My mom tried to teach me to sew when I was younger, but I just didn't have the patience for it back then. Now that I'm older and (slightly) more patient, I figured it was time to give it another go. I'd love to make my own clothes someday, but I decided it was best to start with something a little simpler, so I've got enough different kinds of fabric to make 8 copies of what my friend Jess calls my "hippie bag." Being a perfectionist means it takes me about 10x longer to make it than it would your average sweatshop worker, but the idea of owning something not manufactured in China or India is worth it. I'm taking this one down to DC with me tonight as a present for Regina, but keep it on the down low...its a surprise!

I could kick myself

Why? Because I lived for four summers in Washington DC without knowing about Carderock and Great Falls! This past weekend I drove down to do a little climbing with Regina and I loved it so much that I'm driving back down to climb again on Friday. I headed south immediately after work on Friday and made it just in time to catch the 5:00 service at National Community Church, then stayed the night at Regina's house. We got an alpine start Sunday morning, and due to some confusion as to the location of the crag we got on the rock at about 8am...2 hours earlier than we expected!

Carderock was unbelievably crowded with groups, but we managed to get a top rope up on a 5.7 crack climb and we each climbed it twice to get warmed up. After that we hiked to the other end of the cliffs to see what else the area had to offer, but there were so many people that we couldn't get on anything else until after lunch. Even still, it was great to be outside on such a beautiful day. The second climb we managed to get a rope on was on a slightly positive face with a lot of possibilities, although nothing over a 5.4. Since it was the only thing free at the time we decided to run a few laps on it and try to climb it as many different ways as possible. We actually ended up climbing the entire route with no hands to work on foot placement and balance, which resulted in some extremely sore legs the next day! Things started winding down around 4 and we were able to put up a top rope on a crack that we had originally eyed as a warm up. We climbed it twice (once in tennis shoes) then decided to swing over and do the face climb right next door. At this point we were feeling too lazy to set up another anchor somewhere else, so we wrapped up the day with some bouldering with our new friends Scott and Dave.

Regina had to work until 3:30 on Monday, so I spent the morning hanging out at the Panera in Alexandria, did some browsing at REI then met her at work to go straight to Great Falls. After some searching we met up with Scott and Dave and managed to squeeze in two good climbs before the sun went down. Once was a diagonal crack and the second was a flake to an overhang. Not sure what they were rated but they were definitely more challenging than the stuff we had seen on Saturday. The area was decidedly less crowded than Carderock, probably because there is a $5 entrance fee...but the scenery and the quality of climbs was totally worth it! We finished off the day with an impromptu picnic provided by Scott...fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, mango and a baguette!

Overall it was a fantastic weekend and it was over much too soon. I wish that I had known about these places while I was still living in the area, but as far as I'm concerned Great Falls is not an unreasonable day trip. I wouldn't drive three hours just for Carderock, but it would definitely be a good place to take a beginner or go to work on technique or endurance.

The Gunks!

This weekend I traveled up to the Gunks to do some climbing with David and Maraya, some friends I met at the Rendezvous. Since I got to New Paltz first I was delegated the critical task of securing a good campsite at the multi-use (read multi-abuse) area. I managed to claim a relatively flat and rock free spot pretty far from the road, and it didn't get very crowded since no one else seemed to want to hike up the gigantic hill that lead there. After pitching the tents we went out to dinner and then to shop rite to pick up some last minute supplies.

Despite a rain scare in the early morning hours, the weather on Saturday was warm and clear with a light breeze...perfect climbing weather! Our first climb, Beginners Delight (5.3) was aptly named since it was to be my very first multi-pitch route and to say I was delighted would be the understatement of the century. It took me a little while to get used to how much more exposed the cliff there is than other places I had climbed, but by the second pitch I was hooked. Nothing like looking down during a climb and noticing birds soaring a good fifty feet below you!

For our second climb of the day we settled on Updraft (5.5) a three pitch climb that ended with a rather narrow chimney. One thing I will say about the Gunks is most of the climbs seem rather stiff for their grade... The second pitch could have easily passed for a 5.7. That, combined with the necessity of using 3 rusty old pitons in a row as protection, means Maraya gets mad respect points for leading that thing. There were a couple of sections that had me rather nervous and I was on top rope! We ended up moving a bit slower that we expected, which resulted in a totally safe but still rather freaky three pitch rappel by moonlight, involving one scary tiny ledge.

We got a rather late start on Sunday, owing to the fact that we slept soundly until 9:30 and still had to break camp. We did a bit of bouldering to warm up and then had a rather leisurely lunch, which left enough time for just one more climb. We settled on Andrew (5.4), a four pitch climb (one pitch being walk across the GT ledge to the next belay station...) with a long traverse on the third pitch. Learning from our previous mistake we took along a headlamp, even though we were starting the climb at around 3pm and should have been down in plenty of time. Thank God we did because we ended up getting caught up behind another party and by the time we got started on the last two pitches (which David combined into one) the sun was already going down. Without the headlamp we would have had a lot of trouble finding the rappel station, which was some 400 yards climbers left, and even more trouble checking our setup as the moon was completely useless in the cloudy sky. To save time David took the second rope down first to set up the second rappell and I continued right on to the ground while he waited for Maraya so he could pull the first rope. Once off of the actual cliff we commenced a rather treacherous 4th class scramble back to the main trail.

Needless to say we packed plenty of adventure into those two short days. The funny thing about adventure though is the more you have the more you crave. I'm hoping to get back to the Gunks at least two more times before the season ends...who's with me?

Sandy Hook

Here are a few pictures from our bike ride at Sandy Hook yesterday. We left around 9am and got back home just in time for me to go to work. We rode the length of the park then explored Fort Hancock, an old army base that has since gone out of service. The lighthouse there is the oldest one in the United States! I took a little swim in the ocean while the parents ate lunch and had a quick nap on the beach. All in all a pretty good adventure!
























115,000 pound cannon. this is some serious fire power.






Part of the old gunnery





















The oldest lighthouse in the US

Happy 116th Birthday!

Today my dad turned 60 and my mom turned 56, so together they are 116 years old! I got a pretty funny look from the Carvel guy when I asked him to put that on the cake. I got my parents the Wii Fit game and I made spring rolls for lunch. After we at we went on a bike ride to the winery and had some wine and cheese. The last time I was there they were still framing the building so it was nice to finally see it finished.

An Adventure in Healthcare

Last week I got some good news and some bad news. The good news: the Peace Corps had finally started reviewing my medical evaluation, which brings me one step closer to an invitation. The bad news: my polio vaccination from 1992 wasn't current enough to protect me in parts of the world where polio is still prevalent. In order to complete my medical review I needed to get another polio vaccination, and thus I embarked on a journey into that crazy world we call the American health care system.

Had they started this process just two weeks earlier this would have been a complete non-issue. I would have gone to the doctor, forked over my $20 co-pay, gotten the shot and been on my merry way. Unfortunately for me I was dropped from my parents' health insurance on July 29th, and so obtaining a routine childhood vaccination became a little more complicated. I called the insurance company just in case there was some sort of paperwork error that left me still covered, but when I entered my social security number and birth date I was informed by a most realistic computer woman that I had indeed been terminated.

At first I wasn't too concerned about the lack of health insurance. When I lived in Virginia I was able to get all of the vaccinations that my insurance wouldn't cover at the Prince Edward County Health Department for the cost of the vaccine and a small processing fee. Thinking this was a universal system, I called up the Ocean County Health Department. After being transferred to 4 different people I finally sound someone who at least understood what I was asking for, only to be referred to an low-income vaccination clinic because "we don't do that sort of thing here." The lead sounded promising so I gave the clinic a call, but they wouldn't treat me because I was over the age of 18. Thinking that perhaps there could be clinics in other parts of the state that would have mercy I began dialing the health departments in other counties. For the next two hours I dialed every single county in the state, and I got every response from open hostility to complete indifference, but nothing that could be classified as useful.

At this point it was pretty clear I wasn't going to get any help from the state of New Jersey, so I decided to start looking at other alternatives. I called the CVS Minute Clinic on a whim, because a few years ago I got my yellow fever vaccination at a Ukrops, but all they can really do at CVS is take your temperature. Strike one. Next I tried looking up every variation of "low-income health care NJ" that I could think of on Google, but all I really got back were advertisements for pharmaceuticals. Strike two. Finally I tried calling Centra State hospital to see if they had any ideas where I could look, but I got transferred 8 different times and finally ended up with a voicemail in spanish. Strike three.

By this time I had been on the phone for about 4 hours and I was starting to get really frustrated. It was clear that when this was all said and done my wallet was going to be considerably lighter, so I kicked into bargain hunting mode and began calling around. I started with a few travel clinics, but all of them wanted to charge me a first-time patient fee of $65 or more plus a $25 administration fee plus $75 for the actual vaccine. I decided to keep looking. Next I called all of the doctors offices in New Egypt. 2 were on vacation and 2 weren't taking any new patients. The cheapest office visit fee I found was Dr. Jiovani for $90, but he didn't have any appointments open until September. I finally settled on Dr. Byrnes in Allentown because he had an appointment open Wednesday at 4pm and they were willing to take me as a new patient.

Luckily this story has a happy ending. Dr. Byrnes only charged me $88, which I suspect is just the cost of the vaccine, AND he even gave me some advice on how to treat my IT band, which has been bothering me since March. He was also by far the best doctor I've ever been to see when it comes to actually listening to what you have to say and not trying to rush you in and out.

This has definitely been an eye-opener as far as healthcare goes. I honestly don't know enough about Obama's new plan to comment one way or the other, but I certainly don't believe the people that argue that everything is fine the way it is. This has also made me really grateful for my good health, because to be sick or injured without insurance in this country would put you in debt for a really long time. I would be eligible for health coverage from NYSC in December, but I don't know that I'll be with them for that long. For now I'll just keep my fingers crossed that I remain healthy and I'll be just a little more careful when I'm hiking and climbing.

Blast from the Past

The Book Garden is this sketchy little used book store/florist on the edge of town, and for the longest time I thought it was a porn shop. On Tuesday Courtney drove over from Philly to make a donation there and meet me for lunch at the Bamboo House. On a whim I decided to do a little digging in the back, and what I came up with was a gold mine of really old Nat Geo, Life and travel magazines. They had stuff going all the way back to the 1920's for super cheap. I was tempted by a lot of things, but I ended up settling on this Holiday magazine from November 1956, because it was an entire issue on South America. My favorite article in the magazine, "Party of One," actually has nothing to do with travel at all. It is an editorial piece about eccentricity, and if it didn't span 6 pages I would copy the entire thing for you to read...instead I'll settle for an insanely long quote:
"One might begin by arguing that it is the eccentric who is the truly normal man. That is, he dares to be himself, which is what Henry Jones would like to be, only the neighbors would talk. In a sense the eccentric is our surrogate, our vicar. He takes upon him the cross of whim which the rest of us shrewdly suppress. He is humanity's Punch or Jack-in-the-box, a type and a toy for which we feel a kind of derisive affection. In one of his manifestations, the eccentric is merely a man with an excess of good sense. Failing to use the checkrein of common irrationality, he permits reasonableness to get out of hand. Visit the anatomical Museum of University College in London and you will come upon a cabinet containing the neatly wired skeleton of the philosopher Jeremy Bentham, dressed in the clothes he was wearing at his death in 1832. His will provided for this permanent window display. It also provided that his body be dissected....As a partial consequence of Bentham's will, the Anatomy Act was passed, removing legal barriers to dissection. Now-was Jeremy an eccentric? Or was he merely carrying out-to the final extremity- his idea of the greatest good for the greatest number? I say he was so sane that he seems queer, whereas the rest of us, who look forward to encumbering with our remains a vast area of valuable real estate, are meerly queer in such large numbers that we seem sane."

The article goes on to describe all of the different types of eccentrics....eccentricity as an exuberance of imagination, the eccentric man who lives in part in the future, the full-flower eccentric, the perfect eccentric.... Lets just say it makes me feel a lot better about being "that weird outdoorsy girl" at work. I'd be happy to type up the whole article and send it to anyone who wants it...I think its totally worth it.

Possibly better than the articles in this magazine are the advertisements. Funny to see stuff like "Atlantic crossed for first time by telephone cables!" and "Be the first to cook with microwaves!" in big bold letters. Here are a few of my other favorites...



"Translate your figure into fashion success with modern line by Formfit. For Gaytime you'll love Life Girdle No. 1590. Starts high on the midriff...trims and slims with Nylon taffeta and light elastic. White or Pink. 15 or 16 inches long. $16.50"









"Buy only the Haf-A-Jama you sleep in. Famous Pajama Separates in fine Sanforized cotton breadcloth."

"Uppa-Jama extra long jacket, no southern exposure!"

"Lowa-Jama boxer waistband- gripper snaps, large pocket."

"Why pay for a whole pair when you wear only half? Haf-A-Jama is the answer!"


"Take a Pack"

"Tobacco is a dirty weed; I like it. is the start of the delightful verse on this antiqued pine Cigarette Dispenser. Fill it at the top and remove a pack at a time from the bottom. It is 12" high, hangs on the wall; one size holds a full carton of regular or king-sized cigarettes. For your kitchen, hall playroom or den"


Seriously... PLAYROOM?

July Recap

First things first, the reason I haven't written anything in so long is not because there hasn't been anything going on. Quite the contrary, there has been quite a lot going on in the past month.

Item of Business #1

The reason I've put off writing for so long is because I didn't want to talk about Oxford. A few weeks ago the neighbor's cat got him during the night. It didn't get into the kennel but he was sticking his head out to look for me in the morning like he always does and the cat got a hold of it. I like to think that he didn't suffer much, and I know that he had a great life, but it was still really sad. Ox was pretty much my only friend in New Jersey and doing things without him just isn't the same.

Item of Business #2

The funny thing about life is if you have the money to do what you want you don't have the time, and if you have the time then you don't have the money. It's not too bad if you have a job you love, but that's not exactly the case right now. Still I'm trying to make the best of the job I have. I'm using our slow times to train for climbing and I've managed to drop 10lbs since I started working there. I'm also looking at taking a second training job at LA Fitness. If I've got to work all the time I might as well make as much money as possible.

Item of Business # 3

After only a month at New York Sports Clubs I was already in desperate need of a vacation, so I took six days off and ran away to West Virginia to climb at New River with my friends Jen and Kevin. Definitely ranks as one of the best trips I've ever been on. The weather was great, the company was awesome and the climbing was superb. On my way down I stopped in Farmville to see Dr. Koesler and Dr. Morrison and to get my hair cut by Mack. He was so shocked that I drove 8 hours for a hair cut that he did it for free! I stayed with Jo and I got kind of a late start in the morning because the Tour de France was on, but I managed to get on the road by 11.


We got to Rogers around 5 on Saturday and almost as soon as we got our tents set up we were treated to a fantastic thunder storm. The next morning we were up early and climbed at Kaymoor for the day because we knew it would be dry. It turned out to be a great day for climbing and I even got up on a 5.11 and flailed around a bit. I got farther than I expected but I think its going to be at least another year before something like that will be possible.


Monday we did a bit more hiking than climbing. We got a warm up climb in when a big group showed up and set up on a few of the climbs we were looking to do, so we decided to head to the other end of Bubba City. It looked a lot shorter in the guide book than it actually was. We ended up hiking for two hours through the jungle, the valley of death and the evil den of teh satan spiders. We ended up getting so tired that we bailed on the climbing and decided to just go back and make hamburgers, but not before we took a well needed break at an overlook. I think this picture just about says it all.


Tuesday we headed to Summersville lake to take a swim/bath and finish on some climbing. Once again a big group of kids showed up but this time we decided to work around them rather than try and go somewhere else. The last day was definitely my best day as far as climbing was concerned. I had a bit of a foot problem that I think was caused by hiking in shoes that were just too small, but I managed to get it taped just right and so it didn't hold me back too much.

All in all it was an amazing trip, and it was definately depressing to have to leave. It was nice to climb with people a little closer to my skill level. The last two times I was at the New I was climbing with people who were much better than me and I always felt like I was holding them back. Hopefully we'll be able to get together for another trip sometime soon...I really need something to look forward to in order to survive work.

Item of Business #4

I'm 22. I spent my birthday driving about 11 hours back to New Jersey, but it wasn't a total waste. I was giving a ride to Dominik, a friend from Germany that I met at Rogers, so at least I didn't have to drive all by myself. I took him through DC on the way home because he was planning on heading there after New York and I wanted to help him get the lay of the land. It added a bit of time to our drive, especially since we hit it at the height of rush hour but Dominik bought me Chipotle so it was totally worth it. A 2 pound burrito definitely ranks right up there on the list of best birthday meals. To top it off my parents took me to the Bamboo house the next day, which is just about the best Japanese place you will ever eat at. I also got a box of cow tails, Orbit gum and some money to buy a climbing helmet. The cake wasn't bad either.

Oxford Goes to DC

This weekend I went down to DC to help move everything out of the apartment. It's so sad to think that I won't have a home there anymore...now I really feel stuck in New Jersey. We went down Saturday morning I took Oxford into town to swim in the fountains and walk on the Mall. It's nearly impossible to take 10 steps with a duck in a city full of tourists and not be stopped by someone wanting a picture. Its strange to think that there are about 50 complete strangers out there with my picture on their camera. I can just imagine them showing their vacation pictures to their friends...."and this is the duck lady we met on the mall..."
Saturday night I went to dinner with my parents and my mom's cousins Tom and Ruth and we visited the WWII memorial and the Pentagon memorial. It's interesting to think that the people down there had a completely different 9/11 experience than those of us closer to New York. I'm sure our media was much more focused on the World Trade Center and theirs more on the Pentagon. It's hard to believe I was only a freshman in high school when it happened...it doesn't seem like that long ago.

Sunday I went to church at NCC for the last time in a long time. I think that was the hardest thing about leaving DC, because this was the first church I'd ever been to where I would actually count down the days until the next service. Oxford came with me to church in my purse and was really well behaved. I took him down to the Lincoln memorial after the service to swim in the reflecting pool, and it took us nearly 4 hours to get there and back because so many people wanted to stop and pet him. Mom and I topped off the weekend by seeing Night at the Museum in the IMAX at the Smithsonian. Pretty cool to watch a movie in the place it was set.

I Have a Job!

A few weeks ago I was searching online for gyms in my area when I ran across New York Sports Clubs in Freehold. I didn't know if they were hiring, but I went through with the online application just in case. Turns out I applied just as their previous Fitness Services Manager was leaving and I was encouraged to go ahead and interview for that position, which I did. I had a feeling I wasn't quite qualified for it being just out of college, but Dr. Roy told us all to apply for at least one job we thought was unattainable so I figured it couldn't hurt to try. I didn't end up getting the position (which was expected), but they did offer me a personal training job which is what I was originally hoping for anyway.

To be honest I'm glad things worked out the way they did...I don't know if I would be quite comfortable being in a management position at this point in my career. I've got orientation on the 16th and I'll start working shortly after that. I've changed my volunteer times with Rein Dancer to Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings so hopefully the two schedules won't conflict. I'm really excited to get back into the fitness world and start personal training again. Working for NYSC is going to be a bit different than training for Longwood...I've got a certain amount of floor hours and I've got to recruit my own clients and do a certain amount of training sessions each quarter. I think I might even get to teach some group fitness classes, which will be great! I'm looking forward to getting some really good experience out of this position as well as making some much needed income. Wish me luck!

The Graduated Life

After graduation I did something I swore I would never do...I swallowed my pride and moved back in with my parents. Honestly its a bit embarrassing and makes me feel like a bit of a failure, especially considering I've been working and saving very hard these past four years and I could afford to be living on my own. Not the easiest decision, but the most sensible since I don't know when I'll be leaving with the Peace Corps and therefore cannot commit to leasing an apartment. Hopefully I will hear something soon, as I finished my physical exam and mailed everything in the week before graduation. So far my dental and legal records have been cleared, but my physical exam is still waiting to be reviewed.In the mean time I'm on a temporary job search.

I heard a report on CNN the other day that said only 20% of 2009 college graduates will find a job in their chosen career field within the next year. Depressing, but I suppose McDonald's is always hiring. Its tough finding a position in the fitness industry in New Egypt when the closest gym is 45 minutes away from home...still, things aren't too bad yet. I've had several interviews so far and was even offered a personal training position. Unfortunately I had to turn it down after I was told I would have to work 70 hours a week to meet my sales quota, but I would only be paid for 25. I know, I know...I should just take what I can get...but there come's a point where your own personal sanity is worth more than $350 a week. I've got two more prospects within reasonable commuting distance and if that doesn't work out I might have to think about moving someplace else and perhaps renting a room from a friend.

To the gainfully employed it might seem like a pretty sweet gig laying around all day with not much to do, but I can assure you it's absolute torture. Still I've been managing to keep fairly busy. I'm volunteering twice a week with the Rein Dancer therapeutic riding program walking horses for disabled children. So far its been really rewarding, although I was disappointed to find that I'm still hopelessly allergic to horses. I've also been taking Oxford down to Prospertown or Colliers Mill lakes almost every day for a bit of exercise. Today we spent a couple of hours with a retired gentleman who shared his sandwich with Oxford and took us for a ride in his rowboat. Ox swam along side for a while, but was really more interested in sitting in the boat than the water.

My limit for watching TV is about 2 hours before I start going nuts, so I've been doing a lot of reading. One of these days I'll go down and get myself a library card, but for now I'm enjoying re-reading some of the books I left at home while I was in college. I would say I'm averaging about 6 hours a day of reading. C.S. Lewis once said "If a book isn't worth reading multiple times then it was not worth reading even once." Here's a list of what I've read since graduation...and of course I would recommend them all, but the ones with the stars are seriously worth going out and buying:

Watership Down (Adams)*- the pages are falling out of this one I've read it so many times
The Silmarillion (Tolkien)
Ahab's Wife (Naslund)*- beautifully written, and no need to read Moby Dick to understand it...still Ahab's character is richer if you have...
Infidel (Ayaan hirsi Ali)*- memoir of an unbelievably inspiring Somali woman
Harry Potter 1-4 (working on 5 now...)
The Hiding Place (Ten Boom)
The Bookseller of Kabul (Seierstad)*-portrait of an Afghan household written by a journalist who lived with the family
Three Cups of Tea (Mortenson)*- serious inspiration for the way we should be going about this so-called "war on terror"
Redeeming Love (Rivers)
The Shia Revival (Nasr)
What is the What (Eggers)
The Zanzibar Chest (Hartley)
There are Mountains to Climb (Deeds)
A Long Way Gone (Beah)*- memoirs of a child soldier (stock up on tissues)

Adventures at Colliers Mills Lake

I've been taking Oxford to the lake every day to do a little swimming and he's been having a blast running through the grass and eating all the tadpoles he can fit in his little belly.

There is another female duck that lives at the lake that doesn't get on with Ox very well. She follows us everywhere and pinches his butt if he gets too close. There's also a black snake living in the reeds near the shore but so far he hasn't caused us any trouble.