I'm back...

I'm back from the cruise... have lots to tell you, some stuff I'll keep in the family, but I'll give you a hint: the drinking age in Mexico is 18... my little brother and sister are 18 and 19. you do the math...

We had fun, lots and lots of fun!

I really want to tell you all about it, but right now I'm way too overwhelemed with what is not good that I am having trouble remembering all the fun I had.

This is why I hate vacations, when I return, so much has happened while I was gone it seems that irreparable damage has occurred. Let's see where to start:

My car was in the shop, my mother got it fixed, but I still have to deal with that
Bills were not paid before the cruise, so now I have late fees (oops)
My bank account went into the negative while I was gone, so the aforementioned issue is now even worse
My store damn near fell apart, and the WHOLE operating system is different and confusing
I CANNOT seem to actually quit, really? I put in a 4 (FOUR) week notice and I have been asked to stay another 5 days, I really hate being a doormat, and feeling trapped!

AND to top it all off, I'm an emotional mess because I'm still so tired and I over-indulged myself, only to come back and deprive myself (luckily my roommate bought me dinner last night, otherwise I might have starved to death, no lunch today though) and so I'm straight depressed.

SO, when I get the happy back, I'll post pictures and tell you all about my trip

The Ocean is a calling!

I am in the hotel lobby at the Hyatt Pier 66 in Ft Lauderdale. This may be one of the nicest hotels I've ever stayed in. I'm on the 9th floor and the view is spectacular. Sadly, I was too brain dead to think to bring the cord to my camera so that I could upload pictures from here, so you're going to have to wait until I get back and see all the pics at once.

Daddy and the rest of the gang got half way to Ft. Lauderdale before realizing they had left the passports at home, so he was about three hours late getting here, I had to take a cab from the airport. And when I say this, I'm so not exaggerating: I had the ANGRIEST cab driver ever. he was really mad to have to drive me!! strange, thought that's how they made money... whatever, I made it here and took a nap! So I was kinda glad that Daddy was running late.

Hung out with the boys and Cheri and Dad for a minute and then we went to dinner at the Grill 66. I had the BEST seared tuna with truffle sauce and spinach and rice. holy cow it was to die for. Daddy picked out the wine, 'cause I'm not so good with anything over a $10 bottle of Yellow Tail, and it was really good too. If you're ever in Ft Lauderdale and you have some cash to throw around, go eat there!!!

I love vacations with my Dad, I feel like a princess! The weather here is great, it's warm yet breezy and really pretty.

There's only wifi in the lobby, which coincidentally contains a bar, so I'm having a Bass and it's really good. I think it may taste better strictly because I'm on the beach. I think tomorrow I'm going to get a pedicure with my soon-to-be step mom, it's Dad's way of getting out of painting her toenails =)

Kelly and Brian come in tomorrow and then first thing Saturday morning we're embarking on the cruise.

Okay, well I think I'm going to go back upstairs and visit with the family some more. Just wanted to let you all in Internet world that I'm safe and sound in Ft. Lauderdale.

Jackson Hole house...

My Friend Lola is nice enough to let me crash at her house for a little while until I can find a place of my own. Here's some pictures of her house:


It was just finished the other day, so the landscaping hasn't been finished and there's only bare minimal furniture in the house.


master bedroom


spare bedroom
entrance hall

view from the master bedroom

kitchen

living room

Well, there's my temporary place of residence for ya! I am very very excited!!

Ramblin' Man, Travelin' Light

TRAVELING SONGS!!!

there's hundreds, I've got a list started, but I need more. Give me your thoughts.

so far here's what I have:

Rambler's Anthem- Yonder Mountain String Band

Travelin' Light- Widespread Panic

GO Travling On- Bill Monroe

Traveling Man- WSP

Ramblin Man- Allman Brothers

On the Road Again- Willie Nelson

Road Trippin- Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Ramble On- Led Zeplin

America- SImon and Garfunkle

Runnin Down a Dream- Tom Petty

Born to Be Wild- Steppenwolf

Life is a Highway- (who the hell sings this???)

Truckin

Casey Jones

Going Down the Road Feelin' Bad- all 3 Grateful Dead

This Wheel's on Fire- The Band

Shenandoah

Big Rock Candy Mountain

Carry on Wayward Son- Kansas

Goin' to Carolina- James Taylor

Would love to have a song about every state we pass through- NC, WV, KY, IL, MS, KS, CO, WY

Please give me suggestions of your favorite traveling songs!!

I read somewhere… how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong… but to feel strong.

that's a quote from Alexander Suptertramp (Christopher McCandless) from the book/movie into the Wild.

I think it's quite fitting right now.

I am not going to lie. I'm scared to death about the move- TERRIFIED

What if I don't make friends, what if I can't get a job, what if (worst of all) I fail?!?!

I guess it's a really good thing that I get off on adrenaline... 'cause the more scared I get and the more butterflies that appear in my belly, the more pumped up I get.

Once I remember getting my nose bent out of shape that I was having a really bad day and no one bothered to ask me what was wrong. When I said something to my friend about no one noticing that I might need a shoulder, she commented "I had no idea, you seem totally put together," at that point I broke down crying, "I am NOT put together, I'm a mess!"

"well, you had us all fooled," she responded.

SO, my question is, by hiding my not-so-happy feelings from the world am I being genuine? or am I being strong. If I believe that I am strong, does that make me strong? If I believe that I can do anything, does that mean that I really can?

aside: just got a call about my house, so maybe the universe is on my side...

back to existential thought:

Can I do this? I really think I can! I really think that I am strong enough to do this: to leave my "comfort zone" and venture out on my own, scary as it may be to be far away from the people that have always been there to back me up (i know they still will be, just not physically there) I KNOW in my heart, that I'm going to be okay. And when I return to Birmingham one day, I will be able to stand on my own two feet and be my own person.

I feel strong, so I must actually be strong...

GUESS WHAT I FOUND!?!?!!

I have just stumbled upon the most exciting thing about my relocation:

ENCLOSURE CLIMBING GYM

They have over 12,000 square feet of climbing, a bouldering area and indoor sport. In addition to lots and lots of texturized wall, they have a complete fitness center, they offer yoga classes and facia fun ball classes and classes for climbing as well. For Members, the gym is open from 6am to 9pm. It's $55 a month.

AND what's more? They are looking for full time, part time and child care attendants. I totally just applied via e-mail, I'll probably fax them my resume and cover letter as soon as I get it printed out! They have lots of children's programs, that would probably be the coolest thing ever if I could work as a babysitter in the nursery and then help out with the kids camps and afterschool programs as well! please, send good thoughts into the universe that something like that could work out for me!!!

AND, I need someone in B'ham to rent my house, so pray, do the rent-the-house-dance, whatever you gotta do to increase the chances that my Craig's List Ad will work

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. - Mahatma Gandhi

I have hit a wall. Emotionally.



I have lost it.


I need to find it again.






This move to Jackson could not come at a better time in my life. Soul searching is a necessity. I'm hoping that a week spent with my family far away from all the drama in Birmingham will help kick-start some me time.




self reflection time.




I want to learn how to meditate. I think that it would be a very good thing for me to do. In the book Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert talks about her journey to finding herself. She went across the world, I'm going across the country. She spent three months in Italy concentrating on pleasure, self indulgence, doing what she wanted when she wanted... I've pretty much been doing that for the past three months here in Birmingham (although I think she may have more self control than I). Then she spent three months in India focusing on internal peace and religion. She stays at an Ashram and spends her days devoting her life to a higher power.







This is the next step in my journey. I need to find something that I can really believe in and get behind. I'm having trouble doing that with the church. I am not entirely interested in organized, political religion. I just want to find God again. So, here's my wall. I have all these toxic emotions running through my soul. My energy is bad. I need a cleansing and a new beginning. I would love to find a Guru.



Okay, so just to round out the explanation of the book: after three months devoting her life to another, higher power, Elizabeth goes to Indonesia to try and find a balance between the two: pleasure and devotion.



but I still need to get through step 2 first. Back to basics:





I'm having a garage sale: cleansing myself of all that is the past. I'm getting rid of all of it. (well, most all of it, things that I don't want to get rid of are going in storage) But downsizing into a car, will really help me come to terms with the fact that I don't NEED ALL THIS STUFF.



I don't NEED to have all the latest toys. I don't NEED things.




I have a shopping compulsion. I like to spend money that I don't have on things I don't need. Living out of my car and living on the cheap is going to be a HUGE challenge for me, and I think (I really really hope) it will ground me some.



Second, I'm hoping that the nature tour 08 will help me rediscover God. This country is going to shit. but when you get away from all the politics, the TV, the computer (yeah right, I'll still be blogging when I can) and the cell phones and the over-all plugged-in-ness that bombards us everyday, hopefully there will be room for God again.




my minimalist portion of the journey will only last a month, not all of us have the luxury of hiding in India to reach enlightenment, but then when I arrive in Wyoming, I will have cleansed and lived. Maybe I will be able to find balance.





Here's hoping...

the only room with a ceiling fan has no TV in it...

I always do these on myspace, but I am feeling kinda sassy tonight and though I would do a survey on the 'ol blogspot, so enjoy.

What's a fact about the last person who texted you?
her bday is june 20th!


What is your favorite thing to eat?
bad for me food. but I greatly enjoy good food too, I just am too lazy to cook it lately

What do you currently hear right now?
nothing, Pandora's not done loading... wait a second let me fix that... hang on... ok fixed now I'm listening to THe night they drove ole dixie down as sung by the Black Crowes

What do you think your number 1 is doing right now? (this is a myspace question)
Since 1991, the Access Fund has been the only national advocacy organization that keeps climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. The Access Fund supports and represents over 1.6 million climbers nationwide in ALL forms of climbing; Rock Climbing, Ice Climbing, Mountaineering, and Bouldering. Five core programs support the mission on national and local levels: public policy, stewardship & conservation (including grants), grassroots activism, climber education, and land acquisition. To find out how you can help please go to: http://accessfund.org/ You can find info about the many ways you can keep climbing alive in the United States.

*as taken from their about me section on myspace... check em out http://www.myspace.com/accessfundclimbing

What’s your favorite thing to have on your bed?
I love to wrap up under my down comforter and sleep with the fan and a/c on but I can't do that tonight, becuase I have no A/C

What's the last thing you ate?
green beans, homemade tomatoe soup and alfredo pasta. then a popsicle. 'cause it's HOT

Can you sleep in jeans?
not tonight. I have passed out in them before, BUT I never really wear jeans out which is the only time I would end up having the need to sleep fully clothed

What is something you just don’t understand?
why I am an irresponsible homeowner and forgot to schedule the begining of the summer maintenance thinking it would be fine all summer... IT"S SO HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not kidding, the thermostat says 90 degrees

Who was the last person you were in a car with?
amanda

Is there someone on your mind that shouldn't be?
eh.not really

Do you care what others think about you?
a little

Do you think you'll be married in 10 years?
i'll be 36 in ten years, i kinda doubt it actually. I have a feeling I'm meant to be that weird single cooky aunt that lives the dream out west, and brings weird presents from trips to New Mexico and whatnot

Did you have a good day?
eh. it was really any other day. I little this, some that. then the A/C went out sometime while I was out and about, and came home to a hot house


What do you look forward to in the next 3 months?
leaving for my adventure. getting a job in Jackson, having fun until I leave the cruise that I'm going on in a week. there's a fancy cocktail party at the country club for my grandparent's 60 aniversary

How many people of the opposite sex do you fully trust?
0. and 0 of the same sex. I don't fully trust anyone but myself...


When was the last time you got flowers?
when Brandon and I broke up and he tried to fix it with roses. Silly boy.

Do you plan on moving out in the next year?
silly question, you guys know I'm leaving

Where did you get the shirt you are wearing?
n/a: sports bra. i've ranted enough about why...

Do you like winter?
i sure hope so, I'm about to be in WINTER land

Do you regret anything?
just meeting you... haha! kidding. nope, we all learn from our mistakes

Honestly, what's on your mind right now?
do you really have to ask?

Do you think a lot of people think bad things about you?
I'm sure there are people who don't like me for their own silly reasons, but my friends love me and although we can be catty from time to time, we never think ill of the other person


Do you think you're approachable?
totally! I'm one of the friendliest people you'll ever meet

How late did you stay up last night?
don't know

Suppose you see your crush kissing another person?
eh, I'm leaving anyway. he was just eye candy and a flirt buddy. (secretly really upset)


if you could change anything about your apperance would you?
I need to get back on track on working out and eating right. but as Gillian so adequetly put it i'm at "summer camp" this year.

has anyone ever told you they loved you?
yes

You're really upset; who is the first guy you go to?
lately it's been my Daddy or my soon-to-be step brother. 'cause the men in my birmingham life don't really like to hear about "feelings" and "girl" stuff, I have to be tough around the boys. I can also go to Khoury if it's not him I'm upset with =)


Have you been to New York City?
nope- don't really HAVE to ever go there, it would be kinda cool to see some shows and go play ski ball on Coney Island or whatever, but the posh fashionista part of me is pretty dead.


Do you think you have made a difference in anyone's life?
I sure hope so

Has anyone ever tattooed your name on them?
nope. but Porter did brand me hahaha! not really, he just drew it for me. so I've got his art on my back forever and ever. its a good thing I still hold a dear place for him in my heart, you know as opposed to the alternative...



When is your next road trip?
sept 1 WV, KY, ILL, MS, KS, CO to WY. I'm going from the first state (alphabetically) to the last btw. that's kinda cool


Where is your pet(s) right now?
She is sprawled out on the tile floor. I might have to join her

What color are your eyes?
blue



Do you need to say anything to anyone?
just you: I LOVE YOU!



What were you doing at 7AM?
i was asleep



Who was the last person to make you cry?
someone who means a lot to me.

Whats bothering you right now?
oh nothing really... just the teeny little thing about my AIR CONDITIONING>>>

Ever seen somebody get shot?
gracious no! how horrible that must be for those who have! my thoughts go out to everyone in the universe that's had to witness such a tragedy. and of course those that were victims of such tragedies.

Where are you?
in my bed, sprawled out under the fan with ice packs on my belly and the computer on a bed tray so that the heat doesn't make my lap hotter... it's miserable!!! if anyone's up and they have a couch that I can sleep on. please let me know. I can leave Elu in the backyard and be there in no time... I just want to get some sleep. but it's so hard to when you can't breathe....

sorry, my bad didn't mean to get all pathetic you you, I'm totally fine! I'm just whiny


Do you fight with your grandparents often?
we're all too old for that. and don't see each other enough. I avoid topics of politics around them. I let my grandmother talk about hippie this and liberal that and "those damn democrats" and I don't say a word... I bite my tongue and smile. let her rant. refusing to give her ammo. however. the environment is one thing I will stand my ground on... just don't tell anyone I'm a democrat please...

Do you get butterflies every time you see the one you like?
it's most likely just indigestion


Do you get mad or discouraged when you're wrong?
I'm never wrong. so that's an invalid question


Do you currently have a hickey?
how do you let that happen? seriously, can you not feel someone SUCKING ON YOUR NECK and say "excuse me, what the hell are you doing to my neck, you are not a vampire and I'm not putting up with this, get the hell out..."
at least, that's what i would say

According to your ex, what are you?
I'm going to choose the happy answer, there is more than one ex and they all thing different things. let's go with the one who doesn't hate me:
he thinks I'm awesome, however he has a deranged notion that I once pointed a pistol at him and likes to sing about it on a semi regular basis, then call me out in the bar and tell everyone to ask me about the time I help a pistol at him. I laugh and remind everyone how I feel about guns.


Have you ever cried and didn't know why?
yes, I do have a uterus.

Do you like being in pictures?
only if the angle is right and I can look up and make my chin look smaller. no full body pics please, I will get back to you when I loose some weight and we'll talk about amending that


Would you rather watch football or baseball?
football. baseball does not appeal to me honestly

Choose a color you like:
GREEN!!!!

What's your ex doing?
not a clue. i don't really keep up with their day to day goings on. that's why they are EXes...

What are you thinking about right now?
is this ice pack going to leak on me if I fall asleep with it on me

What’s your middle name?
Ann

Could you date someone taller then you?
kinda have to. I'm not really that tall

How many people did you hit today?
you know how I feel about violence.


relationship status?
summer camp.

Are you happy with that?
sure am

Do you regret being with your ex?
I regret staying in it as long as I did (this being the not-so-happy ex) but he taught me a lot and we had some fun times, we just were not compatible to live together forever


Ever been heartbroken?
see above

Ever been in love?
sure

What's up DOG?

I just received some things in the mail from my future roommate in Jackson Hole. She sent me news papers and brochures and a MAP of Jackson. In the Newspapers there's classifieds for job and all sort of cool stuff. But the coolest thing I've found is this.

There's a sled dog race that starts in Jackson in February, it's kicked off at the winter festival. COME ON!?!? Sled Dogs... Elu the Wonder Dog and sled dogs living and breathing and running and being beautiful majestic animals all in the same place! I'm so excited I can barely stand it.

Could THIS be Elu one day?
I know she's not a pure bred Husky or Malimute, BUT she is strong and determined. I think I'll have to get her a sled to play with.

Elu, might be the coolest dog in the world, I just have to say. For the sake of nostalgia, take a little trip down memory lane with me...

This is Lady Elu (aka Elu the Wonder-dog) on her first day with Mommy...



And here's a shot of her playing with her brothers. They are about five months old in this picture.

Then just before her first birthday I took her to the mountains of North Carolina/Tennessee to do some hiking in the Appalachian Trail
I MEAN!!! no do me a favor, scroll up to the first picture of the Snow Dog and tell me she's not perfect for that!



Then around March, Elu standing tall at 15 months, I take her back to her home in the Nantahala National Forest and we go to the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest...
I'm really excited about taking my dog-child on the Great American Adventure with me. There's nothing cooler than having a best friend who loves you unconditionally and being able to share something so important and life-changing with her.

and maybe one day, she can pull me through the snow on the back of a sled

Go west young one!

I'm ready! well, in my head I'm ready I still have lots of things to do to ACTUALLY be ready for the move to Jackson Hole.

I have to find someone to rent out my house. I've got a few leads on that one!

I have to find a new car, something bigger than my Civic but not too scarry on gas milage. I was told to bring a 4wd, but I think I'll just bum rides when the snow gets too bad, 'cause I can't afford to drive a 4wd across the country.

I need to get a storage unit

AND have a yard sale.

I have been applying for jobs out there.
I've also planned out the route we're going to take to get there.

From Birmingham we're going to the New River Gorge, in West Virginia for some climbing, then headed about two hours west to the Red Rive Gorge. After that we've found a music festival in Harrodsburg, Ky, then to the Shawnee National Forrest... then we figured we'd just bust ass across Missouri and Kansas, and get to Colorado, depending on the time, we'll hang out in Denver, maybe El Dorado for a day or two before heading up to Jackson Hole!

well, that's what's going on in my moving planning head of mine.

Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world

It has been a WEEKEND!!!!

Thursday at 3pm I clocked out of work, and didn't have to clock back in until 2pm Monday afternoon. I guess I'll start from the beginning: Thursday evening was a potluck dinner at Amanda's house. It quickly became a "vag-luck" with five girls sitting around bitching about men and the terrible things they have done to us. (this might be important later in the story) We ate yummy food and had a few good beers. I left from there and went to meet up with a friend of mine at On Tap and have a few more yummy beers.


Friday: the 4th of July (aka indepenDANCE day) Wake up at 7:30, at Katie's house by 8:15 to get up and go to the river. OH how I love float trips. Katie wasn't awake yet, so I spent some time cleaning out and organizing my car in her driveway. Finally around 9 she woke up to my 100 phone calls and text messages. We picked up Jana and their friend January and headed south to the river. It was the perfect day for floating down the river. In my last post about the float trip I didn't explain the pure amazing-ness that is the Little Cahaba and Limestone Canoe Park. You park at the take-out and walk up to the old man in a shack, pay him $10 a person and grab a tube. Momentarily there will be a younger dude in a pick-up truck who will then take you to the drop-off point. This particular day was not at all crowded, so the four of us were the only ones in the back of the truck (often it's so crowded that you're packed in like sardines). This time around we have the cooler on its own tube and we have lots of rope and carabiners to tie everything together (this is what happens when you try to do anything with a gear head like myself) It was a lazy trip, some paddling, some kidney bruising (none by me- I made it out unscathed somehow), some climbing up and jumping off rocks, you know good, old fashioned, American entertainment. MAN I LOVE THIS COUNTRY!

SO after we eat a hot dog and drank a Coke, we loaded up the car and headed back. dropped everyone off and took a shower, then went and picked up Jana and went to Amanda's house to watch the fireworks and get ready for Glitch Mob. We got WOMPed out. And I can't explain WOMP to you. I wish I could, but it's an experience. It's dressing like a Merry Prankster and being with awesome people and dancing until you think your feet are going to fall off. It's being young and free and fun! And that we were. I danced away the pain and anger. I danced away the frustration and fear. Danced away self loathing and negativity. I danced it all out and when I left the show (completely sober btw) I felt like a new person, albeit a very sore new person.






Jana and I stayed and Amanda's that night and when we woke up the next morning, none of us could put our shoes on. Pretty sure when I dropped Jana off at work, she was carrying her shoes in with her. I went home and hung out with Elu, watched some TV then Amanda called to see if I wanted to go to the lake with her. Her parents just bought a pontoon boat and have it at a marina on Lay Lake. so... off we go. We chilled out and took a boat ride, dropped anchor and swam for a little bit then went tubing! There are some hilarious pictures from that event... I'll add them later, when I get them from Amanda.

After the lake we met up with my friend Jason at a backyard party out in the country. nothing too exciting to report from that event, other than for some reason we tried to start a fire... and it was too wet.

Okay, so now we're up to Sunday. I wake up at 10:30 or so (oh how I love to sleep in!!!) to Feeny calling me giving me details about when we're planning on meeting up to go to Little River Canyon. We meet at noon and load up animals in the truck and head out...


Although the Canyon has some pretty amazing climbing, we just went to play in the water and swim.

Here's Megan and I at the top of the hike in.





So even though we didn't go there to climb, once I got to the swimming hole I was really upset that I had left my shoes and chalk in the car, 'cause there was a (what looks to be) nice little V2 coming out of the water. I know if I had shoes on I could have climbed this crack, but being as wet and slippery as it was, it wasn't happening'!




At least not the V2 route... I found a scramble up the arete for the very important purposed of JUMPING! (yes mother I checked to see how deep it was first)
Elu had a BLAST! I didn't get any shots of her swimming 'cause she was mostly swimming with me. But she LOVED to swim. We raced across the pond, and she almost beat me!!! (both swimming doggy paddle of course, gotta make it fair).

After we got home from Little River Canyon, we went to Formagio's for a Calzone and a tasty beverage!

GREAT WEEKEND!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! I hope I celebrated enough for you!

Biner Madness

Granger and I are at work, playing on the gear wall, like we do when he decided to wax philosophical about carabiners... "What is the intended purpose for a carabiner?" he asks. I told him I'd make him a list, so far here's what I've come up with.

uses for carabiners: (in addition to quick draws)


key chain
to clip things to your pack
to keep your chacos (or any pair of shoes with finger pull loops) together
to keep your climbing shoes and chalk bag altogether
chalk bag to harness
bail biners
belt buckle
hair tie holder
jewelry organizer
chalk bag clip
hammock hanger
to clip your camel back from a tree to take a shower
to clip a lantern to webbing hanging from a tree
dog leash
to hang things on the inside of your tent
water bottle (siggs mainly) clip
to fix a toilet
to look cool walking into a bar with caribiners hanging off your pants...


what do you use your carabiner for?

She feels like kicking out all the windows...

Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!

It's been a helluva week guys. Seriously, I've been stressed out and sad and worried and angry and every other kind of emotion you could imagine. I'm only one person and I can only handle so much emotion, especially when the reason for all these feelings (ugh feelings are so very annoying) is another person. This person has drained me... sucked the life right out of me. I once had a professor refer to a person in a similar situation as being attacked by "an emotional vampire". An emotional vampire expects you to be there for them, listen to their problems, their bitching, their SHIT. But as soon as you have a legit problem, or concern, or something you need to get off your chest, they are suddenly way too busy, or have a problem of their own or whatever. OK, my point is not to go on and on about my situation but give you some background on why I so desperately need for things to be about me for just a little while.

aside: I like having this blog, I can pretend that people actually read it and at least I can vent and say what I need to say and get it off my chest... and it can be ALL ABOUT ME!!!


I feel the need to have a ME day, maybe some shopping, a spa day, a hair cut. Girly stuff you know?!?

I mean, I CAN BE a girl! Just 'cause I like to get dirty and hang with the boys doesn't mean that I'm not a GIRL dammit. I look pretty in dresses, I have feelings and I like hugs, and I want someone to take me out to dinner... (boys, take note here if anywhere): CLIMBING IS NOT A DATE. Granted it's awesome fun and I will do it any day of the week, every now and then a girl needs some food that isn't made on top of a jetboil. Every now and then a girl wants to be treated like a lady! Every now and then, a girl wants to hear that SHE (not some other chick) is hot... and trust me beautiful doesn't always cut it, that's nice and all, but we wanna be HOT too.

I'm so very tired of hanging out with my guy friends and hearing all about the HOT women in their lives and how they have perfect breasts and perfect legs and so on and so on. I get it, you're cool enough to pull some HOT leg. But every now and then I would like to be hit on, treated like a piece of meat, I know that goes completely against all my feminist beliefs... but if some girls are treated like a piece of meat, I want to too!!!

What cracks me up is that guys (I'm totally generalizing here)KNOW that the super hot women are generally fake, and won't hang out in a tent with them and won't climb or do any of the things that they like to do, but they date them anyway. Then they spend most of their time with me hanging out in the woods, playing in a tent and climbing, then go home and take their hot women to a real restaurant. And I go home alone. What's wrong with this picture?

I think I need a make-over. I'm gonna try this girly thing (not the whole not getting dirty part, I LIVE FOR THAT!) but at least when I'm in the city, I'll start being a city girl and then I can go get dirty when I'm out of the city.

Anyone wanna help????

This Mis-Adventures of Feeny and Tricia...

Let me start with a quick summary of Saturday: went to the Little Cahaba and floated down the river while drinking beer... went out on the town (mental breakdown in there somewhere) decided that I hated life and moved on...

SO... Sunday I woke up and rolled out of bed, head not feeling so hot and trudged over to Adams for some hungover food and movies. Not long after getting there, my buddy Feeny called me; he wants to play outside on his day off. I sit up and look around me: Dark room, dark concert DVDs, dark Adam... "Yes! let's go play outside!"

Feeny comes to Adams, follows me to my house to get Lady Elu, and we're off. Headed North to the Warrior River. The weather report gave us a 70% chance of a beautiful day!

This was Elu's first time riding in the back of a pick-up truck, and boy doggy did she love it! wind ALL UP in her little Doggy Face! Feeny's dog Lulu was with us too.

As we pulled out of Birmingham, Feeny admits to me that he's not "100% sure where this place is," but Adam knows, so we can just call him. Adam gives us some really shotty directions: turn-left-at-the-first cow type of directions, so we're left up to our own sense of directions... it's a big river, we'll find it, RIGHT?!?

Feeny's heard about a canoe put in, not far from Hayden, Al where they hold the Acoustic Cafe (check it out labor day weekend next year)... so we drive through Hayden all the while keeping an eye out for what seems to be a good spot to stop along the river. Driving... driving... left turn on Hwy 31. stop at a country gas station to ask for directions to a "swimming hole" Dude sends us west for a few miles, and then right on country road 5... there's a creek right there, it's pretty much dried up. Pit stop along the way to let the restless puppies run around:



Then back in the car...



And back to Hwy 31... we pass under the interstate, turn around decide to get on I65 and go north an exit. at the next exit we stop again at a gas station to ask directions, I hung out with the girls:



We SAW THE RIVER RIGHT THERE>>> now how do we get to hit?
So from here, we drive east for a little while, taking right hand turns onto dirt roads and driving until we dead end into someone's trailer home. We found a very promising road... didn't see a "no Trespassing sign" so we proceeded. This little dirt road was certainly not a "county road" any more. We came upon someone's SWEET camp sight.... and as we're turning around bout ready to hi-tail it out of there a dodge truck comes moseying around the corner... "Ya'll ain't supposed to be here..."

I'm not really sure how the conversation went down, 'cause I was in the back of the truck holding onto Elu, who had recently discovered that she can jump out of the bed when we're going 10 miles an hour and a rabbit runs by the truck.... but basically we were told to get off this man's property, and we did. Back out to County Road five-0-something and take a right, the next county road 5-0-something lead to THE SAME PLACE... turning around...

At some point we entered a factory plant entrance where signs told us we needed to have on reflective gear, three-point turn number 319. Back on County Road whatever, headed in the general direction of nowhere... There's a road sign indicating a curvy road ahead. I said "Curvy Road, totally means water, 'cause they have built the road around the river." There's the water!!! now how do we get to it? We drive for a little longer, decide to take a right and then another right and guess what... we're back on Hwy 31. and we found the SWIMMIN' HOLE!!!!



We walked up the creek a little ways:



Feeny and I cracked a beer and watched the kids play... Elu actually managed to wear herself out...






We left about 8 o'clock, decided that we would never find our way back the way we came, and probably didn't want to so we just took a left on Hwy 31. Drove about ONE MILE and passed the road that we had been on at the very beginning, the one where we had taken a left, if we had have taken a right and driven one mile, we would have found our Swimmin' Hole!

But the adventure is not always about the destination, now is it?!?!