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?