I have worked 125 hours in the past two weeks. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

We have been doing training on new software at work and the training takes place early, early in the morning via conference call. Office meetings are notoriously ridiculous but conference calls, they take the cake. We all sit there, huddled around the phone, straining to hear each word. When asked a question we all just look at one another, waiting for someone to answer until finally someone spits out a terse, one word reply, like the kid who got sleeping in class and doesn't have a clue what is going on. I love it. I try not to giggle as I sit through this inane hour of instruction week after week.

I am about to bust it donw to Alamosa, chasing after my friends who left 9 hours ago. I thought last Saturday was the last Saturday I would have to work but it appears fate is not my friend in the unfolding of recent work drama.

I am exhausted and may even imbibe some contraband coffee to get me through this drive. More on Alamosa Adventures to follow.

Jessa and I just spent an incredible amount of time figuring out how to change the template of this very blog. The website (check link at the bottom) is sweet, with lots of very fun and very girly backgrounds. I may change my background more than I blog.

Eli has a new pumpkin hat that I intend to steal (borrow)from him. It fits on my head just fine.

This morning there was an incident with a cat attacking Vashti outside our door. I hurried outside when I heard her yowling and saw the evil predator. I tried to "shoo" him away but he wouldn't budge so finally I picked up some pine cones and began throwing them at him. (I started to throw my shoe but then I realized I didn't want to go get them after I threw them and they were my new turquoise ones). On my sixth pine cone I was suddenly struck by the notion that maybe this isn't a stray house cat at all but some sort of wild-animal-bob-cat type. hmmm. I threw more pine cones anyway. Finally the gigantic cat went away and Vashti was safe. I did some research on bob cats while at work and I am glad that I saved Vashti before realizing that I was pelting a wild animal with pine cones.

I am very tired and have much working to do, I feel like every day I just go to bed and get up again and work some more. I need to squeeze in some fun time!!

but now I have to go to bed.

Anyone with fun, please ring me post hast.

I am so glad I am friends with myself

I do a lot of stupid, clumsy things in public and find it extraordinarily sad when there is no one to laugh with me...for example:

I headed to the gym Tuesday evening after my second thirteen hour day of work this week. I hopped on the treadmill and began running away, headphones in and water bottle balanced on the bottle holder thingy, since it wouldn't fit in. Yeah, my water bottle fell off and rolled down the treadmill, making a crashing noise and breaking the intense, focused ambiance of the gym where you should only be able to hear the thudding baseline of the music in time with your thudding heartbeat. The beautifully muscled necks of the sculpted runners on either side of me watched with amused disdain as I awkwardly scrambled after my water bottle as it continued to roll down the row of treadmills, like Charlie Brown's ineffective quest after the elusive football. Finally I saved it and, water bottle secured once again, I continued my run, pretending that nothing had happened. Until it did happen, again. I gave my water bottle a look of amused disdain and let it lie where it fell. I finished my workout with no further disturbances but as I walked away from the treadmill I opened the delinquent water bottle for a drink. I dropped the lid and as I bent from the waist to pick it up, I poured the entire contents of my water bottle all over the floor. Yes. I then had to ask the aloof yet beautiful man at the desk for a paper towel. He gave me an appraising look, I believe slightly miffed that I had interrupted his intense, focused conversation with a beautiful, sculpted woman in spandex. After a moment of hesitation, during which I just stood there awkwardly (is he about to yell at me?), he handed over a very large, even more awkward giant roll of paper towels that took both hands to lift. Dude, give me a break, I can hardly walk without injuring innocent bystanders and you want me to quarantine the disaster area with something I cannot pick up? Through determination, prayer, and much grunting, I successful removed all signs of my existence and slithered out of the gym, wincing from the withering glares that followed me. Sigh. Good workout Oakes.

I am sitting in a coffee shop in Boulder and its like the Easter parade through the window, so many people walking the streets today. I went on a lovely hike with Rachel this morning and am now enjoying the scenery and anonymity that Boulder has to offer. Such a strange little town that I suspect takes itself too seriously but nontheless I will willingly buy into the facade that today I am a little bit cooler because I am hanging out here, with my laptop and obscure literature. I hope they don't throw me out when they discover I am wearing synthetic materials and not Patagonia.

There is no new news, just the delicious ritual of each new day.

you are single handedly destroying both my love of showtunes and of mountains.

Amy and I climbed Bierstadt today, Amy's first fourteener. It was a great day, good weather, good company, good climbing. Until our descent, when we were mercilessly stalked by a quartet of girls who could not, like sensible people, refrain from expressing their enjoyment of the day in song. Now, those who know me well know that I am no snob, I can appreciate spontaneous public singing (please refer to my brain child: Guerrilla Broadway)and I can appreciate show tunes and musicals (clearly). But when the stage for an impromptu cabaret is the trail down a 14er and the collection doesn't stop at one appropriate round of 'The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music" but continues through the entirety of the Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Phantom of the Opera, and a medley of Louis Armstrong....Ladies, please! You need to learn the art of timing, intonation, and moderation. I won't even begin to discuss their attempts at four part harmony.

I have recently developed a phone voice. My voice has captured a gentle, lyrical rhythm as I repeat my scripted greeting, ending in the monotone flatline of a heart moniter expressing certain death. I have become that receptionist. But it is so hard to resist and now that I have realized this tendency, every phone call is an opportunity to satarize myself.

Hyperbole is my M.O.

Amy is in town, we've had fun exploring, watching the Olympics, hanging out, and nertzing. Glorious.

My cat killed a mouse. Good kitty. She left it on the deck. Bad kitty.

I am exhausted to the point of delusion. I hopefully have a good night of sleep ahead but you can never know. As it is I am done with work but have not found the energy to get up from my desk to exit the building. I am working up momentum to get out the door.

Amy found me cute blue moccasins at the thrift store. They have brown cordory on the inside and are delciously comfy. like a scallop.

Some of the loveliest things come in the form of mamas...

Our adventures included:
Picnicking in Boulder, Celestial Seasonings Tea Tour (thus the hairnets), exploring my favorite antique store, Hiking and a lovely breakfast on Mom's birthday, and a rainbow at the end of the trip!