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!

Fourteen Rabbits and Big Black Snake...

is what wildlife I saw on my little hike this evening.

I was kind of tired and grumpy all day and was really done in when I had an encounter with one of my neighbors on the way home. He pulled into the gate in front of me and I had already pushed the magic button to open the gate, so it swung wide to let us both in. I drive through the gate behind him when he stops his car and gets out. He is dressed in a kilt, beret, tall socks with plaid tassels, and has a dirk lashed to his leg. I roll down my window, smile, and say hello, but even before I can finish my greeting he brusquely asks who I am. Um, your neighbor. After brief questioning he finally got back in his car and I followed him up the hill. What pretension! I was like, dude, who are YOU? Crazy Celtic man. Go home and defend your lands and leave me alone. Grrrrr,dirk or not I could've taken him.


I am, finally, going to bed.

Truly, it is amazing how intoxicating it is to be honest and to speak your mind. I would like to think of myself as a bold person, but really I dread confrontation. I think it may be I fear that any sort of speaking out may draw criticism to myself, which generally I despise in my internal and eternal quest for perfection (what do you mean its not possible?) But there are delicious moments of peace, like the eye of the storm, when I can see who I am and what I want so clearly. And then life begins again.

I have the relationship experience of a middle schooler. In my shyness (?) or whatever of youth I seemed to have missed the practice grounds of dating during which most people seem to have worked out all the kinks (as I write this I really don’t think I believe this, I think most folks still have lots of kinks and if they don’t, I really don’t want to be friends with them). As much as I claim to just embrace the awkwardness of it all (what else can you do?), really most situations leave me a bit queasy. I feel like there is a secret language I lack (What are you really saying?) or some manual I need tucked in my back pocket to assist me. Either way, I am forging ahead and finding it all both amusing and exhausting. I mean people are really a funny breed. We preen, we prance, and we pause to see what the others reaction will be. Personal, I think Men should come humbly before the Throne of Woman (er, Christa), supplicating for the Privilege of Attendance. As I toss my Calculating Curls (short, straight hair),designed to bring Men to their Knees, I mercilessly sweep through the Sea of Beaus, my Heavenly Blue Eyes swiftly measuring the Worth of Each Brave (or fool hardy) Man (boy) that dares enter my Shining Presence. I’m a Man-Eater. (Cue music. Any other fair maidens want to volunteer to come live with me in my temple? I am currently arranging a few musical numbers and I need some back up dancers. Costumes will be provided).

I find my own wit to be devastatingly funny. Ironically enough, given this haughty tableau, I am really bothered by my dates paying for me. I cannot figure out if that is because I just feel uncomfortable with them treating me or because my sense of independence is affronted or because I have an underdeveloped sense of worth and don’t want anyone to go into any trouble for me. I will ask my acupuncturist.

I am trying to complete my supplemental reading for my new position. I was only on page 4 when I decided to take a break and write this and as I am doing so I am drinking contraband Chai. Sigh. Perfection will come.

I am the person who enjoys Christmas Eve more than Christmas, meaning I find the unfurled potential or anticipation of an event much more intoxicating than the reality. I think this is a symptom of my overactive imagination. All that to say, my imaginary, youthful picture of Adult Life seemed a whole lot nicer (and whole lot more like a musical) than the reality. Though Jessa and I did spontaneously sing a duet last night.

Other updates:
• Vashti is officially an outdoor cat, though I do listen for mountain lions in order to rescue her as the situation may require.
• Nursing seems to be my next most likely (take with a grain of salt for it is my 37th new life plan since February) career choice.
• Acupuncture is a God Send. Quite literally I believe it may be the foundation of my current level of sanity.
• I enjoy living simply but poverty is overrated.
• I planning to make myself a dress out of an old sheet. It’s going to be gorgeous.


I am going back to being completely and utterly productive for daylight cannot be wasted and there is much yet to be done.

I have recently been reading books that were made into great movies...Chocolat, The Painted Veil, and now Atonement. They were all excellent. I also tried to read the sequel to Chocolat, The Girl with No Shadow, but I wasn't two chapters into it before I was bored, so I didn't finish it, unfortunate but true. Atonement, so far, is my favorite. Its delicious.

Great news on my new position at work. A meeting yesterday revealed that the boss has plans for me to be involved in marketing and eventually be a patient manager or liaison, doing follow up and checking in with patients. Fun, eh?

A recent episode of hand holding reveals that hand holding may require certain technique by the initiator of said action, as the result was certain numbness in my fingers, loss of circulation, and sweaty palms. Yet no amount of awkwardness could take away from the overall sweetness of the event.


Megan and I have a sushi date this Friday, thank goodness!! It shall be divine.

The end.

update:

1. Recently they (um, the dictionary people) have added some new words to the dictionary which I love.

my favorites include:

Air quotes (1989): gesture made by raising and flexing the index and middle fingers of both hands, used to call attention to a spoken word or expression.

(oh the 80s)

Dark energy (1998): hypothetical form of energy that produces a force that opposes gravity and is thought to cause the accelerating expansion of the universe.

(cool, I always thought dark energy only existed in, like, star wars)

Fanboy (1919): boy who is an enthusiastic devotee, such as of comics or movies.

(is there no fangirl?)

Mondegreen (1954): word or phrase that results from a mishearing of something said or sung. From the mishearing in a Scottish ballad of "laid him on the green" as "Lady Mondegreen."

(classic)

Pescatarian (1993): vegetarian whose diet includes fish.

(that's me!)

Racino (1995): racetrack at which slot machines are available for gamblers

(why not)

i think i am the type of person that gets stressed out way too easily. good news, i have some new Chinese herbs called Happy Day that are supposed to work wonders.

I have a new job! (ish) Same location, Whole Health Center, but I am going to be a full time acupuncture assistant. Hooray! I am going to get even more training and only work three and a half days a week! brilliant! (two twelve hours, a ten hour, and a six hour shift) I am stoked. I am also applying for another job to supplement, when I get done I will probably be working 55 to 60 hour weeks. cool. this will all work, i promise.

yay. (she cheers in monotone)

every princess needs a tower...

pictures include: tall towers, the dragon, Ethan (who is ridiculously un-scared of heights), stain glass windows









and who would have thought i would have found one in a national forest built by a conspiracy theorist/ anti-government/ determined man with a vision. the tower is 126 feet tall, the dragon breaths fire, he has been working on it by himself for 40 years.


please forgive my video skills, aka i turned the camera, oops

mt Bierstadt and mt. Evans

just pictures.

Mt. Torrey and Mt. Gray

today Ethan and I hiked two 14ers in one day. (i have done this once before in 2003 and we started hiking at 3 am) Today we left the house at 6 with the plan of hiking by 7.30. which would have totally worked except my suburu couldn't drive up the jeep trail (of course we get to the top and there is my exact make and model of a car...oops) so we walked an extra three miles uphill. long story short sum up: 11 miles, 2 14ers, 7 hours. some vomiting and nausea (altitude sickness). highlights: we saw mt. goats, good views, we came home. i am exhausted.

i am sitting on the couch and am sooooo tired.


but tomorrow ethan and i are going to climb a mountain. excellent. pictures will follow shortly. i mean, like, tomorrow when we are done.

june is bustin' out all over

my new do...

my cat is now one with nature (no she is not dead) she has gotten in touch with her inner nature diva.

last night in bible trivia we were stupid enough to give megan a question that the answer to was vashti. silly us. she won. (i definitively lost, i claim danny as my life line next game. i think i would have held my own but the three other players were baptist and 2/3 of my opponents had graduated from seminary. there was not really any point in the game where i stood a fighting chance) this is when megan would like me to bring attention to the fact the she won and was not one of the seminary graduates. however, it was a close game, all three of them were poised on the dove, each about to claim victory with the utterance of a correct answer. i was still on 'letters, number, and sequences' two rainbow arches away from the cross and a cross away from the dove. i clearly don't love Jesus enough








i love you dad :)

tonight i made myself shrimp and grits.

only i forgot to take off the tails of the shrimp which makes for awkward eating. or, possibly, more enjoyable eating 'cause you gots to use your fingers.

i watched 'the happening' with megan yesterday and while it was mediocre i awoke this morning and in the quietness of the house i realized that easily tons of people could meet disaster in the world and i would never realize it until i left the mountain. our house can be really really creepy very very easily.

i get really excited when i have deleted all my emails. i mean i have less than ten emails in my inbox. sometimes i get a little sad that most my emails are junk and not from anyone interesting. i go through periods in my life where i don't want to talk to anyone and scream when my phone rings or i have an email. but when i am normal i really miss emails and phone calls.

eric, megan, and i went to the patio of the morrison inn for drinks tonight. good times, the highlight of my social life. megan recalled her loathing for me when i voted republican. ah good times.

now we are sitting in the living room, each with laptops on our laps watching west wing and i am pretending to have people to talk to and things to do on my computer. which i do not. i am not really into my computer.

megan and i were also reflecting on how most of our generation of Intervarisity-ites graduated and moved on with their lives without marrying other same generation IVers, when it seems that so many of the generation before and after us very much so got married. what is it about our circle of friends that was so different?

i really enjoy only working four hours on fridays, especially when my saturdays are at least 10 hour shifts.

i am already sort of planning my 25th birthday (yeah, about six months in advance) but my 24th birthday was so lame(i planned a whole party, hand made invitations, no one came; it sounds worse than it was, in reality i actually had a much better birthday hanging out only with megan than hanging out with a bunch of strangers) but all the same, i feel like 25 needs to be somewhat momentous and i really like my birthday and i like to throw parties. for myself. and i am going to make 25 a good one. i have some milestones to reach.


you are forewarned.


today i could find clothespins but no clothesline in target. ironic, no?

sometimes i wish i was smart enough to work in DC and sometimes i am really glad i am not.

my cat is possessed but surprisingly well behaved when you through her out with the mountain lions.

updates:
i cut my hair off (it is now a delicious chin length bob)
i think i now know my life plan (thanks to a hand reader)
girls night out was a huge success (i wore my pink dress)
we rearranged the living room (bye bye to grandma's rug)
i asked my boss to proof read my children's book (eek!)

i feel a little bit weary this evening but i am contemplating new plant purchases for my dog pen garden. i heard on NPR a story about this young guy who began a new business, what is basically sharecropping in the suburbs. he helps folks plant their yard with crops and neighborhood members (those without garden yards) pay a small price for a share of the crops produced, like miniature neighborhoods CSA's. that is so boulder.

my naturally response to anything disagreeable is anger. i don't think this is normal.

there have been some bizarre occurrences at work, drama filled, the most troublesome part being i have a very strong sense that i in no way understand what is going on nor do i have the full story yet my actions seem to have served as a catalyst in these recent events.

i have been telling the same stories over and over again these past few days. 'did i mention such and such' i will say and invariably i have.

i will post hair pictures, for those concerned, soon.