okay, Yo-Yo Ma is on the Colbert Report and he is a god. My evening is complete.

What is my reality?

The new receptionist that we hired (number 6 in two months)is a really, really nice girl. who is a colorpuncturist. and reads auras. I love the people I work with. They talk about stuff that I have no idea about. Apparently my aura is blue (sweeeeet) and I need more violet in my life, which will make me more in touch with my intuition. I should wear more purple and carry around amethysts (conveniently, which she is selling).

I did some research online to figure out what she was talking about. Here is one interpretation of my aura -->
Blue: Balanced existence, sustaining life, eased nerve system, transmitting forces and energy. People with blue strong point in their Aura are relaxed, balanced and feel ready to live in a cave and survive. They are born survivors. Blue thought is a thought about relaxing the nerve system to achieve the balance of the mind or a thought about surviving.

I am totally ready to live in a cave!! Bring it on! If I could just forsake all of civilization and go be a hermit in the woods I would totally do it. The only thing holding me back is that I really like people. and don't like the cold. So I will become a recluse in some tropical locale.

I have recently been oozing creativity and sewing productivity. I ventured into the scary land of knits...with only slight success. I mean, I made the dress but I don't know if it is actual wearable in public without drawing mocking comments. I will probably wear it anyway.

Since my diet revolution (which, I think, is best typified by my coffee grinder being used only to grind up flax seeds rather than coffee beans) my baking skills have been abandoned. Recently I have been determined to create tasty, healthy baked goods but have had little success (mostly these baked goods turn out tasting like very very heavy nothingness) But I have stumbled upon a new blog that has provided the perfect inspiration for new recipes - www.elanaspantry.com. This lady has some fantastic recipes and lives nearby in Boulder.

So I adapted her honey cake into a lovely carrot cake- I was kind of making it up as I go along, so keep in mind these measurements are an approximation.

Santa Clara Carrot Cake

1 1/2 cups Almond Flour
1 1/2 cups Oat Flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon (I just dump it in until I am satisfied it is fragrant enough)
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp all spice
1 tsp grated lemon rind (you can never add enough lemon, in my opinion)
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup oil (grapeseed or even olive oil)
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk

Combine all dry ingredients, mix well and then stir in the carrots. In a separate bowl combine the agave nectar, oil, eggs, and buttermilk- mix well and combine with dry ingredients. Pour batter into a 9 in round cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees fro 35-40 minutes. You could also through some walnuts in there too.



Before the cake hit the oven.


The First Slice -YUM!!




My most recent knitting projects- hats with tassels! Eli rocks it out.

I find myself all too amusing

This is a fake bio I wrote for myself for work's website. Marcy liked it so much she used it as my real one.


Christa has recently escaped from the muggy southern region to the lush, vivacious state of Colorado. Her journey to the west began with a year-long search for purpose in Alamosa, Colorado, where she was a dedicated and driven Americorp volunteer, and has concluded with her delightful discovery of the Whole Health Center in Denver. At the Whole Health Center not only has Christa discovered gainful employment and solvency but a revival of her spirit from the peaceful work environment and excellent co-workers. Christa received a degree in Sociology from the prestigious University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also is cello prodigy and has performed, to standing ovation, in Carnegie Hall. In her free time Christa constructs stories of fiction and fancy, tames wild animals with her cheerful singing voice, works at the loom, and is an ambassador to Turkistan. You will be able to recognize her from her luxurious wheat colored hair, dazzling smile, and effervescent charm.

So as many of you know I like to instantly commit to some idea, career, or random inspiration. I dive into the idea, try it on, swim around in it, and, generally, ultimately, reject it. But a girl has got to try a few things on before she settles on it. That being said, I have rejected my nursing ambitions (I think we would encounter the same issue of a super-drained-and-exhausted-Christa very quickly)and am still contemplating some sort of nutritional consultant/ food guru-ness. But tonight I want to be a teacher, elementary school please. I could teach children to read, be creative, be nice, and how to paint. And during the summers (holler) I could work on farms, be an outward bound instructor, go to other countries, build my dream house on my dream farm, have general adventures. What a delicious idea. (And I would really like teaching kids and be good at it, so it wouldn't be quite the selfish "I-am-becoming-a-teacher-in-order-to-have-the-summers-off" scenario- almost but not quite). All I need is a fairy godmother-ish poof to grant me an insta-masters in education.

Today the destiny-magic-8-ball-gods-of-the-ipod gave me a great theme song for the day: We've got a groovy thing goin'- its so true, I do have a groovy thing goin'.

I had this really bizarre dream last night,one that I woke up from and thought to myself, I should write this down, it is so bizarre and brilliant. And I did write it down. And my general impression was, wow, this is bizarre, sick, and kind of twisted. Thus I won't pass it on here except to say I think my brain is a little cracked.

I am putting forward a motion that all people I love and like need to move into the same neighborhood. This is inspired by how delightful my currant communal situation is and while I don't want to live with everyone I like in one house, I want everyone I like to be nearby. So please take note and everyone move to Denver post haste. Thanks.

Eli and I spent some time together Saturday night,practicing our car sounds.

Tonight I was driving home on my mountain road and took a minute to debate whether or not I should turn on my brights. I hesitate to do so because once they are on I often forget to turn them off when I see another car. I decided to flip them on and low and behold, there was a buck, a giant buck in front of me. I slowed and he went on his way, but I think if I hadn't turned on my brights I would have hit him. I am calling this a moment of divine intervention.

I am a word person but not a speller. I know lots of good words and if something happens to you and you are at a loss to find the proper linguistic structural elements to paint an accurate picture-I am your girl. You want to move beyond the realm of creative spelling-I am definitely not your girl. I like to say my creativity rebels against the constraints of traditional spelling. Really, I just don't pay attention. Marcy, my boss, is a stickler for proper spelling and grammar and thankfully she finds my constant spelling transgressions charming (I won't even get into my counting issues). Today (the names have been changed for privacy purposes) I brought up a ticket for a customer and wrote the name as Taya (supposed to be Tanya). Marcy points it out to me, we laugh, I correct the mistake and go back to work. Later she calls me up again, gives me a look, and hands me back the ticket I corrected. Yeah, I wrote Tayna. I mean, you would think that I would get something that simple correct. Yeah, no. Dyslexic much?

I am going to bed early and WILL NOT BE LATE TO WORK TOMORROW! (I wasn't late today but really don't want to be late tomorrow)

I drove up the mountain late this morning swigging kefir straight out of the bottle like a lush on a park bench. today is my day off. I have completed my two essential sanity returning activities, acupuncture and the library. I love the library. I am going to make myself a shirt. I am actively not planning on doing anything else all day. maybe sit in the sun, i like doing that.

I went camping with the Vineyards this weekend and it was lots of fun. There was lots of off roading, sitting around the fire, and freezing. It was a beautiful spot. We tracked down old mines, said hi to donkeys, and climbed hills. Jessica, Chelsea, and I left a little bit early today and did some exploring and it was amazing! Here are some pictures and video.













Chelsea is an amazing driver.



yeah that's me squealing at the beginning.

Sometimes when I am at work I feel like I am in a zen episode of the office. I mean, I think it is inevitable in any office, any small group of people working together, that this will occur. But today I was in the middle of a conversation that went from essential oils, to mold in your stomach, to crystals, to goji berries. And I looked into the camera with Jim's look of disbelief. These folks revert to their secret language that my suburban upbringing did not prepare me for. As I sit and think about it I think I am most like Dwight in this scenario. I really think they should make a reality show about us. It would be amazing. I would watch.

Jessa and I have discovered something amazing and instantly chic. Rub-ons. Its like insta-graphic design on any object that you desire to enhance. Except yourself, I tried that, that didn't work.

My mind was full on the way home but there is nothing left for me to share here with you.

what do you do with a four day weekend?

Read, sleep, sit...and make costumes. And the lady at the fabric store didn't think I could make it in one day- fool! I am the original costume maverick (well, that is a bit of an overstatement, but I've got skills)

please view and enjoy my new most favorite thing ever:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/28343/dr-horribles-sing-along-blog

Today on NPR I heard a story that made me laugh so hard I almost had to pull off the road. As duck hunting season approaches duck hunters have to get permits that are in form of a stamp. The government printed up lots of mailings advertising the number to call for these permits, 1-800-22STAMP. Except they accidentally printed 1-800-22TRAMP. They say its too expensive to send new ones, so the duck hunters will simply be surprised by very, very friendly ladies answering their requests for stamps.

Today the mountain is cold and cloaked in fog, I ran errands this morning, and am sitting on the couch, eating soup and cornbread and reading. Delightful.

I also have been brainstorming ideas for this years batch of Christmas presents and came up with some excellent craftiness. Its going to be amazing. I am so excited I oozing with enthusiasm.

I wonder what will happen tomorrow...

okay,I am still on the couch, watching "How To Succeed in Business without Really Trying" and am suddenly and overwhelmingly longing to be in a musical. Sigh. I even looked up auditions (none that look small town enough for me to actually get up the gumption to go). Alas, I was meant to sing and dance my way through life. Maybe I will write a musical, base it on Whole Health Center.

Jessa is nesting and I am sitting on the couch.

I suddenly and miraculously find myself gifted with a four day weekend. I don't really know what to do with myself. I shall begin with sitting.

At work we have these viles, I don't really understand what they are for exactly, but that they are used for allergy testing and various things. My favorite one is labeled ANCIENT ISSUES and there are others for each emotion, types of food, plants, molds, and organs. Well yesterday, in normal Christa fashion, I dropped and broke kidneyx30 and the magical liquid within spilled all over my dress and legs. oops. I got kidney all over me. I am not sure what will happen, I am waiting for side effects.

On to the adventures of the day!!

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.