22 June 2008
blajfdworugizlef
It's hard to remember that I have another life that is on hold. When your days are filled with blinding sunshine, trips around town in a loud, bumpy, cranky old blue truck (Big Blue), legs that have gone a bit too long without being shaved, eating the same breakfast and lunch, every day, which never seems to get old, counting down the hours until you can be outside and not stuck in the office, living in a house with five women and somehow getting by with the perpetually dirty kitchen, knowing that getting to a pharmacy and supermarket requires a twenty-five mile drive, not really knowing or caring what's going on the world, gazing at the lake and the mountains and the intense beauty around you and knowing you will never get used to it, not having a cell phone and being fine without it, living without most of your things and also being fine without them, having books call your name on lunch breaks, being able to walk a mile out of town and be on dirt roads that go on for miles, having complete respect for nature and wildlife and humanity's small place in the world, talking to foreign tourists about the lake and loving their accents and wanting to work on your French, taking a half-hour walk along a creek in the company of birds and butterflies whenever I feel like it, showering every three days, rocking a baseball cap, and noticng your feet, whose nail polish has chipped off and whose skin is streaked with black dirt from wearing rubber flip flops while standing in the back of Big Blue hauling chairs and tables... you forget that you used to and will soon walk to a dining hall three times a day, have your own room where you can be alone, be able to wear pretty skirts and know they won't get dirty, be inside more than outside, see your best friends every day and know that they totally get you, see your car sit for days without being driven, groan about the smog and lack of stars at night, be alone if you choose, never have time to read books for fun, often feel like you aren't working towards anything in particular, be unsure of your purpose, love a weekly routine that feels so right, have philosophical discussions at strange hours of the evening, know every around you is motivated and driven in some way, and wonder what living on your own will be like.
I've been here for three weeks, although sometimes it feels like forever. Its such a different world and life here that its hard not to become enthralled simply by the magnitude of difference between my real life and my summer life, although the town is so small that I do feel cloistered and recognized by everyone which my anonymous, independent self doesn't enjoy. No one here knew me before June 2nd, which is both kind of nice and kind of not. Its basically very difficult to convey my thoughts about life here, and the little I try to do doesn't satisfy me. The summer hasn't really begun yet but it is also already one-third over. I feel full of contradictions right now, and maybe thats a good way to be.
11 June 2008
laaadedaa
Ah, I'm having just the best time up here. I don't really want to ever leave. Some photos since I've recounted too much to others to try to do it here, right now:
Canoe rescue training... in the pool in the middle of the high desert.
The view from my bedroom window. I'm actually moving into the Intern House in Lee Vining in a few weeks for practical reasons, but I certainly will miss this lake view.
I love this view at sunset, driving home with light finding its way down to the smallest of places.
Some beautiful wildflowers (I have a newfound appreciation for them after the last few weeks).
Rush Creek at sunset.
Amazing! I saw four deer on the side of the road. They are so used to human life that they didn't immediately bolt when they heard my car... and I luckily had my camera out so I got some close ups.
The cafe where I am right now. Its next to my workplace and is called Latte Da Coffee Cafe...a silly name but it has such good coffee that I don't even care.
Me and my fellow interns.
Mono Lake. It's worth saving!