West Virginia

Whitewater rafting was amazing! This birthday ranks up there with the train trip to Chicago for my 5th birthday. I have bruises up and down my shins, lobster red knees and upper legs, and a slightly bruised eye. And I had a blast. We had a really good raft of people and a good guide. He was really chill and laid back, but he knew what he was doing and he was good at "surfing" and hitting the rapids. Surfing is when you go back up stream after coming down a rapid and "surfing" the middle rough area. It's kind of like a mechanical bull ride. There were some pretty rough rapids, and we all fell out a few times. The last time I fell out was in water that was recirculating. Our guide said if we fell out in that, it would feel like being in a washing machine. You would keep going round and round. It felt exactly like that too. I fell out and I realized that I was not bobbing to the surface like normal, but instead the river was keeping me under. There was the moment of fear as I pulled my legs to my chest, curling up into a ball, and I resurfaced. I'm so glad I remembered and had the presence of mind to curl up, as that gets you out of it. If you fight it, you'll just keep going. The water was so powerful, and you knew you were doing something rather dangerous, but it was so much fun and so exhilarating. You bond with your raftmates and guide. It's hard to describe the roar of the river as you head to the rapids, and then the feeling of heading back into it. A feeling of dread, but there's not much you can do, so you go and enjoy the ride.

There were six of us, plus a guide, and we are all about the same age and athletic ability, though I'm pretty sure I was the weakest. I was kind of the raft's rescue mission, as my spindly little arms couldn't pull myself into the boat, so the guys were kind enough to haul me in each time I either fell out or had swum. We were all really in sync with our paddling, and our guide was impressed and said he would take us on the Gauley River if we came again, which is a more intense ride than the New River, which was the river we were on. I would love to do that sometime, but I would definitely need to work out and prepare for that. Get a little stronger. :-) I was absolutely exhausted trying to swim to the boat at times, especially against the current. I felt like such a weakling. Everyone was really supportive, though, and I was pretty good with the paddling. Out of everyone in our group, I was the most banged up, but some girls got really bad sunburns on their legs. I did get hit in the eye with the top of someone's paddle, but I do not have a black eye or shiner, which is good, as that would be an interesting conversation starter at my conference. I was kind of proud of the fact that I might get my first black eye, but it was not to be. My contact did fall out though, and the guide was kind and kept it in his case, so I did the last few rapids with 1/2 my vision. It wasn't that bad though.

I realize that this really doesn't mean much to people who were not on the trip or haven't rafted, but it was such an experience, and I won't forget it for awhile. Also, you don't quite know what adventure is until you are in a church van, doing hairpin turns, on a mountain, in the dark, and unable to find the campground. Was a little intense.

Missing

To miss someone or something is such a deep and human emotion, but whenever it is articulated or mentioned, it sounds so trite. Maybe it's because we overuse it, or use it lightly. A flippant "miss you, wish you were here." But there is the deep missing, the deep longing that doesn't really go away, no matter how long it's been since you've seen the person or people. It's not always felt, but it's always there, just waiting for a trigger, a memory.

I think that missing is often disregarded in our society. If you miss someone and mention it too many times, then you feel whiny, and the feeling is often, move on, don't dwell on or live in the past. But, I don't think that we should ever disregard the past or forget our love for the people who have meant so much but are no longer in close proximity.

Glorious Sleep

I slept for about 13 hours last night, and it was wonderful. I had been rather low on sleep, coupled with basically an all nighter the night before, and so I went to bed around 6 and got up at 8 the next morning. I didn't think I would actually sleep the whole night, but I obviously needed it.

I was supposed to work this afternoon, but I had an eye appointment, so I was able to take off. I am going to try contacts again. We'll see. I can't read from the computer as well as with glasses. It's a little blurry, and causing some eyestrain. We'll see how regular reading goes.

I should do some homework tonight, but I really just want to veg and relax. This week is crazy with homework and my 2nd job started, so extra work hours. However, this is the last week of class. It's over on Tuesday, which is exciting. Then, next week is rafting and after that, RBMS. I'm really looking forward to rafting. It will be so nice to get away and be out in the beauty. A group of us from church went out to a local park/campsite and hung out around the campfire. I had homework to do, but it was worth it. When you get out and camp, everything else doesn't matter, doesn't exist. For 5 hours, there was no EAD or work. And it was nice.

Things are very busy, but they will be ok. It will start getting harder, though, as I've been scheduled for Sundays now. Sundays mean a lot to me, and with my schedule the way it is, it would be the one day where I didn't have to work. But, both my jobs have been scheduling me to work that day. The reference job isn't that bad, as I can still make it to Sunday school and church, but the page job means that I have to adjust my Sunday morning schedule, going to early service and sometimes missing Sunday school, which has become really important to me. I would appreciate prayers, as I know from experience it is really hard to keep a good attitude when I have to work on Sundays.

Hodge Podge and Misc.

I have a huge homework assignment due this week, but I have been putting it off. I really need to start it soon, as it will be impossible to complete the night before. Very long and mind numbing.

I am going shopping with a friend, and I'm excited about it. It will be so good to get out and chat. And shop. :-)

I was somewhat distressed this morning when I realized that I had miscalculated the days of the RBMS pre-conference. I thought the last day was Thursday, but it's actually Friday. But, my hotel, plane ticket, and work are already set, so I will just have to leave early. Thank goodness I have a later flight coming back on Thursday. Also, I don't think I will miss much. Mainly some extra networking.

I am hooked on the 44 Scotland Street series by Alexander McCall Smith. I had heard that he was a good author, and he has proved it to me. I just finished 44 Scotland Street, the first book in the series, and it was very good. The book is character driven, and the characters are so real. And human. It's a good author who gets you to make verbal exclamations at the characters. Bruce and Irene really get on my nerves, but you can't hate them. Though I do hate how over-bearing Irene is. Poor Bertie. I have to get my hands on the next books in the series. This does not bode well for homework.

I also watched a Korean movie last night. I enjoyed it, and I think I'm going to check out more of the movies/TV series in the Asian section of the library. The movie was called My Little Bride, and it had a really weird beginning premise, but after you got past that, it was really cute and sweet. I also wonder if Asian films do not allow on-screen kissing. I know very little about Asian culture and film, but there was no on screen kiss. At one point, the actors' lips were as close as possible without actually touching, but the "kiss" was obscured and thus only implied. It could just be this particular movie, and not the film industry as a whole, but I found it cute and kind of refreshing. There was inuendo, but the film had a more innocent, different feel than an American film.