3/29/2005 12:37:00 PM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|Cirque du Tumbleweed The wind is insane today. My title refers not only to the interesting acrobatics that the tumbleweeds performed on the road and barbed-wire fences this morning, but also the intersting acrobatics my car performed on the road. When I left Music Appreciation today, I was welcomed with a face full of stinging New Mexico sand. I don't know if it will help digest my Subway sandwich, we'll see. I do feel like my teeth are a little clearner now, however. Speaking of Music Appreciation- I embarassed myself in class today. The Prof. was talking about the Romantic Era and how escapism played a significant role during the time. She asked the class, "How might one escape?" No one was saying *anything* so I offered up, with complete honesty, "Read a book?" She smiled at me and said, "Wellllllll, that's a legal way. I was thinking more of illegal forms. Some chick pipes up with, "Smoke pot?" And the Prof smiles and says, "Yes!" So, now I feel like the ultimate bookworm geek who should be smoking pot instead of reading "Half asleep in Frog pajamas" to escape. *Sigh* I'm feeling much better now. I made a spiritual connection with God on Easter and have decided to try the Episcopal religion. Following an article in Bust magazine, I have been listening to archived sermons from San Francisco's Grace Cathedral. It's been very inspiring and I think I am ready to take my Christianity more seriously. I have been steered waaaaaaaaaaaay of the straight and narrow and allowed myself to listen to the devil on my shoulder way more than the angel. No, I am not going to turn into some Bible-thumping prude....I am always me. This time with my priorities straight! Well, it's time for my unfortunate astronomy lab. Gots ta go. BTW, if you are looking for a laugh, go to A's site and check out the funny link!! |W|P|111212587990927818|W|P|Cirque du Tumbleweed|W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com3/24/2005 11:08:00 AM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|I'm feeling nostalgic today. Because I remember having a 25" console TV. (That the cat would occasionally claim by urinating on the speakers.) Because I remember having a transistor radio (AM and FM) that had a really long metal antenna that I could pull out for killer reception. Because I remember hanging out in a treehouse on the farm and day dreaming. Because I remember writing about all of my childhood aspirations in a little green diary with a metal lock on it. Because I remember homemade Easter dresses that I would wear to church and later to a picnic. Because I remember riding my purple, banana seat bicycle around the old neighborhood. Because I remember bottling homemade root beer in my Granny's kitchen. Because I remember being the only neice or nephew that would brave hiking in the Sawtooth Mtns. with my Dad and Uncles (and the wonderful attention that was lavished upon me for my spectacular feat!). Because I remember floating the Boise River with my family in a caravan of strung-together innertubes. Because I remember being my Grandpa Hansen's personal beautician and giving him weird and outrageous hair styles. Because I remember holing up in my bedroom for the summer and immersing myself in the world of Sweet Valley High. Because I remember becoming "blood sisters" with my dearest friends in the 4th grade. Because I remember hookey-bobbing in the winter time (if you don't know what that is, you can ask me!). Because I can remember so many wonderful things from my childhood. P.S. On a completely unrelated and somewhat disturbing note, I discovered this morning that Nick Lachey also does not like the word "panties."|W|P|111168769293796077|W|P|Feelin' Nostalgic|W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com3/21/2005 06:48:00 PM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|Okay, now I have done a little researching and find out that this little series is a huge, freakin' production with big-time actors in it. To think: I could have been out there with any number of them....If I wasn't so humiliated, I would have asked to be an extra. Oh, well. |W|P|111145621694263082|W|P|Freaking Out|W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com3/21/2005 03:31:00 PM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|Jenny Ramirez Presents: "It happened at the Rio Bonita" I now present you with a tale so outlandish that it can scarcely be believed, save for the fact that it happened to me. And we all know what kind of luck I have. This past weekend, I went down to the Lincoln Nation Forest to do a little camping over Spring Break. I brought my two dogs, Jojo and Sierra, with me on the trip. When I got to the campground on Rio Bonita, I noticed that I was the sole camper at the campground, but I thought nothing of it, because it was awfully early in the camping season. I set up camp in the miserly cold and then sat down and read for awhile. I thought about going to White Sands but then decided against it. I would rather just relax on this trip. After burning the hell out of my hobo dinner, I had one glass of Merlot and enjoyed a subdued camp fire. I headed off to bed early because I was to go hiking early the next morning. I kept waking in the night, hearing strange noises outside of my tent walls and finding myself frozen with fear. After a long, restless, night I awoke and prepared for my hike. I tied the dogs up, grabbed the necessities and headed off down the road. Unfortunately, there was this big-ass truck blocking the road out of the campground. I thought it awfully rude that there was this truck, with no occupants just blocking my exit. Peeved, but unwilling to let it ruin my day, I backtracked and headed for the other, highly dangerous, exit. (I need to interject a bit here and mention that this weird, super-long white van kept driving past my camp site and then reversing back down the road. It went past at least three times that morning before I left. The driver would smile and wave every time he would pass by.) As I approached the exit, I said a little prayer, for it was a very steep hill plunging into the river that I had to cross in my modest Accord. I took a deep breath and hit the gas and my little car made me proud. Feeling confident and forgetting the truck, I drove to the trail entrance. It was a good hike. I saw no one on the way up and only an old couple on the way back. It was very quiet, very serene and only a little cold. I did hike through some snow and hail, but it was very light and not altogether unpleasant. There was quite a bit of snow and mud on the trail, though, so I was quite muddy when I got back to the car. I got back to my campsite (the Accord proving itself once again), and let the dogs off of their cables while I was changing my pants in the tent. I figured, "What the hell? There's no one else out here and they need to streth their legs." No sooner had I gotten my pants on do I hear my dogs barking furiously at something. I stick my head out the door of the tent to see what the ruckus was about and see Jojo attacking a freakin' horse with a cowboy on it! I ran out of the tent in my socks and start yelling at Jo to get over here!! Jo was biting this horse's flanks and the horse was bucking furiously trying to kick at Jo. I watched this like it was in slow motion...the rider yelled, "Git! Git!" and I yelled "Jojo, no!!!" The rider looked terrified and was holding on for dear life while his horse bucked and bucked and ran in circles. I was scared that I was going to get ran over by the horse or that Jo would be killed by one of those enormous hooves trying so desperately to make purchase with his angry head. It was like a nightmare brought to life. Finally I was able to chase Jojo out of there and the rider took off as fast as the horse could gallop. I called after him, "I'm sorry!!" but I don't know if he heard me or not. I tied the dogs up directly after that and returned to the tent where I commenced shaking uncontrollably and called Jojo a "fucking asshole." My throat was in agony from yelling at Jojo during the encounter and I was in a state of shock. I could not believe that my docile, house cat-esque, dog had just attacked a horse! I was appalled and ashamed and scared. While I am in my tent trying to chill out, I can hear these ATVs racing back and forth past my site. I thought it odd because I was alone at the camp site. And while I thought that odd, I also started thinking about how odd it was that there was a horse with a rider going past my site in the first place. The horse was beautiful! It was certainly not your average hunters horse (besides, hunting season was long finished), and it definitely wasn't one of the rental horses up the road that are just a little on the scrawny and old side of their lives. I had so much on my mind, that I just let those thoughts leave almost as quickly as they had come. No sooner than having calmed down a bit do the dogs start barking again. I hear, "Ma'am. Can you step out of the tent?" I get out and there are two police cruisers parked at my camp site from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Dpt. They've got the rider with them. What I am I thinking at this point, you may wonder? "Oh, shit." That's what. The 1st cop says to me, "Do you have your dog secured where he can't get at me?" I told him that I did. The rider says to me, "I'm sorry to have to do this, but because of insurance purposes for the film we're making here, I had to call it in." Film? What? There was so much happening at once. My mind was trying to figure this puzzle out, but cop #2 was yelling at me from his cruiser, "Ma'am, do you have a drivers license?" Of course I did! Well, after pawing through my car and tent, I finally found it, bent out of shape, as usual. I give it to cop #2 and cop #1 says, "Do you have any warrants, Jennifer?" Right as I was saying, "Of course not," he interrupted me with, "Because we're fixing to find out if you do." I tried not to feel insulted. While cop #2 was busy with calling it in, I finally find out what the hell is going on. The rider and cop #1 are filling me in on the details in turn. Apparently, they were filming a mini-series for TNT called, "Into the West," in my campground. (That's why that truck was blocking the road earlier. Not to mention the van- he was scouting for locations.) They had approximately 100 head of horses for the film and couldn't risk an outbreak of Rabies! for the production. If my dog had infected that horse with Rabies, it would mean that the whole herd would have it and they would be screwed, royally. I patiently explained that, yes, Jojo is current on his shots, but I don't have his tags on me. I gave them my vets info, but it being Sunday, they couldn't reach them. While cop #2 is writing me citations for having no tags on the dogs and having the dogs unrestrained, the Rider and I relate the incident to cop #1. I told the rider how sorry I was for putting him through that and he told me how terrified he was. I told him that I thought he was a terrific rider for being able to hold on through all of that panic. He said, "Thanks." He worked for a company called Livestock for Film, or something along those lines, that rents out their livestock for movie productions. They were out of Santa Fe and were here to film three of the mini-series episodes, I guess. He was a super nice guy, but it was awkward as hell. Cop #1 is asking me about my camping situation. He told me I was "one, tough lady," for staying up there in the cold by myself. I said, "Thanks." The rider explained to me a bit more about the situation. He said that because the horse was injured, they might not be able to put that caveat in the credits about, "No animals were injured during the making of this movie." Talk about feeling like an asshole!! He said that "Humane Ed," as they called him (guy from the Humane Society), wasn't on set that day so they were in a real pickle. I could not have felt lower at that point. After some more idle chit chat, cop #1 and the rider leave me with cop #2 to seal the deal. I should mention that, the whole time this is transpiring, there are these 2 guys taking turns on an ATV checking out what was going on. I thought it was really tacky and wished they would just go away. Cop #2 calls me over to the cruiser and explains why he is having to ticket me. He was awfully nice about it and gave me a warning on the unrestrained dogs, but told me that I *will* have to go to court for the proof of rabies vaccination. He also explained that I shouldn't be surprised to find a bill from a vet in my mail sometime in the future. Great. The way he made it sound, Jojo had done some major damage. He then talked to me about how his daughter had a pit just like mine who was also a house cat-esque dog. He wonders about what the dog might do, you know "blood lines and all." Criminy. One weird thing- he asked me of the rider stayed on the horse the whole time. I said, "Yeah. He's a helluva rider." He just smiled and shook his head. He finally left, but not without saying, "Keep those dogs on a leash!" Feeling rather shamed, I decided to build a campfire and have an early dinner, for I planned on getting stinking drunk that night. I started cooking dinner and one of the ATV guys stopped at my camp. He asked me if I was okay. I said I was. He told me that he thought they were being way too hard on me. I couldn't help but think, "Who the hell is this guy and why does he know so much?" I recapped my encounter with the cops and what the dog had done and he comes back with, "Oh, I saw the horse. It's really not that bad." What? Am I in the Twilight Zone here? We chatted a bit about school and the area and he says, "Well, enjoy the rest of your trip." I shrugged the meeting off as a "curiosity killed the cat" kind of moment. I returned to making dinner and got out a new bottle of mustard. I tried to take the safety seal off of it and it exploded all over my face and shirt. I figured I was par for the course. Could things have gotten any worse? Oh, yes. Indeed they did. I gave up on the mustard affair and ate my dinner quickly. The bottle of Merlot was calling to me then more than ever. Not before a group of about twenty actors on horses came galloping past my camp, pointing at me and saying, "That's the one." I needed a drink and I needed it bad. My nerves were absolutely shot by then. I had just uncorked the bottle when a brand spanking new SUV parks behind my car. I knew it had to be the film people to tell me I was a fucking asshole or something. Out of the drivers side stepped this ridiculously good looking man of about 40 who was smiling at me. He introduced himself as "David Manzano" and told me that he was the location director for the series. He wanted to stop by and apologize for not telling me about their presence first thing that morning. He really felt bad about ruining my camping trip. I apologized for the incident profusely, all the while horribly aware that I was covered in mustard. So, there I was, trying to act like I wasn't covered in a condiment, playing it cool. Not. As we were talking, two more actors on horseback came galloping at the camp and the dogs freaked out again. I ran over to keep my dogs on a short leash and David called out, "Oh, by the way, they are shooting a scene with a long lens here. Should be only a few more takes." So much for that drink. To add insult to injury, David says, "Enjoy your wine! What are you drinking?" I called back, "Merlot." He said, "I love Merlot," waved and drove away. After the riders were done filming for the night, I built a huge campfire, drank the entire bottle of Merlot and crawled into my tent, hoping to end that terrible day. I did, I must mention, have the wherewithal to pack my food and beverages into my car before I passed out. The story doesn't end there. In the middle of the night, I awoke suddenly and became instantly aware that there was something sniffing around in my camp ground. I was glad that I had packed away my food and hoped to God that I was dealing with Raccoons and not with something....larger. I realized in a bit of panic, that I had left the dogs food right next to my tent. Precisely the area I am hearing all of the commotion at. I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed to fall back into a drunken coma and I was granted that humble wish. When I woke in the morning, I immediately broke camp, wanting to get home to a nice, warm, bath. When I went to my car to start loading up, what did I see but a bunch of brown, muddy, Bear prints all over my trunk and back window, as well as some claw marks on my trunk. Cheese and rice! I got the hell out of there as fast as my little Accord could take me. End of Story. |W|P|111144431014050130|W|P|It happened at the Rio Bonita|W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com3/18/2005 05:11:00 PM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|Feeling better now. I guess a trip into Wal-Mart hell puts it all in perspective. *L* Seriously, I am going camping and that makes me happy! Tonight, I will eat steamed artichoke and watch The Big Lebowski. I will finish packing my food items and get some well deserved rest. First thing in the morning, I leave for Ruidoso and three days of camping paradise (I hope). Yes, it will be cold (I checked NOAA), but I am prepared with flannel, hot cocoa and a tent heater. I rock. Here's to better times! |W|P|111119110274918269|W|P|Blooming Onion and Dipping Sauce|W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com3/18/2005 12:39:00 PM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|New shoes Do I sound like Leo Johnson? So they're not clunky boots, but beautiful, shiny, new Tevas. And they fit like a glove and smell fantastic (for now). It's awesome. I can't wait to test them out on some slippery rocks or something. I don't want to get them funky like my old Tevas, though. Those things have been through way too many dusty campgrounds and road apple trails. So they will be now known as my camping/hiking Tevas. My new Tevas will be known as "the precious." Just kidding, y'all. Last day before Spring Break. Most must think me quite the fool for even attending classes today. Fuck 'em. Beats going to home to my empty house with my less than stellar thoughts today. Yes, I am feeling quite unpleasant. Like "Only the Lonely" kind of unpleasant. Like "Somebody's Crying" unpleasant. Not the type of thoughts that I like to be alone with. I have decided to go camping anyways. I will leave bright and early tomorrow morning for Ruidoso. I am thinking of swinging by the White Sands Missle Range while I am out in that neck of the woods. I've never been there and, any ways, why the hell not? Anything to keep my mind off of this twisting and churning in my stomach. Peace out, Napolean lovers. |W|P|111117533291884169|W|P|New shoes|W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com3/17/2005 09:01:00 AM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|I am so excited because my new Tevas (Terra-Fi's) are scheduled to arrive today via UPS! New Tevas, y'all! That's cause for celebration! :-) |W|P|111107526854493738|W|P|UPS Package Tracking|W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com3/16/2005 06:28:00 PM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|Oh, yeah. I am going to watch Twin Peaks next week! Can I get a witness to testify?|W|P|111102291718807692|W|P|Spring Break Agenda|W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com3/16/2005 05:59:00 PM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|My Plans are Shot This weekend I was planning on taking a camping trip down to the Lincoln N.F. but Mother Nature foiled my plans. With two days of snow, that is. However, it is now melting quite nicely and I am harboring hope that it will warm up sufficiently in the next two days. I was going to leave Friday after class, drive down, pitch my brand, spanking new tent and partake in the glories of a camp fire. All of this absolutely solo. Yes, by myself. (Well, the dogs are coming, too, but no other people!) This is an historic occasion, folks. I have never camped by myself over night. I have done plenty of solo hiking, but never have I stayed alone overnight in the woods. Frankly, I am ecstatic about the prospect. So, we'll see if that will actually happen. If not, I will go the weekend after, weather permitting. Bottom line is that I really need to get the hell out of Dodge. I need to just forget about my crazy life for awhile....read a book, hike, watch the fire, listen to the sounds of the forest, hug a damn tree. I still feel like I am bordering on the insane. Distracting me from that unpleasant possibility has been my studies. I have been a studying fool. I had two tests today, Astronomy and Wildlife Mgmt Lab. I did okay in Astronomy and very well on the Wildlife Lab test. Once again I have my study mates to thank for helping me along with it. As well as studies, I have been applying for internships and jobs left and right. There are a couple that I want *really* *really* badly and the rest are just there. I was offered one for Range Technician, but it's not good for my career. If I was studying Botany, it would be one hell of an opportunity. The ones I am positively drooling over? 1. Red wolf telemetry intern at Alligator River NWR, NC 2. Elk research technician in Western Montana (grad student) 3. Black bear intern down in Macon, Georgia (grad student) 4. Carnivore survey technician in Sequoia N.F., CA Everything else is just a job. So, I am crossing all of my fingers and toes that I will get lucky. Until then, I will be a CV-submitting fool. Everything else is okay, I guess. My esophagus feels about 300x better. I can eat solid foods and even semi-spicy foods. I am still taking the horsepills and Pepcid and staying away from my other pills (even the birth control- hope my hormones don't freak out) like the Doctor ordered. I haven't made a follow-up with my PCP, but I like to stay true to my style by not following up. *snicker* Midterm grades are in: all As. Aren't ya proud, Ma? The question is, "Can she keep them up?" Botany is my main concern as I am not doing too Bueno in there right now. Besides that, Evolution is getting pretty tough; lots of studying I should be doing. Wildlife Mgmt is awesome so far. I just love going to class; I know I am going to learn something that just makes my day. :-) So, Spring Break next week. Sounds like I will be: 1. Mowing the lawn. 2. Clearing out my driveway. 3. Studying (doh!). 4. Playing with my kids, finally! 5. Cleaning my house. 6. God willing, spending some quality time in the mountains. God, please be willing. 7. Watching too much reality tv. I promise I won't wait so long to write next time. Ciao! |W|P|111102117956103680|W|P|Weekly Update|W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com3/11/2005 07:53:00 AM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|Kim, you are wicked, but wicked good! "Kim" is Kim Woodburn from the tv show "How Clean is Your House" which airs on Lifetime (I know, I should be ashamed) Monday nights. Together, her and Aggie Mackenzie conquer the nastiest houses in California and turn them into spotless, sparkling abodes. Kim is a brit and Aggie a Scot and they both have wonderfully devious senses of humour. As they walk into these disgusting houses every week, they get down and sniff "pee-pee," call people "beggars" and make no attempt to mask their absolute disgust at the home owners. This Monday, Kim said that she was sick of everyone coming up with these silly excuses for living in filth. She declared that if someone just admitted that they were a "filthy beggar" and had "no excuse," she would show her "bare bum" on Hollywood Boulevard. Now that's good tv. Lifetimetv.com: How Clean Is Your House?|W|P|111055283943025027|W|P|Lifetimetv.com: How Clean Is Your House?|W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com3/10/2005 09:02:00 PM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|There goes the neighborhood Maybe it's just me, but I think that it's saying something when you see that your neighbor has chained his barbequer to his porch balustrade. Call me crazy. |W|P|111051372322486472|W|P|There goes the neighborhood|W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com3/08/2005 09:20:00 AM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|Every day can be an adventure..... ...when you realize that we can only see one octave and hear eight. Yet, there are 40 octaves of waves out there that we just cannot detect with our puny, human senses. Isn't that exciting? Just think of what you are walking through, sitting in and injesting day after day without realizing? It's like going through a jungle with a blindfold and ear plugs. Now, if that doesn't make you feel like the next great explorer, I don't know what will. |W|P|111012724936833044|W|P|Where Have I Been?|W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com