This last saturday was one of the 2 saturdays I have left before moving back to working Tues-Sat. So I decided that instead of lounging around I would have a bit of an adventure, wake-up at 6:30 AM and go tubing. I rode on a bus for 2.5 hours with a bunch of singles to an unknown destination, which I later learned was Phoenicia, NY. Here our group was instructed in the art of tubing, and we were then sent off on our own down the river.
Growing up in Kansas we used to go on a ride at World's of Fun called, "Fury of the Nile". Well. Tubing was like that. ONLY BETTER! I bit it once and fell off my tube. I was telling a fisherman that there were alot more of us coming down the river and the next thing I knew I was underwater. I tried to look like I meant it to happen. Yeah right.
I didn't want to get behind, so I paddled forward. Soon I ended up with a bunch of strangers in the group ahead of us and so had to wait for some familiar faces. I guess I am a fast tuber.
Needless to say. It was a blast. The only bad part was riding back on the bus in 98 degree weather with no AC and no windows! Here I was trying to look attractive because it was a single's activity. And heat is not exactly my best look. Although I did strip down to my bathing suit and had to hike up my skirt. But redheads in hot weather are not known for being super-cute. We mostly look sick. I said, "If I could name my worst-case scenario. This would be it." Soon the guy next to me started to spout off about how he feels like he is surrounded by negativity and it isn't that bad. Whatever! Can't a person complain if it is justified? When we got back to the city I saw a clock that said it was 98 degrees. And when we stepped off the bus I actually felt COOL! Ah. Well. I survived my worst-case scenario. And probably sweated out alot of toxins in the process. Most importantly, I got some outdoor time and got to reconnect with a couple of friends.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
What I Should Have Said: Awkward Encounter at Church III
Well. This time my moment of awkwardness was not in the single's congregation, but at a "traditional" or what I call a "family" congregation. I like to bounce around a bit.
I stayed after church to go to a "Munch and Mingle" where you get to know your fellow church-goers. I was in the room with only one couple. The wife left for a moment leaving just me and her husband. He pointed to his wife and said, "I'm with her. Just so you know and don't hit on me or anything."
Ummmm....my response? Pretend like I didn't hear him.
What I should have said:
"In your dreams."
"You're not my type."
"I don't think YOU have to worry about that."
"I'm not THAT desperate."
"Well. There's always polygamy." (for those of you who don't know, Mormons don't actually practice polygamy anymore.)
Was he making a joke? Maybe. I don't really know the guy. So it made me uncomfortable. To say the least. And it perpetuates the idea that single women can't be friends with married men. Or even talk to them for that matter. When really I am trying to get to know the people there, find friends and connect with fellow human beings. Maybe it is awkward for him because he doesn't know many single women. What he doesn't understand is that many of the men I have been friends with in the past are now married. And they are still my friends. Argh! Perhaps in writing this I sound bitter. But more than anything, I'd like to overcome stereotypes that are placed on me as a single woman. Stereotypes that I've only heard mention of, but never actually knew they existed. Or MAYBE he is so smart, that he knows these stereotypes exist and so was trying to overcome them by using humor.
I stayed after church to go to a "Munch and Mingle" where you get to know your fellow church-goers. I was in the room with only one couple. The wife left for a moment leaving just me and her husband. He pointed to his wife and said, "I'm with her. Just so you know and don't hit on me or anything."
Ummmm....my response? Pretend like I didn't hear him.
What I should have said:
"In your dreams."
"You're not my type."
"I don't think YOU have to worry about that."
"I'm not THAT desperate."
"Well. There's always polygamy." (for those of you who don't know, Mormons don't actually practice polygamy anymore.)
Was he making a joke? Maybe. I don't really know the guy. So it made me uncomfortable. To say the least. And it perpetuates the idea that single women can't be friends with married men. Or even talk to them for that matter. When really I am trying to get to know the people there, find friends and connect with fellow human beings. Maybe it is awkward for him because he doesn't know many single women. What he doesn't understand is that many of the men I have been friends with in the past are now married. And they are still my friends. Argh! Perhaps in writing this I sound bitter. But more than anything, I'd like to overcome stereotypes that are placed on me as a single woman. Stereotypes that I've only heard mention of, but never actually knew they existed. Or MAYBE he is so smart, that he knows these stereotypes exist and so was trying to overcome them by using humor.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Adventures in Utah: The Spiral Jetty
During my vacation in Utah I decided to make the trek out to Robert Smithson's "Spiral Jetty". Smithson was one of the originators of conceptual "Earth Art". You can read more about it on his official web site.
Getting to the Jetty was half the fun. It took us an hour to get over about 9 miles of bumpy roads in my mom's Toyota. We had to walk the last 1/4 mile in the hot sun because the road was too rocky.
This is what the terrain looked like...
My mom and brother got into a fight over the water bottle. The sun was beating down pretty hard on us.
Often the Jetty is covered over by the Salt Lake. Because SLC is in a drought, we were able to see it. There was absolutely no one around, and the lake was perfectly still. The black rocks were crusted with salt crystal and contrasted with the pink color of the Lake.
I spotted this alien-looking shape and upon closer examination realized it was just a small branch covered in salt.
The bottom of the lake was composed completely of Salt. My brother and I ventured out into the lake, and it only went to our mid-calves. We probably could have walked right out to the mountains in the distance. And it is true that you can float--on your back or your stomach. I have never been in such a still body of water. 2 cranes swam up to examine my brother and I. That was the only sign of life. There were small patches of salt floating all along the surface that glowed in the sunlight.
The lake bottom was so salty that the crystals scraped my knee when I tried to rest it on the bottom. You can also see that my leg was covered in Salt when I got out. As was the rest of my body.
Walking back to the car I found this bug preserved in the salt on the beach.
I was sad to leave the Jetty behind knowing that the landscape constantly evolves with the weather and will never be like it was on this day. Especially since it took so much work to get to. I hadn't been out of the city in 7 months prior to this trip. So this experience reminded me that there are so many peculiar places on earth that I haven't seen. This seems obvious, but it's something you forget in the day to day of city-dwellin'. I never fathomed that such a surreal place could exist. Because I live in the city, where no space is left unused, I couldn't believe that this natural wonder simply exists and serves no obvious purpose. Weird!
I definitely need to venture out of the city more often.
Getting to the Jetty was half the fun. It took us an hour to get over about 9 miles of bumpy roads in my mom's Toyota. We had to walk the last 1/4 mile in the hot sun because the road was too rocky.
This is what the terrain looked like...
My mom and brother got into a fight over the water bottle. The sun was beating down pretty hard on us.
Often the Jetty is covered over by the Salt Lake. Because SLC is in a drought, we were able to see it. There was absolutely no one around, and the lake was perfectly still. The black rocks were crusted with salt crystal and contrasted with the pink color of the Lake.
I spotted this alien-looking shape and upon closer examination realized it was just a small branch covered in salt.
The bottom of the lake was composed completely of Salt. My brother and I ventured out into the lake, and it only went to our mid-calves. We probably could have walked right out to the mountains in the distance. And it is true that you can float--on your back or your stomach. I have never been in such a still body of water. 2 cranes swam up to examine my brother and I. That was the only sign of life. There were small patches of salt floating all along the surface that glowed in the sunlight.
The lake bottom was so salty that the crystals scraped my knee when I tried to rest it on the bottom. You can also see that my leg was covered in Salt when I got out. As was the rest of my body.
Walking back to the car I found this bug preserved in the salt on the beach.
I was sad to leave the Jetty behind knowing that the landscape constantly evolves with the weather and will never be like it was on this day. Especially since it took so much work to get to. I hadn't been out of the city in 7 months prior to this trip. So this experience reminded me that there are so many peculiar places on earth that I haven't seen. This seems obvious, but it's something you forget in the day to day of city-dwellin'. I never fathomed that such a surreal place could exist. Because I live in the city, where no space is left unused, I couldn't believe that this natural wonder simply exists and serves no obvious purpose. Weird!
I definitely need to venture out of the city more often.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
A Brief Hiatus
Why the break? Well. I have been on vacation for 2 weeks in Utah. So I have alot of updates to make. And before that my computer was down for a week. I finally had to breakdown and purchase a new hard drive. BUMMER. But now my computer is up and running. More to come . . .
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