Another one bites the dust

One down, two (or three) to go. Books, that is. I finished reading "The Man Who Quit Money" this morning. It wasn't quite what I had expected, and although I was tempted to throw it out about halfway through, the book redeemed itself, and I have to say that I am now a follower of Daniel Suelo's blog. The whole concept of living without money altogether is rather fascinating - here I have often caught myself desiring to live with less, but to check out of the monetary system altogether! It's certainly an interesting philosophy, and I am impressed by this guy's ability to live it out (and am curious to know how many other people are actually doing this in the modern world). I can't say that I've never thought about it, actually, because often I embraced the "traditional economy" when everyone carved a living for themselves and communities seemed to help their members without reward but simply knowing that those they helped would just as freely help them if they had the opportunity or ability.

Obviously, I can't live without money right now: I have several thousand dollars in student loans to pay off. But I have to say that this book has given me some hope for the future. I don't exactly know where my life path is taking me, but this book, as a slightly more tortured follow-up to "The Irresistible Revolution", I think is going to have a pretty big impact on my thought processes in this next stage of my life.

Now I have to finish reading Stephen Lawhead's "Scarlet", and Che Guevara's "Notas del viaje", with a rendering of "To Kill a Mockingbird" looking slightly more possible at this rate. Three and a half weeks remain. I acquired a really awesome Forest Service poster - "Arid Lands // Sacred Waters" it says, with really neat artwork. It'll make a good decoration both here and at Bodie. I think I ought to pick up one of those document tubes like Bekah always had so that I don't crinkle it in transition. I bought a bottle of kelly green RIT dye (they didn't have the dark green I was hoping for) and will soon be spot-checking it in an attempt to dye my carhartts green and keep me from having to buy a new pair of pants for my work at Bodie. I'm real nervous about it, so we'll see how that goes.

I was hoping to go to Tucson this coming weekend, but it doesn't look like Caitlin is going to be available (or her roommates for that matter), so I guess I'll be sticking around town here. I suppose its better that way anyhow: the temperature and the gas prices are only going up around here. But every weekend I hang out here is another weekend that I struggle with the temptation to start packing. Oi vey.

I've been getting up earlier and going to bed earlier than ever before lately. It feels good - I get a lot done in the mornings and am not rushed in the slightest bit. Then my evenings I'm more productive because I know I don't have a lot of time before I go to bed. The goal at hand for this is to get up early and ride my bike to Tuzigoot on Sunday morning. Should be good. I'll let you know how it goes.

Up and away

I've got something like 25 days remaining here. I'm starting to get real excited to be moving on. Not that I don't like my job - it's great - but it's not quite what I want, the weather is starting to get hotter than I am prepared to bear (though today was nice and the next few days are supposed to be better as well), and I am currently trying to ignore roommate issues as positively as possible - knowing that they won't just "go away" as I would wish.

I don't know if I posted it on here yet, but I am OFFICIALLY working at Bodie this summer season. I don't know how long I'll stay there (it depends on if I can get a next job lined up and when that starts), and I'm not sure what things are going to be like since there have been so many major staffing changes since my time working there, but I am excited nonetheless. Bodie is a beautiful place, and I have missed it a long time.

Today I got to go up into Montezuma Castle - something an increasingly small number of people can say they have done. The views were astounding, and I'm pretty sure that I can say I would love to live up there. Expect pictures in an upcoming post. I've spent too much time on the computer to allow myself to upload and caption them all tonight.

3 yrs!

Today has been a rather productive day so far. I washed my sheets, did some tidying, sorted and brought out my recycling, printed a pattern for a hat I'm going to knit, went for a walk, rearranged my room into a formation unlike anything I've ever done before, balanced my budget... and it's only one o'clock! I've got plenty more that I hope to accomplish, but I'm taking a slight break right now to post here and make a phone call or two.

In my working today, I came across a revelation: it has been over three years since the last time I shaved my legs! As I recall, it was April of my freshman year of college when I last shaved, and little did I know that I was embarking on a journey from hairlessness and frenetic shaving to soft legs and a calmer, more confident mindset. I don't even think about shaving anymore - a shaver is no longer even something that I have in my possession (that stopped after I left it home while studying abroad). In fact, now I see women without hair on their legs and my first thought is, "how strange?"

Three years of not shaving means that I've probably saved myself at least $12 a year in razors/blades, and I've taken myself out of the production cycle of those - which end up in the landfill and nowhere else. Not since I quit have I had a single accidental razor cut on my legs, nor has my razor roughed up my knees to the point that they were dry and scaly. (Actually, my knees are nice, soft, and smooth these days!) I've probably saved countless gallons of water from being wasted, as I usually shaved in the shower, and countless minutes (probably hours) of my time as well!

I have to say that I'm loving it. I don't regret the decision to stop shaving one bit, and I feel zero pressure to ever start - it just doesn't make any sense to me to shave! Not when I can be completely comfortable in my skin the way God made it.

Special thanks to Julie Giss: without her encouragement and example, I probably would not have made it through that first, crucial year, on the path to natural, unshaven legs. Thank you!