One raccoon face

checking in.

I went backpacking this weekend and got majorly sunburned from spending eight hours tramping across snowfields. (It’s still early season so snow tends to linger up high) What was cool though was that I put first tracks of the season up China Cap Mountain. I left a note on top for my coworker the gist of which was “neener neener”. Another thing that was cool is that I forgot and left my ipod in my pocket from the drive up, so I found myself camping at 8000 ft with 20 pounds of gear and 3 gigabytes of musicking potential. I realize that sounds terribly artificial (I mean, you go backpacking to escape), but it actually wasn’t. I was surprised how much a pristine wilderness can be—not exactly improved, but changed not for the worse—by a soundtrack.

I’m sorry I haven’t been on the blog recently. It’s been mainly due to two factors—I started work, and I started a journal. Work actually rocks this year. I worked in for the same people (USFS) two years ago, and it kind of sucked because my job consisted of counting all day. I counted trees, spray paint dots and dead beetles 8 hours a day. Now, however, I am a wee bit higher on the totem pole which means I am kind of the crew leader for doing field work and I get to do a lot of hiking in the woods and drive my own government rig. The best part is that our study involves trapping beetles, tagging them w/ fluorescent dust and then releasing and recapturing them. What’s sweet about this is that I managed to score the job of assessing the recaptured beetles to see if they were tagged or not. This means that I get to sit in a dark lab with BLACK LIGHTS on and look at glowing beetles through a microscope while I blare techno through my earphones. Hey, simple pleasures.

As for the journal, a friend gave me a really nice black notebook for a grad gift, so I figured I would start keeping a diary/thought sheet. It took a little while to get in the habit of it as I am not particularly introspective, but it is really helpful in getting stuff out. Also it means that you all won’t have to read the page and a half of delirious whining that I jokingly term a “post”. At least not the really bad stuff.

A fair warning: those with tenderer sensibilities might wish to skip the following paragraph.

So I go to a Fred Meyer the other day (okay, it wasn’t really the other day. More like 2-3 weeks ago. Irrelevant anyhow) and my mom and I split up ‘cause I have to pick up boxers and she had to go get a shirt or something. We arrange to meet in 5 minutes in front of the handicapped checkout sign. I motor back to the men’s section, find my boxers and return to the sign. Of course my mom is nowhere to be seen so I stand there smiling at the passers by and try to ignore how ridiculous I look standing in front of a (closed) handicapped checkout line in my LHS tennis sweatshirt that is four sizes too big clutching three pairs of plaid boxers. Presently I become aware of the fact that another man is standing about 15 feet to my left. I discreetly glance over and notice that he is examining a small box from one of the main aisles. I glance again and wonder what it is he is so engrossed in. Then it hits me. This man has been standing there for the past 8 minutes comparing boxes of CONDOMS. Don’t get me wrong, I am no prude. I realize that condoms are a very important part of life for a significant segment of our population. I do however believe that when I reach that stage in life where I feel the need to join that segment, I will at least be discreet about it. Not this guy. He must have examined every box on that wall. Magnum, ridged, lubricated, all-natural, flavored, desensitizing; all of them. At one point he has three boxes down and he is comparing the specs on them. He could have been reading the nutrition facts on a can of chef boyardee. The worst part was when he noticed me standing there, turned around, smiled and gestured as if to say “gosh, aint it a great day to pick out condoms? Want to join me?” Sorry but no thanks. I already know more than I wanted to about your sex life. I hesitate to speculate what you would think of mine.
Guys; when you pick out condoms, please, for all humanity’s sake, don’t use it as an opportunity to advertise to the world your penile status.

Anyway, I had better go to bed—for me work starts at 6:00 sharp.

miss you all

-bern