7.24.2012

Camping

 
We got there late on Wednesday night and after setting up the tent we gathered around the fire for dinner around 9pm. We heated up sloppy joes over hot coals in our favorite cast iron pan. There were six of us the first night and we sat around the fire catching up while passing around a bottle of cinnamon whiskey. 

The raccoons came out full force that night thanks to a bunch garbage left at the site from previous asshole campers. They were ruthless, ripping into one of the tents and spending the night outside of our tent gnawing on old corn cobs and the garbage that we hadn't picked up yet.

We brought our little ikea french press and a stainless steel kettle. The leftover coals from the fire the night before was hot enough to heat the water for a batch of coffee each morning.
That afternoon, while waiting for a few more people to arrive, we sat under a massive tarp ("tarp city") expertly tied to a group of trees, while it rained around us. This is a picture of the river as the rain stopped and the sun started to come out. 

The next morning was warm and beautiful although the night was still marred by the sound of raccoons outside the tent. I wanted to love sleeping outdoors but every sound kept me awake.

After some life changing stuffed french toast, we finally waded into the river. Despite the record heat in Michigan the water was cold, and due to drought in the Midwest, the water only went to about knee high. But we made the best of it.

 
  
 
 
We spent Friday and Saturday in the river playing frisbee, fricket,  laying in tubes, playing rock throw, drinking, laughing and getting sunburned.

 
The tent that the raccoon ripped into.
  
Before dinner every night the boys would go into the woods and cut down dead trees for fire wood using chainsaws and axes. 
We made massive fires that burned for hours as we listened to music, danced around the fire, talked, laughed, made s'mores and stared at the stars.

7.16.2012

Currently



* Hi friends, I really have no reason or excuse for why I haven't been around. I just... haven't felt like it. I've been free from any and all studying for the last month and it has been strange to adjust to not having anything to do. I try to stay busy, but I eventually slow down and my lack of motion leads to standing still. It's nice to sleep late, have lunch with my friends, hang out with Mike everyday, go to bed late and wake up and do it again. But the problem is that it's not balanced with the appropriate amount of mental stimulation and responsibilities. Everything in life requires balance and this is no exception. *

* At some point this space became me trying desperately to post what I thought people wanted to see, what I read on blogs. But I'm tired of that and I think it feels inauthentic. I've tried so hard to be "successful" at blogging, i.e. lots of followers, sponsors, giveaways, freelance opportunities, but it just feels like the popular or successful bloggers are members of a secret sorority, with one blogger popping up on another's blog or smiling next to them in instagram photos. I've never been in a sorority and don't know how to pledge. No, I'm not from New York City, or Mormon (weird I know, but I follow quite a few successful bloggers who happen to be Mormon), I don't do crafts, I'm not a Mom, I'm just me, documenting my life and all the beautiful moments. It's taken so long for me to give up the idea that I had to be successful at blogging for it to be worth while, and I just recently completely stopped checking my stats and feeds. It's liberating.*


* I created a new blog, it's nothing yet, just a page with a title, and when I'm ready I'll share it with you. Sure, I could change the name here and retool things, but I like to start fresh. Shake off the old, take a deep breath, and start over. All I can tell you is that it's going to be a place that's much more authentic, less about "things", full of my own photos, with maybe more words than people will like, but it will be honest and real. *