Musings from Christmas Eve
I keep forgetting to update...
Christmas Eve I went on a bike ride after I got out of work. It was sunny and in the upper forties, though the temperature was dropping, it being already 3:30, but the ride was great. I didn’t go very long, because I decided to stop and check out this “nature reserve” I usually pass. I mentioned it in an old post, but never actually went back to explore it, like I said I would. Anyways, after leaning my bike up against the water-works building that shares the site, I walked through the tall grass, then a bit of trees, and over to the riverside. I believe it’s the Rouge River, or a branch of it; nothing huge, as rivers go, but pretty just the same. On reaching its edge, the first thing I saw as I looked across to the other side, up the bank and basically in someone’s backyard stood 4 deer, looking right back at me. I stood still, watching them for five or so minutes. They didn’t bolt, even though they clearly saw me, and didn’t even take off when I started walking down the river to see what else was there. Maybe being across the water made them feel safer.
It was so peaceful being there in the tiny piece of woods. The sound of the water flowing steadily over the river stones and jammed logs was like music in the late afternoon air. I just sat there looking and listening, soaking it in. It was a nice touch for Christmas Eve, to be out there among this little community of trees, all ready for the winter.
It’s making me think seriously again about hiking the Appalachian Trail. Just that little half hour of being in a more natural situation (such as is available in metropolitan Detroit) makes me realize how very much I miss it. I keep telling myself that I’ll hike it “someday” or that “someday” I’ll change my life so that I’m living near more natural areas where I can goof off in. But “someday” is too vague, and too easy to put off. I’m thinking this spring I’m going to do it. I’m not sure how I’ll swing it with school or my jobs. Leaving two steady, secure jobs is a major psychological hurdle I’m going to have to face. It’s always hard for me to leave a secure situation like that. Especially since I like the courier job so well, it’d be a shame to quit it only 5 or 6 months after getting it. Being in Beaumont is always good, because you can advance in it. And of course I’d be copping out on school again, at least for the summer, if not the fall, if not for good.
I’m right now just trying to weigh my priorities, what I want my life to look like. Go with the reasonable future of school and whatever that leads to, or skip that, go for doing what I enjoy (hiking, camping, biking etc) and work only to support that. I’m leaning towards the latter, which is going to really piss off everyone I know when I end up telling them. But I haven’t decided yet; I’d be giving a lot of things up if I took the latter course, and that’s a difficult choice to make.
On a totally unrelated note, the only thing else I have to say is about a commercial I saw yesterday. It was a drug commercial, for “restless leg syndrome.” I nearly fell out of my chair. Restless leg syndrome? What the fuck is that? That’s not a disease, that’s a symptom: you’re too stressed out and/or uncomfortable to sleep soundly. Get a new mattress and do some yoga or something, you fucking junkies. I mean, shit, they’re just inventing diseases now, so they can push their smack on us. What’s next, excessive yawning syndrome and the miracle drug that cures it? Sleep more, asshole!
Christmas Eve I went on a bike ride after I got out of work. It was sunny and in the upper forties, though the temperature was dropping, it being already 3:30, but the ride was great. I didn’t go very long, because I decided to stop and check out this “nature reserve” I usually pass. I mentioned it in an old post, but never actually went back to explore it, like I said I would. Anyways, after leaning my bike up against the water-works building that shares the site, I walked through the tall grass, then a bit of trees, and over to the riverside. I believe it’s the Rouge River, or a branch of it; nothing huge, as rivers go, but pretty just the same. On reaching its edge, the first thing I saw as I looked across to the other side, up the bank and basically in someone’s backyard stood 4 deer, looking right back at me. I stood still, watching them for five or so minutes. They didn’t bolt, even though they clearly saw me, and didn’t even take off when I started walking down the river to see what else was there. Maybe being across the water made them feel safer.
It was so peaceful being there in the tiny piece of woods. The sound of the water flowing steadily over the river stones and jammed logs was like music in the late afternoon air. I just sat there looking and listening, soaking it in. It was a nice touch for Christmas Eve, to be out there among this little community of trees, all ready for the winter.
It’s making me think seriously again about hiking the Appalachian Trail. Just that little half hour of being in a more natural situation (such as is available in metropolitan Detroit) makes me realize how very much I miss it. I keep telling myself that I’ll hike it “someday” or that “someday” I’ll change my life so that I’m living near more natural areas where I can goof off in. But “someday” is too vague, and too easy to put off. I’m thinking this spring I’m going to do it. I’m not sure how I’ll swing it with school or my jobs. Leaving two steady, secure jobs is a major psychological hurdle I’m going to have to face. It’s always hard for me to leave a secure situation like that. Especially since I like the courier job so well, it’d be a shame to quit it only 5 or 6 months after getting it. Being in Beaumont is always good, because you can advance in it. And of course I’d be copping out on school again, at least for the summer, if not the fall, if not for good.
I’m right now just trying to weigh my priorities, what I want my life to look like. Go with the reasonable future of school and whatever that leads to, or skip that, go for doing what I enjoy (hiking, camping, biking etc) and work only to support that. I’m leaning towards the latter, which is going to really piss off everyone I know when I end up telling them. But I haven’t decided yet; I’d be giving a lot of things up if I took the latter course, and that’s a difficult choice to make.
On a totally unrelated note, the only thing else I have to say is about a commercial I saw yesterday. It was a drug commercial, for “restless leg syndrome.” I nearly fell out of my chair. Restless leg syndrome? What the fuck is that? That’s not a disease, that’s a symptom: you’re too stressed out and/or uncomfortable to sleep soundly. Get a new mattress and do some yoga or something, you fucking junkies. I mean, shit, they’re just inventing diseases now, so they can push their smack on us. What’s next, excessive yawning syndrome and the miracle drug that cures it? Sleep more, asshole!
posted by Brandon at 5:18 PM
2 Comments:
woo! you updated. your fans are now happy. the way you describe the way you percieve nature makes me want to jump on a bike and just ride somewhere. I just don't know where to ride.
You're luckier than I am, man, you're more on the outer fringes of this suburban clusterfuck than I am; I live in the friggin heart of it. Probably head north, maybe? I dunno, I just find these places as I ride, you will too. Maybe check a roadmap, see if there's any parks you want to check out. The Clinton River has a few parks along it that I've been to that weren't too bad, try those for starters, maybe
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