new smells

the new smells of bishop confuse me. they are just that, new. they don't have an association with thoughts, memories or anything personal at all. the smells are musty and hot, like davis. but at the same time not at all like davis. i was biking along the outskirts of town today and i got a whiff... it hit me, just then. the scent of dried grass and the hot dirt road filled my nose and i had nothing, no emotion associated with it. maybe a little curiosity. most peculiarly, the smell was no different than any other dried grassy field. you know that smell. in davis it always smelled good. in the berkeley hills it always smelled good too. i would get ready for what was about to happen when that smell came by me. take a deep breath, inhale with all your/my might, smile, hold it in a little bit and finally exhale with true and intangible satisfaction. so simple and yet so beautiful. it smelled warm and it smelled familiar. it smelled of hay, stale water, happiness and sunny afternoons.

smells mysteriously do that to you. one whiff and you're transported to another time. a memory perhaps. a nap on the quad or in the arboretum during the lazy spring quarter. good times had with friends, or a brisk shuffle to class in the davis winter, or a few hours spent warm at cafe roma (when it was still there).

i absolutely love how smells carry that much power. for now the smells here in bishop are empty. over time, maybe, they will build and grow into something familiar. i wonder how long it might take and when i will realize it.

mono update

out in mono county. don't have too much time to write. very very dirty. no river or lake to bathe in today.

lots of field work in the bodie hills. learning about plants. head explode. having fun. good company. hot. sweaty. many biting insects. itchy ITCHY!!!

last night we went into town and to the local mobile mart where this really cool band, the trespassers, were jamming out. cool bluegrass country dance type stuff. yay! got to dance! haha.

live band + happy people + crazy dancing + beer i enjoy=awesome night.

been here since monday, staying till next thursday.

on a more depressing note (more like the real world unfortunately) bad news from home. going back when field work is done. or sooner. ahh.

a week of "firsts"

first trip out to the fields.
first time climbing locally.
first taste of few worries.
first week in bishop.

i'm sitting here on the front porch at the house in bishop. it's a warm evening, there is a nice breeze and i'm listening to music REALLY loud... couldn't ask for a better set up.

i just spent the day climbing and exploring the mountains, then i biked over to the local grocery store for some shoppin, gorged on good food, and chatted with good people . now i'm basking in my stink and winding down the day with a little bit of relaxation. i guess i'll just start off with describing the past few days. i spent some time by whitney portal and did field work with the research teams. essentially my first "field trip." only a few words are needed to describe what it was like: camping, beer, fire, hiking, fishing and plants. it's hard to believe i'm getting paid for this. i've been so spoiled with my jobs... then: getting paid to climb and to teach people to climb; and now: getting paid to hike, camp and count/sample plants. this is the life :)

other than work things this new town are definitely looking up. looking up both figuratively and literally... into the mountains. it's a bit smoky right now but going up to the higher elevations is... um... freakin awesome. i explored the rock creek area today. it had been a while since i've climbed so it was really nice to get out there. i definitely got my ass kicked and my mental state calibrated for climbing. good shit. also, met some cool people... i must say, climbers are such nice people. i love it. aside from the trip into the cooler and higher elevation areas it was really nice to be able to just live. this is where the "first taste of few worries" comes from. for once i can spend a break or a weekend not worrying about exams or work that needs to be done, or about finding a job and what i am going to do for the rest of my life. yes, i do still need to keep the long term future in the back of my mind... but for now things are fine, steady and happy.

all in all, i like it here in bishop. i can sit in a coffee shop and just hang out, just like what i'm used to in davis. i can go climbing within a 10 minute drive or be in the mountains, which is new and definitely not like davis... but i can definitely embrace this change. i can even walk around town and recognize people already! however, i can not go grocery shopping or do anything down town past 9pm- but i guess i can handle that ;)

What does tomorrow bring? probably going on a hike or exploring some new climbing areas. then, a nice little july 4th BBQ at the house with all the bossmen/coworkers and their significant others. like i said, this is the life.