6/1/09 Monday, Jun 1 2009

            What’s up June?!  Yeah I made it through May, only two more months.  May sure did go fast so I wonder how quick June will go.

            Today was pretty awesome.  Even though we had to start decently early, 5:00, it wasn’t a bad morning.  We had our first of many fledgling checks, which consists of arriving at the cavity before sunrise and then following the fledglings to ID them and then sex them by their plumage.  It is going to be the first of many, but its ok, the early morning don’t bother me any more.  After the birds flew off ten minutes before, still don’t know why they were out that early, we headed over to another cluster to band before we BURN!  Forest did the banding this morning because he had an injury occur to one of the two nestlings when it was extracted from the cavity.  The leg on the nestling broke so we had to splint it with scotch tape before we could band it.  Poor thing, he was not happy. 

            After banding we headed to our weekly meeting with Crowell and all the big guns were there today.  We briefly went over the results of last weeks work and then got a confirmation on the burn.  I was pumped but Michael Crowell told me that I need to stick close to someone because of my inexperience.  I guess that was just for peace of mind for the other big wigs because I soon as we got out there I had a drip torch in my hand.  It was so much fun.  We burned 100 acres.  Some spots did burn as nicely as we had hoped but others did wonderful.  Working with all those guys is awesome too.  It’s like hanging with the Blue Collar Comedy Tour guys.  I was tearing up on several occasions from some of the conversations.  We were at it about six hours today and it wasn’t too dangerous.  It did get a little sketchy when Michael, the fire boss, told Dan and I to go get the Ranger after we had finished our strips.  Dan and I were running back strips to lessen the run of head fires when the wind picked up and we got the call “6 (Michael) to 96 (Me), go get that Ranger and take it to the road.”  We had parked it in a raked area under one of the cavity trees, so it was safe from fire but we had to cross a few back fires that had caught a little wind.  We came up to the strip and Dan is like, “Awwh, just keep thems feets a movin’ an it won’t git yus too bad.”  I was like, “Yeah, sure, high knees right.”  So we made a dash through it and it got a little toasty for a moment but it was a rush. 

            After all the blocks had been lit, I had a good time sitting around with them and cutting up.  It was a welcomed change of pace today and it was awesome that I got to help as much as I did.  I sure wouldn’t mind doing some burning for a while.

            When I got home from the 12 hour day, I took a shower and then took a 3 hour nap.  It was Niiceee!  I then wrote this so my brain isn’t fully functional yet so sorry for the grammar.  Tomorrow is another early day and long day but hopefully I can get the pictures of the fire up then.

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Sit and Observe activity Monday, Jun 1 2009

                So I feel that while I have always had a great appreciation for nature and the many miracles that occur, I am not sure others see it the same way, or at least as intensely as I do.  I challenge everyone that reads this go outside and sit, preferably somewhere as far away from distraction as possible.  Go to a park and find a bench, take a towel and walk down a trail and maybe veer off the beaten trail.  Some of my favorites are the Rose Garden at NCSU, Lake Johnson, Bond Park, the Hemlock Bluffs, North Cary Park, or Yates Mill Pond.  I challenge you to go, sit, and observe nature at its purist form.  Listen to the birds or the water.  Watch the trees sway in the wind and hear them moan in there old age as they resist the bend of the wind.  The purpose is to escape from all the human dimensions of the world, so no cell phones or music, and let your mind observe what is being offered.  Try to connect with the area and listen to its story….

 

             I then hope that some will respond in what they saw or felt or heard.  Be as specific or vague as you want.  But please try.

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5/31/09 Monday, Jun 1 2009

             Today proved to be a…comfortable day.  I went to church and ventured to the college for Sunday school.  I feel bad leaving the 20’s class but I’m just not ready to be that old yet.  The college class was pretty good.  The Bible study was pretty good and had some good depth to it.  I was still able to figure out the may point of the study three verses in, but it was still intellectually challenging to some points.  I wanted to break in and tell him what I thought and answer some of the questions, but I hate to steal thunder.  I guess since I’m not a huge fan of being interrupted, I hate to do it to other people.  That is why, Mr. Locklear, I only answer your questions when you call on me.  The service was only pretty good but my mind was occupied early in the sermon due to a pen malfunction in my hand.  I noticed the ink on my hands after I had already handled the pen for a minute or so, so I was in constant wonder if I had smeared ink all over my face. 

            The rest of my day proved to be as previous weekends spent here.  I did some reading and some internet surfing until my brain could no longer focus on anything constructive.  I then decided it was time to begin an adventure through the season of my favorite T.V. show, How I Met Your Mother.  Oh how I have missed that show.  Hopefully season four will end soon and be released to DVD so I can watch it.  I went and got the first two seasons today and spent around two an a half hours watching some of the first episodes. 

            After I could take no more of my stomach’s grumbling, I headed to the Walmart for some needed nourishment.  As I was walking out of the store I realized amazing the sun felt on my skin and how it warmed my body down to the core.  Spending the better half of my weekend inside seemed to suck the energy out of my and I felt that the sun had just revived something deep within.  I hope I can find a beach on a nearby lake or a pool or something where I can lay and absorb the sun, natures all-natural energy bar. 

            I have spent most of my reading time in the Lord of the Rings, but I have decided to let that rest for a while and begin a quest for knowledge through my reading.  I have begun reading a book on evolution.  You should see more about this in another post so I will leave it at that. 

            My weekends have been pretty slow, though I may dislike it during the day, at the end of the day it is refreshing.  The upside is that we are burning 100 acres tomorrow……AWESOME!

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5/30/09 Monday, Jun 1 2009

            I began yesterday as if I was awakening from hibernation.  I laid in bed for some time deciding whether or not to start my day and the what the contents of it should be.  After some time, I did the Will Whipple stretch to loosen my muscles that had become dormant in the long sleep.  Since indecision was inevitably on the brain, I figured a Pop-Tart was the best medicine.  I then spent quite a few hours on my computer surfing here and there on the internet, when the connection allowed, and playing games upon games of spider solitaire.  I have become a master of the beginner difficulty but still, I am unable to master the two suit level.  I guess it will come with time and practice.  When my eyes felt they could no longer focus on a screen and my body could no longer lay motionless on the couch, I knew it was time for exercise.  I have devised a Rocky Balboa workout plan that consists of push-ups, pull-ups, curl-ups, sit-ups, and some running with a station of inverse push-ups at a railing in my route.  I usually do two sets before my run and my run is around 2.5 miles.  It feels so good to exercise, but it takes its toll on the next two days.  My knee always feels great during the run but so tender the next day, especially to pivot on.  I went and got some calcium supplements at the Walmart today, so hopefully it will heel before I return home, as long as I stop running, so the late start of my wakeboarding season may commence.  There are still two in-state competitions in October that I may be able to enter, if I feel comfortable enough with my knee and my riding performance. 

            I also went to the mall for the first time yesterday.  It is a nice mall but I expected it to be more crowded on a late Saturday afternoon.  I went and had Chick-Fil-a for the first time since I was down here and it was awesome.  I then walked through the mall and noticed how bare it was.  My mind was also taken by the fact that they had carpet throughout the walkway.  I only explored half of it, I think, and went into two stores.  I first went into Sam Goody’s, which is like an F.Y.E., and they had a good selection of movies on CDs, so I might have to go back when my eyes are tired of reading.  I also went into one of my favorite stores, PacSun.  Oh how I miss the v-neck tee.  I’m bummed I can’t really buy anything though, because I just barely made the weight limit with my suitcase coming down here.  Maybe I can buy stuff and mail it back.

That was it for yesterday.  I watched the Underworld: Evolution and spent the rest of my time messing around on my computer.

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