rivervision

yep, consistently.

i’m sorry benjamin, but this was post was so funny, imho, that i needed to take it with everything from your website, title of the site included. why? because the few people who come here simply needed to read it and i was afraid they may not click through. (if you mind that i’ve stolen this, please leave a comment and i’ll delete it immediately)

From:
UPSIDE DOWN UNDER

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2010
JUNGLE GIRL
6 year old C. walked into the kitchen last night without a stitch of clothing, preceded by her big voiced announcement “NOW PRESENTING …. JUNGLE GIRL!!!!!!”

Afterwards she explained in a smaller voice “Jungle people are naked.”
POSTED BY BENJAMIN ADY AT 3:50 PM

i’m on a committee to award a university wide teaching excellence award to an individual department. today the finalists came to do a presentation about why they should get the award to the committee. one of the departments in the running is USU’s version of the department my dad is a retired professor from at Va Tech. when i walked into the conference room area professors from that department were standing around and i told them about my dad being one of them.. well, one of the profs waiting around is a graduate of dad’s department – from the late 80’s – and remembered him. it was a good remembering: he said that dad was laid back – not like many of his colleagues, and that his lectures were great and full of jokes. he said some other things that i can’t really remember, but he really did describe my dad to a T. in fact, it didn’t surprise him to hear that after dad retired he became a licensed massage therapist. considering everything that is going on with my dear dad it was really nice to hear someone speak about my dad the way he did, here at USU.

a few years ago dad had a retirement party and former students flew in from all over the country. i was blown away by how far some of them flew. during the party everyone there said something about dad. my comment was – that if i become a professor that if i have 1/2 the impact that dad had then i’ll consider myself a huge success.

my dad really can be an ass at times.. lets face it, we all can, but honestly? he’s a good man and really walks to the beat of his own, sweet, drummer, and that is reflected in the fact that a student who didn’t even work directly with him remembered him so well 20 years later.

i was talking to a friend of mine tonight who is a 1st year student in the department. one thing that i was curious about is if he finds this phd process hard. i ask because i am terribly insecure and look for the easy way out, a lot. i don’t like writing when it is hard, i don’t like doing anything when it is hard. from what i’ve learned about this fellow – he doesn’t shrink in the face of challenge, that when things are hard he just shrugs it off and moves with it – really, the complete opposite of me (i like to curl up in a ball and cry, a lot). so, i found great comfort when he said that – yeah, this is hard. it’s one of the hardest things he’s ever done. for me it’s indicative that maybe i don’t shrink as much as i thought i did in the face of hard. while i do like to curl up and cry i guess that i’ve made it this far means that i can do at least a little of the pushing through. we’ll see, i thought things were going to get easier as i moved into the dissertation phase, but it’s not. this stuff only gets harder.

it’s been a year since you left us too soon, my friend. just so you know, you are missed.

it’s a blurry picture.. of the mormon tabernacle choir. yep, i finally got to go see them. they are really good, and the tabernacle is a pretty spectactular place. never thought i’d see the choir in their home spot, but i did, and thanks to my friend clint – in the 2nd row.

on my way home i finally stopped by willard bay state park after driving by so many times on I15 down to SLC. i need to talk to jcp about taking the kids there for a day when summer comes. some promising swimming and playing on the beach to be done as the water isn’t super salty there. the picture is the view from one of the beaches.. the mountains to the east, and if you can’t tell, the lake is frozen. it is a beautiful spot, a lot more beautiful than the picture implies. the only bad part? that it’s so close to the highway, but of course that’s why i stopped by – the proximity to the highway.

Yep, yep.. I am exhausted today… Thought that I’d be able to fix that yesterday, but today finds me just as tired… The events of the last couple of weeks have just caused me to DRAG.. I know others feel the same way. This upcoming week is another packed one.. Today I’m getting my oil changed, then hopefully a walk up at 2nd dam for a bit of mama nature, and then work work work.. Looks like im headed to be with dad around the 10th for a bit. That will be good.

it went okay. i have some re-tooling of the methods, but they are easy and they want them done in a week. i’m only allowed to read 1 thing. good good good.  i’m on a bit of a late afternoon coffee high, but, really, i have 5 really good people on my committee and feel incredibly blessed. i’ve heard that there are some profs who get on ego trips, not the 5 i work with. i may actually get this degree.

talked to dad, my uncle and my aunt this afternoon. so glad to hear all 3 voices. love them all, a lot.

yes, i carry around security items. my iph0ne often acts as that, but sometimes other things creep in and get added, or replace the item.. this week i’ve been carrying around this book:

Wherever waters flow: A life long love affair with wild rivers, by Doug Woodward

the book was written by a fellow, doug, who i met in baja, mexico.. at the bottom of an insane road, one that i’d only travel with hearty travellers who are extremely experienced with off road driving in old volkswagen vanagans. he was there with his wife and, i think, 3 kids. there weren’t many of us there – the 4 of us (re: me and the 3 hearty travellers), an alaskan fisherman, doug & his family, and maybe another group of people.. i can’t remember exactly who all was there, but it wasn’t many of us. we spent the days sea kayaking, snorkeling, laying out on the beaches, exploring tidal pools.. we spent our few evenings together eating fresh fish, courtesy of mr. alaskan fisherman, around campfires and soaking up the stars above and the sounds of the waves beside us. yep yep, it was a magical few days that i hope i never ever forget.

a few years ago i got this book in the mail and because my life is what it is i haven’t had a chance to look at it. or even email doug to thank him for the book. last week when i was searching in vain for something that maybe i could send to dad, in case he needed reading materials, this book kept yelling at me. “pick me up.” this is one thing that dad and i share – rivers, in particular the rivers that doug writes about in his book. yes, the rivers that he pioneered running.

dad isn’t up for reading, but i am. i need a diversion from the nerves of my proposal defense on thursday and from the sadness and worry that fills this daughter’s heart. so, this week i’ve been stealing moments here and there (and even during a meeting, shhhh.. (i’d scanned a chapter and had it on my computer)) to take myself back to these rivers that, even though i don’t paddle anymore, i still love with all my heart. not only is it an escape, but i’ve also felt more connected to my papa. as i read doug’s description of his first run of the left line at 7 foot falls on the chattooga my body could feel it too, and as i read about his organizing of the southeastern’s slalom championships my heart filled with gratitude that he did that so that years later i could race in that very race.

yesterday i finally sent doug a thank you for his book.. and i hope he realized it wasn’t really a thank you for sending me a copy of it.. the thank you was for writing it. his words are just gifts, 270 pages of gifts for someone like me. i get to be reminded of one of the most important times in my life, i get to be reminded that yeah – even running those rivers in the 1990s – rather than the 60’s and 70’s – it was an incredible life experience. maybe the book is even going to inspire me to get back in my boat (i still have 2) again to run some wild rivers.

and so my point of all the ramblings. if you like narratives about the outdoors – and he writes not just about the southeast US, but also the canyon (grand would be “the”), and rivers in alaska, idaho – go, get a copy of this book. and next time you happen to find  yourself at the bottom of a canyon talk to the people around the campfire.. really, you never ever know who you’ll run into. maybe you’ll get to meet one of the pioneers of one of those things that made you, you (and if you do meet that person, tell them to write their stories down, because you never know, they may listen to you so that you can then carry around the gifts of their words forever).

There’s nothing else they can do, he’s going home.