Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Drawing the Blinds


In the past few weeks, the chill of fall has come to reside in the mountains of central Idaho. It still makes itself scarce during the hottest parts of the day, but descends readily as the sun sets, snuggling into the valley at night. The whir of the air conditioner is no longer the constant accompaniment to nightly sleep - no, the trembling force of the cooling beast coming to life is an infrequent surprise.

I've had less and less time to write. Anything. Unexpected, as I had previously envisioned my time here being filled with the solitude and head space I most love to create words within. The past eleven days have been host to moments shared with dear family and friends coming through town - playing under the stars with my brother, on the river with my sister and her fiancee, staying up late with my long-time best friend. Beautiful, busy, full of life, weeks fit to burst at the seams, nights of a rare sleep barely indulged in. Contemplations of boundaries and energies and dedication and what it means to be personal, to be open, to allow oneself to be read. Much musing of late...

In more direct and simple news, things are changing and moving forward, as always:

The Grand Canyon trip I had anticipated and set my fall to accommodate fell through, semi-tragically. Every time I hear or see the words Grand Canyon, I get a little heart sick. New life has sprouted from the ashes of that disappointment though. I have decided to pursue AMGA certification as a Single Pitch Instructor. I don't have any concrete plans to use this certification for gainful employment, yet. It's something I want to do because I love climbing, and want to further my understanding and abilities. In my career in the great outdoors thus far, I've found that every professional development pursuit opens opportunities, whether I see them coming or not.

I am SLC bound at the end of the week - so anxious for the energy of the city, the culture, the friends I dearly love there, and the sweeping fury of fall canvassing the Wasatch.

I've taken a position on the Board of the Icelandic Association of Utah, and will be running their newsletter and written "PR" as of October. I feel this will be a rewarding, unique and personally applicable experience.

School starts in a matter of hours, online. I am auditing a course in Icelandic from BYU this fall, beginning Monday. Anticipating good things this semester, in course content and grades.

Though my expressions of adoration for Idaho may be ad nauseum here, this is worth saying. Over the course of the summer, I've fallen deeply in love all over again with the enchantments of Idaho - the emerald of the Salmon, the goodness of the people here, the proximity to my family. Some things have nothing to do with place, and you can make what you want out of most places. This is my place, and these are my people. I will be back next summer to be tested upon these waters, to find gravity and truth within this canyon.

With love,
JH