STORYS OF THE TRIBE:

SKIN WALKERS, STONE BUFFALO, AND LYNX BALLS

This past shift i was privleged to work with the great mike b, (stone buffalo), reigning master of desert life and the most knowlegable individual i have met regarding primative skills. We knapped stones and discussed the intricicies of the paute deadfall, with stone buffalo explaining many small refinements it would have taken me litteraly years to figure out on my own. Unfortunately, it was stone buffs last shift at redcliff, as he is returning to Boss to spend the summer living wild in the desert and show those truly adventurous souls who come his way how to live off this harsh land with litteraly nothing but your own wits and what tools you can devise from what nature provides.

before he left, stone buff and i disscussed his ongoing project, known as red hands, an honor society of sorts which draws student leaders from the groups in the redcliff field and brings them together for a week of advanced skill and fieldcraft work the other students do not get. He also used redhands as an oportunity to share leadership ideas and disscuss concepts beyond the normal redcliff program.

I feel honored to say that he has asked me to help him develop a story program to help future redhands staff discuss the values red hands is supposed to teach. This project gives me the oportunity to help create the program we use with our students, a responsability i take very seriously. I am very excited about this new endevor and will post more on this subject soon.

Also, i have aquired a digital camera with my first paycheck, so keep an eye out for pictures after the next shift.

I have discoverd that i am losing weight again. To counteract this i have made 7 lbs of lynx balls to eat on the next shift. For those who do not know(probably everyone) lynx balls are made by mixing oatmeal, peanutbutter, and honey to form dense, tasty balls of goodness. Lynx balls are supposedly named after the famous redcliff guide mountain lynx, though lynx himself tells me that he is not particularly fond of them, and in fact rarely makes them himself.

Update:

After hours of late night walk and talk, my date expressed some abivilence about dating again. Out of respect for the fact that she had just gotten out of a long relationship, i offered to cancel our date for the time being (this is what we shall call, from here on "The usual"). However, we decided to spend the day together anyway and I had a very enjoyable time. I feel that this situation was handled the right way. At the same time, i am still feel there may be some ambiguity about the nature of our relationship. However, this may be wishfull thinking. At any rate, i have a funny, extremely intelligent, and exquistely attractive new friend, which is not ideal but is far from a bad thing.

Sharah has just discovered that i have a blog and it suddenly occured to me that she has not yet been given adaqate space here. So:

Sharah Rhomberg is the coolest. She was my trainer when i first arrived here, and we have worked together several times. She opened her home to me when i was living on the streets, is going to be my room mate begging in may, and, in her own words, we are now "BFF". She is very open, outgoing, and courageous, and she knows EVERYBODY. She knows one of my friends from fredonia state. She knows the DR. BRONNERS FAMILY!!! She is an amazing human being and i am gratefull to have met her. Am considering a more extensive bio with photos.


Digger

YES! YES! YES!

As of 2:13 am mountain time, i officialy have a date with the hotest girl in st george (yes, that would be the same irish girl with the fiddle mentioned earlier). How did this come about you may be wondering? Well, of course my wit and charm had everything to do with it. It went a little like this:

Me - (very aquardly) so... would you mind doing me a favor?

Her - (in pajamas, brushing teeth before bed) sure, what?

Me - (quickly thinking up something incredibly romatic and witty) Err... uh... well you see, i have this problem with low self esteem.

Her - (confused) what? really?

Me - Yep, and it would really help me out if you went on a date with me.

Her- (laughs and spits toothpaste on everything)

Just wanted to share. More posts coming up in a day or two.

HOMELESS AND WEALTHY

Not to brag, but I am now officialy making pretty phat bank (well... for a person whos only expense is food, anyway. Let me tell you, I eat some really, REALLY good food now adays). Making monely sounds like a good thing, but is actualy proving oddly frustrating. I feel like now that i have plenty of cash, it should be pretty easy to find a place to live.

This is not the case.

As my potential room mates and I are discovering, the saint george housing market is completely saturated by wealthy retirees from california. These people are drawn in droves by this areas, sunny, pleasant climate and the alure of escaping from the crowds and fast pace of the western coast for a "quiet, rurual" life.

What this means for us is that if you wish to find a place to live in southern utah, you must compete with litteraly thousands of people who:

a. Are from cali and thus are used to spending two grand a month to live in the hole under the sink in a crack house. Thus they consider a grand and a half a month for the same hole in st geroge a good deal.

b. Are retired and thus have absoloutely NOTHING to do except scan the internet looking for places in st george to rent, often snatching up homes within literaly minutes of the listing.

Consequently, I am still living on the streets, not due to poverty, but becasue of things like this:

(This really happened) Amber Hawk and I went to look at a newly listed appartment, decided we liked it, and immidiately started filling out the paperwork to rent it while still on the premisis (spelling? #*#@! spelling). While we filled out the forms, sitting INSIDE the pad, some people, found out about the place, and before were even done with the form, they had called the agent and signed a year lease. My head hurts.

Aside from homlessness, all is going well. I went on a camping trip yesterday night with some friends and got to sleep in a cave (which i am thinking semi- seriously about moving into rather than trying to navigate a housing market that won't take my money even if i ask nicely), and tenatively plan to spend this evening with the folks from the local RCA house trying to leap over the fence at the hilton in order to gain acces to the hot tub.

The girl sitting at the computer next to me has just mannaged to correctly identify my place of employment simply by sniffing me. She informs me that she used to work at Anisasi (one of Redcliffs sister/ competing companies) and the reek eminating from my general direction makes her wax nostaligic for her own days around the campfire.
I think i may need to do laundry again.
I love this town.
Digger