suntans and paint splatter

Guess what? 2 months ago to the day, I wrote my last post. Yeah. sweet stuff.

So I guess after 60 days I should be able to write a hell of a good blog post. And I can. Believe it or not, I may have actually had an exciting 2 months…and in the SUMMER no less. Damn…who would have thought an exciting summer would ever decide to show up for me…

So life update time.

I’m currently in Kansas, staying with my parents and working for a painting company. I work 5 days a week with no overtime so I actually have a life outside of work. Granted that life outside of work is kinda lame but it’s an improvement on last year. So, life outside of work…

Well, I’m running a lot and not climbing at all. I’m running a 50k trail run this weekend, so that’s exciting. I registered late, so I may not get a t-shirt. I really want a t-shirt. It’s why i’m running. for a t-shirt. haha yeah right. I have no idea why i’m running it except that it seems fun and i want a challenge.

Besides the running, I’m occasionally lifting, and working some odd jobs. I hang out with friends regularly, but we lack an imagination. That, and a place that will let us do something besides eat and watch movies.

So that’s current life. How about previous life?

The last 2 weeks of school were amazing. Like, UNBELIEVABLE. INSANE.

What happened you might ask? Think of the most amazing thing possible.

Nope, not it.

It’s WAY better than that.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking of climbing K2 right? Sorry…it’s even better than that.

So what happened? I’ll tell you.

I fell in love with the girl of my dreams.

Her name is Ali. She’s blonde, with blue-green eyes, and has a gorgeous smile. She’s smart, funny, kind, honest, and compassionate. She runs cross-country,  loves volleyball and basketball, and even rock climbs! And best of all, she is the single most Godly person I have ever met. She has the most genuine faith and the deepest love for God that I have ever seen.

So yeah. That’s Ali

We’ve known each other since the first day of class, and over the past two years we eventually became best friends. Through an amazing series of events that could only have been guided by God, we were brought together at exactly the right moment…which just happened to be the VERY LAST DAY OF CLASS.

Wow. that’s my reaction every time I think back to all that’s happened. I’m in awe of God’s goodness, and how incredibly blessed I am to be dating such an amazing girl.

I flew up to Cleveland last weekend and had the best 3 days of my life. What all we did is not exactly your business, but let me just say that I felt as if I was in heaven. I’ve also become a walking cliche…

So that’s my big news.

So what about the future?

Well, I work in Kansas for another 3 weeks, then I go up to Cleveland for a longer visit. Then I go to Iowa for most of August to paint my grandma’s house. I’m really excited because in less then 3 weeks the best part of my summer is going to happen!!

As I reread my last post a few nights ago, I was struck again by how much mountains truly mean to me. I look to them for the peace and solace that my soul can so rarely find. I had hoped to spend this summer in Colorado working there, but that didn’t work out.

Instead, I was forced to stay in what I consider to be the lamest place in America. If it wasn’t for my friends I would say it’s worse than South Dakota. I hate this place. That’s not a new attitude for me, it’s been my general feelings for the past 3 years.

I was convicted last night though while talking to Ali. She was saying how she had decided to make the best of each day, each moment, even if it wasn’t exactly what she wanted. I realized that I’d been pissed at Kansas for a long time. And, although i think kansas sucks, I’d been wasting a lot of time complaining about it instead of making the best of it.

So I resolved to make the best of each day. I set out today with a spring in my stride and a twinkle in my eye.

…for about 3 seconds.

then i stubbed my toe on the bed post and the twinkle turned out to come from the tears of pain from the searing light pouring in my window.

All humor aside, I was doing great until I began reading a section from Alpinist. Alpinist is the GREATEST mountain climbing magazine ever. It only comes out 4 times a year and it is full of pictures of mountains and stories of epic climbs. Within 30 seconds my mind was transported into a world of frozen mist, vertical rock, and endless skies.

I was in the Himalaya, the Alps, the Cascades, the Karakoram…Something deep within me ignited and the fire for the mountains was back. Instantly my pissy attitude was back and Kansas sucked. I want to CLIMB. I WANT TO.

Why?

Oh lord, not again…

Why?

I CANNOT ANSWER THIS QUESTION.

I don’t know. I honestly don’t. It’s just part of me. Part of who I am. I’m done being ashamed of it. I don’t care if it’s selfish, pointless, useless. It’s what I LOVE. The problem is if i ever want to climb, i need to spend time in the mountains! I need to LEARN. If i don’t learn and train then I will never be able to safely do the things i love.

It’s my big question now. Where do mountains fit into the future? It’s something I still have to think about, and still have time to think about.

In the meantime, I keep running. Keep dreaming. And keep hoping that the future has mountains.