My Date with Nate

I awoke to the sound of children screaming. They were arguing with each other about something. It sounded like they broke something as well. I wondered why they were in my room. I sat up quickly confused by this thought. I sat up way too quickly and my head stung. I realized the children were actually in the television. Children in TV appear louder than they actually are.

I lurched across the hotel room and shut it off. I closed the curtains and shut out the blinding light of the sun. With my head swirling, I clambered back over to my bed. 9:20, OUCH!

My phone beeped.

The neighbours were in the doorway.

The housekeeping was vacuuming above me.

My phone beeped.

The housekeeping was cleaning the room to my left.

My phone beeped again.

I began replying to the onslaught of texts.

The housekeeping was cleaning the room to my right. 

At about 11:15 I stopped trying to sleep. I felt horrible, but I knew sleeping was not an option. I got up slowly, and wondered why it was that my head hurt extremely so. I went to the living room and checked out the bottle of gin. Half gone, ah, it all makes sense now.

I quite slowly showered and tried to drink a hell of a lot of water. I was a mess.

One of the texts I had received was from Nate, "Breakfast?"

I remembered we had planned a day of breakfast cooked by the cook. Then hiking through the mountains on the opposite side of town from where I had been the day before.

I headed back across town and had some breakfast at his place. Water, scrambled eggs, water, hash browns, and water. I met a couple of his roommates. Seemed like fun guys, good sense of humours. Two of them were in much worse shape that me. Apparently they had got to a different after-hours party, one that was only a split-second thought the night before.

After breaky we headed out to the mountains. We crossed the Athabaska river and had to stop and marvel at the view.

We hiked a little over half way up the path, and I felt like I was dying. We stopped for a break to drink some water, and catch our breath. We sat on some rocks and were chatting. All of the sudden it felt like someone was right behind us. I turned around and saw a whole lot of someones. In fact it was a whole heard of goats. They were about six or seven metres from us grazing away, not minding us being there at all. I thought it was so great and I couldn't stop staring at them. We sat amongst the herd for about twenty minutes before continuing our climb to the top. 

Once there the view was spectacular. Jasper looked so tiny and quaint, nestled snugly in the landscape. We sat up top there for at least an hour.Afterwards he lead me down to a nearby lake. The water was so clear and beautifully coloured. We sat by the lake for some time.

I could not have asked for better weather. The sun was shinning, hardly any clouds. There was a light cool breeze that whistled in fresh cool air off the mountains. The conversation was one of the best. Nate is a great guy to talk to. We spoke about family, video games, cartoons, movies, economy, society, politics, spiritually, tv shows, and must have laughed most of the day away. He's got great views on the world, and keeps strong open-minded opinions about the way the world is. Not to mention has great stories to share.

We walked back into town and were faced with some Elk. I've never seen Elk before, and was completely impressed with their massive size and calm attitude. The only time I've ever seen Elk before was at High Park Zoo, and they were not half as close. We walked within 10 feet of them. Nate was not impressed at all. He actually seemed a bit annoyed with the Elk, like they were in the way and should stay out of town. They were grazing on some grass about a block away from downtown.

We walked back downtown and I headed back to hotel to start packing up my stuff. I fell asleep for a while, and awoke to a text from Nate asking if i wanted to watch a movie.

I went over to his place and we ordered a pizza, and watched Sherlock Holmes. I feel it's a really well done movie, and I quite enjoyed it.

Afterwards he asked me to stay the night, and although I considered the thought I declined and he walked me back to my hotel. We said our goodbyes and I said goodnight to the mountains for the last time.

Just another day

As I finish my day with a mini bottle of champagne I am confused as to what the new day, and new year might bring. I have mixed feelings about new years eve, and I have this feeling that something quite unexpected will happen. We shall see. Whenever I thought of New years eve before I imagined working and having a good time.

New years seems like the time to start over. New year = new direction. I feel that this regular schedule, regular hours might put me on the right track to success. I need to apply to schools, and get on a healthy diet, and sleep schedule.

I went to see Sherlock Holmes today. It was a great movie. Detective with such intuitive, observational, deduction skills. Simply forgot what great characters were contained in that story. However it is Sir Arthur Conan Doyal, should we expect anything less?

It made me question my own deductive skills. I know I have very sharp observational skills, but I sometimes do not use them. I feel as though I should pay closer attention to my strong intuitive nature and observations. These are skills one is born with, but they can be developed further.

Yesterday I went rock climbing with an old friend. It was nice to hear his stories and find out how his life is progressing halfway across the country. I felt sadness knowing that he has no intention of moving back to the city. However I do feel happiness to know he is enjoying his life out there, and pursuing the career and dreams.
I like the rock climbing place. Having only been there once before I knew I would be tested on my knowledge of belaying and what-not. The guy working there actually remembered me. It was kind of weird. I had only been there once before, and of course I remembered his pretty face, but he sees a million people all the time. I was shocked he remembered me.
I get this weird feeling in the rock climbing place. I felt it when I was there before.

It's supposed to be this place where you go with your friends and have a good time. It's something to be excited about.... when I'm there, the music is blaring and everyone is chatting, encouraging and climbing... but there's this overwhelming feeling of sadness. Like if many have been lost, and much pain has passed through the walls. It could be all in my head....

While I was climbing I did well on the first couple walls. Then I started to challenge myself with harder stuff. I forgot that I have no upper body strength, and found myself struggling and falling on a couple walls. The distance between stones was physically too far for me, but I still had a good time. It makes me want to try harder next time :) Am I ever feeling the burn now though... ouchie!