Friday, July 15, 2005

It's the terror of knowing what this world is about.
Watching some good friends scream
Let me out.

To the many who have written:

Thanks for reading... I am glad you are enjoying it. I am enjoying writing it very much.

India also says, "I like it here... I like it a lot." (You'll have imagine the Jim Carrey/Lloyd Christmas voice from Dumb and Dumber.)

In fact, she gave me the idea of occasionally listing something I like about Bozeman, and something I miss about home:

Things I like about Bozeman (in no particular order):

- The Gallatin River Canyon. The Gallatin flows North, out of Yellowstone, between the Gallatin Range, and the Madison Range. It is a stunning canyon. Parts of A River Runs Through It was filmed there. There are tons of hikes branching through the canyon (including Lava Lake and Hellroaring Canyon, chronicled Here and Here, respectively....

- Also in the Gallatin River Canyon, one will find Big Sky Resort. Big Sky merged with adjacent Moonlight Basin, making it bigger than Vail. Stats: The tram goes to the very peak of Lone Moutain's 11,166 feet. 5300 acres of skiable terrain. (Vail is 5289 acres.) 4350 feet of vertical drop, second biggest in the U.S. (Vail has 3450 feet of vertical drop. Snowmass is #1 with 4406, but that includes hiking and a rope tow, which only operates for a few weeks a year. 3723 is more typical. Check it.) Bells and I will be acquiring season passes. Just typing this is making me drool with anticipation for this season. May the Snow Gods dump on us!

to be cont'd...

Things I miss about Wisconsin:

-(in no particular order) Mom, Dad, Tony, Alison, JM, Birdy, Josh, Amy, Ann, Micah, Chris, Wendy, JIMMY, Randy, Lisa, Curt, Lil, Brian, Scot, Killer, Husker, Karla, Tim, Derivan, Amy, Brett, Jerry the Wildebeest, P., Ace, Jodi, Dan, Michelle, Leo a/k/a the Courteous Vampire, Holly, Kylie, Pat, Alicia, Nanner, to name just a few.

- Playing disc golf with Tony.

- Stopping by 310 Beaver St. four times a week.

- Our house.

- Pietro's pizza.

- Keeping it real with Jimmy and Ron in Minong.

- Calling Attorney Jerry and leaving messages with names like "Admiral Ackbar."

- Playing volleyball and talking shit to Husker. (Those probably should be separate items.)

to be cont'd...

Me and Buddy, contemplating what lies to the North.

Thought Bubble: (Buddy- "Could I swat that?" Me - "Barbecue Ribs?")

Can you hear them? They talk about us, telling lies. Well, that's no surprise.

I feel a sense of inner peace.

I have found my destiny.

In the clergy, they refer to it as a "calling."

Well, I was "called" yesterday. I know now what I will be doing for the rest of my life.

Maybe it had to do with climbing that mountain yesterday, as the "calling" came on my way home. Maybe it was fate. Karma. Kismet. The Force.

As I was driving home, I glanced over and saw it. It was as if the heavens opened and divine light shone down on me, guiding me toward this higher path.

Everything seems clearer now. It's like I was living my life in black and white until yesterday and now everything is in, full, vivid, High Definition color. Dare I say... miracle?

You know, until yesterday, I been extremely skeptical of people who said God spoke to them, or were abducted by aliens. I always wanted and needed proof.

While fortunately for you, dear reader, I had my digital camera at the ready to capture this moment of divine intervention.

What is it, you ask?

I now know and feel, to the core of my being, that I was born to drive the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile.


I will travel the earth, like Cane in Kung Fu, going from town to town, getting in adventures and spreading the gospel of Oscar Meyer Weiners.

She will be mine. Oh, she will be mine.