Bring it on

I used to roll my eyes at the "old" people who would comment about where time has gone, but seriously, where did it go?  I need some back, please.  In fact, the only reason I am able to post just now is the fact that I (along with lots of tree pollen) have run myself ragged and have been knocked flat on me arse.

I am proud to announce that I have been able to conquer (for the most part) one of my biggest fears over the last few weeks, all while adjusting to a new quarter, a new job and a new sleep schedule.  It's like I always say - go big or go home, right?  Clichés aside, I have always been somewhat afraid of the rivers out here in PNW.  On Delmarva, our rivers ran wide, flat and muddy.  I have no trouble facing rough surf at any beach on either coast, or going out on a boat in a river delta out here in Washington.  But I have been scared for years to go into PNW rivers unless it was a hot August day and the river was running low.

To be fair, many rivers drop thousands of feet in elevation within 20 miles, and even the most basic understanding of physics tells you that water runs fast under those conditions.  The currents are strong and include cascades and rapids, which are even scarier when you've seen them under flood conditions.  Don't get me wrong, the creeks and rivers are beautiful, but so far I have admired them respectively from the shoreline.   I've been invited to go floating or kayaking and have always declined.  The most time I spent in a river out here was in high school rowing in crew, but like I mentioned before, I was in a boat, and we were on the flat, wide mouth of a river or on a lake.

In order to complete my minor in Environmental Science, I have to take Stream Ecology, and I thought surely we would be studying the river from the classroom and shorelines.  Unfortunately, the first announcement on BlackBoard instructed us to invest in waders.  Two hundred dollars later, I forced myself into the creek that second week of class.  The next week, I added an extra pair of wool socks and toe warmers and went in past my waist.  Last Saturday I sank up to my knees in stinky mud, but I admit, I've done that at Padilla Bay before. 

I also went on the public record at a Planning Commission meeting, and it feels great to face all of these fears and be successful.  The new job is going great, and I'm actually making a lot of connections through our Stream Ecology tributary comparison of Portage and Squire Creeks.  Next up - time to conquer deadlines.