Oregonites

The plans are in motion. Allison and I will be moving to Bend, Oregon this December to work for my friend and former Philmont director, Kevin Stickleman at Mt. Bachelor ski resort. The stress and anticipation has gotten to be too much as we've been dealing with work, tests, graduate school searches, applications and letters of intent. UNCLE! We give. After turning in my final papers this semester and tearlessly waving goodbye to my life of mindlessly slinging java to misguided academic souls I will pack up the necessities of life in my little green Camery and scream in sweet release to the towering mountains of the Northwest. I have much to think about and Allison and I will both have our futures waiting in limbo in the months following December application deadlines. I can think of no better way to spend this time then getting back in touch with the nature boy who's been sitting cross-legged in a corner of my soul, punished by the calender and speed of stress that the city life is too happy to provide. I know many of you will never understand, but perhaps someday we'll hike together and you can share the quiet peace of a crisp clean walk in the vanilla stench of a Pondarosa forest; all your innocence returned, childhood revisited. As Alexander Pope said, "There is a certain majesty in simplicity."

I know working at a ski resort isn't exactly simplicity, but it'll pay the bills. Meanwhile, we can spend our free time hiking the mountains and learning the calls of the migrating birds. I'm in goose-flesh just thinking about it. I can't wait!

Anyone else in need of a break from the busy life this winter, you have a couch to sleep on in Bend.
Much love,
Jeff