Part One – Written Friday afternoon
The last time I was outside for any measure of time was the Sunday before last. That Sunday, I went to Makoshika and hiked around for a while. It was nice to be away from everything for a while, and I felt much better afterwards.
Since that moment, 12 days have passed. That is 288 hours. The only times I have been outside during those days is walking to and from school, my car, the grocery, et cetera. Those time probably equate to no more than 15 minutes a day. 15/minutes per day over 12 days gives me only 3 hours of outdoor time. Off 228 hours that is just over 1% of my life. For someone who loves being outside as much as a puppy, that is as sad as that same puppy looking out the window into the backyard but not being allowed out.
So let’s use this time to plan some outdoorsy time into our schedule. Let’s see… today won’t work because I have forensics practice, tomorrow won’t work because I have forensics all day. Sunday? No speech and drama, but I have a list of things to do.
- Clean apartment
- Clean car
- Gas car
- Pack for Wisconsin
- Grade, create lesson plans and all related materials.
Despite this list, Sunday has to be the day. Make time for Makoshika. Monday and Tuesday are work days. Immediately after work on Tuesday, I start the trip back to Wisconsin, like Santa Claus making a midnight run to WI because Ms. Claus is having another cheese craving, and Ms. Claus goes for only the best. Settle down Lady Claus, lay off the fermented Wisconsin milk. All cheese and no greens make Ms. Claus a dull girl. (This students is why we don’t practice extended metaphors. They are cumbersome and usually digressive
Part Two – Written Sunday afternoon
I woke up this morning at 6. That is how I like to start my Sundays. If I wake up early, I have all the time in the world to get up leisurely, enjoy a cup of coffee, watch the weather, and stretch out with yoga, which is exactly what happened this morning. At 8:30 I left for a hike in Makoshika. The hike today was different in one exceptional way. I went to a difference place this morning. I have hiked in the same area, but after I parked my car, I went a different direction. I hiked out for an hour, slowly and quietly. Once I was far enough away from the parking lot, I noticed what was so extraordinary. There was no wind.
Eastern Montana is known for wind, so I should have noticed its absence earlier. When I finally did, the quiet became more clear, more profound in my ears. With a new found lightness to each step, I continued further up the break. I hiked to the end of the break, then turned around and headed back. I’ve since cleaned the apartment and am watching football. The Packers clinched a playoff spot with a 20-3 win over the Bucs, so I will probably stop watching football now and go workout, then study, then pack for Wisconsin.
The last time I was outside for any measure of time was the Sunday before last. That Sunday, I went to Makoshika and hiked around for a while. It was nice to be away from everything for a while, and I felt much better afterwards.
Since that moment, 12 days have passed. That is 288 hours. The only times I have been outside during those days is walking to and from school, my car, the grocery, et cetera. Those time probably equate to no more than 15 minutes a day. 15/minutes per day over 12 days gives me only 3 hours of outdoor time. Off 228 hours that is just over 1% of my life. For someone who loves being outside as much as a puppy, that is as sad as that same puppy looking out the window into the backyard but not being allowed out.
So let’s use this time to plan some outdoorsy time into our schedule. Let’s see… today won’t work because I have forensics practice, tomorrow won’t work because I have forensics all day. Sunday? No speech and drama, but I have a list of things to do.
- Clean apartment
- Clean car
- Gas car
- Pack for Wisconsin
- Grade, create lesson plans and all related materials.
Despite this list, Sunday has to be the day. Make time for Makoshika. Monday and Tuesday are work days. Immediately after work on Tuesday, I start the trip back to Wisconsin, like Santa Claus making a midnight run to WI because Ms. Claus is having another cheese craving, and Ms. Claus goes for only the best. Settle down Lady Claus, lay off the fermented Wisconsin milk. All cheese and no greens make Ms. Claus a dull girl. (This students is why we don’t practice extended metaphors. They are cumbersome and usually digressive
Part Two – Written Sunday afternoon
I woke up this morning at 6. That is how I like to start my Sundays. If I wake up early, I have all the time in the world to get up leisurely, enjoy a cup of coffee, watch the weather, and stretch out with yoga, which is exactly what happened this morning. At 8:30 I left for a hike in Makoshika. The hike today was different in one exceptional way. I went to a difference place this morning. I have hiked in the same area, but after I parked my car, I went a different direction. I hiked out for an hour, slowly and quietly. Once I was far enough away from the parking lot, I noticed what was so extraordinary. There was no wind.
Eastern Montana is known for wind, so I should have noticed its absence earlier. When I finally did, the quiet became more clear, more profound in my ears. With a new found lightness to each step, I continued further up the break. I hiked to the end of the break, then turned around and headed back. I’ve since cleaned the apartment and am watching football. The Packers clinched a playoff spot with a 20-3 win over the Bucs, so I will probably stop watching football now and go workout, then study, then pack for Wisconsin.