Thursday 6/4

Thursday: The day I started my new job! I love it and the people - its going to be good! We have yoga balls to sit on if we want. They add a happy air to the office. I suggested getting yoga mats instead of small rugs for the balls to sit on (because they get really dirty rolling on the floor) and they liked that idea. During lunch break, I went for a walk with one of the co-workers to the plaza. She always saves time for walking during lunch break too. And it so beautiful out today, so I'm glad we did. I noticed all the cotton fluff on the side of one acacia, looking like snow. Its the small things :) 

Wednesday 6/3

wednesday: another 7 mile hike this morning! With my new friend Julia, who I met through another new friend last week. We get along so well and I'm sad she's leaving in July. Julia's also from Chicago. There are a lot of people from there here! The trail hugged a stream up a gradual incline. The hike is aptly named, Ghost Town, for the rusted out old cars and timber ruins from a hotel and road that existed here in the early/mid 1900s. Its just outstanding to sit at the end of the trail in a green meadow! on these old timbers nibbling wild rubbarb and watching teency chipmunks at the bases of towering pines and rocky cliffs. Its one of the best ways to start a day I think.

Tuesday 6/2

tuesday: A new room and a new house mate happened that day. I met my third room mate finally, very cool, only to find out she's leaving and had just posted her room on craigslist. Within 5 hours a new house mate visits and decides the place is for her. She just drove here from Chicago. Meanwhile, I get to move rooms and save money! and officially unpack, settle in. A painting, another art piece, ottoman, a lamp, table, chair, vases, mini-tin camping teacups donated by my friends fill the space well. Found a gold/tea kettle china blue silky blanket from India? with elephants! Rummaged through the garage full of interesting things including a jeep that no one's driving, and found exactly what I was looking for, an extension cord and a space heater. And luckily in my closet, I unfolded a queen size comforter, sheets and a special foam pillow for the huge bed that comes in my new room. All, of this stuff and rummaging was okayed by the way by my house mate. 

Its just amazing how much surplus some people have! I noticed it with this place I'm living now and then again when I helped my landlords from last summer move homes on Sunday. I don't ever want that much stuff! But its wonderful to find it when you need it and then leave it behind for someone else! My boss even told me that she has two spare bianchi bikes and I'm welcome to borrow one for the summer! A similar bike situation happened last summer where someone gave me a bike, except that time, it came with the condition that I pass it on to someone else when I left, which I did.

monday 6/1

Monday: I went to Albuquerque for the first time (other than airport, out skirts) - never really cared to go. I didn't feel any connection to the city, but I didn't see much of it. I did enjoy some of the unexpected quirky aspects - like streets named after various categories like metals, minerals, trees, etc. I like the southwest style street signs and the teal lamposts too. This venture into ABQ was for a concert, Animal Collective. And to meet a new girl in Santa Fe, Dory, who contacted me through couchsurfing.com, looking for friends her own age to go to the concert with. Its always interesting to meet people face to face when you've only had internet/phone contact with them prior. Are you going to get along? Are they going to be like how you thought? Does their appearance match their voice? And what about that thing that people come into your lives because you draw them to you and vice versa. 

Oh, I have to add: At the concert, I ran into the girl from the tea house and her boy friend who is brothers with a girl I went to school with at College of the Atlantic. 

stimulants

I'm paying attention and noticing signs and out of place situations more frequently again. Senses are merely stimulated, not over-stimulated. The nest on chile peppers begged for a photo. Luckily for the birds to be, my friends aren't packing this wreath as they move houses. The license caught my eye on a walk later in the afternoon and then 5 minutes later my friend and I noticed the "Missed Connection" sign in the field. How great!

Glorietta Trail

Hiked 7 miles today! Smelled and looked a lot like Maine. There were cicadas or something in the trees the whole way. When you paused, you could hear them sounding like rain or rythmic hands clapping. The new green ends on the pine trees felt soft like kush balls! They would make a comfy bed. So many nice places to camp! I saw several strange emerging plants and mushrooms, pictures to come. Happy I was healthy enough to go and I think the altitude and air helped kick the congestion. New friends met: there was Erin again from Alaska, her friend Julia from Chicago who's been here 9 months and recently lost her job, a couple: Brad, from New Zealand and Jessica from Lubbock, TX who have been here a few years and are moving to Austin in two weeks for new jobs. 

Connections

Every time I walk by this train, I want to take a picture. Finally remembered my camera this time. Energy is coming back today finally too. The homeopathic doctor helped - at least two more visits and sulfur pellets until the next check-up. ? . Grateful for some help. 

Last night: No Doubt with the Sounds and Paramore. No idea who Paramore was, but all the high school and junior high girls surrounding us certainly did. I'm still not a fan. The Sounds are from Sweden and they put on an energetic opening act. I was especially impressed by the videos and stage set up for No Doubt. Zooming in on an island on the planet like Google Earth. The island turns out to be the band members heads tilted up skyward. Highway night shots plitting apart and merging together. Ariel view of Drum sticks moving accordingly with no hands or persons attached.

Very good to have breakfast with Ramona and Andy this morning, my internship bosses from last summer. I am so lucky to know them :) 

I've been resting for the past 3 days so this eventful day was in order. Still have energy now so that's good. After doctor's appt. met my friend Sara from last summer for a sneak peak at an installation show by Sara's friend, Beth Rekow. Beth explained the intention of her work to us so articulately and passionately. I love her clear comfy lounge bench made of plastic bags. I'll go to the opening in a few weeks and get a better picture of that. After meeting several people in the gallery, I remarked to Sara how I always feel like Santa Fe is such an easy place to make connections and know people because of its size and transient nature maybe - people just tend to be friendly and interested in sharing their story and hearing yours. The gallery conversation for instance. And random people say hi on the streets. For example, one old man yesterday was in his back yard pruning a tree and he made sure to shout out "Good Morning" when I walked past the front of his house.

Oh, then to the Tea House on Canyon Road - first time. The girl at the counter said, "Hey, do you go to College of the Atlantic?" noticing my messenger bag with COA logo. As it turns out, she is dating the brother (who attended St Johns in Santa Fe) of a girl I went to school with at COA. And she met another COA student I had several classes with on a foreign exchange trip she went on during her years at Vasser. She's from VT and so is her boyfriend and they've been in Santa Fe for a few years. Small world and those connections again. 

I should mention, I went to the No Doubt show with a few people including my friend Andres, also a fellow COA graduate. I had one class with him at COA, but didn't know him that well until last summer when we realized via facebook that we were both in New Mexico. I'd forgotten he was born in Santa Fe, then went to United World College in Vancouver before attending College of the Atlantic. (College of the Atlantic only has 3oo students too)