midwestern love

I admit it. I'm tired. I'm tired of spending hours in transit, of wearing my undies inside out (or more often, simply sleeping in my clothes--piling up the layers to keep in the warmth, and continuing in the same clothes for several days). My body is tired of the random meals dependent on location and the odd sleep schedules. New Mexico was a very butter-inspired and lazy stop, San Francisco was a greasy, alcohol-y, couch-hopping stop, and Portland was a very coffee and thankfully veggie-filled stop, though also a little sleep-deprived. In Kansas City, I found myself eating ludicrous amounts of cookies and random meatless side-dishes (which in my family are few and far between, with the sentiment being: you know, bacon, chopped into minuscule pieces, will really make it better). At this point, the idea of my own kitchen, bed, and a job I can attend at continuous intervals, and with semi-normal hours is a wildly romantic idea. Ahhh... I can't wait.


So, I've decided to return to Iowa City, where I will assist my truly wonderful midwife in delivering babies--work I am much more passionate about than any sort of crappy job I could get on the west coast just to say I lived on the west coast. Sorry San Francisco, I love you, but I'm not willing to work full time at a retail job and then something else on the side to make ends meet. I'd rather spend my time doing things I love, and not in transit I might add, which is a bonus to Iowa City, where everything--from getting to a nice hiking spot, to a good cafe, to the co-op, to a yoga class--takes 10 minutes by bike or car, and with ample parking everywhere. And it's got all I need to keep me busy and fulfilled. It's a comfy spot...and I'll admit I feel a little guilty about not being more adventurous, but I am so so very happy with the simple idea of having a routine--working, going salsa dancing with my friends, eating normal meals, seeing people on a consistent basis, having an exercise routine, etc. Oh my, it's like a dream come true....wait isn't that most people's lives and they simply don't appreciate the sheer wonderfulness of it???? As the Zen proverb says, "Everyday life is the only way." Seeing beauty in the routine and ordinary, enjoying each moment, sharing good food with good friends. Sigh...and yippee!
So for now, I guess this ends my adventuring in the geographical sense (for now...I do plan to return for the next Patch Adams Peru trip in July). I will instead be venturing inward to a world of meditation and yoga, cooking, winter walks, good literature, and maybe learning the harmonica!

until next time, love, Rachel

New Mexico

I've got about 5 min to write this. We've snuck into town--a 45min drive from Eric's delightfully middle of nowhere cabin, where no cell phone reception dare reach. So I am at the Las Vegas, New Mexico public library now, a lovely little building which used to be an observatory.
It took two full days to get here: A train at 7:30am from Oakland to Sacramento, then I rode down to the border of Arizona/California with a sweet guy named Wil, who was coming from Northern California to Taos, NM. We spent the night in a Best Western with his two friends we met along the way to caravan with. The caravan was an excellent idea, since we were both driving incredibly beaten up cars...he told me later that he had second guessed putting up the rideshare listing on craigslist, unsure if he wanted to chance breaking down with a random person...right, thanks for telling me now!
Us in his '94 pathfinder and them (Dan and Nick) in their ~'89 Volvo, we creeped along forlorn highways at 40-65mph, depending on the wind and hills. Day two was from Needles, middle of nowhere, to Santa Fe, NM, where Eric and Gabe picked me up.
We've spent the last few days in Eric's lovely, but freezing cabin. There is no heat, only a wood stove, and the temp hoovers around 45 when you're lucky. We cook lavish feasts however, which warm the soul, and drink plenty of coffee and whisky.
I let them chop the wood and break up the ice for the horses while I do the dishes...
Ooops, looks like that's all the time I've got.
Tomorrow, it's a car ride, then train ride, then plane to Kansas City.
Here I come family! :)
Merry Christmas ya'll! Love, Rachel

the cave

What's that old movie, possible with Goldie Hawn--likely not, where they buy an old house and try to fix it up, but it's a complete and utter disaster?
Well that's sort of how I'm feeling now... My brother's home is beautiful--I love it--but let's talk about the fact that it's sinking into the ground with a faulty foudation, and slowly sliding down the hill, or about the fact that the furnace is broken (and has been for a year) so with all the truely lovely wood and marble in the house, it's like a freaking grocery store freezer aisle in every room. And while we're on the topic of cooling appliances: ironically enough, the refrigerator broke the day I arrived. So they've got two little guys jam-packed with stuff, one big smelly refrigerator in the corner, and plenty more food literally just chillen all over the kitchen.
Furthermore, I spent one day--I am not making this up--digging ditches in Ted's backyard to create a place for rain water to run off, so that it wouldn't seep into his basement and cause further household sink-age. Another couple days were spent shoveling rocks off his street and hauling them in trash cans to dump on the side of his house. Oh the joy, home sweet home...imagine my anxiety about returning home at night.
I literally spent 3 hours down the street at Whole Foods this afternoon, not wanting to spend time in the house, but not wanting to go all the way into the city, as I was waiting for Ted to get off work. It took almost that long for my toes to defrost.
Maybe this is his way of deterring me from crashing with him if I find a job in the Bay Area...
And as for the job search, I've applied to several odds and ends nursing jobs--laser hair remover, labor and delivery nurse, medical assistant at a GLBT clinic, all of which would be lovely, but I'm not convinced I want to live here either....I may be more convinced when I return back to the midwest for the holidays with all that snow (Seriously--I hear we got 6 tons of garlic salt donated because we ran out of salt?? WTF, where are all those sand bags now?). I may well too just decide F IT, I'm going to Cuba! I simply can't find a good reason to freeze my ass off if I don't have to--here or in Iowa. Don't believe a word of what those SF-ers try to tell you--it is cold!
So tomorrow I'm off to New Mexico. I'm taking a train to Sacramento, then meeting a lovely guy named Wil and driving down to Taos. I foolishly thought I'd be getting into warmer parts with the southern descent, but have since learned that Taos is covered in snow (of course Rachel...it's a ski town). Oh well. The change of scenery will be nice...one last push before I very happily slide into home--grandma's home that is--for the holidays.

Oakland continued

If you know me well, you know that I am not the most decisive person...I tend to be a little unfocused at times, but since I'm always thinking, I get stuff done...it might just take an immusurable number of cartwheels, detours, and mind-trips along the way, which inevitably leads me to the edge of my sanity on a regular basis. Simply deciding on a meal at a restaurant can prove to be a daunting task...with all the options and things to consider: the different health properties of the foods--consulting chinese medicine, naturopahy, and nutrition; the taste; what drink would pair well with the food; my fancy at the time of devourment; and then there's the conversation that distracts me and the restaurant decor; the layout and art of the menu; and on and on and on... And so, here in San Francisco, I have found myself completely and totally overwhelmed with options. So many good friends here, so much to do, so many modes of transportation and different routes--what's the best one? (the answer to this, and always, is THERE ISN'T ONE, just choose something!). Additionally what kind of job do I want to have, and do I want it to be in the bay area, or Porland, or Iowa City, or New Mexico? How am I going to get to the next place I am going--craigslist rideshare? train? bus? plane? Who will I stay with?
And so, with my simple list of Bay Area tasks: to see some friends and my brother, look for a job, and go salsa dancing & attend a yoga class, I have at least accomplished the first...and many other unexpected things. Yesterday I walked around Berkeley and saw some local art and listened to some street drumming. The other night I accidentally went "clubbing..." I've watched a lot of movies with Ted. And Today I am seeing Milk at The Castro. Then maybe spending another night at my friend (who I met in Hong Kong)'s co-op house near Golden Gate Park...or taking the BART back to Oakland to stay at my brother's house. Tomorrow I have an interview with UCSF for their simulated patient program, to act for medical students' exams.
On Thursday, I am taking a train to Sacramento, then picking up a ride to Taos, NM, which I've heard is incredible--beautiful nature and lots of outdoorsy stuff to do, lovely peaceful people, a great midwifery community, etc.
Then, I am flying from Albuquerque to Kansas City on Xmas eve to celebrate the holidays with my dad's side of the family...then back to Des Moines for my cousin's wedding...then to Iowa city for a couple days...then Chicago for New Years!

I hope all is well and warm wherever you are!
Lots of love, Rachel

PS I highly highly recommend the movie War, Inc.
And I finally saw Into the Wild, which I had been cautiously avoiding, worried that it would make me want to go into the wild...It did, but worry not, I think the most drastic thing I would do would be to work on a Navajo reservation in New Mexico...which is still a possibility. The movie was great though.

Oakland

I arrived in Oakland today via a 17hour train ride called the "Coast Starlight" from Portland. I met some characters along the way--Rider, a 22 year old from Fresno, more or less working the medicaid system in several states, who told me all about his new bridges he was going to be getting; Angel, a 35 or so year old african-american woman, who was moving to Oklahoma City, with whom I discussed God and Jesus at length, while she drank wine and then gin and I ate granola and drank apple juice (which she generously gave me); Shimion, a 23ish year old who was writing a book on enlightenment and kept asking me questions about my beliefs and about the book I am reading: Awakening the Buddha Within (a great book by the way). His conversational style was something like: ask a question and let you get 2 words out before he started talking again with fury. I was something on the verge of explosion trying to "chat" with him in the "cafe" car. I can't wait till that book of his hits the shelves...
From what I saw of the journey it was a beautiful ride...I'd recommend it though in the summer, because I only had about 4 hours of daylight. And if you ride the train, bring a water bottle (it gets dry with all that circulated air), a blanket (it get's cold at night), and something to throw over your eyes for sleeping, because the lights are pretty bright. All in all, it was a smooooooth ride.

Now to find some acro-yoga, eat some mexican food in the mission, go to the biggest most glorious bookstore ever, and hopefully go salsa dancing--though I had the very unfortunate experience of tearing my achiles tendon, and I'll likely need to continue my sabatical (I was so sad not to dance in Portland; it will be a shame if I have to miss out on the great salsa here too!).

OH yeah, and I'm freezing my ass because my brother's furnace broke last year and they are opting to go green and go without! Ah!

all the best, love, Rachel

Portland and Seattle

It's my second day in Portland after spending less than 4 days in Seattle.
In my 2.5 days and 3 nights there however, I spent more than 12 hours salsa dancing, went on a blind date with my friend's son (a nuclear engineer for the Navy...and yes the conversation did involve submarines), and of course drank some good coffee.

I arrived in Portland via an incredible rideshare coincidence. I missed my first ride (by virtue of the fact that he wanted to leave at 5:30am) and ended up calling up Esther, who turns out to be friends with 3 of MY friends from high school. We had a great time chatting for the 3 hour drive and she gave me some glass bead earrings she made.

My second fabulous people find was my couchsurfing hosts, who have been feeding me delicious food, treating me with Chinese medicine for my cold, and generally being outstandingly cool people, and inspiring me with ideas for my future...see below.

So far in Portland, I've taken a yin yoga class and a freaking ridiculously hard class (I shall forgo it's real name), which certainly put me in my place (I'm glad I didn't tell them I teach yoga...I resided in child's pose for half the class!). I've also decided that I want to pursue a masters in acupuncture and oriental medicine. My dream is to go back to school to also be a certified nurse midwife and eventually open a birth clinic in Iowa City and do acupuncture there too. (!!!)

This weekend(ish) I'll be on to San Francisco.

Lovin it (and you),
Rachel