Plant your hope with good seeds

HELLO INTERNET I AM BACK. HERE ARE MY RECENT EXPLOITS.

SATURDAY: So Saturday we met at the campus at around 1:30pm. Got loaded up and away we went. I thought we were going to Cloudland Canyon State Park but we ended up going to DeSoto State Park, just outside of Fort Payne Alabama. Uh, surprise! XD It was pretty great. We didn't really spend very much time in the actual park; we set up our camping gear and buckled down pretty early.

GUYS. I DON'T LIKE CAMPING. XD Granted, it was cold and the equipment I was using wasn't great? But dang, it was so cold and my tent mate, while a friend, is someone who gets on my nerves aaaahhh so yeah, that was a struggle.

We woke up pretty early the next day, around 6:30am. Got ready, ate, and then drove about 40 miles out to meet our cave guide. He was really cool and extremely knowledgeable!

CAVING IS INTENSE. We went to Tumbling Rock and it was so amazing. Here's some photos, not from my group (these photos are from 2008-ish) but not much has changed. I'm really surprised at how well I did considering how honestly risky this activity is.

It was pitch black except for our headlamps, it was so quiet except for our voices and for the trickling of water, and there were so many opportunities for someone to get hurt. For example, at one point we were walking on a slope and it was visibly wet so we knew it was slick. We had to walk across the slope to the other side but running parallel to the slope was a pit. Just a big, black, hole in the ground. We couldn't tell just how deep it was (because, obviously, the slope of the ground kept us from getting to close). And another example, we were climbing upwards (and by climbing, I mean we were basically rock climbing, except without harnesses) and running parallel to that was a pit of rocks. Just one slip and down you go! It was so intense and I'm so proud of my body for making it through and so proud of my mental state for not buckling. And I mean! I was completely fine with the darkness and the heights and the occasionally cramped spaces? My professor said I was like a billy goat in there, hahaha, and that she really respected my philosophy of making a choice and then acting on it instead of worrying about all the ways it could go wrong. Which...as a Professional Worrier (tm) I'm really proud of that compliment. XD

( However my friend was a wreck (cw for acrophobia and the suggestion of faked phobias and probably jerkitude )

Anyway, I made friends with the other members of the group and we all added each other on snapchat so that's good. :3

Anyway, final opinion is that camping is bad (at least during winter) and caving is good (especially if you go with the right people!).

TODAY I only managed to go to one class (English) and I am so sore, particularly my legs. But I finally did my taxes so that's something I guess. XD

And hey, my paid time on DW expired. Booooooo.

So this next week is the final week of school (barring the three days of finals that happen the week after next). On Tuesday I have a geology lab final practical/exam plus a friend's capstone/gallery opening to go to. On Wednesday I have a paper due for art history, a release party to attend for the lit and art magazine I was an editor for, and an art history final exam. On Thursday I have to attend another friend's capstone/gallery opening.

On top of these things, I have to work on my painting final, which we were only given a week to complete.

And then the week after next is just a geology final and a critique for painting.

Fuck.

Also today I was going to go get a head start on my painting so I headed to campus and the studio building was closed. Apparently it doesn't open until 2pm on Sundays. Absolutely ridiculous. I Was over there at 10:30 this morning! AAAAUUUUGHHH.

AND I managed to spill tea on my chromebook and in my purse today while driving. Well done, me. Well done.

However! Kiddo got to spend the night Friday night and we have a lot of fun so that was nice. ;3;