Good Day

I wish I had my camera with me today because it was a picture-worthy day, but I haven't had one of those in a while so the battery had run down on the camera. (Sad when you don't use something for so long that that happens!) It's especially a bummer because I finally got a Canon again, which I love (don't EVER let someone convince you a Panasonic is better because they are lying!), and the trees here are such pretty colors right now and I know my camera would have taken beautiful shots.

Anyways, this post is bound to be boring but I just wanted to record that it was a good day for posterity's sake. My bff Mel is in a science class called something like Freshwater Fish of the Pacific Northwest (awesome right?) and she had to go on a field trip, and I volunteered to go with her. She got nervous for some reason and lied to her teacher and said I was visiting from SLC and that's why I had to come along. It was silly because her teacher obviously didn't care AND other students brought people too. In the parking lot before we left, this kid with a huge beard and really long hair and grungy clothes and one of those silly hats with the ear-flaps and yarn hanging down started talking to Mel and I about how his death-metal band was getting ready to go on tour. I made Mel escape to her car with me in an attempt to discourage anyone from riding with us, but a few minutes later, death-metal kid and a tall, skinny, shy kid knocked on my window and asked if they could ride with us. Mel said yes with her fakest nice voice and we gave each other A Look of Oh No.

Boy were we surprised to find out that the two boys were actually super awesome! Death-metal's real name was Josh and the other one was Eric. Josh was really a sweetheart and talkative and told us all about his travels in Germany. Him and I made a special connection as we discussed our mutual love of Ben Folds (+ 5), Counting Crows and The Postal Service. Eric was one of those great people who you think might be really boring, but actually they just wait to say something until they have something worth saying, so everytime he talked it was really funny or great. Plus, he thought Mel and I were hilarious and we decided long ago that is 90% of the battle in becoming our friend.

The field trip was to the dam in the Columbia River Gorge. I LOVE the Gorge SOOOO much, and it was especially gorgeous today because so many of the trees were yellow and red and orange, and even the green ones seemed especially vivid. We observed salmon in a stream and Eric pointed out that most of them looked like zombie fish, because apparently freshwater isn't good for adult salmon plus their trip up the Columbia from the Pacific Ocean is really hard on them anyways, so they had random flaps of flesh that were hanging off of their bodies. We also got a tour of the dam, which was surprisingly interesting. Our tour guide was NOT interesting, however, and maybe even a little scary. She was very soft-spoken and monotone, but not in a relaxing way. More of a "wow this lady has some pent up stuff going on and I'm pretty sure if anything makes her upset she will go totally postal on us" type of way.

Mel and I parted ways with our new bff's at the end of the field trip and then we went to a cool new restaurant and then to her house to hang out and talk as only Mel and Jessica can until 6:30. I love Mel, and even though sometimes we bug each other as only best-friends-who-are-as-close-as-sisters can, I don't know what I'd do without her!

I could have stayed and talked to Mel all night, but I had to leave because my friend Grant had invited me to go to a random concert with him. It was a Celtic-Folk band and they were playing in this awesome little venue in the heart of downtown Ridgefield. (Ridgefield is where I currently reside and downtown is one of those quaint little Mayberry-ish towns that make you feel like you've gone back in time everytime you're there. I love it.) The venue was packed, and I'm pretty sure Grant and I were the only people younger than 50 there. The band is called Molly's Revenge and has four members in it...a bearded, white-haired old man, and 3 younger guys...one who rocks the whole retro look that's in right now, a Hot Bald Guy (man, when it's done right, bald TOTALLY rocks my world!), and last but not least a short little hyperactive man who I swear is at least 1/4 leprechaun.

The songs they played used various awesome instruments, including BAGPIPES, which I thought I would hate but actually they sounded amazing in the genre of music these guys did. The audience was jazzed, the band had way good energy, Grant is good company and the music was really fun so all-in-all it was a toe-tappingly awesome time. The best part about it was that the leprechaun man was BURSTING with enthusiasm and he was totally rocking out while he played, whether he was playing drums or a pied-piperish flute or the bagpipes. He made me want to get up and dance a little jig. He was so hyperactive that at the end of the show, his entire shirt except the bottom 3 inches were soaked in sweat, and I don't even know how this is possible, but the sweat had started to pool on top of iteslf in the middle of his back. I know that sounds gross, but since he was such a cute little hyper man who loved his music so much that he could not contain it, it was actually kind of endearing.

So there's my day. I think I just really liked it because it was different from my normal routine. I did two things (fish-observing and celtic-band listening) that I never thought I'd enjoy and ended up really liking them both. Also I was with good company all day.

Oh, the icing on the cake is that when I came home I went into the bathroom and when I looked in the mirror, I took in my rosy cheeks and bright eyes and was able to admit to myself that I looked quite fetching. I don't feel that way often, but I appreciate it when I do.

If you've made it through this "journal" type post, bless you. I hope everyone is healthy and happy. I'm feeling the love tonight and want to spread it around. (In a good way, not in a herpes way, haha.)

Happy Sunday everyone!