Day 81 - Day of Adventures with Jenn

Today was Jenn's first full day home. We woke up early this morning (well, early for me) and went to the Fox for breakfast. Honestly, I am the worst Ortegro ever. This morning was the third time I have been to the Fox. That is just shameful. We went from the Fox to the town center, where pretty much all we managed to do was walk around Urban and go to Barnes and Noble. At Barnes and Noble I bought the Tao Te Ching and the Hua Hu Ching. I am excited to start reading those. The guy that was at Barnes and Noble the other night when I was there with Emma was there again, and we talked about Chamblins some more.

So after all that talk about Chamblins, Jenn and I headed to the new Chamblins downtown. I got even more Taoism books, including the Tao of Pooh, which explains Taoism using all of the characters from Winnie the Pooh. I feel like its a good starting point to getting into all of this Taoism business.

Then this afternoon Jenn and I decided to go rock climbing. but first we went to the tax collectors office to get her tag renewed, and we were there for about an hour. In that time I was able to read about half of the Tao of Pooh. So far its really good and very helpful. There were some of the sketchiest people ever at the tax collector's office. this one guy that came in had a really old slipknot shirt on that was way too short, and it hit about an inch above his waistline, suspenders, and Levi's. He looked like a rapist. And his butt was hanging out of his pants.

Finally we got to the Y, and we had to sign up for rock climbing classes since either of us were certified for that location. So about an hour later, we had learned how to tie all the knots and do the self-belays, then we asked our instructor if we could just do the auto-belays. Apparently we wasted $10, and an hour of our time and his time. Oops. Anyways climbing was a lot of fun. Jenn just went last week in Colorado, but I haven't done it in years. Although apparnelty I am scared of haights and I didn't really know it until I was half way up the wall. I was terrified that my belay wouldn't catch as I started to repel each time so that was fun. Until I got a little too confident in the belay and started flinging myself off the wall and flying about all willy-nilly. I got in trouble. Oh well. After a few hours of climbing, we went to the San Marco Loop for dinner. It was the first thing I had eaten since the Fox and I was about to just drop. Starved.

We got back to my house and started to watch the Girl with the Pearl Earring. Of course I fell asleep one minute into it and woke up right at the end. Oh well. Jenn and I were both hungry yet again, so we decided to get up and go to Kickbacks. We got there at about 10:30, and Rob and Clay and Clay were already there. Clay and I have been barely missing each other every time I go. I leave, then Clay tweets about getting there. So for once we were there at the same time. A bit after we got there, Eddy walked in so Jenn and I hung out with him. Just a few minutes later a fight broke out. I have never seen a fight at Kickbacks before. This woman started yelling and there were chairs in the air. It was crazy. The police came a bit later and that was that. Jenn and I just sat there and Eddy ate dinner. Then Jenn and I decided to get the brownie bits. They come with chocolate dipping sauce, which all it is is Hershey's syrup. So after we ate the brownies, Jenn went to town on the chocolate sauce with her straw while Eddy and I watched and laughed. Once she finished that one, a waiter who wasn't even ours brought her another. She ate that one as well.

The three of us left Kickbacks and went to Shanty Town, since it was Metal Mondays. I have never been to Shanty Town before, and I was very glad Eddy was with us. We followed him there and the whole way there and I was thinking "where the hellll is he taking usssssss." It was like off 8th street but still downtown. It was in a perfectly fine area, but it was late and I doubt I would have wanted to be there if it was just Jenn and I. thankful for Eddy. So we just hung out there, listened to music and talked.

Came home. Now it is time to go to sleep. I feel like today lasted 3 days instead of one. It was a very good day.

I can't feel my arms.

Day 80 - The I Ching is changing my life (oh and Jenn came home)

Jenn came home today. Finally. I sent the morning doing even more cleaning, and I picked up my old bookshelf from my Dad’s so that is now in my room and it makes my life easier.

Jenn and I went to Kickbacks, and on the way there I told her about I have been reading and using the I Ching, and how it is changing my life. She said she wanted to read it, and I had a hard time explaining its not a book you can just read. So once we got inside I pulled it out and some coins and explained to her how to use it, and what the hexagrams mean. So for her first time using it, er question was if moving to Virginia was a good idea. Her result also has her sold on the I Ching. She got the 56th hexagram, Sojourning. Which is all about traveling, journeys: “This is a time of wandering, seeking and living apart. You are a stranger in a strange land, whose identity comes from a distant centre. You are alone, outside the social network, with few connections, on a quest of your own. Make clear decisions even if they are painful…” After I read it out loud I looked up and Jenn’s jaw was pretty much on the table. It was dead on. She knew it was a good idea to move before, but this pretty much sealed the deal. We did a few more and she saw how each hexagram is so different, and its not like a horoscope where you can take anything and mold it to fit your situation. It truly is an oracle. I have never been one to believe in such things, but in the last week that I have been reading and using the I Ching, my life has changed. And I know that is weird, but it makes you view the world differently.

I have been reading a lot about Taoism as well, and I feel like that is for me. I was telling Jenn about this today as well. I have been raised in a Christian house hold. I have gone to Christian schools. I always have and always will consider myself to be a strong Christian. I believe in Jesus and the Bible, but it has never really altered me in any ways. Jenn’s dad is both a Christian and a Buddhist and I feel like I am like him. Christian, but I need something else to explain the world. And that is how Taoism is. It is seriously life altering.

Jenn made me read The Alchemist tonight (Emma lent it to me). I read it cover to cover without moving. It was amazing. It dealt with the idea of connecting to nature and the world around you, so it was right on track with where my mind has been lately. After I read it I was reading more about Taoism when I decided to go back to the I Ching. I was wondering is Taoism was a good fit for me, and I got the 23rd hexagram, Stripping. “This is a time to strip away what is unusable, habits and ideas that have grown old and outmoded. Remove and uncover things. This is an end of a cycle and the preparation for the new. Done deal. I am sold. Tomorrow Jenn and I are going to Chamblins and I will be loading up on books. I am going to get her the I Ching for her birthday. I hope she doesn’t read this.

I don’t know who reads this, but you NEED to read and use the I Ching. It will change your life.

Day 79 - Chamblins, Town Center, Kickbacks

This morning I got a hair cut. The End.

Then after being incapacitated by the worst back pain known to man for a few hours, I went to Chamblins. I love going there. I sat in the art history section for almost two hours, reading the I Ching. Perfection.

I met up with my mom, Liam, Granny and Marsha at the town center and we went to dinner at Mitchells. I went back to Urban and I may or may not have bought even more clothing. Hint: I did.

I went to Kickbacks tonight with Emma, Corbett and John. I have hung out with John only a few times but tonight I finally felt like he was opening up a bit, and I am glad that he was. Emma was always saying hes a really funny guy... but I just didn't see it.

We hung out there for a few hours then I came home and kept reading.

Day 78 - Kennedy Space Center

Today my mom and Liam and I took a day trip to go to Kennedy Space Center. That was exciting, actually. I dont think I have been there since elementary school. There was a rocket garden, with all of these ginormous rockets that were blasted into space, and we got to meet some astronauts and go on a flight simulation ride. Overall it was a very good day.

I watched Knowing tonight and it was amazing. Kind of. Okay not really. Some bits were really good but the ending was the dumbest thing ever.

Day 77 - Town Center, Emma

Today was pretty uneventful. Urban Outfitters was having a stock up sale so of course I went and spent too much money. Oh well. At least my collection of manly V-necks has grown. My mom and Liam and I had lunch at Maggiano's, then just a few hours later I went to Okinawa with Emma. I haven't been there in years, and it was a nice treat. We went to Publix, messed up all of the displays for Mikey to fix, then we went to the Town Center to participate in National Cheesecake Day. Of course. While there we went to Barnes and Noble and I got a couple books, including the I Ching, which I have been wanting to read for a long time. I am excited.

I didn't do anything else tonight aside from clean. It never ends.

Day 76 - Painting, Target, Night at the Roxbury

Today I helped paint Mrs. Risdon's classroom with a bunch of teachers and kids. that was fun, although it was more of a work out than it should have been. My hair is completely white from where I kept hitting my head on wet paint so now I look like I have the most intense dandruff ever.

I kept cleaning all this afternoon, and got rid of another chunk of stuff from in my room. I got rid of everything that was in the shadow boxes on my dresser and night stand and went to Target to get photos developed to replace them with. Wile there I got a frame to hang one of my prints above my bed. I was looking ROUGH while I was there. Sweaty, needing a shower, hair and legs covered in paint. So, of course, who do I see? Mike Woods. The first thing I said was a disclaimer about not having intense dandruff, and he grabbed my head and was like "let MEEEEE see!" Then we discussed how he can only wear a pair of socks once then throws them away. Then of course the conversation turned to Jenn and it was far less awkward. But STILL. Embarrassing.

Then tonight after I was showered got the majority of paint out of my hair, my friend Kevin came over and we watched Night at the Roxbury, since he has never seen it. Watching a movie with him tonight made me think of last summer and watching movies with Wyatt all the time. Not talking to him anymore still hurts. He went from being one of my best friends and talking 24/7 to never speaking again. I have seen him a few times but we still havent spoken. It still hurts.

Day 75 - Loop x2, Emma, IanBrannon, Milby

I babysat Liam all day again today. Awesome.... We met up with Ian and Brannon at the Loop for lunch. I haven't seen them in a long time, especially Brannon. Ever since she left for school in England she has rarely been home. That was nice to catch up with them and spend time together like we used to.

Liam and I hung out this afternoon, and we did a lot of cleaning. After everything I did today my room looks so different. I took down all of the Happening stuff I had on my walls, and everything on the back of my door. My room still looks like it belongs to a gender confused 10 year old, but I am working on that.

This evening my mom, Liam and I went over to Christy Milby's house for dinner. I have barely seen her since she and Brian moved from Churchwell years and years ago. Now she has teo adorable children. Skylar is 5 I suppose, and Hayden is about 3. Hayden is one of the most adorable children I have ever encountered. Along with Mary, I am going to steal them. He helped me make waffles, and I tried to teach him how to juggle. We had a delicious dinner of homemade waffles, bacon, and fruit. That is my third night in a row having breakfast for dinner. I am alright with this.

Tonight I went with Emma to the Loop and just sat with her while she ate. Then we came back to my house and sat around. Well, she sat around and I kept cleaning. My room is crazy different....

Colton's Words of Wisdom of the day: "Well Kate, you see sometimes you just have to push through that sleepiness so that you can hang out and have an awesome time."