Camel-With-No-Humps

When I was at Meridian Middle School, 'they' (especially a boy named Ryan Aarestad, damn that alphabetical seating) started calling me Indiana Alvis in 5th grade because they figured out I wanted to be an archaeologist when I grew up. Remember, Indiana Jones was huge in 1989. The Last Crusade had just come out, and every time our band teacher Mr. Mack didn't want to teach, he would play that movie. Over and over.

I feel the same way, Indy.

I was kinda a big dork back then....thank goodness that has changed. I was bored with the curriculum and asked my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Hohman, aka battle-axe, if I could do a report on the Aztecs, Incas and Mayas of central and south America and then present it to the class. Product of private school PTSD or what? Wasn't much going on out in north Whatcom Co. After battle-axes' jaw came off the table, she thought that was a good idea. I wrote a pretty big synopses of their history and culture. Man, did the other kids think I was nuts and henceforth the nickname. That was also the year I dressed up as a pack of Camel cigarettes for Halloween and wore it to school. Its really cool when your dad is an artist. Then they started calling me 'camel with no humps', but that is another story.

So, I guess I am going to give this a whirl. Several recent influences and events have contributed to my blogging interest. This account was created after Josh and other friends (you know who you are) egged me on.....'everybody was doing it, just set-up a blog Camille, you know you want to'. Although, deep down inside I knew I probably wouldn't post on this side of the next decade. But, in the back of my mind, it was something I wanted to come back to. Maybe I had to soak in the essence of other peoples blogs first to get creatively inspired. Maybe I just needed to get enough of my thesis written so that I didn't feel guilty for spending time on extra-curricular activities again. I have been closely following my friend Jennifer Triplett's blog Pedal Power as well as my bike buddies from B'ham and their blog Slice O' the Ham. Jen is not only an amazing chick, but an awesome writer and her passionate and revealing entries while she grapples to accept the loss of her best friend and husband Ryan, have been inspiring and tear-jerking to say the least. Oh yeah, and the dudes from Bellingham are pretty cool too. I believe it can be a very cathartic, eye-opening and centering activity, whether the subject matter is funny or heavy. Me and my lofty expectations.

It can't all be about archaeology, that is for sure. My girlfriend Erin is pregnant, my best friend/sister CamE is over in Iraq driving around in a bomb magnet and unexpected, soul-crushing tragedy struck in September as the world lost a radiant man. Some heavy stuff has gone down. The type and amount of archaeology gigs I have accepted lately have led to minimally interesting stories. Oh, don't worry, there have been some, but they can easily be summarized and recapped in one post I believe. Snakes. Big, angry, venomous snakes. I have great hopes for 2009....graduation, interesting jobs, making money, skiing, backpacking adventures, traveling, working on something besides my thesis. Ahhhhh. I can see light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully that's not a train.

Deception Pass on a beautiful, fall afternoon.