Feels like Fall

Salt lake is enjoying the first tendrils of fall. i have been riding my bike home from night shifts this week, and brrrr has it been cold! every day i have realized i must add a nother layer to my clothing to stay warm against the chill breeze of my alldownhill ride. it is absolutely delicious! the nights are so enjoyable...the middle of the day is still sorta hot though, still not longsleeve weather just yet. but it is fleece weather at night.i love this time of the year. short sleeves during the day and whatever kind of warm coat you've been longing to bust out all summer at night. i must say i can't wait to wear that down coat again- i love that coat. and that vest. and that fleece. and that hat.....etc.

our patagonia outlet just had 50% off sale this week. 50% off everything already marked down in the store. i bought a few things to replentish my climbing clothes supply (they wear out quickly against that rock!). i just love that sale. there are a million people and the place is really small. i waited in line for 2 hours just to check out. but the deals are worth it.

i finally received a call from the ortho center. my start date is september 25. i am very excited about it, although i still have many questions- do i still have to bring my own scrubs? what about holidays? what will be my exact schedule? i want to work every wed, thurs, fri. b/c that will work out best with the other climber's schedules that i know. i have been trying to give up my anxiety to God though, b/c my owrrying about it for a month won't help. but i like to know RIGHT NOW. and god doens't always work like that huh?

i have been reading the Mark of the Lion series by francine rivers during this bout of night shifts. i apoligize ahead of time to all you francine rivers fans.....but these books are terrible. they are like 3rd rate romance novels begging to be accepted by secular society, but totally aimed at christians who would otherwise feel guilty reading a 'secular romance novel'. i know, those may be some harsh words, but seriously... her writing style is poor and hardly near classic. i thought i had heard that they were a good series to read, so i pickedup the first one. the only good thing i can say about it, is that it has kept me awake at night b/c it does have an element of thrill to it, of which i am ashamed to ad mit b/c i wish i could just put the book down and walk away. but alas, at nighttime, this trashy type of book is exactly what i need to keep me awake. i don't have to think reading this book, i just read and imagine. no thought whatsoever. and maybe that is why i don't like it. i have always enjoyed books that make you really think, analyze, explicate. so i'll give it a 5/10 simply b/c it will keep you hooked, but won't make you any better of a person, or any deeper of a thinker. beach novels is what my advanced placement english teacher used to call them. i guess you could say that i am not a francine rivers fan.

i am reading Rock Warrior's Way- a mental training book for climbers. it is almost religious which is scary in a way, but one of the most useful books i've ever picked up. i think it will change my climbing forever.

i am not feeling very creative tonight. it's the last of 3 nights in a row and i am all 'night-shifted out'. can't think. feel nauseated. hungry. but full. tired. emotionless. guess i'll go read francine rivers.....:)