Off to Estes!

There's a board in the lodge at camp that quotes the famed psalm - "I lift mine eyes to the hills." My eyes are lifted that direction... out west, following the forefathers in their quest for exploration, self-discovery, and wilderness... deep wilderness. From west, from whence, from there cometh my help. I met the metaphysical out there years ago, decided that God had to exist as I stood for the first of two times on Mummy Mountain looking out over hundreds of miles of ranges and colors - purple, blue, gray - and looked down at my feet, as tiny tundra wildflowers grew next to the great cairn. God being so great and so delicate before me. He is everywhere - here in simple ol' NJ as I type - but I can't wait to meet him in seemingly untouched creation, in his glory. In a place of such magnified glory, something happens to people - they want to be better, want to stand taller, hike longer. Character happens in Colorado. The wind moves fiercely, and it seems that the Spirit moves fiercely as well.

After a very long day of packing packing packing, Perry and I are 140% ready! I'm sure we'll arrive in Denver Airport without something essential like... hiking boots. :0). The excitement is really building up; I can't wait to breathe those high-altitude molecules. Ah. And no Internet or cell phone! What a blessing forced upon me. I can spend hours looking at this screen, and end up not much better than I started. It's so easy to forget how simple it is to function without a cell phone. They really became the rage when I was about 14... and I lived without it then! When I was in third grade, my teacher at Lincoln Elementary in Summit (the ever kind Mrs. Smith who Perry bizarrely served at Friendly's the other day) sent me to nurse to get my eyes checked. It turns out I'd been squinting at her blackboard for a while. I could barely read all the backwards E's and G's. Didn't even know I had a problem! Not that the glasses are an exact parallel, but the cell phone is such an essential of our lives now; I think nostagically on those days where I didn't have a phone, didn't know I needed one. Despite the fact that a call home or to friends once in a while is really quite nice, at Cheley I am forced to write letters - to really think about what I have to say. I am forced, day after day, to be with people in the physical dimension. There's no escaping to the internet, no cowardly conversations on IM, no profile (facebook) defining who I am. We are all, in a sense, addicted to technology. Breaking that is crucial to see other people for who they really are, yourself for who you are, and God for what God is - each revealed in nature, silence, and conversation. I'm most looking forward to standing on a mountaintop, the world beneath my feet, singing the traditional Cheley "Netherlands", and letting the wind reward me as I stand there, hot, tired, and dirty. What ranges will we climb?

What lakes will I visit this year? What mountains will I peak? Every step will be a victory for me - every step holding the promise of a new life rooted in peace, in determination, in the journey, not the destination. I don't know many of the people, don't know many of the campers. But returning for the 7th summer, I know the land, and I know that this summer will be better than the ones before, as I stand on the knowledge that age increases one's ability to be satisfied (at least from age 12).

Love to you all! See you in a month... please write!!

Getting Ready for a Rocky Mountain High

Today was spent largely in preparation for Colorado. I sent off a letter to our friend Luc at Hands On, hung out with Perry, watched a bizzarre Denzel movie called "Fallen" about some weird demon Azazel who transports himself to different people, except Denzel, 'cause he's unbeatable. Except in "Training Day". A strange day. Tied up a lot of loose ends. I talked with Tony from Mt Snow at its Human Resources dept., who told me to apply for a job in October, and also told me, reassuringly, that I wouldn't have a problem! That was neat. Also spent a good hour with Nene on the phone discussing Frankie, my year off (he wants to hike the AT for a good time! cool!), and his many girl problems. Haha. Just kidding. Sort of.

I got a great pair of ASolo boots at Blue Ridge Mountain Sports in Madison. They are kind of intense looking, but they fit, and that's the important thing. Also got a pair of hiking shorts/pants. Perry got basically the same. We didn't get her Chocos because I saw a pair of 23 dollar (!!!) ones online. We may go back tomorrow. The guy who fitted my boots went to Green Mountain College in VT... he was very helpful. He introduced me via phone to his friend Sam who has hiked the Long Trail! In 13 days no less! Wow!!! So Sam and I are meeting up in August. If I want to try and get my pilot's license in September, I really ought to get the written test done before/at the beach. So that will be the post-camp question. What will I use September for? What's the flight instructor's schedule? We will see.

Thom-Thom met me for a nice dinner in Morristown. We ate at the office, and I had a hard time focusing because I was so hungry. I spent most of this morning browsing the AT websites, on discussion boards and other helpful pages. Very addicting.

I am very focused on Cheley right now; all day tomorrow will be dedicated to packing, organizing and so on. I will be wearing my boots around the house as well. Also a chat with Bama is in order. And Hilary! Who left me a message. And Alice, and Annie for that matter. Today was Jess Goldschmidt's birthday! Yay, Jess! You can vote! I love you! Please tell Kay I have some Nehamas news if you run into her... Nana hasn't called from Ghana, but I really can't blame her. Hoping for letters at camp too!

Pictures!

The following are a random sampling of my recent life! Mostly for the fam who have missed out... Have fun!


Stephens Rose Sale with Annie. A House tradition that raised funds for our social activities and house wear. Yay overalls!

With Annie and Margot after Lessons and Carols.

My Stephens House Soccer team! I'm in blue. I coached the totally defeated team with my former housemaster Dr. David Laws this spring. "Hey. We're hot. We can't be good at everything."

Our freshmen girls' Bible Study made the four seniors great cards and gifts!


The four senior Bible Study leaders - Bama, Kali, Alice, and Me!

Eating cake in Stephens after Lessons and Carols! Lynne (our house president), Gabby (from Saudi), me, Andrea, and Eileen (next year's prefect with Perry)

Prom! With Colleen Purio the Aussie, Perry's wonderful roommate, and my dear friend. Mathias in the background with Perry adjusting Joanna's homemade flowers on his lapel.

Sisters!


Ok, Mrs. Becker! Just one picture with the darn buckets (made for the bus ride to the Hudson River. Our prom was on a yacht sailing around Manhattan!). Bruce Botsford (fellow VP... for discipline. Headed to UVA!), darling Hil looking smashing, my serenading date Christian "Scruf" Ruf, and me!


Perry... you're so good to me.

My friend Morgan at her birthday party! We sat in this cool booth called a "pod". A lightswitch changed the pod color. Weird.

Me, Hil, Annie



Graduation! Got a cool award.

Dancing at the Palm Court to "When the Saints..." Cool umbrella, no?

Still dancing... (Nana, Alice, Hil, Me)

Jon Roth, my fellow Lit editor-in-chief. We made some great magazines, and a few cool "get lit" t's.


Alice and Nan! The valedictorian.

Posing with the New Orleans mime. He was fabulous, not to mention a little creepy...

My big brother! So handsome... That's his now broken hand. Poor nene. Love you.




With Becks at her graduation party on the park lawn.















Left: All five NOLA gals! Post dancing at New Orleans' "The Palm Court" - A Mr. Silver favorite.From left: Nana, Me, Alice "AK" Grant, Hilary Becker, Ashley "Bama" Zeiger










With Nana at the Biloxi Hands On HQ. Giggly over her haircut. So beautiful!

Welcome Ever Smiles

Hello!

Welcome to my new and first ever blog, open to family and friends. It was a very hard, excruciating even, decision to take this year off. I am thrilled to have made that choice now... the world seems to have unfolded its many MANY arms to my immediate horizon.

Inspired by the concept behind the "pennybecker" blog by the Kennedy housemaster himself and his beloved wife, I have begun my own blog to share with you all without demanding your individual attention. I hope this will serve as a neat mechanism to keep in touch with everyone. In no way should this prevent you from picking up the phone, visiting, or e-mailing me! It's just an informal account of my general life right now. This is the place where you can receive the latest update on my whereabouts, general activities, and (censored) state of mind for the rest of the summer and during my year off before I head to college. I am very excited about what's to come, and look forward to your feedback and so forth. Comments are very welcome! Lots will be happening over the next 14 months, and I can't wait to embark upon my "gap year". Apologies now for grammar, spelling, and general incoherance. :0) Enjoy...

"The windows of my soul I throw
Wide open to the sun."
-John Greenleaf Whittier, My Psalm

I've just returned from a weekend at my log cabin in Vermont with Dad, who is currently watching "National Treasure" with the rest of the family. The weather up there was green and beautiful, refreshing as always. We hiked down Mt Snow and watched a ton of mountain bikers brave the terrain with awe on Saturday, saw Pirates of the Carribean (which I hesitate to recommend - little plot, but cool effects), and had dinner at a BBQ place that Dad just l-o-v-e's. Today I slept in with many dreams, and Dad hit up the notorious berry-berry pancakes at Dot's one last time before finishing the stone wall's weed-whacking. I was very impressed. The Wilmington flea market was sub-par as usual, but a must, and so I paid my dues with a few dollars spent in cheap jewelry and sunglasses for two dollars.

North Carolina was really peaceful - lots of family time. Poor Leland has broken his right arm (he's a leftie...phew!) really badly; I visited him in Durham where he's been taking Organic Chem summer classes, but he may need to come home soon due. Leland has adopted one of the abandoned kittens Mrs. Brooks found in Greensboro, and has officially named the unbelievably cute cat "Sir Francis Drake." Oh Leland! :o) Prayers for fast healing. Perry has been working this past month as a "Super Dooper Ice Cream Scooper" at Friendly's. She is very asymmetrically muscled in her forearms now. Just kidding. Sort of... Grams and Gramps were ever hospitable in G-boro, and we saw Superman (LOVED IT LOVED IT), went puttering for a few in Gpa's Cessna 150 "Julie," read lots of good books and comics (a treat for this NYtimes gal), and spent lots of quality time together.

The Fourth was quite the celebration - the whole NC Rice clan showed up (with Nene in tow smiling), and Uncle Kirk lit many a firework while the little cousins giggled and ooohed at the bright lights. Charlotte and Cecelia were quite the pair. Waiting in the driveway, Cecelia on my shoulders, the appearance of Miss Charlotte was the climax of two days of anticipation. Char finally had a distraction for her third 3-year-old leg - a cute leg, but a leg nonetheless. Aunt Char and I had a lot of great time together, which was incredibly refreshing after all that time on the phone. I was sad Mom, Dad, and Perooch couldn't make an appearance, but I loved that Leland was able to come. His fingers looked less swollen, and his face had lots of color and pep again. Drew looks a lot older to me, and more handsome! Colton and Dave are sporting these tough guy(considering they're in 5th and 8th grades) haircuts. I could only laugh. The scouting uncles put this Appalachian Trail (AT) idea in my mind. More later on that.

I spent the night at Kirk and Blair's Holly Springs home, swimming, biking and watching my first episodes of Seinfeld. David and Colty are very proud of their I-Pod shuffles... I got to watch Dave recite all of "Amish Paradise" by Weird Al. Weird. Haha. He is super smart. Colton is very cuddly. I like that. Little Charchee is a tough little girl with her big brothers pushing her around, but definitely still has a princess/ballerina thing going on. We had some great girl time.

Now I'm back home (finally) and will be off again on Wednesday early to Colorado until August 7th. Perry and I are incredibly pumped about heading to our home in the Rockies. It's been two years for me. A CILT! I feel way too old. Sarah Thomas (Thom-Thom, my eternal friend from camp) is sleeping over tomorrow night, and I am thoroughly thrilled to see her! I am all set for backpacking, hiking, the old songs, and vespers. Perry and I stalked through the first term pictures and got a glimpse of what's to come. cantwaitcantwaitcantwait! As Grams would say, "You just have to!"

I miss my LV buddies though... Nana's off in Ghana with her sister Amy and the Duffuor clan. I didn't get to see her at the Ropes Course orientation for the new bunch of NJ Scholars at L'ville, or in NYC this last week because I opted for NC. I ended up, FYI, not going to Martha's Vineyard because I got my wisdom teeth pulled (all four) a few days before and the healing process was incredible slow. Rest in Greensboro was the perfect prescription for my headaches, nasty wounds, and general pain medication-induced drowsiness. I was super sad not to help out with FOCUS, but it was probably the right decision. :0(. Bama and Kirby are at School Camp now (head counselors! whoo!) and Alice G. and Becker are working respectively at a Manhattan interior design office and the Yale admissions office. I was supposed to see Hil today in Madison, but really couldn't make it on our way back from VT. Again, sad! Annie ended up not making the New Orleans/Biloxi trip, and I'm not really quite sure where she is right now. Maybe Israel? Franklin? Must call her before I head off to Colorado. Biloxi was so amazing. I was a little wary the second time around, but it was even better. Everything totally came together, and the way that some of my friends bonded over L'ville social circles was super permanent. We'll be reunion-izing this spring at Jazzfest, thanks to Harry (hArrey) Kelleher - a LV alum from NOLA. Yay!! You can check out our pictures on Facebook. If you don't have access, I'll try and put some of the pix on this blog. AH I miss them! I'll be visiting AKG, Hil and Nans at college, and Bama and I are trying to get together several times during our joint gap years.

My year off plans change every single day it seems, but here are some of my ideas right now: private pilot's license (with Gpa in Greensboro); wilderness or regular EMT; Wilderness First Responder (Woofer); hike Vermont's Long Trail - Mass border to Canadian border, about three-four weeks; hike the Appalachian Trail - just finished the Bryson and Rubin books, working through preparation guides... major major major commitment that is resonating with me more and more as a pilgrimage, challenge, experience; see Ethiopia while Bama and Kali (another great LV friend) are there; get a Washington, DC, internship with Raj, Dave Morin, and others' help; work at the Mt Snow slopes (free season pass!!); read lots of books - Grams made a great list with me; work on scholarship options for Yale; go to Nepal with Leeli Bonney in November (political situation may be unstable); yoga at the Kripalu center in Massachusetts; overseas with Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD); au pair in Europe; and others.

Obviously, I am not going to do all of these. My goal is to try and complete two to four of these goals! Ideas are still welcome. I am trying to keep my motivations in line - you probably know how I get overexcited and spread myself too thin. Well, that is just not the purpose of this year! The whole point is to break away from that cycle I fall into, and to restore myself from four amazing but wholly intensive years at Lawrenceville. Paula Cole sings, "I feel free.../I've left the girl I was supposed to be/and some day I'll be born." This year is about regeneration, purpose, growth, quiet, new experiences, new relationships, and meeting myself again - I got a little lost inside the busy bubble of boarding school. A soft summer rain is lightly dancing outside our new New Providence house; this year is about a gentle spiritual cleansing - preparing myself for college, getting closer to fine...

I'm shooting for the moon, hoping to land on it, or, at least, as they say, among the stars.I am doing this by prayer, advice, and writing... but mostly by listening - to you all, to God. I will have a hard time choosing the couse of this year, but look forward to its unraveling with anticipation! Who knows where I will find myself 12 months from now! God knows. Please send your prayers and thoughts for a safe, purposeful gap year for me and Bama. "All things are possible for the one who believes."

If you'd like to reach me in Estes Park over the next month, the only way is by "snailmail" or to call Dad with a complicated e-mail option. Address: my name/Cheley Colorado Camps/PO Box 1170/Estes Park, CO/80517. Please write!

All men should strive
to learn before they die
what they are running from, and to, and why.
-James Thurber