Busy, Busy, Busy

The past couple days have been extremely exhausting. Part of the problem was that I had two or three nights of terrible sleep and was also trying to get over a cold while starting a new job and while working towards moving out which is practically impossible.

So, yesterday I spent about 4 hours cleaning cages housing gerbils and hamsters and had to lift them in and out of the display case. Half-way through I started getting light headed and parched. When I finished my shift my mom & I got fabric for curtains in my new place and then we came home and I did a bunch of chores and by the time I thought about updating this blog I was ready to go to bed.

Anyway, today I decided to join reddit so I could broaden my search and possibly use it as a way to promote my through-hiking fundraiser. It's been three days and not a single donation. I probably have to word my summary better or something. I'll figure it out soon enough.

Crowd-Funding Has Begun

So I launched my fundraiser via Indiegogo Life and used the following summary to hopefully gain people's interest enough to help me out.
"My name is Charlotte Taney and my goal for this trip (which will start next March) is to gain a feeling of self-empowerment and independence so that I can better help my future students to feel empowered as well. I need to fully embody the messages I want to convey to my students so that they will have the belief in themselves and the perseverance to make their own dreams happen. They need to know that no matter where they are in this moment, they can get to a much better place if they put forth the effort."
If you're interested in helping me out, donate by using this link:
https://life.indiegogo.com/fundraisers/through-hiking-the-appalachian-trail/x/9874516
Thanks!

What's Happening This Week

So I had my first day of work today. Which really means I did a 5 hour online training session. And the rest of the training will continue tomorrow. After that, on Wednesday, I'm going to finish setting up the basement I'll be moving into so that I can move in this weekend. My dad and I just have to add some shelves, buy a new mattress and set up my bed. And hopefully we'll also be able to give the carpet a thorough clean a couple days before I move in.

Good Things Are Happening

So, this coming week I'm going to be starting work on Monday; well, the training for it anyway. And then I will be finishing the job of clearing the space I will be moving into on the 15th. Luckily, this coming week, the earliest I will have to be in by is 8:00 am. Given the fact that I still don't drive, I will have to be getting up a whole 2 hours before I am to arrive at work to take public transportation. With any luck, I will have more days that start at 8:00 than at 7:00.
The only down side is that this week's schedule runs into the plans I had for Valentines Day so I'll be celebrating it with my boyfriend a week later. On the whole, everything is looking up. I'm gradually becoming a fully independent adult. My hope is that this independence is maintained; that I won't become what some call a "boomerang child" and have to move back into my mother's house.

Appalachian Trail Conservancy

Today I visited the ATC website to review some preparation tips and yesterday, I got a my first Appalachian Trail contact from a friend of mine whose mother works for the ATC. I haven't made the call yet, but I will once I've constructed a list of what I deem to be the most pertinent questions regarding a through-hike attempt. Last May, my dad and I visited Harper's Ferry and our timing could not have been more perfect because May is when you are most likely to run into through-hikers reaching the half-way mark. So obviously I struck up some conversations and asked a few people questions regarding how much money I'd need and how to avoid food and water shortages. I wanted to see if each hiker had the same budgeting suggestion and from what I heard I will need $3,000-$5,000 in order to complete this trip.

Things That Need Doing

Over the last couple days I've been pondering not only what to write in this new blog but also on how I'll reach the goal of through-hiking the Appalachian Trail next year. By the time this hike starts, I will need to have my driver's license and my teaching certificate so that when I'm done, I'll be able to start the next part of my life with relative ease. One other thing that I'll be doing while on the hike is raising money for charity by getting donations either per mile or per state.

So this year, aside from what I've already accomplished: completing a bachelor's degree, moving out of my mom's house and getting a job in pet care, I'll need to find the time and money to take driver's ed, take a few more online courses and raise money & prepare for what will be a 4-6 month trip if I hike between 12 and 15 miles a day.

A Beach, A Treasure Hunt and Some Craziness

A Day at the Beach

The cool sand beneath my feet
seeps between my toes
as I walk along the beach.
Pulsing waves spring to life
as I walk along the shoreline.
The cold ocean water reaches out
to touch my feet
and gather round my ankles.


Treasure Hunt

Take a look inside.
The room is empty.
Nothing exists but the breath.
No one exists but the self.
To be or not to be.
I think therefore I am.

But I shall not think.
I should just be.
For thoughts and things
cannot possibly
describe me.
Only the heart,
what’s in the heart
is what is me

Not the ego,
nor the items I own.
Not the clothes on my back
nor the friends by my side.
I need to look deeper,
dig deeper to find
joy, happiness,
myself.

Eternally Temporary

Rays of sunlight
gradually unlock the darkened vault—
unleashing hope
and restoring faith unto the world.
Darkness retreats
to the far corners of the vault.
Light continues to grow
and chase away the darkness.

Noon comes and goes.
As it leaves,
Darkness gains ground.
Eventually, the vault closes
and Darkness dominates once again.

Both the celestial vault
and the Earthen vault
encompass light
and dark impartially.


Crazy?

I walk, walk onto the sidewalk,
and talk, talk to myself.
I talk to myself about this and that.
I talk to the dog and my cat.

I can’t tell you why I do these things,
these crazy, crazy things.
But I can tell you this:
You do them too.