[at-l] Y?

[shane at theplacewithnoname.com (Shane Steinkamp)]

> Enough already.  I'm unsubscribing.
> The point of posting this is that I can't be the only one.

Yeah, I've had enough too.

Oh... I suppose I'm going to bet spanked for this one, but what the hell,
it's Saturday night and my wife isn't in the mood...

I came to AT-L what?  Two years ago?  I've read almost all the posts, and
some might say that I've replied to most of them too.  In the end, I am
always amused when the lurkers pop up to complain.  If lurkers leave, who
looses?  If you don't like what you're getting, then PARTICIPATE.

I've pretty much been satisfied on all levels here.  Sure, certain memembers
have their own agendas, politics comes up way too often for my liking, and I
could personally care less about the awful color of Kelly's countertops.
BUT, I'm happy to see all of it.

I'm happy to know that Weary is back on the trail.  I'm happy that Kelly's
dream is still alive.  I'm happy that R-N-R is still his same old self.  I'm
happy that Jim is still up to the challenge of defending his viewpoints.
I'm glad that Clark has had some life changes, and chose to share them with
us...

OH, but the lurkers want to know what pack to carry, or what tent to buy, or
what clotes to wear, or what food to eat, or how to wipe their ass...  WELL
ASK US!  I don't think there has ever been a question gone unanswered around
here.

Otherwise, let 'em burn.

To tell the truth, I stay on this list for four main reasons, and several
minor ones.  Those main reasons are: Felix, Curtis, Kelly, and the remote
chance that I'll be able to usefully answer a question someone might raise
on the subject of guns, cell phones, hammocks, tents, tarps, umbrellas,
knives, food, weather, and a few other things that I am familiar with.

If you think that Felix's stuff is ever off topic, then you have no sense.
Check the archives about two weeks back when he posted a little story on
finding a watch.  The man is a treasure.  I read all of his posts three or
four times just to make sure I'm not missing anything.  For lack of a better
way to express it, he's a Trail Buddha.  He's trying to point you past your
mundane life to something greater.  Off topic?  How sad...

Curtis?  Similar, in a way, but the man if full of life in a way that is so
rare that most of us have probably never met such a person in real life.
He's precious - and I don't use the word in the meaning of 'cute', either.
His posts often cry out, "Arise comrades and lovers! The great American
landscape calls us! Let's go!", but most people miss it or pass them by.
Off topic?  How sad...

Kelly... Ah, Kelly...  Now there's a woman I'd like to drag out into the
woods, tear all her clothes off, and drag her through mud, lakes, rivers,
streams, snow capped mountains, roaring canyons, and flowers in secret
gardens.  I would make her laugh in high passes, dive into the ocean, sing
by the fire, run through the forest, stand in the wind, gaze at the stars,
dance in the rain...  I would teach her the little things to be found as we
walk under the unmeasured dome of the temple of the sky.  Here, in this
church, listening to the Ministry of the Earth, it is possible to discover
the very essence of our being - the soul of creation.  The secret language
of trees.  The myriad shades of the setting sun.  The prophecy in a sunrise.
You want to know how to walk with your feet?  You can't just walk with your
feet.  Learn how to walk with your heart.  You want to build a fire?  You
can't just build a fire.  It takes something more than matches and kindling.
The voices of Earth, and Air, and Fire, and Water, and even the Void all
speak to you in this place.  "Listen to me, and my voice will go with you."
And *I* know that even now, all those voices are crying out in her head,
trying desperately to be heard.  Shhhhh!  Listen!  Do YOU hear them now?
They are saying, "LOOK!  LOOK!  Don't you see?  Don't you see?  *CAN'T* you
see?  Can't you see that you are squandering your youth on the pettiest of
bullshit, while all around you, the universe is waiting for a moment of
Revelation to be born of a moment of Transition?  JUMP!  FOR THE LOVE OF ALL
THAT'S HOLY, JUMP!  JUMP! JUST F**KING JUMP!"

But, right now all I have is words...  And I can't drag anyone anywhere, or
give anyone a gift that they aren't ready to receive.  The memory of
creation haunts us all, but it is up to each individual to make up their
minds to discover it or not.  To walk the secret paths to the secret places
and listen to the sound of the planets and the sound of the stars - and know
that in a very real way they are our closest family.

Oh, I know... You think this is off topic...  You still want to know how to
make a fire.  Well, read PART II of this and get back to me:

http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/hiking/journals/shane/021227.htm

What you want isn't to be found here, on the internet, talking to electronic
specters.  You want to know which pack to carry?  Some are a little better
than others, but in the end, it really doesn't matter.  If it will hold your
stuff, it'll work out.

If you think that's stupid, and that pack selection is extremely important,
then ask someone what Granny Gatewood used for her pack.

I for one, intend to keep posting exactly this kind of 'off topic' drivel,
so filter me if you must.  In the end, though, my end goal is to drive you
the hell of this list and out into the woods.  If you don't appreciate it,
well, you have a delete key.  If you want my sincere advice, shut the damned
internet down and go for a walk.

OH, but wait, there's a song on the radio...

: All around me are familiar faces
: Worn out places, worn out faces
: Bright and early for their daily races
: Going nowhere, going nowhere
: And their tears are filling up their glasses
: No expression, no expression
: Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
: No tomorrow, no tomorrow
: And I find it kind of funny
: I find it kind of sad
: The dreams in which I'm dying
: Are the best I've ever had
: I find it hard to tell you
: 'Cos I find it hard to take
: When people run in circles
: It's a very, very
: Mad World
: Children waiting for the day they feel good
: Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday
: Made to feel the way that every child should
: Sit and listen, sit and listen
: Went to school and I was very nervous
: No one knew me, no one knew me
: Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson
: Look right through me, look right through me

Now, at this point, if any newbie or lurker doesn't get it, then I'm truly
sorry.  I'm not sorry about it, mind you, I'm just sorry for you.  I hope
you get better one day...

If you are a Christian, and you're still worried about your gear, look up
Luke 12:22-34.

If you are a Buddhist, look up the parable about Shakra, the sanctuary, and
the blade of grass.

If you're neither, then don't waste any time...

JUMP! DAMN YOU! JUMP!

If you're pissed off at this point, then you've missed the whole point, and
I encourage you to soak in a large tub of banana pudding.  After that, take
a long walk on a short trail.

Shane (Going for a walk...)