A brief visit to snow

[chipotle]

So yesterday I went off to Yosemite. I didn't set out as early as I should have on such a trip, but I still made it to the park's entrance a bit after noon.

A lot of towns around the Sierras don't feel like they've changed in the last 150 years more than they absolutely had to. I'm sure a resident there would be able to catalog all the travesties encroaching civilization has foisted off on the area, but--like a surprising amount of California once you get outside the metro zones--this is a place of necessary self-sufficiency. You aren't going to be driving down to the Albertson's on a ten-minute run if you run out of something, and you're not going to be ordering pizza when you don't feel like cooking. In point of fact, you probably have a backup generator, because your connection to the electric grid is a little shaky, particularly in winter.

I drove through a few of these towns, with the idle thought of stopping on the way back--although of course, I took a different route out of the park than I took in. Route 120, the one I took in, is the northernmost route, and it's substantially more rugged than the southern eastbound route (140). By the time I made it to the park I'd decided I was going to have lunch at the Yosemite Lodge--but I was thwarted by the lodge itself. The restaurant there was closed for lunch and all that was open was the "food court," which looked pleasant enough as far as such things go--but I figured if I was going to be paying high prices for food in Yosemite, I might as well get something better than a burger. So, off to the Ahwahnee, what's possibly the most famous piece of architecture in the national park system, and its ostentatiously grand dining room. I had, of all things, their version of the Monte Cristo sandwich, using grilled sourdough bread and a boysenberry-mint sauce.

You may ask something I asked myself, namely: is going out and spending money on something like this when you're suddenly without income wise? The answer, of course, is: no, not in the least. But there'll be time enough for ramen later.

I wandered around Yosemite Village and a few paths, but went on no hikes, and discovered that I couldn't easily get back to Bridalveil Falls without a loop road that I missed on my way out. Next visit, perhaps--which I think I'll make in the spring, as opposed to the fall and winter visits that my last two (only two) trips to the park have entailed.

So. What's the plan for the rest of the week? I don't know. I need to get back to Frang about Thanksgiving plans, which I've been waffling about. I need to get a new domain registered and get the basic fictitious name stuff filed. I should call Florida's unemployment office and see if I still have any money left with them, and what hoops will be necessary to jump through before I'm able to collect it. I need to start reworking my résumé, seeing what I can manage to do to make it more attractive in a few different fields, and keep shoving it out there. And, I need to start coming up with ways to cheaply advertise my writing/editing/layout services. (Besides Craig's List, which I'm already using.)

And, I need to get to Albertson's, and take this opportunity to get back into cooking again. I hope I remember how to make something other than ramen.

Comments

B&W is so nice.

[starkaudio.livejournal.com]

Did you take that photo? Beauty, eh?

Re: B&W is so nice.

[chipotle.livejournal.com]

Yes, although I took it with my digital camera, so it started out in color. I have a few other pictures I took on the trip, although I'm realizing that back with my film camera, I shot on shutter-priority a lot more often to make the images sharp without a tripod -- something I probably need to relearn with this one. Shots like the one of the mountain tend to end up with fast shutter speeds when everything's left on automatic, but most of my lower-light shots are much fuzzier.

[koogrr.livejournal.com]

Okay, let me know if you end up in Orlando, and if I can help out, let me know that too. You're welcome to stay at my house if you plan to interview and don't have anyplace to.

Awesome picture.

Oh, and had various nightmares along your lines. Surprise firings. *hug*