Ayn Rand on Sex...

I came across this the other day and found it interesting.

"Love is blind, they say; sex is impervious to reason and mocks the power of all philosophers. But, in fact, a person’s sexual choice is the result and sum of their fundamental convictions. Tell me what a person finds sexually attractive and I will tell you their entire philosophy of life. Show me the person they sleep with and I will tell you their valuation of themselves. No matter what corruption they’re taught about the virtue of selflessness, sex is the most profoundly selfish of all acts, an act which they cannot perform for any motive but their own enjoyment - just try to think of performing it in a spirit of selfless charity! - an act which is not possible in self-abasement, only in self-exultation, only on the confidence of being desired and being worthy of desire. It is an act that forces them to stand naked in spirit, as well as in body, and accept their real ego as their standard of value. They will always be attracted to the person who reflects their deepest vision of themselves, the person whose surrender permits them to experience - or to fake - a sense of self-esteem. Love is our response to our highest values - and can be nothing else.”
- Ayn Rand

Week Tres

Well, here it is...week three at Deadhorse Camp in the good ole arctic. Not a whole lot of pressing news to report this week, other than I have been getting out and going for walks every chance I get. This place really does have a beauty all it's own. Simply the intensity of the sun is something to experience. The enormous sky seems to swallow you. Natures gorgeous snow sculptures that the wind created with our last blizzard. Now the rocks and the river bed are starting to peek out from under the snow and life is slowly starting to return.
A couple of days ago I saw a gorgeous Snow Bunting just outside the camp and on my walk today I saw some geese. This does not seem like a big deal, but after 8 months of the silence of winter, every new development is exciting for folks up here. I cannot wait for the migration! Every day that I go out, I hope to see something new.
Today was rather cold on my walk (at least for this Tennessee girl.) It was -3. The sun was out and beaming strong though which definitely softened the blow. I am going to have to invest in some warmer pants, as my tooshy got frost nipped a little. I've been playing it by ear as far as supplies. It's an interesting contrast here. When I'm walking along the Dalton, one side is a lake, a river, miles and miles of tundra. The other side is machinery, trucks, and other various equiptment. man vs nature. The age old battle and I'm somewhere in the middle.
The only things I have to keep me entertained in my free time are my ipod, two books, five movies, and my guitar. That is all i could bring with me on the plane. My ipod froze today and now it is not working. Both books I have read. All five movies I have watched. So, what to do? I really don't want to start accumulating too much stuff. I'm thinking of purchasing some pretty stationary for writing letters, a couple small canvases and some pastels, a larger journal for scribbling, and a condensor mic. When I receive my laptop, I can hook my condensor mic up to it and use it for recording. Who knows, maybe I will write and record an album here this summer. That would be fun! Recording in my little drill unit in Prudoe Bay, Alaska. CRAZY, huh? Oh! And I absolutely need a new camera!
I have started to collect rocks. There are some very pretty fossils and stones lying around if you pay attention. Perhaps I will take the prettiest ones and have them polished and wrap them into necklaces for gifts. (or for me!) Ha.
Boy, the things that I have taken for granted! The luxuries of life that I consumed without so much as a second thought. Like....body wash! (Oh girlie, smelly, silky body wash...how I miss thee.)Yes, I shower peeps with awesome bar soap. Just like those archaic cave people did.
Personally, I am getting more adjusted. My sleep patterns are balancing out a little more. I find I don't really care if the sun is shining when I fall asleep anymore. In fact, every ray of sunshine is a comfort to me. I'm becoming hungry for it like a sun starved animal. 24 hours of daylight sounds glorious! What is happening to me? ha. The past four nights I've slept with my curtains open. (I have a very decent view of the tundra from my room). It makes me happy.
Well, I am out of words for now, so I'm signing off. Happy trails to you.
Love,
Steph.

Snow Caves

What is there to do during a blizzard you ask? Suit up and build an igloo of course! One of the regular guests and I built it together. He made a snow saw out of a piece of sheet metal and we cut blocks of snow out. Those suckers were heavy! It ended up being pretty cozy inside. It turned out pretty lopsided, but we had fun! I am hoping to build another more snazzy one before the snow melts in a month or so.

My Own Eyes/Deadhorse Update.

Here is a song I wrote today. It's not very good, but there are some things that I do like about it. :)

I'm like a prisoner that's been set free,
Only it 'aint like it is on TV.
I'm not scared of most anything under the sky,
But I sure am afraid of my own eyes.

My own eyes.

All of the roads that've been paved inside
They've led me in circles so I'm starting over.
I'm using my instinct and wisdom as a guide
And I won't be looking over my shoulder.

I've seen it your way a million times.
I've shifted shapes just to look through your blinds.
I cannot even tell you the things that I've sacrificed
To avoid the questions in my own eyes

My own eyes.

I'm not afraid of the dark or the light
I've wandered in places some fear to tread
I've laid beside some and held them all night
Given away my heart to revive some from the dead.

I don't care much
'Cause it's all worth the price
Is anyone brave enough to love the woman hidden behind
My own eyes



Well, here it is. My second week in Deadhorse Camp. I've decided I will try to give updates weekly, on Fridays. What to say? I'm currently experiencing my first arctic blizzard, which is really cool! It could very well be the last one of the season, so I am very happy to be here to see it. I went out briefly and played in it for awhile today. The formations that the wind creates out of the snow is really quite beautiful. I slid down a snow hill a couple of times. It was fun! I also saw two musk oxen wandering around a couple of days ago. I love it here when it's sunny! When it's cloudy and over cast it can weigh me down a little. It is cool getting off work late...around 9 or 10 pm and the sun still shining. It makes me feel like my day is not over yet! It's a strange thing to describe. This is not very good for sleeping though. My sleep patterns are random. Some nights I cannot sleep at all and other nights I sleep fine. I'm hoping all of this will iron out in a couple more weeks. Thankfully, last night was a good sleeping night.
I've settled in a little more. Trying to keep myself occupied. I've stayed busy with work, but it looks like I will have a couple of days off, so I have been catching up on some reading and on writing. I will spend tonight writing down some personal challenges and goals to complete before the fall.
Emotionally I must admit I still feel kind of chaotic. I still struggle some at night. I hate feeling lonely. It sucks. I also know though that I have to learn to hold myself. To feel comfortable in my own skin. To be at peace and embrace life and those around me. I know this is good for me. It does hurt but not all the time. This too shall pass. I try not to let it control me or weigh me down too much. I don't want to let those thoughts impede on such an amazing experience as this. Is this the burden that some people learn to carry in life? I never thought this would be my fate, but it is what it is. The pain must dull after awhile. I wouldn't say I'm home sick. I'm loving Alaska! I do miss my loved ones, though. Please write. It means more than you know.

Love,
Steph.

Random Sleepless Thoughts...

Here I am in Deadhorse, Alaska. Tomorrow will make a week. It is so flat and white and very bright. You can see for miles across the tundra. You can see the mountains in the distance. It's 12 am and the sun has not quite set yet. This is a very pretty time of day. Sometimes it's difficult to tell the difference between the sky and the ground. The horizon gets blurred. It's surreal. It's mars on earth. I am so excited to get to experience this.

These are all random thoughts with no particular order--but hey, it's my blog and no one reads this anyway so I don't give a damn.

I have been displaced. Dislodged. Out of whack. I feel really alone here. I mean REALLY. I thought I was used to that, but I didn't have a clue. It's me and hundreds of miles of tundra. Yet I am very safe and very well taken care of. I can't hide myself here. What you see is what you get. Facades are so useless and no one gives a shit. It's refreshing. It's scary. Good day or bad...hair looking like it would had I stuck my hand in a light socket...bright eyes...teary eyes, people here are going to know it. They just smile, shrug their shoulders. No big deal. To me, it seems like a big deal. But why is being myself a big deal? Why can't I just be? Exhale. Take in the moment each second that passes? People like it or they don't....it all doesn't make much of a difference in the end.

I'm used to the feeling of tension, the fight to keep my head above water (bills, society and such), survival. I don't really have that here. It's actually very peaceful. Relatively stress free. The only thing I have to worry about is Deadhorse camp. The only thing I have left to fight now is myself. Hey, I'm human. I'm working on it. I'm still getting adjusted. Nights are difficult. I have a compulsion to be held. Falling asleep alone never seemed to bother me that much before but it does lately. The lonliness I feel is intense. I just want want to lay in complete silence and be held by somebody. No words just a human soul as close to me as possible. But it's just me. What's the answer? The answer is that there are no answers...only moments. Millions of moments that I should be embracing.

I see the world as really beautiful and really sad. Deadhorse reminds me of this. Every place is different versions of that very thought but here it is all so extreme. Perhaps because it is still new to me. The everything/nothingness...the vastness of it all makes my heart ache. It also makes it sing. There is such a thin line between joy and pain. I mean really. They seem to overlap each other constantly.

I really want to go sledding. Hmm...maybe I will.

No presumtions.
No expectations.
Only love.
peace.

Goodbye, for now

They say the sweetest winds blow across the south
In a way I agree with this.
Everytime I'm broken down, I find a place to fall
Beneath the old oak by the pond.
There is hidden treasure in the faces of home
Comfort, and leisure, and a pillow to bone.
But I can't stay here forever
I feel I will waste away
Like a fruit rotting on the ground.
I know you don't understand
And I know you don't agree
But please, before I go
Hold me close and kiss my head and show me your eyes.
Let me hear your laugh
And let me see your smile.
I want to tuck the memory as deeply as I can
For one day I will need it when I'm in the shadow lands.
Don't forget me
Some were born with roots
And some were born with none
I wish I was like you
But in another way I don't.
Because if I was I would never see a thing
Half of my heart would be hanging on the stars.
Just because I like to move
Doesn't mean that I don't care
Doesn't mean I won't take you with me.
Doesn't mean that I am running.
Doesn't mean that I am lost.
But how could you understand that
When you're fine where you're at?
Come with me and I'll buy you a gift
On you I'll spend my last dime.
Let our words be few and our feet be swift
Because I don't have much time.

Dear God,

I'm sorry that it has been awhile since we have spoken. I have been so distracted by this mysterious thing called life, but that is no excuse. I just wanted you to know that I appreciate you and I love you. Sometimes I question why on earth you put me on this crazy planet, but I know that no matter what happens I can count on you to be there for me. People fail, but you never do. Throughout my whole life you have always kept your hand on me. There are so many times that I could have been harmed physically, spiritually, or emotionally and you protected me by your grace. So many times my heart was broken and I felt no one understood me and I reached for you and you comforted me with your acceptance and love. So many times I have fallen short and made mistakes and you offered me the most beautiful thing of all: forgiveness and a new start. I'm not asking you for any of those things today. I don't want to ask you for anything. I simply want to thank you for this beautiful day. I want to thank you for your love. I want to sing a song just for you and I want to let you know that even though I may not say it like I should, you were my FIRST love and you still are...