Oregon Trail: Ames Edition

05.06.26

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Does everyone remember when Baz Luhrmann advised the class of ‘99 to wear sunscreen?

Did that just unlock a core memory for you?

Sames bro.

Anyway, this isn’t about that “song” but I do have a few notes about the sun and being at a higher elevation.

I kept feeling like the sun was just … more intense. Not like hotter, but just like I could feel it more intensely on my skin. Turns out, that’s not totally in my head. Being at a higher elevation means you get more UV, atmosphere is a little thinner, sun is more intense, etc. It’s kind of cool in a “huh, that’s new” way, but is ultimately kind of annoying because now I really do have think about sunscreen way more than I’m used to.

I’m terrible at skin care. I’ve always been terrible at skin care. It’s hit or miss if I put on lotion and moisturizer and even more so with regard to sunscreen. I associated sunscreen with being at beach and that’s where it began and ended most of the time.

In my adult life and experience, watching friends and family and colleagues get melanomas, I’ve obviously given sunscreen more thought. Which means on those maybe once or twice a week occasions where I do remember moisturizer, I do tend to use one that has a built-in SPF. Not perfect, but okay. Baby steps.

My recent experiences with the sun feeling extra burn-y has got me like, eep. No major sunburns to speak of, but I may or may not have purchased a more grown up SPF product that, even if I don’t feel like moisturizer, will help me manage all the driving into the sun that I’m doing every afternoon. And, you know, all these wonderful outdoors that I’m excited to experience. (I also have a really great body SPF for that that I will *** siiiiiiiigggghhhh *** dutifully use so I don’t get torture my skin any further.)

If you’re curious – I’m giving Kiehl’s serum-style SPF a go. More to come on that, although for right now I’m pretty in love with the texture. It doesn’t feel as bulky and because it’s Kiehl’s I’ve convinced myself that it’s okay to skip the moisturizer.

Anyway, that was more than all of you probably needed to know about my skincare routine or lack thereof, but here we are.

In other news, ya boi had an exciting few days since we last caught up. It’s been a little bit of a feelings rollercoaster but I’m still going strong and feeling pretty okay.

I DID THINGS! SO MANY THINGS!

Let’s kick things off with this past Friday. I was called in to wrangle some spiders who’d taken up residence in a storage closet. Other duties as assigned? Sure.

The most exciting part (at least to me) was that one of the spiders was a Black Widow. I’ve never seen one up close or even IRL so I was pretty stoked to have one in my branch. Can’t say that anyone else was too thrilled, but in the end I relocated the gorgeous gal to the little wooded creek area behind my workplace via a hand vac. She might have been a little dizzy but she scurried away just fine and no one died.

Friday was also just a gorgeous day in general, so on my way to work (and most days since) I threw open all my car windows and slid back the sunroof and blasted “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes, screaming along for all I was worth. Did everyone else on the I-5 probably think I was crazy? Sure. But there’s just something about that song and the crisp morning mountain air that got me really in my feels. And I was here for that energy. (Though I did do a quick Reddit scan later on to see if anyone posted about the nutty black Volkswagen with Maryland plates.)

Cut to Sunday where I DID A THING! Yeah! That’s right! I did a thing. Two things actually and both of them put me out of my comfort zone. I leaned into it though and came out the other side just fine.

On Sunday I joined my queer colleagues for an affinity group meetup, at a coffee shop I’d never been to, in a part of town I hadn’t visited yet. It was amazing. No one died. I had a really awesome drink. I met my awesome colleagues. We talked about Mothman’s absolutely caked backside and my aversion to Pisces, at least romantically, even though it’s my sister sign.

My favorite part was the drink. It was delicious, but also, they spelled Ames “AMZE”, which, omg, missed opportunity here. If I ever officially change my name it’s going to be that spelling. Too cool.

I felt so energized by my outing that I dared drop by the local Trader Joe’s … ON A SUNDAY. Yeah, I know. You’re probably thinking “whoa there Ames, that’s too much.” But you know what? I did it. The parking lot wasn’t too bad. And I survived. I also found a really nice local brew that’s a red prickly pear kettle sour, and I picked up a local wine too. The sour is amazing – Cactus Attactus from Hopworks Brewery. 10/10. No notes. Haven’t tried the wine yet.

Monday was a little less fantastic. There were some things at work that popped up that I wasn’t super thrilled about and had to navigate, but I survived that as well. I’m facing new challenges and I’m here for it, I truly am, but I also have limited spoons and after using most of them over the weekend I just didn’t have enough energy to tackle everything that came my way.

The saving grace for Monday and yesterday were my nineties playlist, Stephen Graham Jones’ haunting and gruesome Killer on the Road (READ IT!), and the stray cats. Yeah, that’s right. There is some serious feline drama going down as two new furry faces enter the mix.

But first, POTATO! I’ve now been able to pet Potato twice and I’m THRILLED!

Also, I learned that Jerry and Callie are a bonded pair in the most adorable way …

They’re too flippin’ cute and I can’t even with it.

Onto the interlopers though. We have two new furry faces, one I’ve named and one I haven’t.

I initially thought the new tabby was Jerry. I was convinced this was Jerry who looks like Eevee but isn’t Eevee because he’s a little darker. (Nevermind that the new tabby had white mittens.) However, after some consulting with more knowledgable parties, I discovered that this was in fact a new face — an interloper if you will — and so I have dubbed him Mooch. (#iykyk)

The rest of the colony does not like Mooch. He has to skulk around to get food and even then they frequently chase him back under the blackberry bush. Pip and LittleLittle are especially cranky about it, although I’ve noticed that they tend to be cranky about everything that isn’t all about them.

LittleLittle can be a jealous gal.

The other interloper is a dusty gray kitty that could be part Russian Blue? It’s still very skittish and often blends into the shadows.

It’s been interesting following the dynamic as Mooch and the other newbie try to integrate. Potato on the other hand just seems happy to no longer be the new kid on the block and has been happily able to chow without LittleLittle swatting at her.

Does that bring us up to speed? Maybe. I feel like that alone was kind of a whirlwind.

And it’s only Wednesday? Yeah, Wednesday.

From the window to the wall,

Ames