The Best Lesser Known Hikes in Virginia

As those of you who know me in real life or who have been reading this blog for a while already know, I spent the first 23 years of my life in Virginia. I grew up in the Piedmont area & didn’t really get into hiking until I went to college in the mountains of SW VA. During the five years my husband & I spent in that area, we explored numerous trails in that region of the state, including all of the famous hikes such as McAfee’s Knob, Dragon’s Tooth, & the Peaks of Otter as well as several lesser known trails like Mill Creek, Rice Fields, & Burke’s Garden.

We’ve been in NC for almost three years now, but being a bit further from the mountains than we’d truly prefer, we don’t yet feel like experts on the trails of this state, although we have certainly hit many of the highlights such as Mt. Mitchell, Hanging Rock, & Stone Mountain.

In any case, today I thought it would be fun to share some of my knowledge of VA’s hiking trails, particularly those that are not quite so well known. Any list of the best hikes in VA is definitely going to include such gems as McAfee’s Knob, Dragon’s Tooth, & Old Rag, so I’ll skip those because, while all fantastic, I’m assuming that if you’ve lived in VA for any amount of time you’re probably already aware of their existence. Instead I’m going to share those lesser known trails that I think are simply too beautiful to miss (& usually a lot less crowded too, which for me is always a huge perk).

The most photographed spot on the Appalachian Trail is McAfee’s Knob, outside of Roanoke

*All the pictures are my own.

Grayson Highlands State Park: Grayson Highlands State Park adjoins Mt. Rogers which, as you may know, is the highest point in VA. However, being wooded, there is no view from Mt. Rogers whereas there are spectacular 360 degree views all over Grayson Highlands. (You can easily hike from Grayson Highlands over to Mt. Rogers if you do desire to see the state’s highest point.) This is truly a place like no other in VA, & I’m always amazed at how few Virginians have actually been here. It’s the one place in this state in which you can get a small taste of what the mountains feel like out West. Additionally there are wild ponies roaming the park & numerous gorgeous wildflowers dotting the landscape as well. My husband & I have been here at least four times over the past few years, & yet we are always anxious to get back. Considering this is some of the highest elevation terrain in the state, the hiking is actually quite easy. Most of the elevation is achieved while driving to the park, so once you get there you’re basically just hiking the ridgelines. I will warn you to be sure to wear sunscreen. Because much of the park is un-wooded, you get a lot of direct sun exposure as well as a fair amount of wind. This is definitely not winter hiking as the temperature tends to be a good 15-20 degrees cooler than areas with lower elevation. As far as distance, you can hike as little as 1-2 miles & still see plenty of gorgeous views, or you can hike about 8-9 miles round trip if you want to go all the way to Mt. Rogers & back. I can’t say enough good things about this park; just go & thank me later!
1. Highlights: 360 degree views, wild ponies, unique terrain, relatively easy hiking
  No picture can truly capture the magnificence of this place
Upper Cascades/Barney’s Wall: Anyone who’s been to VT or Radford is probably familiar with the ever popular hike to The Cascades, a gorgeous waterfall in near-by Giles County. It’s a relatively easy hike that is well worth your time despite being very crowded much of the year. (I’d highly recommend going in the winter when the waterfall is frozen. In my opinion it’s even more beautiful then & considerably less crowded.) However, what few realize is that if you continue just a few miles further up the trail you can reach a second (albeit less epic) waterfall which is basically abandoned as well as a huge cliff with gorgeous views called Barney’s Wall. There is actually another way to access Barney’s Wall that doesn’t involve walking past The Cascades, but the one time we tried it the roads were so muddy & full of so many potholes that we truly could not pass. In any case, the round trip from the Cascades parking lot to Barney’s Wall & back was probably about 6-8 miles. We only did it once & it was quite a few years ago now, so my memory has faded a bit. What I do remember is enjoying the solitude at the Upper Cascades & some gorgeous views at Barney’s Wall. A word of warning: when we were there about 4-5 years ago, the sign denoting the side trail to Barney’s Wall had been knocked down. We actually missed the entrance to the trail & had to turn back to find it. I have no idea if the sign has since been righted or not. Just be on the look-out for it.
1. Highlights: solitude, 2 waterfalls
Burke’s Garden: For some reason I remember learning about Burke’s Garden in elementary school. I have no idea if it was something we discussed in school or just something I found when studying a map. (I was & still am one of those odd people who could spend hours poring over a map!) In any case, it is a truly unique place in VA, being a very isolated mountain-top valley in Tazewell County. There is literally one road in & one road out of this valley, & the northern end of that road is gravel & questionably passable by anything other than true off-road vehicles. (We never tried leaving that way since at the time we were driving my husband’s Chevy Cavalier, not exactly off-road exploring material, although I’d be willing to bet that little car spent more time off-road than most SUVs or Jeeps out there today!) Just driving around Burke’s Garden is quite fascinating; one of the first things I noticed on our first trip there was how there are literally signs pointing down roads to denote which families live there (e.g. “The Martins, the Thompsons,” etc). Talk about a place where everyone knows everyone . . . I’m pretty sure this is it! In any case, the best way that I know of to hike at Burke’s Garden is to access the AT (Appalachian Trail) off of Route 623 (the one road in & out of the valley). The road enters the valley as a paved road but turns into gravel after a few miles. It’s pretty easily passable at least up until the point it crosses the AT (which is well-labeled). After that, all bets are off. It’s a long hike, but I’d recommend hiking North on the trail until you reach the shelter at Chestnut Knob. It’s about a 12 mile round-trip hike but well worth it to explore such an isolated region. I would recommend doing this hike in early spring or Fall because at the height of summer a lot of the views into the valley are obscured by the overgrowth. A word of warning: on our last trip to Burke’s Garden we ran into a through hiker who had just come across several black bears. We missed them, but they are definitely out there. For any history buffs reading this, you will be interested to know that the Vanderbilts wanted to build their estate here but everyone refused to sell their land . . . so instead they built the Biltmore in Asheville, NC.
1. Highlights: isolated, unique views into mountain-top valley, possible bear sightings
Mill Creek: This is a little-known hike in Giles County that I am only aware of because one of my husband’s former coworkers was from the area & told him about it. I would highly recommend making this a winter hike because the three waterfalls on the trail are, in my opinion, most beautiful in the winter when they are partially or completely frozen. The first time I ever actually enjoyed a beer was on this hike. It was so cold that when my husband (boyfriend at the time) offered me a Coor’s Light, I decided to try it because I thought it might warm me up. And it did! And actually tasted good too, ha! And to this day any time I drink Coor’s Light I remember this hike. For driving directions, follow this link & scroll down to “Mill Creek Falls:” http://gilescounty.org/hiking.html. Both times my husband & I did this trail, we ran into no more than two other groups of people. It’s definitely isolated. A word of warning: be prepared to cross the creek several times. Wear shoes that you don’t mind getting wet if you accidentally fall into the creek.
1. Highlights: isolated, 3 waterfalls
  Sorry, the photo quality isn’t as good here but this was taken with my first digital camera in 2009
Kelly’s Knob: Here’s another great gem found in Giles County. Students at VT & Radford frequent the hike, but otherwise it seems to be little known (& it’s far less crowded than The Cascades). When you’re driving down 460 West coming up to the main entrance to the VT campus, you can actually look up & see Kelly’s Knob, but you kind of need to know what you’re looking for. In any case, the hike offers grew views into the New River Valley & can make a great sunset hike if you don’t mind hiking downhill with a few flashlights. (I did this with some friends once, except we forgot to bring flashlights so we ended up using our cell phones & cameras as lights. Wouldn’t necessarily recommend that method, but it was a lot of fun!) A word of warning: the first bit of the hike is basically straight uphill. If you’re an asthmatic like me, be sure to bring your inhaler. When I first started taking Singulair, the biggest way I knew it was working was that I did this hike & it was the first time I’d ever done it & not had chest pain. Not kidding. After the initial uphill climb, the trail follows the ridgeline & is very easy the rest of the way. I can’t remember the exact mileage but I’d say it’s 5 miles roundtrip at the very most, probably less.
1. Highlights: great views of the NRV, good place to watch the sunset
House Mountain: House Mountain might be a popular hike for VMI or Washington & Lee students, but the one time my husband & I did this hike, I don’t think we came across more than one other person. Granted it was November & fairly cold that day, but nonetheless we got the impression that this isn’t a crowded destination. In any case, House Mountain is actually a series of two mountains: Little House Mountain & Big House Mountain. The trail leads up to a meadow at which point you can veer off onto two different trails, one for Little House & one for Big House. We’d read that the views were best from Little House Mountain, so the day we went we chose to only do that side because we were tired & it was quite chilly. (Neither trail is very long so you could easily do both mountains in one day if you desire.) The hike up to the meadow is nothing more than a simple walk in the woods, but the hike up Little House Mountain is quite steep. The good news is it’s also quite short so it’s over pretty quickly. The views at the top are well worth the effort expended getting there. Trust me, they do not disappoint. This is one of those hikes I really wish we had discovered earlier, but we didn’t find out about it until late Fall 2011 & then we moved to NC the next summer, so unfortunately we only did this hike once.
1. Highlights: excellent views, short but challenging hike, isolated
Pott’s Mountain: Here’s another hike I wish I’d discovered sooner. Pott’s Mountain has been compared to McAfee’s Knob in terms of gorgeous views, but in terms of popularity it could not be more dissimilar. We did this hike on my 23^rd birthday on an unseasonably warm day, & I don’t remember passing a single other person on the trail. I would actually recommend making this a late Fall, winter, or early spring hike because the trail was pretty overgrown even in December, so I can imagine it being difficult to follow during the height of spring or summer. When you reach the top of the mountain, you’ll actually be walking along a Jeep trail. From what I’ve ascertained this area is more popular for that than for hiking. A word of warning: we didn’t see any, but I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if there are bears in this area. Since this trail is so isolated & can be difficult to find, I’m including a link to a good article that includes driving directions: http://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/go-outside/the-best-hike-trail-you-have-never-heard-of/
1. Highlights: very isolated, similar views as McAfee’s Knob but without the crowd
Mt. Pleasant/Cole (or Cold) Mountain: This is a series of trails in Amherst County that offer spectacular views, but the trails are relatively easy & definitely not crowded. I’d recommend going in the spring when the rhododendrons are in bloom. Cole Mountain, which is alternately called Cold Mountain, is a bald mountain that offers fantastic views of the surrounding area. Mt. Pleasant has multiple rocky outcroppings from which you can look over onto Cole Mountain & the surrounding area. If you’re an inexperienced hiker but you would love to see some fantastic views, this would be a good place to start. You can easily do both trails in one day, as we did when we visited here several years ago.
1. Highlights: easy trails with excellent views
  Standing on Cole Mountain, looking back at Mt. Pleasant

Whether you’re a new or experienced hiker in the VA area, I hope this list has been beneficial to you in planning your next adventure. Please feel free to comment below on any of the hikes for which you have questions or concerns. I’d be happy to assist with driving directions or other inquiries. If you do decide to check out one of these trails, please let me know & share one of your pictures as well, if possible. I’d love to see/hear your stories. Happy hiking!

1 Comment Leave a comment

On Sexual Harassment From Strangers

I decided to go to the gym this afternoon & on the way there I realized my gas tank was on E, so I stopped to fill it. There I was, innocently pumping gas, when some nitwit comes up behind me & calls out to me. Naturally I turned around thinking maybe the man needed directions or something. Instead he proceeds to leer at me & say “Does your husband know how lucky he is? If not, there’s a bunch of men who could get you.” I was so completely taken by surprise that my only response was to flippantly say “Have a nice day” & walk (read: run) away.

I spent the next 5-10 minutes hyperventilating & driving a somewhat circuitous route to the gym just to ensure that I wasn’t being followed (thankfully I wasn’t). When I parked at the gym, I sat in my car in tears wondering once again if I have a sign on my forehead, of which I’m blissfully unaware, which reads something along the lines of “I’m so innocent & trusting. Please take advantage of me!” But the fact of the matter is crap like this happens all the time to women all over the world. My female friends who are reading this are surely nodding along in agreement because many, nay, most of them, have told me similar stories of creepy strangers who have made similar disturbing remarks to them. And worse yet, some have even been physically assaulted.

When stories like this are told, many jump to asking “Well, what were you wearing?” as if that were somehow relevant. Let me be the first to say that such information isn’t the least bit germane to the conversation at hand, considering Channing Tatum could be pumping gas in nothing but his boxers & 99.99% of women would never dream of coming up to him & asking “Does your wife know how lucky she is? If not there are plenty of women who could get you.” The point is no matter what a woman (or man) is wearing (or not wearing), no one has the right to treat her (or him) with disrespect.

And just in case anyone reading this feels like railing against the younger generation & saying we have no respect for anyone, let me be clear in stating that today’s creeper, along most every other man who’s ever harassed me in a similar fashion, was at least in his 40s, if not considerably older.

Let me also be clear in saying that I am not one of these women who thinks every man who says hello to them or touches them in any way is harassing them. Indeed, I once got asked out at the gym, but I in no way found that intimidating or rude because it was done in a nice, respectful manner. I’ll admit it made me a little uncomfortable but only because it reminded me that I am in fact not invisible at the gym as I usually wish I were.

Now that all of that is out of the way, let me move on with my narrative . . .

This isn’t a treatise against men. Indeed I’m incredibly thankful for the many wonderful men in my life, from my loving husband to my father, grandfather, & many other male friends & family members whom I feel blessed to know. But I can’t let something like this happen to me without saying something. I refuse to live my life thinking of every man as a potential rapist or harasser, & yet I know that men like the one I unfortunately encountered today take advantage of the fact that so many women like me operate under the assumption “innocent until proven guilty.” (This is not to say I invite strange men into my house. Indeed, I almost never open the door to solicitors when my husband isn’t home. I just mean that I generally assume the best of people until shown otherwise.) And sadly most women placed in situations like mine today react in much the same way I did: we’re too flabbergasted to come up with a response that sufficiently puts the creeper in his place. While we should be telling them we’re not pieces of meat to be acquired, most of us are too stunned to say much of anything at all.

This is mostly a joke, but there’s some truth in it too.

I consider myself to be a fairly strong, independent woman. I have a good career, financial stability (even without my husband’s salary), & a good head on my shoulders. And yet situations like today make me acutely aware of just how vulnerable I really am. Despite the fact that I work out quite a bit & am definitely stronger than the average woman, the simple truth is that even guys half my age could easily beat me up if they really wanted to. It happens much more often than I like to admit that I get off a machine at the gym thinking how awesome it is that I was able to do 50 lbs or whatever when I used to only be able to do 20 lbs, only to watch some scrawny thirteen year old boy hop on the machine & pop out 75 or 100 lbs like it’s nothing. It’s just biology, that’s all.

If you’re a man who is reading this post, you’re probably already the type who is far too respectful to ever consider approaching a woman the way this man approached me today. Yet I can’t help but ask that men consider what it’s like for us as women in a world in which we are clearly the more vulnerable half of the population.

Let me be clear: this is not a pity party I’m throwing. I’m not asking for your sympathy. Only for your empathy. Situations like today make me realize how difficult it must be for all the good men in the world because the creepers of the world are giving your gender a bad name. If I’m capable of being empathetic towards men even after being so unceremoniously harassed today, I think it’s not too much to ask that we raise our sons to respect women & treat us like the human beings we are.

Here’s what I wish I’d had the presence of mind to say to the asshole who felt it necessary to intimidate me today:
“Yes, my husband knows exactly how lucky he is to be with me, just as I know how lucky I am to be with him. Additionally, I am not some piece of meat or object to be acquired. My husband did not “get” me. I chose to be with him because I wanted to be with him just as much as he wanted to be with me. On behalf of the other innocent women of the world whom I’m sure you’ve similarly disrespected, let me be clear in saying you’re a miserable, disgusting wanker who needs to get the hell out of my way . . . On that note, have a nice day!”

1 Comment Leave a comment

Why Caitlyn Jenner Really is a Hero

Hero . . . it’s a word that’s being thrown around a lot these days. But what does it really mean?

Looking at the dictionary, it simply means someone who is admired for bravery, courage, or other such noble qualities. Since Caitlyn Jenner won the ESPY courage award, I’ve seen & heard a lot of outcry over how so many “more courageous” people should have received the award. But it seems obvious to me that heroes come in all shapes & sizes, all characters & varieties. Some heroes are conventional, like soldiers, firefighters, & EMTs. Others are less conventional . . . like Caitlyn Jenner.

While I am by no means discounting the bravery of more conventional heroes like those listed above, I ask that my fellow Americans & world citizens take a moment to consider how brave someone like Caitlyn Jenner really is. Being a soldier, firefighter, or EMT is by no means easy & certainly does require a great deal of bravery. But it’s also something that is greatly admired by the general public; thus it’s most unlikely that anyone will ever question your path in life because you’ve chosen such an admirable one. Now consider someone like Caitlyn Jenner: she has chosen a path that is full of angst & potentially even violence, as our society as a whole is not kind to or accepting of transgender people (& I imagine it is worse for those who are born physiologically male but identify as female, like Caitlyn). But despite these challenges, she has still chosen that path.

As a cisgender female, I confess I cannot truly imagine what it would be like to feel like I was born the wrong gender. And as much as I truly believe men & women have far more commonalities than differences, I can still empathize with how difficult it must be to feel trapped in the “wrong” body. And worse yet to feel like you cannot express these feelings without potentially being rejected by even your closest friends & family. How isolating that must be! It’s no wonder someone like Caitlyn Jenner spent the majority of her life as a man.

I know there are a lot of people (many in my own family) who argue that being transgender is just not natural. (Many of course argue the same thing for homosexuality.) But I just cannot bring myself to believe that anyone would CHOOSE to feel like they were born the wrong gender . . . (or CHOOSE to be gay or lesbian), especially considering how this “lifestyle” is still quite unaccepted in our society as a whole. It’s not like those of us who are cisgender &/or heterosexual CHOSE to be that way either. It’s just the way we were born. It’s what came naturally to us. But what comes naturally to one person doesn’t necessarily come naturally to everyone else, & as long as no one is getting hurt, I really don’t see what the big deal is. I truly don’t understand why it’s so difficult to believe that some people are just born differently.

I’m not transgender but I am a bit of a black sheep in my family: I drink (occasionally). I curse (because no one has ever been able to convince me that certain words are “bad;” that is just so completely illogical, but that is a whole other blog post unto itself). I support homosexuality & transgenderism (is that a word?). I listen to rock music & heavy metal. I lived with my husband before we were married (shocking, I know!).

But in spite of all these so-called “bad” traits, I’m a compassionate nurse who loves working with the elderly & volunteers with a local hospice group, & I go out of my way to feed the homeless as much as I can. Frankly, part of me loves screwing with people’s heads by being such a bad good girl (or maybe I should say a good bad girl?).

My point is that I know a little bit of what it’s like to “go against the grain.” I know what it’s like to keep your mouth shut & your opinions to yourself for fear of being regarded as a heathen liberal. Thankfully I am ever so slowly getting better at speaking my mind as I ever so slowly realize my family won’t actually disown me for being different, yet it is still really hard sometimes. But there comes a point when you realize that being true to yourself & your own beliefs is more important than appeasing others.

I’ve strayed from the original intent of this post, but what no one, & I do mean no one, has ever been able to answer on this subject is this one simple question that I really think clinches the issue: How are transgender people hurting anyone? How is Bruce Jenner becoming Caitlyn Jenner hurting a single person?

The answer to me is quite obvious: she isn’t. She is simply embracing the person she knows she really is. And in doing so I believe she will inspire others who are suffering in silence, afraid to live their lives as they really desire, to embrace their true selves & live the lives of which they’ve only dreamed.

And that is why Caitlyn Jenner really is a hero.

4 Comments Leave a comment

An Anxiety Update

It’s occurred to me that I’ve never done an update to let my readers know how I’ve been doing since starting Prozac for my anxiety last August. I wrote a post back in August about how difficult it was to actually agree to take medication for my anxiety & yet how much of a relief it was at the same time (you can read that post here: https://athicketofmusingsblog.com/2014/08/05/slaying-the-anxiety-monster/). Perhaps the fact that I’ve rarely blogged about my anxiety since then is proof of how effective the medication really has been. In any case, I’m having a high anxiety day today, & I thought it would be an appropriate time to share my experience with Prozac.

Within a week of starting the Prozac I could tell a real difference in my mind; I just felt a lot more relaxed. The “endlessly chattering squirrel” in my brain was not banished, but she was quieted a great deal. And what a relief that was! I can say with great certainty that handling my husband’s diagnosis of severe sleep apnea last Fall & his subsequent journey into treatment for that would have been far, far more difficult without the Prozac. As lame as that may sound, I know it is the truth.

I realize there are some who feel like I have chosen the easy way out by taking medication for my anxiety, & that’s fine. Maybe it is the easy way out. But I can assure you that I tried every non-medicinal thing I could think of for the first 25 years of my life (essential oils, therapy, journaling, etc) with only minimal success. And Prozac has been far from a “quick fix” for me. If anything, it has just helped to quiet my mind enough that I can actually better utilize my non-medicinal approaches to relieving my anxiety. For example, since starting Prozac my monthly therapy sessions have become more therapeutic than ever, & I’ve experienced a renewed pleasure & relaxation in writing & music. Part of me still regrets being “dependent” on a medication to manage my own brain . . . but then I remind myself that this is really no different than being dependent on a medication for blood pressure or any other medical condition, especially if it’s something that you tried to cure with a healthy lifestyle but could not.

As I said, I’m having a high-anxiety today, as usual for no particular reason. It’s just one of those days when I feel more potently my introverted tendencies, when the idea of interacting with anyone other than my husband, closest friends or family, or my dog feels like too great of an effort to bother. The great news is that with the Prozac these days are much fewer & much further between. Indeed I can’t even remember the last time I had a day like this. Trust me, friends, this is great progress for me!

http://www.themiraclejournal.com/2012/06/03/the-reunion-vs-social-anxiety/

Additionally, over the past 6-9 months I’ve become increasingly more comfortable with the idea of having children in the next year or two. It may be coincidence of course, but I have to wonder if taking the Prozac & thus gaining better control of my anxiety has influenced this. If so, I’m certainly not complaining! The thought of having children is still one that is riddled with lots of questions & a good bit of anxiety simply because it is something I’ve obviously never experienced before & indeed something that for most of my life I was quite sure I never wanted to experience. However, I no longer feel like I’m completely unsuited to the task. Like I said, it could just be coincidence, but I can’t help but think the Prozac has something to do with feeling more confident in my potential motherhood.

I’m not really sure where I’m going with this post, but I guess I just want my readers to know that if you’ve struggled with anxiety or depression or any other mental health condition, please don’t feel like taking medication is a weakness. It isn’t. If you are able to manage your condition without medication, that’s great, more power to you. Maybe someday I’ll be there. Maybe not. But I’m finally getting to the point that I’m ok with either outcome, whether I take Prozac for the rest of my life or not. It doesn’t really matter to me. What matters is that I continue to live a life that is less plagued with anxiety than it was for the first 25 years of my life. Lastly, to those who have encouraged & supported me on this journey, I can’t thank you enough.

Also, if you need some inspirational music look (or should I say listen?) no further than this, one of my all-time favorite classical pieces, Pictures at an Exhibition by the great Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXy50exHjes This version from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is simply too beautiful for words. I was lucky enough to find a CD copy of it at the book/coffee store in my hometown quite a few years ago.

Modest Mussorgsky

0 Comments Leave a comment

When 10 lbs Feels Like Mt Everest

This is going to be a hard blog post to write, partly because it’s just a painful subject for me & partly because it’s frankly embarrassing, but sadly I think it is necessary for me to write & share this in order to make the changes I need to make. Or at the very least I think it will be helpful in holding me accountable to make those changes. And let’s face it, I need all the help I can get or I wouldn’t be in my current situation.

What is my current situation, you ask? The answer is I’m about 10 lbs overweight. Now I know that in a culture where obesity is basically the norm, complaining about being 10 lbs overweight might sound a bit absurd, but throughout my life I’ve always tried to hold myself to higher standards than the norm, not just in regards to health but with everything. But the sad truth is that over the past few months I’ve noticed that my clothes don’t fit as well & I just don’t like what I see in the mirror. I’m hoping no one other than my husband has noticed this, but that isn’t really what matters anyway. What matters is that I know I’m not as healthy as I want to be (or should be) & I don’t have the confidence I had when I was just a few pounds lighter.

I was doing some research on healthy body fat percentages for women, & if my bioelectric scale is at all accurate (it’s consistent if nothing else), then I am only 1%-2% above the upper end of the ideal body fat percentage for women my age. Additionally my BMI has been fluctuating between 24.9 & 25.2 which is right on the borderline of healthy weight vs overweight. Now I fully realize that BMI is not a very reliable indicator of true health status, especially for men, but even perhaps for women like me who lift a fair amount of weights. But nonetheless I know that when I was just 5-10 lbs thinner my BMI was squarely within the healthy range & I can’t help but feel that I was indeed a healthier size then. Not to mention I felt better about my appearance which inevitably led to greater confidence in all aspects of my life. Call me vain if you like, but I think that is just biology at work, just human nature if you will.

The upside is that I know for a fact that I am stronger now than I’ve ever been because I can lift more weights than I ever have in the past. So even though my workouts have been pretty sporadic over the past year or so, I’ve still gained some muscle. So that’s encouraging. I’ve also started biking over the past month & I can already tell a difference in my cardiovascular stamina, so that too is encouraging.

However, the bottom line is my waist is too fat. Unfortunately every single member of my family, on both sides, gains weight right around the waistline. Not only is that, in my opinion, the most unattractive place to gain weight, but more importantly it is also the worst for your health because belly fat promotes higher blood sugars which promote inflammation which promotes heart disease, among other ills. Sigh . . . The upshot is that, even though my mom would never wear a miniskirt, she still has amazing legs even in her 50s. And even though I’ve got a few pounds to lose, I don’t have an inch of cellulite, never have had any, & probably never will, (if I take after my mom, that is, & statistically speaking that’s the likeliest outcome).

Now I know some people will say I shouldn’t be so hard on myself, but the fact of the matter is I do need to be hard on myself if I want to stay as healthy as I can & feel as good as possible about my body. My husband & I have been talking a lot lately about having kids & how we can best prepare for that eventuality in the next few years. One of the things we’ve agreed on is that we both need to be in the best shape of our lives before even thinking about getting pregnant. We have several reasons for this.

First, we want to set the best possible example for our children so that they too will lead healthy lives. Second, there is research that shows that the weight/health status of BOTH parents at the time of conception can influence the child’s weight/health status throughout their entire life (in other words, if one or both parents are overweight when the child is conceived, that child will be genetically predisposed to being overweight as well). Third, we have enough foresight to realize that trying to lose weight & become healthier AFTER having kids is a ludicrous idea. We don’t want to start out with a deficit so to speak. We want to have good healthy habits in place so that when the challenges of childcare arise we are less likely to continue with or fall back on unhealthy ways.

Wow, what an inspiration!

The good news is I’ve been in this situation before & resolved it in a fairly short amount of time. I know there are no “tricks” or magic secrets to losing weight. It’s actually very simple: eat healthier (more protein & veggies, fewer empty carbs), drink more water (quite often thirst is disguised as hunger), & exercise more (particularly weight-lifting because that boosts the baseline metabolism). It worked in the past & there is no reason to think it won’t work again.

The trouble comes in following my own damn advice & realizing that there is no one to blame here but me. Yes, there is far too much candy floating around the hospital, & yes, night shift is notorious for leading to weight gain for a variety of reasons. But I like to think I’m stronger than those temptations. And yet I won’t be until I stop blaming my circumstances, making excuses for myself, & generally floundering in self-pity.

So this blog post is my, albeit pathetic, way of saying no more excuses. No more blaming my circumstances or anything or anyone else in my life. I’m an adult with a good job, a wonderful husband, & a nice house, & someday I want to be a mother, & a good one at that (which is not to say that overweight women can’t be good moms . . . obviously I am not that short-sighted). But if I want that to make that dream come true then I’ve got to live up to my own standards & lose these 10 lbs or whatever it is. It might not even be that much. All I know is it feels like Mt. Everest right now. But people have climbed Mt. Everest, & by golly, I am going to be one of them (in this metaphorical sense only).

P.S. To my friends/coworkers who may read this, please, please slap my hand if you see me eating anything that could be considered junk food. I sincerely mean that. I will thank you for it.

0 Comments Leave a comment

You Know You’re a Nurse When . . .

I originally wrote this as a Facebook note about two years ago, but I decided to revise & add to it a bit & share it on the blog today in honor of Nurse’s Week. This is aimed at all my nursing friends, but I think just about anyone who works in the healthcare field will be able to appreciate, & probably get a good laugh from, many of these.

You constantly find yourself staring at people’s veins at the gym, the grocery store, the mall, basically everywhere. Furthermore, you have to stop yourself from telling strangers “Hey, nice veins! I’d really like to start an IV on you.” And maybe sometimes you have actually said that . . .
You can’t imagine ever going back to the dreaded 9-5. Then again maybe there a few nurses who actually miss that kind of schedule . . . But I know I’m not one of them.
You work the majority of holidays, & the only time you’re jealous of your 9-5 friends & family is on those holidays or snow days when everyone else is relaxing & you’re working. Then again, our 3-day work-weeks are pretty freaking amazing, & I for one wouldn’t trade them for anything.
Every time you see an abbreviation on a truck or advertisement that has a different medical connotation, you can’t help but laugh. For example PSA (public service announcement) makes you think prostate specific antigen. PTL makes you think pre-term labor & CBI makes you think continuous bladder irrigation (these are both abbreviations I’ve seen on tractor trailers or delivery trucks).
You feel really guilty whenever you find yourself complaining about some stupid annoyance in your life because you immediately think about the sick patients you care for whose lives are so much harder than your own.
As a consequence of the above observation, you constantly find yourself prioritizing your life & focusing on your friends, family, & pets & spending as much time with them as possible & generally making the most of every day of your life. I swear we really do have the best job in the world for so many reasons!
You truly believe you learn more from your patients than they will ever learn from you. To be clear, a lot of times the lessons you learn from your patients are “Here’s how NOT to live your life,” but such lessons are still important.
You have gone running into your patient’s room because of the crazy heart rhythm on their telemetry only to discover that the patient (who may well be in his 80s or 90s) is masturbating . . . or actually having sex! Trust me, I couldn’t make this crap up if I tried.
You have had patients ask you out on a date, for a massage, & for all number of completely inappropriate things. And subsequently you’ve had to remind said patients that you are a professional nurse, not a call-girl or potential girlfriend/boyfriend.
You constantly have to remind yourself that taking care of yourself is absolutely vital to being able to care for others. This can be as simple as taking a bathroom break before it becomes a real emergency.
You have to remind yourself that you do not need to record & measure your own I&O (intake & output, that’s what you drink & what you pee, for you non-nursing folks).
You have seen & touched every part of the human body. Every single part & on people of all ages. And on way too many people to count!
Medical TV shows are basically unwatchable because all you do is scream at the TV every time you see an error (shocking asystole) or something that is just painfully unrealistic (like doctors giving medications or performing their own MRIs).
You have come to realize that there are some things that only nurses can really understand.
You understand that the old adage “attitude is everything” really is true.
You have realized that you cannot & will not change the life of every patient you meet. But you understand the value of trying anyway.
You often find yourself sharing stories from work at the dinner table only to realize half-way through that not everyone has the stomach of a nurse . . . Oops!
On a related subject, you can stop half-way through eating your lunch to go collect a stool sample. Then after washing your hands you can go right back to eating & never think twice about it.
You can diagnose C. Diff & GI bleeds based solely on smell.
You have witnessed countless times how the sweet little old lady who the day-shift nurse described as adorable can have quite a different personality at night. Sun-downer’s is real, folks.
You have held the hand of the dying & watched people breathe their last breath. And you have felt incredibly blessed to be able to share in these very special moments. You have come to realize that there are fates SO much worse than death, & you have guided families in understanding this also.
You have cried at the death of a patient you only knew for a few days or even a few hours. You have hugged the families & provided comfort to them while your own heart is hurting too.
You have learned that what people DON’T say is just as important as what they do say.
You know how to set aside your emotions & get to work when a Code Blue is called.
You constantly find yourself assessing for “falls risks.” This includes when you’re out in public shopping or running errands.
You have realized that a good nursing assistant is your best friend & can make such a vital difference for you & your patients.
You learn something new every time you work, & it’s awesome!
You have realized that you will never know it all. And that’s ok.
You have also realized you will never please everyone. And that’s ok too.
You have a really dark, twisted sense of humor that non-nurses often find disturbing or just can’t understand. But you realize that this is absolutely vital to surviving the insanity of today’s healthcare field.
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, someone goes & proves you wrong.
You can’t remember what you learned in nursing school & what you’ve always known. Like doesn’t everyone know the difference in type 1 & type 2 diabetes? Oh, maybe that isn’t common knowledge. Did I know that before nursing school? I honestly don’t know.
On the same subject, you are continually appalled at how little the average person knows about their own body. For example, you’ve seen women insist that they have a prostate! It’s no wonder our country is so unhealthy!
Every time you get sick, you think you’re dying because you’re trained to think “worst case scenario” for everything. However, this doesn’t mean you actually go to the doctor, just that you have random thoughts of appendicitis every time your stomach hurts or meningitis/brain tumors every time you have a headache, etc.
People you rarely or never actually talk to send you Facebook messages or texts asking about random medical questions, sometimes about rather “sensitive” subjects . . .
You have some of the best coworkers in the world from whom you have learned so much & with whom you have shared at various times both laughter & tears.

And I could go on & on, but I’ll stop because this post is probably already long enough. Happy Nurse’s Week to all my awesome nursing friends & coworkers! 🙂

0 Comments Leave a comment

8 Essential Characteristics of a Good Nurse

As this is Nurse’s Week, I’ve been thinking about a few different posts I’d like to write in honor of my profession & the many wonderful nurses I know. While driving around town running errands today, I started thinking about what I consider to be some of the most essential components of a good nurse & decided this would be a good way to start off my blog posts in honor of this special week.

*Disclaimer: Obviously, these are all MY OPINION, so feel free to take them with a grain of salt, so to speak. But these are all based on my (almost) four years of nursing experience. Also this list is most applicable to HOSPITAL nurses as that is the only type of nursing I have actually done thus far in my career. (I was exposed to various other forms of nursing as a student, but as far as an actual job as an RN, I’ve only done inpatient nursing.) I daresay many of these are applicable to all forms of nursing, but in general the list was written with inpatient hospital nursing in mind.

Furthermore, I am by no means 100% faithful to all of these points all the time. I’m as human as everyone else, naturally. But these are things I sincerely try to live up to as much as I can because I know they are (some of) the things that make a good nurse, & as with anything else I do, I want to be the best nurse I can be.

These are in no particular order.

Organized: Organization is key to being a competent nurse. The great thing is that everyone’s idea of organization can be quite different. My report sheet & routine don’t look like everyone else’s, just as everyone else’s report sheet & routine don’t look like mine. And that is just fine. The point is that you find a system that works well for YOU. I strongly encourage new grad nurses to get started on this very early in your career or otherwise you’ll always be a few steps behind. As nurses we are responsible for monitoring vital signs, lab results, diagnostic test results, the mental status of our patients, & myriad other things, not to mention keeping up with & double-checking doctor’s orders, again among other things. Obviously none of this can be done efficiently without a good organization system. Show me a disorganized nurse & you’ll show me someone who is probably displeased with her job & who drives her coworkers (& quite possibly her patients) crazy . . . I’ll leave it at that. P.S. Here’s my report sheet, in case you need something to help you out: Nursing Report Sheet
Adaptable/flexible: One of the first things I learned about nursing, thankfully while still a student, is that being a nurse requires you to be extremely adaptable & flexible. Not only do patients’ conditions change constantly, but so do hospital policies, routines, & equipment. Just when you think you’re getting up to speed, something will change. Trust me. It is just the nature of the healthcare field. There is no question that the constant change in healthcare contributes to the high stress level nurses experience, so if you don’t handle change well, you will probably be a dissatisfied, easily burnt out nurse.
Willing to learn: Following right along with the above point, as nurses we are constantly asked to learn new things. Whether it’s new equipment, a new computer system, or a new medication, there is ALWAYS something new to learn. While this can be frustrating at times, it’s also one of the things that (to me) makes nursing fun. I for one could never be satisfied working in a stale, unchanging environment. As someone who has always loved learning, the very dynamic nature of nursing is just one of the many things that I believe makes this such a fulfilling career for me.
Assertive: This is one that hasn’t always come naturally to me but that I’m pleased to say I picked up on fairly quickly (I like to think so anyway). Being a nurse means you will inevitably deal with angry patients, disgruntled physicians, rude family members, inefficient hospital systems, & all manner of frustrating things. Most nurses, I’ve found, are naturally kind people who long to please others & make others happy. Considering the caring nature of this profession, that is logical. However, we must strive to never allow our desire to help & please others to turn us in to doormats (partially because that inevitably leads to burn out). As nurses, we have to advocate for our patients, many of whom cannot or will not speak for themselves. I’ve found that being assertive with doctors, patients, families, management, etc is the best way to both advocate for my patients & retain my own mental sanity. It’s not always easy, for sure, but clearly nursing ain’t a career for the faint of heart. (Can I get an “Amen”?!)
Thick skin: Ooh, here’s another one that definitely didn’t come naturally to me. Trust me, I have more than once cried when a patient, family member, or doctor spoke harshly to me, usually in the bathroom or at the nurse’s station after the fact. But slowly I am learning to be a bit more thick-skinned. You have to or you will not survive in this profession. If you’re a soft-hearted new grad like I once was & wondering how you’ll ever learn this skill, trust me, it will come with time & experience. I imagine it’s kind of like being a parent: you can’t take every temper tantrum personally & you have to pick your battles or you’ll lose your mind. Additionally I’ve found that if I make it obvious to “testy” patients & family members that I’m not really ruffled by their behavior, quite often they calm down very quickly.
Empathetic: Not disregarding the above point, it pretty much goes without saying that an essential characteristic of a good nurse is empathy. There’s a fine line between having thick enough skin to survive in this field while also maintaining an empathetic heart. And it’s not an easy line to walk sometimes, trust me. But it can be done. Perhaps one of the greatest things I learned in nursing school is that people who are hurting do NOT actually want you to provide them with a solution to their problems. What they really want is someone to listen to their story & validate their pain & suffering. This can be as simple as listening with an open mind & saying “I’m sorry, I know this has been difficult for you.” (As I’ve found, this is a great skill to learn for your personal life as well.) As nurses, we must also remember that our empathy needs to extend not only to our patients & their families but also to our coworkers & even ourselves. None of us is perfect & we have to learn to forgive ourselves for not always being the perfect “angels of mercy” we strive to be.
Resilient: This is one I’ve come to appreciate more the longer I’ve been a nurse. Being resilient basically means you’re able to recover & bounce back from the hard times. As nurses, we witness all kinds of terrifying events that inevitably leave some scars on our psyche. Because of this it’s inevitable that we’re going to have some bad days/nights as nurses. It just can’t be avoided. In order to recover from the bad shifts, we have to have outlets that allow us to mentally recuperate. For me this comes mostly in the form of music, writing, & of course venting with my fellow nurses. I also volunteer with a local hospice group (not as a nurse, just as a regular volunteer) which I’ve also found brings me a lot of joy. Additionally, I see a therapist once a month to work on my innate anxiety issues. Even though much of my anxiety has very little, if anything, to do with my career, I still find it helpful in handling the inevitable stress of working in the healthcare field.
A warped sense of humor: When one patient is screaming for pain meds, another just pooped all over the floor, the monitor tech is calling to say your third patient had a run of V Tach, & your admission just arrived, you better have a warped sense of humor or you’re going to run out of the building in tears. I’m serious. This is something I didn’t totally appreciate as a new grad, as most new grads probably don’t. You just can’t know the insanity of being a nurse until you’ve done it. The things we laugh at would probably make the average person cringe, but then again the average person isn’t a nurse. And if you don’t learn to find the humor in the crazy things we see & deal with on a daily basis, you won’t survive in this field. It’s as simple as that.

If you’re reading this & you’re considering entering the nursing profession, I hope you’ll take this post seriously. If you don’t feel that you possess any of the above characteristics, frankly I’d suggest going into another field. Naturally none of us is born with all of these characteristics or possesses all of them 100% of the time because, as I said, we’re all human. All I can say is I’m so thankful to have worked with so many wonderful nurses over the past four years who have demonstrated these characteristics to me & helped me develop them as well. If you’re one of those nurses, or one of the many fabulous nursing professors & clinical instructors I was blessed to learn from, & you’re reading this, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

2 Comments Leave a comment

Nothing Is Sacred

When I was a teenager, I remember hearing a Southern gospel song that prominently featured the following line: “God said it, that settles it, & that’s good enough for me” (or something very similar to that). At the time I was still very much enmeshed in the conservative Baptist culture in which I was raised, & yet even then I remember feeling there was something a bit unsettling about those lyrics. As a budding adult who had always loved science, indeed all types of learning, I suppose it was the blind faith those words implied that scared me. As I’ve grown up & moved away from that culture, I now look back on that song with true horror. I have no idea who sung it or what it was called, but I’ve never forgotten those words, probably because they so perfectly sum up the way so many Americans still feel about religion, among other subjects.

As I was telling a friend a few days ago, I think what separates me (& the friend to whom I was talking, as well as my husband) from a lot of people is the fact that there is nothing truly sacred to me in this world. What I mean by that is that there is nothing that is beyond question. From religion to politics, the government to the military, my career to my relationships, there is nothing in my mind that is not open to questioning & rational debate. I believe this is one reason I feel such a disconnect with so many of my fellow Americans, particularly here in the South. I also find that many people have the impression that those of us who are skeptics are cynical a$$holes who hate everyone & everything. Please believe me when I say that could not be further from the truth. Or actually, don’t just believe my words, let my actions show it to you (for those of you who know me in real life, that is).

As an aside, looking back on how I grew up, I find it really scary that church services never (or very, very rarely) featured a time for people to ask questions. Instead we all sat there quietly in our pews (with the exception of a few hearty “Amens” scattered here & there) & listened to one man preach to us. If that doesn’t sound like indoctrination & an imbalance of power, I don’t know what does. I’ll never forget a particular sermon in which the pastor railed against a group of high school or college athletes who met President Bush & had the audacity to wear sandals to the event. Even then, I remember thinking this couldn’t possibly be something Jesus would give two hoots about, but looking back I’m even more horrified, as this now strikes me as simply ludicrous. Not to mention, I can’t help but question whether the pastor would have been nearly so perturbed if the president had happened to be from a party whose name started with a D! . . . Oh wait, there I go questioning things again.

When it comes to politics, I find that many of my fellow Americans are afraid to question the current wars in the Middle East because doing so is “not supporting the troops.” I for one fail to see how this is at all a logical argument. Because I do value the lives of our troops so highly, I do not want to see them used as pawns in the hands of a corrupt government scheme to involve ourselves in the affairs of countries who want nothing to do with us, the end result of which is simply creating more & more people who hate America. Seems to me like we our efforts are just backfiring tremendously.

I could give dozens of more examples of how I feel so many people do not want to question the status quo, but I’m trying to be brief & concise & not stray too far from the subject at hand. I also realize I am being sacrilegious & generally a bit of a heretic here, but I’m slowly getting to the point in my life where I’d rather be truly honest about my beliefs than just smile & nod to keep the peace. I for one know I am going to raise my kids to be skeptics too. Frankly I feel like I was a born skeptic; I just kept it under wraps for a while because I felt so guilty for being this way. Now I realize what an incredible advantage it can be to be a skeptic in a world that is constantly trying to sell us something, from the latest new gadget to political schemes & religious fanaticism. Indeed, when I have children someday, I intend to raise them to be eternal skeptics & to question everything. Everything, that is, except my love for them.

P.S. To anyone who truly does think my skepticism makes me a deluded heretic, feel free to pray for me or whatever makes you feel better. Just know that I’m happier & more at peace with life than I’ve ever been. Cheers!

0 Comments Leave a comment

Why Choices Matter

The longer I live, the more I realize that life really is what you make it. I don’t want to get too political here because that’s not what my blog is about, but all this talk about McDonald’s employees demanding to make $15/hr just makes me realize how important it is to make good choices in life, my point being that working at McDonald’s is a job that is intended for teenagers, college students, or others who are just trying to supplement their income. It’s not meant to be a CAREER. It’s not meant to be a job on which you support a family. As cruel as it may sound, this kind of job just doesn’t require anywhere near the skill or expertise to justify paying someone $15/hr. And if you think it does, trust & believe that if the minimum wage is really increased to $15/hr, the fast food moguls will very quickly find a way to replace human beings with machines or robots that do not require salaries or benefits. That’s just how capitalism works, folks.

But this isn’t a post about minimum wage or workers’ rights or anything like that. Rather this is a post in which I want to reaffirm my belief that as adults we alone our responsible for the trajectory of our own lives. Now obviously we cannot control everything that happens to us. We can all think of dozens, if not hundreds, of examples of bad things happening to good people (& vice versa), & these examples all serve as evidence that the world can, at times, be a most cruel & unjust place. On the other hand, whether we like it or not, if we’re honest with ourselves, it’s quite clear that for the most part our lives turn out the way they do because of the choices we make. Let me be clear in saying that this does NOT mean we should not have compassion & empathy for those whose lives have turned out less than desirable. Far be it from any of us to look down on anyone else because of their station in life.

However, I truly believe that if we want to help ourselves or anyone else, we must first realize the power we each have over our own lives. This is both scary & empowering. It’s scary because it requires us to admit that many of the problems we face in life are actually the direct result of bad choices we have made. On the other hand, this realization is very empowering because it awakens us to the power that lies within us to transform our own lives. It means that we are NOT just slaves to the whims of fate or the circumstances in which we happened to be born. We are not just pawns in the hands of some insurmountable “destiny” or “providence.” When it comes to helping others, perhaps the best way to describe this is the old quote that goes like this: “Give a man a fish & you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish & you feed him for a lifetime.”

At the risk of offending a lot of people, I’m going to just put this plainly, as I see it. I think a lot of the world is in turmoil because people are waiting for a savior; they’re waiting for God to fix their problems & the problems of the world. The old cliché “Good things come to those who wait” is nonsense. The truth is good things come to those who works their butts off & never take no for an answer. In reality, WE need to fix our own problems because we actually DO have the power to change our lives. Furthermore, if we each have the power to change our own lives, then it follows that collectively we have the power to change the world. I’m smart enough to realize that there will never be a utopia on this planet. But I’m also optimistic (or maybe stupid/naïve) enough to believe that the world CAN become a better place, if only we claim the power within ourselves to make it so.

When all is said & done, I truly believe none of us can blame anyone else for our position in life. Certainly our parents, families, friends, & the society in which we live influence us in many ways, some good, some bad. But as living, breathing, thinking adults we alone are responsible for our own decisions & for living with the consequences of those choices. Trust me, I fall into the trap of trying to blame other people or life circumstances for my own short-comings more often than I’d like to admit. That’s just part of being human. The point is not staying in that trap but rather being honest with ourselves & learning to hold ourselves accountable for the decisions we make. It’s not an easy process & it’s one that takes a lot of practice & a lot of self-discipline. But if we want to succeed & enjoy this crazy journey called life as much as possible, it’s a process that is absolutely essential.

In summary, here’s my challenge to you (& to myself obviously): Be brutally honest with yourself.

1. What is it about your own life that you dislike?

2. As hard as it may be to admit, what choices have you made that have led you to your current position in life?

3. What could you do differently to obtain a better outcome?

4. Lastly, as we all know “no man is an island,” who can you enlist to help hold you accountable for making better decisions? As we’ve already discussed, ultimately you alone are responsible for your own choices, but it sure does help to have a friend walking along with you.

Here’s to soul-searching & asking the hard questions. Cheers!

"Life is like a railway track: a bend of an inch & a distance of many miles." ~ rom "Jab We Met" (my favorite Hindi film)

“Life is like a railway track: a bend of an inch & a distance of many miles.” ~ from “Jab We Met” (my favorite Hindi film)

If you need a little inspiration on your journey to taking full responsibility of your life, check out this empowering song from the amazing new Halestorm album that just debuted last week. (The entire album ROCKS, by the way!!) This song was in fact the major inspiration for this post.

You need this album. You really do.

I am through with this
`Cause I am more than this
I promise to myself
Alone & no one else
My flame is rising higher

I am the fire
I am burning brighter
Roaring like a storm
And I am the one I’ve been waiting for
Screaming like a siren
Alive & burning brighter
I am the fire

I don’t believe I’ll fall from grace
Won’t let the past decide my fate
Leave forgiveness in my wake
Take the love that I’ve embraced

I promise to myself, me & no one else
I am more than this
I am the fire

I am the fire
I am burning brighter
Roaring like a storm
And I am the one I’ve been waiting for
Screaming like a siren
Alive & burning brighter
I am the fire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_1__C-K-vM (Link to the video with lyrics included)

3 Comments Leave a comment

The Voice of an Angel

Approximately a year ago, a friend from my hometown introduced me to a band called The Shondes. Knowing he had good taste in music, I checked the band out on YouTube & immediately fell in love with their music. Just last week this friend messaged me that The Shondes were coming to Local 506 in Chapel Hill so we made plans to attend. Unfortunately, he ended up being unable to attend the concert, but thankfully one of my Raleigh friends was able to accompany me, which of course was awesome. As so often happens when I attend a concert, one of the opening acts captured my heart as much as the band I came to see. In this case, said opening act was a girl named Brooke Telarico whose voice was so beautiful there are just no words to accurately describe it.

In any case, this poem was written about her voice & the emotions her music stirred in me last night.

As soon as you stood before the microphone

And picked up your golden guitar & started to sing

My mind was immediately transfixed & transformed

Hypnotized, as it were, as I listened in amazement

To the mesmerizing surreal quality of your voice

A voice as smooth as velvet

A voice that dripped like honey

Or like dew drops as they glide off of a rose petal

A voice like satin or silk as it slides off your shoulder

A voice reminiscent of sex & pleasure & all things carnal

Yet pure & incandescent like the filaments of the light bulbs

Which, hanging above me, have suddenly become like stars in the nighttime sky

A voice that intoxicates me more than the alcohol

That is coursing through my veins like a river

A voice that enraptures me like a waterfall

And surrounds me like the morning mist as it rises above the fields

As your music becomes my heartbeat & the very breath that I breathe

In this moment, in this very moment, I know that I am alive

The Cascades, a waterfall in Giles County in SW Virginia. 05-31-2010.

0 Comments Leave a comment

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: