just read what he has written... I'm not sure that "goodness" is the right
term. It seems as if the stresses and the strains of the last few days
have seriously impacted his brain. But I'll let you form your own
impressions....
-----------------
Stardate 1.03 Lieutenant Uhura reporting
I am awoken by small nerves screaming for respite. It is arguable that I
did not sleep at all overnight. Can one call it sleep when only one eye is
shut, the other open, and one is massaging one's feet? I think not. I fear
that sleep and I will be far from companions on the days and weeks ahead.
Perhaps I will see sleep far in the distance, out-pacing me upon the hike.
I get to the hut, he is pleasantly rested and ready for more activities.
Sleep takes off for more hiking leaving me sleepless. I hate him, this
from-afar-viewed hiker named Sleep. He is invariably in front and skipping
along effortlessly. Sometimes he waits and when I catch up, low and behold,
Sleep has turned himself into one of my companions, perhaps Dave or Sally,
but some resentment towards the lack of sleep sours the interactions with
my friendly companions.
It is a high art to become the nay-sayer of a group. One provides a
necessary counterpoint to the optimistic leader. One points out the lows
and down-sides. This takes devious communication skills. Without the dark
there can be no light. It is no easy task always finding the bad in the
good. Someone has to take on this onerous yet challenging task & during
today's hiking I realize that perhaps this should be my role. I obviously
cannot be the leader as I know nothing of the what the day holds. I cannot
be the engineer as the that also requires some knowledge. Perhaps as Uhura,
I can accomplish this evil goal ? And if I am to task myself, let me do it
with aplomb and vigor! Let me make of this task real artwork, real
accomplishment, with darkly crafted nays of many days duration, artfully
woven negatives of woe and despair, downsides of supreme rot and undermining!
Such are the thoughts of he who must whine and winge, Winey Wingey Man. As
we, probably from my most negative of inputs, miss out on a hike up and
across the BenediktenWand, I realize my training regimen has been woefully
inadequate, and I have only myself to blame for the state I find myself in.
Perversely, I blame all those around me for this.
Stardate 1.04
Gollum reporting. My brother is the darklord, and I have lived a life of
torture and pain. Today we arose at around the time Bavarian birds start
the morning cacophony, earlier than I have ever been awake my entire
life. Apparently the weather is to deliver storms and lightning to us
later in the day. Ah joy. The daily breakfast ritual is a saving grace as
I can eat pork to my heart's content . I occasionally feel guilty at
breakfast. I have been consuming, on average, enough to feed a family of
four for a week or so, per breakfast. It is the feeling of well-being I
seek. A quick respite from the ever-increasing presence of a
dissatisfaction of the body.
Various parts of the body are checking in with damage reports that make it
inevitable that the starship will soon crash into the upcoming hiking path.
My forward shields ie. my ankles and feet, are down with a sock-created
pressure rash that burns like hydrofluoric acid. Note to self - take a
picture so that those who have viewed the perineal chafe achieved upon the
Sea-2-Sea hike can also be wowed by my stage eleven flesh eating
streptoccoccal macerated infuriated cellulitic lymphanigitic class Z
gangrenous ankle hamburger.
A new companion, Richard, has arrived today. He appears to be in even
better shape than most of my companions. I resent him immediately. I cannot
blame this on freshness as he too has hiked a few days to meet us. I cannot
remember the day' s torture as the pain has blotted this memory from my
brain. I do remember Richard running down the stairs the evening prior. I
learn to hate all with whom I interact. It takes many more muscles to smile
than to frown. I save energy by frowning. I hope my companions understand
this innately without explanation, as none will be forthcoming.
Stardate 1.05
GarbageScow cleaner-complainer Billy second class reporting, Sir! A new low
has been reached. It was highly evident to me during last summer's hike
across England, that I am not built for walking on the flats. My excessive
bulk flattens out the natural arch of the feet. More foot surface area on
the ground naturally creates more friction. This slows me down in
comparison to my companions. The bones of the feet, 29 in all as I recall,
each need to be in a specific position relative to one another to create a
state of dynamic tension. When the arch is squashed, the tension is no
longer present, and thus one flat-footedly smacks each foot upon the ground
successively in a parody of walking known as pain. I look like a
carpet-beater in action. I have 29 naysayers sending messages to the
intestines to take control, sit down somewhere to never move again, and
consume pork until some sensation of well being might be achieved
somatically. How am I to deny these 29 important folk their last dieing
wish prior to fracture?
Bradley's rule of hiking #230
Throw everything of any weight out of the pack as rapidly as possible.
Most important items for hiking will be carried by others and can be either
borrowed, as in toothpaste, then returned, or lent for a period of time
whilst not in use by the owner, as in shoes or underwear. I now must hike
at night and must return to the starting point each morning. Pick a very
good place to start
this practice. Seriously, a backpack of 20 kilogrammes is far too heavy.
And that's empty!
Bradley's rule of hiking #231
Water is a non-essential. Sweat and urine can be collected, and reconsumed.
Tomorrow is being named a rest day. I'd like to rest the whole rest of the
trip. I note to our fearless leader that there is no clause for escape from
this hike according to the document (Document - 200 pages long, much
history of all places to be visited, their natural history, geology,
populace, arts and crafts, points of interest, fact, statistics, etc. All
in all far too long a document for me to have taken seriously) ; he points
out, there are alternative routes listed for every day should one choose to
take them. He then points out that I will be relegated to the level of
"join-along-the-way" hiker, a much belittled entity, should I choose to
avail myself thereof. I will not give him this satisfaction. I will take
them all down with me. I must plan for the disaster.
