Bada bing. So, here I am. Above Estes Park, Colorado, warming my feet by a fire in the main lodge at the YMCA of the Rockies. I’m watching the big gray blankets of cloud spread over the valley. The last time I wrote on this site I was 27 years old. Now, I’m 28. Besides that stat, not much has changed. Again I’m working with A Christian Ministry in the National Parks, working 40 hours a week, hiking on my days off, dreading the start of Greek classes in September and generally abdicating responsibilities of all shapes an sizes. I have an address here, which I will disclose presently:

c/o Adam Stout
2515 Tunnel Road
Estes Park, CO 80511

Why am I out in Rocky Mountain National Park? Well, a few reasons. One is that I like parks. Another is that I have a girlfriend who lives in Boulder. Yet another: I enjoy working with a Christian Ministry in the National Parks. So, there you have it. I hope everyone is having a sufficiently summery summer with lakes, vacation, fishing, and ice cream. But not fish-flavored ice cream. If you are coming to Colorado, look me up. I’d be happy to ramble about these big rocks here with you.

    I have gotten incredibly lazy about updating this site.  Perhaps my lackadaisical approach could be attributed to the fact that despite minor changes, things remain basically the same out here in Zion NP.  I am still enjoying my job as a housekeeping inspector, although I get more and more annoyed by people who don’t leave tips – especially when they trash the room.  Recently, I’ve been enjoying the comments left by guests on our “Maintenance Request” forms.  One of them said, “Ants! Ants! Ants! Ants!! Ants!! Ants!!! Ants!!! Ants!!!”  If I could cordially respond to these clients, I would.  I would say something like this:

Dear X,
     Food!  Food!  Food!   Food!!  Food!! Food!!!  Food!!!  If you leave food sitting around your room, the ants think your cabin is a giant picnic basket and they have an ant party.  Can you blame them?  Throw away your food in the proper receptacles, and these guests will not swarm you.  Thanks.

Another guest had this to say:  “Room haunted.”

Dear X,
    Thanks for alerting us to the issue of haunted rooms.  We notified
Ghostbusters and the park erupted into total chaos: Marshmellow Man
threw rocks off the edge of the canyon, and Slimer caused a scene with
the guests when we tried to oust him.  In short, this was the best
summer ever.  Your room will be fully compensated, and please come
again anytime.

Another guest complained: “Room invested with spiders.”

Dear X,
     We are sorry that you are not impressed with our business partners and interests, particularly as they pertain to spiders.

I have nothing else to say about that, except that “invested with spiders” was my favorite maintenance request.  Somehow they don’t seem very funny now that I’ve written them down.  But when you’re bored, these things are more humorous. 

Last night I was sleeping under the stars and got scared by some creature’s evil screaming/barking.  I was with a few friends.  We were all sufficiently creeped out and went back to our bedrooms.  I’ll let you know what was the source of the outburst as soon as I can.  For now, it remains a mystery.

On Sunday my parents are coming to visit.  Great news!    

4th of July.  The fireworks at Springdale were beautiful, but then they ignited the dry desert shrubs and sent a blaze sweeping over several acres of hillside.  We were evacuated calmly and the fire was put out eventually, but we never saw the grand finale.  I guess they can save them for next year’s fire.  Or show.  Why the town decided it was wise to shoot fireworks when the National Park fire danger sign reads “very high” with an arrow pointing all the way to the top of the hazard index- is beyond me.
Life in the park continues to be hot and punctuated with beauty, which includes the beauty of the individuals presently working there.  Church services have gone really well, and I have enjoyed the informal atmosphere and visits with random people from all over.  This week, none other than Phil and Tong Park joined us for worship time.  They spent a few days visiting me, replenishing me with sheets of seaweed (which I eat like chips) and good conversation.  We went on a hike when the moon was full and visited neighboring Bryce Canyon.  I liked Bryce, but Zion is where it’s at.   So, another week, another happy-go-lucky e-mail, and another holler to all you kids out there to stay in the shade with a carafe of lemonade.

The sun is setting on the red, white, orange, yellow and beige sandstone walls that serve as the perimeter of my backyard.  I am pleasantly tired after a long day’s work and a decent supper.  Though I am not as placidly elated as I was the first few weeks, make no mistake: I’m still content.  Even though the sun continues to bake hotter and hotter each day, I’m glad to be living and working at Zion Nat. Park.  And as far as Parks go, this weekend, my friend Phil Park and his dad, Tong, will be making the trek to SE Utah for a visit.  I’m pretty excited about seeing them and going up to Bryce Canyon next Monday.  Then, later this summer, my sister and bro-in-law are probably visiting!  So, I am enjoying life, with more to look forward to.  The only downside is the poison Ivy that’s creeping from my elbows up my arms.  I have had ivy rashes since the first week, which is to say, far too long.  If anyone has a homeopathic recipe handed down from generations prior, I would probably be willing to try it, even if it’s something weird like cracking an egg over my head while sitting in a barrel of flour in my skivvies.  The only problem might be the barrel.  Anywho, I have nothing much else to report.  Worship services are going well.  Last week I talked about agape love, and this week, we’re talking about Christian love in action.  I’ve also had some great conversations with people here.  I’ve decided that I really like the people here.  Thanks for your prayers and blessings as you go about your daily summer activities and long-anticipated vacations.          

ps- I’m not sure how I felt about pan’s labyrinth.  Some good parts, some graphic parts.  One guy getting his face bashed in with a bottle.  Overall ambivalence with a slight lean towards saying the Labyrinth is worth entering.  But not for you, mom.

Looks like it’s time again for my weekly post.  Finished Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire.  Enjoyed it.  Mostly.  Now I’m back to reading adolescent lit. borrowed in large quantities today from Springdale’s library.  I’m still enjoying my job and life in general, though it’s sort of strange that not all people are feeling the same way about life in Zion.  Last week, 3 people, in unrelated accidents, died.  Two of them fell and one had a heart attack on the trail.  It just goes to show that this place, for all its beauty must still be taken seriously.  On a happier note, the church services are going well, and I find myself looking forward to the short 45-minute reunions that take place at 9am beneath the shade of the canyon wall, under the watchful eye of the Watchman, a famous rock formation that stands at the base of the park.  This Sunday we are talking about silence and solitude and listening to GOD.  We will not just talk but also spend some time experiencing silence.  And, if you wish to communicate with me via snail mail, I will gleefully read any and all correspondence in silence before sending you a postcard from this lovely little park.  Here, for future reference, is my address:  

Zion Lodge – Adam Stout
General Delivery
Springdale, UT 84767

One week in Utah, one week of wedding back in Illinois (Congratulations Janae and Joe!) and I’m back to Zion National Park where I hold the formidable office of housekeeping inspector.  (Nevermind that I never make my own bed or clean up my own room.  Rest assured that your room will be clean and kempt should you choose to lodge at Zion).  The housekeeping gig is pretty standard stuff.  I work from 8am-4pm, five days a week.  Most of the housekeepers are Thai, and I’m learning bits and pieces of the language, rolling the foreign sounds off my tongue like little waterfalls under my breath as I stroll from cabin to cabin.  At 4pm, I usually go for a hike in the canyons.  Sometimes I’ll read a book or play frisbee if the wind isn’t terribly strong.  Then, later on, I eat dinner, chat with friends and maybe study Hebrew for a few minutes.  The sun goes down in the canyon around 7, but it’s never completely dark until around 10pm.  Some park employees go partying in the evenings.  I don’t fully understand why, as I sit on a bench, with (or without) cigar in hand watching the moon come up and thinking about how content I am.  On Sundays, I join 3 other park employees in the campground amphitheater where we lead small multi-denominational church services.  The services have been enjoyable so far, as has everything else with the exception of a severe reaction to poison ivy which covered much of my body.  Now that that inconvenience has subsided, I have found myself in an increasingly peaceful state of mind.    Pretty soon, if I get any more relaxed, I feel I might just give up walking for the summer and merely glide about the park on the steady winds that pour into the canyon.

Today is my first day at the Springdale Library.  From now on, I will try to make a point of coming weekly to update this site, maybe with pictures and/or stories from the red sandstone overlooks and from the small, transient community that comprises my home for summer.  The next post will probably be less serene and maybe a smidge more provacative once I snap out of my ”I’m-so-enlightened-I-might-float-away,” state of mind.  Perhaps I’ve unwittingly inhaled some second-hand peace pipe smoke from a town nearby.  At any rate, I wish world peace to all those reading this and hope you take time to grill out in the park and to cool off from the summer heat.  Your newly hippiefied friend, Adam.    

As you can tell by the title, it’s that time again. Respond to this post, and you will get a Summer CD Mix if you are one of the first 6 to reply. In other news, I’m leaving for Utah in a mere 7 days!

I think the title for this post should be added to the dictionary. “E-slacking” is when you go AWOL from your Xanga, Blogspot, Myspace, FaceBook, etc. page. It is sometimes due to laziness or due to disillusionment with the amount of satisfaction that one expected to receive from that form of online communication. In my case, seminary has kept me busy. But also, I seldom feel I have anything really exciting to report. There is one thing though: This summer I will be working at the front desk AND serving as a chaplain-type character at Zion National Park in Utah. Zion National Park should be a beautiful place to spend the summer. And I’m sure it will do little to slow my downward spiral into e-slackery.

I thought of a bunch of stuff I wanted to say on here. But instead I’ll just say this: Winter CD Mixes are ready to mail. You know the drill. First seven responses get one.

It’s been a long time since I posted. So long ago that I finished the book I’d just started at the time, Girl Meets God, and today heard the author (Lauren Winner) speak at Calvin’s January Series. In between then, Christmas happened, as did New Years. I saw friends and family and got some nasty viral infection that has continued to bother me for over a week. Just when I think it’s over, a new symptom manifests. I have been meaning to go to the doctor…but I keep thinking I’m better and then…I’m not. So, I feel crappy but wanted to get this down before I head to bed, since today was a wierd day.
Today our 38th President was buried in Grand Rapids. His memorial service was held at a church I drive past lmost every day. The street was closed at several intersections as I tried to get home from school. There were loads of school kids and neighbors walking by to see the church. I don’t know why. An invite was necessary to enter. At some point in the afternoon, I agreed to take Charlie (one of the family members I live with) to Meijer. While there, I found a good deal: Seinfield seasons on DVD for $20! That’s less than $1 per sweet, humorous episode. Afterwards, Charlie and I stopped by Culvers for some lunch/snack. He ordered a whole meal, but I held back, since I’m frugal or cheap. When I rolled up to the window, the cashier said, “You are the 100th drive-thru customer, so your meal’s on us.” Woo-hoo! That stuff never happens to me. In fact, as I rolled up to the window I was thinking, “Hey, she didn’t ask me what size cone I wanted. I bet they charged me for a big one, when I just wanted a small….oh…well…don’t be so cheap.” As it turned out, they gave me the big cone for free.
Then, as we were nearing home, Charlie says, “We should see the 21 fighter planes that are going to fly over where Ford is being buried.” So we went. And waited on a bridge. About 1.5 hours later the planes finally came. It was figuratively speaking pretty cool but literally as well. Then my friend Lonnie called right before we came home and said that he thought he’d fractured his ankle and could I take him to the hospital. Well, yeah. I could. But on the way home we saw this man standing against a building fall flat on his face like a lone domino. His sunglasses flew off, but worse, he landed face-first on the bottom of a detour sign that was on the sidewalk for re-routing traffic for the Ford Memorial Service. Blood spilled out on the concrete. The two guys standing next to him, looked at him and walked the other direction. Charlie convinced me to call 911 because of the blood and the apparent disinterest of the two bystanders. So I did. And the Fire squad was there lickety-split. We waited for a while until he was on a stretcher. Apparently he’d had a seizure looking out at all the traffic lights.
I went to the hospital with Lonnie, but he only had a bad sprain. So, all in all, it was a strange, slightly bad, but mostly good day.