Monday, May 30, 2011

Yogi Better Watch His Step

When I grow up, I think I want to be my cousin Carissa.

Now, yes, I know that doesn't make a lot of sense, seeing that she is eight years younger than I am, but if it's possible that is what I want.

She's a Park Ranger. How cool is that? And she's not just one of the rangers who tells you how old Old Faithful is (hint, look at the first part of the name), she's one who gets to carry a gun and enforce "the law." Bear gets out of line? Pepper spray. Tourist gets out of line? She introduces them to the bear that just got pepper sprayed.

Nah, she is much too responsible to do that. When I am grown up like her I will be too.

She's in there somewhere...

Carissa doesn't even mind all of the stuff that goes along with being a park ranger that would send most people (me) running. For instance, she's spending the summer living in a cabin with no electricity. You know what that means right? No Internet. Carissa doesn't seem to mind that she won't immediately be able to learn if Lindsey Lohan has died, or who Perez Hilton hates, or what things funny babies and/or cats are doing. Nope, she just wants to make sure she has enough books to read.

I know, some of you are now starting to question if we are actually related.

Oh, and despite the fact that Carissa is outdoorsy, and doesn't abuse the authority given to her, she's actually fun to be around. She likes telling stories about all the dumb stuff she's seen people do in the parks, and doesn't go all "Smokey the Bear" on you. And the stories she tells? Better than any that I have about T.V. After all, I've never busted anyone walking naked in the newsroom.

I can hardly wait until I have stories like Carissa's to tell.

I just hope that when I'm grown up I get to ranger in a park with Internet.

8 comments:

LL Cool Joe said...

I admire anyone who can live without the internet. With or without a gun.

Granny Annie said...

Is it wrong to walk naked in a State Park?

Anonymous said...

yeah, um, I think the no internet thing would drive me insane. But she does seem pretty frakking awesome, so I don't blame you for wanting to be like her when you grow up. :-)

Jen Has A Pen said...

I'm conflicted. All that nature gets me a little buzzed. All that silence... all that oxygen....

Gimme me a minute....

Okay, I'm back. That scene makes me euphoric, but NO INTERNET?!?!?!?!? Unimaginable.

Samantha said...

I HATE when people go all Smokey the Bear on me. But it happens all the time anyway.

Carissa does sound cool. I'm fond of reading, but equally fond of the internet. When we went to Yellowstone last year and I couldn't blog, I felt desperate. We would sometimes drive over the border so I could post from a library on the other side. True story.

Anonymous said...

Come on, you just want the picnic baskets.

Unknown said...

I love nature. I just take issue with the bad fashion decision that may occur in or around too much wilderness. I kid. I love nature and wish I could live without internet.

Gina said...

I love the outdoors & I love camping, hiking, etc. I can sleep in a tent and go without a hair dryer & microwave. But and entire year without bad TV and internet and I would either go insane or die.