I miss grundoon tremendously. That having been said, her legacy of karma_debt and JetGirl and mordel and dann and aphexious have remained with me, and reshaped me and my life in some really key ways. Sometimes, these ways are good. Sometimes, these ways are bad. It's a bit like having a life - a real life, as opposed to one dedicated to the service of The Company.
A year ago, I would not have been up the side of Mount Saint Helens yesterday, and if I had been, I might not have made it out. After a cave hike with friends that I was drastically unprepared for, I found myself twisting my ankle less than two hundred meters outside of the Ape Caves in some melted snow. Thankfully, the Burners I was with came prepared, and with two ski poles.
A pair of burly sorts, dann included, led and followed, helping me up when I fell fifteen more times over the course of two hours. Thanks to them, I was able to make it back a mile or two over a pretty treacherous path to the parking lot and transportation off the mountain.
The dark man, another unnamed and fled noder, and now one of my closest friends, is capable of doing elf-like bounds across the surface of treacherous snow, thus earning the new name of Legolas. I don't think he realizes that it's probably his Burner name now. On the bright side, thanks to his help, the gate to the parking lot was opened, allowing us a ride back to cars. Given that I was soaked in snowmelt and cave snot in freezing weather, this was some pretty timely assistance.
As for me, today I'm kicking back and staying off my feet. Probably seeing a doctor too. Ankle sucks, but having seen two lava falls, a plethora of fallen obsidian, and some really gorgeous and dangerous snow-covered mountainside, I'm content with the price Saint Helens, and the year, have taken out of me.