By the favor of the free and cheap, Cheep Universe, I ended up on an exquisite hand-painted pink-and-purple wooden Viking ship (ok, a Dory, but it felt like one) floating down the Main Salmon River for six days through the vast Frank Church Wilderness.
For weeks before, I had been seeing salmon everywhere. Then a college friend spontaneously asked me if I wanted to take a last-minute cancelled spot on her long-planned birthday trip. I think she knew I’m one of the few on earth who could drop everything on a moment’s notice to simply float for a week.
For a last-minute gift, I went thrift store shopping and gave her the Caitlin River Capsule Collection in a neon green duffel bag. Because what do you get for the woman who embodies everything, but more ways to embody herself? Each outfit had a ridiculous name and tagline, ala Cheep, and brought such weird magic to every beach night. I am finally using my superpowers for good.
Lately, magic has been a running theme. At long last, I am learning how to paddle in the slipstream of my life. To recognize the movement of current, however slight. To not fear the big waves, but to anticipate their thrill ride, even when butterfly-stomached. To realize that life is a river—like I’ve been telling my storytelling students this whole damn time—so go with the flow, take the rapids and rough times as they come for the wondrous stories you’ll spill over them later, and don’t worry too much about the course ahead, but let yourself run like water. Fluid and dynamic.
I am not exactly sure what is happening—but it looks like the silver sparkles glittering in the river sun; it feels like the giant heart made of rocks I found on the island at the confluence to the South Fork—and I am floating on for dear, sweet life. For this one wild and precious life.
vintage Jones New York bronze silk skirt – $4, Idaho Youth Ranch thrift store | vintage Isabella’s Journey (matted like an OG merkin) brown fake fur apron – free (for the night), Canyons Inc river costume dry-bag | unlabeled psychedelic pink-and-purple pullover – free (for the night), Canyons Inc river costume dry-bag | unlabeled bronze & black pants fashioned into a headdress (the crotch on these was dank, but I’ve had some dank crotches on my head before so no bother) – free (for the night), Canyons Inc river costume dry-bag | square wooden earrings with a pinprick hole bored in the middle of each – $15, Buckskin Bill’s historic hideout upstream (handmade by a local who lives on the Salmon)
Styled by Brandon Megorden, my ultimate creative “yesander.”
Cheep it into the slipstream.
Cheep 