the windy city blues

i have decided that i am officially going to steal chicago's nickname of "the windy city" and bestow it on this great deserted desert (i like repetition) of crap, otherwise known as dona ana base camp. even though i understand that chicago's nickname came from politico blowhards and *not* mother nature, it would fit so nicely with this place.

driving into work today, i honestly thought that i was going to crash. tanya (my co-worker) and i were blowing all over the road. and this time it wasn't cuz i was looking down and texting when i should've been looking up and driving. nope, not this time. i *even* had both hands on the steering wheel *another odd thing for me to do (safety? what's that?)*. we got here to work, and walking from the parking spot into the office, which is actually a pretty good distance, i got a mouthful of sand, an eyeful of grit and an ear full of screaming winds. and it was cold. good thing the generator had gas in it this morning; i wasn't prepared to freeze in here this morning.

there are dirt devils everywhere and dust storms only every other minute. as i type, i can hear the wind howling outside my window, the floppy screen door opening and slamming shut. we're required to wear safety goggles out here when we leave the buildings; i don't own any. i left my sunglasses in my car this morning on accident, so now when i go outside, i just cover my eyes and peak through a little gap between fingers *kind of like you know you used to do when playing hide and seek and you were "it"* . . . i have had spare time today; perhaps it's a mixture of that or the utter lack of sleep i'm going on -- did i mention i only got about 4 hours total last night? -- that i keep wondering what it would be like to be swept away in the wind, a la dorothy from "the wizard of oz." what would i see? where would i go? i'd hope i'd end up somewhere far away and tropical . . . maybe hawaii? or italy. i have always wanted to go there. who knows.

anyhow, i feel like now i'm rambling on about, once again, *nothing!* that seems to be my favorite topic of conversation lately. i guess this day didn't prove to be as eventful as i hoped. at least i get to make those fajitas tonight. and *my* homemade guacamole. that is, if i don't fall asleep as soon as i get out of the shower tonight . . . at 5pm!