The Salem Orientalist Society

My little brother and I went out to Dividend whilst I was busy trying to do as many things as I possibly could, and we brought a few props to take amusing photos to show people back here when they ask about Utah. We managed to find the road after one wrong try (it's not marked, so you have to know which place to turn off the highway just outside of Eureka) and had just parked and were looking around when a truck pulled up. That's not that common a thing, by the way, in Dividend, and I was glad I hadn't yet donned my silly hat and bandanna. An elderly couple got out, evidently just as suprised as we were to find someone else there. They were both wearing name tags, and explained that the annual Dividend Reunion in Eureka had just finished up, and that everyone was heading up to walk around what was left of the town. Sure enough, they were followed by a half dozen more cars with similarly wizened occupants who stopped just long enough to get out and look around before heading off. The man we spoke with, by the name of Davis (don't remember his first name), told us how he'd grown up there while his father was the deputy sherrif in charge of guarding train cars once they were filled with gold ore. Once, he snuck home a piece with a streak of gold about two inches long, he told us, but his father noticed and made him take it back. His wife showed us some photocopies of photographs of the town by way of answering my question of how they possibly built an entire city on ground as rocky and mountainous as that - evidently a lot has changed since all the buildings were taken down in the 40s, and there used to be nice level streets carved out where now there are boulders and washes. They did build right up the sides of the slopes, though, too, and just to the left of the water tanks that are still there was the mine itself, the dormitories where single miners lived, and the mine offices. After the Davises left, we went ahead with the silly pictures, using the scaffolding from the mechanism that loaded ore onto the trains as a background. There was a time when I would have tried to draw some kind of moral from all of this, but now I realize just how phony that kind of stuff is, so all I can say is: I love you!

Poseur!

Did you get that taken at Lagoon?

ps: the bandana is a nice 'authentic" touch

Thanks for the behind the scenes on the photograph. Ash and I both loved it.
Do people really believe that Utah looks like that? Why not show them the mountains?

Hey- do you have a younger brother named Evan? If you do, Ashely Nish is his TA for Heather Jensen's ARTHC 202 course. It's a small world after all. Here's an idea- maybe he'll be like our neo-Nathan and we can make him into an art historian like the real Nathan!

ps: do you have a sister named Anastasia?

Though Anastasia sounds exactly like me, sadly, she's not my sister, so far as I'm aware. Evan, however, is indeed my brother, though you'd never guess it to meet him (or at least I'm pretty sure I wouldn't). It's more than a little bit of a surprise to find that he's taking art history - my guess is that he'd be perfectly happy to not have anyone ever mention my name in his hearing.

It's more just a matter of he's not the sort who likes attention from people who know others of us - I don't have a lot to say about him and he doesn't have a lot to say about me.

The most normal man you know? That sounds like an insult, my friend (Both terms, in fact).

Nathan, compared to Ashley's "friend," and to anyone for that matter you are good-natured, kindhearted, warmhearted, caring, affectionate, loving, warm; considerate, helpful, thoughtful, obliging, unselfish, selfless, altruistic, good, attentive; compassionate, sympathetic, understanding, big-hearted, benevolent, benign, friendly, neighborly, hospitable, well-meaning, public-spirited.
Now don't let this go to your head.

Good heavens! And I only thought I was just a pretty face... Tell you what, though - I'd love to meet this boy you mention. Good luck wherever you need it -

W. Purple

W. Purple-
Seriously, when are you going to give us a new post? Do you realize that you are our sole form of entertainment? Do we have to subscribe inorder to hear more about the exciting life and times of a graduated student back east? Are you sick of all my questions? Are you?

ps: You should write to Andy.
pps: The man refered to in previous comments is a scoundrel and so much more. Basically, he is an ungrateful, disloyal coward who can charm his way out of and into any situation and I am afraid of what he can do to our friend Ashley. BEWARE

I knew a boy like that once - every single person who ever got to know him immediately fell in love with him. As for Andy, could you e-mail me his address?
I promise I'll post something new just as soon as I feel like I have something to say that you all might want to hear.

Regards,
Willy

I've written a new post that will give you plenty to read, but it's not wanting to publish at present for reasons unknown, so don't give up hope just yet.