tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72960195054937777752024-02-07T11:04:00.384-08:00The Last Banana in Missynationmissynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-19810314869888097962011-07-05T05:20:00.000-07:002011-07-05T14:52:13.722-07:00Missynation Goes To A Rave<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This past weekend, I traveled to Las Vegas with Hubs and another couple we are friends with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Originally, Hubs wanted to surprise me with the trip to see Celine Dion’s new show at Caesar’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(is that the rave she’s talking about?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps she doesn’t know what a rave is???)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We made the travel plans back in January and were all very excited to head out west to see Celine chest-pump her way through her greatest hits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok, so maybe we weren’t ALL VERY excited… poor Hubs was a good sport (seeing as how this would be his 2<sup>nd</sup> Celine concert…)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Anyway, as we were making final plans of what else we could do in Sin City, we discovered that the Electric Daisy Carnival was taking place the same weekend that we would be in town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For those of you that have never heard of the Electric Daisy Carnival, it is a three-day, dusk-to-dawn, electronic music festival held this year, for the first time, at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been held for the past dozen or so years in Los Angeles, but LA basically kicked the festival out after last year when a 15 year old girl died from a drug overdose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sad.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now, I will admit something here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(as if admitting that I do, in fact, like Celine Dion, wasn’t embarrassing enough…) I am a closet techno music fan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There. I said it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like to dance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok, so, I like the idea of dancing more than actually dancing; I feel very self-conscious when I dance…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>like I’ve got a fierce “white-man’s overbite” going on…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>nevertheless, I like techno/dance/electronica music. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, on Friday, Hubs called me to ask if I would be interested in going to the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) since the other couple that we were traveling with was going to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The husband was going to surprise his wife (my friend, Paige) with tickets for Saturday night/Sunday morning.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Since my motto is that “life is an adventure”, I figured why not? When else am I going to have the chance to attend a rave?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, if I’m ever gonna do it, why not attend one in Las Vegas?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, we bought the tickets and made the plans.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I will admit to being a little nervous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had no idea what to expect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would it be a rampant drug-fest?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would there be fistfights?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, most importantly, what the heck was I going to wear????<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had no idea what appropriate “rave attire” was, let alone if I had anything in my closet that would suffice. Hubs made me feel a little bit better when he declared that he would probably just wear jeans and either a “Funkin Gonuts” shirt (printed in the color and script of the Dunkin’ Dounuts sign) or a t-shirt we bought at the Wal-Mart in Lexington, VA with the tootsie pop owl and the phrase “Keep on Lickin’” on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(yep, we’re a classy bunch!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hubs declared that it didn’t really matter since no matter what he wore he’d still just “look like a cop.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When it came time to head out, I opted for a simple outfit of shorts and a tank top and some ballet flats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought about wearing my running shoes (the only other closed toe shoes I had with me; I was not about to wear flip-flops or any open toed shoes; at this point I was cursing myself for not packing that extra pair of shoes that would have most likely been my low-top converse chucks… see ladies; when in doubt, pack the extra shoes! <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span>) but I was afraid wearing my tennis shoes to a rave might make me look like I was commuting to work…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shouldn’t have bothered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the ballet flats were sufficient; I probably would have been more comfortable trekking from the parking lot in BF, Egypt and ALL over the speedway infield and tennis shoes were NOT the oddest form of footwear I would see that night.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We left for the EDC at about 11:30pm and got to the speedway about 12:15am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got our “tickets”, which were actually just little plastic credit-card like things, and our “VIP” wristbands (by the time we bought the tickets, they only had VIP tickets left…) and then went through 2 pretty extensive searches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, it wasn’t quite TSA-style groping, but they made us take stuff out of our purses and patted us down and went over each of us with a metal-detection wand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lady who searched my purse informed me that “open chap-stick is not allowed.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I almost had a heart attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anybody that knows me knows that, while I am not a drug addict or user, I am an admitted chap-stick addict.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(plus, that was the only chap stick I had in the desert…)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As hard as I tried to dress to fit in, I must have also looked like a cop because she let me in with my open chapstick. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After we went through security, we took our fancy wristbands and “VIP” lanyards (and I took my contraband chapstick) and headed towards the festivities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was quite a sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were 6 (SIX!) different stages all pumping out dance music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We headed for the “main stage” to see some folks that we were familiar with (and, by we, I mean Paige & Chris, the other couple we were with; they were very knowledgeable about who was playing. I admitted that I only knew one “famous” DJ and that was Paul Oakenfold… although, I do have some Numeriklab on my ipod…)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We made it to the VIP area of the “main” stage, also known as the “kineticFIELD”, and saw the end of Benny Benassi’s set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next up was David Guetta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole scene was a sensory overload experience and it was actually a lot of fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll let my videos speak for themselves…<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxmnjOB7gRFUqjsrwg0MCpCmyzZXH2PUZQ44gwbvVdtM2oq-X5pYHfN8WvDDGlDZ37owAR5eiFVlCKuk55mEQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzRlv_ffbr7TkBDc936xdjAZS76KsRNYg-jZMUoQHXCSJ6bx55yQvsOXogMHzm8kTmKcvZveIVVq-dO-vcQhg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My apologies for the unsteady nature of the video; I was trying to focus on some folks dancing with glowsticks... (i'm easily distracted by shiny objects)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzT-wNUphRe56XUdJ1fKeVgrr7VkAIoLTu4PqXmXXhWJMh8KHGBkPMXk1KKWI6Wm1-vNWzXbnOBKPUG2auXbg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There are 2 guys in LED light suits on stilts walking around the front of the stage. Pretty cool.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I danced. I people-watched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some point, around 2:30am, my energy level just bottomed out and I could have just sat down right where I was and gone to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A. I am old but B. to be fair, I had been up since 5:30am eastern time Saturday morning, so I was not operating on much sleep…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We headed back to the car (parked in BFE) after David Guetta’s set was finished and I made it back to the hotel at about 4:15am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although my ears were still ringing, I don’t think I’ve slept that hard in a long, long time…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Final thoughts:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it was fun and I’m glad that I went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt really, really old at the rave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although, the following night at the Celine Dion concert, I felt really young & spry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially compared to all the hoverounds and little rascals that I saw lining the isles… <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-44356138423813788592011-07-04T09:01:00.000-07:002011-07-04T09:01:49.037-07:00Party Time with Patty<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Missynation traveled to NYC last week for a work training seminar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the training was held on a Thursday, Missynation took the following Friday off to hang with her BFF, Patty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patty lives in Oyster Bay on Long Island, and Missynation got the chance to stay with Patty at the lovely home she shares with her husband, Tom.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Wednesday evening, after I traveled into NYC from DC and then took a Long Island Railroad train out to Long Island, we traveled to have souvlaki at a lovely place right along the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s too bad it was kinda rainy, or else we could have sat right on the beach and enjoyed our gyros.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so tasty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must say, I’m a little disappointed at the lack of tasty Greek places in DC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve found a few really good kabob places where I can get hummus and dolmas in a pinch, but so far, I haven’t been able to find any Greek places. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I was particularly excited to enjoy what the Souvlaki Palace had to offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Bu20qDziJMig1h-pI2QXoLL5lp3uXiFmiLGw91p1iODt-_jf4iTiKGYR9yBxa-AqhrjKZjIkVPqZs3rCStrsNpC5WuCgHEgJm1o95fQEjCmzkq4RNEKRt2ohWuk6xyJsDJlJELcT_DQ/s1600/June+30+2011+132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Bu20qDziJMig1h-pI2QXoLL5lp3uXiFmiLGw91p1iODt-_jf4iTiKGYR9yBxa-AqhrjKZjIkVPqZs3rCStrsNpC5WuCgHEgJm1o95fQEjCmzkq4RNEKRt2ohWuk6xyJsDJlJELcT_DQ/s320/June+30+2011+132.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_KvXadJYYRWfYxhWEbJ6cLMCycfTX18L172HozoQdFpO9cTNkkDADYgyraD7iZIJGEZUcXmw9CFtJh3qJ_Go7PzeWdFQItz4emWGIkWLTEqb3tjF2Y1GijdrJGJQZU0G1fjlLLbARXo/s1600/June+30+2011+134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_KvXadJYYRWfYxhWEbJ6cLMCycfTX18L172HozoQdFpO9cTNkkDADYgyraD7iZIJGEZUcXmw9CFtJh3qJ_Go7PzeWdFQItz4emWGIkWLTEqb3tjF2Y1GijdrJGJQZU0G1fjlLLbARXo/s320/June+30+2011+134.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tasty Chicken Gyros</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After I completed the training session, much fun was had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Missynation got the chance to visit not one, but 2, count ‘em, TWO authentic Long Island diners!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had dinner at one, a two-story diner, that was quite a sight to behold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ordered “Long Island’s Best” mac-n-cheese that ended up being enough to feed a small army.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWjlNVxE4Fu61dHjcTvnB-wGNeYoe9aFx3KsX5AvGKsFqhwlKC990LyNf0y-0eaZT1sdM0gxXxuIybbFX562idcrRS-CwWtN2psCKis6rWM9__2G84IKmB1Dixz-SKzqKNmmdt-h1siI/s1600/June+30+2011+136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWjlNVxE4Fu61dHjcTvnB-wGNeYoe9aFx3KsX5AvGKsFqhwlKC990LyNf0y-0eaZT1sdM0gxXxuIybbFX562idcrRS-CwWtN2psCKis6rWM9__2G84IKmB1Dixz-SKzqKNmmdt-h1siI/s320/June+30+2011+136.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIpc3LL3ztUgfbMEnyiRcYxCnHRRaSn2ALDhVvMTM-y51CajWhl6tbw_4bCywthKhPqQPfNadszSGXUMSmOH2VgPpO-d_aSPO-hPzDzSgw5_3BpruIN7dqgvCUjmE0rgNJvj7XVv3Q3N8/s1600/June+30+2011+137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIpc3LL3ztUgfbMEnyiRcYxCnHRRaSn2ALDhVvMTM-y51CajWhl6tbw_4bCywthKhPqQPfNadszSGXUMSmOH2VgPpO-d_aSPO-hPzDzSgw5_3BpruIN7dqgvCUjmE0rgNJvj7XVv3Q3N8/s320/June+30+2011+137.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long Island's "best" mac-n-cheese (notice the fork for scale)</td></tr>
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The next morning, we visited another diner where I enjoyed breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ordered the Apple ‘n Cinnamon pancakes that came with eggs, sausage, ham AND bacon (like I needed that much food…) and the world’s smallest OJ.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DZURjzNPBvpuNL9HXCV7zeWDAI03WPmKavRdCYciIXr6HLMgLPCcUuqVrC9r5kWMWoztYl9d_h-iDoioLuQVWCdh-V4Kow9fNCtVKEPwWq3Zrm48F2CiVQ1CLexQekDmfWeBy0ftkuA/s1600/June+30+2011+146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DZURjzNPBvpuNL9HXCV7zeWDAI03WPmKavRdCYciIXr6HLMgLPCcUuqVrC9r5kWMWoztYl9d_h-iDoioLuQVWCdh-V4Kow9fNCtVKEPwWq3Zrm48F2CiVQ1CLexQekDmfWeBy0ftkuA/s320/June+30+2011+146.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCsb6Iofus1DjpBJClu9brPzosxLztpJ5plIGsH6xci2kdeVdUBGr_4JajhPW-rlKbfQMrWA5gHYU2Ks-KANa1Bd8cXqqxFJVrmdch5SM9P365dS6xLImye2daoJkMYWkNr_seGkBmgM/s1600/June+30+2011+149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCsb6Iofus1DjpBJClu9brPzosxLztpJ5plIGsH6xci2kdeVdUBGr_4JajhPW-rlKbfQMrWA5gHYU2Ks-KANa1Bd8cXqqxFJVrmdch5SM9P365dS6xLImye2daoJkMYWkNr_seGkBmgM/s320/June+30+2011+149.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">World's Smallest OJ (sweet 'n low added for scale)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEDGFHK9yHZHVOUtsRsx4gdlfETzECuGSJQd7JlgdZn4WZ9jiTP6l_ESEJdXK6ycxq9JMA7aXos-cPggb3cRvetsOaDrjuUkCrRx5BRps8tW1n9_XyS67D94jS16uH4y4NfciiSSN66wE/s1600/June+30+2011+150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEDGFHK9yHZHVOUtsRsx4gdlfETzECuGSJQd7JlgdZn4WZ9jiTP6l_ESEJdXK6ycxq9JMA7aXos-cPggb3cRvetsOaDrjuUkCrRx5BRps8tW1n9_XyS67D94jS16uH4y4NfciiSSN66wE/s320/June+30+2011+150.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ridiculous amount of food...</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After our filling breakfast at the diner, we headed out to Jones Beach State Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will admit that, before my tour of Long Island, I thought Long Island was all just industrial parks and crammed row houses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, Jones Beach was really pretty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a lovely boardwalk that runs for (seemingly) miles along the beach and I saw several folks out walking and running, even in the rainy weather.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAM0mPhVEFfkx2U_0ymbUNykvgozWy_kCdAkMPveQ6h7zdxWjgVbbAMBwQMX3i6ORrDo_srZ76DppPZ01cQkRLxVOi-BPVTl8Vpm0dhEh16_MW3uIK0gLWLoAALNd81P1RsGEuLHn2Xc/s1600/June+30+2011+140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAM0mPhVEFfkx2U_0ymbUNykvgozWy_kCdAkMPveQ6h7zdxWjgVbbAMBwQMX3i6ORrDo_srZ76DppPZ01cQkRLxVOi-BPVTl8Vpm0dhEh16_MW3uIK0gLWLoAALNd81P1RsGEuLHn2Xc/s320/June+30+2011+140.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some birds chillaxin' at Jones Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqa91xwPPewNBr5yHFg_eGB5306C8-zRuVFSlvQFh1lMdMMJvT-IkRno4l5x8A1E-mRi2agbLFTZ2ql3lt_vLUA2Ff1WQL0aOpUQ_MkXKxlMFA-gRQxfn6V4JyioHjOpC0ozBl3XzDxk/s1600/June+30+2011+142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqa91xwPPewNBr5yHFg_eGB5306C8-zRuVFSlvQFh1lMdMMJvT-IkRno4l5x8A1E-mRi2agbLFTZ2ql3lt_vLUA2Ff1WQL0aOpUQ_MkXKxlMFA-gRQxfn6V4JyioHjOpC0ozBl3XzDxk/s320/June+30+2011+142.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainy morning at Jones Beach State Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Before I left to take the LIRR back to NYC for my return trip to DC, Patty & I enjoyed a manicure/pedicure together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so excited because this was the first time in over 2 years that I’ve been able to have a mani/pedi with my friend in person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Often times I will chat on the phone with her while getting my toenails gussied up, but nothing compares to the joy of being able to sit next to my friend and relax while we shoot the breeze.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv01Gb2t5wsvJeLAZMqWn9r7f21EVbWlxz0qDgN-TUVdbYq2VuGml2R8qqQK6Qg82-1w8llh2W4F_Ujd8LuUt_CuYM5yFw-lP6nwnoQM-NqBhyphenhyphenM2dV4o_iUqQEV7I397wT8FdYfscScbw/s1600/June+30+2011+154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv01Gb2t5wsvJeLAZMqWn9r7f21EVbWlxz0qDgN-TUVdbYq2VuGml2R8qqQK6Qg82-1w8llh2W4F_Ujd8LuUt_CuYM5yFw-lP6nwnoQM-NqBhyphenhyphenM2dV4o_iUqQEV7I397wT8FdYfscScbw/s320/June+30+2011+154.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pedicure with Patty!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I ended up enjoying a very relaxing and fun time hanging with my friend in Long Island.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As such, I declare my friend’s new nickname to be: PartyPatty.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Yay.</div>missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-66164593817879181522011-05-13T12:33:00.000-07:002011-05-13T12:33:14.730-07:00Missynation gets into a fight with the Self Check-Out Scanner<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Last night, on my way home from work, I stopped off at the ol’ grocery store to pick up some necessities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like cat food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And dinner.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Since I was only getting a few items, I grabbed a hand cart and started off through the store with my hastily scribbled list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, I ended up with a few other things than were on my list and, by the time I’d finished, the hand cart was pretty well overloaded and was leaving a permanent mark on the crook of my arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The regular check-out lanes were pretty busy with people who, from the looks of their carts, were engaging in their weekly/monthly shopping trip.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As I only had “a few” items, I decided to go for the self checkout lane.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The following is a rough script of what transpired…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>:</span> Please scan your first item</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation:</span> [scan] [puts item in bag]</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please remove item from bag.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation</span>: [removes item from bag]</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please place the item in bag.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation:</span> [glares at machine; places item BACK in the bag.]</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please scan your next item</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation:</span> [scan]… [wait while holding can of parmesean cheese over bag]</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please place the item in bag.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation:</span> [placed item in bag; scans next item; puts next scanned item in bag – I’m not a slow lorus for crying out loud…]</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please remove last item from bag.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation:</span> I really don’t like your tone… [removes last item from bag]</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please place the item in bag</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation:</span> Really? It’s ok now? [places item BACK in bag… waits]</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please scan your next item.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation:</span> [audible sigh; scans milk carton]</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>{<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">at this point, the bag is pretty full, so I pull the first, full bag of the bag holder thingamajig and put the milk carton in the new bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I move the first, full bag to the side.</i>}</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please place the item in bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please remove item from bag. REMOVE UNSCANNED ITEMS FROM BAGGING AREA.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation:</span> There are no unscanned items in bagging area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just the first bag of crap you’ve already scanned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drop the ‘tude…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please wait for assistance {at which point the screen goes blank and a big clip-art picture of a cashier appears on the screen.}</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation:</span> I don’t need assistance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just need you to let me put the milk in the bag!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[I pick up the first bag and put it on the side]</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: {kinda with a smug voice} Please scan your next item</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation:</span> {under my breath}self-important scanner machine</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please wait for assistance.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation:</span> Aw, come ON!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I DON’T NEED assistance!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just need you to back off and let me scan my items and them put them in the bag at a normal speed!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: {pause}<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please place item in bag</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation</span>: {glare… pause… glare some more}</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please place item in bag</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation</span>: don’t push me…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please scan your next item</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>{now, I’m down to the big bag of cat food… then I’m done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Free from the tyrancial machine with the trumped up attitude of self-importance}</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation:</span> [scan big bag of cat food]</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please place item in bag</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>{now, the bag is so big that there’s no point in putting it in a bag, plus, it won’t fit in the bag I am currently “working on”, so I just put it on the floor.}</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please place item in bag.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation:</span> [sigh] I don’t want to put this in a bag.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please place item in bag. [pause] Please wait for assistance.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation</span>: NO!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will NOT wait for assistance!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t NEED assistance!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a big bag of cat food!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No bag!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bad scanner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let it go!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>{I should note that at this point, I glanced behind me to see three other people waiting in line for the next <s>evil scanner</s> marvel of technology to become available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two of the people looked at me like I just escaped from the looney bin and I swear took a tiny step backward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The third guy, who I should note was carrying in his arms a box of Hot Pockets and a bottle of Cabernet, just smiled at me and gave me a knowing nod…}</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please wait for assistance.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation</span>: [gives in and shoves the bag of cat food into a plastic grocery bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Said plastic grocery bag then rips.]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HAPPY NOW?????</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please scan your next item.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>{as I am now done scanning all my items, I finally find the “Pay Now” button and mash it on the screen out of frustration.}</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please wait for assistance.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation</span>: [glares at screen and smug scanner]</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Do you have any coupons?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation</span>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I did, I sure as hell am not going to try to use them here with you. [gently taps big “No Coupons” button]</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner</span>: Please select your form of payment.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>{I was actually able to make it through the rest of my transaction relatively unscathed, except for at the very end, when the little piss-ant machine had to get in the last word}</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red;">Self Checkout Scanner:</span> Please remember to take your receipt. Please remember to remove all your bags.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Missynation</span>: [picks up her three bags and the ripped one with the cat food in it gives out and the bag of cat food falls right on top of Missynation’s foot] Sonofa…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, yep, I’m now <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that girl</i> that gets into fights with inanimate objects (and, apparently loses) and yells at the self checkout scanner in the grocery store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next time you see me, say hi!</div>missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-52264183607031122452011-05-10T14:23:00.000-07:002011-05-10T14:23:33.052-07:00What the ????<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAuZ1oPsCh7yL-IsyzDJ6gFFEk6SzieYS7pEFS1AcBJEyNFg3z4BELm51fWlM4HCAL686U_i9KQ-YgYUBEx2_laVJkUETK5WEy9a4uEI5emPNpWhaye3dKjtSiFiXj-t6LkSAfRULDU-I/s1600/April+11%252C+2010+067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAuZ1oPsCh7yL-IsyzDJ6gFFEk6SzieYS7pEFS1AcBJEyNFg3z4BELm51fWlM4HCAL686U_i9KQ-YgYUBEx2_laVJkUETK5WEy9a4uEI5emPNpWhaye3dKjtSiFiXj-t6LkSAfRULDU-I/s320/April+11%252C+2010+067.JPG" width="239px" /></a></div>I don't know what I find more disturbing; the fact that they make "Dynasty Barbie" or the fact that they charge $44 for it.missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-12545728566110802692011-05-04T09:18:00.000-07:002011-05-04T09:18:38.236-07:00It's the Little Things in Life...<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I had a little moment last night/early this morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, since I have the disease known as sharingitis, I will tell you about it.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I went to bed last night around 10pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I know; I am old…)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so tired that I had a hard time making it through one chapter of my book (currently, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I finally made it to the end of the chapter and, before I could even put the book on the nightstand, I was asleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yay!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love sleep.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Sometime later, I woke up because I had to go to the bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was also very hot because I was ensconced by the two cats (aka, personal radiators; I seriously think that those folks who talk about how great Citgo is for giving them heating oil should just go out to their local shelter and adopt some furry friends and they will soon be complaining that they need power to run the fan…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>who knew something that weighs less than 10 pounds could produce more heat than a nuclear reactor????</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I debated for a moment if I could just hold it until it was time to get up, because usually, I wake up to go to the bathroom at 5:13am or something really close to the time the alarm goes off and then I’m like “man, I just got cheated out of 17 minutes* of sleep.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After realizing that it would probably not be a good idea to try to hold it, I decided to suck it up, get out of bed and just use the bathroom.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(yep, this blog has now devolved to me telling you about my bathroom habits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re welcome.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I tried a couple of times to get the cat on the outside to move, but Clara seems to gain about 50 lbs. when she’s sleeping and becomes an immovable object.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(curiously, she also insists on sleeping with some part of her touching me, usually her butt, hence the feline-induced night sweats…)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally (literally) chucked her off the bed and dashed, ok, stumbled down the hall in a sleepy stupor, to the bathroom.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Finished my business and stumbled back down the hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Climbed back into bed and glanced at the clock to see how much longer before the fateful buzz.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">12:26 am.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">SCORE!!!!!!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I had HOURS left before the stupid, evil alarm would go off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, some people I know probably hadn’t even gone to bed yet!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I was sooooo happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And immediately nestled back in my bed to return to my joyful slumber.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Lame? Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll still take it as a small victory.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Like I said, it’s the little things…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*I usually do not do complex math that early in the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or, ever, really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In all honestly, my real reaction is usually something along that lines of “%@#$^&@#* alarm clock…”</div>missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-91030092458379015772011-04-11T16:49:00.000-07:002011-04-11T16:49:32.925-07:00Random Thoughts on... Crunch 'n Munch<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I am usually a pretty shy person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, every once in a while, I will strike up a conversation with some random stranger about something innocuous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(maybe it’s my insecurity that, where there are 2 people in a room, why ignore them and pretend they’re not there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is the saying? ‘A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet?’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That could be how Ted Bundy was so good at what he did… suckers like me…)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Wow, this went off the rails faster than usual. (Suddenly the Crunch 'n Munch company posts a comment requesting that I please not mention their product and serial killers in the same sentence.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, last Friday, I was in the kitchen getting some hot water for my tea and the vending machine guy was also in the kitchen restocking the vending machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had the big box o’ snacks out and he was refilling the vending machine from the box, selecting random items.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spotted some Crunch ‘n Munch and suddenly was overtaken by Extrovert Missynation.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Ohhhh, Crunch ‘n Munch!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could you put some of that in the vending machine? I love Crunch ‘n Munch.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Mr. Vending Machine was polite enough to fill up the machine with some Crunch ‘n Munch.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Then, he filled up a WHOLE ENTIRE ROW with Crunch ‘n Munch. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRYE9Pt1Shl53gXky7T42e1KPiHIJcHuLqa2rjNvucgnc9C2iSGMldH9sIGepsAgJuwtTaZm7WWv4Pvwj7bWdOGwopA_80qux1czZJusrEu2iIK41zcI-Q2j8lSRmI6LhwTq-mRgTHzA/s1600/April+11%252C+2010+058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRYE9Pt1Shl53gXky7T42e1KPiHIJcHuLqa2rjNvucgnc9C2iSGMldH9sIGepsAgJuwtTaZm7WWv4Pvwj7bWdOGwopA_80qux1czZJusrEu2iIK41zcI-Q2j8lSRmI6LhwTq-mRgTHzA/s320/April+11%252C+2010+058.JPG" width="239" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I was so excited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I know, it doesn’t take much and I live a rather boring life…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am also aware of the high percentage of my posts that involve/revolve around food.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I thanked the guy for indulging my Crunch ‘n Munch cravings.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Later that morning, I was craving a snack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know, something that’s a little bit sweet, a little bit salty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HEY!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s Crunch ‘n Munch in the vending machine!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that’s just popcorn (a whole grain!) with a “little” caramel on it. Plus, peanuts, so there’s protein.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yay!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Yes, this is how my mind works when I’m hungry…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, I grabbed my dollar, headed down to the kitchen and hit the ol’ A-9 button for some Crunch ‘n Munch goodness.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrv57-4hr4_YtQLEXoWjvdQDdUbaF2qu4CcMOb0UI5wOFtxhlSa6kI44QDpoMGtPhC2QYBitq2fxD7XqQeoW1_ybm1ED5mfitCPaV-ESKhPW-TzDjBQPTp3DjxbOfyMtIBBO0bwTWITI/s1600/April+11%252C+2010+055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrv57-4hr4_YtQLEXoWjvdQDdUbaF2qu4CcMOb0UI5wOFtxhlSa6kI44QDpoMGtPhC2QYBitq2fxD7XqQeoW1_ybm1ED5mfitCPaV-ESKhPW-TzDjBQPTp3DjxbOfyMtIBBO0bwTWITI/s320/April+11%252C+2010+055.JPG" width="239" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">For 90 cents.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And then I opened the bag.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHV6Dn-Pxa7Y4FKcXK9KzYFAMxIi90Xs_qJ90kkgdoMWQnkIl33K57GC8bbemjbT0gcr1fBgqTB6IgFs3SeO4q1dh-OsxOSbIpIi8Uo9W2bKKZd2vsfAhzjWfxbm5e2yCMnwcrcHv_AUQ/s1600/April+11%252C+2010+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHV6Dn-Pxa7Y4FKcXK9KzYFAMxIi90Xs_qJ90kkgdoMWQnkIl33K57GC8bbemjbT0gcr1fBgqTB6IgFs3SeO4q1dh-OsxOSbIpIi8Uo9W2bKKZd2vsfAhzjWfxbm5e2yCMnwcrcHv_AUQ/s320/April+11%252C+2010+022.JPG" width="239" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">90 cents?!!?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For this?????</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The bag’s only ½ full!!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the Crunch ‘n Munch!?!!??</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, I paid 90 cents for 1 oz. of Crunch ‘n Munch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, I’m no economist, but I work with a lot of them and I’m pretty sure they would tell me that was a bad deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got hosed.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Curiously, my Crunch ‘n Munch cravings trailed off. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Until Thursday afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I glanced at the vending machine (as I filled up for my 3<sup>rd</sup> or 4<sup>th</sup> cup of tea that day) and noticed there was a lot of Crunch ‘n Munch left in the vending machine.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Suddenly, I felt, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">conflicted</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Am I responsible for making sure the Crunch ‘n Munch is eaten so Mr. Vending Machine doesn’t think he made a bad choice indulging my craving?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should I start a division-wide publicity campaign for the Crunch ‘n Munch?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the heck is wrong with me and how do I fix this????</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I figured I’d give the Crunch ‘n Munch another shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I just got a stingy bag.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">90 cents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A-9. Drop.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgip2JnJkwse1RmjQ5Tcv8MiYXksAWClRd3ZSIwNhrhR3eF5zUS3KLnrQNqYO-5puYuJmMLrnmfJt-JAerAJPOy1wIUN89xvVz9NWKIOP8owIgNh3I3ZJGkoIzYhCKitNScodJaoKTreMM/s1600/April+11%252C+2010+057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgip2JnJkwse1RmjQ5Tcv8MiYXksAWClRd3ZSIwNhrhR3eF5zUS3KLnrQNqYO-5puYuJmMLrnmfJt-JAerAJPOy1wIUN89xvVz9NWKIOP8owIgNh3I3ZJGkoIzYhCKitNScodJaoKTreMM/s320/April+11%252C+2010+057.JPG" width="239" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Nope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Still ½ full.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I tried. I bought 2 things out of the vending machine over the last week (and that’s actually 2 more than I usually get).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot single-handedly consume the entire overpriced Crunch ‘n Munch in the vending machine.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I felt fine about my decision and my actions.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Until the next morning, when I was headed to the kitchen to get some hot water and I heard the rustling of candy wrappers and chip bags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Vending Machine was back to refill the vending machine.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, I did what any self-respecting person would do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly and quietly dashed back to my office to wait a few minutes until he left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to have to explain how the Crunch ‘n Munch was still there. I didn’t want to say “90 Cents for one friggin’ ounce? Of popcorn?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you crazy????”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Le sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(ok, le cower…)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Next time I want Crunch ‘n Munch, I’ll just go down the block and pick some up from the CVS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least then, I’ll get some extrabucks for it…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-11330492182388389312011-04-01T05:31:00.000-07:002011-04-01T05:31:31.902-07:00Following the Pie Truck Around<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Sadly, I have not been going to the gym as much as I would like… well, let me clarify. As much as I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And perhaps that’s where the problem lies: I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">have</i> been going as much as I <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">like</i></b>…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I did go to the gym on Monday for Pilates and I went to the gym Wednesday for a workout with my trainer.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And, since I aim to be as honest as possible here, I’ll admit this: I had pie for lunch yesterday.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Yep, you read that right, pie.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I read on the blog <a href="http://letthetidepullyourdreamsashore.blogspot.com/">Let The Tide Pull Your Dreams Ashore</a> a while ago about something called the “Baltimore Bomb” pie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s made up of Berger Cookies (which apparently are very famous in Baltimore) and a kind of vanilla pudding/chess type filling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a place that makes the Baltimore Bomb called the Dangerously Delicious Pie Co., and, I recently discovered that they have their very own food truck.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The food truck phenomenon has hit DC hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the past year or so, we have seen an explosion of food trucks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve seen the empanada truck, the Mac ‘n Cheese truck, the Lobster Roll truck, various cupcake trucks, and several others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, when I heard about the Dangerously Delicious Pie truck, I was intrigued and figured this could be my chance to try to Baltimore Bomb pie without, you know, hoofing it to Baltimore.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I started following the Pie truck on twitter, hoping that someday, they would schedule a stop close to my work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That day finally arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got the twitter notice, or “tweet” that they would be just one block from my office.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, I walked out to the pie truck, and perused the menu. They did have the Baltimore Bomb pie, but they also had so many other types of pie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, they weren’t just sweet pies; they also had savory pies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I had actually forgotten to grab my lunch before I rushed out the door in the morning, I thought I might try one of their savory pies for lunch and grab a sweet pie to save for later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, I saw they had a chocolate peanut butter pie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hubs <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="color: red;">♥</span></span>s chocolate & peanut butter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I picked up a piece of that to give him for after dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also got a slice of the Baltimore Bomb to try at home with Hubs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then I saw they had something called “winter berry”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had apples, blueberries and cranberries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I thought, I’d like to try one of those.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I am embarrassed to type that I got 4 slices of pie. (in my defense, they were not all for me; all except one was intended to share!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got back to my office, I was so hungry that I just started scarfing down the savory pie (which had steak, mushroom, onion and gruyere and a little bit of cream.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had about 3 bites before I realized it was just too rich.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that if I ate the rest of it, I would have the biggest stomach ache later on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, it was a little heavy on the onion and I’m more of an ‘onion-in-moderation’ type of gal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I had a few bites of that pie, but I was still hungry, and I wanted to kinda get the flavor of the savory pie out of my mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Sooooooo, I turned to try a bite of the winter berry pie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was sooo good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just the right amount of sweet and tart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly, before I really paused to evaluate the situation, I had eaten most of the slice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least, in my defense, it had a lot of fruit in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(No?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not going for that one?? Ok, give me a minute…)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I did stop myself before I finished the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">whole</i> slice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I left about 1/3 of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was gooooood. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Until about 2 ½ hours later when I found myself in the gym, working out, and intermittently burping up the savory pie…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>not good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Curiously, the fruit pie was just fine, with no encores… I blame all those dang onions!)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I did make it through the workout without tossing my cookies (or pie, as the case may be) but I think I learned my lesson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That lesson is: Pie is not a wise pre-workout meal choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Message received.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And, that workout was TOUGH!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was dying about 20 minutes into it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One new thing my trainer had me do was the “rope swing.” I’ve seen folks do this on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Biggest Loser</i> and always thought, ‘what’s so tough about that? Looks pretty simple to me.’ Heh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, God heard me and had his finger on the “Smite” button.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It. Is. HARD!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a huge, heavy rope and just swinging it back and forth is exhausting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, the point is, if you are looking for something new and challenging, don’t ignore that huge rope in the gym.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, whatever you do, do not mock it; it will make you pay.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(I actually asked my trainer if he would take some pictures of me doing some of these exercises, but he said he would probably get fired if someone complained that he was taking pictures on the floor; fair enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Although </span>I would have loved to have some pics of the rope swing to show you…)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Later that night (I promise, I’m getting to the point) I shared my pie purchases with Hubs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He really liked the chocolate peanut butter pie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought the Baltimore Bomb was “ok.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s good, but not great.” Which was just fine with me because I thought it was quite tasty!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, I’m not a huge fan of chocolate & peanut butter, so I was happy to let him enjoy that one.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After we finished our respective pies, (and Hubs told me some nasty & sad story about a man who ate so much and didn’t get off a chair for 2 years that he got stuck to the chair – literally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks for at least letting me swallow the piece of pie I had in my mouth before sharing that Hubs…) I realized that, if I counted the 3 bites of savory pie I had at lunch, and I should, I had eaten 3 slices of pie that day. THREE!!!!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">That’s when I said to Hubs, “I think I need to unfollow* the DC Pie Truck.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(*now, for those of you who are familiar with twitter, you know the term “unfollow” means that you basically elect to no longer get tweets from a certain source you previously signed up to get tweets from, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You just say, “thanks, I don’t need to know about your comings and goings on a minute-by-minute basis anymore.”)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Hubs then says this:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Yeah, I think you should quit following the pie truck around.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Silence.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Deep breath.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I’M NOT FOLLOWING THE PIE TRUCK <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">AROUND</span></i></b>!!!!!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not chasing after them in the streets screaming “I NEED PIE!!!!”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Really, I’m not. Really.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, last night, right before I went to bed, I unfollowed the DC Pie Truck.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But I’m still following @BronxZoosCobra.</div>missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-52163015972068969042011-03-31T05:39:00.000-07:002011-03-31T05:39:21.947-07:00Watch Over YouSometimes, music and song can sum up feelings better than anything else.<br />
<br />
"Watch Over You" by Alter Bridge<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Leaves are on the ground</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Fall has come</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Blue Skies turning grey</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Like my love</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I tried to carry you</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And make you whole</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But it was never enough</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And I must go</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And who is gonna save you when I’m gone?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And who’ll watch over you</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When I’m gone</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">You say you care for me </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But hide it well</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">How can you love someone</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But not yourself</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And who is gonna save you when I’m gone</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And who’ll watch over you</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When I’m gone</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And when I’m gone</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Who’ll break your fall</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Who will you blame</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I can’t go on,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And watch you lose it all</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It’s more than I can take</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Who’ll ease your pain</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Ease your pain</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And who is gonna save you when I’m gone</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And who’ll watch over you</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And who will give you strength when you’re not strong</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Who’ll watch over you when I’ve gone away</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Snow is on the ground</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Winter’s come</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">You long to hear my voice</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But I’m long gone</div><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lIdymq0DZc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lIdymq0DZc</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9lIdymq0DZc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-65328016745585942852011-03-25T07:05:00.000-07:002011-03-25T07:12:26.366-07:00Missynation Takes the Bus<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On Wednesday, I took the metrobus for the first time ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like, in my life.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I’ve taken metrorail thousands of times, so it’s not that I’m a neophyte to public transportation or some sort of Public Transit snob. I’ve just never had a need to take the bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I usually take the subway (or Metrorail, as they call it here, or, just metro…) to work or I will walk to & from work since I only live about 2.5 miles from work.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My friend recently moved to the Columbia Heights area of DC and she suggested that I take the bus up to Columbia Heights to meet her for dinner one night and see her new place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She even mentioned that the bus that would take me right up to about a block away from her place and the bus could pick me up one block away from my work. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVeVWNXAu4VXN_7RJxAc2y-bSVSvz2dkKSPjh6oGtVsccHG215rnhy7Rq7Uf354IL4cSxVCspC1imwaZpc7MH4eZovTFhGbF6Nk3N1Sm4mvNnByWx_tb611rZUfFhrfCVlM-EPi-nbnKw/s1600/bus+stop+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVeVWNXAu4VXN_7RJxAc2y-bSVSvz2dkKSPjh6oGtVsccHG215rnhy7Rq7Uf354IL4cSxVCspC1imwaZpc7MH4eZovTFhGbF6Nk3N1Sm4mvNnByWx_tb611rZUfFhrfCVlM-EPi-nbnKw/s320/bus+stop+1.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sign for the bus stop!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gNWb0uOI-grH5tEn862nOwO0DNxgbOpJALaP96xh95jex6AwcQIU8zagqrnFD2ETQDSduK0R5HIMd08qrLBBDwdz7quwyzATdwlLWP0kqL7RienPL-m2P2mLJSN-JTjbD7jMDBR7q8U/s1600/photo+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gNWb0uOI-grH5tEn862nOwO0DNxgbOpJALaP96xh95jex6AwcQIU8zagqrnFD2ETQDSduK0R5HIMd08qrLBBDwdz7quwyzATdwlLWP0kqL7RienPL-m2P2mLJSN-JTjbD7jMDBR7q8U/s320/photo+%25287%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And, look! A bus stopped!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I’ll usually try anything once, so I was game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, did I mention that I’ve never taken the bus before?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Cause I haven’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Except once, years ago, in Edinburgh, Scotland and I ended up going on an extended tour of the city at about 11pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until the bus driver stopped the bus, told me I’d run out the original fare I put in, and had to pay again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had no change, so I had to run (literally; he said he’d wait 2 minutes) to a Sainsbury’s (which is a grocery store in England & Scotland) to try to get some change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was bewildering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, I think that bus driver was a jerk.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, I was a little nervous about taking the bus.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I must have checked the schedule two dozen times to be sure I would get to the bus stop in time. (mind you, the bus stop was a whole 5 minute walk – if that – from my office.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got to the stop, I quadruple-checked the schedule and that it would go where I needed it to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even counted the number of stops listed before I needed to get off. (What? Who said I was paranoid? I’m not paranoid…)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHangFfrvmyENEguZda5qXc7SAcAuomb7BQCNGNLMRracUSg6cQvuHaC4074MS0sqHq2r_1Ma9lSenLePKFUuSovqZFejfsrvJVIE3Zq_C2EdQyEj0IxkPl3LLTbvp1sN8H1dy6D1W1do/s1600/photo+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHangFfrvmyENEguZda5qXc7SAcAuomb7BQCNGNLMRracUSg6cQvuHaC4074MS0sqHq2r_1Ma9lSenLePKFUuSovqZFejfsrvJVIE3Zq_C2EdQyEj0IxkPl3LLTbvp1sN8H1dy6D1W1do/s320/photo+%25286%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I studied this like I was going to be tested on it</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Two other busses came by before the one I was supposed to get on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People waiting seemed relaxed and it seemed to be pretty straightforward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nobody seemed to be panicking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcNRirF0ILMFuy-5NtIqP6zfxOkfB_W1wLgUAna-z5Npbv9AntnxfB-qjVoUhufFO6gIRRHhZUbF1yoocUjKnC4LZrtsGj_fIlqgvm65zX-FbkxqSsBuMbt4FAqe2TfyTMF6-OlLhxVM/s1600/photo+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcNRirF0ILMFuy-5NtIqP6zfxOkfB_W1wLgUAna-z5Npbv9AntnxfB-qjVoUhufFO6gIRRHhZUbF1yoocUjKnC4LZrtsGj_fIlqgvm65zX-FbkxqSsBuMbt4FAqe2TfyTMF6-OlLhxVM/s320/photo+%25287%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">not my bus</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY5I00ER83sTUGDyhmQY3VOR-dcDmsiTWbbwvyh9gdBeCibuKPn56lgQgwlOI2sCG6vgiY1T5cOiHZNQqIB0BN2rAth1-NbD9eoF01DR7lsWWmhUQPiunD7ZaQAzO8I6OXXXISwn5T1tk/s1600/photo+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY5I00ER83sTUGDyhmQY3VOR-dcDmsiTWbbwvyh9gdBeCibuKPn56lgQgwlOI2sCG6vgiY1T5cOiHZNQqIB0BN2rAth1-NbD9eoF01DR7lsWWmhUQPiunD7ZaQAzO8I6OXXXISwn5T1tk/s320/photo+%25284%2529.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MY bus!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Finally, I saw “my” bus coming up to the stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got on, swiped my smarttrip card, and sat down in the first seat I saw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everybody seemed relaxed, like this was no big deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some folks were reading the paper, some folks were chit-chatting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two girls sitting behind me were discussing where to get off and what bus to transfer to to get where they needed to go, so at least I wasn’t the only one a little unfamiliar with the whole system. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It turned out that I didn’t need to memorize the number of stops, because for each stop, the automated system on the bus would announce the next stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I just had to listen for “Irving & 14<sup>th</sup> Street, Next.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which allowed me to just look out the window at different parts of the city that I never really explore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Until my friend moved a few weeks ago, I didn’t know anybody who lived in that part of the city, so there was really no need for me to go up there.)</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnzoRWAioKG0vF1GvwVIegqMazfx-2Ncxsgri9xO2UObuSLfBjkR36XOSwbBrJpXCZfHXJiCKqdCs0-FO8jAqdzqECdqadG6H663r-QutI1Exb7hrgEp2N4Z3j6mIa8xjBKiVBCpNk6Q/s1600/photo+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnzoRWAioKG0vF1GvwVIegqMazfx-2Ncxsgri9xO2UObuSLfBjkR36XOSwbBrJpXCZfHXJiCKqdCs0-FO8jAqdzqECdqadG6H663r-QutI1Exb7hrgEp2N4Z3j6mIa8xjBKiVBCpNk6Q/s320/photo+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the bus. Notice the sign announcing the next stop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> I saw lots of interesting statutes, different embassies, and a bustling area of the city at rush hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also noticed an interesting ad on the bus that said “Use Cocaine? We want to talk to you!” (I bet, I thought.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an ad looking for cocaine users to participate in a study on the effects of cocaine on the body and brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(not real sure why we need a study done on that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Didn’t those folks see those ads with the whole egg that said ‘this is your brain’ and then an egg frying in a frying pan that said ‘this is your brain on drugs’?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t yet seen that ad on the subway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have seen the ad asking if I take antidepressants or if I’m going through menopause, because they want to study me if I’ve got those things going on…<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpiIEa_zDwcH3m6XfeZD8pcj5aSjJJiOK5qCYf3Kma8Cor1EbiH0HmJ4uHvvQpE4Kv-hktwtl80VExHE9KmUnlB6nuPwZzy6pc6JgamCLfdyazclBYI3-MAwAesIkBNNCweLcOZMIgj0/s1600/ad+in+bus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpiIEa_zDwcH3m6XfeZD8pcj5aSjJJiOK5qCYf3Kma8Cor1EbiH0HmJ4uHvvQpE4Kv-hktwtl80VExHE9KmUnlB6nuPwZzy6pc6JgamCLfdyazclBYI3-MAwAesIkBNNCweLcOZMIgj0/s320/ad+in+bus.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sorry it's blurry. The ad says "Use Cocaine? It's confidental!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I finally heard my stop announced and another person on the bus pulled the cord so “Stop Requested” was announced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a little relieved, because, I didn’t know if I was supposed to say I needed to get off and if I didn’t, would the driver just ignore that stop?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the Metrorail, the train stops at every station, regardless of whether someone gets on or off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I’ve only heard of them skipping a station once in the 10+ years I’ve lived here and that was on the blue line during a rush hour where the trains were really backed up and so they skipped the Arlington Cemetery stop, which actually made sense because it was after dark and I think the cemetery was closed anyway.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Point is, the trains stop at every station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does the bus? I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, when someone said they needed to get off, I was somewhat relieved and just got off at the stop for Irving and 14<sup>th</sup> street.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgW9TTjNKDrYISMnCMy67MJ8y-t05CWyWp2Z8umNTyndfIIKtIyLQbKftBJ-kjTIvSv80EbuyzRmGIJNnd7aO70ZvZggkSFGLIq7Se11PKhRafRBvyXD16ECTa-2dU2ELQ3VBNsBUsYXo/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgW9TTjNKDrYISMnCMy67MJ8y-t05CWyWp2Z8umNTyndfIIKtIyLQbKftBJ-kjTIvSv80EbuyzRmGIJNnd7aO70ZvZggkSFGLIq7Se11PKhRafRBvyXD16ECTa-2dU2ELQ3VBNsBUsYXo/s320/photo+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fin! At my destination</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My friend was right there to meet me and so we started walking around until we found a nice place for dinner.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, Missynation survived her first trip on the bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I didn’t even have to run into a Safeway and get change!</div>missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-17497394401566270312011-03-23T07:28:00.000-07:002011-03-23T07:30:57.026-07:00Anybody home?It's been a while since I last posted anything, and even that was some random ramblings on tea...<br />
<br />
truthfully, not a lot of good stuff has happened in the last 3 weeks. I've had to deal with some family drama, and I've learned that I have incredible friends and a supportive husband, but that hasn't really made the crap any less crappy... le sigh...<br />
<br />
I did have a couple of things that I thought about blogging about before they happened and after, but in the moment, I didn't remember to take any pictures so it feels kind of lame now. (to be fair, they both invovled food; taking two friends to 2 restaurants they hadn't tried before, and one of the restaurants was "Hooters" - don't judge; the wings and buffalo shrimp are really good - and so whiping the camera phone out in "Hooters" might have led folks to get the wrong idea...)<br />
The other one involved introducing my freind to the joy of Chik-fil-a. She hadn't been there before (or at least in a really long time), so we met for dinner there (yes, I know that sounds lame, but, again, don't judge...) but, I was so hungry that I scarffed down all my food before I thought to capture the moment on film. <br />
<br />
(Has this blog really devolved so much that we now just have shots of Missynation's fast-food dinners to look forward to?????? discuss.)<br />
<br />
So, that was pretty lame, but there it is. I also promised my freind that there would be no pictures of her "stuffing her face" on the internet. Fair enough.<br />
<br />
Other than that, my life has been pretty blah over the last few weeks.<br />
<br />
I did go running on Friday afternoon after work. It was a gourgeous day so hubs and I went for a run along the Potomac River and then up by the Iwo Jima Memorial. I felt pretty good. My hip didn't hurt during or after the run. Although it did start to hurt a little on Saturday afternoon; which led me to be paranoid that I'd somehow broken my hip... again.<br />
<br />
By Monday afternoon, it felt much better. Stretching seemed to help too. I have been taking it easy this week so far. I did pilates on Monday morning, and then I had a strength training session with my trainer on Tuesday. This morning, I woke up at 0'dark thirty (seriously, 5am. It was dark outside) and went to the gym (le shock!) and went swimming. (le double shock!!)<br />
<br />
So, that's what I'm trying to do. If I commit to doing something physical every day (for a goal of 60 min), maybe that will help with my weight loss.<br />
<br />
As I told my buddy, Starbuck77 on Saturday, since I was put on crutches back in August, I've gained about 15 lbs., which means a lot of my clothes don't fit so much anymore... (le grrrrrr) <br />
<br />
So, I'd really like to lose some of the weight I gained when I couldn't do anything physical but drown my sorrows in cookie crisp... (le white trash...)<br />
<br />
I'm inspired by my other friend (and fellow blogger) Angela, and her daily updates over on The Mission Continues (<a href="http://flexsummer2010.blogspot.com/">http://flexsummer2010.blogspot.com/</a>) so, I'll share my weight loss goals here with you.<br />
<br />
Right now, I weigh (cough) <span style="font-size: xx-small;">138lbs</span>.(cough) What's that? You can't read that? Oh, all right. It's 138 lbs. (le jiggle)<br />
I would like to lose at least the 15 pounds I gained since August, so I guess that would leave me with a goal weight of <span style="font-size: x-small;">(carry the 7... remainder of 4...)</span> 123lbs. (Yep, I had to bust out the ol' calculator for that one... classics major here, folks!)<br />
<br />
Ideally, it would be nice to be in better shape (and hit my target weight) by the time I head to Las Vegas at the end of June with my freinds. That way, I won't feel so self-conscious sitting out by the pool. (and, what's the point of going to Vegas in the middle of the summer if I'm not going to sit out by the pool a little????)<br />
<br />
So, while this isn't strictly a fitness blog, and my freinds have mentioned that they aren't so interested in reading all about my running and stuff, (not to mention I only have one follower and I don't want to drive them away... :-)) I'll probably just add my updates to the end of my regularly random posts... that way you don't have to suffer through a daily log of food diary type entries unless you want to and you can still be party to the fleeting thoughts that come into (and go right back out of) my head...<br />
<br />
Deal???<br />
<br />
Ok, well I've got to go plan what fast-food joint I'm gonna hit up for lunch so I can take random pictures of my food to post for the world to see. KIDDING!<br />
<br />
but, really, le bye!missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-46102050553489938252011-03-04T12:58:00.000-08:002011-03-04T12:58:17.893-08:00Random thoughts on... TEAI am not a coffee drinker.<br />
<br />
There. I said it.<br />
<br />
Hubs is; he's a HUGE coffee drinker. (like 10 cups a day, some of which are brewed and consumed late in the evening!)<br />
<br />
I like tea. Lots of different kinds of tea. <br />
<br />
In fact, taking a look at the collection of tea I have in my desk at work makes me wonder if I don't have a problem...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNNKJ2EVIoUfzLwxsi63gDrGFdZmQVR8i2zvK9hvdvrcvrZB4BoGgfmNhYeHNHjnVdP2LIw2Jam7BkMiKaI4barOQVe1BH7y02qL6_VeubpVejgOn3h7rr9QP_I0VHjwrq3oVoUq73pc/s1600/Tea+collection.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNNKJ2EVIoUfzLwxsi63gDrGFdZmQVR8i2zvK9hvdvrcvrZB4BoGgfmNhYeHNHjnVdP2LIw2Jam7BkMiKaI4barOQVe1BH7y02qL6_VeubpVejgOn3h7rr9QP_I0VHjwrq3oVoUq73pc/s320/Tea+collection.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>keep in mind, this is just the stuff I have AT WORK. There's even <em>MORE</em> at HOME!!! Plus, this picture doesn't include the loose bags of P&G Tips, Maple Tea, and Madagascar Vanilla Rooibos Red tea stashed in a little baggie...<br />
<br />
Now, while I don't enjoy drinking coffee, I love the smell of it. And, occasionally, I will drink a cup. Particularly if I happen to find myself at a Dunkin' Donuts; I'll get a medium french vanilla with extra creme and extra sugar. One the rare occasions that I do have a cup of coffee, people usually make fun of me beacuse I put so much creme and sugar in it. But, with tea, I drink it straight up. <br />
<br />
Actually, I can't stand milk or sugar in my tea. I think it tastes gross. (I know, I know, my "Southerner" card has just been revoked and Southern Living has just cancled my subscription immediately, but I CANNOT STAND sweet tea. I think I am the only person born below the Mason-Dixon line that always orders UNsweet tea; even at chik-fil-a and Bojangles...)<br />
<br />
I prefer to enjoy the flavor of the tea all by itself. <br />
<br />
Somebody once told me that they try to like tea, but after a few sips, they realize that it just tastes like hot water to them. Not me. I don't want to sound like a tea snob, but I can DEFINTILEY tell the difference in taste between a certain black teas, green teas, white teas, and hot water.<br />
<br />
I just finished drinking a cup of the "Chocolate Mint" tea included in the picture above. I must admit, the first time I tried it, I was skeptical. And it smells a lot stronger than it tastes. But it tastes so nice; it's like an Andes Mint, without the sweetness. It also has the benefit of making my office smell really nice and reminding me of a crisp fall day. <br />
<br />
There are actually many teas that have a flavor memory for me: The Mango Ceylon reminds me of the middle of summer beacuse that is when Hubs first gave me an iced tea pitcher along with a box of Mango Ceylon to make iced tea with.<br />
<br />
Bigelow's Constant Comment (which is one of my absolute faves: if any freinds are ever stumped on what to get me for my birthday, you can seriously go to the grocery store and get me a box of this and I would be soooo thrilled! In fact, it's a gift my dad gives my mom every year for Chirstmas and she loves it. - or, she's a really good actress...) anywho, Constant Comment reminds me of the holidays. A spicy citrusy blend that just FEELS like November and December to me.<br />
<br />
And, I find watching the tea brew in my cup kinda relaxing. I enjoy watching the layers of flavor emerge from the tea bag as its submerged in the hot water. Seeing the flavors swirl from the bottom to the top as the water darkens and the tea steeps stronger. <br />
<br />
Kooky, right? Some folks enjoy the hustle and bussel of yelling their order to an indifferent barista in the special starbucks language, but give me a clean mug with some hot water and a bag of tea, and I'm a pretty happy girl.missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-43342476257600203772011-03-03T07:27:00.000-08:002011-03-03T07:27:05.169-08:00The best way to end a stressful dayYesterday was a very stressful day for me. It was just non-stop, go go go all day. My four projects that have been just sitting around on various peoples' desks all pulled a Lazarus at the same time and all became "high priority", which means I went from having stuff to do, but not overwhelmed, to panic-everything-has-to-be-done-by-next-Monday...<br />
<br />
great.<br />
<br />
I would much rather be busy than bored (I find it makes the day go by faster when I have stuff to do) but there has to be <em>some</em> middle ground between "I've reached the end of the internet" and "I don't have time to go to the bathroom I'm so busy...." Right???<br />
<br />
So, when hubs called to ask how my day was going, I couldn't even muster up frustration; I just responded "Meh..." Then, he asked what I wanted to do for the evening.<br />
<br />
Now, I know I probably <em>should</em> have responded that I wanted to go to the 6:30 spinning class and follow that up with the Gentle Yoga class for the evening.<br />
<br />
But, I really didn't want to go to the gym. I wanted to go home, put on my pre-pajamas (loungy clothes), watch Pushing Daisies on the Netflix, and have a root beer float.<br />
<br />
That was my dream plan for last evening.<br />
<br />
Hubs agreed that we could make that happen. Since we didn't actually have any vanilla ice cream (or, any ice cream) at home, we figured we'd walk by the Safeway on the way home and pick some up. Plus, we needed trash bags. (Exciting, I know. But we really <em>did</em> need them. We had none at home, and, as mighty as those Wegman's plastic grocery bags are, I don't think I can make one fit our big kitchen trashcan...)<br />
<br />
So, we hit up the Safeway before we went home, picked up some trash bags (mission critical), French Vanilla Ice Cream (mission EVEN MORE critical) and some taco shells so we could make tacos for dinner.<br />
<br />
After we got home, and I briefly collapsed on the bed from the exhaustion of the day, I slipped into my loungy clothes, made some tasty tacos, and went downstairs to enjoy the fireplace, a persistent kitty who decided that she REALLY wanted some taco, and watched an episode of Pushing Daisies.<br />
<br />
Then, the grand finale: I made my root beer float (complete in ice cream shoppe glasses that hubs procalimed he didn't know we had or even <em>why</em> we had them... whatev) and enjoyed another episode of Pushing Daisies.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHh72xbZTBQmkk8v05-kyJcNHVf_IUf9cbnCeYI0YaJgVQVUhjc5PPND0p9QOoAsYFUkSnIIF5_ygXK5A9-SXDlfSTo-bQgLABl7mGQ4MjO39w5tCJROOmDC6FiT4TL750Vyfb_oW-YEk/s1600/root+beer+float.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHh72xbZTBQmkk8v05-kyJcNHVf_IUf9cbnCeYI0YaJgVQVUhjc5PPND0p9QOoAsYFUkSnIIF5_ygXK5A9-SXDlfSTo-bQgLABl7mGQ4MjO39w5tCJROOmDC6FiT4TL750Vyfb_oW-YEk/s320/root+beer+float.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's the picture of happiness for me: a fire, Dolley on her perch, a tasty treat... all that's missing is Hubs, but he's right beside me enjoying his own root beer float</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Sooooo good.<br />
<br />
That was my evening and, for my money, the most relaxing end to a very stressful day. <br />
<br />
Besides, there will be another spin class...missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-24886235608995949992011-03-01T12:56:00.000-08:002011-03-01T12:56:52.884-08:00"You're petite, but you're not a noodle..."What does that MEAN????<br />
<br />
Yep, those words came out of my orthopaedists mouth yesterday as we had our last date; or, right before he said "good luck; come back if you have any problems."<br />
<br />
As I went in for my umpteenth follow-up appointment, he did all the usual strength and flexion evaluations and then he asked if I had been running. I said "yes." (don't judge; I HAVE been running, just not as much as I probably should have) and then he asked if I had any races I was training for. I explained that I've got the half marathon in May that I'm working towards and then said "don't yell at me, but I registered for the Marine Corps Marathon" and then I explained how it wasn't really my fault and hubs' puppy dog eyes and all that. <br />
<br />
To which my doc said it was ok and I should go for it while being mindful of the limits of my body and then he said "look, you're petite [pause], but you're not a noodle."<br />
<br />
I just looked at him.<br />
<br />
Huh??? I don't understand. Then he explained... "See, I love to run, but I'm not a super skinny guy..." (Now, he's no Russell Brand, but he's not exaclty Dom DeLuise either) "and you're not a ...[makes hand motion like he's fitting his hands around barbie's waist] like other <em>runners</em>..."<br />
<br />
So... I think he was saying that I've got some girth on me???? I'm not a waif????<br />
<br />
He soldiered on "and I can run half marathons and ten milers and 10Ks. But my knees just can't handle a marathon."<br />
<br />
I think his point was that maybe my body isn't built for a marathon? Maybe??<br />
<br />
I don't know, but it was an odd conversation.<br />
<br />
If anybody else has any idea what the heck the phrase "you're not a noodle" means... feel free to share. The possibilities are endless.missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-25716470794312838492011-02-24T14:42:00.000-08:002011-02-24T14:42:49.350-08:00Something to Work TowardsWell, despite all common sense and the writing on the wall, I've done it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yy61S7MDZZw624tdVqgOBtYF14uspWNn9S_s0qgs7jhp6AXw5TbtNJdxrrodm4Lojsz9-6C-uZPyxqNfLuVhCgVlaMcnCZZ9jV0OYjVZE7OcLKar6ZcXM_fb12Sn3GjjGHgpp-2DCSA/s1600/MCM+Logo.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="101" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yy61S7MDZZw624tdVqgOBtYF14uspWNn9S_s0qgs7jhp6AXw5TbtNJdxrrodm4Lojsz9-6C-uZPyxqNfLuVhCgVlaMcnCZZ9jV0OYjVZE7OcLKar6ZcXM_fb12Sn3GjjGHgpp-2DCSA/s320/MCM+Logo.bmp" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I've registered for the 2011 Marine Corps Marathon.<br />
<br />
Now, if you didn't follow me over here from my active blog, which, lets face it, would probably be all (2) of you, you probably don't know the back story.<br />
<br />
This is actually the 4th (FOURTH!!!) time I've registered for the MCM. The first year, I developed a stress fracture in my left shin. I was able to heal up in time to switch my Marathon registration to the 10K and run the MCM10K, which is held on the same day as the marathon. The following year, I developed achilles tendinitis and had to do the same thing as the year before; switch to running the 10K. Now, both times, I will absolutely cop to not training (or, not training properly; as in, not running for several weeks/months and then panicking and going out to run some distance I wasn't prepared for).<br />
<br />
Last year, I was so proud of myself. I had learned my lesson from previous years. I was training smart; I'd even joined a local running club for a smart, sensible, progressive training program. Yes siriee, the third time was the charm! This would be my year! I would finish the Marine Corps Marathon! And on Halloween in a cute costume, no less!<br />
<br />
Or, here's another idea: I could BREAK MY HIP and end up on crutches for 2 1/2 months and not allowed to do ANYTHING PHYSICAL for the majority of the year from mid-July through December! How 'bout THAT???????<br />
<br />
Yeah, so, that's what happened; the 2nd option there. And let me say (again), it SUCKED! Large time.<br />
<br />
So, after talking with hubs (who is some sort of bionic freak who has run and finished the MCM the past 3 years in a row; and he didn't even train for the 2nd one!) I decided to take the plunge and register for this year. I am going to give it a shot. My training will be slow. Like molasses in January slow. I am not looking for any kind of time goal; it'd just be nice to finish before they take the banner down, ya know? And, if it doesn't look like 26.2 miles is possible (or safe, more importantly), I will shift, once again, to the 10K.<br />
<br />
I don't like that plan too much. It's never my goal to register for a race and then downgrade. But life seems to get in the way and if my body isn't ready, I will listen to it.<br />
<br />
So, that's my crazy for this week. Feel free to leave any comments telling my how stupid this idea is. <br />
<br />
In the meantime, I've already started training; I ran 2 times this week so far. Once outside for 50 minutes at a 1 min run:4 min walk interval and once on a nice new treadmill at the gym for 35 min.<br />
<br />
So, yay.missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-21862897180166273322011-02-17T18:21:00.000-08:002011-02-17T18:21:50.338-08:00Kauai Kicks Our Butt... [Monday, February 7, 2011]<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Or, time to say goodbye.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Monday was our last day in Kauai.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our flight didn’t depart until 9:45pm, so we had the whole day to spend on Kauai.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I mentioned in an earlier post that our snorkeling cruise was canceled on Friday, so I rescheduled it for Monday.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I regret this, for a lot of reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First of all, and not related to the actual cruise, this meant that, to be at the pier “on time at 7:30am” we had to pack up all our stuff and get everything out of our room before we left for the cruise because check-out was at 10am and, unfortunately, the inn keeper had another couple coming for our room that afternoon and she needed to clean it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would have been nice to be able to sleep in a little bit and pack our stuff up a little more leisurely than running around like crazed roosters at 6am!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, because we had to check out of our room before the cruise it meant that we didn’t have a bathroom (and, hence, a shower) to return to so we could clean up afterwards.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Unfortunately, things just got more annoying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we got to the pier at 7:30 to check in (for the 8am sail) there was nobody at the office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered if they didn’t cancel the tour on Monday too and fail to inform us, but when I called the number, the lady informed me that she was “about 5 minutes away.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hubs and I looked at each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was not a good sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the lady finally showed up to check us in, she told us that some other people signed up to go on the cruise were “running late.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She checked us in and told us to go wait by some picnic tables and the “boat girl” would be by at about 8:15 to pick us up and take us to the boat.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">8:15?????????<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then why did we bust our humps to get here at 7:30????? Grrrrr.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Another family showed up shortly after 8am and the “boat girl” finally strolled up around 8:30.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I understand about the Aloha spirit and island time and all that, I do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And both hubs and I would have LOVED to sleep in 45-50 minutes longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really. Grrrrrrrrr.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As with the last boat trip, I tried to be optimistic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was supposed to be a lovely day weather-wise and hopefully a great day for snorkeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It might be nice to just relax on the boat for a little while. Or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was nowhere to relax on the boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, there was nowhere dry on the boat.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Since I don’t want to spend the entire post complaining, I’ll try to hit the highlights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did get to snorkel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t as much as was promised (one location instead of 3), but at least we got to get in the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw porpoises (porposi?) and lots of sea turtles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw more whales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could have done without the constant dampness and the 2 hours of just trolling the waters off the coast of the harbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, at least I got to see some dolphins. Check.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigclAj2_q-8HObJWTs2BhUHMguB9qdY3CXssUlym6TwkuFY2ESWmOntY3pdVbY5woK8TqpGuKfEmYjhKhNn5B5JeOihw2yyUZx6UwqmPHoxJNn6fIPNFA9aGyi2DrBNiWsdhuHYNVoi7M/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigclAj2_q-8HObJWTs2BhUHMguB9qdY3CXssUlym6TwkuFY2ESWmOntY3pdVbY5woK8TqpGuKfEmYjhKhNn5B5JeOihw2yyUZx6UwqmPHoxJNn6fIPNFA9aGyi2DrBNiWsdhuHYNVoi7M/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+522.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know i said "dolphins" above; it's just 'cause I'm having a devil of a time spelling <strike>porpous</strike> <strike>poirpose</strike><br />
porpoius??? let's just go with that...</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFIyHebFx1zheRdTRL5pIvXUAgkmtHodb97lo-Dce54LPCl-p9YOD7xlDr7vzkN-u_KPfqJAcNFeRRk3v88pL0Iqj7bkKG2Mr6nxJikSgI3jTfNDYHd3_mFW2C2y1lmr6m3Bb6uAiMwYc/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFIyHebFx1zheRdTRL5pIvXUAgkmtHodb97lo-Dce54LPCl-p9YOD7xlDr7vzkN-u_KPfqJAcNFeRRk3v88pL0Iqj7bkKG2Mr6nxJikSgI3jTfNDYHd3_mFW2C2y1lmr6m3Bb6uAiMwYc/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+525.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">porpoises, porpoisi??<br />
more than one...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After we left the boat, we were a bit disappointed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had planned to return to Salt Pond Beach Park because we knew they had showers there where at least we could rinse off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since we still had our snorkeling gear in the trunk and there is a nice reef at Salt Pond beach, we decided to go snorkeling one last time. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We plopped our stuff down on the beach, just brining a minimum of the snorkeling gear, flip-flops, a bamboo mat and one beach towel; we left everything else in the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hubs took the car keys and put them in a ziplock baggie and tied them to the inside of his shorts pocket.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The snorkeling was, not so great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was really murky and hard to see anything, probably because it had gotten a lot cloudier by the afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to give up and go sit on the beach when hubs comes up to me and says “the day just got worse. The keys are gone.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">What? Does not compute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t register for a moment and then he spells it out for me: “The rental car keys fell out of my pocket.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Oh fuuuuuddddgggeee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Except, I didn’t say fudge.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">What do I do??? I will call AAA. I’ll call the rental car company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not calling anybody, ‘cause my phone is LOCKED IN THE CAR!!!!!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I’ll go ask the lifeguards for some help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t possibly be the first tourists to lose keys in the ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right????</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, I stroll over to the lifeguard station while hubs continues to search for the keys, in and out of the water.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">First of all, I want to give a HUGE shout-out to the lifeguard at the Salt Pond Beach on Monday, February 7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was awesome and helpful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He offered his cell phone and went out in the water to look for the keys too saying “I need to get in the water anyway.” <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was kinda the human version of the turtle from “Finding Nemo”, which was awesome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">While hubs was on the phone with the rental car people, I walked along the beach searching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a rocky outcropping right off the right side of the beach and so I walked over to look and see if maybe, possibly the keys washed up in any of the rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could see hubs across the beach, talking on the phone, looking forlorn, and I could see the lifeguard snorkeling around the reef area looking too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been about 30-35 minutes since I heard those words “the keys are gone.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked over to the rocks for the 3<sup>rd</sup> time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was an older lady sitting in one of the tide pools on the rocks.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Out of the corner of my eye, wedged under a rock, I spotted a shimmer of pink and plastic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I squealed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran over (on the sharp volcanic rock) and reached down and…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">TA-DA!!!!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Behold the ziplock baggie with the keys!!!!!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUo60eWGF1wZNe49r26Ydw5KDGVJhg4_9xlCsWquzeO48qTyC76vEtNlLVb5mCayhex4T6lv4nQV9rNCDJdzQIuwmw0jPGhXy74j5eYDGIOuy-cSw1634aDCJuROHWP-oB7tsP_5LyGvI/s1600/feb+17+2011+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUo60eWGF1wZNe49r26Ydw5KDGVJhg4_9xlCsWquzeO48qTyC76vEtNlLVb5mCayhex4T6lv4nQV9rNCDJdzQIuwmw0jPGhXy74j5eYDGIOuy-cSw1634aDCJuROHWP-oB7tsP_5LyGvI/s320/feb+17+2011+026.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actor dramatization of keys in baggie</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The woman sitting in the tide pool asked if I lost a contact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No honey, something much more important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I informed her that we lost the car keys and that I had just found them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I said (and, sadly, I am not making this up) “I don’t know who you are, but I’m going to hug you.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(hangs head in embarrassment.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I saw the lifeguard, told him I found the keys and thanked him and he said “That’s good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell your husband he owes you a lobster dinner!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>then he went right back to snorkeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess he really did need to get in the water. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I RAN across the ENTIRE beach (which, despite what Bo Derek might say, was really hard) to my husband and showed him my glorious find: the ziplock baggie containing the car keys!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">At that point, I couldn’t wait to get out of there.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I did have one more pleasant surprise before we left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throughout my week in Hawaii, I was looking for animals I’d been told I’d see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whales? Check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dolphins? Check. Sea Turtles? Check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I hadn’t yet seen a Hawaiian Monk Seal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh well, I thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then, as I was rinsing out my hair under the outdoor shower, I looked up and what do I see?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Hawaiian Monk Seal, sunbathing on the other side of the beach (on the other side of the rocks from where we were.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seal? Check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It put a smile on my face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(not as big a smile as finding the car keys did, but nonetheless…)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6wvEEMxooSRI66LeXo38oPfuKuDYDnOyPzDzVWLef0WZBhVZrdJxHrs3NCkZB4fh1429eysDM9tQqW-BJzLa6Q9JCGHdgTvKxHuXOZ_ynFHf9fUAHIiwdk2EAywYfY-8ObPz9gmh0CA/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6wvEEMxooSRI66LeXo38oPfuKuDYDnOyPzDzVWLef0WZBhVZrdJxHrs3NCkZB4fh1429eysDM9tQqW-BJzLa6Q9JCGHdgTvKxHuXOZ_ynFHf9fUAHIiwdk2EAywYfY-8ObPz9gmh0CA/s320/Hawaii+part+1+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and we could even unlock it!!! YAY!!!!!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Aloha, Kauai.<br />
</div>missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-16433819220140226542011-02-17T18:08:00.000-08:002011-02-17T18:08:20.052-08:00Oahu! (gesundheit) [Sunday, February 6, 2011]<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Since yesterday was a beautiful “rainy” day on Kauai, we decided not to push our luck with another “rainy” day on Kauai and headed over to Oahu for the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We figured, we came all this way (did somebody say something about 3 plane rides lasting over 13 hours??) so we might as well try to see Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREp3K97XKof3N3l9m-A0gSPPNDEuamxwA04QhV91HPp5FGscDXRWBlNQntCud49PVoPbdfJdOhVcyOrchGyaguGB_wLx3PHdnEcSM8a5gv0VRZMd0Nv0kK1JTzCWXIYS9qhHgYqpvsKM/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREp3K97XKof3N3l9m-A0gSPPNDEuamxwA04QhV91HPp5FGscDXRWBlNQntCud49PVoPbdfJdOhVcyOrchGyaguGB_wLx3PHdnEcSM8a5gv0VRZMd0Nv0kK1JTzCWXIYS9qhHgYqpvsKM/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+500.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And, I think it’s a good thing that we did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing as how Oahu and Kauai aren’t that far apart and pretty much whatever weather is on Oahu probably came from Kauai, I think it’s safe to say that today was not a beautiful rainy day on Kauai; it was probably just a rainy day.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We took an early Hawaiian Airlines flight over to Oahu, which is seriously the shortest flight I’ve ever taken in my life; like 25 minutes, gate-to-gate, and grabbed our rental car and were parking in the parking lot at Pearl Harbor by 7:30am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it’s also a good thing that we got their early, because I’d heard that often the Parks Service hands out all the tickets to go see the Arizona Memorial early in the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s free, but you have to have a ticket to get on the ferry to go out to the Memorial and the free tickets are timed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We strolled up and got tickets to the 8:15 film followed by a ferry ride (courtesy of the US Navy) out to the memorial.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USS Arizona Memorial</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now, since I live in DC, I will admit to being a bit jaded by landmarks and memorials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m still impressed by all the memorials and statues that we have here on and around the mall, but I don’t really get goosebumps when I see them.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The Memorial for the USS Arizona was a little different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s very pretty; with the white marble structure hovering in the middle of the water of Pearl Harbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the first thing that struck me as I got off the ferry and walked onto the memorial was the smell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It smelled very strongly of petroleum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I could see oil on the surface of the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was amazed that, after all these years, there is still so much oil coming from the Arizona.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were two white buoys on either side of the memorial, which marked the ends of the Arizona.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, of course, you could see the rusting hull just below the surface and the top of the gun towers just above the surface.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oil still bubbles up from the sunken Arizona today...</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEt1_yarml_jATxOSEZ6R1Bi3MQ7zEdLN5dGuD6DqCPK_J4WiVdSRxZaqn6utoKHfvzQDq51BRDonOyU298g2WYzyd6KbiJTiiRmOo92KswVNprtO1-KPtw0nxM7egwyFTQRl7P_6KA8s/s1600/Hawaii+part+2+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEt1_yarml_jATxOSEZ6R1Bi3MQ7zEdLN5dGuD6DqCPK_J4WiVdSRxZaqn6utoKHfvzQDq51BRDonOyU298g2WYzyd6KbiJTiiRmOo92KswVNprtO1-KPtw0nxM7egwyFTQRl7P_6KA8s/s320/Hawaii+part+2+016.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgASz0bpNWayW6Ulz8kaRDsvTLqLXCXeNlLlAvvkLEZKJVHlys-GW_5zJ9b3y8VMF8ZcGNP3EmRJ8iYfYFnJX00eGQvkHBZNZJAmXc7KKbs2rrpIpMZaNMwL2Ddi8VYgLMzPNf4KG3QCY/s1600/Hawaii+part+2+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgASz0bpNWayW6Ulz8kaRDsvTLqLXCXeNlLlAvvkLEZKJVHlys-GW_5zJ9b3y8VMF8ZcGNP3EmRJ8iYfYFnJX00eGQvkHBZNZJAmXc7KKbs2rrpIpMZaNMwL2Ddi8VYgLMzPNf4KG3QCY/s320/Hawaii+part+2+019.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECSUXbk-6oCRjfdCficRrJhEp2EYIu5M8i4buYdwpuispl5x3jX5ElSl77y2ixp7jGnViwAt3I8XUBLWepGrbU1zw9RHUujI7kfEqpS2IuaH8IA4l-VQDMQRBTfzcg7IZBbe0RjgEyZU/s1600/Hawaii+part+2+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECSUXbk-6oCRjfdCficRrJhEp2EYIu5M8i4buYdwpuispl5x3jX5ElSl77y2ixp7jGnViwAt3I8XUBLWepGrbU1zw9RHUujI7kfEqpS2IuaH8IA4l-VQDMQRBTfzcg7IZBbe0RjgEyZU/s320/Hawaii+part+2+021.JPG" width="212" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(And, as I just tried to google the name of something, I found this fact on the NPS website: There were 1.4 million gallons of fuel on the USS <i>Arizona</i> when she sank. Over 60 years later, approximately nine quarts still surfaces from the ship each day. (<a href="http://www.nps.gov/valr/index.htm)"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.nps.gov/valr/index.htm)</span></a>)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As I was standing on the memorial and after seeing the short film chronicling the events of December 7, 1941, I couldn’t help but think of the similarities to September 11, 2001.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered if Americans would eventually forget about the devastation this country suffered on that beautiful September day the same way they seem to have pushed the attacks on Pearl Harbor to the back of their minds; remembering it only once each year, if that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope not.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After our tour of the USS Arizona Memorial was over, we headed over to the USS Missouri Battleship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, living so close to Norfolk, where we can see the big battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers and whatnot, as well as hubs growing up near Groton, Conn where he could see and tour some of the fleet’s submarines, probably jaded us a little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t get me wrong, the “Mighty Mo” is indeed mighty.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzF46-rPXcupXC5v_AuGoJFJoe9MOgRyEVh6wbGdn3V88DVm05f7rgflDTACtTUI3Fc4q8lyyLyA7oyPi9xT4VPy9_ZH_SUQsFLtSMS4uuNI-hbGXwOcAyBgJRj35LoQrB4_uAPsL3PE/s1600/Hawaii+part+2+054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzF46-rPXcupXC5v_AuGoJFJoe9MOgRyEVh6wbGdn3V88DVm05f7rgflDTACtTUI3Fc4q8lyyLyA7oyPi9xT4VPy9_ZH_SUQsFLtSMS4uuNI-hbGXwOcAyBgJRj35LoQrB4_uAPsL3PE/s320/Hawaii+part+2+054.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mighty Mo's mighty big guns</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UXSP4wSduG3u94vyIytp7arY7G-yb109vfjKGhNUASybXetwNhJyEyXdryvPWNED1dOI-rCY-IeoYm0G2LsAR6i9smJ2OoqyAfBapwzG3Uj5PzacMo8P99CujmTEJjTVeElUZzGHc94/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UXSP4wSduG3u94vyIytp7arY7G-yb109vfjKGhNUASybXetwNhJyEyXdryvPWNED1dOI-rCY-IeoYm0G2LsAR6i9smJ2OoqyAfBapwzG3Uj5PzacMo8P99CujmTEJjTVeElUZzGHc94/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+507.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plaque marking the spot where the Japanese surrendered ending WWII</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I’m just not sure it was worth the mighty $20, pp entry fee.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKx7gZv9RoyTl5Zt08yoosoFejicdQY2jH_8drSMhExiT5soJI_Ob1ccG5VKdUzHT9yiSUWmNfcO5ygk4oFy1clcPwK-XYjH-1K7L6dnP5u0mCKppy8_wx0XMkVBmyLYguSWzkIQ8KP1Y/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKx7gZv9RoyTl5Zt08yoosoFejicdQY2jH_8drSMhExiT5soJI_Ob1ccG5VKdUzHT9yiSUWmNfcO5ygk4oFy1clcPwK-XYjH-1K7L6dnP5u0mCKppy8_wx0XMkVBmyLYguSWzkIQ8KP1Y/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+508.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the bridge of the USS Missouri looking at the USS Arizona Memorial</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After we left the Pearl Harbor area, we decided to drive thru Honolulu and see the famous Waikiki beach area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I should mention that the fact that the Super Bowl was on tv probably mitigated the crowds that we saw, but it was still crazy crowded.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, if I’m being honest, I wasn’t all that impressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To me, it looked like Tyson’s Corner, with a beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, we skedaddled.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We searched for and found the well-known statute of King Kamehameha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were the only non-Japanese tourists there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(again, maybe because of the super bowl??)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I searched and searched for the mystical “Hawaii 5-0” headquarters, but I didn’t see anything. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgum4FpPS6-dBG2F2rxb8hJd5jQ6XbeyuA538CuYFJfMC93tpQtK47Wsvd_O-s8uf81F50Dgw51shEIOACvdUPCvNk8D42e1QUN5VN__KjkfMwIeyfx9emuW3t32Ehh0Zqcwh-LjkBz5hc/s1600/Hawaii+part+2+080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgum4FpPS6-dBG2F2rxb8hJd5jQ6XbeyuA538CuYFJfMC93tpQtK47Wsvd_O-s8uf81F50Dgw51shEIOACvdUPCvNk8D42e1QUN5VN__KjkfMwIeyfx9emuW3t32Ehh0Zqcwh-LjkBz5hc/s320/Hawaii+part+2+080.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King Kamehameaha</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5Cxw1p9eOsIxcIlnJK6hK3LHgoZwbXfWDZZyeBIj4C8nbmGRt4GzJTMhBqv5tQvXp1x7xfA5kfstgXYaB_-I8NoInXbLp9Okskx3QFEvOCxtrQuC01dvbSmjkoQwc3rwhdq4LFbrBuM/s1600/Hawaii+part+2+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5Cxw1p9eOsIxcIlnJK6hK3LHgoZwbXfWDZZyeBIj4C8nbmGRt4GzJTMhBqv5tQvXp1x7xfA5kfstgXYaB_-I8NoInXbLp9Okskx3QFEvOCxtrQuC01dvbSmjkoQwc3rwhdq4LFbrBuM/s320/Hawaii+part+2+075.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"So, where are the Headquarters for the 5-0 Task Force?????"</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Next, we drove up to the Punchbowl crater and saw the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was very pretty and incredibly peaceful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The landscaping is very nice and it overlooks the city of Honolulu and the ocean from the top of the Punchbowl crater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of the marble headstones, the graves are marked with a simple plaque in the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I recommend going up to see it if you ever get the chance.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSkDGjNyA2x6JTG04PVDSP06FhyfOA9QjR3TJZnCESs3PYE0F55K4r8MJvA8EuIOGyE18-CQR7lqAHyVD1PRsa6jHyE5xF4ds8WxtklV_ZJl0pX0057HHpdGL8xTtMFzE3yUFnEx3RTU/s1600/Hawaii+part+2+085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSkDGjNyA2x6JTG04PVDSP06FhyfOA9QjR3TJZnCESs3PYE0F55K4r8MJvA8EuIOGyE18-CQR7lqAHyVD1PRsa6jHyE5xF4ds8WxtklV_ZJl0pX0057HHpdGL8xTtMFzE3yUFnEx3RTU/s320/Hawaii+part+2+085.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">With the rest of the day ahead of us, we opted to just drive around the island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We headed up the H2, one of the “interstates” (don’t know how they manage that on an island, but whatev…) through the center of Oahu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stopped off at the “Dole Plantation”, and, while it’s not a producing plantation anymore (meaning, they don’t grow pineapples for export) they sure had lots of pineapple-related stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted a t-shirt that just said “DOLE” on the front with the pineapple logo, but, after getting waylaid and spending $$$ on a pretty pearl necklace (long story; I’ll tell it later), we decided to just cut our losses and get out of there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moral of the story: don’t stop at a tourist trap when you are tired and hungry and have been driving most of the day…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Once we hit the north shore of Oahu, we found a place to sit and have some lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was really raining by then, so the famed “North Shore of Oahu” looked a little ‘blah.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure it’s lovely; we just didn’t see it on a great day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After lunch, we drove back towards Honolulu along the east side of the island.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I will admit that, after seeing Honolulu and Waikiki, I was under impressed with Oahu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the north and east part of the island really won me over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had this idea that Oahu was nothing but built up beaches and metropolitan hustle and bustle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there are parts (large parts, from what I saw) of Oahu that are stunningly gorgeous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beautiful beaches backed by gorgeous lush green mountains; nice small towns; lush foliage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would definitely go back to Oahu to explore the north and east parts of the island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, this was in the rain!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t imagine how pretty it must be when the sun is shining! </div>missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-49610460258196495152011-02-17T17:48:00.000-08:002011-02-17T18:08:51.995-08:00Weather Forecast: Rain [Saturday February 5, 2011]<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, it’s a beautiful day on Kauai.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">According to the weather reports, today was supposed to be rainy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would call it partly cloudy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun is shining, its warm, and I didn’t see any raindrops until later in the afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe the weather is really tricky to forecast on the islands???? (although, to be fair, every single place I’ve ever lived has had some sort of something that makes that place “particularly tricky to forecast”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be it a lake, mountains, a river, the convergence of the jet stream, whatever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think that’s just a line they tell weathermen in weather reporting school to trot out when they just have no flippin idea…)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Either way, we had lovely weather today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we took advantage and explored the East and North shores of Kauai.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We grabbed our snorkeling gear and headed to Anini Beach, which had been recommended by the lady that runs the inn we’re staying at. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Normally, during the winter months, the surf on the north shore is too rough to allow for snorkeling (or sometimes even swimming or surfing), but Anini Beach is protected by a large reef which causes the waves to break far off the beach and creates almost a lagoon where you can walk very far out in waist-deep water and snorkel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "welcoming committee" at Anini Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hubs is out snorkeling at Anini Beach</td></tr>
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When we arrived, after being greeted by the local roosters, we plunked down underneath 2 trees right on the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hubs went straight in the water, while I opted to sit in the sun for a few minutes to warm up a bit before heading in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Because we have a history of getting fantastically sunburned while on vacation, I took some precautions and got both of us some SPF 50+ rashguard shirts to wear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also felt like it gave me a “surfer-girl” vibe. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now, I will admit that I am a big baby when it comes to water temperature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of the time when I go to the beach, I am in the water of the Caribbean in the summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I really don’t mean for that to sound snotty or like I’m gwyneth platrow; I just don’t really go to the beach that much but when I do, it’s usually in the Caribbean…)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hubs used to go to the beaches in Maine in the summer, where the water temp might get up to 60 in late August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(60 degrees, as in, one degree above 59…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t even move in water that cold!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took 2 steps in and then froze until my legs went numb and I couldn’t feel the pain anymore…) so his take on “cold water” is a little different than mine, although he has been spoiled by the warm bathtub water like temps of the Caribbean. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, when he got out of the water and mentioned it was “a little chilly” and said that “the shirt actually makes it a little colder…” I seriously weighed the pain of sunburn with the idea of shivering in the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, I figured we came all this way (did I mention it was a 13+ hour trip?) and since all my friends back in DC were currently (literally) freezing, I sucked it up and went in the water.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And once I just dove in, it really wasn’t that bad. And I (finally) got to snorkel and see turtles and clown fish and all sorts of creatures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, I still felt like a bad-ass surfer girl in my rashguard, which was now wet which I felt like gave me some street cred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(or would that be beach cred?) <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We spent about another hour at Anini Beach and then continued our trip up the north shore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wanted to go all the way to “the end of the road”, and we did, passing through little towns here and there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made it to “the end of the road” (literally, there is not a road that goes all around the island of Kauai, because they cannot put a road along the Na Pali coast; it’s too rugged) where the road really does just end in a parking lot of a beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, we parked and spent some time hanging out at Tunnels Beach, so called because there are several large tunnels in the rocks and mountains behind the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">While we enjoyed nice calm conditions at Anini, the conditions at Tunnels beach were the exact opposite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we walked up to the beach, the lifeguards had posted all sorts of signs (that looked semi-permanent) saying “No Swimming”, “Strong Currents”, “No Snorkeling”, “Shorebreak” and other ominous warnings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The waves were huge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was exactly what I pictured from seeing surfing movies on the north shore of Oahu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, the sun was still shining and there were still only a few clouds in the sky, so we plunked our little bamboo mats down and enjoyed a shave ice right there on the beach.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Which brings me to my new love: Shave Ice.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">If you’ve never had a shave ice, oh, you are so missing out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like a snowcone, but so much better because it’s not as granular since they literally shave the ice off of a big block.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, you can add all different flavors of syrup on top of the ice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My favorite was pineapple, but passion fruit, guava and something called “tiger’s blood” are also very tasty! Ohhh, I cannot wait to have shave ice again!!!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw17gObF2pD0qJ8Ik7u7jCf10LszmaUk4x9QbECSiFcMxBSJnsVlzLNwNKvV7BZbDJktIyY-tQjKcqKPwIkvU5SSL9Q7t3wGwi0-dT1LLAGFh23G9OUljM_Aw8JHw6_TslJcFNLX0sir8/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw17gObF2pD0qJ8Ik7u7jCf10LszmaUk4x9QbECSiFcMxBSJnsVlzLNwNKvV7BZbDJktIyY-tQjKcqKPwIkvU5SSL9Q7t3wGwi0-dT1LLAGFh23G9OUljM_Aw8JHw6_TslJcFNLX0sir8/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+323.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soooo good! Shave ice with tiger's blood and pineapple and a small coconut creme ice cream.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Mmmmmmmm</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After a few hours chillaxin at Tunnels Beach, we headed back down the north shore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somebody we met on the rental car bus recommended that we check out the Kilauea Lighthouse on the north shore, but by the time we got there, it had already closed for the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got to see it off in the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, we also got another fantastic vista out over the ocean where we got to see more whales!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As we headed along the north shore, I kept seeing signs for someone named “Andy Irons.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LOTS of signs; “Thanks Andy Irons.” “Kauai loves Andy Irons.” “RIP AI”, lots and lots of signs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I had no idea who Andy Irons was, but he sure was important to and loved by Kauai.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A quick google search informed me that he was a professional surfer, who was born in Kauai, who died last November.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s pretty sad and it was apparent from all the signs I saw everywhere that he was a beloved native son of Kauai.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Later that afternoon, as we made our way back south and west, we stopped off in the town of Kapa’a, which hubs and I kept asking “is it Kapa’a or Kapa’a’a???” <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must say, after attempting to pronounce the names of the various towns and villages that we traveled through or tell hubs the name of a particular road that we were looking for, I have real empathy with Nicholas Cage’s character from “Honeymoon in Vegas.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And, for the record, it’s Kapa’a.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>just one extra “a.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7J1r283VrKuN-3-zUfUOC_WNBPpQJRn6eFulLJDbcDWpthfFQpZA6XrZxaOQJhFb_0r2ZMYEYxzFWG6vqzn-SDEWpcQ-rEtoSffweuhW7EnyHK5bBOHEAoe2wHq0nRHSHv-rhi8RkbIc/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7J1r283VrKuN-3-zUfUOC_WNBPpQJRn6eFulLJDbcDWpthfFQpZA6XrZxaOQJhFb_0r2ZMYEYxzFWG6vqzn-SDEWpcQ-rEtoSffweuhW7EnyHK5bBOHEAoe2wHq0nRHSHv-rhi8RkbIc/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+480.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to Kapa'a...a </td></tr>
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</div>missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-59379046290749934882011-02-17T17:40:00.000-08:002011-02-17T18:09:28.385-08:00Best Laid Plans [Friday, February 4, 2011]I'll try to keep today's post short. Well, shorter than yesterdays...<br />
<br />
We had plans to go on a snorkel cruise this morning, but at the last minute, the company called and said that not enough people had signed up to go so they were cancelling the tour. Lame!! I rescheduled the cruise for Monday morning, since they said the weather was supposed to be bad all weekend, but I'm a little annoyed because Monday is our last day here and I don't want to have to worry about running around early in the morning and then being able to come back to our room to shower afterwards. Oh well. Since our original plans to go on a snorkel cruise this morning were foiled, I called and found another "Snorkel" cruise that is a sunset "snorkel" cruise for this afternoon.<br />
<br />
So, we took the rest of the morning and drove up to Wimaea Canyon. Originally, we hoped to hike some of the trails around and into the canyon. But, since we had to be in Port Allen by 1:45 for our afternoon "snorkel" cruise and everyone has been warning us that it might rain, we didn't really have time to do anything but drive up to the canyon and the state park area and look out. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cloudy morning in Waimea Canyon</td></tr>
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It was still impressive. Even though it was later in the morning so the canyon was pretty well socked in by clouds. I could still see and make out the impressive colors; the red of the dirt and the green of the foliage. Supposedly, Mark Twain called the Wimaea Canyon "the grand canyon of the Pacific", but some accounts say that Mark Twain never made it all the way to Kauai, so who knows. Either way, it's still very pretty and impressive.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyygH27pjC57FKNS_i6xlkqGyDysrL9rd56fCBIzBEiNNmuuqmOUOpr3d4m_0hx7mK1MNwj6PUExNBNTDUtXmigo9ie-LPRN_7dj0Z4aTiGGFbGMQDSpS5hilpXaEwxBr4_kzrm2G8n-I/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyygH27pjC57FKNS_i6xlkqGyDysrL9rd56fCBIzBEiNNmuuqmOUOpr3d4m_0hx7mK1MNwj6PUExNBNTDUtXmigo9ie-LPRN_7dj0Z4aTiGGFbGMQDSpS5hilpXaEwxBr4_kzrm2G8n-I/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+415.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Missynation at lookout over Waimaea Canyon</td></tr>
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</div>So, why does Missy keep putting "snorkel" in quotes when talking about the afternoon cruise? Well, because that's what I booked. I asked if they had an afternoon snorkel cruise and if there was any room available. I was told yes, there was a "sunset snorkel tour" (their words, hence the quotes) and there was availability. We were told to bring our towels, wear our swimsuits and wear "comfortable" shoes because it was a barefoot cruise and they would take our shoes. (so, comfort matters because... don't know...) We even asked specifically if they provided the snorkel gear or if we needed to bring our own. We were told they had snorkels, masks and fins, but we could certainly bring our own if we preferred. <br />
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So, imagine our shock when we go to check in and my husband asks where he can change into his swimsuit and he's told, "well, you can change here, but there's no snorkeling on this tour, so you really don't need to." Uhhhh, what?????? We ask what's up with that, since we booked snorkeling, were told there would be snorkeling and even asked about equipment. "Well, I don't even want to guess what kind of misunderstanding occurred when you booked it, but we only do snorkeling in the mornings. This is a sunset dinner cruise with an open bar."<br />
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So, two people who hardly ever drink ended up on a booze cruise.<br />
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We were not happy. We demonstrated this unhappiness by rebelling and NOT putting our shoes in the cart thingy by the dock, but shoving them in our backpacks with our still dry swimsuits. Take THAT!!!!<br />
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Once we got underway, we loosened up a little. (not by drinking; I've always thought booze and boats don't mix. A theory that was proven by the end of the afternoon.) We tried to make the best of it. We saw some whales. I even saw one breach; it was a very 'pacific life' moment for me. We got to see the Na Pali coast from the water. It was just as impressive, although in a different way, as it was to see it from the air. We got to see more whales. And some turtles. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJ6OtEA_SznQg7NZ437etgYrc-rLouNqKJTGxvoSGdpSRNhCr46OpcG9bbaJA2d2d3SERZRzTALT-onLADSueJO6JVjYRz0-JNkkxWU2-psFtNkJXHylhSrcIIM24IUw9alP-vvM0tS0/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJ6OtEA_SznQg7NZ437etgYrc-rLouNqKJTGxvoSGdpSRNhCr46OpcG9bbaJA2d2d3SERZRzTALT-onLADSueJO6JVjYRz0-JNkkxWU2-psFtNkJXHylhSrcIIM24IUw9alP-vvM0tS0/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+435.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Na Pali from the boat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVf8mSCLjgLsAyfXovveWYb6QsHjRBq82LB-eojEwEGBrCmR_apOGmSpQKB7MpTmysK8IgxcDXSGn1dMD-SB7rRXcCIS3pTjVGOghYo5hDCNb7CnhzAZvSfBETUZ-FODj5lkyufjIjU0/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVf8mSCLjgLsAyfXovveWYb6QsHjRBq82LB-eojEwEGBrCmR_apOGmSpQKB7MpTmysK8IgxcDXSGn1dMD-SB7rRXcCIS3pTjVGOghYo5hDCNb7CnhzAZvSfBETUZ-FODj5lkyufjIjU0/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+442.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Na Pali from the boat, part deux</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGPvOrObO-3tfQekVf0qzkQRvHmpe3A4dentdB6JCci5e6yMQE8bURLWafTJ9QHEEgFS0o4nScLSC6wchqNB5SznjFh3iRDF3QfVB6AVKjjcrTqgDoR9hou5941lwHhRFKP2J3UVc3os/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGPvOrObO-3tfQekVf0qzkQRvHmpe3A4dentdB6JCci5e6yMQE8bURLWafTJ9QHEEgFS0o4nScLSC6wchqNB5SznjFh3iRDF3QfVB6AVKjjcrTqgDoR9hou5941lwHhRFKP2J3UVc3os/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+453.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hubs & Missynation on boat w/ Na Pali in the background</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5dG_j1KmLUgRud9xksWyeltnUPi_ix1EOuHqWid9o5SvGlQdd_92tbCUuhelLqJCXDisbtmwUAvf__tBGxOWB97opRcBvYmj_u8UOMAWB1meMDKGKwaQREEOfTlwi_f7VkecbO6az5_0/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5dG_j1KmLUgRud9xksWyeltnUPi_ix1EOuHqWid9o5SvGlQdd_92tbCUuhelLqJCXDisbtmwUAvf__tBGxOWB97opRcBvYmj_u8UOMAWB1meMDKGKwaQREEOfTlwi_f7VkecbO6az5_0/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+457.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This beach was used as a set for the movie "Six Days, Seven Nights"</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>When we turned around to head back, I suspect that the captain wanted to get back in time for a hot date, because he was hauling @$$!!! So much so, that many folks who enjoyed the "open bar" came to join us at the back of the boat and release the contents of their stomachs. We, in turn, moved up to the front of the boat and enjoyed the cool (ok, cold) sea spray. The sunset was very pretty, and then it got COLD as we headed back into the harbor.<br />
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Disappointing? Yes, we wanted to go snorkeling and didn't get to. Basically, we were lied to by the lady who booked us. We did try to make the best of it and it was nice to see whales and the Na Pali coast from the water. I don't think I would do the non-snorkeling dinner/booze cruise again though. It's just not my cup of tea.missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-45803488083682997612011-02-17T17:26:00.000-08:002011-02-18T07:54:23.708-08:00Big Island Highlights [Thursday, February 3, 2011]Since hubby & I endured a 13+ hour plane ride (actually, multiple plane rides) to get to here, we decided that we wanted to try to see at least one of the other islands that make up the state of Hawaii. Since seeing the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is on my bucket list, and we can't really see any active (or inactive, I don't think) volcanoes back home, a day trip to the Big Island of Hawaii seemed perfect!<br />
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I booked a full day tour that took us around the southeast side of the Big Island and included a tour of the Volcanoes National Park, a black sand beach, and some of the lava fields, as well as a brief tour around Hilo. One added bonus of the tour was that it included airfare from Kauai to the Big Island, so that was one less hassle that we had to deal with. Although, making it a day trip from one island to another meant for a long day, it was definitely worth it.<br />
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When we arrived at the Hilo airport, we met our guide, an awesome guy named Jay. He asked what we wanted to do and offered (jokingly) to take up up to Mauna Kea to go skiing. Did you know there is actually snow in Hawaii??!!! Yep! On top of Mauna Kea, which sits at 13,796 feet above sea level, although when measured from its oceanic base, it measures 33,000 feet, which makes it the tallest mountain in the world... according to wikipedia... anyway, it was very cool to see snow in Hawaii. (I seem to recall before we left on vacation hearing something in the news about how 46 of the country's 50 states had snow and thought, 'well, not where I'm going...' :-})<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicL5ZFr5ltwwWAmJ34y-u4zBYBZg1WIKcnyQk_knvLzIrIWHzaM_OfR6-HwvKj4dS_4k2R3-JeIE7BJH7KhgriKEjqgyMWAE9033Ysklx-HKRbqWqhFg4QjTyLZqMRnNBmbm2uo6_kG2U/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicL5ZFr5ltwwWAmJ34y-u4zBYBZg1WIKcnyQk_knvLzIrIWHzaM_OfR6-HwvKj4dS_4k2R3-JeIE7BJH7KhgriKEjqgyMWAE9033Ysklx-HKRbqWqhFg4QjTyLZqMRnNBmbm2uo6_kG2U/s320/Hawaii+part+1+133.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mauna Kea off in the distance</td></tr>
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Once we picked up all the other folks on the tour, we did a quick tour of Hilo and then headed off to the national park. The first place we stopped was a lookout over the Kilauea Iki, which is part of the volcano that erupted in Hawaii in 1959. This part has since stopped erupting and the crater has cooled and hardened enough so that you can actually walk across the crater along the Kilauea Iki trail!! Sadly, we didn't have time on this tour to actually hike the trail, but I definitely plan to return and hike that trail someday! How cool would it be to say you hiked across a volcano crater?!?!? My mom has actually done it, and I am supremely jealous!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kilauea Iki; you can see the trail across the crater</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">another view of Kilauea Iki</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicL5ZFr5ltwwWAmJ34y-u4zBYBZg1WIKcnyQk_knvLzIrIWHzaM_OfR6-HwvKj4dS_4k2R3-JeIE7BJH7KhgriKEjqgyMWAE9033Ysklx-HKRbqWqhFg4QjTyLZqMRnNBmbm2uo6_kG2U/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
The next stop was a short trail that took us through some lava tubes. There were actually 2 lava tubes; one was lit and packed with tourists and then there was another, much longer lava tube that was not lit, so you needed a flashlight to walk through it. It was also a much more rugged walk, with puddles and low ceilings, but still a very cool experience. If you ever go to Volcanoes National Park, be sure to wear shoes you don't mind getting a little wet and bring a flashlight so you can experience this. It's much different (and i thought better) than the lit lava tube everybody and their brother and their dog walks through.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Lhd1UMirVJY94nkA1Vv__uYkPdD-GgpmXiE5dyOSoUdAx1_8WSGvHypf2LrKBcV4aIQNv63nTvkC0nWLY6QXgF91hsrjXptmKmo6sma20kfCKb4t3CFcMN0_2q8yJmCjFsxFJOU5_18/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Lhd1UMirVJY94nkA1Vv__uYkPdD-GgpmXiE5dyOSoUdAx1_8WSGvHypf2LrKBcV4aIQNv63nTvkC0nWLY6QXgF91hsrjXptmKmo6sma20kfCKb4t3CFcMN0_2q8yJmCjFsxFJOU5_18/s320/Hawaii+part+1+175.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the lit, more populated, lava tubes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3VouOzIR9hvEoMizXP2bcg4TZ6dXvZ2INOibu_poaG8a0pu8dwVkLj1xUCh48QtoVJ8-A8Xcz9jCerJ-vWmKtuVipNYfly3ghiRvH0iiCFNG3gxO6XZn7gUSq9WiOhIVzDwy-UuIl7g/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3VouOzIR9hvEoMizXP2bcg4TZ6dXvZ2INOibu_poaG8a0pu8dwVkLj1xUCh48QtoVJ8-A8Xcz9jCerJ-vWmKtuVipNYfly3ghiRvH0iiCFNG3gxO6XZn7gUSq9WiOhIVzDwy-UuIl7g/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+351.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">inside the unlit lava tube</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_9JJfDAD6rzearNMlmMIA1MbHiq-HCFtOXayCjGCj-NNwXrQPN13ifEUrrr_7uWz_jMdpT3uB4Od-BFUZOgfLH3qYXJ-MNPLwPcrlmgO2xFfn1zuNfsM6vRDUrOcRmgHvurH1YyJb0s/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_9JJfDAD6rzearNMlmMIA1MbHiq-HCFtOXayCjGCj-NNwXrQPN13ifEUrrr_7uWz_jMdpT3uB4Od-BFUZOgfLH3qYXJ-MNPLwPcrlmgO2xFfn1zuNfsM6vRDUrOcRmgHvurH1YyJb0s/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+349.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think hubs kept taking pictures just so he could see from the flash!</td></tr>
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I tried to get some pictures, but my poor camera had no idea what to focus on or anything. My husband's camera, on the other hand, was able to take a few shots. So, super-spendy DSLR: 0, rinky point-n-shoot bought the previous day from walmart: 1.<br />
<br />
Then we went up to the Jaggar museum where you can look out over the landscape and see the currently erupting volcano crater. While you can't see any towers of lava spewing high into the air (at least, we couldn't on the day we were there...) you can definitely see the smoke and ash plume rising from the volcano. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1f8oLU1kN9MUmU4uhh-cL09wy7TBFmc_ol-MzV8HRUEQ3QB0Sh-r1LmNO-hyVo46jUvhK_xIGsHQWxJ_uWeN1vUkDeLM9g0DiNxlqs3Zfgw1PU6EVn2ikcZGU4ogFjg6l3B4CZW9Km9M/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1f8oLU1kN9MUmU4uhh-cL09wy7TBFmc_ol-MzV8HRUEQ3QB0Sh-r1LmNO-hyVo46jUvhK_xIGsHQWxJ_uWeN1vUkDeLM9g0DiNxlqs3Zfgw1PU6EVn2ikcZGU4ogFjg6l3B4CZW9Km9M/s320/Hawaii+part+1+197.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steam and smoke rising from Kilauea</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1XwrRVy_W3y3mfoIdI813FnUTxTRtPutbuuhsB5rc1wUVkOAfckzx6UM0yjMjWuT7HgAesVn8Lk29abrkkWb9CmXHPNTs2RCOs24HUNHJ3o0XclmoKMG6TIUKWhluldLWLst7xirJ8k/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1XwrRVy_W3y3mfoIdI813FnUTxTRtPutbuuhsB5rc1wUVkOAfckzx6UM0yjMjWuT7HgAesVn8Lk29abrkkWb9CmXHPNTs2RCOs24HUNHJ3o0XclmoKMG6TIUKWhluldLWLst7xirJ8k/s320/Hawaii+part+1+198.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pele's wrath</td></tr>
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While I was standing there over a period of about 5-10 minutes, I saw a slow but steady stream of ash and steam rising from the crater and then a huge belch of steam come from the crater. It was a very real reminder that earth is still a work-in-progress.<br />
<br />
Finally, we headed out of the park, and on the way, stopped off to see some of the steam vents. The landscape was like something out of a science fiction movie. Everywhere I turned, I just saw steam coming out of the ground. We were warned to stay on the trail, since the vents are everywhere and they didn't want us to <em>fall in</em>, and I didn't really feel like testing that theory out. Apparently, the side of the road we were on had just steam coming out of the vents, but on the other side of the road, there was sulfur steaming out of the vents. I'm not sure why it was different on our side of the road, but that's what they said (and, again, I didn't really feel like testing the theory out.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrA6eqh9UqfrutQ1S8BY5eHvH0DUkDgSH7W9I8HqvSeb0wbC3Mx_AR34U_b08kB12lgzg5xfdK3NBwpje1KFCJmynga8QOdDTTv8XLxjF8FePuUOmbgU3dE_Uj2i5XhPN6bvQBNsX0CI/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrA6eqh9UqfrutQ1S8BY5eHvH0DUkDgSH7W9I8HqvSeb0wbC3Mx_AR34U_b08kB12lgzg5xfdK3NBwpje1KFCJmynga8QOdDTTv8XLxjF8FePuUOmbgU3dE_Uj2i5XhPN6bvQBNsX0CI/s320/Hawaii+part+1+205.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">steam vents in the ground</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYmxuHKhCvcgZvpUEcruwZ3ncnH33SmsMWfHWi44jTzCCUcmIiLfyglpr3ZlmbsT7uaHWPUHp_O0xfjjqdiSc1fMOeqffwDKmmauTLHUFLXYewbqGIGWynn6qO0roaSA3iijvmvdU5Aw/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYmxuHKhCvcgZvpUEcruwZ3ncnH33SmsMWfHWi44jTzCCUcmIiLfyglpr3ZlmbsT7uaHWPUHp_O0xfjjqdiSc1fMOeqffwDKmmauTLHUFLXYewbqGIGWynn6qO0roaSA3iijvmvdU5Aw/s320/Hawaii+part+1+208.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">you can see the steam amongst the vegetation</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSF2ElEICCLlyn9gLJPuEORciAXtfnKOp3JPRJnF1HyPaeeO9ZcP5d-5zbB5Ge1eb_7T0MF-o4hgwYL4e4oFih6_Csd3s3or2W65_jJQCGRZ6DTb-pQdX8bsrpwJmcsehAIy5K6C_m-uM/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSF2ElEICCLlyn9gLJPuEORciAXtfnKOp3JPRJnF1HyPaeeO9ZcP5d-5zbB5Ge1eb_7T0MF-o4hgwYL4e4oFih6_Csd3s3or2W65_jJQCGRZ6DTb-pQdX8bsrpwJmcsehAIy5K6C_m-uM/s320/Hawaii+part+1+204.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">another view of Kilauea; if you look closely, you can see lots of steam vents in the background</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Later in the afternoon, we drove down to one of the black sand beaches. Now, this might sound stupid, but I didn't really know what to expect. See, I've been let down before. When I was in England, I was super excited to go see the "white cliffs of Dover" and, let me tell you, it was a bit of a haul to get down to Dover and... the "white" cliffs?? Yeah, they're more grey. It was a bit of a disappointment. And whenever people tell me about the beautiful "white sand beaches" of wherever, I'm not super impressed. It usually ends up being a beach, which is still usually beautiful, but the sand is nothing to write home about. But this... this was definitely something to write home about! And, I don't know why I was so surprised, since I had to walk 20 minutes through a black lava field to get to the beach, but it was just so stunning to see! It really was a black sand ... well, beach, technically, since it did lead to water, but there were rocky lava cliffs and the sea was a bit rough, so I don't recommend swimming there, but it was so gorgeous nonetheless.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_kg24Mo-FVwDlhHW_1Z4OgnW4uI_GVCPUa1YheF3AuqIcBhOaBs97CdZlKbMCGv6TTgy3b37jkX18nj8MNXftfY7kVYwnMshLGiQm16l1-d91GSSJ6MPGX-phacyHIgN0auDiyzGf53A/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_kg24Mo-FVwDlhHW_1Z4OgnW4uI_GVCPUa1YheF3AuqIcBhOaBs97CdZlKbMCGv6TTgy3b37jkX18nj8MNXftfY7kVYwnMshLGiQm16l1-d91GSSJ6MPGX-phacyHIgN0auDiyzGf53A/s320/Hawaii+part+1+256.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A-maz-ing!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm7lyS2U3JtCfUOnOWMnv1J8GyXMp09N9AIaZOru6pl87ZDFyjpKnJmZpTVOSJaNK1Y1P2KIosv7mIFi3TNLOQ0mLCMlUr7h0mqVO9R3so9A994sGbQPoTGkLI3KWWMjFoIQO28OuLnvI/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm7lyS2U3JtCfUOnOWMnv1J8GyXMp09N9AIaZOru6pl87ZDFyjpKnJmZpTVOSJaNK1Y1P2KIosv7mIFi3TNLOQ0mLCMlUr7h0mqVO9R3so9A994sGbQPoTGkLI3KWWMjFoIQO28OuLnvI/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+381.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Another thing that amazed me was, along the path to get to the beach, I saw countless coconut trees growing in the hardened lava. It made for a rather surreal scene.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1yH56Xn8oB_5s9PhcB0UVHIpsctOkMYG5FLaLOLh0wOCYSUZ_7lEZ6dovJIueHv8HaSitsaQF9ugnp-1xB_Ie6ur9fZwh9JAB7uLbABaBxrwidmpdZHK3Aq-XCZpR-joeg5_h85jsRU/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1yH56Xn8oB_5s9PhcB0UVHIpsctOkMYG5FLaLOLh0wOCYSUZ_7lEZ6dovJIueHv8HaSitsaQF9ugnp-1xB_Ie6ur9fZwh9JAB7uLbABaBxrwidmpdZHK3Aq-XCZpR-joeg5_h85jsRU/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+400.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">given that these trees can apparently grow under very harsh conditions, perhaps even I could keep one alive?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8276tpTKNZdtweUaR988Px73z5QaJu42_0iYa4Oak77bzVSvqcG97PI3X5KVihpbLSoK6DHaJOFdxU86A4L_m0ocbD_vJ65sT3TQSMZbsRKvxXItPDQ4YdkjAuBag41dSgnrBdIywzR4/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8276tpTKNZdtweUaR988Px73z5QaJu42_0iYa4Oak77bzVSvqcG97PI3X5KVihpbLSoK6DHaJOFdxU86A4L_m0ocbD_vJ65sT3TQSMZbsRKvxXItPDQ4YdkjAuBag41dSgnrBdIywzR4/s320/Hawaii+part+1+232.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the path to get to the black sand beach</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9EgFxczuz3JC9WMpK8qaZVtW8_g9OYH4veqmqiv8iLjr-LJSofKzy4c2m3v1JxTlmxhQQUu5cUD9pbDswqwYo6aYPViChMgxJ7L_yhJCOSN7Vm7U0P9Wz1LFs9uiDnLl-Ota3-CvApOc/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9EgFxczuz3JC9WMpK8qaZVtW8_g9OYH4veqmqiv8iLjr-LJSofKzy4c2m3v1JxTlmxhQQUu5cUD9pbDswqwYo6aYPViChMgxJ7L_yhJCOSN7Vm7U0P9Wz1LFs9uiDnLl-Ota3-CvApOc/s320/Hawaii+part+1+244.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Finally, as the sun was getting ready to set, we drove along this road that had been crossed/overtaken at several points by the lava flow. So, one moment, we were on an actual asphalt road, and then next, we were bumping over a hardened lava flow that had crossed the road. We got out of our van and walked about a half-mile down the road (as far as we could) and waited for the sun to go down to see if we could sight any lava flows. The landscape was like the moon or something. Hardened black lava for as far as the eye could see, punctuated every now and then by some crazy person's house. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXukn9o34jzCBWxkt0rcseWv2YcT4PiTW9moYh65Jb3tZjLOZN6Tz1jm-l4Z4n8AnW7UAw8AVBZpmpuQw1nAYVNpZ6OzjSJHaQJhO9OI9E1w80S60eczcH7jhKLtd3haX2oEzadj5pww/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXukn9o34jzCBWxkt0rcseWv2YcT4PiTW9moYh65Jb3tZjLOZN6Tz1jm-l4Z4n8AnW7UAw8AVBZpmpuQw1nAYVNpZ6OzjSJHaQJhO9OI9E1w80S60eczcH7jhKLtd3haX2oEzadj5pww/s320/Hawaii+part+1+271.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">you can see the steam coming off the lava</td></tr>
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Who in their right mind would build a house there, seeing what has happened and most likely will happen? I guess the housing is cheap but I would imagine the homeowners insurance is quite steep!<br />
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At first, during twilight, we couldn't really see anything. I kept thinking I saw lava (kind of like how I kept thinking I saw whales, when it would just be a whitecap...) but as the sun went down and it got darker and darker, more and more orange glows appeared off in the distance. <br />
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Now, I want to take just a minute and manage any expectations (maybe mine). We did not see rivers of lava flowing just a few feet or yards from our feet. Maybe that happened later in the evening after we left, or the night before or the night after. If that did happen, we likely would not have been able to see it at such a close vantage point. As I mentioned above, my time on the Big Island reminded me that earth is mother nature's work-in-progress and when lava flows, it does not stick to one path or stay on the trail. It's also hot. Like hella hot. You cannot get close to flowing lava. It's a bad, bad idea. To explain this point, as I was standing there, looking out at my phantom lava sightings, I glanced across the landscape of hardened lava (that was at few weeks old) and I could literally see the heatwaves rising off the surface. LITERALLY. If you've ever seen an asphalt road in the middle of August, you know what I'm talking about. And that was coming off of lava that was several weeks old. It is not out of the realm of possibility that, if I stood on that for very long, it would melt the soles off of my shoes.<br />
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So, no flowing rivers of lava. What I did see, as the evening progressed, was spots of lava up in the hills and along the ridge line. I know the pictures not great, but if you look closely, you will see a couple of orange spots off in the distance. That was my lava sighting. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbn40ixQF2Bkz0Zb1_62_UDXrJWn0Hv3wo2XJg1plVR6Df7OOodSYuWuARGYjkymSttzovU0eFGd8ws7GntPy0Vt1-CoAj27FpJVdu1CytI5bum7BsH-9GjSPCTz-p0AGDbJx6kq5iLU/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbn40ixQF2Bkz0Zb1_62_UDXrJWn0Hv3wo2XJg1plVR6Df7OOodSYuWuARGYjkymSttzovU0eFGd8ws7GntPy0Vt1-CoAj27FpJVdu1CytI5bum7BsH-9GjSPCTz-p0AGDbJx6kq5iLU/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+409.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">see those 2 orange eyes in the middle? LAVA!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNzV7epuiXLt3Hc3O4tEjVKmm7S0wZQw0gsJhEng5bKXn9G1WrJZohcMBEzOwAYJ7HfO3OT7sh1uHdMAdS2L0QDz_9sMTJiFHGU2tSLRuQCouvgIu5tnBe2L4SzFP8bhDH5tzgUxdxOE/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNzV7epuiXLt3Hc3O4tEjVKmm7S0wZQw0gsJhEng5bKXn9G1WrJZohcMBEzOwAYJ7HfO3OT7sh1uHdMAdS2L0QDz_9sMTJiFHGU2tSLRuQCouvgIu5tnBe2L4SzFP8bhDH5tzgUxdxOE/s320/Hawaii+part+1+275.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and a little more to the left of the 2 eyes (or, some dudes out in the distance holding orange lights to dupe all the haoles!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
This was a really long post; sorry about that. This was a very cool trip and I wanted to share as much about it as I could.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5Gv29Bx7C_pY71pBFEP7yuP_K62H5C3sKJ_nwTgSkPysGkE_2q7GjVAgeh3IaPhFLGyvqHcl7o_KN9XMXuc9TDhLtQGIXA3FxpvpI2o0ZCN01ysYtZlZjnkUAWIlJqAYpAyAsrRbrGg/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5Gv29Bx7C_pY71pBFEP7yuP_K62H5C3sKJ_nwTgSkPysGkE_2q7GjVAgeh3IaPhFLGyvqHcl7o_KN9XMXuc9TDhLtQGIXA3FxpvpI2o0ZCN01ysYtZlZjnkUAWIlJqAYpAyAsrRbrGg/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+395.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Since I've got a picture of my toes in the water in St. John, USVI, I figured I'd take a pic of my toes in the black sand in HI.<br />
(dear lord, are my legs pale... can i blame it on the contrast of the black sand????)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-61432515722164863822011-02-16T10:02:00.000-08:002011-02-16T10:04:07.470-08:00Dear Real Housewives of Atlanta,I don't think I can watch you anymore.<br />
<br />
Sure, I was never a huge fan; I certainly didn't seek you out or make you 'appointment television.'<br />
<br />
But I would stop and stare if I stumbled upon you while flipping through the channels on a Sunday afternoon. You provided entertainment while I would fold laundry or engage in some other innocuous task.<br />
<br />
I just think it's best for me if we part ways.<br />
<br />
While I've only seen a handful of your episodes, they seem to have an impact on me; and not in a good, 'inspire-me-to-become-a-humanitarian' way. Rather, I've noticed that after I watch an episode, or even a part of one of your episodes, I have really ... aggressive... dreams. There's no other word for it.<br />
<br />
Usually, in my Real Housewives of Atlanta influenced slumber, I'm involved in an argument with someone over something stupid. Sometimes, I'm directly involved in this argument and sometimes I'm just an observer.<br />
<br />
I always hear the phrase "Bitch, please!" somewhere in my <strike>dreams</strike> nightmares. This is not restful.<br />
<br />
I don't enjoy having visions of some wig-headed harpy attack me for, i don't know, drinking riesling over chardonnay.<br />
<br />
So, for that reason, I think it's time we parted ways. Please don't try to tease me with your Shogun-length Reunion episodes. Or any "lost" footage. I'd prefer it to stay lost. It's just better this way. My husband can no longer take the wild snapping of my fingers at 2:30 am anymore. It's over.<br />
<br />
All the best,<br />
Missynation.missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-5421714376450718922011-02-15T16:07:00.000-08:002011-02-17T18:10:37.562-08:00Bird's Eye View [Wednesday, February 2, 2011]Or, this seemed like a good idea from the terrestrial confines of my computer.<br />
<br />
Our first day in Kauai, we took a helicopter tour of the island. After much research and many Trip Advisor reviews, I booked an "Extreme Island" tour with Mauna Loa helicopters (<a href="http://www.maunaloahelicoptertours.com/">http://www.maunaloahelicoptertours.com/</a>) which means that we both got a window seat and the doors were off the helicopter.<br />
What was I thinking???? First of all, I have to give mad props to the folks at Mauna Loa Helicopters; they were awesome and it was worth every penny. Highly, highly recommended.<br />
<br />
Now, I'm not afraid of heights, but I'm not exactly super <em>comfortable</em> with them either. So, as I was sitting in the helicopter and I look to my right and see... no door, just the skid of the chopper, my stomach starts to simultaneously sink and do somersaults all at the same time.<br />
<br />
Then we lifted off.<br />
<br />
Now, I know, logically, that I was pretty safe. I was strapped in with a heavy duty seat belt, but that didn't really make it <em>feel</em> any better... <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4THd2GCeSoVW3HBJL0d7JrVmPXv5N3eduvOhBwjW98WwT_njh0YDWVC9WRZ_S5PDFppEZOa988zN2qcBg5QJOAgPNRj8gEBhTiSxfR2_RZer_6H4sTb09uLK3843W82LJ4l33IMWWT9A/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4THd2GCeSoVW3HBJL0d7JrVmPXv5N3eduvOhBwjW98WwT_njh0YDWVC9WRZ_S5PDFppEZOa988zN2qcBg5QJOAgPNRj8gEBhTiSxfR2_RZer_6H4sTb09uLK3843W82LJ4l33IMWWT9A/s320/Hawaii+part+1+036.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still freaking out...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
For the first 20 minutes or so, I was terrified. I would look out the non-existent window, and feel like I was about to hyperventilate. I took lots of pictures, mostly by just holding the camera perpendicular to my head and hitting the button, not really framing or aiming the shot. One hand was tightly holding onto my camera, the other hand had a death-grip on the handle right behind the pilots head. They played music (hawaiian, of course) in between narration of the sights we were seeing and so I tried to focus on the music.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVHUEVVRfisOZ5d0voWMk83ZSKQEgh298VsP3x07UNB_WGIeLuHEFkAIx3mvVf60wdZ0aB2ANmjGq_48tOg8vqwNLLl-cLTFg4wnS7hi-LreYcurjkkQ6odvJffAbGXnj2ZbGb2PH9xQ/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVHUEVVRfisOZ5d0voWMk83ZSKQEgh298VsP3x07UNB_WGIeLuHEFkAIx3mvVf60wdZ0aB2ANmjGq_48tOg8vqwNLLl-cLTFg4wnS7hi-LreYcurjkkQ6odvJffAbGXnj2ZbGb2PH9xQ/s320/Hawaii+part+1+043.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">one of those pictures I took without looking...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
After about 20 to 25 minutes, I calmed down a bit and was able to start to enjoy the ride. My husband was looking at me wondering why I was freaking out (and I honestly didn't want to miss this opportunity) so I forced myself to focus on the music, breathing deeply, and enjoying the beautiful scenery below me. (waaaay below me.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLF331pbAKC_5LmUGR0lEaPcTkSAMagJ71k7ACC8p2a3GnuKeAYDjbZZM9ySufFJy7AGq6yEIFATVwemUWSJWMaga997HHmgmGnUV4JT83ZaDLKQHRDiDpKUb41qTmlRTe9o-sUwd_yb8/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLF331pbAKC_5LmUGR0lEaPcTkSAMagJ71k7ACC8p2a3GnuKeAYDjbZZM9ySufFJy7AGq6yEIFATVwemUWSJWMaga997HHmgmGnUV4JT83ZaDLKQHRDiDpKUb41qTmlRTe9o-sUwd_yb8/s320/Hawaii+part+1+045.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kauai Waterfalls</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZgXpp-GszaNGtfCxYRPffRyWs16UM-WHVKOG8KFNpMR90RuSdZdIaaY05tsJtVg87EwIEnqCpOLEpIJF_6zQduOuwR89UnT2dcvxdL8mq_YcUX2JPdUgiLkjMaY41Q1n_M5NcwMUso4/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZgXpp-GszaNGtfCxYRPffRyWs16UM-WHVKOG8KFNpMR90RuSdZdIaaY05tsJtVg87EwIEnqCpOLEpIJF_6zQduOuwR89UnT2dcvxdL8mq_YcUX2JPdUgiLkjMaY41Q1n_M5NcwMUso4/s320/Hawaii+part+1+067.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waimea Canyon</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Once we came up over the Na Pali coastline, most of the nerves had dissapated. The Na Pali (which translates into "the cliffs") coast of Kauai is so stunningly, breathtakingly beautiful. And, while we were flying over the water, we saw several whales. Added bouns.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7x2dz8FQwiLVLDprjoiB3Q3vZHryTEd9RalXgWws4pBUsgrgwWOM-cM6c7lBSNxvGMkm-tJtQBwxlMISYWR5VE2JiosipZx5CRUzadwl4XpjcmTasAJI_xDK1r95s5JIvFBr6RgHPp0g/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7x2dz8FQwiLVLDprjoiB3Q3vZHryTEd9RalXgWws4pBUsgrgwWOM-cM6c7lBSNxvGMkm-tJtQBwxlMISYWR5VE2JiosipZx5CRUzadwl4XpjcmTasAJI_xDK1r95s5JIvFBr6RgHPp0g/s320/Hawaii+part+1+078.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Na Pali Coast</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
It was really windy (an observation you can put in the 'obvious' column) and, stupidly, I was freaking out about my pony tail coming undone. (no, i don't know what is wrong with me...)<br />
<br />
By the end of the tour, I had calmed down and was able to actually look at what I was taking picures of. Although, I was still a little relieved when the skids finally set down on the tarmac.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAP3OL6Q8ow9HkKenEkqV3d8kLLhnAFg2hEnR7Ib7Lms-LmCkc_kf0VPKYsljA2os0nNpsqJ_LPQ6JpoF7UhQp9tslRJg5PIvqU50KcR_BUKOfHA7JKyzPb5iwIvBEO7DT6ngo_obPxc/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAP3OL6Q8ow9HkKenEkqV3d8kLLhnAFg2hEnR7Ib7Lms-LmCkc_kf0VPKYsljA2os0nNpsqJ_LPQ6JpoF7UhQp9tslRJg5PIvqU50KcR_BUKOfHA7JKyzPb5iwIvBEO7DT6ngo_obPxc/s320/Hawaii+part+1+130.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back on solid ground</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The one hour tour took us over the main town of Lihue, Poi'pu and the Spouting Horn, Waimaea Canyon, Port Allen and Hanapepe, the Na Pali coast, and the north shore of Kauai. We also got to fly into a lot of the valleys along the Na Pali coast and into the "heart of the island", which was the center of a volcano that collaped in on itself. Very cool and very beautiful.<br />
<br />
Here are some more random pictures from the helicopter ride. I'll try to pare it down, but there are lots of cool shots that I can share:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uBBFA_U478GIUw8StkLwKyUR9XUNdONh1qq8iUjLqp2dbZA_e9VZk1_WZqmlQSyCKU90HdWKrxNFz3nV-_fKhrda3aiaEJ5txhaT05nf8fB9_YtNldq25lmw7Bg1tso_eY9eK46pgNQ/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uBBFA_U478GIUw8StkLwKyUR9XUNdONh1qq8iUjLqp2dbZA_e9VZk1_WZqmlQSyCKU90HdWKrxNFz3nV-_fKhrda3aiaEJ5txhaT05nf8fB9_YtNldq25lmw7Bg1tso_eY9eK46pgNQ/s320/Hawaii+part+1+034.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even when I look at this picture, it still makes my stomach lurch a little</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00IUTjTxqbXYcjf0-XzTBwyy6klwAiKAhHzIvtuJ7wG5lDMlFiE71aoGATRMrCMuNBkmM8fjjWfkh_COVKomIjFXzkHUg2r42E-8OPNZavF89BDJIJU4snYVh9i-q3AQcVkxmZrkQG0Y/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00IUTjTxqbXYcjf0-XzTBwyy6klwAiKAhHzIvtuJ7wG5lDMlFiE71aoGATRMrCMuNBkmM8fjjWfkh_COVKomIjFXzkHUg2r42E-8OPNZavF89BDJIJU4snYVh9i-q3AQcVkxmZrkQG0Y/s320/Hawaii+part+1+096.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Na Pali Coast</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUjquewWzI04j9U8_HY8oom6cYJ3GCN5IqAGhkT7KVpTsaKNaX3qjrKY6FOjw8AudWS3r0tYrmU6EwSzfJ-nsZjUHQFBMthS80lmeIOzZFJ98JYv9VWX_5fnO9DMjbCv_Zq5rYPBdw354/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUjquewWzI04j9U8_HY8oom6cYJ3GCN5IqAGhkT7KVpTsaKNaX3qjrKY6FOjw8AudWS3r0tYrmU6EwSzfJ-nsZjUHQFBMthS80lmeIOzZFJ98JYv9VWX_5fnO9DMjbCv_Zq5rYPBdw354/s320/Hawaii+part+1+082.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Na Pali Coast</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr0ISZZhHc9UaJlB9j2PmylTmn1Z1KE7RvrSkkVkaFfaMEmizT-JFWHWZDuR2VLce_b0fXXyC-UW4jYn8FgV03Pm6nMKb9pqSg_-vIh5H-JzpqO7CUjzIpvRdngvE3KkP4PDaVfKoYFf8/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr0ISZZhHc9UaJlB9j2PmylTmn1Z1KE7RvrSkkVkaFfaMEmizT-JFWHWZDuR2VLce_b0fXXyC-UW4jYn8FgV03Pm6nMKb9pqSg_-vIh5H-JzpqO7CUjzIpvRdngvE3KkP4PDaVfKoYFf8/s320/Hawaii+part+1+105.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Na Pali Coast</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcDv7y9JoyQCQ4p62IBl33VLd7VDcV5nYB1ai3tHrc9Swev8XeHHLbcaOLKWW0N1zOepWxQfqGPF5xWfPWCiJe3eDJgL2LMoslxbUh4MMq4RZpxljr9U2Ps7V6MhTOOswnHqyyOcNXYA/s1600/Hawaii+part+1+125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcDv7y9JoyQCQ4p62IBl33VLd7VDcV5nYB1ai3tHrc9Swev8XeHHLbcaOLKWW0N1zOepWxQfqGPF5xWfPWCiJe3eDJgL2LMoslxbUh4MMq4RZpxljr9U2Ps7V6MhTOOswnHqyyOcNXYA/s320/Hawaii+part+1+125.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The heart of the island</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQFN0-j70IgpBKdCB2E-6CeaH8bArtFQ00J31vIJoH-Re8ZsY5GQV9LElfDYw2gb7oYwPCIpst0AVjDvtZE5kgkn7zls2HtvOh8DBx7vFn3P_h1BTWCX3eN0Ue50xEzNhr5UK1d-61CA/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQFN0-j70IgpBKdCB2E-6CeaH8bArtFQ00J31vIJoH-Re8ZsY5GQV9LElfDYw2gb7oYwPCIpst0AVjDvtZE5kgkn7zls2HtvOh8DBx7vFn3P_h1BTWCX3eN0Ue50xEzNhr5UK1d-61CA/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+055.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waimea Canyon</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXY4uw8UhDaBNz_nONbzafyCa1hBs1jGWgIBPWUI0LbpOZ78dnbA9AK0niwFAQDh4wnpETyvAqvaBZPDwIRl1QuIfKM8BbpRW7A_4nHK6q3fZAVfFtejFiiRC-hXOTRp8zVn-nhZBGdZ8/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXY4uw8UhDaBNz_nONbzafyCa1hBs1jGWgIBPWUI0LbpOZ78dnbA9AK0niwFAQDh4wnpETyvAqvaBZPDwIRl1QuIfKM8BbpRW7A_4nHK6q3fZAVfFtejFiiRC-hXOTRp8zVn-nhZBGdZ8/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+090.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Na Pali</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIALd-k8t0hUW-NbK3f6m1A2x5LUJTCF1npqYS2VjDUVLYWRcsXIAuppNPz_uiJNgDQTrpz8RBIRWxxyHGL0HTZ2Rq9P6NGxzQr7MUnjhTrwVGVhdrWxIbQd0wWsitbJ-wdpmMcNbVr9g/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIALd-k8t0hUW-NbK3f6m1A2x5LUJTCF1npqYS2VjDUVLYWRcsXIAuppNPz_uiJNgDQTrpz8RBIRWxxyHGL0HTZ2Rq9P6NGxzQr7MUnjhTrwVGVhdrWxIbQd0wWsitbJ-wdpmMcNbVr9g/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+223.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flying over Kauai</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIQaNVhRVSNq7-5cmbbQvC4-FLscnxJmfApZeUAUrmraPHAQUwpMGI_7yhp0AhyB7VGXZB7MsH4pxI6HGFohZV-y4Ag1PcMCPXYvuCwo6c96dJHAYJGAdYpna2P5oSWO1N_xmLQ7eQqc/s1600/Hawaii+nikon+pns+300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIQaNVhRVSNq7-5cmbbQvC4-FLscnxJmfApZeUAUrmraPHAQUwpMGI_7yhp0AhyB7VGXZB7MsH4pxI6HGFohZV-y4Ag1PcMCPXYvuCwo6c96dJHAYJGAdYpna2P5oSWO1N_xmLQ7eQqc/s320/Hawaii+nikon+pns+300.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Over Kauai</td></tr>
</tbody></table>missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-63178670596913536982011-02-15T07:30:00.000-08:002011-02-15T07:30:37.341-08:00Technical difficulties: Please Stand ByWell, I've been back from the Islands for a few days, and I have lots of posts saved up. Unfortunately, it will be just little while longer before I will officially post them.<br />
<br />
I don't think it's fair to post anything about Hawaii without pictures (if ever their was a place that begged for its story to be told through photos, it's Hawaii).<br />
<br />
Too bad I discovered the other day that I have either lost or accidentally deleted the memory card with the pictures I took during the first part of the trip. (oops... actually, "oops" doesn't really cover it. I pretty much went through the entire stages of grief emotions upon putting the memory card that I thought was the right one in the computer only to see the words "No Data" on the screen. "'No Data????' you bet your toochas there's data!!! Loads and loads of DATA!!!! WHERE IS IT?????" Amazing how those 2 words can dash any hopes against the newly formed volcanic rocks - of which I took some pretty sweet pictures!)<br />
<br />
So, while I search for possibly another, hopefully correct, memory card, I'm trying to salvage what I can from my cell phone and other sources...<br />
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dangit...missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-18026603562951372942011-02-02T09:44:00.000-08:002011-02-02T09:44:46.338-08:00Aloha!I am going on vacation!<br />
<br />
I am going to write some posts while on vacay, but, depending on if/when I can figure out how to add pictures from my iPad, I might not post the entries until later. So, bear with me. :-)<br />
<br />
I spent most of yesterday traveling, from washington, dc and its freezing rain (one of the gate agents told us that our flight - at 7am - was one of the few flights to get out yesterday) to... KAUAI, HAWAII!!!!! YAY! (or, I should say aloha!)<br />
<br />
So, we flew from Washington, DC to Atlanta to Los Angeles (where I was disappointed in the lack of celebrities and pretty people in the terminal - according to TMZ, that is where all the celbrities can be seen...) and then from LA to Lihue,Kauai,Hawaii! The flight wasn't that bad... As much as two 5+ hour flights back-to-back can be.<br />
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Last night when we got in, I realized I'd forgotten the map to where we were staying. I didn't stress too much; I figured we couldn't get too lost since it's an island. You know what I learned yesterday? You can actually get REALLY lost on an island. We did eventually make it, but we also got some unintentional exploring done.<br />
<br />
Once we got settled in, we grabed a quick bite to eat at a local burger shack (I tried a "teriyaki burger" - it was pretty tasty) we headed back to our room and... Um... Crashed. At 9pm local time (which, in our defense is 2am DC time...)<br />
<br />
<br />
I had a really cool pic of us with the Hawaii license plate on our rental car, but I just discovered that I didn't bring the right connector wire to upload the pics to the iPad... (grrrrr). Mind you, I seem to have EVERY OTHER TYPE of USB wire, but not the one for the camera,,, dangit.missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-21275846471804737232011-01-26T14:37:00.000-08:002011-01-26T14:37:35.443-08:00If you want tissues that smell like an old man...Then have I got something for YOU!<br />
<br />
The good news is, after taking a sick day and sleeping (through some purely awful television), I finally kicked my cold to the curb! A none too soon, either.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, my husband has been complaining of "something in the back of [his] throat" for about 6 days now. So, not wanting him to suffer the same fate as me, I dashed out to our local CVS and picked up a bunch of supplies. (ok, mostly more nyquil, since I <em>may</em> have used all ours up...) While there, I picked up some more tissues, because, as I learned last week, you can NEVER HAVE TOO MANY TISSUE BOXES!<br />
<br />
Too bad I inadvertently picked up a box of the tissues with the Vicks stuff already in the tissue. Imagine my suprise when I just needed to blow my nose after walking home in the sleet and I'm hit with a WALL O' MENTHOL!<br />
<br />
Good Lord, folks! It was ... um... overpowering.<br />
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And the little box looks so innocuous.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYIPLNS4IYu-22mPPwZrSPqSyhIxt3X9pYVf67hwf6qkb5STqaJaSNnitrXkWuJ0URKt7eJdvm9CNLTEzUQybVDMhdI4wkmQx9qzQNid5YLCiF8P5guhjmgTYIQwtIpHaieUC9R0-baI/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYIPLNS4IYu-22mPPwZrSPqSyhIxt3X9pYVf67hwf6qkb5STqaJaSNnitrXkWuJ0URKt7eJdvm9CNLTEzUQybVDMhdI4wkmQx9qzQNid5YLCiF8P5guhjmgTYIQwtIpHaieUC9R0-baI/s320/001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It looks so innocent, doesn't it? "Oh, you just need a tissue? Here, take one of mine. What's that? You don't need an at home nasal lavage? Oh well... consider it a twofer..."<br />
<br />
In case you're wondering, there is a little "Vicks" symbol on the box. It's the really small thing right under the really small "Puffs" logo.<br />
<br />
The sad thing is, I'm suprised that I didn't smell them. Although, since I just recently used one, my olfactory senses might be shot for the evening. Even the cat won't come near them. (although, perhaps I could use them as a new weapon in my fight to eat my dinner unencumbered and in peace...)<br />
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I suppose if my nose was (still) stuffed up, this would have been somewhat nice. Otherwise, it was a wasabi-like sucker punch to the sinuses...<br />
<br />
buyer beware...missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296019505493777775.post-29184884951033060372011-01-20T15:47:00.000-08:002011-01-20T15:47:38.133-08:00Sick DayI hate being sick.<br />
<br />
I seem to have caught some nasty cold that has taken over my body for the last FIVE days.<br />
<br />
Memo to cold: I'm done. You can vacate the premises. Mission accomplished. My nose is red and raw from constantly blowing it. I don't remember what it feels like to be able to breathe out of both nostrils AT THE SAME TIME. I have imbibed my weight in hot tea, orange juice and other fluids. I have seen the new face of daytime television and it is not pretty. You can leave now. Sincerely, Me.<br />
<br />
Seriously. This has been my constant companion for the last 5 days.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB538OSFHRwMVzkmJPy7yM3EA31nRHTkzjGUV3W8mdqYId9irsK4KsXUHHepUJuDH-eAwdLVx7zGh8XtkhHfKVfX33sjSs44tPA4tZzFvpQrHbxaax2cL-BEmtWSRpffNFhKQlQQqQOdM/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB538OSFHRwMVzkmJPy7yM3EA31nRHTkzjGUV3W8mdqYId9irsK4KsXUHHepUJuDH-eAwdLVx7zGh8XtkhHfKVfX33sjSs44tPA4tZzFvpQrHbxaax2cL-BEmtWSRpffNFhKQlQQqQOdM/s320/003.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><br />
And, at this point, this isn't even the original. I think I am on Tissue Box 6.0, at least.<br />
<br />
I stayed home sick today just so I could try to sleep this thing off. And, I saw some very interesting things on TV. For instance, I finally saw the Hoda & Kathie Lee section of the Today show. That is a hot mess. I thought the Saturday Night Live skits were kidding; they're not! That is exactly what that show is like! Then, I watched about 10 seconds of "The View" before I couldn't take it anymore and had to turn it off before the ghosts of Jane Adams, Alice Paul, and Susan B. Anthony came to haunt me. So I turned to the newly svelte Drew Carry and The Price is Right! Of course there was a marathon of the Real Housewives of Topeka or something, but I continued on and discovered this show on the SciFy channel (which I rarely watch) called "Moonlight." It was craptastic. Which is to say, so bad that I could not turn away. Apparently, Alex O'Laughlin is a vampire who is also a private detective and he hangs around with a reporter and they solve crimes together?!!?! Now, while Alex O' whatshisname is pretty to look at, he is sooooooo wooden. And yet, I watched it. ALL AFTERNOON.<br />
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I am so ready for this cold to be over. I can't take much more of this...missynationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05542771046217029683noreply@blogger.com0