An Amateur's Life

When It's Raining on Sunday: Seattle Explorations

2012-02-11T22:21:00.001-05:00

*Keith Urban

So I've been in Seattle a little over a week now, and I haven't gone everything, but I've gotten a bit of exploring under my belt...

I went to Seattle City Library, got a card and checked out an art book. I'll have to take some pictures of that place someday. It's pretty incredible. And the fourth floor is completely red. Bright red. Floor to ceiling.
I've frequented the Pike Place Market. Have yet to see the famous fish guys throwing their items around. I also want to do a photo shoot down there. It's a really beautiful place, the market.
I've been down to Sculpture Park down by the water. It's beautiful. And there's a pebble beach down there covered in driftwood.
Last night, I went to happy hour at a place called 5 Point. I got a cheeseburger and fries for $2.50. That's right. $2.50. It was delish.
Tuesday night, I went to a break dancing competish. Ok, it wasn't really a competition. I just wanted to say competish. Aside from the amazing talent (as you can see in the video below), one of my friends from the hostel got hit in the face by a girl who wanted to turn the break dancing floor into a regular dance party.

In my explorations, I have walked what seems like 50 miles. I better be acquiring super sexy legs right now.

Good at Being Uncomfortable: Exploring and Settling In

2012-02-06T13:18:00.000-05:00

*Fiona Apple

We've been getting used to the schedule. The set up is enough like New Orleans to make me miss it, but different enough to make me miss it. Not that New Orleans was perfect, but living in that house was a really great experience for me. So much so that I left for a total of 3 days and drove 14 hours back for another 6 weeks. This is a similar, but different environment that I will have to get used to.

The people are really great, but more independent, so the making friends part requires a more active participant. We aren't all eating breakfast, lunch and dinner together. We're not all hanging out in the living room on two couches and going out to the same places and walking to the levee. We don't all have the same work schedule, or even work in the same departments. So there are staff people I haven't even seen yet. I'll meet them eventually, I suppose. And they will be cool, just like the other people I've met.

As for the work, cleaning bathrooms isn't the most exciting job in the world, but I like having a list to check off and know that I've accomplished something. I'm looking forward to working on the sustainable projects in March - beekeeping, rooftop garden (aquaponics!), chicken coop. Lee says because there's so much interest from existing staff members, he won't be bringing on any WWOOFers. Yay! I'm looking forward to some variety in my 24 hours a week. Speaking of, I think I'll be getting some today. I've been cleaning bathrooms for 3 days, but I think that we'll be moving to kitchens and hallways, or room checks today. That's how everyone starts. Learn one thing at a time.

As for the city, Nora and I have been doing a lot of walking around Belltown. That's our neighborhood. We've been to the Pike Place Market (which I want to do a picture tour of to post here. It's so awesome.) We've found some stores and such - Ross, Cost Plus World Market, and Bed Bath and Beyond are each only a few blocks away. We found a mini grocery store literally around the corner. We met a guy working for UNICEF on the street, who offered me a job fundraising.

And I found an art store! Not exactly the same level as Jerry's, but pretty close. It'll do. Drawback: It's in Capitol Hill, which is a 20-30 minute walk from the hostel. Uphill the whole way. Plus: Coming back is a breeze.

We're wanting to go to the park that's on the water, and the Seattle Library, but we haven't had the energy yet. Hopefully that will change soon.

Our day off is Thursday, so I'm looking forward to a whole day to explore.

Good at Being Uncomfortable: First Days in Seattle

2012-02-03T23:59:00.000-05:00

*Fiona Apple

Yesterday was a sad day for me. I had to leave my family. I've spent the last couple weeks just dying to get out of there and start my new adventure. Tired of living out of a suitcase and laying around all day wondering what was next. But then I had to say goodbye to my family. I won't see them for months. And that's the longest time of my life without seeing them. I've left home a lot, and this was the hardest one. Especially the part about leaving my 3-year-old niece. And the part where I found a note from my sister in my bag. And the part where I had to walk away from my mom at the airport. I feel like crying right now just thinking about it.

But I won't, because I'm on the start of a new adventure. We were traveling for 9 hours yesterday, and arrived in Seattle at 2pm. Since we had gotten up in Raleigh at 6am (3am Seattle time), we were exhausted. But we went on a walk around the neighborhood, got some dinner at an Asian restaurant two doors down (with leftovers), and met some of our new hostel mates. It was my goal to stay up until 9 to try and get used to the new time zone, but Nora and I both crashed at 8:30. So close!

Today was our first day of work. We learned how to clean bathrooms. And let me tell you, it's not like the regular cleaning of a bathroom. There are regulations because it's a hostel (and they pride themselves on being very clean). So there is a list we carry in our pockets of directions on how to clean the bathroom. I think it has 20 items on it. We watched Blake (our trainer) clean a bathroom, and then we were set free to clean the rest on the second floor. Then we cleaned the back outside staircase.

Because there were so many of us - Nora and I rounded out the crew, so now the hostel is fully-staffed - we finished early, and had a little pow wow in the theater with Lee, the owner. We talked about different things around the hostel, and how safe Seattle is as a city. Lee's words were "I have no problem with my little sister walking around at 3am by herself." Not that I'll be doing that, but it was good to hear since I don't have a car, and I'll be looking for a night time job.

I'm exhausted again. Catch you later.

Good at Being Uncomfortable: It's Almost Time

2012-01-30T17:25:00.001-05:00

*Fiona Apple

Less than 3 days left until we move to Seattle, with nothing but a few suitcases to our names. That's right, we're leaving Ruby, my car, here. I've always wanted to see what it's like to live without a car...obviously, I want to do it in a city that has good public transportation. And Seattle was recently voted one of the top 10 walkable cities in the country.

I'm really looking forward to this adventure. It's the kind of thing I've always wanted to do. Just go somewhere because I want to. Neither Nora nor I have ever been to Seattle. I've just done a reasonable amount of research, and talked to people who have been there. All rave reviews, in case you were wondering.

Of course, now I have to actually get down to business and pack those suitcases. Nora's got it easy. She came to the states thinking she would only be here for 3 weeks. And then she just stayed. Me? I have the painstaking task of deciding which items are most important to take with me to my new home. Wish me luck.

Oh, and by the way, looks like Seattle is going to be really happy to see us. Sun for the first 5 days we're there. We won't talk about the rest right now. :)

Good at Being Uncomfortable: We've Got a Plan

2012-01-27T20:52:00.003-05:00

*Fiona Apple

After weeks of indecision, uncertainty and frustration, Nora and I have a plan. Thursday, we are flying to a new life in Seattle. We have jobs in a work/trade program for a hostel in downtown. And it sounds like a really cool set-up. Especially the part about having access to a game room, movie room, hot tub and outside garden. They even have sustainable projects going on - rooftop garden, chicken coop, bee hives - that I hope are up and running at some point while we're there. I would love to learn about some of that stuff. I could put my beekeeping class from college to use.

Good at Being Uncomfortable: Where I've Been

2012-01-12T21:47:00.001-05:00

*Fiona Apple

I spent a total of three months in New Orleans, rebuilding houses and working on an urban community farm. I had the time of my life. I made friends with people from 12 different countries. Most of them are back home by now, but some are still in New Orleans. And part of me still sometimes thinks about going back and joining them.

Nora and I left New Orleans two days before Christmas. We spent the holiday with my family, my friend Joshua, and our friend Jongwon from South Korea. Four days later we headed south. Charleston. Jacksonville. And Miami for New Year's...That was an adventure.

We arrived in South Beach with a reservation for a hostel. When we got there, the guy at the desk says, "two of our rooms are broken so we're having to send some reservations to other places." We were one of those reservations. They sent us to a hotel, where we had our own room and kitchenette. On top of that, they gave us the difference in CASH. Our hotel room, accessed through a gate and courtyard, was on a street that was having a party with all the restaurants. We met up with the Germans for dinner, then headed down to the beach to see fireworks. We ended up just outside a beach concert put on by Ludacris, Jason Derulo, Ne-yo and like a million other famous people. It was pretty awesome.

The next morning, Nora and I went into the water - following a tradition her mom does every New Year's Day - and laid on the sand. We didn't want to leave, but we were headed to Key West.

That part of the trip wasn't our favorite. I got a cold, and on the drive down, developed hives on my arms and legs. I never figured out what I was allergic to. After three days of sleeping on and off all day, I felt better. Probably because I passed all the sickness onto Nora. She was still sick when we left a week after our arrival. We were down there to see about moving. The universe said it was not for us.

On the way back up, we made the same stops, and got the opportunity to spend two nights with my friends Mendy and Kurt. We made awesome fish tacos, and saw some of the sights around historic Charleston. It was so nice and relaxing.

We're back in Raleigh, trying to get a plan together for our next move. We're thinking Seattle.

Girl in New Orleans: My Goodbye (aka Lower Nine Day 45)

2011-11-15T15:58:00.001-05:00

*Sammi Smith

We stayed out until 2am last night. Then Nora and I woke up at 6 to go see the sunrise at the levee. It was cloudy, so we couldn't see the sun. But we had a nice walk, and a nice talk. And we made it back for breakfast.

But now I'm exhausted again.

Nora asked for house duty today so that we could spend the last couple of hours together. I ruined it by falling asleep on the couch in the living room. I woke up at 11 and had to go finish packing. Not all of it fit. I had to leave some things for Nora to use after I'm gone.

When it was time to go, I got my round of hugs, feeling pretty ok. I had reconciled with the fact that I was leaving. I almost felt ready for it. But then Nora was standing on the front steps. When I hugged her we both teared up. So I ran to the truck and Graham drove me to the airport, where I'm crying in the terminal. I don't want to get on that plane. I want to catch a cab back to the house.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Day 44

2011-11-14T19:51:00.000-05:00

*Sammi Smith

I haven't finished packing. But I've done all of that I wanted to do today. It was too sad.

I am happy that I got to do a sort of exit interview/Facebook consultation today with Robin. She's a volunteer, but works mostly in the office. I gave her suggestions, and promised to help with Facebook once I got home if they needed some extra information. It was nice to sit with her and talk. She's one of the few people in the house who doesn't make me feel like an old lady. Three of our volunteers are on a gap year between high school and college.

Tonight, we're going down to the levee one last time. We went last night for Linda's farewell. It was fun. We lit a fire and she sang songs with her guitar. I put in a special request for the zombie song she wrote, and my night was complete after that. Tonight's trip will be much more low key. Half of the volunteers when on a camping trip with Common Ground - another volunteer organization down here - to help plant marsh grass at a swamp two hours away. So there's not much activity in the house tonight.

Girl in New Orleans: The Last Weekend (aka Lower Nine Days 42 & 43)

2011-11-13T22:33:00.001-05:00

*Sammi Smith

Last night we went out with the Germans, who are notorious in our house for being crazy people. Their favorite phrase is PARDY ODA!!! and they scream it while they rip their shirts off in public and run around in the streets.

Needless to say, we had a pretty good time. We started out walking up to the gas station, and then Nora and I decided that we had brought too many jackets. The guys stayed at the bus stop and we literally ran back to the house to drop our extra clothes off. We made it to the stop near our house just in time for the bus. The driver even said she saw us running down the street.

On a side note, I really like that bus driver. She's always so nice.

We picked up the guys and headed down to Bourbon Street. All the rumors you've heard about Bourbon Street are true. It's a mad house. We lost the Germans a couple of times, but somehow always found them again.

We caught the last bus home, and I am exhausted. I've been napping all day. Well, Nora and I went to Lefitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar - the oldest running bar in America - to see what it was like. Some guy we met on the street Friday night told us about it. We sat there talking about how tired we were, and then came back home for a nap.

I'm not going to the work site tomorrow. I'm doing an office half-day, and spending the rest packing. And it's terribly sad, because I don't want to leave.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Days 39, 40 & 41

2011-11-11T22:09:00.000-05:00

*Sammi Smith

We're down four great people. This week was not fun. I almost cried when Dana and Guillaume left on Monday morning for Montreal and Jamaica. I'm pretty confident that I'll see Dana again, but it's still sad to see them go. Then yesterday, Brian headed back to Chicago, and this morning it was Luisa's turn to take off for Berlin.

After all the goodbyes nights combined with days of manual labor, I came down with what I thought was a cold, but ended up being pure exhaustion. It's hard to get some rest here; you never want to miss out on anything. But yesterday, my body said "Listen, lady. You need a nap. Stat." I slept all afternoon, and still went to bed early.

Now I'm gearing up for my last weekend in NOLA. :(

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Days 37 & 38

2011-11-08T09:58:00.000-05:00

*Sammi Smith

We finished the steps at Charmaine's! I got in a little fight with Darren over the placement of the bricks due to a rivalry he's got going with Graham, and he threatened to tear them down. But in the end, the steps look awesome, and they're not going anywhere.

So now we're on to hurricane straps. These are little metal plates that attach the wall studs to the beams in the ceiling and roof so that hurricane-force winds will have a harder time ripping the house apart. I have no idea how well they work in actuality, but the house won't pass inspection without them. It's a pretty easy job, but it takes a surprisingly long time. Each side of the plate needs 4 nails. So that's eight nails in each strap. And a strap for each beam.

But it's good because we get to hang out together while we work, and my team is hilarious. Brian, Hayden and Nora. Couldn't have asked for more this week.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Days 35 & 36

2011-11-06T21:45:00.000-05:00

*Sammi Smith

We all spent the weekend together celebrating birthdays. Yesterday was Brian's and today was Jesse's. So we've been downtown a lot, and having festivities at the farm. It's fun, but also sad. By next weekend, Nora, Jesse and I will be the only ones left from the group that was here when I arrived. The people I've gotten used to.

This experience is great, but there are times when it's hard. The hardest part is being a constant while everything else changes. I'm usually the one who's doing the changing. Jesse's staying for a year, and I don't know how he does it. As soon as you get used to the people around you, it's time for them to leave and you have to get used to a whole new dynamic.

Next week, I'll be one of the ones bailing. I'll definitely be sad to go.

On a lighter note, this weekend was a lot of fun.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Days 33 & 34

2011-11-04T17:35:00.001-04:00

*Sammi Smith

Nora and I are nearly finished with the steps at Charmaine's. Yesterday morning, there was rain, so we went on a tour of the 9th ward with Lauren (volunteer coordinator). I went on one the day I arrived with Laura Paul (executive director), but this time I already had the basics, so I was able to ask more questions and the tour was even better. Nevertheless, the morning was shot as far as work goes.

Today, we did the first step, which was so hard. Lining bricks plum with a pencil line that disappears when touched by mortar is very difficult. I wasn't a pleasant partner this morning. But we finished it, and had just enough time in the afternoon to finish two rows of bricks on the top step before heading home.

It's Dana (Qatar/France), Guillaume (France) and Luisa's (Germany) last weekend in New Orleans, so we're doing everything we can in the next few days. Tonight, we're going downtown to Frenchman.

And speaking of Frenchman, beforehand, I'm meeting a friend from France tonight. Benoit was studying abroad in Sweden when I went to visit my friend Sean who was studying abroad; they lived in the same dorm. Benoit and his girlfriend came to the States to go to Sean's wedding and were coming to New Orleans before heading back to Paris, so a mutual friend put us in contact. I haven't seen him in six years. I like it when cool things like that work out.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Days 31 & 32

2011-11-02T14:24:00.001-04:00

*Sammi Smith

I had a hangover yesterday. The first hangover of my life. I will not be repeating that. I will not have a Jello shot ever again. You have no idea what the ratio is. You cannot prepare yourself for that. Farewell, Jello shots. Can't say it was fun.

Today, I started building some brick stairs for Charmaine. Her house is a Push-Up orange creamsicle colored shotgun house on an historic street. I did some painting at her house last week, but I had to get back to my brick laying.

Darren laid down a foundation of cinder blocks, and now I'm covering them with bricks. It's fun, except that the bricks are reclaimed. They look cooler than new bricks, but they are not uniform, so it's very hard to get them level and square. Sometimes that gets me off the hook as far as perfectionism goes, but it can also be very frustrating. People will be walking on these steps everyday. I don't want them to be bumpy.

The good news is that once the bricks are jointed up (meaning that they are fully grouted and there are no more gaps in the mortar), they look pretty cohesive. Like actual stairs. And I built them. With Linda's help of course. She's cutting the bricks to fit with a wet saw, which is also pretty cool.

Girl in New Orleans: Halloween Weekend (Also Known As Lower Nine Days 28, 29 & 30)

2011-11-01T23:23:00.000-04:00

*Sammi Smith

Halloween weekend is kind of a big deal here in New Orleans. There are parades and celebrations every night.

Friday, we went to a parade just over the bridge. It was funny because it was supposed to start at 6, but when we got there at 20 past, everyone was still standing around in the streets. They were in all sorts of eccentric costumes from zombies with tutus to Spanish skeletons. And until at least 6:30, everyone in the parade stood around drinking and dancing. Then they sang a song together (Oh, Eliza / Eliza Jane), after which they all simply walked down the street.

Saturday, Nora and I went down to Magazine Street to see parts of the city besides the French Quarter, and to get some Halloween costumes. We didn't find any, but Magazine is full of cool vintage and thrift shops, so we did score some "new" clothes. We also took the St. Charles streetcar down through the Garden District, and had some nachos. So it was a good day.

Sunday, we wanted to go to Walmart, but we missed the bus by about 2 minutes, and ended up having to wait at the stop on Canal for about an hour. And then Brian had to come pick us up in his car so we wouldn't miss the bbq at the farm. However, we did pick up some Halloween things at the Goodwill on the way back.

The barbecue was nice. Some volunteers from other organizations, students from Tulane and neighbors were all there with us. Darren made burgers and chicken on the grill that Graham and I built, and we all sat around a camp fire. I got offers for 2 weekend brick laying side jobs. Werd.

Yesterday was Halloween, and so after work we headed out. Brian, Robin and I got to be "bun warmers" for a dance group in the parade in the French Quarter, so we were zombies, which I was excited about. We were supposed to meet up with everyone afterward, but after a few Jello shots that were stronger than we had anticipated, we got a cab home and went to bed around 10:30. Sounds like the others had a great time. I'll have to check out their pictures later.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower NIne Days 26 & 27

2011-10-28T13:50:00.000-04:00

*Sammi Smith

It's Friday, and guess who's coming back tonight? It's Nora! Her flight will be in around midnight, so I have to stay up until then to greet her. There are a lot of volunteers here, and the house is full, but Lauren (volunteer coordinator) says that once we know people, it's hard to turn them away. So they've worked it out, and Nora can stay. We'll be leaving around the same time now, I think.

I've been working at Charmaine's house the last two days. Helping Darren build some steps up to the front porch. First layer is cinder blocks, then bricks on top. Then we're going to stucco it with colored stucco. It will be a long process. And there is a lot of cutting cinder blocks involved, which means that the generator has to be on. A lot less peaceful than the farm.

But I'm a professional mason these days, so I'm getting pretty good at filling gaps with mortar and whatnot. Darren says when I can lay cinder blocks myself, then I'll be a master. But not yet.

In other news, we went on a ghost tour last night. It was kind of lame. Well, it was a lot of history, which was cool. But not for a ghost tour. I thought they should call it a history tour, but Dana says no one would go on it if they called it that.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Days 24 & 25

2011-10-26T14:12:00.000-04:00

*Sammi Smith

The house has a new feel this week. The Americans are much more independent than the internationals. They're not relying on each other to get around. People just leave, and no one's stalking them to figure out where you are going, when and can I come with you.

As far as work goes, I've been learning how to lay bricks from Graham. We're building a barbecue at the farm that we will use on Sunday night at our party. Lowernine has a party on the last Sunday of every month. They invite neighbors, friends and other volunteers for a cookout and bonfire at the farm. But now there will be a permanent grill. And I'm building it.

We started yesterday, and we finished it up today. In between bags of mortar, Graham gave me a tile and a Sharpee, and told me to draw the slats in the back of the bench under the pergola. He didn't explain himself so I didn't know what it was about, but I did it anyway. Then he gave me another tile and told me to draw the holes in between the slats.

Don't know if it's because I had already made a drawing and was less careful, or if it's because I was drawing the holes, but the second drawing wasn't as nice. When I turned them in, Graham said, "You'll never forgive me for making you do this. Because every time you see tile, you'll look at the grout. We can either look at what's there or what isn't there. And we can do this with people too."

That was my lesson for the day. When laying bricks, look at the edges and in between. When looking at structures or people, look at the whole and focus on what's there. Don't obsess over the mistakes.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Day 23

2011-10-24T17:06:00.000-04:00

*Sammi Smith

This morning, I walked into the kitchen where I found Dana standing alone with a deflated look on her face. When I asked her what was wrong, her eyes teared up and she said,"They're all gone." I hugged her and then we went on with breakfast.

There are new people in the house to fill their places, but it's not the same. We'll make friends and have fun, but right now we're feeling the gap between the friends who just left, and the strangers who just moved in.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Day 22

2011-10-23T20:44:00.000-04:00

*Sammi Smith

Today feels like an extension of yesterday. We didn't sleep last night. Dimitri, Nora, Jongwon and I spent hours at the levee doing cartwheels and Tai Chi before setting up on the couch to wait out the hours until the cab arrived to drop the guys at the train station and airport. It was a lot of fun.

When the cab finally came - 40 min late - Nora and I walked up to the levee to see the sunrise, then walked over to the donut shop for a real American breakfast. Eggs, bacon, grits and pancakes. We paid $4 each. And that's what I love about breakfast. More food than you can eat for less than half the cost of lunch.

As the last two standing from our late night escapade, Nora and I decided to spend her final day in New Orleans at the French Market (after an afternoon nap, that is). We got delicious slushies and spent hours roaming through the stores and stands of souvenirs and accessories.

We're going back to the levee one last time. And then Nora and Emeline will be leaving at 5:30am. The house will be so empty without them.

Girl in New Orleans: Exactly Where I Want to Be

2011-10-22T18:32:00.000-04:00

*Sammi Smith

Last night as I was waiting for the bus into downtown for a final fling with the VFPs, I got a text message from my ex-boyfriend. We've been apart for a while, and now I just hear from him every few months when he wants to hang out. Maybe see if he's still got it or something. He doesn't. But I'm always very conscious of what my life has become since the last time I talked to him.

This time, when he asked what I was up to, I got to say "I'm living in New Orleans. Farming and rebuilding houses." He asked how I liked it and then quit talking to me. If you think this is a sad story, don't. I was actually quite happy that he did. I don't have any hard feelings toward him at all, but we are different. Well, I'm different. He's the same.

After a few minutes, when I realized the conversation was over, I looked around at my new friends from four other countries who had come together to help victims of a natural disaster and a government letdown, and realized that I was exactly where I wanted to be, doing exactly what I wanted to be doing.

I'm so happy that I made this decision, and hope that it's the second of many that lead me to the person I want to be. (First was St. Baldrick's.)

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Days 20 & 21

2011-10-22T16:06:00.001-04:00

*Sammi Smith

Yesterday, Nora (Mexico) joined us at the farm for her last working day. We did some more weeding and watering. We talked about our futures. We learned a little more about Graham's work history - among other things, he's been a pilot, built houses and made instructional videos for high school dropouts.

It was a good day, but it's a bit sad. This is the weekend that all the VFPs leave. Those are the housemates who came through Volunteers for Peace. They're leaving two-by-two over the next couple of days. Today, Bona (South Korea) and Chiara (Italy) left. Tomorrow it's Jongwon (South Korea) and Dimitri (Belgium). Then Sunday, it's Nora and Emeline (France). Edouard (the final VFP) is staying until next weekend.

The house is getting quieter, and we're all sticking close to get those final minutes of friendship before we disband. The good news is that now we have friends all over the world to visit!

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Days 18 & 19

2011-10-20T21:42:00.005-04:00

*Sammi Smith

There's something about the color of fire when it burns more than a candle's wick. It's darker. More sinister. And it's flames seem to laugh at you as they consume.

We lit a bonfire at the farm today to get rid of a pile of wood that was taking up space and downgrading the aesthetics of the landscape. Later in the day, Graham put the scarecrow on the fire. I said, "Why did you do that?" He said, "Because he was old." So I said, "Well, you're old. Should we throw you on the fire too?" He just gave me a look that said Try it. We're a good match.

We lit another one today. This time the fire brigade (as Graham likes to call it) showed up and told us we couldn't have fires in the city unless they were contained. We're now working on getting a 55 gallon drum.

But Graham charmed the chief, as he does. Offered him some mustard greens from the garden and invited him to our farm party on the 30th. He pointed out that the chief's last name is Scottish, so we looked up his tartan on my phone. Then we took a picture with him. I got to get in the truck.

The best part is that the first picture didn't come out. So we called Chief Adam on his cell (the number to which Graham acquired for some reason) and asked them to come back for a second try...They did.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Days 16 & 17

2011-10-18T20:15:00.000-04:00

*Sammi Smith

We have a couple of new volunteers this week. Kate (Scotland) came in on Sunday night just in time for our outing to the Chinese buffet. Brian (Chicago) got here yesterday. And Linda (somewhere in America) is coming on Thursday.

Kate's joined Graham and I at the farm. If it keeps up with the two of them, I'm going to come home with a UK accent.

I'm having a lot of fun at the farm, and I think Kate's enjoying it too. We're getting a lot accomplished. We've done a few more rows of planting, thinned out some radishes, and planted new seeds - like regular and purple broccoli, cauliflower, kohl rabi, and other things I can't remember right now.

We also met this group called the Master Gardeners who, rumor has it, are going to help us out at the farm. We'll see what happens with that. I think there's a meeting every week, so I'll send an update next week.

Brian almost got my spot at the farm, but Graham (British, but lives in France) worked his magic and got him on the construction site. As he told it, he asked Brian if he'd like to do some real manly work, or piddle around in the garden. So technically, it was Brian's decision.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Day 15

2011-10-16T19:47:00.001-04:00

*Sammi Smith

Today, we had another adventure downtown. A couple of the girls and I went looking for the Second Line parade that happens every Sunday. After getting some questionable directions from one of our housemates, we went set out on our quest. About 30 minutes in, however, we found ourselves wandering the streets in the hot sun.

Luckily, we stumbled upon two locals leaving a church, and asked for their assistance. They told us that the Second Line parade is put on by different clubs every week. This week, it's in a neighborhood that ain't so nice. So unless we wanted to see a lot of girls droppin' it like it's hot and get our purses stolen in the crowd, we should probably just head back to Canal St.

We headed back to Canal St.

After a stop at the Superdome for some pictures and a story, we sought out the must-see cemetery in New Orleans (St. Louis #1). When we got there, it was closed, but we did see a maintenance man standing outside who proceeded to give us a 30-minute history lesson about the cemetery.

It was all cool until he asked if we wanted to take some pictures of some of the mentioned graves from a dip in the cemetery wall (the cemetery was locked). Don't worry, we didn't go over there by ourselves. There was a group of about 10 that had gathered round during the story. So we all went. He climbed up on the wall, and offered to take the pictures for us. So we said sure. When he got our cameras though, he said "Give me a minute and I'll take pictures of all the places I talked about." And down he went.

We weren't having some stranger take our stuff, so we climbed over the wall and into the cemetery with a large man that had joined the group during the story. We found the maintenance man, taking pictures like he said. But we each gave him excuses as to why we needed our stuff back anyway, upon which he started with a request for money.

Now I feel bad about what happened next, but until you're a small girl hunting down a stranger in a New Orleans cemetery at dusk, you can take off your white wig. We climbed back over the wall and started walking away. When he called after us and started toward us, we broke out into a run. He was yelling that he wasn't trying to hurt us.

Karma will get me for not passing a 5 to that man for his after-hours history lesson, but my friends and I got home in one piece. Well, four pieces.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Day 14

2011-10-15T19:15:00.000-04:00

*Sammi Smith

Last night, a bunch of us went to the levee. In case you don't know what a levee is, it's a big hill between the Mississippi River and the inhabited land. It's what failed during Katrina when a barge came through and broke it.

We go up there to hang out sometimes. It's kind of like a park with a nice view. We climbed a tower, did some cartwheels in the grass, played on the rocks on the shore. Then we walked back around 1:30.

Then came 8:30am when we had to get up to go to the market. We sell our produce from the farm at a local farmer's market on Saturdays from 10-2. But we have to leave the house at 9 (luckily, someone else volunteered to go with Graham to pick the produce at 7).

The market was a lot smaller than I thought it would be, but it's nice to see the effort being made. Unfortunately, most of the people that attend the market aren't the people of the lower ninth ward community. According to Graham, L9W residents just aren't interested in vegetables. The good news is that we made $70 at the market today.

Afterwards, a few of us headed downtown to Louis Armstrong Park, then stopped at a real Chinese restaurant, which left Jongwon (South Korea) squealing in delight. But the real excitement for the night happened at the bus stop on the way home, when a man who had consumed immeasurable amounts of alcohol joined our circle and started a monologue directed at no one. Then he sat next to me on the bus. It was epic.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Day 13

2011-10-14T18:49:00.000-04:00

*Sammi Smith

Today was my first day on the farm. Pictures are in the Facebook album as usual. We did a lot of weeding, which Graham tells me is what gardening/farming really is. A lot of weeding, a little bit of everything else. I say gardening/farming because our "farm" is the size of 4 or 5 New Orleans residential lots.

These aren't that big because back when they were settling New Orleans, just like in Charleston, you paid taxes based on how much of the street you took up. As a result, shotgun houses are popular. Although there are variations, a proper shotgun house is one where you could shoot a bullet through the front door straight through the back door. There are no hallways. The living room leads into a bedroom leads into a bedroom leads into the kitchen leads to the back door with a bathroom next to it. If you understood that, good for you.

I say all that to say that I don't think our farm is technically big enough to be considered a farm. Especially since only half of it has plants on it. But it's getting better. Today, we weeded and planted two rows of pak choy. They're tiny now, but hopefully they'll grow big and strong.

Tonight we go to the levee.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Day 12

2011-10-13T21:57:00.002-04:00

*Sammi Smith

At 1:33pm, I won the battle against the flies in the volunteer house. 19 casualties, and the stupid one stuck in the window because he can't figure out how to get out. I had half a mind to leave their little carcasses there as a warning to any reinforcements they may have had on the way. At 2:04pm, I discovered how they were getting in the house and gave up the fight. The flies have won the war.

They're sneaking in through the gaps that the AC units leave in the windows, and through the door that most of the volunteers leave open - even though there's a sign on it that says "Keep the Door Closed." The only thing is, you can only see the sign when the door is already closed.

There are too many breaches in our borders. We are outnumbered. So we must learn to deal with their buzzing in our faces while we are trying to eat lunch. But I'm still harboring hope that cooler weather on the horizon will thin out their troops.

In other news, I got my first mosquito bite today. My immunity has been compromised.

Girl in New Orleans: A World Away

2011-10-12T21:21:00.000-04:00

*Sammi Smith

I got an email today from a volunteer for the Triangle AMA, where I was a board member before I came to New Orleans. She was asking if I needed any help on my committee. I responded and let her know that I was no longer doing the corporate thing.

It seems like a lifetime ago that I was working the 8-5 office life. Sitting all day at a desk waiting for the heart attack that is 50% more likely if you sit for more than 8 hours a day. Doing something I'm good at, but don't really care about because it doesn't make a distinct positive impact.

I liked my job. I loved the people I worked with. But I'm much happier now. And the reminder that the job wasn't so long ago is shocking because I feel so comfortable here in this house. Without a car. Without any space that is my own. Getting up at 7 to build houses and plant vegetables.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Days 10 & 11

2011-10-12T20:39:00.000-04:00

*Sammi Smith

I went back to the construction site yesterday and today. The work is a little less fun this time because we're replacing bad studs, so when we finish it looks roughly the same as when we started. But some of the studs we have are treated, so they are bright pink. So part of Adam's bathroom is hot pink.

I did learn how to make a T, which is a stud with some extra heavy duty support. You should see me with that nail gun. I look so professional. I've also used a different kind of nail gun that's made to put nails into concrete. There's an actual bullet that goes in it, and you have to wear ear plugs when you use it. I can still feel the kickback in my wrist.

Tomorrow, I'm on house duty again because Dana (Qatar by way of France) needed to switch days because her sister is getting married on Friday. She's going to Skype in while she's cleaning the house. The good news is we're going out tonight, and since I'm on house duty, I don't have to be dressed and ready to do at Hoe Down (our morning meeting that starts at 7:45). I can show up in my pajamas.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Days 8 & 9

2011-10-09T19:26:00.000-04:00

*Sammi Smith

Yesterday, we all went on a swamp tour. Pictures are on my Facebook album, but I will say that it was really cool. I wasn't expecting much. Just something like the marshes in Charleston - muddy and stinky. However, in real life, the swamp is a really peaceful and beautiful place. We fed hot dogs to alligators, and marshmallows to raccoons. Well, the boat driver did. We just took pictures while keeping our arms and legs away from the edge.

Today, I wasn't at the construction site. I went to the paint site instead. I wasn't too excited about it. I thought it would be boring. And the first half was. The paint brushes weren't dry, so all we could do was get on the roof and scrape paint from old pieces of siding that were on the back of the house. The wood was so bad, that the paint wasn't really coming off. And we were destroying the wood even more. They ended up having to replace most of it on that section. My partner in this venture, Luisa (Germany), said she felt like Sisyphus rolling his stone up the mountain only to have to do it again the next.

After lunch, we started to paint the trim on the windows and the front doors. The time went by so fast doing that. It's like putting shingles on a roof. Your progress is so evident. I like that kind of work.

Girl in New Orleans: Great Love

2011-10-09T11:25:00.009-04:00

*Sammi Smith

I saw a quote on Facebook today by Mother Teresa:

"I can do no great things, only small things with great love."

It made me think about what we're doing at LowerNine.org. We're only building one house at a time, which isn't much when you come down here and see how many empty lots there are that used to hold families and love and life. But when you look at someone like Adam, or his wife Salina who has made us lunch twice this week, you can see the difference that small things with great love can make.

Brad Pitt has helped finance the building of 62 homes on a $35 million budget. LowerNine.org could operate for 140 years on that budget, and has built 52 homes. Now, I'm not at all trying to discount what Brad Pitt and his organization have done. They're building brand new homes. And green ones at that. The residents will save money on utilities as well as have a smaller negative impact on the environment. I love both of those.

But it's really cool to see the difference that LowerNine has on a budget of $250 grand a year. The difference is funded with great love from lots of volunteers doing small things. Laura Paul, the CEO of LowerNine, says "Ask anyone in New Orleans who rebuilt this city. They'll say volunteers, hands down."

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Days 6 & 7

2011-10-09T11:06:00.004-04:00

*Sammi Smith

Friday was a busy day. We nearly finished Adam's roof. It should be done tomorrow. Salina made us lunch again. Fried fish, pasta, peas and Mississippi Mud cake. Soooo good.

After dinner, we went out on the town. We saw a couple jazz bands and got to know each other a little more. It's amazing how quickly you make friends with people when you live with them. It reminds me of college in the dorms. With the exception of how hard it is to get in and out of my bed (a top bunk with a bottom stair too high for me to reach from the ground and nothing to hold onto at the top), I dig it.

Yesterday, Chiara (Italy), Dimitri (Belgium), Nora (Mexico) and I took on the NOLA bus system and went to the French Quarter for some sightseeing. We saw:

Bourbon and Royal Streets
Jackson Square
Louis Armstrong Park, where I did a ninja roll for kicks.
St. Louis' Cathedral
The Katrina exhibit at the Louisiana State Museum, which was really cool and really awful at the same time.
The French Market, where we had lunch and looked at some souvenirs. Chiara got an alligator claw back scratcher - yes, a real one. I picked up a book in French at the used book kiosk. I have no idea what it's about, but I thought it could help my Francais skills.

We also ran into a jazz wedding on the way back home. That's how I'd do it. Everyone looked like they were having so. much. fun. We followed the parade down the street for a bit before turning off to get to the bus stop.

The computer I'm working on is really slow, so I've put all the pictures on Facebook in a public album called Life in New Orleans, and you can see them there.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Day 5

2011-10-06T19:18:00.003-04:00

*Sammi Smith

My first work week is almost over. Today we had an extra group of volunteers, so the project board is pretty full. They're from Pennsylvania, which means I got to have lunch with some Americans. Not that I don't like my international housemates. They are awesome. It's that my French is no good. It's been ten years since my last lesson, so I understand about every tenth word when they forget that I'm not French and stop speaking English.

On site, we put shingles on Adam's roof. Hopefully, by tomorrow's end, we'll be done with it and on to things inside. There are some studs to replace, which requires cutting new ones from salvaged wood that sits in the front room of Adam's house.

There is also a rumor that Adam and his wife are going to cook for us again. Fried fish, potato salad, and some other delicious things. Because when you eat New Orleans, you don't just have one side. It's a presentation like the family has gathered for Christmas.

Tonight, we are going out for Emeline's (France) birthday. Plans so far are 7 o'clock dinner at a seafood place that comes highly recommended by Darren, our crew leader at Adam's house. We also have birthday cake Luisa (Germany) made that looks like a pretzel and has homemade caramel inside. Uh...yes, please.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Day 4

2011-10-05T19:10:00.002-04:00

*Sammi Smith

Not much to report today. I think I'm having allergies, so I took a Benadryl that made me super tired. And, as mentioned yesterday, I had house duty today. It wasn't too bad. The workday ends early on Wednesdays, so I was done at 3. And since we went out to see a jazz band last night, I was happy for an extra 2 hours to take a nap before dinner.

I'm up for making breakfast tomorrow, but we're out of a lot of things that are required to make American breakfast foods. Namely, milk. On a side note, we are also nearly out of toilet paper. And grocery shopping day isn't until Sunday. We'll see what happens with that.

But since we are out of milk, I'm going to take my new Mexican friend's advice and try out some breakfast quesadillas. I'm hoping it goes well. I've never made food for 20 people before. Wish me luck.

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Days 2 & 3

2011-10-04T18:19:00.007-04:00

*Sammi Smith

Sorry, friends for not publishing yesterday. I was whisked away to experience some New Orleans nightlife last night just after I started...

There is a rooster that likes to announce every minute or so that its morning starting at around 6am. So I'm not getting much sleep after that. Luckily, no one in my room is a snoorer. I've heard that one of the other rooms isn't so lucky.

For the past two days, I've been assigned to "Adam's Roof," which is on a brick house that survived the storm. Lowernine only works on houses that are still standing, although it doesn't matter how badly damaged they are. Adam's house needs a new roof, and is being gutted on the inside. There are even some studs that have fallen victim to termites, so we're replacing those.

Arriving at the house, Darren our crew leader asked if anyone was afraid of heights. I am, of course. Small people are always afraid of heights. But Stacey, you're thinking, you were going to rappel down the 32 stories of the Wachovia building this past weekend. Yeah, but the key point is that I didn't actually get to do that. So I have yet to conquer my fear of heights.

But Darren assured me that it was just a mind thing, and not only made me get on the roof, but made me go right to the edge so that I could help him measure for the black paper that provides a water barrier between the shingles and the wood boards underneath. I survived, but I'm still not excited about being on the roof. He rewarded me with a donut today.

My other project at the house has been demolition. The two other girls on site and I took sledge hammers to the toilets and tile floors. That was fun, but really hard on our hands. I can feel the callouses forming. Those sledge hammers are heavy!

The great surprise yesterday was that Adam's wife Salina cooked us a real, authentic New Orleans lunch. Red beans and rice, fried chicken, salad, garlic bread, and cake for dessert. It was awesome. She's promised to do it again soon, so I hope I'm on that project when she does.

Tomorrow I'm on house duty, which means that I will spend the entire workday cleaning the volunteer house. The biggest adventure associated with this project is the cockroach problem that comes with a warm, humid climate. I'm hoping my day is less exciting in that department than it has been for the last two volunteers on house duty this week. Wish me luck!

Me with a sledghammer in the bathroom:

View from one of Adam's windows:

Yesterday's lunch:

Adam's living room:

Girl in New Orleans: Lower Nine Day 1

2011-10-02T18:59:00.004-04:00

*Sammi Smith

I don't know what I expected, but I don't think it was a melting pot. I arrived at the airport around 10:30 (after being bumped from my original flight and ending up on a first class flight into New Orleans). After a bit of confusion, my transportation found me. Sixty-three year old Graham, who's here for another month and a half. He sounds like he might originally be from somewhere in the UK, but he and his wife restore old buildings in France. He mostly works on the farm at lowernine.org, which I hope to be a part of while I'm here.

On the way to the volunteer house, Graham told me that most of the volunteers are international. Turns out that except for a permanent volunteer that has earned his own room with a couple years of service, and my home host who's been here for about a month, I'm the only American.

According to Graham, nine volunteers arrived yesterday. 1 from Mexico. 1 from Italy. 1 from Turkey. 2 from France. 2 from Belgium. And 2 from South Korea.

We just got back from a tour of the lower ninth ward (L9W). We saw some of the houses that lowernine.org has rebuilt, the levees, a house that's flood proof throughout the entire first floor, the lowernine farm, the houses that Brad Pitt built with Do It Right New Orleans, and Bayou Bienvenue.

I'm writing this on the couch as the staff makes a welcome dinner for the new surge of volunteers. It's ratatouille.

Here I Go Again on My Own: I'm Moving, Sort Of

2011-09-28T22:36:00.002-04:00

*White Snake

Well, it's Wednesday night, and I'm leaving for New Orleans before the sun comes up on Sunday morning. I'll be there 6 1/2 weeks. Since my lease is up on my apartment on October 31 - and I'm not renewing - I have to move everything into my parents' house first.

I wasn't planning on doing that again. Storing my stuff at my parents' house. I don't like the idea. I know they don't need my stuff in their house. But my mom insisted I store it, rather than sell it, until I know what I'm going to do upon my return.

So I'm packing my things and taking them to my parents' house. It's been a slow-going process, but I'm happy to say that I have far fewer things to pack than I did when I moved in here. After a couple of trips in my Kia from my house to theirs, I'll only have the furniture to transfer. (Luckily, I have not one, but two gigantic brothers willing to do the heavy-lifting.) But even though I've gotten rid of so much, I still wish I didn't own so many things.

I'll get there one day.

I have a lot of things to do by Sunday. Seems I'm adding items to my list every time I look at it. But I'm not stressed about it. So much so that I've even surprised myself. Not that I'm a worrier, but I don't even think I'll be scrambling at the last minute, which will be new for me. I fully intend on getting a fabulous night's sleep Saturday...

Two Roads Diverged In a Wood, and I: Which Path To Take

2011-08-29T13:10:00.003-04:00

*Robert Frost (Ok, not a song. But still good. Get over it.)

I feel like I'm at a crossroads. And the choice I make will decide the rest of my life. I've been laid off from my job. Don't tell me you're sorry. I'm not. I didn't hate my job, but I had plenty of time to mentally prepare for the departure. I saw it coming, and I didn't take it personally. I'm also not scared of not being able to find a job. Within a day, I already had 2 prospects. Many more were to follow.

My burden is the choice of one of these jobs, or the path I may have been born to take. The one that will make all the difference. The one where I leave the "security" of the path more commonly taken--aspired by the majority of the population--for one of uncertainty, little to no money, and a heavy dose of loneliness. Sounds glorious, doesn't it?

I've been an aspiring nomad for years, with big dreams of giving it all up for a good adventure. I have yet to gather the strength to do this. But maybe the universe is doing it for me. My lease is up at the end of October. I've been laid off from my job. All that's left to do is part with my stuff, and the American Dream that I've never been that excited about.

But the question remains if I can actually commit to a life planned mere months at a time, with no inclination of where I'll be by spring.

I Like to Ride My Bicycle: My New Bike

2011-08-07T21:52:00.005-04:00

* Queen

I got a bike today! (It sort of looks like the one in that picture on the right.) I've been wanting one for a while, but was unsure of how to go about getting one. You see, I found this bike co-op in Durham that shows you how to build a bike and gives you a free one in return for time volunteered. I really wanted to do this, but the time and gas commitment of driving to Durham so many times was overwhelming.

Then my friend Morgan I told you about bought a brand new one from a local shop. I wasn't too excited about paying that much for a new bike, when I had the option of getting a free(ish) one that I built myself. But I was breaking down and thinking about going over to that same shop. That's when I looked on Craigslist and found one that was perfect.

Not only is it used so it's better for the environment, but I got a significant discount on my purchase than if I had bought it new. I also got to support this local guy who rebuilds bikes. He said he'd fix any mechanical problem for free if I should need it. Although the paint is beat up, he'd replaced all the important stuff - cables, wheels, tires, brakes - so I know it's in working order.

After spending an hour roaming around Walmart this afternoon, I got a helmet and bike lock, then went home and took my bike out for a maiden voyage. I was conscious of the cars around me, so I pedaled as fast as I could and wore myself out in less than 10 min. My friend Jonny says I should pace myself and not worry about the cars. I'll try that tomorrow.

I'm clearly not ready to commute to work on it, but hopefully I will be by the end of the week. I'm so excited!

Be a Simple Kind of Man: Memory Lane

2011-07-30T12:20:00.003-04:00

*Lynard Skynard

The last two days, I've been going through pictures and cards in my quest to own less. This has been the toughest part of it all because I've felt like by getting rid of the pictures or the heartfelt notes that I was given, I'm sort of telling those people I don't care. I'm telling myself that people don't expect you to keep those forever, and that if I'm not cherishing them (reading/looking at them regularly) then it's like I don't have them anyway. That's a lot of paper that can be recycled and use for something else.

Anyway, so I've had the opportunity to go through and look at old notes, to determine what's important to keep and what's not. I've found a lot of notes that reminded me of times in my life I had forgotten about. I found many notes of friends past telling me how much I meant to them. I'm a wanderer, so to see that I actually touch people's lives through the short moments I am with them is really great. I don't know how often people say those things to each other, but it was really nice for me when I saw all of them. Those moments aren't taken away because I no longer keep the card.

And then there were cards that I did keep. Ones from my sister and brothers and parents and grandparents and best friends that were really thought out or represented a significant time in my life. Those I have kept. I'm down from two boxes of pictures and cards, to one box. I may go back again and pare down, but this is all I can take for now.

Thanks to everyone who sent me those notes. I really appreciated them when I got them, and when I just read them again. I love you all, even if I don't see you again. You were just as significant in my life as the notes say I was in yours.

Photo by ex.libris

Dust Yourself Off and Try Again: I Failed

2011-07-26T19:55:00.004-04:00

*Aaliyah

Today has been a fail day. First, I'm sitting around judging my friends, then I bail on a couple more. It may not be that big a deal to either one of them, but what if it was? I hate saying I'll do something and then not doing it. That's my one thing I really have going for me. I may not stick to things, but if I say I'm going to meet you somewhere, I'll be there.

Except for today. I told two friends that I'd be at this meetup, and then let myself get talked out of it because other people were going to cover it and I didn't need to be there. So I didn't go. I sat around having drinks and judging my friends.

I'm making this a little more dramatic than it needs to be I guess. I'm always harder on myself than anyone else. But that's one standard I hold very high for myself. Don't be a liar. Do what you say you're going to do. I'm totally bummed that I bailed tonight.

I'm off to the gym to at least keep that promise to myself. And I just hope that my friends forgive me, and I can make it up with lunch or something very soon!

Be a Simple Kind of Man: Minimalist Snob

2011-07-26T18:31:00.003-04:00

*Lynard Skynard

I think I've become a minimalist snob. I was having drinks with a few friends today, and as we were talking about our lives, I found myself comparing them to myself. They were talking about how busy they were, and I was thinking (and even said it a couple times) "You just need to eliminate some things."

I have to remember that not everyone thinks like I do, and not everyone chooses to live life the way that I do. Not everyone says, "You know what? I can do that at the drop of a hat." And that's ok. If everyone were just like me, the world wouldn't be nearly as exciting.

Minimalism as a lifestyle is my choice. They respect that about me. I need to figure out how to respect the fact that they choose otherwise. I don't think my life is about being judgmental. That's not the purpose of my time here. My path is my own and no one else's.

Nice little reminder in case there's anyone reading this blog, and they need the kick in the pants I just got. From me to you: Take off your white wig!

Under the Sea: Scuba Lessons

2011-07-25T20:54:00.004-04:00

*The Little Mermaid

So Saturday, I took my first scuba diving lesson. I got it from a Living Social deal. I love that about those things. They make me try things I've never gotten around to doing.

Anyway, scuba diving is something I've always wanted to do, so I'm really glad I got to try it. I learned about safety and the gear. How to clear the water out of my goggles and breathe under water. The signals to talk to my buddy and how to swim without using my arms.

And the 2 main rules:

NHYB - Never Hold Your Breath

NDAS - Never Do Anything Stupid

Unfortunately, I was having sinus issues and couldn't pop my left ear. This means that the pressure got to be too much, and I couldn't go in the deep end of the pool. My adventure buddy Joshua got to go, and he had a lot of fun while I sat on the bottom of the shallow end looking on.

The good news is that the owner of the aquatic center said that just because I couldn't do it that day doesn't mean that I'm not capable of scuba diving. I was really excited about that because I've had ear issues my whole life, and I thought I'd just have to stick to snorkeling.

I'm looking forward to maybe finishing up the course. I'd like to be certified to scuba wherever. Then I could move on to something else on my list - the Great Barrier Reef!

Photo source

Be A Simple Kind of Man: It's Getting Brutal

2011-07-24T20:27:00.002-04:00

*Lynard Skynard

This getting rid of stuff thing is getting brutal. I'm starting to feel like a jerk. I'm now down to things that people gave me, keepsakes I've held onto but never look at, and random bathroom things I can't recycle or donate - like open shampoo, eye shadow, etc.

I know that most of the things I've held onto are not things that will make or break my relationship with the person who gave them to me. They probably don't even know I have them. I still feel like a jerk.

Today, I filled up a box with extra makeup and shampoo/lotion/soap stuff I don't use. I'm going to see if my sister wants any of them. If she doesn't, I'll have to make the hard decision to throw them away. For sanitary purposes, I can't donate them. That makes me sad. Not that there are sanitary rules; those are good. But I hate that I'll be adding to the landfills.

I'll be glad when this part is over.

It's My Life and It's Now or Never: Doing What I Want

2011-07-21T21:05:00.003-04:00

*Bon Jovi

Today when I got home from work, I should have gone to the gym, taken a shower, and then cleaned up my kitchen. What I actually did was eat a bowl of cereal, and get in the bathtub for about 10 minutes. Then I got dressed in yoga/pajama gear and headed to Barnes & Noble because I just felt like hanging out in the book store.

While I was there, I found a book that I had seen in the airport on my way to Key West a couple weeks ago. It's called The Happiness Project. It's about this lady that spent a year intentionally trying to make herself happy. It looks like a pretty awesome book, and I really want to read it. But I didn't buy it because I'm trying to own less stuff. Even though I really want to read that book, I was proud of myself for not dropping $15 on another object to take up space in my apartment I will now share with someone else.

So what I did was, I dropped $1.83 on a hot herbal mint tea and read some of this book in the Starbucks inside Barnes & Noble. Then I burnt my tongue. I know what you're thinking. "It's 100 degrees outside, lady. What the heck are you doing getting a hot tea?" Well, it was freezing in BN, dude.

While I was reading the forward and a few pages of the first chapter, I had a little epiphany about myself. I like to make all these lists about what I want to do in my life--and it's a lot. But the thing is, I never really get that much of it done, because I never really do it. I just talk about it.

I closed the book, and came home. To write this blog post, and to start acting on the things I want to do in my life. I've, of course, already begun this process as I'm getting rid of massive amounts of possessions, and have just acquired a roommate to pay half the bills. But I also want to make a conscious effort to actually do the things on my list.

I'm glad that today I did what I wanted to do instead of what I "should" have done. Maybe tomorrow I'll want to go to the gym.

Be a Simple Kind of Man: Inspirations for Simple Living

2011-07-21T09:33:00.002-04:00

*Lynard Skynard

While on my journey to minimalism, I've been inspired by lots of people.

My friend Morgan has inspired me. We both sort of independently came to this desire to live more simply and sustainably at the same time - we talk about farmers markets, donating clothes, composting - and I hope I've inspired her as much as she has inspired me.

Not everyone has a Morgan, so here are some other resources that inspire me to live simply:

"A perfect thing is not when nothing more can be added to it, but when nothing more can be taken away." -Antoine de St. Exupery

Tiny Buddha - Inspirational and applicable blog posts

Zen Habits - Practical blog posts

becoming minimalist - Great list on benefits of being a minimalist

Lucky 3 Farm - Local Triangle farm that ensures their beef, pork and poultry are as natural as they come. No antibiotics or hormones. Good for people, animals and the environment. There's also a blog.

Tumbleweed Houses - This guy builds and constructs tiny houses. Tiny houses fascinate me, and I hope to live in one someday.

the Lego-style Apartment - Christian is hilarious and his house is ingenious.

Clei - These Italian designers are so inventive. The kinds of furniture you can have in a small space are amazing. Love multi-functional anything. Check out the couch that turns into a pair of bunkbeds. (Pick Transformable Systems, then Doc. It's the orange couch at the bottom.)

Happy Simple Living - Great directory for other simple living resources.

Photo by christianyves

Be a Simple Kind of Man: From Packrat to Aspiring Minimalist

2011-07-20T09:10:00.002-04:00

*Lynard Skynard

If we start at the beginning, I had so much stuff because I was a packrat. I came from a line of packrats, and I kept the tradition going after I moved out on my own. I felt sentimental about a lot of things I never used. So I couldn't get rid of them. And I liked new stuff, so I just added to the pile.

Fast forward to a couple years ago, when I left Charleston for Phoenix. This was a temporary move, and we all knew it. I was out there to help my sister take care of her brand new baby. I stayed with them and my brother-in-law in their apartment. Because I knew it was temporary, and I was moving into an already furnished place, I put what I wasn't bringing with me in two places: my parents' house and my storage unit.

While I was in Phoenix, I bought things. Clothes and books mostly. Oh, and a fairly large painting. It was actually so much stuff, that I had to leave it there when I left. They brought it to NC in the moving truck when they moved back.

I left Phoenix for Raleigh by way of Marianna, FL, where I stayed with my grandma and her sister for 3 weeks. I probably accumulated stuff there, but it was such a short stay, that the amount was immaterial. What did happen in Marianna was that my grandma was talking about how she would be lonely when she got back to NC, living all alone. I told her that I would stay with her for a while. That lasted 2 years. And I accumulated more stuff - the rest of my stuff was still in my parents' house and my storage unit.

It all hit me when I moved into this 2 bedroom apartment by myself, and my things from all 3 places followed me. My house was a huge mess for a while. I had to come to terms with my problem. And I did. And I've maybe even halved my belongings, although I did have to purchase quite a bit to furnish my apartment. I've never needed living room furniture of my own before.

The point is, I own a lot less now. And although I'm not quite where I want to be yet, I'm really proud of myself for getting this far.

Photo by Big Fat Rat

Be a Simple Kind of Man: Becoming a Minimalist

2011-07-19T20:06:00.002-04:00

*Lynard Skynard

I don't know how long I've been on the minimalist/green living kick, but it's been a few months. The idea of living a green life has always been interesting to me, but a few months ago, I decided to take it seriously. So I found this book I'd had packed away for a while - called The Green Book - and I read it. Cover to cover. Now this isn't the type of book you read cover to cover. It's one that's just full of little paragraphs telling you different small steps you can take to be greener. But I was so interested in it, I read it cover to cover.

One thing that stood out to me - glaringly so - was this one fact in there about possessions. It said that the average person in the world has 427 objects in their house. The average American has over 10,000. Let that sink in. The average American has 23.419 times the amount of objects in their home than a normal Earth human inhabitant. This is including the modernized parts of the world like Australia and Western Europe.

That fact made me want to barf. I do. not. want that many things in my house. I'm sure at the start of this journey, I could beat it. Now I'm not sure how this is calculated - if every bobby pin counts as an object or bobby pins count as one. Either way. I could probably have beat it.

To exclude myself from this statistic, I began getting rid of things in my house. Slowishly at first, but as of a week and a half ago, I put an ad out on Craigslist for a roommate. I live in a 2 bedroom apartment by myself. I had delusions when I moved in about turning the second bedroom into a studio, where I would paint and make jewelry. I have yet to put brush to canvas since moving in here, and the jewelry I've made as either been at my coffee table or my sister's house.

So a week and a half ago, I put an ad out on Craigslist for a roommate. I got replies so fast, my head spun. And my second bedroom was still serving as a storage unit. I got to work fast. I'm happy to say that my second bedroom is now void of objects, except for a desk my dad is picking up this week. My new roommate will be moving in tomorrowish.

And I'm super stoked about what else I can get rid of. My mission is to own practically nothing. You see, I would like to live the life of a nomad, and you ain't doing that with an apartment full of crap on your back.

We Are the World, We Are the Children: St. B's Media Coverage

2011-03-25T12:50:00.004-04:00

As many of you know, the Media Two team is participating in St. Baldrick’s – shaving our heads to raise money for children’s cancer research. Morgan Siem and I, the two ladies of the group, are going all out trying to raise awareness and collect donations for this cause. We’ve been fortunate enough to receive all this coverage!! I’ll update the list as more comes along.

To donate to St. Baldrick's, visit the Band of Baldies team page!

WRAL

The News & Observer

Life Un-doc’d – Series: Going Bald for St. Baldrick’s, Life with Purpose, Going Bald for the Kids Benefit a Success!

Freezerburns

Food for Thought – Part 1 & Part 2

Cristina’s Life

Conversations and Connections (SAS social media blog)

IDreamInTech

We Are the World, We Are the Children: The Double Flu

2011-02-24T11:07:00.005-05:00

So I'm sitting here in the recliner at my parents' house watching TV like I have been for days. I haven't been outside since Monday when I went to the doctor. It's Thursday. I have the flu--two strains of it. Lucky me.

I never get sick. Well, rarely ever. And now, I've been knocked down so hard, I don't know when I'll be getting back up. I'm highly contagious and so I have to sit on a sheet, wear a mask and Purell my hands before I touch anything. I feel like a leper. No one can touch me. Most people can't hang out with me. And I'm missing all the St. Baldrick's fun.

This week was a big deal for the St. Baldrick's promotion. We landed an interview with the News & Observer, and we have a meeting with someone who's going to do a photo documentary about our journey toward baldness. But I'm sick, and I can't go. We just started our fundraising efforts, and we were so pumped with everything that was coming our way. And then I got laid out.

I was sitting here feeling sorry for myself--thinking all of those things above--when my mom came in and gave me the kick in the ass I needed. "I know you're missing the fun stuff, but maybe you can learn something from this," she said. "Now you know what it's like for those kids with cancer in the hospital." She was right.

I've had a small glimpse into the lives of the children I'm trying to help with St. Baldrick's. The ones with cancer who get sick because of their chemo treatments. The one's whose immune systems are so low that they have to wear masks and Purell their hands when they touch something. Those who are so in danger of catching something that other people can't get too close for fear of infecting them.

Here's my one-more-reason for helping those kids. Living like this is terrible. Not being able to go outside when the weather's nice, or run around, or play. They deserve all those things. We're going to help give it to them. Hopefully, I'll be back up and running soon.

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 17

2010-07-25T20:54:00.001-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

If you’re thinking that you haven’t heard from me in a while because I fell off the triathlon wagon, you’re right. My internship with my job is up at the end of August, and I’ve been super busy trying to get myself ready to find a permanent gig. That in itself is nearly a full-time job. So I “got lazy” and stopped training. I started back today. Not technically triathlon training, but I worked my butt off.

I don’t know if you’ve heard of a little lady named Jillian Michaels, but she’s no joke. I have one of her exercise videos, and I tried it tonight. I don’t say “tried” because I just got it and I’ve never used it before. No, this video and I have met before. A while ago. Back when I lived in Arizona. Later, when I returned to NC, we hung out for a while before I ditched it for…something else. Something I can’t remember at this point.

Even though I had taken nearly a week off from training, I figured the easy level wouldn’t be that bad. After all, I’ve been training for a triathlon for about 3 weeks now. I was wrong. As I said before, that Jillian Michaels is no joke. The program is only 21 minutes long. Including warm up and cool down. I had to quit early. I have a feeling I’m going to be very sore tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Photo by puck90

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 16

2010-07-22T15:49:00.001-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

Another swim day. Yay! I’m really loving swim days. As always, I went swimming before work. The gym on campus at my job (the gym that has a pool) closes early—around 7—and I don’t want to take a chance that I’ll miss out on my swimming. I can’t go right after work, you see, because I’m hungry! I have to eat something. And then you can’t swim right after you eat. Didn’t your mom ever tell you? You get cramps and then you drown. And since that doesn’t sound like something I want to do, I swim before work.

Today was no different. I got up, put on my swimsuit and headed to the pool. I’m no longer concerned about how ridiculous I look in my goggles and swim cap. I am a little self-conscious, though, about my two-piece bathing suit I wear to the pool. I know it’s not the proper kind, but right now it’s all I have. I haven’t had the time to go get a suit made for swimming laps and participating in races. To tell you the truth, I don’t even know where to start to find the right one for me. I guess I could go back to TrySports and ask the girl that helped me get my goggles. She’s been doing triathlons for 8 years. She should know. I’ll put that on the list.

Note: This is not a picture of me or my bathing suit.

I’ve gotten better at holding my breath and doing the freestyle thing. Today, instead of alternating every 2 laps between freestyle and backstroke, I went 3-1. And I ended up doing 17 laps in my 25 minute stint. Take that Michael Phelps!

Photo by igorms

Wim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 15

2010-07-21T20:34:00.001-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

Today’s post is going to be short. It was a running day. I was going to do it in the morning, but you know I just couldn’t get out of the bed in time to run before work. I’ve been getting kind of lazy this week.

So when I left work to go running, I knew I couldn’t do it outside. It’s way too hot to run outside. Unless it’s in the morning before work or dark outside. And by the time it’s dark outside, I can’t go running. I’m a small person. I’m a girl. I’m a perfect target. And I prefer to not be attacked. So I left work a bit early. Don’t worry; I’m not that much of a slacker. I went into work early also. But because I left early, I thought I’d beat the crowd that goes to the gym after work. I was sadly mistaken. But I am NOT getting on an elliptical machine again. So I chose the arc trainer. It’s sort of like the elliptical but different in a way that I can’t really describe. I’m not a specialist. But I like it a lot better.

Unfortunately, my arc trainer didn’t exactly work properly. The big circle encased at the front (where the pedals are attached—presumably some sort of turning gear in there) started shaking. At first, I thought it was that my steps were a bit out of sync, so I slowed down to fix the problem. To no avail. But I was already over halfway through with my 25 minutes of running, I didn’t want to lose my stats. So I stood by my arc trainer, through the good times and the bad. I went a little slower, and she shook a little less. And by the end of 25 minutes, I don’t think I’d even gone a mile and a half. But it was better than nothing, and I got to show the gimp arc trainer some love and attention.

Photo by sportsandsocial

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 14

2010-07-19T19:57:00.005-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

So last night, my boyfriend and I had a discussion about my swimming, colored by my horrible day. (I had driven home from Charleston—4 ½ hours—suffered a moderate case of road rage, and come home to not so pleasant circumstances.) But we went to Whole Foods, and he let me complain about what was stressing me. One such thing is my triathlon training.

“I’m afraid I’m not going to be fast enough and they’ll kick me out.” (The event has a policy that if they think you’re not going to make the whole race in 2 ½ hours, they’ll remove you from the competition. If I’ve been training for 2 ½ months and I get pulled from the race, I’m going to be so mad and depressed.)

“Try harder.”

“I am trying”

“I said try harder.”

He’s got this mindset that you can just look at something you want and go get it. Loon or genius? Hmm...Either way, I think I need some of that right now. I’ve been feeling my motivation dwindle in the last little bit. The initial fire to do this is burning down to the embers and that’s not good. Competing in a triathlon is one of my dreams. It’s on my list. I actually wrote it down. And if I wrote it down, I have to do it.

I’d like to say it’s just one thing that’s holding me back. But it’s all of them. However, for today we’ll focus on swimming because that’s what I had to do today. That and biking, but until I get a proper bike and start doing it outside, I’m putting that part out of my mind. So during this conversation we had last night, he filled me in on a piece of wisdom about swimming. (After I half-jokingly said I was going to just get a snorkel and he told me people do it all the time and no one would look at me funny. I'm not so sure about that.)

You’re supposed to hold your breath. This whole time I’ve been breathing out the whole time my face is in the water. Then I am out of breath and I’m gasping when I come up for air.

“Slow down,” he said. “Hold your breath til the last stroke. Breathe out, and then give yourself a long time to breathe back in.” You’re supposed to follow your hand through the whole stroke when you come up for air. Look back, up and then down. It worked. I can go longer without taking a breath. I can go faster. And I’m not forced to take a couple strokes in a row with my head out of the water to catch my breath.

I had intended to swim and bike in the same trip to the gym. Trying to simulate a bit my experience at the race. Instead, I got out of the bed too late and had to split it up. So I swam 12 laps in 20 minutes before work, and then went 6.6 miles in 30 minutes on the bike at the gym after work. Ten more weeks to go.

Photo by Dabe

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 13

2010-07-16T14:53:00.003-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

Today got off the ground with a slow start. So slow that after all my training and

packing for my weekend trip, I was 15 minutes late to work. Ok 10, but it counts at 15. Does that mean I can leave an extra 5 minutes early to make up for it? I think maybe it does. I think maybe I will since I have to feed my friend’s cat one last time before she gets home from California. And all before I drive 4 hours down to Charleston. Sorry to any friends that found out I was coming down there through this blog. It’s less of a “Charleston trip” and more of a trip to see Kristina. Catch you other peeps next time.

Ok, so back to my training this morning. I didn’t think I was going to make it honestly. I was scheduled to swim 35 minutes. Since I was feeling sluggish, I alternated free style and back stroke every 2 laps. It was great because I didn’t have to worry about breathing on the back strokes. I’m still not down with breathing during free style swim. I don’t know if I’m breathing out too fast, then taking too many breaths (therefore forcing myself to hyperventilate) or what. But every full lap (there and back) there is at least one time when I have to keep my face out of the water for several strokes to catch my breath. Maybe I should take a swimming class with Raleigh Parks & Rec.

But the back stroke saved me, and I achieved another personal swimming record. 21 laps in 35 minutes. I’m really starting to like swimming. When my internship is up and I no longer have a free pool to go to, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’ll have to start going to the Y or something I guess. I just love how you get a workout without feeling like you’re working very hard. I sort of feel like I’m playing around. But I have the guns (arm muscles) to prove that I’m actually doing something productive.

Photo by Angela Radulescu

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 12

2010-07-14T23:43:00.003-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

What’s on the training schedule for today? Biking. 30 minutes. “Shouldn’t be too hard,” I thought, looking back on Monday’s epic 10+ miles in 45 minutes. Easy squeeze. Unfortunately, I was at a disadvantage because I had to work my night job one last time. This means I got to work this morning at 8, worked til 4:30 (I had to go feed my friend’s cat), got to my other job around 5:45 and didn’t leave until about 10:20. This was a long day for me, but I knew I couldn’t give up. I had to go to the gym and bike my scheduled 30 minutes.

I went to a Personal Training workshop up in NYC last year (one of my many careers I started but never actually lived out). During this workshop I learned about the 2 kinds of energy sources your body has. Now it’s been a while, and I don’t remember all the technical stuff. I also don’t feel like Google-ing it. Sue me. (Not really. Please don’t actually.) Anyway, these two energy sources go as follows. One is an immediate source that lasts about 5 minutes while your body makes the other. It’s not a very efficient one, the first source. That’s why you feel kind of crappy the first few minutes of an aerobic exercise—like running, biking or jazzercising. But after about 5 minutes, the second kind of energy kicks in and you get “your second wind” (aka you feel alright to keep “Sweatin’ to the Oldies”).

I tell you all of this to explain to you my disappointment in my biking experience tonight. You see, when I first started biking, my legs hurt. “That’s ok, self,” I thought to myself. “Just give it about 5 minutes and you’ll start feeling better. You might even smoke another training session like you always do.” Unfortunately, the 5 minute mark rolled around (and then the 6 minute, and then the 7 minute) and my legs were still killing me. Enter new thought process: I didn’t get my rest day yesterday. I normally do Run/Swim on Mondays and have Tuesdays off to recover.

I made it through the 32 minutes, but I only did just under 6.5 miles. I really took my cool down minutes seriously tonight. Better luck next time, lanish.

p.s. If you’re wondering about the picture, it’s supposed to symbolize energy. The energy I talked about in Paragraph 2. The energy I didn’t have on that stationary bike machine at the gym. Take your pick. Oh, also...Happy Bastille Day!

Photo by boskizzi

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 11

2010-07-13T21:07:00.007-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

Today, Tuesday (my scheduled off day) was another makeup day. That's what you get when you slack off I guess. But I'm all caught up now! I did my Run/Swim combo (scheduled for yesterday). This time it was more time. 25 minutes of running, 20 minutes of swimming. Because I want to train as much as possible in the natural elements, I ran in my neighborhood before heading to the pool at work.

The most I've run at one time so far in this training process is 20 minutes. And I do about 10-minute miles when I'm doing the RUN-WALK-RUN method mentioned in an earlier post. I've been going 4 minutes run, 1 minute walk. This serves me well for about 20 minutes. Today at the end of my fourth interval cycle, I felt sick. I don't know if I was running too hard, or if it's just because I had those 2 days off in a row. But I decided to cut my losses and walk the last interval. Halfway-ish through though I felt better and ran the last 1 1/2 minutes of the run section.

So all together, I ran 17 1/2 minutes and walked the rest. I still made good time. 2.2 miles in 25 minutes.

Then it was off to the gym, where I swam 11 laps in 20 minutes. I also discovered an amazing contraption in the locker room that spins your bathing suit for 20 seconds. It's dry when you take it out. Amazing!

Photo by genibee

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 10

2010-07-12T21:46:00.003-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

I cheated again. Due to some social life issues yesterday, I skipped my training and now have to make up for it this week. The bright side of that is that I had the whole weekend off from work and triathlon training.

Today is Monday, and what I'm supposed to be doing is a Run/Swim day. However, I'm determined to make up for my slacking off, so I did Sunday's assignment. 45 minutes of biking. It felt like a huge mountain to climb after two days off in a row, but I had my usual goal of 5-minute miles. And I smoked it again. 10.something miles. In about 47 minutes (2 minute cool down included).

In other news, I've lost at least 5lbs. Not that that was a goal, but I have to say, I'm looking pretty hot these days.

Photo by kirainet

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 9

2010-07-09T20:26:00.010-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

Another Friday. Another swimming day. I got some goggles and a swim cap the other day at TrySports. Now I can swim with my head in the water. Making me more aerodynamic. Making swimming easier. Unfortunately, I look really stupid with my new accessories. And it's really hard to get that swim cap on.

Other than that, not much to report except that I went swimming before work. 30 minutes. I went 15 laps. This is an all-time swimming record for me. I feel like a superhero right now. The fact that my boyfriend told me he swims 25 laps at a time doesn't bother me. He swims all the time. He's even flips in the water when he gets to the wall. Maybe one day I'll learn how to do that...and get my breathing right so I'm not gasping everytime I go up for air.

Photo by kasi metcalfe

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 8

2010-07-08T22:59:00.003-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

Because of problems I ran into at the lovely hour of 6am (I say that sarcastically), I was unable to run this morning. I planned to do it at lunch, but had a lunch-n-learn about social media instead. So, long story short, I couldn’t run until after work. And I was on a time crunch because I had plans at 7.

You may not think this is hard seeing as how I only had to run for 20 minutes and I get off work at 5, but I had to run at the gym since it’s hotter than Hades in the afternoon this time of year (I just read an article at work about heat stroke) and I made the bad choice of making a “quick” stop downtown to pick something up. Quick stop translated into at least an unnecessary half hour stuck in traffic on a four-lane road turned two-lane due to construction straight down the middle.

Mistake #2 is thinking that going to the gym around 6pm was a good idea. That’s prime time for people who don’t work out before work. The gym was packed, and I didn’t get a treadmill. I had to settle for the elliptical. I know there are a lot of great things about an elliptical, but I don’t particularly care for them. I can’t run normally, and it slows me down. I also don’t appreciate that there’s no feature to tell me how many miles an hour I am going. Its substitute is “strides per hour.” Who cares? What does that even mean?

I think I might be a little grumpy as I write this post. I need some dinner—all I’ve had is Cheetos since lunch. And in the 22 minutes I ran (again, 2-minute cool down), I only went about 1.8 miles. I’m better than that on the street when I take a walk break every 4 minutes! This is an outrage.

Photo by Big Fat Rat

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 7

2010-07-07T23:45:00.002-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

As you know, today was a biking day. I don’t have too much to say about it. I had to work at my “other” job (a job I quit tonight) from 5:30-10. So when I got out, I just went straight to the gym to knock out my 35 minutes of biking. I did 7.7 miles in the 37-minute workout (35 min + 2 min cool down required by the stationary bike at the gym). And I did it on level 5 intensity. I don’t know if this is good or bad, but I went farther this time than I did last time I was on the bike for 35 min. And I did it with a 2-point higher intensity. At least I’m improving. Tomorrow I run.

Photo by vitale_daseinserfahrung

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Traithlon Training Day 6

2010-07-06T23:06:00.000-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

I skipped a training day. I was scheduled to run and swim yesterday, but it was still holiday time at work and the pool was closed. I went on a walk/hike in the afternoon (from Meredith College to the North Carolina Museum of Art) for about 2 hours, so I wasn’t just sitting around not doing anything. But I didn’t run or swim. I planned to make up for it today when the pool had reopened. However, when I got off work today, I was so exhausted (I came into work an hour early) all I could do was go home and take a nap. Which I did. More like a coma. I woke up around 2 hours later with impressions in my face from my pillowcase.

Then I went to Target and Ben & Jerry’s at North Hills, and headed downtown to Helio’s for a beer. Since this was technically my day off from training, I don’t feel too bad about it. I know I really needed the rest. I mean I was training hard even when I was sick. That didn’t help. I still don’t have my voice fully back.

Like I said, I had the best intentions of making it up, but life just isn’t working out that way. So I’m going to cut my losses and start back up tomorrow with 35 minutes of biking. How many miles will I go this time?

Photo by Bob B. Brown

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 5

2010-07-04T14:30:00.001-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

Today is the 4th of July. How am I celebrating? Well first on the agenda today was biking for 40 minutes. Ok, first on the agenda was to sleep in. Which I did. Then breakfast and checking my email. But first significant thing on the agenda was biking for 40 minutes.

How far did I go? 9 miles. Ok, to tell you the truth, it took me 42 minutes to go 9 miles. The stationary bike at the gym gave me a 2 minute cool down. I used this extra time and reduced resistance to bike extra fast to make 9 miles. Probably not the best thing to do during a cool down, but that’s my life. I’m super competitive (even with just myself) and I simply can’t stop. This is why I rarely put myself in competitive situations—including shopping on eBay. But enough about the psychology of me.

I can feel myself getting stronger, even with just one week of training under my belt. Today’s biking was longer and had more resistance than last time. And I smoked it. On a side note, I’ve been feeling super dehydrated the last few days. I need to make sure I drink extra water. This kind of exercising really takes a lot out of you.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go meet some friends downtown for a true American celebration. Eating hot dogs, cheeseburgers and fries. Having some beer. And of course, watching fireworks.

Photo by Barry Yanowitz

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 4

2010-07-02T17:30:00.000-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

Well I met my mom at the pool at my job at 7:30 this morning. I’ve just started working here, and this was my first trip to the pool. (That’s why I insisted my mom come along. She’s been before.) So here’s what happened. We walked in and went up to the desk, where we had to sign in using employee numbers. They’re really into the security of knowing who all’s there at all times. Anyway, as soon as we walked up, the guy in the little booth looked at my mom and said “Are ya’ll going into the pool?”

“Yes…?”

Then he pointed at me and (still not talking to me) said, “Is she a teen?” Teens are only allowed in the pool during Family Swim.

In his defense, I was wearing my ninja turtle backpack.

Workout report: This time I swam 10 laps in 30 min. I’ve got to get goggles and a swim cap so I can put my head underwater and swim faster.

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 3

2010-07-01T19:40:00.000-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

Today was a run day. 20 minutes. I've made the decision to do as much training for this triathlon as I can outside. I feel like it'll prepare me for the actual course, so that I can go faster during the race and not be taken out. (If the officials don't think you're going fast enough to make it through the whole thing in 2 1/2 hours, they'll pull you from the race. I definitely don't want that!)

So today I did my 20 minutes of running, outside in my neighborhood, using the Jeff Galloway RUN-WALK-RUN method. It's something I learned about back in Charleston when I was training for a half marathon with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. A race I never ran (for several reasons. Take off your white wig).

Anyway, the RUN-WALK-RUN method is an interval training concept that allows you to rest before you're tired, which in turn keeps you going longer...and faster. On Monday--my first training day--I ran a steady 4.5 miles-an-hour pace. After 20 minutes and a 5 minute cool down, I think I'd only done about 1.79 miles. I was proud of myself because I had run the whole time, but I hadn't gone very far. Today, I took walking breaks every 4 minutes. Run 4 minutes; walk 1 minute. I got to rest before I was tired, and when my minute walk was over, I was ready to run again. Today I ran a full 2 miles in 20 minutes. And that includes a total of 4 minutes when I was just walking.

I'm gonna be so fast in 12 weeks. Meep meep!

Photo by Today is a good day

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Triathlon Training Day 2

2010-06-30T22:22:00.005-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

I didn’t get much sleep last night. Eclipse came out, and I went to the premier. Before that, I worked all day, and had my ninja class where I learned some sort of routine with a 6-foot stick I can’t remember the name of to save my life. So although I had the day off from triathlon training, it wasn’t much of a rest day.

So I’m tired today (and a little sick—my voice is totally gone). This morning I was feeling so bad that I left work for lunch (grabbing sushi from the café) and never went back. I spent the afternoon on the couch watching one of the weirdest movies I’ve ever seen. Punch Drunk Love. Parts of it were awesome though.

After an afternoon of vegging, I felt better and simply could not waste a training day. Especially so early in the game. So around 8:30 I went to the gym for my 35 min of biking. I did just over 6.5 miles in that 35 min. That’s just over 5 min miles. Don’t know if that’s good, but I felt good about it. Of course I could have made it harder than level 3—more like the experience of riding a real bike—but I’m sick, so I’m letting myself off the hook a little.

The bike at Kimmy’s apartment gym was broken, so when she got off work at 11pm, she had nothing to do but the elliptical machine. When I asked her how it went she said she did 8.4 miles in 30 min. I of course responded with a “that’s not possible,” calculating that she would have been running under 4 min miles. We’re going with the theory that some calculation was incorrect. Whether it was the machine or Kimmy, I’m not sure. But I think we’ll just let it slide this time.

Tomorrow is more running.

Photo by: bernat...

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: Training Day 1

2010-06-28T17:34:00.001-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

Ok, so. It's 6:30. I got up at 6:30. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, although I’m sure I’ll crash at some point. In other news, Life Time Fitness is like a freakin spa vacation. If I didn’t have a free gym at SAS for the time being, I might think about spending half my paycheck to be a member there. Ok, it’s not that much, but still more than free.

Running wasn’t bad. I mean I was running on a treadmill, and I wasn’t going very fast, but I did it no problem. So I’m proud of myself. Swimming, on the other hand, is a lot harder than I remembered. It may have been that I did it after running, but I think it’s a bit of both. I only did 4 laps. For those of you that don’t know, that means you do the lane twice. There and back. So I went across the pool 8 times. This is not impressive, but it’s a start.

Kimmy is a faster swimmer than me. But I’m a faster runner. Take that Kimmy!

We’ve decided to do as much of this training as we can outside to simulate the event. Ok, it was my idea (don’t know if Kim is happy with it), but I think it will help us. As long as we don’t die of heat stroke in the elements of a North Carolina summer.

2:30ish: I’m crashing now. I just almost fell asleep at my desk—maybe I did fall asleep. Who knows? I think I’ll take a trip to the break room.

Swim, Bike, Run. Yeah So Much Fun: I'm Doing a Triathlon!

2010-06-27T00:06:00.001-04:00

*Mark Winholtz

Ok so, it’s always been one of my dreams to be in a triathlon. One of the things on my list to do before I die. But there’s no way I’d be able to handle one of those big ones, so I found a sprint triathlon (the shortest category) in Raleigh that’s happening on October 3rd. I didn’t really want to do it by myself, but I couldn’t find anyone to do it with me. (Since it’s a women’s only triathlon, my prospects were from a smaller pool.) But yesterday I found someone to agree to do it with me. My friend Kimmy. We’re both really excited about it, and I’ve decided to document our experience and progress on this blog. Just another adventure for you to live vicariously through me. Aren’t you lucky!

The event is the Jordan Lake Women’s Only 2010 Sprint Triathlon. It’s a 750 meter swim, 15 mile bike, and 5K run (3.1 miles).

We’ve got 13 weeks to be ready for this thing. Not an ideal starting off point if you haven’t been working out already, but I’m sort of an all-or-nothing kind of lady so I’m all in. Coincidentally, I found a 13-week training program for sprint triathlons. Tomorrow, Kimmy and I will have our first training day: 15 minute swim, 20 minute run. Since we belong to different gyms, we won’t be swimming together on a regular basis, but we decided to go to her gym tomorrow so we can be together on the first day.

Time to sleep so I can get up at 6:30 and work out. Wish us luck!

About 25, In Little Apartments Just Trying To Get By: Looking To Buy A House

2010-03-29T21:30:00.014-04:00

*Martina McBride

Ok so, I've made the decision to stop moving around all the time. Stop spending all my saved up money on starting over, and start planting some semblance of roots so that I can have the time and money to get some of the things checked off my (for lack of a more creative term) bucket list.

One of those things is to own a house. So today my mom and I met a realtor to look at a few townhouses a few minutes away from where Grandma and I live now. I've been looking at a couple of these online for a few weeks now, and although they're not pretty (built in 1972), they've got potential. If you know me, you know how I dive into things like this headfirst. So of course, I've already started decorating in my head. Planning paint colors and furniture placement.

At 1:00 this afternoon, we met Adam, who showed us four units. One of which is the one I've been stalking on the internet. The one that is already under contract. When I walked in and discovered that the previous residents had been smoking in there, I no longer cared. Good thing there were three others. I did find one I liked though. Here's where it stands:

Pros:

end unit--only one attached neighbor
updated appliances
ceiling fans EVERYWHERE
already started decorating it in my head...and I love it
lots of storage and natural light
outside space
great location
pool, tennis and volleyball courts

Cons:

right on a busy street--lots of traffic noise when you're outside
not an open floorplan
two smaller patios instead of one big one--usable outside space is smaller
a little creaky from being old
I'd still want to eventually replace the appliances to stainless
I don't have a real job just yet

First things first, I've gotta get a job that'll get me approved for a loan. Hopefully, approved for the loan before this government rebate program is up April 30th. Wish me luck!

"He that has a house to put's head in has a good head-piece." -Shakespeare, King Lear

I Can't Help It the Road Just Rolls Out Behind Me (Part 5)

2010-03-23T23:56:00.003-04:00

*Fionna Apple

I Can't Help It the Road Just Rolls Out Behind Me (Part 4): On to South Dakota

2010-03-22T23:25:00.003-04:00

*Fionna Apple

Ok so, today we said our goodbyes to the folks of Oakdale, Nebraska and headed north to South Dakota. The drive consisted of nothing but flat prairies and rolling hills. Pop said that all the trees were planted there. None of them are indigenous. And that it took them a long time to find ones that could survive in the area. Then he told us about pioneer women who got what's called Prairie Fever, where they got so tired of being lonely in the vast country that they started to think the sky was closing in on them. So they would go out into the prairie to sit down, give up, and die. Great story, huh?...At one point, we had driven 4 straight hours, at least one of those on a dirt road, before finding a town that was more the a ¼ mile long. One town called Belvidere only has a population of 63!

But we weren't always lost in the abyss of empty cornfields and treeless prairies. Just at the state line, we made a stop at the Rosebud Indian Reservation Casino. We each got a roll of quarters and played the slot machines until we were out of starter money. I won $23, which means that I made a $13 profit in less than 30 minutes for putting quarters in a machine and pulling a lever. Good thing I don't have an addictive personality, or I might think I'd want to gamble my savings in Vegas or something. It was exciting, but I was glad to quit while I was ahead. Then we got some pictures straddling/sitting on the state line in the casino parking lot, and I got to fulfill my lifelong dream of staging a tumbleweed attack. (Picture coming soon)

When we found civilization on the deserted drive, it was in Wall, South Dakota. Apparently, they have a famous drug store that Pop says is mostly a tourist trap with a tiny drug counter in the back corner. But since it's one of South Dakota's claim to fame, it's a must. We got here too late today, apparently in off season, everything closes at 4. So we ate at the Cactus Cafe, where I had a buffalo burger, and snapped some shots of the picturesque old west main street.

We're in the hotel now, fixin' to go to bed. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day. We're going to Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park, the Black Hills, and the Badlands. Plus that drug store, that for some reason likes to advertise that they have free ice water...

“I learned more about the economy from one South Dakota dust storm that I did in all my years of college.” -Hubert H. Humphrey

I Can't Help It the Road Just Rolls Out Behind Me (Part 3): Nebraskan Entertainment

2010-03-18T22:32:00.000-04:00

*Fionna Apple

Ok so, tonight's post is going to be interesting. Yesterday E asked what people in Oakdale, Nebraska do for fun, since we couldn't think of anything. At the time, we got answers like “watch the grass grow on this side of the road. Go over there and watch the grass grow on the other side of the road.” That sort of thing. Tonight, however, we learned the truth. And let me tell you, it's a doozy.

So what do Norfolk (pronounced nor-fork) area Nebraskans do for fun? It has a lot to do with cow pies. There's Cow Pie fudge, which is actually fudge but looks like a pile of you-know-what. There's cow pie throwing contests, where you take flattened and dried out poo and see who can fling it the farthest. And my favorite: Cow Pie Bingo, where they paint a bingo board on the road, let loose a cow, and make bets on which square it's gonna go on.

Fortunately, I had some new experiences that had nothing to do with manure. For instance, I woke up to homemade bread with homemade butter for breakfast. It was delicious. (for those of you who know me, you know how I'm saying that too) E and I went to McDonald's with a former flower child in search of shamrock shakes to continue celebrating St. Pat's, but unfortunately they were out even though they're supposed to sell them the whole month of March.

Instead we went to Target, Walmart and the Dollar Tree. A trip which included a coconut run. That's right, I had my first encounter with fresh coconut in Nebraska of all places. We cracked them open with a screwdriver and hammer and drank the juice. I was told that you have to pour the juice out first because sometimes they've gone bad and you don't want to be surprised with that! In case you're interested, the juice isn't all that great. E and I both poured our cups down the drain. I have a theory that it would taste better if cold, and of course with some sugar added.

Then we tried to make necklaces out of old tshirts. Some craft project that Dianne, the former flower child, saw in a magazine. Well we tried it (cuz I love craft projects), but it didn't work. So we ended up stretching it out and cutting it up and tying it around flip flops and whatnot.

All in all, it's been an eventful day. I'm going to bed. See you on the flipside.

"If it's not fun, you're not doing it right." -Bob Basso

I Can't Help It the Road Just Rolls Out Behind Me (Part 2): Seeing the Nebraska Sights

2010-03-18T22:12:00.001-04:00

*Fiona Apple

Ok so, today was the first day since Monday that I've been able to sleep past 6:45. Yesterday, Pop woke us up at 6, thinking it was 7 because he forgot to adjust his watch to the time zone. You can imagine how fun that was for me. Today...we didn't get up until 10:30. Can I tell you how glorious that was? I don't think I can. I don't think words are enough. *contented sigh*

When we did wake up, we went down to a couple of cemeteries containing Pop's relatives. And let me tell you, they were even farther off the beaten path than I was acclimating to at the house. We would drive for miles at a time without seeing one house. Without seeing a sign of human civilization but wood-and-barbed wire fences, and meager telephone lines. The good news is that the countryside is beautiful, even though it's too early for the grass to be green or the corn to be growing. Everything is still in it's hibernation colors—varying shades of yellow and grey with the occasional bunch of evergreens too dark in color to add much variety.

Tomorrow, E and I are going to make the trip up to Target in search of some wi-fi and some semblance of city life. Also, I hear that Merlin is coming over on Saturday, so hopefully we'll be here for that. I'd love to see his magic.

Pictures to come when I have a faster internet connection...

"Todo, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." -Wizard of Oz

I Can't Help It the Road Just Rolls Out Behind Me: Roadtrip to Nebraska

2010-03-17T23:24:00.002-04:00

*Fiona Apple

Ok so, I'm on a road trip to Nebraska and it seems appropriate to pick the ol' blog back up again. Actually, today we are in Nebraska. In a town so small it's not even on the map. Literally. We're 30 miles to Walmart, and 45 to the nearest McDonald's.

So far it's been 3 straight days of driving with my childhood best friend, ironically named Stacey too (no she's not imaginary...or my other personality), and her grandparents. I haven't been around them for an extended period of time in 15 years, but we've easily fallen back into the swing of things. Driving through 7 states, in the close proximity of an SUV stuffed to the seams with varying ideas of what packing for a 2-week trip is like, will do that to you. I'm once again Nanny's “Child #2”, and am finally mature enough to appreciate Pop's endless stories about his younger days.

Highlights of our trip so far:

Spending the night in Huntington, WV while making jokes about how my rainbow-ish purse would get us kicked out of the Bob Evan's.
Visiting the “Gateway to the West” arch in St. Louis (even though the “Journey to the Top” tickets were sold out). The museum had great exhibits, and I had fun trying to get Stacey (here on out referred to as “E”) to put on a bonnet from a display case and climb into a covered wagon Oregon Trail style for a picture. She decided she didn't want to get arrested, but at least I got to try and catch a baseball in the past.
Celebrating St. Patrick's Day early because I mixed up the dates, but it worked out for us better anyway...to IRELAND!
Crossing the Missouri River, which I now know is the longest river in the country.
Adding 2 more to my list of states I've been to (Iowa and Nebraska). Up to 32 now, including DC.

Since entering the state of Nebraska, I've starting learning the ins and outs of “the Good Life”. E had her Target bag called a “sack”, we've witnessed (and smelled. Yuck!) cattle feeding lots, and looked over hundreds of acres of corn fields. I've also come to find that people here have names like Elmer and Merlin. (Before today, the only examples I had of these were Elmer Fudd and Merlin, the wizard from Disney's “Sword in the Stone”.) And tonight, I had the pleasure of witnessing a 78-year-old woman drop lasagna on her bare arm, then scrape the pieces off with her fork and eat them. I never saw her wipe the sauce off her skin. I wonder if it's still there...

Before I go, I'll leave you with this picture. It's a candy dish on the coffee table in the place we're staying. I don't know if you can see it, but that candy is actually Halls cough drops.

"It's supposed to be a challenge, that's why they call it a shortcut. If it was easy it would just be the way." -Roadtrip

Summer Nights, Everybody Are You With Me: Rascal Flatts Concert

2009-08-03T12:19:00.004-04:00

*Rascal Flatts

So yesterday I went to the Rascal Flatts concert, and it was awesome as expected. I think the only concert I've enjoyed more than Rascal Flatts was when John Mayer came to Regency Park back when he was first starting out. Back before he turned into a douche bag and his songs were still good. But enough of that.

My friend Megan and I had been looking for a group of 4 so we could get the 4-pack and save like $15 a piece. That didn't work out, we only got 3, so we ended up buying our tickets separately. But even though it was more expensive, it was so worth it. We were going to meet at work and then ride together, but just before I got there, Megan had some bad news. Her friend had their tickets and was driving in from Michigan. They were going to be late. Not wanting to tackle the traffic and the lawn by myself, I tried to get a last minute buddy to go with me, with no avail.

Fortunately, I remembered that another friend was going. So I gave Sarah a call and asked if I could ride with her. "Of course," she said. So I headed to her house. Sarah is 16, and was going with her friends who are also 16. At first I felt a little bit like a creeper being a 26-year-old hanging out with a group of girls that are all younger than my youngest cousin, but I got over it because it was really fun.

They drew all over the car windows with glass markers. Lyrics and music notes. They took me through the mob that was Pole 3 (where all the shwasted high schoolers convene). And when we finally found a spot just big enough for the 4 of us, plus Megan and her friend when they arrived, they ran through all the summer gossip.

We were all the way to the left, a spot I wouldn't think was desirable, but turned out to be perfect. No poles in our way, and these ladies...

They were grinding on each other the whole time. Not really in line with the songs, but they were unapologetically having a ton of fun. Probably because they were toasted. They even got Sarah to dance with them, even if it was only a second.

Now normally, I like to just sit down at concerts and listen, but not last night. And it wasn't just because the rain had soaked through the blanket and the backside of my pants was wet top to bottom. The energy was contagious. I'd so go to a concert with a bunch of 16-year-olds again.

If you've never seen Rascal Flatts in concert, you need to go whenever you get a chance. I'd venture to say that they're better live than on the album, which almost never happens. And to top it all off, their encore started with a Beatles song.

"And they come from miles around, for that moment when the lights go out. And they scream" -Here's to You, Rascal Flatts

Will You Have Some Tea at the Theatre with Me: Mom's Birthday Tea Party

2009-07-29T21:37:00.021-04:00

*The Who

So yesterday was my mom's birthday, but I had to work so we scheduled a celebration for today. Ever since we went to London when I graduated college, my mom and I have continued to enjoy hot tea and she always talks about having an afternoon tea party. Since she still hasn't had one (even though she's collected some of the equipment), my sister and I thought this would be the perfect time.

Over the last week or so, Laurie and I have been fine tuning the details. Getting recipes, forming the list of ingredients and props we would need, creating a formal invitation. We wanted this to be as authentic as we could make it. So we did research on the traditions and how to make the menu all English-y.

We decorated with ink sketches of the places Mom and I had been in London, tea lights, and flower-ish things I yanked out of the monkey grass in the front yard. And for ambience, I turned on the very same Mozart cd I listened to after my massage to get some culture in my life. It was perfect.

The food we decided on was: store-bought creme puffs, cucumber sandwiches, sco nes, pumpkin bread from a Pilsbury box, strawberry soup, and grapes. (We went a little overboard with the food. But it was delish, and I'm gonna have leftovers for a week.) Laurie has been collecting tea cup and saucer sets for such an occasion as this. None of them match, but they're all shabby-chic style so they go together. And we hijacked my mom's tidbit tray, tablecloth, linens, and silver.

So we had all the necessaries. It should have been smooth sailing. Laurie and Coco got here around 10:00. We should have been set and dressed for the occasion when my mom arrived at noon, dressed for the occasion. I mean all we had to do was stir up the pumkin bread mix and pop it in the oven; mix the ingredients for the strawberry soup in the blender and pop it in the fridge; and bake the scones (a process which the recipe said took 10 min prep time and 15 min cook time). Easy breezy. Sike!

Problem no. 1: My mom is the baker in the family. A trait that did not pass to either of us. But Laurie was doing the soup, so the scones were up to me. The recipe looked quite simple. Mix, roll, cut, bake. After a few rounds with the spoon trying to "cut in" the butter, I decided I should be using a mixer. I looked around a bit to no avail before realizing problem no. 2: Grandma is also not a baker. So not only does she not have a mixer, but she doesn't have a rolling pin either.

I solved the first problem, and averted the second, by melting the butter in the microwave just as Mom walked in the door...totally decked out. She was even wearing a hat with a netted veil over her face. Yay for enthusiasm. After apologies for not being ready, I reluctantly had her help me. "You should be using a fork instead of that spoon." Told you she was the expert. I handed her the fork and let her mix in the egg and milk until she determined it sufficiently moist. Then she went to go play with the baby and I was left to knead it into a "1/2 inch round" and cut it into wedges.

As stated before, there was no rolling pin, so I flattened it out like pizza dough...and then cut it into pizza-like slices...with a pizza cutter. I know what I know, and apparently it's not very classy.

Because pizza slices look nothing like scone wedges, I rolled them up like croissants. And then squished them out, trying to shape them with my fingers. They ended up resembling Bat-Signals more than wedges, but Mom appreciated the effort.

While they were baking, Laurie and I slipped into our dresses and I finally got an opportunity to wear my mini Kentucky Derby hat I bought two months ago. And then we had Afternoon Tea.

I thought we should be talking about the latest fashions and cricket, but we knew nothing about those things so we settled for stories about ninja class and my baby niece learning sign language. Unfortunately, I only thought of using British accents when we were done. Next time, it will be a requirement!

Yes, these pictures are posed. Even more fun, I think, than actual candid shots.

"Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage." -Catherin Douzel

And I'll Grab my Guitar and Play: Learning a New Instrument

2009-07-28T01:24:00.009-04:00

*Zac Brown Band

So today my friend Sarah and I made a pact. We thought about making it blood brothers style and adding to our wolf packs (if you don't understand this reference, you need to see The Hangover), but in the end we just decided to write up contracts for each other to sign. We did so on little square notepaper we have at work that has some other company's name on it.

What's the pact, you ask? She will teach me how to play the guitar and I will teach her sign language. At the moment, I don't know sign language. But my plan is to acquire lessons from my mom and teach Sarah what I learn along the way. This ends up being a win-win situation for me, as I get to learn two new things instead of one...and also, I get to spread the goodness around. You never know when you'll need to use your hands to efficiently communicate with someone. Communication more sophisticated than flipping the bird (something I do not do, for the record).

So let's keep our fingers crossed that 1) Mom has time to give me sign language lessons, and 2) she can find it in her heart to overlook all those years she tried to teach me through repetition and I complained about how annoying it was for her to sign while she was talking to me.

Below are pictures of our contracts.

(I've misplaced them. Pictures to come, when they turn up.)

"My guitar is not a thing. It is an extension of myself. It is who I am." -Joan Jett

"Sign language is useful to the deaf but vital to the Italians." -Paul Carvel

When I Dip, You Dip, We Dip: Black Bean Hummus

2009-07-22T11:54:00.005-04:00

*69 Boyz

So while on my trip to Charleston with Kaitlin, she kept talking about how all she had to eat at home were hummus and chocolate soy milk. After making fun of her for sounding like a hippy, I got to thinking about this black bean hummus I got at Brixx Pizza a while back. It comes in a sampler appetizer, along with traditional and red pepper flavors and warm pita triangles. The black bean is hands down the best, and I really wanted some.

Being the Google addict that I am, I researched a recipe online and was pleasantly surprised to see how easy it looked. The only big requirement called for was a blender. Come to think of it, I'd never seen a blender at Grandma's house before, but surely she must have one with all the food preparing that she does. Since she's out of town at the moment, I was on my own to find it. And I did so with little difficulty. The hard part was getting it out, as it was hidden in the recesses of the deepest cabinet known to man.

Not to be foiled when my hummus is at stake, I climbed in and retrieved my prize. A 1950s General Electric glass blender with 3 settings: Low--Off--High. This should be easy to operate. I was so excited.

The recipe called for some things I had, but also several things I didn't. So I was off to the store to get olive oil, cumin, garlic and of course, chickpeas (the ingredient that defines hummus). Big Lots is right beside the Food Lion down the street from my house, so I stopped in there first. You can get lots of spices there for only $1, and fancy olive oil that's the same price as the Food Lion brand. The rest, I got at the grocery store and headed home with my mouth already watering.

The city had picked this particular day to cut the branches off the tree in my front yard away from the power line. So I had to park my car across the street and ask the hard-hatted man permission to pass. Then hike through the jungle of branches that was previously my driveway.

Wasting no time, I gathered the other ingredients from around the kitchen and started dumping them in the blender. I don't know if the machine is too old for this kind of work, or if I'm just an inexperienced user, but it took some elbow grease to get it all mixed and smooth. Oh, but it was worth it. I didn't even get it out of the blender first. I just started dipping my cucumber slices and triscuits in there. But I could eat it with a spoon.

Later on, I discovered that in my haste I had forgotten to add the garlic. We'll just have to see how it turns out with it next time. The blender was a bit of a pain to wash, since Grandma and I don't have a dishwasher hooked up yet. But I didn't mind.

Note: Traditionally, hummus contains tahini. I didn't know what that was, so I googled it and discovered that it's a paste made from sesame seeds. Apparently, besides being a bit expensive and harder to find than the other ingredients, it also adds quite a bit of fat. My recipe didn't call for it.

Here it is:

1 can black beans
1 can chickpeas
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dried parsley
2 tsp cumin
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Throw it all in the blender and blend until smooth. The whole thing only had around 800 calories and it makes quite a bit.

So it was a minor adventure, but I feel super healthy and posh snacking on homemade black bean hummus. And I sound like some culinary artist. Oh I made some black bean hummus the other day. Maybe next time I'll add grape leaves and kalamata olives to my presentation...

"Wake up and smell the hummus!" --Genie, Aladdin

How Are Things in Charleston: Road Trip

2009-07-17T23:42:00.008-04:00

*Cyndi Thompson

So I just went to Charleston for a two-night adventure with my friend Kaitlin. I have been wanting to visit for a while, and put a much happier memory in the place of my last Charleston experience, where

I started out by forgetting my dresses for my friend Emory's rehearsal dinner and wedding. I realized my mistake about 40 minutes down the road.
I went home to retreive them, but then on the way back down, busted a tire. This resulted in me sitting on the side of the highway waiting for my roadside assistance, then driving 12 miles down 95 at about 40 miles an hour, and waiting in the tire shop for an hour and a half til it was my turn to get fixed.
I missed lunch with my old boss--which I have yet to make up--and the rehearsal.
I rounded out the night by falling victim to the Texas Turnaround (if you don't know what it is I'm not explaining it to you here). Let's just say it was not an experience I would wish on anyone, except maybe Osama bin Laden. But only long enough for us to find him and inflict milder forms of torture. Like waterboarding.

*Side note: I support no form of torture! Statements made in previous paragraph were exaggerations intended for the sole purpose of emphasizing my discomfort and dispair throughout my last trip. Please don't send me hate mail, sue me, or lecture me on how terrible various forms of torture are. I'm already with ya!*

I am pleased to say that this Charleston trip was a complete 180 from the last, and thus a very pleasant experience. Since Kaitlin and I had never hung out outside of work, we spent the 4-hour drive down discussing life. Topics included the events leading up to my phone being in a casserole dish full of brown rice at my feet in the car, how she hates shopping at Harris Teeter because they are so judgmental, and various things we wanted to do on our mini vacay.

We arrived at 1:30 am, so we just went to bed. The next day, around 10, we got up and ready to go to breakfast at ACME Cantina--a plan that was foiled as I did not know breakfast served until 2pm was only a weekend thing. Ugh! But we had delicious mexican lunch instead and found ourselves appeased. Next, downtown thing, the market thing, the Loose Lucy hippy store, and a visit to Emory's office at my old church. Kaitlin was excited when Emory didn't answer the phone and we tackled a B&E (but not really since the building was unlocked and open for business hours) to get up there.

Dinner was at my personal fav, Coconut Joe's. Home of the best beach drink on earth...the Almond Ecstacy. We waited on the rooftop bar overlooking the beach, sipping our little pieces of heaven, and listening to some guy play the guitar while we waited for our friends to join us. Unfortunately, they were REALLY late, and we ended up at the table looking like we had been stood up for an hour. Trying to make friends with Norm, our server, but all the while knowing that he secretly hated us for taking up his table. Good news is that I learned (sort of) how to put a lime in my beer, and Kaitlin learned that she likes red rice and absolutely adores fish tacos (despite the fact that she thinks the name sounds inappropriate).

Later on, we had planned to go out on the town, but much to our chagrin we had not received the memo that this specific Tuesday night was the one where nobody would be out. It was like a ghost town. In lieu of the bar scene, that for some reason was not in existence that night, we picked up some Warm Delights at the trippy and judgmental Harris Teeter downtown, and watched Pride and Prejudice at Molly's (aka my old house).

Wednesday found us waking up around noon, laying on the beach around 3 and mosying over to Poe's for dinner (more fish tacos!) before heading back home to Raleigh.

All in all, I give it a 2 thumbs up. And I'm proud to say that we both came in under our budget of $100 a piece. Including gas. And 2 Almond Ecstacy's each. Yum! Tomorrow we're attempting to make them ourselves. Wish us luck!

"I'm going back to dignity and grace. I'm going back to Charleston, where I belong." -Rhett Butler

Imagine She Was 36-25-34: Glamour Challenge

2009-07-10T13:16:00.007-04:00

*Nelly

So I started the Body By Glamour Challenge yesterday. I've done this before and never finished it, but I figure if I'm going to be a Personal Trainer, I better get in better shape. I mean you want your chef to be chunky, but not someone who's job is to tell you how to get in shape. So I re-registered for the program.

It's a 12-week challenge that basically has you log all your food and workouts. Most people can get healthier and lose weight simply by documenting what they eat and do. That in itself is a motivator. But they also have a food and exercise plan laid out week-by-week, which they email you but are available in your account page on their website. Things like This Week's Food Goal: Learn the Food Plan Basics. Find that and other health related topics on my other blog, Health if I Know. (The format is still a work in progress. Bear with me, folks.)

It's kind of a pain to document the ins and outs of every food item, but the good news is you can save it all in your Favorites, so later you can just click on it. For example, I have a protein shake most mornings, so I created a Favorite that is all calculated out the way I prepare it. Now when I want to add it, it's just one click away. They also have popular foods listed in their Food Search tab. And it's the same with the Fitness Journal.

I had to answer a bunch of questions, like What is your target area? and put in all my measurements. One of the cool features now is that all that information is stored to track my progress. As often as I want I can redo all my measurements, and it will show me a graph of my progress. There are also graphs for my caloric intake (based on the food journal) and my calories burned (based on the fitness journal).

They also offer motivational articles by TV's Toughest Trainer, Jillian Michaels, a Shape Up blog, and a tip-of-the-day. Today's tip is: "The easy-listening tunes that most supermarkets play slow shoppers down, and the longer your visit is, the more likely you are to add some unnecessary junk to your trunk—er, to your cart. Want to avoid unhealthy impulse food purchases at the grocery store? Make a list and stick with it."

The one thing I miss from the first time I signed up is my virtual model. They used to have a feature where you could put in your stats--including hair, skin and eyecolor, and facial features--and it would make a little model of you. Just like the graphs, you could change the stats on the model and it would change. I guess they just figured you could look in a mirror.

The best part about it all is that it's FREE!! All this trying new stuff can get expensive, but this one only costs time and concentration.

I'll keep you posted...

"If you don't do what's best for your body, you're the one who comes up on the short end." -Julius Erving

Oh Yes, Wait a Minute Mr. Postman: Getting Packages in the Mail

2009-07-09T16:05:00.006-04:00

*The Marvelettes

So, I love getting packages in the mail. I think everybody does. Since everything is all email and text messages and gift cards, getting something in the mail is so exciting. Recently, I've been getting a lot of stuff in the mail. A yoga mat, a tumble mat so I can practice my ninja skills at home, protein shakes I ordered off CheapVitamins.com, and today: my course materials for a personal trainer workshop so I can get certification!! Even though I know what they are, I still get really excited when I pull up in the driveway and there's a box waiting for me by the door.

And I'm really excited about my last package. It was there on the steps when I got home from running errands and taking a trip around Lake Johnson, where I got lost for about 10 min. How many times have I done that loop? Enough that getting lost shouldn't happen. Anyway, I pulled into the carport and there it was. I knew immediately what it was. My textbook, study guide, workshop reference guide, and two DVDs. I also found a Membership Benefits package tucked in the bottom of the pile when I started unloading my new stuff. I haven't looked at it yet.

What I have looked at is my textbook. It's really big. I was so excited I opened it up to the first page of the first chapter and started reading out loud to my kitchen like I was teaching a class or something. But after the first paragraph, I got nervous. I haven't been in school in 4 years! And this isn't just some simple little prep course and some simple little exam. This is the National Council on Strength and Fitness. Arguably, the best and most extensive prep course and exam for Personal Trainer Certification. That's why I chose it. If I'm going to be changing career paths, I'm going to need a good start.

I also went with the workshop option, which is 16 hours of "high-energy instruction, where you will participate in interactive lectures and engage in a variety of activities under the guidance of expert NCSF Instructors." This is spread over 2 days...in New York City. Well, that's the one I chose. For two reasons: 1. My aunt lives in Manhattan, so it's the only workshop location where I'd have a free place to stay, and 2. I haven't been to NYC since last spring. That's the Spring of 2008. I miss it. And I want to see a Broadway musical. I simply cannot get enough of those.

But in spite of my excitement, the reality of it is setting in. I just put a hefty sum on my credit card to get a self-paced independent study course that covers things like Functional Anatomy and Biomechanics. This is my scared face. I may not have a social life for the next couple of months. Wish me luck!

"Your ability to learn faster than your competition is your only sustainable competitive advantage." -Arie De Gues

"Nine tenths of education is encouragement." -Anatole France

"It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education." -Albert Einstein

I Think it Was the 4th of July: Independence Day Celebrations

2009-07-05T12:01:00.005-04:00

*Chicago

So I had to work yesterday so my Independence Day celebrations started after 9pm. I know, I know. No cookouts with friends, or whatever else people do in Raleigh. In Charleston we spend the day on the boat, speeding around the harbor. I would have LOVED to be doing that, but since I couldn't do that in Raleigh anyway, it wasn't that big a deal that I was working.

Around 9, my brother and I got together for our planned festivities. We gathered all our essentials--his machete, the ingredients for s'mores, and a butane lighter--and headed for the fireworks station that I was pleasantly surprised to see open. On the way, since Chris is nothing if not a good and responsible citizen, we stopped by the fire station next door so he could check firework regulations. "If you can buy it, you can shoot it." That was our advice.

Back at the fireworks tent, half the stuff was buy-one-get-one-free, so we loaded up on Purple Rains and Tequila Sunrises (and several other things I can remember the names of anymore). Then we drove out to the house in Garner, where we figured it would do the least disturbing. We weren't exactly correct on that note, but I'll get to that later. First we built a fire in the front yard like a pair of squatters.

We hunted around the old house for something to turn into a fire pit and came up with 3 cinder blocks, one of which was broken in half. Set that square on a patch of dirt in the yard and we had our fire pit. Because they've been doing yard work out there for the past couple weeks and all the discarded roughage is just piled up to the side, we had plenty of materials on hand.

So there we were, sitting in lawn chairs around a cinder block fire pit in the front yard of a rundown house in Garner, making s'mores and drinking milk from a styrofoam cooler. Several times we were greeted (or, rather, hollered at) by groups of teenagers driving by in the back of pickup trucks. I was loving it. Could I have gotten anymore redneck right now? Oh yes I could.

"Let's light up some fireworks!" You'd have thought that Chris was the older one the way we were acting. I, 6 years his senior, was hopping around with the fireworks ready to just set 'em up and fire away. He, on the other hand, was checking our surroundings for any fire dangers, and carrying a jug of water in case it got out of hand. First up: Tequila Sunrise. The smallest one we got. The test run.

It got off without a hitch, although it wasn't very exciting. Shots of white and red fire lit up the sky for about 5 seconds and it was over. I was ready for another one. Next up was tall with a stand--like a little rocket--and had a fuse spiraling around it from top to bottom. I was sure this one would be more entertaining...unfortunately, I was right.

Chris lit the fuse (because I burned myself on Senor Tequila) and sparks of silver stars started shooting off in all directions. I didn't have much time to enjoy the show, though, because almost immediately it started crackling. It was loud, which made us nervous since our 96-year-old great uncle lives next door and this was about midnight. Crackle. Crackle. Crackle...WOOOOOOOOO!!!! To our dismay, this spiral-rocket star-shooter didn't just crackle. It whistled. And it sounded like a fire truck was letting off it's siren in the front yard. Every second that passed was agony. When will this stop? I don't want to kill Uncle Louis!

Finally, it did stop. And we laid in wait for Faye, our cousin, to come looking for us with a sawed off shotgun. Or something else exciting and fitting for the situation. But when nothing happened, we returned to our s'mores and tried to figure out a place we could shoot off the rest of the fireworks. We decided on the rock quarry.

After cleaning up and putting out the fire (and shooting off one more Tequila Sunrise at Chris' request), we headed to the rock quarry outside of Umstead Park. It was perfect. Dark and deserted...and FAR away from anything residential. And all the more exciting because we weren't sure if it was illegal for us to be out there, especially playing with fire and explosives.

We shot off two more without incident. They were big and loud, and so much fun. We didn't get caught, but we did act like a couple of fugitives every time we saw headlights from a car getting on the highway that runs alongside the quarry. And then when we left, we didn't turn on the headlights until we were on the main road.

So for the 4th of July this year, I got to be a redneck and a possible outlaw. Everyday should be as entertaining. What did you do?

"Liberty is the breath of life to nations." -George Bernard Shaw

"For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life, if freedom fail?" -Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I love to go get fireworks, even though some of them are illegal." -Carmen Electra

Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous: Massage

2009-07-01T17:16:00.005-04:00

*Good Charlotte

So I got a massage today. It. Was. Amazing. As you would expect, I'm sure. Kara and I weren't ready to stop celebrating our birthdays, so yesterday I made an appointment for a couple's massage, which just means that you get to be in the same room during the experience. This is my second massage (my sister and I had one when I first moved out to Phoenix), but it was Kara's first...she said she'll be back in the not-so-distant future.

We went to Massage Heights in Cary in Crossroads shopping center. It's in the same parking lot as Ruby Tuesday and Footaction. They have a special introductory rate: $39.99 for an hour massage, including a free Aromatherapy elevation. They have several elevations to heighten your experience, including Hot Stone Therapy, a Peppermint Foot Scrub, and a Hot Towel Cold Stone Face Massage.

So we got there and were greeted with soft music and plush chairs, where we filled out our paperwork (specifying any injuries, target areas, etc. that we might have). To our surprise, the lady behind the counter informed us that they were also offering a complimentary Mojito Foot Scrub today and asked did we want one? Of course, we said yes! What do you think?

After a moment, our massage therapists came to get us. We walked down a dimly lit hallway to the couple's room, again discussed our target and sensitive areas, and picked out our aromatherapy oil. I picked the coconut that came with the foot scrub package, and Kara got the lavendar for relaxation. The therapists gave us a brief orientation and left us to "undress to our comfort level" and get under the sheets on the heated tables. It was so comfortable and I just love that face pillow. Kara and I briefly discussed wanting to have one at home before we both fell silent and let the soft piano and guitar mix take over.

The next hour was complete heaven. If you've never had a full-body Swedish massage, you need to get one. And the foot scrub was a great addition. Not only are my muscles all relaxed now, but my skin is so soft.

When we checked out, we were offered a summer membership special (that we are both still considering) and a coupon for an additional massage at the introductory rate. My therapist recommends that I get a massage once a month for the tension in my back, but Kara's told her she needs one once a week for the next three months! Being a cop is stressful business.

Upon leaving, we decided that we needed to do something cultural and zen, so I popped Mozart into my car's cd player and we wandered around Barnes & Noble for a little while. She's already gone back home to Rocky Mount, but I'm sitting here contemplating how I can prolong my zen day. I think I'll go pick up some candles, bath salts, and the ingredients for a "crispy drink." Then I'll read in the bathtub with a mask and perhaps watch an old movie on TCM. You know, you should really try it.

"Breathe. Energize. Relax. Get back to yourself again." -Massage Heights

Transform Your Style from Day to Night: Transformers 2

2009-06-29T23:45:00.009-04:00

*Bust A Groove

So I went to see Transformers 2 today with my friend Joshua. I'd already seen the movie with my brother on opening night, but I wanted to get the full IMAX experience. And it was pretty freakin awesome!

I love this movie and I'll tell you why. I'm a sucker for special effects, so this is definitely my kind of movie right off the bat. And although I'm not the biggest fan of Megan Fox or the glaringly obvious sex appeal they push with her, Shia LeBeouf as her counterpart is a combination I just can't turn down. Not only is he nearly perfect eyecandy with his deep green eyes and metro style offset with a casual accent--like he'd wear a three-piece suit with a pair of Chuck Taylors--but he's funny and has the right amount of ruggedness to be a super sexy action hero (he does his own stunts). What's not to love?

With that in mind, I set out to watch the second installment of robot aliens fighting both for and against human life on Planet Dirt...I was not disappointed. The special effects delivered were just as impressive, if not more so, than the first movie. The transformations between robot and car were so involved, I'm in awe of the CGI crew. The script was fast-paced and quick-witted...well at least among the humans. There were even some emotional scenes to tug on the heart strings.

All around, I give this movie a one and a half thumbs up. The only drawback was that there was a little too much reliance on language to support the badass mentality and appearance. There was a little too much reliance on references to balls for the humor. And I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes during Megan Fox's intro scene where they pan over to reveal her sprawled over a motorcycle in microscopic cutoff jean shorts.

Side note: I do have much more respect for our leading lady after seeing a recent episode of Jimmy Kimmell Live where she announced that Michael Bay, the director, now holds two world records because of this movie. One for the biggest explosion on set ever. And the other for the biggest explosion on set ever with the actors present. Jimmy asked her if her life was ever in danger and she responded by saying (and I'm paraphrasing here) that they told her and Shia, "We cannot ensure your safety. Just run and don't fall down." She's a real, live badass people!

As far as my IMAX experience, when they were using the full screen (which was only when the whole shot was CG) it was amazing. Joshua and I were the first ones in line--we arrived an hour early--so we got the best seats. Center back row, in case you were wondering. The picture encompassed most of my field of vision, drawing me into a whole other world. Even though it wasn't in IMAX 3D, some of the scenes seemed more three-dimensional simply because of the sheer size. It felt like the action was more real and that I was more a part of it. Again, though, there was a slight drawback in that not all of the shots used the whole screen, so sometimes it would switch back and forth between a widescreen version and a whole screen version. Even within the same scene. Once I noticed, it became a little distracting.

All in all, I without a doubt recommend both the movie and the IMAX version. Go drool over Shia--or Megan, whichever you prefer--and be amazed as they fight alongside Optimus and his army of Autobots against the Decepticons for the sake of the planet and the survival of the human race.

"Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing." -Optimus Prime

"I just had a full-blown mental meltdown in the middle of my class!" -Sam Witwicky

"What you are about to see is top secret. Do not tell my mother." -Agent Simmons

Sailing Takes Me Away

2009-06-24T15:24:00.002-04:00

*Christopher Cross

So I learned how to sail about two months ago. Nothing fancy; just a Sunfish. The smallest sailboat there is. My sister and I saw an ad for lessons on one of the days I was forcing her to take the 3-mile trek around Lake Johnson. This was before I realized that I had somehow lost my jacket (including my cell phone that was in the pocket) somewhere along the trail and had to do the loop all over again only to find that someone had turned it in to the office not 50 feet from where I had first discovered my misfortune.

Anyway, Laurie and I signed up for these sailing lessons through Raleigh Parks and Rec. It was pretty much a private lesson, seeing as how there were only four people in the class. We learned how to tie knots and come about from a 70-something firecracker named Margaret, who taught us weeks of information in two 3-hour classes and threatened to spank us if we got it wrong. She was awesome!

Unfortunately, our lessons were cut short both days by opposing weather issues. The first day there was a storm coming. We had the boats out for maybe 10 minutes maneuvering through gust of wind and instant direction changes. Three days later (during our second class) there was no wind at all. We had to paddle back to the shore. But one day's trash is another day's treasure. Margaret said we could come another day when the weather was right and use them for free. "Don't tell them I said an hour," she said. "You might want to be out there all afternoon."

So life happens and yesterday, my birthday, we decided to use our free-day-cuz-Margaret-said. We filled out the necessary paperwork, left an ID and the deposit, and figured we were on our way. Arriving on the "beach", which is just a plot of sand on the edge of the man-made lake, we discovered the full extent of the knowledge that had escaped us since our brief lessons nearly two months ago. Of course there was an employee supervising to ensure our safety, but I think he was getting a kick out of how incompetent we were.

We fumbled through raising the sail and pushing it off shore into the water, climbing in and trying to catch some wind. Mr. Lake Johnson just stood there watching. Offering no help. Because we didn't ask, or because we were entertaining him, I don't know. We'll just give him the benefit of the doubt and say he was letting us do it ourselves for the sake of our pride. After several attempts to paddle out, catch wind and steer, I realized that I hadn't put the rudder down, and that the dagger board was scraping the sand. I got out, fixed the issues, and for good measure, pushed the boat out into deeper waters.

At this point, you're probably thinking: After all that work, Stace, surely you had an amusing time on the high seas. Amusing, yes. Productive, no. Much like our second day of lessons, there was barely any wind. It would pick up and take us skirting across the lake, clicking as we broke through the tiny ripples on the surface, and then suddenly not exist. The wind literally taken from our sail, leaving the sheet too loose and the boom (the horizontal pole at the bottom of the sail) swinging from side to side. On a larger boat, the boom swinging wouldn't be as hazardous as it was on the Sunfish. This boat is about 3 1/2 feet wide. We were ducking for our lives.

An hour and a half, peppered with moments of speed where I declared for the passengers of a peddle boat halfway across "We're sailors!", brought us to the most exciting event of the excursion. We had determined to head for shore and pick up lunch, as it was hot dog day at Snoopy's around the corner from my house. With the wind dead, Laurie was paddling like a maniac while I steered us toward the beach. Out. of. nowhere! this gust of wind fills the sail. Because I wasn't expecting it, I was holding the sheet too close, causing this gust to give a LOT of power. So much so that we nearly capsized. When I say nearly, I don't mean that we tipped a little and righted ourselves with ease. I mean Laurie's toukas was in the water and we were both leaning as hard as we could to the Starboard side for several seconds. My confidence was momentarily shot, a string of not-so-sweet words pouring out before we landed back flat.

"Your seat is going to be wet on the ride home," she said. "Feel my pants." They were soaked from riding the waves. It was a really close call...ok the truth is, I'm being a little dramatic. But I think it's well deserved considering Laurie was still suffering from an ear infection she got last week and the water at Lake Johnson is so murky, you can't even see two inches deep.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, we made it back to shore, waded through the various forms of debris floating in the shallows, and docked the boat. The good news is that we let the sail down more efficiently than we had put it up. All in all, I enjoyed my day on the boat and am considering myself ready to take passengers...one at a time of course. Any takers?

"There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." -The Wind in the Willows

Take Me On a Trip I'd Like to Go Someday: Key West

2009-06-10T23:47:00.000-04:00

*Estelle

So I'm in Key West. This morning I flew into Ft. Lauderdale from Raleigh. Why, you ask, would you fly into an airport on the mainland when your destination is the southernmost Key? Well my flight was only $169 on JetBlue, that's why. Plus, it's only supposed to be a 3 1/2 hour drive. And I wasn't supposed to be alone so the added expense of a rental car wasn't supposed to counteract the cheap ticket.

However, for reasons I'll leave unmentioned here, I found myself renting the car and making the trek singlehandedly. "Don't worry," my dad said. "Driving through the Keys is one of the best parts." Slightly bummed that I would have no one to talk to, but confident in my dad's traveling expertise, I faced the journey with excitement.

Renting the car was a daunting task. I've never done it, much less on my own. But I made it without looking too incompetent. Although, I got suckered into buying the insurance, which made my expenses the same as a ticket straight into the airplane hanger that Key West calls an international airport. All in all, though, I'm glad I have it. Who knows what could happen on this trip among these crazy Keys drivers? And speaking of...NEWS FLASH TO MY DAD: driving through the Keys was an excruciating experience for me. Not only did I take US1 the whole way instead of the Florida Turnpike (adding what my friend's boyfriend estimates to be an hour and a half to my ride), but everyone in the Keys prefers to drive 10mph under the speed limit. W-T-F?

If there's one thing I have no patience for, it's other--particularly slow--drivers. (If there's 3 things I have no patience for, I have to add computers and children.) The road rage exuding from me for the 5 1/2 hours of solitary confinement was so strong it left me exhausted. I could be found at varying intervals with both hands tightly gripping the steering wheel shaking back and forth in a motion resembling an attempt to remove it from my dash. Not my finest moments.

Although it did little to calm my nerves on the drive, once I arrived at my destination, the view raptured my attention. How is it possible for a place to be so beautiful? The water so clear and blue. I can actually see through it to the bottom! That's something you'll never find in North Carolina.

Anyway, I arrived around 8. Just in time to get a much needed drink at a bar on the water for sunset and play catch up with my long lost college roommate. Later we went to her job and had fish sandwiches. I cannot tell you how much I miss fresh seafood living in the piedmont. Of course it was delish, and my mouth is watering again just thinking about it.

I came back to Shannon's awesome house (tiled floors, granite countertops, outdoor kitchen, and pool with waterfalls) in lieu of closing down the bars (at 4am!), blaming my day of traveling as the culprit of my fatigue. In truth, I'm neither a night owl nor a party animal; a fact Shannon already knows, and her friends will come to learn in my stay here. So I'm off to bed for some much needed sleep. Tomorrow is tourist day!

"If you're lucky enough to be on the island, you're lucky enough." -unknown