Its Raining No Wait Its Hailing

With the amount of time I spend reading you'd think I would automatically read all the print on a website right? Well I some how managed to sign both my father and I up for a 7:30 run on a Saturday morning. It was run by a Methodist church and done to raise money for malaria research or something.

We got to the race around 9, when it was pretty much ending, grabbed our shirts and started on the walk. Soon it started to rain, hard. My dad and I kept going, laughing and on occasion belting out songs. Yes we are just that weird. And then, it started hailing. Yes, hailing. Like ice falling from the sky. Made for an interesting 5k, one neither of us will forget for a while.

A Night To Remember

The idea that people are using the sinking of a great liner and subsequent death of around 2,000 has sparked a lot of conversation online. However many people, myself included, used the 100th year anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic as a night of remembrance. And good food.

I've thought about doing a remembrance party for years, and almost didn't end up doing so. But one morning I happened to catch the end of the Today show for some reason and saw the one and only James Cameron talking about his love of Titanic. This reminded me of the party I had dreamed of for a while, and I set to work planning the party.

A cookbook was ordered from my local book store, invitations were sent out, and I set to work cooking decorating and trying to find a costume.

The costume was found in my closet and elaborated with costume jewelry and things of my mothers. Finally the day arrived. I had a 5k in the morning (see United We Stand) diving practice, and then GNOYO before a full day of cooking. By the time my friends arrived in various states of costumed, I was exhausted but excited.

We sat around and ate and drank the fruit of my family and my labors and listened to music from the Edwardian Era. After we had eaten our fill we went upstairs and after some wrestling with cables settled in to watch the movie.

There were a lot of us, so fitting on the couch was somewhat of a problem. Everyone was sandwiched together and some people sat on the floor but the movie was full of laughter and jokes. A good time was had by all in the end, and we remembered one of the greatest man made ocean disasters of our time.

United We Stand

I apologize for my lack of positing as of late, I've been somewhat sick. Its nothing important or concerning really, anything "bad" has been ruled out.

Speaking of bad, or awful I should say, is childhood cancer. Cancer itself is horrible. I think we can all agree with that one. But there is something about kids getting cancer that seems especially awful.

I found about the CureSearch walk through the HPA (Harry Potter Alliance) and decided to give it a go. Up I get by 8 on a nice and sunny Saturday morning to find that no one in the HPA could make it but myself and friend Aaron. No matter we walked around for a while before it started, listened to the speeches, and then went on our merry 5k way.

In saying what I say next I mean no disrespect to the people who organized CureSearch but the course was not very clear cut. I have walked at least one other 5k at Audubon and know that one loop doesn't quite do the trick. I've always started at the same place gone almost all the way around and then doubled back. I think we were suppose to do something along those lines, or just take another lap, however most people just stopped after a lap. Aaron and I did another for safe measure and had a blast doing so. There is nothing like making a 5k fly like having someone to talk to.

Scull the Tiller

On one of our last days at Coronado my dad and I got to take a sailing lesson. We walked a short way to the docks from our hotel and then had to turn around and go back because everything wasn't in order. Ah well, we had been there early enough that it didn't change anything. Gotta love how laid back they are. We were sent to a boat and met with Dave, our sailing guide. We all hopped on and got going

Look at me look at me I'm on a boat!

My dad and I were told a few different things and just kind of got going. Sailing was very relaxing just moving through the water, the wind blowing through my hair, conversation flowing like the breeze. I couldn't tell how old Dave was, but he told story after story about his sailing trips and different boats he's sailed on. It was fascinating. 

What a great view

Sadly the sun started to set and we had to start back. 

However as it is like to do in Coronado, when the sun disappears so does the wind. We slowed down for a while and eventually came to a stop about 200 yards away from the dock. Dave said that we could just turn on the engine and zoom right in, but me being the purest that I am, when told there was another way jumped on it. The other way it turns out is moving the rudder back and forth to propel the boat. And I did just that, for 200 yards. I felt like a Viking or something. Dave says that the term for kicking it old school is to "Scull the Tiller." And if I ever got a boat, that is so what I would name it. 

Dave says that sculling the tiller is the sailing equivalent to churning butter. The look on my face shows that I agree 100%

Now I Know How Jack and Rose Felt

I'm not very coordinated. I can walk, and even dance sometimes but I tend to stumble a lot. Stumble but never quite fall. My friends use to say my long thick hair acts like a cats tail keeping me steady. Since I cut my hair I have become a little more clumsy, which is odd I have to say.

You'd think that since I know I'm clumsy I would stay away from things that require balance. Well I don't. At all. At Coronado I saw that we could take surfing lessons, so my baby sister and I signed up for it. At the last minuet my dad joined us.

I think I can pull off the wetsuit quite well

With my Grandfather before we hit the waves

We had a quick land lesson and then hit the surf. There was a collective gasp, the water was freezing. The wet suits helped a little, but we didn't have anything on our feet or hands. Luckily I lost feeling in them pretty soon. My little sister caught on pretty fast, my dad got the knack of it soon but I had some problems at the start. I caught the waves but always seemed to be heading towards someone or something. But eventually I caught a few waves and stood up. It felt like I was flying even though I'm sure I was moving at a snails pace.

There were a few epic wipe outs, I must have swallowed more icy cold salt water then healthy because I had a sore throat for the rest of the day. A few times I just wanted to lay down on the board and just stop bit each time I grabbed the board and kept trying. In the end it was a total blast, and I can't wait to try it again.

A Travelers Pesach

Oh Muffy!

This year for spring break, my family decided to do something different. Normally we go skiing in Aspen, but this year the snow had melted early and we decided to do something new. Honestly Aspen is beautiful but I have gone once or twice a year for my entire life and I was ready for a change. By the way, we go to Aspen to visit my Grandfather, he has lived there as long as I have been alive. The amazing mountains and animals are just a bones.

My mom and dad just figured we would go to Aspen anyway, even if we wouldn't ski. Then I suggested that we go with my Grandfather to a new place. We tossed around Belize and Dominica but couldn't get our passports in order. So we "settled" on going to Coronado, a small island right outside of San Diego.

We only had two flights, which wasn't bad, and then to our (or at least my) surprise my Granddad had someone pick us up from the airport. We spent the twenty minuet drive talking about drug rings in Mexico something I really had no prior knowledge of.

Coronado is absolutely beautiful. Beautiful might be an understatement. I took this on my phone, so it might not be as good as the pictures online but its still. Well you'll see for yourself.

In the next few days expect more pictures, tales of surfing, sailing, and a travelers Passover.

Dancing Bears, Painted Wings

Although Anastasia is not a Disney movie (I think) but I always count it as one. It takes a depressing story (like Disney) animates it (like Disney) adds a few songs (like Disney) and adds a happily ever after (like Disney). And like Disney its also won Oscars.
The first time I watched Anastasia I was at a sleepover, and it scared us both so much we couldn't sleep. Its a creepy movie, based on a horrifying story. But I mean once you get past that its a great movie. The drawings are really good and the songs have been stuck in my head more times then I can count. So what if its not historically accurate? Most movies aren't. But its a great introduction to Russian history for kids. They watch it at 9 and then start to wonder, hop on the google machine, have their hopes and dreams dashed about Anya surviving, but in the end an interest in Russian history is born. And adorable bat like creatures.

Admit it, he is really adorable

The Calhoun Girls have some spunk in em!

I had my flirtations with romance novels. I know puny but its true. I've bought a few of them, and liked them as much as one can like clichéd books. I've thought about trying to write one, I mean how hard could it be, but never really put in an effort.

I got the complete Calhoun collection by Nora Roberts for a few bucks at GoodWill. I never really got into them, but I can't lie and say they were totally awful either. I brought the collection with me camping, and it was light enough to read around the fire.

The women in it were all cliché, and the men were not very believable. The main mystery plot was decent , I even got into it at some points, but I felt like the build up was to long for such a short conclusion. I hated that everyone had a happily ever after, although it being a romance novel I didn't expect much else. The premise was good, if it hadn't been written as a romance novel it might have actually been a good book/book series.