River Rats

A friend recently joked that my husband and I should just move to North Carolina, since we've been spending so much time there. You see, Mr. T, my husband person, has taken up white water kayaking. Like many of us do when we develop a new interest, he has a tendency to obsess.

We've always enjoyed camping, but it used to be an occasional thing. Now that he's attempting to kill himself learning to safely navigate white water, we go all the time. We've been so often, and survived, that I've gotten over my fear of careening over rapids. Well, I've gotten over my fear of careening over some rapids, and I get on the water every chance I get.

This weekend I'm going rafting with some friends, while Todd kayaks beside us. I may possibly take a duckie (an inflatable kayak that's a lot harder to flip that an actual kayak) down one of the calmer rivers, or try surviving on a Shredder with a trusted friend. We'll see what happens. If I live, I'll blog about it.*

Every trip, we stop at the Ocoee River, in Tennessee, on our way home.

We scramble down the side of the sun-warmed highway to the cool riverside rocks.

We crawl alongside the river to find a cozy, shady spot to watch passing rafts and kayaks.

Smushing together on a comfy-ish rock, and dangling my feet in the cold water, is my favorite.

If I had long arms, I'd take better pictures. Look at the distance he gets!

I'm not sure if we'll be moving there anytime soon, but it's definitely one of our favorite places to be. If we do decide to relocate, I'll have to take a few people with me.

You know who you are, and I'll let you know, so you can pack.

*See that healthy amount of fear?

The Prestige

Alright folks. How the heck are ya?! I dropped off the planet (out of the state rather) for a while, but now I've returned and think it's time for a comeback.

Had a great time in Michigan and Indiana. We spent some much needed time away from work, with friends, family and at the beach. Any of you blessed enough to have already seen the documentation of such on Facebook, I hereby apologize for any photos of me in swimwear. I can assure you all pictures were taken against my will, and I am seeking retribution.

Where were we? Oh yes. I left you last with a shuffle of obviously unpopular music. :P You're all very sweet for commenting, even if you didn't know the music. I tend to listen to a pretty wide range of musical goodness. So, can't say's I blame you for not recognizing too much.

So, without further adieu, here are the song titles and artists that you all need to be familiarizing yourselves with.

1. You Know My Name by The Beatles

2. Who'll Stop The Rain by Creedence Clearwater Revival

3. Her Majesty by The Beatles

4. Change by Muse

5. The Places We Lived by Backyard Tire Fire

6. The Blues by Switchfoot

7. Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana

8. Colonial Boy by Devin Townsend

9. Joseph Campbell by Warm In The Wake

10. Jack & The Water Buffalo by Head of Femur

11. Say "Hey" ( I love you) by Michael Frantee and Spearhead

12. My Dear Country by Norah Jones

13. What's This by Danny Elfman

14. Miracle Sun by Anthony Green

15. The Smell of Pajamas by Animal Collective

16. You're A Wolf by Sea Wolf

17. Polly by Nirvana

18. We Are Real by Silver Jews

19. By The Way by Red Hot Chili Peppers

20. Five Fleas by Rasputina

Bonus: Young Pilgrims by The Shins

Oh! None other than the lovely Ari will be receiving a bit of handmade goodness for getting the most right answers.

I like this giving away prizes thing. I'll have to come up with ways to do it more often. Maybe once I get more on MadShiny (my Etsy shop) I can give things away monthly!

Summer Vacation

It's time, my friends. Everyone's talking about it. North Carolina. Italy. Gulf Shores. Florida. Left and right people are taking summer vacations. Some of them are trekking into the forests and mountains for various purposes. Others have gone in search of large bodies of water in which to immerse themselves. Whoever. Wherever. They're escaping and loving life, and I'm happy for them. I really am.

I just hope I can make it until the end of July. Todd and I will be stuffing the Jeep full, and heading to Michigan to visit two of our very best friends(I fought the urge to type BFF's). Now, this may not be the forest/mountain range/beach that one thinks of for "vacation", but it's as good a place as any.

It'll be a nice, familiar(for me) road trip with a pleasant, jobless, friend-filled destination. Todd's never been North of Kentucky! So, I get the pleasure of watching him enjoy the sites. My home state-good old Indiana! Rolling hills and sky forever. Then Berrien Springs, Michigan. And believe me you, at some point, I and my attractive new bathing suit WILL be in Lake Michigan. Maybe. I hope. We'll see. Not so big on large bodies of water that aren't the ocean.

Upon our return we'll have a stowaway. My soul mate's youngest sister (who just turned 14 today! Happy Birthday Kayla!) will have been visiting the great state of Michigan for a whole month, when we make our trip. So, she'll be taking the ride back with us, which makes it even more fun! I love that kid. She's just about the most awesome little individual I know.

So, mini vacation the end of July. Yay! Until then, I'd appreciate if you could all keep the spectacular holiday/forest/mountain range/beach talk to a minimum.

Thank you. ^_^

FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE

For those of you reading for the first time(Notice the optimism that I may have new readers. Positive thinking, people. Mind over matter.) my husband and I just returned from a trip to California. In an attempt to sum up, settle back in at home and move on I've chosen a few pleasant bits of our trip to San Francisco to share with you. Via my new camera.

Buena Yerba Gardens

View of the city from Buena Yerba Gardens

Lovely Cathedral somewhere in San Francisco

The Golden Gate Bridge

Rodeo Cove

Redwoods at Muir Woods National Forest

Panoramic Highway on the way to Muir Beach

Gorgeous Muir Beach

I have about 400 more photos, but I won't subject you. If you'd like to see them I'm in the process of putting them on my Myspace(Yes. I said Myspace. Call me old school. Call me faithful. I have put too much time into that thing to go running to Facebook every time I need to upload).

Hands Off The Bloomies

At the moment I can not feel my nose. Am I roughing it out in the California wilderness? No. No, I'm merely attempting to get my laundry done on the fourth floor.

I suppose if no one sleeps in here they figure they don't need to heat it.

Little multitasker/slightly neurotic chick that I am, I decided to just take the laptop and sketchbook with me. Figured I'd hang out with my laundry. We're tight.

Is it odd to assume some weirdo(no offense strange guy in the parking garage)might help themselves to your bloomies while you're not around?

Anyhow, after the laundry is finito I'm going to pick up Todd and head to the wharf again. I just love those ill tempered sea lions.

And pictures are coming soon! I have to steal the Mac from the hubs. Wish me luck!

WHAT'S THIS?!

I have inadvertently fallen in love with this place. In part at least.

It's got some really beautiful places, which I will post pictures of at some point. Right now I need to be in the shower and going to pick up the husband person. We're going to the zoo, where I will most likely attempt to set some inadequately caged critter free. Maybe not. Perhaps this zoo is nicer than others. I hope.

My new favorite thing is to smile people to death-or life rather. It's been working too! I have proudly smiled at least 8 people out of their zombie death walks. It really throws their groove off, but I'm okay with that.

The guys are the best, but I have to be careful with them. Too big of a smile and they're starting a conversation. Then I have to quickly mention my husband and watch their little faces drop. Not that there are a ton of interested parties. Just two actually.

Anyhow, I'm surviving at this point. I just avoid the things that make me cry. If I can fix it, then I will. If I can't I'll steer clear. And I fill my time up with a gazillion fun things. Shops around the Moscone Center. All the fun free things. Pretty places to roam around. Parks to picnic in.

I will always be a southern girl I suppose. I like to go to cities, but I'm not sure I'd want to adjust to living in one. I love always having somewhere to go and something to do, but I can do without hiding up on the twelfth floor to escape the sounds of cars and sirens. I need grass and trees, more dirt than asphalt, birds singing and wind blowing to be the predominant sound. Kentucky, Florida and Alabama have spoiled me rotten, I guess.

Haints

My first impression of this city was of a couple really kind people.

The dude sitting next to me on the plane. He and his husband live here in SF. He was friendly and full of information. Just an all around wonderful guy.

So, I was ready to love it here. To the point of preparing myself to fall head over heals, and beg my husband to move to this glorious city by the Pacific.

Yet, it seems heartless to me now. Dead. It's the first place to ever make me feel truly disconnected.

I've crossed paths with a few people who search for a pair of eyes to connect with. A passing nod. A quick smile, easily wiped away. Harmless.

So, I know there's a pulse. I felt it. It just flat lined.

Is everyone just sporting their I'm a robot mask, or what?

Don't they die a little each time they pass someone without even so much as a glance? No acknowledgment at all. That uncomfortable "don't look at/talk to me" facade. Ick.

I understand why we do it, but doesn't it hurt? Just a little?

Everywhere I look I see shadows of people walking the streets. Streets lined with the disregarded insane, and the people who went hallow in order to keep their hearts from breaking.

What can you do?

Are other big cities like this? Am I just a country bumpkin, or does it seem like this to everyone?

On the brighter side. Nature always saves me. We went to Golden Gate Park yesterday and it was gourgeous. We took the scenic drive. The bridge was beautiful in the fog.

I am so going to Pier 39 to see some sea lions.

Fulsom 3rd & Howard

So, San Franshishkabob is alright. It's lots of things. It's pretty. It's ugly. It's a city.

The nice parts of the city rock, but the not-so-nice parts are definitely not my happy place. Our hotel is in the center of a block. Pull out of our parking garage and go left? I'm not depressed. Turn right? I'm done for. For hours.

I just can't handle the whole let's all ignore each other thing. I know it's in the spirit of self preservation and all, but I'm just not used to it. I can not talk myself into treating people like they're not there. Nor can I walk around with a don't talk to me or I'll clock you look on my face and maintain happy. I end up with a bad attitude and in an argument with Todd. It's great.

If I had a super power it would be transparency. I'm still not entirely sure how that would help me save the world, but it's my most attainable supernatural capability.

Solution? Avoid the not-so-nice parts of town filled with people I can't help or communicate with, and cultivate my transparency powers.

Window Seat PLEASE?!?!?!?

Okay. I have no time to be blogging right now, but I must vent.

Me + Plane = right as rain

Unless I'm without a window seat. Then you just don't want to be near me, or between me and that ever so luxurious bathroom that everyone's DYING to piddle in.

I flew all the way to Korea by my lonesome and I was fine. Enjoyed the flight. Not the 17 hour one so much, but it was cool. Why was it cool? Because I was by a window. I could see. I could breath.

So, husband person got approved for a convention thingy in San Francisco and that's grand. We just have to pay for my ticket and tada! Awesome mini vacation.

I should be completely stoked. Yes I say stoked. Instead I have to be stressing out because Todd's supervisor has been sitting on this whole getting everything set up thing for like two months!

Since Bossy Poo thought he'd tell us about this trip to Cali, oh I don't know, two and a half WEEKS before our expected departure...deep healing breath...I am going to have an isle seat from Missouri to California. Like 4 hours of me trying to pretend like I can breathe that canned air blissfully.

I will throw up.

Oh, and I don't get to sit by my husband on that flight either!

GLORIOUS!

Maybe someone will be nice and switch seats with me. Maybe.

All Things Kentucky

Any chance to escape to Kentucky is a welcomed one. It amazes me the loyalty I have to a place I left when I was eight. Eighteen years I've lived elsewhere, but somehow I'm still a Kentucky girl.

I don't think it has anything to do with how wonderful a place is or anything. I really loved living in Florida, and I truly think of Alabama as home. There's just something about Kentucky. And in October!!!! The air just smells like football games, drive-ins and hide-n-go-seek in the dark. Makes me have to pee just thinking about it. ^__^

So, Wednesday of next week I leave for a conference in Louisville. It's about 100 miles from where we used to live when I was a kid, and my sister. I can't wait! All work and training aside, we are going to have so much fun. It's a fun place. Lots to do and see. I've finally convinced my husband of this, and he's now decided to come with me. Yay!

My sister and her fiance are driving down Saturday night for dinner, and I predict good times.