Back to Nature

I thought I would share a couple of pictures from my trip to prove that Cheryl and I took our "we're not going to care what we look like while climbing Mayan ruins in the rain forest" philosophy quite seriously.


This picture is shortly before I climbed the insanely tall and steep ruin behind me




This picture is shortly after I finally made my way back down---not very gracefully. You can't see my legs, but they were shaking....kind of pathetic, actually.

Belize It Or Not

Yes, the title is unfortunate, but I just couldn't help myself.

Tomorrow morning I'm leaving for a long weekend away (is this what the Brits call a "mini break"?). I'm super excited because I have no earthly idea what to expect, but I'm landing in Belize City in the afternoon (knock on wood) and we'll take it from there!

I've decided this is as opportune a moment as any other to tell my friends and family something I've been meaning to say for some time. You know, just in case I get kidnapped into the jungle or eaten by a crocodile or die of fright when I think I see a shark that really turns out to be a swimming cow (you don't want to know).

Anyhoo.

I'm leaving and I just want you all to know something very important: please, if something dramatic and/or newsworthy happens to me while I'm gone.....can you just make sure that the news media has a decent picture of me? I don't mean to be vain, but has anyone else noticed that whenever something happens to people, the pictures of them up at CNN or MSNBC are always completely dreadful? Who is in charge of this process?

Yes, I realize this is stupid and inconsequential in the long run.....but I would really rather people think "Oh, that's so sad. Look at those freckles, she was so cute! And young! She had the world in front of her!" as opposed to "Oh, that's so sad. But look at those bags under her eyes. And why is she scowling like that? Oh well. No wonder she was single."

I'm not unreasonable. My main requests are as follows:

1. No senior pictures (yes, at this point they are INCREDIBLY dated, but I feel this needs to be said as my mother has shown an irrational attachment to them)

2. No bridesmaid pictures (this needs no explaining)

3. No pictures of me looking at the camera with a "why are you taking that?" expression

4. No pictures of me scowling off into space and/or looking blankly off into space (again, my mother has shown a propensity for taking this type of photo....of course she might argue that this is what I'm doing 90% of the time so what else is she supposed to take a picture of....but she would be lying....I'm sure I must smile off into space SOMETIMES)

See? Not so hard. And if you all help me out, I won't have to haunt anyone. Everyone wins.

(and for those of you who are wondering and don't know-- yes, I have always been this morbid)

Wii Be Sore

So my intention for the last few days has been to write a post detailing my objections to a new and dangerous game being played by America...to warn you all about the lurking danger that you may never see coming. That's right, I'm talking about the Nintendo Wii


I may have spent a Friday evening a week or so ago basking in my new found athletic prowess......I might have felt I was so advanced and in shape because I managed to beat a 7 year old and a 9 year old in subsequent boxing matches (though my niece might never forgive me if I didn't interrupt myself at this point to tell you that she "didn't try her hardest")......and I may have been so proud of myself when I bowled a somewhat adequate game on my first try......and there may have been a surge of pride when I manage to hit a bullseye with a digital tennis ball. I may have experienced all those things, but you know what I definitely felt the next day? SORE. Horribly, horribly sore. Ridiculously sore. My arms wanted to fall off sore.

And so I was all prepared to write you all a warning post with your best interests in mind. I wanted to save you all the trials and tribulations faced by me. And then something happened.

I went to brunch yesterday with two friends (what? I can go to brunch every now and then) and they were telling me all about how the Nintendo Wii has become ALL the rage at the local retirement village. They have one on every floor. The residents have tournaments and love it.

So this is me NOT writing a post telling you all about the dangers of the Nintendo Wii-- because then I would have to admit I am apparently the oldest 30 year old on the planet.

Consider yourself not warned.

A Belated Christmas Present Part One

I bring you a window into Christmas Past (2005ish) and some of my favorite Christmas clips ever

Take One




Take Two: A Few Moments Later

Happy New Years Day

I would like to dedicate this post to everyone who is willing to acknowledge the fact that New Years Eve is just NOT as exciting as everyone pretends that it is.