And backpacking!
in no order:
Some are repeats
Foothills Trail thru (88m)
Shenandoah thru-hike (101m)
Cumberland Island (5 nights)
Art Loeb Trail thru (30 very hard miles)
Max Patch to Hot Springs (11ish m) (I have not looked that up and am guessing)
Roan Mountain thru (40m)
JMT, TN version, thru (28m)
At least 5 nights on the Pinhoti, any part
More local:
Walk all the way around Duck River reservoir in one day (21 miles)
end-to-end and back on RM trail in one day (22 miles)
thru on the Fiery Gizzard (13m)
finish the 90 miles of trails at South Cumberland
finish all the labeled trails at Bankhead
hike the new Honeycomb Trail
hike every Land Trust trail
Autumn trip to the Rockies to backpack with Ben
Camp/backpack 50 nights total
Meet 3 new hiking buddies
Take 3 classes: any combo of first aid, wilderness first aid, first responder/rescue, or other outdoor skills
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Minor Details
I read a story once where the mom was struck with an aneurysm in her brain and realized that over the course of a few hours that she was going to die and leave her three small children. During the time she had left, her speech was robbed words at time, causing her to use the wrong nouns and leaving her unable to say anything coherent though her thoughts were still solid. It was the scariest thing I have ever read and it caused me at the time to write out my whole life story, hitting the high points and talking about how each of you came to be and some of the things we spent our time doing. It was a 50,000 word essay covering not a whole lot-I have not had a dramatic life or a particularly difficult or interesting one either. But it was my experience and I wanted you to have that if anything happened to me. Memories are important to me, even mundane ones. Going somewhere we have been ten times before is still worth savoring and sharing. We were together, well, happy and enjoying a day. That's worthwhile, vital even.
That was several years ago, you were all still single digit age. Your memories are developed enough to hold things we have done for yourselves now. At this point in time, I don't fear leaving you with no clear idea of who I am or how much you mean to me or at a loss about our history. Now, I feel the pull to give you something more than a whole of my telling, I want to give snippets of what I have discovered without bogging with details.
1. If you don't know something in particular, just ask someone who does. Don't apologize or feel bad for not knowing, you can't know everything.
2. If someone asks you about something they don't know, be kind and explain as best you can, even if it seems like something everyone should know already. They can't know everything.
3. You don't have to answer any personal questions from anyone, ever. That's why it's personal information. Don't tell things about yourself too soon. Your trust needs to be earned and it's worth working for.
4. Follow your gut. If someone sets off your inner alarm, distance yourself, even if it means losing friends or family. This is incredibly hard and it's not over and done with in a hurry. They get the pleasure of being angry and wronged while you get years being the bad guy-maybe for the rest of your life in that one circle. But your inner peace is more important. True friends will show themselves as such. You don't need people who won't be there for you.
5. If you find yourself being the one who makes all the plans and does all the work in any relationship, take stock. Talk to the other person and let them know how you feel. If they don't step up, there's your answer. And unbalanced relationship can tip too much weight on you, sometimes it's best to just set it down and walk away.
All you can do is be yourself and hopefully people will see your value. That's not always the case, of course, and sometimes you get the shaft because their values change. A decent friend will tell you why, but these days when people have 300 'friends' they barely know, you are expendable. One less on that list hardly means anything any more, there's someone else (or maybe just a new cow in Farmville) to fill that small void in their life-even if it's a big void in yours.
I feel like that will not change any time soon. While it's easy to find superficial connections, real friends are becoming obsolete. It's work to care for someone who is having a hard time. It's easier to do things with people who have less problems.
People don't like when you are not happy, peppy, flush with cash, in a stable relationship and unconcerned with health, weight or things like the roof over your head. I don't know what to do about that, I can't fix other people. If someone makes you feel small or sad, take that energy and do something with it, don't mire down. It's so hard to get back up and it only harms you. That is SO much easier said than done, but try. Be sad, then be useful. If you hate the whole world and everyone in it and don't want to help a soul, then be useful to animals, or a garden or a patch of ground that has trash on it.
The only thing I have left to say is to take happiness where you find it. You guys are my world, your dad is my best friend. There is so much joy in a day just spent at home, with the four of you nearby, the dogs on the porch. I know that's not a permanent situation, but guys, nothing in life is. One day I will be without you three, without our dogs, maybe without dad. But I know every plan I made, I tried to include you. I kept the house as comfortable as I could for you, I had ideas that sometimes worked out, we went places, I took photos. I have so many memories and I know every where I love in this world, you were once there with me. That's sustaining. And I hope you have that in your adult life, even if I am the one who is not around. That you will have one another and a best friend and a porch with a dog of your own and your own sustenance from life.
Don't pin your dreams on another person, or an event that may never happen, don't narrow your lives until the edges barely brush against anything. Enjoy the thing in front of you, dream and scheme and plot and plan, but don't pass by that sunbeam that can warm you a moment or that chance to share laughter or that view that will never be the same again. That book or bath or nap in a hammock that can feed your inner peace. Take as much enjoyment from your lives as you can manage to wrangle from it. Live as freely as you can, be open to new ideas, don't stagnate your hearts or minds by becoming set in your beliefs. Look for people to share experiences with and if no one will join you, experience them for yourself, don't give up. You are worthwhile. You are important. You are loved. You will find your way. You can not disappoint me, you are your own person and not responsible for living up to anyone's expectations. You can do so much more than what someone else thinks you can, including me. You owe me nothing, you were a gift from the start, one I have cherished every day. I only wish I could have done more for you.
That's my four decades of living there. Not that I have it all figured out, not that I ever will. I still make bad choices, my feelings get hurt, more often than I'd like to admit. Maybe after five or six decades, I will have something of more value to share, or by then you will have had 4 decades of your own experiences, maybe you can give me some of your wisdom.
That was several years ago, you were all still single digit age. Your memories are developed enough to hold things we have done for yourselves now. At this point in time, I don't fear leaving you with no clear idea of who I am or how much you mean to me or at a loss about our history. Now, I feel the pull to give you something more than a whole of my telling, I want to give snippets of what I have discovered without bogging with details.
1. If you don't know something in particular, just ask someone who does. Don't apologize or feel bad for not knowing, you can't know everything.
2. If someone asks you about something they don't know, be kind and explain as best you can, even if it seems like something everyone should know already. They can't know everything.
3. You don't have to answer any personal questions from anyone, ever. That's why it's personal information. Don't tell things about yourself too soon. Your trust needs to be earned and it's worth working for.
4. Follow your gut. If someone sets off your inner alarm, distance yourself, even if it means losing friends or family. This is incredibly hard and it's not over and done with in a hurry. They get the pleasure of being angry and wronged while you get years being the bad guy-maybe for the rest of your life in that one circle. But your inner peace is more important. True friends will show themselves as such. You don't need people who won't be there for you.
5. If you find yourself being the one who makes all the plans and does all the work in any relationship, take stock. Talk to the other person and let them know how you feel. If they don't step up, there's your answer. And unbalanced relationship can tip too much weight on you, sometimes it's best to just set it down and walk away.
All you can do is be yourself and hopefully people will see your value. That's not always the case, of course, and sometimes you get the shaft because their values change. A decent friend will tell you why, but these days when people have 300 'friends' they barely know, you are expendable. One less on that list hardly means anything any more, there's someone else (or maybe just a new cow in Farmville) to fill that small void in their life-even if it's a big void in yours.
I feel like that will not change any time soon. While it's easy to find superficial connections, real friends are becoming obsolete. It's work to care for someone who is having a hard time. It's easier to do things with people who have less problems.
People don't like when you are not happy, peppy, flush with cash, in a stable relationship and unconcerned with health, weight or things like the roof over your head. I don't know what to do about that, I can't fix other people. If someone makes you feel small or sad, take that energy and do something with it, don't mire down. It's so hard to get back up and it only harms you. That is SO much easier said than done, but try. Be sad, then be useful. If you hate the whole world and everyone in it and don't want to help a soul, then be useful to animals, or a garden or a patch of ground that has trash on it.
The only thing I have left to say is to take happiness where you find it. You guys are my world, your dad is my best friend. There is so much joy in a day just spent at home, with the four of you nearby, the dogs on the porch. I know that's not a permanent situation, but guys, nothing in life is. One day I will be without you three, without our dogs, maybe without dad. But I know every plan I made, I tried to include you. I kept the house as comfortable as I could for you, I had ideas that sometimes worked out, we went places, I took photos. I have so many memories and I know every where I love in this world, you were once there with me. That's sustaining. And I hope you have that in your adult life, even if I am the one who is not around. That you will have one another and a best friend and a porch with a dog of your own and your own sustenance from life.
Don't pin your dreams on another person, or an event that may never happen, don't narrow your lives until the edges barely brush against anything. Enjoy the thing in front of you, dream and scheme and plot and plan, but don't pass by that sunbeam that can warm you a moment or that chance to share laughter or that view that will never be the same again. That book or bath or nap in a hammock that can feed your inner peace. Take as much enjoyment from your lives as you can manage to wrangle from it. Live as freely as you can, be open to new ideas, don't stagnate your hearts or minds by becoming set in your beliefs. Look for people to share experiences with and if no one will join you, experience them for yourself, don't give up. You are worthwhile. You are important. You are loved. You will find your way. You can not disappoint me, you are your own person and not responsible for living up to anyone's expectations. You can do so much more than what someone else thinks you can, including me. You owe me nothing, you were a gift from the start, one I have cherished every day. I only wish I could have done more for you.
That's my four decades of living there. Not that I have it all figured out, not that I ever will. I still make bad choices, my feelings get hurt, more often than I'd like to admit. Maybe after five or six decades, I will have something of more value to share, or by then you will have had 4 decades of your own experiences, maybe you can give me some of your wisdom.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Round the House
Happy to say, we are knocking some stuff off the list! I got the carpets cleaned, got Chan in an art class, signed myself up for a few things as well. I have Jake's birthday mapped out if not exactly planned and Friday Matt got under the house and added the support columns under the living room floor. It feels SO different in there! Yesterday we cut and painted the wood to replace the overhang over the porch. Today we-meaning Matt-pulled out half the rotten wood on half of the roof and got about 2/3 of it replaced. I am hoping for dry weather until next weekend!
We had three major things to fix on the house-the roof, the living room floor and the bathroom floor. So that's one finished another well underway and the bathroom floor will not take very long. Suzette said everything takes five times longer than you plan, so I am planning it to take an hour. I think that was her mistake on the house they are building. She did not plan it to take a couple weeks, she was thinking long-term to begin with.
We also burned loads of downed limbs and clippings from the various bushes around the house, Jake chopped privet-ever an ongoing issue here-and we had a fire going most of Friday afternoon and all of Saturday and Sunday.
We had three major things to fix on the house-the roof, the living room floor and the bathroom floor. So that's one finished another well underway and the bathroom floor will not take very long. Suzette said everything takes five times longer than you plan, so I am planning it to take an hour. I think that was her mistake on the house they are building. She did not plan it to take a couple weeks, she was thinking long-term to begin with.
We also burned loads of downed limbs and clippings from the various bushes around the house, Jake chopped privet-ever an ongoing issue here-and we had a fire going most of Friday afternoon and all of Saturday and Sunday.
I wanted to get a few pictures of Charlie, but he's not a sit and smile kinda guy. So I had to run ahead and snap him coming to catch up. He has energy and then some...
I hope he will work out, it's iffy for him at the moment, I don't know if he's settling in and showing his 'true' self or what, but he is INSANE. If he were human, I would take him in to a drug detox center-I'd be that sure he was tweaking, he's on 10 ALL THE TIME.
Jessie is not happy with the new doggie. She will play with him at times and let's him eat-which is a huge thing-but she is ready for him to go away already. I can't blame her...
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| I am still your favorite, right Daddy? |
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| Kuma just watches the whole thing from across the yard. Don't worry boy, you are not going anywhere! |
I took several shots of the heart-shaped hole in the trunk as it burned then could not figure which I liked the very best. So here they all are. haha
Once we have the house 'fixed', meaning our list checked off, we want to build a patio and an outdoor kitchen and I want the chimenea to look like this trunk!
I am taking before shots, I will post the progress as we go!
Don't hold your breath for an invitation to the patio warming, I am guessing it will be another year before we are done with the house. Oh, wait, the Suzette Prophecy. I mean, it will be barely 2 months before the house is done. Yes.
Don't hold your breath for an invitation to the patio warming, I am guessing it will be another year before we are done with the house. Oh, wait, the Suzette Prophecy. I mean, it will be barely 2 months before the house is done. Yes.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Weekend
We had such a nice weekend! Saturday afternoon we headed to Katy's and spent the rest of the evening hanging out there. They had the zipline up and going, Matt and I jumped on the trampoline, we ate all kinds of new-to-us things. My favorite was veggie dip made from cashews, it was so sweet! The GF cake was yummy enough for seconds and the conversations ebbed and flowed, by 10 or so, several couples were in the sitting area inside the house chatting and catching up while the kids ran around outdoors or played on the computer downstairs. It was a great, relaxing way to spend the evening.
Sunday, we knocked off the fascia boards and burned them! I am THRILLED. I hated those things, they were so riddled with carpenter bee tunnels that they were rotting off the house in places and it was bringing me down to even look outside and see them. Now we can put up nice fresh ones and it will look 100% better!
In other news toward getting things taken care of, I FINALLY ordered the new tail light cover for the van, it should be in by Friday. I only have 2 more things in my 'sooner' list and 5 in the 'later' category. Yay!
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| Now the zip line goes off the top platform on the Fourt! |
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| Adults were given the option of using a harness or not. The kids all were harnessed, including this one. |
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| The platform is about 30 feet up, it was quite a ride to the end! |
Sunday, we knocked off the fascia boards and burned them! I am THRILLED. I hated those things, they were so riddled with carpenter bee tunnels that they were rotting off the house in places and it was bringing me down to even look outside and see them. Now we can put up nice fresh ones and it will look 100% better!
In other news toward getting things taken care of, I FINALLY ordered the new tail light cover for the van, it should be in by Friday. I only have 2 more things in my 'sooner' list and 5 in the 'later' category. Yay!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
More
things I like.
Watching the mist in the pasture early in the day
Watching the hummingbird moths come in to the 4 o'clocks at night
Drinking warm tea with sugar
The sound of my shutter clicking (bwaha! Captured!)
That we have not used the credit cards in almost 2 years
Vanilla almond milk and dark chocolate almond granola
Dark chocolate almond milk and French vanilla granola
(but I don't like dark chocolate)
Coke or root beer with vanilla
Writing e-mails-I can tell anyone anywhere anything anytime.
Being the mama.
The library. I list this every time, but it is such an amazing thing to have access to.
Watching the mist in the pasture early in the day
Watching the hummingbird moths come in to the 4 o'clocks at night
Drinking warm tea with sugar
The sound of my shutter clicking (bwaha! Captured!)
That we have not used the credit cards in almost 2 years
Vanilla almond milk and dark chocolate almond granola
Dark chocolate almond milk and French vanilla granola
(but I don't like dark chocolate)
Coke or root beer with vanilla
Writing e-mails-I can tell anyone anywhere anything anytime.
Being the mama.
The library. I list this every time, but it is such an amazing thing to have access to.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Thursday
It's me! Bipolar E. ha!
Today was a good day. Big things, little things. I want to be sure I get that out there, as I feel I have been doom and gloom lately.
Thursday. Nearly the weekend, it's a good night to stay up too late and watch movies. It's also payday every other week. This being not that week. If we worked for Disney, it would be every week, EPCOT stands for Every Paycheck Comes On Thursday. Thursday's Child has far to go. I should have been born on a Thursday, but it was a Wednesday. Wednesday's Child is full of woe. Maybe that's why I am so gloomy.
Remember back a few months ago when I decided Truth was my word for the year? That's been working out for me. I will get into more detail later about that, I thought today I would list things I like, since Matt and I talked about it the other day and we are both pretty sure I dislike more things than I do like. Since then, I have been thinking about it and wanted to get going on a list.
In no particular order:
reading
writing
photography
unschooling
camping
cookie dough Luna protein bars
butternut squash ravioli
Poppy
Nettlevan
our pets (this may also show up on my dislikes list, depending on the current financial state!)
the color we are painting the house
Hmmm. Well, that's all I can think of at the moment. Surely there's more. hahaha!
Today was a good day. Big things, little things. I want to be sure I get that out there, as I feel I have been doom and gloom lately.
Thursday. Nearly the weekend, it's a good night to stay up too late and watch movies. It's also payday every other week. This being not that week. If we worked for Disney, it would be every week, EPCOT stands for Every Paycheck Comes On Thursday. Thursday's Child has far to go. I should have been born on a Thursday, but it was a Wednesday. Wednesday's Child is full of woe. Maybe that's why I am so gloomy.
Remember back a few months ago when I decided Truth was my word for the year? That's been working out for me. I will get into more detail later about that, I thought today I would list things I like, since Matt and I talked about it the other day and we are both pretty sure I dislike more things than I do like. Since then, I have been thinking about it and wanted to get going on a list.
In no particular order:
reading
writing
photography
unschooling
camping
cookie dough Luna protein bars
butternut squash ravioli
Poppy
Nettlevan
our pets (this may also show up on my dislikes list, depending on the current financial state!)
the color we are painting the house
Hmmm. Well, that's all I can think of at the moment. Surely there's more. hahaha!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
ka-put
I have dreamed twice now that I die March 14th. I am not really sure what that means, but if it's a true omen, I was in bed this morning trying to work out my biggest regrets.
Of course, the kids-I want to see what happens, was unschooling a bad idea in the end? How does it all work out? Do they homeschool their own kids? I also want them to go out west and see more of the country. Matt can do that with my insurance money. Someone may have to push this issue in my stead when the time is right. Say by the...21st of March.
I want to see Jacki again, I would be really bummed to never ever see her again. Even if she flies up for the funeral, I won't BE there. (Save your money, J! You and the girls meet Matt and the kids somewhere out west and throw a rock in a river for me). (And for goodness sake, take a picture of it!)
Mainly, there's just stuff I want to know. How long will the van run, will the floor repair work on the camper, is Jessie going to be okay-her hips are in BAD shape and she's on meds for it. I want to know if she gets better. What happens to Kat in the end? My bet is she leaves to hunt and never returns. We notice after a week, maybe two. Do we ever move back to Tennessee?
Mainly, there's just stuff I want to know. How long will the van run, will the floor repair work on the camper, is Jessie going to be okay-her hips are in BAD shape and she's on meds for it. I want to know if she gets better. What happens to Kat in the end? My bet is she leaves to hunt and never returns. We notice after a week, maybe two. Do we ever move back to Tennessee?
I will be bummed to have not reached my weight loss goal, but at least I am on the right track and not gaining! That would be worse, I think.
There are things I want pictures of. Places I want to see. Ideas I have inside me, books I still want to read.
I can't say there ever won't be, though. I hope there never is, that I never put my camera down or decide to skip the library one day, that I never wake up one morning and realize nothing is rattling around in my head-no idea, no plans for travel, no random thoughts.
There are things I want pictures of. Places I want to see. Ideas I have inside me, books I still want to read.
I can't say there ever won't be, though. I hope there never is, that I never put my camera down or decide to skip the library one day, that I never wake up one morning and realize nothing is rattling around in my head-no idea, no plans for travel, no random thoughts.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Productive Citizen!
In the past week I have gotten the kids teeth cleaned, all 6 pets to the vet, I got contacts for the first time in 3 years, the oil changed in both vehicles and we started painting the trim on the house! OMG, I feel SO good about myself. LOL!
I was really feeling like crappy mama about the animals in particular, it's been more like 18 months since they last went to the vet. The kids all had perfect check-ups, the house looks amazingly better with the fresh paint-the porch is nearly done and Jake has started working on the east side trim along the roofline, so he's only about 3 rungs up the ladder. I pulled down all the morning glory vines and cut the Jessamine WAY back. I am going to dig that up and move it before I repaint the porch floor. Then the porch is going to be a PORCH and not a staging area for the 50 projects we have going on.
Erin popped in yesterday with a load of books and while her news was not happy, we are getting a much newer washer and the big dresser that goes with the bedroom suite later this week. And, load of new books. I can move this dresser out to the shed. It is useless, the drawers are like 3 inches deep and there are about 15 of them, so they hold 2 t-shirts per drawer. It's 6 feet long and 3 feet deep and holds the equivalent of 30 t-shirts. The bigger dresser has...bigger drawers!
Jake and I went to the library and then had lunch at Taziki's with Matt today between the eye doc and the orthodontist. He is done with bands for now, his teeth look fantastic AND they took those horrible little green things off his front brackets. It looked like he had broccoli between his brackets! They were to add more pressure to spread out his front teeth more, like little springs. But up-close it gave the effect of him having just eaten grass. Glad those are gone, since I am listing my happy thoughts.
Oh, and we got Chandler her own camera-Matt scored BIG at the pawn shop. Got her a nice little Canon for $40! It's the model one older than ours-the one like ours was gone. It still does great shots and more importantly for her, takes video in a format she can dink around with.
September is 3-paycheck month! That will go a long way in getting the rest of my 'minor things' list ticked off and hopefully fund a camping trip in there somewhere. So, while I am broke again (and more than a week to go to payday!) I am glad to be getting some dust off my to-do list.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Things
I allowed everyone (hehehe) to watch me roam around Evanon Friday night as I watered plants and such. While giving the tour of my house, Michelle (I think) asked me if I had anything I really was fond of in there. Like a favorite item. I had to say no, it's all just stuff, either arranged to improve my Feng Shui or else to increase my points via having matching items.
It got me to thinking, is there anything in my life that I love so much I would not want to do without it. After thinking for a couple of days, here is the list of what I would not want to be without:
A camera. True, I like my cameras that I have now, but they can be replaced with relatively no trouble. Not so for the photos, I don't even want to consider losing those.
A minivan. Having driven 2 sedans, a station wagon, a hatchback and a compact, I can say that I really prefer a minivan. It has loads of space, it has the hauling capacity I need, it's comfy and it's easy to drive and park and not too bad on gas consumption.
The pop-up. After tent camping for 34.5 years, the addition of the popper to the family was wonderful. I love how little it is, how easy it is to deal with, how I can manage on my own without any problems (well...other than occasional backing issues) and how much more comfy it is than tent camping, even if it is barely a notch above. And, I like having outlets and an AC when I camp.
The bed. Yes, it's 6 and a half feet wide and long, a big old square California King bed. It uses major real estate in the bedroom. It needs a new mattress soon and the size alone makes that a 4-digit proposition. But I love it. It's my island in life, when I am having a bad day or I have been away too long, I don't want anything but my own big bed, it's abundance of pillows and thick memory foam padding. Turn on the fan, lay back in the middle and nothing can reach me.
Netflix. hahaha! I LOVE movies. Netflix provides an affordable way to watch what I want, if not immediately, then within a day or so. Every time I redo the budget (every year for the upcoming 2 years and then I revisit twice a year to see what can be tweaked) I look at getting rid of it. Every time, I decide the price is right, I am getting good value and I decide it's worth keeping.
My budget notebook. I don't LIKE having a budget, but I do like knowing in advance when we will have something paid off, when something else is due, how much money we will have left over in March of 2012 for traveling or taking the dogs to the vet. Each paycheck, I consult it to see how much I had planned to pay on a debt, adjust for what the utilities actually cost that month and keep up with every dollar that comes in. I have not had a late payment or bounced check in 10 years and it helps me keep myself on track. I know I will be broke the next paycheck because I am making a bigger payment on Jake's braces or paying ahead on insurance or the water bill to free up that money on down the road for a different expense I need to take care of.
A computer and internet connection. After nearly 7 years of dial-up, moving to the recently-available high-speed in our area has been awesome! But even so, I was able to stay connected with just dial-up, it was not the end of the world. I would rather have that than nothing, though-ironically-high speed is cheaper. I like being connected, I like looking things up at the drop of a hat and being able to check in on friends during the day without having to interrupt them with a phone call.
The library. Of everything on the list, I would be worse off I think with the loss of the library system. Books, music, movies. All free, all there waiting for me to come get them. It's amazing, really. I can go in with just my card-which is super easy to get-and walk out with hundreds of dollars in stuff that I then get to use and then return. No permanent space given over to it, no buyers remorse when I realize that a certain book really sucks, no guilt when I can't finish them all, just a couple clicks or a quick phone call and they are mine for another 2 weeks! Add in all the extra stuff that comes in handy, like wi-fi access, book and movie downloads, research materials, the periodicals, the usually useful staff, equipment you can use at the library...it's a fantastic place, worthy of awe, as good an idea as indoor plumbing. Which, they also have!
My atlas...es. I love, love looking at maps, tracing routes, looking at town names. Yeah, mapquest, google earth, my Nuvi, rand mcnally online...give me an atlas any day. Paper in my hands, fading highlighter lines, dog-eared pages, smudges from past trips and feet that were once much smaller swinging and kicking it as it sits between the mommy and daddy seats up front.
There it is, my top 10. No need to point out Matt, the kids, my friends, Daddy...the PEOPLE I like to surround myself with, this was my 'things' list. What? Only 9 things?
And...I really like Animal Crossing on the Wii. I love my town, the villagers, Curt. I like messing with the flowers and fishing and picking fruit and arranging my furniture, watching fireworks and catching bugs. It's peaceful, it's friendly, there are only happy surprises and the worst thing that can happen is a bad hairstyle-which can be fixed the very next day. I could live without it, but I would be very sad to lose it.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Zah-mmm-beees
Okay, I don't like zombie movies. They are gross and over done and hardly ever actually scary because unlike the predatory vampire and lycan, the zombie literally stumbles around, moans and relies on sheer bad luck-yours-to get a little brain food. To get away, just go up some stairs or climb a tree. Go into a building with doors that must be pulled open to enter. Totally safe. All one needs to escape the zombie hoards is a treehouse.
This being said, there are a handful of zombie movies that make my list.
Shaun of the Dead.
This movie has the one thing EVERY movie needs. A plot-holes comic at the end to answer the questions brought up in the movie.
Beyond that, it has 2 of the 3 main characters from Black Books in it, which we loved, and Simon Pegg is so darn funny.
Yes, there are some zombie dining scenes, but it's ultimately not the focus of the movie, so somehow it's not as gruesome.
The Serpent and the Rainbow
Creepy and that it's based on a nonfiction book by the same name does not hurt things. It could happen to YOU! However 'The film adaptation was vehemently derided by Wade Davis' (the guy who wrote the book). Once again, we have a Gustave situation where leaving the 27 foot long crocodile a mere (and accurate) 20 feet long would have still been just as scary. But, not as sensational.
The 28 series
There are 3 so far, they are all scary in that my original complaint about zombies are that they are slow. The zombies in these movies are freaky fast, use themselves as battering rams and have no qualms about stairs.
In this series, a virus is the blame and it creates rage and instant desire to maim and/or eat those nearest you. Despite the high body count and gore levels, this is about what I would expect from the human population if such a virus did get out.
I am Legend.
Don't gripe, it's not technically a zombie movie, but neither is 28. Both are based on humans screwing up the world playing with germs. With nearly the same results-instant rage-induced mindless attacking. The zombie aspect comes into play because both involve humans losing their humanity and, well, eating each other. That's pretty zombini.
This one was appealing, maybe ironically, because of the humanity. You felt for the guy, even knowing what you know about him.
Zombieland
Watch this one and Shaun of the Dead in the same night. Maybe round it out with Slither-which is not a zombie movie, but has Nathan Fillion in it and I love that man.
Zombieland has everything a zombie movie needs-it's creepy, overdone and so funny you have to hit pause for the laughing to pass. My favorite thing is his list of rules and how they show up through the movie, that is exactly how I envision life anyway.
This being said, there are a handful of zombie movies that make my list.
Shaun of the Dead.
This movie has the one thing EVERY movie needs. A plot-holes comic at the end to answer the questions brought up in the movie.
Beyond that, it has 2 of the 3 main characters from Black Books in it, which we loved, and Simon Pegg is so darn funny.
Yes, there are some zombie dining scenes, but it's ultimately not the focus of the movie, so somehow it's not as gruesome.
The Serpent and the Rainbow
Creepy and that it's based on a nonfiction book by the same name does not hurt things. It could happen to YOU! However 'The film adaptation was vehemently derided by Wade Davis' (the guy who wrote the book). Once again, we have a Gustave situation where leaving the 27 foot long crocodile a mere (and accurate) 20 feet long would have still been just as scary. But, not as sensational.
The 28 series
There are 3 so far, they are all scary in that my original complaint about zombies are that they are slow. The zombies in these movies are freaky fast, use themselves as battering rams and have no qualms about stairs.
In this series, a virus is the blame and it creates rage and instant desire to maim and/or eat those nearest you. Despite the high body count and gore levels, this is about what I would expect from the human population if such a virus did get out.
I am Legend.
Don't gripe, it's not technically a zombie movie, but neither is 28. Both are based on humans screwing up the world playing with germs. With nearly the same results-instant rage-induced mindless attacking. The zombie aspect comes into play because both involve humans losing their humanity and, well, eating each other. That's pretty zombini.
This one was appealing, maybe ironically, because of the humanity. You felt for the guy, even knowing what you know about him.
Zombieland
Watch this one and Shaun of the Dead in the same night. Maybe round it out with Slither-which is not a zombie movie, but has Nathan Fillion in it and I love that man.
Zombieland has everything a zombie movie needs-it's creepy, overdone and so funny you have to hit pause for the laughing to pass. My favorite thing is his list of rules and how they show up through the movie, that is exactly how I envision life anyway.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Vampers
In honor of the vampire craze that is sweeping around right now: Twilight Saga for the younger set and True Blood for the more mature audiences along with about a zillion books, including the much-touted but as-yet-unread-by-me series Brotherhood. Or was that Blood Brotherhood? Either way, ever since Anne Rice did a number on my generation with Lestat and his marble-like body and naughty ways, it seems the craze is...undying. hahaha! Okay, well, anyway, here is my own "top 10" vampire movies, based solely on my own opinion. And in no particular order, bad acting and all.
Fright Night. I watched this movie 90 times at least while in middle school. Chris Sarandon was the most handsome man I had ever seen since Burt Reynolds.
Maybe the movie was not that great, but the feel around it-staying up all night, giggling with friends about boys, eating junk food at 3 a.m. and being so scared we had to use the bathroom in groups of 3-the whole time trying to decide which would be worse-turning on the light and alerting various monsters that you are in a closed room with only one exit or leaving the lights off and possibly seeing Bloody Mary in the mirror. Nothing like middle school summers.
The Lost Boys. This had it all, the Corey's, Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, great soundtrack. The sequel sucked and that's not bad vampire humor. Don't pollute your brain with anything but the original.
High points: The various ways the vampires could be dispatched, the over-the-top gore, the Gypsy girl dancing seduction-that really never loses it's effect and of course old school vamp rule: you have to kill the head vampire for the others to return human.
Salem's Lot. The book was better (duh) but the movie makes my list just the same. Nosferatuesque vampires rule as the scariest creatures out there. Other than sharks, of course.
What's not to fear here? Fangs, staring eyeballs and he's bald!
Bram Stoker's Dracula. The one with Keanu Reeves. Are you seeing the pattern here? I want to be terrified or have eye candy. Both at once is a little much to hope for, but this is a great adaptation of the book.
This movie was set back when there were only 4 colors in existence, so the visuals get a little...monotonous. I think the word used it most reviews was 'striking'. Me, I like a wide palette.
Interview With a Vampire. Yes, I LOVED Tom Cruise in this as Lestat. He IS Lestat. I still don't know why people fussed over the casting. But enough about that, this was one of the first looks at the struggle within for the vampire, plus Kirsten Dunst was fantastic.
Nosferatu the one from 1922. Scares the bejeebers out of me-every time I see it. Creepiest vampire movie out there. No over the top blood sprays, no hot actors, just a darn scary vampire being all lurky and creepy.
Peekaboo!
Daybreakers. Okay, Willem Dafoe as a good guy, Ethan Hawke as a brooding vampire searching for a replacement for human blood-or better yet, a cure. Sam Neill as a bad guy, this movie has it all. Including overdone blood-related scenes, no sun-twinkle, these guys burst into flames and no neat dusting (sorry Joss) they explode in a cloud of fiery sparks. Oh, and they are invisible in reflections. Eep I love old school rules.
Oh, Ethan. Your eyes smolder exactly like your cigarette.
THE PLOT:
The human population has been turned vampire, less than 5% of the population remains human and nearly all have been caught and placed in farms. The demand for blood has far outstripped the supply and a vampire in this universe turns from humanoid to...well, Nosferatu if they don't get blood. With less than a month's supply left and the farmed humans dropping off the vine left and right, something has to give.
This movie is exactly what would happen if the world turned vampire-not sparkle-skinned 'vegetarian' animal drainers, not undead kung-fu experts that collapse into neat piles of dust, not marble-bodied hotties with a lust for life. Just people. People who need people.
Van Helsing. Even the animated follow-up movies are worth watching. Love me some Hugh Jackman and Hugh Jackman as James Bond for the church, even better.
Underworld. I actually liked all 3. Though only 2 were really vampire-centric, so that rounds out my top 10 and throws out an extra for a werewolf-sorry, Lycan list.
Which leads me to another point-you can hardly have a vampire movie without involving wolfmen. Twilight and True Blood both follow this logic. So, without further ado, I will make a new entry with-my favorite zombie movies.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Another Day
It has rained and rained and rained the last 3 weeks. I am about tired of it now, I am ready to go outside and do things and I am ready to get some pictures that don't involve some form of damp. I told Matt if it rains like this on our trip, I am turning around and come right back home. I can't even get the camper set up long enough to finish packing, let alone long enough to spray and seal and let it dry for 48 hours. Storms through the weekend. Maybe next Monday and Tuesday...since we leave on Wednesday, I hope that will be a workable plan.
Matt had practice twice this week and a gig this weekend. We came up with new words this weekend. 2 practices in a week is practi. When you are comfortable and then get uncomfortable and have to shift around, you are getting recomfortable. Also, someone who drives really close you your rear bumper is a tailgator.
I still have a list of stuff to buy and stuff to do. The trip is starting to take on a life of its own. I remember my father getting packed for a week's vacation. He put 2 changes of clothes into a brown paper bag along with a razor and shaving cream and his toothbrush and deodorant. Sometimes, he skipped the razor.
I am having fun with my new website, looking forward to getting that going. Updated the previous trips at roamschool last week. Marking stuff off my lists. Watching Buffy with Jake-the movie, not the series. It's pretty awful, I may have to counteract it with Serenity or something. I can't believe Joss wrote something we don't love. Pee Wee Herman as a vampire?
Matt had practice twice this week and a gig this weekend. We came up with new words this weekend. 2 practices in a week is practi. When you are comfortable and then get uncomfortable and have to shift around, you are getting recomfortable. Also, someone who drives really close you your rear bumper is a tailgator.
I still have a list of stuff to buy and stuff to do. The trip is starting to take on a life of its own. I remember my father getting packed for a week's vacation. He put 2 changes of clothes into a brown paper bag along with a razor and shaving cream and his toothbrush and deodorant. Sometimes, he skipped the razor.
I am having fun with my new website, looking forward to getting that going. Updated the previous trips at roamschool last week. Marking stuff off my lists. Watching Buffy with Jake-the movie, not the series. It's pretty awful, I may have to counteract it with Serenity or something. I can't believe Joss wrote something we don't love. Pee Wee Herman as a vampire?
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Ready, set...
Eep!
Tomorrow is the start of our big trip and instead of tending to the last-minute details, I am online, tinkering. I have loaded the camper, made boiled eggs, packed stuff to make tea and made arrangements for the guinea pigs. I really do love the pigs or else they would be in a stew one of these days, I just wonder what you call guinea pig meat? Guinea pork? No, they are from South America and they say everything backward, so maybe pork guinea.
I tried to look it up and got distracted by a post on guinea pigs as survival livestock. Uh, no thanks. They tweet and scamper and are otherwise too cute to eat. I am so American, but then again, I am not so American that I think meat grows in the case at the grocery store and no animals are harmed in the process.
Let's see, I have not packed any clothes yet-though I do have swimsuits and towels in the cabinet of the camper. I have priorities. I also have the chocolate and marshmallows loaded up. The van is all cleaned out and ready to get a vacuum and to be loaded up with the rest of the food, clothes and last-minute items we HAVE to have.
I sometimes get overwhelmed with the amount of stuff we have on camping trips. Not only did I go on purpose and buy everything we have, but I packed it thinking it was so vital we could not go a week without it. We used to be able to camp with all three kids for a full week at a time and I drove a Mitsubishi Gallant. And that was with the tent, screen tent and cots.
Now I 'need' the whole back of the van, the camper cabinets and I have stuff in the floor of the box like pillows and food and toys. Because...we NEED a football, bubbles, 3 kites and a bucket of sand toys. hahaha. At least I can see my insanity, surely that makes me saner. And I did decide to leave the 4-man boat, paddles and life jackets at home. Though I think the pump is still packed...
I am off to finish the details, get the pigs to the sitter and refill the dog food. I need to pack me and check the kid clothes, make a grocery list for when we get there, post reminders to get the CPAP and camera bag and laptop and all the things I like to panic over forgetting as we drive 60 mph up the road.
For a trip down memory lane, I found this pic of one of our early trips.
That's a chocolate turnover from Tellico Grains.
Tomorrow is the start of our big trip and instead of tending to the last-minute details, I am online, tinkering. I have loaded the camper, made boiled eggs, packed stuff to make tea and made arrangements for the guinea pigs. I really do love the pigs or else they would be in a stew one of these days, I just wonder what you call guinea pig meat? Guinea pork? No, they are from South America and they say everything backward, so maybe pork guinea.
I tried to look it up and got distracted by a post on guinea pigs as survival livestock. Uh, no thanks. They tweet and scamper and are otherwise too cute to eat. I am so American, but then again, I am not so American that I think meat grows in the case at the grocery store and no animals are harmed in the process.
Let's see, I have not packed any clothes yet-though I do have swimsuits and towels in the cabinet of the camper. I have priorities. I also have the chocolate and marshmallows loaded up. The van is all cleaned out and ready to get a vacuum and to be loaded up with the rest of the food, clothes and last-minute items we HAVE to have.
I sometimes get overwhelmed with the amount of stuff we have on camping trips. Not only did I go on purpose and buy everything we have, but I packed it thinking it was so vital we could not go a week without it. We used to be able to camp with all three kids for a full week at a time and I drove a Mitsubishi Gallant. And that was with the tent, screen tent and cots.
Now I 'need' the whole back of the van, the camper cabinets and I have stuff in the floor of the box like pillows and food and toys. Because...we NEED a football, bubbles, 3 kites and a bucket of sand toys. hahaha. At least I can see my insanity, surely that makes me saner. And I did decide to leave the 4-man boat, paddles and life jackets at home. Though I think the pump is still packed...
I am off to finish the details, get the pigs to the sitter and refill the dog food. I need to pack me and check the kid clothes, make a grocery list for when we get there, post reminders to get the CPAP and camera bag and laptop and all the things I like to panic over forgetting as we drive 60 mph up the road.
For a trip down memory lane, I found this pic of one of our early trips.
That's a chocolate turnover from Tellico Grains.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Lists
Getting ready to go!
There is always so much to do before a trip and much of it involves one of my favorite inventions-the list.
This list has on it camping gear, groceries I lack, clothes to pack and tasks to accomplish. I like that a trip chops up life, things must happen before or they can wait until after and during-that's where all the fun lives.
We are camping in a new place and a new state this time, we have not been to South Carolina before and I am especially excited about all the waterfalls, and with the rain we have been having, I don't doubt even 7 hours away, they are feeling the damp. And damp is good for waterfalls, puts hair on their chests.
But for now with the trip still days away and this particular day all but over, about all I can do is piddle in the house and partake of a second of my favorite inventions-the hot bath.
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