Good News: I can row really really really fast across a lake without falling in!!!!
Today's rowing session went really well. I started out slow, but ended up in the middle of the lake (which pros hate because they end up hitting you!) Once I got back by the shore, I was behind the others, so I was rowing solo, but I did pretty well out on my own. I was enjoying releasing all my stress from a long work day. The sun was gorgeous on the water!
I made it up one side of the lake, crossed, and ended up staying too close to the shore. I found myself stuck with a underwater cardboard box on one side of my boat and a tree truck on the other, with my left oar stuck in the weeds. Don't even ask me how I got myself out of that one. Before I figured it out, I looked at the walkers on the shore looking for a sympathetic passerby, but all I got were friendly smiles and I'm sure they were thinking, "Well...let's how she gets herself out of that one!"
The Southwest airplanes were low on the water (there is just a dirt road separating the lake and the airport runway). I saw a flash of light....it was just the airplane "tail lights," right? The sky might have started to look a little darker, but the sun was setting, and the instructor had a lightning detector. She said we'd never go on the water if there was even a hint of lightning.
I kept wondering where our teacher was. I guess she was keeping up with the other 2 students and just trusted me? I heard her boat come up behind me. "PUSH HARDER! COME ON! PUSH WITH YOUR LEGS! I'VE GOT LIGHTNING ON THE WATER! YOU'RE A HUGE LIGHTNING ROD OUT HERE!!!!" (I don't think she meant that as a fat joke).
She said to forget all lake rules- I was to cut across the lake and row as fast as possible to the dock (which was still so far out I couldn't even see it!)
ROW ROW ROW.
The sky was getting darker! PUSH! I was sweating. PUSH HARDER! I caught a couple clams, but I fixed my oars before they could suck me into the water. It was bad enough I was out on the water in a boat- I couldn't afford to be in the water without a boat!
I made it to the dock. I'm still not good at backing into the dock, so as soon as I was close enough, the teacher pulled me in. I docked and Mark and I took his boat to the boathouse. As soon as I turned around a huge gust of wind blew my hat off and sand/gravel into my eyes and the temperature dropped 20 degrees! Lynne and Lisa grabbed my boat and Mark and I ran back to the dock to grab the oars and our shoes. The sky was dark and the waves were rough.
We had docked just in time. There was no way I could've survived against those waves (ducks were being washed onto the dock!)
I couldn't see the road or hear my radio the entire way home, but I'm home safe nonetheless.
Nothin' like a little fear of being electrocuted to make you put your back into it (literally!)
Tuesday, September 14
Thursday, September 9
I caught a couple clams today.
That's not exactly a good thing.
I had my second rowing class today, and the teacher sent us out on the water. She said not to go past this set of trees about 100 yards out, and we'd stay in close to the dock. She would come out in a bigger boat with a motor and help us out. (We did not stay by the dock! We were all over the place! That poor lady was probably going crazy chasing down 4 new rowers all across the lake!)
I got in my shell and completely forgot the stroke! She reminded me, and I was off. Something felt off. Then something really felt off, and before I knew it I was in the water. It happened in such slow motion, now I almost feel like I jumped in on purpose. When the water catches the oar blade the wrong way it sucks in the oar- and the rower! While still in the water, I looked around to see if anyone had noticed me.
No one seemed to have noticed. The instructor was still on the dock getting her boat together. I considered holding onto the boat and letting her come rescue me, but instead I decided to impress her, so I lifted myself so I was laying perpendicular to the shell on top of it, and swung myself over. Situation under control. She came zipping up in her boat to make sure I was okay- I was...just had to get back into the hang of it.
It wasn't 10 minutes later before I was back in the water. It was just such a pretty day for a swim I couldn't help myself! haha Actually the water did feel really good, but I popped back in the boat and gave it another go. (That's how olympic athletes get where they are, right? They get back in the boat!)
Apparently there is a "correct" way to get back in the boat- my main priority was getting back in not necessarily doing it correctly! I'm learning that the most important rule of rowing is never never ever let go of your oars, especially when you're docking or flipped (well..any other time you HAVE to hold them because you're rowing). The oars sit in "oar locks" so they're not going anywhere too fast, but you still have to hold onto them. I couldn't reach the oar on the opposite side of the boat while I was in the water, so I just left it. You're supposed to hold both oars in your left hand, flat on the water (to increase your surface area on the water....skinny boat+oars spread out= wide surface area= greater stability). And somehow you're supposed to push yourself up in the boat while holding the oars flag on the water. My skills aren't quite there yet, but I got back in the boat!
I got all my flips out of my system before the high schoolers hit the water in singles and 4s (that's 4 rowers to a shell). Our instructor was yelling, "I HAVE 4 NEWBIES ON THE WATER! FIRST TIMERS! STAY CLEAR!" (Thanks....)
I made my way up one side of the lake (nearly missing a log that was sticking out of the water with a turtle perched on top), crossed, and started back down the other side. The high schoolers passed me, and their coach (in a motor boat) was yelling instructions at me. He said, "Find your rhythm- that's it! In 10 minutes you'll be a rower!"
Actually 10 minutes later I was stuck in the weeds with no witnesses around (only about 10 feet away from a cross sticking out of the water that had a name and date in memory of a drowner....great). It was really windy, so I was blown against the shore. I had one oar on the shore to hold myself steady and I had to use the other oar to turn myself around and finally, somehow, I slowly rowed off from shore.
Ten minutes after that I was trying not to run into my fellow beginner, Lynn, and just as she passed a 4 boat of high school girls was coming at me. Rowers row backwards, and you're supposed to look over your shoulder regularly. I called out, "BEHIND YOU! BEHIND YOU!" They slowed their boat JUST in time to keep from slamming into me! I said, "I'm so sorry, It's my first day, I don't know what to do!" They slowed and made their way around me.
Every now and then I'd find a good rhythm and I felt like a real rower watching the sun set over the lake and I started daydreaming about buying my own shell for my summer house in Minnesota (that I'll be buying in 20 years).
I didn't have to do the flip test at the end of the class because I had already proven that I could successfully get back into the boat- TWICE. When I was carrying my boat back to the house (which is where the real workout is) one of the high school girls asked me, "Did you flip?" I said, "Yeah...a couple times." She said, "I saw you." "Oh...thanks....?" What do you say to that? Lynne said I should've said, "Oh, well I'm a teacher, and I was just showing the students how to do it." hahaha
One of these days I'll start lookin' like a pro! (maybe?)
I had my second rowing class today, and the teacher sent us out on the water. She said not to go past this set of trees about 100 yards out, and we'd stay in close to the dock. She would come out in a bigger boat with a motor and help us out. (We did not stay by the dock! We were all over the place! That poor lady was probably going crazy chasing down 4 new rowers all across the lake!)
I got in my shell and completely forgot the stroke! She reminded me, and I was off. Something felt off. Then something really felt off, and before I knew it I was in the water. It happened in such slow motion, now I almost feel like I jumped in on purpose. When the water catches the oar blade the wrong way it sucks in the oar- and the rower! While still in the water, I looked around to see if anyone had noticed me.
No one seemed to have noticed. The instructor was still on the dock getting her boat together. I considered holding onto the boat and letting her come rescue me, but instead I decided to impress her, so I lifted myself so I was laying perpendicular to the shell on top of it, and swung myself over. Situation under control. She came zipping up in her boat to make sure I was okay- I was...just had to get back into the hang of it.
It wasn't 10 minutes later before I was back in the water. It was just such a pretty day for a swim I couldn't help myself! haha Actually the water did feel really good, but I popped back in the boat and gave it another go. (That's how olympic athletes get where they are, right? They get back in the boat!)
Apparently there is a "correct" way to get back in the boat- my main priority was getting back in not necessarily doing it correctly! I'm learning that the most important rule of rowing is never never ever let go of your oars, especially when you're docking or flipped (well..any other time you HAVE to hold them because you're rowing). The oars sit in "oar locks" so they're not going anywhere too fast, but you still have to hold onto them. I couldn't reach the oar on the opposite side of the boat while I was in the water, so I just left it. You're supposed to hold both oars in your left hand, flat on the water (to increase your surface area on the water....skinny boat+oars spread out= wide surface area= greater stability). And somehow you're supposed to push yourself up in the boat while holding the oars flag on the water. My skills aren't quite there yet, but I got back in the boat!
I got all my flips out of my system before the high schoolers hit the water in singles and 4s (that's 4 rowers to a shell). Our instructor was yelling, "I HAVE 4 NEWBIES ON THE WATER! FIRST TIMERS! STAY CLEAR!" (Thanks....)
I made my way up one side of the lake (nearly missing a log that was sticking out of the water with a turtle perched on top), crossed, and started back down the other side. The high schoolers passed me, and their coach (in a motor boat) was yelling instructions at me. He said, "Find your rhythm- that's it! In 10 minutes you'll be a rower!"
Actually 10 minutes later I was stuck in the weeds with no witnesses around (only about 10 feet away from a cross sticking out of the water that had a name and date in memory of a drowner....great). It was really windy, so I was blown against the shore. I had one oar on the shore to hold myself steady and I had to use the other oar to turn myself around and finally, somehow, I slowly rowed off from shore.
Ten minutes after that I was trying not to run into my fellow beginner, Lynn, and just as she passed a 4 boat of high school girls was coming at me. Rowers row backwards, and you're supposed to look over your shoulder regularly. I called out, "BEHIND YOU! BEHIND YOU!" They slowed their boat JUST in time to keep from slamming into me! I said, "I'm so sorry, It's my first day, I don't know what to do!" They slowed and made their way around me.
Every now and then I'd find a good rhythm and I felt like a real rower watching the sun set over the lake and I started daydreaming about buying my own shell for my summer house in Minnesota (that I'll be buying in 20 years).
I didn't have to do the flip test at the end of the class because I had already proven that I could successfully get back into the boat- TWICE. When I was carrying my boat back to the house (which is where the real workout is) one of the high school girls asked me, "Did you flip?" I said, "Yeah...a couple times." She said, "I saw you." "Oh...thanks....?" What do you say to that? Lynne said I should've said, "Oh, well I'm a teacher, and I was just showing the students how to do it." hahaha
One of these days I'll start lookin' like a pro! (maybe?)
Wednesday, September 8
A Blog-worthy Day
I had no idea what a frustrating day it would turn out to be when my hairdryer sputtered out this morning before my hair was even dry. Well, it didn't exactly sputter- it whined- and I turned it off before it had a chance to combust and catch my hair on fire. I was NOT ready to start my day with a head full of fire.
I made it out the door without my hair singed, but realized I wasted time even bothering drying my hair because I was soaked by the time I reached my car. Yes, Dallas is still underwater. You'd think we're far enough inland these hurricanes would leave us alone.
I got a new computer at work yesterday, so today I spent a good deal of my time realizing I was on the wrong wireless network and struggling to access this one portal I needed (funky network security stuff I don't understand!) I ended up calling the "help" desk. Yes, I say "help" because I spent 30 minutes on the phone with a kind fellow in India just for him to tell me 1. This page I was trying to load never loads (which is not true because it always loaded on my old computer and it loads on my coworkers' computers) 2. That I was on the right wireless network (I wasn't) and 3. Oh....well then you must have a problem.
Yes, thank you. I just spent 30 minutes on the phone with you for you to tell me I had the problem I called you about.
Anyway, I got our IT support guy to get me on the right network- it took him 5 seconds. I think he finished it before I finished asking him to do it. Then my problem with loading the page was solved! Still...a very frustrating process!
I suppose the rest of the work day was smooth sailing.
I've been having trouble with my iPhone recently. The home button doesn't respond a lot, so I have to hit it a billion times for my phone to respond....quite frustrating! I decided to be productive after work and take it in to get checked on. I wasn't sure if I should take it to AT&T or Apple, so I started with AT&T. They couldn't fix it, but they could tell me it was still under warranty and I bought some more screen covers- just to make the trip worth while.
I called Apple on my way to the Apple store @ Willow Bend to see if they were slam busy or if they had an open appointment. No one answered....the entire way to the store! You'd think Apple made enough of a profit they could hire someone to answer their phones.
When I got to the mall I heard them announce on the radio there was a tornado in southeast Dallas county. I was a whole county North- no problem. (I think living in Alabama 4 years jaded me. Tornadoes rarely touchdown in the hills of AL, and when they do, they don't stay down long, so they're not much to worry about).
I headed to Apple without giving the weather a second thought- the skys were blue. I noticed every store I passed was closing. It was 5:55- I couldn't believe the mall could close at 6pm on a Wednesday and all these lazy workers were closing up 5 minutes early! I picked up the pace- maybe I'd make it to Apple before they shut their doors.
There was a small group outside Apple. They were closing because there was a tornado warning. Everyone had to go to the back corridors. I tried to get back to my car and escape the mall before they trapped me in for who knows how long!
They caught me, and guided me to the back hallways that only shoplifters and moms who've lost their babies get to see on their way to the security office. I followed the other shoppers into the hall and found a nice corner to mind my own business in while we all updated our Facebook status' and Tweeted about the exciting experience.
This pic is of the mirror up on the wall (so the security guards won't run over each other on their cool mall-segways). This is where my personal weather reporter entered the picture.
Elizabeth texted: "I just saw your status and I watched the tornado on the news! Lucky that you're trapped in a mall..."
Me: "How bad is it? When I got out of my car the radio was saying it was in southeast Dallas. Some people are saying it passed thirty minutes ago....It's starting to smell like dirty diapers in here!"
Liz: "We are watching it!!! It's been on the ground for 5 minutes in downtown dallas! Crossing over Trinity River and going toward Harry Hines! It's destroying buildings! Where are you?!"
Me: "Willow Bend. We have been released."
I decided to give up on going to Apple because after this fiasco, I just knew they'd be swamped and backed up on appointments. There was no way they'd get to me. So much for trying to be productive. People in Toni & Guy were in the middle of haircuts and clearly did not comply with Security's demands to take cover in the musty corridors.
I walked out to my car and heard tornado sirens. I called my weather reporter (Liz) just to be sure. She said, "No! Go back inside! It is coming up the Dallas North Tollway right towards you." I could see the tollway from where I was. "But the sky is blue," I protested! "The sky is always blue in a tornado! Except for the one black cloud! It's coming your way," She said. I heard her wise father in the background advising me to stay at the mall. I couldn't think of any good ditches I would be able to dive into in case I encountered the tornado on my short drive home. The tornado was probably still 10 miles south of me, but moving about 25 mph- Liz would let me know when it was safe to leave the mall.
More weather updates from Liz: "Tornado funnel at the galleria! Stay put...The storm is going to come up on both sides of you. I wish I could be stranded with an anthro and jcrew!"
I headed back in and gave Apple a second chance. Good thing because the fine young chap who got in line behind me made all this madness worth it! He was dressed like a charming European- pin striped suit, European shoes (When are American guys going to realize how much more attractive they'd be if they dressed like European guys? I love a sharp dressed man...<3 Men in peacoats). He might as well have been Leonardo DiCaprio's hotter brother. I heard him speaking in an unidentifiable language on his phone (another attractive quality). I know it wasn't French, and I know it wasn't Spanish- maybe Portugese? Or it could've been an Eastern European language, but definitely not Russian. He was dreamy.
The kind Apple folks updated my phone software and replaced the entire cover (screen, speaker, and button) for FREE! Reason #203 I love Apple (I can overlook the fact that they can't answer a dang phone).
I suppose the day turned out successfully. I survived a tornado, solved my computer problems (without help from the "help desk"), and I bought a new hair dryer at Target (where I saw Michael Vartan in the parking lot- Ya know...the hot teacher in "Never Been Kissed"...Jennifer Gardner's partner in "Alias"... thank you God for creating that man!)
I made it out the door without my hair singed, but realized I wasted time even bothering drying my hair because I was soaked by the time I reached my car. Yes, Dallas is still underwater. You'd think we're far enough inland these hurricanes would leave us alone.
I got a new computer at work yesterday, so today I spent a good deal of my time realizing I was on the wrong wireless network and struggling to access this one portal I needed (funky network security stuff I don't understand!) I ended up calling the "help" desk. Yes, I say "help" because I spent 30 minutes on the phone with a kind fellow in India just for him to tell me 1. This page I was trying to load never loads (which is not true because it always loaded on my old computer and it loads on my coworkers' computers) 2. That I was on the right wireless network (I wasn't) and 3. Oh....well then you must have a problem.
Yes, thank you. I just spent 30 minutes on the phone with you for you to tell me I had the problem I called you about.
Anyway, I got our IT support guy to get me on the right network- it took him 5 seconds. I think he finished it before I finished asking him to do it. Then my problem with loading the page was solved! Still...a very frustrating process!
I suppose the rest of the work day was smooth sailing.
I've been having trouble with my iPhone recently. The home button doesn't respond a lot, so I have to hit it a billion times for my phone to respond....quite frustrating! I decided to be productive after work and take it in to get checked on. I wasn't sure if I should take it to AT&T or Apple, so I started with AT&T. They couldn't fix it, but they could tell me it was still under warranty and I bought some more screen covers- just to make the trip worth while.
I called Apple on my way to the Apple store @ Willow Bend to see if they were slam busy or if they had an open appointment. No one answered....the entire way to the store! You'd think Apple made enough of a profit they could hire someone to answer their phones.
When I got to the mall I heard them announce on the radio there was a tornado in southeast Dallas county. I was a whole county North- no problem. (I think living in Alabama 4 years jaded me. Tornadoes rarely touchdown in the hills of AL, and when they do, they don't stay down long, so they're not much to worry about).
I headed to Apple without giving the weather a second thought- the skys were blue. I noticed every store I passed was closing. It was 5:55- I couldn't believe the mall could close at 6pm on a Wednesday and all these lazy workers were closing up 5 minutes early! I picked up the pace- maybe I'd make it to Apple before they shut their doors.
There was a small group outside Apple. They were closing because there was a tornado warning. Everyone had to go to the back corridors. I tried to get back to my car and escape the mall before they trapped me in for who knows how long!
This pic is of the mirror up on the wall (so the security guards won't run over each other on their cool mall-segways). This is where my personal weather reporter entered the picture.
Elizabeth texted: "I just saw your status and I watched the tornado on the news! Lucky that you're trapped in a mall..." Me: "How bad is it? When I got out of my car the radio was saying it was in southeast Dallas. Some people are saying it passed thirty minutes ago....It's starting to smell like dirty diapers in here!"
Liz: "We are watching it!!! It's been on the ground for 5 minutes in downtown dallas! Crossing over Trinity River and going toward Harry Hines! It's destroying buildings! Where are you?!"
Me: "Willow Bend. We have been released."
I decided to give up on going to Apple because after this fiasco, I just knew they'd be swamped and backed up on appointments. There was no way they'd get to me. So much for trying to be productive. People in Toni & Guy were in the middle of haircuts and clearly did not comply with Security's demands to take cover in the musty corridors.
I walked out to my car and heard tornado sirens. I called my weather reporter (Liz) just to be sure. She said, "No! Go back inside! It is coming up the Dallas North Tollway right towards you." I could see the tollway from where I was. "But the sky is blue," I protested! "The sky is always blue in a tornado! Except for the one black cloud! It's coming your way," She said. I heard her wise father in the background advising me to stay at the mall. I couldn't think of any good ditches I would be able to dive into in case I encountered the tornado on my short drive home. The tornado was probably still 10 miles south of me, but moving about 25 mph- Liz would let me know when it was safe to leave the mall.
More weather updates from Liz: "Tornado funnel at the galleria! Stay put...The storm is going to come up on both sides of you. I wish I could be stranded with an anthro and jcrew!"
I headed back in and gave Apple a second chance. Good thing because the fine young chap who got in line behind me made all this madness worth it! He was dressed like a charming European- pin striped suit, European shoes (When are American guys going to realize how much more attractive they'd be if they dressed like European guys? I love a sharp dressed man...<3 Men in peacoats). He might as well have been Leonardo DiCaprio's hotter brother. I heard him speaking in an unidentifiable language on his phone (another attractive quality). I know it wasn't French, and I know it wasn't Spanish- maybe Portugese? Or it could've been an Eastern European language, but definitely not Russian. He was dreamy.
The kind Apple folks updated my phone software and replaced the entire cover (screen, speaker, and button) for FREE! Reason #203 I love Apple (I can overlook the fact that they can't answer a dang phone).
Tuesday, September 7
My First Rowing Experience
I'm so excited about writing this post, I hardly know where to start!
You might recall I announced back in July that I had signed up for rowing lessons (well...it's really sculling because you row with two oars). I thought September would be perfect rowing weather. That was before the tornado warnings today!
The rowing class went on as scheduled despite the hurricane coming inland and drowning Dallas. I raced to the lake that no one knows is right behind Dallas Lovefield airport (engaging in my horrid habit of changing clothes while driving...don't worry, I'm quite a pro!)
I was one of 4 in the class- and the youngest. One other guy was in his 20s but the other 2 were closer to my parents age. We watched a safety video, and I learned how scarily dangerous rowing can be! People can actually get stabbed by the bow if you don't have a bow ball on the tip of the shell! It is also really easy for the water to catch the oars (creating what they call a "clam" and it can pull you into the water under the boat, which isn't a big deal, you just have to know how to swim and get back in the boat before hypothermia kicks in).
We practiced our stroke on the ergometers (rowing machines) and got a tour of the boathouse. These private schools in Dallas have really nice boats and really cool-looking oars! I'm jealous that my ghetto public school did not have a rowing crew.
We took a single shell out on the dock and took turns rowing out from the dock. We were tethered, thankfully, so there was no way we'd row off into oblivion. Rowing is SO FUN. It might be my new love. It takes time to get used to, but I'm convinced it will be learning to drive a car, you just have to learn how to feel it, get comfortable with it, and eventually, it will become second nature.
Thursday, all four of us are going to go out in single shells (with Southwest Airplanes roaring over our heads) and just row around to get the hang of it.
Everyone I told I was learning to row told me I would end up with man arms. My instructor, Lisa, said rowing is a leg sport, but even more than using your legs, you use your core- you really don't pull much weight with your arms. My core is sore after just one rowing session, especially my obliques! Love it!
In 2008, during the Beijing olympics my sisters and I decided we were going to the 2012 London Olympics....as athletes! I quickly decided my fastest track to the olympics would be either as a swimmer or the 3rd Williams sister. Now I'm bound and determined to become an Olympian rower overnight because it would be a dream come true to row down the Thames in the 2012 olympics right past my beloved Big Ben!
I learned so much tonight! I can't wait to go row again Thursday! I think they're going to make us flip the boat and get back in- kinda nervous about that but if I want out of the water bad enough, I can do it! haha
Oh, and I joined the Dallas Kickball League- strictly social and non-competitive! It starts on the 28th and I'm stoked. I haven't played Kickball since 5th grade- well, I think my Freshmen year we played kickball with a JUMBO ball, or the silly kind of kickball where you have to hold several people's hands and all run together.
Why such random sports? Well....if you pick the sports nobody plays, you have a better chance of being one of the best ones at it! (which is great when you're as un-athletic as I am!) It's all about strategy!
Random: But I'm sitting here watching America's Got Talent and I promise you- Enrique Iglesias has not aged a day since I was in 6th grade! (My 6th grade science teacher was obsessed!) You would've thought he'd look 11 years older like the rest of us do.
He must be a vampire.
You might recall I announced back in July that I had signed up for rowing lessons (well...it's really sculling because you row with two oars). I thought September would be perfect rowing weather. That was before the tornado warnings today!
The rowing class went on as scheduled despite the hurricane coming inland and drowning Dallas. I raced to the lake that no one knows is right behind Dallas Lovefield airport (engaging in my horrid habit of changing clothes while driving...don't worry, I'm quite a pro!)
We practiced our stroke on the ergometers (rowing machines) and got a tour of the boathouse. These private schools in Dallas have really nice boats and really cool-looking oars! I'm jealous that my ghetto public school did not have a rowing crew.
We took a single shell out on the dock and took turns rowing out from the dock. We were tethered, thankfully, so there was no way we'd row off into oblivion. Rowing is SO FUN. It might be my new love. It takes time to get used to, but I'm convinced it will be learning to drive a car, you just have to learn how to feel it, get comfortable with it, and eventually, it will become second nature.
Thursday, all four of us are going to go out in single shells (with Southwest Airplanes roaring over our heads) and just row around to get the hang of it.
Everyone I told I was learning to row told me I would end up with man arms. My instructor, Lisa, said rowing is a leg sport, but even more than using your legs, you use your core- you really don't pull much weight with your arms. My core is sore after just one rowing session, especially my obliques! Love it!
In 2008, during the Beijing olympics my sisters and I decided we were going to the 2012 London Olympics....as athletes! I quickly decided my fastest track to the olympics would be either as a swimmer or the 3rd Williams sister. Now I'm bound and determined to become an Olympian rower overnight because it would be a dream come true to row down the Thames in the 2012 olympics right past my beloved Big Ben!
I learned so much tonight! I can't wait to go row again Thursday! I think they're going to make us flip the boat and get back in- kinda nervous about that but if I want out of the water bad enough, I can do it! haha
Oh, and I joined the Dallas Kickball League- strictly social and non-competitive! It starts on the 28th and I'm stoked. I haven't played Kickball since 5th grade- well, I think my Freshmen year we played kickball with a JUMBO ball, or the silly kind of kickball where you have to hold several people's hands and all run together.
Why such random sports? Well....if you pick the sports nobody plays, you have a better chance of being one of the best ones at it! (which is great when you're as un-athletic as I am!) It's all about strategy!
Random: But I'm sitting here watching America's Got Talent and I promise you- Enrique Iglesias has not aged a day since I was in 6th grade! (My 6th grade science teacher was obsessed!) You would've thought he'd look 11 years older like the rest of us do.
He must be a vampire.
Monday, September 6
My Roots are Showing
My friend Liz and I decided to go see Eat Pray Love at the new FW Movie Tavern. Neither of us knew what it was really about but I had picked up was that depressed Julia Roberts took a year of her life to go to Italy (Eat), go to India (Pray), and go to Bali (Love). Okay, so I guess we did know what it was about. We were running a little late (as usual) but it was okay, we had previews to miss! I thought the girl who took our tickets said something about "the last door on your right" but I followed Liz into the first door on our right. (It is all her fault).
The movie had already started, so we found seats towards the front and sat down. The waiter came and asked us if we wanted to order anything- we did. He asked if it was okay if he brought us our bills because he was starting to give everyone's out. Weird, but okay- yeah. I guess those other fatties just ate really fast through the previews.
We weren't in the theatre 10 minutes before I leaned over and said, "Do you have any idea what's going on?" Liz said, "No!" I figured Roberts' character was in India and on her way to Bali...pretty soon she was falling in love and I asked Liz, "Do you think they're telling the story out of order? We're already on the 'love' part!" We were both sufficiently confused at this point.
Liz pulled out her phone and checked the time- It was 10:50 we had only been there for an hour. She pulled up Safari on her phone and checked the movie time- Yep, it started at 9:50. As the music climaxed for the final "OMG I really do love him" moment (sorry...don't even complain that I "ruined" a chick-flick), Liz said, "HAYLEY! The movie we're in started at 8:25! This is the end of it!"
We started laughing so hard we were both crying. We jumped out of the theatre before the credits even started rolling. The entire Movie Tavern staff was standing at the door waiting to clean it up (and I bet they thought I was crying from the 'not-so-sappy' chick-flick). We ran down the hall the the 9:50 show and made our way to the back row laughing the entire way.
This time we made it while Roberts was still in Italy, so we got to see the end of the 'Eat' part. Not even an hour later, when the movie caught up to where we had started in the wrong theatre I said, "okay, let's go. We've seen this." So we left. We decided we'll see the entire movie all the way through when it comes out on DVD.
I bet the entire Movie Tavern staff was laughing at us (or they thought we were loonies who hopped from screen to screen.) I half expected the security guard to come find us, but we had our tickets to the 9:50!
Let's be honest- this black hair isn't fooling anyone.
Saturday, September 4
My New Favorite Blog
I came across this blog in a random Google search. This woman (Virginia) is a former elementary school teacher- now photographer/blogger. She takes a picture of somewhere in Birmingham everyday in blogs about it. Check it out: Birmingham, Alabama Daily Photo
Something about this cooler weather is making me miss Birmingham. It would so great to sit outside Chez Lulu in the English Village and have lunch with my girls, then maybe at night hang out on the patio of Rojo in the Highlands and enjoy some shrimp quesadillas! But maybe another bike ride, picnic, and rock climbing evening would be fun with Hannah and April at Boulder Fields, then we could go hear a friend at open mic night at Urban Standard. Only 61 days until I go back for a visit...but who's counting?
I'm pretty sure the nostalgia-triggered weather is simply because I'm only in Texas when it's burning up or freezing cold. I've missed the changing seasons here for the past 4 years- and I'd rather have memories of Birmingham than early morning marching band practices.
Virginia's Birmingham blog makes me want to "permanently borrow" my dad's old black and white film camera he used back in the 70s. I took a photography class last Fall and learned how to use it (...in my opinion, film is a LOT harder than digital- and it is harder to get a good shot). I really liked developing my own pictures though, and now I don't have a place to do that. I guess I could just get the film shots on a cd and share them with you that way....Could be fun.
Something about this cooler weather is making me miss Birmingham. It would so great to sit outside Chez Lulu in the English Village and have lunch with my girls, then maybe at night hang out on the patio of Rojo in the Highlands and enjoy some shrimp quesadillas! But maybe another bike ride, picnic, and rock climbing evening would be fun with Hannah and April at Boulder Fields, then we could go hear a friend at open mic night at Urban Standard. Only 61 days until I go back for a visit...but who's counting?
I'm pretty sure the nostalgia-triggered weather is simply because I'm only in Texas when it's burning up or freezing cold. I've missed the changing seasons here for the past 4 years- and I'd rather have memories of Birmingham than early morning marching band practices.
Virginia's Birmingham blog makes me want to "permanently borrow" my dad's old black and white film camera he used back in the 70s. I took a photography class last Fall and learned how to use it (...in my opinion, film is a LOT harder than digital- and it is harder to get a good shot). I really liked developing my own pictures though, and now I don't have a place to do that. I guess I could just get the film shots on a cd and share them with you that way....Could be fun.
Wednesday, September 1
Crayola Doesn't Make a Color for Your Eyes
Two posts in one day...I know I know, I'm going CRAZY!
I was in a meeting today with 4 people. I looked around and realized, probably for the first time in my life, I was in a room with only green-eyed people (it doesn't count with just 2 or 3 people in the room...4 out of 4 is pretty rare). I hope us green-eyeds aren't a dying breed. I like us.
Love this song by Kristin Andreassen: Crayola Doesn't Make a Color for Your Eyes
I went to see the doctor. I'd come down with the blues.
She said "No, I can't cure you, but I know something you can do.
Take out a piece of paper, and sit down for a while,
And draw a pretty picture of something that makes you smile."
Well, I know what makes me happy. Didn't have to think for long.
But when I tried to draw it, it always came out wrong.
I had a box of 12, 48 and 64,
But nowhere could I find that one shade I was looking for.
I guess I realized shoulda come as no surprise
Crayola doesn't make a color for your eyes.
There is no way that I could possibly describe you.
Crayola doesn't make a color to draw my love.
At first I thought of Green Blue, but then I saw Blue Green.
And then sometimes in bright light, they look Aquamarine.
I think at night they're darker. I looked again for you.
Saw Grey and Black and went out walkin' after Midnight Blue
But the hues of the deepest skies would be a compromise
Crayola doesn't make a color for your eyes.
There is no way that I could possibly describe you.
Crayola doesn't make a color to draw my love.
Spring Green is much too yellow, Sea Green is far too pale.
Cornflower's way too mellow, so I'll try again and fail.
There's no way I can capture the way you make me feel.
One look from you is rapture, whether Blue or Green or Teal.
No color qualifies. That crayon's telling lies
Crayola doesn't make a color for your eyes
Hey look, it's Periwinkle. So sure I got it now.
But you wink and there's a twinkle in your eye and still, somehow,
I just can't get that sparkle. Those glitter crayons won't.
Maybe Glow-In-The-Dark'll get it right. Aw, no they don't.
Mr. Crayola tries, but I'm left to fantasize
Crayola doesn't make a color
For your eyes, something darker let's see what I can find.
Melted mahogany and got the depth not the shine.
Just about gave up and then I peeled the paper off a little end of...
Really thought it coulda been... ahh, not even Burnt Sienna!
Your passport says they're brown, but I'm gonna keep lookin' round...
Crayola doesn't make a color for your eyes
There is no way that I could possibly describe you
Crayola doesn't make a color to draw my love
Crayola doesn't make a color for your eyes
There is no way that I could possibly describe you
Crayola doesn't make a color to draw my love
I was in a meeting today with 4 people. I looked around and realized, probably for the first time in my life, I was in a room with only green-eyed people (it doesn't count with just 2 or 3 people in the room...4 out of 4 is pretty rare). I hope us green-eyeds aren't a dying breed. I like us.
Love this song by Kristin Andreassen: Crayola Doesn't Make a Color for Your Eyes
I went to see the doctor. I'd come down with the blues.
She said "No, I can't cure you, but I know something you can do.
Take out a piece of paper, and sit down for a while,
And draw a pretty picture of something that makes you smile."
Well, I know what makes me happy. Didn't have to think for long.
But when I tried to draw it, it always came out wrong.
I had a box of 12, 48 and 64,
But nowhere could I find that one shade I was looking for.
I guess I realized shoulda come as no surprise
Crayola doesn't make a color for your eyes.
There is no way that I could possibly describe you.
Crayola doesn't make a color to draw my love.
At first I thought of Green Blue, but then I saw Blue Green.
And then sometimes in bright light, they look Aquamarine.
I think at night they're darker. I looked again for you.
Saw Grey and Black and went out walkin' after Midnight Blue
But the hues of the deepest skies would be a compromise
Crayola doesn't make a color for your eyes.
There is no way that I could possibly describe you.
Crayola doesn't make a color to draw my love.
Spring Green is much too yellow, Sea Green is far too pale.
Cornflower's way too mellow, so I'll try again and fail.
There's no way I can capture the way you make me feel.
One look from you is rapture, whether Blue or Green or Teal.
No color qualifies. That crayon's telling lies
Crayola doesn't make a color for your eyes
Hey look, it's Periwinkle. So sure I got it now.
But you wink and there's a twinkle in your eye and still, somehow,
I just can't get that sparkle. Those glitter crayons won't.
Maybe Glow-In-The-Dark'll get it right. Aw, no they don't.
Mr. Crayola tries, but I'm left to fantasize
Crayola doesn't make a color
For your eyes, something darker let's see what I can find.
Melted mahogany and got the depth not the shine.
Just about gave up and then I peeled the paper off a little end of...
Really thought it coulda been... ahh, not even Burnt Sienna!
Your passport says they're brown, but I'm gonna keep lookin' round...
Crayola doesn't make a color for your eyes
There is no way that I could possibly describe you
Crayola doesn't make a color to draw my love
Crayola doesn't make a color for your eyes
There is no way that I could possibly describe you
Crayola doesn't make a color to draw my love
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)