tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6725392165628352732024-03-07T01:05:05.174-05:00Beth in New York CityA running commentary of random events that pop up in my life.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.comBlogger190125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-56279131235258509192011-09-22T22:07:00.002-04:002011-09-22T22:09:10.437-04:00Time for a new start...Well, my friends... I know it's been a while since I've posted. I've hesitated starting blogging here again, since, well, I am no longer in the big city!<div><br /></div><div>As such, it only seemed appropriate to start another blog elsewhere. Big life changes and I'm starting many things anew.... care to join me for the journey?</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's my new site... looking forward to seeing you there: <a href="http://bethaleen.blogspot.com/">http://bethaleen.blogspot.com/</a></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-70080539127854883422011-04-14T17:34:00.007-04:002011-04-14T17:46:12.153-04:00Isn't that dangerous?<em><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span></em> <em>(Digging out some old blog material I never published. This one's from January, 2007) </em><p><br /><br />Last night, after working a particularly grueling 13-hour day and anticipating an early call and stressful morning today, I arrived home at about 8:30pm, totally wired. It was too late to go to karate and I was too cabin crazy to stay in and do a workout video. (Plus, I try to do my embarrassing workout videos during the day, when the naked gay couple across the street are less likely to stare at me while I gyrate in bizarre motions alone in my living room.)<p><br /><br />So last night, I decided to go for a run. Overlooking for a moment the fact that it was 'snowing' (I use that term loosely since it was mostly ice chunks and rain), and that it was about 36 degrees outside, I'd been cooped up in an overheated office with overheated workmates for too long and needed to vent some energy and get some air, even if it was frozen air. I live in midtown Manhattan, on the East Side - what's considered a very safe neighborhood (or, as safe as it can be with millions of people literally living on top of one another).<p><br /><br />The few times that I've actually run in my neighborhood, I prefer to run north on Park Avenue because of the wide sidewalks (that are well-kept) and minimal pedestrian traffic. Third Avenue is more convenient, but the pedestrian density in front of the popular after-work bars is often challenging to navigate, and the twisting and dodging risks a broken ankle or full-body impact with someone who's had too many beers. Ew. Lexington has the shops and tourists who believe that walking down the street with their eyes closed is a good idea. And riding the subway to Central Park to run at night is just dumb.<p><br /><br />I also have it worked out that 20 blocks is approximately a mile, so I can also easily keep track of how far I've gone. And overall, Park Ave. is a pretty good route that is only plagued with some slight inclines around 68th street - but it only lasts about two or three blocks.<p><br /><br />Of course, the last few times I've had the bizarre urge to go running, I went during the day. This was the first time I was going to jog at night, and honestly, I thought nothing about it. Until I called the elevator. When I got in, I asked the doorman if he could hold on to my key, because I was going running. And I told him my route - go up Park Ave, and then come back down Park Ave. At least this way, someone will know where I am, right? (See? I'm not totally clueless.)<p><br /><br />To this commentary, my doorman looked me up and down (in my uber-baggy ripped sweatpants, lint-laden hoodie, bad-hair-inducing wool cap, and super-cozy and super-unstylish mittens) and said to me worriedly "Do you think that's safe?"... and then, before I could reply, he shook his head and said, "Oh, never mind. You'll be fine. You take karate."<p><br /><br />I take karate. And therefore it's okay for me to be on Park Avenue alone on a Tuesday at 8:30pm in my sweatpants with uber-ugly hat hair. And if I didn't take karate, would it be unacceptable? It's a compliment, I think, for people to be watching out for you and telling you to be careful... and that they worry enough about you to warn you of what they think may be unsafe situations. But the interaction got me thinking... what if I didn't take karate? Would I therefore be unsafe? More or less at risk?<p><br /><br />I kept track of who I passed along the way. There was a fine selection of upper-East-side fare, including the puttering mini-grannies with their matching mini-dogs; the dapper couples out for a stroll after dinner in long furs and clippy-clop high heels; groups of businessmen finishing up post-work networking cocktails, walking in long-wool-dress-coat herds towards a subway or Grand Central to tardily join in the commute; a few boxed-up homeless folks that were sleeping in stair alcoves in front of churches. So far no one who deserved any karate-chopping.<p><br /><br />I did pass two other runners, and we nodded at one another, acknowledging that a) we were committed to our health, and b) we were stupid idiots to be running in the freezing rain. The only people that actually said anything directly to me were the more-than-a-few doormen standing bundled in front of East Side high-rises and hotels who told me to "go for it" or asked me "who are you racing?" One guy in front of the Bentley car display window asked - as I passed - if I could buy him a car. (I told him I'd forgotten my wallet.)<p><br /><br />But heck, there aren't even any bars on Park Avenue for drunkards to come out of and bother people. It's just not that kind of Avenue.<p><br /><br />But after running for a few dozen blocks, I couldn't help but realize that if someone came up behind me with their mind set on clocking me over the back of the head with a tire iron, no amount of karate training could possibly do anything about it. After all, if I'm unconscious on the pavement at 72nd street and Park Ave., karate isn't going to do much to help me out. Perhaps there would be a few puzzled faces at my funeral saying things like "It's too bad they never taught her any moves when it came to people attacking her from behind with a tire iron on Park Avenue" or speaking in low tones saying, "Which karate studio did she go to? I hope her family gets a refund...")<p><br /><br />But this really comes down to my observations about 'safety' in New York City. Sure, there are some truly stupid things to do, like taking out your wallet and counting your twenties on the subway at 3am. Or picking a fight with a man who is muttering nonsensical profanities on a street corner. Or trying to jump a taxi line by going 1/2 a block further up from the person that's been trying to flag a cab for 15 minutes. Now those are the ways to get hurt in NYC.<p><br /><br />(Not that I want to seem insensitive to those who do get into trouble, like the woman who was raped in her apartment last week. I am certainly aware of these things as a single woman in New York, and I think here, one is more cautious purely out of habit. After all, when someone approaches you on the street in New York City and says "How are you today?", the first reaction is "What do you want, and why did you pick me, and if I ignore you will you go away? And if not, I can claim self defense, you know." If this happened in pretty much any other part of the country, the response would more likely be, "Fine, how are you?" It's just the way the city works.)<p><br /><br />But the true threat comes from the taxis running yellow lights, and potholes that can suck you and your ankles down faster than quicksand in the Amazon basin, and the buses who apparently think that pedestrians have point-values in some twisted video game. There are the few people who try to "get out of your way" by dodging right into your path, or the tourists who stop short in front of you to do some window shopping.<p><br /><br />Running at night as rather satisfying, knowing that you're ending your day with something healthy, and allowing yourself to vent out the frustrations of the day by sweating a little bit. I found the whole experience rather soothing, to be honest.<p><br /><br />All in all, the most terrifying part of my evening run was when one woman at a corner nearly poked my eye out... with her umbrella. But there was nary a tire iron to be found... and I was looking.<p><br /><br />On a plus side of the training regimen, adding a bit of paranoia and fear to your running routine does up your pace a little.<p>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-77534080251970675792011-02-17T14:32:00.005-05:002011-02-17T14:39:23.936-05:00Rep. Chris Lee In A 3-Hour Flash Scandal<a href="http://jazzgunsapplepie.com/2011/02/11/rep-chris-lee-in-a-3-hour-flash-scandal/">Rep. Chris Lee In A 3-Hour Flash Scandal<br /></a><br />By Beth Ameen, February 11, 2011 8:23 pm<br />Guest post for<a href="http://jazzgunsapplepie.com/2011/02/11/rep-chris-lee-in-a-3-hour-flash-scandal/"> Jazz Guns Apple Pie<br /></a><br />Representative Chris Lee (R-N.Y.) resigned from the House of Representatives this week following an email flirtation with a woman he met after responding to an ad in the “Women Seeking Men” section of Craigslist. Sadly for him, the woman also knows how to use Google to look up people’s names, and how to <a href="http://gawker.com/#!5755071/married-gop-congressman-sent-sexy-pictures-to-craigslist-babe">send emails to Gawker</a>.<br /><br />And while it’s remarkable what 24 hours can do to damage the life of a politician with high libido, low impulse control and a camera phone, I want to – instead – look at one particular sentence that the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2011/02/09/ST2011020907393.html?sid=ST2011020907393">Washington Post </a>wrote in their article covering the incident:<br /><br />“The familiar cycles of a Washington sex scandal were compressed into a blur of tweets and news alerts.”<br /><br />This sentence is remarkable to me in so many ways. Take the first part: “The familiar cycles of a Washington sex scandal…” Can you feel the fatigue in that sentence? The implied “here we go again” sigh? The list of scandals pepper the headlines of the past: The obvious Clinton-Lewinsky saga, Newt Gingrich’s affair with aide Callista Bisek, Elliot Spitzer’s foray into, well, whatever it was. And just recently, <a href="http://my.firedoglake.com/rogershuler/2011/02/08/sex-scandal-might-bring-down-john-boehner/">new allegations </a>about Speaker John Boehner having multiple affairs (reported by The Enquirer, but possibly coming closer to being printed in a more reputable news source soon.)<br /><br />But even the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/abraham/detail?entry_id=82779">San Francisco Chronicle’s online version </a>of Lee’s recent misbehaviors asks of the many scandals, “Is anyone keeping count?” The answer is, yes. We are. The same way we keep track of celebs who are dragged to rehab time after time. There’s an equal mixture of distain and train-wreck-curiosity that simultaneously makes us want more juicy details (Are there more photos? More women?) while also claiming we’re above it all.<br /><br />Let’s also take the second part of the Post’s sentence: “…compressed into a blur of tweets and news alerts.” Within hours, the man’s dalliances were posted on thousands of websites, and tweeted relentlessly (not without <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/nytjim/status/35666600698843137">some humor</a>, mind you: “cellphone camera is the worst thing to happen to men with bad impulse control”). The story broke at noon, and by 3pm, he had resigned. That is astounding to me. Pre-Internet news, this would have taken weeks to formulate and resolve itself. Now, a man’s career is over in 3 hours (barring any further revelations, which I have an inkling might be lurking somewhere in Rep. Lee’s email box.)<br /><br />So, as another politician’s sex scandal flashes through the headlines, this time it’s not the weeks-long-affair (no pun intended) of news days gone by. Within hours, it’s published, denied and verified. Capitulations are made, leading to the astoundingly rapid resignation of a rising politician. The news cycle gets faster and faster, thanks to emailed photos, online news distribution, fast-forward Twittering, email tracking, Google, and Gawker. This was the 3-hour flash scandal. Do I hear 3 minutes?<br /><br />Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t over. The former Rep. Lee will definitely write a book, possibly get a divorce, and may even be offered a talk show on a cable news network depending on his level of charisma. He may even make his lie come true and become – as he stated in his emails – a lobbyist.<br /><br />Then again, maybe it’s better if he just disappears. The statement on his <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/vacancies_pr.html?pr=house&vid=36">website</a>,“I have made profound mistakes,” leaves me – and undoubtedly a thousand tabloid reporters – asking one question: Why is the word “mistakes” plural?<br /><br /><em>You can follow Beth on her <a href="http://bethinnyc.blogspot.com/">blog </a>and on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/bameen">Twitter</a>.<br /></em>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-76398624402065685142010-11-19T11:36:00.002-05:002010-11-19T11:44:31.891-05:00Suburban warfare - it begins<span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br />I just moved to the suburbs two months ago, and I am already planning the first war with the neighbors.<br /><br />Apparently in suburbia, when you rake your leaves, you put them in big brown bags and then place them near the road for the city to pick up during designated days. My new house is lucky - I have woods in the back so that I can dump them there without bagging. Yay!<br /><br />The neighbors aren't so lucky. Boo. So they filled up about 10-15 huge bags and then proceeded to leave them for pickup... on OUR lawn. Not just touching the border, but on the grass. Now, I'm not a suburban expert yet, but I know this much: This is Not. Cool. Border disputes can cause serious casualties. Just ask Europe or Asia.<br /><br />This current infarction comes after months of (illegally) parking in front of (and sometimes on) our lawn instead of in their driveway, so we already dislike them and may - I admit - be a bit biased towards them.<br /><br />As such, I have devised several potential options for handling the leaf-bag situation. Please feel free to vote or write in alternate candidates if you feel so moved:<br /><br />1. Asking them nicely to move their trash off our lawn (ugh, that's SO yawn. I live in NYC - I prefer the passive-aggressive approach. Or just the aggressive one.)<br /><br />2. Returning the leaves to their original positions...spread out in a nice, even layer all over their lawn. This is most effective if done the night before the town's pickup schedule date. (Downside: time consuming and would have to be done in wee hours of the night.)<br /><br />3. Stacking the bags around or on top of their illegally parked cars, sandbag-style, so they have to move them to get into or drive their cars. (I like this one best so far.)<br /><br />4. Moving the bags in front of their house's doors so they are blockaded in. (Fire hazard, but not sure I care.)<br /><br />5. Stuffing tailpipes of said cars with tightly-packed, wet wads of said leaves. (Might be too subtle, and unreliable results may nix this one.)<br /><br />6. Krazy-glue leaves all over said cars (very effective, but may have unwanted legal ramifications).<br /><br />Hmmm... now that I think about it, this may be how the whole Hatfield/McCoy thing started...I am not sure, but I would sympathize with them if it was.<br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-34075074019941844092010-11-10T17:14:00.003-05:002010-11-10T17:24:58.189-05:00Sweater shopping FAIL<span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br />I went shopping for a sweater today. what a stupid experience. I saw a sweater in the window that I really liked. I'm not often an impulsive buyer, so I have seen it there for a few weeks, and today I decided to buy it.<br /><br />I went inside, searched, and was unable to find it in the vast array of clothing racks... so I asked a salesperson for some assistance...<br /><br />me: hi! do you see that sweater in the window?<br />her: yes.<br />me: do you have any of those i can try on? I can't seem to find them in the store.<br />her: let me check. (she checks) looks like we're out of those.<br />me: oh, bummer. how about the one in the window? what size is that?<br />her: medium.<br />me: oh! can i buy that one?<br />her: no.<br />me: um. why not?<br />her: it's in the window.<br />me: can you take it out of the window?<br />her: we take it out when the windows are changed.<br />me: but it's right there... i can touch it. it's not hard to get to.<br />her: no. you can't have it. it's in the window.<br />me: so... you have a sweater, in stock, that i want to buy... but you're refusing to sell it to me? i just want to get that straight...<br />her: um... well... it's in the window...<br />me: you realize that makes no sense, right?<br />her: it's in the window....<br />me: nevermind. goodbye....<br /><br />You know, I never really liked that sweater anyway. So there.<br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-71601583098220590112010-11-02T16:32:00.006-04:002010-11-02T16:49:25.676-04:00On this election day...Yes, I voted. No, I'm not crazy.<br /><br />And in honor of this this amazing right that I have to vote in my country, I would like to bring you some of the best signs that were displayed at the "Rally to Restore Sanity" on Oct. 20th. (thanks to Huffington Post)<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlLaFF2ax5j6mBhavHUnk8AfW6LTItZ2zczIjWPzdEvXpak7gDHM6OR_k5DfstiCaAwtAl0Mh2hayHzX80r9kHfSexjBnTUBz3B_QMn0Td1FcVG_mEMALSwx02DuMV3DBgsgkPxFwPFyC/s1600/us+out+of+hawaii.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535056585966808978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlLaFF2ax5j6mBhavHUnk8AfW6LTItZ2zczIjWPzdEvXpak7gDHM6OR_k5DfstiCaAwtAl0Mh2hayHzX80r9kHfSexjBnTUBz3B_QMn0Td1FcVG_mEMALSwx02DuMV3DBgsgkPxFwPFyC/s320/us+out+of+hawaii.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhf80Vktd68UcvQT2UFat1EfWRIkwcc9RFCob7FJEnWNwrOQRTVNFZhqlfjbcnf3c3nT9EJiLtMn07lhhTRoseiWhcT1g9LUrSk_Vhf1yHkp7IoV5XRxknpa1ndkKUY2pYX3XNFYoc8Ro/s1600/Walmart.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535056581287963026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhf80Vktd68UcvQT2UFat1EfWRIkwcc9RFCob7FJEnWNwrOQRTVNFZhqlfjbcnf3c3nT9EJiLtMn07lhhTRoseiWhcT1g9LUrSk_Vhf1yHkp7IoV5XRxknpa1ndkKUY2pYX3XNFYoc8Ro/s320/Walmart.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqH6YrpGkCTW0hSwxP-pEZah8VRQE0rePhdxdt-eKuUNLt0nO-H2XKEsdx9qOCWOcMK7yz1YhoCOfgQTB1QHckf5GCU538EkibUBOWQzdQRbu3ZKTC-RmhRlF1DbKqidnM2_0VKwVisTn/s1600/unemployed.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535056575905412434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqH6YrpGkCTW0hSwxP-pEZah8VRQE0rePhdxdt-eKuUNLt0nO-H2XKEsdx9qOCWOcMK7yz1YhoCOfgQTB1QHckf5GCU538EkibUBOWQzdQRbu3ZKTC-RmhRlF1DbKqidnM2_0VKwVisTn/s320/unemployed.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNiAq8JkfX4v_ahd0Q4ghMmrG6FrKDwVVyjMDDAnoUITdfL3CRzbxcId__GxOa3b4WKqY1uGqA5Ylk3-2510yH5Oe7QliwaiNUfn6Ue970FpQyXAOttB3OXgNFkLApjCFpFgI3Fc4tziR/s1600/taxes.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535056566514576658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNiAq8JkfX4v_ahd0Q4ghMmrG6FrKDwVVyjMDDAnoUITdfL3CRzbxcId__GxOa3b4WKqY1uGqA5Ylk3-2510yH5Oe7QliwaiNUfn6Ue970FpQyXAOttB3OXgNFkLApjCFpFgI3Fc4tziR/s320/taxes.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5zzPp2H02QSwDUtcxrRJoVc1bnKnJlinwxNtVxgyxmn9db_CCRcnwCcghUCnIVghJzaUCObFkGEYmseQd0Up2LLlain51if8IEGDsNZGy3xEtLExMQ1gj79hKBRmpw1cFH3BzIcLjjea/s1600/Spiders.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535056565859439362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5zzPp2H02QSwDUtcxrRJoVc1bnKnJlinwxNtVxgyxmn9db_CCRcnwCcghUCnIVghJzaUCObFkGEYmseQd0Up2LLlain51if8IEGDsNZGy3xEtLExMQ1gj79hKBRmpw1cFH3BzIcLjjea/s320/Spiders.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUh1XWV6w3neWqF2Cg4pbR-PTcGtLRCUn0_6LnPyjekAWUNcfpFhkL6rRX7t0DlJXv6t8zf334se5j7eEHdGijWfvnWRSSXKu7OJ3hdhA0rMqzaeZwKcHkTcj78AVR2jHPCQRIPI3i3ER/s1600/Space.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535055762230074114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUh1XWV6w3neWqF2Cg4pbR-PTcGtLRCUn0_6LnPyjekAWUNcfpFhkL6rRX7t0DlJXv6t8zf334se5j7eEHdGijWfvnWRSSXKu7OJ3hdhA0rMqzaeZwKcHkTcj78AVR2jHPCQRIPI3i3ER/s320/Space.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitouZUo3Yxq232Yjv_gQEJbR2DNlhoZlZ3WLLdZCf03B7Zgb6zj8Ua3bqhvYX8YP7x8sDX0ZJMbSou8NduA0kDib8QP3at0zaLY3MuCKUhOojxcrOhYGnAEkylI_6e-1PznkdRcI14Jiq1/s1600/somewhat+irritated.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535055758182664786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitouZUo3Yxq232Yjv_gQEJbR2DNlhoZlZ3WLLdZCf03B7Zgb6zj8Ua3bqhvYX8YP7x8sDX0ZJMbSou8NduA0kDib8QP3at0zaLY3MuCKUhOojxcrOhYGnAEkylI_6e-1PznkdRcI14Jiq1/s320/somewhat+irritated.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB62A5_mjiVLrZuqD3hX-72_bcEmutR9mrVIECqj7BPUDpgLtPZm2hyGvoLGyHa9Lc9YCdYhHaAXXf0g7A5svfXX_rOTl4b6mHU_rvuvVDhtE6YDLnVhQNrZr7i-cDpcogBbHLMS4hOYCc/s1600/Signs.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535055753300134754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB62A5_mjiVLrZuqD3hX-72_bcEmutR9mrVIECqj7BPUDpgLtPZm2hyGvoLGyHa9Lc9YCdYhHaAXXf0g7A5svfXX_rOTl4b6mHU_rvuvVDhtE6YDLnVhQNrZr7i-cDpcogBbHLMS4hOYCc/s320/Signs.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuPcA8vDKZy3L6gMqUW-f3GlKb_huEc20LGYCYvUa3lVNJSdX3zYqZYZ6iT_PE0r9VxCTB4aZ6Dd5SDQOuaeSGfegfvBGTW-zexhekMJ30kbg215l5D_nAj-CQuB1-yet34EIkC0ICEc3/s1600/sell+your+gold.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535055748948710178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuPcA8vDKZy3L6gMqUW-f3GlKb_huEc20LGYCYvUa3lVNJSdX3zYqZYZ6iT_PE0r9VxCTB4aZ6Dd5SDQOuaeSGfegfvBGTW-zexhekMJ30kbg215l5D_nAj-CQuB1-yet34EIkC0ICEc3/s320/sell+your+gold.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5f5sjqSNLLvbhNMbLGQMenqcWbDWq_rBVadW2f7iszkQdM0d741Vkv7wabOwuTG4qNOBu5z6hJSjkLpYc9t9GqK5bJYH0iav9FTaSKJ1bsCFUOkwEqVvzIrNWnnb8t5J7Pkle751L1L1C/s1600/scary+muslim.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535055740408512002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5f5sjqSNLLvbhNMbLGQMenqcWbDWq_rBVadW2f7iszkQdM0d741Vkv7wabOwuTG4qNOBu5z6hJSjkLpYc9t9GqK5bJYH0iav9FTaSKJ1bsCFUOkwEqVvzIrNWnnb8t5J7Pkle751L1L1C/s320/scary+muslim.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPMZdaboQy3AwauLMqgBVFMiHmG7Vrph3zKAf_trFl8Y1CzV4AnrKlxNX_Hw-VEI0Y3PsVwKEJjltJdr4bKSG1Md2eso8gSMJNGXzojysRWhjJth2xGmklOo3MS_huTyTfn6XVrImpMZ5/s1600/Porta+potty.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535054774815201762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPMZdaboQy3AwauLMqgBVFMiHmG7Vrph3zKAf_trFl8Y1CzV4AnrKlxNX_Hw-VEI0Y3PsVwKEJjltJdr4bKSG1Md2eso8gSMJNGXzojysRWhjJth2xGmklOo3MS_huTyTfn6XVrImpMZ5/s320/Porta+potty.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpq1GNj-hha4e3UbwiptrPY4y9y0Ed5ricDTrZiE7AN8H-UpKAb0Bq7rDAUTspWY_puWk6iXVm7Hvk3tipv-EgDq8A6RfidUNPw8pkY_yK_Qko3RNuJw395d8_zn4GhO14szEknIbdYkn/s1600/leave+by+2pm.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535054769940677330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpq1GNj-hha4e3UbwiptrPY4y9y0Ed5ricDTrZiE7AN8H-UpKAb0Bq7rDAUTspWY_puWk6iXVm7Hvk3tipv-EgDq8A6RfidUNPw8pkY_yK_Qko3RNuJw395d8_zn4GhO14szEknIbdYkn/s320/leave+by+2pm.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHKxhCqI4ow6hxV_jd82UVRPXG_sioTfVRYhi5baxS9RjA-f-uJjJI7SGcT4GhabposLqCVZNYL9OEGFB6nlz0aMW5rbuROylkzyVF3qmIlTJSQh8yukfHxlk2MlTRlVS317ezF0VgPJ-/s1600/kittens+take+2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535054763401800242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHKxhCqI4ow6hxV_jd82UVRPXG_sioTfVRYhi5baxS9RjA-f-uJjJI7SGcT4GhabposLqCVZNYL9OEGFB6nlz0aMW5rbuROylkzyVF3qmIlTJSQh8yukfHxlk2MlTRlVS317ezF0VgPJ-/s320/kittens+take+2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifv4oUmvcrTYxAszSDkepGYCP6PCDGFhFHGuIeKsDNoMl4s1RGxudLQHE2tTUWWMH8WEkLn69Jk66eUYzCkQ2JKpBTHNn8YybaiddQrS-8EprohceeikZ9nAm_MUTu_ltLZtmT-bxzjdhg/s1600/God+Hates.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535054755033578274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifv4oUmvcrTYxAszSDkepGYCP6PCDGFhFHGuIeKsDNoMl4s1RGxudLQHE2tTUWWMH8WEkLn69Jk66eUYzCkQ2JKpBTHNn8YybaiddQrS-8EprohceeikZ9nAm_MUTu_ltLZtmT-bxzjdhg/s320/God+Hates.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvVcXFklz_l2vKq5zR5bJvGa5_je0o_UBZJd1s50s4elUKSlaallVvQkkBxnZxklkl9h72A97tJGXP9gXAfmQ056c1PvOHJlkmVKGzLC4zvbhi6KfTkbjGsmgez7ZdEtg05jzeRsKMEYu/s1600/east+coast+liberals.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535054754573711650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvVcXFklz_l2vKq5zR5bJvGa5_je0o_UBZJd1s50s4elUKSlaallVvQkkBxnZxklkl9h72A97tJGXP9gXAfmQ056c1PvOHJlkmVKGzLC4zvbhi6KfTkbjGsmgez7ZdEtg05jzeRsKMEYu/s320/east+coast+liberals.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCABpaDMxALJbbzGoIhx5F266fqE2yOt88Jg2Se1Avkd1VJlT_MqmnKxofyBUnkMKGdWyLr_FWtzrBRq8H8Wvay2GS1FUH6I2-RqhAJyupAgsrVUBEVCvHzGtfXQ1RZp2KE8i-XpkroDe/s1600/do+we+look+brown.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535053523347522130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCABpaDMxALJbbzGoIhx5F266fqE2yOt88Jg2Se1Avkd1VJlT_MqmnKxofyBUnkMKGdWyLr_FWtzrBRq8H8Wvay2GS1FUH6I2-RqhAJyupAgsrVUBEVCvHzGtfXQ1RZp2KE8i-XpkroDe/s320/do+we+look+brown.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyf5gaWB2ZaH06QJdRG2XTHvNp-IcWunoJBdngXYTHS3x95TRxen9mRDzbOkonyx2a7ABQejftuqNgGISG7ILLlHc3XrqLOICrsWbvjEzconp-5zziY0UBDrzXaTHDrHd_4PNDs6ITEKGB/s1600/do+stuff.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535053513082039282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyf5gaWB2ZaH06QJdRG2XTHvNp-IcWunoJBdngXYTHS3x95TRxen9mRDzbOkonyx2a7ABQejftuqNgGISG7ILLlHc3XrqLOICrsWbvjEzconp-5zziY0UBDrzXaTHDrHd_4PNDs6ITEKGB/s320/do+stuff.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqujt-ND2fR27LSFhSaott7HuKELbGoSBf1InCggkzmnsSiafhvMwWKNCAhAh6KmsxSUQIUTP6ChYC1n1F78B18S6hFfuJjwax8RNX0lvR7Uh7J_I_p6AGTrEi11E1drlKBzjYLWzffSbl/s1600/count+to+ten.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535053509384173810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqujt-ND2fR27LSFhSaott7HuKELbGoSBf1InCggkzmnsSiafhvMwWKNCAhAh6KmsxSUQIUTP6ChYC1n1F78B18S6hFfuJjwax8RNX0lvR7Uh7J_I_p6AGTrEi11E1drlKBzjYLWzffSbl/s320/count+to+ten.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYgZUMjZ8dF0ae2u3Fv-ONQYZU2YcWGAPwZdzkCOBvME8Ww4NOAbSv1SfQGpJbXKhEIIRu6f3lpxM10uZ84hJNg6-2uWS075sqlcGDgRMq8Q6v6mmLkdys4WkGVPvFRHMEldHwq5_C5OS/s1600/cake.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535053507983240434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYgZUMjZ8dF0ae2u3Fv-ONQYZU2YcWGAPwZdzkCOBvME8Ww4NOAbSv1SfQGpJbXKhEIIRu6f3lpxM10uZ84hJNg6-2uWS075sqlcGDgRMq8Q6v6mmLkdys4WkGVPvFRHMEldHwq5_C5OS/s320/cake.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmZKtnyMWCkZUt_qsesX2b1yFTnluFKGDzcGGwmOpPRy1kSaM72V-iZJkmBgWORFsbyRzoL2WpFgarnFq3NWcgkhZYl-M2o3q3ox1UEBa4ZefU1mKXnX5AsCP-yB3SpHPMpWmCAIt5nD_/s1600/3+year+old.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535053502985496754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmZKtnyMWCkZUt_qsesX2b1yFTnluFKGDzcGGwmOpPRy1kSaM72V-iZJkmBgWORFsbyRzoL2WpFgarnFq3NWcgkhZYl-M2o3q3ox1UEBa4ZefU1mKXnX5AsCP-yB3SpHPMpWmCAIt5nD_/s320/3+year+old.jpg" /></a>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-26519419748029565002010-07-08T15:39:00.003-04:002010-07-08T15:44:19.758-04:00Drowning doesn't look like drowning<p>.<br /><em>This is reposted without permission from the following site: </em><a href="http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/"><em>http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/</em></a><br /><br /><br /><strong>Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning</strong><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">by Mario on May 18, 2010<br /></span><br />The new captain jumped from the cockpit, fully dressed, and sprinted through the water. A former lifeguard, he kept his eyes on his victim as he headed straight for the owners who were swimming between their anchored sportfisher and the beach. “I think he thinks you’re drowning,” the husband said to his wife. They had been splashing each other and she had screamed but now they were just standing, neck-deep on the sand bar. “We’re fine, what is he doing?” she asked, a little annoyed. “We’re fine!” the husband yelled, waving him off, but his captain kept swimming hard. ”Move!” he barked as he sprinted between the stunned owners. Directly behind them, not ten feet away, their nine-year-old daughter was drowning. Safely above the surface in the arms of the captain, she burst into tears, “Daddy!”<br /><br />How did this captain know, from fifty feet away, what the father couldn’t recognize from just ten? Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. The captain was trained to recognize drowning by experts and years of experience. The father, on the other hand, had learned what drowning looks like by watching television. If you spend time on or near the water (hint: that’s all of us) then you should make sure that you and your crew knows what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until she cried a tearful, “Daddy,” she hadn’t made a sound. As a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, I wasn’t surprised at all by this story. Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life.<br /><br />The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D., is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water. And it does not look like most people expect. There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening (source: CDC). Drowning does not look like drowning – Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene Magazine, described the instinctive drowning response like this: </p><ol><li>Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs. </li><li>Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water. </li><li>Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe. </li><li>Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment. </li><li>From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs. </li></ol><em>(Source: </em><a href="http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg534/On%20Scene/OSFall06.pdf" modo="false"><em>On Scene Magazine: Fall 2006</em></a><em>)</em><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;">This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.</span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:</span><br /><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">Head low in the water, mouth at water level</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Head tilted back with mouth open</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Eyes closed</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Hair over forehead or eyes</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Not using legs – Vertical</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Hyperventilating or gasping</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Trying to roll over on the back</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Ladder climb, rarely out of the water.</span></li></ul><span style="color:#000000;">So if a crew member falls overboard and every looks O.K. – don’t be too sure. Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning. They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck. One way to be sure? Ask them: “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all – they probably are. If they return a blank stare – you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them. And parents: children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why.</span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-24205657239511253042010-04-29T14:46:00.002-04:002010-04-29T15:06:30.529-04:00NPR on the train.<br />I note of advice to everyone - don't combine NPR and a train ride. Here's why:<br /><br />I was listening to <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=35">"Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me"</a> (the podcast) on my iPod last week. For those of you who don't know, it's a comedic game show of sorts, which airs on NPR. It features various columnists and other news junkie celebrities talking about the events of the past week. It's hysterically funny in a nerdy, NPR-geek kind of way - think Jon Stewart only without all of the words requiring bleeps.<br /><br />It's a funny, funny, show. And I laugh at it regularly. Sometimes, I even laugh out loud, but usually it's a chuckle and I try to restrain myself from making too many overt snorts.<br /><br />During some portions of the shows, they have call-in contestants - listeners who answer questions about what was in the news in the last week. Sometimes, it's obvious stuff. Sometimes, it's not. <br /><br />During one call-in segment, I was listening to someone who didn't know the answer to the question...and he should have known! (I would tell you what the questions / answers were, but then you'd inevitably label me a news snob. I'm okay with the label of "news junkie", but "news snob" is too much.) He had three questions, and got all of them wrong. It was heartbreakingly sad - if you call a news show, you should at least watch a little news that week. During the final question, when he said he didn't know, I was fed up with him, and sighed, rolled my eyes, and I flung a general look of exasperation.<br /><br />Usually, I laugh at the show, and fellow riders either move away from me (thinking I'm out of my mind) or chuckle at me (realizing I'm laughing at something I'm listening to.)<br /><br />However, on this particular occasion, as I was rolling my eyes and making a distinct look of much disgust (at the caller), a perfectly nice gentleman was taking the seat next to me. As such perfect timing goes in these types of situations, he caught the full brunt of my eye-roll at the exact moment that he was sitting, and incorrectly assumed that I was passing judgement on himself for sitting!<br /><br />Realizing this faux-pas, I laughed out loud (now he thinks I'm nuts) and took my ear buds out. I apologized immediately, and explained to him that I was listening to a radio show, and my look of disgust was definitely NOT meant to be flung willy nilly only to land in his direction! He laughed and said "Wow, thank goodness. I almost took that personally!"<br /><br />The sum result is that a) I don't have a poker face. Never have. Never will. b) It's a dangerous combination, riding the train and listening to a comedy show at the same time. People might think that you're crazier than you really are.<br />.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-88733488493370103392010-04-15T21:22:00.003-04:002010-04-15T22:00:14.937-04:00Online obsessions.<br />Okay, I'll admit, I'm a Facebook fanatic. I'm not too crazy with the farms or fish, but I love the little voyeuristic peek into people's lives, and staying in touch with the people I love... it's awesome.<br /><br />But I have a few other online distractions that maybe aren't as socially accepted as Facebook. So I thought I'd share some of the latest ones with you... none of these are obscene, so don't worry about that. Well, unless you count some foods as obscene... but I digress...<br /><br /><a href="http://christopherkimball.wordpress.com/">Chris Kimball's Blog:</a><br />Most of you know my obsession with <a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com">Cook's Illustrated</a>(and if you've never heard of it, trust me - it's awesome. Every recipe is perfect, directions are flawless, and it's totally unbiased. Love it!) The blog is even better - recipes, anecdotes, equipment reviews, tales from the test kitchen... this place is heaven, and Chris... well, he's just one truly awesome dude.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.lkpheartsfood.com">Stuff I Ate</a><br />Continuing the foodie theme, my most awesome friend & co-worker Lori has set up the Stuff I Ate blog, a great collection of insider NYC food tips, and some recipes that blow your mind, categorized under titles like "Recession recipes" and "Comfort Food". Her recipe for <a href="http://www.lkpheartsfood.com/2009/11/crispy-kale-aka-holy-crack.html">kale chips</a> is to DIE for - and I hate kale! She also has the exact same camera that I do, and yet she can take photos of food that make your mouth water, while mine make food look like I pulled it out of the dumpster outside. Lori, I bow to your foodie-ness, and your food-photo abilities! (pass the kale.)<br /><br />On the flip side, if you're looking for inspiration to stick to your diet, here's your new favorite site: <a href="http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/">This is why you're fat</a>. It's pictures, submitted by fans of the site, of the most fattening, horrifying, calorie-and-fat-laden foods available all over the country. Dishes like the Flatline Burger (Double bacon cheeseburger with peanut butter deep fried and served with two sides of chipotle mayo), Cheetos coated in strawberry glaze, and The Chimmy-Dean (a pork sausage wrapped in a flour tortilla and deep fried, topped with maple syrup, bacon pieces and cool whip.) Yep, that's definitely why you're fat. It even includes a link to my next favorite food obsession:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/04/sushi-and-peeps-join-forc_n_524626.html">Peepshi:</a><br />The world of marshmallow Peeps meets the world of sushi... to create, Peepshi. The "rice" is Rice Krispy Treats, the "fish" is Peeps, the decor is... I'm not sure, maybe strawberry licorice? I don't know but it's kinda strange and cool looking. I wouldn't eat it... but it might blow up nicely in a microwave.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ihasahotdog.com/">LOLdogs</a> and <a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/">LOLcats</a><br />Hysterically cute, sappily captioned amateur photos of dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens. It's almost as bad as <a href="http://www.dailysquee.com">Daily Squee</a> for over-the-top, girlie, gooey cuteness that most males will avoid like the plague. Only go here if you are a) ready to admit you like cheezy cute sites, and b) not embarrassed by cheezy cute sites. Even the people who make comments use their own funny "LOLspeak" language. Awesome? Ur doin it rite.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-46104863904177511392010-04-15T09:17:00.003-04:002010-04-15T19:20:39.659-04:00Rules of the roads.<br />There's been quite a dramatic shift in the traffic patterns of NYC in the last year, and I have to say, it's really throwing me off kilter.<br /><br />I can deal with the 4-wheel traffic - the uneasy relationship between pedestrians and cars/trucks has struck a kind of agreement in the last oh, 50 years of psychotic driving in NYC. Cars agree not to run over me when I'm crossing the street, I agree to (mostly) avoid crossing the street completely against the lights. Even jaywalking is acceptable, as long as the block before you is stopped at a light, and the only oncoming traffic is that turning onto your street. (Those of you that live here, you get what I'm saying.)<br /><br />Very rarely do pedestrians and vehicles clash openly, unless a) there's a tourist (driving) who believes that they have the right of way when turning (you don't), or b) there's a tourist who tries to jaywalk (Hint: Don't. It takes years to perfect.)<br /><br />The issue I'm starting to have is with 2-wheeled vehicles. Bikes - I'm talkin' to you.<br /><br />I've seen a bike take out a pedestrian walking (with a "Walk" sign) in Central Park. And when I say "take out", I mean blood dripping from a head wound and broken bones. Not cool. I will admit that some pedestrians are rather thick when it comes to crossing the street, but dear bicyclists, a red light means "stop" for you, too. I don't care if you're training for a race, timing your laps around the park, or wearing minuscule matching spandex - God gave you brakes, use them when the light is red. If you do that, I will happily take full blame when you hit me at full force when I try to stupidly walk across the path in front of you while you're sailing downhill in Central Park.<br /><br />The uneasy relationship breaks down further on the new bike paths around the city roads (i.e. Broadway). <br /><br />NYC pedestrians are trained to observe light patterns, walk sign patterns (I know exactly at what point in the blinking "Don't Walk" phase I can make it, and when I can't.) But now, on Broadway and other streets, there's a new bike lane, with it's own set of lights! Retraining us concrete-brained pedestrians to unlearn the habits of crossing the streets is difficult...and dangerous.<br /><br />I apologize to the several bicyclists that I didn't see and stepped out in front of. I'll admit it - I deserved those choice words you shouted at me. And that Evil Eye that I gave you was purely a knee-jerk reaction that I give to everyone - nothing personal.<br /><br />But at the same time, most of the time, the bikes don't stop at red lights anyway, and come barrelling down those bike lanes with the wrath of God behind them. Once, I even heard a lady shouting "Get out of the way!" at the top of her lungs as she ran her bike lane's red light. Her red light was even <em>shaped like a bicycle</em>. It's a light for illiterates. Did her brakes burn out, like those runaway trucks on highways? I doubt it. Here's a hint - if you hit me, it'll hurt both of us, no matter how loudly you're yelling. Slow down (especially when you're legally required to do so) and we'll both be happier.<br /><br />It's going to take a while, and now that the MTA is cutting off subway lines, I'm hoping that more bicyclists will take to the streets. But I'm also hoping that we can decide, together, that we can get along a little better. I promise to (for the first time in 15 years) try to look BOTH WAYS before I cross a one-way street, if you promise to STEER with your handlebars, and USE THE BRAKES instead of cuss words when something happens in front of you. <br /><br />Can you imagine if, when a car sped towards an idiot crossing the street and not looking where they were going, all the driver did was yell "Hey moron, move!" and just kept going at the same rate of speed? Can you say road pizza? Do you see where I'm going here?<br /><br />You are moving at approximately 20-30mph. If you hit me, it will suck, mostly because you will *keep moving* at approximately 20-30mph until the pavement halts your flight through the air as I keep your bike tangled around my legs about 10 feet behind you. Pavement and you - it's going to hurt.<br /><br />Take a lesson from the bike messengers around the city. Learn to steer, learn to brake, and learn to dodge. Yelling won't help, nor will it slow you down or steer you around your obstacle. That's what those things called "handlebars" are for.<br /><br />Thanks, and have a nice day.<br />.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-48945280692870812752010-04-14T19:10:00.004-04:002010-04-14T19:29:16.477-04:00Whoever said that there is no such thing as a stupid question never worked in media production..<br />It was 6pm when my work cell phone rang. As I'm at work by 5:30am every day, I try to finish up work by 3 or 4pm every day. A 6pm call is never good news...<br /><br />"Hello, this is Beth"<br /><br />"Hi there," (a very young, intern-like voice) "this is Amber, [name removed]'s assistant. I was just going over the details for tomorrow with [name removed]. It's at 7am?"<br /><br />"Yep, 7am."<br /><br />"That's 7am, Eastern time?"<br /><br />"Yep, 7am Eastern time. I think I covered this in the logistics sheet I emailed to you a few weeks go, yes?"<br /><br />"Do you realize that 7am Eastern is 4am on the West Coast?"<br /><br />"Um, actually yes. Yes, I do know that." (and I'm thinking by the rather shocked tone in your voice that you did <em>not</em> realize this...until just a few minutes ago. I'm also thinking that you're right on the edge of a panic attack right now.)<br /><br />"That's really early."<br /><br />"Well, yes, yes it is. And that's why I sent the email 3 weeks ago to confirm that you were OK with the time. It didn't seem to be a problem then. Is it a problem now?"<br /><br />"Well, um. It's just really early. I thought it was at 7am pacific time."<br /><br />"Let me pull up the email that I sent. Yep, March 25th, I sent you the logistics and it says 7am eastern time. Is that going to be a problem?"<br /><br />"Um. No. Well, okay. If it's a problem I'll call you back."<br /><br />Now, I feel sorry for assistants, I really do. Especially those who are assistants for assistants for celebrities. I have worked with enough publicists, assistants, assistant assistants and celebrities to know what types of people you risk working for when you take on a job like that. Undoubtedly poor Amber was tasked with the menial job of typing up the final version of [name removed]'s schedule for the next day when she realized that it said...7am Eastern. <br /><br />Now, I don't feel too badly for you when it's your own fault for not reading, but I do give you a speck of respect for realizing that there actually <em>is </em>a time difference between the East and West Coasts. And for what it's worth, I'm really sorry... that's a harsh lesson I'm sure you're learning the hard way on the other end of my silent phone. This will be a bad day for you, and you'll probably have a drink or three on Friday because of it. I honestly hope you don't get fired for spotting what no one else on your staff seemed to recognize three weeks ago.<br /><br />Now it's 7:15pm...an hour after I received the call. I haven't heard anything at all from any assistants. But I'm assuming that in California, someone is getting yelled at, if not by [name removed], then by [name removed]'s higher-level assistant who had to break the news.<br /><br />In any case, see you at 7am Eastern... (4am Pacific...)<br />.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-47797405606398717682009-10-05T20:05:00.018-04:002009-10-06T17:30:40.024-04:00Bryce & Zion, 2009<div>.<br />Here are a few photos from my trip to Bryce & Zion National Parks. It was an adventure trip! Full of hiking and biking (and eating.)<br /><br />The trip started with a bike ride... downhill... to the base of the mountain I was standing on when I took this photo. The red rolling rocks below are petrified sand dunes... we'll hike them later:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7SZgyJfN7cD8Vf3jiBiOChWZl7_lxf-ufH4mJjCb_uyBhDCONGc2aBd09fUrnvUjKHKYCjJ1fX22KigTX5C2MYH-pj4jy2Uq-LAYLzp-DPR1aW-8t5IAHeOdZ2XjF1Z2-jWzXjwEo6fC/s1600-h/AAAA.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389272595843780786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7SZgyJfN7cD8Vf3jiBiOChWZl7_lxf-ufH4mJjCb_uyBhDCONGc2aBd09fUrnvUjKHKYCjJ1fX22KigTX5C2MYH-pj4jy2Uq-LAYLzp-DPR1aW-8t5IAHeOdZ2XjF1Z2-jWzXjwEo6fC/s320/AAAA.jpg" /></a> <br />The first ride in Utah... downhill to the sand dunes: <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGF8J8QAPRj56WZHslcElVpeYL13WF1beLnVX9fTHqfdRG40C07QObLa1LHTreMc4RCZuFYJZCjz8yL_VmFZKulCaQOqSjQSWcNQAMlA2MIps8m_g9hmv9aHQ6KU2vw39ns_rr1LCdj6Ol/s1600-h/AAAB.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389272517916982194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGF8J8QAPRj56WZHslcElVpeYL13WF1beLnVX9fTHqfdRG40C07QObLa1LHTreMc4RCZuFYJZCjz8yL_VmFZKulCaQOqSjQSWcNQAMlA2MIps8m_g9hmv9aHQ6KU2vw39ns_rr1LCdj6Ol/s320/AAAB.jpg" /></a><br />Petrified sand dunes... hard as rock, but look like mounds of marshmallow... and red. Very cool:<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRb7o77n04VupGoW1yBnecH5lxRjriNPBhbiu-YbTigJOZzPunCjVOEKDe0RCSwUx12J3mKeKDhebuZmJBRbKuxDU2MhldyaxDOYxUjZVwg6zKyQ9aeVbWpd2rgQiXQ6DYrGriq56PJuG/s1600-h/AAAD.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389272513794361490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRb7o77n04VupGoW1yBnecH5lxRjriNPBhbiu-YbTigJOZzPunCjVOEKDe0RCSwUx12J3mKeKDhebuZmJBRbKuxDU2MhldyaxDOYxUjZVwg6zKyQ9aeVbWpd2rgQiXQ6DYrGriq56PJuG/s320/AAAD.jpg" /></a> <br />Token tourist shot:<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTFmw3GqYCc1vD4LoFXLJEaNs5MtFzRkJf5rbqQllAsxPPxE_oIYX41CATKuoR2K4NPPS8B-BU-o7hzb0d7ETPnzuln5DYswKEJ_ZyC9jOpM-tmK36y9S0Z2BcDirLwnIUrzXGNB6W0bP/s1600-h/AAAF.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389272507815507058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTFmw3GqYCc1vD4LoFXLJEaNs5MtFzRkJf5rbqQllAsxPPxE_oIYX41CATKuoR2K4NPPS8B-BU-o7hzb0d7ETPnzuln5DYswKEJ_ZyC9jOpM-tmK36y9S0Z2BcDirLwnIUrzXGNB6W0bP/s320/AAAF.jpg" /></a> <br />The "painted" rocks... the strata of oxidized and limestone rocks: <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw63nHaWjmA29D-2rk7V_Qo6_Z2eyiCpI3l60MXQe46YioLfrHpPMioGBXDYZcbxtKJaD97vvoB6FzEJUy4mdSkHTW2PwBXU6GMlmyFodgD8vbhwkcpi2HYObLTBtYyXcfPA7mMpz8amdy/s1600-h/AAAH.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389272501235731954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw63nHaWjmA29D-2rk7V_Qo6_Z2eyiCpI3l60MXQe46YioLfrHpPMioGBXDYZcbxtKJaD97vvoB6FzEJUy4mdSkHTW2PwBXU6GMlmyFodgD8vbhwkcpi2HYObLTBtYyXcfPA7mMpz8amdy/s320/AAAH.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_F3v5FJB1C1NHl8CR903fQZTnSqXFTekjntgdI2HywFnWZTY9TTWzqr8FQ7SJKAB0hQVCYtmJdVhFAiC6xcMDtAXdBAAmEgRB91CStU3eZfYm8hpPc7vm4BeQhy6F9VzKIQp9d5zc-C6n/s1600-h/AAAK.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389272493058428002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_F3v5FJB1C1NHl8CR903fQZTnSqXFTekjntgdI2HywFnWZTY9TTWzqr8FQ7SJKAB0hQVCYtmJdVhFAiC6xcMDtAXdBAAmEgRB91CStU3eZfYm8hpPc7vm4BeQhy6F9VzKIQp9d5zc-C6n/s320/AAAK.jpg" /></a> <br />The non-petrified, normal sand dunes, made of sand! We know we're in the desert now!<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fxhpw120xezDxnPNey_eQZgz_kro_WXzHtY_9v_Uuu7mLIiRBh7289BTcm8O93__PxzK2MnTmWgyz6mLeLN1UWnOOT1aeiXYuvpHQ_gnLT4wMwtkrZv1JdyO5ydoYnS7IegYYVDIqIyY/s1600-h/AAAM.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389272257076104226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fxhpw120xezDxnPNey_eQZgz_kro_WXzHtY_9v_Uuu7mLIiRBh7289BTcm8O93__PxzK2MnTmWgyz6mLeLN1UWnOOT1aeiXYuvpHQ_gnLT4wMwtkrZv1JdyO5ydoYnS7IegYYVDIqIyY/s320/AAAM.jpg" /></a> <br />Hiking up to see the red rocks later that afternoon...<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdri43Emu3t8fcT_oKrE6j01qA-yGPdBmIST0CtOBvnq6e6b5c-S2rRb1Mpo92xnPMYOFgy9zjUjhi9Uf-QbRtyYun_uaJGUyjdd32hEnVd8wqhKgJn3GNZKJo2wRcfOARgQU2YDjihqW/s1600-h/BBBA.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389272254374070610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdri43Emu3t8fcT_oKrE6j01qA-yGPdBmIST0CtOBvnq6e6b5c-S2rRb1Mpo92xnPMYOFgy9zjUjhi9Uf-QbRtyYun_uaJGUyjdd32hEnVd8wqhKgJn3GNZKJo2wRcfOARgQU2YDjihqW/s320/BBBA.jpg" /></a>Fall foliage on the morning bike ride:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxNLK3R_bpASNKeEVlgxGqHqkUbGVljs4JGcoHSBg91UxB3ekSQEHe5mIUW86nQRO9IqdmhyYSLBkD0PiTiedBhyW3dddhMYVvhlaFD-dk-VhHHlmci4fGXTx1nf_iGSKZa0Pe8ZHa2lp/s1600-h/BBBC.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389272243849604850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxNLK3R_bpASNKeEVlgxGqHqkUbGVljs4JGcoHSBg91UxB3ekSQEHe5mIUW86nQRO9IqdmhyYSLBkD0PiTiedBhyW3dddhMYVvhlaFD-dk-VhHHlmci4fGXTx1nf_iGSKZa0Pe8ZHa2lp/s320/BBBC.jpg" /></a><br /><div>On the overlook our morning bike ride down into Bryce:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePuCRm_bCmB6zu6cEge3Zlvzg_3V6b55QYE_pKwDhUezygcOXECb3vDEsOn8KQtGYn_HDcsTa66UtsjvUj-07ZrbPaiQ0ofpclstuWnOsxpgwOgBAqVqj6HwuJSaZeB3gh19F6kwo6ILM/s1600-h/BBBF.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389272235731499026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePuCRm_bCmB6zu6cEge3Zlvzg_3V6b55QYE_pKwDhUezygcOXECb3vDEsOn8KQtGYn_HDcsTa66UtsjvUj-07ZrbPaiQ0ofpclstuWnOsxpgwOgBAqVqj6HwuJSaZeB3gh19F6kwo6ILM/s320/BBBF.jpg" /></a><br />The first glimpse of Bryce (on the right) from our hiking trail (on the left):<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHi7TAs6yL0lJEoztlvdyBVwmArA5FYKe6iTYfU4XCFNl-rSd2hHT6FuXge0cePMWLbXWhovh9thx1mJjuIzwV7XfFG3cykgKEuBocJVGFNYo9Vsqz5af7ocloDBN8_5PTHdiHqD4qsh-/s1600-h/BBBG.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389272232760086658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHi7TAs6yL0lJEoztlvdyBVwmArA5FYKe6iTYfU4XCFNl-rSd2hHT6FuXge0cePMWLbXWhovh9thx1mJjuIzwV7XfFG3cykgKEuBocJVGFNYo9Vsqz5af7ocloDBN8_5PTHdiHqD4qsh-/s320/BBBG.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Our most awesome tour group: Michael, me, Peggy, Matty, and Lisa... arrive at Bryce:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JZyHwZeNupPQfs_YdCek3UC8MGLtooLG79HY7W5s-NW7qFFgk5vtqbNRvTXo4Z707J8KtW6KLZbVA7QfHUnyWMi4IfwHyGnP78kLbrvXOCg8S8nCvHSKMuPlkmxDmLWyCXk1c3Xb8Nvf/s1600-h/BBBP.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389271921054309058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JZyHwZeNupPQfs_YdCek3UC8MGLtooLG79HY7W5s-NW7qFFgk5vtqbNRvTXo4Z707J8KtW6KLZbVA7QfHUnyWMi4IfwHyGnP78kLbrvXOCg8S8nCvHSKMuPlkmxDmLWyCXk1c3Xb8Nvf/s320/BBBP.jpg" /></a> <br />Pretty views... many many more to come:<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRhb3pJiWHQpsPwOKB0ehnDLhvQ5xQfbIsV1NQdL-wNoBhID6KFJC8MxDeqNsc4na39HcmKTIH7mDmzirEeV-rD9K8LyF9SROYJovAeq2KRHeLjY62hf9MCxTTIgfeXfukIYwEPoFSmbP/s1600-h/BBBL.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389271914799685346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRhb3pJiWHQpsPwOKB0ehnDLhvQ5xQfbIsV1NQdL-wNoBhID6KFJC8MxDeqNsc4na39HcmKTIH7mDmzirEeV-rD9K8LyF9SROYJovAeq2KRHeLjY62hf9MCxTTIgfeXfukIYwEPoFSmbP/s320/BBBL.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Q1A0WvXT5hh1PMrl4zRnsVEIpcBa4B8FUh1HsyybpeeKyuRFU27E84qI5AFPF8g93aJVyxgnSjdpUCA1_ddzvvZ3H8HvknU2-W6Z4tnA7eCRboUC1UokV5MqN6JCcrTQV6ETNQfWINoy/s1600-h/BBBJ.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389271908502321314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Q1A0WvXT5hh1PMrl4zRnsVEIpcBa4B8FUh1HsyybpeeKyuRFU27E84qI5AFPF8g93aJVyxgnSjdpUCA1_ddzvvZ3H8HvknU2-W6Z4tnA7eCRboUC1UokV5MqN6JCcrTQV6ETNQfWINoy/s320/BBBJ.jpg" /></a><br />Some of the unique trees... this one's roots were exposed after erosion...<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuriinNjRmAB3EWcxD9FGhyphenhyphenQh707dqmdEX-3IRr5Lpno3txG6wEdtZu-aFOZty-5zg9PPxIBYGQPP7mVgpnnLGmDutQhPDkZau9Q5ApoZJcmz8ki-DBWYrKgTXhCpV2wgYlw2Kj1BlcOoU/s1600-h/BBBI.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389271901609716498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuriinNjRmAB3EWcxD9FGhyphenhyphenQh707dqmdEX-3IRr5Lpno3txG6wEdtZu-aFOZty-5zg9PPxIBYGQPP7mVgpnnLGmDutQhPDkZau9Q5ApoZJcmz8ki-DBWYrKgTXhCpV2wgYlw2Kj1BlcOoU/s320/BBBI.jpg" /></a><br />This tree is several thousands of years old... and "kills" off parts of itself when water & nutrients are scarce... very cool:<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfwe5QevUQZ-Pm1y1HungPr2XVGkmkL1UI5euyhEMOys6R0bFLQ6uEShb41YyV0SoO4Zdwg0JYaYu2gtJxoOOc-GYM3u0-4XEO2dL3zZYkeMwkmjjkX1vUL7hI6BPY7GFQZ-V3ZO9_tcE/s1600-h/BBBH.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389271898262313522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfwe5QevUQZ-Pm1y1HungPr2XVGkmkL1UI5euyhEMOys6R0bFLQ6uEShb41YyV0SoO4Zdwg0JYaYu2gtJxoOOc-GYM3u0-4XEO2dL3zZYkeMwkmjjkX1vUL7hI6BPY7GFQZ-V3ZO9_tcE/s320/BBBH.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The next day we hike into Bryce itself...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBKwRnxdb9b3T2M9kILuuMwJWrbaQk5-r1Dt3-dZJPOJMQoOKAVfwfoK7foHDL64kAZCCKSmBBY47EMZYcOdBQLhDGNr0u5Y6m5HdqarlhlzSawBR4owb_LSyPKWrzyDcXUi8CusNohB6/s1600-h/CCCA.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389291613121429618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBKwRnxdb9b3T2M9kILuuMwJWrbaQk5-r1Dt3-dZJPOJMQoOKAVfwfoK7foHDL64kAZCCKSmBBY47EMZYcOdBQLhDGNr0u5Y6m5HdqarlhlzSawBR4owb_LSyPKWrzyDcXUi8CusNohB6/s320/CCCA.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEStLHVfi_J3fuFkqTjfXtTbp-hXdpYhmb1B_MelpDzJJYTEwqepAAwO439QOmjPTxuiQbMFzHddS95qeqPpx2enwA4w1joHWSA_gDULnpWerFz-SU7bZeiqxhC8DdtimJhRHF3Gilhtg/s1600-h/CCCE.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389291606412881346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEStLHVfi_J3fuFkqTjfXtTbp-hXdpYhmb1B_MelpDzJJYTEwqepAAwO439QOmjPTxuiQbMFzHddS95qeqPpx2enwA4w1joHWSA_gDULnpWerFz-SU7bZeiqxhC8DdtimJhRHF3Gilhtg/s320/CCCE.jpg" /></a><br />Little tree... long roots...<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-CWgikiDCHzx8qv1suZd24cQBHl8fTaZnQq0MCFjJxJK-UU-lUhhEh8ZiF7hqgtjQXW1m4qSGhlrAF5B9wSpjFPX5MY7aYYJtPJzeP0Za0AsQuRMgMaJCepMBV0mH4JWbxNKEvguZf95/s1600-h/CCCH.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389291601546586306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-CWgikiDCHzx8qv1suZd24cQBHl8fTaZnQq0MCFjJxJK-UU-lUhhEh8ZiF7hqgtjQXW1m4qSGhlrAF5B9wSpjFPX5MY7aYYJtPJzeP0Za0AsQuRMgMaJCepMBV0mH4JWbxNKEvguZf95/s320/CCCH.jpg" /></a><br />Very red rocks, very blue sky...<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoVOgpFm3JYHOg5y8GDJJbf8OBZmOGEEgvpOiN7KgJYeTRbC_RYn3yf2mRAuLw32w7EeoUc7o9s0bGtKbmnkEoWM1kjmbHp2vujqc8WIuCmpbi25giEwHaSn5SKfm4XdCpeBkKR-y-eOD/s1600-h/CCCJ.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389291594438240914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoVOgpFm3JYHOg5y8GDJJbf8OBZmOGEEgvpOiN7KgJYeTRbC_RYn3yf2mRAuLw32w7EeoUc7o9s0bGtKbmnkEoWM1kjmbHp2vujqc8WIuCmpbi25giEwHaSn5SKfm4XdCpeBkKR-y-eOD/s320/CCCJ.jpg" /></a><br />Heading down down down...<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxbOG_f3UcWmD1Xd0oOyWLLCiEILS1qZZNY1vO1M0nKSGrmbeHy8-09o0FLpCRb74HzhKIEW7oH92AWcs_i0NINL4YbgC9G4hS5InmOpex03OVr6KGl1H2X60QlcH87Dfnk939AZKhBh2/s1600-h/CCCM.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389291590578568690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxbOG_f3UcWmD1Xd0oOyWLLCiEILS1qZZNY1vO1M0nKSGrmbeHy8-09o0FLpCRb74HzhKIEW7oH92AWcs_i0NINL4YbgC9G4hS5InmOpex03OVr6KGl1H2X60QlcH87Dfnk939AZKhBh2/s320/CCCM.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwZW-P0jPdkUvwwla986Nva-OpqZjKvR1MBmuce20Xf_q4OYwjSKRHN7VNKlYarIacZZgHwHpUv-AXMB2hy1Gca5ZAB_gmhXnn6AaywLR3eW8SdY8LBptauZV7LjJQSfZYbxei0zEPDLs/s1600-h/CCCN.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389293948606267106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwZW-P0jPdkUvwwla986Nva-OpqZjKvR1MBmuce20Xf_q4OYwjSKRHN7VNKlYarIacZZgHwHpUv-AXMB2hy1Gca5ZAB_gmhXnn6AaywLR3eW8SdY8LBptauZV7LjJQSfZYbxei0zEPDLs/s320/CCCN.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHEe1ZZlVdanePmvzv1ziao67yyghZU4_mP3aJLgCnbYLGBkTyY2-5biNrw3YKLfeLY0Etu7UxYm_CqocVMyXgzBULFrbG1PYmAzU5xTpCtW-tymGZ_TM4xhCTygdVd3BJ81w2vTg68yZ/s1600-h/CCCP.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389293942108480802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHEe1ZZlVdanePmvzv1ziao67yyghZU4_mP3aJLgCnbYLGBkTyY2-5biNrw3YKLfeLY0Etu7UxYm_CqocVMyXgzBULFrbG1PYmAzU5xTpCtW-tymGZ_TM4xhCTygdVd3BJ81w2vTg68yZ/s320/CCCP.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFplUBvhjBYAjpTLiqcuBOgXyL-AeLUuKh0mXDEQOIbOE_KB3ZMIrxDy5Jf6uj4XDH0DyW738WnPa3QusBILgsRdePp3j1ZpqL7UUhQXz84bj-5eRS0di3Kb38eRDQpc_5-zTg145P0o0j/s1600-h/CCCR.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389293933653195954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFplUBvhjBYAjpTLiqcuBOgXyL-AeLUuKh0mXDEQOIbOE_KB3ZMIrxDy5Jf6uj4XDH0DyW738WnPa3QusBILgsRdePp3j1ZpqL7UUhQXz84bj-5eRS0di3Kb38eRDQpc_5-zTg145P0o0j/s320/CCCR.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7VcTTjMTAZDrD0i300KIDcdGuamMbg8lM4PZJ5jci1Wwar5e93M4-vMjU8LwBVHR7tGEwAf3sfRjbT8kIF-eFlH9QIp6MEUiFB5V_RXCSGcqG2wL29VVbvQN6dbOFvv-AAoTY4o19P9z/s1600-h/CCCS.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389293924426987298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7VcTTjMTAZDrD0i300KIDcdGuamMbg8lM4PZJ5jci1Wwar5e93M4-vMjU8LwBVHR7tGEwAf3sfRjbT8kIF-eFlH9QIp6MEUiFB5V_RXCSGcqG2wL29VVbvQN6dbOFvv-AAoTY4o19P9z/s320/CCCS.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Luv6rXU-VLQu3wSmCI1kNIoH9TdyILY0ocyLVmrOCu7kvIdp7jEZ31GGxQZAFRKP2Wtj_TyevZTQBuO05XI5hnu1lQLTcyFcZdYgXjClAO_dxIDlGP7alVpM5qctCwaEL44u1Nh3kZXH/s1600-h/CCCT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389293922508485330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Luv6rXU-VLQu3wSmCI1kNIoH9TdyILY0ocyLVmrOCu7kvIdp7jEZ31GGxQZAFRKP2Wtj_TyevZTQBuO05XI5hnu1lQLTcyFcZdYgXjClAO_dxIDlGP7alVpM5qctCwaEL44u1Nh3kZXH/s320/CCCT.jpg" /></a><br />And then back up to the top ridge again: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEsksQVEPvgfvqsmGjPt0gB4227B4fEci8l-3LGSZ-5kwQF6feZd_6LIXEqEjBCR7BEYUrL9G_C6uRRe4Va2AyVdp4G4qV0b5KCicEMxfzxxM5kOYotrbG8Hb8NjNzXTDJmj2Mc_9nc9Bx/s1600-h/CCCU.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEsksQVEPvgfvqsmGjPt0gB4227B4fEci8l-3LGSZ-5kwQF6feZd_6LIXEqEjBCR7BEYUrL9G_C6uRRe4Va2AyVdp4G4qV0b5KCicEMxfzxxM5kOYotrbG8Hb8NjNzXTDJmj2Mc_9nc9Bx/s320/CCCU.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389295273248263394" /></a><br />Little me, big canyon: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2OaBKCprcgHHnqtnScVX27rcLDMhQ-PXbxea8pnWYBsQkljR1HBqWcFl6vAmNW-JnHjsM6I4LAsIEhGnPXUadYN_DfCxCSEK0crezQQauyAFQGBbMFcx3qHJQf4kjF61g1TTpVLG_jAH/s1600-h/CCCW.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2OaBKCprcgHHnqtnScVX27rcLDMhQ-PXbxea8pnWYBsQkljR1HBqWcFl6vAmNW-JnHjsM6I4LAsIEhGnPXUadYN_DfCxCSEK0crezQQauyAFQGBbMFcx3qHJQf4kjF61g1TTpVLG_jAH/s320/CCCW.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389295276234798834" /></a><br />Windows in the rocks...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyJBXHyE4ncqYnDaYsllHtaLrtMm1bDzy4YEX2ynPAnAB5VHQ1IS68IwiPG7j-VIrcaMXsPGbniscoSniyJHG2_DZqKMjsjnr6Rvi0zQNNicKCgoxEVdLB9QMrwPr-qw7qlIeiNbxSxSO/s1600-h/CCCW.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyJBXHyE4ncqYnDaYsllHtaLrtMm1bDzy4YEX2ynPAnAB5VHQ1IS68IwiPG7j-VIrcaMXsPGbniscoSniyJHG2_DZqKMjsjnr6Rvi0zQNNicKCgoxEVdLB9QMrwPr-qw7qlIeiNbxSxSO/s320/CCCW.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389587110272051794" /></a><br />I love the trees here...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsYSzh__lurMP6x05fO3zk4KSTsuqwEVob9RSazZ3Y9vX6lEZx7-kM6YmFsrdU5dFTCEmNKEEcmTA9qU8jEBpU5lKC5vIxADh3XcD3z5fwUL-tH60o3-v6HvP0ptElhjvfpiCRW_OZip7/s1600-h/CCCY.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsYSzh__lurMP6x05fO3zk4KSTsuqwEVob9RSazZ3Y9vX6lEZx7-kM6YmFsrdU5dFTCEmNKEEcmTA9qU8jEBpU5lKC5vIxADh3XcD3z5fwUL-tH60o3-v6HvP0ptElhjvfpiCRW_OZip7/s320/CCCY.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389587096115973890" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3fELF2m6Bk6QAArOTSrVZGZnL4dZ3uek4TWwlRNPriQCdIuakrNBk1l2JuJr_41MjVhcIDTNRVNMpwbDz8_-M-fLCG5OHKxGRjr6jm9CfmHyxnlzumOz7pjZzaespzC-jyVbtPjqhqT4/s1600-h/CCCYY.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3fELF2m6Bk6QAArOTSrVZGZnL4dZ3uek4TWwlRNPriQCdIuakrNBk1l2JuJr_41MjVhcIDTNRVNMpwbDz8_-M-fLCG5OHKxGRjr6jm9CfmHyxnlzumOz7pjZzaespzC-jyVbtPjqhqT4/s320/CCCYY.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389587086945777106" /></a><br />Littler me, bigger canyon...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuRWiThFsYqTHe-LDZR2LWIO7xjIsFlny_ZSTBO4CknxbshGE-9uz-cOFQCceGqMlNmM7Tc6A1pfD-0BNmnNkoXcxJo6Mmwt5iDTpUHt11LIiYZp807g9PoS2Jzypwcfm4PDYBHPK16e_/s1600-h/CCCZ.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuRWiThFsYqTHe-LDZR2LWIO7xjIsFlny_ZSTBO4CknxbshGE-9uz-cOFQCceGqMlNmM7Tc6A1pfD-0BNmnNkoXcxJo6Mmwt5iDTpUHt11LIiYZp807g9PoS2Jzypwcfm4PDYBHPK16e_/s320/CCCZ.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389587081142483426" /></a><br />Back up to the top rim, saying goodbye to Bryce...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmalSw76DtO8LZ-kWwD2nZ1r4xWrhpq_q5AhQbBEkKbYy3a3oKU7VJikNIwY2Wpla221rnMPspI4KLo6b4V-1T4KyNGAauov9WF1b6lIGhFHH1Y4JaoZFpU14_Z2gphJL5Lk1M6Mb9EmA-/s1600-h/CCCZZ.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmalSw76DtO8LZ-kWwD2nZ1r4xWrhpq_q5AhQbBEkKbYy3a3oKU7VJikNIwY2Wpla221rnMPspI4KLo6b4V-1T4KyNGAauov9WF1b6lIGhFHH1Y4JaoZFpU14_Z2gphJL5Lk1M6Mb9EmA-/s320/CCCZZ.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389589022293421410" /></a><br />One last arch, and then we leave for the ride to Zion.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVUpIwePbrtfbNCP6L_E6-5wLq0rIANCPHETApvMIiP8CMiqHT3QnAOnv9B1QKWB5W8xBEOT-w4QOuTGngxwq4Ejl7RHE5uZwfFqjSFlEXRGev9hRbQN3ENvar1DLzzd8qSEMMrTJfjTN/s1600-h/DDDA.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVUpIwePbrtfbNCP6L_E6-5wLq0rIANCPHETApvMIiP8CMiqHT3QnAOnv9B1QKWB5W8xBEOT-w4QOuTGngxwq4Ejl7RHE5uZwfFqjSFlEXRGev9hRbQN3ENvar1DLzzd8qSEMMrTJfjTN/s320/DDDA.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389589016885736850" /></a><br /><br />Biking through Red Rock Canyon, on our way to Zion:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesjxzHP2MAnY0RSrQxFKcHfu-DwuC2Cn73DPB6cgES6HfuLeukbdhl6lkHAe4GKEiVaGlBtPoQJLsfIELb5TvAdbdsDxxRz48oCB2uRqRLYxCANiBVdaoSo-4Q2vAJ32SlwzUiam6sV0G/s1600-h/DDDB.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesjxzHP2MAnY0RSrQxFKcHfu-DwuC2Cn73DPB6cgES6HfuLeukbdhl6lkHAe4GKEiVaGlBtPoQJLsfIELb5TvAdbdsDxxRz48oCB2uRqRLYxCANiBVdaoSo-4Q2vAJ32SlwzUiam6sV0G/s320/DDDB.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389589010673006930" /></a><br /><br />Our ride into Zion, we see the first glimpse of the Court of the Patriarchs... the three mounts known as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJy5xfQK83O8mx4hSXXoonNGjqZdbu6cmD0_1H_kZF9ZQtyPjGjumDlZuKLkgWJYW8L4SyO2Mk-WQBmmmnplAzjyZ-eUuu_Aj6edW-deeUpj3K7fz5cZGvCeewr0igMbUllrz2poFVFIJZ/s1600-h/DDDD.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJy5xfQK83O8mx4hSXXoonNGjqZdbu6cmD0_1H_kZF9ZQtyPjGjumDlZuKLkgWJYW8L4SyO2Mk-WQBmmmnplAzjyZ-eUuu_Aj6edW-deeUpj3K7fz5cZGvCeewr0igMbUllrz2poFVFIJZ/s320/DDDD.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389589001291153986" /></a><br />Our first little hike in Zion...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYCo_4AqnMoZih9h8Pbb_fsjCF9M3z0xEzif2CKbp7aCD1MuVBCBgAR07m7g1Q2V8GsyUJ72V4Ga1C_HI6jsSSJjJ4opNz-0Vb8qkSS4DP4LnqEEw6DlF9K6i2KUjrD-9tG0nOeeHtZJT/s1600-h/DDDEE.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYCo_4AqnMoZih9h8Pbb_fsjCF9M3z0xEzif2CKbp7aCD1MuVBCBgAR07m7g1Q2V8GsyUJ72V4Ga1C_HI6jsSSJjJ4opNz-0Vb8qkSS4DP4LnqEEw6DlF9K6i2KUjrD-9tG0nOeeHtZJT/s320/DDDEE.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389590735389968130" /></a><br />Through caves... beautiful stuff:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXHi0mvgScs6E8RTmuZFfQU_r2rQ8kaquNfd2Q1jQ0U1KFuJ_fA3OpmI1JpkSL1gtpS37b-42kolo2M8bmI5cWrvBqRjeVOgLiIstve16j9KvHgY4NqIS7C6Dzj2uPxcal2BxtXhztekz/s1600-h/DDDE.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXHi0mvgScs6E8RTmuZFfQU_r2rQ8kaquNfd2Q1jQ0U1KFuJ_fA3OpmI1JpkSL1gtpS37b-42kolo2M8bmI5cWrvBqRjeVOgLiIstve16j9KvHgY4NqIS7C6Dzj2uPxcal2BxtXhztekz/s320/DDDE.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389588998537270978" /></a><br />Our guide, Matty, leads the way towards Angel's Landing... that's the peak in front of us. Time to go UP!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwVzKEDoclwcI8ObC_vnwMplNjNZ-9cz1sqc-6V2wXntZmk29dyJzwCuKNC-usNcYo0yj4R9AfCkwIyy6CtayVWaSw2v-baayFTwQCz9qpV_cATgKyJuk9oR7ZuIBQZsDhkyCX9YD98Ab/s1600-h/DDDF.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwVzKEDoclwcI8ObC_vnwMplNjNZ-9cz1sqc-6V2wXntZmk29dyJzwCuKNC-usNcYo0yj4R9AfCkwIyy6CtayVWaSw2v-baayFTwQCz9qpV_cATgKyJuk9oR7ZuIBQZsDhkyCX9YD98Ab/s320/DDDF.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389590725692528162" /></a><br />About half way up, a gorgeous view:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyGWwUMunkELGa-QdNIY7h2EcAAY8bPmUI2VCx2LJw5KS6S_i_XauGJVJSmh5Ndj5Mj9M3e9G14FieYimgNK4Yv0JYgedXgR5D067jG65VAFQ3UCVQjU3uA7dNvxQ7g8l8T3buWNkdFba/s1600-h/DDDG.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyGWwUMunkELGa-QdNIY7h2EcAAY8bPmUI2VCx2LJw5KS6S_i_XauGJVJSmh5Ndj5Mj9M3e9G14FieYimgNK4Yv0JYgedXgR5D067jG65VAFQ3UCVQjU3uA7dNvxQ7g8l8T3buWNkdFba/s320/DDDG.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389590721383830178" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgBrWcoKyt5-3idoA75JUIrvXuVjlwUbIlQdOQfK8rIlM5ePxPQr5ta12QLAc85s6HU41nu4RB5IaxeIMWeNMWYaAI1Aesljzm3xb4lKGyfNwNjWHqSXe470hI6KZhcrR5XI-GR3ksPm8/s1600-h/DDDGG.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgBrWcoKyt5-3idoA75JUIrvXuVjlwUbIlQdOQfK8rIlM5ePxPQr5ta12QLAc85s6HU41nu4RB5IaxeIMWeNMWYaAI1Aesljzm3xb4lKGyfNwNjWHqSXe470hI6KZhcrR5XI-GR3ksPm8/s320/DDDGG.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389590716618296562" /></a><br />Matty picks up a hitchiker that rides all the way up to the peak:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiDJK6ghrDwvRRQdbW9cHn43A_ZdzdWRVItHvtUxmdfDHKpxxzJwNQHUN44BPBlPDwgLj9F0UcuXpgIHELy6Q6w58r-dQq76A7FS0uQS-FOhqNe4Ihbb-c-yRr_8qI_uyPR2gnso_xHGo/s1600-h/DDDH.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiDJK6ghrDwvRRQdbW9cHn43A_ZdzdWRVItHvtUxmdfDHKpxxzJwNQHUN44BPBlPDwgLj9F0UcuXpgIHELy6Q6w58r-dQq76A7FS0uQS-FOhqNe4Ihbb-c-yRr_8qI_uyPR2gnso_xHGo/s320/DDDH.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389590707535424674" /></a><br />We made it!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwFaBCmyhiaAfXCT5sQuJGO8f6hYDTIVjg2h-3qffpcgDQROK50BKvaik6pqW-pRBkhriUNS5uAid2e7YRYSfhL_7V5LcWdPEYPGuSMERq9ngBeHDHamsb3ywJq59TDFznexG6hyphenhyphen0FsCH/s1600-h/DDDJ.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwFaBCmyhiaAfXCT5sQuJGO8f6hYDTIVjg2h-3qffpcgDQROK50BKvaik6pqW-pRBkhriUNS5uAid2e7YRYSfhL_7V5LcWdPEYPGuSMERq9ngBeHDHamsb3ywJq59TDFznexG6hyphenhyphen0FsCH/s320/DDDJ.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389592062830830498" /></a><br />Well.. almost. Technically that over there is the top. But do you see that skinny part? I'm totally NOT hiking over THAT:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJDd53dyymzGXsBq1kWEUy8AQXIKnfYKykq0oqCu4SGYGwnDIN937yek5D3tGsava88bGyLDCpkESETk2GvfAfVbZK548BxDzrssqpalTthXlP7ebMjtgmlnhvBoLsTra_WCNTCQMpTdvs/s1600-h/DDDJJ.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJDd53dyymzGXsBq1kWEUy8AQXIKnfYKykq0oqCu4SGYGwnDIN937yek5D3tGsava88bGyLDCpkESETk2GvfAfVbZK548BxDzrssqpalTthXlP7ebMjtgmlnhvBoLsTra_WCNTCQMpTdvs/s320/DDDJJ.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389592057999828162" /></a><br />Our guides, Michael and Matty (and the hitchiker) surprise us with ice cream at the top! How cool is that?!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pGc2wPl3poUnX5U5XEcYSgyiPsXm9wrvwo9fQCPPqh-NNplacuuMF3j_VCjm-CZx0bnOnuews2905LdPfxCPU-R7n-ZEvUtIFrmyGOL63AUK3Zp-uP8M1xrrfMuiiy0dha4togGnw4bn/s1600-h/DDDK.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pGc2wPl3poUnX5U5XEcYSgyiPsXm9wrvwo9fQCPPqh-NNplacuuMF3j_VCjm-CZx0bnOnuews2905LdPfxCPU-R7n-ZEvUtIFrmyGOL63AUK3Zp-uP8M1xrrfMuiiy0dha4togGnw4bn/s320/DDDK.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389595024008214482" /></a><br />What goes up, must go down...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLGzg-AWyQZSswlhpKDqbxs3DBWaA9Am_56qe34_yaS4v7CCOJd-BK58_UomjLIJW_jJ5o97VyzOsl2USV8AmH-TV8g21XbdCNnWB25VEjC7FpSEkaxfw0O4AcovM2cn2b5FxdeiCTRue/s1600-h/DDDO.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLGzg-AWyQZSswlhpKDqbxs3DBWaA9Am_56qe34_yaS4v7CCOJd-BK58_UomjLIJW_jJ5o97VyzOsl2USV8AmH-TV8g21XbdCNnWB25VEjC7FpSEkaxfw0O4AcovM2cn2b5FxdeiCTRue/s320/DDDO.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389592050172376850" /></a><br />and down, down, down, down...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH16wGw6EafhsCETkA6fFfBg7dxZcMjfGcxkjsby8he1LXUwn_vX13VCUe56i_mA7aYBQHX0VG202CVD6_s0sLQxMt1mztOByXh5uBcHhTHpoqtPLl0lRRGLMi12GFTHzk4dgDT1x2izMJ/s1600-h/DDDX.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH16wGw6EafhsCETkA6fFfBg7dxZcMjfGcxkjsby8he1LXUwn_vX13VCUe56i_mA7aYBQHX0VG202CVD6_s0sLQxMt1mztOByXh5uBcHhTHpoqtPLl0lRRGLMi12GFTHzk4dgDT1x2izMJ/s320/DDDX.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389592040065376994" /></a><br />The next morning we headed for the Narrows hike. Rented special boots so we could hike through the water. The air is about 60 degrees, and the water is about 55...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJy9YX-z7ktZC9OJ15CvZpOONHszlG-tZ-XTZfdx4eOG-La5Z471aEhPhVoszOr1l-D_1TClT2JiQic8ptnwshGHOarV3IeoDP3n6iE-f0-RHiAozqbd7dGapDohUv4No6G01SE7IJgCE/s1600-h/EEEA.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJy9YX-z7ktZC9OJ15CvZpOONHszlG-tZ-XTZfdx4eOG-La5Z471aEhPhVoszOr1l-D_1TClT2JiQic8ptnwshGHOarV3IeoDP3n6iE-f0-RHiAozqbd7dGapDohUv4No6G01SE7IJgCE/s320/EEEA.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389592031608039858" /></a><br />...and that gets REALLY cold when it's this deep!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSSbXvinnOrF4jRUk9AeaglgShn9PonV1ZUU592LwXvwrXtTyWGgagr-r5O8hvpf4P5ooc4RdommcWrqoerzahZlzBPEL0QRc-c1tzuZxiuKZqBe8VwHi9Sa95L73TA4wi8TDUVryQChf/s1600-h/EEEB.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSSbXvinnOrF4jRUk9AeaglgShn9PonV1ZUU592LwXvwrXtTyWGgagr-r5O8hvpf4P5ooc4RdommcWrqoerzahZlzBPEL0QRc-c1tzuZxiuKZqBe8VwHi9Sa95L73TA4wi8TDUVryQChf/s320/EEEB.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389595014267144114" /></a><br />A waterfall. Not sure what we're celebrating exactly... but um, YAY!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsLbuG7wr5b-sScRNAEJjRnA61ifCKO3OBUQnaFTg6eyPuD7cRWbL93c8ffPoodvfXT25mYkso08L4-NQmiuVocQ2HVZuh9KyWJEELq5Es94yxqo1B2Z9ai5X3dx6_-YeHJiKd6R4U5jH/s1600-h/EEEE.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsLbuG7wr5b-sScRNAEJjRnA61ifCKO3OBUQnaFTg6eyPuD7cRWbL93c8ffPoodvfXT25mYkso08L4-NQmiuVocQ2HVZuh9KyWJEELq5Es94yxqo1B2Z9ai5X3dx6_-YeHJiKd6R4U5jH/s320/EEEE.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389595011026299698" /></a><br />Trying to warm up in the sun before it ducks behind the walls of the canyon:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzWKf7pFf-ITbklzmvrD3bvdQBAELliZTEXsidaCGQTSkKb-RxTqyN5ws29AKYy2xZjK0v_ffGSYp_1WrKUCpCBABYjUtTnoflZgSDobZWMLK9mXE4rCM9MmD6tpmVUgMWIwJcD4vPahyphenhyphen/s1600-h/EEEF.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzWKf7pFf-ITbklzmvrD3bvdQBAELliZTEXsidaCGQTSkKb-RxTqyN5ws29AKYy2xZjK0v_ffGSYp_1WrKUCpCBABYjUtTnoflZgSDobZWMLK9mXE4rCM9MmD6tpmVUgMWIwJcD4vPahyphenhyphen/s320/EEEF.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389595003238088418" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjne4MLw975NBbLxM-uBldjpzZWBarRDr_FVolQQ57QLnOioGILJtatetTX8-6dS9DYImGLyFJ7z4wPp3E59TuqdSLpm6uSpqILj_gP_4R02jE-F2ZVebebAv20uM60ZjFqHNeCAb_NJaNZ/s1600-h/EEEH.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjne4MLw975NBbLxM-uBldjpzZWBarRDr_FVolQQ57QLnOioGILJtatetTX8-6dS9DYImGLyFJ7z4wPp3E59TuqdSLpm6uSpqILj_gP_4R02jE-F2ZVebebAv20uM60ZjFqHNeCAb_NJaNZ/s320/EEEH.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389594994629640082" /></a><br />We hike deeper and deeper into the Narrows. I try to keep a person in the photo so you can see the scale... can you spot the peoples?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZkIndG-MpeAxtau6zf6c_YuH2MOO1hWTZwQ6U8O7ejAE9CLna-W5HEA3uu_X5P0qhwOwzQ08IWhQi6d3_qj-LhOwf5aYA1GsA4C9e7L3HuMOJTCt6lwe_r-9o_j3RceW652eEumaryW4/s1600-h/EEEJ.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZkIndG-MpeAxtau6zf6c_YuH2MOO1hWTZwQ6U8O7ejAE9CLna-W5HEA3uu_X5P0qhwOwzQ08IWhQi6d3_qj-LhOwf5aYA1GsA4C9e7L3HuMOJTCt6lwe_r-9o_j3RceW652eEumaryW4/s320/EEEJ.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389596534166336178" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmpwUuBfR80PuV5YcAb_-0s9qpeOIuBOCcuGAn9al5SwhCuWwTwF0fzTJryaqDc2PFfW6o4oNr4ygx50JyezchFAgVYrjQzSZFvRS2shDgTyKdUzYdgTjZVG8iorq9tosXFmxs6XE70sp/s1600-h/EEEK.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmpwUuBfR80PuV5YcAb_-0s9qpeOIuBOCcuGAn9al5SwhCuWwTwF0fzTJryaqDc2PFfW6o4oNr4ygx50JyezchFAgVYrjQzSZFvRS2shDgTyKdUzYdgTjZVG8iorq9tosXFmxs6XE70sp/s320/EEEK.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389596526846326850" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcidxmxyVSpb9L_5tnQfJJaEgHeQddVXjB138U9DnkdMDh51FN4351PKoiFgz7BK9Kizln4fO9h9GiogiEPwzC4mYio_X-chntbY8JFA8I39XsekpthDP-cRUl4MPWemGzu7uImQNxLsx/s1600-h/EEEL.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcidxmxyVSpb9L_5tnQfJJaEgHeQddVXjB138U9DnkdMDh51FN4351PKoiFgz7BK9Kizln4fO9h9GiogiEPwzC4mYio_X-chntbY8JFA8I39XsekpthDP-cRUl4MPWemGzu7uImQNxLsx/s320/EEEL.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389596518571370882" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzn0js2iLLDK_R22v6nZrCw8O0fNcW8rv6ylYG0bhDxAWY2MZWY1YJkG9e5FxBuFcJzUW7ffV93nDZSxCWF_KRPrlegqoYmVHRtWYq1phCmpZd3iTSAhsc70jBWDyJwnaxYSMvREyX5F_/s1600-h/EEEM.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzn0js2iLLDK_R22v6nZrCw8O0fNcW8rv6ylYG0bhDxAWY2MZWY1YJkG9e5FxBuFcJzUW7ffV93nDZSxCWF_KRPrlegqoYmVHRtWYq1phCmpZd3iTSAhsc70jBWDyJwnaxYSMvREyX5F_/s320/EEEM.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389596514242975362" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigi36ah_f6wbLwYdFJG_GkVVHuS_jOLaEWwy90FJAvlDX_4lJJAFZfzPUwW8B8Mxi3PbFKGG7ioWllpIJq0ZwvlgGoQ-ecWMNmoqdesc9rlRxNqqNd_dhrHnkmuY_WRH4xpgwS0hBGVb_Q/s1600-h/EEEO.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigi36ah_f6wbLwYdFJG_GkVVHuS_jOLaEWwy90FJAvlDX_4lJJAFZfzPUwW8B8Mxi3PbFKGG7ioWllpIJq0ZwvlgGoQ-ecWMNmoqdesc9rlRxNqqNd_dhrHnkmuY_WRH4xpgwS0hBGVb_Q/s320/EEEO.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389596511256480370" /></a><br />We leave the Narrows and head back towards St. George. On the way, we have a gorgeous bike ride through the countryside:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nN0CxS288Gf-sUo1RyEK0MRC53kvqFg24VY35i0xQ0Rgnfb8PmWZk2oIh7crj3jxFY6d-IEWCcW6QS8w4I-oqzHYxCCRTokXzAmR-d8ZupYW3TPr_QmUi4ILNUBaIrVJVK19SF_tEaAv/s1600-h/GGGFF.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nN0CxS288Gf-sUo1RyEK0MRC53kvqFg24VY35i0xQ0Rgnfb8PmWZk2oIh7crj3jxFY6d-IEWCcW6QS8w4I-oqzHYxCCRTokXzAmR-d8ZupYW3TPr_QmUi4ILNUBaIrVJVK19SF_tEaAv/s320/GGGFF.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389597737404819986" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCuaAErxt8xMyRpcjdTSFPHaYPT0cqz0Tkve77I4tZvlldmdkYElfdRN1zIsIqjTBeZ0skmGdZigGfPSCs-33yZIv-tGLxAjJZL82xy9StX0a3ralYwnv5PlgPT0Sg1qn_5P6gspIQB_G/s1600-h/GGGE.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCuaAErxt8xMyRpcjdTSFPHaYPT0cqz0Tkve77I4tZvlldmdkYElfdRN1zIsIqjTBeZ0skmGdZigGfPSCs-33yZIv-tGLxAjJZL82xy9StX0a3ralYwnv5PlgPT0Sg1qn_5P6gspIQB_G/s320/GGGE.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389597730619754994" /></a><br />moo....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WxdXqnNbRP703Q24-jOloEzi93xCsoxWxTdGlbX8tMTZhhaqiqlgkv5n2QNIz9KALey9sXsMe28IfkAxXnkIhi3iOJ3XTW8ecWgp0JOHKukWHJczSsFaOUdxEc7Ncl00kVEK6Rspkurm/s1600-h/GGGF.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WxdXqnNbRP703Q24-jOloEzi93xCsoxWxTdGlbX8tMTZhhaqiqlgkv5n2QNIz9KALey9sXsMe28IfkAxXnkIhi3iOJ3XTW8ecWgp0JOHKukWHJczSsFaOUdxEc7Ncl00kVEK6Rspkurm/s320/GGGF.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389597724662680114" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOksPZNfHEfxYzFAKcJ0BOTsja-kaxtEpdJXUYxREaufkLBzZ18WwlfM-mYYotBV2QsPTKTwvVj6zvBe_wQuJUeTysHX9VOhIxOuQ9yyVnJi81JvwcXWEkw5EzzJDtWFdHMyZEMtaXq_3D/s1600-h/GGGG.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOksPZNfHEfxYzFAKcJ0BOTsja-kaxtEpdJXUYxREaufkLBzZ18WwlfM-mYYotBV2QsPTKTwvVj6zvBe_wQuJUeTysHX9VOhIxOuQ9yyVnJi81JvwcXWEkw5EzzJDtWFdHMyZEMtaXq_3D/s320/GGGG.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389597716948775538" /></a><br />A pit stop in a cave on the way shows us some thousands-year-old petroglyphs painted on the walls:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06rs5aANKzGbtPe_w-CsdXT8m7t6A6qij59QgSygykpVg2HF-Zj6odZS5YQvGw_flnC46Tu1dehpJa5pBaBdW7vytK5NWTTXZu3Y1IoRUcPEZjNMzmBa0X9kymgXRIZu6FFzMQde8BJb3/s1600-h/GGGFFF.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06rs5aANKzGbtPe_w-CsdXT8m7t6A6qij59QgSygykpVg2HF-Zj6odZS5YQvGw_flnC46Tu1dehpJa5pBaBdW7vytK5NWTTXZu3Y1IoRUcPEZjNMzmBa0X9kymgXRIZu6FFzMQde8BJb3/s320/GGGFFF.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389597712026707570" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-vFZTCjMctnM_gRph_BNF5Pyy7pvWoS_8uIM0OE1We5zuM7c_nVu9bffw7XjhS_n1dmRHw71J7JQx8kwYlZl2C5i5y3dTJho02gtiJEz9Bq-7kWPPiHrNPYZKjpdTSxDc9mq2gi8e2kl/s1600-h/GGGFFFF.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-vFZTCjMctnM_gRph_BNF5Pyy7pvWoS_8uIM0OE1We5zuM7c_nVu9bffw7XjhS_n1dmRHw71J7JQx8kwYlZl2C5i5y3dTJho02gtiJEz9Bq-7kWPPiHrNPYZKjpdTSxDc9mq2gi8e2kl/s320/GGGFFFF.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389598675310128978" /></a><br />keep on rollin'<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm29p3ckgBqo65eUwle_smBi7QOqfTBSbeifhLjlwfNauKKnPsYraBSOwkTQS_HXOeRJY8wcszdSPNMRagDq-eOScs8dIiJP3aGQjeV6ZsAac-hIjPr2cyuqIOdt3PpAOqn7X3CJKBFfYr/s1600-h/GGGI.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm29p3ckgBqo65eUwle_smBi7QOqfTBSbeifhLjlwfNauKKnPsYraBSOwkTQS_HXOeRJY8wcszdSPNMRagDq-eOScs8dIiJP3aGQjeV6ZsAac-hIjPr2cyuqIOdt3PpAOqn7X3CJKBFfYr/s320/GGGI.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389598669506694402" /></a><br />one last goodbye to Michael and Matty... bye bye!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQyHScv9t_vXm9lfI8L8KitgheYDPMp377aejsnxe_X9fFEl0tXsYsL69ZVho0gig5Hc87h6pDigoAHZIZ7W9TJZGvJHmC_8eA7U5DQSjeQzWUnbQB7h_FgCakvi_t2rZGjy4nIm9SpTu/s1600-h/GGGA.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQyHScv9t_vXm9lfI8L8KitgheYDPMp377aejsnxe_X9fFEl0tXsYsL69ZVho0gig5Hc87h6pDigoAHZIZ7W9TJZGvJHmC_8eA7U5DQSjeQzWUnbQB7h_FgCakvi_t2rZGjy4nIm9SpTu/s320/GGGA.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389598662020447986" /></a><br />our van and bikes... spent some quality time in / on these things!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCEtJGfrjmWYwZLzMGZ9g9nEsf8F4R3LaT4OVuoKIThYV9xBNVeg61Bn_S52te6w40FAE9b1gT_JHoZvOisC0-vbCMsqSmR-Goi58CJPkXJG3nsRtfb4Y8BBsCqTYBNcK4jW7DnfEE_5p/s1600-h/GGGB.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCEtJGfrjmWYwZLzMGZ9g9nEsf8F4R3LaT4OVuoKIThYV9xBNVeg61Bn_S52te6w40FAE9b1gT_JHoZvOisC0-vbCMsqSmR-Goi58CJPkXJG3nsRtfb4Y8BBsCqTYBNcK4jW7DnfEE_5p/s320/GGGB.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389598652760123746" /></a><br />the flight back to NYC... we went right over the Grand Canyon:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLL9-BNM8suBQUGXSENhGFkHowU8B0a-LXQv44PblbpcDrSrIpsJUq3eDsi5V7RhLp0v4C6YEXFXoCFepr-7fHets7U0QD3-6sy-1tdgf6hduO7aY3e1_V5IcvCbXSBrtS1SWx1HdzPkn/s1600-h/HHHH.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLL9-BNM8suBQUGXSENhGFkHowU8B0a-LXQv44PblbpcDrSrIpsJUq3eDsi5V7RhLp0v4C6YEXFXoCFepr-7fHets7U0QD3-6sy-1tdgf6hduO7aY3e1_V5IcvCbXSBrtS1SWx1HdzPkn/s320/HHHH.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389598648952980802" /></a><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-50614241775267304582009-08-11T15:15:00.007-04:002009-08-11T20:40:05.337-04:00The best dating story yet....<br />I've told some of you about the thong guy ("Please wear a thong on our first date - otherwise it just reminds me of my grandmother." Best response to this comment: "Only if you wear one, too.") I've even told some of you about the wine slurper (if my 9 year old nephew isn't allowed to slurp, neither are you, Mr. 41-Years-Old-and-Should-Know-Better.) And there's always the "surprise" date (unrecognizable man meets you for a drink... only unrecognizable because his online photo was 15 years, 40 pounds, and 68% more hair ago.)<br /><br />But...I never expected a con artist.<br /><br />Cute picture, a wink, a few emails, he travels a lot for a living... (but hates doing it alone... how endearing!) I noticed he dodged a few personal questions, but hey, whatever. He also dodged a drink date, because he was out of town...on a contract job... in Nigeria.<br /><br />Hm. Nigeria.<br /><br />A few days later, he's worried because his credit cards don't work and he's getting strapped for cash. And gosh darn, wouldn't you know it... I seem like such a nice person, could I help him out by sending him a few bucks? "I'll return the cash as soon as I'm back in town, I promise... and if you want to sign an agreement, that's totally fine, too."<br /><br />Seriously?<br /><br />People fall for this?<br /><br />Dear ConnectMatthew at Match.com: "you want me to send money... to someone i've never met... in nigeria. you have *got* to be kidding. c'mon man... come up with something more creative. seriously."<br /><br />(my sister said that I should have responded "Oh dude, I'm in Nigeria too! I was going to ask you for money in a few weeks!" or "OMG I have a huge trust I can borrow from in emergencies... how much do you need???" (and then never respond again.))<br /><br />According to the interweb, sometimes they send flowers and gifts to their targets before asking them for money. My sister told me that only I would get the *cheap* con artist who didn't send anything before dropping the "i need money, honey" bomb.<br /><br />So I call the dating company to tell them that they have a Nigerian con artist on their site. To which they respond (after asking how I know he's a con artist): "You can block his profile."<br /><br /><strong>Me:</strong> Okay but his profile is no longer up.<br /><strong>Them:</strong> You can still block it.<br /><strong>Me:</strong> Okay... whatever. That's not the important part. What are you guys going to do about this?<br /><strong>Them:</strong> I'm going to file this report at the corporate office. For the record, you won't be receiving any further information about it.<br /><strong>Me:</strong> So, I'm not going to hear anything back?<br /><strong>Them:</strong> No, ma'am.<br /><strong>Me:</strong> So, you aren't going to shut down his account or anything?<br /><strong>Them:</strong> I'm filing a report with the corporate office.<br /><strong>Me:</strong> And what will they do?<br /><strong>Them:</strong> They'll look into it.<br /><strong>Me:</strong> (laugh) Okay... so, in reality, you're not actually going to <em>do</em> anything, are you?<br /><strong>Them:</strong> Sorry ma'am?<br /><strong>Me:</strong> (laugh again) Nevermind. Have a nice day.<br /><strong>Them:</strong> Thank you ma'am, you too. And thank you for subscri...<br /><strong>Me:</strong> (*click*)<br /><br />Apparently they borrow photos from other places to use on their profiles. So sorry to whoever this *really* is... but if you see this guy on any dating sites, and he's heading to Nigeria... you may wanna watch your wallet.... or at least ask for some flowers and gifts first...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBv7LrCx2usby7gnk5mZgnF0LVf_UV8mKZWszl9G6ir68Gn7Vs9cT1MJ3vzgZdY28MYLtJFeCWEDhvPAIixA7g4vPT-U_v437iBQP5lVXMUCR_9CtFN15_bR9V1fnG3JBljTTjaMtLsWE/s1600-h/matthew+palmer.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 80px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 100px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368792810217575106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBv7LrCx2usby7gnk5mZgnF0LVf_UV8mKZWszl9G6ir68Gn7Vs9cT1MJ3vzgZdY28MYLtJFeCWEDhvPAIixA7g4vPT-U_v437iBQP5lVXMUCR_9CtFN15_bR9V1fnG3JBljTTjaMtLsWE/s320/matthew+palmer.jpg" /></a>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-2125158549837310532009-07-22T13:19:00.003-04:002009-07-22T13:26:07.892-04:00Blisters and charities...An email conversation with my sister:<br /><br /><br /><strong>Sister:</strong> Blisters are evil. Skin shouldn't just bubble up and fall off. Poor design.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Me:</strong> ROFL<br /><br /><br /><strong>Sister:</strong> I'll talk to God about it next time I'm in church. But I'm beginning to think that's not the sort of thing he's working on.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Me:</strong> priorities are irrelevant to dieties. it's not like God has time management issues.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Sister:</strong> I'm afraid he might just say FINE! I'll just start all over! and poof. We'll all be gone.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Me:</strong> at least then we won't have blisters.<br /><br /><br /><br />In other news, I am running in a race! To raise moolah for breast cancer. This time it's a short race (only 5k, instead of the 39 mile insanity like last time.) So feel free to donate, or sign up and run with me! Click below:<a href="http://tinyurl.com/lacv69"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361336780022264962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 120px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77HsBB9MZ1I-EBUqRx5vo-xHZiw3AM-ezt2crkesBHqAplc0hqVRt0ePhN5tctbzcqcqF3G737X8P9lM7fm2nrxl8daNs7nca-Cn8M3YyE58xtTzrK6YMgh0fRQw1KgWl6w9db0RbZFIq/s320/breast+cancer+banner.gif" border="0" /></a>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-35599228198442362642009-07-15T11:40:00.004-04:002009-07-15T12:12:47.760-04:00Do you know anyone who.....<br />My jobs have been odd. I'll be the first to admit it. But that's okay, since radio / tv are full of very odd things, it sort of comes with the territory. The more odd it is, the more shocking it is, the more off-beat it is, then the more people will likely watch. So I thought I'd step back in time a little bit to reminisce about some of the strangest email requests I've gotten from some of my colleagues requesting help....<br /><strong><br />Subject: help!</strong><br />you guys know anyone who has been attacked by a shark? i'm putting a show together...<br /><br /><strong>Subject: Looking for guests</strong><br />Do you guys know an overweight woman dating a really skinny man? Or an obese man dating a really skinny woman? It's for next week. I'm desperate! So far, no one has been fat or skinny enough!!<br /><br /><strong>Subject: My boss has lost his mind...help!!!</strong><br />I'm not kidding. Today he asked me to find a married couple, with 2 kids (preferable a boy and a girl under the age of 6), living in a suburb, who are about to file for bankruptcy because of financial issues that started with them defaulting on their interest-only mortgage after one/both lost their jobs due to cutbacks. They have to be good looking, cute kids, not crazy people, within 50 miles of NYC, and able to stay home tomorrow for an all-day shoot at their house. And available to come into the studio on Friday for a live interview.<br /><br />Oh, and since I'm not going to be sleeping for the next 3 days while I do this, please have them be able to make good coffee too.<br /><br /><strong>Subject: Need guest: Free DNA testing!</strong><br />Looking for someone who has a baby, but isn't sure who the father is. We'll provide free DNA testing if they agree to come on the show and talk about it. (Oh, and we do this often, so if you know more than one person, let me know.) Would be good if at least the mom or possible dads were decent-looking, too.<br /><br /><strong>Subject: Looking for someone with Tourettes</strong><br />Need someone with really bad case of Tourettes to be a guest on the show on Tuesday to talk about their condition. Would be great if they could make noises on cue instead of randomly.<br /><em>(wow. that producer didnt' do much research on their topic, did they?)</em><br /><br /><strong>Subject: Snakes?</strong><br /><div>Doing a segment on using hypnosis to cure phobias. Need 50 snakes, prefer non-venomous kind. Anyone have a lead for me?</div><br /><div></div><strong>Subject: Vegetarian foods that look like meat</strong><br />Producing a segment for this weekend on vegetarian foods that look like meat. Like Tofurkey. Do you know a chef or someone who can work with this? Need them to style their own food, too. (Can't hire a food stylist, so they have to make it look good...and tofurkey looks weird enough already. I Googled it.)<br /><br /><p align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358719879218471490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 163px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtXxeq69rG2KcW7EIhiitFqEtlpBBBfCwZV3_Gm1ixfU4XeFi9E6oq1g1cAiBN2EQTzd2AsfyKiz2kAEIjlLS-ouC2xJuXAajanGtx0htNu1zyVsiA243z6zxz4fZecFc645mBAtQHtS98/s320/tofurkey.bmp" border="0" /></p>.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-6065827276668146922009-07-10T16:59:00.006-04:002009-07-10T17:10:37.812-04:00Photo Class - my final portfolioThese were the photos that I submitted as my final project for my photo class<br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356939422086742370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzWdCCNjFXrX3Z1A2ueJu6YSpMKo0DKOumOqg3a9Dw2AQRkToUfzlxl8aRUYlfPvlpA5XJEUZhThwbrhswkzTQQJikISgVbMFvewMqV2DECrjJp0P6o14C-dTcQxt7QrugRTPDfcaKsus/s320/IMG_4272sm.jpg" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyeWTtYU8AitnAgE3qf8gxYRPWp2RYQCZhH0H-6q6X_64VgcIXy0klQ02_8MKUQbiL8ziZuDFiXN0Suq8X7BHRctc0nxgEqnzYZq3V10ND3H0adb0vMbRN6hgfCTghBxTXTsezFF_vRSlV/s1600-h/IMG_4243sm.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356939431036093490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyeWTtYU8AitnAgE3qf8gxYRPWp2RYQCZhH0H-6q6X_64VgcIXy0klQ02_8MKUQbiL8ziZuDFiXN0Suq8X7BHRctc0nxgEqnzYZq3V10ND3H0adb0vMbRN6hgfCTghBxTXTsezFF_vRSlV/s320/IMG_4243sm.jpg" /></a> <div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPwhHJAF9dZpeB0QMSaAyJKyuivJS_-EgNK8amT0F4XnQCyaAzzf2yRF1M6wbljS_vw94BNscT7E15PA43oiv-VkWYNu69oUjm30AuJ6dxjmESmahcWjwy_39obBTJd1K49rIGX96ZjIi/s1600-h/IMG_4196sm.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356939434783102370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPwhHJAF9dZpeB0QMSaAyJKyuivJS_-EgNK8amT0F4XnQCyaAzzf2yRF1M6wbljS_vw94BNscT7E15PA43oiv-VkWYNu69oUjm30AuJ6dxjmESmahcWjwy_39obBTJd1K49rIGX96ZjIi/s320/IMG_4196sm.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFMTLwvht9psXJfAhBOlgrHUv0_SWB0YPzwbQYyPIpFvCqu_ZF4jXB-UX_VDFBSS7cZhzqpKUn_Hn62W9jNP97Y3qfQxj_koWYnAXzTxX0AdkTqK3c36hWT8ri4j_4Rlsp7mEXS6EVaBN/s1600-h/IMG_4274sm.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356939438410241762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFMTLwvht9psXJfAhBOlgrHUv0_SWB0YPzwbQYyPIpFvCqu_ZF4jXB-UX_VDFBSS7cZhzqpKUn_Hn62W9jNP97Y3qfQxj_koWYnAXzTxX0AdkTqK3c36hWT8ri4j_4Rlsp7mEXS6EVaBN/s320/IMG_4274sm.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUHUIs235ysvogq9ljTcETdR13pVzHBteheHlvnBG12pB00_k9hB7bMsT0epaOyYe6FPQgJdj5SEtGWTQQOSVHf3gx9NFxVxT3pgbA3fXZ3NTeJy4W-hnhLngF-bqCYJZRSuz7RmQSJ-7/s1600-h/IMG_3760sm.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 229px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356941348990713346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUHUIs235ysvogq9ljTcETdR13pVzHBteheHlvnBG12pB00_k9hB7bMsT0epaOyYe6FPQgJdj5SEtGWTQQOSVHf3gx9NFxVxT3pgbA3fXZ3NTeJy4W-hnhLngF-bqCYJZRSuz7RmQSJ-7/s320/IMG_3760sm.jpg" /></a><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356939659444927090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdAKX2JydoM7YfcOsKtFDJR0pGAPcmj9dFsPRashcSRr_4jJiKkPS6O82NOBpqV8T91ZU5EM-KpVw8IHwq1w_5GE87bnC5wHDYNeFtE2ZtDGSHlXcHUEktq4QDLP-VoZae-ulqR5ATQBV/s320/IMG_3339sm.jpg" /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div>---------</div><div>This was one of the rejects (it didn't work in the series)...but I still kinda like it:<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356939659850941986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5lTRukOlvzErlhvpGYEfV094P9yoIgd5J_-5vs1cdPQg3RkdUsWjQg3ouCeI8_7pbWo_NwW9nyJLUFi1lQm0qbK_1CoohuLFsGTAoMxD0O7YzoXOZol5kFmqFmR7D5k_yv1eqw2hwvpc/s320/IMG_4221sm.jpg" /></div></div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-57746249232233328042009-06-14T18:35:00.006-04:002009-06-14T18:41:02.095-04:00A Tour of the High Line<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzOILlN6nrqEoVx0wW2TVnEFVHGNkjex0FuwsFM0Yty7DP1T5_JqligSMsgZ4LZIcDKn0cvbv7znr7suezsBzh-LVoF9J7Pme9vC-11yQEiyyy1-TZse7M1KH9LiyfO1nl6CsFVmPN0ng/s1600-h/IMG_3226sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347316403007125522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzOILlN6nrqEoVx0wW2TVnEFVHGNkjex0FuwsFM0Yty7DP1T5_JqligSMsgZ4LZIcDKn0cvbv7znr7suezsBzh-LVoF9J7Pme9vC-11yQEiyyy1-TZse7M1KH9LiyfO1nl6CsFVmPN0ng/s320/IMG_3226sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA00sqCjx0VEqAyClUkSWV2IwRQxEW0OI_VPLpaYJX9r_7iWGeU5qH2vGIEDgs0gBIVPBPKCqA7r_1tDfgXLO64vNGCkfpAt95FEZmSVMamIs_znTjEjC1b0dAmqTgb2mJ7QMHWlY3KG8-/s1600-h/IMG_3222sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347316331995241218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA00sqCjx0VEqAyClUkSWV2IwRQxEW0OI_VPLpaYJX9r_7iWGeU5qH2vGIEDgs0gBIVPBPKCqA7r_1tDfgXLO64vNGCkfpAt95FEZmSVMamIs_znTjEjC1b0dAmqTgb2mJ7QMHWlY3KG8-/s320/IMG_3222sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUeFWqKQsjpY3zvvedGtxmxwK-goxQJlHXiSkVviCNM-gxERNihLbd1-1SAgdln7SfignNF9jgu6SUd0uZlJ2zBDWXJmIgKBcopguVqoSB6NUb0Ncuf_X5bnYzLDNNPWAjQ9t7mm72FcU/s1600-h/IMG_3221sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347316328557153906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUeFWqKQsjpY3zvvedGtxmxwK-goxQJlHXiSkVviCNM-gxERNihLbd1-1SAgdln7SfignNF9jgu6SUd0uZlJ2zBDWXJmIgKBcopguVqoSB6NUb0Ncuf_X5bnYzLDNNPWAjQ9t7mm72FcU/s320/IMG_3221sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrkLwt8hRBmhwKZSWtmTTbNASIUlnjJ4WErxSV_KFBlL__7Fo2HieHpgSjHtJHqGXf6wWhS1iiXPPGWYoMMHxmKLvdMotB9SqMe6ut4Oo_bKa0d43z567lKaxtB2nPOc_jGjZyFaz0KjR/s1600-h/IMG_3216sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347316322933706914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrkLwt8hRBmhwKZSWtmTTbNASIUlnjJ4WErxSV_KFBlL__7Fo2HieHpgSjHtJHqGXf6wWhS1iiXPPGWYoMMHxmKLvdMotB9SqMe6ut4Oo_bKa0d43z567lKaxtB2nPOc_jGjZyFaz0KjR/s320/IMG_3216sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUeB8kUrU8oEUFfTQxnh3whLiL5etXPbboVIF3GUbOmN_1AfBknsHETk6tqILsHr_bKjYuc_1fdQIiknkOA7D57biVQAaYviRkEdu9F-q7Hf0eH8xx3fJb9trAf1P8nyioFrSFPkw0Xeh/s1600-h/IMG_3209sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347316325234976866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUeB8kUrU8oEUFfTQxnh3whLiL5etXPbboVIF3GUbOmN_1AfBknsHETk6tqILsHr_bKjYuc_1fdQIiknkOA7D57biVQAaYviRkEdu9F-q7Hf0eH8xx3fJb9trAf1P8nyioFrSFPkw0Xeh/s320/IMG_3209sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsozyCtk_Z7ZXcdtMD_VIXtPHBKxo07fCBlhQNILqWBBdB1c7K2OTx6sAKuLSwhB9p6iAMxKIg6IBYX7O6sTzJvZBbgivBFE-13wt-f8ByGWPyKdicD2cyfJs12-D-AxLG-pJtZlZxDzO/s1600-h/IMG_3208sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347316321373887314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 303px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsozyCtk_Z7ZXcdtMD_VIXtPHBKxo07fCBlhQNILqWBBdB1c7K2OTx6sAKuLSwhB9p6iAMxKIg6IBYX7O6sTzJvZBbgivBFE-13wt-f8ByGWPyKdicD2cyfJs12-D-AxLG-pJtZlZxDzO/s320/IMG_3208sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIodu8bb7awHr_eNgV0p3DXW70zZaVPgg0_yIXupRwZKgVPLM7BbnMPzvR5GbBw6MN58k2ygTOW2H-fttf2SPdo7eV1nHLVU5_g8rZ3tDB-4eAT_q3QFnwTglRtvRlqkIVFmY0dRcYZP3t/s1600-h/IMG_3206sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347316108700115890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIodu8bb7awHr_eNgV0p3DXW70zZaVPgg0_yIXupRwZKgVPLM7BbnMPzvR5GbBw6MN58k2ygTOW2H-fttf2SPdo7eV1nHLVU5_g8rZ3tDB-4eAT_q3QFnwTglRtvRlqkIVFmY0dRcYZP3t/s320/IMG_3206sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVLWzhyphenhyphen5afN7k7DC1XjAPmu-00mU8SZya_dW1M08SM5ZcqO31iFrIads-xLSVO2axQoETEbHqCLFAH16PY_hivRqsHmcKW4SeX9PtyYkdElelf88Pqy4pVzXTVyzuUg36eXQ3hduoAZ9k/s1600-h/IMG_3202sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347316102983053058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVLWzhyphenhyphen5afN7k7DC1XjAPmu-00mU8SZya_dW1M08SM5ZcqO31iFrIads-xLSVO2axQoETEbHqCLFAH16PY_hivRqsHmcKW4SeX9PtyYkdElelf88Pqy4pVzXTVyzuUg36eXQ3hduoAZ9k/s320/IMG_3202sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAm-CthPXTdgo6cRtOgd1CkLSLj01yQvxrI1oPafC4UiJ2ZBX9wQoDewehJ0Cdx6JMcBIdJaNOcl4A9DTOghrjAvwpUQ0tUt7HKIMCf2pZfho1vXgY4XOsmQXigiAypZ5ZBFfe2YJjV-17/s1600-h/IMG_3196sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347316105511330386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAm-CthPXTdgo6cRtOgd1CkLSLj01yQvxrI1oPafC4UiJ2ZBX9wQoDewehJ0Cdx6JMcBIdJaNOcl4A9DTOghrjAvwpUQ0tUt7HKIMCf2pZfho1vXgY4XOsmQXigiAypZ5ZBFfe2YJjV-17/s320/IMG_3196sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJS31U4Co2SmAuoIVs9gr2QGTMSJghv2pO-RPnt3mupjZgUiFf0TZ2A8NNMenfvyuP26mKlnqqnW02hH4zuD1A0zMpBgrAShab-X-q5w4sQATQSRycinb2Ur4_y5Nl4u5NOWforX7Cwex/s1600-h/IMG_3192sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347316101758257474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJS31U4Co2SmAuoIVs9gr2QGTMSJghv2pO-RPnt3mupjZgUiFf0TZ2A8NNMenfvyuP26mKlnqqnW02hH4zuD1A0zMpBgrAShab-X-q5w4sQATQSRycinb2Ur4_y5Nl4u5NOWforX7Cwex/s320/IMG_3192sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLzbV-csiEzzXm1mlEYaKVIagNo_AYAiAiRyg0jCb3M7UWIbrIpMJ6c8j49gZDK3QabglREJgut0C4tzWdQyZsY_kYS1AIEmfu85Z17QMvJf75d3XAsgye0LN7pbL6q2JrWnPZY0klDC6/s1600-h/IMG_3189sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347316097527896962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLzbV-csiEzzXm1mlEYaKVIagNo_AYAiAiRyg0jCb3M7UWIbrIpMJ6c8j49gZDK3QabglREJgut0C4tzWdQyZsY_kYS1AIEmfu85Z17QMvJf75d3XAsgye0LN7pbL6q2JrWnPZY0klDC6/s320/IMG_3189sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkw5GPNKx0yqeNaPY_mxVFixElPaEGCHCAeZGpYZ5SpZ_bLoEJbh9ICOl7co8tOpBVuYU3uqbYuF9TPhNYbHgL_yLZ7JJ1UIjpNXSFdw1dB90GOk0F3Ov8bbJkoVU9xeVVBKXhEA7JYhCO/s1600-h/IMG_3186sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347315774129443186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkw5GPNKx0yqeNaPY_mxVFixElPaEGCHCAeZGpYZ5SpZ_bLoEJbh9ICOl7co8tOpBVuYU3uqbYuF9TPhNYbHgL_yLZ7JJ1UIjpNXSFdw1dB90GOk0F3Ov8bbJkoVU9xeVVBKXhEA7JYhCO/s320/IMG_3186sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQ4GVaQcrzk3zMOsm2FNHmNjevuqVrnvvLM9jBpDKvbkVqL-4TyZaRJPGFBtixAo4_LpFRe2qkTeUXvjT-t3hqLfXoGDMg-JqgNOTIBdZcwuU5S-fEQVCPFSP9FkApNAKE8POaBg7Zl2I/s1600-h/IMG_3183sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347315771514044882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQ4GVaQcrzk3zMOsm2FNHmNjevuqVrnvvLM9jBpDKvbkVqL-4TyZaRJPGFBtixAo4_LpFRe2qkTeUXvjT-t3hqLfXoGDMg-JqgNOTIBdZcwuU5S-fEQVCPFSP9FkApNAKE8POaBg7Zl2I/s320/IMG_3183sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_VMPozlr0xmmbmKCABT0NCaGAcHENPT01z0-jv9V5aimHQ-EIw_nfQE0gGSc7vtSf8NNqJs44UCbtrJ_jsYCgfM9UBhywYDJ4qf6jWDQg_7t5l7daHtAg6Fze_hHgApg3dmoX9iIGmLu/s1600-h/IMG_3179sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347315767569265234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_VMPozlr0xmmbmKCABT0NCaGAcHENPT01z0-jv9V5aimHQ-EIw_nfQE0gGSc7vtSf8NNqJs44UCbtrJ_jsYCgfM9UBhywYDJ4qf6jWDQg_7t5l7daHtAg6Fze_hHgApg3dmoX9iIGmLu/s320/IMG_3179sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zVSWSt6YlrOETQhBy2iDM4jg18RNl5YVpL5LtvY6eQsUUQ-IcxPeJ4KYnvuCGSC1r3PSgQcWl4dTEZqIshhUScxtKrJC9BP65ZeStUbKZNFkVvRHG8eUnhV_LBFYN6a_PLBAHRjarztb/s1600-h/IMG_3172sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347315760689233682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zVSWSt6YlrOETQhBy2iDM4jg18RNl5YVpL5LtvY6eQsUUQ-IcxPeJ4KYnvuCGSC1r3PSgQcWl4dTEZqIshhUScxtKrJC9BP65ZeStUbKZNFkVvRHG8eUnhV_LBFYN6a_PLBAHRjarztb/s320/IMG_3172sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-18830399545707421182009-05-24T10:40:00.005-04:002009-05-24T10:47:28.095-04:00free association<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXGKNuQq9SoSp0Sb6ZWg9lg9h7zlJ9hRku_pQE9xPQal3BvrZJSG4Rl-A8GsusxRtHfTdTywi6GnIxZTNfbVaSf1Y-BXu7oCVxWN3_s9gE3RuEAPwa6ASlK0kXDPenpPegvr52K6iZhiM/s1600-h/DSC00453sm.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339401747734108722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXGKNuQq9SoSp0Sb6ZWg9lg9h7zlJ9hRku_pQE9xPQal3BvrZJSG4Rl-A8GsusxRtHfTdTywi6GnIxZTNfbVaSf1Y-BXu7oCVxWN3_s9gE3RuEAPwa6ASlK0kXDPenpPegvr52K6iZhiM/s320/DSC00453sm.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibbzSJ97bf3gnlIup2fTG1k3SiZ9J7x3a_OGGEGbN8G48QmNCoGVYhM42LbD3yNq1dYfl9xFyMrdhANyVi21nF_YukwXNPb5KwKoj5iCET1DklkiPfjQlq94y-LfvA0P9YErYfzHA89AH/s1600-h/Martian+outtie.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339401233327819682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibbzSJ97bf3gnlIup2fTG1k3SiZ9J7x3a_OGGEGbN8G48QmNCoGVYhM42LbD3yNq1dYfl9xFyMrdhANyVi21nF_YukwXNPb5KwKoj5iCET1DklkiPfjQlq94y-LfvA0P9YErYfzHA89AH/s320/Martian+outtie.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnpmf47TKHlRavuQOnBrhWN5TrQgejD5o8BmhBrk2VvRfaDoK4u4t9T4mR2ECBc0llS8SxKMtvhpXTgIU0Auyh8TQC26KiczYsXYRW7ZJGMs2z5taK8lqeYV-qx_ko0g2gfljbHoCpcS0m/s1600-h/IMG_0290sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339400703370338002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnpmf47TKHlRavuQOnBrhWN5TrQgejD5o8BmhBrk2VvRfaDoK4u4t9T4mR2ECBc0llS8SxKMtvhpXTgIU0Auyh8TQC26KiczYsXYRW7ZJGMs2z5taK8lqeYV-qx_ko0g2gfljbHoCpcS0m/s320/IMG_0290sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZXW5X8FfJi-ivUEItL54ftrhyphenhyphenZ8Tj0pC_aaH-tNRmqrGKTG4n8t2fJ_ef87c36PnpMxm2BVIO0wNTzsDBWUIpJsW_NCUMliYIb1bxsK1xpGrPpm-nVUVbLG8kJ52CcrAyBdaYbntb2Bz/s1600-h/Cookies.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339401994214621202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZXW5X8FfJi-ivUEItL54ftrhyphenhyphenZ8Tj0pC_aaH-tNRmqrGKTG4n8t2fJ_ef87c36PnpMxm2BVIO0wNTzsDBWUIpJsW_NCUMliYIb1bxsK1xpGrPpm-nVUVbLG8kJ52CcrAyBdaYbntb2Bz/s320/Cookies.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-5688329794967990112009-03-17T12:36:00.006-04:002009-03-17T13:23:45.710-04:00Fat ass day<span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br />I woke up this morning and realized - I'm having a fat ass day.<br /><br />I then realized, I'm not.<br /><br />It's funny, when you take an objective look at the subjective world of delusional days. Things like "fat ass" day... when you feel like parts of your body have ballooned (or in the case of "saggy boobs" day, shrunk) when it makes absolutely no sense that size has changed in the last 12 hours at all. After all, when I put on my pants this morning, they fit the same as they did when I took them off last night. My bra is no less empty on saggy boob day than regular day. My evening of restless sleep did not, in fact, cause my buttocks to swell or cleavage to diminish further in any way. And I know that if I had a scale in my house, I have no doubt that it would say the same number as it said yesterday.<br /><br />Yet still, when I woke up this morning, I knew it was, without a doubt, a fat ass day.<br /><br />It's the same lack of reasoning that belongs to many mental issues in this world. I find it distinctly funny when I have a huge pimple on my face, and someone compliments my skin (which never happens when I have no pimples, by the way.) Or when I'm having a "bad hair day" and no one notices that my hair is any different at all - and in fact, I would guess they'd probably say my hair looks exactly the same as it always does. In fact, I would also venture to guess that some people feel they are having a <em>good</em> hair days actually need to know that they, in fact, are definitely NOT (I'm thinking mostly tourists from the Midwest who forget that "feathers" thankfully went out with Farrah Fawcett TV shows and only belong on boas sported by cross-dressing men in the Village Halloween parade.)<br /><br />I don't understand why this happens, or if it happens to most people at all. Maye it's just me being hyper analytical of a temporary spike in body image issues. Who knows. But when some days when I feel my skin is particularly gross looking, I'll get compliments, and on other days when I feel like I'm looking pretty good, no one notices (especially YOU, Mr. Hottie-who-orders-toasted-sesame-bagel-with-cream-cheese-at-Metro-Cafe-every-morning.)<br /><br />I don't usually care - those of you that know me well know I don't obsess over these types of issues regularly. I find that is irrelevant, especially when it comes to the parts of the body that I don't even have to look at (my booty) especially when I know that most of it is psychological garbage. I do wish I could move things around a little sometimes (hell, I'm 36, what do you expect?), but not enough that I'm visiting plastic surgeons to see what gets to be pulled where.<br /><br />So for now, put on the Spanx, ya'll... or just embrace the big booty day and be thankful that Beyonce has made it okay to be bootylicious... at least until tomorrow.<br /><br />----------------<br /><br />Oh, and Happy St. Patrick's day! Or, as we NYCers call it... Amature Night. May your fake ID's hold up to scrutiny and your green beer not taste too bad the second time around.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-25732937877833449482009-03-02T18:39:00.006-05:002009-03-02T18:50:37.315-05:00Costa Rica<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVy_DVSBQBu-BWdBPnwY4oMFVWIo048_Ov325k-4Xs11YvMFBS1wjRuGTE_F1rKpTKCCLKKIvBcGRNzwP96fFM8Z_1MCvogcP7Ic2hr02Z1BSU7joHfq8i6BHNxAjp3Cm0-_2rOmQx1srq/s1600-h/IMG_0159-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308740286048367538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVy_DVSBQBu-BWdBPnwY4oMFVWIo048_Ov325k-4Xs11YvMFBS1wjRuGTE_F1rKpTKCCLKKIvBcGRNzwP96fFM8Z_1MCvogcP7Ic2hr02Z1BSU7joHfq8i6BHNxAjp3Cm0-_2rOmQx1srq/s320/IMG_0159-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil90b2Cf8GjBX-dYo2gwtdipkZLroS3CAH_SERIdETFDdrhO188gDxyX0YNWIBVmF9BDk9MLFsQnbB5NrVctn_bpk3nGQaGfRMnUAXOePS1xI04dHkzNrp-jDG1wYw1unjEgoklp__NPrN/s1600-h/IMG_0168-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308740281098664882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil90b2Cf8GjBX-dYo2gwtdipkZLroS3CAH_SERIdETFDdrhO188gDxyX0YNWIBVmF9BDk9MLFsQnbB5NrVctn_bpk3nGQaGfRMnUAXOePS1xI04dHkzNrp-jDG1wYw1unjEgoklp__NPrN/s320/IMG_0168-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> The walk down to the dive shop:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsD0-TMZg4b0h3SMtDGo_ct8lZh_CYDbBRQ3ou8OM01_iVtlZu2m0fZOBoL2tLMuJkNKln-hO6S8wwluXuybE2FbxQ6vCTp01eBvtXClU2SIm9GiLsreURPX2QVBrMdz1CfWEptLIPiA-/s1600-h/IMG_0172-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308740279099062642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsD0-TMZg4b0h3SMtDGo_ct8lZh_CYDbBRQ3ou8OM01_iVtlZu2m0fZOBoL2tLMuJkNKln-hO6S8wwluXuybE2FbxQ6vCTp01eBvtXClU2SIm9GiLsreURPX2QVBrMdz1CfWEptLIPiA-/s320/IMG_0172-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> The waterfall day:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qYCEqFdoz8bO4Y5hmKti1was9oVa7nCtxVjLFErhJZq13joJNn8rjnk8b3i9Isot9B8bofXfhQcbq-VEuIYz9DJTRXzMU4w4FYT8E0aDGR8Ab-GIbMoxTJvMuII89hbO_3iuMJwRyhTX/s1600-h/IMG_0187-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308740274353659410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qYCEqFdoz8bO4Y5hmKti1was9oVa7nCtxVjLFErhJZq13joJNn8rjnk8b3i9Isot9B8bofXfhQcbq-VEuIYz9DJTRXzMU4w4FYT8E0aDGR8Ab-GIbMoxTJvMuII89hbO_3iuMJwRyhTX/s320/IMG_0187-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7nT3d_UJ7XTPTKzgmJB6eGKi3NFXZkt9jVqZ23QVlcZDbxxgviim-qIgAB9YXyVyhRFaEqr2157432Mr17Kg1ti1FtokSX7oYNndNYsD137zHPwOoVno2txPPiCulCCbAT0dXhRjRkzJ/s1600-h/IMG_0193-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308740270456479234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7nT3d_UJ7XTPTKzgmJB6eGKi3NFXZkt9jVqZ23QVlcZDbxxgviim-qIgAB9YXyVyhRFaEqr2157432Mr17Kg1ti1FtokSX7oYNndNYsD137zHPwOoVno2txPPiCulCCbAT0dXhRjRkzJ/s320/IMG_0193-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> Hiking back up from the waterfall...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjNAEBnW3c-IR9dQj-o8SMjL2D-FpZjh0p0BUs1FdrQ1mR8SQ0lx16Wur6MRt6xPN6WpCKMSpB8FLDMePPPcjpiorLNnyjjPWQjbKsoO3AldIBPXwcUcbcFUbkZvO0AymVjmmYsBJyrRs/s1600-h/IMG_0197-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308740029527993090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjNAEBnW3c-IR9dQj-o8SMjL2D-FpZjh0p0BUs1FdrQ1mR8SQ0lx16Wur6MRt6xPN6WpCKMSpB8FLDMePPPcjpiorLNnyjjPWQjbKsoO3AldIBPXwcUcbcFUbkZvO0AymVjmmYsBJyrRs/s320/IMG_0197-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> The hot springs bar... Best. Bar. Ever.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJ1eqtfSuIeKM7cGQ6mR4T2KHWPiFtLq0KEyViz2AxLynV4giOx2phbDmsSNIgDWfHbgZP7C95VCrmHCkqtqSfDCDFO-N1tGY_ViBrrVhFT5sTVgOrjOuVBrvxFn1FTiyHPjB-TUeh3Zh/s1600-h/IMG_0206-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308740025769777090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJ1eqtfSuIeKM7cGQ6mR4T2KHWPiFtLq0KEyViz2AxLynV4giOx2phbDmsSNIgDWfHbgZP7C95VCrmHCkqtqSfDCDFO-N1tGY_ViBrrVhFT5sTVgOrjOuVBrvxFn1FTiyHPjB-TUeh3Zh/s320/IMG_0206-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> The volcano...(squint, you might see it)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDbaFXRZgTXm58bR5whyipSOOAI54r1J_JPU52mAv8A0jR2H9yMmI6r2HbAUe89VEGOb3wxiPysASKgMirkICmSwukn3AIstU4h5-VGiW4mk6QN6F7gltok3olEt-oB3Zznbw8wamMhp7/s1600-h/IMG_0209-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308740026768739602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDbaFXRZgTXm58bR5whyipSOOAI54r1J_JPU52mAv8A0jR2H9yMmI6r2HbAUe89VEGOb3wxiPysASKgMirkICmSwukn3AIstU4h5-VGiW4mk6QN6F7gltok3olEt-oB3Zznbw8wamMhp7/s320/IMG_0209-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> The street beggars:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqzxFcfNtDCEHtbYAmHVh3x54xfPu_k8At3m5lgpGR8jnnEg0Fs1rhBp2AeKQKWx5tCX2_hQMwkq94Hny54YqgGXcw5dHEpGOX2NH5HT6Rgi1pxMUWE8_BViQMhe_1uyFPemcIpmWtDxNd/s1600-h/IMG_0215-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308740005945630834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqzxFcfNtDCEHtbYAmHVh3x54xfPu_k8At3m5lgpGR8jnnEg0Fs1rhBp2AeKQKWx5tCX2_hQMwkq94Hny54YqgGXcw5dHEpGOX2NH5HT6Rgi1pxMUWE8_BViQMhe_1uyFPemcIpmWtDxNd/s320/IMG_0215-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a>The bird that tried to steal our breakfast... and failed.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivIr1knWFJMoCPY2IPV48Kz6zmt4ACUaMqqBbI-eQoiPvhwoUW6RITVjQZmjijz_FfD4v69jOH_shfuDYfwLoGpkj722xZLTZzHAp_RyvYA_bIdJSuy5yl2vTCH4jYnAwsAUXgw2fDuciV/s1600-h/IMG_0216-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308739996378755074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivIr1knWFJMoCPY2IPV48Kz6zmt4ACUaMqqBbI-eQoiPvhwoUW6RITVjQZmjijz_FfD4v69jOH_shfuDYfwLoGpkj722xZLTZzHAp_RyvYA_bIdJSuy5yl2vTCH4jYnAwsAUXgw2fDuciV/s320/IMG_0216-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> Diving...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6HKrOm_iyItpyMbBT4Brs9DNXVVTDMqZswYoTrfKJe20G8RIt0FXaxB2bD06hatwgJaVrw5UXOuQxdmkU6WMVSQTwV1XOeJvUJ3ZSFgixyjkVpENmlJg_VbOztzziL0N0iUZeW-6Tfzk/s1600-h/IMG_0218-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308739805309412482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6HKrOm_iyItpyMbBT4Brs9DNXVVTDMqZswYoTrfKJe20G8RIt0FXaxB2bD06hatwgJaVrw5UXOuQxdmkU6WMVSQTwV1XOeJvUJ3ZSFgixyjkVpENmlJg_VbOztzziL0N0iUZeW-6Tfzk/s320/IMG_0218-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> Tortuga!<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308740346919893490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 198px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbSnEknqPMvqKpkihCMDlgluf6LUotN21mA6UVt0kJkwfQvFToUP4CS8SS-Z2iKjNGT8bO3ECtQfYuWX5JFSy00o8_iDx7SbQEqwPSxiRI68A2llsy5lfTlkALia6YFh2k9LDgKlXwg1q/s320/torguga+sm.jpg" border="0" /> Sunset<br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlZCHF7eiFoEgtjL7Rl_du4BZqr3R4H_rTk_NRV5NiiH1_jvq6HyH-785cycBEsyg-xyR2ZyHw_tfUJQLTRECIVMXbpgNsXG7v0WltFDxocGM1JfL0mjgmhLjq3mMRevd828RDPH3xrSt/s1600-h/IMG_0222-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308739783434912130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlZCHF7eiFoEgtjL7Rl_du4BZqr3R4H_rTk_NRV5NiiH1_jvq6HyH-785cycBEsyg-xyR2ZyHw_tfUJQLTRECIVMXbpgNsXG7v0WltFDxocGM1JfL0mjgmhLjq3mMRevd828RDPH3xrSt/s320/IMG_0222-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGMIUQHhENqe9uGLd3wFw_78yZyLNFpF3Fdzn2yCA2ol9TjzgfGg36qTaXfh7y9qiy79Wmeqj7CQkSdqopqdAv9vI4fjPViJdOcWwD5qKMPFbKAEFgSDoyXO81Idluagf_ojxCP27txCm/s1600-h/IMG_0226-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308739769546160802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGMIUQHhENqe9uGLd3wFw_78yZyLNFpF3Fdzn2yCA2ol9TjzgfGg36qTaXfh7y9qiy79Wmeqj7CQkSdqopqdAv9vI4fjPViJdOcWwD5qKMPFbKAEFgSDoyXO81Idluagf_ojxCP27txCm/s320/IMG_0226-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> Monkeys by the ocean:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UuseWu3vZ3uK5kQ7EJ0TBlQRwSzq35S5HBSr4veHoSMNT-uO8y7pD0EchqmzQwiyOWJ0qPxbBeTBfrc9JoVN-EgJSUKMih1T0m1LZG0kczpooN8eaR8YQzLQ-xz_cMfQPo5vJ-oa-Ryo/s1600-h/IMG_0234-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308739760192673970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UuseWu3vZ3uK5kQ7EJ0TBlQRwSzq35S5HBSr4veHoSMNT-uO8y7pD0EchqmzQwiyOWJ0qPxbBeTBfrc9JoVN-EgJSUKMih1T0m1LZG0kczpooN8eaR8YQzLQ-xz_cMfQPo5vJ-oa-Ryo/s320/IMG_0234-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKra_TMgTzmIYXeZ0IerB8LW54gy4RBQUr0L8LYQWTvVoCiaz59hT0r-YGIgePzjNq2sCFSJWRO27f5vgYZrrxeYeVwLHSaEW7ey21u3edPOhTq_fdxM7RdwJPFgSZI6oaHeZIkjgMfnv/s1600-h/IMG_0239-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308739488138534178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKra_TMgTzmIYXeZ0IerB8LW54gy4RBQUr0L8LYQWTvVoCiaz59hT0r-YGIgePzjNq2sCFSJWRO27f5vgYZrrxeYeVwLHSaEW7ey21u3edPOhTq_fdxM7RdwJPFgSZI6oaHeZIkjgMfnv/s320/IMG_0239-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> Black sand beaches:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQRa3B3k2jC9p4LAD1wq7trmAtM14YpUOaWyIJZP4ygHU04Sh1GjIhjZJB-HPndo0eHS0uhaTxW0kQ8PLj7_05cZtO5s1dcMG2h7ep415u78WhGobEWe-WvPinkc3kTjv4B8UpLB_lkLL/s1600-h/IMG_0245-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308739485159202594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQRa3B3k2jC9p4LAD1wq7trmAtM14YpUOaWyIJZP4ygHU04Sh1GjIhjZJB-HPndo0eHS0uhaTxW0kQ8PLj7_05cZtO5s1dcMG2h7ep415u78WhGobEWe-WvPinkc3kTjv4B8UpLB_lkLL/s320/IMG_0245-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> white shell, black sand...<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308739789969461986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9NGE5Q4QdV9vBWnXV43Qq9spm-VOrLb01O51x7uQ9YheJdrJbiYs4-gO9360AmA95LnuU-wPhdw2BoPWvfY-qufe2xSeHdGG2RePsVUqki4tieQfnE4xFwjCGoY0bDu2heC2l9MzJpE6/s320/IMG_0221-1sm.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-h7IRPN-qdaYVs0KUK4PHrrC0QyGnj9xrsIpWhJwJxySKjNCo1UY61AeSUu4A2a-tiBoe2tON5NNUbscihB2CV512OomzrW27Aa-TiUcKgqL4DzFNDr6UE-X1UDaxPIZOTEdVeAvvZvQj/s1600-h/IMG_0247-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308739479984474770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-h7IRPN-qdaYVs0KUK4PHrrC0QyGnj9xrsIpWhJwJxySKjNCo1UY61AeSUu4A2a-tiBoe2tON5NNUbscihB2CV512OomzrW27Aa-TiUcKgqL4DzFNDr6UE-X1UDaxPIZOTEdVeAvvZvQj/s320/IMG_0247-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXShzMZVf003geiNUoRR_YBiiEc0Obg0XJwcRQE5_BtcDPCWaREWHWivRm8fGCm6Yqgy8HUL4Ol_PFspgCW3wY27ghs0ZJO09jZErh948EORp2fYt76qn21Xs5TsDlvdM2q-ZAyGfIiwNv/s1600-h/IMG_0257-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308739479138844578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXShzMZVf003geiNUoRR_YBiiEc0Obg0XJwcRQE5_BtcDPCWaREWHWivRm8fGCm6Yqgy8HUL4Ol_PFspgCW3wY27ghs0ZJO09jZErh948EORp2fYt76qn21Xs5TsDlvdM2q-ZAyGfIiwNv/s320/IMG_0257-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0JgYtGBf7pHKNJmKaGrAjNCf8ghF-uI5MQDucrPUrrUWDnxdG-6aDsJlPOzTx467J_SDqNY0qzuS-O-Ee2ioJy4uyeOMQbj-nkOn3egWYIgzj3KDDCPPhHF0fIsM0rrQtRo1e1xzOYzWq/s1600-h/IMG_0270-1sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308739477123045442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0JgYtGBf7pHKNJmKaGrAjNCf8ghF-uI5MQDucrPUrrUWDnxdG-6aDsJlPOzTx467J_SDqNY0qzuS-O-Ee2ioJy4uyeOMQbj-nkOn3egWYIgzj3KDDCPPhHF0fIsM0rrQtRo1e1xzOYzWq/s320/IMG_0270-1sm.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-63322404098250147512009-01-29T08:57:00.002-05:002009-01-29T09:20:19.160-05:00Socks...<span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br />Aaaah, New York City in January... when the grey city skyline is accentuated by the grey buildings, and the grey sidewalks and streets are streaked with the frozen grey water and the cars and building are covered in a grey film... and the people are all wearing black coats and dirty Ugg boots and there is no such thing as a good hair day because of the hats, scarves, and earmuffs... and any makeup is washed off by running sniffly noses and watery eyes caused by the winds whipping off the Hudson... not that makeup would matter anyway since scarves are wrapped up above the nose.<br /><br />The huddled early morning commuters shuffle from subway exits down to the corner Starbucks, stand in line for overpriced coffees and then shuffle off to little offices... only to do the reverse shuffling trip later, not making eye contact, but simply concentrating on getting from point A to point B in minimal time with minimal exposure to the elements or other people.<br /><br />The store windows are full of "still on sale!!" trying to get rid of the stock that didn't sell over the holidays and making room for clothing that anticipates spring too early, showing off scantily clad mannequins clad in flimsy fabrics that you can't wear for 5 more months unless you want frostbite in some rather sensitive places...<br /><br />Yesterday, it snowed. And by snow, I mean...it snowed from about 3-6am, and then it sleeted, and then it rained. Which left a lovely mess of slippery, salty, sandy sidewalks all over NYC, with freezing cold puddles of muddy-grey water lapping at every crosswalk... one of which I ended up stepping into up to my ankle, filling my boot with a lovely mix of unidentifiable NYC washoff and making my sock so wet that I was accompanied by a very amusing squeaking-squashing sound with every step for the remainder of the day. I was literally laughing out loud walking down the street, since the alternative, really, was to cry.<br /><br />(Why walk when there is a perfectly good subway system? Because delays on the subway were turning 20 minute commutes into 2 hour nightmares, so I figured walking was easier, if not more comfortable).<br /><br />So in conclusion, it's time, ladies and gentlemen, for a vacation.<br /><br />It's T-minus 23 days and counting to Costa Rica... a week of blue skies, bluer waters, diving, snorkeling, swimming, canopy riding, volcano-seeing, tropical bug-bitten days of bliss... where I can wake up *after* the sun rises for a change, and toss any offending alarm clocks off a bridge. There, a bathing suit, tshirt, flip flops and shorts are plenty to keep you "warm"... saving you a good 15 minutes of layering up with long johns, socks, boots, scarves, hats, gloves, coats, and sweaters before stepping outside...<br /><br />Wanna come?<br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-64999649393490599832009-01-20T12:46:00.001-05:002009-01-20T12:48:01.276-05:00President Obama<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQDNSiulkr-pPxv6SvVh96ep4oQj5GHLW_9QMy-L7CgmCCzsNUEekgxoUM9XYAxfdSIEKdhnyq7WihZvan7XTL23ONxS3rCvMpPhNgSdpxgdk3YySTvq0eTgPJ76G4cT6YZjSU_QCqvy9/s1600-h/Obama.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293433961199515778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 344px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 119px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQDNSiulkr-pPxv6SvVh96ep4oQj5GHLW_9QMy-L7CgmCCzsNUEekgxoUM9XYAxfdSIEKdhnyq7WihZvan7XTL23ONxS3rCvMpPhNgSdpxgdk3YySTvq0eTgPJ76G4cT6YZjSU_QCqvy9/s320/Obama.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>What an absolutely amazing day.</div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-68052408191152685672009-01-20T09:47:00.002-05:002009-01-20T10:27:11.580-05:00Do you wanna date me?<span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br />Okay, so here's the deal. In the interest of cutting through some of the flak that comes with dating, I've decided to be brutally honest... so if you wanna date me, here's the real deal:<br /><br />First off, I don't drink that much alcohol. I just don't... it's not that I don't enjoy a cold beer with a good burger or pizza sometimes, or a nice glass of wine with an aromatic pasta with meat sauce, and yes, I even like getting buzzed and giggly sometimes on "real" drinks, too. But, I don't do it often and I dont' drink that much. I like fruit juices and seltzer - how about a tequila sunrise sans the tequila? This doesn't mean that I don't like you, or that I don't want you to drink, or that I'm super-religiously-holier-than-thou, or that I don't know how to still have a pretty decently good time. It just means that I don't drink that much alcohol.<br /><br />Second, I play video games. Yea, I'm a geek, nerd, whatever, but they're fun. Usually I like single-player adventure games, like the Myst series. I don't like things that jump and me and explode blood and gore all over my screen. But I've recently become addicted to World of Warcraft. I'm not addicted like South-Park-episode-addicted (I do have a normal job, friends and go out with people), but I do enjoy it. And this also doesn't mean that I can't carry on conversations about normal things, nor do I weigh 2,000 pounds and only eat Doritos and go to computer game conventions dressed up in ridiculous costumes. No, I just play it...and enjoy it. I just see it as more engaging than TV, and more interactive.<br /><br />Third, I like skiing, but I don't LOVE skiing. That seems to be a big one lately... that just because you're single, in your thirties, and live in NYC, you *must love skiing*. Well, I have to say, it's highly OK. I'm not bad at it, I'm not good at it, but honestly, I'd rather spend a weekend driving up to Maine to see the coastline scenery, or take a nice weekend trip to Montreal, or go to Boston to visit the aquarium and do historical tours. This doesn't mean I'm not athletic or interested in activities - let's go white water rafting in July or sea kayaking in Florida, or snorkeling in Belize... but if it's snowing outside, I'd rather curl up with a good book, a warm fireplace, and a big, poofy comforter than hurl myself down a frigid mountainside with 2 thousand other crazy people with sticks tied to my feet.<br /><br />Fourth, I do geeky things. I cross-stitch (my mom taught me); I taught myself how to crochet and don't quite know what to do with all the scarves I've made. I read Discovery magazine, Newsweek comics, and National Geographic instead of Cosmo. I watch very little TV, but when I do, it's usually documentaries or British in origin, or sci fi stuff like BSG. I hate wearing makeup, but put on undereye concealer and lip gloss every day cuz I'm getting older. I don't like shopping for clothes, and absolutely hate buying shoes (and won't wear heels except on very special occasions.) I'd much prefer to save my money for a trip to Peru or the Galapagos, or Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, New Zealand, Eastern Europe, Norway, Russia or the Amazon. I don't need room service, but I do prefer a warm bed; I don't require hand-holding, but I do prefer company; I do like adventures, but I don't like feeling unsafe.<br /><br />So there's the skinny... some of the things that "normal" dating scene girls may not admit to, but having just turned 36, it's time that people who want to get serious start accepting me for who I am... or moving on to someone else. If you're still interested, I'll have a cranberry, OJ and seltzer, please.<br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-56871620555095937792009-01-02T13:30:00.003-05:002009-01-02T13:43:07.203-05:00BBC TV<span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br />Those of you that know me know that I don't watch a lot of tv. But for the last few days, as I've been hangin' out in the apartment and painting / writing / cleaning / chore-doing, I have kept the TV on in the background. For a while it was on the music stations, then on CNN, and now for some reason, I've gotten stuck on BBC America.<br /><br />First off, the news reports are far more interesting. But really, the British comedy and reality shows crack me up. "You Are What You Eat" where a psychotic dietitian invades overweight people's lives and insults and chastizes them into eating healthy veggies. She's a little psycho, and seems to obsess over people's digestive systems on a little bit of a disturbing level. But she gets results and makes me want to eat more veggies.<br /><br />"How Clean Is Your House" does three things: First, it makes me feel better about how clean my house is, and second, makes me want to clean up more, and third, makes me feel very proud about my teeth (c'mon Britain, I'm sure there are plenty of dentists out there... pay 'em a visit, really!) Basically, two stuffy ladies invade filthy dirty homes, insult the residents, kick them out, and clean up after them. It's fabulously disgusting and liberating, and yesterday it made me pour baking soda and lemon juice into my bathtub... it's much better than the stinky cleaning stuff they sell on shelves.<br /><br />The comedies are funny - there was a "Coupling" marathon on last night - which is a kind of version of "Friends" but with much sexier accents...and less snooty attitudes. Then there's "Kitchen Nightmares" which features famed asshole chef Gordon Ramsey intruding into failing restaurants and insulting the owners/chefs/staff into straightening up their act and - in the end - saving the day.<br /><br />I'm sure once work starts up again, I won't watch much tv any more. It's not one of my pseudo-resolutions...but it's been kind of amusing for the last few days.<br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672539216562835273.post-45053326714142975882008-12-29T10:51:00.002-05:002008-12-29T11:31:56.296-05:00Notes from the holidays<span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br />So first of all, before we get all gooey about how it's the holiday season, let me say this: Planes don't exist.<br /><br />In the span of 10 days, I've had 5 flights canceled and missed 2 Christmases. All of these canceled flights were due to "weather", but only once was it snowing and once was it raining. (Yea, I know you're now going to regale me with all this logical stuff about how weather HERE doesn't affect a plane flying from Chicago or some such blah blah. But I've never been one to hold much on to logic, so whatever.) Last week was possibly the most amusing / annoying. <br /><br />I was supposed to fly out on the 23rd and was at the airport at 8:30am, dutifully arriving 90 minutes prior to my flight departure, when my flight was canceled. I swore, booked another flight for the next day (add on a rental car because it was to a different airport) and went home.<br /><br />That night, a lovely recorded voice had the decency to call me *before* I left for the airport to tell me that the next day's flight was also canceled due to weather... and I signed up for another flight on the 24th... and changed the rental car.<br /><br />At 2am on the 24th, my phone buzzed...and the lovely recorded voice says "canceled" again, and a 2.5 hour phone call later had a flight on Christmas day (actually 2 flights) that would get me in late on the 25th. Which was... you got it... also canceled.<br /><br />Add to that 2 more flights (one from the week before canceling a trip to see extended family in North Carolina) and one more on the return trip on the 27th and that adds up to five - yes, count 'em, five - canceled flights in the span of 9 days. And one helluva lonely Christmas. So I decided to ignore Christmas on the 25th this year and just save it until later, when my nephews get back into town and I can celebrate with them. And I also decied that planes don't actually exist. They are just figments of my imagination and crank calls to my cell phone. So there.<br /><br />So in the spirit of ignoring Christmas, on the 24th, I went to the supermarket: Bought a mini chicken roast-type thing, canned french-cut green beans (my *favorite*), Pillsbury crescent rolls (dont' have to share this time!), made a nice Caesar salad, bought a bottle of wine (to drink and make a rosemary white wine sauce for the chicken - yes I made that up myself, and it didn't suck), and egg nog for dessert. I had a lovely not-Christmas dinner sitting on the floor of my apartment (New Year's resolution #1: finish the apartment and get a stupid table to eat on) watching the James Bond marathon on Spike TV. (Did you know that Sean Connery wore a hair piece in every JB movie? Fascinatingly good stuff...and tricky since in most of them he somehow ended up in the water, have you ever noticed he's always swimming in the ocean at least once? Preferably with sharks and a scantily-clad bikini-decked woman. But... where was I? Oh yea, it's not Christmas.)<br /><br />Don't get me wrong - it sucked not being with the nephews. But it was a much more successful not-Christmas than a few years ago, which totally sucked...so that's OK.<br /><br />(Random side note: They must be testing the confetti stuff for the New Year's Even in Times Squre - little clouds of colorful confetti keep flying by my office window... how quaint.)<br /><br />Meanwhile, a friend of mine's mom died over the weekend, which is really sad. She died of cancer, and wasn't young... but I wrote her an email that for some reason I feel like I should share...<br /><br /><blockquote><p>When my mother passed away, I had so many emotions at the same time.<br />I was so sad for losing her.<br />I was angry for her suffering…I was angry at a lot of things.<br />I was relieved that her suffering was over.<br />I felt horrible guilt for feeling that relief.<br />I was heartbroken that my mother had been taken from me.<br />I was lost – what was I supposed to do without a mom?<br />And eventually, I was hopeful that I would see her again.<br /><br />In May it will have been 10 years since she died – I still miss her terribly.<br />I won’t say that it gets easier – sometimes it is, and sometimes it still hurts pretty bad.<br />I wanted her at my wedding, I needed her during my divorce, I want her to see my child, if I am ever blessed with one.<br />For a long time I used to have the urge to pick up the phone to talk to her, especially when life got really good, or really bad.<br />Those are the worst moments…knowing she won’t be on the other end of the phone.<br />Even now, sometimes I look up in the night sky and feel her hugging me, and sometimes I just feel the distance between us.<br />But I know she’s with me every day in some way.<br />And I know now that I’ll see her again one day… and she’ll be smiling and healthy and give me a hug.<br /><br />My mother was in a lot of pain for years before she finally succumbed to the horrible thing that is cancer.<br />Before she passed it was logical that she was dying – we knew it, the doctors told us enough times.<br />Even then, when she died, it all seemed too soon and too fast, and somehow still a jolting surprise.<br />I blame that on my age and ignorance… but in the end, I don’t think a daughter can ever be prepared to lose her mom, no matter what.<br />I don’t know why I’m writing this, except that I hope that somehow you find some comfort in it.<br /><br />I am so sorry that I missed the services – I didn’t receive this email until late last night.<br />I hope you are not upset at my lack of a timely response. <br />You know that I am here when you need me.<br />Please call, whenever you want to pick up the phone and hear a voice on the other line.<br />It probably won’t be the voice you really want to hear, but I’ll do my best.</p></blockquote>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18153335342661124736noreply@blogger.com0