Coolangatta, Australia - Part One of our trip

I made a video of our fun in Coolangatta. I still have a lot of photos on my old phone from diving and whatnot, so I think I will be making four or five videos from our trip.

This video is mostly from all of our fun with Aunt Nancy and Uncle Darryl, in Coolangatta -- then at the end is from our last night having dinner at their house in Surfers Paradise.

Hope you enjoy!

P.S. I also made an update to my Traveling with Tots post with new travel suggestions!

Wordless Wednesday - Holiday Edition

25 Things

Since I sometimes have trouble coming up with things to blog about, I decided that making lists would be a good thing to do. Instead of writing about my entire Florida trip, I condensed it to 25 things I learned (or confirmed) on the trip. 

1. Business class makes flying much more enjoyable. The upgrade fee is definitely worth it.
2. The state of Florida has the worst drivers in the entire country.
3. Miami is not my kind of city. Too many designer labels, stilettos, overpriced drinks, and fake people. Give me a dive bar full of friendly locals wearing jeans and offering PBR specials any day.
4. Art Basel is an experience best enjoyed for a limited amount of time, wearing comfortable shoes, and having the freedom to roam many galleries. Hanging around the same place for hours on end is crazy boring.
5. You can throw globs of paint on a canvas and sell it for $50,000.
6. Chewing gum has a magnetic attraction to new flip flops.
7. Never walk long distances in aforementioned new flip flops.
8. I should sometimes consider my husband’s crazy ideas that involve putting on his socks and cutting out the toes to prevent additional blisters from new flops.
9. Always carry band-aids.
10. I'm getting too old to sleep on cheap air mattresses that are deflated by morning.
11. Coconut water and artisanal rum drinks are disgusting, but those who produce crappy $50,000 art love them.
12. Sometimes free drinks aren’t worth it.
13. Tu Tu Tango still has some of my favorite tapas dishes, although their sangria isn't as good as it was a few years ago.
14. Miami food trucks are awesome - try the chocolate-covered bacon at the Porkalicious food truck.
15. Bubble tea is weird, but I think I want to try it again.
16. Having a rental car and no set plans is a fun way to travel.
17. Jazzy’s Mainely Lobster in Cocoa Beach has some of the tastiest seafood that I’ve ever consumed.
18. Captain J’s in Cocoa Beach is dead in the off season or when there’s no cruise ship in port. There were two people in the entire restaurant (that holds 300+ people) at 8:30 on a Friday night.
19. Investigate all potential watering holes before deciding on one place to hang out. There could be something more fun with cheap drinks just a few blocks away.
20. According to the interwebs, the best way to cure brain freeze is by warming the palate of your mouth with your tongue.
21. Sometimes you have to make your own fun – all it takes is a 6 pack of beer and Yahtzee!
22. Don’t forget to take probiotics and use sunblock while taking antibiotics.
23. One piece bathing suits make going to the bathroom terribly challenging.
24. Having my own chickens has made me an egg snob. I don’t plan on ordering eggs over easy at a restaurant ever again.
25. While on a short vacation, make sure that you have some time to relax and don’t spend hours each day driving around.

Wordless Wednesdays - the Florida trip edition

Tag is my new favorite game

Ten Eleven years ago (now almost twelve – yikes) when I was a receptionist at the now out-of-business Harms & Associates, I loved getting these time wasters forwarded to me. Sitting at the front desk for eight hours a day was rather boring. I lived for get-to-know-you emails. Let’s face it, I can be a little self-absorbed, so being asked to tell people all about myself is appealing. YES! Someone wants to know about me!! So, I was thrilled when Kelly at Miss MP tagged me in a post. It made me feel like I was cool again, which I am SO not.

Thanks, Kelly.

Here’s to being twenty-one again!

The Rules:

1. Every tagged person must tell 11 things about themselves

2. Answer the 11 questions that the person who tagged you asked.

3. Ask 11 questions for the 11 blogs that you are going to tag. (I’m breaking this one, since I don’t know 11 bloggers who weren’t tagged already)

4. Mention the blog that tagged you but don't tag back.

11 Things About Me

1. I met my husband on eHarmony, but I don’t think that it necessarily works for everyone. We just got really, REALLY lucky. However, I do think that their formula works well, as long as both you and the person you’re matched with have been brutally honest in answering all of their questions. I think that their questionnaire draws strongly from the Meyers-Briggs model of personality typing. I’m an ENFP and my husband is an ENFJ.
2. One of my biggest fears is having children. Although I’m terrified of the pain of childbirth, I’m more worried that my kids will end up with mental illness or some kind of addiction. These problems run in both mine and my husband’s families and it has made me think twice about having kids.
3. I would rather spend money on vacation than anything else. I went through a phase in my twenties where I bought expensive clothes, make-up and purses (probably because I had a mall downstairs from where I worked), but fortunately realized the error of my ways. Now I’d rather geek out and visit Hobbiton in New Zealand. 
   
4. I grew up without watching TV and could probably survive without it again. My dad read to me every night until I was too cool for it. After he stopped reading to me, I would often stay up until 1 or 2 a.m. with a flashlight under the covers, trying to get in another chapter of Nancy Drew.
5. Although I grew up without TV, I love it now. Most of my favorite shows are on the SyFy Channel – I love Haven, Being Human, Alphas, Lost Girl, Total Blackout, Destination Truth, Ghost Hunters, and the Haunted Collector. However, I rarely know which night they’re on, since I DVR everything. Other shows that I watch are American Horror, Once Upon a Time, Modern Family, Raising Hope, and Person of Interest. I also love Chopped and Good Eats on the Food Network. Alton Brown has taught me more about cooking than pretty much anyone else.
6. I love to watch trauma shows on Discovery Health and have watched brain surgery during breakfast meetings. However, when it comes to my own body, I am a total wuss. I have an auto-injector for when I get migraines, but that is about the best I can do without being squeamish. I had an ingrown toenail removed last week and was a huge baby about it. After the procedure was over, I realized that it wasn’t such a big deal, but if I’d had to schedule it later in the week, I probably wouldn’t have been able to go through with it.
7. I hate talking on the phone. This probably stems from the few years I worked in call centers. I will hang out with you all day and talk your ear off if I’m in a social situation, but don’t call me on the phone. Text or email only, please!
8. If I could wear jeans or sweatpants every day, I would. Once in a while I like dressing up, but I am happiest when I’m in my pajamas.
9. One day I would like to write a memoir, but I feel like my writing skills have declined since college. This is one reason that I started this blog – to try to get back to where I was. I don’t want to be a best-selling author or anything, I want to write mainly for catharsis. The one time that I set pen to paper, I received a nasty letter from my mother demanding that I not do it, even if names and places were changed.
10. I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up and change my mind constantly. I think that this stems from my ENFP personality type: ENFPs have an unusually broad range of skills and talents. They are good at most things which interest them. Project-oriented, they may go through several different careers during their lifetime. To onlookers, the ENFP may seem directionless and without purpose, but ENFPs are actually quite consistent, in that they have a strong sense of values which they live with throughout their lives. Everything that they do must be in line with their values. An ENFP needs to feel that they are living their lives as their true Self, walking in step with what they believe is right. They see meaning in everything, and are on a continuous quest to adapt their lives and values to achieve inner peace. They're constantly aware and somewhat fearful of losing touch with themselves. Since emotional excitement is usually an important part of the ENFP's life, and because they are focused on keeping "centered", the ENFP is usually an intense individual, with highly evolved values. So if anyone has any bright ideas about what I should be when I grow up, let me know.
11. When I was younger, I couldn’t stand being alone for any amount of time. If I had nothing to do for an evening, I would go out and find something to do. Now, I love my nights or days alone. Although I love spending time with my husband and girlfriends, I need at least one night a week where I can veg out in front of the TV or curl up with a glass of wine and a good book. 

Questions Kelly Asked

         1. If you could only DVR one show, what would it be?

Ooh, this is a tough one. I think I would have to say Being Human. It has all of the things that a good show should have – humor, sex, drama, and violence.

2. What is your favorite movie and book?

Favorite movie – any movie in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I am SO excited for the Hobbit! Favorite book… I can’t pick just one. I loved The Hunger Games, The Glass Castle, A High Wind in Jamaica, and Me Talk Pretty One Day. I also love the Dresden Files (so excited that Cold Days is coming out next week!!) and the Game of Thrones Series. There are a lot more that I’ve enjoyed, but I suppose that I can’t list them all.

3. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Australia and New Zealand – which I am planning to visit in May, hurray! Although I would really love to travel just about anywhere except for countries where women don’t have any rights.

4. Christian Grey, Edward Cullen, or Mr. Darcy? Defend your answer ;-).

First of all, I refuse to read the Fifty Shades of Grey books. I've heard that they really aren't all that smutty and there is better literary porn out there. Secondly, vampires are not supposed to glitter and as a former goth who loved Anne Rice, I freaking HATE Twilight. Thirdly, I had to look up Mr. Darcy to find out who he even was.

 That said, nomnomnom Sam Witwer as Aidan in Being Human.

This is my defense:

Do I really need to say anything more? ;0)

5. Rice pudding or tapioca?

Mmmm tapioca wins hands down.

6. Congrats, you just won the lottery, big time. What are the first three things you do?

First, I would call my friend TK who is a CPA and certified financial planner. Secondly, I would take a week off of work to go on vacation with my hubby & friends so that we could make important decisions. Lastly, I would buy a large piece of land so that my friends and I can start the commune that we’ve talked about building for years.

7. What's your favorite holiday recipe? Bonus points for sharing.

Ooh this is a tough one. I love the French Meat Pie that I just made, but that isn’t necessarily a holiday thing – it should be enjoyed throughout the winter. I still haven’t posted my version of the recipe, but it’s pretty much the same as my aunt’s recipe. My favorite Thanksgiving & Christmas recipe is twice-baked sweet potatoes. Bake sweet potatoes & slice lengthwise after they’ve cooled a bit. Scoop them out leaving about a quarter inch of flesh left and put the guts into a bowl. Add butter, half & half, brown sugar, salt, pepper & pumpkin pie spices and blend or mash together. Scoop mixture back into sweet potatoes. Top with chopped pecans and mini marshmallows and bake until marshmallows are melted. Yummy!

8. If people knew you outside the blogosphere, whats one thing that might surprise them about you?

That I love to sing and belt out showtunes when I'm home alone. 

9. What's one of your guilty pleasures?

A pumpkin & vanilla latte from Rise Up Coffee with a cinnamon scone, while listening to catchy pop music.

10. If you could have any dream job, what would it be?

Being a professional actor or a crew or cast member on Ghost Hunters or Destination Truth.  I wouldn’t need to be a household name, but I’d like to be able to make a livable income. I would also be happy to travel the world and blog about my experiences.

11. What are you looking forward to the most in 2013?

My trip to Australia and New Zealand!! I’ve wanted to go for so many years, and I’ve also never taken such a long time off from work in my working life. I have been working since I was 14 and taking so many days off in a row has never been a reality for me. 

My Questions For Those I Tagged:

1. You’re being exiled to a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and can only bring 5 items with you. What do you bring?
2. What is the most important item in your kitchen?
3. What is your favorite adult beverage?
4. Congratulations, you’ve just been offered to star in your own reality TV series… what are you going to call it?
5. What is the most crazy/exciting/awesome thing you’ve ever done? (i.e. skydiving, swimming with sharks, playing poker)?
6. What kind of crazy/exciting/awesome thing would you like to do if you had the opportunity and had no fear of death?
7. Where is your favorite vacation spot and why do you love it?
8. What is your favorite genre of book & do you have a favorite series?
9. Do you have any geeky interests or activities? Please share them!
10. Who is the most surprising artist (or what song) that can be found in your music collection?
11. Do you or your friends/family indulge in any fun/weird/quirky holiday tradition or food?

I am tagging (no pressure to complete if you don’t feel like it!)

Laura at Laura Dye Photography

Jim Butcher at Jim’s Livejournal  (hey, can’t hurt to ask, right?)

Emily at Your Apples are My Oranges 

Kelle at Enjoying the Small Things 

Fall Fun

The last few weeks have been incredibly busy, and it's only going to get worse. Fortunately the end is in sight - I have nothing planned for the first weekend of November, and it is going to stay that way!

My girlfriend visited with her kids and hubby last weekend. We had a fun-filled weekend of pumpkin picking, alpacas, the Renaissance Festival and of course the Things game... or as my girlfriends and I call it, "Things in a box." Because, you know, it comes in a box. Duh.

Jen pulling Annabelle in the wagon while carrying Caroline... supermom!

Annabelle being silly

Oh hai! Wanna go on a picnic? Alpaca lunch!! (okay, I saw it on a meme)

Muffin has ears

This baby loves Phil... he's the alpaca whisperer (and also the owner of the alpaca farm)

Our game of things in a box and Jay carrying in the milk from Nice Farms Creamery.

 The products from Nice Farms are sooo freaking delicious. I've been buying their milk and yogurt for a few weeks (since the party). They recently announced that they are now making butter as well... I can't wait to smear some on fresh-baked bread. I've taken a bit of a break from baking over the summer. Now that the weather is cooler, I'm finding myself yearning for hot french bread out of the oven.

The reason I took the photo of Jay carrying the milk is because our chickens follow us everywhere... they think that they're dogs. They kind of are, I suppose. They come running when you call them and even come running when they see my car pull up. We give them treats and they're constantly underfoot and trying to sneak into the house. Naughty chickpoos.

Tim taking Annabelle down the slide at Ren Fest

Jay and Tim throwing pointy things... what goes better together than beer and sharp objects?

Nom nom nom oyster shooters! This is one of my favorite parts of Ren Fest

Late afternoon Mouse

One of my coworkers/old neighbors stuck this in interoffice to me. It totally made my day. This is me and my neighbor Neil in 1985. My dad made me my costume (looks like my antenna broke!). I love the duct tape on my wings... thanks, Dad! :)

This is one of my favorite fall activities...reading in front of the fireplace. :)

Hot mulled cider with rum enjoyed with good friends at Harry's on the Green 

Even my straw is happy, look at his smiling face!

There's a lot going on at work, home and pretty much in every aspect of my life right now. To be quite honest, it sucks. Work is busy and I've had some problems with the physicians' holiday schedules. Like getting emails so nasty that they make you cry kind of problems. It hasn't been fun. My volunteer position with the group in NYC hasn't kept me as busy lately, I think others have stepped up in my place because I'm not getting nearly as many emails or as much harassment. It's been nice. I'm supposed to go to the board meeting in NYC next weekend, but I really don't want to go. Since I'm stepping down, I don't feel like I have much to contribute, and I'm just tired of dealing with anything involving the group.

This weekend, Jay and I will be going to New Castle, PA to investigate Hill View Manor  with some of the celebrity ghost hunters. This is our fifth event and we're getting antsy to form our own group and go out on our own. We've grown more skeptical in our investigative tactics, so I hope that we get some crazy evidence this time. We used to be huge believers in the "flashlight test", but then realized that it's often just a malfunctioning flashlight. We did use the flashlight test in our own home and came up with some pretty wild results, but I think it requires more testing. I think it could possibly be used as an effective technique IF controls were put in place - using 3 flashlights, asking to light up certain flashlights, asking control questions and the like. 

I wish I had more time for things like ghost hunting!

That's all for now... maybe next week I'll have some scary ghost pictures to post. ;-)