Dream Believe Achieve

Over the weekend I was in Indianapolis for the 500 Festival Mini Marathon and Finish Line 5K. I did the 5K along with my sister-in-law Sandy. Doing the Mini (it's a 1/2 marathon or 13.1 mile race) was my husband Steve, our friend Daryl, my sister-in-law Sharon (her first 1/2 marathon), her husband Jeff, and Sandy's husband Ruben.

We had so much fun trying new restaurants, competing in the events, and just spending time together. Steve and I had a suite in the downtown Hilton--he received an upgrade because he is "gold card" member. What fun--15 floors with a great view, large living/dining area, 2 bathrooms and a bedroom.

I bought a shirt that has "Dream Believe Achieve" on it. It's inspiring me along my journey training for a half marathon in October (the Rock 'N' Roll St. Louis). I finished the 5K in a little over 42 minutes. Not bad, but I know I can achieve more. Since I am approaching a milestone birthday in November, I feel compelled to challenge myself more and live life more fully.

Everyone--you too can Dream, Believe, and Achieve!!

Going a Little Crazy!

Why can't life slow down just a little? It seems so much needs to be done right now! I am trying to work out more so I can get in shape and prepare for a half marathon in October. The first "step" is a 5K in Indy this weekend. Am I looking forward to it? Yes, I am. I will not be racing it, but am doing it with friends. Just for fun, but we must also complete it in less than 55 minutes. I can and will do that!

What else is going on? We are nearing the end of the school semester. Since I teach composition classes, that means lots of papers to grade. Time and energy must be applied. The last day of school for me is May 15 and grades due by the following Monday.

We want to get our garden planted soon, but need to finish preparing the soil and buying the plants. I also need to transplant some herbs (buy  potting soil, new pots, and then buy the basil).  Gardening is something I have come to look forward to each spring.

Eric (our younger son) is graduating  from SIU on May 12! We will be attending his graduation on that day, then going back on the 13th to move him out of his residence hall room.

Also on May 12, Kelly (our older son's fiancee) is having a bridal shower at our house. No need to explain all that needs to be done for that.

The weekend after that Steve (husband) is doing an Olympic distance triathlon at Carlyle Lake. That day will be spent getting up super early, hanging out at the lake (always warm and humid).

After that will be the final prep for Andrew and Kelly's wedding (June 2). We have family coming in, so all house projects and cleaning need to be done by Memorial Day.

The final "big" event of June is Steve's Ironman in Idaho in late June. We are flying out and renting a house. Lots of fun touristy activities before and after the event.After that, I will collapse for a few days!

My Caribbean Christmas Cruise

What we have been planning since July finally came to pass. The four of us--hubby Steve, sons Andrew (23) and Eric (20), and me--went on a Caribbean cruise over Christmas. Here is a brief summary:

We flew to Ft. Lauderdale Dec. 22 and spent time with my mom, my sister and her family. Then on Dec. 23, we boarded the Crown Princess in Port Lauderdale. The in-processing wasn't too bad. Once on the ship, we checked out our rooms (Aloha deck), then started exploring. Up to the Lido deck--pools, Horizon Court Buffet, and fantastic views.

Dinner every evening was fabulous. The food was tasty and way too filling. Of course, ordering 4 courses can do that! I loved the appetizers and soup sometimes more than the main dishes. A few memorable ones were lobster pate, seafood salad, foi gras (I had to try it), and creamy porcini mushroom soup. My favorite main dishes were lamb shanks, lamb chops, veal scalloppine, and fettucine alfredo. Desserts? Most nights I sampled something sweet, such as chocolate mousse brownie and baked Alaska.

We stopped at four ports. First was Princess Cays in the Bahamas. There we took an island tour, which included lunch (sampled some island foods such as Conk Salad and Conk Fritters). Second stop was Grand Cayman, where we visited the turtle farm (the guys all picked up turtles) and interacted with a dolphin (what a blast). Third, the visited the island of Roatan in Honduras. What a great port. The beach was clean, restaurants and shops were close -- a super relaxing day. Steve snorkled, Andrew and I read (me on my Kindle), and Eric enjoyed buying a coconut and rum drink (drinking age is 18 there).

Our final stop, Cozumel, was a favorite for Steve and me. We did a Mexican Cuisine--cooking and tasting experience at Playa Mia. A small group (maybe 20) took instruction from Chef Luis (a very friendly and helpful guy) on preparing a 3-course meal. Along with the cooking, we had unlimited drinks.

On the ship, we felt relaxed and were pampered so much. It was great to not cook, clean, wash a dish, etc. I loved the international cafe, where we enjoyed lattes and mochas as well as pastries, salads, and sandwiches. Eric liked the big screen on the Lido deck, where he watched some movies and football as he soaked up the sun. Andrew loved having time to read books for fun, eat whenever he wanted (and whatever he wanted), and having an endless supply of soda. We also enjoyed the entertainment--music shows, trivia and other games, and Princess Pop Start karaoke contest (no, we did not compete).

Steve and I are already thinking about another cruise--just have to figure out when, then where. I highly recommend the Princess cruise line. But for now, the memories are priceless. What a way to spend Christmas!

Florida Weekend

Two weekends ago, my husband Steve & I went to Florida with 2 of our friends. The guys ran the Ft. Lauderdale A1A Marathon, and we got to spend some time with my family. It was great getting out of the cold weather for a few days.

Friday night my sister made dinner for us. We had pasta and salad, and my mom made a cake for dessert. Saturday, we did some sightseeing on a boat ride. We saw multi-million dollar homes and yachts. Quite impressive. Saturday night, I made Sunset Orzo with Spanish Shrimp, one of my favorite meals.

Sunday was the marathon. It started at 6 a.m. (Eastern Time), so we were up very early. After coffee and a 5K walk from the starting line to the finish line, I was feeling fine. The finish line was next to the beach. Following the marathon, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap.

Sunday night was dinner at Bonefish Grill, a favorite restaurant of mine in Coral Springs, where my sister lives. Then we visited with my sister's family (5 of the 7 kids were home). Monday was early to the airport, then a long day of flights and layovers.

Now it's back to the reality of our cold weather and no ocean nearby.

Memphis Weekend

An enjoyable, yet tiring weekend is coming to an end. Friday afternoon, my friend Kelly picked me up at 3:45 p.m. and we left for Memphis. Our husbands and two other couples were already there. We stopped in St. Genevieve for dinner at Olive Garden, which was relaxing (and a decidedly wonderful change from the quick fast food pit stop on a road trip). Following dinner we treated ourselves to Starbucks hot chocolate.

We arrived in Memphis at 10 p.m. and our husbands helped us unload our stuff from the car. We stayed at the Comfort Inn Downtown. Our room had a view of the river and the Pyramid.

Saturday morning came early with a 5 a.m. wake-up call. We rolled out of bed and put on layers of clothes in preparation for the race. Steve (my husband), Daryl (Kelly's husband), Nan, and Ruben (my brother-in-law) were running the 1/2 marathon; Nan's husband Doug was doing the full marathon; Kelly, Sandy (my sister-in-law), and I were doing the 5K. The temp at 5:30 was only 24 degrees.

After a small breakfast at the hotel, we walked the 6 blocks to the start for the 5K, which began at 7:15 a.m. The other events started at 8 a.m. We walked to try to stay warm (although my toes were numb the whole time) and only jogged at the beginning (had to look cool) and the end. For someone who doesn't compete and train much, I did fine: 55 min. 28 seconds. I even got a medal and a T-shirt (which I gave to my husband; it was much too big on me).

We then darted through a throng of marathoners to cross the street to get to Starbucks (my reward for a job done). Then we went back to the finish area (at the baseball stadium) to watch everyone else finish. It was still cold and we had to move around to stay somewhat warm. Once Doug finished (nearly 4 hours), we finally headed back to hotel for hot showers.

We went to Grill 83 for lunch (had a bowl of spicy seafood gumbo--yummy). Then I took a well-deserved nap. That evening we had dinner at Majestic Grill (on Main St.), an old theater converted to a restaurant but still had the big screen where they show movies). Excellent food all around--ribs, pasta, burgers), and I had a glass of Spanish wine that was smooth and delicious. Following dinner, we walked around downtown and headed to Beale Street. We found a place to listen to live Blues music and have dessert (blueberry cheesecake for us).

After breakfast this morning, we headed back home. A good weekend--cold and tiring but worth it to spend time with family and friends. I know this next weekend will be busy with grading papers and some Christmas decorating.

I love Memphis, but I need to visit in the late spring or summer. I still haven't been to Mud Island.

Beautiful Azores

One place I have lived before I would like to go back to is Terceira Island, Azores. The island is one of 9 in a chain about 900 miles west of Portugal. The climate is mild--it rarely gets above 80 degrees and rarely drops below 50 degrees. There is some humidity, but the ocean breezes and mild climate made it comfortable most of the time. Terceira is about 10 miles by 20 miles, a rocky, volcanic island with beautiful flowers, lots of cows, and miles of ocean.

On the left is a picture taken from our front yard. The ocean was about 100 yards away. Rainbows were a common sight after rain. Can you see why I miss this place?

We lived there for 2 years (2000-2002) when my husband was stationed at Lajes Field, a Portuguese air base that had an American presence too. We lived in base housing, which was a small 3-bedroom unit of a quadplex. That was the only down side to living there. The house could have been a little bigger.

Some of our favorite activities were finding new cafes and restaurants, exploring the island, golfing (beautiful course, inexpensive to play), and enjoying the view from our front porch.

What brought back some of these memories is I made Steve a birthday dinner Sat. night. The theme was Portuguese food, and we had some friends over. I made Caldo Verde (green soup), Alcatra (pot roast cooked in wine and seasonings), and bought Portuguese rolls (from the commissary) as well as Vinho Verde (green grape wine from Portugal) at Trader Joe's. Everything tasted good and we had a super time with our friends. After dinner, before the traditional cake and ice cream, I made Portuguese style coffee drinks. My favorite is the Galao, steamed and foamed milk with a shot of espresso poured over. The coffee and milk form layers that are pretty. It is topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Quote Response

"You write in order to change the world, knowing perfectly well that you probably can't, but also knowing that literature is indispensable to the world. . . . The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you alter, even a millimeter, the way people look at reality, then you can change it." -- James Baldwin (24)

This quote makes sense to me. When we write, we write for a reason. Maybe we "have" to (it's assigned or a grade or a task at work). Maybe we want to share our day with friends on Facebook or in an email or text. Maybe we are inspired to write a song or a poem. With most writing, someone will read it, think about it, be affected by it. Will that change the reader? Will it change the writer?

In some small way, it usually does. It could be a temporary change (wow, nice wording. Cool. Interesting.) It could influence someone to visit the place you wrote about or avoid a restaurant with bad service.

I like that I could affect someone, my writing could change someone, even for the brief moment he or she is reading my work. It matters. My time and energy were not wasted. I have thoughts, feelings, and experiences others care to read about.

My writing does not have to be "literature" meant to be read for the next 50-100 or more years by academics. It will not be made into a movie or book. Those are not my expectations. And that's okay. Considering the number of poorly written books and scripts, I would not want my blogging especially to be turned into something like that.

What have you read lately that has changed you in some way?

L. A. Review

Since early May, Eric and I had been planning our end-of-summer school trip to Los Angeles. We each decided a few places we wanted to see and things we wanted to do. Then, we had to decide on the dates and where to stay.

Eric found the Ramada West Hollywood and thought it looked good. It was a very nice hotel, in a fine area of town. The room was great and close to both Starbucks and Trader Joe's, two of my favorite places. The only downside was it was not that close to many of the places we visited. I did not want to drive (I dislike driving in big cities, especially ones I am unfamiliar with). On Day 1, we wore ourselves out walking to Hollywood Blvd to see the sidewalk of stars. But the sights were worth it. My legs and feet would recover. That night we ate at Primo Bistro, next door to the hotel. Eric and I agreed the bruschetta was delicious.

Day 2 we took the Starline Grand Tour and Stars Homes Tour. We were picked up at the hotel by the shuttle and taken to the Starline Office, where we boarded a double-decker bus for a tour of the area. I had never seen L.A. except for the airport before, so this experience was well worth the time and money. Places we visited included the Kodak Theatre, Grauman's Chinese Theater, Hollywood Bowl, Farmer's Market, La Brea Tar Pits, Rodeo Drive, Chinatown, Melrose Drive. The highlight was when we switched to the roofless van for the driving tour of stars homes. We cruised up and down Mulholland Drive, seeing fabulous views of the city as well as gorgeous homes. After that, we picked up sushi and drinks at Trader Joe's for our in-room dinner.

Day 3 we toured Warner Brothers studios in the morning. What a great place. I got to see the set of one of my favorite shows, Chuck. We also visited the Friends Central Perk set, still preserved and open to the tour. The WB museum was interesting (smaller than I thought it would be). I enjoyed learning some of the "secrets" to making movies and TV shows. But I was hoping to see real actors and see filming. Unfortunately, Monday morning was not the most active time. We did see some people scouting for locations for the upcoming movie Priest.

After lunch at Koo Koo Roo Chicken Bistro (yummy salads), we went to the Family Feud taping. We spent nearly 3 hours there, learning how to be a good audience member (clap, clap, and clap loudly. "Awww" and clap). It was fun and educational. We watched 3 shows. John O' Hurley looks the same in person. Family Feud is taped in the same place as Judge Judy and Judge Joe Brown (we got a peek at their sets). Initially, we were going to see The Price is Right, but we decided we wanted to sleep in, not get up at 4 a.m. to stand in line for hours on end. Family Feud was one of the few shows taped during the time we were there. Eric and I really wanted to see a sitcom taped, but no such luck.

Tuesday, our last full day there, was low key in the morning. Eric slept in. I was up before 7 a.m. (never did adjust to the time zone) and went to Starbucks for my morning mocha. I sat in a comfy chair, reading Julie & Julia and watched people. Later that morning, we walked to the Beverly Center, a fabulous multi-storied mall. Both impressive and intimidating. Then we went to Robertson Ave. (a shopping/dining street) and found a wonderful little Italian cafe for lunch. Following that we walked some more, then went back to the hotel for a restful, cool afternoon. L.A. was definitely warmer than I thought it would be.

Our big finale was a Dodger's game that night. We took a taxi to the stadium (don't ask how much it cost). The trip took us through some very unusual parts of the city during rush hour (so, of course, the driver avoided the "parking lot" of the interstates). Eric got us great seats, field level, behind home plate. What a fabulous stadium, and I am not the biggest baseball fan. I did enjoy the game, Manny's home run, the guy who ran out on the field and was tackled by security, etc.

On Wed. morning, we took the Super Shuttle van to the airport (we also stopped many times to pick up other riders--again seeing lots of the city). I can tell you I am not a fan of LAX. It's crowded, crazy, and confusing. When we checked our bags, the airline "guy" gave Eric the wrong boarding pass. We had to get that fixed. I forgot I had a water bottle in my purse. Luckily, no big deal. It got pitched. Then a security alarm went off, locking the door to the concourse, so we had to wait in a warm hallway till that was fixed. At least the flight was uneventful. We got home safely.

There's more to share, but that's the highlights.

We want to go back and see more studios and show tapings. We want to stay in Burbank, not West Hollywood, so we are closer to the "action." But I still do NOT want to drive in L.A. If anyone wants to volunteer for that duty, we'll take you with us.