When I purchased Circus tickets I forgot that "going to the circus" was on my list of goals. We took both girls to the "Ringling Brother & Barnum and Bailey Circus". In 2003, Steve and I went to the Circus with Laura and Tyler, at the time I remember being very disappointed. I'm not sure if this Circus was just better or now that I have children I had a different perspective, but this was much better! We had a real life bearded woman sitting in front of us, alone, that did not appear to be part of the circus... Throughout the show Addie called every animal a "doggie", and Ava's favorite part was the mortorcycle's in the sphere.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Finally...
So I finally got over my fear, I bought the person behind me Starbucks. I did this several weeks ago and I'm finally taking the time to sit down and write about it. Once I got up the courage to ask the Barista to do it, it wasn't a big deal at all, he didn't even flinch.... must be more common than I think it is. The person behind me was a middle aged woman, alone, dressed as if she was on her way to work. As I pulled out of the parking lot onto Alpine, I looked to my right and saw the barista hand her her coffee, she looked my way and smiled. Hopefully it brightened her day, and got me over my fear of this goal!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Why is this goal so hard for me?
One of my goals is to pay for the person behind me at Starbucks. In all honesty I thought that this would be an easy goal, and an excuse to go to Starbucks! I have attempted to complete this goal 3 times now, and every time I chicken out. I can't pinpoint what the problem is. I attempted this goal yesterday, and when the car pulled up behind me it had two passengers and I decided to be cheap and not pay for both of their drinks.Take 3 again today... I just couldn't make myself do it.... I am very disappointed in myself, and a bit confused. This will be on my mind all day. Maybe I will try again tomorrow, then I will have to return to Starbucks :)
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Go Camping with Friends
What a trip we had. We went Camping with Laura and Dennis in Grayling. We stayed at Hartwick Pines State Park. We had quite the adventure over the weekend. When we arrived Friday afternoon, our campsite had NO shade and of course it was scorching hot, oh and don't forget humid! We went to Spike's Keg O'Nails for dinner. Saturday morning we got up to go for our 5 1/2 hour trip on the AuSable River. We arrived at Carlise Canoe Rental at 11:00, the group of people in front of us were concerned about if they could get helmets for the trip down the river. The guy working at the counter, stifled a laugh and told her they weren't going White Water Rafting....
As we got into the river, there was a large group of Middle Eastern men who apparently knew nothing about canoeing. Within the first 50 yards of the launch site one of the boats had already capsized once. We continued on and continued to get broadsided twice by other people with their group. As we continue on down the river, it begins to rain.... wait pour! How long could a little rain storm last for? Hours..... As we continue on in the Tsunami we encounter a group who had called an ambulance to the river for what appeared to be an injury to a woman's ankle.
While we continued on it the rain, we came around a corner and Laura's camera went overboard and sank to the bottom of the river. Miraculously Steve found the river when the sun briefly came out from behind the clouds and allowed him to see the bottom of the river.
Two men, who looked to be both homeless and possible meth addicts had passed us several times. As we came around a corner one of the men had the nose of his boat trapped under a tree and was "pinned" between the tree and the boat. His friend was hanging on the end of the tree that was sticking out into the river. We pulled our canoe over, Steve walked across the river, told the men, "let go of the boat". Both men hesitated as they appeared to be clinging to the tree for dear life. Steve grabbed the boat pulled out, and walked it back across the river. He then told the men to "let go of the tree, you can touch..." it took several minutes to convince the men to trust him, when they eventually did, they too stood up and walked across the river....
When we finally approached Wakley Bridge which was our pick-up point, we emptied our canoes and dumped the several inches of water that had accumulated. When Carlisle Canoe's picked us up we began to loaded the van, I left the cooler with Steve's sunglasses sitting on the top for him to bring when he got in the van, we were several hundred yards away from the launch, the van driver attempted to turn around, managed to jack-knife to canoe trailer in the road and for a brief minute I thought the van was going to roll over into the ditch. The driver was distracted and passed the road to the launch, he continued down the road and pulled into a competitors drive to turn around yet again. The owners wife, stood in the driveway and watched with a scowl on her face. As the driver was pulling out of the driveway he hit the fence pole and knocked it down. We went back, and Steve's sunglasses were laying on the ground! As we were pulling back out the driver wanted to go back and fix the fence. Steve and Dennis can down the road and fixed it best they could without and tools. The owners told they had "already called Carlise!" While Laura and I waited in the van for the boys to return we heard why the driver had been distracted in the first place, his girlfriend was at a party with another guy, our driver Joe was told he could not go to the party.... poor kid!
After we returned home we heard the 3 people had been further down river from us, and two of them had died and one was in critical condition after being struck with lightening. Yikes! Glad we made it home safe.
9&10 News - Lightning Strike Kills Two, Injures Another on Au Sable River in Oscoda County
As we got into the river, there was a large group of Middle Eastern men who apparently knew nothing about canoeing. Within the first 50 yards of the launch site one of the boats had already capsized once. We continued on and continued to get broadsided twice by other people with their group. As we continue on down the river, it begins to rain.... wait pour! How long could a little rain storm last for? Hours..... As we continue on in the Tsunami we encounter a group who had called an ambulance to the river for what appeared to be an injury to a woman's ankle.
While we continued on it the rain, we came around a corner and Laura's camera went overboard and sank to the bottom of the river. Miraculously Steve found the river when the sun briefly came out from behind the clouds and allowed him to see the bottom of the river.
Two men, who looked to be both homeless and possible meth addicts had passed us several times. As we came around a corner one of the men had the nose of his boat trapped under a tree and was "pinned" between the tree and the boat. His friend was hanging on the end of the tree that was sticking out into the river. We pulled our canoe over, Steve walked across the river, told the men, "let go of the boat". Both men hesitated as they appeared to be clinging to the tree for dear life. Steve grabbed the boat pulled out, and walked it back across the river. He then told the men to "let go of the tree, you can touch..." it took several minutes to convince the men to trust him, when they eventually did, they too stood up and walked across the river....
When we finally approached Wakley Bridge which was our pick-up point, we emptied our canoes and dumped the several inches of water that had accumulated. When Carlisle Canoe's picked us up we began to loaded the van, I left the cooler with Steve's sunglasses sitting on the top for him to bring when he got in the van, we were several hundred yards away from the launch, the van driver attempted to turn around, managed to jack-knife to canoe trailer in the road and for a brief minute I thought the van was going to roll over into the ditch. The driver was distracted and passed the road to the launch, he continued down the road and pulled into a competitors drive to turn around yet again. The owners wife, stood in the driveway and watched with a scowl on her face. As the driver was pulling out of the driveway he hit the fence pole and knocked it down. We went back, and Steve's sunglasses were laying on the ground! As we were pulling back out the driver wanted to go back and fix the fence. Steve and Dennis can down the road and fixed it best they could without and tools. The owners told they had "already called Carlise!" While Laura and I waited in the van for the boys to return we heard why the driver had been distracted in the first place, his girlfriend was at a party with another guy, our driver Joe was told he could not go to the party.... poor kid!
After we returned home we heard the 3 people had been further down river from us, and two of them had died and one was in critical condition after being struck with lightening. Yikes! Glad we made it home safe.
9&10 News - Lightning Strike Kills Two, Injures Another on Au Sable River in Oscoda County
Friday, July 22, 2011
Day Zero Project
I began the Day Zero project, because it sounded appealing to me to push myself beyond my comfort zone. I am afraid that I am already so busy trying to keep up with my two small daughters, work full time, and attend graduate school that I will just plain forget to keep working on my tasks. I made sure that as I created my list I keep my goals within reason, I didn't want to make the goals so lofty that there was no way I could accomplish them.
As I was making my list, I used the "idea finder" that is part of the Day Zero website. A few of the goals are to far out, like visit 6 continents... well that just isn't going to happen, well unless I win the lottery or get a large inheritance in the near future. I also avoided some of the goals that didn't push me. One of the ideas was to "high-five a police officer", in general that would be a push of my personal limits. Although I am a teacher and we have a community police officer that works closely with the schools. As I read the goal I thought I will just high-five Dave, goal accomplished.... but that isn't pushing myself, so I left it off my list.
I was going to start working on my goals yesterday, I went to Starbucks and I was going to pay for the person behind me in line's order. It was a woman, older than myself, from what I could see in my review mirror she seemed to be slightly distressed, the hood on her could not close all of the way... I thought she would be a good candidate. When I pulled up to the window to pay for my order, I chickened out and didn't do it. As I drove away, I was disappointed in myself.
Today is a new day, we will try again! You can view my list of goals, which isn't complete yet (only 60-some goals created) at http://dayzeroproject.com/user/kushionjen
As I was making my list, I used the "idea finder" that is part of the Day Zero website. A few of the goals are to far out, like visit 6 continents... well that just isn't going to happen, well unless I win the lottery or get a large inheritance in the near future. I also avoided some of the goals that didn't push me. One of the ideas was to "high-five a police officer", in general that would be a push of my personal limits. Although I am a teacher and we have a community police officer that works closely with the schools. As I read the goal I thought I will just high-five Dave, goal accomplished.... but that isn't pushing myself, so I left it off my list.
I was going to start working on my goals yesterday, I went to Starbucks and I was going to pay for the person behind me in line's order. It was a woman, older than myself, from what I could see in my review mirror she seemed to be slightly distressed, the hood on her could not close all of the way... I thought she would be a good candidate. When I pulled up to the window to pay for my order, I chickened out and didn't do it. As I drove away, I was disappointed in myself.
Today is a new day, we will try again! You can view my list of goals, which isn't complete yet (only 60-some goals created) at http://dayzeroproject.com/user/kushionjen
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)