Yet again, this year bestowed upon me many blessings amidst a busy year of travel and change. God blessed me with another year of health and employment. My friends showed me strength and resiliency, especially my dear Pink Warrior. My family showed me unconditional love and support, even when planning a wedding. My fiance showed me grace, strength, and patience and he continues to show me the world through new eyes. 2011 promises a slew of change, including beginning an entirely new chapter of life. I'll be sure to keep you all posted. In the meantime, may your own review of the year result in happy memories and new hopes and dreams for the coming year.
"Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This day is all that is good and fair. It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays."
I rarely entreat you, my fair readers, to give to cause and when I do, it is usually for a cause close to my heart or the heart of a friend. As my friends, your heart is my heart and my heart is yours. Just a few months ago Rotary International gave me many gifts - the trip of a lifetime, amazing new friendships, and a deep appreciation for the generosity of the human spirit. The service projects supported and implemented by Rotary Clubs around the world inspire me. The people that make up Rotary are extraordinary, ordinary people with the largest hearts I've ever seen.
I feel I cannot do enough to repay the generosity I experienced during my Group Study Exchange trip to Brazil. One small drop I can make into my bucket of gratitude is a donation to Rotary International's End Polio Now Campaign. This campaign has contributed to the eradication of polio in all but FOUR countries on Earth. With a huge boost from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary International is hoping to complete the task it started in 1988.
Before the business of this year's holiday season truly hits, please consider donating to this worthy cause. Read up on the history of Rotary International's efforts to eradicate polio here and here. Donate to the cause here or here. Just think - a polio-free world!
For all the times I caught connecting flights in Atlanta, I never once had enough time to venture outside the airport and into the city. Fortunately, Jacob had a job recruitment fair to go to the first weekend of October, and he had an old buddy from his hometown living there willing to put us freeloaders up for a couple of nights. We drove up I-75 on a Friday night to where Jacob's buddy and his wife live. They live in an awesome up-and-coming section of Atlanta known as Glenwood Park. On Saturday we walked over to Hotoberfest where Jacob and I tasted many a yummy microbrewski. We followed all that up with a meal at the Matador Cantina and one heckuva a downer of a Tennessee football game. The game was such a downer that our host with the most could not even down his own shot of tequila. Don't worry. It didn't go to waste ;) To ease the pain of defeat, we all headed to a neighbor's house to get the good times rolling again.
The universe has a way of letting us all know how small the world really is through coincidences that blow our minds. In Glenwood Park, at a friend of a friend of a friend's neighbor's house, I ran into an old graduate school friend from Miami that I had not seen in nearly 5 years. It was incredible and no one present could believe it. There I am sitting on the couch in this person's house, and in walks my friend. Through my daze of disbelief and confusion, I call his name out across the room. The room goes silent as everyone watches the two of us recognize each other. I still can't believe it! It was wonderful to catch up with each other and the moment made me remember what an awesome experience graduate school was for me. I'm getting nostalgic again as I write this now...
Early the following morning, I drove Jacob to his prep session with his headhunter. Most of Jacob's day would be spent in hotel conference rooms with his recruiter and fellow job hunters preparing for Monday's job interviews. Because the hotel was close to my cousin's apartment, I totally woke her up with a ridiculous good morning phone call! Fortunately, she knew I would do that and she gave me directions to her place. She and I spent most of the day together -- catching up, talking about life, and searching around the mall for bridesmaids accessories. Ultimately, the bridesmaids ended up with nothing, but Jacob got a new shirt and power tie out of the deal. Who knew Donald Trump designed ties?!?
When Jacob finished his prep sessions, I picked him up and we made our way back to Glenwood Park for dinner and more football. As it was Sunday and everyone had an early morning, our evening was called pretty early (especially after doing a quarter mile of lunges around the local high school's track). I was looking forward to a day in the city, and to hearing good news from Jacob's job interviews.
Monday morning I drove Jacob back to his job recruitment headquarters on the other side of the city. After saying "Adios and good luck!", I drove downtown to the largest aquarium in THE WORLD -- The Georgia Aquarium.
Home to whale sharks, manta rays, coral, and belugas, this place BLEW my mind. In front of the 6.3 million gallon Ocean Voyager exhibit, I became entranced. I could have sat in front of that aquarium for days!
The grace of the animals and the many thoughts that came to mind while watching them kept me dreaming. I also wondered how ethical it really is to keep these humongous, beautiful creatures trapped in a tank of water hundreds of miles away from the ocean. Sure, this may be the only way others or I could even see or experience these creatures, but is it the best way? A conundrum, to be sure, and I can only hope it results in more water advocates. For water covers more than 70% of our planet, yet it is the least protected and most abused ecosystem. To many, oceans, lakes, and rivers seem like a mysterious abyss, infinitely capable of absorbing all the harms we inflict upon them. To me, they are our most fragile resources and they have been taken for granted for far too long.
I spent several hours walking through all the amazing exhibits. I was mesmerized by the white beluga and the river otters. I was astonished by all the fish species and delighted by the jellyfish. I was sad that only Pacific coral reef species were on display, rather than (or not in addition to) the geographically-closer Caribbean coral reef species. Oh well, even the largest aquarium in the world can't have a whole OCEAN inside its walls....
After getting my fill of water wonder, and nearly killing my phone's battery because of all my picture-taking, I walked outside to a beautiful southern fall day in downtown Atlanta. Just a hop away from the aquarium is the infamous Centennial Olympic Park. In 1996, Atlanta hosted the 100th year of the Summer Olympic Games. The Park was created as the central gathering place for the games. The Park hosted entertainment, concerts and receptions; food, beverages and Olympic merchandise vendors and was a central meeting location for volunteers and pin trading.
SIDE NOTE: I am an Olympics JUNKIE. I fell in love with the games the year Mary Lou Retton stole all of our hearts. I fell in love with them all over again in the winter of the Battle of Brians and of two talented figure skaters performing to the dramatic music of Carmen. Kerri Strug, the Miracle on Ice, Michael Phelps. The legends and the lore -- I love it all. The Olympics are my World Series and March Madness rolled into two and half weeks of human-interest stories and peaceful competition. Ask me sometime about attending the Sydney Olympics -- there is NO OTHER experience like it.
Anyway, back to the park. I could not have asked for a more beautiful day to stroll around the park. Beautiful clear skies, pleasant temperatures, and no crowds. I took my time walking around while sipping a hot cup of coffee. My favorite parts of the park were probably the fountain in centennial plaza and the "quilt garden". There are a series of metal and brick "quilts" that commemorate several aspects of the 100th Summer Olympics. One of the quilts is in remembrance of the 111 people injured and the 1 person killed by the bombing in the park, which occurred on July 27, 1996. The Quilt of Remembrance features a mosaic of stones from around the world to honor those injured in the explosion and an eternal light shines in memory of Alice Hawthorne, who perished. It was very moving to linger by this memorial quilt, and by all the quilts, including the quilt of nations.
After touring through Centennial Park, I settled on a bench in the sun and read my book while I waited for Jacob's call. When he calls, I say good-bye to Atlanta. I never knew how much I would enjoy it! Fortunately, Jacob's interviews went well and traffic was easy for the ride home. I am so appreciative to our hosts and for the many blessings that came out of that weekend. The weather was perfect, I ran into and caught up with an old friend, I had a wonderful visit with my dearest cousin, and Jacob found a job! Really, what more could one ask for from a long weekend? If you ever get the chance to escape the airport terminal, I think Atlanta is well worth a visit!
Well, I gave my recommendations for casual dining already. Now, its time to get dolled up and take out that woman or man that tickles your fancy. Here are my picks for a great romantic night out or a night out with friends!
Cafe Alma - 260 1st Ave S
I always forget Café Alma is there, and I when I go I wonder why I can’t remember it! The food is tasty, the prices are great (especially at happy hour), and the mood of the place is awesome.
Savannah's Café - 113 Central Ave
The fried green tomatoes are SO GOOD. Sometimes my order falls flat here, but I still keep coming back. Maybe it’s the delicious cocktails, the tomatoes, the atmosphere, or all three. Of maybe I just love Southern cooking.
Red Mesa Cantina - 128 3rd St S
Best gourmet tacos…EVER. Ahi tuna tacos, duck tacos, and potato tacos. All good, and you don’t feel gross or explosive afterward. The sangria is SO tasty, and to top off your meal, the BEST dessert…EVER? Maybe, but hot damn, the Mexican chocolate brownie with Petron-soaked strawberries and chipotle chocolate gelato will knock. Your. Socks. OFF.
Primi Urban - 27 4th St N
Another place I forget about, but then wonder why I forget it. The food is good, and often, you’ll have enough pasta leftover for another meal without abusing your wallet.
Parkshore Grill - 300 Beach Drive NE
The Parkshore Burger is one reason to come here – hello? A burger topped with blue cheese and applewood bacon. YUM! Another reason? The view – see the Vinoy basin with moored sailboats bobbing on the water in front of the bayan tree-filled Straub Park. Oh, and the martinis are wicked good.
The Moon Under Water - 332 Beach Dr NE
A perennial stand by for me, with a go-to “I’m feeling healthy” menu item. I love the feta taboule salad that comes in tortilla bowl with pita and hummus on the side. This British-inspired pub has great atmosphere inside, a wonderful porch to eat on, and sidewalk seating. The chicken curry, veggie burger, and fish and chips are all good too.
The Queenshead - 2501 Central Ave
Trendy and tasteful, this place offers up a number of delicious entrees. It is only open for dinner and I’ve been aching for an excuse to go back!
Ceviche - 95 Central Ave
Some of the best dinners of my life have taken place at this yummy tapas restaurant, including my first date with Jacob. The sangria greases the wheels (red, white, or champagne) and menu always takes on a life its own. Before you know it, your hungry eyes have outpaced your stomach. Better make room, because it is ALL tasty.
Bonefish - 5062 4th St N
Order fresh fish the way you like it. Blackened, grilled, fried, baked. This ain’t no Burger King, though. Yummy platters await and you will rarely be disappointed.
Bella Brava - 204 Beach Drive NE
Wine and dine in style. This place just moved down to the up-and-coming Beach Dr. strip and I have not had a chance a to see the new location. I always love their pastas, paninis, and flatbreads. Plus, the wine is always good here!
Z Grille - 104 2nd St S
Oh my God. Dr. Pepper BBQ ribs? So good! More Mexican dishes with a modern flair await you here, too. The interior is trendy, modern, and clean and the food is delicious. Watch the specials because there is always a winner among the choices!
DISCLAIMER: The views, opinions, or positions expressed in the following are mine and mine alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of any entity, organization, or agency.
This summer, I went to Oil Spill Response Camp. My job required and continues to require me to advocate for the needs of threatened and endangered species at the Deepwater Horizon Houma Incident Command Post (ICP) in Louisiana. What I learned during my rotations at the ICP changed my entire perception of this unprecedented oil spill, and the subsequent emergency response. What I learned also eased my fears; however, in the face of my first-hand knowledge of the data and information coming into the Environmental Unit at the Houma ICP, the media coverage of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and its effects on human health and the environment have me feeling incredibly frustrated and angry.
1. Dedicated, Smart Professionals Are On The Job
The first thing I learned when I rotated through the Houma ICP was the incredible dedication of the people working at the ICP. Many, if not most of the people working in my unit had been there since the start of the spill. They continuously work 12+ hours a day, 7 days a week – and they will continue to do so until all the environmental data needs of the response are satisfied. These people are BP managers, U.S. government agency personnel, and contractors – all of whom have come from near and far, away from their families, friends, and routine lives – to solve this problem in the Gulf. They are samplers, water quality analysts, waste managers, endangered species biologists, meteorologists, hydrologists, restoration scientists, crisis managers, scientific support staff, lab staff, off-duty tree-huggers, and experienced retirees called back into duty for their expertise. The ICP is host to the foremost experts in oil science, including many that cut their teeth on the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska. They are smart, educated, and experienced. Individually, these experts have decades of experience, collectively they have centuries, and they all are my generation’s mentors.
All of us in the Environmental Unit of the Houma ICP have the same goal: find out where the oil is going or has gone, find out what is being impacted, and find out how to remedy those impacts appropriately. This means taking samples wherever and whenever oil is spotted. Find out if the oil sampled is from Deepwater Horizon. If it is washing up on beaches or into marshes, how do we clean it up? What tools, machines, or methods do we use? What wildlife is in the area? How will these methods affect water quality? How will the waste be disposed? How can we clean up the oil without doing further harm? All of these questions, and many more must be answered in the screaming face of local municipalities and a nation that wants the oil cleaned up NOW.
This brings me to my big beef: the media and its portrayal of the science driving the decisions of this emergency clean-up response. The poor reporting and sensationalism that continues does an extreme disservice the knowledge, experience, intentions, and capabilities of the scientific professionals advising on this response effort. The clean-up response to Deepwater Horizon is by no means perfect at any level; however, it is not because of the knowledge base of the professionals drafted to assist in this effort. Coordination of governmental, non-governmental, and corporate entities at this mass scale is no small feat, and it results in what can be called nothing less than a clusterf*ck.
2. It Really Isn’t As Bad As It Seems
This brings me to the second thing I learned while serving at the ICP. The impact of the spill is not as bad as it seems. This is a FACT, not government CYA spin, and it is due to several factors. This is not to say that there is no impact on human health and the environment from millions of gallons of crude oil spewing forth unchecked into the Gulf of Mexico. There is, and an incredible impact at that. Hundreds of dead adult, juvenile, and baby shore- and seabirds. Hundreds of dead sea turtles. Dead dolphins; dead whales. Wildlife that is dead, dying, distressed, and oiled. There are miles of oiled marsh and beach. Oil spilled into the environment; however, for the amount of oil that spilled it could have been so much worse. Working at the Houma ICP made me feel BETTER about the spill and the effort to clean up the spill than watching from the outside. Working at the Houma ICP let me know what the mitigating factors are that aided in avoiding the damage that we all expected to see from this spill
ONE: The type of oil.
Sweet Louisiana crude is lighter and more volatile than the crude we all saw from Exxon Valdez. It is made up of less complex bonds between its molecules – bonds that microbes find easy to break. Therefore, oil from Deepwater Horizon is more likely to biodegrade. Further, Deepwater Horizon oil contains relatively lower levels of highly toxic and persistent chemicals called polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). More information on the nature of Deepwater Horizon oil and how it weathers in the environment can be found here.
TWO: The environment into which the oil spewed: hot, stormy, and buggy.
What oil made it to the surface and was not skimmed or burned or otherwise recovered got washed up on shore, got evaporated or weathered, or got further broken down by oil-eating microbes.
For the oil that made it to the marsh, in some instances it’s a better tactic to let sleeping dogs lie. The marshes of the Gulf are sensitive habitats. Stomping into the marsh to dig up the oil is in many cases more destructive than letting the oil sit in the marsh and weather. Seeing marsh that was improperly treated – i.e., stomped on and mangled by response personnel, instead of allowed to sit and recover – nearly caused a colleague in the Houma ICP Environmental Unit to cry during our daily meeting. Photographs showed that in areas adjacent to the damaged marsh, biodegradation of the oil was already taking place in the humid and hot summer of Southern Louisiana, and new, green shoots of marsh grass were already popping up.
THREE: The response.
We used every tool in our toolbox: skimming, burning, booming, capping, and dispersants. Yep. I said it. Dispersants. Dispersants have been around for decades and are a part of the National Contingency Plan for oil spill response. The use of dispersants is not without risk; however in large offshore oil spills, such as Deepwater Horizon, oil dispersant use is pre-approved by the Regional Response Teams. The novel sub-sea use of dispersants at the Source allowed for even lower concentrations of dispersant to be applied than if the oil reached the surface. In my book, this is a plus. Use less of one chemical, perceived by the public to be highly toxic, to achieve the same effect? I like it better than the alternatives.
As we know, the Gulf of Mexico is home to tons of oil-eating microbes because of natural oil seeps. Additionally, it is important to note that dispersants act to disperse the oil into small droplets that are slower to rise to the surface. This does not necessarily mean these droplets sink. They remain in the water column. Where the microbes are. And where the fish are. Thus, there is a trade-off. Risk toxic oil reaching our sensitive coastal wetlands, which are already stressed from a multitude of human activities including agriculture, industry, shipping, and waste disposal; or risk potential effects of dispersed oil on fish and other sensitive marine species with a chemical concoction that is less toxic than the crude oil<. Dispersants, while chemical, have a smaller half-life than crude oil and utilize component chemicals found in most household cleaners. The toxicity of oil-dispersant mixes also depends on a number of factors including the type of crude oil, the dispersant used, and the environmental conditions (e.g., salinity, weather patterns). If given the choice between the lesser of two evils, between the rock or the hard place – I choose the lesser, the movable rock. During the days when oil was still gushing into the Gulf, researchers detected sub-surface oil presumed to be lurking below the surface because of dispersant. Current sampling efforts are having trouble detecting oil in the Gulf, however, sub-surface or otherwise. Teams of response personnel are trawling the nearshore waters of the Gulf searching for oil. They aren’t finding it. Louisiana shrimpers are back on the water. Well, Louisiana shrimpers not making more money as a vessel of opportunity for the response effort are back on the water. They aren’t finding oil. How do I know? Because I was there at the ICP for the daily report from the forensic sampling teams. What no one wants to admit, at least in the media: the dispersants did what they were invented to do – they dispersed the oil. Although, as one small voice said yesterday, “the media was reporting the past as the present.” The results of what was found during studies completed in May or June when the oil was still spewing forth are being reported as the current situation in the Gulf. This is wrong. It distorts the truth and it damages our ability to respond to future spills.
So the choice to use dispersants was made, and it was an effective choice. Questions remain about the lasting impact of this difficult choice. [A choice that, by the way, was left to the experts handling the response and not to the public or to reporters or to armchair scientists.] During the recent Senate hearings on the use of dispersants, scientists testified that the lasting impact of dispersants is unclear. At the end of NPR’s report, chemist Dana Wetzel from Mote Marine Laboratory poses a bevy of questions about the future of the Gulf. I say we would be asking these questions regardless of whether dispersants were used or not.
3. The Gulf Is DIRTY
The third thing I learned from my time at the Houma ICP was that the Gulf of Mexico was not a clean place before this event. There are thousands of oilrigs in the Gulf. Spills from these rigs, and from the thousands of ships transiting the area, happen every single day. Hurricane Katrina and Rita triggered numerous hazardous-materials releases from industrial facilities and storage terminals onshore, as well as from oil and gas production facilities offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Last month, a presentation by the Louisiana State Governor’s office during the Houma ICP’s all-hands meeting emphasized the existing pollution from rigs and refineries in the aftermath of several recent storms and hurricanes. The sampling reports during my unit’s daily briefings reinforced the fact that not all of the oil encountered during the response is Deepwater Horizon oil. Further, the water rushing down the Mississippi River isn’t clean. It’s filled with industrial, agricultural, and wastewater run-off, which continues feeding the growth of an enormous ead Zone.
What do I want you to take away from these first three lessons learned? I want you to realize that, despite the inherent issues of a response effort this big and of so many competing interests working together, the effects of this spill could have been so much worse. I want you to realize that there is really GREAT science going on right now, and people that the media would like to label as representatives of “evil special interests” are conducting some of that science. I want you to realize that the whole truth is not getting reported in the mainstream media. Most of all, I want you to realize that eleven people died, thousands of animals died, and thousands more are working to make sure more death does not result from this event or from any future event like it. Reasonable people do not make the news headlines. Unfortunately, the Deepwater Horizon clean-up response entails the work of a lot of reasonable people trying to do their best with the information available.
4. Deepwater Horizon Was My Fault, And Yours
The fourth thing I learned from serving at the Houma ICP was that ultimately, this spill was my fault, and your fault. Our need for oil caused the situation that resulted in Deepwater Horizon. Because demand for oil is so high, the profit margin for oil companies is HUGE. So huge that I cannot even fathom what hundreds of billions of dollars in quarterly profits looks like – or feels like. I imagine it is pretty powerful. So powerful that corners were cut in all areas of oil and gas production. Regulators didn’t regulate. Governments didn’t govern. Engineers didn’t engineer safe rigs. Safety officers didn’t enforce safe rigs. People at every level cut corners on every aspect of permitting, regulating, and developing oil production facilities because they could and because it was lucrative. And we all let it happen because we want to microwave, drive, air condition, charge our iPods, iPads, iPhones, heat our water, compute…to fuel our electronic, technologically driven lives. To be bold: don’t point the finger at BP for giving us what we want. We need to point the fingers at ourselves for not demanding more accountability for where our fuel comes from, and for not acknowledging our own role in the excessive consumption of fossil fuels.
Yesterday, while shopping for wedding dresses (HOLY canoli!), my Mom and friend brought up (again) the need for me to write a guide to eating one's way around St. Petersburg. After 4 1/2 years living, working, and eating in this fine Sunshine City, I have quite the backlog of recommendations for my friends and family. With the upcoming nuptial event luring in many out-of-town guests, I figured I would make my first stab at collating all my favorite eateries and restaurants in one location. Stay tuned to this series. You won't find a chain restaurant among the bunch.
Casual St. Eatersburg
This first category is for the shorts, t-shirt, scrappy flip-flop, baseball hat-wearing crowd. No frills, no pretense. Just good eatin' at a fair price.
Chattaway's - 358 22nd Ave S
Slide yourself onto the bench of one of the many umbrella-covered picnic tables at this eclectic garden oasis in South St. Pete. Bathtubs filled with shrubbery, brick-lined patio, and a charming water feature give this place its fun ambience, but the burgers make you keep coming back. I love this place at lunchtime. A Chattaburger and a beer and I'm ready for afternoon.
Fortunato's - 259 Central Ave
Pizza just the way I like it -- oversized slices that barely fit onto a paper plate, delicious crust, stringy, gooey mozzarella, and not too much sauce. And the garlic rolls are SO good. You can get more than enough to eat for 8 bucks or less.
Ringside Cafe - 2742 4th Street N
Who doesn't love sweet potato chips with horseradish dipping sauce?? Oh, and the place is a haven for lover's of live blues bands. Just don't mind the obvious years of smoking patrons frequenting the place. The tobacco patina gives this place its charm!
Old Northeast Pizza - 718 2nd Street N Right next door to the Old Northeast Tavern (stay tuned), this place offers up more of my kind of pizza (see Fortunato’s), except in whole, huge pies. This is my go-to for pick-up orders for nights in.
Athenian Garden - 21 3rd St. N When I’m craving a gyro, there is no where else in town to go. ‘Nuf said.
The Tavern - 121 7th Avenue S On the campus of The University of South Florida - St. Petersburg, this small outpost offers up great beers at a great price for the frugal undergrad/graduate student. Here you'll find the great minds of the Bayboro marine science community - professors of marine science, NOAA Fisheries staff, and research staff at the Florida Fish & Wildlife Research Institute – talking shop over pints and baskets of food. For lunch have a yummy handmade sandwich (I like the Tennyson Sandwich) and for happy hour have some loaded nachos with your beer of the month. This spot is also great for a post-workout reward ;-)
I hope this got your taste buds tingling. Up next are my favorite spots for date nights, whether with your honey, your best buds, out-of-town visitors, or the new love interest.
I love how blogger always loads my photos in reverse order. Anyway, below are just a few of the shots I took during my time in Brazil. There are many more on the blog my Team Leader, Doug, coordinated. The link for that is included in the sidebar to the right. I encourage you to look through and read through that blog for many more details!
The iconic tree of Curitiba.
Iguazu Falls. See the video below of the 275 falls that go on forever at the confluence of 2 rivers in 3 countries: Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay.
Downtown Morrettes, a sleepy town on the coast of southern Brazil in the state of Parana.
Traditional Portuguese architecture in Morrettes.
The pier in Morrettes.
View of Tangui Park from the top of the waterfall in Curitiba.
The Wire Opera house, which was constructed on the site of a former quarry. Redevelopment of public spaces at its best.
Riding the city's tourist line with my teammates and team leader.
The remains of yet another full course meal at a huge Italian restaurant in the Santa Felicidades area of Curitiba.
Brazilian BBQ friends.
The regional elections tribunal. In Brazil, each citizen of voting age is REQUIRED by law to vote or face a fine. Brazil was the first country to have a reliable electronic voting system...even before the infamous "hanging chad".
My generous guides and translators in the City of Pinnhais.
The magnificently manicured grounds of the Botanical Gardens in Curitiba.
The green house at the Botanical Gardens.
View of the City of Curitiba from the panoramic viewing deck of the Oi Cellular tower.
I'm just home from Brazil, and my how things simultaneously change and stay the same. I'll let you read about and see photos from my team's adventures with Rotary International in our blog here. I think we (especially team leader extraordinaire, Doug) did a pretty good job of capturing the highlights. I'll post some more of my own photos once my new MacBook Pro arrives!!
People keep asking us all if we had fun on the trip, and so soon after landing, it is hard to characterize our time in Brazil. During our trip I felt amazed, frustrated, happy, sad, enlightened, stupefied, and everything else on the spectrum of emotion. I learned that the world is getting smaller everyday and globalization is happening now. Brazil is a bigger and better melting pot than the U.S. No one in the South looks like a "traditional" Brazilian. The European influence is very apparent -- Germans, Dutch, and Italians -- and peppers the food, the architecture, and the language. I learned that I can pick up Portuguese faster than I thought, but not fast enough to form sentences. I learned there is a lot of good in the world, and many are working to protect it. I learned so much more, and I am likely to continue to reap the benefits of this trip. Additionally, this experience is unique and likely never to be repeated -- no other program is likely to give me the opportunity to meet the incredible individuals I met or see all the things I was able to see in ONE month. It was an incredible experience and I am so happy to be home.
The major reason I am so happy to be home: I am engaged! So, with this big trip over and done, I am about to embark on one of life's biggest trips -- marriage. This puts the home buying plans on hold for now. At least I know that when the time comes to buy, I am ready for it! For now, though, I am enjoying time with my fiance (!!), friends, planning for the future, and all the other perks of being home in the States: toilets that flush, drinking tap water, using my cell phone whenever I like, and choosing my own schedule.
----------- TRIP STATS: Number of host families: 7 Number of hotel stays: 3 Number of buffets eaten: 100s Number of Portuguese words I understood: max. 10 Number of Portuguese words I learned: max. 2 Modes of transportation utilized: planes, trains, automobiles, buses, walking/hiking (sadly, no boats) Worst moment: realizing I wouldn't be able to call home on a regular basis Best moment: Contributing a tile mosaic to a Goodwill Tree and listening to an amazing pianist (see our team's blog entry #23: An amazing family, to know more)
So, BIG news. BIG updates! I haven't mentioned the following on here before now because well, they were just too BIG! Let's start with the BIG international delight...
Back in October, November, December? I found I passed muster and was selected as a team member for Rotary International's Group Study Exchange Program. Two of my good friends are alumni of this amazing program. The GSE program is a cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young-ish professionals. For four weeks, my team leader, 3 teammates, and I will tour our host Rotary District in Curitiba, Brazil. Curitiba is south of Sao Paolo and Rio, almost to Uruguay. It is a very modern city and serves as an excellent example of progressive urban planning.
In a typical four-week tour, my team and I will participate in vocational visits, give 15 to 20 presentations about our lives and our careers to numerous Rotary clubs within our host district, attend the host district conference, go on cultural and service project site tours, and stay with host families. The goal is to soak up as much of the culture as possible, while making new friends and professional connections.
Rotary International is an amazing civic service organization with clubs all around the country and the world. I've had the privilege of attending several Rotary functions, and I like the ethos of the organization. (I encourage you to find your nearest local Rotary Club and inquire about the GSE program.) Fortunately, my GSE alumni friends have started their own provisional Rotary Club right here in St. Pete that I will likely join once I return from in June. As much as I would like to update my entries on this blog while I am touring my host district in Brazil, I am going to say now that it is not likely. Everyone involved with the GSE program guarantees me long, full days and I have little expectation that I can sneak away to type up a blog entry of any quality.
So, that's the BIG international news. Like I would need any more action than that in one year!! As you all know by now, though, I roll at the speed of sound, if not light, when it comes to living life. I have BIG domestic news, too!! When I return home, I will begin OPERATION: Search and Offer. Currently, I am in OPERATION: Careful Consideration of Home Ownership.
I've been crunching numbers all month and I meet with my friendly mortgage broker next week. And in lieu of committing to the home search full on by getting a real estate agent and visiting listed homes, I check out eye candy here. I will begin the on foot search in earnest when I return to the States. My dear little 500 square foot one-bedroom garage apartment has been so kind to me over the past four years. My land lady has been even better to me during that time. I will miss the moments we shared; however, it is time to move on to a full-sized, functional kitchen, a yard to call my own, and space enough for a full-sized sofa and for the cats (yes, I have cats and that's another story altogether). I'm looking forward to the process of purchasing my very first piece of property and I can't wait for each of you to come visit!! There will most certainly be room for you!
That's the moving and the shakin'. I hope you can keep up. I promise to keep you as updated as possible over the summer!
As you know, if you've been faithfully reading my blog AT ALL (of course you have, right?!?), I ran a crazy-ass team relay across the State of Florida this past November 2009. Many of you kind readers generously donated to our cause -- The Kenya Education Fund. Well, the final tally is in, and below are the results of all our fundraising efforts. I will let Daphne's email do the talking:
Hi All,
Just wanted to send you a quick note to let you know that I just received word that the funds we raised for the Kenya Education Fund will be used to sponsor Miss Eunice Wangari through 4 years of school at Ndururumo High School. Through our fundraising, Eunice will have all 4 years of school fees covered, books, supplies, exams, room, board, and incidental expenses paid for.
Throughout the 4 years I'll be receiving letters from Eunice and I promise to send them along to you all. In the meantime, I hope you are as proud as I am of both our team and of Eunice as she embarks on this new journey. Thanks for all you support and please pass on the good news and a huge thank you from KEF (and me) for the support.
Hope you are all well! Daphne
www.kenyaeducationfund.org
Thank you again to everyone that supported Team Twisted Blister and our efforts to help a student in need. Keep your eyes peeled, for we may be doing it all again in January 2011. This time -- running from Miami to Key West!!!
This post is a little overdue, but I'm sure you all know by now I'm not very timely with my posts. At the end of February I flew North to visit my friend Amanda. You met her in this post, and you know where she lives from this post. Because I only had 24 hours to experience Chicago during my last trip in August, I went back for the full treatment!
As soon as I landed, Amanda and I were on the go -- straight downtown to the Willis (Sears) Tower. I've been to the top of the Empire State Building, and now this. How exciting!! The Willis Tower is awesome because recently, the SkyDeck was revamped to include clear glass retractable ledges that allow you to step out over the streets of downtown Chicago. Take a look at what I mean:
Depending on how windy The Windy City gets, "The Ledge" is pulled back closer to the building. I found that out of the information posted on the walls, too, I appreciated the information geared toward elementary kids more! I totally wanted to know what people ate for lunch in the 1940s more than I wanted to read about famous Chicagoans. Sorry, but it's true!! Here are some fun facts for your own learning enjoyment:
The Willis Tower is 1,450 feet (443 meters) high - 1,730 feet (520 meters) including twin antenna towers.
The Skydeck is 1,353 feet (412 meters) above the ground.
On a clear day, you can see four states - Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan. Visibility from the Skydeck is approximately 40-50 miles (65 - 80 kilometers).
The average sway of the building is approximately 6 inches (152 millimeters) from true center.
From the Willis Tower we took a brief walk over the Chicago River.
Then, we headed back to Chez Amanda, which is fabulous, for some down time and settling in before we headed out to Second City for the evening. Second City is an improv theater company, which has generated so much funny over the years. Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Eugene Levy, Bonnie Hunt, Chris Farley, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey -- all alumni of Second City. We saw Studs Terkel's Not Working and we laughed our little tuckus' off!! Audience participation + funny improv comedians/ens = one funny night. I really didn't want the show to end, but maybe that was the Irish coffee and the vodka cranberry talking?
After the show, the girls split off so we could go "dance it out" at The Apartment. And boy did we dance it out, especially after these bad boys:
Mmmmm....Lemon drops!! Warms you up on a cold winter night...and gives you energy to dance, dance all night long!! Which then comes crashing down when you get home at 3 am, and don't wake up until noon? It was snowing when we left the club, and boy, did I miss snow. Florida hasn't been all that Florida-like this winter with temperatures in the low 50s for most of each day, and lows in the high 30s. So, Chicago was not much of a leap, and hey, at least y'all get pretty snowflakes!! Don't mind the whipping, bone-chilling wind, though. Who needs smooth lips and soft hands??
Anyway, I digress. Saturday morning, after a night of debauchery, dancing, and dodging dodgy characters, Amanda and I made breakfast, then headed out to for some classic, clean wintertime fun -- ICE SKATING!!!!
OMG! Good thing I practiced (roller) skating at my birthday party this past summer!! It was great to be outside, and you can't beat $5 for all-day skating. Going in one direction, like a school of fish, gets a little old, but you won't catch me complaining.
After ice skating, we warmed up with a couple of burgers and some fries at a local dive in Hyde Park -- Woodlawn Tap. Because our night out and ice skating took so much out of us, and the Olympics were on TV, Amanda and I couched for the rest of the day. We wanted to rest up for my last day in town.
On my last day in town, Amanda and I checked out the Unitarian Universalist "church" in Hyde Park. Amanda attends Lutheran seminary, which encourages experiencing other types of worship. I attend life, which encourages experiencing, well, life. So in we went.....AND an hour later, out we came feeling uninspired and slightly disappointed. We had lots to discuss. Is worship supposed to consist of reciting ones accomplishments, curriculum vitae, or resume?? Perhaps not. Both of us were left desiring more from the experience.
We spent the rest of the day exploring Wicker Park, where we discovered the healing powers of HOT PUDDING. I kid you not. This place, iCream Cafe, is AMAZING. The deal is like this: first you select whether you want ice cream, frozen yogurt, hot pudding, or rice pudding. THEN you decide what flavor you want your base to be. THEN, you decide if you want a COLOR to be added. You could have green vanilla pudding! Then, like Cold Stone, you decide what extras you want to mix in -- Nutella? Raspberries? Graham crackers? I chose raspberry HOT pudding with nutella. OMG. I thought I had made a mistake because I actually wanted chocolate hot pudding with raspberries and nutella, but NO. It was I who was mistaken. Raspberry hot pudding is AMAZING!! And when the Chicago wind is whipping through the streets, hot pudding is the ticket. If you don't burn the inside of your mouth with it's hotness!
Before I departed for Midway, Amanda and I caught some super delicious, super cheap, superhuge pizza at Piece Brewery & Pizzaria where we watched the first two periods of the hot action gold medal hockey game between the US and Canada. I learned of our unfortunate loss, and Canada's glorious win while waiting in the security checkpoint line at the airport terminal.
I had an awesome weekend tooling around town with Amanda and staying at Amanda's fantastic urban pad. Thank you, darling, for showing this gal a great time and for being such a generous hostess. There were no towel animals, but clearly, that did not detract from my enjoyment of the weekend. You did such a great job, I will abuse you for another weekend visit before you leave seminary!!!
I'm sitting in my office today and I am in a funk, with a capital "F". My job has got me down. I'm uninspired. I have writer's block. The task is too much. It's too hard. I'm not interested in my project.
B. S. Excuses! I am procrastinating and my attitude about things that I have no power to change is piss poor. During my struggle to find the wherewithal to get back on track in the office despite internet distractions, I see this blog posting on the Vancouver Olympics Facebook fan page. A-MAZING.
Please take a look, and spend a moment to read the entry. It puts not only sport in perspective, but life. In particular, it put my life in perspective. I am failing at showing up and doing the work I am so capable of doing. I am quitting because I am not winning (like most battles for the environment and in the regulatory realm). Ultimately, I am losing because I am not committing to try, and try again. Admitting this, I realize I can, and will, do more. Be more. Because giving up is not an option. Lowering my standards is not an option. Having a shitty attitude, which becomes an easy scapegoat for all my work habit vices, is not an option.
"I made the commitment to excellence and to having the best races I could, no matter how I felt, how hard it was, or how far behind I might be."
Y'all, we done saved the best for our last day of freedom before work began for the week. Kelly and I headed down to The Cup Cafe at The Hotel Congress for the breakfast we missed out on over the weekend. The floor is made of pennies, and there are empty wine bottle chandeliers decorating the ceiling. Breakfast was good, but I have to say, rather unremarkable. Maybe I needed a good hike in before eating, like the Tohono Chul Tea Room.
Regardless, breakfast geared us up for an amazing day at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Even the drive out there is beautiful. We passed over the Tucson Mountains on the West side of the city to get to the remarkable museum/zoo. Everything you see at this place is native, in native habitat. We saw everything from coyotes, to fish, to birds of prey, to javelinas. Javelinas became Kelly's personal obsession -- she had to see one before we left Tucson. Javelinas look a lot like a cross between a rat and a pig, but they are known as peccaries. Similar, yet different. They are very cute, but they can smell a little skunk-like. Always a plus, right? ;-)
So, not only were the animals and plants very cool to see, but so were the friggin' landscape views from the museum grounds.
Coyote statue
Heeey, Javelinas! I see two, do you?
In the evening, when we arrived back at the Westward Look Resort, the work week began with workshop registration and an evening reception. The rest of my co-workers arrived somewhere between Sunday afternoon and Monday afternoon. Thus began 4 days of discussing how U.S. Fish & Wildlife and NOAA Fisheries Service could better serve endangered and threatened species through the tools and partnerships available. There were many ups and downs during the week, with some portions of the week more informative than others. It all illustrated what a bureaucracy I work for, but also what amazingly passionate people work for our federal conservation agencies, as well. There are many good people out there, doing good work for our shared natural resources.
On Friday, Kelly and I had one last meal in the Gold Room of the Westward Look Resort, before grabbing the shuttle to the airport for our afternoon flight. I finally experienced the relaxing comfort of the uber-massage chair available in the resort lobby. The thing pounds all your body's muscles into submission -- including the ones in your booty -- and it feels so good!!
Too bad the relaxation did not get us home. At our intended departure time, the gate agent for American Airlines informed us that our plane was broken. We would not be going home Friday. Fortunately, our rooms at The Holiday Inn Palo Verde were comped by the airline, and we were given $10 vouchers for food. C'est la vie, non? Kelly, fellow co-worker Kyle, and I passed a rather enjoyable evening at the bar in the hotel, including a conversation with a gem dealer in town for the largest gem show. He had a body guard because he was carrying some rather valuable raw black opal. He also was hyping tungsten, bionic bands (for strength and balance), and Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior (JCOLAS). His jewelry designs are all based on JSOLAS -- very beautiful, but maybe not in need of so much explanation through preaching and scripture from the designer/salesman. He tried to get Kelly to buy into his bionic band pyramid scheme, as well. Interesting night...that led to a thankfully anticlimactic morning at the Tucson Airport. Our flight took off on time and without a hitch. I even got moved from the last row in the last seat (right next to the jet engine) to a window seat forward of the wing. Thank goodness for small blessings. And thank goodness I am home. It was time to get back to my own bed and familiar haunts.
No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow. ~Lin Yutang
Sunday. By far the best day in The 'Son. Even with an early AM wake-up call from Gaston, the volunteer guide at Catalina State Park...
Gaston warned me the evening before that the guided hike he leads was tentative, and subject to change because of participation, weather, etc. As of Saturday, there were enough participants, but the road leading into the park had washed out because of all the rain (in the DESERT). Gaston would let me know in the morning if the hike was on. "I call you, we hike. No call, no hike" (said in a French-Canadian accent).
Thankfully, Gaston called. The hike was on, but the road still had yet to be cleared completely. We would find out on arrival whether we could park at the ultimate parking lot and do a great hike, or park by de booth, and go on a less interesting hike. So, we rallied, dressed, and fueled up with protein bars
At 8:30 AM, Kelly and I arrived at de booth at the entrance to the park and met up with Gaston, and fellow hiker, Debbie. We said our hellos, then climbed back in our cars to check out the road leading to the ultimate parking lot. The dude in the bulldozer that was clearing the entrance road told us that other passenger cars were getting through the HUGE puddle/lake covering the road, as long as they went slowly and without stopping. When Gaston, Debbie, Kelly, and I reached the ultimate parking, we all agreed that the HUGE puddle-lake was a bit deeper than any of us was truly comfortable. We made it though, and we got to go on one heck of a GREAT hike through the cacti to a waterfall that only appears every 3 or 4 years when the rainfall conditions are just right. Below are just some of the pics I snapped on our 2 and half hour trek on and off designated trails in the park.
Aren't the saguaro (sa-gwar-oh) cacti so neat? I heard that they don't grow their first "arm" until they are about 50 years old. Crazy! And the holes are from birds that burrow in with their beaks, and make a nest in the holes. Gaston was pretty funny throughout the hike, too. He seemed very concerned about making any sort of water crossings. [He also made a comment about crossing town that made it seem as if that sort of crossing was nearly unbearable, too.] He had a couple of small streams of runoff to cross, but nothing that would cause too much trauma if you fell in. At least, no raging rapids would carry you off downstream -- you would just get wet. GASP!
Our hike took us on a 6-7 miles long loop through the park, and left us quite hungry. Just a short drive away was brunch salvation at the Tohono Chul Park and Tea Room. I don't know if our omlettes tasted so good because we were so hungry and in need of a rest after our hike, or if they really were that out of control amazing. We followed up our omlettes with apple pistachio strudel. It was not as amazing because it was not heated (and the a la mode was not on the side). HA! Really, it should have been heated. It was still pretty good, though.
The gardens at Tohono Chul left a little to be desired, simply because we just hiked through the amazing vistas of Catalina State Park. There was no comparison.
Kelly, succumbing to the desert.
The Tohono Chul Park was a waypoint before our afternoon horseback ride at Pusch Ridge Stables. I'll be honest; I was little nervous for my first horseback ride...EVER. Who cares if these are trail horses? They are bored, and could go rogue at any point!
Fortunately, my sunset ride through the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains was not marred by Sugar galloping off with me, a novice rider, clinging for dear life to my saddle. I did have to be wary of Sugar trying to sneak eats on the trail -- we were warned not to let our horses eat. Sugar was a sneaky little thang, though, and got away with snagging some grass snacks quite a few times during our loping ride through the foothills. It was a little difficult snapping pics while on horseback, but I managed a few. And when I dismounted, I was surprised by how sore my knees were from my feet being locked into the stirrups.
What a day!!! Beautiful vistas, new experiences, and perfect weather. What better, and more appropriate way to wrap up the day than with baby back ribs at the rapid fire western grill -- Hifalutin!?! And man, did those ribs taste good!! I slept like a freakin' baby, and there was still 3/4 of another day of freedom to go before work responsibilities would begin. This...was a good day.
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