I LOVE Thanksgiving. It's always been my favorite holiday! This year Steve and I are going all out and having a semi-cajun meal, including our glorious friend, The Tur-duck-hen. Yum! We're also frying a turkey this year - we'll have enough freaking food to feed an army, but that's a good thing cause we'll load most of it up and take it with us to Laguna Beach.
Our vacation starts the day after Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving Day is our One Year Anniversary. We picked that day to get married because it is our favorite day of the year. We've also decided not to celebrate our anniversary on the actual day; rather, we celebrate it on Thanksgiving, no matter what the date happens to be. It just makes more sense to do it that way, because we purposely married each other on that day, not that date.
As I write this, Steven is on a boat, headed to Catalina Island so he can finish his Open Water Dive Certificate. He'll be a certified scuba diver now, so we can start planning trips in the future. I am SO excited!! I know once that boy dips his toes into the warm water of the caribbean, cold water diving will go out the window for him like it did for me. :)
Now that I can say, "vacation starts in less than a week" I am beginning to feel some stress melt away.
That's a really, really good thing. :)
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
It's starting...
Not that I want to get on my own soapbox, but I've been spouting off for a while now that I'm sick and tired of defending and standing up for women's rights when the younger generations don't give a shit anyway. They'd rather wait for Prince Charming and have massive families instead of taking just a few years of their life to create a universe for themselves and their families, educating themselves and making it possible to take care of themselves and their children in the event their fairy tale comes crashing down sometime later...
That said, now we have a whole catholic child molesting lobby putting pressure on the government regarding abortion; now we are moving towards one of the most discriminatory decisions against women in decades by not allowing insurance to cover the cost of an abortion even in the case of rape or incest (are we surprised it's the catholics pushing for this?) and now? No, no, you don't need those mammograms in your 40s... it's not "worth" all of the false positives.
If any fool out there thinks these are not direct attacks on women, think again. There seems to be an unwinding of the rights that so many women fought and died for in this country and no one seems to want to stop it. Again, it's that generational problem... too tied up in their own lives to realize they are selling their children's rights down the road.
I think I am hearing some yelling over the mammogram thing. Women are saying, "what the fuck?" and that's a good thing. Let's see if the younger generation starts to wake up or not.
Good luck getting your girls into college much less giving them choices in life. Let's just go back to the mentality that women are only good for sex and breeding and their own personal growth does not matter. They should only be subservient to their husbands (who, incidently, will be providing absolutely everything because women will becomes slaves to the household again) and some make believe god and they will be told, "this is enough for your feeble mind."
I'll still be sipping coffee off my porch somewhere deep in the country, not caring.
That said, now we have a whole catholic child molesting lobby putting pressure on the government regarding abortion; now we are moving towards one of the most discriminatory decisions against women in decades by not allowing insurance to cover the cost of an abortion even in the case of rape or incest (are we surprised it's the catholics pushing for this?) and now? No, no, you don't need those mammograms in your 40s... it's not "worth" all of the false positives.
If any fool out there thinks these are not direct attacks on women, think again. There seems to be an unwinding of the rights that so many women fought and died for in this country and no one seems to want to stop it. Again, it's that generational problem... too tied up in their own lives to realize they are selling their children's rights down the road.
I think I am hearing some yelling over the mammogram thing. Women are saying, "what the fuck?" and that's a good thing. Let's see if the younger generation starts to wake up or not.
Good luck getting your girls into college much less giving them choices in life. Let's just go back to the mentality that women are only good for sex and breeding and their own personal growth does not matter. They should only be subservient to their husbands (who, incidently, will be providing absolutely everything because women will becomes slaves to the household again) and some make believe god and they will be told, "this is enough for your feeble mind."
I'll still be sipping coffee off my porch somewhere deep in the country, not caring.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Prey
This is what happens when wolves attack monkeys:
They get their legs ripped off, their wrists severed... they get mauled.
I laughed so hard when I found this monkey! I just thought it was the funniest thing; poor little toy, all beat up and destroyed. It used to be Riley's favorite monkey!
But we sent it over the Rainbow Bridge.
They get their legs ripped off, their wrists severed... they get mauled.
I laughed so hard when I found this monkey! I just thought it was the funniest thing; poor little toy, all beat up and destroyed. It used to be Riley's favorite monkey!
But we sent it over the Rainbow Bridge.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
'Teve
I had to post this picture just because it was so freaking cute. This is Steve in the Xterra with Charlie, Nate's GF's 3 yr old daughter. Charlie LOVES Steve and it's so adorable when she looks at him and says, "teve!" I think he's her first crush. :) She asked him the other night if she could ride in his car with him, even though we weren't going anywhere. So they sat in the garage in the car, making vroom vroom noises, while she "watched t.v." on the GPS.
Charlie is a really cool little kid. She's one of the very few that I really enjoy being around. :)
Charlie is a really cool little kid. She's one of the very few that I really enjoy being around. :)
A Big Kid
In his ever-persistant pursuit of my happiness and saving me from myself, my wonderful husband never gives up on trying to make me laugh. A boring trip to Bed Bath and Beyond is easily turned into play time, and his 6'1 frame reverts back to just a big kid.
I love it when he wears those shorts!!!
Now, get ready... get set....
Juggle!!
Never a dull moment. :)
I love it when he wears those shorts!!!
Now, get ready... get set....
Juggle!!
Never a dull moment. :)
Creating Your Own World
Being a firm believer in the power of positive thought and intention, I thought I'd post this. I don't get into the cult side of this guy, (Wayne Dyer) but I do believe in this type of thought. This is an excerpt from his website and I found it interesting and appropriate, given my recent decision to increase my writing.
“I’d love to write a book, if I only had the time.” Have you heard someone say this recently, or maybe even said it yourself? Do you really want to write a book or maybe paint or dance or sing or fulfill any creative longing that’s been sitting on the back burner of your life? And is time really the issue? We all have the same number of hours in a day and most of us make decisions about how to spend them. In my movie The Shift, we see a young mother rediscover her love of painting because she gives herself permission to do so. Instead of continuing to assume that her dream is impossible, she asks for the opportunity, the time, she needs and she gets it. Why don’t we do the things we say we want to do? In the vast cornucopia of excuses, not enough time or “I’m too busy,” easily tops the list. But how can a person be too busy to make room for what they love? Thoreau is right in saying that we have nobler faculties we need to pay attention to, in addition to all the other details that occupy our lives. If you fear the part of your soul that’s calling you to a higher place, then you’re probably using the “I’m too busy” excuse. There is time to do what you love when you step back and look at your life from a higher perspective. Make sure that fear, doubt, and unexamined beliefs about yourself and your talents are not the real culprits keeping you from your creative endeavor. Rather than telling yourself you are too busy to pursue an activity you love, use the following affirmation: I intend to take time for myself to live the life that I came here to live.
Namaste,
Wayne
An Odd Comparison
When I first moved out west and learned how conservative it can be, I remember thinking, what the fuck? Isn't this the land of hippies? Isn't everyone 420 tolerant out here?
Little did I know that CA has one of the highest number of gawdy, ridiculously built churches in the freaking country.
I should have just stayed in the south.
A few of my recent FB arguments have revolved around ignorant people. Yes I am being terribly judgmental. But it's hard to keep my mouth shut when someone posts a racial comment and somehow thinks that they are more American than the person they just insulted. Don't get me wrong; I firmly believe in the saying, "I may not like what you have just said but I will fight to the death to defend your right to say it".
That does not mean I won't call you out on it if you're being an ignorant racist redneck idiot. Hell, I get accused of being a bitter, pessimistic feminist all of the time, so why should I hold back my opinions? What scares me about these people is that they don't see that they are ignorant racist redneck idiots. At least claim fame to what you are spouting.
I love being a bitter, pessimistic feminist.
And I can call them that because I am a decendent from a long line of ignorant racist redneck idiots. So I can spot 'em when I see 'em. So let me add that to the description, too.
Bitter, pessimistic, feministic, racist, redneck idiot.
(I won't add ignorant because I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind, got my papers and I was free. My doctorate and continued pursuit of education frees me from that description.)
But we are all idiots to some extent.
My point is that we all have our prejudices. But what bothers me, is that people can't seem to accept their differences with others anymore. Everyone wants it their way. Everyone wants it to be within their comfort zone. And a lot of it revolves around religious beliefs. And, as I've stated before, I used to be soooo very tolerant myself, but years of fighting this shitty mindset has me setting my sights on a new direction.
In fact, my most recent argument on FB revolved around someone spouting off that they weren't surprised that the Ft Hood shooter was a muslim. That comment sparked a long argument involving me because I said, "well you know, like it or not, we do have freedom of religion here in the USA." That got me blasted because - and yes this was really stated - muslim idiot fundamentalists are worse than christian idiot fundamentalists.
Huh?
I kept saying, "seriously folks, are we really arguing that one group of religious nutbags is somehow better than another group of religious nutbags?"
And yes, that got me flamed yet again. It was fun though, and enlightening and thought-provoking, in that it made me realize how some people truly see the world.
And it scared the shit out of me.
Little did I know that CA has one of the highest number of gawdy, ridiculously built churches in the freaking country.
I should have just stayed in the south.
A few of my recent FB arguments have revolved around ignorant people. Yes I am being terribly judgmental. But it's hard to keep my mouth shut when someone posts a racial comment and somehow thinks that they are more American than the person they just insulted. Don't get me wrong; I firmly believe in the saying, "I may not like what you have just said but I will fight to the death to defend your right to say it".
That does not mean I won't call you out on it if you're being an ignorant racist redneck idiot. Hell, I get accused of being a bitter, pessimistic feminist all of the time, so why should I hold back my opinions? What scares me about these people is that they don't see that they are ignorant racist redneck idiots. At least claim fame to what you are spouting.
I love being a bitter, pessimistic feminist.
And I can call them that because I am a decendent from a long line of ignorant racist redneck idiots. So I can spot 'em when I see 'em. So let me add that to the description, too.
Bitter, pessimistic, feministic, racist, redneck idiot.
(I won't add ignorant because I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind, got my papers and I was free. My doctorate and continued pursuit of education frees me from that description.)
But we are all idiots to some extent.
My point is that we all have our prejudices. But what bothers me, is that people can't seem to accept their differences with others anymore. Everyone wants it their way. Everyone wants it to be within their comfort zone. And a lot of it revolves around religious beliefs. And, as I've stated before, I used to be soooo very tolerant myself, but years of fighting this shitty mindset has me setting my sights on a new direction.
In fact, my most recent argument on FB revolved around someone spouting off that they weren't surprised that the Ft Hood shooter was a muslim. That comment sparked a long argument involving me because I said, "well you know, like it or not, we do have freedom of religion here in the USA." That got me blasted because - and yes this was really stated - muslim idiot fundamentalists are worse than christian idiot fundamentalists.
Huh?
I kept saying, "seriously folks, are we really arguing that one group of religious nutbags is somehow better than another group of religious nutbags?"
And yes, that got me flamed yet again. It was fun though, and enlightening and thought-provoking, in that it made me realize how some people truly see the world.
And it scared the shit out of me.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
To Hell With It
I had another thought this morning while I was taking a shower. I had just written the previous post and was thinking about beginning to organize my thoughts for my book. That led me back to thinking about how I've gotten into many - many - discussions and arguments over the last few years over things I've written. That could be something from my blog (which I've been writing for years) or from a conversation on email or maybe one of those world famous facebook arguments that I manage to find myself involved in on more occasions than I can count. I've been told I'm inflammatory and offensive on many occasions, and for a brief stint recently, I felt a little bad about that.
A very brief stint.
I guess it occurred to me that a major part of who I am is a writer. I've been writing all of my life. Blogging is just another extension of that, but I am getting ready to move on to the next level.
That said, the reason for my brief stint of regret was because I admit I have insulted people. But that said... writers are never known for being the sorts of people who sit back and stand down from an argument, who sit back and keep their opinions to themselves, or who worry about how someone else will interpret their meanings. Writers are artists and the interpretation is half of the beauty of art. It is not nor will it ever be my problem if someone interprets my art in a negative way. It likely stems more from something within themselves than from something that truly angered them about my words.
So I will likely never stop pissing people off or, conversely, will likely never censor myself for writing what comes from my heart, soul and mind. Those who take offense - who truly take offense - can kiss my ever loving ass. :)
I'm a writer and I ain't gonna change what I write just to appease the few.
A very brief stint.
I guess it occurred to me that a major part of who I am is a writer. I've been writing all of my life. Blogging is just another extension of that, but I am getting ready to move on to the next level.
That said, the reason for my brief stint of regret was because I admit I have insulted people. But that said... writers are never known for being the sorts of people who sit back and stand down from an argument, who sit back and keep their opinions to themselves, or who worry about how someone else will interpret their meanings. Writers are artists and the interpretation is half of the beauty of art. It is not nor will it ever be my problem if someone interprets my art in a negative way. It likely stems more from something within themselves than from something that truly angered them about my words.
So I will likely never stop pissing people off or, conversely, will likely never censor myself for writing what comes from my heart, soul and mind. Those who take offense - who truly take offense - can kiss my ever loving ass. :)
I'm a writer and I ain't gonna change what I write just to appease the few.
Recent Revelations
I've recently been letting go of some people in my life. It's been one of those cycles where you purge the unwanted and wake up the next day feeling refreshed. I've learned over the years that it's a normal part of life; there are people who stay with you for the entirety, and there are those that exit nearly as soon as they entered. It was a good thing, as I had no respect for these people and I was beginning to realize that my association with them was negative and brought nothing more than chaos to my thoughts. Kinda how I felt when I left my ex. But I digress. Cie la vie.
Lately I've been in the mood to just get rid of things that cause stress for me. That might be people, that might be situations or that might be material things. I've been throwing stuff away, saying goodbye to people I don't like and moving on. It feels really good.
So as I've said for the last several years, the universe always reaches out and takes care of me in subtle ways - but ways that makes me say to myself, "hey, that's an ironic twist, now isn't it?"
I've made some new acquaintances that are very validating to me and my life choices. One is my new friend, A. A career woman, a veterinarian and Child Free. Loves life, owns her own business and is very happy about her decision not to have children. Like me, agrees that the ultimate in selfishness is to have kids in order to fulfill some emptiness within yourself. Can't accuse us of doing that!
Then there is the new blog I follow on here, a veterinarian, a mom, a wife... and happy and successful with all of it. Agnostic and sometimes atheist, she details her exciting life juggling all of these things. I'm pretty sure she's my twin from the milkman and my new obsession is in seeing just what she'll write next. I also love that she is writing a book and belongs to a writing club - something I've never thought about but now that I know about it, plan to pursue. I've started several books in my life and I'm thinking now it's time to start the real book...
The point behind these things is that, for me, these are signs that my life is on the right track, that I've made good decisions and I am not alone in my thoughts or choices. They question things and think on their own, like me.
I guess I am part of a bigger group, after all. The universe handed me these things just as I was beginning to wonder if it was all in my mind.
Anyway, Vet Mom rocks and www.happilychildfree.com just makes me laugh, and my new friend, A, gives me hope and support.
Life is not about new chapters; rather, it's about new words written every single day. And you never know what words you'll write when the dawn comes.
Lately I've been in the mood to just get rid of things that cause stress for me. That might be people, that might be situations or that might be material things. I've been throwing stuff away, saying goodbye to people I don't like and moving on. It feels really good.
So as I've said for the last several years, the universe always reaches out and takes care of me in subtle ways - but ways that makes me say to myself, "hey, that's an ironic twist, now isn't it?"
I've made some new acquaintances that are very validating to me and my life choices. One is my new friend, A. A career woman, a veterinarian and Child Free. Loves life, owns her own business and is very happy about her decision not to have children. Like me, agrees that the ultimate in selfishness is to have kids in order to fulfill some emptiness within yourself. Can't accuse us of doing that!
Then there is the new blog I follow on here, a veterinarian, a mom, a wife... and happy and successful with all of it. Agnostic and sometimes atheist, she details her exciting life juggling all of these things. I'm pretty sure she's my twin from the milkman and my new obsession is in seeing just what she'll write next. I also love that she is writing a book and belongs to a writing club - something I've never thought about but now that I know about it, plan to pursue. I've started several books in my life and I'm thinking now it's time to start the real book...
The point behind these things is that, for me, these are signs that my life is on the right track, that I've made good decisions and I am not alone in my thoughts or choices. They question things and think on their own, like me.
I guess I am part of a bigger group, after all. The universe handed me these things just as I was beginning to wonder if it was all in my mind.
Anyway, Vet Mom rocks and www.happilychildfree.com just makes me laugh, and my new friend, A, gives me hope and support.
Life is not about new chapters; rather, it's about new words written every single day. And you never know what words you'll write when the dawn comes.
Monday, November 9, 2009
My Best Friend
So when you go up and accept an award and get teary-eyed over it, and you look over at your husband who is watching you, and you see that he has tears running down his cheeks because he's sooo proud of you...
You realize that's what real love is all about.
You realize that's what real love is all about.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
A Nice Surprise
We've been waiting to hear if some good friends of ours were gonna meet us in Laguna Beach or not - we bought tickets to see Kathy Griffen and in typical Steve Fashion, they are 3rd row seats in the pit which means she can spit on us. :) Our friends hadn't really gotten back to us on it so we thought maybe they were going to stand us up...
Instead, Steve talked to them today and they said, "well, it's a long drive to the beach, and then it's a long drive up to the show, and we'll all be partying and drinking... so how about if we rent a limo for the entire evening so none of us have to drive and we can all relax and have some fun!"
I'm PSYCHED! I've done some limo riding in my lifetime for various events, but never just cuz. Both we and our friends are racing to vacation time because we've all been working so damned hard during this crappy economy that we just want to chill and take a load off.
So an added comfort to my vacation.
One part beach, two parts friend, one part limo = Fun Times. :)
Instead, Steve talked to them today and they said, "well, it's a long drive to the beach, and then it's a long drive up to the show, and we'll all be partying and drinking... so how about if we rent a limo for the entire evening so none of us have to drive and we can all relax and have some fun!"
I'm PSYCHED! I've done some limo riding in my lifetime for various events, but never just cuz. Both we and our friends are racing to vacation time because we've all been working so damned hard during this crappy economy that we just want to chill and take a load off.
So an added comfort to my vacation.
One part beach, two parts friend, one part limo = Fun Times. :)
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Excitement
Just had to make a note about my countdown:
3 weeks from this moment we will be frying a turkey out on our gorgeous patio that gets more and more beautiful each month as the palm trees grow. I never would have had that patio if I hadn't married Steve. :)
3 weeks and 1 day from this moment we will be driving that wonderful drive to Laguna Beach so we can spend a week at the timeshare. It'll be my 6th year to go there, and I still love it as much today as I did the first time I went. I'd like to buy a second week but then... there are so many other places I want to go... already have our couples massage scheduled for our arrival at the resort. :)
4 weeks and 1 day from this moment, we'll be on a plane, headed to Playa Mujeres to the beautiful, luxury Adults-ONLY exclusive resort in Mexico. Our first international trip together, the first of many more to come. This is a pic I got from the internet of the second story of our suite, complete with a gorgeous view and our own private outdoor hot tub:
Just refocusing after a few days of melancholy. :) Starting to reap some of those benefits to owning our practice and not having kids to worry about. Many, many more trips and fun things on the horizon.
I love it. :)
3 weeks from this moment we will be frying a turkey out on our gorgeous patio that gets more and more beautiful each month as the palm trees grow. I never would have had that patio if I hadn't married Steve. :)
3 weeks and 1 day from this moment we will be driving that wonderful drive to Laguna Beach so we can spend a week at the timeshare. It'll be my 6th year to go there, and I still love it as much today as I did the first time I went. I'd like to buy a second week but then... there are so many other places I want to go... already have our couples massage scheduled for our arrival at the resort. :)
4 weeks and 1 day from this moment, we'll be on a plane, headed to Playa Mujeres to the beautiful, luxury Adults-ONLY exclusive resort in Mexico. Our first international trip together, the first of many more to come. This is a pic I got from the internet of the second story of our suite, complete with a gorgeous view and our own private outdoor hot tub:
Just refocusing after a few days of melancholy. :) Starting to reap some of those benefits to owning our practice and not having kids to worry about. Many, many more trips and fun things on the horizon.
I love it. :)
Sunday, November 1, 2009
My Big Sis
So the next in the line up for my Ode to My Beautiful Women is my big sister.
Though more conservative and reserved than I am, she is the personification of my beliefs that women can and should be strong and able to take care of themselves. Blessed with an oops at 18 that we all fell madly in love with (Alisha), she didn't miss a beat of college and graduated on time with her degree. She didn't use children as an excuse to stop her own education and improvement like so many women do. That led to a teaching career that will only end in retirement in a few years. She has molded the minds of future generations with skill and grace for 25 years in a career that has changed many times, from teaching to counseling and now, to being a principal. She's also managed to create a very successful marriage for 27 years despite having the odds stacked against them.
Always the mediator and communicator, my sis has talked me down from many a cliff in my lifetime. She's always listened to my near-insane rants about life and love, helped me through the difficulties of my divorce and shined her love on me when I was lost and trying desperately to find my way through life. She is always there for me with advice (whether I like it or not) and words of wisdom to make me think about things and to help me make the right choices. She was there when I got into vet school and when I graduated from vet school; she was there for my divorce, my second wedding and the Open House of my animal hospital. She just doesn't miss a beat in my life and I want her to know how much she is appreciated.
It was about 12 years ago when I surprised her with a trip to TX - I took a flight in without her knowing and snuck up to her house late one night - I wanted to surprise her so I could be there when she received her Master's Degree. It was such a huge event in our lives! She was the first in our entire family to obtain an advanced degree and it was so important that I be there. I would not have missed that for the world and I am SO proud of her to this day!
Smart, beautiful, educated and successful. Just the right combo to be My Hero.
I love my big sis. Even when she spits on me. And, a picture is worth a thousand words - that eyebrow has more meaning than you can imagine. :)
And, yes, I'll always remember The Tree. :)
Let us not forget the bet, shall we, sis? :)
Though more conservative and reserved than I am, she is the personification of my beliefs that women can and should be strong and able to take care of themselves. Blessed with an oops at 18 that we all fell madly in love with (Alisha), she didn't miss a beat of college and graduated on time with her degree. She didn't use children as an excuse to stop her own education and improvement like so many women do. That led to a teaching career that will only end in retirement in a few years. She has molded the minds of future generations with skill and grace for 25 years in a career that has changed many times, from teaching to counseling and now, to being a principal. She's also managed to create a very successful marriage for 27 years despite having the odds stacked against them.
Always the mediator and communicator, my sis has talked me down from many a cliff in my lifetime. She's always listened to my near-insane rants about life and love, helped me through the difficulties of my divorce and shined her love on me when I was lost and trying desperately to find my way through life. She is always there for me with advice (whether I like it or not) and words of wisdom to make me think about things and to help me make the right choices. She was there when I got into vet school and when I graduated from vet school; she was there for my divorce, my second wedding and the Open House of my animal hospital. She just doesn't miss a beat in my life and I want her to know how much she is appreciated.
It was about 12 years ago when I surprised her with a trip to TX - I took a flight in without her knowing and snuck up to her house late one night - I wanted to surprise her so I could be there when she received her Master's Degree. It was such a huge event in our lives! She was the first in our entire family to obtain an advanced degree and it was so important that I be there. I would not have missed that for the world and I am SO proud of her to this day!
Smart, beautiful, educated and successful. Just the right combo to be My Hero.
I love my big sis. Even when she spits on me. And, a picture is worth a thousand words - that eyebrow has more meaning than you can imagine. :)
And, yes, I'll always remember The Tree. :)
Let us not forget the bet, shall we, sis? :)
The SCUBA Adventure
I first became SCUBA certified when I was a mere 22 years old. It was back in the day when I was young and brave and didn't have a clue about actual death. I didn't care that I was single and didn't have a friend or a dive buddy with me during the class; I signed up, and learned to do what I'd always wanted to do... see the world that most people will never see.
So, right out of college and paid for by my very first "real" job, I took a PADI certification class. It was so long ago that I can't remember much about it! But I do remember thinking it was the coolest thing ever and boy was I hooked. The only problem, at the time, was that after paying for the class, I realized I was too broke to 1.) afford any of my own dive gear and 2.) afford to go on a dive trip! And, since I was living in SW La at the time, there weren't too many fun places to dive.
A few years later, after I moved to CA for the first time, I signed up to take another dive course. I figured it had been a few years since I got my first C-card, so a refresher and the opportunity for some real diving presented itself. This time around, I signed up for a NAUI open water course through Fullerton Junior College.
It was the absolute best way to learn to dive, especially considering that out here, we cold water dive in full wetsuit, hood to keep our heads warm, gloves, etc. No sissy diving in CA. But what was so great about taking that course at the JC level was that I got many more practice hours in than most people do! It made me the safe, experienced diver that I am today. I live and breath the NAUI mantra of "Dive Safety Through Education". And, because I learned to cold water dive first, it made warm water diving seem like a freaking walk in the park. Yeah!
My Certification Cards: (C-cards)
So my SCUBA diving career spans almost 18 years. 18 YEARS!!! Incredible. I hold a dual certification with both NAUI and PADI and an Advanced Diver Certification through NAUI. I am so proud of those things! There was a time in my life when I had planned to go all the way through Master Dive and Rescue Diver but life, time and money got in the way.
Plus I discovered that I wasn't able to save someone from the surf in CA. Better not call on me to get you out of the waves. :)
Sooooooo.... the reason I am writing this post... is because for many, many years, one of the biggest issues between me and my ex was my diving. Not so much because I was obsessed with it, but because we didn't share it together as a passion. I've been on waaaayy too many dive trips by myself. So when Steve told me he was totally into the thought of really getting into SCUBA, I jumped on it....
It starts with taking your very first Open Water Certification class, which he is currently doing. Of course that also starts the ever-so-much fun retail therapy option of buying new gear.
And then there is the pool time, where you learn your skills and get comfortable with breathing underwater. It definitely is something your brain has to adjust to - because believe me, it doesn't matter that you are breathing; you're still under water and your mind tells you that you can't breathe, so re-training your thought process is vital to your enjoyment and ability to dive. It simply takes time and experience to get good at it.
Yesterday we went down to Sport Chalet to spend even more moolah, because that's what we do - and I found a GREAT sale! I got shorty wetsuits for both myself and for Steve, each for $40. I was psyched!!
So SCUBA Steve is on his way and we, as a married couple, are on our way to developing this lifestyle together. Yes, being a diver is a lifestyle.
It just makes me happy. :)
Prehistoric Pleasure
We made ribs last week and Riley stood in the kitchen, waiting beside the stove while they were slow cooking, whining. Then he stepped it up a notch or two during the grilling cycle and was yelling at Steve, saying he *really* wanted some of those ribs...
Now, given the fact that he's almost 14 and has only about half as many teeth as he used to have, he can't chew anything hard like bones anymore... I gave in. No worries about foreign body obstruction in him! So Steve "specially" cooked a whole rib just for Mup, without sauce or a lot of seasoning.
The dog went Wolf on us! But I have to admit, I got an extreme amount of pleasure watching my little doglet chow down on that rib like it was the best thing he's ever eaten.
I love it when they pin something down with their paw and devour it. Since Mup's little paw is only about 1.5 inches across, I just find it adorable.
He already gets his own specially cooked steak whenever we grill steaks. Now he'll get his own rib, too.
Anyone who knows me knows that I love this dog with all of my being. There will be no replacing him; there was never one quite like him before he came into my life and I know there will never be another to fill the place in my heart that only he occupies. He made my life better the second I met him and when he is gone, the only comfort I will find is in the fact that I have given him the absolute best life and the best care that he could possibly have gotten.
He is the doggy love of my life.
Now, given the fact that he's almost 14 and has only about half as many teeth as he used to have, he can't chew anything hard like bones anymore... I gave in. No worries about foreign body obstruction in him! So Steve "specially" cooked a whole rib just for Mup, without sauce or a lot of seasoning.
The dog went Wolf on us! But I have to admit, I got an extreme amount of pleasure watching my little doglet chow down on that rib like it was the best thing he's ever eaten.
I love it when they pin something down with their paw and devour it. Since Mup's little paw is only about 1.5 inches across, I just find it adorable.
He already gets his own specially cooked steak whenever we grill steaks. Now he'll get his own rib, too.
Anyone who knows me knows that I love this dog with all of my being. There will be no replacing him; there was never one quite like him before he came into my life and I know there will never be another to fill the place in my heart that only he occupies. He made my life better the second I met him and when he is gone, the only comfort I will find is in the fact that I have given him the absolute best life and the best care that he could possibly have gotten.
He is the doggy love of my life.
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