Bucket List.....?

I've decided that I think I want to start blogging again. It's been a while.

Poor neglected blog....
In my defense, I've had quite a full year I think.
That fact that I was living in an internet-less apartment from November to May may also have contributed. 


I was thinking recently of things I want to do. I don't have any specific timeline for any of these things, but they are just things that someday, somehow, if its at all possible without greatly inconveniencing anyone, I would like to do.

Hence the creation of a Bucket List.

I have to say, I don't quite like the title of "Bucket List". I feel as though that implies that I have some sort of imminent end date and that I'm racing against time to get these things done. In reality I'm not in too much of a hurry with some of these things - I just felt like making a list. I should also note that this list is in no way complete. It's just a bare bones start. I fully intend to keep adding to it.

Things to do someday list ( in no particular order). 

Go to South Africa and meet all those cousins of mine.
Go to Europe - perhaps enjoy sitting in a cathedral while there.
Raise some chickens.
Go to NYC - see an opera at the MET.
Learn how to knit socks.
Learn how to play a portable instrument with some level of proficiency. 


I know - a pretty pathetic little list. But its a start.

Getting out of bed

Once again I sit here face to face with my inability to keep a consistent blog.
But it should be noted that I'm really ok with this.

It reminds me of what I tell myself sometimes on days that I really really really don't want to get out of bed. And that is, that no matter how boring, or awful, or cold, or whatever my day ends up being, it will still be far more interesting than staying in bed all day. And by therefore convincing myself that the world is an exciting adventure just waiting for me to join in on the action, I manage to brave the cold shock awaiting me when I throw off the blankets and slip my bare toes on the floor.

In a different but not altogether far off way, blogging is the same way for me. It would certainly be a long shot to say that I waste time blogging since I'm never here (although at the moment I can think of plenty other things that I should be doing besides this), but when I am absent from the blogging sphere for long periods of time, I like to think that it's because I'm off living my life instead of writing about it. No matter how dull, tedious, or perhaps exciting and tumultuous my days turn out to be - I am out there living. And that has to count for something.

By now you're probably all confused. What is the point of this post? What is she rambling on about this time?
I'm not entirely sure I can answer those questions. But perhaps this post is just a reminder to myself..... a reminder that now matter how many piles of ungraded homework I have sitting in front of me at the moment, my life is still an adventure worth living.

And so now I'm off again, and I really can't say when I'll be back. But if you're wondering where I am, just picture me out somewhere taking on the world. Or sitting in my office going cross eyed over more music theory papers. Take your pick. :)

Realization...

      I think I know why I'm so bad at blogging......I have yet to master the short/reflective/insightful blog post. Of course I'm never going to get around to blogging if it takes me over a half and hour to crank out a single post! I'm just long winded I guess...or perhaps not very insightful....

    And now I have three blog posts in one day!?!  

Adventure #1: Sundays on Potato Island

     One of the nice things about working a lot is that when you get a day off, you tend to really really enjoy yourself on that day off. Well actually, I would probably still really enjoy myself with lots of days off...I guess I'm just trying to make myself feel better about working a lot. At any rate, days off are nice. And days off when you go and have picnics on small uninhabited islands are even more nice I think.

So here's the story.


Summer Adventure #1*

*my summer adventure stories probably won't be in chronological order. This one took place a few weeks ago in the middle of July.

   It was a gorgeous Sunday morning. I had rather a hard time deciding what to wear to church that day since I didn't want to be too hot but I also seem to have a lack of cute summery dresses. I don't actually remember what I wore, but I this isn't really a part of my story at all so it doesn't matter.

     After church NL and I drove over to the Fisherman's Day festivities. Fisherman's Day is an annual celebration down on the fish pier of all things fishing. Lots of seafood for sale and events like the Cod Fish relay where you and a friend try to carry a large wet cod fish to the finish line without dropping it. In other words, lots of fun. Truth be told, although Fisherman's Day is an annual affair, I had never been until this year. And I have yet to participate in a Cod Fish relay - which is really fine by me. All NL and I really wanted was some lunch. We had clams and fried haddock. Yum. :) Probably some of you are really grossed out after reading this paragraph....

     Since all we really wanted was food, we didn't really stick around after we'd had lunch. Instead, we went over to the grocery store for snacks and then went out in NL's skiff for a ride. We've done this before and usually have quite a good time exploring new little islands each time. That day we didn't have a chart with us, so we just zoomed around until we found a spot that looked good for beaching the skiff and then hopped out. It was the most darling little cove you have ever seen - a perfect spot for the boat. There was even a metal ring driven into the rocks onto which we tied the mooring rope.

     After securing our vessel we poked around to see what we could find. It was a pretty typical small Maine island. Lots of little rocky nooks..... a few beachy looking spots.....

     ....Wild Rose bushes everywhere...

    ...a huge pile of granite blocks....?

    The huge pile of granite blocks prevented us from going all the way around the island. We figured out that the island must have been a dumping place for the quarry, since it was nearby.

     We made our way back to the original cute little cove and settled on the beach for a lazy afternoon of soaking up sun and munching on chocolate.

     The tide was going out so pretty soon the happily moored skiff was a happily beached skiff...

     We pushed her back out...and watched the tide leave even more...and pushed her back out again. By that time is was about time to go home. I was sad to go since it was such a darling little island and we'd had a good time.

     And the day wasn't even over! After the island we grabbed some more food and then went to an Organ recital at the Congo church. It was good, but mostly slow, sleepy organ music (nothing nearly as epic as Mr. BG) and we were a little worn out from playing all day so we both had a little trouble keeping our eyes all the way open. Funny thing was, we were probably the youngest people there. :)

     Before the evening was finally over, NL and I hauled out a chart and looked up the island we'd visited. Potato Island! I must have been tired because I remember laughing over this quite a bit. :) I don't think Potato would be my name of choice if I were given to opportunity to name a small island. However, it's a suitable enough name for the tiny uninhabited spot and I'm sure the person who named it had very good intentions. Regardless of it's name, it was one of my favorite spots I've been to this summer and I hope to go back again sometime!

Summer Adventures

     So, once again I have been slacking on my blog posts...but that is not because I haven't had stuff to write about! But it may have something to do with the fact that my camera was missing for a while. But now it is found! And, I can get started on my whole stockpile of adventures that I've been meaning to write about. So, the next few posts will be my "Summer Adventure Series" with pictures and tales of my travels around. Look for part 1 later today! (hopefully...)

Can I wait till Christmas?!

So.... I now officially have a movie to be excited about. This doesn't happen very often because a) I never know what's coming out until it's already been out for a month (slight exaggeration) and b) I just don't usually get too worked up about a movie that's coming out months in the future.

But then I heard and rumor that they were making a Tintin movie.... and then I saw the trailer....

I am now officially excited out of my mind for a movie that doesn't come out for another 5 months!

And here are my reasons:
1) Tintin is awesome. I don't care how old you are, go read the comic books.
2) I grew up with Tintin and read all the books about twice each which makes me a Tintin nerd and probably explains why I think everyone should love Tintin.
3) The movie actually looks well done and not a poor substitute for the book.
4) If the soundtrack seems legit. Always a bonus.

That's enough reasons I think. Let the anticipation begin!

Oh, and I'm super pumped that I added a video to my blog. I feel like this is a step up in the blogging world. Blogging novice? Eh, probably not yet... but soon! 

Much Ado About Shakespeare.

As promised.....my review of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing!

                                                 Mr. Shakespeare himself....

     OHA puts on a Shakespeare production every summer and it has been my habit, usually, to attend. Last year they did A Midsummer's Night Dream if I recall. Well, it was either last year or the year before that. I'm getting old I guess. I remember A Midsummer's Night Dream because I liked it so well. I also remember one year that they did A Winter's Tale, but that seems like forever ago and where it not for the theater department at school having done a recent production of the same show just this spring, I would not be able to tell you anything about it. Now that I've seen it twice, I think I'll remember. Shakespeare is like that I find; it's always enjoyable, but sometimes it takes one or two viewings for it all to stick.

     Attending Shakespeare productions has been a part of my life for a good long time now. It started when I was a kid and we went to a production of Macbeth at the school. I remember sitting very near the front and watching, slightly horrified, as the actors worked themselves into frenzied, articulated soliloquies with spit flying everywhere and landing on the floor not too far from the feet of those lucky audience members in the very front row. It was a good show. The three witches were huge puppets and my little sister was quite frightened by them. After the show was over we got to go meet the puppets, and the spitting actors and they liked us so well that they gave my mom some tickets to another show in the summertime on the Bangor waterfront. Yippee!

    And so, Twelfth Night was my second Shakespeare play that I was to attend. All I really remember about that show is that is was very colorful - a beautiful set and costumes. And I remember thoroughly enjoying myself. Was I now a dedicated Shakespeare fan? Maybe. I did pick up a copy of some Shakespeare plays, but I quickly decided they were much more fun to watch than they were to read.

     A performance of Henry V was perhaps one of my favorites. It was a poorly attended show at the school and thus I got my pick of seats. Memories of flying spittle apparently were faded enough that I didn't mind sitting in the front row. What a show! I don't remember too much of the plot (remember what I said about seeing it twice?) but I do remember that somebody died very tragically and I was moved to tears.

    Anyways, all of my Shakespeare reminiscing is getting a little off track. I could go on and on. Shakespeare just always seemed to be there - one way or the other. As such, I am always delighted when I find it within my means to attend another performance. And that is exactly what I did last Saturday afternoon.

     My review is not really going to be a review at all. I lied completely when I said I'd review it. This was all just an excuse for me to write down all my Shakespeare memories. All I'm really going to say about Much Ado About Nothing is that I was certainly not disappointed. I love Shakespeare and it was a well done show. It was a comedy and so of course we laughed quite a bit and for two and half hours remained quite thoroughly entertained.

     If you at all get a chance to go see a good Shakespeare performance in the near future, I would say, go for it! Especially if you haven't seen one before. There's a reason why his stuff is still performed today.