Another Topic

So I realize that this blog remains dormant a lot and therefore does not have a lot of followers. With my fibromyalgia and inability to work out a lot, I have to maintain my health through my diet, so I'm going to begin blogging about my food choices a bit as well as my bucket list when I reach those goals.

Expect lots of pictures and recipes, as well as tips!

#40 - Visit the Grave of Edgar Allan Poe

...and the accompanying adventure.

This is obviously something I've wanted to do for a long time, as it's on the first page of my Bucket List. Poe has been one of my favorite authors for years, and I find myself in the heart of Baltimore this week, so I couldn't pass up this opportunity.

My dad was at his convention all day, leaving me to fend for myself. I had called him to see if he could sneak away for some brunch, but he couldn't, so he told me to take the money he left and go get a hotdog on the corner. He strictly specified if I stayed within the block that the hotel is on, I'd be fine.

Jokes on him.

I got my hotdog and decided, well, I'm already outside, might as well explore, right? I knew that the graveyard was close, but I didn't know what direction, so I pulled out my phone and mapped it. Literally the easiest directions ever, but it's important that I show you this map, so it's on the right.

Now why is this map so important, you ask? Well, you see... I got lost. Not "lost" in the traditional sense, but I walked right by it. Yes, I walked right by a 200+ year old graveyard. I even had looked at the church and said "Wow that's a beautiful building, I should take a picture of it..." and kept walking.

So when I finally figured out that I had gone too far, I turned around and eventually realized what I had done, it had started to sprinkle. I thought "no biggie," since I'm from Seattle and all. As soon as I set foot in the graveyard, to the sight of a beautiful monument erected for Poe, as well as what I understand is where Maria Clemm and Virginia Poe are buried.

As I walked around and browsed the graves of various famous (and not so famous) people, it started to rain harder. And harder. And harder. I eventually found the actual original burial place of Edgar Allan Poe, and crouched there for a minute or two before finally leaving. I had wanted to sit and read for a bit, but it was simply raining too hard. Some pictures from the graveyard:

 

 

So I decided to ditch the graveyard, thinking that the spirits were telling me that I should have listened to my dad. I knew I had passed the Lexington Market on my way there, and I figured I could find some solace there while the storm let up. So I briskly walked down the street to the market, dove inside, and tried to dry myself off a bit. I also took this picture to show how miserable and soaked I was. For reference, I was wearing flip flops with gel in them, and they basically just oozed water every time I took a step. Gross. 

So after the rain let up a bit I decided to head back to the hotel. Except, I did it wrong. Now, I'm gonna show you another map. Because this one is also important. Here's the map from the Market to the Hotel on the left. Shouldn't be that hard, right? Well this time, I didn't map it. I trusted my gut after I left the market and I walked the wrong way. And then I was like "Oh I know where I am because there are signs for the University!" and continued to walk the wrong way. And I might have walked into a bit of the wrong part of town because I decided to maybe look at a map. And then I VERY quickly turned around. Once I knew where I was I was golden and made it back to the hotel in no time (with a slight detour for some sweet tea). By the time I was within sight of the hotel there was tons of thunder and a bit of lightning, so I made it back just in time. My clothes are currently hanging over the tub and I'm comfortable in my PJs. AND I got to listen to the rest of the storm from the comfort of my bed.

So there you have it. Today we learned that although I am almost 23, I still need adult supervision. And if you leave me alone in a hotel room all day in a city I've always loved and never gotten to explore, I will not listen to you when you tell me to stay within a one block area. We also re-confirmed that even with a map, I never have any idea where I'm going. Ever.

#44 - Name a Pet Kuzco

So first off, I was talking about how I blog about my bucket list to a friend of mine and then I realized that I haven't blogged in almost a year, though I've accomplished a few things. Oops.

So here's a quick one for the night. Last June I was coming out of a doctors appointment and I saw this odd Yellow truck-van near where I get my prescriptions. At first, my mom and I thought it might be a taco truck, but as soon as we got closer I saw that it was the Humane Society and that there were, in fact, kitties in said truck-van. I yelled "PULL OVER NOW" and hopped out of the car before she had even put it in park (mind you, I had just had blood drawn and was in the middle of a ridiculous fibro flare).

So I was perfectly content just standing outside looking at all the cute kitties through the window, when suddenly a guy who works for slash volunteers for the Humane Society walks up to me and simply says the words: "You can go in and take them out of their cages if you want."

Man. What a mistake.

I opened up the door and immediately saw this little gray kitten standing up against the bars of his cage just meowing and meowing. I crouched down and frantically tried to let the little guy out, and once I finally figured out the handle he, no exaggeration here, LEAPT into my arms.

I started petting him and loving on him, and then I took a selfie with him cause who wouldn't want that, right?

My mom tried to tell me I couldn't have him, but she fell in love with him as well and in the end said "you're an adult and you can make your own decisions." So really what that means is "I am not taking responsibility for this when you tell your dad you brought home a cat."

So I brought home a cat.

And then hid it from my dad for 4 days.

But he became right at home, and walked in and looked around like he had lived here his whole life. He basically stepped in and said "This things? These are all mine."

And thus, Kuzco was named.

He is Lilo's baby, and occasionally thinks that he is a dog. To the point that he's actually a really heavy footed cat. Like, he may think he's sneaking around the house, but he's not. We all know where he is at all times.

Oh and all boxes are beds.

#53 - See Miss America Live in Vegas

So this happened way back in January, but I'm just getting around to blogging about it. Wow. Go me.

I only managed to get to one preliminary night and finals night, but that still fulfills my bucket list requirements, and I will say, it was QUITE A SHOW. I watched the amazing Miss Washington, Brittney Henry, perform her talent on Thursday and found out later she won non-finalist talent (deservingly so). I also got to go back to the reception area afterwards and talk to some of my pageant sisters, and B, which was awesome.

Finals night was ridiculous. I've never been to a live taping of anything before, so it was a totally different atmosphere for me. We sat in front of some people who were from Texas, who weren't pageant people but just happened to get tickets to the pageant because they were in Vegas. They seemed to really enjoy it even though they didn't know the ins and outs. Although I was disappointed that my girl didn't make Top 15, it was still a wonderful pageant and I was very happy with the outcome.

So, here are some pictures from my trip:

I found these awesome Dinosaur necklaces that I bought for myself and my roommate.

With Miss WA 2011 and 2007 at visitation on Thursday

The cousins and I at the Wax Museum. I was so much taller than ALL OF THE FIGURES.

My baby cousin and I before finals night with our WA signs that they took away from us. =(

So there's the trip in a nutshell. I'm also up to 131 things to do! OH NO!

#95 - Fill a Journal with Inspiration and Gift It

I completed this one a while ago, but never blogged about it because I don't really know how, but I'll do my best.

This past summer my friend Margaret let me borrow her horse to ride since mine were in Oregon. Margaret is 16 and like any teenager has some confidence issues sometimes with various things in her life, so I figured this was the perfect thank you/encourage you thing to do for her.

I bought a little journal and began clipping out pictures from magazines, as well as printing some pictures that I had taken of her. I also used inspirational quotes and song lyrics that I knew she liked. The idea behind this journal was that whenever she was feeling discouraged she could look in it, and even add her own inspiring things with the idea that perhaps she could gift this journal, or a brand new one, to someone younger when it comes that time.

There aren't really any pictures to "show" this one, so I'll leave it with this explanation. I also have expanded the bucket list to 128 things. I also completed another since I last blogged, but I'm tired, so maybe I'll write about that one tomorrow. 13 down, 110 to go.

A Realization

I was looking online today at some quotes, and I came upon a

realization. I used to ask people a question very similar to this:

In fact, my question was almost identical.  Whenever we would run out of conversation, I would ask this question. Great topic starter, no doubt. When I saw this, I flashed back to when I asked my first boyfriend this question and what his answer was. I realize now that at that moment that there should have been red flags.

For a year and a half I suffered through an emotionally abusive relationship with this person. With some studying and discussing with others, I realized that he had many of the symptoms of a sociopath. He would do purposefully hurtful (and sometimes illegal) actions and use his charm to win people over and make things okay. I realize now that I should have noticed something was wrong, when his answer to my question was "I would rob a bank, or maybe rape somebody." At the time I was just a naive teenager looking for a boyfriend, so I looked over anything that may have seemed bad.

I do not put this out here to harm him, which is why I have kept this person anonymous, nor do I write this to gain your sympathy. I write this for a few reasons.

1. I believe that if I release all feelings of regret I will be able to live a better life, and the best way for me to do this is to share those feelings with the world. I do not regret that I dated this person, for I learned a lot from the relationship, I regret that I did not see the warning signs when they were so obvious to begin with.

2. I want other young girls to know that it's more important to stay safe than to have a boyfriend. If something sounds off to you, talk to your friends or your parents about it. Don't just let it slide. The numbers of domestic violence are so high in this country, and once you're in it it's hard to leave.

2 1/2. I do not want anybody else to have to go through what I go through now. I lack all trust in men, making it nearly impossible for me to find a relationship. I ended a perfectly fine relationship with someone I loved because things began to remind me of my first relationship. Abuse effects you forever.

So tonight, I leave you with this: What would you attempt if knew you could not fail?

An Open Letter

Dear Public School,

Throughout my childhood, I was often encouraged by your teachers, but never by your system. It was a rare day that I was not late for class because I was too tired to get out of bed, despite having gone to bed early and class starting at 8. My mother fought to get me out of bed to go to school every single day. Anywhere from 2 to 4 times a week I would get out of school with a headache (diagnosed in 1st Grade as migraines). When I went to the nurse I was often accused of faking it to get out of class. Why would a child fake such inexplicable pain?

Well, public school, I was recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, a syndrome I was probably born with, or which developed very early in my childhood. The symptoms include mind-boggling migraines, and relentless fatigue. Instead of trying to help a sick child, you accused them of faking being sick. There's no need to explain why my parents put me in private school come 6th Grade.

So all those days where I threw up and the nurse sent me back to class because I was "just faking it," or all those days when my body hurt too much to get out of bed and the school told my mother "it's just growing pains," it was really Fibromyalgia. A syndrome which went undiagnosed until I was almost 21 and the symptoms because so bad that I was in the hospital every other week. This says nothing to your education standards, which I also do not agree with. But maybe next time you have a sick child on your hands, or one that complains that they're still tired after 14 hours of sleep, or their entire body hurts at the age of 9, maybe you should suggest that their parents look into it. Never accuse a child of faking it. It makes them not trust people, especially those of authority.

Sincerely,
A Former Student

P.S. When I left your system, I hated school. I never wanted to do anything. Private school helped me through my problems and I graduated at the top of Washington State with Academic Scholarship offers from schools across the country. Could you have done that for a sick child? Probably not.