I haven't written for myself in yearly 5 years, according to this blog. I've started up a professional blog, Dr Lisa, School Psych, but writing for personal intention is significantly different. In many aspects of my life I'm going to start taking better care of myself, physically, mentally, and basically any way I can. I've worked myself so hard this year and it's time to find balance. With that in mind, it's time to get a regular writing practice back into my life.
I've always been a writer, since I was 5 years old and my kindergarten teacher gave me my first research assignment. After that, my first grade teacher expanded my skill set to fiction writing, and my second grade teacher introduced me to poetry. Over the years I used writing to express my creative side, process my adolescent experience, and share both of those with others. In college I took a poetry writing class, but my writing for personal gratification has been inconsistent since.
I need to find my writing again. I am facing new challenges and I am tired of getting stuck in my head. Some of my insights, once I have them, I may want to share with others who face similar challenges or will in the future. I want to see if there is any creating writing left in me, and if it is worth posting. I also want to use writing as a spiritual and reflective practice for my own sake, not necessary to share with others. I will type them in the same space, because even though I enjoy the notion of the journal, I do not enjoy the idea of rereading my handwriting. If anyone has been successful with a regular writing practice I am open to suggestions, tips, websites with writing topics, and writing buddies.
So, welcome, or welcome back.
Lisa
Sunday, April 8, 2018
Saturday, November 16, 2013
I spent three nights with Keith- and he finally petered out
As most of you know I was in the Peace Corps in Belize. As others of you know, I was in a hurricane. For the first time in probably a decade, I decide to look at the email I sent to friends and family that described my experience. There are many things I remember clearly, and others I had completely forgotten. It was a very difficult time for me- worrying about my new friends and the country I lived in, while working to accept that just a couple days earlier I had decided to resign from the Peace Corps (which I won't get into today). The email below was sent out on October 9, 2000, two days after I returned to the US. The writing isn't spectacular, but hopefully it's interesting. I added pictures that were still being developed when I wrote this. The title of this post is the original name of this email, and a common joke among the volunteers that week.
Friday, September 29, 2000- I got a call from Peace Corps saying that a tropical depression is near Honduras, and if it gets bigger we may evacuate. I quickly nixed my illegal visit to Mexico (I had forgotten to give 48 hour notice) and stocked up on ramen. I felt silly preparing for an evacuation that probably wouldn’t happen, and buying food when I was about to leave. So I did the minimum and relaxed.
Saturday- My parents call and say Keith is now a tropical storm, will go above Belize. I begin to unpack. Five minutes later Sue calls and says to be at her house in a half hour to evacuate to Belmopan, site of the PC hurricane shelter. I repack and rush out. Sue, Mary, and I wait 45 minutes for a bus, while being hit on by a local.
We arrive in Belize City and meet up with the city \volunteers. We eat lunch and spend two hours waiting to leave. Dave’s puppy goes to the bathroom in the PC conference room. PC tells us that the ambassador wants to fly us out,but is waiting to make sure it’s necessary. So city volunteers are told to go back home and wait for a call, and us outsiders are given hotel rooms.
I enjoyed the hotel (hot shower, cable tv) until I got bored, and went to Amanda’s house and watched movies until dark. Heard that the volunteers from the rest of the country were coming into the city. Went back to my hotel and dreamed of a vacation in another country.
As I was sleeping, two volunteers decided to go out drinking (smart move in a crisis). They were mugged
on the way home. They have been sent to Washington D.C. for counseling so that they hopefully will be stable enough to return to Belize.
Sunday- Sue waked me up at 6:30 and tells me to prepare for evacuation at 8. At 7:30 I go to her room, to find out that our departure has been delayed again. Sue, Cindy, and I eat cookies, sing Broadway songs, and ignore the hurricane outside that is getting quite loud.
At 10 Cindy and I brave the storm to get food. We stopped by the hotel where the other volunteers were. I had some reunions with people who I didn’t think I’d see again. Conor and I sat in his room for awhile and pet his puppy (very calming). Talked to a lot of people about, well, anything but what was going on outside. Around noonnwe were told to report to PC office. I walked two blocks to my hotel, which was a freaky experience. Do not go outside in a hurricane!
We then learned that the airport was closed, but the roads were too dangerous to make it to our hurricane shelter. The ambassador had delayed too long. So we had to stay in the PC office, a secure place but not exactly designed for 46 hurricane evacuees. But it was our only choice.
Thus began 48 hours of house arrest. 46 volunteers, plus some staff and their families, not allowed to leave the second floor of the building, except for brief trips downstairs to eat or watch movies (we had a vcr and three movies, which were watched over and over again). No running water. Electricity, thank God (we had a generator). No showering. Nothing to do except for what people brought with them. Nothing to eat except what people brought with them, which wasn’t much since most people were like me, and some tasty army MREs. Here are some of the highlights of those 48 hours.
Tuesday- Around noon the storm was cleared out and we were given permission to leave the premises. City volunteers got to see their houses (some minor flooding, but no serious damage). Most volunteers chose to stay at the city volunteers’ houses. Several of us stayed in the office (we were going to have to sleep on the floor no matter where we were, and we were guaranteed electricity, so why go?). We ate dinner (we found one open restaurant!), bought chocolate, and spent our evening playing games and talking. It was much calmer, although we still didn’t know damage situations.
Wednesday- We were supposed to have a meeting at 11, but Costas caught a flight so we had to wait for him. We learned who would return to their homes when. I was one of the undetermined ones. We were allowed to switch to a hotel which had had some flooding but most rooms were okay. I took my first shower since Sunday. We ordered pizza and stayed at the hotel, where we relaxed and enjoyed sleeping in beds.
Thursday- The first group of volunteers returned home. The rest of us signed on to do relief work. I spent my afternoon organizing clothes that would be sent to villages that were flooding. I was told that Costas and Sue would be looking at Orange Walk, but so far the damage didn’t seem bad.
Friday- I went to the office to see what relief work was needed, when I was told that I would also be going to Orange Walk, and that I would have a couple hours there to move out of my house and pay all of my bills. I had a plane ticket for the next morning. This was quite a shock to me. But it wasn't my decision.
The trip to Orange Walk was unbelievable. In the city we had seen some damage, but on the highway we saw the real effects. A neighborhood where people had to use boats to get around. Villages under three feet of water. Rivers twice as wide as normal. We knew there was flooding, but to see what it was doing to people who already had nothing was indescribable. It made me very upset that I was being forced to finish my resignation before I could do more for the Belizean victims.
I went to a birthday party for Brandon, which ended up being my going away party too. I left my household items for Brandon to help him start over. He will probably have to abandon his project and spend his last year in Belize helping rebuild the town he lived in. One or two other volunteers may also be switched to rebuilding parts of Belize.
Saturday- I did my paperwork and came home.
Friday, September 29, 2000- I got a call from Peace Corps saying that a tropical depression is near Honduras, and if it gets bigger we may evacuate. I quickly nixed my illegal visit to Mexico (I had forgotten to give 48 hour notice) and stocked up on ramen. I felt silly preparing for an evacuation that probably wouldn’t happen, and buying food when I was about to leave. So I did the minimum and relaxed.
Saturday- My parents call and say Keith is now a tropical storm, will go above Belize. I begin to unpack. Five minutes later Sue calls and says to be at her house in a half hour to evacuate to Belmopan, site of the PC hurricane shelter. I repack and rush out. Sue, Mary, and I wait 45 minutes for a bus, while being hit on by a local.
We arrive in Belize City and meet up with the city \volunteers. We eat lunch and spend two hours waiting to leave. Dave’s puppy goes to the bathroom in the PC conference room. PC tells us that the ambassador wants to fly us out,but is waiting to make sure it’s necessary. So city volunteers are told to go back home and wait for a call, and us outsiders are given hotel rooms.
I enjoyed the hotel (hot shower, cable tv) until I got bored, and went to Amanda’s house and watched movies until dark. Heard that the volunteers from the rest of the country were coming into the city. Went back to my hotel and dreamed of a vacation in another country.
As I was sleeping, two volunteers decided to go out drinking (smart move in a crisis). They were mugged
on the way home. They have been sent to Washington D.C. for counseling so that they hopefully will be stable enough to return to Belize.
Sunday- Sue waked me up at 6:30 and tells me to prepare for evacuation at 8. At 7:30 I go to her room, to find out that our departure has been delayed again. Sue, Cindy, and I eat cookies, sing Broadway songs, and ignore the hurricane outside that is getting quite loud.
At 10 Cindy and I brave the storm to get food. We stopped by the hotel where the other volunteers were. I had some reunions with people who I didn’t think I’d see again. Conor and I sat in his room for awhile and pet his puppy (very calming). Talked to a lot of people about, well, anything but what was going on outside. Around noonnwe were told to report to PC office. I walked two blocks to my hotel, which was a freaky experience. Do not go outside in a hurricane!
We then learned that the airport was closed, but the roads were too dangerous to make it to our hurricane shelter. The ambassador had delayed too long. So we had to stay in the PC office, a secure place but not exactly designed for 46 hurricane evacuees. But it was our only choice.
Thus began 48 hours of house arrest. 46 volunteers, plus some staff and their families, not allowed to leave the second floor of the building, except for brief trips downstairs to eat or watch movies (we had a vcr and three movies, which were watched over and over again). No running water. Electricity, thank God (we had a generator). No showering. Nothing to do except for what people brought with them. Nothing to eat except what people brought with them, which wasn’t much since most people were like me, and some tasty army MREs. Here are some of the highlights of those 48 hours.
- Conference calls from our country director, and the Peace Corps director, telling us how brave we were, as if we had chosen to be in Belize.
- Everyone waiting for their turn at e-mail. It got vicious when we were reduced to one computer, because
- Costas [the country director] wouldn’t want his things disturbed”
- Playing hours upon hours of cribbage with my hurricane buddies, Joe and Cheryl. They saved my sanity during those days.
- Watching the rain move horizontally in front of the window, and listening to the wind howl.
- Crowding around the radio every 3 hours for updates
- The Muscle Relaxer Incident: As we were getting ready to sleep (and wondering how we would be able to), Sarah took out some muscle relaxers. She casually mentioned that she had been able to sleep 12 hours because of them, and instantly every volunteer in the room ran (literally) over to her. We grabbed one and swallowed without even thinking. Mob action in a crisis is incredible. And yes, all 20 of us slept peacefully.
- The pill took awhile to kick in for me, so I went walking. I ended up sitting in the stairwell with Brandon (our volunteer who lost everything), petting Evelyn’s dog and listening to a combination of hurricane noises and Chris playing the violin. It was utterly surreal.
- Meal times. We combined all of our food and cooked group portions of pasta and rice and beans. The food was bland, and got old fast, but it was all we had to eat.
- Watching 46 people find floor space to sleep on. I joined about 15 other people in Costas’s office. Thanks to our nurse, those of us who had nothing to sleep on got a pillow and blanket.
- A general sense of not knowing what was going on outside ate at us. The radio told us what they knew, but until the storm passed we wouldn't know whose homes were standing.
Tuesday- Around noon the storm was cleared out and we were given permission to leave the premises. City volunteers got to see their houses (some minor flooding, but no serious damage). Most volunteers chose to stay at the city volunteers’ houses. Several of us stayed in the office (we were going to have to sleep on the floor no matter where we were, and we were guaranteed electricity, so why go?). We ate dinner (we found one open restaurant!), bought chocolate, and spent our evening playing games and talking. It was much calmer, although we still didn’t know damage situations.
Wednesday- We were supposed to have a meeting at 11, but Costas caught a flight so we had to wait for him. We learned who would return to their homes when. I was one of the undetermined ones. We were allowed to switch to a hotel which had had some flooding but most rooms were okay. I took my first shower since Sunday. We ordered pizza and stayed at the hotel, where we relaxed and enjoyed sleeping in beds.
Thursday- The first group of volunteers returned home. The rest of us signed on to do relief work. I spent my afternoon organizing clothes that would be sent to villages that were flooding. I was told that Costas and Sue would be looking at Orange Walk, but so far the damage didn’t seem bad.
Friday- I went to the office to see what relief work was needed, when I was told that I would also be going to Orange Walk, and that I would have a couple hours there to move out of my house and pay all of my bills. I had a plane ticket for the next morning. This was quite a shock to me. But it wasn't my decision.
The trip to Orange Walk was unbelievable. In the city we had seen some damage, but on the highway we saw the real effects. A neighborhood where people had to use boats to get around. Villages under three feet of water. Rivers twice as wide as normal. We knew there was flooding, but to see what it was doing to people who already had nothing was indescribable. It made me very upset that I was being forced to finish my resignation before I could do more for the Belizean victims.
The two hours I had in town were chaotic. My house was in very good shape, as was most of the town. I packed, cleaned, and ran errands as best I could. I said goodbye to Juanita, who belongs to my neighbors now. We had a lot of complications with my bill paying, and I had left my bank book (where they record my transactions instead of sending me statements) in Belize City, so we had to rush back so I could close my account. The ride back was even worse than the ride there, since the river was still rising. I got my account settled, got my flight information, and was finally done.
I went to a birthday party for Brandon, which ended up being my going away party too. I left my household items for Brandon to help him start over. He will probably have to abandon his project and spend his last year in Belize helping rebuild the town he lived in. One or two other volunteers may also be switched to rebuilding parts of Belize.
Saturday- I did my paperwork and came home.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Growing up, finding my path, and moving forward
Something happened this summer. I think a lot of it corresponded with my 35th birthday. Maybe it was also related to the completion of licensure tests and, in a way, the real end of student life. I think it's some combination- I'm leaving young adulthood, but my life over the last six years while helping me grow tremendously, also allowed me to hold my life back. At any rate... I'm ready to grow up.
Now, I'm not totally sure what acting 35 means to you. Looking around me, it seems to indicate I should have a husband and children. Of course, in this age all of these things can happen in due time, but just in case I am starting to wonder about my plan B. I don't know what it is yet, but I think about it a lot.
I'm trying to be a more responsible person. I'm cleaning more (really, Mom, I am), trying to keep up more with bills and budgets (I hate hate hate budgets), and in general trying to be more self-disciplined. When you are a student, you adjust life around your oft-changing schedule, which means nothing really becomes routine. I really don't like routines, but if doing laundry every Sunday evening will ensure I have nice pants to wear to work on Monday I suppose it's worth it. Next obstacle to tackle on the self-discipline list (and biggest)- exercise and eating habits.
I'm making sure I am comfortable in my own skin. I've always been unassertive, willing to let others get away with things if it avoids conflict. I can be easily intimidated, and avoid little things because they make me anxious. Some of you are thinking "But you got a Ph.D.! You should feel awesome about yourself!" but I really feel the same as I always have, just with a few letters after my name. I'm making an assertive effort, particularly at work, to speak up more, to trust my instincts and my abilities. I should make a daily affirmation, something about being good enough, smart enough, and people liking me. I'm making progress, anyway.
If you were around the blog last summer, I made a list of things I wanted to start doing after I graduated, and I've fallen short on most of it. I can blame studying, adjusting to work, whatever, but I'm rebooting the list. I can't join church choir at the moment, but I can keep reading, writing, taking pictures, and hiking with my dog. I'm trying to save up for trips that I have been wanting to take for years. I'd like to make more friends here, some group in between young-single-and-going-to-bars and cute-couples-with-cute-kids. I think I fit somewhere, wherever it is. At the same time, if I want something I am no longer afraid to do it alone.
It should be an interesting year. I'm excited to see what happens.
P.S. If you are hoping I will blog about my event Wednesday, well, I might, but I might also just refer you to the post I made when I did this four years ago.
Now, I'm not totally sure what acting 35 means to you. Looking around me, it seems to indicate I should have a husband and children. Of course, in this age all of these things can happen in due time, but just in case I am starting to wonder about my plan B. I don't know what it is yet, but I think about it a lot.
I'm trying to be a more responsible person. I'm cleaning more (really, Mom, I am), trying to keep up more with bills and budgets (I hate hate hate budgets), and in general trying to be more self-disciplined. When you are a student, you adjust life around your oft-changing schedule, which means nothing really becomes routine. I really don't like routines, but if doing laundry every Sunday evening will ensure I have nice pants to wear to work on Monday I suppose it's worth it. Next obstacle to tackle on the self-discipline list (and biggest)- exercise and eating habits.
I'm making sure I am comfortable in my own skin. I've always been unassertive, willing to let others get away with things if it avoids conflict. I can be easily intimidated, and avoid little things because they make me anxious. Some of you are thinking "But you got a Ph.D.! You should feel awesome about yourself!" but I really feel the same as I always have, just with a few letters after my name. I'm making an assertive effort, particularly at work, to speak up more, to trust my instincts and my abilities. I should make a daily affirmation, something about being good enough, smart enough, and people liking me. I'm making progress, anyway.
If you were around the blog last summer, I made a list of things I wanted to start doing after I graduated, and I've fallen short on most of it. I can blame studying, adjusting to work, whatever, but I'm rebooting the list. I can't join church choir at the moment, but I can keep reading, writing, taking pictures, and hiking with my dog. I'm trying to save up for trips that I have been wanting to take for years. I'd like to make more friends here, some group in between young-single-and-going-to-bars and cute-couples-with-cute-kids. I think I fit somewhere, wherever it is. At the same time, if I want something I am no longer afraid to do it alone.
It should be an interesting year. I'm excited to see what happens.
P.S. If you are hoping I will blog about my event Wednesday, well, I might, but I might also just refer you to the post I made when I did this four years ago.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
It's time
I haven't made a complete blog post since last summer. I have two half-completed posts sitting on the server, one about graduation and one about why I haven't been posting. There are reasons why I didn't write- ups and downs of life, maybe some post-grad exhaustion (combined with studying for licensure), a hesitance to make some things public. Whatever the reasons, I'm ready to have a public voice again. I have a lot on my mind these days- the struggles of working in urban schools, my self-reflection as I become old(er), and my usual random thoughts. So, as part of other things I am trying to do more of (exercise, cleaning, reading, etc) I'm going to try to make positing a weekly routine, like it was two years ago. I'm looking forward to rediscovering my writing.
And, to end, there must be a photo.So here's my mom and my precious cousin Grey on a carousel at the zoo, as I watch them from a horse. We had such a great weekend and I can never get enough time with my family. :)
And, to end, there must be a photo.So here's my mom and my precious cousin Grey on a carousel at the zoo, as I watch them from a horse. We had such a great weekend and I can never get enough time with my family. :)
Sunday, December 9, 2012
The Post-doc: An Unexpected Journey
I haven't posted here in a long time. In my last post I was preparing for graduation. I began a post about my graduation day, but it sits here unfinished. I will finish it soon, as it was a wonderful day and I don't want to forget any of it. Since then, I've been working and going on with life post-graduation. It's a fairly routine life, really, with a few little things here and there to keep things interesting. I took my jurisprudence exam and became licensed as a school psychologist in the state of Texas, and now I begin the long study process to become a licensed psychologist (which can open up a lot more opportunity down the road, depending on what I want to do in the future. If nothing else, it validates the training I received with my doctorate and can now give to others).
So, if life is so calm, why am I not writing? Well, the moments of self-reflection are not as profound as they were in my pre-doc days, perhaps. And when they are, they are often tied to work-related situations that are challenging to write about in public forums. I'm still trying to figure out how to write about my career in a safe and productive way. I'm also perhaps disappointed when life isn't more blog-worthy. I keep remembering my post from early summer about my goals for my life- hobbies and pursuits now that I would have time and money. I haven't gotten around to much of that yet, and I don't have a great excuse. I did get to spend a wonderful weekend with my family at Disneyland, and I went to the Dallas Arboretum to see the Chuhuly exhibition (and I have lots of pretty pictures of both). Some really nice moments, but a lot of just... living. Living is a blessing, no doubt, I'm just not always sure how to express this chapter of my life.
I guess what it comes down to is that I thought getting my degree would make life fall into place. It would give me confidence, focus, and fulfillment. It did mean a lot to reach that goal, but now that I've settled in I'm still me. I'm learning new things about myself and who I am, who I want to be, and what I want. Some days I am really happy with myself and excited about my life, and others I feel like I'm still a novice in need of direction. I'm trying to get back into the routines that keep me centered and focused on what I want out of life, and writing has always been at the center of that so I'm going to make more time for this little blog. I'm not sure what it's going to look like it my post-doc life, but I hope a few of you will go on the journey with me.
So, if life is so calm, why am I not writing? Well, the moments of self-reflection are not as profound as they were in my pre-doc days, perhaps. And when they are, they are often tied to work-related situations that are challenging to write about in public forums. I'm still trying to figure out how to write about my career in a safe and productive way. I'm also perhaps disappointed when life isn't more blog-worthy. I keep remembering my post from early summer about my goals for my life- hobbies and pursuits now that I would have time and money. I haven't gotten around to much of that yet, and I don't have a great excuse. I did get to spend a wonderful weekend with my family at Disneyland, and I went to the Dallas Arboretum to see the Chuhuly exhibition (and I have lots of pretty pictures of both). Some really nice moments, but a lot of just... living. Living is a blessing, no doubt, I'm just not always sure how to express this chapter of my life.
I guess what it comes down to is that I thought getting my degree would make life fall into place. It would give me confidence, focus, and fulfillment. It did mean a lot to reach that goal, but now that I've settled in I'm still me. I'm learning new things about myself and who I am, who I want to be, and what I want. Some days I am really happy with myself and excited about my life, and others I feel like I'm still a novice in need of direction. I'm trying to get back into the routines that keep me centered and focused on what I want out of life, and writing has always been at the center of that so I'm going to make more time for this little blog. I'm not sure what it's going to look like it my post-doc life, but I hope a few of you will go on the journey with me.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
An Arkansas Adventure
Driving from Texas to Arkansas there is a slow but sure change in the landscape. At first, the green trees are confusing- where I'm from they usually lead to rivers or lakes or, well, not more flatness. The trees didn't disappear- in fact, they increased in number and in height. By the time I got to my first stop, Hope, they were towering over me. Hope, of course, is known for being the birthplace of Bill Clinton, and his family home is now a National Historic Site. I had to wait for a tour- it's not exactly a bustling tourist area, so they take people in groups- but it was an interesting look into how Clinton was raised by his mother and grandparents as a small child.
I continued on to Little Rock, and after arriving at my friend (and weekend tour guide) David's apartment we quickly went to lunch to eat and catch up. We then made our way to the Clinton Presidential Library, which unfortunately was closing in the next hour. We were encouraged to visit the gift shop and come back in the morning, so we followed his advice. The gift shop impressed me, not because of the typical presidential trinkets, but because of the amount of space given to international handicrafts, particularly from Haiti, that showed Clinton's current charitable work. We also walked the new pedestrian bridge next to the library, a former train track over the Arkansas River.
Sometime during this afternoon, David added one more thing to our to do list. So after we drove by the state capital and Central High School (which marked the beginning of desegregation, and is a magnificent building), we went to Pinnacle Mountain. I had seen pictures of this mountain and its overlooks of the city and its surroundings, and assumed any hiking would be reasonable. We found a parking lot and read the trail sign- lots of words about steep and strenuous. But David had hiked here before, and while he wasn't sure if it was this trail or not he hadn't had a difficult experience. We had a chat about Bernal, the rock climb we did together in Mexico two years ago. I showed him my sandals- while they were all-terrain, they were not tennis shoes. And he promised me I'd be fine. So we went. At first he was right- it was a little steep but reasonable. And then all of a sudden, it was boulders, straight up. This was not hiking, it was rock climbing. I pushed through, but I took many "picture breaks".
At some points it seemed impossible, especially in my sandals. David, as always, was encouraging and patient. He enjoyed telling me to be Spiderman (and in classic David style, would sing the theme). I felt it was more realistic, and funny, to think of myself as Spiderpig. After a long hike, and some scratched toes and nail polish, I made it to the top, where I was greeted with spectacular views of Little Rock and the Arkansas River.
Unfortunately, the long hike up meant the sun was already going down. We decided to take the other trail down, then take the base trail back to the car. The west trail was significantly easier, and gave a beautiful glimpse of the river at sunset.
Unfortunately, the long hike up (okay, my inability to hike at a reasonable speed) had cost us too much time, and by the time we got to the bottom it was dark. So we had two choices- hike the base trail with no flashlight, or walk the roads. Since we had no flashlights or bear repellent, we chose the road. We were tired, hungry, and everything hurt, and the thought of walking two more miles on a quiet country road was miserable. Somehow we made it- well, we got to the turn to the parking lot, and David left me at the corner so he could get the car. There are few feelings like standing aching, hungry, and tired on a corner in rural Arkansas. Fortunately it didn't last long. We went home, cleaned up, and, even though we could have slept right then, we deserved some good food. David took me to Cajun's, where we sat overlooking the river, drank their signature play-de-do, and relived our adventure.
The next morning we were up early for a full day. We started off with a good southern breakfast, then went back to the Clinton Library. The building itself overlooks the Arkansas River, and is designed so you have views of the river the whole time you are there. I learned a lot about Clinton both at the library and during the whole weekend, particularly about his youth and what he did as governor. His work to improve the lives of his state really impressed me, and I have a better understanding of why he is so revered there. It was also important to remember what happened during his presidency, which covered my high school and college years. The library did a very nice job of honoring his work and legacy, but being realistic about the highs and lows.
From there was our major task of the day, a visit to wine country. We did the direct route there, which took us through the landscape until we were approaching the Ozarks. As we turned onto the road that led into the town of Altus, we found our first winery, Chateau Aux Arc, a small but high quality winery where I had my first of many tastes of the southern wine known as muscadine. From there we went to Wiederkehr, a Swiss winery that was much larger and had a good variety, though I do not recommend wine with Splenda (unless you want your wine to taste like Kool-Aid). Next was the largest and nicest of the wineries, Post Familie (as I learned, the Post family runs many things in the area). After many tastings, it was time to head into Altus for lunch. It also happened to be the weekend of the Altus Grape Festival. First we ate at the only open restaurant in the city square, an Irish pub. After some water and sandwiches, we walked over to the festival. It was your typical small town festival- a band and lots of vendors, ranging from dog clothes to confederate merchandise of all types (this is the south, after all). The shopping was, um, quick, but we stopped at the tent for the last winery on our list, Mount Bethel. I got a gig'em from a fellow Aggie (yes, I wore Aggie gear in Arkansas), and the man who served us from Mount Bethel was an Aggie dad. We did a quick tasting of whatever was left, then decided to visit the winery itself before heading home, which had a nice variety of fruit wines.
On the drive home we took a scenic route, so I could see as much of the Ozarks as possible. The roads were winding, the overlooks were stunning, and it was exactly what I had asked for.
Before the day ended, we went to (slightly late) dinner at the house of a doctor David works with. I got to meet some of the people from the hospital and have some good food. I also learned that a) Filipinos believe that parties should end with karaoke and b) eventually people will figure out I can sorta sing and put a microphone in front of my face. It was a really fun ending to a long day.
On the final day we started with a short walk on a trail by David's apartment, where we couldn't find bunnies or any other animals, but at least we got a nice view of the woods.
We then drove to Hot Springs National Park. We took a walk around the historical district, and then, with no sign of the two friends who were going to meet us there, decided to take the shuttle up to the observation tower which overlooks the city and the Ouachita Mountains. The shuttle, which is supposed to arrive every half hour, did not come for an hour. When it finally arrived, we were joined by a family of at least 12 people. Part of the group was still missing, so we waited for them. Bus driver Jerry was perfectly willing to cater to them, which explains why the shuttle was late. The last three finally arrived and we went up the mountain, stopping once at an overlook (which meant lots of pictures for the family, of course). The tower itself was a neat way to see the mountains and the city and learn about the history of Hot Springs.
We finished just in time for the shuttle... and the family was on it again. The drive down was quick, except that the family had to stop and fill a dozen milk jugs with spring water before we make it back to the city. By the time we got off the shuttle David's friends Grady and Carrick were waiting at the bar of the Arlington Hotel. We had a drink, mostly so David could work out his stress over driver Jerry's casualness, and then we finally had lunch. We found Rolando's, one of the best Latin American restaurants I've ever been to (yes, that's including all the ones in Texas). Life starts getting better once your cheese is set on fire.
At this point it was time to experience the bathhouses. We got our bathing suits and walked over to the houses run by the park. Two things happened simultaneously- we found out the houses had closed two hours earlier, and it started pouring. We took in the moment and decided to just play in the rain. Seeing an open building, though, we went in, and it ended up being the museum, where we could walk around an original bathhouse. It was quite magnificent- marble everywhere and stained glass decorations, as in the height of their popularity the bathhouses were in competition to attract guests for relaxation and healing.
By the time we were done the rain had slowed down. We walked some more, taking note of the springs still open in the city. Soon it was time for me to head back to Texas- I probably should have left hours earlier, but it was so much fun being with friends and being in such a unique environment.
The road back to the interstate was another scenic route, so I had one final hour to savor the landscape as I left the mountains. As I left Hot Springs I drove over Lake Hamilton, and then later I couldn't resist turning in as I saw the sign for Lake DeGray State Park. It was a beautiful lake, especially at sunset.
I finally make it onto the interstate and returned home, watching the trees get smaller and the roads get straighter. Even though it was a full weekend with little rest, it was wonderful being in the trees and mountains with such a good friend. The perfect escape before entering the real world.
*as always, full gallery can be found at my Photobucket page
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| I didn't get a photo of the house. This will have to do . :) |
I continued on to Little Rock, and after arriving at my friend (and weekend tour guide) David's apartment we quickly went to lunch to eat and catch up. We then made our way to the Clinton Presidential Library, which unfortunately was closing in the next hour. We were encouraged to visit the gift shop and come back in the morning, so we followed his advice. The gift shop impressed me, not because of the typical presidential trinkets, but because of the amount of space given to international handicrafts, particularly from Haiti, that showed Clinton's current charitable work. We also walked the new pedestrian bridge next to the library, a former train track over the Arkansas River.
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| Bridge and library |
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| The Arkansas River and downtown Little Rock |
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| Canal off of river, and left edge of library |
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| Arkansas River |
Sometime during this afternoon, David added one more thing to our to do list. So after we drove by the state capital and Central High School (which marked the beginning of desegregation, and is a magnificent building), we went to Pinnacle Mountain. I had seen pictures of this mountain and its overlooks of the city and its surroundings, and assumed any hiking would be reasonable. We found a parking lot and read the trail sign- lots of words about steep and strenuous. But David had hiked here before, and while he wasn't sure if it was this trail or not he hadn't had a difficult experience. We had a chat about Bernal, the rock climb we did together in Mexico two years ago. I showed him my sandals- while they were all-terrain, they were not tennis shoes. And he promised me I'd be fine. So we went. At first he was right- it was a little steep but reasonable. And then all of a sudden, it was boulders, straight up. This was not hiking, it was rock climbing. I pushed through, but I took many "picture breaks".
Unfortunately, the long hike up meant the sun was already going down. We decided to take the other trail down, then take the base trail back to the car. The west trail was significantly easier, and gave a beautiful glimpse of the river at sunset.
Unfortunately, the long hike up (okay, my inability to hike at a reasonable speed) had cost us too much time, and by the time we got to the bottom it was dark. So we had two choices- hike the base trail with no flashlight, or walk the roads. Since we had no flashlights or bear repellent, we chose the road. We were tired, hungry, and everything hurt, and the thought of walking two more miles on a quiet country road was miserable. Somehow we made it- well, we got to the turn to the parking lot, and David left me at the corner so he could get the car. There are few feelings like standing aching, hungry, and tired on a corner in rural Arkansas. Fortunately it didn't last long. We went home, cleaned up, and, even though we could have slept right then, we deserved some good food. David took me to Cajun's, where we sat overlooking the river, drank their signature play-de-do, and relived our adventure.
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| This is a play-de-do. It's tasty. |
The next morning we were up early for a full day. We started off with a good southern breakfast, then went back to the Clinton Library. The building itself overlooks the Arkansas River, and is designed so you have views of the river the whole time you are there. I learned a lot about Clinton both at the library and during the whole weekend, particularly about his youth and what he did as governor. His work to improve the lives of his state really impressed me, and I have a better understanding of why he is so revered there. It was also important to remember what happened during his presidency, which covered my high school and college years. The library did a very nice job of honoring his work and legacy, but being realistic about the highs and lows.
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| Me and David in front of the Oval Office |
From there was our major task of the day, a visit to wine country. We did the direct route there, which took us through the landscape until we were approaching the Ozarks. As we turned onto the road that led into the town of Altus, we found our first winery, Chateau Aux Arc, a small but high quality winery where I had my first of many tastes of the southern wine known as muscadine. From there we went to Wiederkehr, a Swiss winery that was much larger and had a good variety, though I do not recommend wine with Splenda (unless you want your wine to taste like Kool-Aid). Next was the largest and nicest of the wineries, Post Familie (as I learned, the Post family runs many things in the area). After many tastings, it was time to head into Altus for lunch. It also happened to be the weekend of the Altus Grape Festival. First we ate at the only open restaurant in the city square, an Irish pub. After some water and sandwiches, we walked over to the festival. It was your typical small town festival- a band and lots of vendors, ranging from dog clothes to confederate merchandise of all types (this is the south, after all). The shopping was, um, quick, but we stopped at the tent for the last winery on our list, Mount Bethel. I got a gig'em from a fellow Aggie (yes, I wore Aggie gear in Arkansas), and the man who served us from Mount Bethel was an Aggie dad. We did a quick tasting of whatever was left, then decided to visit the winery itself before heading home, which had a nice variety of fruit wines.
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| Grapes at Chateau Aux Arc |
On the drive home we took a scenic route, so I could see as much of the Ozarks as possible. The roads were winding, the overlooks were stunning, and it was exactly what I had asked for.
Before the day ended, we went to (slightly late) dinner at the house of a doctor David works with. I got to meet some of the people from the hospital and have some good food. I also learned that a) Filipinos believe that parties should end with karaoke and b) eventually people will figure out I can sorta sing and put a microphone in front of my face. It was a really fun ending to a long day.
On the final day we started with a short walk on a trail by David's apartment, where we couldn't find bunnies or any other animals, but at least we got a nice view of the woods.
We then drove to Hot Springs National Park. We took a walk around the historical district, and then, with no sign of the two friends who were going to meet us there, decided to take the shuttle up to the observation tower which overlooks the city and the Ouachita Mountains. The shuttle, which is supposed to arrive every half hour, did not come for an hour. When it finally arrived, we were joined by a family of at least 12 people. Part of the group was still missing, so we waited for them. Bus driver Jerry was perfectly willing to cater to them, which explains why the shuttle was late. The last three finally arrived and we went up the mountain, stopping once at an overlook (which meant lots of pictures for the family, of course). The tower itself was a neat way to see the mountains and the city and learn about the history of Hot Springs.
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| Historic Hot Springs |
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| Ouachita Mountains |
We finished just in time for the shuttle... and the family was on it again. The drive down was quick, except that the family had to stop and fill a dozen milk jugs with spring water before we make it back to the city. By the time we got off the shuttle David's friends Grady and Carrick were waiting at the bar of the Arlington Hotel. We had a drink, mostly so David could work out his stress over driver Jerry's casualness, and then we finally had lunch. We found Rolando's, one of the best Latin American restaurants I've ever been to (yes, that's including all the ones in Texas). Life starts getting better once your cheese is set on fire.
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| Queso flameante and a margarita |
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| Steam cabinets. No thanks. |
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| Stained glass ceiling in men's area |
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| Sculpture in men's area |
By the time we were done the rain had slowed down. We walked some more, taking note of the springs still open in the city. Soon it was time for me to head back to Texas- I probably should have left hours earlier, but it was so much fun being with friends and being in such a unique environment.
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| Previous spring, from above |
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| A yurt! |
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| I found animals, finally :) |
I finally make it onto the interstate and returned home, watching the trees get smaller and the roads get straighter. Even though it was a full weekend with little rest, it was wonderful being in the trees and mountains with such a good friend. The perfect escape before entering the real world.
*as always, full gallery can be found at my Photobucket page
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Fort Worth Cultural District and Gardens
Another week of vacation, another adventure, this time to Fort Worth. Downtown has a cultural district that is best known for its group of art museums. I started my morning at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, which had a beautiful, eclectic collection ranging from Remington and Russell's cowboy and Western art to landscapes of wilderness and beaches to modern pieces by O'Keefe and Wood. The museum seemed to tell the story of the last 150 years or so of American history, and except for skipping the exhibition (unfortunately I'm not into modernism) it was a great visit. I love to get prints of my favorite pieces, but unfortunately they didn't have what I was looking for in an affordable copy. Either of the two below would have worked nicely in my home, a beautiful flower and a gorgeous reminder of California.
As I left I walked toward the Will Rogers Convention Center, an older but still very interesting collection of buildings and tower, and the statue of Will in front.
I then took a break to have lunch at a small local soul food restaurant with a classmate, where we proved we have finally grown up by spending more time talking about our student loans then anything fun or frivolous...what happened to us?
Back to the art I went, to the museum I had heard the most about over my last year in the metroplex. The Kimbell Art Museum has a small but renowned collection- if you can name a significant artist, his work is probably on display. Because of this, the visit was breathtaking, but also quick. I was happy this time that my favorite print was for sale, and she will look beautiful with another one I own.
With two museums done, the next museum not in my interest area (if you are into modern art, you should check out The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, I think), and the heat staying away by Texas standards, I drove down the road to the Fort Worth Botanical Garden. As I learned, it is divided into many sections. I started at the main garden, which had beautiful flowers, structures, and paths.
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| Sunrise, Yosemite Valley, by Albert Bierstadt |
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| Red Cannas by Georgia O'Keefe |
As I left I walked toward the Will Rogers Convention Center, an older but still very interesting collection of buildings and tower, and the statue of Will in front.
I then took a break to have lunch at a small local soul food restaurant with a classmate, where we proved we have finally grown up by spending more time talking about our student loans then anything fun or frivolous...what happened to us?
Back to the art I went, to the museum I had heard the most about over my last year in the metroplex. The Kimbell Art Museum has a small but renowned collection- if you can name a significant artist, his work is probably on display. Because of this, the visit was breathtaking, but also quick. I was happy this time that my favorite print was for sale, and she will look beautiful with another one I own.
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| La Simplicite by Jean-Baptiste Greuze |
With two museums done, the next museum not in my interest area (if you are into modern art, you should check out The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, I think), and the heat staying away by Texas standards, I drove down the road to the Fort Worth Botanical Garden. As I learned, it is divided into many sections. I started at the main garden, which had beautiful flowers, structures, and paths.
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| Sculpture at entrance |
Attached to this garden was the conservatory, an enclosed (read: very humid) collection of tropical plants. Most of the flowers were completely new to me, but I was given a brochure to help out. Also, I learned the fun of photographing from behind a waterfall.
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| Palm leaf behind waterfall |
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| Pond behind waterfall |
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| Red ginger (I think) |
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| Spiral ginger |
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| Lemon lollipop |
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| Flamingo flower |
I drove to the other end of the gardens, where I found the rose gardens. The design was beautiful, but unfortunately most of the flowers had succumbed to the Texas summer.
For my final stop, before I also succumbed to the heat, I walked the Japanese gardens. These gardens are always fascinating to walk, as they are planned so differently from other gardens. The harmony of trees, water, and the paths was well done, and I tried to capture the moments that I felt were most peaceful.
There were also many animals in the garden that enjoyed the water and the shade. I made friends with a lizard...
and turtles...
and another lizard...
and a squirrel (I always find the friendly ones)...
and koi, very friendly ones (there was fish food for sale)...
and another turtle...
and a snake..
okay, so he wasn't my friend.
After the gardens it was time to return home. My camera started acting odd after I left, not sure if it was temporary due to a splash of water or if it is going downhill (or maybe it knows I'm planning on replacing it soon?0, but it is behaving better now. I need it to hang in just a little longer so I can get through a couple more trips this summer. Until then, enjoy the blog, enjoy the full album from this trip, and peace.
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