Lent Day 27: Hawaii day 3

Today started off with another harrowing drive on the Hana Highway, we were headed around the island to our new lodging in Wailea.

If you are going to plummet to your death, this isn't a bad way to go.

It was off and on raining all day, so the top had to stay on the rental jeep. Probably a good idea since the birthday boy and I both got a sunburn yesterday. Oops.

We drove to the top of Haleakala crater (10000 feet!) where it was freezing, windy, and rainy, but still very cool, then back down to sea level. It was really interesting to see a different part of Maui- less tourists, more cows.

Tomorrow is surfing and snorkeling!

Lent Day 26: Hawaii Day 2

Today's weather forecast didn't look promising. Frequent showers, mostly cloudy. Thank goodness it was wrong.

Not a bad view to wake up to.

This morning we drove out of Hana to Halekala National Park and went to the seven sacred pools (which have a real Hawaiian name that escapes me) and then hiked to a very tall and apparently hazardous waterfall. Afterwards we went to Hana Bay for lunch and a swim. Last trip of the day was to a lava tube. (Lava tubes are formed when the outer layer of lava hardens as it is flowing, creating a cave.) Best part of the lava tube, besides the super cool geology- finding 13 dollars in the cave.

Tomorrow we're off to the other side of the island!

Lent Day 25: Hawaii Day 1

So far the trip to Hawaii has been awesome.

 

We landed in Maui about 1:30 to partly cloudy skies. Stopped at Safeway for snacks and beer, and started our drive to Hana.

The drive to Hana was gorgeous and harrowing. Shout out to the beau for  conquering all those one lane bridges. We saw the ocean, waterfalls, and lots of chickens.

I'm currently sitting on the back porch of Tutu's house, listening to the ocean (because it's too dark to see) and waiting for the thunderstorm to start back up. Life is good.

Lent Day 24: Kid Compliments

The other day I was teaching a class I find really fun, and for the most part kids find it fun too. But for the first 5 minutes or so it's a lot of me talking before I start shattering frozen racquet balls and handing them dry ice. For some kids, 5 minutes is too long.

If only I could have a cat in my classroom!

About 3 minutes into my spiel about molecules a kid raises her hand and sort of snottily says, "I thought this was going to be interesting. " I immediately start thinking of my, "sorry you are disappointed" response when she says, "AND IT'S AMAZING!!!" Well played, third grader, you totally had me going.

In my line of work, it's all about making the kids happy. Oh and making sure they learn something. So it makes me really happy to hear kids say something like that third grader did. (I value those comments over those of their teachers. Is that bad?) 

The best compliment? "THIS WAS AWESOME! I TOTALLY WANT TO BE A SCIENTIST WHEN I GROW UP!" Be still my heart.

Lent Day 23: New Recipes

Full disclosure: I had macaroni and cheese for dinner. From a box. Well actually a bag, but same basic idea. Not my best dinner, but better than Girl Scout cookies (maybe?) Don't get me wrong, I love cooking, but some days it just sounds like too much work. Today, for example.

Let' s just assume there's some Kraft in that pot.

Although not evident today, I love trying new recipes. (Thanks goodness for cooking blogs, amirite?) It's such a gamble. Will it turn out? Will I like it? Will I end up having cereal for dinner?

In general, I dislike cooking for one, it's a pain, but at least you are only betting on your own dinner, so it's a little less risky. I don't know for sure, but I assume you don't want to gamble with your kid's dinner every night of the week.

I get such satisfaction from"slaving over a hot stove" when it results in something delicious. Sure, I enjoy cooking something with "good" written next to it in the cookbook, but there is something exciting about the unknown, isn't there?

Lent Day 22: Old Photos

When I was a kid, (and now too), I loved looking at my parents' yearbooks. Nothing quite like the hair of the 1970s, right? (I remember getting my senior pictures taken and wondering what part of my yearbook my kids would find the funniest.) I'm a big fan of photographs. In fact, I can see 28 from where I'm sitting right now. But I especially love old photographs, like the ones in my parents' yearbooks, and these:

This awesome one of my dad

And this proof of my sister's care bear stare

Photos are my favorite record of history. I think the stories are interesting, but photos are such a perfect glance back in time. It's easy to manipulate a story, but it's a little harder to manipulate a photo.

Okay, not that hard. But manipulated photos, like double exposed "spirit photos", are really a historical record of a different sort.

Working at the museum means I have access to a lot of old photos. We have an exhibit going up right now about the 1964 earthquake, and it has some amazing photographs. There is still visible evidence of the earthquake around the state, but seeing images like this is so much more powerful.

Lent Day 21: Living room view

Almost 5 years ago (whoa!) I signed the lease on my apartment sight unseen. I was in Wyoming and needed a place before I got to Alaska, so I hunted around Craigslist and faxed off a year of my life to my now-landlord after seeing something like 4 photos and a Google streetview. I got lucky. For sure.

The best part of my apartment is something I didn't even know about when I signed the lease - the view. I love being able to watch the seasons change on the mountains, from winter sunrises at 10 am to summer alpenglow at 10 pm, it's all just so beautiful. (Barf. Pardon the cheesiness of that sentence.)

Is this where I say #nofilter?

I think I've said before that the sun rising over the mountains should be accompanied by a choir of angels, and I mean it. There just nothing quite like drinking coffee and watching the sun rise on a snowy Saturday morning. (In fact, I love the view so much that I once rearranged my apartment only to re-rearrange it because I couldn't see the mountains from the couch anymore. That's commitment.)

Lent Day 20: Girl Scout Cookies

Half way through Lent. Whew!

Confession: I bought a box of Tagalongs yesterday and I have eaten 2/3 of the box. I'm thinking about having them for dinner. How are they just SO GOOD? Do you want to be the most popular person at work? Bring in a cookie order form, or better yet, just boxes of cookies.

Are they so good because they aren't available year round? Because the teach girls about financial literacy? Because they are filled with butter and sugar? Probably the latter, but I'm going to say it's a combination of all three.

The Girl Scouts is an amazing organization. It's been around for 100+ years, there are 2.3 MILLION girl members at this very minute, 60% of women in the House of Representatives were Girl Scouts, I was one, and it provides girls with an opportunity to learn all sorts of life skills- everything from cooperation and team work to, the less useful (until you really need it), turning pants into a flotation device.

GS action shot:  What were we singing? What am I looking at?

Every year, those 2.3 million girls are learning about business during the cookie selling season. (And make their neighbors incredibly happy at the same time) This year a Girl Scout in San Francisco learned the power of location while selling cookies. Granted, the Girl Scouts weren't too excited about her choice of location, but you do have to applaud her business sense.

Long story short, Girl Scout cookies are delicious and I'm going to eat them for dinner.

Also, don't go around making your own Girl Scout cookies, you heathens.. It ruins the magic and RUINS AMERICA.

Lent Day 19: A good bargain

Early on in my Lenten adventure, I think I wrote about my spring project: The Craigslist Table.Well, it's finally finished-ish. Finished enough to move from the garage to my apartment anyway. There's nothing quite like finishing something you started, amirite?

Anyway, this table was a good bargain. $20 for the table and 3 chairs, $10 for supplies. (Although, after I paint the chairs, it will probably be more like $15, but still.) Things in Alaska are expensive, especially large, heavy, hard to ship things like furniture. Even on craigslist you are going to pay AT LEAST $50 for a table, and a crappy one at that. So when I saw my $20 ugly duckling, I knew I had to buy it it.

I love the thrill of the hunt when it comes to bargains. Digging around in thrift stores, digitally thumbing through ads online, comparing prices all over the internet, it makes it that much sweeter when you find what you are looking for.

Lent Day 18: No waiting

You guys, I'm going to Maui in ONE WEEK. I'm really tempted to write about it again, but that feels like cheating.

Speaking of cheating, I just remembered I ate meat yesterday. Crap. I need to put my reminder post-it note back in the fridge.

This morning I was out running a few errands and I realized that I didn't have to wait in line at ANY of the places I went. That never happens. What a pleasant surprise! I hate waiting in line. That's part of the reason I don't like Disneyland. (Yeah, I said it. I don't like Disneyland.)

I'm impatient. Even if I don't have anywhere to be, I don't like to wait around. It's not my best trait, but it could be worse, right? So this morning I was very excited to not have to wonder about Kim Kardashian's butt shots while waiting for someone to buy 17 candles at Target. I'll take my clearance tights ($2.84!) and my sunscreen and be on my way, thankyouverymuch.

Lent Day 17: Free Stuff

The museum is doing a little bit of reorganization, which requires the emptying of a large storage unit. Picture the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Then picture something not as cool. That's the storage unit.

Not quite this. But better than Storage Wars

Some things are just getting moved to the museum for storage, others are getting donated or thrown away, some things are getting parceled out to other people. I was over there working today and acquired two brain Jell-o molds and a measuring cup. (I also have my eye on a quarter machine that will tell you your weight on the moon. But I'm not totally sure I can justify putting that in my apartment. It feels a little too close to hoarding...) It's kind of like cleaning out the attic, but with weirder stuff.

Long story short. I like getting free stuff. Now there is two kinds of free stuff: good stuff and bad stuff. I prefer the good stuff, obviously. I'm not one to take 50 shampoo bottles from a hotel, but if the lotion is good, I will take one or two.

Buy one, get one free? Love it. Free samples at Costco? Yes, please. Free cake on your birthday? Yes. (Even if it means awkwardly sitting through Happy Birthday.) Broken laundry basket? Craigslist mattress? No, thank you. There is a line, people.

Lent Day 16: Comfort Food

When I was a kid, we were allowed to pick our birthday meal. I distinctly remember having a hard time deciding between biscuits and gravy and macaroni and cheese.

In fact, I still have a hard time deciding between those. Comfort food is my favorite food. (Mostly because it's heavy on the cream and light on vegetables.)

My family makes fun of me for having a "beige plate" at holidays. But it's not my fault the best holiday foods are neutral colored. Yes, comfort foods are generally pretty beige. Yes, you are supposed to "eat the rainbow" everyday, and not the skittle kind.

But comfort food just tastes so much better. What's a girl to do?

Lent Day 15: Spontaneous Adventures

One time, when I was in college, my roommate and I took a spontaneous trip to Vegas. (Not before I made a mixed CD called hey, why don't we go to Vegas, of course.)

Spontaneous trips, whether it be to Vegas or just taking the scenic route home from work, are such a good way to keep variety in one's life. Why not keep yourself on your toes? (You can do that right?)

(But there is a line between spontaneous and irresponsible, so don't be a jerk.)

Lent Day 13: Heated Garage

When I moved to Alaska, I had a few requirements for my apartment- a washer and dryer and a garage. I got one better, a heated garage. I didn't even know I wanted one of those. I don't think I even knew that was a thing.

Polar vortex or no polar vortex, spring is still 2ish months away here. And, lemme tell you, opening a 50 degree garage on a cold morning is second only to actually being in the tropics. 

Outside my garage

Inside my garage

Lent Day 12: Breakfast

Normally during the week, my breakfast is coffee and a granola bar at my desk. (Sorry, IT department, but my keyboard is full of granola.) So leisurely eating a hot breakfast feels like a luxury.

The syrup to pancake ratio is serious business.

Not mention, a leisurely breakfast usually means it's a weekend, or at least a day off. Bonus!

In theory, I could get up fifteen or twenty minutes early and eat a hot breakfast every day, but let's be honest, that's definitely not happening. And I sort of like it to be a special treat.

Lent Day 11: Tracking

The quickest way to torture me is to not provide me with a package tracking number.

I obsessively track anything I order. It's almost as good as just getting a package. And living in Alaska means the trackinhig usually looks something like this:

They don't make too many stops.

Not very exciting, but I do it nonetheless.

My Plus One travels a lot which allows me to track flights too. It's almost as good package tracking.

What did I do before the internet? Just wait by the mailbox like chump??

Lent Day 10: Crockpots

Crockpots, slow cookers, gifts from the heavens, whatever you want to call them, are amazing. Have you used a crockpot lately? Did you know you can make LITERALLY ANYTHING in a crockpot? Really, Google it.

Normal stuff like chicken, natch

You wanna get weird? How about yogurt

"Oh, what smells so good." "Just makin' soap in my crockpot, nbd"

Picture it, you're driving home, you've have a long day at work. You're tired. Your feet hurt. Making dinner sounds like the hardest possible thing you could do. You walk into your house, and what's that smell? Oh yes, it's your dinner. Because you put in the crockpot before work and now it's done. Good work, Past You, way to plan ahead. Or, if you are me, you walk in your house and have a mild panic attack because you think someone has been cooking in the house while you've been away. Because that makes sense.

Lent Day 9: When things go according to plan

Tonight I hosted my first totally self-planned and executed event at work. And it went great.  Yay!

In an effort to get more science into the museum, I've been wanting to do some sort of lecture series, but lectures are boring and hard to sell, so I'm bribing people with classic sci-fi movies (tonight was Attack of the Crab Monsters) followed by "fun" presentations by real life scientists. It's interesting and educational and I got to paid to watch a movie and listen to a super funny scientist. All in a days' work.

It's hard to know if new programs will be successful, there are a lot of factors to consider, so it's always nice when things go according to plan.

Lent. Day 8: Postcards

Sitting on my mantle is a stack of postcards. I'm waiting for inspiration to strike. I need something to do with them. See, I have a problem. Not like a hoarding level problem, but I love postcards and I don't want to throw them away.

This is not my house. I swear.

When you get a postcard it's doubly exciting. 1) mail! 2) someone was thinking of you while they were away. And that is always nice.

When I'm on vacation (or not)  I like to find the weirdest postcards. (Alaska has some really good ones.) So watch out, friends, for some weird Hawaii postcards in your mailbox soon!

Lent Day 7: Cats

This is my cat, Harley. He lives at my parents' house (much to their dismay, or so they pretend)

Harley is not amused. By anything.

This is the desktop on my work computer.

I call him SpaceCat, obviously.

You guys, I like cats. I've always liked cats. When I was a kid, my sister and I wanted cats, but my Dad was not a fan of that idea. So we waited until he was out of town to get them. (Thanks, Mom. Sorry I'm not sorry, Dad.)

I feel like most people are pretty definite in their feelings about cats, one way or the other.

Here's why I'm pro-cat
1) They are independent. Oh, you want to go away for the weekend? Put out some extra food and water, and your cat is going to be fine. Heck, he/she is probably even happy to have you out of the house.

2) They are thisclose to being wild animals. I watched some show on National Geographic or Discovery, and apparently cats will revert to their wild, feral state in like a week, if given the opportunity. So if you are a cat owner, you are basically a better Grizzly Man. Dangerous but not an idiot.

3) You have to work for their affection. Fact - you appreciate things more when you have to work for it.

4) Paws - I mean, look how frickin' cute they are.

5) Whiskers - Like paws they are super cute. But they are also super cool. Did you know they are generally as long as a cat is wide? That's how they know if they will fit in a small space!

Lent Day 6: Thank you notes

I'm fully aware that, based on the theme of my Lenten adventure, today I'm thankful for thank you notes, which seems a little like wishing for more wishes but I'm just going to go for it.

Thank you notes are such an easy way to show appreciation, but so frequently forgotten. Yes, I'm thankful for the age of power tools, but I wouldn't mind holding on to some of ye olde time traditions. Like sending thank you notes (through the mail! Gasp!), and vacuuming in pearls. (Just me on that one?)

Gentlemen, trying to impress a lady? Send her a thank you note after a date. Ladies love thank you notes. Feel free to thank me at your wedding.

Lent Day 5: Power tools

In the spring, or what would be spring if I didn't live in Alaska,  I tend to get the itch for projects. This spring it was reorganizing my closet and refinishing a craigslist table.

I, too, go for business casual when I'm doing home improvement.

There are times I think I could make it as a pioneer. Then I try to make cookies without a mixer (okay, not exactly a power tool) or put together a 15 dollar closet shelf without an electric screwdriver, and that's when I realize I probably would have gotten dysentery like everyone else. Sometimes the modern age is a wonderful place.

You have dysentary and your t-shirts are poorly organized.

Lent Day 4: Vacation!

Three weeks from today my Gentleman Caller (GC) and I will be relaxing in seats 21E and 21F on our way to Maui! (Hopefully sipping our complementary mai tais.)

I'm sure we'll look this classy getting off the plane.

I could not be more excited. Going on vacation, particularly to tropical destinations, combines a lot of my favorite things: Relaxing, fruity cocktails, beaches, swimming, planning, you know, the usual. I think I might like vacation planning just as much as going on vacation. And lucky for me, GC agreed that I could/should be in charge of planning. So, of course, I went to the library and checked out a million books, in addition to digging through the bowels of the internet and bugging everyone I know who has been to Maui. This will be my first trip to any of the Hawaii islands, and GC's first trip to Maui, so I want to see/do all the fun stuff we can. Does anyone have any hidden treasures we should definitely see/do/eat?

Lent Day 3: The Library

I can't remember the last time I purchased a book. Maybe at an airport somewhere? Not because I don't read, but because, ladies and gentlemen, you can go to this great place and they will GIVE you books. GIVE them to you. For FREE. All they ask is that you return it in a timely fashion. And even if you don't get them back quite on time, you only have to pay a quarter, maybe a dollar or maybe five, if you really dropped the ball. Still less than the price of your book, folks. This magical place is the library. 

I'm currently reading The Summer of Beer and Whiskey. It's about baseball, and it's great. Do you know how many books the Anchorage Library has about baseball? Just at my nearest branch, there are 1256. In theory, I could read them all. But I'm not going to, because there are so many other things to read about!  For example, my tall-drink-of-water wants to build a cabin. So I checked out 5 books about cabin building. I also checked out a fluffy mystery (You know, fluffy: easy to read, doesn't take a lot of thought.) Because I like to be a well-rounded reader.

Okay, so maybe you don't like reading. I'm judging you, but alright. Do you watch movies? Because you can get DVDs there too. Are you an e-reader? Chances are you can get free e-books too.

The Library: Not just for homeless people and families with small children. (You're welcome, American Library Association, for that new slogan.)

Lent Day 2: Daylight

This is a very exciting time in Alaska. Fur Rondy, the best time of the year just past, the Iditarod mushers are starting to reach the halfway point. (Fun fact: the halfway point is a stop called Cripple. Which is a totally accurate name this year, have you been following? It's been ca-razy.) And most importantly, the daylight is returning.

Good thing Simba lived near the equator.

Okay, here in Anchorage, we never have complete darkness in the winter. On the shortest day of the year we have about 5 1/2 hours of daylight. But lemme tell you, that doesn't feel like a lot. Enter: March. We now have more than 10 1/2 hours of daylight, and gaining almost 6 minutes everyday. And it is amazing. Tomorrow is our first 11 hour daylight day. We should celebrate.

Lent: Day 1

I've been ignoring my blog. Oops. So in an effort to revive this beast, I'm trying something new!

This week I looked at my calendar and thought, "Crap. Lent starts this week."

Count down to lamb butter starts now. Did anyone have lamb butter at Easter? No? Just me?

Frankly, I think the deciding is way harder than the sacrificing. Then again, maybe I'm not sacrificing the right stuff...Where's Pope Francis when I need him?

Who wears it better? Pope Francis or Mini Pope?

Usually I give up coffee or beer, but I'm going on vacation at the end of the month, and I want both those things while I'm Hawaii (Awwwww yeahhhhh). I know, I know, that means I should definitely give up one of those. I'm not, sorry Jesus.

Instead I've decided to write about one thing I'm thankful for everyday. Because, it turns out, you can do something good instead of sacrificing something, and that counts. So here we go.

Day 1:

I'm thankful for Lent. Sure 40 days (actually more when you count the weekends.) of remembering if I can eat meat or going through caffeine withdraws sucks. But I do like the personal challenge of the whole thing. It's a time to better oneself and maybe even give up bad habits. (Like eating too many pizzadillas, *points to self*) It's somehow less pressure than a new year's resolution, I mean, it's only your eternal soul on the line, right? 

Regardless of religious affiliations (or lack thereof), I encourage everyone to do some soul searching and maybe even some sacrificing around this time of year. It's almost spring, (in theory,) a time for renewal. How about renewing yourself into a better person? Or at least a person who eats fewer pizzadillas.

You can turn yourself in a beautiful, glittery, butterfly.