As I step off the airplane, my tired body is suddenly rejuvenated by the Hawaiian sun soaking its way through my skin and into my soul. All the pressure and stresses of everyday life melt away as I inhale and exhale slowly, deeply in total relaxation. After a short twenty minute drive, we have arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii, home to historical Pearl Harbor and the United States Pacific Fleet.
After checking into the vibrant, incredible Waikiki Hotel, which nestles against the sandy shores of Waikiki Beach, we head straight to the water. The first thing I notice is the breathtaking background Leahi, also known as Diamond Head State Monument. It is wondrous! Its natural beauty inspires me, a 760 foot tuff crater that offers a panoramic view of Honolulu is something we will have to inspect more closely before our departure. For now, we stretch out our blanket against the hot, soft, inviting sand and soak in what surrounds us. The crashing of the waves as they crest and disappear against the stone wall that separates the beach from hotels, sidewalks, and traffic drowns out conversations happening nearby.
After allowing the warming sun to bond with our bodies, we decide to experience the water. I notice the way the sand creeps between my newly manicured toes and covers the bottom of my feet, inching upward as I sink into the uncountable beachfront morsels. I feel the coolness of the water rushing over my feet. I am surprised at the relative warmth of the clear, blue water surrounding me. Our bodies adjust to its temperature very quickly as we embrace. This is magical. I wanted to stay in the water but my body was craving the sun and something to quench my growing thirst.
You haven't had a Mai-Tai until you have had a Mai-Tai in Hawaii. It seems that everything is richer, more natural, less concocted. The smooth blending of rum with a variety of tropical fruit juices brought my taste buds alive and awakened my spirit with its refreshing cleanse. After a couple of these delightful drinks we were ready to head back to the hotel and clean the remnants of the beach from our every crevice and prepare for dinner. I looked forward to experiencing an authentic luau with Kalua Pig accompanied by marinated, steamed cabbage and all the trimmings. It was sure to be a chance of a lifetime moment I would never forget.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Saturday, March 15, 2014
What's Cooking (a guided descriptive essay)
I did not have to think long about what to make for
the “What’s Cooking” writing assignment I was given in my English 101 Class. I
have always been a big fan of rice krispie treats, both making and devouring them. The recipe couldn’t get much simpler, as it only has three
ingredients: Rice Krispies cereal, butter, and mini marshmallows.
More specifically, my recipe calls for the
following:
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11 ½ cups of Rice Krispies cereal
One stick of butter
One 16 oz. bag of mini marshmallows
Let’s get started!
First, giving a messy cook like myself a fighting chance
at limiting spillage, I reached down into my cream colored cabinet containing
all of my pots and pans and pulled out the tallest, most round, and shiniest pot
I own. I felt the cold, stainless steel handles as my fingers curled around
them, pulling it forward, past all other options and placing it on the stove.
After removing the wrapper that hugged a single stick of buttery, yellow
goodness, I dropped it into the center of the silver, reflective vessel, making
a soft clanking noise. For those wild enough to measure it out, the equivalent
is eight tablespoons of butter, but I caution you that this will add minutes to
your clean up time.
The secret to moist, mouth-watering rice krispie
treats is to allow the butter to take its sweet time melting down to its pale
liquid form.
If you rush it and the creamy yellow, almost clear coloring turns to
the slightest tinge of brownness, you will force your treats to be dry and crumble
out of the mouths who want to enjoy them.
Once the butter has completely
melted, pour in the entire sixteen-ounce bag of mini marshmallows. I tend to
gravitate to the light, fluffy, squishable “Jet Puffed” marshmallows made by
Kraft. As with the butter, you want to allow these tiny, white clouds of
loveliness to soften and liquefy gradually.
Before pouring in the snap-crackle-pop cereal,
choose your weapon of mixture and give it a quick spurt of cooking spray. This
will allow your instrument to glide through the gluey and bumpy combined textures
without unwanted resistance. Be sure to thoroughly coat the entire mass,
repeatedly scraping along the bottom of the pan and looping back up to the top,
through the middle, and invading every crevice.
Once you are finished
combining the ooey-gooey liquids and the crispy, chunky solids you are ready to
dispense the entire blend into a 13x9 non-stick pan. I suggest that you very
lightly spray the interior of the pan with cooking spray because I have yet to come
across a pan that is truly non-stick. In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, I
decided to top off my dessert with a two-tone combination of green sprinkles as a finishing
touch.
After allowing the dish to cool, cut into squares
and share your pan of delectable treats!
It was a beautiful day and there were
several children playing outside in the courtyard. It took about thirty
seconds for me to return inside with an empty plate after having gazed upon
many little, smiling faces full of thanks.
My favorite thing about rice krispies treats is that
you can add just about anything sweet to add your personally desired wow factor.
Whether you add peanut butter or chocolate chips, your treats are sure to be
amazing! Want something colorful? Try using Fruity Pebbles cereal for a
delightfully adorable Easter dessert full of color!
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Reflection
I crashed in on the world of blogging twenty-five days ago as a requirement of a composition class I am currently enrolled in through my college. I have always enjoyed writing, but I would not say that I felt confident in my abilities. I have always second-guessed just about every written word. In the end, I am generally pleased with my outcome even though it is a long, thorough, painstaking process.
At the onset of this activity, I did not think that exposing my words, thoughts, and life experiences to the viral world could have a positive impact on my writing. I thought this requirement was unnecessary. I accepted the challenge because of my strong desire to do well in school. More importantly, I recognized that there have been times in my life where writing made the difference between my breaking down or finding the strength to push forward and survive my circumstances. I decided that in order to fully appreciate what this course has to offer, I needed to fully engulf myself in its processes. As my first blog stated, I proceeded with caution.
This method of learning was not an easy undertaking for me. I would sit down at my desk, with three kids buzzing around and providing welcomed distractions, and feel like I had nothing to say. The same questions, night after night, ran through my mind. What should I write about? How do I entertain my audience? Should I try to be funny or just let the words fill the space as they come to me? On several occasions, I turned to another social media outlet to provide me some inspiration. I needed something to spark. I needed words to burrow their way into my mind and marinate around, giving me a discussion-worthy topic. My wonderful friends were always willing to suggest subjects that would not have occurred to me on my own. I really appreciated their assistance and willingness to help. One of my favorite blogs, Phone Etiquette, stemmed from one of my old boss's suggestions. Other times, I became a Facebook stalker, inspecting post after post, and hoping that my eyes would focus on something, anything, that inspired me to write. My significant other was also a great source of untapped resources for me. He was great about offering up suggestions, even though I shot them down on occasion.
Several discoveries came about throughout my blogging blunders. I started to realize that free writing really does improve fluency. I saw my productivity increasing and the amount of time spent typing decreasing. Words came easier and seemed to spill onto the screen with little effort. I also recognized that the intimidating three hundred word requirement was usually succeeded and sometimes doubled without watching my word count. I started to dismiss thoughts of quantity. This freed me up to really focus on the quality and content of my postings.
I was no stranger to the challenges a project of this nature presented. I despised the public nature of this task. I hated not feeling free to fully express myself through my stories and situations because I was concerned with avoiding putting too much of my personal life "out there." I lathed the daily requirement. I am a full-time employee and single mom of three wonderfully energetic children who have their own needs and wants that I am devoted to. It was frustrating to have to sit down, every night, taking time away from my family because I had to write a blog. Although I understood where my children's comments were coming from, I grew tired of hearing such things as: "Are you doing homework again?" and "Why can't you just take one night off?" as well as statements of "You are always doing homework" and "I can't hear the t.v."
There were also many things I liked about my twenty-five days in a row blogging. I grew to appreciate having an avenue to express myself without fear of judgment. I had decided to share my blog I.D. with a couple of important people in my life that I admire, respect and who provide welcomed feedback on my writing. My significant other was wonderful with the feedback offered to me. He may not know it, but he inspires me every day with his enthusiasm. He looked forward to reading my blogs and would often ask me if I was done yet so that he could read it. He was always the first to tell me what he liked, what he didn't like, what he thought was funny, and which blogs were his favorite. My sister, a teacher, also pushed me forward with her positivity. She loved my blogs and offered advice where it was needed. Once, she told me I needed a refresher course in the use of semicolons. It made me laugh, because I had JUST had a refresher course in language and punctuation last semester. She was unaware of this. I appreciated her honest feedback because was constructive and given in a light-hearted way. It made me go back and review the things I had learned. I grasped that I had fallen back on sprinkling them around instead of paying attention to the small details of my writing's punctuation. I don't think I will ever forget again that a semi-colon requires a complete sentence on either side of it.
Reading other student's blogs inspired me to explore different types of writing. I tried descriptive writing and determined that I really enjoy it. One of my classmates is incredible at providing details of her story but also at setting the surroundings of the story, thus making placing her audience in the moment. I wanted to be able to paint a picture for my readers as she did for me. I think I accomplished that with my blog about wanting to be outside playing with my kids instead of stuck inside doing homework. I concentrated on the details of what I was seeing and feeling. It takes deeper thought and a real attention to detail, which takes more time initially, but once the words started to flow it became an easier process that flowed along nicely.
In conclusion, I am glad that I embraced the idea of blogging and took full advantage of all it had to offer. It has allowed me to explore my writing voice, work on my attention to detail, and focus on what I want my writing to accomplish. I can't say that I will continue to blog, at least not every day, but I will try to write often because I can see how it has improved the speed in which words and thoughts come to me. I want to continue to grow as a writer. For me, writing is therapeutic and I enjoy the feeling I get when I immerse myself in its development.
At the onset of this activity, I did not think that exposing my words, thoughts, and life experiences to the viral world could have a positive impact on my writing. I thought this requirement was unnecessary. I accepted the challenge because of my strong desire to do well in school. More importantly, I recognized that there have been times in my life where writing made the difference between my breaking down or finding the strength to push forward and survive my circumstances. I decided that in order to fully appreciate what this course has to offer, I needed to fully engulf myself in its processes. As my first blog stated, I proceeded with caution.
This method of learning was not an easy undertaking for me. I would sit down at my desk, with three kids buzzing around and providing welcomed distractions, and feel like I had nothing to say. The same questions, night after night, ran through my mind. What should I write about? How do I entertain my audience? Should I try to be funny or just let the words fill the space as they come to me? On several occasions, I turned to another social media outlet to provide me some inspiration. I needed something to spark. I needed words to burrow their way into my mind and marinate around, giving me a discussion-worthy topic. My wonderful friends were always willing to suggest subjects that would not have occurred to me on my own. I really appreciated their assistance and willingness to help. One of my favorite blogs, Phone Etiquette, stemmed from one of my old boss's suggestions. Other times, I became a Facebook stalker, inspecting post after post, and hoping that my eyes would focus on something, anything, that inspired me to write. My significant other was also a great source of untapped resources for me. He was great about offering up suggestions, even though I shot them down on occasion.
Several discoveries came about throughout my blogging blunders. I started to realize that free writing really does improve fluency. I saw my productivity increasing and the amount of time spent typing decreasing. Words came easier and seemed to spill onto the screen with little effort. I also recognized that the intimidating three hundred word requirement was usually succeeded and sometimes doubled without watching my word count. I started to dismiss thoughts of quantity. This freed me up to really focus on the quality and content of my postings.
I was no stranger to the challenges a project of this nature presented. I despised the public nature of this task. I hated not feeling free to fully express myself through my stories and situations because I was concerned with avoiding putting too much of my personal life "out there." I lathed the daily requirement. I am a full-time employee and single mom of three wonderfully energetic children who have their own needs and wants that I am devoted to. It was frustrating to have to sit down, every night, taking time away from my family because I had to write a blog. Although I understood where my children's comments were coming from, I grew tired of hearing such things as: "Are you doing homework again?" and "Why can't you just take one night off?" as well as statements of "You are always doing homework" and "I can't hear the t.v."
There were also many things I liked about my twenty-five days in a row blogging. I grew to appreciate having an avenue to express myself without fear of judgment. I had decided to share my blog I.D. with a couple of important people in my life that I admire, respect and who provide welcomed feedback on my writing. My significant other was wonderful with the feedback offered to me. He may not know it, but he inspires me every day with his enthusiasm. He looked forward to reading my blogs and would often ask me if I was done yet so that he could read it. He was always the first to tell me what he liked, what he didn't like, what he thought was funny, and which blogs were his favorite. My sister, a teacher, also pushed me forward with her positivity. She loved my blogs and offered advice where it was needed. Once, she told me I needed a refresher course in the use of semicolons. It made me laugh, because I had JUST had a refresher course in language and punctuation last semester. She was unaware of this. I appreciated her honest feedback because was constructive and given in a light-hearted way. It made me go back and review the things I had learned. I grasped that I had fallen back on sprinkling them around instead of paying attention to the small details of my writing's punctuation. I don't think I will ever forget again that a semi-colon requires a complete sentence on either side of it.
Reading other student's blogs inspired me to explore different types of writing. I tried descriptive writing and determined that I really enjoy it. One of my classmates is incredible at providing details of her story but also at setting the surroundings of the story, thus making placing her audience in the moment. I wanted to be able to paint a picture for my readers as she did for me. I think I accomplished that with my blog about wanting to be outside playing with my kids instead of stuck inside doing homework. I concentrated on the details of what I was seeing and feeling. It takes deeper thought and a real attention to detail, which takes more time initially, but once the words started to flow it became an easier process that flowed along nicely.
In conclusion, I am glad that I embraced the idea of blogging and took full advantage of all it had to offer. It has allowed me to explore my writing voice, work on my attention to detail, and focus on what I want my writing to accomplish. I can't say that I will continue to blog, at least not every day, but I will try to write often because I can see how it has improved the speed in which words and thoughts come to me. I want to continue to grow as a writer. For me, writing is therapeutic and I enjoy the feeling I get when I immerse myself in its development.
Saturday, March 1, 2014
I am a dolphin!
Tonight I took one of those little tests on Facebook; it was titled, 'What animal are you?" After answering the ten questions, I was told that I am a dolphin. Excellent! I love dolphins! They are adorable and entertaining, hmm...kind of like me except without the bottle nose and fins! It went into further personality traits by stating the following:
"You are a lover of life and people. Your energy and appetite for learning plus intelligence and empathy make you successful at almost everything."
So, lets analyze the information for the sake of my blog post. I agree that I, in general, am a "people lover" as well as a "lover of life." I do try to see the good in people, despite my instincts built in from long ago that steer me in the opposite direction. I haven't always been a lover of life. I have mentioned the survival mode mindset that I was stuck in for a long time. There is no blame to be placed. I made decisions in my life that lead me to that state of being. The difference now is simply that I am making better choices. I consider what is best for myself as well as my family.
Although I am still working on attaining the stability I desire and have yet to conquer the weight loss monster, I do absolutely love life. The love my children have for me is amazing and pure and can not be shaken, no matter how many mistakes I think I make as their mom. I can only pray that they feel the same thing from me, despite having the responsibility of disciplining them and providing structure that they aren't always excited to receive. I also know the love of an incredible man. He supports my dreams, stands beside me and helps me to see things from a perspective other than my own. He tells me every day that he loves me and that he misses me when we are not together, but more importantly, he shows me these things.
Although I agree that I have an energy and appetite for learning and show empathy and even some intelligence, I don't know that I am successful at "almost everything." What I will say is that I am getting there! I am learning new things in school and in life that I know will be a tremendous help in my future successes. I suppose for now, I will enjoy the little accomplishments: the smiles of my children, the "A" papers and assignments, the positive and constructive feedback of my instructors, the bond of true friendships that I maintain, and the wonderful relationship I anticipate being made of the things that last a lifetime.
"You are a lover of life and people. Your energy and appetite for learning plus intelligence and empathy make you successful at almost everything."
So, lets analyze the information for the sake of my blog post. I agree that I, in general, am a "people lover" as well as a "lover of life." I do try to see the good in people, despite my instincts built in from long ago that steer me in the opposite direction. I haven't always been a lover of life. I have mentioned the survival mode mindset that I was stuck in for a long time. There is no blame to be placed. I made decisions in my life that lead me to that state of being. The difference now is simply that I am making better choices. I consider what is best for myself as well as my family.
Although I am still working on attaining the stability I desire and have yet to conquer the weight loss monster, I do absolutely love life. The love my children have for me is amazing and pure and can not be shaken, no matter how many mistakes I think I make as their mom. I can only pray that they feel the same thing from me, despite having the responsibility of disciplining them and providing structure that they aren't always excited to receive. I also know the love of an incredible man. He supports my dreams, stands beside me and helps me to see things from a perspective other than my own. He tells me every day that he loves me and that he misses me when we are not together, but more importantly, he shows me these things.
Although I agree that I have an energy and appetite for learning and show empathy and even some intelligence, I don't know that I am successful at "almost everything." What I will say is that I am getting there! I am learning new things in school and in life that I know will be a tremendous help in my future successes. I suppose for now, I will enjoy the little accomplishments: the smiles of my children, the "A" papers and assignments, the positive and constructive feedback of my instructors, the bond of true friendships that I maintain, and the wonderful relationship I anticipate being made of the things that last a lifetime.
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