I've been to 45 states (still missing Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Hawaii and Alaska), Mexico, Canada, and numerous islands in the Caribbean (Jamaica, Haiti, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands). I have many, many fond memories of travelling. I have amazing snapshots stored in the recesses of my brain that slip out to comfort me when I need them. I have favorite places to visit (Walt Disney World, Siesta Key, Lake Tahoe, the Outer Banks, Indiana cornfields, South Carolina lakes). I also have places I want to visit (the 5 states I haven't visited yet, Belize, Bora Bora, Scandinavia, the Atlantis Hotel on Paradise Island, and Atlantis Cayman Brac, the Atlantis dive in of the Cayman Islands). But recently, my mind has stayed mostly on Washington, DC.
I visited Washington, DC, in October 1988, when I was 10 years old. It is one of those places where I only have brief snapshots stored in my head for memories. I remember the Spirit of St. Louis, the Wright Bros flyer, and the Rutan Voyager at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. I remember the torn and tattered American flag at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. I remember the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. I remember NONE of the famous monuments, though I know we visited all the biggies. I do have a vague memory of walking up to one, but I don't know which one it was; I only remember the feeling of walking up to a huge monument.
Most of my memories of that trip are from Arlington National Cemetary. I remember vividly seeing the eternal flame at the grave of JFK (and learning then that he'd had other children, not just JFK, Jr, and Caroline). I remember seeing the grave of Audie Murphy, and asking, "You mean Eddie Murphy?" Daddy then explained who Audie Murphy was. Audie Murphy is now one of my favorite historical people. I remember seeing the mast of the USS Maine, and then making a point to learn what part the ship played in US history. I remember the memorial to the astronauts on the Space Shuttle Challenger, and already recognizing and understanding how much that disaster affected my life. I remember the Tomb of the Unknowns, and the changing of the Guard, and having no clue at that time how fascinated I would become with the US military.
I'm 23 years older, and atleast a few years wiser. I understand so much more about the history that DC and it's surrounding areas house. I can appreciate it now in ways I couldn't even dream of when I was 10.
Stay tuned: I return to DC in spring of 2012.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
1980 Me
Yes, I know. I didn't blog over the weekend. I'm sorry, but I had better things to do. I had the opportunity to return to my childhood, so I visited the 1980s for a few hours on Saturday night, by visiting Lakewood Amphitheater and watching Heart and Def Leppard in concert. Yes, for once, I actually did something fun and interesting!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Day 5 of 30 - A Song to Match Your Mood
Gerald's refurbished (and classic) Nintendo NES system arrived in the mail yesterday, along with a small selection of games. This has been playing in my head ever since.
Otherwise, here's my song of the hour (year).
Otherwise, here's my song of the hour (year).
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Day 4 of 30 - My parents
My parents have always been my rocks.
My father was born and raised in Indianapolis, IN. He was an avid sports fan, and played golf, baseball and basketball, and loved to bowl. Some of my early memories involve me sitting in a both at the local bowling alley while my dad competed with his league of US Postal employees.
I got my love of sports, specifically basketball, from my dad. I also got my love of travelling from him. Like Dad, I've always got my next few trips planned, and I'm rarely at home when I can be on the road.
My mom was born in St. Petersburg, FL, and raised in Whiteland, IN, just outside of Indianapolis. She was a fairly typical girl of the 40s and 50s, in that she learned early how to cook and clean for a large family, how to sew, and how to crochet, and always knew that she was to be a wife and mother. She tried to pass that on to me. It didn't take
My parents met in Whiteland, IN, when my mom was 15 and my dad was 17. They were 16 and 18 when they got married in 1960. They had 5 children (1961, 1963, 1965-46 years old today!, 1978 and 1980). During their marriage, they lived in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Florida and Georgia.
Among most of my school friends, I was the odd one out. I still had both my parents, TOGETHER, STILL MARRIED, in the same house with me. Shocker! Sure, they had their issues, their fights. But they always worked through them, and I never questioned their love for me, or their love for each other.
Throughout the years, my dad worked as a breadman, a cookieman, a US Postal worker, and various other route work. My mother worked in daycare, at the local elementary school, with my father one various routes, as operator/owner of her owning sewing business, and more recently, as seamstress and customer service assistant at a dry cleaning business.
I was always a daddy's girl, but as I've gotten older, I've developed a very close relationship with my mother. I find it interesting that I feel I need my mommy more as an adult than I ever did as a child. Maybe that's because I was such a daddy's girl.
On July 25, 2005, my father suffered a massive heart attack and passed away. He was a month shy of his 63rd birthday, and 3.5 months short of his 45th wedding anniversary.
My mother continues to amaze me with her strength and fortitude.
My father was born and raised in Indianapolis, IN. He was an avid sports fan, and played golf, baseball and basketball, and loved to bowl. Some of my early memories involve me sitting in a both at the local bowling alley while my dad competed with his league of US Postal employees.
I got my love of sports, specifically basketball, from my dad. I also got my love of travelling from him. Like Dad, I've always got my next few trips planned, and I'm rarely at home when I can be on the road.
My mom was born in St. Petersburg, FL, and raised in Whiteland, IN, just outside of Indianapolis. She was a fairly typical girl of the 40s and 50s, in that she learned early how to cook and clean for a large family, how to sew, and how to crochet, and always knew that she was to be a wife and mother. She tried to pass that on to me. It didn't take
My parents met in Whiteland, IN, when my mom was 15 and my dad was 17. They were 16 and 18 when they got married in 1960. They had 5 children (1961, 1963, 1965-46 years old today!, 1978 and 1980). During their marriage, they lived in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Florida and Georgia.
Among most of my school friends, I was the odd one out. I still had both my parents, TOGETHER, STILL MARRIED, in the same house with me. Shocker! Sure, they had their issues, their fights. But they always worked through them, and I never questioned their love for me, or their love for each other.
Throughout the years, my dad worked as a breadman, a cookieman, a US Postal worker, and various other route work. My mother worked in daycare, at the local elementary school, with my father one various routes, as operator/owner of her owning sewing business, and more recently, as seamstress and customer service assistant at a dry cleaning business.
I was always a daddy's girl, but as I've gotten older, I've developed a very close relationship with my mother. I find it interesting that I feel I need my mommy more as an adult than I ever did as a child. Maybe that's because I was such a daddy's girl.
On July 25, 2005, my father suffered a massive heart attack and passed away. He was a month shy of his 63rd birthday, and 3.5 months short of his 45th wedding anniversary.
My mother continues to amaze me with her strength and fortitude.
back row (L-R): David, Jr., Leonard, me, Gerald
front row (L-R): Daddy, Mama, Carol
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Day 3 of 30 - First Love
Again, a day late...but it's only Day 3. Habits take awhile to form.
So, my first love.
Wow, a tough one.
In general, my first love would obviously be my family. I was especially close to my dad, Carol and Leonard growing up. I also loved my PawPaw and Robin, though I don't really remember them in detail. Jeremiah and Jonathan F, Michael and David, and the other Michael are friends from my early childhood that have always held a very special place in my heart. Those could also be considered first loves.
Romantically, it becomes a question that is more difficult to answer. I had interests throughout the years. DFF, Kelly, Will R, Ben, Jonathan W, Hot Rod, Will F. Nothing serious, more fun than anything. JP started out as a friend (in fact, I couldn't figure out why anyone would actually be interested in him, b/c I was absolutely NOT attracted). But we gradually grew closer, and before I knew it, I loved him. I honestly don't know if I was IN love, b/c I always knew that nothing would ever come of our relationship. He wasn't ever going to make certain changes, and I wasn't going to promise my life to someone who couldn't make those changes. But I loved him, and therefore, he had the power to break my heart. Which he did.
It wasn't until I was in my 20's that I actually started thinking seriously about marriage. I want to get married - if I meet the right person. If not, I'm content to stay single. I've only met two men in the past 10 years that actual registered on my radar as a man that I could see in my future. The first was ZTN. Things didn't develop with him, but we are friends.
Oh, Luke.......
So, my first love.
Wow, a tough one.
In general, my first love would obviously be my family. I was especially close to my dad, Carol and Leonard growing up. I also loved my PawPaw and Robin, though I don't really remember them in detail. Jeremiah and Jonathan F, Michael and David, and the other Michael are friends from my early childhood that have always held a very special place in my heart. Those could also be considered first loves.
Romantically, it becomes a question that is more difficult to answer. I had interests throughout the years. DFF, Kelly, Will R, Ben, Jonathan W, Hot Rod, Will F. Nothing serious, more fun than anything. JP started out as a friend (in fact, I couldn't figure out why anyone would actually be interested in him, b/c I was absolutely NOT attracted). But we gradually grew closer, and before I knew it, I loved him. I honestly don't know if I was IN love, b/c I always knew that nothing would ever come of our relationship. He wasn't ever going to make certain changes, and I wasn't going to promise my life to someone who couldn't make those changes. But I loved him, and therefore, he had the power to break my heart. Which he did.
It wasn't until I was in my 20's that I actually started thinking seriously about marriage. I want to get married - if I meet the right person. If not, I'm content to stay single. I've only met two men in the past 10 years that actual registered on my radar as a man that I could see in my future. The first was ZTN. Things didn't develop with him, but we are friends.
The second man is JD. He is one of my best friends, and my relationship with him has really cemented my idea of what I want in a spiritual husband, especially as I watched him embark on his own courtship, and more recently, celebrate his first anniversary with his wife.
So, in my mind, those two together are what I consider my first love. I was never in love with either one, not even close. But as our relationship changed, grew, backpedaled, altered, and ultimately strengthened, I was given the opportunity to develop within myself a blueprint for the type of man I want, and therefore, the type of person I need to be in order to have that man.
Of course, I feel like I have to send a shout out to the person that I consider to be absolutely the best-looking, hottest person I've ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on.
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