The Perfect Vacation – Hawaii – Day 5 & 6

I slept in. Hard. I don’t think I have slept as soundly as I slept in Hawaii since I have been back. I showered and spent some time out on the balcony getting myself ready for the next couple of days. This was the part of my trip I was most excited/anxious about. This was the part of the trip where I was about to endeavor on my first solo vacation. I have traveled a lot by myself. But I have never traveled by myself and not stayed with someone I know.

I packed my bags and then walked downstairs to see Kara and the babies. She was already in the ritual of feeding them. I snuggled up to Knox and played with him for the next couple of hours. Jeremiah was super sweet. He cooked and had made pancakes for me to carb up for the race. He also made me a delicious shake to help fuel me up as well. We had a nice relaxing afternoon, the five of us. Jeremiah drove me to the airport. He and I had never really spent much time around each other while they lived here. I had been around him plenty but never just the two of us. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy conversation was between the two of us. He’s a good one. My friend got herself a good one…who knocked her up with twins…in Hawaii. 🙂

At the airport I sat in a large lobby almost completely by myself. Across the way I saw a baby crawling towards me. Her mom picked her up before she got too close. I thought about how dirty kids have to get crawling around on the floor and then quickly snapped back to reality. I hadn’t noticed a man who sat a couple of rows in front of me. He had taken out his guitar and started playing something that my dad always plays. I smiled and was thankful for something so familiar and comforting to me to be in accompanying me on my trip. The baby crawled towards this man and stood up at his feet. He played for her. She sort of danced for him. It was precious. And honestly a rare moment where I sort of thought babies aren’t always of the devil. They are often cute but something about this mundane moment seemed so very special to me. After observing this moment I gathered my things and made my way to my gate. Eventually we boarded and I put my earphones in. Take off was easy and so lovely to watch out of the window.

I landed in Hilo right before dark. I quickly made my way to the car rental place to pick up my car. It was somewhat of a hassle but perhaps only because I was in a hurry to get out to my Avocado Tree House. Yes, you heard that right. I found this amazing property through AirBnB and lucked out that it was available during my time on the Big Island. I had a message from my hosts and quickly called to check in. I told him that I was on my way, that I needed to find food, and that I would need to be back over to Hilo for the race by 5am the next morning. He sort of winced at that since it was already late in the evening. He told me not to bother with stopping to get food, to come straight to the property, and that they would find me something to eat. I plugged my phone in and headed over to Pahoa which is about 45 minutes away from Hilo.

It was dark, and stormy. I miraculously found my way to the property but couldn’t figure out where my Avocado Tree House was on the property. It was so dark and there wasn’t much light. I finally found the place, parked, unloaded and tried to find my hosts. There were 3-4 other buildings on the property and I had no clue which belonged to them. I decided to walk to the first house and take my chances. I sort of snuck up on a woman in her kitchen. She asked if I was Megan and told me she would go find my hosts and send them to my place. I thanked her and headed back to the Tree House. I was exhausted and it was only around 9pm. Very shortly after I walked back to my house one of my hosts showed up. Hugh drove up in a truck and in deed came bearing gifts of pasta, bread, and vegetables as well as a green tea smoothie concoction. He set me up in the kitchen which was in a separate building next to the tree house and started making my plate. His wife, Elvira, burst in shortly after. They both welcomed me with a hug. Hugh shows me where all of the lights are and the basic things I need to know to get me through the night and then they make their excuses to leave so that I can eat, get in bed and rest up for the race. I was blown away by the thoughtfulness they had by preparing me a carb heavy meal. I smiled the whole time I ate it. And it was delicious. I peed in my toilet which is covered but completely open to the outside and then I crawled into bed and passed out.

I woke up a few times that night. There were noises of the frogs that live all over the land in that part of the island. The storm kept building. Because there is no AC in really in Hawaii you learn to sleep with your windows open but this proved to be a bit of a hassle with the storm. I received a text from my dad telling me how proud he was of me and that he hoped I did a great job. Next thing I know my alarm is going off. I open my eyes slowly. I force myself out of bed and throw on my race clothes. I had to be there extra early to pick up my packet since I had arrived later than most of the racers. I ate a couple of energy shots and I headed back to Hilo. It was so dark.

I am one of those people who doesn’t generally read instructions. I am a hands on learner. I learn by doing. And sadly I hadn’t really read the email thoroughly about where I needed to go to pick up my packet. I had it in my mind that it was at the hotel where a dinner had been the night before for all of the racers. I arrived at this hotel. It was already raining off and on. I walked up to the front desk and asked for my packet. They looked at me like I was crazy. And I was and I am sure an interesting sight. I was this curvy, white girl standing amidst very fit people. Lots of older people. Lots of Asians. I stuck out a little bit at this hotel. I sat down and pulled up my email and learned that I just needed to pick up my packet at the starting line. Of course, I had no clue where that was. I went and sat in my car for a couple of minutes. I drove around the area to see if I could figure out where I needed to be. I ended back at the hotel, where I parked, and then followed a group of racers to the course. Genius.

I have probably never been more aware of the fact that I was, in deed, all by myself, as I was this morning. It was almost as is if I were living in a dream state. Nothing seemed real. I found someone to ask about the packet I needed to pick up. I ended up talking to the head guy of the race. He found my packet and wished me luck. I found a large rock and sat down. People were waiting in line to pee. People were stretching. I just sat on my rock, watching people, taking in my surroundings. I remember thinking, “you are crazy…why did you decide that it was a great idea to run your first race ever on vacation, hundreds of miles away from anyone you know?” I attached my number to my shirt and my tracker to my shoe. A girl approached me and asked if the rock next to me was taken. I smiled and told her to take a seat. She was running the full marathon. She and her family were from New Zealand and were here on vacation as well. Her parents were running the 5K. We chatted for 30 minutes or so. It was nice. I felt a little more at ease after making this friend. She then went to get in line for her race to start.

I put my phone in between my two bras (yes you heard that right…one big girl sports bra that keeps my girls secured and a regular sports bra to make sure they aren’t shaped oddly…this allows a pocket for my phone). I got my music going. I stuffed my energy bloks in between my bras. I started to prepare mentally for whatever was next. I stayed on my rock for another 10 minutes and then made my way to the starting line to find a place in the middle of the pack. Thankfully there were not too many people running the race. I wasn’t overwhelmed. I felt out of place but not overwhelmed. I looked out over the bay and could very clearly see a storm heading our way. It was dark. And cold. But at this point it was dry. I took a picture of myself because I felt like I would regret it if I did not. Everyone around me was dressed in trash bags to keep them dry. I did not do this. I did have a ziplock around my phone to keep it dry but that was all. Several people were in layers. I was not. I was already tired but the excitement of the race started pumping a little adrenaline through me.

It was finally time. And off we went. I was in the middle of the pack. And setting a great pace. Not even five minutes in the skies opened up and sheets of rain came pouring down. I was instantly soaked through. I had trained a little in the rain but nothing like this. I had trained in the cold rain of winter in layers that kept me dry for the most part. I had never trained with socks and shoes being soaked through and my clothes being completely soaked. Why did I not wear contacts this day? Why did I not prepare a little more for the rain when I knew it would likely rain on this day? Oh well…I kept running. I passed people. People passed me. I took heed of the advice my brother had given me which was to stop and walk at the water stations instead of continuing to run. I fueled up with energy bloks every 2 miles. I mistakenly took a gatorade at one of the stations and instantly spit it out. It was a terrible surprise.

It rained for a good portion of the race – atleast the first or 1/2. It eventually started warming up which helped a little. The winds were ridiculous. Fortunately through all of the inclimate weather I was still running along a beautiful scenic coast of the Big Island. Waves were huge. I ran by a couple of waterfalls. It was absolutely beautiful. I patted myself on the back for being brilliant enough to run my first race in Hawaii…yes a complete 180 from earlier.

It was pretty exciting when the first marathoner passed our large group of half marathoners. Exciting and depressing all at the same time. Ha. I do love to run but I don’t know how people can run that fast and enjoy it. I take my time. Clearly. The last couple of miles were the hardest. I just wanted the race to be over. I just wanted to dry out. I just wanted to stop running. The girl who sat on the rock next to me and I crossed paths as I was nearing the finish line. She still had several miles to go but she cheered me on and I cheered her on. It gave me a little push that I needed. There was a particular lady that she and I would keep passing each other. She got ahead of me at this point but I made my come back right at the end. I ran hard at the very end. It was exciting to pass through the finish line.

I had been told not to sit down right away. I walked around for a little bit taking in everything that was surrounding me. So many people. So many had already finished. I walked over to the tent and downed copious amounts of water. And ate some fruit. I was lacking so much energy. I then found a quiet place on the beach and sat down. I wanted to lay down but it was so wet and muddy…therefore I did not. I sat. I looked out at the ocean. I felt somewhat accomplished but not as accomplished as I wanted to feel. I didn’t push as hard as I should have or could have. I let the elements get to my head. I was still soaked. I felt so disgusting. And I was 45 minutes away from the place I was staying.

I watched a couple of people cross the line. I walked back to the hotel to get to my car. I stopped and took a few photos on my way. It was so picturesque. I sat in my car for a few minutes. Watching other marathoners push through. I called both of my parents separately to tell them I had finished. My dad first because he has run a race before and was so excited that I was doing this. He was proud. And jealous. We promised we would run a race together in the near future in a beautiful place like this.

After one last look at the place and a moment of deep thought, I started my car and drove back to my Pahoa. I am not sure how I kept my eyes open. I was so tired. I finally got back to my tree house. I couldn’t even bring myself to shower. I peeled off my wet clothes and climbed into bed. I was disgusting but I didn’t care. I needed sleep. I passed out. Hard. For several hours. My hosts tried to stop by and drop me off a map of the area but I had no clue. I was out.

I finally opened my eyes. It was still sunny out. I was still exhausted and just wanted to go back to sleep. I forced myself out of bed and went to take a shower. Finally. I noticed I had a rub burn on my stomach where my wet bras rubbed my skin. It hurt. I was annoyed. This had never happened before and I had been on long runs before. It must have been the wetness. I felt a little better after my shower. I got myself ready and found my way to my hosts’ house. They were excited to see me and ask me about the race. I asked where I should grab something delicious to eat. They gave me the map and detailed out things to do in the area. I only had the evening, one full day and a half a day the following day. I explored the tiny town of Pahoa. I stopped at the local Thai place to eat which my hosts raved about. It was subpar. But I was completely comfortable eating on my own for the first time in a long time. After that I drove around the surrounding area of the island.

I got lost. Pretty hardcore lost. I did try and follow my hosts’ directions but took a wrong turn. Not all roads are clearly marked. I drove along the coast but eventually took a right earlier than I should have. I found myself in the middle of a heavy wooded area. I imagined that someone would, at any point, jump out of the woods and snatch me up. Clearly, I have an active imagination. I eventually wound myself back to the right place. It was so dark. I searched a few things online to prepare for the next day. And then I passed out. The last thing I remember is hearing the noises of the frogs in the area.

I survived my first half marathon. In the wind and rain. In Hawaii. Away from anyone I knew. The end. 

Random Thoughts with Megan

Hello. My name is Megan. And here are my random thoughts…

With all of the stress and commotion that has taken over my life in the past 48 hours I really wish I had someone to hold my hand and tell me everything was going to be ok. Or to make out with me. I definitely had friends who were there to listen and give me words of encouragement but I could have used something a little more than that. And it irritates me that I am admitting that.

One of my dearest friends offered me some frequent flier miles late Sunday night when I was trying to figure out if I needed to fly home for the day to help my family. This completely touched my heart. Again, I have talked about this individual before but they are one of the most giving people I know. They outgive atleast 90% of the “christians” I know. And they never cease to amaze me with their generosity.

I cannot wait to hug my parents. And my sister.

I started running again this past week. It felt so good. It was rough. But it felt so good. Perhaps next time I don’t wait so long to get back out there.

My brother just this past week accepted a new job in North Richland Hills. I am so very proud of him. I cannot wait to see what happens for he and his wife in this new and exciting time in their life. They came to see my show on Friday and we were catching up after. All I could say was, “It’s like you are really adults now.” I told them I felt like the little kid just playing at the theatre. But then they reminded me exactly how awesome my life is, that I stand on my own two feet, support myself and travel. I couldn’t be happier. Even if I don’t really “feel like an adult.”

There is this guy that I think is sort of pretty that I had told my brother about. He was asking if I had introduced myself to this person yet. No. But I did see him a couple of weeks ago at Central Market right by my house. I had just gotten a massage. I was super relaxed. I walked in, texting (I’m super talented at texting while I walk). I stepped in the door and immediately saw this guy. We met eyes. I immediately took a hard right and headed straight for the salad bar to attain the delicious salad I was craving that day. As I’m concocting the perfect salad, I look up and he is standing right next to me. I  look down quickly and then head to the dressing. Then I lost him. I checked out and headed to my car. I saw him walking to his car and looking around the parking lot (I like to think for me…). I got in my car and then lost sight of him. Oh well. It’s not like I was going to follow him out of the parking lot to see if he lived near me…right? Ha.

This week at work I was making some suggestive comments to a few different people…I do this to make people uncomfortable and to make people laugh. And after a couple of comments someone suggested that someone needed to “just take one for the team” and hook up with me already. Now – I don’t know if you know this or not – but this is not the way to win adoration from me. Why in the world would someone need to “take one for the team”? That just makes it sound like I am so desperately unattractive that no one will ever want me in my entire life and I will die a cat lady, alone, and without cats because I don’t really like them. I know this person didn’t mean it in this harsh way but it’s one of those comments that will stick with me for a while.

My washing machine broke this past week. I was doing a load of towels because a couple of girls and I went swimming in between shows and used lots of towels. I put the load on, made myself some dinner, climbed into bed and watched the Voice. I quickly realized that I had left my computer charger at the theater (ahhh!!) and that I would have to head back up there by midnight in order to retrieve it. Normally I wouldn’t have worried about it but I didn’t have to be up at the theatre until late the next afternoon and would be lost with my laptop in the meantime. I finished my dinner and then threw on some clothes to head back up to the Wyly. I checked on the towels and noticed there was a terrible sound coming from my washer. I opened it up saw there was still lots of standing water and it had already been through the spin cycle. I reset the load through the spin cycle and went to retrieve my charger. When I returned the cycle was complete and there was still standing water. I thought about starting the full cycle over but didn’t want to end up with double the standing water. I set it on spin once again and then went to bed. The next morning my towels were still in standing water. I was about to go for a run and opted to sqeeze out my towels to put them in the dryer. This was a pain and worked my forearms something fierce. When I got back from work late that night I walked into a smelly townhome. I went straight to the bathroom to find the smell coming from the towels in the washer. I had emailed my landlord that day and an appliance man was supposed to come by soon. The next day I got ready to head out for work and the smell was becoming overwhelming. I texted my landlord to inquire about the appliance guy but he hadn’t heard back from him. I told him the place was getting smelly and he said I would likely have to drain the water with a cup by myself and to use some febreeze. Ugh. I got home that night and went to task draining the water. It was disgusting and something I never have to do again with a cup in the sink. But atleast the smell is gone. Hopefully the appliance guy comes tomorrow. Until then I have to take my laundry up to the theatre to do in between shows tomorrow.

I don’t want to think about you as much as I do. It’s getting a little ridiculous.

I posted some photos of my mom on the facespace for Mother’s Day and was told by a fellow coworker that I look exactly like my mom. Now, she is not the first person to say this and certainly won’t be the last. I love my mom. I think she is beautiful. But I don’t really think we look that much alike. In fact, I don’t really think I look much like either one of my parents. I can see some similar qualities I have from each of them but nothing major. I used to think I might have been adopted because I looked so different from the rest of my family.

I was basically adorable as a little kid. I still think I am basically adorable now.

I still need to book my next vacation after Sherlock closes and figure out how I am getting a new stamp in my passport. Time is running out! Ahhh!!

I don’t know if I have talked about this before…maybe I have, maybe I haven’t…either way it still something worth mentioning. I have always been so in love with boobs. I have this great rack. Really, they are great. But because I have spent so many years being in love with my boobs I neglected to take note of what a stellar derrière I have. It’s pretty great too. Just thought you should know.

I have been asked a lot lately what my “type” is. The answer is I don’t really have a “type”. I am most attracted to people with a fabulous sense of humor. People who can make me laugh are so sexy. Someone confidant but not too cocky. I typically go for dark haired individuals and would preferably like them to be taller than me. Just make me laugh. Make me feel beautiful. And that’s all.

Fact: I look so much better in clothes than I do naked.

Dryness, fires, and wind…oh my

What a week this has been…

Yesterday, just after 4pm, I received a call from mom. I couldn’t take it because I was still in the process of closing the show down. She immediately called back. This scared me. They know my schedule. They know when I am in show I can’t deal with anything. I stop what I am doing and answer the call. 

Me: Mom, hey, I am in the show right now. I am almost done. I’ll call you right back.” 

Mom: (interrupting…and in tears) Megan, listen to me. There is a fire spreading very quickly by the house. You are about to see lots of things on Facebook and I don’t want you to be scared. 

Me: Oh my God…

Mom: We are fine right now. The fire is spreading quickly and we are trying to keep the house across the street from going up. The fire is up to their fence right now. 

Me: (speechless) 

Mom: I need to go. I just didn’t want you to worry. I wanted you to hear it from us. 

Me: Ok mom. I love you. Keep me updated. 

Mom: I’ll call you soon. Love you. 

I call my dad shortly after this. He tries to tell me exactly where the fire started. He saw the fire start. They are holding up ok. They are helping fight the fire. We say we love each other and that is the end of the conversation. 

Stunned I walk back into the theater and try to finish up my report. I can’t quite process what I was just told. How am I supposed to process the fact that my parent’s home, the place we have spent the last 14 years, could be burned to the ground in a matter of minutes? 

I’m going to take this second to remind you of something I posted in my last Random Thoughts with Megan…”I am really enjoying life right now. Part of me hates to admit that because I feel like something terrible must be lurking around the corner.” I would by lying if I told you I don’t feel like I somehow spoke these terrible events into being. I know this is not happening because of me. Things just happen. But I can tell you that I have never been more grateful for my family and their safety. 

Ok…back to the story now…I was so flustered by the news that I couldn’t really process filling out my performance report at that moment. My friends encouraged me to go ahead and go to lunch and then come back and finish up the report. I complied. I jumped in the car with Leslie and Chamblee, who is playing Sherlock currently in our production of Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure at DTC, and we headed out for Cajun food. We sat outside and I told them it was likely I would have to step away a few times to take phone calls. 

First phone call comes. It’s my brother. He is checking to see if I know what is going on. I assure him I do and that I am holding it together. He has no new information for me but we recount the story to each other anyway. He does tell me that my sister is with my parents and is pulling out all of our photos and putting them in the car, as well as other precious possessions, just in case. This hits a new nerve for me. 

My baby sister, (who is not a baby…she is 21…and one of my heros) is the only one at home dealing with this situation with my parents. I quickly say prayer asking God to protect my family. To keep them safe. To keep them calm. I picture my sister pulling out items from our home and moving them to the car. I flashback to conversations we siblings have with my parents about what possessions of theirs we want to have one day and immediately regret this. We do this jokingly all of the time. But now I think about all of the antiques I have coveted and all of my dads guitars that could instantly go away. My stomach winces. I snap back to reality tell my brother I love him and get off the phone and return to eating. 

My mom calls. Or rather her phone dials me. I pick up and she is not on the other end. I continue to say “Mom” calmly but in louder tones 10 times. I give up. I hang up. I call her back. She didn’t mean to call me. They are frantically trying to keep the fire from jumping the fence across the street at our neighbors house. Other neighbors are coming together to help. I picture my parents holding our water hose from our house and dousing the next door neighbors yard, fence, and house with water. It doesn’t register to me exactly how close to my house this is. There is only a street in between. With the amount of wind they are experiencing it could easily jump to our yard. To our house. I snap back to reality. We end the conversation so she can focus on the task at hand. Protecting what is ours. Protecting our neighbors house while they are out of town. 

I return to the table and immediately get another phone call from my mom. I jump up. Oh God. Why is she calling me back so soon. Pocket dial. Thank God. Leslie is asking for updates every time I return to the table. Chamblee finally learns about the situation and is speechless. At some point he looks at me while I am dealing with phone calls and texts and says, “That’s the Stage Manager in you, right there.” I ask what he means. “You are staying so calm.” I tell him I have to stay calm. There is nothing I can do right now from 400 miles away but stay calm and wait for more news. 

I head back to the theatre to prepare for the second show of the day. I take a few moments to be by myself outside in the grass. I lay down, put on some music, and start processing the events of the day. I lead a very blessed life. I honestly haven’t dealt with too many tragic circumstances in my lifetime. I am not saying there are not hard times…because there are. Lots. This is a new experience for me. 

The next conversation I have with them is that the winds are pushing the fire further to the other side of the lake and that they believe we are safe from harm. The fires are still uncontrollable but for now we are safe. My sister leaves Fritch and goes back to her apartment. I breathe a sigh of relief. We are in the clear. 

But not for long. Towards the end of my second show my phone starts blowing up with texts. The winds have changed directions and the fire is heading back towards my parents. My mom has evacuated but my dad is staying at the house for now. As soon as the show comes down I call my mom. She is exhausted. And sad. She is fighting back tears on and off as we talk. Recounting the day. Fearful of what is to come. The phone calls ends with me wishing her a happy mother’s day. I have yet to do this because of stress of the day. She sort of laughs. But more tears come. I tell her I love her and I am thankful for her. And the conversation ends. She’ll call me with an update later. 

I close out the show completely and head to a patio. It’s still hard to process what is going on. The worst is thinking things are going to be ok and then that instantly being stolen away from you. A couple of hours later I call my dad to check in. He has evacuated the home. They are both at my aunt’s house out of harm’s way. They aren’t sure what will happen. All we can do it wait till morning and see. My dad says it could be worse. At least there is insurance. At least we got the pictures out of the house. We had time to grab some things. He tells me that he looks like a black man and that he has breathed in a huge amount of smoke throughout the day. At some point, I realize I am standing on the corner, outside one of my favorite pubs in Dallas, and that a car has just pulled over. They roll their window down and look at me. I stop my dad and tell him that I am indeed standing on the corner and that I think I may have just been confused for a prostitute. We laugh and I move away from the corner. The car waits another 30 seconds and then takes off. He tells me that they saw the fire start and that he made the 911 call. This was new news to me. I was so thankful that they saw the whole thing start. They had warning. They had time to prepare. I ask if they will be able to sleep tonight. He recounts to me how exhausted he is and that he knows tomorrow will be an extremely long day no matter what happens to our house. That is the best thing about my parents. They love people. They put others first. They love people the way that Christians are supposed to and they put into practice the things they so adamantly believe. 

My mom texted me early this morning to tell me the house was safe. When I finally woke up I called my dad to check in. He made it out to the house early this morning. They cleaned up a little. They left and as they were leaving road blocks were being put up. They live in the Harbor Bay which is the area most affected by the fires. They won’t be able to go back until tomorrow most likely. The fires are still not completely out right now. 70+ homes have been destroyed. Burned up. Families are now homeless. And hopeless. They have lost everything. All of their possessions. 

The Red Cross is basing themselves out of the Sanford-Fritch High School gymnasium. Several organizations in the area are taking donations for misplaced families who were evacuated last night and for the families who have lost everything.  If you would like to know how to help contact me and I can put you in touch with the right people. Please send prayers and good thoughts to my tiny little hometown. They need all of the love and support they can get right now. My heart is certainly heavy over this situation. I am grateful that my family is safe and the house is safe but I cannot hardly believe the pictures I have seen and the devastation that has occurred over the last 24 hours.  

Today if you can only do one thing, I would encourage you to call the people who are most dear to you in your life and tell them exactly how much you love them. Things can change in the blink of an eye. Just love on the special people in your life extra hard today. 

This is the scariest image to me. It was taken from the living room of my parents house. So unreal to me.

 

Random Thoughts with Megan

So…I need to apologize for spending so much time away from this very important blog. Ha. My life has been utterly consumed by all things Sherlock Holmes. The show opened on Friday and now hopefully my life will settle down.

I was approached today about a part time interim postion that I have to make a decision about by today. Yikes. Extra money or time off?

I have been extremely spoiled to find myself surrounded by lovely people lately. I can’t tell you enough about how great the people I work with are. They have been a rock for me through the last couple of weeks and I am so grateful for that. Life could have sucked so much harder had it been any other way.

There is this person in my life who makes me smile. And laugh. And generally just excites me. That is all I am going to say about that for now. I’m sure it is nothing but it is an exciting nothing for the moment.

I am highly considering going to get my tattoo today or tomorrow.

Last month, before I got so busy with this show, I had asked a dear friend in the costume shop if she would help me fit my vintage swimsuits to my body. It’s my latest project…to take in some of my awesome vintage finds. I took them in, in all of the right places and they look 1000 times better now. I can’t wait to rock one of them soon.

I still have so many things to cross off my list. I am trying not to worry about it too much and be ok if I don’t manage to cross them all off…because after all…it’s still been quite an exciting year. But the awesome Production Assistant on my show is going to reteach me how to swim in the next few days. I am pretty pumped about this. (Partially because I get to rock my newly fitted swimsuit!)

I don’t know where to go on my next vacation! If I take this part time gig I won’t be able to travel as much I was originally planning. So I have to make it count! I need suggestions!

I have to start running again today! I am both extremely excited about this and positively dreading it at the very same time. I have only been on one run since the half marathon and it was not fun. But I gotta get back into it and get these extra pounds off my body. Time to focus on getting extra sexy!

Something about this show I am doing made me question whether or not I am in the right place. I love Dallas. Much more than I ever expected too. And have stayed here far longer than I expected too. I’m content here. Yet still challenged in lots of ways. But something about the last month has me wondering about what I am really doing. Life is so strange.

Any time I smell Bar-B-Q I instantly crave a snow cone. This has to be from the summers I spent working at the Coolboose. But it is inevitable. I want a black cherry snow cone so hard. But only from the Coolboose. I am a snow cone snob like that.

I miss my sister. All of the time. She is 6 years younger than me. But by far the most awesome person I know. Move to Dallas already!

I have this friend, who is also coincidentally my boss from time to time, who has this incredible opportunity to work on new musical that will be landing on Broadway in the fall. We got to spend 5 weeks in NYC two winters ago to work on the workshop of Fly. He calls me and texts me to tell me about all of the things he is doing. Going to our favorite restaurants etc and it makes me want to punch him in the throat. Haha. I’m so proud of him and so very jealous of him! Can’t wait to see how this experience shapes his life.

I have been not sleeping as soundly as I used to. Something about this tech process really changed my sleeping habits. I have always been a very good sleeper-inner. But that has changed. And I hate it. I wake up frequently in the night. And I hate it. And wake up early. And I hate it. Perhaps I am just getting older. And I hate it. Ha.

My friend Alett shaved off her beautiful hair yesterday for kids with cancer.  I cannot say enough how ridiculously hot she looks with a shaved head! She has such a beautifully shaped head! She had to raise $300 and set a personal goal of $700 and exceeded $1000. She is such a rock star to me. And one of the most giving people I know. I could not be more proud to be her friend and confidant!

I am really enjoying life right now. Part of me hates to admit that because I feel like something terrible must be lurking around the corner.

I am at a place in my life where each day I have moments that I feel like an actual adult and yet also feel like a little kid at the grown ups table. Does this ever change? For some reason I always imagined that after you graduated from college you would just automatically be an adult. Or feel like an adult. And that has just not been the case for me and so many of my friends. Does having children make you feel like an adult? Or getting married? What milestone do I have to reach in order to achieve adulthood?

The weather in Dallas has been absolutely perfect lately. I have spent lots of times on patios enjoying it while I can. Summer is vastly approaching and I am not ready to never want to be outside in the terribleness.

A couple of weeks ago I was having a drink with a friend of the male persuasion at my favorite local pub. It was a very busy night and the patio was full. I got there first and grabbed the only open table and very shortly had a couple of people sit on the opposite side of the table to join their party at the table behind me. This meant that the friend had no choice but sit on the same side of the table as me. We had a lot of fun that night. So much great people watching because of the large group right behind us. One guy sat down and starting conversing with us. His name was Marc and he was in town visiting friends. He is from Louisiana and has a long distance girlfriend whom he loves. I instantly asked Marc if he had ever cheated on her. He said yes. I asked if she knew about it. He said yes. Of course my friend was a little stunned and a little mesmerized that I asked such personal questions in such a nonchalant  kind of way. And that this stranger answered them openly and honestly. This is a gift I have. I ask questions because I am truly curious about anything and everything. People are so interesting and I want to know what makes them tick. I also don’t really have a filter so whatever I am thinking…whatever is in my little brain…automatically shoots out of my mouth. It’s honestly one of my favorite things about myself.

I went to church yesterday morning. My friend, Tiffany, and I meet up every now and then and go together. She was running late so we didn’t end up meeting up till after the service. Anyway, the sermon was about how its easy to hear things on Sunday but not put them into practice on Monday. He was talking a lot about shame and how it effects us. I was having a really difficult time with the sermon because I don’t have shame. I am not ashamed of anything in my life. And I am not sure what the means. I have felt shame before. But there has never been an overwhelming amount of it present in my life. I am a good person. I typically way over think things before I do anything. I am extremely self controlled. I started worrying that perhaps my moral compass is just not as strong as other people. But that isn’t the case. I just think I stand behind the decisions I have made. Good, bad, and ugly. I am not ashamed.

Back in the day…back in high school perhaps…I never questioned whether I was an attractive person. I felt attractive. When I looked in the mirror I thought, “yeah, yeah, you are attractive.” That feeling disappeared for a while. For a long while. I had moments of feeling attractive but it wasn’t an all the time sort of thing. However I am noticing it is resurfacing again. I think too often I let what others think of me effect how I think of myself when it comes to looks. And I am done with that. If I can’t find myself attractive why would anyone else?

I had a really nice evening out this past week and caught up with my Blake. Of course, before he arrived, another dear friend crashed my table and brought three other guys with him. At the end of the night it ended up being me, my dear friend who crashed my table and one of his friends whom I hadn’t met before. He was telling me that at some point he had wanted to start rewatching all of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with his girlfriend at the time and she was not interested. I got super excited when he brought this show up. I was addicted to the show! I will have to rewatch it soon and see if it was terrible or not. But I am so happy I met this guy so that he could bring up Buffy so that I can rewatch it!

Last Monday, I treated myself to a massage at my favorite spa. I had a new masseuse that wasn’t as thorough as I needed her to be. She was too delicate and did lots of things that I had never experienced while getting a massage before. I think I left more frustrated from not being rubbed deep enough than I would have been had I just not gotten a massage. I now know that I have to ask for one of two people who know what they are doing with my body.

That evening one of my friends called and said he was cooking and that I needed to come over. There is someone so nice about having so many gay friends. I get spoiled. Alot. We had a delicious dinner and watched August Osage County. It was a lovely evening with me relaxing on his couch. Fact: if you tell me to come over because you want to cook for me…I will. Ha.

Tomorrow I have a student matinee of Sherlock Holmes at 10am. This means that I have to be there between 8am-10am. If you know me…at all…you know this will not be pleasant. I am not a morning person. But I do have to say I do love doing shows where kids react a lot. There is nothing that compares to it. The two most special instances of this were in college when I was in the Big Friend Giant. I played one of the giants and during our first entrance kids screamed in terror. We had huge masks on that covered our faces…thank God…because I would laugh hysterically every time this happened. The other was when I ASMd Peter Pan the Musical at the Olney Theatre Center. There is something so deeply moving when kids don’t want Tink to die. It is almost like a spiritual experience of some sort.

So many more interesting things have happened lately but that is all I have time for right now. Time to get my running shoes on. More updates on Hawaii coming soon!

Random Thought with Megan

I go into Tech for Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure at DTC tomorrow. We have three days to tech before an audience and I am a little worried my hair is going to turn a little gray in the next week. Also I need sleep. I am excited to see our final product. 

Cards Against Humanity is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. And playing this game at the bar after a long week is even more brilliant! 

I have only gone on one short run since I have been back after the Half Marathon. This makes me a little sad. But I am planning to hit the pavement again once this show is open. 

I am absolutely addicted to Coldplay’s new song, Magic. It just gets right in my soul and makes me want to jam. 

Today I have a headache. It will not go away. It may be the death of me. I have so much to do and am procrastinating it all so very good. 

I miss the Green girls! 

I was catching up with my mom the other night and she happened to bump into my Melvin at the grocery store. This is the man that was best friend for many summers while I worked at the Coolboose and is basically my adopted Grandpa. It was so nice talking to him for the brief moment that he was on the phone. He hates talking on the phone so it was even more special. 

Looking back on my life makes me smile so big. I have had some wonderful experiences and have been so very blessed in countless ways. This year alone I have been fortunate enough to travel more. I am so grateful that I am where I am and exactly who I am. I have no regrets. And I think I am growing up to be a pretty kick ass person. 

Bring on the thunderstorms Springtime! 

I’m starving at this very moment. When I get in times of really busy and stressful times I basically forget to eat, and drink, and pee. I literally have to tell my assistant during Tech to remind me to do these very basic things. 

I think I am going to reward myself with a pedicure today. I’ll take myself out on a little date to prep for this long and busy week ahead. I really want a massage but perhaps I should live through this week first and reward myself with that next week. 

Forgetting to pay my bills is the worst. I hardly ever do this. But this month really flew by and it snuck up on me. 

Record players make my heart happy. 

Nothing is better than listening to really good music on a long drive. By yourself. 

“I want to dance with somebody. I want to feel the heat with somebody.”

 It just started to rain. I would much rather curl up with a good book in my delicious bed than go in and work a little on my one day off. Oh well. Thus is my life. 

I wish my sister lived much closer to me. This needs to happen soon. Laughter gets ridiculous when the two of our powers are combined. 

Someone asked me this week if I wanted to go see the new Captain America movie…to which I responded, “I have no clue what that is. I would love to go see a movie about Captain Planet thought.” Am I too old, or too young? Or do I just not care? Ha. 

My platonic life partner is refusing to dress up with me for Halloween this year. So very disappointing. I had the best costumes lined up for the two of us. Perhaps he will change his mind. 

Nothing turns me on like a beautiful piece of vintage furniture. Nothing. There is this amazing card catalogue in Sherlock that I am lusting after right now. 

I need something sweet. There used to be this tiny burger place in White Deer, TX…where I grew up…that made the most amazing Dr. Pepper floats. It was basically a fountain Dr. Pepper on top of the best kind of ice with one little swizzle of soft serve ice cream. I wake up to this in my dreams at times. 

I have bruises all over my body and have no clue how I got them. I’m clumsy but I don’t think that is in this instance the two things are related. 

I feel sexy lately.

Now it is time to eat or take a nap. That is all. 

Title Pending….

I have a confession to make…

I believe that I am genuinely happy right now. This takes me a little bit by surprise. Not because I like being sad. Although sometimes I do. But because one day I was unhappy and then the next I was fine. I suppose this is what moving on is really all about. It crept up on me. But I am, in this moment, genuinely happy with where I am, what I do, and the people I choose to surround myself with. 

There are moments when you creep in my mind. Or haunt my dreams. But they are fewer and far between. And I am at peace. With you. With me. With us. Or the nonexistence of us. I wish you well. I want the best for you. I suppose this is what being a grown up is really all about. Perhaps it what love really is about. 

So many moments that seem to be unimportant have left a lasting impression on me lately. Making a new friend. Having a deep conversation. Catching up over a drink. Trying new things. I am living my life. I am getting out and having new experiences. I am 27 and I feel like I have been given a second chance. A chance to really find myself. To find my place in this great, big world. I am not scared by the unknown. I am actually giddy with excitement knowing that I have no clue what will happen. Anything could happen. And something, the exact thing that is supposed to, will happen. 

Watch out world, this girl is going to do great, big things. 

I have spent the day, this one day off, in bed. In pajamas. Taking naps. Watching movies. Doing a little work. It has been mundane in every possible way. But tonight I started stalking a new friend on Facebook. I don’t do this very often but I enjoy it when I do. I like seeing an overview of someone’s life through Facebook. Call me a creeper. I’m fine with that. In stalking this person I found their blog. Which I read all of in one sitting. I laughed. Literally out loud. And I was so deeply touched by moments of pure openness. 

I hadn’t really thought about the fact that anyone can read my blog. Anyone can read my thoughts. Personal thoughts. That I put out into the world to rid myself of but also with the hope that maybe, just maybe, my words can somehow help someone else. In reading this person’s blog I got something out of it that I wasn’t expecting. Life is so short. It passes in the blink of an eye. One day you can be happy and dandy and the next someone you love could be ripped from this world. I am so tired of not telling the people that I love, that I do in fact love them. 

I have a very specific memory of being a young kid. My mom had gone Christmas shopping in Amarillo, which seemed like a Metropolis to me at that young age. More time had passed than was supposed to and I was really starting to worry about why my mom wasn’t home. I had imagined that she had been kidnapped and that I would never see her again. And in that instant, I realized I really loved my mom. Clearly I loved her before that moment, but something had instantly clicked in my head. I don’t really remember my family saying we loved each other much before that. But after that day, I made a conscious effort to tell my parents I loved them. 

I wasn’t really sure how to feel about telling my brother that I loved him at that young age. It seemed strange to me for some reason. Yes, I loved my brother. But it wasn’t vocalized much while we were young. Especially since he, as the slightly older brother, blamed me for things he did…and got away with it!! I still bring up certain moments when we are all together because I am baffled by how my parents believed that I wrote on the walls with crayon when the crayons were still in my brother’s hand but that is another story. It wasn’t until my brother went away to school that we started vocalizing that we love each other. We live in the same metroplex…thirty minutes away…and we hardly ever see each other because of our conflicting schedules…but it is always great when we do. And I do love my brother. I couldn’t ask for a better role model in my life. Or a better friend. My brother has always been on my side and by my side through all of the major moments in my life…good and bad. He has been the bearer of some of my deepest secrets. 

My sister on the other hand…it was always easy to tell her I loved her. She is six years younger and it was just always natural to love on her. She is one of the most beautiful people I know. She has these huge blue eyes. Absolutely stunning. And she has one of the biggest hearts. She cares about people so genuinely. And honestly, she is the first person I called during this past summer, when I was going through so many rough things. She honestly acted like my big sister through all of it and I am so grateful for her love. If you can’t call your sister when you are sobbing, than who can you call? I sometimes get jealous of just how awesome she is. And then I take joy in knowing that we share so many similarities that perhaps I have to be pretty close to her level of awesomeness too. 

But telling your family you love them is an easy thing. I really want to work on telling my friends that I love them. I remember one of the first times my dear friend, Rachel, told me she loved me while we were getting off the phone. It seemed a little strange at the time but it has become a regular thing since. Why do we feel ashamed to tell the people we love that we love them? I don’t want this to be the case for me. I want people who are dear to me to know that I love them. And I don’t want to feel ashamed to vocalize that. So I am taking back the words “I love you” and I am doing with them whatever I would like. So if you hear me tell you “I love you” don’t be taken aback. It means you have made my very special list. And it takes some work to make the list. But once you are in, you are in. For good. 

Random Thoughts with Megan

Let’s get right to it…

One week down of Sherlock rehearsals. One more to go and then Tech. This is a crazy ride. But I can’t wait to see the final product.

This week has been a week of scary circumstances for many people in my life right now. Lots of injuries, surgeries, and illness. It has really made me feel so thankful for the people I have in my life. I hate when I get so caught up in the motions of day to day life that I take people for granted. I am definitely working on this.

Yesterday my mom texted my siblings and I that it was 30 degrees in the Panhandle and about to snow. My brother responded with 80 degrees in Florida…I had no clue he was in Florida yesterday but ok. And I responded with Tornado Watch in Dallas. Crazy weather!

Some new neighbors moved in behind my condo recently. It isn’t until people are super loud outside till the wee hours of the morning when I remember just how much I hate people. Why are people inconsiderate? Why!?

I went out to celebrate the end of my first week of Sherlock last night. I started with drinks and appetizers with my Stage Management Team and the Assistant Director at Three Sheets. The patio was fantastic. I then had dinner with Blake and his newly gimped up boyfriend. And then eventually headed over to a place near Fair Park to hang out with some other peoples. We were some of the only white people there but I can’t tell you how much I really loved this place. Lots of live music. Lots of good times! I’m loving trying new things.

The weekend before last, I had a night out with a friend. We went to see a show and then went out afterwards to her favorite dive. Afterwards we talked for a little bit and she informed me that one of the reasons I am not approached is because if I am not smiling or laughing I look stuck up. Ha. Brutal honestly I suppose. I would never think that I look stuck up. I would say that I do have a naturally serious expression but that is probably as far as I would take it.

A friend pointed out to me that I am completely ok talking to anyone and everyone about absolutely anything…until I have some sort of romantic interest in a person. This is probably accurate. I will approach strangers with random questions all of the time. But ask me to approach someone I am into and I will run in the opposite direction.

I really have an extremely difficult time wrapping my brain around the fact that lots of people my age have children who are already in school…and sometimes already in junior high. My life is so far from this. I am not saying that these people are doing things wrong. I am only saying I can’t even imagine what their lives are like. I have serious respect for these people. They have little people they have to take care of…every day…all of the time. I only have to take care of myself…and sometimes that is hard.

I want to go back to Hawaii! Today. Every. Day.

I ate a new Butterfinger Cup recently. It is sort of a mix of a Butterfinger in a Reese’s form. I was hoping it was still a Butterfinger but in a new shape. It still tasted exactly like Butterfinger but the consistency made me want my mom’s homemade Butterfinger Ice Cream. Or her Angel Food Delight. Both are amazing. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it.

Butterfingers always remind me of my adopted grandpa, Melvin. I have a hard time saying he is my grandpa because for three or four summers he was my best friend. Butterfingers were the only sweet thing I ever really saw him eat…unless people brought us cake or pie to eat.

They sold the Snow Cone stand I worked out. And it breaks my heart. I know it will still be there. Run by someone new. But it will never be the same. I can no longer just go bust in the back door and make my own snow cones. Or make my own BBQ nachos exactly how I like them. It’s the end of an era for sure.

I am considering signing up for online dating…oh my god…i can’t believe I just said that. I take it back.

Today is my day off and I plan to stay in pajamas or fat pants all day long. I don’t plan on getting out of bed except for food. I am already sad that I woke up earlier than I intended but oh well. I do have a little work to do today but it will be done from my bed. Thank God I have the most delicious bed in the world!!

Life is so crazy. I can hardly believe my life compared to a year ago today. I was in New York for a weekend with my love. I saw some amazing shows and honestly it was one of my most favorite of New York trips. So many great things happened. I was getting geared up to work on Fly. I was at the heaviest I have ever been. I was so worried about money (for no real reason) and was working all of the time. I wasn’t enjoying life the way that one should. Now, I am living life. I am traveling. I am back to a normal size and weight for me. My hair is short. I’m going out. I’m interacting with friends on a much more frequent basis. I have seen my family more. I’m single. It’s not necessarily what I had imagined my life to be a year ago but I am so thankful for so many of the experiences I have had this year. I feel at home in my skin again and it had been a really long time since I had been myself.

I have a little time off after this show and I need to pick where I want to travel during that time. I still need to get a stamp in my passport so perhaps I can squeeze something in. I also wouldn’t mind getting in a weekend in NYC to see a couple of shows and some familiar faces. Perhaps both will occur.

I am craving BBQ.

That also makes me want a Snow Cone.

I have the largest pile of laundry to get through today. I’m sad I have to get out of bed to deal with laundry…but I have to have clean clothes.

I go through phases where I just don’t do certain things for an extended period of time. Last month I literally avoided going to the grocery store for the whole month. Of course, this meant I ate out a little more than usual and ate more out of my freezer and pantry than I normally do but I just did not want to go to the grocery store. Last weekend I finally went to be prepared for this week. Right now I am going through a laundry phase. I just don’t want to do it. I just don’t! And you can’t make me!

So my sister and I are talking seriously about living together when both of our leases are up this fall. This is pretty exciting to me. However I am having a hard deciding on whether I want to stay in the same place or if we should find some place new. It is going to be impossible to find something cheaper than what I am in now. And let’s face it…I don’t actually want to pack up my stuff and move it. But there are so many memories in this place that I think I need to get away from. It certainly isn’t as overwhelming as it once was but there are still days where I am affected by this. It’s hard. I love this place. It’s cute. It’s me. But it reminds me of that someone and there is no way to avoid this.

I still am utterly in love with my Sweet Caroline. I still get excited when I walk to the garage after work and see her parked. And she is a blast to drive.

I’m pretty sure that I am one of the most oblivious people in the world. If you have an interest in me, you literally have to verbally express that to me in a clear and concise way. Otherwise I just assume you are just a flirty person, like myself. I flirt all of the time so it’s hard to differentiate between that and something else.

I miss my Sabina!! I miss all of my Oedipus cast! But Dallas needs Sabina to be here all of the time. All. Of. The. Time.

I despise having to pay for Valet when the parking lot is directly beside the venue I am going it. I totally get it if there is no parking in direct proximity. But $5-$15 to park right beside the building?! Why?! Only in Dallas.

S’mores.

Clearly I need to go camping. A friend and I had plans to do so and then he ditched me and went to Austin instead. Jerkface.

So many things to do. Perhaps I will take a nap instead.

I have this amazing friend…who is doing something pretty spectacular…

I interrupt the regularly scheduled posts about my AMAZING VACATION TO HAWAII because I want to tell you about a pretty extraordinary person in my life. This won’t necessarily be new information. I have talked about this person before. But she deserves a very special shout out.

Alett was one of the very first people I met in Dallas. We were both working on the Stage Management team for the Grand Opening of the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Arts District of Dallas. This meant we opened two separate venues…the Wyly (which is where Dallas Theater Center operates out of) and the Winspear. They have longer fancier names but this is what they are called by everyone here in Dallas. She is a lot of fun but is direct and straight to the point. I took to her immediately. And we have been great friends since.

She broke her foot at a Rangers game that several DTC staffers went to see. This was last fall. She has been in a boot or on crutches ever since. After her initial surgery she had to wait for her foot to heal. She then had to go back into surgery to have pins removed and has been healing her foot all over again. I have such respect for this chick. She has lost her independence for a better part of a year and could be spiraling into a deep dark abyss of depression. But instead she remains positive. She chooses to find the good in her circumstances and that is such a rare quality these days.

She is currently raising money to help out this fantastic organization called Buzzforkids. This organization raises money to help pay costs for the families of children with cancer. Alett is choosing to buzz her beautiful, long, hair off for cancer to help support this organization and show some of the cancer patients who are children that it’s okay to be bald. She is being brave in a way not many people are. And she is showing love in a way that not many people can. 

Side Note: Alett and I were having a night out at Chuy’s this past week and were talking about this event. I admitted to her that there are countless things that she does in her day to day life that put her far above and beyond most “Christians” that I know. I know that all people have their downsides but it is hard to see people spew out words about Jesus when their actions don’t quite measure up. Alett is so much closer to that vision than many people. She genuinely just wants to do the right thing and help people out as much as she can. She is having to pay so much for medical care because of her injury that is taking longer to heal than expected and is putting that aside right now and focusing raising money for this cause. I just can’t say enough how proud I am of her for doing this; how grateful I am that she is in my life; and how so many days I try to be more and more like her.

Ok…back to the real post: It really is a fantastic cause and Alett has crazy lady balls for parting with her beautiful long hair. My hair is already pretty short right now and I still am having a difficult time considering parting with mine. She is getting close to her goal but is not quite there. So let’s help her reach her goal if you feel inclined to do so!

Here is how you can help if you feel lead to do so…or a tung on your heartstrings…Check out this letter from Alett…

Dear Friends,

I am going to go bald on May 4th in support of children who are fighting cancer.

I am participating in this event because kids who have cancer do not have a choice to lose their hair, but I do and I can show them that I care.

*This event is called The One Mission Kid’s Cancer Buzz-Off. Money raised will help fund programs and services that provide help, hope, care and support to kids and families battling cancer. These programs are funded solely with philanthropy, and we need your help to keep them running.

*These funds will:

• Make the journey easier during treatment and hospitalization

• Provide emotional support to patients, families and siblings through Caregiver Programs

• Make the hospital experience less scary and intimidating through the Decorate My Room program

• Provide financial relief to families in need by providing Parking Passes to the hospital garage

• Help ease the daily toll of hospitalization with Holiday gatherings and special luncheons

• Bring smiles to the faces of sick children through weekly events like Sundaes on Saturdays

*My fundraising goal is $600 and I need your help.

*It’s easy to contribute to this important cause!

* Make a gift online, it’s simple, fast and totally secure. Go to:

http://www.buzzforkids.org/

Click on: Sponsor a Buzzee

Search for Alett Gray

*Remember to check with your company’s HR Department to find out if they will match your gift to double your impact in the fight against pediatric cancer.

*Thank you again for your support, and for helping to brighten the road to recovery for children with cancer and their families.

Your soon to be bald friend,

Alett Gray

*All donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

The Perfect Vacation – Hawaii – Day 4

Friday, March 14

I, of course, slept in. Because that is what I do. Especially on vacation. After I showered I planned out my day. I knew I wanted to go to the Dole Plantation and I knew I wanted to head to the North Shore but I wasn’t sure what to do for food. I had come across an old blog of someone who basically planned out the same day I had and had places to eat suggested. So I looked up all of the addressed I needed and plugged them into my phone. I packed my beach bag, headed downstairs to check in with Kara and the babies, grabbed the keys, and headed on my journey.

First stop was the Dole Plantation. This was on the way to the North Shore so it was perfect. I had looked up a list of the best things to do on Oahu and this was something that was listed and had free portions. I had heard a lot of wonderful things about Pineapple Whip or Dole Whip and was eager to taste it. One thing I started to learn from my trip was that if I had plugged in an address into my maps it was likely not going to take me to the exact location. It would get me close. Within three miles probably but not take me right to it. My maps was telling me I was 2 miles away from the plantation when I saw it and turned in to the parking lot. Strange. I know.

I wondered in the gift store and immediately started thinking about what I was going to to bring back to my family as souvenirs. Of course my brother and his wife are going to be in Hawaii this summer so I left them out…naturally. Ha. I was a little overwhelmed in this gift store. It was huge and filled with so many different types of things. So much candy. I sauntered over to a woman who was teaching people how to slice a pineapple and had a few free samples of the most delicious pineapple that has ever been in my mouth. I picked out a specialty tea for my mom, a dole pineapple knife for myself and a pineapple magnet for myself. In the process of checking out a woman approached me and asked if I wanted to know my Hawaiin name. I obliged and after some fumbling around with pages we learned that my name in Hawaii is Momi. This made me giggle but I am not sure why.

After making my purchase I headed straight for the Dole Whip and ordered a sugar cone. Let me tell you – this was the most delicious pineapple experience I have had in my life. It is almost like a soft serve ice cream but contains no dairy. It’s light. And amazing. If you ever find yourself on Oahu you must check out the Dole Whip. Definitely worth the stop!! I’m craving another right now! I wondered around the plantation and looked at different types of pineapples. I didn’t want to miss out on beach time by doing any of paid tours so I got back in my car and headed toward the North Shore.

The North Shore is where Blue Crush was filmed. It is known for great surfing because of the large waves that come in. There are several different beaches along the North Shore. I was a little worried about not having anything more than Pineapple Whip in my system and planning to spend a few hours out in the sun so I opted to try and find lunch first because settling on one of the beaches. I was on the hunt for Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck. I passed several food trucks on the way as well as fresh fruit stands on the side of the road. I got to a place that my maps thought Giovanni’s was at and it was no where in sight. I forged ahead and hoped I would run into it a mile or two down the road. Six miles later and I finally found it. It was located with several other food stands and there were tons of people swarming around. I got in line and took a few pictures of the truck. I ordered half an order of Shrimp Scampi and was thrilled with my selection. The shrimp was peel and eat so I had to do a little work but it was well worth the wait. Delicious! I washed my hands in a huge outdoor sink that they provide and asked one of the staff which way I should head for the best beaches. I was told to head back the way I came and so I did.

I passed a couple of beaches before I decided to stop. I got my bag together and headed down the beach to find a nice quiet spot. I laid out my towel, plopped down, and started lathering on the sunscreen. We all know that I am extremely pale and I was extremely prepared with my spf50. But I hadn’t really thought about applying it to my back. I covered my entire body except my back and started looking around for a nice stranger to approach to see if they would put sunscreen on my back. Yes. This is awkward. Yes. I probably should’ve found a really hot guy to approach. But instead I eyed a group of older people. I walked right up to one of the women…who was trying not to make eye contact with me…and very nicely asked if she wouldn’t mind helping me out…since I was so pale…and would burn so very easily. She giggled a little and said, “yes you will burn so quickly” and politely agreed to help a girl out.

I headed back to my spot and got comfortable with my music in my ears. I had a great view of several people surfing and noticed there were a pack of photographers shooting at these oversized waves and the surfers. It was a little cool this day so I opted to stay out of the water unless I got really hot in the sun. I didn’t get really hot. It started sprinkling a little and I opted to sort of stay and wait it out for a couple of minutes. Sure enough, it passed over quickly and the sun was back out warming me up in no time. Of course, probably 30 minutes later it started to sprinkle again. I thought I’d wait it out but the rain got heavier and heavier and I was soon shoving all my stuff in my bag and heading back to my car. I was covered in sand but the rain was coming down so hard I just wanted to get in the car. Sorry Kara for all the sand in your car. 🙂 I sat in the car for a couple of minutes trying to see if the storm would pass…but it didn’t. So I got back on the road and took the scenic route home.

There is nothing really that compares to driving along the coast. Even in the rain it is beautiful. Finally the rain stopped on my way back to Kara’s. I spotted some parasailers and pulled over to watch. I ended up on a pretty secluded beach. I wrapped a scarf around me for a little more warmth and put my music back in my ears. I sort of danced around on the shore a little getting my feet wet and just taking it all in. I was in such a beautiful place. An older couple showed up with their dog and had a little picnic and probably thought I was a little nuts for the way I was dancing/playing with my feet in the water. I spent around 30 minutes at this place. Once the parasailers ended I hopped back in my car and kept going on my journey.

I pulled off at one more beach because of the way the clouds were collecting along the mountains and off at sea. It was getting even cooler. I sort of sat and “meditated” for a little while. I use that term loosely. I wasn’t sitting with my legs crossed or anything. I was just thinking over my day and week and trying to get my mind ready for the race that I had on Sunday.

Anyway, I finally got back to Kara’s. Showered immediately to get all of the sand off of me. I love the beach but I really hate sand. Kara had planned a girls night for this evening and Jeremiah offered to keep the twins for us to go out and have a good time. I even wore a dress. And shaved my legs. And wore contacts. Getting crazy I know. Ha. One of Kara’s neighbors came with us. Leanne lives in the same complex as Kara and crazily enough is from Arlington, TX. Such a small world.

They took me to this secluded little place that supposedly has a beautiful view of lots of gorgeous terrain. It was super dark that night so you couldn’t really see anything. We had a 30 minute wait so we headed to the bar for a pre dinner cocktail. I ordered a Sandy Snorkel…because why not? It was really crowded. Leanne had put her drink on the bar to put her hair up and bumped into one of the guys sitting at the bar. He turned around and started talking to us. We found out he lived down the street from the girls and used to work in Lubbock. Such a small world. He bought us another round of drinks and we chatted with him and his friend until our table was ready. Interestingly enough, his friend has been on Oahu for over 30 years now but because he is white will never be considered a local. This is so strange to me but it something all white people face in Hawaii.

We got to our table and ordered food. I ordered a Crab Roll which was delicious. I ordered another drink and the waiter at the table asked for my I.D. to make sure I was old enough. I had come to the table from the bar where they I.D. as well. I sort of flashed a smile at him and said, “Thank you. That is so sweet.” and showed him my I.D. I can’t tell you how often lately I have been I.D.’d. After our lovely dinner we went back to the bar to thank our new friends for buying us a round and headed back to Kara’s.

When we got in the babies were still awake and it seemed like Jeremiah might be having a difficult time putting them to bed. We chose to not think about this and snuck off to the clubhouse for some more adult entertainment. It was a lovely night. We sat out on the bay and had a really nice time. One of the conversations I remember from this night was Kara telling me I shouldn’t swim in the bay because it was a natural breeding ground for Hammerhead Sharks. Why she didn’t tell me this the first day I am not sure. Ha. But luckily I hadn’t got in. This also lead to me talking about how I used to have an irrational fear of being impregnated by spiders and having spider babies. And that lead to an article we had both read about a woman eating calamari in Japan, I think, and it impregnated her mouth and she had to go to the E.R. Crazy! Oh the weird conversations I have. Ha.

Eventually we went back in to give Jeremiah some adult time and congratulate him on his successful evening with the babies. I then opted to go upstairs and immediately passed out. Any time I spend several hours in the sun I get so exhausted and sleep so hard that night. This was exactly the case for this night. It had been a really great day!

The Perfect Vacation – Hawaii – Day 3

Day 3 – March 13th

Today is Thursday. It is second morning to wake up in the beautiful place. I slept in again. It happens. And I can’t pretend I don’t love it. After I showered I did a little research on a few places I want to see while I’m here on the island of Oahu. It’s always hard to know what is worth seeing and what is not worth seeing but I guess that is the risk you have to take when you want to make sure you get as much in as you can.

I packed a beach bag full of lots of crap because I wasn’t sure where my day would lead me. After I checked in with Kara and the twins I grabbed the keys and headed out the door. Not only am I lucky enough to get to stay with my friends, they are rockstars and are letting me borrow Kara’s Escape while I am here. Life can’t get much better than this!

I still hadn’t really decided want I wanted to do. Top of my list was going to Diamond Head State Monument to hike. So I plugged it into maps and headed towards Honolulu. Sadly maps was being a little bit of a pain so I headed out without really knowing where I was going. I could retrace the first few steps of getting out of their neighborhood but then made a wrong turn. I filled up with gas and found an ATM to get cash out and then turned myself back around. Finally my maps kicked back into gear and I was making my way to Diamond Head.

I followed the directions and ended up outside a Community College. Thankfully Diamond Head is located right next to a Community College and I found my way to it. I paid $5 to park. Kicked my flipflops off and replaced with my favorite green Toms. Lathered myself down with very strong sunscreen. Packed my purse full of water. And headed up the trail. 

Being by myself, I worked my way up at a pretty fast pace. I was hoping this would be a nice little workout before my race on Sunday and I wasn’t wrong. Being the super pale white girl that I am, I sometimes simply melt in the sun. Literally. I can pass out so fast. It’s ridiculous. So I was careful and made a pit stop or two to inhale some water. I passed several interesting people and noticed how nice some people can be when it comes to taking other people’s photos for them. I even offered to take a few family’s photos for strangers…but no one offered to take my photo in return. Blarg. There were several steps to hike up which was the hardest part for me. I tried keeping count. I did a good job and then lost track after 100.

I don’t really know how long it took me to get to the top. I wasn’t really watching the time. But I made the time worth while. I spent lots of time at the top taking photos of the beautiful view. I am really getting into my panoramic photos right now. It’s just too beautiful here not to take advantage of the long shots. There was this “nice” family from New Zealand that were hogging the highest point for the longest time. I was trying to be respectful of the space but they spent over ten minutes there by themselves. I finally hoisted myself up the ladder and invaded their space. I have no patience for people who are not considerate of others.

Several other pairs of people came and went while we were all waiting to get to the top. One of the more enjoyable couples to watch started taking awesome pictures of this chick doing crazy yoga poses on these high places. It was entertaining. There was also an Asian couple who had their tripod with them and timer so they could take their own photos. Show offs. Oh – I forgot to mention – there are Asians everywhere here. I knew I would be in the minority here. And I am. But I hadn’t really imagined the amount of Asians I have seen here. I am pretty sure I have seen more Asians than I have actual island folk. It’s crazy! 

I made my way down part of the path and landed myself in a secluded area overlooking the bay. There was a bench so I sat and enjoyed the view for a while…until the “nice” family came and invaded my space. I guess it was Karma. But I moved out of their quickly once they showed up and took over the bench.

I hiked the rest of the way back down and treated myself to a shaved ice. It was a nice treat to cool down with. I had gotten so hot and sweaty from the hike up. I ordered mine with half pineapple and half strawberry. I found a bench in the shade to sit at. I took a couple of bites and then a bee swooped in to get a taste. I wasn’t too frightened right away. I figured it would buzz off soon. But then another showed up on my icy treat. I tried running around a little bit to deter them but they followed me closely. Running in a circle probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do. Ha. I ran faster and eventually dodged them. I’m sure I looked like a crazy person. But I finally got to enjoy my shaved ice in peace. 

After that I washed up and headed back to the car. I decided to head over to Pearl Harbor to see the historical sites and pay my respects. I put in my maps and headed out. It’s always interesting to see where maps is going to take me on Oahu. It always gets me close but never in quite the right spot. Eventually I can follow signs which is nice but I need maps to atleast get me headed in the right direction. I arrived in the last hour of their day. I walked around and looked at all the memorials. I called my mom after and told her that in order to really get the experience I think you have to go ahead and pay the money and go on the real tours. I still learned a lot and got a lot out of what I did but I would like to see the ships. One of the strangest things about this day is that while I was walking around the memorials I small animal darted across the path. I think it was a ferret but I can’t be too sure. I tried telling Kara about this and told her it was hard to explain. And said that if it wasn’t a ferret than it was similar to a very small seal that didn’t have flippers but had hands and feet, was small and skinny, and that was on land. She laughed and told me that, that was indeed hard to explain. Note: I told my dad about this recently and he laughed so hard. And then asked if I saw a Sea Otter. It’s possibly. I still have no clue. But it was strange.

After that I started to head back to Kara’s. She told me to take my time and to stop at the Pali Lookout. Oh my God. The view from this place was fantastic. It actually overlooks Kaneohe which is where my friends live. It also has historical significance. It was unbelievably windy while I was there. Clouds were gathering around the mountains and I thought for sure I would see some rain. Rain has been on the radar every day I have been here and is still on the radar for the rest of the time I’m here. Apparently it rains somewhere on the island every day. I believe it with all the greenery in the area but I have yet to see it. I did however nearly get blown over by the wind at this lookout. Literally. I’m not joking here. I’m a full figured woman. I have some meat on me. And I almost got knocked over by the wind. It was crazy. Also, there was this crazy tree out by the parking look. It’s fantastic. That is all.

I made my way back to casa de Smith and made it just in time to feed my little boyfriend Knox. He is so stinkin’ funny. He loves to suck on my finger. But today he was all about sticking my whole finger in his mouth to teeth on. And then he didn’t stop there. He started sucking on different parts of my hand. Slobber was everywhere. But he is so adorable it doesn’t even matter.

Dinner was served by Mr. Smith. Spicy tacos. It was delicious. We enjoyed and episode of the Voice. And then an episode of The Americans. Knox was getting crabby around bedtime so I sat with him some more until it was time to put the babies down. I caught up on my email, facebook, and pinterest while they took care of their babies. And then we ended the night with another episode of the Americans. It’s so good. Watch it! Now!

Now I’m in bed. I thought I would do more research on what I want to do so that my day tomorrow will be planned out. But I’m tired. So I guess it’ll wait until tomorrow.